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Go To Sleep, Gecko!: A Balinese Folktale
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. 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.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published October 25, 2006
89 people want to read
About the author
Margaret Read MacDonald
92 books78 followersFollow
Biography
Dr. Margaret Read MacDonald travels the world telling stories....always on the lookout for more great folktales to share. She shapes these found stories into tellable tales which anyone can share with ease. Filling her folktale collections with these delightful tales, she creates perfect read alouds for you and your family. MRM wants everyone to experience the joy of a beautifully told tale. She hopes you will read them a few times...then put down the book...put down the electronic device...and just TELL the story to your children!
Some of her favorite folktales she expands into picture books...hopefully with delightfully readable language while will roll right out of your mouth. Share them with your children and then....act the tales out! Revisit the tales by TELLING them! At bedtime. While on the road. Fill your pockets with great stories to share wherever you go.
Joining her Folklore Ph.D. with her 30 plus years as a children's librarian, Margaret brings folktales to life in playful, lilting language which should delight both reader and listener.
See her performance schedule at: www.margaretreadmaconald.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
October 2, 2012
Very funny and extra awesome because I wouldn't necessarily think this would be a good story time book until someone read it aloud. I can't wait to do it!
September 15, 2021
“Some things you just have to put up with.”
Read
March 1, 2016Title: Go To Sleep, Gecko!: A Balinese Folktale
Author:Margaret Read MacDonald
Illustrator: Geraldo Valerio
Genre: Non-European Folktale
Theme(s): Friends, Compromise, Folklore
Opening line/sentence: “One night, Elephant was awakened.”
Brief Book Summary:
Gecko is having a hard time sleeping because of various distractions. He pleas to the Elephant, the village boss, but rather than getting what he wants, he learns a lesson.
Professional Recommendation/Review #1:
Midwest Book Review (Children's Bookwatch, October 2006)
Entertainingly retold young readers by Margaret Read Macdonald and nicely illustrated by Geraldo Valerio, Go To Sleep Gecko : A Balinese Folk tale is the story of a gecko who is kept awake by the fireflies outside his window. When the little gecko doesn't get his sleep he is quite grumpy with his friends the next day. Children will learn that, like the gecko, that their well-being during the day depends on their getting enough sleep during the night. Got To Sleep Gecko is a highly entertaining picturebook that will prove to be a popular addition to family, school, and community library collections.
Professional Recommendation/Review #2:
Lyn Shumanis (Kutztown University Book Review, Spring 2007)
This simple folktale is about a gecko that can t sleep at night because the fireflies are keeping him up at night. So Gecko goes to the village boss, an elephant, and tells him of his problem. The elephant tells him to go back home and go to sleep and that he will talk to the fireflies in the morning. When elephant talks to the fireflies they explain the reason why they must blink their lights. The elephant tells the fireflies he understands their reasoning and they should go home and continue to do what they do. This was a fun folktale to read to children. The children caught onto the cumulative tale and began reciting the tale with me at the predictable parts. The students found it comical as well as a lesson to be learned that some things you just need to put up with. This led into a discussion of some of those things that we do need to overlook and not sweet the small stuff in life.
Response to Two Professional Reviews:
The reviews dug deeper into the book and shared thoughts on what children could learn from the story. I agree with both reviews in that children will definitely find this book relatable. They learn that 1) everything is connected 2) something you have to learn to deal with and are not in their control to change and 3) well-being during the day all depends on how well of a sleep you get at night.
Evaluation of Literary Elements:
The book had a pattern to it, which made it very easy to follow. Gecko would cry during the night, Elephant would tell him to go back to sleep, Gecko would ask elephant to talk to the animal causing the distraction and the next day, Elephant would explain that Gecko had to learn to put up with it. Each day was a lesson for Gecko and I think these format makes it easy for children to relate to the story.
Consideration of Instructional Application:
This book is a great segway into a writing activity. Students would be given a prompt along the lines of "when a time when you did not like something, but you learned to be okay with it?" I think this prompt will allow children to reflect back on some of their own experiences and connected to Gecko's. After the students finish writing, they will have the opportunity to share during share time.
Author:Margaret Read MacDonald
Illustrator: Geraldo Valerio
Genre: Non-European Folktale
Theme(s): Friends, Compromise, Folklore
Opening line/sentence: “One night, Elephant was awakened.”
Brief Book Summary:
Gecko is having a hard time sleeping because of various distractions. He pleas to the Elephant, the village boss, but rather than getting what he wants, he learns a lesson.
Professional Recommendation/Review #1:
Midwest Book Review (Children's Bookwatch, October 2006)
Entertainingly retold young readers by Margaret Read Macdonald and nicely illustrated by Geraldo Valerio, Go To Sleep Gecko : A Balinese Folk tale is the story of a gecko who is kept awake by the fireflies outside his window. When the little gecko doesn't get his sleep he is quite grumpy with his friends the next day. Children will learn that, like the gecko, that their well-being during the day depends on their getting enough sleep during the night. Got To Sleep Gecko is a highly entertaining picturebook that will prove to be a popular addition to family, school, and community library collections.
Professional Recommendation/Review #2:
Lyn Shumanis (Kutztown University Book Review, Spring 2007)
This simple folktale is about a gecko that can t sleep at night because the fireflies are keeping him up at night. So Gecko goes to the village boss, an elephant, and tells him of his problem. The elephant tells him to go back home and go to sleep and that he will talk to the fireflies in the morning. When elephant talks to the fireflies they explain the reason why they must blink their lights. The elephant tells the fireflies he understands their reasoning and they should go home and continue to do what they do. This was a fun folktale to read to children. The children caught onto the cumulative tale and began reciting the tale with me at the predictable parts. The students found it comical as well as a lesson to be learned that some things you just need to put up with. This led into a discussion of some of those things that we do need to overlook and not sweet the small stuff in life.
Response to Two Professional Reviews:
The reviews dug deeper into the book and shared thoughts on what children could learn from the story. I agree with both reviews in that children will definitely find this book relatable. They learn that 1) everything is connected 2) something you have to learn to deal with and are not in their control to change and 3) well-being during the day all depends on how well of a sleep you get at night.
Evaluation of Literary Elements:
The book had a pattern to it, which made it very easy to follow. Gecko would cry during the night, Elephant would tell him to go back to sleep, Gecko would ask elephant to talk to the animal causing the distraction and the next day, Elephant would explain that Gecko had to learn to put up with it. Each day was a lesson for Gecko and I think these format makes it easy for children to relate to the story.
Consideration of Instructional Application:
This book is a great segway into a writing activity. Students would be given a prompt along the lines of "when a time when you did not like something, but you learned to be okay with it?" I think this prompt will allow children to reflect back on some of their own experiences and connected to Gecko's. After the students finish writing, they will have the opportunity to share during share time.
March 3, 2012
Go to Sleep, Gecko!: A Balinese Folktale by Margaret Read MacDonald, illustrated by Geraldo Valerio tells the story of a complaining Gecko and an inter-connected natural community.
The story will amuse many. The theme of interconnectedness in nature is an important one for children to learn. This could be combined with the story Too Much Noise for a complaint or learning to live with problems theme. The author explains that the illustrator made an artistic decision to have an elephant as the head of the village.
Valerio's illustrations are bright and colorful, featuring yellow, blue, green, and gray. My favorite images include the cover, grumpy trip home, Elephant & fireflies, buffalo & elephant, Elephant & rain, trunk around Gecko, and final image.
I personally enjoyed the story and artwork, particularly the final image. HOWEVER: I am not a fan of Walter the Farting Dog or the use of crude words in picturebookos for young children. Since I don't want dozens of young children repeating the word "poop" all day in the library, I would not read this for a public library storytime for preschoolers or kindergarteners because of the repetition of the word poop. It would probably be popular for some families and with older children. I could envision a few parents complaining about the word if the book was used in storytimes. I would buy the book for checkout and most likely shelve it in the folktale section. Maybe I'm grumpy or too careful, but that's what I would do.
For ages 3 and up, gecko, animals, Indonesia, elephants, poop, connections, folktales, ecology, environment, Bali, sleep, repetition, complaints, nature, humor, and fans of Margaret Read MacDonald and Geraldo Valerio.
The story will amuse many. The theme of interconnectedness in nature is an important one for children to learn. This could be combined with the story Too Much Noise for a complaint or learning to live with problems theme. The author explains that the illustrator made an artistic decision to have an elephant as the head of the village.
Valerio's illustrations are bright and colorful, featuring yellow, blue, green, and gray. My favorite images include the cover, grumpy trip home, Elephant & fireflies, buffalo & elephant, Elephant & rain, trunk around Gecko, and final image.
I personally enjoyed the story and artwork, particularly the final image. HOWEVER: I am not a fan of Walter the Farting Dog or the use of crude words in picturebookos for young children. Since I don't want dozens of young children repeating the word "poop" all day in the library, I would not read this for a public library storytime for preschoolers or kindergarteners because of the repetition of the word poop. It would probably be popular for some families and with older children. I could envision a few parents complaining about the word if the book was used in storytimes. I would buy the book for checkout and most likely shelve it in the folktale section. Maybe I'm grumpy or too careful, but that's what I would do.
For ages 3 and up, gecko, animals, Indonesia, elephants, poop, connections, folktales, ecology, environment, Bali, sleep, repetition, complaints, nature, humor, and fans of Margaret Read MacDonald and Geraldo Valerio.
February 17, 2014
MacDonald, Reed. (2006). Go to Sleep, Gecko!: A Balinese Folktale. NE: August House Publishing
Illustrated by Geraldo Valerio
Go to Sleep Gecko! by Margaret Reed MacDonald is a Balinese folktale about a Gecko who cannot fall asleep because some of the animals and weather (Rain) are keeping him awake. Gecko visits the chief (an elephant) throughout the book asking him to quiet the jungle down so that he can sleep. The chief finds that everyone who is keeping Gecko awake is doing something that helps another member of the jungle, and within that chain, helps Gecko. Gecko learns that there are some things that one must put up with, and is finally able to sleep.
This is a very interesting book, with vibrant colors. There are a lot of blues, greens, and yellows in the pictures, depicting the Balinese culture and it breathes life into the jungle and the characters. This is a great book to use for any age because of its repetition and it can be used to teach children how there are some things that they cannot change and for older students it can used to teach them how their actions will always consequences, positive and negative. I would definitely recommended this book be put on one's future shelf, as well as any book by Margaret Read MacDonald.
Illustrated by Geraldo Valerio
Go to Sleep Gecko! by Margaret Reed MacDonald is a Balinese folktale about a Gecko who cannot fall asleep because some of the animals and weather (Rain) are keeping him awake. Gecko visits the chief (an elephant) throughout the book asking him to quiet the jungle down so that he can sleep. The chief finds that everyone who is keeping Gecko awake is doing something that helps another member of the jungle, and within that chain, helps Gecko. Gecko learns that there are some things that one must put up with, and is finally able to sleep.
This is a very interesting book, with vibrant colors. There are a lot of blues, greens, and yellows in the pictures, depicting the Balinese culture and it breathes life into the jungle and the characters. This is a great book to use for any age because of its repetition and it can be used to teach children how there are some things that they cannot change and for older students it can used to teach them how their actions will always consequences, positive and negative. I would definitely recommended this book be put on one's future shelf, as well as any book by Margaret Read MacDonald.
April 29, 2015
"Go to Sleep, Gecko!" is a Balinese folktale for children. This book won the Flicker Tale Children's Book Award (2008). The book is about a gecko that cant sleep. He tries different thing to learn how to the sleep but in the end he realizes there are just some things you have to deal with. I really loved how captured this book is. The author emphasis there are something's you just cant help. The language and the pot of this book was god as well. I loved how for the bodies of lighting bugs he used bulbs. The color of this book was very well thought-out and bright. It was a really good idea that the author used a background note of the tale. She painted a god picture between what you have to deal with and the animals. I liked how she used rain as water cans to deliver moisture. I would use this book in classroom setting to teach kids sometimes you have to deal with things and I also think they would get a laugh out of it too.
November 23, 2011
Gecko can't sleep because of the fireflies, and somebody needs to do something about it. Elephant is charged with the task of tracking down the fireflies to hear their side of the story. In Go To Sleep, Gecko! readers travel with Elephant as he uncovers the reasons why fireflies have to shine their lights at night and why buffaloes have to poop in holes and why rain has to fall from the sky and why there are some things that you just have to live with in this Balinese folktale about the interconnectedness of nature. Bold colors mesh with whimsical characters to create a swirly, dreamy landscape for illustrations. Repetition and sequencing of events is good for young readers, yet the content is certainly for more mature students in middle to upper elementary grades. Although, I guess if you want exotic folktales, there are some things you just have to live with.
November 24, 2011
While this is a Balinese Folktale, I cannot put it on the multicultural children's literature shelf. There is absolutley no information about Bali in any part, text, or illustrations.
It is however a really cute tale about a Gecko who wants to sleep but can't because the fireflies keep flashing their lights on and off, on and off. So Gecko goes to Elephant who is the village boss and should "do something about it". Elephant finds the fireflies light the way so no one will step in buffalo's poop, and buffalo poops in the big holes that the rain washes in the road so no one falls in them, and rain makes the puddles for the mosquitos to live and Gecko eats the mosquitos. So in the end Gecko learns to live with the fireflies because the world is all connected and "some things you just have to put up with".
It is however a really cute tale about a Gecko who wants to sleep but can't because the fireflies keep flashing their lights on and off, on and off. So Gecko goes to Elephant who is the village boss and should "do something about it". Elephant finds the fireflies light the way so no one will step in buffalo's poop, and buffalo poops in the big holes that the rain washes in the road so no one falls in them, and rain makes the puddles for the mosquitos to live and Gecko eats the mosquitos. So in the end Gecko learns to live with the fireflies because the world is all connected and "some things you just have to put up with".
April 15, 2015
My personal reaction was I loved the story and i could relate to the Gecko because i awake easily as well. The purpose of this book in a classroom would be for literary elements that could be taught using this book. For example the Gecko goes to the elephant chief to help solve the problem. The animals talking shows personification. Also, the elephant explains how everything that is keeping him up is helping the jungle overall. The Gecko learns that the animals that are keeping him up actually help him too in the long run. This would be great in the classroom for a moral lesson. To show the children the benefits of others and how together you can all contribute to the greater good. Also, you cant always have your way with things sometimes they are for the greater good. I also, loved the bright colors in the jungle that portray the culture very well.
April 14, 2015
Personal Reaction:
I personally thought this was an adorable book. While I was reading it, I put different voices to the different characters. I thought the wording was simple, but it had a wonderful message at the end, “some things you just have to put up with.” I also thought the pictures were attractive and bright.
Purpose:
This folktale would make a great read aloud to students. I think first or second graders would find this book amusing, because it says “poop” a couple of time. This story could be incorporated with a science lesson, because it can be used as a tool to learn about characteristic of geckos. It can also be tied into characterization for reading, because the reader gets to know more about the Gecko as the story is revealed.
I personally thought this was an adorable book. While I was reading it, I put different voices to the different characters. I thought the wording was simple, but it had a wonderful message at the end, “some things you just have to put up with.” I also thought the pictures were attractive and bright.
Purpose:
This folktale would make a great read aloud to students. I think first or second graders would find this book amusing, because it says “poop” a couple of time. This story could be incorporated with a science lesson, because it can be used as a tool to learn about characteristic of geckos. It can also be tied into characterization for reading, because the reader gets to know more about the Gecko as the story is revealed.
February 2, 2016
I read this book to my 6 year old daughter and she absolutely loved it. Go to Sleep Gecko! is funny, cute, and very clever. I thought it was awesome because it had a creative point of view in it that teaches kids a great life lesson. Even though life is inconvenient and uncomfortable at times, life is full of twists and turns that connects us all in one way or another. Sometimes it is better to just make the best out of what we have and be grateful for the situations life brings you. I would 100% recommend this book to parents, teachers, friends, and family!
June 12, 2009
This is a cute story, that tells about one way that life can have a circular connectedness, and how changing or impacting one area can impact greatly in other areas. Our girls insisted that the gecko didn't really look or sound like the geckos we have here in Hawaii, but the illustrations were fun anyway.
March 14, 2015
My 4 year old picked up this book so we checked it out. It stared ok but then talked about Buffalo pooping in the road to fill in the holes so no one would trip. My daughter thought the pictures of a monkey stepping in poop funny. Then it talked about mosquitos living in the poo. I know where they were going but it could have been done in a different way.
July 20, 2011
Retells the folktale of the gecko who complains to the village chief that the fireflies keep him awake at night but then learns that in nature all things are connected.
A wonderful colorful illustrations and some funny subject matter which would go well with the older kids
A wonderful colorful illustrations and some funny subject matter which would go well with the older kids
January 19, 2012
This is cute store, and I love the drawing and colors, the animals are all cute in this store. This store tell us a truth, and it is that the world is all connected and "some things you just have to put up with".
September 15, 2013
This is one of those stories that just tickles you, from the richly color palette to the depictions of certain aspects of nature (e.g. Rain as a gigantic cloud with tiny arms to hold watering cans). Completely adorable.
March 23, 2016
Another terrific rebelling of a traditional folktales by MRM! Her reputation as a gifted Master Storyteller and Reteller is well deserved. The illustrations are a little cartoonish for my taste, but the simple color palette and cute animal expressions are rather winsome.
March 2, 2016
This reminds me of the kinds of stories my grandma used to tell me when I was little. A cumulative tale about how our world is all connected, and sometimes we just have to put up with inconveniences of life.
July 27, 2016
Macdonald does it again. So much fun to read aloud, even if only to myself. And, sure, there's a moral, but it does nothing to detract from the enjoyment. I like Valerio's illustrations - cartoony, but apt.
February 5, 2008
Cute folktale from Indonesia of a gecko who can't sleep because of the fireflies.
August 9, 2008
We picked this up at the library several times. My two-year old and four-year-old love it. It has a good lesson in the end. "Some things you just have to put up with."
August 11, 2008
"Some things you just have to put up with." I like this book and how it discusses that everything is connected. And it has a little humor. :) Christi - this is a great one. Thanks!
November 19, 2008
A fun Balinese folktale about how everything in the world is interconnected - something gecko needs to learn to make sleeping easier! Lovely illustrations in tones of green and blue!
January 23, 2009
Great for Earth Day.
July 4, 2009
Great read-aloud book about a complaining gecko, a leader who listens closely, and a community that is inter-connected. Lovely illustrations.
March 29, 2010
Interesting folktale to share how all things are connected...gecko complains about the blinking of fireflies at night until he realizes that they are related to his food supply.
June 1, 2011
Great moral: some things you just have to put up with
June 13, 2011
Great read aloud for groups. Big, bright pictures and a great story told with humor.
June 24, 2011
This may be a good book to pair with Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears.
January 3, 2013
Just a kids' picture book, but fun, cute, and with a good message: "Some things you just have to live with;" it applies to so many aspects of life.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews