How can you explain the death of a child? The disappearing moon doesn't pretend to have the answer - yet tries to soften the harsh reality by using the magic of allegory. Inspired by Yuri Gagarin's epic voyage into space this charming story was originally told in Russia in the 1960's and is now available in English for the first time. Kasha is soon to be seven and believes she's training to be an angel - however when the moon goes missing she abandons her exams, and with the aid of her younger brother she sets out to find the wayward moon. On the way she encounters grumpy guardian angels - upset because they have to wear space suits to protect them from all the pollution on earth - and even the Nevernever man himself. What do you mean, you've never heard of him? Who do you think it is who keeps the stars in place, on the end of those impossibly long invisible poles?

If a child has a friend who is imaginary we encourage them - but when an adult has one we get scared and do our utmost to drive them away - unless, that is, it's God - because it's perfectly acceptable to talk to him. Is it any wonder children get confused? When Yuri's dad starts talking to himself, Yuri makes out that his dad is a spy, and is whispering into the walkie-talkie hidden in the fur hat he constantly wears. And even when his dad completely ignores him, and spends the whole time laughing to himself, Yuri still refuses to accept the truth, and insists that his real dad has been kidnapped by the Lord of the Zlinkers and has been taken away to Ventry. Set in the sixties, Yuri is influenced by the stories his dad has told him about Kasha - the trainee angel from the disappearing moon - whose help he enlists, as he descends deep into the heart of his dream world, to try and rescue his dad - where the only weapon he requires is his imagination.

The original creation myth for the children of the future -where the love between Time and S p a c e unwittingly gave life to the very first man and woman.