Moonrise Over Leelanau

Is there a man in the moon? Is it made of green cheese or molten copper? Do you wish it a “good night” before bed?

Questions I pondered when quite young. Much later, as a grandmother reading books to young children, I noticed that almost every picture book had a moon floating high above the action on at least one page. The children exclaimed: Look, there’s the moon!

How did they learn about the moon? What did they know or imagine about that slender crescent or silver circle, as illustrators always portrayed it? No waxing or waning gibbous moon suspended over the scenes of animals, faeries, children, and farmers in the story books.