Once Upon a Bedtime

The perfect bedtime story by the author and illustrator of the number one bestselling Hugless Douglas series, David Melling. Rabbit helps his friends get ready for bed, but when they hear a strange noise, it turns out to be a sad monster. Will they be able to cheer their new friend up before bedtime? David Melling has been shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal, the Smarties Book Award, and the Independent Booksellers Award. His Hugless Douglas books have sold over 1.4 million copies worldwide, and the loveable brown bear has starred in a World Book Day book and his own theatre show.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 32 pages
Publication date: 22 August 2019
Publisher: Hachette Children's Group

The sun was setting on Sleepy Street as Rabbit and the others began to yawn. They had just finished their nightly routine of brushing their teeth and washing their faces, and were ready to crawl into bed. But as they settled in, they heard a strange noise coming from outside. Rabbit hopped out of bed and peered out the window, but he couldn't see anything.

"What was that?" asked Fox, who was lying next to Rabbit.

"I don't know," said Rabbit, "but it didn't sound good."

The noise continued, and Rabbit and the others grew more and more worried. They decided to investigate, and they tiptoed out of their room and down the hallway. They could hear the noise getting louder and louder, and they could see shadows moving in the corners of their eyes.

"It's a monster!" whispered Mouse, who was trembling with fear.

Rabbit and the others froze in their tracks. They had never seen a monster before, and they didn't know what to do. But then, a voice came from behind them.

"Don't be afraid," said the voice. "I'm not a monster. I'm just a sad monster."

Rabbit and the others turned around to see a small, furry creature with big, teary eyes. It was wearing a big, fluffy coat and had a sad expression on its face.

"What's wrong?" asked Rabbit.

The monster sighed. "I'm just lonely," it said. "I don't have any friends, and I don't know how to make them."

Rabbit and the others felt sorry for the monster. They knew how hard it could be to be lonely, and they decided to help it. They invited the monster to join them for bedtime, and they read stories and sang songs until the monster felt better.

As the sun began to rise, Rabbit and the others said goodbye to the monster. They promised to visit it again soon, and they went back to their rooms.

The next day, Rabbit and the others were surprised to see the monster waiting for them outside their door. It had brought them a present, a beautiful flower that it had picked in the park.

"Thank you so much for your kindness," said the monster. "I feel much better now."

Rabbit and the others smiled. They knew that they had made a new friend, and they were happy to have helped someone in need. From that day on, Rabbit and the others made sure to include the monster in their activities. They played games, went on adventures, and even had sleepovers together. And as time went by, the monster became less sad and more happy. It had found a place where it belonged, and it was grateful to Rabbit and the others for helping it find it.

And so, the perfect bedtime story ends with Rabbit and the others sleeping peacefully in their beds, knowing that they had made a difference in the world. They had helped a sad monster find happiness, and in doing so, they had learned the true meaning of friendship.

Weight: 204g
Dimension: 250 x 274 x 4 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780340989715