The true story of Punch, a tiny baby monkey at a Japanese zoo who was left alone, raised by loving zookeepers, and found comfort in a stuffed orangutan — until the people he loved most walked through the door

A comfy t-shirt with shorts or skirt and sneakers — everyday play clothes.

Casual Play

A simple, story-appropriate everyday outfit — comfortable clothes that adapt to the scene the story calls for.

Story Default

A soft knit cardigan over a simple top with comfortable trousers and flats — warm everyday clothes.

Warm Knit

Dear {child_name},
Let me tell you about a monkey
named Punch.
He is small, and he is brave,
and his story begins
in the warmth of a Japanese summer.

One golden morning,
in a zoo in a city called Chiba,
a tiny baby monkey was born.
His hands were no bigger than petals.
His eyes had never seen the sky.
They named him Punch.

But sometimes,
even in a story about love,
there is a sad part.

Punch's mother walked away
and did not come back.
He was alone —
small, and cold,
and wondering why.

But here is the part
where the warmth comes back.

Two zookeepers named Shano and Miaoshi
found Punch in the cold.
They wrapped him up.
They held him close.
And they whispered:
We've got you.

Every night, they fed him
from a tiny bottle.
Every morning, they checked on him
before the sun was up.

They did not sleep very much.
But they did not mind —
because love does not mind.

One day, the zookeepers brought Punch
something soft.

An orangutan — but not a real one.
A fluffy, floppy, stuffed one
with long arms made for hugging.

Punch looked at it.
Then he held on
and did not let go.

He held it when he slept.
He held it when he woke.
He held it when the world felt big
and he felt very small.

The orangutan never said a word —
but it never let go either.

But when Shano and Miaoshi came —
oh, {child_name} — when they came,
Punch dropped everything.

The orangutan. The blanket. Everything.

He ran to them
as fast as his little legs could carry him.

He climbed up their arms.
He climbed up their shoulders.
They tried to put him down —
but he held on tighter.

Higher and higher,
until he was wrapped around them
like a little furry hug
that would not end.

As Punch grew bigger,
the zookeepers helped him
meet the other monkeys.

It was scary at first.
New faces. New sounds.
But Punch took a deep breath
and one brave step forward.

And soon he was playing.
Chasing. Tumbling. Sharing snacks.
He had friends now —
real, warm, noisy friends.

And back in the nursery,
the orangutan sat waiting,
just in case.

And one day,
someone very special
came to visit the zoo.

That someone was you, {child_name}.

You saw Punch with {child_pronoun_possessive} friends —
grooming, playing, belonging —
and you smiled,
because you knew {child_pronoun_subject} was home.

Being held
is how we learn to be brave.
Being loved
is how we learn to belong.

And you, {child_name} —
you are held,
you are loved,
and you are so very brave.

A Hug for Punch

What's included

Based on a True Story

Hand-Painted Watercolour Art

Your Child in the Story

A Message About Love

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