Once upon a time, in the rolling green foothills of the Great Crag Mountains, there lived a bull named Buster. Buster was a magnificent animal — broad-shouldered, with horns like polished ivory and a coat the colour of rich mahogany. Most creatures in the valley gave him a wide berth, not because he was unkind, but because he was simply a force of nature. Even the strongest bull, however, has one thing he fears. For Buster, that thing was Leo the lion. ...
Once upon a time, deep in the heart of a green, whispering forest, there lived a very big and very soft brown bear named Barnaby. Barnaby loved a great many things — long afternoon naps, scratching his back against rough tree bark, and rolling in soft autumn leaves. But there was one thing he loved more than anything else in the wide world: berries. On this particular afternoon, Barnaby’s tummy was rumbling like a thundercloud. Rumble, bumble, roar! ...
On a quiet farm one sunny morning, Clucky the hen was scratching the ground for breakfast. Then she spotted a strange bag lying near the barn. “Peckster! Come quick!” she squawked. “The farmer’s lost a bag of tiny, round chickens!” Peckster the rooster strutted over, puffing out his chest. “A-ha! Babies without feathers! They must be my long-lost cousins.” But before Clucky could sit on them, the bag gave a wiggle. A little voice squeaked: “We are not chickens! We are chickpeas!” ...
Once upon a time, in a bright and busy coral reef, there lived a little fish named Reek. Reek was small and brilliant blue, with a big heart — and an even bigger fear of the shark gang that prowled the deeper water. The gang was led by a shark called Scar, famous for his teeth and for the way the water seemed to go quiet whenever he passed. The mere mention of Scar’s name was enough to set Reek trembling from nose to tail. ...
Dosi the Bully Once upon a time, in a lush green valley filled with ferns and towering trees, lived a big, grumpy Utahraptor named Dosi. Now, Dosi wasn’t just any Utahraptor. He was the biggest, baddest, and most, well, bullyish Utahraptor in the whole valley! He loved to show off his sharp claws and even sharper teeth, chasing smaller dinosaurs and scaring them half to death. Poor little Triceratops would tremble when Dosi puffed out his chest and let out a fearsome ROAR! ...
Once upon a time, in a quiet forest near the sea, there lived a very serious owl named Oliver and a cheerful, adventurous seagull named Sam. Oliver loved reading about treasure maps and faraway lands. Sam loved flying across the waves, feeling the wind lift his wings. One sunny morning, they sat together on a smooth rock by the shore, watching the waves roll in. “I have an idea,” said Oliver, his round golden eyes shining. “What if we start a business together? We’ll travel across the sea to a faraway island, sell beautiful seashells and shiny stones, and become rich!” ...
Deep down in the warm, sparkling waters of a sandy ocean bay, there lived a family of bright red hermit crabs. The mother crab, whose name was Constanza, was very proud indeed. She loved everything to be tidy, and proper, and just right. One bright morning, Constanza was sitting on top of a smooth piece of driftwood, watching her young son Oliver scurry across the sand. Oliver was having a wonderful time, chasing tiny bubbles and dodging the waving green seaweed. ...
Once upon a time, deep in the rocky hills of a wild forest, there lived a wolf named Winston. Now, Winston was an ordinary-sized wolf. But he had an extraordinary imagination. One beautiful summer evening, Winston crawled out of his cosy stone lair. The air was cool, the first stars were beginning to twinkle, and Winston was in fine spirits indeed. He stretched his long legs, let out an enormous yawn, and noticed that his stomach was rumbling. He had an excellent appetite, and he was ready to go and hunt his dinner. ...
Long ago, so long ago that even the trees whisper it only in secret, the mice of a grand old farmhouse lived in fear every single day. They had warm burrows under the floorboards, and they loved to sneak out at night to nibble crumbs from the pantry or race across the moonlit kitchen tiles. But their joy was always short-lived, because there were cats. Big cats with bright eyes. Sneaky cats with velvet paws. Fast cats with claws as sharp as needles. And whenever a mouse ventured out, a cat might spring from the shadows! ...
Once upon a time, in a busy meadow, there lived a very small ant. Though tiny, the ant had a heart full of courage. One hot summer’s day, the sun blazed so fiercely that the streams dried up, and the grass curled into brown wisps. The ant grew desperately thirsty. He scurried here and there, searching for even a drop of water. Scuttle-scuttle, scuttle-scuttle! He peered under leaves, checked between pebbles, and even climbed a tall stalk of wheat, but there was nothing. ...