--- product_id: 17855444 title: "Waiting: A Gentle Story About Patience and Imagination for Children (Ages 4–8)" price: "R661" currency: ZAR in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.co.za/products/17855444-waiting-a-gentle-story-about-patience-and-imagination-for-children store_origin: ZA region: South Africa --- # Waiting: A Gentle Story About Patience and Imagination for Children (Ages 4–8) **Price:** R661 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Waiting: A Gentle Story About Patience and Imagination for Children (Ages 4–8) - **How much does it cost?** R661 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.co.za](https://www.desertcart.co.za/products/17855444-waiting-a-gentle-story-about-patience-and-imagination-for-children) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description What are you waiting for? An owl, a puppy, a bear, a rabbit, and a pig wait for marvelous things to happen in this irresistible and resonant picture book by the New York Times –bestselling and Caldecott Medalist Kevin Henkes. Five friends sit happily on a windowsill, waiting for something amazing to happen. The owl is waiting for the moon. The pig is waiting for the rain. The bear is waiting for the wind. The puppy is waiting for the snow. And the rabbit is just looking out the window because he likes to wait! What will happen? Will patience win in the end? Or someday will the friends stop waiting and do something unexpected? Waiting is a big part of childhood—waiting in line, waiting to grow up, waiting for something special to happen—but in this book, a child sets the stage and pulls the strings. Timeless, beautiful, and deeply heartfelt, this picture book about imaginative play, the seasons, friendship, and surprises is a Caldecott Honor and Geisel Honor Book. Share Waiting alongside Mo Willems's Waiting Is Not Easy at home or in a classroom—these books about waiting for kids will be enjoyed as picture book stories and also allow kids to explore their emotions about that ultimate frustration: waiting. “The short sentences of the text flow with the precision one would expect from a master picture-book creator like Henkes. Little ones, to whom each experience is new, will know what it’s like to dream and wait.”—ALA Booklist Review: Great Book - Such a wonderful, calm book for young kids. It teaches patience and imagination in a soft, easy to understand way that holds their attention. The illustrations are lovely, and it has quickly become a favorite bedtime story in our home. Highly recommend! Review: Pretty, with a sweet message - Beautiful illustrations, sweet story. Not overly wordy which is great for my littles at this stage in their listening ability. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #9,657 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #37 in Children's Rabbit Books (Books) #54 in Children's Pig Books (Books) #79 in Children's Where We Live Books (Books) | | Customer Reviews | 4.6 out of 5 stars 1,437 Reviews | ## Images ![Waiting: A Gentle Story About Patience and Imagination for Children (Ages 4–8) - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81nO5OPtBtL.jpg) ## Available Options This product comes in different **Media Language, Media Format** options. ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Great Book *by I***L on September 29, 2026* Such a wonderful, calm book for young kids. It teaches patience and imagination in a soft, easy to understand way that holds their attention. The illustrations are lovely, and it has quickly become a favorite bedtime story in our home. Highly recommend! ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Pretty, with a sweet message *by B***S on January 20, 2026* Beautiful illustrations, sweet story. Not overly wordy which is great for my littles at this stage in their listening ability. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Forget everything you know about "kids" books. Buckle up and enjoy the ride. *by B***S on January 12, 2016* When I first picked up my copy of the nationally acclaimed book Waiting, I wasn't sure what to expect. Prepare to enter into Henkey's world; this golden egg hatched from a stellar production team and an all-star cast. Pig, Bear, Dog, Rabbit, and Owl; this motley crew will give you glimpse into the secret lives of stuffed animals and toys left to their own devices by a windowsill. Nominated for a Golden Globe in 2014 for her performance in National Geographic's "Owls, who gives a hoot?", Owl's performance in "Waiting" left me breathless; she manages to capture the feeling bestowed by the inexorable arrival of the moon each night, which is indeed a lunar beauty, yet also imperfect, pocked and marred, an allegory to Owl's psyche. The consternation on Pig's face as she waits for rain embodies the unease of an uncertain future. Dog represents patience and tolerance; unrelenting, he prepares for the brutal, yet inevitable winter. Bear; he represents adaptation. As the winds of change ebb and flow, he wields his trusty kite; it is both his shield and armament. While mastering the forces which dominate his environment, his rise, and ultimate fall, remind us all that while we may conform to nature's tenets, we are truly slave to their fickle whims. Rabbit represents virtue; his mind is clear, his heart, pure. Unclouded by the wants and the desires of the others, Rabbit serves to illustrate what often evades each and every one of us; when one abandons worldly desires, true peace is discovered. She waits for nothing; she waits for everything. The novella climaxes as Elephant, an effigy of dark romanticism, spends fleeting moments conspiring with the group. Elephant's demise represents the rejection of outsiders. I challenge you to examine both your own heart, of those of the characters; do you see yourself, slowly, inch by inch, urging, compelling, Elephant towards the edge? Are we no different than the characters in the book, flawed? Sit down before you begin; Waiting takes you on a journey you'll never forget, and have you yearning for more. ## Frequently Bought Together - Waiting - Journey --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.co.za/products/17855444-waiting-a-gentle-story-about-patience-and-imagination-for-children](https://www.desertcart.co.za/products/17855444-waiting-a-gentle-story-about-patience-and-imagination-for-children) --- *Product available on Desertcart South Africa* *Store origin: ZA* *Last updated: 2026-11-08*