What happens
The moon is up, the stars are out, and Little Lamb is wide, wide awake — wiggling left, wiggling right, unable to rest. Mama sits softly by the bed and suggests counting sheep. So Lamb closes her eyes, and one fluffy sheep hops over a meadow fence, and two cross a little wooden bridge over a moonlit stream, and three, and four go up a hill of clouds. Somewhere around eight, floating over a moonlit pond, her breathing has gone slow and deep.
Why it works at bedtime
This is the one to read when nothing else is working. It's built as a wind-down rather than a story: the counting sets the rhythm, each page is quieter than the last, and it's designed so that a child may well not hear the end of it. Read it slowly, and let your voice trail off.
Read “Counting Sheep” tonight
It's in MoonPage along with the rest of the library — far more stories than we show here, with new ones added all the time. Illustrated, narrated, fully offline. No ads, no login, and some stories are free.
More sleepy stories
A Secret in the Night
Something magical is happening after dark, and only the sleepiest eyes will catch it.
The Trapped Firefly
A tiny firefly is lost and glowing. Can a little patience light the way back home?
The Starry Fish
Twinkle the starfish has never once seen a star. One kind dolphin decides that simply won't do.
The Sleepy Bear
The leaves are turning gold and Bramble the bear has one long, cozy winter's sleep to get ready for.
Not sure what to read tonight? How to choose a bedtime book walks through it, or browse every theme.