"Grandma, why do we grow up?" Evelyn asked, her big, curious eyes looking up at her Grandma.
Grandma smiled, her wrinkles crinkling around her eyes. "That's a great question, sweetie! Why don't we ask the wisest creature I know?"
Evelyn giggled. "Who? Mr. Whiskers the cat?"
"Even wiser!" Grandma chuckled. "We'll ask the Moon Dragon!"
Evelyn gasped. "A real dragon? But how do we get to the moon?"
Grandma winked. "We'll fly, of course!" She pulled out a shiny blue blanket from her bag. "This isn't just any blanket, Evelyn. It's a magic flying blanket!"
Grandma spread the blanket on the living room floor. As soon as Evelyn and Grandma sat down, the blanket lifted them up, up, up, past the clouds and stars, towards the big, bright moon!
The moon looked like a giant playground! There were craters to hop around and the Earth looked like a colorful ball hanging in the distance. Everything floated, even Evelyn!
"Wow!" Evelyn squealed, bouncing with delight.
Suddenly, a shadow fell over them. A giant, sparkling dragon with scales that shimmered like a thousand rainbows hovered above. It had bright, kind eyes and smoke puffed from its nostrils.
"Greetings," the Moon Dragon boomed, his voice deep and rumbly like thunder. "You must be Evelyn and her Grandma. I hear you have a question for me."
Evelyn, a little scared but very brave, asked, "Why do we grow up, Mr. Dragon?"
The Moon Dragon smiled, a puff of smoke swirling around him. "Growing up is like a journey, little one," he explained. "When you were a baby, you were just learning to crawl. Now you can run and jump and even ask big questions!"
Evelyn nodded, remembering how she used to crawl around the house.
"As you grow," the Dragon continued, "you'll learn even more. You'll discover new things, make new friends, and find new adventures! Just like your journey to the moon!"
Evelyn looked around at the magical moonscape.
"But," Evelyn asked, "will I still get to play and have fun when I grow up?"
The Moon Dragon chuckled. "Of course! Growing up doesn't mean you stop having fun. It just means you find new ways to play and explore. Just like you'll always love the ocean and the fishes, you'll always find things that make you happy!"
Evelyn thought about her favorite place, the ocean, and how she loved to watch the colorful fish swim.
"The most important thing," the Dragon added, "is to never stop being curious, just like you are now. Keep asking questions, keep exploring, and never stop dreaming big dreams!"
Evelyn smiled, feeling braver and more excited about growing up.
"Thank you, Mr. Dragon!" Evelyn and Grandma said together.
The Moon Dragon winked, his scales shimmering. "Now, who wants a ride on a shooting star?"
Evelyn and Grandma laughed as they zoomed across the moon on the back of a shooting star. When it was time to go, the Moon Dragon gave them a shimmering moon rock to remember their adventure.
Back home, tucked in bed with the moon rock glowing beside her, Evelyn knew growing up wouldn't be so scary after all. It would be an adventure, just like her trip to the moon! And she couldn't wait to see where it would take her.
