Wait, there are literally NO words in this book?

Correct. Aside from maybe a sign or a label, the story is told entirely through illustrations. This is a feature, not a bug—it encourages kids to use their own vocabulary to describe what's happening.

Is the 'stranded on the moon' part scary?

Not at all. The protagonist is very chill about it, and the aliens they meet are cute, curious, and friendly. It feels more like a secret clubhouse meeting than a survival situation.

How do I 'read' this to a 3-year-old if there's no text?

Point at the pictures and ask questions. 'Look at his face, how is he feeling?' or 'What do you think that alien is going to do with that crayon?' Eventually, let the kid take over and tell you what happens on each page.

Is this a good book for a kid who is struggling to learn to read?

It's fantastic. It allows them to experience the joy of 'finishing' a book and understanding a complex plot without the frustration of decoding words. It keeps the 'desire to read' alive while they work on their phonics elsewhere.

Field Trip to the Moon – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Field Trip to the Moon

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

book2019Friendship

96%

WISE Score

A wordless adventure where a kid gets left behind on the moon and discovers that a pack of crayons is the best way to make friends with the locals.

Field Trip to the Moon

book

2019, Friendship

96%

WISE Score

A wordless adventure where a kid gets left behind on the moon and discovers that a pack of crayons is the best way to make friends with the locals.

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Where to Read

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Screenwise Verdict

Field Trip to the Moon is a quiet, visual masterpiece. It takes the classic 'nightmare' of being left behind on a field trip and turns it into a masterclass in curiosity and creative connection. Because it's wordless, it’s one of those rare books that actually gets better the more you look at it, as kids start to notice the small details in the aliens' reactions.

It’s the perfect pick for parents who want to lean into the 'language comprehension' side of literacy. Since there's no text to decode, the focus is entirely on narrative structure, character motivation, and empathy. It’s a 10-minute trip that feels much bigger than its page count.

Age Fit

Perfect for the 3-8 crowd. It's a gold mine for toddlers who like to explore pictures and a great 'confidence builder' for 1st graders who can take the lead in narrating the story.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

It is a gentle, wordless story centered on curiosity and making friends with those who are different through art. No conflict, no villains, just a shared pack of crayons.

Imaginative

The wordless format forces the reader to supply the dialogue, pacing, and emotional subtext, turning every 'reading' into a creative performance. The lunar setting is beautifully rendered and sparks space-age wonder.

Safe

100

Completely safe. There is a brief moment of being 'left behind' by the school bus, but it is handled with zero peril and immediate whimsy.

Enriching

Excellent for building visual literacy and narrative comprehension. It models the idea that creativity and kindness are universal languages.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Masterful wordless storytelling that lets kids who can't read yet 'tell' the story to their parents.
Stunning visual style by John Hare that uses light and shadow to make the moon feel vast but never scary.
Models creative problem-solving as the protagonist uses drawing to bridge the gap between human and alien.
Builds visual literacy by requiring kids to pay attention to character expressions and background details to understand the plot.

⚠

What to Watch For

The 'getting left behind' trope might cause a flicker of anxiety for very young kids who are currently in a heavy separation-anxiety phase, though the character doesn't seem bothered by it.

Conversation Starters

"What do you think the aliens are thinking when they see the crayons?"
"If you were stuck on the moon for an hour, what would you want to draw?"
"Why didn't the student panic when the school bus left?"
"How can you tell the aliens and the student became friends even though they didn't say a word?"

Deep Dive

The Power of the Wordless Page

In the world of early literacy, we often get hyper-focused on decoding—the 'eyes on text' part of reading. But wordless books like Field Trip to the Moon are doing heavy lifting on the other half of the Reading Rope: language comprehension. When a child 'reads' this book to you, they are practicing syntax, vocabulary, and narrative logic. They aren't just looking at pictures; they are constructing a world.

John Hare’s artwork is the star here. The moon isn't a cold, dead rock; it’s a playground of grey tones that feels cozy rather than desolate. The protagonist is a small, space-suited figure who remains calm and observant, a great model for kids who might otherwise find the idea of being 'lost' terrifying.

Why Crayons?

The choice of crayons as the bridge between species is brilliant. It positions art as a universal language. There’s something deeply satisfying about seeing a grey moon slowly filled with the bright, waxy colors of Earth. It’s a subtle nudge toward the idea that we bring our own color to the places we visit.

If your kid is a fan of Aaron Becker’s Journey trilogy or any of the Quest books, this is in that same top-tier category of visual storytelling. It’s short enough for a quick bedtime read but rich enough to support a 20-minute deep dive into 'what happens next.'

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