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NIGHT 25 OF 30

The Wrong-Color Rainbow

Ages 5–8 · Grades K–3 · 2-minute read

Enjoying your imagination
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Maya drew a rainbow for the station wall. She reached for her red pencil, but it was missing from the box.

“Mine will be wrong,” she said.

Comet offered a purple pencil. Maya knew a real rainbow did not begin with purple. She wanted to draw one that looked just right.

The gardener found a book with a photograph of a rainbow. Maya studied its colors, then put the book beside her paper.

“I can learn about a real rainbow,” she said, “and make an imaginary one, too.”

She drew a purple band, a blue band, and a green band. Comet added tiny silver stars around the edges.

They named it A RAINBOW FOR THE MOON.

Later, Maya found her red pencil under a notebook. She used it for a second picture with the colors from the photograph.

The conductor hung both pictures together. One showed something Maya had learned. The other showed something only Maya and Comet could imagine.

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A MOON MINUTE WITH NOVAQuestion 1 of 3 · The Wrong-Color Rainbow

Which pencil was missing at first?

Take your time. You can look back at the story.

A little question to share.

What imaginary colors would you choose for a rainbow of your own?

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