The Child and the Cat

The fear of the dark suddenly diminishes

Children don’t like to be alone in the dark. The night can turn somber and scary. This exceptional bedtime story shows how fantasy is able to empower children and can help them to tackle their biggest fears—admirably illustrated by Rotraut Susanne Berner.

The night is lonesome. It’s the time when darkness crawls into every corner of the room. The little girl lies in bed and doesn’t find sleep. Should she turn on the light? Should she get up? No, she doesn’t want to be afraid! She wants to be strong! What if there’s a thunderstorm and the flashes throw wild shadows on the walls? The girl calls her cat for help. It is soft and tender and much smaller than the child. But it can also be big and dangerous and strong as a lion. The girl believes with all her heart: the cat will protect her. She won’t be afraid of anything anymore. Through the power of fantasy she can always be courageous and—if worst comes to worst—make protectors appear.