There’s a particular kind of magic that happens when the day is finally done. The pajamas are on. The blankets have been negotiated. Someone needs one last sip of water. And then comes that familiar little request:
“Just one more story?”
How could we possibly resist?
Here in Mudwhiff’s world, we believe there’s always room for a little wonder before sleep. Especially when it comes with a warm burrow, a glowing lantern, and a young warthog with a great deal to discover.
That’s the invitation tucked inside Lora W. Dail’s newest book, Mudwhiff Presents Bedtime in the Burrow: Gentle Stories for the End of the Day.
Before Mudwhiff became an accidental shaman, he was a little warthog learning his way through the world. In this illustrated collection of 23 original bedtime stories, he and his desert friends explore courage, kindness, friendship, gratitude, and the curious business of growing up.
There are tales with titles like The Giraffe Who Licked the Stars, The Secret Brave Song, and How Mudwhiff Found His Name. Already, you get the feeling that bedtime might take a delightful little detour.
And really, who wouldn’t want to know what the stars taste like?
Bedtime stories give us a lovely excuse to sit close and wander somewhere together. A familiar voice brings the pages to life. A small finger points to something in a picture. A question appears that somehow never came up over dinner.
“Can you be brave and scared at the same time?”
It’s the sort of conversation a story can invite, with no need to hurry toward an answer.
Whimsy makes room for those moments. A giraffe reaching for the stars gives imagination somewhere to stretch. A young warthog finding his way can feel surprisingly familiar to a child figuring out their own big, puzzling world. And a little silliness is always welcome. Wisdom should be allowed to have muddy feet.
In Bedtime in the Burrow, every story ends with a thoughtful Dream Seed and a simple Tomorrow Step: something to wonder about tonight and something to carry into the next day. These offer gentle openings to talk about kindness, courage, and the little choices that matter.
Of course, some evenings there will be a whole conversation. Other evenings, a sleepy nod will do.
There’s something here for the grownups, too. A chance to put down the phone, try out a thoroughly questionable animal voice, and spend a few unhurried minutes in a world where wonder still gets the last word.
So, if your evenings could use a little more warmth, a little more whimsy, and perhaps one small warthog, come settle into the burrow.
Bedtime in the Burrow is now available on Amazon.
Bring your favorite blanket. Shoes are entirely unnecessary. And if you fall asleep before Mudwhiff does, we promise he won’t take it personally.