The Elephant's Pillow by Diana Reynolds Roome
Long ago in old Peking, a rich, bored young boy called Sing Lo asks to see the Imperial Elephant, who, people say, hasn't slept a wink since the old emperor died. Sing Lo takes with him a huge bag of the elephant's favourite buns - but the animal asks for 'Honey above, ginger below, milk between'. It takes all Sing Lo's ingenuity to solve this riddle, but there are yet more tasks he must complete before bedtime if the elephant is to get to sleep...Diana Reynolds Roome's tale, delightfully illustrated by Jude Daly, evokes the vanished elegance and courtesy of old China and will strike a chord in all children with their own special bedtime rituals.