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.
What happens in the story
Lila the ladybird is training for the leaf-surfing race, where riders ride leaves down the stream, jump off at the waterfall’s edge, and have to spin three times before they land. She handles the ride and the small turns just fine, but every time she tries the Triple Twist she freezes in the air and falls in the water. Kitty and Dino help her practice, with Kitty’s spin wind holding her steady, until one evening under the stars she lands it without help at all. A gentle story about practicing the hard part, and how brave a child feels the first time it finally works.
Looking for a children’s book about ladybugs?
Looking for a children’s book about ladybugs, or ladybirds as we call them? Lila is training for the leaf-surfing race, where riders ride leaves down the stream, jump off at the waterfall’s edge, and have to spin three times before landing.
She handles the ride fine. Every time she tries the Triple Twist she freezes in the air and falls in the water. Kitty and Dino help her practise until, one evening under the stars, she lands it without help at all.
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 →
