© Schwager & Steinlein Verlag GmbH
a subsidiary of VEMAG Verlags- und Medien
Aktiengesellschaft
Emil-Hoffmann-Straße 1, 50996 Cologne (Germany)
www.vemag-medien.de
Stories by Ingrid Annel, Sarah Herzhoff, Ulrike Rogler and Sabine Streufert
Illustrations: Marion Durczok, Peter Friedl,
Friederike Großekettler and Daniela Pohl
Translation from German:
First Edition Translations Ltd, Cambridge
Complete production: Schwager & Steinlein Verlag GmbH
All rights reserved
ISBN 978-3-8155-8795-9
January
1 January The New Year’s rocket message
2 January The sofa monster
3 January The birthday dwarf
4 January The elves’ snow music
5 January Visit to Mother Hulda
6 January Matilda does the cooking
7 January The little mermaid’s birthday
8 January The bunch of frost flowers
9 January The little frost imp
10 January In the snowdrift
11 January Mum’s taxi
12 January Looking for winter supplies
13 January The snowball trap
14 January The finder of things
15 January Winter flowers
16 January Tina and Tom go tobogganing
17 January Detectives in the snow
18 January The forgetful witch
19 January The sleeve monster
20 January A wedding in the winter cold
21 January The finest present
22 January The dragon in the bath
23 January The dragon in the sky
24 January The snowball fight
25 January The pigsty
26 January The wood of mysteries
27 January Carl, the theatre tom-cat
28 January A night-time visit
29 January “I wish they’d all go away!”
30 January The scared ghost
31 January The miracle of the foam
February
1 February Carrot nose
2 February Ice fish
3 February The topsy-turvy farmyard
4 February The dragon’s eyes
5 February Washing day for the ghosts
6 February The spider’s gift
7 February Look out, little mouse!
8 February The flying carpet
9 February The water sprite and the seahorses
10 February The race
11 February No tobogganing for little children
12 February The mysterious parcel
13 February In the land of noodles
14 February In the magician’s costume
15 February The cuckoo clock
16 February The ghost gets locked in
17 February Sven the dwarf plans ahead
18 February The little red tractor
19 February The frog and the calimpo
20 February The magician tidies up
21 February A funny day
22 February A tram to the North Pole
23 February Clever Carmen
24 February Six years old
25 February Uncanny
26 February Rosalie, the artistic ghost
27 February The leaning worm
28 February A kitten for Kate
29 February A mysterious rat-a-tat
March
1 March A troll sets off on a voyage of discovery
2 March Hummy discovers the spring
3 March Genie in the bottle
4 March Woken up
5 March Victoria and the snowman
6 March A crazy idea
7 March Messengers of spring
8 March The parrot wants to fly
9 March Keeping the witches’ house tidy
10 March The noise in the wall
11 March The spring elf
12 March The tired baker
13 March The honey pot trap
14 March The birthday dream
15 March The will-o’-the-wisp
16 March The blue egg
17 March Frosty mist
18 March A new pet
19 March Stuck in a book
20 March The dwarves on the mountain
21 March Molly moves in
22 March The witches take a holiday
23 March Tomberg the troll and the bear
24 March Ronny the robot
25 March The ghost goes cycling
26 March Matilda in the jar
27 March A special present
28 March Monster alarm
29 March The witch out of the egg
30 March The brightly coloured fish
31 March Daddy’s lullaby
April
1 April Giant radishes
2 April Chasing gangsters by night
3 April The sleeping giant
4 April An unusual catch
5 April Chasing bunnies
6 April Too-wit and the echo
7 April Robbie emigrates
8 April The children’s train
9 April The coconut battle
10 April The butterfly’s baptism
11 April April weather
12 April A day in the life of the witch
13 April The new nesting box
14 April The big fart
15 April The circus Bambolino
16 April Federico practises on the quiet
17 April A dangerous fight
18 April The upside-down world
19 April The message in the bottle
20 April Under control
21 April The merman and the mussels
22 April Molly and the pepper
23 April Molly annoys Digbert
24 April Bath time for Molly
25 April Molly and the sugar
26 April The scared ghost
27 April Ghostly letters
28 April The duck race
29 April The hungry tiger
30 April The crafty squirrels
May
1 May The terrible hissing noise
2 May No prince in sight
3 May Many guests at the feast
4 May The hamster’s flight
5 May The woodlouse
6 May The twinkling contest
7 May The special birthday serenade
8 May The wondrous animal
9 May The flying bath carpet
10 May The busy ladybird
11 May The mermaid who got lost
12 May A vampire visits Professor Dr Miller
13 May The housebreaker
14 May A little raincloud
15 May Panic at the circus
16 May The new pair of glasses
17 May Where is Farmer Fred?
18 May The dwarves and the rainbow
19 May The ghosts of many colours
20 May The merman and the starfish
21 May Ragnar the knight and the dragon
22 May The scary creature
23 May The magic bicycle
24 May The magic bike ride
25 May Be brave, little bird!
26 May In Grandpa’s garden
27 May Matilda and the hairdryer
28 May The ghost gets tangled up
29 May The cookie monster
30 May The lost teddy bear
31 May At the pony stables
June
1 June Playing in the moonlight
2 June Under the road
3 June The snail race
4 June The dream hairdo
5 June The cockchafers’ party
6 June Magic colours
7 June Father Octopus
8 June The new name
9 June The water pixie
10 June Anthony the ant goes on strike
11 June Night time in the castle
12 June The story comes alive
13 June The nursery-rhyme party
14 June Thumper meets a giant
15 June Tomberg the troll and the shooting star
16 June A giant idea
17 June A narrow escape
18 June The magic ring
19 June Hide-and-seek
20 June Ears closed!
21 June In the land of the colours
22 June The ghost in the bath
23 June A little accident
24 June In the garden
25 June The bath pixie
26 June Elves and strawberries
27 June A spider in space
28 June Tomberg the troll at the seaside
29 June The ant in peril
30 June The heavenly tendril
July
1 July A letter for the dwarves
2 July Jenny goes on holiday
3 July The cheeky fish
4 July I’m not eating that
5 July Chasing soap bubbles
6 July Cal the crab
7 July The vain cloud
8 July Enticing leaves
9 July The dwarves get bored
10 July Tomberg the troll builds a tree house
11 July An adventure in the paddling pool
12 July Leonora and the Sand King
13 July The dream tree
14 July The special ice-cream
15 July The elephant and the monkeys
16 July The relf
17 July A gift of heaven
18 July Wrinkle Squinkle
19 July Three keys to happiness
20 July The tom-cat’s breakfast
21 July Homesick
22 July The merman and the whale
23 July Stupid cow
24 July Working in the harbour
25 July The little man and the balloons
26 July The blue sock
27 July The ghost goes on his travels
28 July Wal the ball
29 July A very special wood
30 July A big fish
31 July The reading donkey
August
1 August A snail goes swimming
2 August The rain slide
3 August A genie moves house
4 August The witch’s bad mood
5 August The little mouse’s big wish
6 August On the beach
7 August Wishing on a star
8 August Seven books
9 August Christmas in summer time
10 August The troll in love
11 August Dreaming or waking
12 August A new footrace
13 August The shoe-swapping monster
14 August The merman and the puffer fish
15 August Sir Reginald is in a hurry
16 August Taking the plane to see Grandma
17 August A shooting star story
18 August Tomberg the troll and the sheep
19 August Pauline does the vacuuming
20 August The hiccups
21 August A fish on land
22 August The greatest poet
23 August The frog concert
24 August A little grain of birdseed
25 August Spot and the green spider
26 August The Mum method
27 August The birthday surprise
28 August Fun in the rain
29 August Blue Feather
30 August Crabs share their home
31 August Secret help
September
1 September Noah loves blowing bubbles
2 September A friend for the toad
3 September The big hat
4 September Rhiannon’s first invention
5 September The raven and the caterpillar
6 September Sunshine for Pointy
7 September Pointy goes looking for treasure
8 September Secret helpers
9 September The dwarves take their leave
10 September Grumpy Greg
11 September Sausages for the ears
12 September Finn is invisible
13 September The merman and the lobster
14 September Mr Monty and his flea
15 September Matilda sings in the choir
16 September Matilda’s birthday
17 September Matilda makes a noise
18 September Matilda and the flowers
19 September Deep in her coat pockets
20 September On the glass ball
21 September Sonia struggles and grows
22 September The little pirate sails home
23 September Tasty plums
24 September The cheat
25 September Tomberg the troll almost eats an apple
26 September The swallows fly away
27 September Molly has an adventure
28 September The giraffe falls in love
29 September The worry box
30 September A sky full of fiddles
October
1 October A couple of minutes’ break
2 October The new neighbours
3 October The happy kite
4 October The apple hedgehog
5 October The piano pet
6 October Counting sheep
7 October A nut on the head
8 October The dream wish
9 October Hocus pocus
10 October The hedgehog and the flea
11 October The lost gauntlet
12 October The magic books
13 October The little dragon
14 October Poorly little dragon
15 October The walnut picnic
16 October The ghost’s antics
17 October The little something
18 October The cheese and the moon
19 October Tomberg the troll makes jam
20 October The bright-red weasel escapes
21 October The false dragon
22 October The missing sock
23 October Evening in the theatre
24 October The water ballet
25 October The invitation
26 October An elf with gap teeth
27 October The ringing bells
28 October Dance evening
29 October Flying kites
30 October The earthlings
31 October Witch food
November
1 November The hungry ghost
2 November The lonely ghost
3 November The clown fish
4 November The merman and the ship’s sprite
5 November Emilia wants to go home
6 November The mysterious thread
7 November The weary wind
8 November Tomberg the troll and the crooked trees
9 November The little noise
10 November Baked apples
11 November The St Martin’s Day procession
12 November The not blood-curdling ghost
13 November The three magicians
14 November The King can’t laugh
15 November The sleepless hedgehog
16 November The ghost catches cold
17 November Molly leaves home
18 November The foundling
19 November A lovely black cake
20 November Christmas wishes
21 November Pea soup
22 November A little giant, a big dream
23 November Malky and Molky from Mars
24 November The long and short time until Christmas
25 November Cockroach snot and toad spit
26 November Matilda and the puddle
27 November The monster
28 November Good morning, Luke
29 November The cotton-wool world
30 November A terrible illness
December
1 December The special Advent calendar
2 December Tomberg the troll and the stone
3 December Dream leprechaun
4 December The magic pencil
5 December The blue thingy
6 December The Father Christmas trap
7 December Marvin Mouse in the land of milk and honey
8 December The merman and the seagull
9 December Little Father Christmasses
10 December In the fairy-tale wood
11 December The children’s railway
12 December The Ferris wheel and the giant’s ring
13 December A weekend in the snow
14 December Chocolate biscuits are yummy!
15 December The red felt cap
16 December The unhappy A
17 December Tomberg the troll meets Father Christmas
18 December The angel pig
19 December Cold proof
20 December Waiting for Christmas
21 December The reindeer wish
22 December Christmas at last
23 December One Christmas tree too many
24 December The Christmas doll
25 December The doll’s secret
26 December A surprise for Father Christmas
27 December A year full of wonders
28 December The fairy in the snow
29 December The moon’s story
30 December Sweet porridge
31 December The mice celebrate New Year’s Eve
Authors
Illustrators
After an exciting day, it often takes just one small thing to calm your children down and help them get off to sleep. Little rituals such as reading them a story are tailor-made to do the job. So, in this book, we’ve brought together one bedtime story for each day of the year.
Every story is self-contained, but many of the stories form a longer narrative. There are those about Tomberg the troll, for instance, who sets off on a journey to the north; George, the castle ghost, who keeps bumping his head on the roof beam; and Molly the mouse, who sets up home in the larder.
Since children love to hear things repeated, you could read the stories aloud twice. Boys and girls find safety and stability in hearing familiar stories again.
And, of course, in this book every child will find their very own birthday story.
Each story is accompanied by an attractive illustration that gently draws your child into the world of dreams, and allows them to go to sleep quietly and safely.
We hope that you and your children will derive much pleasure from this book, and a whole year full of peaceful nights and sweet dreams!
Martin discovered a New Year’s firework, a rocket that had burnt out and fallen to the ground. Inside the cardboard tube he noticed a piece of paper. He unrolled it and found strange signs were printed on it. “It must be a secret message!” he thought. Martin just had to find out what the message said. He phoned his friend Katy and told her about the mysterious New Year’s message. “Aliens from outer space!” breathed Katy. The children devised a plan to reply to the aliens. They drew pictures on the piece of paper, showing children playing together and eating cakes with Martians. Then they rolled the paper up again, put it in the tube and placed it exactly where Martin had found it. “Do you think they’ll find it?” asked Katy. Martin shrugged. Perhaps they would find it – when it was firework time again.S.H.
Melissa was sitting on the sofa reading a book. For some reason, the sofa felt a bit uncomfortable today. All lumpy-bumpy. Melissa lifted up the cover and saw five little shaggy green monsters crouching underneath. “Who are you?” she asked in amazement. But the monsters just laughed in her face. “Just you wait!” said Melissa. She got out the vacuum cleaner and tried to vacuum the monsters up. But they simply fastened their claws into the cushion and grinned at Melissa. “Okay! Fine!” said Melissa. “If that’s the way you want it …” Then she called on the secret anti-monster weapon which fills all monsters with fear and dread. Melissa roared as loud as she could, “Muummmyyy!” Suddenly, the little monsters evaporated into thin air. The cowards were scared of grown-ups! Feeling pleased with herself, Melissa opened her book again. At last she could look at the pictures without being disturbed.S.H.
It was James’s birthday. He’d had a party, and his friends had brought him lots of presents. Now he was lying in bed, trying to go to sleep. But he could hear a strange scratching noise under the bed. He peered down and found a little parcel there. Mum and Dad must have forgotten to give it to him! James unwrapped it. And out of the parcel, with a loud gasp, jumped a little man. “At last!” he panted. “I’d run out of air!” “Who are you?” asked James in surprise. “I’m your birthday dwarf,” said the little chap. “You can make one wish. I’m curious to hear what you’re going to wish for.” James didn’t need much time to make up his mind! He’d often imagined what he would ask for if a fairy or a witch granted him a wish. “I wish for a new wish every day!” he said at once. “You’re a clever lad,” said the dwarf with a little smile. “Your wish is granted.” And he crept into James’s pyjama pocket. “I’m not just dreaming, am I?” asked James anxiously. “Only if you wish the same thing in the morning.” “Of course I won’t!” said James. And they both fell fast asleep.S.H.
If you think that elves only dance on warm summer nights, you don’t know everything there is to know about them. You see, elves also love the winter. When it’s bitterly cold and icy outside, and the frost is pinching everyone’s nose, the elves celebrate their winter festival. In an endless round, the snow crystals drift down from the sky and land on the ground with a gentle, silver sound. Only elves have ears sharp enough to hear the music of the snow. When the snowflakes begin to dance, the elves too begin to dance. What they like doing best is to hover over the freshly fallen snow on which there is not yet a single human footprint. Very gently, the hems of their clothes graze the brilliant white snow and leave behind light traces, as if the wind had breathed upon the covering of snow. From the roofs there hang icicles, all in a row like the chimes of a xylophone. The elves play music on them – plinkety plonkety! And if you don’t believe this, then break off an icicle and take a close look. You’ll see everything that happened last night, caught inside it as if on a film.I.A.
Philip lived right at the top of a tower block. Once, as he was going down in the lift, it didn’t stop at the ground storey, where Philip usually got out. It kept going right on, down and down. Then, at last, it stopped. Philip got out and found himself in a strange apple orchard. There was an oven, in which he found some warm bread. He quickly shook some apples out of a tree too – but suddenly he was in the home of someone he knew about from a story he had read, Mother Hulda. He helped her to make her beds and, as in the story, the feathers floated outside and covered the world with snow.
“Well done, my boy,” said Mother Hulda. “Now you can go back up to earth.” “But how do I get there?” “Just go through that gate over there.” Philip was terrified that something strange would happen, as in the story. Perhaps he would be showered with black pitch, or even with gold! That might never come off him, no matter how long he lived. Mother Hulda guessed his thoughts and said, “Don’t be scared. Just go.” The gate opened wide. And beyond it was the lift. It took Philip back up into his own world.I.A.
“Today I’m going to cook myself something really nice,” decided the elf Matilda. She filled a saucepan with water and half a bottle of ketchup and placed it on the cooker. Then she added sugar, milk and mustard. Of course, she also put in some noodles and rice. A teaspoonful of honey, one carrot (unsliced), a helping of chocolate ice-cream, apple sauce and an onion (quartered). Then she tasted it. “It needs spicing up!” she thought. She quickly added some marjoram, thyme, basil, a spoonful of cinnamon, some nutmeg, vanilla sugar and parsley. Then she stirred it vigorously and finally added some salt and pepper and a few dried chilli peppers. She smiled with pleasure and took a taste. The moment her tongue touched the concoction, all her hair stood on end and flames shot out of her ears and mouth. “Hmm, nice and hot!” she said, hoarsely.U.R.
Jonathan wrapped his warm scarf tightly round him and looked out at the sea. He did this every day. Even in winter. He loved to watch the ships sailing by. “Hey! You!” Baffled, Jonathan peered into the water. Who should be swimming there but a little mermaid!
“Can you show me how you live, you human child? I’ve always wanted to know.” “Sorry – I can’t.” “But it’s my birthday! I’m allowed to make a wish.” “Well, okay, but … you can’t walk.” “Stupid fish tail!” said the mermaid sulkily, and looked so sad that Jonathan suddenly had an idea. He emptied the bag he used to collect shells, and in hopped the mermaid. She carried on hopping, inside the bag, until they reached Jonathan’s house. And she looked around, still hopping, as Jonathan made some pancakes for her birthday. Since it was such fun, Jonathan hopped all the way back with the mermaid. In this way, the two of them invented the sack race. Long, long ago. And now, everybody can join in the sack race – can’t they?U.R.
Johanna was lying in bed, feeling poorly. “Hello!” she suddenly heard someone saying. “I’m looking for frost flowers.” On top of her wardrobe she spotted a goblin. “I’ve only seen frost forming on stems,” replied Johanna, baffled. “That’s a pity,” said the goblin. “My mum says that frost flowers do exist in the human world. I wanted to pick a bunch to give her for her birthday tomorrow.” “Well, frost flowers don’t exist here,” Johanna explained. “But once upon a time, I did hear a story about a snow fairy. She’s bound to know where you can get a bunch of frost flowers.” “Thanks for the tip,” said the goblin, and vanished. When Johanna woke up the next day, she found a tiny little note on her bed. On it was written, “Dear Johanna, many thanks. I’ve found the snow fairy. And she secretly told me the magic formula for frost flowers. I’ve made some for you, too. Just look out of your window!” Johanna opened the curtains and stared in amazement. The window was covered from top to bottom with ice crystals. They looked like flowers growing on the window pane. They were so beautiful.U.R.
Julie was playing in the snow. Then along came a little frost imp and crept quietly into Julie’s shoes. He made her feet freezing cold. Then he climbed up her legs, right up her tummy, along her back and all the way up to her neck. Julie shook herself. Once the little frost imp had reached her cheeks and turned them all red, Julie decided she’d had enough. She dashed indoors and drank a nice cup of hot chocolate. And this drove the little frost imp out of Julie’s cheeks, chased him down her back and pushed him down into her shoes. Now all that was left of the little frost imp was two wet socks. And Julie simply hung them on the radiator to dry.S.H.
It was snowing. The blue tit sat on a twig in the shelter of a fir tree and stared out at the falling snow. “I wish it were spring,” she sighed, and shook the snow from her feathers. “But winter is fantastic!” piped up the cheeky sparrow.
“Come on, let’s play!” He merrily flew round and back through the swirling flakes. Then he landed on a branch, with such a proud flourish that the snow fell to the ground like a little avalanche. The blue tit was curious and had a go herself. What fun it was! The two birds played around in the snow all day long. And in this way the blue tit forgot that it was still not spring.S.St.
During the night there had been a heavy snowfall. Before Oliver’s mum could drive him to playschool, she first needed to shovel the snow away from her car. Oliver gave her a hand. With the broom, he swept the bumpers clear. They’d soon got rid of the snow. Mum turned the key in the ignition, but the car didn’t start. Mum sighed and tried again. But nothing happened. “How am I going to get to playschool?” asked Oliver sadly. “I’ve got an idea,” said Mum. She climbed out of the car to bring the sledge out of the garage. “On you climb, young man!” she said cheerfully. “Today, Mum’s taxi is a sledge.”S.St.
Fuzzy the squirrel was hopping through the park, digging holes in the snow. After a while, she squatted sadly on the branch of a tree and sighed, “Oh dear, I’m never going to find them.”
“What are you looking for?” An owl, sitting in the tree and waiting for nightfall, opened his eyes and blinked in the winter sun. “I’m looking for the nuts that I buried somewhere around here in the autumn,” replied Fuzzy. “I’m sure they’re under the big oak tree,” said the owl, and yawned.
Fuzzy scampered over to the oak, dug a hole – and found the nuts! The squirrel could barely believe her luck. She joyfully dashed back to the owl. “Thank you so much! But how did you know?” “That’s easy,” murmured the owl, wearily. “Everyone knows that squirrels always bury their nuts under an oak.”S.St.
