← Koala Moon: Kids Bedtime Stories & Sleep Stories for Kids Podcast
Koala Moon: Kids Bedtime Stories & Sleep Stories for Kids Podcast
The Best of Hector and Sunny 🐶 🐾 | 2 Hour Compilation of Bedtime Stories for Kids
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Foreign. 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 Abby and tonight's episode is extra special because Hector and Sunny asked if we could share a cosy collection of bedtime stories about their gentle adventures. Gathered together into one long, relaxing episode. This extended two hour compilation is perfect for snuggling down and getting comfortable as you listen along with our friendly doggy duo. And once the stories come to an end, we'll finish with a soothing sleep meditation to help you settle even deeper into rest. So fluff up your pillow, tuck yourself under the covers and let's begin. Before we begin, a quick message for the grown ups. If you'd like to support our podcast, enjoy ad free listening, unlock four bonus stories per month and much, much more, you can join Koko Club. Subscribe in just two taps via the link in the show notes, but now here's a quick word from our sponsors. This is Hector and Sunny in Chew York City by Luke Prendergast. Although it's true that Hector and Sunny, two normal seeming but incredibly special dogs, had been on many fantastical adventures, they'd never been on what you might call a conventional holiday. But all that was about to change. One afternoon, while they were lounging about in the garden, relaxing in the spring sunlight and chewing on an old flip flop, Hector's dad came out of the house to tell them that he had something exciting to tell them. The very next day, they would all be going on holiday. They'd be catching a plane. They were off, he said, to New York, the Big Apple, the city that never sleeps. The most exhilarating metropolis in the whole wide world. So, he concluded, barely able to keep his own excitement from fizzing up and out, they'd better go and get ready. Hector and Sunny might have never been on holiday before, but they certainly, certainly knew how to get ready for one. They'd seen their owners pack their bags each year as they went off on holiday to beach vacations, city breaks, skiing trips and jungle expeditions. So they went upstairs, pulled out a couple of suitcases, and threw open the wardrobe doors. I wonder what the weather will be like, Hector mused, looking through the wardrobe. Everything depends on that, really. Well, sunny told him, it's spring, so I bet it will be warm in the day but chilly at night. And it might rain, you know, so it's best to pack for all eventualities. And so that's what they did. They packed sunglasses and anoraks, two Light scarves and a couple of sun hats. Hector even packed his favourite tartan jacket, which clipped up under his belly. They packed a few bags of treats in case they got peckish, and a book each, too, in case of a rainy day. They packed their toiletries, doggy toothbrushes, nail clippers, a brush to keep their coats nice and sleek. Oh, Sunny cried after him as Hector bounded out of the room to fetch something. And don't forget a couple of chew toys. We'll need some good stuff to chew on in New York City. Nice thinking, Hector told her with a toothy grin. And he ran off to get the toys. The next morning they woke up when their alarm went off, grabbed their bags between their teeth and jumped into the car. Hector's dad was very impressed. Wow, he said. Dogs who can pack their own bags. Imagine that. Everyone was very excited. They were never up this early. The sun was only just rising and the car headlights shone on the dark roads. But even though it was early, they were all surprised to find that the airport was busy. The huge terminal with its sliding glass doors and cafes and backlit signs was teeming with people, all of them walking this way and that, pulling wheelie suitcases behind them, looks of eager anticipation on their faces. Everyone's looking forward to going on holiday, said Sunny. Well, you can't blame them, Hector replied. So am I. The two dogs stood beside Hector's dad as they all looked up at the big screen which listed all the flights that were taking off that morning. Soon they saw their flight to New York City. They followed the signs to the check in desk, listed and waited in the queue for five minutes until they reached the front. The man behind the desk was very friendly as he checked Hector's dad's passport and Hector and Sonny's canine passports and weighed their bags. Is it your first time going to New York? He asked them. Hector's dad told him it was. Oh, he said, returning their passports to Hector's dad with a big bright smile, what a wonderful time you're going to have. And with your adorable dogs, too. And they watched as their suitcase wobbled down the conveyor belt and disappeared out of sight. Next up, they made their way to security. They waited in another queue, and then a friendly security officer told them to place any metal objects they might have into a little plastic box. Even the dog's collars? Hector's dad asked. Oh, yes, sir, she replied. That'll have to come off. So Hector's dad slipped off their collars, put them in the box, and then let the dogs trot through the security arches. Then he followed on through. Thank you, the security woman said, beaming. She handed them back their collars. Have a fantastic trip. Soon enough, Hector and Sunny were at their gate. They sat by the huge glass windows, looking out at all the planes that trundled down the runways and then took off gracefully into the sky like big metal birds. Then a particularly large plane rolled up to their gate. This must be ours. Sunny barked. And she was right. After a few minutes, the air stewards called them up and checked their boarding passes and passports one more time. One human seat and two canine seats, she said. Gotcha. And then they were on the plane. They buckled their belts, watched the security information carefully, and Hector's dad slipped on his headphones to watch an in flight movie. But Hector and Sunny were having too much fun to watch any kind of movie at all. They watched through the window as the plane rose up, up, up, broke through the misty bank of clouds, and out into the crystal blue sky. Wow. They both whispered. The clouds spread out like white, fluffy mountains beneath them, and for the rest of the journey, Hector and Sunny settled back into their seats and watched them roll by. New York City was more spectacular than either Hector or Sunny could ever have imagined. The skyscrapers towered up so high in the sky they got dizzy from looking upwards. Yellow taxis flowed in long lines down the roads. People on the street smiled and waved and hurried about, and steam rose in clouds from big metal grates in the pavement. Or, they should say, in the sidewalk. That's what New Yorkers called it. Hector's dad took them to Central Park. They walked up Broadway. They visited the Empire State Building, and at the end of their first day, feeling tired and satisfied, they went back home and Hector's dad took a nap. You know what I'm in the mood for? Sunny asked Hector. What? Relaxing and having a good chew on a chew toy. That's a great idea, hector agreed. But that's when they made a very unfortunate discovery. They'd forgotten to pack the chew toys. They searched all through both their bags, but they couldn't find them. Hector felt very guilty. It had been his job to pack the chew toys, after all. But Sunny, with her big, kind heart, told him that he shouldn't feel bad, not even for one moment. There's no worries, she told him. Besides, we're in New York City. I bet there's plenty of things out there to chew on. And so Hector and Sunny headed back out into the city to search for something to chew. They looked up the streets they peered into shops, they looked under cars, they searched in front yards, but they couldn't find anything. Then, just as they were about to give up, Hector spotted something. Look, Sunny, look, he said, and he pointed at a chew toy, a bright purple rubber bone lying next to a metal grate on the street. That's perfect, said Sunny. The two of them bounded over, and Sunny was just about to lower her head to grasp the toy between her teeth and give it a good old chew, when, much to their surprise, the. The purple bone stood up, shook itself, opened its wide, googly eyes and said, oh, hello there, you two. How you doing? Our two canine pals were so surprised to find a talking purple bone that they themselves were momentarily stuck for words. The purple bone blinked at them a few times. Then a realization lit up in his eyes. Were you two. Were you two actually. Were you two gonna chew me? It took a second for Sunny to find her tongue. Um, no, she said. The purple bone blinked again. Jihua, he said. I saw you. You were leaning down to chew on me. But. But. Hector stammered. Isn't that what you're for? The purple bone blinked at them yet again, looking as though he were very offended. Then, abruptly, he burst out laughing. Oh, yeah. I almost really had the two of you there, didn't I? The purple bone said. Now Hector and Sunny were laughing, too, partly out of relief that they hadn't actually caused any offence, but mostly because it was a pretty good practical joke for the purple bone to play. You really did almost have us, they said. Hector and Sunny introduced themselves, and the bone said, wassup? My name's Milky Way because I got so much calcium in me. I'll make your little gnashers shine. Welcome to New York City. So two guys are looking for something to chew, huh? Yes, Hector and Sunny said, and they told him about their predicament, about leaving all their chew toys at home. Well, said Milky Way, let me let you in on a little secret. Have the two of you ever heard of a magical little place called Chew York City? Chew York City? Hector and Sunny looked at each other and at Milky in confusion and wonder. No, we haven't, said Hector. What's that? Oh, said Milky. Well, it's the most stupendously wondrous place you could ever in a million years imagine. But I don't want to tell you about it. I want to show you. Follow me. And with that milk, he tottered off towards the grate, which he lifted up, revealing a deep, dark tunnel. Follow me, he said again, and he dove right in. It didn't take Hector and Sunny more than a quick, eager glance to know that of course they were going to follow him. They had a thirst for adventure and they wanted more than anything to find out about this whole new place. Chew York City. So in they dove, one after the other and tumbled down and down and down until they landed back on the street with Milky the Purple Bone standing right beside them, dusting himself off. They were exactly where they'd started. Except they weren't. As they looked around, they began to notice differences. They seemed to be on the same street of New York with the high rise buildings and the leafy trees and the car parked by the side of the road. But everything seemed sort of different. Wow. Whispered Hector, finally understanding what had happened. Look, Sunny, look. Everything is made out of Chew toys. Sunny looked around. Hector was right. Everything, and she meant everything, was chewable. The cars were made of rubber. The wheels were giant frisbees. The trees weren't trees at all, but delicious looking sticks with stuffed toy leaves hanging from the twiggy branches. The walls weren't built out of bricks. They were built out of chewy cuboids and lengths of rope for tug of war. Even the buildings were chewable. All bits of chewy rubbery goodness fitted together into huge towering puzzles of chewability. Wow. Just looking at it all made Sunny feel a bit dizzy. Now that's the kind of reaction I was hoping for. Milky said. Welcome to Chewy Oak City. What do you guys think? It's like a dreamland, sighed Hector. It sure is, milky agreed. It's just the kind of place you never thought would exist. But it does. Here it is. And all the dogs of New York City know about it. They just come out of their houses, open up a portal grate and jump and right on down and they find themselves here in New York City. So Milky the Purple Bone looked at Hector and Sunny with a big grin. What are you guys waiting for? Go chew to your heart's content. Hector and Sunny didn't need telling twice. They were off bounding through Chew York City. Everything they passed they had a gnaw of or gave a lick or touched their teeth in for a good old Chew. Lamp posts and water pumps, restaurant tables and fence posts. They hopped into a bakery and chewed on a baguette, which wasn't a baguette at all, but a stuffed toy. The streets were lined with endlessly delicious shoes, which they weren't usually in the normal world allowed to chew on. They met lots of friendly dogs on their way who greeted them with merry barks or showed them great new things to chew on. Her big Great Dane showed them how to jump up on walls to collect the little treats that were littered on top of them. And in Central Park, a tiny Chihuahua showed them that if you shook certain trees hard enough, bouncy toys full of peanut butter and berries would be dislodged from the branches and ra down like fruit. As they sauntered down a street, they bumped into Milky the Purple Bone again, who asked them how they were doing. Hey you guys, he added, have you been to the Statue of Nibblety yet? Hector and Sunny shook their heads. The Statue of Niblity? They asked. What's that? Oh man, I can't believe you guys haven't seen it yet, sighed Milky. The Statue of nibblety is to 2 York City what the Statue of Liberty is to New York City. It's the most important landmark in the whole place, and you won't be able to guess what Our lady of Niblity is holding up in her hand. Say, milky added, can you two swim? Hector and Sunny both nodded. They loved to swim. Good, said Milky. Follow me. And in a few minutes all three of them were swimming through the cool, fresh water of the Chew York Harbour Doggy, paddling over to the Statue of Niblity. She stood on an island and in the middle of the water they reached the bank and clambered out. Then they began to scale the statue. Up and up they went, climbing up her chewy robes, over her head, up her arm, until they reached the top and discovered she was holding the most perfect golden bone they could ever have imagined. It twinkled in the sunlight. It looked irresistibly appetising. Go on, Milky urged them. Have a taste. And let me tell you, they certainly did. It was the most mouth wateringly delicious chew bone they'd ever tasted. There the three of them sat, Hector and Sunny and their new friend, Milky the Purple Bone. They watched the cityscape of New York City darken into a silhouette as the sun dipped behind it. They watched the waves in the harbour lap against the shore. And they watched seagulls, who were actually flying stuffed toys dip down and take little gulps of water. Soon Hector found himself yawning, and when he let one out, the Sunny started yawning too. Then even Milky was yawning. That's how infectious yawns can be. Oof. Said Hector. That was a very fun but very tiring day. We've been all over New York City chewing on every little thing we can find but now I'm tired. I need my bed. Sunny couldn't agree more. And so Milky the purple bone led them back to the grate that they had arrived through and lifted it up. It sure was fun meeting you guys, he said. You will come back to New York City, won't you? Hector and Sunny nodded. Of course we will, they said. And then together, they jumped back through the grate and landed back in New York City, where the world was normal once again. They walked slowly through the fading evening, seeing families eating their dinner, kids playing, people sitting on the stoops outside their houses, listening to music. Eventually, they reached where they were staying. Luckily, they discovered that Hector's dad was still asleep. He must have been exhausted. He hadn't even noticed they'd been gone at all. Yawning, Hector and Sunny just about managed to take off their sun hats and sunglasses and climb into their baskets where warm and cosy blankets were waiting for them. Sunny gave a big stretch and a yawn. Hector laid his head on his paws. His eyes were feeling sleepy and sticky. What a day it had been this morning. They'd woken up in Leeds at the crack of dawn, gone through the airport, flown on a plane, and now not only had they arrived in New York City, but they'd found a whole canine paradise beneath it. What fun it had been. Hector was drifting off to sleep, his memories of the day beginning to slip seamlessly into the content of his dreams, when he heard Sunny's voice. Hey, Hector, she whispered. Yes? He said. Can I just say that actually, I'm quite glad that you forgot our bag of chew toys, she said. In his half sleep, Hector frowned. Why's that? He asked. Well, she said, if you'd remembered them, we never would have found Milky. And if we'd never found Milky, we never would have found two York City, either. And that would have been a real shame. Oh, said Hector. I never thought of it like that. You're completely right. And now, feeling very glad, even proud, that he'd forgotten the bag of chew toys, Hector fell asleep. And soon after that, Sunny fell asleep, too. And all night long, through their peaceful sleeps, they dreamed of New York City and all the fun they had shared there together. This is hector and sunny at doggy daycare by susannah mcloughlin. It was a warm, late summer's day, and the wheat in the field behind Hector's house was sway to and fro as fluffy clouds drifted gently across the sky, morphing into shapes that looked to Hector to be bones and gravy boats and chew Toys. Hector's owner came downstairs wearing a suit and tie with his hair combed and shoes polished. Hector went to rub his big furry head against his owner's leg in an attempt to tell him how dashing he looked, but his owner swiftly jumped out of reach. Oh, watch it, buddy, he said. You know the bride is allergic to fur. If I go to the wedding with hairs on my trousers, she'll be sneezing through the ceremony. Hector smiled sheepishly and backed off. Good boy, his owner said. Are you ready to go? He headed outside, Hector trotting a few steps behind him. He tousled the hair on Hector's head as he stepped out onto the driveway, saying he couldn't resist and he'd wash his hands carefully before he got there. Hector's owner was going to a wedding out of town. He would have loved to bring his pooch along, as usually he brought Hector everywhere. But the bride had allergies, which meant dogs made her sneeze and sneeze and sneeze. So Hector was spending the day and night at doggy daycare. Luckily, his best friend Sunny's owner, was going to the wedding, too. They'd be at daycare together not long after Hector hopped into the trunk. Sunny hopped up beside him, ears swinging and eyes sparkling. Sunny's owner got in the front seat, wearing a lovely silky dress. Hey, Hector, sunny said. Off to doggy daycare we go. What do you think it'll be like? Hector scratches his head. I don't know, Sunny. Hopefully there are toys and food and places to nap. That's all I need, really. As long as it's not like the vet, I'll probably enjoy it. I'm not a fan of standing on that cold table getting prodded. Although the treat at the end is pretty nice. I'm sure there'll be less prodding and more treats at daycare, Sunny said. And maybe, just maybe, we might make some new friends. Oh, do you think we will, Hector? Hector grinned and sniffed the air. Well, it does smell a little bit like magic out there. Maybe Sydney will magic up some friends for us to play with. Do you think he could? Sunny looked out the window at the trees flying past and saw a flash of silver that looked rather familiar. She could swear the fuzzy figure of their magic squirrel friend who was giving them a thumbs up. I think so, she said with a little grin. When they pulled up to doggy daycare, the dogs jumped out of the car with wagging tails. They ran in through the revolving door and found themselves in a dog's dream as their owners sorted out the human things at the desk, like money and other such nonsense, Hector and Sunny waited by the entrance to the daycare, practically vibrating with excitement. Through the glass door they could see loads of dogs running around having fun, snoozing and gobbling treats. Her voice came down from the desk and they looked up to see a beautiful little fish peering at them through its fishbowl. Hey guys, welcome. I'm Fishi, chief receptionist and official welcomer to Doggy Daycare. He flapped a fin at the human sat behind the desk talking to their owners. I mean, officially that's Marjorie's job, but I think of myself as her partner behind those doors. Your dreams are about to come true. Are you ready? The dogs nodded. It's nearly time, fishi said. Say goodbye to your owners and head on in. Their owners kissed them on the snouts and said they'd see them very soon and that they should enjoy themselves and look after one another. Hector and Sunny both gave them wide eyed looks that they hoped showed them that they would. Their owners waved as they trotted through into the large room where dogs of all species and sizes were playing. There were so many dogs. Big ones, little ones, fluffy ones, wiry ones. There were dogs of black, white, ginger, and a combination of them all. It was wonderful. As they watched the scene, jaws open in wonder, a puppy barrelled into them chasing a tennis ball. A golden retriever who looked just like Hector was hot on his tail. The golden retriever helped the three dogs to their feet, pulling them from their giggling tangle on the floor. Lucky, the retriever said. You are clumsy. The little caramel coloured puppy giggled and said, sorry. He was indeed Hector and Sunny laughed. I am too sometimes, hector said. Hector looked over at the other retriever and gasped. It was just like looking in a mirror, except his collar read Buddy. Another golden retriever just like him. Buddy, Hector said. Are we twins? Buddy threw his floppy ears back and laughed before saying, no, he didn't think so. They were just the same breed. Buddy whistled and from the back of the room two more dogs trotted in their direction. Hector raised his fluffy eyebrows. One of the two looked exactly like him and Buddy, but she was a girl and the other looked almost the same, but she had curly hair. I'm Daisy, the curly haired one said. I'm a goldendoodle, so just like you. But some of my ancestors are poodles, hence the do. She flipped her hair. I'm Zaidie, the girl golden retriever said. We make quite the gang, don't we. We look so alike we could get up to all kinds of high jinks. Hector giggled, his head coming up with all kinds of pranks to play. Lucky, the caramel pup shared a glance with Sunny that suggested this could only mean trouble. They giggled and changed the conversation before the golden dog's mischievous plans could get underway. Do you see that dog over there? Sunny asked, gesturing to the far corner with a paw. She looks like a mix between you and me, Heitor. The dog sees Sunny pointing and pads over. I'm Franti, she said. Half golden retriever, half spaniel. That's why I look like you guys. Hector and Sunny chuckled to see what they'd looked like mixed together. Is it your first time here? Franti asked. Hector and Sunny nodded. Zaidie grinned. So you've never tried the digging room? Or you've never been to the spa? Sunny's eyes widened. There's a spa? Buddy nodded. How do you think we all look so fluffy? The Doggy Daycare Spa is the best canine care centre in the world. Daisy grinned. They make my curls go so bouncy, she said. And the belly rubs amazing, Lucky. The pup nodded dreamily. I love cuddles, he said, gazing off towards the ceiling. Where is the spa? Hector asked and Franti said she'd guide him there. They followed their new friend down the corridor towards delicious, calming scents of flowers and sounds of running water and soothing music. The air seemed to get warmer and the dogs began to feel more relaxed even before they'd even stepped to paw into the spa itself. By the entrance was an older looking dog who was shuffling into a pair of slippers. He gave them a kind smile. Hey Gus, frantie said. These pups are new. You want to show them the spa? Gus nodded. It's my favourite part of the whole daycare, he said. Gus gave them fluffy white towelled robes to put on just like the one he was wearing and little white slippers. He gave them a couple of slices of cucumbers that he said they could put on their eyes whilst they relaxed. Unfortunately, by the time he finished his sentence, Hector had a rather guilty look on his face. He'd gobbled his cucumbers the second he was handed them. Gus chuckled and gave him some replacements to slip in his pocket. Inside the spa the lighting was soft, rich blue that made them feel calm and sleepy. Around a central pool there were sun loungers holding snoozing dogs who had cucumbers on their eyes and towels wrapped around their heads. A Jacuzzi bubbled in the corner and Several rooms branched off into other parts of the spa. Here we are, gus said. Doggy day spa. Don't you feel relaxed? His eyes were half closed and he had a sleepy smile on his face. What do you want to do? Do? I'm going for a soak in the Jacuzzi. There are treatments in the other rooms if you want one. You can talk to Zoe here. A chocolate Labrador was sitting behind a small desk covered in delicious smelling soaps. She smiled at them and her chocolate button eyes sparkled. Lets do a treatment. Sunny squealed in excitement. Gus grinned and wished them a relaxing time before sinking into the bubbling pool and putting his paws behind his head. He was the picture of relaxation. Zoe, the kind Labrador, welcomed Hector and Sunny and asked what they'd like to do. She read them all the different services before recommending they go with a full doggy pamper. She grinned and said that's what she always chose on her days off. Hector and Sunny said that please and Zoe led them into a treatment room where there were two big white beds ready for them to lay on. The dogs stretched out bellies in the air and Hector put his cucumber slices on his eyes. Oh, this is the life. Hey Sunny. He sighed. Sunny murmured her agreement. A couple of dogs entered the room wearing smart lilac uniforms. They both spoke with soothing kiwi accents that made the pups feel even more relaxed. I'm Jovi, the first said. And I'm Ginny, the second added. Jovi and Ginny began by giving Hector and Sunny massages, rubbing their bellies and scratching behind their ears. Then they painted their claws on all four paws. Sunny picked silver nail polish in honour of Sidney the silver squirrel, and Hector chose red to match his neckerchief. Next they led them into a large area with warm bubbling baths where they were shampooed until they were covered in frothy, sweet smelling bubbles. Finally, after a rinse in a waterfall shower that smelt like lavender, Hector and Sunny were dried under warm hair dryers, special soundless ones that were designed with dogs in mind. The two felt so relaxed afterward that it felt like their legs were floppy. They puddled onto a couple of sun loungers by the pool and grinned at Jovi and Ginny, who were grinning right back at them. I feel well and truly pampered, sunny said. Jovi and Ginny said they were welcome. In the sun lounger next to theirs, a big furry black dog yawned. She reached out her paw to shake. My name is Katya, she said. I'd love to chat with you guys, but I'm so relaxed, I. Oh, I think I'm going to have to take a nap right here. Katya's yawn was contagious. First Hector yawned, then Sunny yawned, and soon all three yawned together. Hector and Sunny decided they'd join Katya on her nap. After a long snooze by the poolside, Hector and Sunny were awoken by the sound of a splash. They opened their eyes and yawned to see a pup doggy paddling around the spa pool, panting happily. Oh, hey, you two, the pooch said with an infectious smile. I'm Rizzo. Hector and Sunny grinned, stretched and introduced themselves. You guys are new around here, Rizzo said. So you never been to the digging room? Hector and Sunny shook their heads. Well, we have to change that. The dog climbed out of the pool and shook the water off its fluffy fur. Rizzo strutted out of the spa and across the main room to a new area through a door whose sign showed a picture of a digger toy. Hector and Sunny couldn't believe their eyes. The whole room was covered with sand. Absolutely covered. There were little pails here and there filled with shovels, and a smiling pup in the corner was making a sandcastle. The name tag on Pup's collar read Moon Pie. Moon Pie smiled at them dreamily and waggled a paw before focusing back on the piles of sand stretching up into the sky in front of them. Rizzo didn't want sandy paws, so they said they're see you laters, and Rizzo trotted back towards the spa. Hector and Sunny gazed across the humongous sand pit. In the corner was a large hole. The two dogs wandered over and peered over the edge. At its bottom, digging contentedly in the sand, was a brown mutt with a shiny black nose and cute little whiskers. Hector squinted down at his collar, which read Baxter. Hey, Baxter, hector said. You're very good at digging, my friend. Sunny here loves digging. Baxter grinned up at Sunny, who smiled bashfully. This is an amazing hole, she said. Have you found anything? Baxter grinned and said yes. He'd found four treats. He explained that the sand in the digging room has treats hidden inside, and if you dig, dig, dig, you can find them as a reward. He said he'd be digging anyway, though, treats or no treats. After all, it's so much fun. He said one day he thought he might dig all the way to the centre of the earth. Sunny chuckled. She said that that was her dream once, too. Then someone told her it was extremely hot down there. Like molten lava hot. So now she thought she'd just dig to Antarctica instead. Baxter grinned and said if she ever embarked on that adventure, he wanted to come along. The two shook paws in agreement. Hector said he'd be chilling on a tropical beach instead. Moonpie giggled from across the room and agreed with Hector. The dogs settled into the sand and Sunny began digging her own little hole. And Hector his own sandcastle with a tower and turrets and everything. Before long a tinkling bell rang and Moon Pie grinned. It's dinner time. All of the dogs piled back into the main room where rows and rows of doggy bowls were lined up, each with a name on the side. Hector and Sunny found theirs and sat down ready to eat. Across from them sat a black and white dog whose bowl read Ollie. There was Merle and also Zoe, who looked like siblings, and a groovy looking dog whose name was Rocky. They all said hello and began tucking into their dinners. It was delicious, warm, gravy covered kibble. The room, once filled with barks and snores and chuckles, now was quiet as everyone gobbled down their dinners until they all flopped down chomping their chops. Hector rolled on his back and put his paws in the air. My tummy's so full, he said. That's my favourite feeling. Ollie chuckled and rolled over on his back too. And Rocky, Ollie, Merle and Zoe did the same. Ah, Merle said. That's better. Sunny laughed to see all their bellies poking in the air. Dessert will come any minute now, Ollie said with an upside down grin. And as if by magic, around came Pepe the schnauzer, a little grey mustachioed dog in a chef's hat. He handed out cones of ice cream and Sunny had to stop him to check she wasn't dreaming. Pepe, what flavour is this? Ice cream, please. Could it be, she thought to herself, could it really be? Pepe raised one big furry eyebrow and said, gravy. Of course. Hector howled in joy and the two began devouring their desserts. Gravy ice cream was their absolute all time favourite. This was one of the best days ever. After dessert, they asked the pups around them how often they came here. Rocky said it was his first time, just like them. He said his brother was here too, but he was a cat, so he was in kitty daycare next door. He said he wondered how he was getting on. Sunny smiled kindly. Do you want to check he's all right? Rocky nodded. He was protective of his brother. Hector said he and Sunny would come along. After all, they had loads of cat friends. Hector grinned. Cats love us, he said. Rocky grinned and hopped to his feet and led Hector and Sunny out into the yard. The day was drawing into night by now and the clouds were smudgy, inky blue overhead. The dogs pitter pattered over the paving stones and followed Rocky to the gate that linked doggy daycare to kitty daycare. He called his brother's name, Loki, and soon the gate was nudged open. From the other side. A silky cat poked his head through. Hi, bro, the cat said. Hi, guys. Rocky asked Loki how he was getting on and the cat assured him he was having an amazing time. He ushered the dogs through the fence. Loki extended a paw to the cats relaxing in the garden on this side of the fence. Meet my new friends, he said. This is Lemons, Mac and Mavis, he said. I met these guys in the acrobat room. And this she pointed to a golden eyed black tabby. Here's Blueberry. We met in the milkshake bar. That's Squawky and there's Momo. Momo waggled a paw at the dogs. Finally he said, here's Sunny and Muffin. They're siblings like us. The cats all gave the dogs friendly grins and waved. Hello, Lemons. The round ginger cat came and rubbed against the dog's legs. Sunny the cat and Sunny the dog giggled about having the same name. Hector asked what else the cats had in their kitty daycare and Blueberry explained about all the fun things they enjoyed the scratching post maze, the petting room, and the catnap cuddle zone, to name a few. Momo's favourite was the cuddle zone, where sunlight streamed through the window and she could nap on warm blankets. Squawky preferred the acrobatics, climbing the cat trees and jumping from obstacle to obstacle. Squawky told the dogs that her sister was in the doggie daycare too, a dog named Dora. Hector and Sunny promised they'd wish Dora goodnight for her. As they chatted, Sunny heard another tinkling bell coming from the doggie daycare. I think that means it's bedtime, she said, peering above her head at the stars beginning to shine in the night sky. Hector yawned. Perfect, he said. I'm ready for a snooze. When the dogs went back inside, the dog bowls had been replaced by huge pillows, each with a matching blanket embroidered with each dog's name. Beside each bed was a glass of warm milk. Some of the dogs were already sleeping like one, under a big woolen blanket labelled Dora. That's Squawky's Sister Sunny said. We have to wish her good night. Hector and Sunny tiptoed over to the snoring dog and whispered good night in her ears. Hector even hummed a few bars of his favourite lullaby. Her little puppy was sleeping in the next bed and she looked so sweet and peaceful that Hector and Sunny cooed and went closer. Look at her little nose, sunny said. She looked at the name on the blanket. Kira Koala. Like Coco's sister, Hector gasped. That's so cool. On the next squishy bed was a dog named Sadie. She was curled up and sipping from her glass of warm milk. When she smiled at Hector and Sunny, she had a little white moustache of foam on her top lip. Curled up. On the next pillow, forming a yin yang shape, were two dogs who were almost too big to stay on. They were two Portuguese water dogs named Charlie and Betty. Sunny said it looked like they loved each other very much. Like us, Hector, she said on the next two beds, holding paws. Across the gap between them was a black and white cocker spaniel named lady and a red haired hound named Gunnar. Lady's brown eyebrows twitched as she dreamt and Sunny patted her on the head. As they passed. Hector wished sweet dreams to Gunner, who snored softly. Next was a terrier named Loki who Sunny had seen whizzing around fast as can be earlier. Now he was sucking his thumb deep asleep. A curly haired sheepadoodle named Theodore was writing in his diary and sipping his milk ready for bed. On the next pillow Sunny asked Theodore if he was writing that he had the best day ever and he said he was, but that tomorrow would be even better because he'd be seeing his owners. On the next was a teeny, tiny, snoozing long haired dachshund named Freya who was snuggled so far into her blankets she almost disappeared into the softness. Hector said he wanted to be cosy like that. She looked as snug as a bug in a rug. To her left was another sausage dog, this one shiny and sleek. Her name was Sizzles. She was chewing on a chew toy as if it was a midnight snack, but as Hector and Sunny passed, she neatly laid it aside, flopped down and fell promptly to sleep. On the next doggy bed was a pup called Pluto. He looked so cosy that Hector and Sunny took extra care not to wake him. Tiptoeing past his bed, his tongue was lolling out and his ears flopped back. Good night, Pluto, sunny whispered towards him as they passed. Next was a snoring black lab named Poppy whose legs were twitching as if she was chasing rabbits in her dreams. A bichon frise named Rosie was to her left, curled up so she looked like a giant pom pom. A white husky named Thalia was sprawled across the next bed, reading a book of bedtime stories. Next to her were two empty pillows, one for Hector and one for Sunny. The two got comfy and sipped their warm milk and asked Thalia if she might pretty please read one of her stories aloud just for them. Talia agreed and in her sweet little voice told the tale of a little curly dog named Cole, whose fur was as dark as the night sky. As Cold went on adventures across the galaxy, Hector and Sunny's eyes began to droop. Sunny rested her chin on her paws and Hector folded his ears over his eyes and snuggled deeper into his blanket glow in the dark. Stars glimmered on the ceiling and the sound of soft puppy dog snores filled the air. Soon even the story was over, as Thalia too had drifted into sleep, her cute little nose resting on the pages of her book. This is Hector and Sunny's bedtime by Gillian Rogerson. One early evening in May, two dogs were walking through the park with their owners. One of the dogs was a beautiful golden retriever called Hector, and the dog walking at his side was a kind hearted cocker spaniel called Sunny, who happened to be his best friend. The last rays of the setting sun slanted across the path, casting a golden glow on the soft green grass and creating long shadows that stretched into the distance. The dogs felt the gentle heat of the sun flowing over them and a warm breeze gently ruffled their fur. The breeze traveled softly through the nearby trees and made the leaves rustle gently as the dogs and their owners walked across the soft grass. Hector said, sunny, I've had a marvellous day with you. I don't think I've ever laughed so much in my life. I love that new dance you made up and the funny song you sang about hiding socks. He chuckled at the memory of Sunny dancing and singing. Sunny smiled and said, I've had a marvellous day too, Hector. You were an excellent stick finder today. I didn't think you were going to pick up that last one because it was so, so big, but you did it. You're like a superhero stick collector. Hector smiled at his friend. They talked some more as they continued on their walk. Their owners walked behind them, each holding some of the sticks that Hector had collected that day because they knew he liked to take them home and keep them in his garden. Hector let out a little yawn and said he was looking forward to his bedtime after such a busy day. Sunny yawned too and said so was she. I love bedtimes, Hector. I love snuggling down in my bed and getting all cosy and comfy. She yawned again and I love getting ready for bed and sharing some special time with my owner. Hector nodded and said, I like cuddling up to my owner and listening to him talking about his day. He looked ahead at the expanse of grass in front of them and asked Sunny if she would like another run across it. No thank you. Sunny replied. I'm too tired. I don't want to do any more running around today. Shall we start saying goodnight to our friends? It looks like some of them are getting ready to settle down for the night. Hector smiled and said, yes, that's a good idea. Let's start with the squirrels. The two friends walked over to a group of squirrels that were gathered around the base of a tree. One of the squirrels had silver fur that twinkled in the sunlight. He was called Sydney and he had helped Hector and Sunny go on many magical adventures. When Sydney saw the dogs he waved to them and said, hi there you two. Did you want to go on another magical adventure? A little yawn escaped from the squirrel and he grinned at the dogs. Sorry about that. I've had a busy day. Hector smiled at Sydney and said, we've had a busy day too. Would you mind if we had a magical adventure another day? We're too tired to go on one now. He looked at Sunny and added, unless you'd like to go on one, Sunny. If you do, I'll certainly go with you. Sunny's reply was a long, long yawn and then she agreed with Hector that she was too tired to go on another adventure, but thanked Sydney for his kind offer. Sydney blinked tiredly and said, its all agreed then. We can save our adventures for another day. I'm so ready for my bed. There's a hollowed out area further up this tree with lots of soft leaves inside it. It's so very cosy and snug in there and it's one of my favourite places to sleep. Some of my squirrel friends are going to join me and we'll watch the sunset. He yawned again. If I stay awake that long. Hector and Sunny said good night to the sleepy squirrels and wished them sweet dreams. The squirrels waved and then slowly climbed the tree and disappeared into several holes. Along the way. The dogs imagined the squirrels settling down on the soft leaves and watching the setting sun Hector and Sunny carried on walking and saw birds returning to their nests in the trees. With a final flutter of their wings, the birds made themselves comfortable in their cosy nests and smiled softly. Some of the birds began to sing a gentle evening melody which echoed through the park like a lullaby. Hector and Sunny wished the tired birds a good night and sweet dreams. The dogs said goodbye to other animals in the park, including some rabbits who were heading to their snug burrows and hedgehogs who were settling down beneath thick bushes. Other dogs pass by and Hector and Sunny said goodnight to them too. The sun slowly dipped towards the horizon and the sky turned a beautiful shade of dusky pink. The two dogs and their owners walked leisurely towards the park gates. Hector and Sunny kept yawning. The group left the park behind and walked along the streets towards their homes. The first of the street lights came on and cast a cosy glow across the pavement. People in houses switched on soft lights and closed their curtains. Hector sniffed the air and told Sunny he loved the smell of the evening air and thought it had a magic of its own because it held the promise of a restful sleep ahead of enchanting dreams. Sunny smiled at her friend and said, I feel exactly the same. I love going to sleep and getting lost in dreams. They walked along and the warmth of the day slowly faded into the gentle coolness of the evening. The sky changed from pink to a dark shade of purple. The dogs saw the first star of the night twinkle into view in the vast sky. The dogs gazed at the star in wonder. Hector looked back at his best friend and saw the star reflected in her lovely eyes. She had a thoughtful look on her face and he asked her what she was thinking. Sunny sighed softly and said, I was thinking how comforting it is when everyone starts getting ready for bedtime. How we know it's time to sleep and to let our bodies and minds rest. I love having lots of fun during the day, but I always look forward to my sleep and I always feel great in the morning. Hector looked at the darkening sky again and noticed more stars appearing. He told Sunny he liked how the stars and moon came out at night and watched over everyone as they slept. And even when it was a cloudy night, he knew they were still there. Soon they reached the house where Sunny and her owner lived. Sunny's owner passed the stick she was holding to Hector's owner and said she hoped he had enough room in his garden for them. They made plans to meet up again soon and thought they might take the dogs on a day out somewhere Sunny smiled at Hector and said, thank you for such a lovely day. I've had a great time. Will you video call me later on the computer to say good night? Of course I will. I'll phone you after my bath. Hector replied. Will your owner tell us a bedtime story? I love listening to her stories. Sunny said. Im sure she will have a lovely bath and I'll speak to you soon. The two friends smiled warmly at each other and said goodbye. Their owners said goodbye too. Hector and his owner continued walking along the street. Hector helpfully took one of the sticks from his owner and carried it. He chose the smallest one because he was too tired to carry a big one anyway. His owner seemed to enjoy having an armful of sticks and Hector didn't want to spoil his fun. Sunny and her owner went inside their home and closed the door behind them. Sunny's owner took off her outdoor shoes. Sunny helped her to line them up on the shoe rack. They went into the living room. Sunny's owner switched on the lamps and closed the curtains. Sunny helped as much as she could. They settled down on the sofa together and Sunny rested against her owner and smiled. Her owner gently stroked Sunny's head and talked about her day. Sunny loved listening to her owner and even though she didn't always know what her owner was saying, Sunny gazed at her owner as if she was the most important person in the world and Sunny had all the time in the world for her, which she did. When her owner had finished talking, Sunny began to yawn. It was getting closer to her bedtime and she needed to settle down to sleep soon. Sunny had three beds in her home and she loved sleeping in all of them. But which one would she sleep in that evening? She jumped off the sofa and then proceeded to inspect each of the three beds until she decided which one she would like to rest in. That night. Sunny decided on her donut shaped bed. It was so very soft and cosy and she loved snuggling up inside it. Also, it was a great place to hide things. She often played hide and seek with her owner using items from around their home. Sunny loved hiding things and she knew her owner loved finding them because she always laughed in surprise when she found them. The latest item that Sunny had hidden was a small bottle of shampoo that had been left on the stairs. She had picked it up and then tucked it into the far side of her donut shaped bed. Her owner hadn't found it yet, but Sunny knew that when she did she would be so very happy. Sunny peeped into the bed? Yes. The bottle was still there. Oh, and there were some socks there too that she'd taken from the laundry basket. She'd forgotten about those. Sunny pulled them out and gave them to her owner. Her owner smiled in delight and shook her head at Sunny. It was time for Sunny to do her wind down yoga exercises. She had seen someone on the television doing yoga once and thought it looked like fun. Sunny had copied some of the moves and then made up some of her own. Sunny began by having a good stretch of her neck as she looked up at the ceiling. Then she reached out her legs one at a time and gave them a good stretch too. After that, she rolled onto her back and reached up as high as she could, her paws pointing towards the ceiling. She took some deep breaths as she moved into more yoga positions, feeling more and more relaxed with every breath she took. Finally, she got into her bed, laid on her back and dangled her head out of the bed so that it was lower than her body. It was one of the yoga moves that she had made up herself and it always made her owner smile. Sunny loved making her owner smile. Sunny finished her relaxing moves and then got out of her bed. She let out a long, tired yawn. She was almost ready for bed. But there was one more thing she needed to do. Something very important. Sunny padded over to a laptop that was resting on a low table. She placed her paw on it and gave her owner a hopeful look. Her owner smiled and said, yes, it was time to video call Hector and say goodnight to him. Sunny smiled and got back into her bed and settled down in it. Her owner brought the table and the laptop over and placed them in front of Sunny so that she could easily see the screen. Sunny's owner tapped on a few buttons and then, as if by magic, Hector's beautiful face appeared on the screen. On the wall behind him were framed photographs of Sunny and Hector together. Hector and Sunny smiled at the screens in front of them and barked out a soft hello to each other. They started to chat about their evenings. Sunny told Hector about her listening time with her owner, then how she had decided on which bed to sleep in that night, and finally, how she had done her yoga exercises. Hector smiled at his friend and said, I had a lovely listening time with my owner too. We had a long cuddle on the sofa and I listened to every word he said. I felt all warm and happy inside as I leaned against him. I love him so very much. I know he loves me because he keeps telling me so. Sunny nodded in understanding. She asked Hector what he had done after that. He grinned. I had a bath. A lovely warm bath with lots and lots of bubbles. I felt like I was sitting inside a bubble cloud. My owner used that bubble bath that smells of talcum powder. I smell lovely now. He sniffed his freshly washed fur and grinned some more. He told Sunny how his owner had put some bubbles on Hector's chin, making him look like he had a beard, and then his owner had placed some on Hector's head like a hat. Sunny giggled at the thought of Hector wearing a bubbly hat and beard. Hector said, I put some bubbles on my nose, and when I looked at them, they were all shiny and bouncy. I put some on my paw, too and began to blow on them. They bobbed slowly away around the bathroom, and it was so peaceful to watch them. He yawned. Sunny yawned too. Hector said that when he finally got out of the bath, he wiped his face on the soft carpet first and then on the towel. Sunny frowned and asked why he didn't just use the towel. Hector replied, I don't know. It's just something I do. I suppose we've all got our funny habits at bedtime, haven't we? By the way, Sunny, has your owner found that shampoo bottle yet in your bed? Not yet, Sunny said with a cheeky smile. Hector talked some more about his evening and how he was so very relaxed after his bath, and then how snug and cosy he had felt when his owner wrapped him in a big fluffy towel and gently rubbed him dry. Hector smiled fondly at the memory and said, I've had some extra cuddles with my owner tonight, and when we walked into the living room, I leaned against him all the time. I love leaning against him and knowing he's right there. The two friends talked some more about their evening and how relaxed and peaceful they felt. Their tired eyes began to close and they yawned more and more. Hector gazed at his friend and said, I don't want this day to end, but I'm so very, very tired. Sunny said, I don't want it to end either, Hector, but think about those lovely dreams that are waiting for you in your sleep. All those amazing adventures you'll go on in those dreams. And tomorrow you can tell me all about them. Hector gave Sunny a tired smile and said, I hope I dream about you, Sunny. I hope we go on the most amazing adventure ever in my dreams. Sunny said, I hope I dream about you too, Hector. Are you ready for a bedtime story now? Oh, yes, please. Hector replied with a dreamy smile. On his face. I wonder which one we'll hear tonight. He thought about some of the calming bedtime stories that Sunny's owner had told them on previous evenings. Tales of magical unicorns in faraway lands, a monkey sailing the sea in search of treasure, a boy with amazing superhero powers, a dragon dancing on a mountaintop, and two fairies who flew through the night sky and gave out the most wonderful of dreams. He yawned again and wondered which imaginary world of wonder was waiting for Sunny and him that night. Sunny looked over at her owner, who was sitting in a comfy armchair with an open book in her hands. Sunny let out the softest of bark to let her owner know she was asking for a bedtime story. Sunny added another bark to say thank you. Sunny's owner put down the book she was reading and moved over to the laptop. She sat on the carpet next to Sunny's bed and waved to Hector. Hector tried to bark out a warm hello, but he yawned instead. He just couldn't stop himself. Sunny's owner thought for a few moments about which story would be perfect for the tired dogs that evening. She didn't need a book to help her because her head was always full of stories waiting to be told. Hector and Sunny settled down some more in their comfy beds and waited for the tale to begin. Sunny's owner smiled and then began to tell the dogs a story. It was about a magical cloud that floated down from the sky and landed in a garden. Two children stepped onto the cloud and it turned into an airplane. The cloud plane flew the delighted children high above the mountains and over endless seas. The dogs smiled softly at each other on the screen as they listened to the lovely story. The bedtime story continued, and the dogs felt their eyelids growing heavier and heavier. The gentle sound of Sunny's owner's voice combined with the warmth of their beds and the comforting presence of their friend on the screen created a soothing feeling of peace and tranquility. Good night, Sunny, hector whispered, his eyes drooping. Good night, Hector, sunny murmured in response, her voice barely audible. As Sunny's owner continued with the story, her voice remained soft and gentle, like a soothing melody that carried the dogs towards the world of dreams. The tale she wove was filled with magic and wonderful, and it gently transported Hector and Sunny towards a deep, deep sleep. Soon Hector and Sunny were asleep, snug and cosy in their beds. Sunny's owner smiled softly at the sleeping dog. She continued with her gentle story until she was sure Hector and Sunny were delightfully lost in sweet slumber. She leaned closer to the screen and whispered, good night, Hector. Sweet dreams. She ended the video call and closed the screen. Then she placed a soft kiss on Sunny's head and whispered, good night, Sunny. Sweet dreams. She saw a shampoo bottle half hidden behind. Sunny smiled and shook her head at her sleeping pet. She left the bottle where it was. Sunny's owner returned to her armchair and snuggled down into it. She picked up her book and was soon lost in the adventure taking place within the pages. She loved a good story and often read before bedtime. She glanced over at Sunny and wondered if she was dreaming and if so, what was she dreaming about? Sunny was dreaming in her dreams. She was going on another amazing adventure with her best friend Hector, and they were soaring above the sea in a cloud plain and a few streets away, Hector was dreaming the very same dream. Hector and Sunny continued to sleep through the night, soft smiles on their slumbering faces. This is Hector and Sunny's Oodles of poodles by Susannah McLachlan. Let's start by getting comfy. Breathe in deep and breathe out again. Did you have a good day today? Now it's time to wind down and cuddle up and enjoy some sweet dreams before tomorrow comes. How comfy do you feel? Wriggle deeper into your mattress and snuggle down into the covers like Hector getting comfy in his dog bed. Wag your imaginary tail a couple of times to get out any last fizzes of energy and then go as floppy as Sunny's ear. Breathe in a long deep breath and breathe out even longer, deflating and closing your eyes. Let's join Hector and Sunny now. One drizzly afternoon with the rain drip, drip drip dripping on the roof, Hector and Sunny sat in the car boot on their way to a playdate. Hector's owner had a good friend who had a dog of their own and Hector and Sunny would often play with her at the park. Her name was Didi and she was a tall, elegant poodle with peach coloured curls piled up on her head like whipped cream on a Sunday and curly fluff around her ankles and chest too. Despite her fancy appearance and her being older than them, the three friends hit it off right away. Didi was sweet and kind and the dogs loved lolling around on the grass with her, chattering about her dizzy daydreams. Hector and Sunny hadn't seen Didi for a short while. She hadn't been at the park for a few weeks and it was for a good reason. Didi had just had a litter of puppies this rainy afternoon Hector's owner was visiting his friend and offered to take Hector and Sunny along to see Dee Dee and her puppies. They were thrilled, except excited to see her friend. Sunny was bouncing in the car boot, peeking out of the window from her tippy toes, and Hector was repeatedly asking, are we there yet? Eventually the car pulled to a stop and Hector's owner turned to them with a chuckle and announced, you can stop bouncing now, Sunny. We're here. The two dogs sat politely whilst he opened the boot, only jumping down when he said so, and then trotted behind him up up the garden path to the red front door. The knocker was made of brass and shaped like a poodle's head. Hector's owner lifted it and knocked and the door quickly swung open. Whilst the owner owners were chit chatting, Hector and Sunny squeezed past their legs and padded into the living room where Didi was curled up near the fire. Snuggled up against her belly was a puddle of tiny wriggly poodle pups. Let's count the poodle pups as we take big sleepy breaths. One poodle pup is stretching out his legs, another is yawning with a scrunched up face. Three poodle pups are snoozing in a pile and another is chasing his brother's tail. Two more poodle pups are rolling over on their bellies and cuddling their mum. Another two are climbing up on her back and one more poodle pup turns to look at the new visitors with an excited squeak. Let's count them all. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. 12. That's 12 poodle pups. HECTOR and Sunny's mouths dropped open. There's oodles of poodles, Hector said. Oodles of poodles in a sleepy puddle of pups. Didi carefully got to her feet, ensuring not to step in the puppy puddles around her, and came to greet her friends with a beaming smile. Her whipped cream hairdo seemed even poofier than usual and the curls on her tail bobbed as she wagged it back and forth. As she approached, the 12 miniature puppies clumsily got to their feet and trotted after her, brushing against her legs. Hey guys, Didi said, hugging her friends. It's good to see you. Have you come to meet my oodles of poodles? Hector nodded. I've never seen such an oodle of poodles, he said. This is, Didi said, taking a deep breath in. Bebe and Boba, Lulu and Layle, Vivi and Cece, Tutu and Toto, Dodo and Dido, Mimi and Margo. Hector and Sunny looked at each other in befuddlement. How would they ever remember all of that? Sunny gave Hector a look that said they should try their best. Hello, Bebe, hector said. Hello, Bobo Boba, Didi corrected him with a giggle. You'll get the hang of it eventually, she said. Then she yawned a huge yawn so big that it made Hector and Sunny yawn too, even though they had already had their afternoon naps. Excuse me, Didi said with looking after all my lovely puppies, I barely get a chance for a nap. I'm a little sleepy. Sunny put her paw on Didi's shoulder and said, that that just was wouldn't do. Everybody needs their nap. Don't worry, Didi, she said. You go a nap. Hector and I will take care of the puppies for a while. Didi and Sunny looked around to see Hector laying on his back, giggling with the puppies climbing all over his belly, then playing in the tuft, tufts of hair on his tummy. Didi smiled. Ok, she said. But it's nearly nap time for them too. They need to get ready. Sunny shushed her kindly and told her not to worry. She and Hector had it all under control. With a grateful smile, Didi shuffled over to the corner of the room, flopped into her fluffy bed, and immediately began snoring with sweet little squeaks. Hector rolled over and came and stood next to Sunny. The puppy puddle began to gather around their feet. It looks like they have a lot of energy to burn before nap time, Sunny, he said. Maybe we should take them for some exercise. You're right. Unfortunately, they're not old enough to go for a walk yet, Sunny said. But they're not too young to to play. Sunny led Hector and the group of tiny pups through to the dining room, where the floor was made of shiny, slippery wood. She took a few paces back and ran forwards until she skidded and slid on her bottom from one end of the room to the other. Hector's ears pricked in excitement as he yelped. My turn. And slid across the slippery floor. One by one, the puppies followed. Let's count them. There's one sliding poodle pup, its tiny ears blowing behind him. There's another wagging his tail like a sweeping brush. There's two more sliding poodle pups wriggling and rolling along the floor. There's another three with their tiny pink tongues lolling as they go. There's three sliding poodle pups gliding elegantly as can be. There's two more clumsily scrabbling along the floor. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten. Eleven. Twelve. That's twelve sliding poodle pups. An oodle of sliding poodles. Soon the puppies were panting in a heap after running and sliding from one end of the room to the other, over, over and over. Hector and Sunny looked on with a grin. Their plan worked perfectly. They touched paws in a high five. All that sliding on the floor had made 12 mucky pups. Hector picked up a puppy and looked at his slightly dusty ringlets. These mucky pups need a bath before nap time, said, being fond of mud and puddles. Hector was an expert on these matters. To the bath we go, said Sunny, leading Hector and the oodle of messy poodles towards the bath bathroom. Sunny turned on the warm water and let it tumble into the bath. Hector upturned a bottle of bubble bath and thumped on the bottom three times. A splat of bubble bath plopped into the water and began turning into fluffy foam hicks. Hector grinned sheepishly. I like bubbles, he said. Tiny bubbles began to float into the air from the tub, glinting in the warm light. Hector dipped his paw into the foam and held it to his mouth, blowing it over the patient crowd of mucky pups. They all reached up sleepily as the bubbles floated down towards them, popping the bubbles with their teeny, tiny claws. When the bath was ready, Sunny turned off the tap and carefully picked up the first puppy and placed it in the warm water. That's one bubbly pup. Hector lifted one in each paw and placed two more squirmy puppies into the bath. That's three bubbly pups. Sunny placed two more beside them, and they began to paddle lazily. That's five bubbly pups. Hector added, one particularly mucky pup, blowing the dust from the tuft of fur on his head. Six bubbly pups. Sunny added two sister pups in into the fizzing foam. Eight bubbly pups. Hector placed two brother pups into the warm, silky bath water. Ten bubbly pups. Hector took one more puppy in his cupped paws, and Sunny took the other, adding them to the bath to make 12 bubbly pups. Hector and Sunny showed the bubbly pups how to wash their fur, miming, lathering up their hair and scrubbing their armpits, and the little pups played cop. Soon it was time to take the pups out, so Sunny spread out a warm, fluffy towel. Soon there were 12 soggy poodles flopped down on the towel. Hector took the hairdryer from its basket and turned it on. The noise spooked him from a moment, but he remembered he had puppies to look after and soon got used to it. Hector moved the hair dryer from one pup to another until they poofed up into warm, fluffy balls of fur. Sunny told him he did a fantastic job. Next, it was time to brush their tiny little teeth. Sunny found their 12 tiny toothbrushes in a little cup and held each one to Hector to receive a dollop of gravy flavoured toothpaste. There were two purple tiny toothbrushes for Bibi and Boba, a green tiny toothbrush for Lulu, and a turquoise one for Layla. Two red tiny toothbrushes for Vivi and Cece, a pink tiny toothbrush for Tutu, and a blue one for Toto. Dinosaur dotted tiny toothbrushes for Dodo and Dido, a rainbow toothbrush for Mimi, and a flowery one for Margot. That's 12 tiny toothbrushes for 12 tiny fluffy pups. The sleepy pup pups brushed their teeth and each took a sip of clean water from their dog bowl. By now they were moving sleepily and slowly, yawning. Every now and then Hector and Sunny herded the oodle of sleepy poodles back into the living room where Didi was dreaming peacefully in the corner. What's left, Sunny? Hector asked. My favourite part, sunny replied. The bedtime story. You can pick one from the bookshelf if you like. I can read it. Hector nodded and loped over to the bookshelf. He picked a book with stars and moons stitched on the spine. Sunny sat down on an armchair, opened the book and began to read. Once upon a time there was a sea lion named Peach, though most of his friends would call him Pete. One night Pete found himself floating under a sky so starry and clear that he couldn't see where the sea ended and the sky began. Hector looked at the puddle of pups listening on the fluffy rug. One by one their heads began to bob. Pete lay on his back in the gently bobbing waves and imagined he wasn't a sea lion, but a space lion floating through space with not a care in the world. He imagined that space was like the sea, with creatures up there, just like down here. Jellyfish would waft and wiggle through the galaxy with their long tendrils floating behind them. Dolphins would leap and dive through the Milky Way, and turtles would orbit planets swimming through space with their slowly flapping fins. And space lions like Pete would lay on their backs, counting the stars. Sunny stopped reading before she had even found finish the first page. The sleepy pups had drifted off to sleep. Mimi and Bebe were snoring on their bellies, heads resting on one another. That's two snoozing poodles. Lulu and Tutu were hungry, holding paws as they dreamt of space lions and space turtles. That's four snoozing poodles. Vivi was curled in a little ball so tightly she looked like a little white pom pom. That's five snoozing poodles. Boba and Layla's tongues were lolling as they snoozed at the foot of the sofa. That's seven snoozing poodles. Dodo and Margot were sprawled with their legs wide, snoring gently. That's nine snoozing poodles. And Boba had his little paws tucked neatly away under him like a bread loaf. 10 snoozing poodles. Dido was curled up to Hector's left and Toto was curled up on his right. 12 snoozing poodle. Hector's eyes were closed and his chin had lowered onto his paws. One snoring golden retriever counting all of those dogs had made Sunny tired. She blinked, sat back in her chair, and slowly allowed her heavy eyes to close and the book to drop to her stomach as she became one sleeping cocker spaniel. Not long later, Didi opened her eyes and stretched, refreshed from her afternoon nap. She blinked, surprised to not be surrounded by her wriggling, tickling oodles of poodles. She looked up to see a puddle of softly snoring poodle pups cuddling with her good friends Hector and Sunny. She padded over, wrapped her paws around her babies, and drifted back to sleep. Sa. Sam. Sa.