Hi there! I’m Craig Toby, and I’m so excited to share a story with you today. If you enjoy our stories, you can follow us on social media or visit our website to see more. Today, we have a special book sent to us by Miss Blue’s Grade 3 & 4 class from Ross Road School in Nova Scotia, Canada. Thank you for sending it to us! The book is called “The Dark is Dark” by astronaut Chris Hadfield, with illustrations by the Fan Brothers. Let’s dive into the story!
Chris Hadfield was an astronaut, and he was always busy with important missions. This story takes us back to July 1969. When Chris’s mom asked him to take a bath, he said, “I’d love to, but I’m saving the planet from aliens.” And when it was time to get out of the bath and go to bed, he told his dad, “Sorry, no can do. I’m on my way to Mars.” Astronauts have a lot of work to do, so they don’t like to sleep, but their parents do!
Chris’s dad said, “You’re a big boy now. You have to sleep in your own bed.” Chris tried, but his room was very, very dark. It was the kind of dark that made him think of aliens. If I were Chris, I’d be scared too! But his parents checked everywhere in his room and promised it was alien-free. They turned on a nightlight and gave him a special bell to ring if he felt scared.
Chris’s dad warned him, “One more peep, young man, and we might be too tired to go next door tomorrow.” Tomorrow was going to be a special day, so Chris stayed in his bed without making a sound. It took a while, but he finally fell asleep and dreamed of flying his spaceship to the moon.
The next day felt really long, but when night came, Chris ran next door. The house was full of people gathered around the only TV on the island. Chris found a spot to watch, and he saw real astronauts on the moon! They wore puffy white suits and jumped high because there was less gravity there. Everyone was amazed, including Chris, who realized how dark space really was.
That night, Chris did something brave. He turned off all the lights in his room, even the nightlight. It was still dark, but Chris wasn’t afraid anymore. He understood that the darkness of space was much bigger than the darkness in his room. He wanted to explore the night sky and see its beauty.
Chris learned that you’re never really alone because your dreams are always with you. Dreams about who you want to be and the life you want to live can come true. And that’s the end of “The Dark is Dark” by astronaut Chris Hadfield, illustrated by the Fan Brothers. Remember, the dark can be beautiful and full of possibilities!
Starry Night Sky Exploration: With the help of an adult, go outside on a clear night and look up at the sky. Can you spot any stars or constellations? Try to find the brightest star you can see. Draw a picture of what you see in the sky and share it with your class. Think about how Chris felt when he looked at the night sky and how it helped him not be afraid of the dark.
Create Your Own Space Adventure: Imagine you are an astronaut like Chris Hadfield. What planet or moon would you like to visit? Draw a picture of your spaceship and the place you want to explore. Write a short story about your adventure in space. What do you see? What do you discover? Share your story with a friend or family member.
Nighttime Comfort Object: Just like Chris had a special bell to ring when he felt scared, think about something that makes you feel safe at night. It could be a stuffed animal, a nightlight, or a favorite blanket. Bring your comfort object to class and explain why it helps you feel brave in the dark. Discuss how having something familiar can make new or scary situations feel less frightening.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
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Hey, I’m Craig Toby, and welcome to Story Time with Ryan and Toby! Remember, if you like what you see, follow us on social media or visit our website to watch all of our rental ads or send us a message. I have a message today! Today’s book was sent to us by Miss Blue’s Grade 3 & 4 class at Ross Road School in Nova Scotia, Canada. Woo hoo! Thanks for sending us today’s book! We can’t wait to read it because today’s book is “The Dark is Dark” by astronaut Chris Hadfield, illustrated by the Fan Brothers. Let’s get started!
“The Dark is Dark” by astronaut Chris Hadfield, illustrated by the Fan Brothers.
Chris was an astronaut—an important and very busy astronaut. This was July 1969. When it was time to take a bath, he told his mother, “I’d love to, but I’m saving the planet from aliens.” When it was time to get out of the bath and go to bed, he told his father politely, “Sorry, no can do. I’m on my way to Mars.” An astronaut’s work is never done, so astronauts do not like to sleep, but their parents do.
“You’re a big boy now,” said Chris’s father. “You have to sleep in your own bed.” Chris tried; he really did, but his room was dark—very, very dark. The kind of dark that attracts the worst sort of aliens.
Ryan, do you see this? Yeah, if those were in my room, I’d be terrified! I’d probably sleep in my mom’s room too. I think I’m going to go to my mom’s house tonight; I’m scared! But his parents meant it—Chris was going to sleep in his own bed tonight. His mom and dad checked under his bed, in his closet, and even in his drawer. They declared the room 100% alien-free. They tucked Chris in, turned on the nightlight, and even gave him a special bell to ring if he was nervous.
Then his father said something that worried Chris even more than the dark did: “One more peep, young man, and I’m afraid we’ll all be too tired to go next door tomorrow.” But tomorrow would be a special day—a very special day. Chris had to go next door; his life pretty much depended on it.
So Chris stayed in his own bed without a peep. It took a long time to fall asleep, but when he did, he had his favorite dream: he flew his spaceship all the way to the moon. The next day seemed to last forever, but finally, when the moon was shining over the lake and the summer wind was ruffling the leaves of the trees, Chris ran next door.
The house was already full of people, all gathered around the TV—the only TV on the whole island. Chris found a spot where he could see through the crowd, and what he saw was astronauts—real live astronauts on the actual faraway moon! They were wearing puffy white suits and jumping for joy, jumping so high because there was so much less gravity there.
The grown-ups huddled around the TV were amazed. Their whole lives long, they had never expected to see this sight. Even Chris, who had been to the moon just the night before, was amazed. He’d never really noticed how dark outer space was—the darkest dark ever.
That night, Chris did a little experiment. He turned off all the lights in his room, even the nightlight. It was still dark—very, very dark. There were still shadows that looked a little alien, but nothing had changed. Chris had changed. He’d seen that the darkness of the universe was so much bigger and deeper than the darkness in his room, but he was not afraid. He wanted to explore every corner of the night sky. For the first time, Chris could see the power and mystery and velvety black beauty of the dark.
He realized you’re never really alone; your dreams are always with you, just waiting. Big dreams about the kind of person you want to be, wonderful dreams about the life you will live—dreams that actually can come true.
And that’s the end of “The Dark is Dark” by astronaut Chris Hadfield, illustrated by the Fan Brothers.
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