Pippa Penguin and the Upside Down Post Office
Bright Bloomer Bedtime Stories
Ages 3 to 5 · About 3 minutes
A funny penguin bedtime story for preschoolers ages 3 to 5. Pippa solves an upside down mail mystery and learns about directions and helping others.
Pippa Penguin’s first delivery day began with a letter landing on her foot.
Then another landed on her head.
“That is not where letters belong,” she told the post office.
The post office did not answer. Its little mailbox was upside down.
Pippa put on her blue mailbag anyway.
“I shall be an extremely careful post penguin,” she announced.
An envelope immediately slid out behind her.
Nana picked it up.
“Perhaps we should investigate before your bag delivers the whole village to your feet.”
Each envelope had a picture showing its destination.
A fish for the fish shaped cottage. A pine tree for the pine tree cottage. A snowflake for Nana’s door.
Pippa held one upside down.
“A mysterious mountain!”
Nana turned it around.
“A fish tail.”
Pippa looked at the cottage across the lane.
“So pictures are easier to follow when they face the right way.”
“And so are mailboxes,” Nana said.
They set the letters on a dry bench and went to inspect the very confused box.
The empty mailbox was small enough for them to turn together.
Pippa held one side. Nana held the other.
Up became up. Down became down. The little opening stayed where letters could safely go.
Pippa posted one envelope.
It stayed inside.
“An astonishing improvement!” she cried.
Then she followed the picture addresses through the village.
The fish cottage received its letter. The pine tree cottage received its card.
Nana’s snowflake envelope held a drawing of Pippa wearing a very large post hat.
By evening, Pippa’s bag was empty and her feet were pleasantly tired.
She hung the bag beside her reading nook.
“Any more deliveries?” Nana asked.
Pippa handed her a folded blanket.
“One warm parcel. No stamp required.”
They snuggled beneath it and opened a storybook.
Pippa checked the cover before Nana began.
“Right way up,” she whispered. “Excellent.”
Outside, the snow settled on the properly positioned mailbox.
Inside, Pippa listened until the words floated gently into her dreams.
A little discovery for tomorrow
Draw picture addresses for two toy houses. Can your child deliver a pretend letter by matching the pictures and noticing which way up they face?