Koko & Kira’s Cozy Bedtime Collection 🐨 🐼 | 2 Hour Compilation of Bedtime Stories for Kids

[00:00:11] Hello and welcome back to Koala Moon, a podcast of original children's bedtime stories and meditations designed to make bedtime a dream. I'm Abbe Opherer and tonight's episode is especially magical because we're spending time with two of our favorite siblings, Koko and Kira. They asked if we could share a cozy collection of bedtime stories about their adventures together and put them into one long extended episode.

[00:00:39] This extended two hour compilation is perfect for getting comfy under the covers and snuggling down as you listen along with Koko and Kira. So fluff up your pillow, get yourself tucked in nice and tight and let's begin with Koko Helps Kira Get Back to Sleep by Luke Prendergast. Before we begin, here's a quick ad break, then we'll start tonight's bedtime story.

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[00:02:30] Up in the heart of a faraway forest stood a cozy wooden cabin. Inside the cabin lived a family of koalas. Coco the koala lived with his parents and his grandparents, and also with his little sister Kira, who was not a koala, but a panda bear.

[00:02:59] Coco's parents had adopted her a year ago, and as far as Coco was concerned, it was the best thing that had ever happened to him. Coco was so kind and loyal and funny. She was the best sister Coco could ever have dreamed of having. One evening, the whole family sat at the dinner table in their little wooden cabin, eating a delicious meal of eucalyptus stew, which Coco's mum had lovingly prepared for them that evening.

[00:03:28] They dipped their spoons into their bowls and took big, long slurps of the steaming broth. Kira, however, was rather fidgety. She simply couldn't keep still. She kept hopping up and down on her seat and wiggling her bum and wiggling her little toes. What's going on with you this evening, Kira? Their mum asked her gently. I've never seen you this restless before.

[00:03:59] Is something wrong? Oh, no mum, Kira replied. There's nothing wrong at all. Quite the contrary. In fact, there's something very right. Her mum raised an inquisitive eyebrow and Kira explained that the next day, her year at Sleepy Forest Elementary School were going on a school trip to the other side of the forest where there was a high ropes course.

[00:04:27] There were ladders on trees and wooden bridges in the canopies and zip wires that brought you back down to the forest floor. It's a panda bear's dream, she squealed, almost tipping off her chair. And it was also the reason she was so restless. She was too full up with excitement to sit still. She simply couldn't wait for tomorrow to come.

[00:04:55] Coco and Kira's mum laughed, a sweet chuckling laugh. Well, I'm very excited for you too, Kira. But you're going to have to settle down and eat your food and get a good night's sleep. You're going to need to be well fed and well rested for all that tree climbing tomorrow. As per usual, her mother, who was a very wise koala indeed, was right.

[00:05:26] Kira did need to make sure she had plenty of energy for her school trip. So she did her best to keep her excitement under control. And she finished off every last mouthful of her eucalyptus stew. She even asked for seconds. When they had finished their dinner, Coco let out a big yawn. And because yawns can be terribly catching like that, Kira let out a big yawn too.

[00:05:57] Wow, said Coco. You might actually be tired, Kira. Come on, let's go and get ready for bed while you're yawning already. Hopefully you'll be able to sleep the whole night through. Coco and Kira went to their room. They changed into their pyjamas. Coco wore a blue pyjama shirt and some blue shorts because blue was his favourite colour. And Kira's favourite colour was purple.

[00:06:25] So she put on a big purple t-shirt and pulled the purple bow out of her hair. They went to the bathroom and brushed their teeth, making sure they brushed for a whole minute on the top and a whole minute on the bottom. They pulled faces at each other in the bathroom mirror to keep themselves occupied. All kinds of monstrous faces. Until soon enough, the time was up.

[00:06:50] They spat their toothpaste into the sink and wiped away the bits that had dribbled down onto their chins. When they went back through to the bedroom, their mum had already been in to pull the curtains closed. A soft, silvery moonlight peeked in through the corners of the window and they could hear the magical whisperings of the forest trees outside. Coco and Kira climbed into their beds.

[00:07:19] Coco let out another big yawn. And so did Kira. My, my, said Kira. I must be tired. Night-night, Coco. Night-night, Kira, Coco replied. And with that, they turned over and fell asleep. One minute passed. And another minute.

[00:07:48] And another one slipped by. Outside, a breeze stirred through the trees. And Kira. And Kira, poor, poor Kira, lay wide awake in her bed. She had woken up after only a few minutes of sleep. Her stomach once again full of excitement about the following day. She turned over in her bed.

[00:08:17] First this way, then that way. Trying her best to find a comfortable position that would send her straight back into the land of dreams. But try as she might, she could not. Eventually, Kira's twisting and turning roused Coco from his sleep. He turned over and looked at her across the room and said,

[00:08:44] Oh dear Kira, can't you sleep? Kira let out a sigh. I'm afraid I can't, Coco, she said. I fell asleep for a few minutes there. But then, I woke up full of excitement. And now I can't get myself back to sleep. Well, Coco whispered.

[00:09:11] The best thing to help you fall asleep is to concentrate on your breathing. Your breath carries the special magic of sleep on it. So, if you pull it gently all the way down into your belly, it helps settle all your excitement and lets you drift off to sleep. Do you want to try it, Kira?

[00:09:39] Why don't we try some deep breathing together? Kira said that sounded like a good idea indeed. So, Coco told her to take a deep breath all the way down into the warm bottom of her tummy. And then, he told her to let the breath out slowly. They breathed in and they breathed out.

[00:10:08] You have to feel the breath go all the way down to the tips of your fingers and the tips of your toes, Kira. Kira, Coco told her. Kira did as Coco said. She took a deep breath in and felt it tingle all the way down to the tips of her fingers and the tips of her toes. Then, she let it slowly out.

[00:10:33] She felt her body relax as though it were carried on a big fluffy cushion. Has that helped? Coco whispered. I definitely feel more relaxed, Kira told him. But I haven't been able to fall asleep. What do you think I should do? Well, we'll have to try something different, Coco said.

[00:11:02] Do you want to know what I do whenever I can't sleep? Yes, please, replied Kira. I count sheep, he said. Count sheep? Asked Kira. What does that mean? It's a method for falling back asleep, Coco explained.

[00:11:25] You close your eyes and in your head you imagine sheep grazing in a beautiful grassy field. In the middle of the field is a fence, a low white fence. And one by one the sheep run along and hop over the fence, one after another. An endless stream of sheep. And you count them as you go.

[00:11:53] The theory is that counting sheep is so monotonous that you'll fall back asleep again without even knowing it. Would you like to give it a try? Kira said that it was certainly worth a go. Close your eyes then, said Coco. And do what I just said. Count the sheep. Kira closed her eyes.

[00:12:21] And just like her big brother had told her to, she pictured a beautiful green meadow with lots of sheep grazing on it. The sheep were so big and fluffy that they looked like big puffs of cloud sitting on the grass, munching away. Then she pictured a white fence in the field.

[00:12:47] And then one by one, she nudged the sheep in her imagination to start jumping the fence. First one. Then two. Then three. Four. Five. And six. Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten. She counted twenty sheep.

[00:13:15] And then thirty sheep. She counted fifty sheep. And then one hundred sheep. By the time she got to two hundred and seventeen sheep, Kira decided that as fun as it was, this counting sheep method was not successfully sending her off to sleep. Coco? She whispered. I counted two hundred and seventeen sheep.

[00:13:44] The field is pretty busy with sheep now. But I still can't fall asleep. Okay. Coco replied. Let's try something else then. He slipped out of his bed and turned on their nightlight, which was in the shape of a little pig. Then he perched on the side of Kira's bed.

[00:14:10] Do you think a cup of hot chocolate might help you fall back to sleep? He asked. Kira nodded. I think it might. Okay then, said Coco. I'll go make you one now. I won't be long. Thank you, Coco. Kira said.

[00:14:33] Coco went out of their bedroom and climbed the ladder down into the lower section of their cozy little log cabin. Everyone else had gone to bed now, and the kitchen was only lit up by watery moonlight coming in through the windows. He poured some milk into a saucepan and very carefully placed the saucepan in the hot oven so that the milk could warm.

[00:15:03] When it was ready, he put on oven mitts and took the saucepan out. He poured the warm milk out into Kira's favourite mug, a purple one, of course. And then he added a few scoops of the most delicious hot chocolate powder ever, which came from Papa Praline's Chocolate Factory, just on the other side of Sleepy Forest.

[00:15:29] He stirred the chocolate powder into the warm milk until all the clumpy bits had dissolved and the milk had turned a lovely thick brown colour. Coco took a deep breath in through his nose. Mmm, that smelled delicious, if he did say so himself.

[00:15:57] Careful not to let any of the drinks slosh and spill over the sides, Coco picked up the mug of hot chocolate and climbed back up the ladder. He went back into his bedroom and perched on the edge of Kira's bed again. Here you go, Kira, he whispered softly. Here's your hot chocolate.

[00:16:23] Kira sat up in her bed and took the purple mug from her brother. She gave the hot chocolate a sip. Mmm, that's delicious, Coco, she said. Thank you very much. It's so warm and soothing in my tummy. I'm sure this will help send me back off to sleep.

[00:16:51] She took another sip of the hot chocolate. Then she said, Hey, Coco, do you think you could sing a night-time lullaby on your ukulele? I think that would help me to get to sleep too. Of course I can, Coco said, because there was very little he loved doing so much as playing his ukulele.

[00:17:19] He picked it up from the side and gave it a little strum, just to check that it was in tune. He cast about the room, searching for inspiration on what lullaby to sing for Kira. His eyes drifted over their beds, across the walls and out of the window, where he saw that the sky was now spangled with lots of little stars.

[00:17:50] That gave him just the idea. Coco strummed his ukulele Twinkle, twinkle, twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are.

[00:18:15] Up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky, twinkle, twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are. As Coco ended his lullaby, he looked at his sister

[00:18:42] and saw that her eyes were closed. Her duvet was rising and falling steadily from her breath, and a look of peaceful contentment had settled over her face. It seemed that she had fallen into a deep slumber. So Coco carried on strumming his ukulele gently,

[00:19:11] letting the spangly chords echo around their little cabin room, like waves lapping on the shore, bearing Kira ever deeper into sleep. When he was sure that his sister had drifted completely off, Coco stopped his strumming. He rested his ukulele on his knee.

[00:19:41] He looked at Kira fondly. Kira opened one eye. Oh dear, Kira, Coco sighed. You're still not asleep? Kira shook her head. I loved your ukulele playing, she told him. It was so peaceful. It made me feel all warm inside,

[00:20:11] and I felt like I was drifting away up into the sky. And for a while, I thought I was floating up there with all the twinkly stars, but I still can't sleep. I'm still too excited. Coco put his ukulele back down on the side and stroked his chin thoughtfully.

[00:20:42] Hmm, he murmured. We'll have to think of something even better then. Coco scratched his head for more ideas of what could help send his little sister off to sleep. He let his eyes ramble across the room, lit up as it was with the pink glow of the pig nightlight. His eyes drifted

[00:21:11] over the wall, over the sprigs of bamboo that grew in the corner of the cabin, and at last alighted upon the bookshelf. Coco had an idea. Hey, Kira, he said, how about I read you a bedtime story? Hopefully that will take your mind off your excitement and transport you to a whole other magical world.

[00:21:41] Then, hopefully, you'll be able to fall asleep. From beneath her duvet, Kira smiled and nodded. That sounds like an excellent idea, Coco, she said. Could you read me a story, pretty please? So Coco got up from the edge of Kira's bed and walked over to the bookshelf. Their dad had built the shelf and fixed it

[00:22:11] upon the wall years ago, and it contained many wonderful volumes of books. There were adventure books and mystery books. There were fantasy books and books for a rainy day. But, there was one particular volume that Coco knew he needed. Right at the end of the shelf stood a big dusty book

[00:22:40] bound in leather with its well-used ancient pages yellowed and crisp. On the spine, in gold lettering, were written the words Bedtime Stories. Coco pulled the book off the shelf and carried it back across the room. He sat on the edge of Kira's bed once more and lay the book on his lap. It felt heavy.

[00:23:11] He flipped the book over and it fell open on a story. Oh, Kira, Coco whispered, this one looks like the perfect story. It isn't one we've heard before. It's called The Sleepy Star. The Sleepy Star, Kira repeated. That does sound like a good story. She nestled down further into

[00:23:41] her duvet and nuzzled her head into the softness of her pillow. Let's read that one. And so, Coco began to read the words of the story The Sleepy Star. It went like this. Once upon a time, there was a star who, whenever night time fell, got very sleepy indeed. Now, this doesn't sound like

[00:24:11] such a bad thing to us creatures who live on the earth, who fall asleep when darkness sets in, but it was something of a problem for the star. star. That's because, since the beginning of history, it's the star's job to be awake at night and twinkling. And then, when daylight comes, that's when the stars get to close their eyes and rest.

[00:24:40] But this little star, she got tired at night, and so, when all the other stars were out twinkling and shining, she'd yawn and drift off, and her eyes would close, and then her light would go out. When this happened, the other stars would wake her up. Come on, they would say, you have to

[00:25:10] stay awake, it's night time, and we need your twinkling. And then the little star would peel open her eyes and concentrate on being awake. And that would work for a little while, but sooner or later, and it was always sooner, she would drift off back to sleep, and her light would go out.

[00:25:41] The other stars did everything they could to try to solve the problem. They took turns at prodding the little star to try to keep her awake. But that just resulted in the little star becoming tired and grouchy. No one likes to be prodded like that. They even tried telling her stories all night to keep her entertained. But the

[00:26:10] stories didn't work. The sleepy little star would just fall asleep right in the middle of them. Finally, they investigated whether she was getting enough sleep during the daytime so that she had enough energy to twinkle at night. And what they discovered was that she was often awake during the daytime when she ought to be asleep. They scratched

[00:26:40] their starry heads about this. What a topsy-turvy little star that sleepy star was. They just could not think of what to do about it. One night, while they were trying to keep the sleepy star awake, the silver moon sailed past them. The moon was renowned far and wide for being one of the wisest beings to voyage across the skies.

[00:27:10] And so, the stars told the moon about the sleepy little star's predicament. moon, explained that she slept at night and stayed awake in the day, which was entirely the wrong way around for a star. Could the wise moon think of any solution for their dilemma? The moon stroked his silvery chin while he contemplated the problem. It was a

[00:27:39] tricky one indeed, seed. But the stories of the moon's wisdom were not unfounded, and soon enough he came up with a solution. This sleepy star, he said, clearly doesn't like to twinkle at night and sleep during the day. So instead of changing him, why don't we all just accept him for who he is? He's a day twinkler,

[00:28:09] not a night twinkler. So perhaps you should let him do just that, or the stars scratch their heads once again. They'd never considered just letting the sleepy star be the way the sleepy star was. That was a rather inspired idea from the moon, they agreed. Smiles began to spread across the faces of all the

[00:28:39] stars, including the sleepy star herself, who rather liked the idea of being allowed to twinkle at the time she preferred to twinkle. That's a wonderful solution, the stars told the moon, but there is just one problem. And what might that problem be? The moon asked the stars. stars,

[00:29:09] stars, stars, twinkle at night. That's what the very name star means. So if this sleepy star here isn't twinkling at night, should we still call her a star? The moon agreed that this was a very good point indeed. name? in that case, he suggested, they ought to give the sleepy star

[00:29:38] a new name. Good idea, the stars agreed, but then they frowned. What name should we give her then? The moon smiled at them. Best to ask her, don't you think? he said. And so all the other stars turned to the sleepy star and they asked her what she would like her new name to be. The

[00:30:08] sleepy star thought about this question for a little while. Then she came up with an answer. I think I would like to be called the sun. The stars all nodded in agreement. Sun. That was a perfect name. And so ever since then, the sun has not shone at night but has kept the daytime

[00:30:37] sky lit bright with all of her brilliant twinkling. When Coco had finished telling the story, he closed the book. Wasn't that a good story, Kira? he whispered. Kira? Kira? Coco peered at his little sister. Kira, it seemed, had fallen asleep.

[00:31:07] What a miracle! Telling the bedtime story had worked its magic then. Coco watched her for a few moments, watched the rise and fall of her breathing, and the twitching of her little panda nose as she drifted off into her dream world. She was probably dreaming of swinging from

[00:31:37] trees, zooming down zip lines through the sleepy forest canopy. He waited a minute or two to see if she would wake up again, her But she didn't. And so, very quietly indeed, so as not to disturb her, Coco slipped off the edge of her bed. He returned

[00:32:06] the book of bedtime stories to the shelf where it belonged, and slid under his own bed covers. It was warm in there, so soft and cosy, just perfect for falling asleep. Coco let out a big yawn. He was very tired indeed now.

[00:32:36] All that work, trying to help Kira fall asleep, had really taken it out of him. He leant over and turned off the pig night light and the room sank into darkness. Now there was just the silvery light of the moon slipping through the gaps in the curtains. Now there was just the tranquil

[00:33:05] noise of the crickets outside and the wind whispering through the and the steady grumbles of the trees. The world was entirely at peace. Coco closed his eyes. He pictured a green meadow in the evening full of fluffy clouds of sheep. In the middle of the field

[00:33:35] there was a little fence. But before Coco could even count a single sheep jumping over it, he had fallen into a deep and profoundly peaceful sleep. This is Coco and Kira's raining camping trip by Luke Prendergast.

[00:34:07] Deep in the heart of a faraway forest stood a cosy wooden cabin. Inside the cabin lived a family of kiwanas and a panda bear too of course. Every weekday morning lights would illuminate the windows of the cosy cabin as Coco and his little sister Kira got up ate their breakfast and headed off to sleepy forest elementary school just like every other kid who

[00:35:16] agree that she was by far one of the coolest teachers they had ever had. She had a glossy red fur coat a big bushy squirrel tail and everywhere she went she wore a dark green sports cap and a matching dark green tennis skirt. She'd come to the sleepy forest to be the school's cheerleading coach and truth be told Coco and Kira had been tripping over themselves to join up for the

[00:35:46] fierce spirit squad. Hadn't that been a magical experience learning how to fly and sail through the air as though they were a flock of birds who'd grown wings and taken flight. But as it turned out cheerleading wasn't Miss Bushytale's only area of interest. It seemed there was no end to the number of activities she liked to try her poor at. She organised a bake sale

[00:36:16] day and brought in a breathtaking multi-tiered cake decorated with dozens of icing trees and a twisting blue river to make it look just like sleepy forest. She started up a canoeing club and now every Thursday morning Miss Bushytale and a group of students zipped up in their life jackets could be seen paddling down the sleepy river in their multicoloured canoes and rumour

[00:36:46] had it she had even been spotted building her own small aircraft with the intention to take it up a nearby mountain and glide clean over the tops of the forest trees. And now said Kira looking at the notice pinned up on the board we should add camping to the list. I wonder if there's anything Miss Bushytale can't do.

[00:37:16] Probably nothing Coco agreed a little dreamily. I think she's the most accomplished person I've ever met. Oh yes said Kira and we've got to sign up for the camping trip don't we Coco? Without a moment's hesitation Coco nodded. Oh yes he said we

[00:37:46] sure do. They both their names to the list of participants Kira's in curly purple letters Coco's in a quick blue scrawl. All the way home they chittered and chatted excitedly about the camping trip what it might involve and what Miss Bushytale might teach them about the great outdoors. In fact their chatting

[00:38:16] carried on all through dinner time and into the evening so that at one their mum had to interrupt them. Okay you two she said ushering them towards their desks I promise I'll help you get all of your camping gear out and ready for your big trip but right now it's time to settle down and get your homework done because it's already almost bedtime

[00:38:46] still for the next week it was all Coco and Kira could talk about as April arrived blue skies unfolded above them and irises and crocuses and crisp white snowdrops budded up across the forest floor and when they spoke about the camping trip they pictured a warm night by the campfire and running with bare feet through the delicate dewdrops clinging to morning

[00:39:15] grass but as the Saturday of the camping trip approached something rather unfortunate occurred the blue skies dimmed grey clouds formed in the sky above them and Maisie the mole who was a very clever scientist indeed and in charge of forecasting the weather in sleepy forest predicted that the weekend would in fact be cool and rather rainy indeed

[00:39:45] April showers she said with a shrug isn't it always the way at school many students began dropping out of the camping trip altogether Percy a proud young peacock said that unfortunately his feathers were not waterproof and Prickles the hedgehog said that even though camping did sound really fun he rather disliked the idea of getting his feet stuck in the mud

[00:40:16] Coco and Kira exchanged a nervous look they hoped that the camping trip wouldn't be cancelled all together but then to their great relief Miss Bushytail made an announcement just as the school day was ending the camping trip will go ahead as planned she called out with a bright smile and a firm nod of her chin a little bit of drizzle

[00:40:46] should never deter truly intrepid explorers make sure you wrap up warm and bring your welly boots see you tomorrow happy campers a camping trip in the rain their mum asked them when they got home that evening are you sure you two are going to enjoy that Coco and Kira grinned

[00:41:14] yes they told her in fact a rainy camping trip sounded like rather a lot of fun the next morning they awoke to find that Maisie the mole's forecast had been spot on the sky was grey there was a thick mist hanging in the air between the pine trees and already a fine drizzle was falling from the sky

[00:41:44] none of all just like Miss Bushytale had said and no bit of rain was going to put them off they ate a hearty breakfast of porridge with eucalyptus and bamboo shoes then packed their big camping bags in went woolly socks and gloves and a spare

[00:42:14] set of clothes in case they tucked in lots of snacks nuts and energy bars that their mum had prepared for them they added a couple of flashlights and a canteen water bottle each finally their mum handed them a paper bag of marshmallows just in case it's dry enough to

[00:42:43] toast them on the campfire she said with a wink then they went upstairs to change they each put on plenty of warm layers and thick socks with well-worn welly boots back downstairs they put on their anoraks and waterproof hats too they hoisted their backpacks onto their shoulders and waved goodbye to their mum before setting off to the meeting place next to sleepy

[00:43:13] forest elementary the camping group was a fair bit smaller than there were just three or four other students including their friend camo who had turned his chameleon skin bright red to go with his anorak and of course there was miss bushytail in a dark green raincoat and her trademark cap beaming at them and shaking her thick tail merrily

[00:43:43] miss bushytail's smile shone so bright you didn't have any need for the sun to come out from behind the clouds and that's all of us miss bushytail announced right happy campers are we all set off we go and

[00:44:05] and so out

[00:44:40] to miss you know to miss miss bushytail's flow of the river water had eroded the soil from one bank and deposited it on the other side,

[00:45:09] until at last new banks had formed, and the Horseshoe Lake was separated from the Sleepy River. Miss Bushytale knew all kinds of amazing facts about sleepy forests like that, and she entertained them with them as they walked. She pointed out rare breeds of forest tree with

[00:45:31] magical medical properties. She showed them where a unicorn had left a trail of sparkly silver hair on the ground so it could find its way back through the forest. And she showed them a secret spot where a fragment of meteor had fallen from space and landed in the forest, where it lay half buried

[00:45:54] in the mud, glinting black and red. Miss Bushytale's facts and stories were so fascinating that the walk, which took over an hour, appeared to pass by in the blink of an eye. Before they knew it, they were there.

[00:46:14] Oh, Coco sighed. The others blinked happily at the sight. Even in the rain, with the grey sky above them, it was a very beautiful spot indeed. The little lake curved in a perfect horseshoe, the water sparkling and reflecting the clouds in dark splodges on its surface. Around its edges was a crunchy beach of pale pebbles,

[00:46:44] flanked by the dense trees of the forest. Now, folks, Miss Bushytale said, we have arrived at our camping destination. And does anyone know the first thing campers must do when they reach their resting site? Hands popped up into the air. Miss Bushytale pointed at Camo.

[00:47:11] Go swimming, he said gleefully, which made everyone laugh. Camo loved swimming. His family lived in a grotto down by the river and could often be seen slipping into the water and splashing about. No, Camo, Miss Bushytale said with a patient smile. Those fun activities we must save for second. Anyone else want to have a go?

[00:47:41] This time she picked Kira's, whose hand was stretched up so high, Coco thought it might come right off her body and float up into the sky. We've got to set up camp, she said. Miss Bushytale nodded. That's right, Kira. We've got to set up camp. So let's divide into two groups. The first group can stay

[00:48:09] here and put up the tents. The other can go off and forage for dry wood that we can use for a small campfire. And remember, only collect wood that the trees have already dropped to the forest floor. Coco was in the first group, along with Miss Bushytale and a couple of the other students, a little sparrow called Sid and a young elephant called Stompy.

[00:48:38] They unpacked the tents from their backpacks and laid out the poles and the guide ropes in the shapes on the ground, like templates. Then they all began to put the tents up. But Coco soon found that it was a very difficult thing to do by himself. For each time he had one pole upright, it would tip over when

[00:49:02] he tried to lift another one. Wouldn't it be best, he called out to the others, who were struggling just as much as he was to put up their own tents. If we all helped each other out and put the tents up one by one. His suggestion was met with hearty agreement. And soon enough, they were all working together.

[00:49:28] Miss Bushytale oversaw the whole enterprise, pointing this way and that, while Stompy used her elephant strength to hold the tent up. Sid flew the guide ropes over the top of the tent, and Coco used a little wooden mallet to drive them into the ground. In no time at all,

[00:49:52] all the tents were up. Fantastic teamwork, happy campers, Miss Bushytale said. Meanwhile, Kira and Camo had slipped through the tree line and into the forest to search for bits of dry wood. This was a rather tricky affair, since there had been so much rain that most of the twigs

[00:50:18] and wood lying on the forest floor was soaked through and unusable. So they had to play to their strengths, with Camo slithering with his chameleon body through slender gaps in outjutting rocks to gather dry bits of wood that had been shaded beneath them, while Kira dug down into piles of fallen leaves

[00:50:44] to retrieve the fallen branches from under them. When they both staggered back to the campsite, with arms full of dry wood, everyone gave a little cheer. Now they had tents and firewood. See, kids, Miss Bushytale said. A bit of bad weather never stopped anyone.

[00:51:11] Miss Bushytale took charge of setting up the campfire, which required a safe pair of adult hands. While she was at it, the rest of them went down to the water's edge and paddled in their welly boots. Kira loved to look down and see how the water loosened the mud that had caked the bottom of her boots,

[00:51:35] leaving trails of brown dust spiralling through the water. It looked just like the starry Milky Way shimmering high up in the sky. And Camo finally got to have his swim, gliding through the water as gracefully as a fish. He came up and squirted water out of his mouth so high that it landed right on top

[00:52:04] of Coco's rain hat, making everyone dissolve into giggles. Soon Miss Bushytale called over to them. Come and check this out, folks! Over they went, dripping lake water off their boots, to discover that in the middle of the tents was a small round space, with a small campfire crackling merrily in the middle.

[00:52:34] Coco held out his paws in front of him and felt the warmth of the flames light them up. Everyone let out a pleasant sigh. The light was fading quickly from the sky, replacing the grey of the day with the inky black blanket of night. What's more, tummies had started to rumble, especially Stompies.

[00:53:05] Each time her stomach let out a great big gurgle, she'd touch it curiously with the tip of her trunk. Sometimes I wonder, she'd say, if there's some other creature living in there who lets out that growling sound whenever she's hungry. Sounds like it's dinner time, Miss Bushytale said.

[00:53:34] And so she got out some long skewers of vegetables, peppers and aubergines and other forest goodies, and roasted them over the campfire. They ate them carefully, tucking their teeth into the hot vegetables and telling each other jokes. Thank you, Miss Bushytale, Coco said when they were finished.

[00:54:00] That was absolutely delicious. And then he remembered something he'd almost forgotten. He reached his paw deep into his rucksack and drew out the paper bag his mum had given him. Marshmallows, he said gleefully, in response to everyone's questioning looks. For toasting on the fire.

[00:54:30] What a good idea, Coco, Miss Bushytale said. And that made Coco's heart glow. Coco and Kira went to wash the skewers with a little lake water. And then they slid the marshmallows onto them. Just before they could begin to toast them, however, something fell out of the sky and straight onto the fire.

[00:55:00] The fire gave a little hiss and let out a puff of smoke. Then, after a moment, something else fell out of the sky and onto the fire. And the same thing happened. Hiss. Smoke. Hiss. Smoke.

[00:55:22] Then one plonked onto the tip of Coco's nose and he realised what it was. Uh-oh, he said. It's raining again. Then. Before he'd even finished speaking, the rain was coming down faster. Big globes of wetness falling down and plopping on their heads. On the fire.

[00:55:52] On the ground. Never fear, happy campers, Miss Bushytale said, jumping up and giving her luscious tail a shake. Her bit of rain never stopped a truly intrepid explorer. From out of her tent, she pulled a long sheet of waterproof canvas, which they secured to the tops of the tents so it formed a canopy over their heads and over the fire.

[00:56:21] And soon, the rain was no longer landing on them or sizzling on the fire, but instead was making its rat-a-tat-tat patter on the canopy, like the footsteps of a dozen little rain spirits dancing above their heads. The marshmallows now were toasting nicely, their pink and white exteriors bubbling and turning a perfect golden brown.

[00:56:52] Miss Bushytale took them out of the flames and passed them round. Kira blew on hers until it had cooled down sufficiently, then popped it in her mouth. How wonderfully delicious it was. Crisp and bitter on the outside and gooey and sweet on the inside. Please, Miss Bushytale, she said.

[00:57:20] Please, can we have another? Miss Bushytale let out a gentle, tinkling laugh, her mouth full of toasted marshmallow too, and set a new batch on the flames. Night had settled fully over the forest now. All that could be heard was the crackling embers of the fire,

[00:57:45] the musical plink-plonk of the raindrops on the roof and, further off, on the surface of the lake. Far off in the trees, a gentle owl gave a low hoot. Now, Miss Bushytale said, it's time to begin the most important camping tradition of all. Telling stories around the campfire.

[00:58:16] Smiles lit up around the campfire at this suggestion. Miss Bushytale asked who would like to go first. Stompy raised her trunk and told a story about a time she and her family had enjoyed the most relaxing mud bath after a night of heavy rain. Then, Sid the sparrow told a story about how they had found some twigs

[00:58:44] that had been transformed by a magic forest fairy into rubies and sapphires, and how they kept them in their nests all winter, until when spring came again, the jewels turned back into twigs. Camo told a story about how he'd been taught to swim by a dolphin who had come to visit the sleepy river one year when he was young

[00:59:11] and made friends with his family by their grotto. But when it came time for Coco and Kira to tell a story, all they could do was yawn. It had grown so late and they were so tired, the sleep creeping through their limbs and settling heavily on their eyelids. You two can tell a story in the morning,

[00:59:40] Miss Bushytale told them softly, and they smiled and said, yes, that sounded much better. They curled up even cozier around the fire, pulling blankets over their bodies and using soft mounds of grassy earth to rest their heads upon. Miss Bushytale cleared her throat.

[01:00:08] She began to tell a story, but the happy campers were so sleepy and so cosy and so warm by the flickering flames and the warm touch of the embers in the air that they could never entirely remember what Miss Bushytale's story had been about. It had involved an aeroplane, that's for sure,

[01:00:37] and dreams of soft clouds and blue skies, and there was a tall hill with a gentle slope and green grass with butterflies and bumblebees drifting lazily from flower to flower. But other details the happy campers could not remember.

[01:01:04] Still, as they drifted off to sleep one by one, Miss Bushytale kept up her story, the soft lilt of her voice merging with their dreams like a lullaby. Then, when her story was finished and the embers were almost out on the fire,

[01:01:32] she lifted the happy campers one by one and put them in their tents and wished them goodnight and zipped them up safe. Then Miss Bushytale tucked herself into her sleeping bag and fell asleep. And all the happy campers, all those intrepid explorers,

[01:02:02] for whom a little bit of rain was no problem, dropped into a deep and peaceful slumber, with the rain pattering on the tent roofs and the horseshoe lake beside them glittering darkly in the night.

[01:02:30] This is Coco and Kira in the Enchanted Garden by Alicia Ainsley One delightfully sunny day in Sleepy Forest, Coco Koala and his little sister, Kira the panda, were walking home from school when they noticed something they hadn't noticed before. Rather extraordinarily,

[01:02:58] a mysterious garden had appeared in the middle of Sleepy Forest. It was a large, colourful garden, bursting with carefully planted flowers and trees surrounded by a white picket fence. There was no house nearby, so it was unclear who the garden belonged to. But whoever it was, they perhaps owned the most extravagant garden in the entire forest. Coco and Kira approached the white picket fence

[01:03:27] and peered over for a closer look. Everything in the garden appeared to sparkle in the sun. The flowers glittered, the grass shone, the paving stones glistened, and the trees twinkled. It seemed as though everything was tinged with a little magic. It is the prettiest garden I've ever seen,

[01:03:56] whispered Kira. The curious siblings wondered how they had never come across it before. Coco and Kira were so fixated on the mesmerising beauty of the garden that they didn't notice a figure trotting over to them until they heard a friendly voice say, Good afternoon, you two. How are you today? Coco and Kira hopped back from the white picket fence. To their happy surprise,

[01:04:26] the familiar voice belonged to Fenella, the tiny unicorn. Her rainbow-swirled horn and her long silver hair shimmered with a luminous sheen. Good morning, Fenella, Coco greeted her cheerfully. You made us jump a little. We were so busy admiring this amazing garden that we didn't notice you approaching. Fenella's face lit up with a smile. Do you like it?

[01:04:55] She asked. Kira grinned and replied, Oh yes, we've just discovered it. We've never seen it before, but it is absolutely beautiful. Coco added, Whoever owns this garden must be very proud. Fenella, the tiny unicorn, giggled and flicked her silky hair over her shoulder. She responded,

[01:05:25] Oh yes, the person who owns this garden is very proud. That person is me. Coco and Kira gasped in awe. You own this incredible garden? Kira repeated. You must spend all day, every day here to keep it growing so nicely. Fenella admitted that she did visit her garden regularly,

[01:05:55] but the upkeep wasn't quite as demanding as they probably assumed. Some of the dazzling plants in this garden were enchanted, so they mostly cared for themselves. The idea of an enchanted garden blew away Coco and Kira. They wanted to know more. Do you need any gardening help? Coco offered. We'd be happy to lend you a hand. That is, if you need one.

[01:06:24] Fenella considered their offer. She had already carried out most of her gardening duties for the day, so there wasn't much left to do. But seeing the eager looks on Coco and Kira's faces, she could tell that they wanted to explore. With a smile, Fenella nudged open the gate in the fence and offered for them to step inside. Coco and Kira raced through the gate into the enchanted garden.

[01:06:54] Their little feet dashed out onto the softest, spongiest, brightest green grass they'd ever seen. Every step felt like a massage. Coco and Kira couldn't help but giggle. Mid-step, Coco paused and asked Fenella, Wait a second. This grass isn't enchanted, is it? Fenella chuckled and answered,

[01:07:23] No, the grass isn't enchanted. Kira responded, Oh, good, before flopping down onto the grass and rolling around in it happily. This grass feels amazing. Fenella and Coco laughed at Kira rolling around in the soft grass. She was right, it did feel wonderful, like the softest mattress Kira had ever laid down on.

[01:07:54] Coco wandered further into the garden. Fenella had truly done a marvellous job. He could understand why she usually kept this place to herself. It was luxuriously tranquil and quiet with nobody else around. In the garden, Coco couldn't hear a thing except the gentle breeze blowing past his round furry ears. Coco stepped onto the garden path.

[01:08:23] The path was made up of white marble paving stones, but they were so much more than he realised. Every time Coco stepped on a stone, it glowed yellow and emitted a musical note. The garden path played music as he walked along it. Coco grinned and called, Kira, this garden path is made of magic. Look! Kira sat up

[01:08:52] in the grass and watched Coco hopping along the path, playing music with his feet. She wanted to join in too, so she ran over and jumped on the garden path by Coco's side. It's like a giant piano, Kira observed, treading on a few stones and playing a chord. Yes, but so much better, Coco tacked on. Together, Coco and Kira

[01:09:22] followed the path through Fenella's garden, hopping from stone to stone and playing joyful melodies along the way. They passed radiant, colourful flowerbeds that smelt of the most heavenly sweet fragrances. They crossed a narrow, babbling brook, jumping from stepping stone to stepping stone. They spotted cleverly carved stone statues perched between shrubs and bushes. There were

[01:09:51] pretty blossom trees and a giant oak that stood proudly at the end of the path. Every detail of Fenella's garden was perfect. Once they reached the end of the path, below the giant branches of the towering oak tree, Coco and Kira decided to rest for a moment. They sat down with their backs against the bumpy tree trunk and gazed out across the garden. Fenella

[01:10:20] was currently tending to a flower bush and looked perfectly content. This place is wonderful, Kira sighed dreamily. I wish this was our garden. Ah, Coco suggested. Maybe we should have a go at growing our own garden. I'm sure that our parents will have some seeds in a cupboard somewhere.

[01:10:50] We could grow our own vegetable patch. All of a sudden, a voice that they didn't recognise interrupted their daydream. A slow, deep, gentle voice rumbled from behind them. That sounds like a nice idea, the voice said. I recommend starting with

[01:11:19] radishes. radishes grow quickly so you'll see the fruits of your labour fast. And there's nothing more motivating than seeing your hard work come to fruition. Coco and Kira got back to their feet and stared at the oak tree. They hadn't noticed before, but now they could see clearly that there was an old, wrinkly face

[01:11:49] moulded into the bark. The face had large wise eyes, a bulbous nose and a wide smiling mouth. Coco smiled in return and responded to the talking tree. I was thinking more that we could grow pumpkins or giant broccoli. The talking oak tree hummed and replied, Hmm, yes, those

[01:12:19] those are good ideas too. You could grow anything you like. Kira was bewildered by the fact they were talking to a tree. No, the trees could talk, she gasped. The talking oak smiled and commented, Some of us can. all trees have souls but

[01:12:49] only some of us have mouths. Fenella plodded over and greeted the talking tree like an old friend. Fenella explained that this oak was over 500 years old and therefore was very wise. She had met the wise tree months ago whilst assisting one of her tiny friends Callie Caterpillar. who lived in a neighbouring tree. Fenella and the

[01:13:19] wise oak had gotten talking and she had told it all about the enchanted garden she was growing. Longing for a restful retirement, the talking oak had asked if it could move into her garden. Of course, Fenella was very happy to oblige. It worked out for both of them. Now, she had over the oak could enjoy retirement in peace.

[01:13:48] Coco and Kira were impressed. You are 500 years old? Kira repeated in awe. What is the best thing you've seen in 500 years? The talking oak contemplated Kira's question. With 500 years worth of memories to rifle through,

[01:14:18] its answer could have taken a while. But after only a few moments, the wise oak responded. It would be impossible for me to narrow down everything I've experienced into one special moment. However, there is something that I have never tired of in all my years,

[01:14:47] and that is watching the magic of metamorphosis unfold. In the tree beside where I planted my roots for many, many years, caterpillars would come year in and year out to weave their cocoons and sleep. During those restful months, I saw nothing of them until, finally,

[01:15:18] they would awaken and burst from their cocoons as butterflies. Seeing the transformed caterpillars fly out of the other tree with their colourful wings and into the sky was always a spectacular sight. I have never once taken that miraculous sight for granted.

[01:15:47] Coco and Kira smiled at the image the talking oak had painted in their mind, of the beautiful butterflies fluttering out of the tree like blossom petals blowing in the wind. They could understand why the wise oak would have loved watching that scene year after year. Coco and Kira wished the wise talking oak tree a happy retirement

[01:16:16] and strolled into another area of the garden with Fenella. The proud unicorn fondly pointed out all of the beautiful plants she had grown and nurtured. There was a glorious bed of purple whimsy flowers that make you giggle if you sniff them, and a dock leaf bush that soothes any sting or bites with its healing sap.

[01:16:43] Fenella identified a tall, thick stem with about twenty pink buds up its sides waiting to unfurl. She said that this was a smarty plant, which makes you extra intelligent if you chew on one of its petals. The smarty plant still had a way to grow, but once it bloomed, it would be a spectacular vision in the garden.

[01:17:10] Fenella also directed Coco and Kira's attention to a bed of spiky blue vervain flowers that, when put under your pillow, allow you to fall into a deep, undisturbed sleep. It seemed that Fenella had grown flowers for practically every occasion. Next, she led Coco and Kira past a bed of multicoloured flowers with long, rounded petals

[01:17:39] in all the primary colours, red, yellow and blue. These flowers are my favourite. They always brighten up my day, Fenella confessed. Then, one of the scarlet red flowers added with a smirk. And that's not just on account of our cheerfully bright colours.

[01:18:06] Coco and Kira laughed with delight at the fact the flower had spoken. But they weren't surprised. By now, they expected everything to talk in Fenella's enchanted garden. They seem very nice, Coco complimented the flowers. But why are these flowers in particular your favourite?

[01:18:32] Fenella grinned and explained that these flowers love to tell jokes. Every time she visited, the flowers would have a fresh batch of jokes to tell her. Oh, I love jokes, Kira said excitedly. Please, can we hear one? The flowers all turned their heads away and whispered amongst themselves.

[01:18:58] After a few seconds, they turned back to face Coco, Kira and Fenella. All right then, a buttery yellow flower agreed. Why is a flower like the letter A? There was a pause. Because a bee goes after it. The bed of flowers fell into a fit of giggles. And Coco, Kira and Fenella all laughed too.

[01:19:27] Please could we have another? Coco asked. A sky blue flower was happy to oblige. What do you call a clumsy flower? The blue bloom recited. A whoopsie daisy. Yet again, everybody laughed. Fenella was right. The flowers were sure to put a smile on your face.

[01:19:53] Then a ruby red flower threw in a third joke. The flower giggled. How do sunflowers stay so positive? They always look on the sunny side. Everybody's laughter was so contagious that flowers, plants and trees all around the garden started to chuckle along with them.

[01:20:22] That's very good. A nearby cherry tree chortled, getting in on the action. Making a joke of his own, Coco tittered. I don't know about you, but I think these jokes are going from bud to worse. Kira clutched her sides as she laughed. You made our daisy, she joked.

[01:20:51] The bed of joke-telling flowers bowed their heads as if they were graciously accepting applause from an audience. Fenella whispered to Coco and Kira. I told you, they always brighten up my day. Kira was starting to wonder if every plant and tree here spoke. She dashed over to another tree and called out,

[01:21:19] Hello, do you talk too? However, she was met with silence. It didn't appear that this tree was quite as chatty as the wise oak, the chortling cherry tree or the joke-telling flowers. However, what it lacked in speech, it made up for in its intriguing appearance. Kira gazed up at the unusual tree in front of her and inspected it closer.

[01:21:48] Hanging from the branches were fruits of every colour of the rainbow, perhaps even more colours than there were in the rainbow. There were brown fruits and turquoise fruits, violet and red, yellow and neon green, not to mention black and silver. It was a very strange-looking fruit tree. Kira called over to Fenella.

[01:22:17] What type of tree is this? I haven't seen anything like it. Fenella trotted over and explained, Oh, this is the fantastic, flavourful tree. Every fruit that grows on it tastes completely different. That's why each fruit is a different colour too.

[01:22:43] Wow, that sounds so cool, Kira said. Are we able to try one? Fenella chuckled and replied, Of course you can. The only thing is, I'm too small to reach the branches now. The tree has gotten too tall for me. Luckily, Coco could climb the tree. Koalas were notoriously good climbers,

[01:23:12] so it would be easy for him to grab everyone a piece of fruit. Coco wrapped his arms and legs around the trunk of the fantastic, flavourful tree and clambered his way upwards and into the leafy branches. He shuffled out onto a thick branch and called down to Kira and Fenella. What colour fruit would you both like? Kira called up that she would like a purple piece of fruit

[01:23:41] and Fenella requested a pink one. Coco grabbed the coloured fruit as requested and also picked a blue one for himself. Look out below, he shouted down as he dropped the three pieces of fruit into Kira's outstretched hands. Then he safely made his way back down the tree. A mission accomplished, he announced, brushing his hands together.

[01:24:11] Kira passed Fenella her rosy pink fruit to try. Passed Coco his blue snack and then inspected her own selection. She was very keen to try the unusual fruit from this unique tree. She wondered what her purple piece would taste like. Fenella took the first bite and groaned with delight.

[01:24:36] Mmm, it tastes of rose petals, she said as she chomped happily. Coco and Kira eagerly bit into their fruit and were pleasantly surprised by the tasty flavours that overwhelmed their taste buds. Mine tastes like bubblegum, Coco said. Mine tastes like grape juice, Kira added.

[01:25:05] How funny that every piece of fruit tastes different. When he looked up from his fruit and at Kira, he was startled by something very unusual. Kira had somehow transformed colour. No doubt by magic, Kira's fur was now a shade of purple, very similar to the colour of the fruit she was consuming.

[01:25:35] Kira, you're turning purple, Coco giggled. Kira looked back at Coco and began to giggle too. And you are turning blue, Coco, she said. Coco glanced down at the fur on his arms. And just as Kira had said, his fur was indeed turning blue. By eating the fruit, they were both turning different colours.

[01:26:07] Fenella laughed and assured her friends that it was perfectly normal when eating from the fantastic, flavourful tree. Whoever bit into a piece of fruit from it would temporarily change colour. It was all a part of the magic. Coco and Kira giggled with amusement, but noticed that despite eating from the tree too, Fenella hadn't changed.

[01:26:36] Why have you not changed colour? Coco asked Fenella confusedly. Because I have a pink piece of fruit and my skin is already pink, she pointed out. But don't worry, your new colour will wear off shortly. It doesn't last forever. Coco nodded and took another bite of his bubblegum flavoured fruit.

[01:27:04] But Kira pouted disappointedly. She quite liked being purple. It was her favourite colour. The three of them finished their yummy portions of fruit and just as Fenella had said, Coco and Kira's fur turned back to their original colours. Coco and Kira gazed around the enchanted garden and admired its beauty.

[01:27:34] They hadn't experienced so much magic in one place before. This garden was truly special, but there still was a question lingering in their minds. Fenella, can I ask you a question? Coco inquired. Why have we never come across your enchanted garden before?

[01:28:02] Kira and I have walked this route to school several times and never spotted your garden until now. Fenella considered whether to share her secret with the koala and his sister. Fenella looked around to check nobody could overhear before whispering.

[01:28:31] You haven't seen it before because the garden has a charm placed over it. I enlisted a fairy friend of mine to help. I wanted to keep this garden for myself as a place I could come to whenever I needed some alone time. So, she cast a spell that would make the garden only visible to me.

[01:28:58] Kira was fascinated, but questioned, Then, why can we see the garden now? Fenella shrugged and admitted she didn't know why. The enchantment cast by the fairy stated that the garden could only be seen by those who would truly appreciate it.

[01:29:23] Maybe the enchantment had decided that Coco and Kira were worthy of seeing through the spell and experiencing the garden too. Coco and Kira smiled. They were glad the fairy's charm had chosen them to enjoy the enchanted garden with Fenella. I hope you didn't mind sharing it with us today, Coco apologized.

[01:29:52] But Fenella assured him that she was overjoyed to have been able to show them around her garden. It filled her with a sense of pride, seeing other people enjoying her hard work and getting as excited about it as she did. Coco and Kira were welcomed to join her in the enchanted garden any time they liked.

[01:30:19] The fairy siblings were grateful for Fenella's hospitality. They would definitely love to return again in the future. Kira gazed at the sky and noticed that the sun was growing low behind the trees. They had best be heading home soon. However, before they did, Kira longed to lie down in the comfortable grass one more time.

[01:30:50] She lay down on the soft blades and stretched out her arms and legs like a starfish or a snow angel. She sighed contentedly. I might come back just to do this again, Kira confessed wistfully and Fenella chuckled.

[01:31:16] Coco lay down by her side to see what all the fuss was about. He instantly could see why Kira loved it so much. The satin-like grass felt like silk sheets on a plush bed. He felt so relaxed that he couldn't help closing his eyes and sighing with satisfaction.

[01:31:43] Coco and Kira lay in the grass for a while longer, inhaling the scents of the garden and listening to the breeze flowing over them. They couldn't know for sure what made them feel so relaxed and safe here. But perhaps the pollen from the blue vervain flowers had drifted on the wind,

[01:32:10] filling their bodies with its sleep-inducing effects and lulling them towards a wonderfully deep slumber. This is Coco and Kira go to the mall by Luke Prendergast.

[01:32:38] Deep in the heart of a faraway forest stood a cosy wooden cabin. Inside the cabin lived a family of koalas. There was Coco and his parents and his grandparents, and Kira his little sister who was technically a panda bear, but she was an honorary koala too. Usually, Coco and Kira's mum could get everything she needed from the small clutch of shops and stores sprinkled around Sleepy Forest.

[01:33:07] There was Betty, the badger's bakery, for all her baked goods requirements. Bread and biscuits, cakes and cookies. If a new item of furniture was required, like after that time Coco plonked himself down on a kitchen chair and it crumbled into a pile of kindling right beneath him, she could go to visit Buck the Beaver, who knew how to make anything out of wood. And if anyone in the family needed more stationery to send letters to distant friends,

[01:33:37] like their canine pals Hector and Sunny, for example, then she could just go and get whatever she needed from Stan the Stork's stationery store. But sometimes Coco and Kira's mum needed things that Sleepy Forest simply couldn't supply, and that meant she had to go to the mall, all the way in Sleepy City. I need a whole new wardrobe,

[01:34:07] their mum said one morning, coming down from her bedroom. All of my clothes are in tatters. I think I'm going to have to take a trip to the mall. Please, can we come, mum? Coco would beg. Pretty, pretty please, added Kira. We'll do anything. Their mum stroked her chin and gave them an impish little smile.

[01:34:34] Oh, you'll do anything, will you? she asked. Kira nodded extremely enthusiastically. Oh, yes, she said. We'll tidy up bedroom without you ever having to ask. Their mum only frowned. And, Coco added quickly, we'll wash up the dishes after dinner for a whole week.

[01:35:02] For a whole week, their mum repeated. Well, that's certainly getting closer. Sir? And what else? Kira batted her eyelids at her mum, trying to look as cute and irresistible as a little puppy. Anything you want, mum. You tell me. Well, how about this?

[01:35:30] Said their mum, crouching down and tapping each of her cheeks with a finger. If you both give me a kiss, I'll take you to the mall. And in a flash, Coco and Kira had jumped right on top of their mum and started planting hundreds of kisses on her cheeks. All right, all right, she laughed. Get off me now. You can come to the mall. Go get ready.

[01:35:59] We're leaving in ten minutes. You see, Coco and Kira absolutely loved going to the mall. The mall wasn't just a place for adults to go to do boring things like shopping for clothes and kitchen appliances and a new set of towels for the bathroom. No, the mall was for kids too. A wonderland of fun.

[01:36:28] A treasure trove. An amusement park all to themselves. There were toy shops to look around. A bowling alley. A food court with every kind of tasty treat you could imagine. And if you got tired and wanted to sit down, well, there was the space-time cinema where you could watch a film under the star-studded ceiling. Yup, in a word, the mall was perfect.

[01:36:58] To get there, they had to ride the little black and red steam train that conveyed folks in and out of Sleepy Forest. Coco and Kira and their mum found a table and once the train had gone toot-toot and chugged into action, they watched the crisp-leafed forest trees and the glittering, sleepy river pass by through the window until, almost imperceptibly,

[01:37:26] they passed out of Sleepy Forest. Two stops later, they disembarked from the train, stepped out of the station and there it was, rising up before them. The mall. A big silver building with a sloping roof and huge windows and a big pair of glass-sliding doors right at the front. Hooray! Coco and Kira cooed.

[01:37:55] We're here! They were hopping up and down with so much excitement that it made their mum laugh. You two are acting as though the ground's too hot to stand on, she said. Now, you know that we're here because we have things that we need to buy. It can't all be about having fun. No, mum, Coco sighed.

[01:38:23] We've got a job to get done, their mum insisted. But Kira batted her eyelashes at her mum again because she knew that that always worked. Okay, mum, we get it, she said. But please, fun first? Oh, okay then, their mum said. Fun first. And all holding hands, the three of them

[01:38:53] walked up the paved path. The big glass doors slid silently open and they stepped into the cool air of the mall. This, Coco and Kira knew, was the riskiest part of the day. Right at the entrance of the mall, there was nothing fun for kids to do. There were only boring shops lining the gleaming floors. Shops that sold clothes

[01:39:22] and perfumes and bedding and fancy lamps. Shops that sold high-heeled shoes and bobble hats and leather gloves. And shops that sold little trinkets and patterned plates and boxes of silver jewellery. And while Coco and Kira weren't interested in any of this stuff, the problem was their mum certainly was. Yep.

[01:39:51] This first stretch of the mall contained a lot of opportunities for their mum to get distracted. And if that happened, then they might never get to the fun part. Oh no, Coco said as their mum veered towards one of the shop windows. That candlestick would look very ugly in our cosy cabin. Look, mum, Kira shouted when it seemed their mum

[01:40:20] was about to step into a clothes shop. What? Their mum said, frowning and looking around. Oh, I thought I saw a flying pig, Kira said, blinking innocently. But I must have been wrong. Luckily, Coco and Kira managed to get their mum through the minefield of boring grown-up things. And with bubbles of excitement fizzing in their tummies, entered

[01:40:50] the next parade of shops. This was where all the giant toy shops were and they grabbed hold, each of them, to one of their mum's paws, dragging her towards the shops. Okay, okay, their mum said. We'll go in, but just for ten minutes. Just ten minutes? Coco and Kira knew she didn't really mean it.

[01:41:20] Inside, the toy shop was like a paradise. Two friendly squirrels stood by the entrance welcoming them in. One blew bubbles from a bubble machine and the other had a marionette of a little boy who waved his hand and smiled and did a jolly dance. Every wall of the shop was lined with shelves filled with all kinds of toys, dolls and toy cars,

[01:41:50] board games and boxes of tricks. Toy aeroplanes zoomed overhead, propelled by electricity or maybe magic, Kira couldn't tell, and funny robots with shining metal bodies moved their mechanical arms to wave at them. Hey, Kira, come and look at this, Coco called and Kira scurried over to him. Ooh, she sighed, that's cool.

[01:42:21] Coco had found the model train set located at the back of the toy shop. Train tracks swooped and snaked in loops along the floor, through miniature forests and toy towns made of buildings no bigger than a koala's little finger. Tiny figurines of people and animals walked the model streets and shopped in the model shops and through the middle of one of the towns

[01:42:50] curled a bright blue river which the train track straddled on a rickety little bridge. The model train itself stood waiting at the station. I bet if you press that button, Coco said, pointing to a little red button on the model train set's control system, it'll bring the whole thing to life. You should press it, Kira.

[01:43:20] Go on. And so Kira reached out and pressed the button and with a tiny little toot toot the model train went into action, chugging along the train track over the bridge through the town. Oh, said Kira clapping her paws together in delight. It's just like the one we got to the mall, isn't it, Mom? Maybe

[01:43:49] if we looked very closely through one of the train windows, there'd be a tiny family just like ours. When the three of them left the toy shop, a little while later, they all felt as though their hearts were glowing. That's what playing with all kinds of fun toys can do to

[01:44:19] next. Hmm, said Kira, I'm not sure. But Coco was already pointing across the way at a dark entryway with a sign over the top that read Ten Pin Bowling. Great idea, Coco, their mom said. That's just what I'm in the

[01:44:50] way. And as she strode towards the bowling alley, Coco and Kira exchanged a cheeky glance. They'd not go and do their mom's shopping until a lot more fun had been had if either of them could help it. In the bowling alley they traded their shoes for special leather bowling shoes decorated red and white with flat shiny soles that made you extra slick on the lanes.

[01:45:20] And would you like the barriers up or down? Asked the friendly pelican who was in charge of the bowling alley. Up! All three of them replied, for they enjoyed making the bowling balls ricochet off the barriers on their way down the lane. And besides, it was no fun when they went into the gutter. Once Coco had plugged their names into the computer so that they appeared on the big screen hanging above

[01:45:50] the bowling lane, which would also display the scores. He said, all right, Kira, you're up first. Kira picked up a sparkly sparkly purple bowling ball from the chute. This one's perfect for me, she said. Okay, here I go. And with a little trot and a skip, she tossed the ball down the lane. It trundled along and knocked over

[01:46:19] six of the pins. Well done, Kira, said their mum. Now you've got one more shot left. Kira nodded and waited for her special sparkly purple ball to be returned to the chute. She lifted it up, staggering a little beneath its weight, before propelling it once more down the lane. Slowly it rolled like a

[01:46:49] big tired snowball. Kira after all being so little wasn't very strong, but when it got to the end, it knocked down all but one of the pins. Nine, Coco said, as Kira took a satisfied seat on the bench next to her mum. Nice one, little sis. Now it was Coco's turn. He chose a bright light

[01:47:19] red ball that he knew would go fast as a firebolt. He took a running throw. The red ball shot down the lane and eight of the pins went down. All right, only two left, he said, picking up another ball and bowling that one down the lane. Wow, said Kira, clapping her hands together as the final two pins went down. A spare.

[01:47:49] On their mum's turn, she managed to knock down four pins on her first throw, but on her second she didn't manage to get any. Don't worry, mum, they told her. You'll do better next time. And as though they had spoken a magic spell, she did. On her next go round, their mum got a strike straight away. Yippee, she said, punching the air lightly with her

[01:48:19] fist, before she spread her arms to receive Coco and Kira's congratulatory hugs. That was awesome, mum, Coco said. And so they played the rest of their bowling game, their fortunes rising and falling, like the rise and fall of the ocean tides. On one go, one of them would knock them all down, but on the next one miss entirely.

[01:48:49] And somehow that felt right to Kira as they played. It felt like a miniature reflection of life itself, where sometimes she had a bad day, but the next day she might very easily have one of the best days she could remember in a long time. And then something truly remarkable at the end, all three of them, Coco, Kira, and their mum, finished on exactly

[01:49:19] the same score. So, no one won, said Coco, frowning up at the screen. No, silly, Kira replied, putting her arm around her big brother's shoulders. We all won. And that turned Coco's frown right upside down, so that they all left the bowling lane smiling arm in arm. But when

[01:49:49] they reached the parade of shops in the mall, Coco's stomach started growling and rumbling as though a little beast was trapped inside his tummy. All that bowling has made me hungry, he said. And Kira said, me too. Well, said their mum, you know what's just around the corner? Coco and Kira exchanged a grin.

[01:50:19] The food court. The food court was a huge atrium with dozens of little stalls offering every type of food you could imagine. Pizzas and pasta curries and burgers vegetable salads and fruit salads there was a pancake stall and a cupcake stall there was a croissant stall and a donut stall and there was even a stall selling a cronut

[01:50:48] which is what you get when you mix a croissant and a donut together. Coco and Kira's mum gave them each some money and then they each took a tray from the side and wandered around the food court together inspecting all the stalls seeing if there was anything new that they hadn't seen before or that would take their particular fancy today. It was rather difficult to decide because everything looked

[01:51:18] so scrumptious so the two of them agreed with each other that whatever they got they would share that way they could try twice as many things. Before long they were back with their mum who was tucking into a steaming aubergine curry with white fluffy rice. And what have you two got? she asked them and they showed her their trays veggie pasta and a

[01:51:48] eucalyptus burger strawberry pancakes and two big milkshakes with extra chocolate sprinkles on top. Oh, Coco thought, tucking his fork into the strawberry pancakes. He just loved being at the mall. And so they ate merrily, chatting about the mall and about all their friends back in sleepy forest, wondering what they'd all be doing and

[01:52:17] if their dad had finished fixing the hole in the roof by now. When at last they were finished, Kira laid her fork down on her plate and let out a big yawn. Ooh, said Coco, yawning now too. Yawns are catching. Even their mum lifted a paw to her mouth to cover a little yawn. All that

[01:52:47] excitement has worn you out, she said. But come on, I've still got my shopping to do. Let's go. They carried their trays and stacked them neatly by the bins. Then they left the food court and headed towards the part of the mall where all the sensible grown-up shops were. But Kira found that Coco's legs felt

[01:53:16] heavy as lead. Their stomachs were so full of food. They were both too tired for traipsing around the shops anymore. I've got an idea, their mum said. How about I drop the two of you off at the space time cinema? You can watch a movie for a couple of hours while I scoot around and do my shopping and I can pick you up when it's done.

[01:53:46] How does that sound? Suddenly Coco's legs didn't feel quite so heavy. That sounds perfect, he said. The cinema was run by a friendly old elephant with wrinkly grey skin and worn white tusks. He remembered them from before and waved his trunk at them. These two are going to watch a film while I shop, their mum

[01:54:16] explained. They don't want to come around with me. And who can blame them, said the elephant with a smile. Don't you worry, I'll watch over them. Brilliant, their mum said, said, I'll be waiting when the show is over. Hey mum, Coco said. Yes, Coco, she replied. He poured the ground bashfully with his foot,

[01:54:46] as though he was afraid of asking something. But eventually he said, please can we have some popcorn for the film? Popcorn, their mum said, a look of surprise spreading over her furry face. We've just come out of the food court. You can't be hungry again. Oh, but mum, Kira said, batting her

[01:55:16] eyelids again, you can't go to the cinema without having some popcorn. Oh, all right, their frown softening into a smile, just because we're at the mall. The elephant gave a little toot of his trunk. Two popcorns coming up, he said. And after he'd handed them over

[01:55:46] and Coco and Kira held them to their chests, he added, the and so Coco and Kira gave their mum a hug and waved her goodbye. See you when the movie's over, she said. Then they headed through the double doors into the dark auditorium. They

[01:56:15] walked up the narrow steps until they found their row, then sunk into the big comfy cinema seats. As they nestled down into them, the screen flickered into life. The film was about a little butterfly who met a spider living in a cobweb in the garden they shared. Very soon, the butterfly and spider

[01:56:45] became the best of friends. But this newfound friendship caused their families some surprise, because traditionally the spiders of the garden and the butterflies of the garden had been enemies. It was such an engaging, moving film. Coco and Kira dipped their paws into their popcorn boxes and munched away.

[01:57:15] They were both rooting for the friendship between the butterfly and the spider. It reminded Kira somewhat of her own family and how she was a panda while they were a koala. She leant over to her brother and whispered in his ear, it shouldn't matter what kind of animal you are, you should still be able to love each other and be friends.

[01:57:45] You're completely right Kira, Coco whispered back, putting his arm around her and giving her a hug. Soon the excitement of the day began to work its effect on Coco and Kira. With their popcorn finished they began to yawn and rub their eyes and every now and then they'd find their eyelids had closed

[01:58:15] and they'd have to open them again to try to work out where they'd got to in the film. But I want to stay awake, Coco thought to himself. I want to see what happens to the butterfly and the spider. But it was no use. Try as he might, Coco couldn't keep his brave little eyes open. He was too tired and

[01:58:45] the cinema with its soft seats and its tender darkness was too cosy. And besides, Kira was already sleeping gently beside him, her chest rising and falling with heavy sleepy breaths. Soon Coco was asleep too. And he dreamed of a garden full of

[01:59:15] creatures who were all friends with each other, no matter what kind of animal they were, or what they looked like, or where they lived. And then, even in his dream, he realised that it was no garden at all, but sleepy forest itself, his very own home, which was already more wonderful than anything

[01:59:45] you could dream. And Coco only woke up drowsily much later to find his mum crouched before him, surrounded by her shopping bags. Kira was still sleeping soundly beside him. You too fell asleep? she whispered to him softly. You must have been

[02:00:14] ever so tired. Coco nodded. Is it time to go home? he asked. Soon, his mum said, but you can rest a little more first. I'll sit here with you. I could do with putting up my feet. She took a seat beside him and Coco felt his mother's soothing

[02:00:44] familiar warmth. He closed his eyes, letting sleep come over him again. But he had one thing on his mind. We never got to find out what happened to the butterfly and the spider, he said, because we fell asleep. Do you know what happened to them, mum? Of course, Coco, she said.

[02:01:14] Their friendship brought their two families together and the butterflies and the spiders discovered that they had much more in common with each other than they ever supposed. The two families became friends for after. Hearing that made Coco's heart

[02:01:44] feel full and calm. He was glad that the butterfly and the spider had a happy ending. Everyone deserved a story that ended like that. And with this thought and his mum on one side of him and Kira snoozing on the cushiony cinema seat and promptly

[02:02:13] fell straight back to sleep.