Bryn Savage

Toto und der Mann im Mond by SASHA and Julia Röntgen was a fun discovery for my family. We came across the first book at the library and then discovered that there is also a paired music album and even a Tonie version. The story works well for children 4+ and as a bedtime story. Sasha is a German pop star known for If You Believe and Dick Brave, so the music does have a bit more to it than most children’s music. Sasha and his wife, Julia Röntgen, wrote the story for their own son; in the book, the bedtime conversations they have with their son Toto spark his nightly dream journeys.

Every night, Toto dreams that he flies to the moon in a rocket with his cousin and best friend, Mimi, where they visit the Man in the Moon, who lives with his wife Belatrix, a “moon pig,” and the firefly Glow. The Man in the Moon can answer all their questions and he takes them to on many adventures, but they always return to common themes of childhood: making up after a quarrel, being nervous about something new, feeling left out, going to bed even when you don’t want to.

Books:

Toto und der Mann im Mond (2023) — Ten read-aloud stories following Toto and Mimi on their moonlit adventures. Toto discovers that his cuddly toy Luna becomes a real moon pig on the moon, learns how to find his way out of a labyrinth, and discovers how good it feels to make up after a fight. The all-seeing telescope can transport them to other times and places.

Toto und der Mann im Mond – Aufbruch in neue Abenteuer (2024) — Toto and Mimi return for a new set of adventures, now venturing further afield: the Man in the Moon and his crew can now answer questions about star constellations, the natural world, and the jungle. The magical bedtime stories take children on a journey through the worlds of childhood imagination and everyday life, bringing them safely back again.

Audiobooks: Books, read by Sasha and Julia Röntgen, are available via Hörbuch Hamburg and on streaming platforms.

Music Albums: Each book is accompanied by a full music album of original pop songs written and performed by Sasha and produced with the children’s music specialists 3Berlin. These are, full-production pop songs written for children, rather than simple little melodies.

Toto und der Mann im Mond – Das Liederalbum (Universal Music / Karussell, July 2023) — 12 pop songs tied to the stories and themes of the first book. The songs include “Hey Luna” (about the moon pig), “Um die ganze Welt” (a gondolier adventure in Venice), and a closing lullaby “Zeit ins Bett zu gehen” (“Time to Go to Bed”). Available on CD via Amazon, Youtube, and streaming platforms including Spotify and Apple Music.

Toto und der Mann im Mond 2 – Aufbruch in neue Abenteuer – Das Liederalbum (Universal Music / Karussell, November 2024) 13 songs accompanying the second book, ranging from a waltz about constellations and Caribbean summer sounds to disco tracks and a winter sledging song (“Hol die Schlitten aus dem Keller”). Available on CD via Amazon and on streaming platforms including Spotify and Apple Music.

Tonie: The Toto und der Mann im Mond Tonie contains an abridged version of the book with 10 bedtime stories and two songs by Sasha (68 minutes, recommended for 4+). The Tonie figure is shaped like Toto’s rocket from the books. Like other German-language Tonies, it’s hard to get in the US, as none of the major outlets (Tonie, Amazon.de) will ship German Tonies to the US. We purchased the Toto Tonie on a trip to Germany and it has been in heavy rotation for ages now.