Bedtime Stories For Kids – Yousef the Yearning Yucca

Yousef was delighted. He stood very still and closed his eyes as Carlos took great strides towards him. And then, there he was, with his arms outstretched giving Yousef the biggest hug EVER.

Yousef opened his eyes to find Carlos pressed up against his face. 

“Maybe that’s enough hugging for now,” he said nervously as he realised he wasn’t designed for hugging at all.

Carlos knew he wasn’t designed for hugging either and did his best to pull away, but he couldn’t.

His spines were tangled with Yousef’s spikes and it looked like they’d have to stay like that forever!

“HELP!” they both cried.

Elsie the elephant came running as too did Queenie while Percy strained to see from what had happened from his window-sill. “How can we get them apart?” he asked.

“I really don’t know,” replied Queenie. “We can’t even get close enough the try.”

While everyone stood around suggesting this… or maybe that… no one noticed Hetty and why would they?

Hetty was a prickly ball with no eyes, no nose, no mouth, no feet, no arms or legs or anything.

“I can sort them out… easy,” she said in a tiny little voice, “I’m a hedgehog!”

Hetty wasn’t put off by spikes or spines. In fact, she loved them and in no time at all she’d climbed up and untangled this one from that one then that one from this one and kept on going until Yousef was free of Carlos and Carlos was free of Yousef.

“Muchas gracias!” said Carlos warmly and everyone knew this meant ‘thank you’.

“Yes, thank you so much,” added Yousef, also relieved to be free.

And after that Yousef didn’t want to be hugged anymore because he’d learned there were also lots of other ways to be friends and besides, he now had Hetty…

And Hetty was always up for a hug!

Y is for Yousef: Yousef the Yearning Yucca
Yousef yearns for friendship. Not just someone to talk to but someone to play-fight with, to sit next to and to hug. We all need hugs – either to give or receive them – but Yousef can’t do this because his leaves are just too spiky.

“Look… I DO like you,” explains Percy, “But I can’t get close to you. You’re just too spiky.”

It’s a thorny problem (haha) then Queenie suggests he makes friends with Carlos. Being a cactus, Carlos is covered in spikes too but when they try to hug, both of them get hurt. OUCH!

So who – if anyone – can hug and play with Yousef?

Yousef name meaning: In piety, power and influence Yosef’s name meaning on Wikipedia

This is an audio-only version of Yousef’s cartoon.  Subscribe and hit the bell for notification for the Granny Annie version release.

Granny Annie’s ‘Ultimate Alphabet Book’ is a different approach to alphabet books insofar as it’s written to expand children’s vocabulary and their imagination. Every letter of the alphabet is catered for with characters that are engaging and lasting; in situations that young people can relate to in their everyday lives.

Z to E of Granny Annie’s Ultimate Alphabet Bedtime Stories For Kids

This bedtime story all about Zac. And yes, he’s a zucchini.

This is a story all about Andre and yes he’s an apron.

This is a story all about Boris and yes he’s a book.

This is a storybook all about Cameron and yes he’s a cabinet.

This is a story all about Dorothy and yes she’s a doughnut.

This is a story all about Eva and yes she’s an egg timer.

Hourglass Book Series

Jo Kemp (Granny Annie writer & voice) new sci-fi book.