This is my first post. Here is an excerpt from my first pilot children's picture book. I'm aiming to reach ages 4-9 and potentially Gen Z adults who don't feel like adulting! My focus is on autistic readers as an autistic writer myself. This series, which I'm hoping to get a literary agent for, focuses on the titular Luna and her journeys discovering and exploring the world and its cultures as a 6-year-old autistic girl. With all that being said, please enjoy and provide me with any feedback.
In a little cottage on Lotus Road, lived a little fox who was about to see the world…
This is Luna. She loved exploring. Luna wasn’t afraid of the dark, heights, or even bugs! She’d gently catch spiders and set them outside, brave the scariest rides at the funfair, and watch storms without a shiver.
Luna wanted to travel more than anything in the world, but her parents always said, “Maybe we’ll go someday”, “You can come when you’re older”, or “It’s not a place for a young fox”. Luna didn’t like being told that she couldn’t do something. It made her so mad! She wasn’t a baby! But Granny always cheered her up by wiping away her little tears and explaining that the countries her parents went to were not always a place for a young fox. “They’re not on holiday, love; they have a job there”, Granny would always say in a comforting voice.
Luna lived with Granny as both her parents worked all over the world. Every morning before school, Granny would make a nice cup of tea steeped for three minutes with exactly two spoons of sugar and a dash of milk, just like how Luna liked it. Though Granny’s movements were slower now, Luna helped around the house, finding calm in the housework.
When she wasn’t helping out, Luna was outside in the forested meadow near the cottage, making up her own adventures. Some days, she was a brave captain facing the rough seas of the South Atlantic, and on other days, she was exploring the jungles of Congo. At her tea parties, she delighted her plushies with her made-up adventures over tea and biscuits. She spun tales about horseback riding with gaucho ranchers in Argentina, shopping sprees in Turkish bazaars and long mountain treks in Samoa. She fancied herself quite the jetsetter, even though she lived in a small town. But it couldn’t compare to the real thing she wanted.
One morning, Luna found a letter from Mama on the breakfast table: “I have exciting news for when you come back from school!” Luna bounced with curiosity all day, waiting impatiently. What did Mama want to tell her? After school, she raced home as fast as her little legs could carry her, flinging off her raincoat and shoes, and plopped herself by the phone.
She waited… and waited… and waited. Until… RRRRRRIIIIINNNNG!
Luna jolted upright and grabbed the phone. “Yes! Hello, Mama?” she sputtered.
Luna’s Mama chuckled. “Yes, it’s me! My work is sending me on a round-the-world assignment to rate the world’s best snacks, and you’re coming with me!”
Luna jumped up and down on the armchair with so much excitement, she nearly fell off! Finally, she would live her dream. They chatted about all the countries they’d visit and the adventures ahead. “Pack your things and hop into bed; we have an early flight tomorrow!” said Mama as she hung up the phone.
Early the next morning, Granny’s gentle hand nudged her awake. It was still pitch dark out, and her alarm read four o’clock in the morning! Her satchel was neatly packed, including a tiny electric kettle and plug adapter with a note: “Just in case you miss your tea! Love, Granny.” Luna smiled before stuffing it into her bag.
They rode the Superloop bus that took them straight to Heathrow Airport. Luna was fascinated, looking down at the empty streets from the top deck with no people. When they got off the bus, there was Mama. She was wearing her bright neon hoodie and grey loose trousers, arms wide open. Luna ran towards her and leapt into her arms. They spun around as they hugged very tightly. As Luna said goodbye to Granny, she hugged her tightly and promised to write whenever she got the chance.
Inside the airport, the noise was overwhelming: rolling luggage, loud chatter and bright, harsh lights that hurt her eyes. It felt like everything had the volume cranked up! It hurt her ears and made her poor head feel like a messy scribble! Luna looked around and felt the air getting tighter like the walls were closing in, except it was a sea of trousers and legs! Luna may have been six, but she was short even for a little fox!
She dug around desperately for her headphones, but she couldn’t walk and dig around at the same time. She was so focused on finding her headphones that she couldn’t see Mama anymore! What if she never saw Mama again? What if she leaves without her? Will she ever get to go on her adventures? A million questions raced through Luna’s mind at once. She tried to remember what Granny taught her to do if she got scared by noises:
Breathe in…1,2,3,4…breathe out.
Granny had told her if she ever got anxious and couldn’t get her headphones in time: Stop, find an empty spot, close your eyes and take a deep breath. She felt much calmer and was able to find her headphones. Once she placed them back on her head, she felt like herself again. What she hadn’t noticed was the giant world map she was sitting under. She forgot all about how afraid she was and started reading out all the cities: Antigua, Berlin, Chennai... Something about seeing that map put her at ease. Luna then started to relax and calm down.
Luna decided to find the gate herself. Luna pulled out her ticket: Gate 12, Section A. Following the glowing yellow signs, she weaved through the terminal with determination. She then spotted her Mamas’ neon hoodie and ran towards her. Mama turned and hugged her tighter. Never again would she get lost.
Luna grabbed Mama’s hand as they boarded the plane, and when their seat number was called, so many questions ran through Luna’s mind. Where would she go? Who would she meet? What would she eat? …She would find out very soon!
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