Peko Pal
Pip and the Lantern of Fireflies
A young owl who is afraid of the dark must deliver a jar of glowing fireflies to every sleepy animal along Sleepy Creek before the moon rises. A cozy bedtime journey about finding out the night isn't so scary after all.
- Ages
- 5–8
- Length
- 23 min, 6 chapters
- Feel
- Gentle
- Wi-Fi to play
- Not needed
Why parents pick it
Pip is a young owl who is nervous about the dark, and her job tonight is to carry a jar of fireflies to the animals along Sleepy Creek. Each stop is a calm conversation with a friend who feels something similar, so it works as a quiet wind-down for children who find bedtime a little big.
Good fit if your child…
- feels uneasy when the lights go out or the sky gets dark
- likes slow, cozy bedtime stories with animal friends
- is working up to doing something new on their own
Listen to a preview
From Chapter 1
High in the branches of an old maple tree, a young owl named Pip watched the sun sink behind the hills.
Most owls loved this time of day. It meant the world was about to become theirs, quiet and soft and full of stars. But Pip pulled her wings a little tighter around herself and scooted closer to her grandmother.
"The dark is coming," Pip said.
"Yes," said Grandma Owl, her voice warm and slow like honey. "Isn't it wonderful?"
Pip wasn't so sure. The dark seemed enormous from up here, stretching out over the whole forest, swallowing the last orange light between the trees. Owls were supposed to love the night. Everyone said so. But Pip's feathers always puffed up nervous the moment the sky turned purple.
What happens
Pip is a young owl who is supposed to love the night, but when the sky turns purple her feathers puff up nervous. One evening her Grandma Owl trusts her with an important job: carry a glowing jar of fireflies along Sleepy Creek and share a little light with the neighbors who live beside it, before the moon is high.
Flying on her own, Pip meets a mother rabbit and her little ones, a thoughtful fox, a humming hedgehog, and a family of ducklings. Each offers a gentle idea about the dark. Slow, soothing, and full of quiet imagery, this bedtime story gives families an easy way to talk about nighttime worries.
For the grown-up
What they get from it. Children hear simple, concrete ways to settle worries, like humming, slowing down to notice small lights, and taking one step at a time. They also see that even a grown-up owl once felt unsure of the night.
Before you play it. It stays gentle from start to finish. Pip is nervous and a twig snap startles her, but the worry is soothed at every stop and nothing frightening happens.
Ask your child afterwards:
- Which animal's advice about the dark would you want to try?
- Where have you noticed small lights at night, like Pip's pond?
- What helps you feel snug when bedtime feels big?
Chapters
- The First FlightA young owl who dislikes the dark is trusted with a jar of fireflies.
- The Rabbit BurrowA rabbit family can't sleep without a little glow, and Pip hears about feeling snug.
- The Fox's QuestionA fox asks Pip a question about the night she hasn't thought of.
- The Hedgehog's HumA hedgehog teaches Pip a wobbly little hum for busy thoughts.
- The Duck PondOn a still pond, the lantern's light turns up somewhere surprising.
- Home Before DawnAt the end of Sleepy Creek, Pip finds out how her wings feel.
Themes
Common questions
- What age is Pip and the Lantern of Fireflies for?
- It is written for ages 5–8.
- How long is Pip and the Lantern of Fireflies?
- 6 chapters, about 23 min in all.
- Is Pip and the Lantern of Fireflies scary?
- It stays gentle from start to finish. Pip is nervous and a twig snap startles her, but the worry is soothed at every stop and nothing frightening happens.
- Does it need Wi-Fi?
- No. Once it is on the Pal, it plays without Wi-Fi.
Playing it on the Pal
Press the button to play or pause. Tap left or right to skip back or ahead 15 seconds, double-tap for the previous or next chapter, or triple-tap left to start the book over. Up and down switch to another book. It picks up where you left off.