Go to Sleep, Gecko!: A Balinese Folktale — Margaret Read Macdonald

"The world is all connected. Some things you just have to put up with."

Gecko may be small, but he has a giant-sized problem. Every night he is awakened by the fireflies outside his window. And when Gecko doesn't get his rest, he gets a little grumpy.

So he goes to Elephant, the head of the village, to complain. His request that the fireflies stop working at night sets off a comical chain of problems for everyone in the village and complicates everyone's life. In the end, Elephant teaches Gecko that everyone has a purpose in the village: the fireflies provide light, the buffalo provides safety and the rain provides nourishment. Everything is connected.

Through this cumulative tale from the Balinese tradition, Gecko learns that his well-being depends on that of the entire village and he finally goes to sleep, a little wiser. This Balinese folktale will teach readers the importance of respect, sharing and citizenship.

August House offers free lesson plans for Go to Sleep, Gecko!