Tali Can’t Sleep, cover
Tali Can't Sleep © 2026 Imri Sofer. All rights reserved.Tali Can’t Sleep Imri Sofer
Tomorrow was Squeek’s birthday. Everyone in the Knitty Knolls was fast asleep. Everyone except Tali.Picture
Tali tried counting sheep. One sheep. That was Tali. It didn’t help.Picture
So Tali counted what has to be done before the party tomorrow. One: the bridge leading to the party is loose. A job for Vic, who was great at securing things. Two: nobody has been invited yet. A job for Pip, who was the fastest of the group.Three: pick berries for the cake. A job for Purl, who always knew which ones were ripe and when things are ready. Four: bake a birthday cake. A job for Wabi, who was an expert in everything sweet.
But every one of them was fast asleep.Picture
The list grew and grew. It went out of the hammock, down the hill, and right under Sploot’s nose.Picture
Sploot opened one eye. “Would you like me to take it from here?” “Yes, please,” said Tali. “Consider it done,” said Sploot.Picture
So Tali considered it done.Picture
Sploot got up. He doesn’t do that often. Mostly he listens, so he knows how everyone does things. He gave the list a quick tug.Picture
The list came undone at once. Bridge fixed, invitations sent, berries picked, and the cake was baked.Lanterns were also quietly hung above sleeping Tali, the way the gentle butterflies would.
In the morning, Tali reached for her list. There was no list. Everything on it was done just right. There were even lanterns! Everyone was amazed.Picture
That afternoon, Squeek had the best birthday the Knitty Knolls had ever seen. Tali looked around, everything was done exactly the way she’d pictured it.Picture
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For everyone who has lain awake counting things that aren’t sheep. A long list of tasks is short work for someone who knows how.