Pitch
Yawns are catching. Of course they are! So a tired little mouse is all this yawn needs―passing from animal to animal and getting bigger and louder until even the crocodile finds itself yawning a massive snappy yawn! A fun twist on a curious reflex, the strong rhythm and repeating rhymes in this simple bedtime tale turn an unstoppable urge into a riotous chain reaction. And with all this yawning going on, how long will it be before even the most reluctant of sleepers find themselves yawning as well?
Story
Spread 1
[Illustration shows a frog watching Mouse as it passes by. Mouse’s yawn is on the right-hand page, potentially as a small hole which is aligned with bigger and bigger holes on the following right-hand pages as the yawn grows. Dark grey could show through (see spread 8). Something (that could become the start of a sunset, maybe?) is on the left-hand page to align with the hole from Mouse’s yawn when the page is turned. This image also develops as the holes increase in size until spread 9.]
Little Mouse, tired mouse, is it time for bed?
‘Not me! I’m fine! I want to play,’ it said.
But along came a yawn that was hard to miss,
a soft, sneaky, squeaky one that went like this…
[Everyone yawns like a mouse.]
Spread 2
[A snake watches as it passes by. Yawn again on the right-hand page.]
Frog saw Mouse and it dipped its head.
‘Not me! I’m fine! I want to play,’ it said.
But the yawn passed along and was hard to miss,
a small, throaty, croaky one that went like this…
[Everyone yawns like a frog.]
Continued…