Crayola, NASA and HarperCollins Children's Books Celebrate the 75th Anniversary of Goodnight Moon with a Colorful Read Along, Draw Along™ Event from the International Space Station

For the first time ever, the beloved classic will be read aloud by astronauts from space—closer to the moon than ever before, during a Facebook Live hosted by Crayola Education on May 18, 2022 at 7pm EST

EASTON, Pa., May 5, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Crayola, the brand that sparks creativity through color, announced today its collaboration with NASA and HarperCollins Children's Books in honor of the 75^th anniversary of the highly acclaimed bedtime story Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown, illustrated by Clement Hurd. To commemorate the book's profound impact across the globe, Crayola, along with NASA and Goodnight Moon publisher HarperCollins, will mark this momentous occasion with an out-of-this-world celebration for a story that has inspired generations of children to look to the sky and dream of the moon.  

On May 18, 2022, Crayola Education will host a Read Along, Draw Along™ event on Facebook Live, marking the first time Goodnight Moon has been read aloud from space. The event will feature NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy, as well as astronauts from the International Space Station and Crayola Education Manager James Wells. During the event, children, families and teachers are invited to partake in the interactive storytelling session, followed by an "Ask an Astronaut" Q&A where two NASA astronauts answer questions submitted by children across the country. To inspire hands-on participation during the Facebook Live event, James Wells and his daughter will demonstrate how to create night sky scenes with the moon seen out the window, inspired by illustrations in Goodnight Moon. Everyone who tunes in from Earth can follow along as the book is read in space and then create art in their own unique way.

"Crayola Education creates free, digital programs that inspire children, and their teachers and families to use creative experiences as a springboard for learning about themselves, others, and the world around them," says Cheri Sterman, Director of Crayola Education. "We are excited to collaborate with NASA and HarperCollins to celebrate how this beloved, classic story, Goodnight Moon, has encouraged generations of children to dream about their place in this world and beyond. Seeing how important creativity is in space exploration inspires children to see themselves in future STEAM careers."

Through this collaboration, Crayola, NASA and HarperCollins continue to engage and excite children about space, literacy, and STEAM, while expressing their ideas visually. As NASA works to establish a long-term presence on the moon and beyond through Artemis, a spaceflight program that will land the first woman and first person of color on the moon, Crayola supports its mission to build awareness of STEAM careers and encourage students across the globe to pursue creativity in their work.

"Millions of readers around the world have enjoyed the soothing words of Margaret Wise Brown and the art of Clement Hurd in Goodnight Moon," says Nancy Inteli, VP and Publishing Director at HarperCollins Children's Books. "What a thrill, and a fitting tribute for the book's 75th anniversary this year, to have Goodnight Moon read from the International Space Station, hundreds of miles closer to the moon itself, thanks to this collaboration with NASA and Crayola." 

The Goodnight Moon Read Along, Draw Along from the International Space Station will take place on May 18, 2022 at 7PM EST, through a Facebook Live event presented by Crayola Education. After the Live event, the video will be available to watch anytime, on-demand. Visit www.facebook.com/CrayolaEducation/ to tune in and learn more about this, and other exciting events.

About Crayola

Crayola LLC, based in Easton, Pa. and a subsidiary of Hallmark Cards, Incorporated, is the worldwide leader in children's creative expression products. Known for the iconic Crayola Crayon first introduced in 1903, the Crayola brand has grown into a portfolio of innovative art tools, crafting activities and creativity toys that offer children innovative new ways to use color to create everything imaginable. Crayola Education provides free creative learning resources to K-8 educators to prepare students with academic and life skills that hinge on creativity. For more information, visit www.crayola.com or join the community at www.facebook.com/crayolaeducation.

About NASA

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is America's civil space program and the global leader in space exploration. NASA is at the forefront of exploration and discovery through Artemis, Moon to Mars activities, and other efforts. Through its leadership in exploration, science, technology and discovery, NASA has shaped innovation on a global scale. NASA's international partnerships create new possibilities for space and science agencies in other nations and bring new benefits to American researchers and explorers. For decades, NASA has worked to address climate change across its centers and offices, pursuing science that helps decision-makers and members of the public understand our changing planet and developing technology that will help society address this pressing challenge. NASA provides opportunities in STEM to the nation's education system and is an inspiration to the next generation of scientists, engineers, mathematicians, and explorers. More information can be found at www.nasa.gov.

About HarperCollins Children's Books

HarperCollins Children's Books is one of the leading publishers of children's and teen books. Respected worldwide for its tradition of publishing quality, award-winning books for young readers, HarperCollins is home to many timeless treasures and bestsellers such as Goodnight Moon, Charlotte's Web, The Hate U Give, A Long Walk to Water, The One and Only Ivan, The Polar Express, Where the Sidewalk Ends, and Where the Wild Things Are; series including The Chronicles of Narnia, Curious George^®, the Giver Quartet, Little Blue Truck, Pete the Cat, Ramona, Red Queen, The School for Good and Evil, and Warriors; and graphic and illustrated novels such as Invisible Emmie, New Kid, and Nimona. Consistently at the forefront of digital innovation, HarperCollins Children's Books delights readers through engaging storytelling across a variety of formats and platforms, including the largest young adult (YA) book community, Epic Reads, and Shelf Stuff, where kids and parents can discover the best middle grade books. Part of HarperCollins Children's Books, HarperCollins Productions develops and produces TV, film, and interactive media for HarperCollins's major franchises, which include Carmen Sandiego, The Oregon Trail, and Pretzel and the Puppies. HarperCollins Children's Books is a division of HarperCollins Publishers, which is the second largest consumer book publisher in the world, has operations in 17 countries, and is a subsidiary of News Corp. (NASDAQ: NWS, NWSA; ASX: NWS, NWSLV). You can visit HarperCollins Children's Books at www.harpercollinschildrens.com and www.epicreads.com and HarperCollins Publishers at corporate.HC.com.

CONTACT: Ava Malhotra, [email protected]

SOURCE Crayola