Koko & Kira Visit Papa Praline's Chocolate Factory 🐨 🐼 Relaxing Bedtime Story For Kids | Rewind

Hello and welcome back to Koala Moon, a podcast of original children's bedtime stories and meditations designed to make bedtime a dream. You're in for a real chocolatey treat tonight. It's nearly time to celebrate Easter and here in the UK, one of the ways we tend to mark the occasion is by giving each other colourfully wrapped chocolate eggs. Yep, hollow eggs made out of the sweetest, richest chocolate that are sometimes even hidden in secret places by a white rabbit. Come think of it, giving each other chocolate eggs laid by a rabbit is quite a funny way to celebrate but it's always a huge amount of fun. I'm happy to tell you that the chocolate in this story is very much not hidden. In fact, you're going to hear all about where it comes from and how it's made because little Coco and his sister Kira are going on a special outing. Before we hear where they're going though, let's make sure you're really comfy in your bed. Perhaps wriggle around a bit, loosen your shoulders and necks and gently stretch out your legs and take some deep breaths. In through your nose and let them out again in a sigh through your mouth. Let's do it together. Breathe in through your nose and sigh it out. In and out. We're relaxing and feeling the lovely coziness of bed and night time. Now wrap yourself up in your blankets or duvet like a neat foil wrapped Easter egg and enjoy this time for rest and calm. Before we begin a quick message for the grown-ups. If you'd like to support our podcast, enjoy ad-free listening, unlock four bonus stories per month and much, much more. You can join Coco Club. Subscribe in just two taps via the link in the show notes. But now here's a quick word from our sponsors. This is Coco and Kira visit Papa Praline's chocolate factory by Luke Prendergast. Deep in the heart of a faraway forest stood a cozy wooden cabin. Inside the cabin lived a family of koalas. The youngest koala was called Coco. Coco the koala lived with his mom and his dad, his grandma and his grandpa. He also lived with his little sister Kira. Strictly speaking, Kira wasn't a koala. She was a panda bear. Coco's parents had adopted her a few months before. But Coco loved her more than any brother had ever loved a sister in the whole history of brothers and sisters and he couldn't imagine his family without her. So as far as Coco was concerned, Kira was an honorary koala and he himself was an honorary panda too. Coco and Kira's dad was an absolutely terrific cook. There was nothing he couldn't make. He could make curries and stews, finger sandwiches and hot pies, delicious salads and mouth-watering cakes. And he was very health-conscious. He was always telling Coco and Kira how important fruit and vegetables were, how they could make you quick and strong and feel good inside. And so the meals he served were always healthy, full of eucalyptus and broccoli and brussel sprouts. Luckily they were delicious too. Coco loved finishing up all of his dad's healthy meals and Kira did too, especially when her dad added some special food dye to the vegetables to turn them purple, which was Kira's favorite color. But sometimes after they'd finished off all their greens and a piece of fruit too, their dad would let them have a piece of chocolate for dessert. And Coco and Kira couldn't deny it, they loved chocolate too, almost as much as they loved eucalyptus and bamboo. They often enjoyed lively discussions about what kind of chocolate they liked best. Coco said his were chocolate eggs with multi-colored crunchy shells, but Kira's favorite were delicious strawberry creams with that sweet gooey filling. One evening after dinner, Coco and Kira were sharing a little bag of milk chocolate buttons when Kira asked a very interesting question indeed. Dad, she said, Where does chocolate come from? I mean, she added. I know it comes in these little packets or something wrapped up in foil, but where does it start? Who made it? Who makes it? Hmm, well, that's a very good question, Kira, said their dad, and he sat down at the table beside them, folded his paws across each other, and began to tell them. Far on the other side of the sleepy forest, he said, There was a factory, a chocolate factory. It was set up and run by a very clever, rather peculiar and extremely elusive white bear, whose name was Papa Praline. That was why all of the chocolate in Sleepy Forest bore that logo on the packets, a big white bear. Papa Praline had a group of highly talented chocolate makers working with him in the factory, making all kinds of weird and wonderful chocolates. And when the chocolate was made, they carted it out and distributed it all around Sleepy Forest to be enjoyed by all of the creatures living there. Wow, whistled Kira, whose lips were currently covered in melted chocolate. What fun it would be to visit the chocolate factory and get the chance to meet Papa Praline. Me too, Coco agreed. But Dad said he was extremely elusive, and that means he doesn't like to be seen, doesn't it, Dad? Yes, buddy, you're applied to Coco. That's exactly what it means. So we won't be able to meet Papa Praline? Ask Kira, feeling a little crestfallen. Wow, said their Dad. No one has gone to meet Papa Praline in many years, but would you like to know a secret? They both nodded eagerly. I've met Papa Praline, their Dad told them. He's an old friend of mine, in fact. I went to Sleepy Forest Elementary School with him. We used to sit down next to each other in class, so we could sit down next to each other. Let me see what I can do. I'm not making any promises, though. But wait and see. And so Coco and Kira waited patiently. At dinner each evening, they would raise their eyebrows inquisitively, and the Dad would just give a small smile, shake his fluffy head and whisper, just wait and see. It was quite excruciating having to rest quietly like that, then not ask questions and not pester him. But finally, their patience paid off. One afternoon, when Coco and Kira got home from school, their Dad had a surprise for them. In his hand, he held a letter. An invitation from Papa Praline to come and visit the chocolate factory. They hipped and hurried and jumped up and down, and threw their arms around their Dad in big bear hugs. When are we going, Dad? they asked. Well, he said and looked up at the clock. We need to be there shortly, so quick off you go and get changed. It didn't take long for the two of them to reappear in the kitchen in their most dazzling outfits. Coco was in his brightest blue cap, and Kira had tied her purple bow in her hair. Kira slipped a few shoots of bamboo into her pocket, in case she got peckish on the way, and then they set off with their Dad across Sleepy Forest. It was far indeed. He led them to Sleepy River, and there they had to get a little boat all the way down, further than they'd ever been before. Until the captain made an announcement, and they disembarked from the boat. Before them stood a large factory built out of wood. From a series of chimneys at the top of the building, plumes of pale smoke billowed, and around the entire factory ran a high wooden fence with a set of double gates. Above the gates there was a sign. Papa Praline's Chocolate Factory. Next to the gates stood a guard dozing, a little brown bear with a bright yellow hat on. They went up to the brown bear guard, who woke up with a start and gave them a cheery hello. He inspected the letter that Coco and Kira's Dad presented him with, gave a nod, and a smile, and swung open the metal gates. Heard straight through the main doors. He said, enjoy. We're here, whispered Kira. She was jittery with excitement. Coco was too. He squeezed his little sister's hand with excitement as they headed up the woodchip path. When they reached the factory, the doors swung open. And there he was. It was Papa Praline himself, his white fur shining, his black, bright eyes glistening. He was wearing a long gold cape with suns, and stars and moons patterned all over it. And on his head perched a glittering gold top hat. Suddenly Coco felt a teensy bit nervous. He remembered the words his Dad had used to describe Papa Praline. Clever, peculiar, elusive. But then Papa Praline opened his arms out wide and gave them a dazzling smile. Welcome to my factory, he said. I'm so happy to have you here. Your Dad was such a good friend to me at school. And when he told me you two were intrigued to discover how our chocolate is made, well, I just couldn't wait to have you here. So come on in. Papa Praline led them into a large welcoming hall in which the gorgeous scent of chocolate was already heavily in the air. In the middle of the hall there was a staircase, and around the sides a number of doors. Now, he said, I thought I'd show you how we make the chocolate here from start to finish. How does that sound? That sounds perfect, Coco said. Kira couldn't agree more. So Papa Praline led them to a door at the back of the welcome hall, saying that he would first show them where the cocoa beans, the raw materials that were used to make chocolate, were grown. He pushed open the door, and the most unbelievable sight met their eyes. They stood at the top of a huge series of fields. In these fields, in row after row after row, grew trees, hundreds and hundreds of them. And up and down the rows of trees marched a team of squirrel workers, who scurried up the trees and plucked from their branches what looked like dark purple fruit, which they placed carefully into big wicker baskets. Hmm, hmm, hmm, exactly, said Papa Praline with a low rumbling laugh. Those are the cacao fruit, and inside them, when you crack them open, are all of the cocoa beans we use to make the chocolate, and they look just like this. He dipped his paw into a tub that stood beside him, and pulled out a handful of dark brown beans. Here, he said, toast one. Coco took a bean, popped it in his mouth, and chewed. He gave a little grimace. Not sweet like chocolate, is it? said Papa Praline. Rather bitter, in fact. Coco nodded. It was bitter, which was a bit of a surprise, because all of the chocolate he'd ever tasted was deliciously sweet. But once he'd got used to the bitterness, he found it was actually quite tasty, and he could sense all of the rich depths of chocolatey flavour in the bean. Now, said Papa Praline. Let's go, and see how we turn these beans into chocolate. With that, he led them back into the welcoming hall, across the floor, and threw a door on the other side. This looked more like a factory, Kira thought. It was a large room with long tables running down it, and at the table sat lots of forest creatures, sparrows and gerbils and cookaburras and dormice. And all of these creatures were busily working on cocoa beans, shelling them, cleaning them, and grinding them down into fine, earth-coloured cocoa powder. Papa Praline explained that once the cocoa powder was ground, it was put into big jars, and when the jars were filled, they were carried by strong creatures. He pointed to the back where they could see a donkey with several jars balanced on its back, out into the rooms where the chocolatiers worked. And there, he said, was where the powder was transformed into the chocolates that got delivered to their homes. "'Would you like to see that?' he asked. "'Yes, please,' cried Coco and Kira right at the same time. Papa Praline and their dad both chuckled at their enthusiasm. "'All righty,' said Papa Praline, and with a swish of his golden cape, he said, "'Follow me!' he led them back into the main hall, but instead of passing across to one of the other doors, now he began to climb the big wooden staircase. They followed him, fizzing with anticipation. At the top, he walked around a balcony and pushed open a door that had a sign on it, reading, "'Chocolatiers!' "'Right in here,' he said. Coco, Kira and their dad stepped into the upstairs room, and they were met with the grandest and busiest-looking kitchen any of them had ever seen. It must have been a hundred times bigger than their kitchen at home, and instead of just one chef, their dad, he contained many. Their dad, he contained many. Each chef had their own little section with everything they needed, a fridge, an oven, big counters for mixing and shaping chocolates, food mixers, rolling pins, drying racks, spoons, and spatulas, and a cupboard full of ingredients. And above each little section was a name that showed what chocolate they were in charge of making. As they walked around the chocolatier room, Coco and Kira stared in wonder at all of the chocolates being made. A raccoon chef was busy making chocolate-covered sticky toffee, and there was a possum chef making fudge. A swan chef was making perfect chocolate coins wrapped in gold foil, and a black panther was busy making dark chocolate filled with crumbly hazelnuts. "'Look,' cried Coco as he spotted one sign, "'Chocolate eggs, my favourite.'" So Papa Praline led them over to the chocolate egg kitchen, where a brown and white bunny rabbit was busy coating eggs of dark chocolate in a fine sugar coating. By her side, some finished eggs lay ready to be wrapped, painted, with all kinds of intricate designs. "'Chocolate eggs are my favourite,' Coco told her." "'I'm glad to hear it,' said the rabbit. "'In that case, would you like to have a go at painting one?' They certainly would. The rabbit chef showed them how to paint delicate patterns onto the egg shells, using tiny soft paint brushes. Coco painted his with suns and moons to match Papa Praline's golden cloak. Kira painted hers with trees and vines so that it looked just like sleepy forest. "'They're perfect,' said the rabbit chef. "'Thank you.'" Thanking her in return, they set off again, wondering through the chocolate-year room and taking in all the sights. Eventually, Kira spotted one little kitchen that didn't seem as busy as the others. There was no sign visible. His countertops were clean, and the little orange monkey that sat behind it wasn't doing anything at all. In fact, he looked rather glum. "'What's happening over there?' Kira asked Papa Praline. Papa Praline gave a sad shake of his head. "'Aww,' he said. "'That's our strawberry cream section. Or at least it used to be.' "'Strawberry cream,' said Kira in delight. "'That's my favourite.'" But then she touched her lip with her paw. "'Wait,' she said. "'What do you mean it used to be? What's happened?' By this time they had wandered over to the kitchen, and Kira had addressed her question to the glum-looking orange monkey chef. "'We have a problem,' the monkey chef explained. "'We've run out of a crucial ingredient and can't find it anywhere in sleepy forest.'" "'Mhmm,' agreed Papa Praline. "'It's a very secret ingredient indeed. Not something you'd expect in a strawberry cream, but we just put a touch of it in. And it gives the Papa Praline strawberry cream its unique and delicious flavour.'" Kira knew that flavour well. It was unique and delicious. It was terribly unfortunate if there were to be no more strawberry creams in sleepy forest. What would she do without her favourite chocolate? "'What's the secret ingredient?' she asked curiously. Papa Praline looked down at her. "'Bamboo,' he simply said. It started off as a tingling feeling in her belly. Then she felt it rushing through her veins. All of that worry about the strawberry creams, transforming as if by a magical spell into excitement and relief. "'But Papa Praline,' Kira said, "'I can help you. I have some bamboo.'" And out of her pocket she pulled the shoots of bamboo she had stuffed into her pocket before she'd left. She reached out her paw and handed the bamboo to Papa Praline, who stared down at it with his blinking brown eyes. "'You have bamboo,' he said, in a certain amount of disbelief. "'Oh yes,' said Kira with a giggle. "'And we have plenty more at home. A whole tree of it, in fact. Because I'm a panda, you see, even though all of my family are koala bears. And pandas, we mostly only eat bamboo. And now I eat a lot of eucalyptus. And sometimes some chocolate too,' she added with a grin. "'So don't worry, Papa Praline. There is bamboo in Sleepy Forest. And I'm sure that we can give some to the chocolate factory, can't we, Dad?' Said that they can carry on making these delicious strawberry creams." When Kira had finished her long speech she was almost punting. She looked at her dad, her eyes full of hope. "'Why, of course we can, Kira,' he said. "'We'll make sure to send Papa Praline's chocolate factory whatever bamboo they need.' And Papa Praline reached down and gave Kira a huge bear hug. "'That's very generous of you, Kira,' he said. "'It's the least I can do,' the little panda bear said. "'To thank you for all the chocolate you make for Sleepy Forest.' And Coco, who had been watching this whole exchange, felt his heart swell up with pride for his little sister, who had once again shown just how good and kind she was. Papa Praline handed the bamboo to the orange monkey chef, who looked absolutely delighted that he could make strawberry creams again. He thanked Kira and assured her that he would send the first batch of the chocolate factory. And the latest strawberry creams straight to their cabin in the woods. When they went back down to the welcome hall, Coco and Kira's dad told them to thank Papa Praline for the tour, which they did. And he thanked him too and told him it was very good to see him again. "'Well, I ought to thank you too,' Papa Praline said, for saving our strawberry creams. "'Now, I'm feeling rather peckish, aren't you?' "'How about you stay for dinner with me, and we can talk all about chocolate?' Coco and Kira looked up at their dad, who looked back down at them, smiling fondly. "'Papa Praline,' he said. "'We'd love to stay for dinner.' And so the four of them, Coco, Kira, their dad, and their new friend, Papa Praline, who was indeed very clever and rather peculiar, but it turned out not very elusive, went to the dining room to have dinner. Papa Praline made a delicious feast full of healthy veg and yummy greens, and for dessert, they had chocolate and caramel. They ate until their stomachs were full, and talked until they could talk no more. Until, full of yawns and ready for bed, they said goodbye for one last time to Papa Praline at the factory gates. "'Thank you,' they whispered sleepily. "'No,' said Papa Praline. "'Thank you, and you're welcome back any time.' And with that, Coco and Kira and their wonderful dad made their way back through sleepy forest to where their warm and cosy beds awaited them.