The true story behind it
Where our son is growing up there aren’t many ladybirds, so he had never really seen one. Where I grew up they were everywhere, and I remember catching them in little bottles as a boy. One day he spotted one flying in those looping, swirling circles and asked me if it was a beetle. I told him it wasn’t, just a different little insect that looked like one, and that small moment became the seed for this book. I also wanted to gently introduce him to the idea of the Olympic Games and spark a little love of sport, so Lila the ladybird became a leaf-surfing athlete chasing her big trick.
About this book
Lila the Ladybird is part of Magical Tales of Kitty & Dino, a series of 43 gentle bedtime stories. In every one, Kitty, a red cat who can bend the wind and water, and Dino, a green dinosaur who grows plants out of nothing, help a new animal friend through a small problem, with a quiet lesson coming along for the ride. Like all of them, this story was written by Asanga Wijeratne for his own son, and it is made for ages 3 to 8.
Look inside
Flip through the opening pages of the book.
Perfect for
- ✓ A cozy, gentle bedtime read
- ✓ A birthday gift that outlasts the plastic toys
- ✓ Kids who love animals and a soft, kind story
- ✓ Reading aloud together, ages 3 to 8
Quick answers
A gentle story for tonight
One short read. One new animal friend. Ready for bed.
Choosing a gift? See our Book Gifts guide for ages 3–8 →
