It's starting!

Hurl that big rock with your tail, WHIP-WHIP-WHIP.

Leap across Donut Swamp, THUD-THUD-THUD.

But your heart is tender and warm.

Don't flinch!

Don't mope!

Don't you cry!

Charge ahead, Rockie!

Go, Rockie!

A Trip Under the Full Moon.

Well, well. This is strange.

The books keep vanishing.

Mr. Hardback!

Oh, what's the matter?

Oh, Rockie.

What just happened?

The books have vanished?

Wh-What's going on here?

M-hm. It seems to me that the books are vanishing because Puckoo is gone, probably.

Huh? Puckoo?

Yes. So we need to restore the multi-colored fish Puckoo quickly.

Mr. Hardback, we need to hurry, or else all the books will disappear.

Oh no...

We succeeded in finding all of Puckoo's scales.

Here. This is the last one!

M-hm. With those scales, we should be able to resurrect Puckoo.

Let's see... Directions... Oh, here it is.

- Prepare two eggs, one cup of milk...
- Sir, that's the recipe for custard pudding!

Oh, so it is.

Please!

Bring a book and the seven scales under the light of a full moon,

and the scales will turn into Puckoo, and something wonderful will happen.

And the picture books?

Don't worry. It seems the books will all return too.

And when is the next full moon?

Oh, it's tomorrow evening.

Everyone, please bring the scales tomorrow evening, so that we can resurrect Puckoo.

Got it. Guys, let's make sure to bring the scales!

Sure!

Do I really have to bring the scale?

Only to see it disappear before me?

I've treasured this scale so much, I even call it Scaly now.

My darling Scaly...

I'd love to keep you in my treasure collection.

Four... five... Huh?

There are only six.

Curly, did you bring yours?

- Oops.
- What's holding you up?

Take it out!

Wait a minute, guys.

Do we really need to give up those scales?

What's wrong with you?

If we don't resurrect Puckoo, we lose the picture books.

So what?

Is losing the books really such a big deal for you?

I can surely live without them.

They're all made-up stories anyway.

Made-up stories...

But Ms. Hippo said something wonderful will happen when Puckoo is restored.

Huh. Then let me ask you.

- What's this wonderful thing?
- What? Well, it's... you know... uh...

What is it?

I don't think it's anything special.

Maybe we'll be taken to a picture book world again.

Yeah? Then I'd be happier to hold on to the scale.

It's a real sparkling treasure, you know.

And there are only seven of them in this world.

It'll be a very big loss to lose the scales.

Well, now that you say so...

He does have a point.

Huhh?

If I made a necklace with this scale and gave it to Mom, she might like it.

Wow, that's nice!

I can make a headpiece with it.

I want one too!

Okay! Let's split them up among us!

Wait!

Not so fast!

Huh?

What is it, Shelly?

If we don't offer up the scales, we'll lose the picture books.

Don't you care?

Uh... I DO like the books, so I care a little bit.

See?

It doesn't bother me at all.

Huh?

The scales are real treasures so they're important.

But picture books are just made-up stories, right?

Hmm... That's true.

Even if I see tasty-looking food in a book, I can't eat them for real.

Yeah. I chewed on a book, and it didn't taste good at all.

Hey, hey, you aren't supposed to chew on them.

Well, if they're only made-up stories, I guess we don't need them.

Then we're agreed, we don't need picture books.

What about me? What about me?

Whoa! Shelly!

Shelly, what's the matter?

There was a time when my mom was so busy with work that I felt lonely and miserable.

M-hm.

But reading picture books got me excited, made me laugh, and made me forget that I was lonely.

I see.

I could become someone else.

A pirate. Or fly in the air.

It was a picture book that got me to understand how my granny felt.

And it was fun turning into a princess.

She's right.

It was thanks to a picture book that I could make up with Juras.

Right.

Huh. It somehow got me excited, too.

Picture books are really precious to me.

- Yeah, they're precious.
- They really are.

Picture books make us excited?

I went to a picture book world too.

I'd never felt so thrilled before.

I get it. Losing the books means losing that thrill.

We're still missing Curly.

We're going to lose the picture books.

Shelly...

Everyone, wait! Here I am! I've brought my scale!

I'm sorry.

I really enjoyed my time in the picture book.

Remembering it still thrills me.

I couldn't have felt that thrill without picture books.

So I don't want to lose them.

Thanks, Curly.

Then we can start now.

Oh, bright full moon!

What comes next?

Aww! I'll do it.

Oh, bright full moon! Shine over the fish scales!

Puckoo, come back!

Oh, it's Puckoo!

- Oh!
- Wait for us!

Waah! Puckoo is coming toward us!

Huh? Wh-What happened?

Huh? Are we on a cloud?

- Oh! Candy! Wow! Looks delicious!
- Yeah.

- Wow! The stars are so close.
- Oh yeah!

Puckoo is showing us the picture book world.

This is fun! There's nothing like the picture book world.

Hey, you think so too?

Whoa! Look!

Beautiful.

I don't know why, but tears are falling.

Puckoo! Thank you!

Shelly...

M-hm.

Thank you!