When the sleeping animals of the rain forest are awoken by loud cries issuing from a box, their first instinct is to pacify the crier by providing whatever it needs. Cold? An orangutan fetches a warm blanket. Thirsty? A tapir provides a bowl of fresh water. Scared? A rhinoceros brings a doll for company. Momentarily placated each time, the crying quickly resumes with a new request. Finally a tiger delivers the little one's Mummy-an elephant!-and it appears that all will be able to sleep again at last. Imagine their frustration when "wuu wuu wuuuuu" echoes through the forest yet again. These wails are coming from the village, and it's the baby elephant who shouts advice, "It wants a kiss! That child must have a kiss! Then we can all go back to sleep." Featuring creatures of southern and southeast Asia, this bedtime tale sports intense of colors, varied emotions, and droll comedy, including the incongruity of an elephant (no matter how young) fitting inside a small wooden box. (Ages 3-6)

When the moon comes up over the mountains, all the animals in the rain forest go to sleep. But...what's that noise? And how can the animals make it stop?

"Wuaaah, wuaaah, wuaaah." The noise goes on and on. Cuddled up inside an abandoned box, someone is sobbing, and one by one, the animals try to comfort the little one. But with each offering--of a blanket, some fresh water, mango, and so on--the small creature settles only briefly before wailing once again. Finally, Tiger disappears and returns with the little elephant's mother. Peace is restored, until... "Wuu, wuu, wuuuuuu," cries a child in a nearby village. This time, it is the baby elephant who solves the problem by yelling out, "That child must have a kiss! Then we can all go back to sleep."

Written and illustrated with very young children in mind, this book is perfect for bedtime. Children will be intrigued by the mystery of who is crying in the abandoned box and what he could be crying about, and they will be reassured when the little elephant's mother returns just in time to give him a good night kiss. They will also be delighted by the surprise twist at the end, when a human child begins to cry just when the animals think their troubles are over for the night--and like the little elephant, readers will know exactly what the human child needs.