Carl-Johan Forssén Ehrlin - The Little Elephant Who Wants to Fall Asleep: A New Way of Getting Children to Sleep

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First published 2016

Digital edition published 2016
Originally published in Sweden as Elefanten som s grna ville somna copyright 2016 by Carl-Johan Forssn Ehrlin. Published by agreement with the Salomonsson Agency.

Text and illustrations copyright Carl-Johan Forssn Ehrlin and Ehrlin Publishing AB, 2016

English translation copyright Neil Smith, 2016

Illustrations by Sydney Hanson

The moral right of the author and illustrator has been asserted

ISBN: 978-0-241-29121-4

Warning! Use this book with caution. It may cause drowsiness or an unintended catnap. And never read this book out loud close to someone driving any type of vehicle or engaged in any other activity that requires wakefulness!

The author and the publisher very much hope your little one falls asleep, but make no guarantees and can take no responsibility for the outcome.

This book has been written to have a sleep-promoting effect, and therefore sometimes uses unusual language in order to help the child relax and feel ready to sleep. Sometimes the child may need to hear the book a few times before he or she feels comfortable with the story and happily falls asleep.

To achieve the best results when you read this bedtime story, you should read it through to yourself first so that you are familiar with the text and are more free to engage with the story when you read it to your child. I also recommend that you read through the tips at the end of the book in order to get the most out of this sleep-inducing bedtime story. The Little Elephant Who Wants to Fall Asleep is also available as an audiobook. You may enjoy listening to this book together as your child falls asleep. You may even fall asleep too, if you desire to do so.

At certain points in the story, it is recommended that you adjust your tone of voice or yawn. Feel your way forward, and see what works best for your child.

• When the text is marked in bold , emphasize these words.
• When the text is marked with italics, try saying these words in a more soothing voice.
• Where it says [name], feel free to insert your childs name.
• Where it says [yawn], it would be a good idea to do so.

Good luck, and sleep well!

Carl-Johan Forssn Ehrlin

This story is about an elephant named Ellen. She is the kindest and bravest little elephant in the world, and she wants to be your friend and teach you new things. Ellen the Elephant is starting to feel tired now, and she wants you to go with her as she walks to her bed on the other side of the magical forest, where she is going to sleep soundly all night long.

Ellen the Elephant is the same age as you, [name]. She likes doing the same things as you, playing and having fun, on her own and with her friends. Sometimes, when shes playing, the time goes so fast that its suddenly time to go to bed. So in a lot of ways youre very alike, and you think the same way, [name]. That means it will be easy to follow Ellen as this story helps her to fall asleep.

Im starting to feel tired, and I want to go to bed, Ellen the Elephant says to Mummy Elephant [yawn].

Of course you can go to bed now, Mummy Elephant replies. Take your friend whos listening to the story through the magical forest to the place where you sleep, and fall fast asleep together. The magical forest is really good at making children feel sleepy, and its lovely and safe for tired children. I wonder how soon youre going to choose to fall asleep to the story, now or in a little while.

Mummy Elephant reminds Ellen, There are lots of sleepy things around you right now, and you, [name], can choose the ones that will best help you fall asleep.

Ellen the Elephant asks Mummy Elephant, What do you do to make yourself feel tired ?

I usually let everything be sleepy the sounds and voices around me, and the things I imagine. The way the pillow my head is resting on helps me fall asleep when I say to myself, Relax. It feels so lovely with the covers tucked up around me. Thats when I feel most tired, like now [yawn].

Together, you and Ellen the Elephant set off on your adventure, which will make you really tired now. On the hill, Ellens mummy waves to you sleepily and says, Goodnight, sweet child, see you in the morning, when youve slept soundly all night.

Ellen the Elephant says to you, Come with me, and Ill show you where I usually fall fast asleep. It doesnt matter if you will easily fall asleep, before the story is over. I get tired very quickly when Im about to drift off to sleep and someone is reading me a story.

Ellen says, Come with me. Lets go into the magical sleepy forest together. So that you will feel completely calm and safe, youre welcome to ride on my back. That will help you to relax and be lulled naturally to sleep, [name]. I like falling asleep, either in my bed or in the magical forest, right now. They both work just as well, and I feel tired every time I think about it. Ellen the Elephant yawns [yawn].

Once inside the forest, Ellen the Elephant says calmly and softly, The forest is full of kind animals who are my friends. Over there, for instance, is where Snoozy Mole lives with his parents.

Snoozy Mole looks out from his home with his eyes closed and says, Shhh, its time to be quiet and listen to the story now. Im about to fall fast asleep. My parents say that when children stay still to listen to the story right now, they let everything around them gradually fade away. A lot of the time, children also want to lie down and relax so that they can fall asleep too. Like when you feel its time to fall asleep, and fall asleep now.

Snoozy Mole goes on: Sometimes I pretend Im not listening and am doing something else, and on those occasions, I feel even more relaxed and tired.