There is a little village you won't find on any map: Pumpkin Hollow. And tonight is a very special night, the funniest night of the year, Halloween night. On Lantern Square, all the pumpkins are grinning their big gap-toothed grins, the fog is as soft as candyfloss, and the dead leaves, when you step on them, giggle! High up in the biggest pumpkin lives Zélie, the kindest little apprentice witch in the world, with her far-too-big hat, and Réglisse, her round black cat, the most easily scared in all of Pumpkin Hollow.

But tonight, in the bedroom, a funny little tremble rises from under the bed. Réglisse is sure it's a horrible monster. And it is one, a real one… except that this monster, Boubou, doesn't want to frighten anyone. All he'd like, deep in his big furry heart, is a friend, so he doesn't have to stay all alone in the dark, under the bed.

So, instead of screaming or running away, Zélie does something very simple: she holds out her hand, she says hello, and she listens. And little by little, the fear melts on both sides, because poor Boubou was just as afraid of children as the children were of him. Out of this big, gentle misunderstanding grows the loveliest of friendships.

This story helps your child understand that what frightens us often hides something kind, and that a monster under the bed is sometimes just someone who feels lonely. A lovely way to tame the fear of the dark and of imaginary monsters, by turning the worrying unknown into a reassuring friend.

And when Boubou and Réglisse finally become friends, the bedroom turns soft and reassuring again. The dark holds nothing frightening anymore, it is even rather cosy, and the story settles gently down, right in time to slip under the covers and close your eyes.

Zélie never makes fun of Réglisse, who is afraid of everything, and she forces no one. She takes the time to listen both to the scaredy little cat and to the shy big monster, and she shows that a friend is often found where you least expected: welcoming what frightens us with curiosity rather than with screams is the whole spirit of Tilibou bedtime stories. And on Lantern Square, the pumpkins keep watch, smiling in the soft fog.

A gentle, screen-free Halloween story for toddlers from age 3, lovely to share at bedtime, in the car, or at nap time. As always with Tilibou, the ending stays soft and quiet, without music, so your child can drift toward sleep without anyone being startled awake. 🎃

👉 All the Tilibou bedtime stories at tilibou.com

💡 Tip: to listen to one world back-to-back, choose its season (Noisette, Léo, Cassie, Marin, Tom the Pirate, or the Christmas, Halloween and School seasons).

✉️ Contact: contact@tilibou.fr

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