Halloween · The Ghost With the Hiccups · funny ghost story for kids · not scary Halloween · screen-free audio story

That evening, in Pumpkin Hollow, Zélie and Réglisse were strolling across Lantern Square, under the soft fog, when they heard a funny noise: a «boo», followed by a «hic». It sounded like a ghost that had swallowed the wrong way! Curious, Zélie wants to go and see, while Réglisse would rather head home and dive under the covers. Behind the biggest pumpkin, all white and all soft, there is a little ghost named Hippo, practising in his corner.

Poor Hippo so wants to go «BOO», a great, truly frightening BOO. But each time, it's stronger than him: «BOOO-hic!» That ridiculous hiccup spoils everything, and Hippo is in despair. Never, he thinks, will he frighten anyone with a hiccup like that. He could almost cry with shame.

So Zélie, instead of pitying him, bursts into a big, kind laugh: that «boo-hic» is the funniest thing she's ever heard! And little by little, Hippo understands that he doesn't need to be scary at all to be wonderful. His little flaw, that hiccup that so despaired him, becomes his finest quality: he is the funniest ghost in all of Pumpkin Hollow.

This story helps your child accept themselves just as they are, with their little differences. It reminds us with a laugh that a flaw can become a strength, that you don't need to be perfect to be loved, and that a good hearty laugh is often far better than a fright. A lovely message about self-confidence and humour.

And when the whole Hollow starts laughing with delight at the hiccupping ghost, Hippo beams, so proud of his little «boo-hic». Halloween night turns all joyful and soft, and the story settles gently down, right in time to close your eyes with a smile.

Zélie never laughs unkindly at Hippo: she laughs with him, not at him, and she helps him see all that is wonderful about him. Helping a little one love what makes them unique, instead of trying to correct it, is the whole spirit of Tilibou bedtime stories. And on Lantern Square, the pumpkins giggle in silence in the fog, until eyelids grow heavy.

A gentle, screen-free Halloween story for toddlers from age 3, lovely to share at bedtime, in the car, or at nap time. As always with Tilibou, the ending stays soft and quiet, without music, so your child can drift toward sleep without anyone being startled awake. 🎃

👉 All the Tilibou bedtime stories at tilibou.com

💡 Tip: to listen to one world back-to-back, choose its season (Noisette, Léo, Cassie, Marin, Tom the Pirate, or the Christmas, Halloween and School seasons).

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