Uma Luma Goes to the Moon

By Emmy Donovan

Uma Luma can’t fall asleep. Every night, she lies in bed staring at the ceiling. She tries reading, counting sheep, and drinking warm milk, but nothing works. Uma is getting groggier and grumpier every day. She even falls asleep in school!

All Uma Luma wants is a good night’s rest.

Then a special visitor arrives and takes Uma Luma on a marvelous adventure to the moon. Uma learns about the Earth, the moon, and the stars. She even learns a new trick that might help her fall asleep at night.

Uma Luma Goes to the Moon is a wondrous adventure packed with interesting facts about space and science.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Melissa Donovan
• Release date: Oct 6, 2015
• ISBN: 9781310304163

Emmy Donovan

Emmy Donovan was born and raised in northern California. She inherited a love of books from her mom, who taught her to read by age four. At thirteen, she started writing poetry and song lyrics. Shortly thereafter, she began keeping a journal, and a writer was born. Emmy earned a BA in English with a concentration in creative writing from Sonoma State University. In addition to children’s books, Emmy writes poetry, fiction, and nonfiction for grown-ups. Visit www.emmydonovan.com to learn more and to get updates on new releases.

Book preview

Uma Luma Goes to the Moon

Emmy Donovan

Cover art and illustrations by YurimaCSC

Copyright © 2015 by Melissa Donovan

Smashwords Edition

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or manual, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher.

This book is a work of fiction. Any similarities to real persons or events are purely coincidental.

First Edition, 2015

Published by Swan Hatch Press

ISBN: 9781310304163

Library of Congress Control Number: 2015914986

UMA LUMA GOES TO THE MOON

By Emmy Donovan

Swan Hatch Press | San Francisco

For Reese

I love you more

than the sun, the moon,

the stars, and

the entire universe.

- 1 -

Bedtime

Uma Luma was curled up on the couch wearing her favorite pajamas—yellow with pink polka dots—and her fuzzy blue slippers. Her mom was fluttering around the house, getting things organized while Uma watched a cartoon about talking ponies. Some of them could fly! Uma Luma's mom had explained that a flying horse was called Pegasus, but these weren't horses; they were ponies.

When the music started playing, Uma knew the cartoon was almost over. Her heart sank as words scrolled up the television screen.

Time for bed, her mom said as she used her toe to straighten a rug on the floor. Come on, Uma Luma.

Hold on, Mommy, Uma said. I like to hear the whole song at the end of the show.

Her mom picked up a basket of clean laundry and said, Let's go, Uma.

Just one more cartoon? Uma Luma asked. Sometimes her mom let her watch two or three cartoons before bed, especially when there was no school the next day.

Not tonight, honey. You have school tomorrow.

Uma frowned. But I'm not tired, she said.

Her dad came into the room carrying Uma Luma's little brother, Dezi Dru, who was wrapped in a towel. His hair was still wet from his bath.

It's getting late, her dad said, setting Dezi down on the couch. Let's get you dried off and tuck you in for the night.

Her mom picked up the remote control, pushed a button, and the television turned off.

Come on, Uma Luma. Time to go upstairs, her mom said. Give your dad and your brother good-night kisses, and go brush your teeth. I'll be in for your bedtime story in a few minutes.

Uma Luma kissed her dad and gave him a hug, and then she kissed Dezi Dru on the cheek. His face was still wet from the bath, so Uma had to wipe her face dry with her pajama sleeve. She sulked as she followed her mom upstairs. Her mom started folding towels and putting them away in the hall closet as Uma Luma went into the bathroom.

Uma climbed onto the little wooden stool that sat on the floor in front of the sink and looked at herself in the mirror. She had a heart-shaped face with a few freckles scattered across her nose. Her hair was blond, but it had been turning darker lately. She leaned in close to the mirror and studied her eyes. They were green. She opened her eyes wide and examined the black dots in the center of each eye. Her dad had told her they were called pupils. Students were also called pupils. Uma Luma didn't think it made sense to use one word for two different things. She squeezed her eyes shut for a few seconds and then opened them wide, watching her pupils shrink in the mirror.

Her mom tapped the door. Uma! I don't hear the water running.

Uma Luma turned on the water. She picked up her toothbrush and squeezed toothpaste onto the bristles, and then she stuck it in her mouth and scrubbed until her teeth felt clean.

There was another knock at the door. Uma Luma, open the door. It was her mom again, and that meant it was bedtime for real.

But Uma wasn't tired. How was she supposed to fall asleep if she wasn't tired? Why get in bed if she was just going to lie there with her eyes open, staring at the shadows on the walls? Uma Luma turned off the water and opened the door.

Let me see, her mom said. Open wide.

Uma opened her mouth wide so her mom could check her teeth.

Good job, she said, tousling Uma Luma's hair. Let's tuck you in.

We're going to read a book, right, Mommy? Uma asked as she followed her mom down the hall and into her bedroom.

Yes, go pick one out.

She heard her dad reading quietly to Dezi as they passed his bedroom door. Being older, Uma Luma read her own books. Every night before bed, she read aloud to her mom or dad. Sometimes they had to help her with hard words, but Uma could get through plenty of books by herself.

Uma Luma squatted in front of her bookshelf and looked over her books. She liked the one about horses, but it wasn't a story—just a bunch of photographs. The one about trees was good too, but they'd read that one the night before, and it wasn't a real story; it was a rhyming encyclopedia. She felt like reading a story.

This one, Uma said, grabbing a book and carrying it over to her bed where her mom was waiting for her. It was one of her favorite books, about a bunch of kids who lived on a spaceship and had many adventures visiting planets throughout the galaxy.

This is a chapter book, her mom said.

Can we read the whole story tonight? Uma Luma asked.

Her mom smiled. This is a long book! It would take all night, and you have to go to sleep.

But I'm not tired. I can stay awake for the whole book.

Well, I can't. I've had a long day. Come on, get in bed and we'll read a chapter.

Uma Luma climbed into her bed, and her mom propped up the pillows so Uma could lean against them. Once Uma Luma was comfortable and tucked into the blankets, her mom got on the bed and sat next to her, cuddling close and spreading the book across both of their laps.