The Little Cloud Who Wanted a Color

Read-aloud note

Read slowly, soften your voice near the end, and leave a small pause before the final goodnight line.

Story

At bedtime, a tiny tap made everyone wonder. At bedtime, a tiny tap made everyone wonder. Once there was a tiny white cloud named Pippa.

What could it be? A second soft clue waited nearby, as tiny as a wink.

Tip-tap, soft and small. Tip-tap, home we go.

Pippa floated high in the bright blue sky. She was soft and round, like a fluffy pillow.

Below her, she saw a green hill.

On the hill was a yellow duck.

“Quack quack!” said the duck, waddling through a puddle.

Pippa smiled. “I wish I had a color,” she said.

So she floated over a field of red flowers.

The flowers waved in the wind.

“Hello, little cloud!” they whispered.

Pippa floated lower and lower. A red petal flew up and kissed her cheek.

Now Pippa had one tiny red spot.

“Oh!” said Pippa. “I look like a strawberry!”

Next, she floated over an orange tree.

A round orange rolled down the hill.

Bump, bump, bump!

It splashed into a pond.

A little fish popped out.

“Blub blub!” said the fish.

A drop of orange water jumped up and landed on Pippa.

Now Pippa had a red spot and an orange spot.

“I look like sunset!” she giggled.

Then Pippa floated over a rainbow.

The rainbow stretched across the sky like a big colorful slide.

Pippa gently slid down it.

Wheeeee!

When she reached the bottom, she was covered in red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple.

All the animals looked up.

The duck quacked.

The fish splashed.

The flowers danced.

“Look!” they said. “A rainbow cloud!”

Pippa felt happy and warm.

Then the sun began to set.

The sky turned pink and gold.

Pippa yawned a tiny cloud yawn.

She curled up beside the moon.

“Goodnight, colors,” whispered Pippa.

And the rainbow cloud dreamed of flowers, puddles, fish, and a big bright sky.

Then came the gentle surprise: the little sound was making a tiny path for a friend.

The little friend helped right away, tucked the tiny clue into a cozy spot, and smiled. At last, everything felt warm and close. Softly, softly, home we go. The tap was back where it belonged.

Scenes

A Tiny Tap in the Sky

At bedtime, a tiny tap made everyone wonder. High above the green hills floated Pippa, a tiny white cloud as soft and round as a pillow.

A Red Petal Kiss

Pippa floated low over a field of red flowers. They waved hello, and one red petal flew up and kissed her cheek. Now Pippa had one tiny red spot.

An Orange Splash

A round orange rolled bump-bump-bump and splashed into the pond. A little fish said blub-blub, and a drop of orange water hopped up to Pippa. Now she looked like a sunset.

Down the Rainbow Slide

Then Pippa floated over a great rainbow that stretched across the sky like a colorful slide. Wheeeee! She slid all the way down and came out covered in red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple.

Goodnight, Colors

The sky turned pink and gold. Pippa yawned a tiny cloud yawn and curled up beside the moon. Softly, softly, home we go — and the rainbow cloud dreamed of flowers, puddles, and a big bright sky.