Promising the moon

Two young newsboys depend on their day-to-day survival by selling newspapers. The two boys are overjoyed when the paper they sell, The Sun, begins a new series on startling discoveries on the moon. Day after day, the paper reveals new discoveries, including moon beavers, lakes of death, and serene flying creatures. Then it is learned that the stories are a hoax.

This story is based on true events and that added an air of authenticity to the piece. It was a new story to me; I liked that. The illustrations were made of paper and that was interesting.

“On Wednesday, the second article appeared. It described animals on the moon's surface. There were herds of brown quadrupeds, like small bison, but with a hairy veil that crossed ‘the whole breadth of the forehead and united to the ears.'”