Bedtime Stories About Zany Creatures
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Little Vincent was getting ready for bed. He put on his sleeping cap so red. He slipped into his pajamas and brushed his teeth. He checked for monsters under the bed, beneath. Just as he climbed into bed, it seemed brighter. The doorknob turned and squeaked as it opened wider and wider. It was? ... It was his Mom! She leaned over to kiss his forehead as she pulled the blanket under his chin. "Don’t let the bed bugs bite," she whispered as she turned to leave ... with a grin. Vincent felt alone and SCARED. All of a sudden, he felt a squirm. Then a squirm and a wiggle. Then a wiggle and a nibble. "AAAAAH."
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About the Book
Ever wonder how a bear would live the way we do? Would he get ready for bed the same way? Would he be afraid of the same things? Our imagination plays many tricks on our eyes and sometimes being scared can be fun. Ever wonder how far back in time horses and lions have been placed in history? These majestic animals show strength and bravery that goes back thousands of years. The kings and Pharaohs have praised them and modern painters still honor them as symbols of power and courage. Ever wonder what the life of a fish is like? Fish have only one big worry: being eaten. The fate of a little shrimp to its big hungry predator is just the beginning of the food chain in the ocean. Who is looking for its next meal? Who will be the next dinner guest? Ever wonder where ladybugs meet their husbands-to-be? Does wealth play a part in the search? Follow this delightful Portuguese folk tale through the happy trials and tribulations of a bride in search for her groom. This collection of short stories will delight your children as they explore the creature world and open their imaginations to zany and unexpected situations. Some stories follow actual historical animal references throughout the arts of time. Family members from the author’s birthplace, Portugal, pass down other stories from old folk tales. Most stories are simply the daily tales from the author’s children. The illustrations bring to life the characters in the stories in which each of the four classes of creatures are included: mammals, reptiles, fish, and insects. Of course, we cannot forget the most curious and most extinct of them all: the dinosaurs. Wit and rhythmic sounds fill the pages of this poetic rendition of old fashioned bedtime storytelling.
About the Author
Maria Ahrndt has been illustrating animal characters since college, at University of Toronto, Canada. She realized her vocation was teaching and then earned a master’s degree at Minnesota State University. After teaching in a high school for eight years, she took on her most challenging role as a mom. In raising two children, Maria has found original stories and ideas in the minds of her precocious three-year-old son, and wondrous new daughter. Their combined "zest for life" and vivid imagination have been interwoven into these enchanting short stories filled with many fond memories. A toddler’s fascination with dinosaurs led to tracing his hand on paper to appear as prehistoric creatures. Another inspired story came from having a crying sister around the house and a big brother’s worry about how to make her happy again. Each story holds some small truths and big lessons about what unfolds in the life of a full-time mom. Maria learned that children are full of curiosities and this book was a fun way to explore them and record them for all eternity.