Book 1 of Yawnlings
The Turtle – It's Raining
A gentle bedtime story for children who find it hard to settle at night.
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Book 1 of Yawnlings
Why this story stays quietly different.
Many bedtime books open the evening up again: with pace, surprises, and a story arc that can make children more alert. This book deliberately moves in the other direction.
- Slow language and short paragraphs leave room while reading aloud.
- Gentle repetition and small pauses take speed out of the evening.
- The turtle is deliberately slow: she does not need to win or prove anything.
- The story avoids big adventures and loud turns.
Who Book 1 is for
Who is this book for?
For younger and older children who enjoy a quiet story at the end of the day.
Book 1 is especially suited to reading together in bed, or as a gentle bridge after another book that still feels more lively.
Depending on their age, children can read individual sentences along with you. Older siblings can also read calm pages aloud.
For quiet evening rituals
Made for reading in bed when the story should not speed things up again.
Useful as a quiet bridge after another book that still feels lively.
Written for moments when closeness, repetition, and a slower voice matter more than plot.
Every child is different. This book can become a quiet part of your evening ritual.
Read it slowly
How to read this book
Read slowly and rather quietly. The short paragraphs, repetitions, and small pauses are allowed to make the evening audibly slower.
The breathing marks are only optional guidance: they remind you to pause for a moment or breathe in and out calmly together. You do not need to turn them into an exercise.
Look inside
Four real book pages as a sample
The preview shows how text, breathing marks, repetition, and quiet images work together in the book.
Where to buy Book 1
Usually free shipping.
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Book 1 FAQ
Questions about the turtle
What age is Book 1 for?
Book 1 is especially suitable for children from around 5 years old who enjoy a calm read-aloud story in the evening. Pictures, repetition, and a slow voice help them find their way into the story.
The recommendation from age 5 is a guide; what matters is whether the slow turtle fits your evening.
Do I have to use the breathing marks?
No. The breathing marks are only a small reminder to make reading aloud slower.
You can use them, skip them, or simply pause for a short moment. They are meant to make the evening easier, not turn it into an exercise.
Does the book work after another story?
Yes. Especially after a livelier book, Book 1 can be a quiet bridge without building up new excitement.
The turtle brings the pace down: listening to rain, drinking slowly, finding a leaf, and growing sleepy.
Is Book 1 exciting?
Deliberately not. Book 1 is built around calm rather than adventure.
The turtle listens to rain, drinks slowly, and snuggles beneath her leaf. That simplicity is part of what makes the evening quieter.
Why are there not pictures on every page?
The story deliberately leaves room for pictures in the child’s own mind. While listening, children can imagine the rain, the turtle, and the large leaf for themselves.
The pictures that are there help them enter the story without showing every scene completely.
Will the turtle return?
Yes. More quiet stories with the turtle are planned.
Book 2 is currently planned for September 2026. In that story, the turtle goes swimming.
Feedback on Book 1
Have you already read The Turtle?
I would love to hear your feedback. Your experience helps me make the next quiet stories even better.
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The turtle will return.
More quiet stories and Yawnlings are already in preparation.
Book details
- Series
- Yawnlings
- Book
- Book 1
- Format
- Paperback
- Length
- 48 pages
- Language
- German
- Author
- Martin Dames
- Published
- 15 July 2026
- ISBN
ISBN: 978-3-696-37262-0