Dear Friends,

Somewhere between the last word of a goodnight tale and the gentle hush of sleep, I grew up—wrapped in the rich voice of my father spinning stories just for me. And though the years have turned, and my father is long passed from this world, I still find myself in quiet conversation with him. Sometimes it’s in the garden. Sometimes in the kitchen. Most often, though, it’s when I sit down to write.

That’s how this new storybook came to be—a love letter across generations.

You see, my father didn’t just tell stories. He fractured them. He’d take a perfectly good fairytale and twist it into something hilarious, heartfelt, and entirely his own. Red Riding Hood might stop to weed a neighbor’s garden. The Three Bears could open a diner. Nothing was off limits—and somehow, it always felt just right.

These weren’t just bedtime stories—they were life lessons in disguise, full of humor, kindness, resilience, and the occasional vegetable-based miracle. And while this collection includes just a fraction of those tales, they’re the ones I remember best. I’ve written them as I imagine he might have told them now, and—truthfully—as a way to spend more time with him.

My dad may be gone, but he is never far. Every page I’ve written, every plot twist and punchline, has felt like a whispered collaboration between us. Sharing this book with you is more than a gift—it’s a continuation of those bedtime talks we used to have. And now, I hope, it can spark new ones in your home.

Because the truth is, storytelling is inheritance. It’s how we pass down what we value most—our culture, our humor, our compassion, our way of seeing the world. Whether you’re a grandparent looking for a way to connect with your grandchild, a parent seeking one more excuse to delay bedtime, or simply a child at heart who believes in magic—this storybook is for you.

And I couldn’t have done it without the creative magic of my partner, Christy Page, whose illustrations bring these fractured fairytales to life in the most charming and heartfelt ways. Her artwork, paired with lovingly supervised narration, has breathed new life into stories that have lived in my imagination since I was a boy.

So, dear reader, if you’re ready to wander through magical gardens, ride with leprechauns, meet princesses (and frogs), and stir up a little stone soup, I invite you to begin this journey with us.

Click here to be whisked away to the table of contents—and let the bedtime magic begin.

Here’s to good nights, vivid dreams, and the enduring warmth of a father’s voice.

With gratitude and wonder,

Don Nicholas

Founder & Executive Publisher

Food Gardening Network