Once upon a time, deep in the swamps of Florida, there lived an alligator named Aggie. Aggie wasn’t like the other alligators. While they were happy swimming in the murky water or basking in the sun, Aggie spent her days gazing at the sky. “I want to fly,” she would say to anyone who’d listen. The other animals chuckled. “Alligators don’t fly, Aggie,” they said. But Aggie refused to give up. ...
Long, long ago, the ocean was full of magic, and the creatures of the sea were very different from the way they are today. In those ancient days, dolphins were the great helpers of the ocean. They were wonderfully friendly towards people, and whenever a ship got into trouble, the dolphins would rush to the rescue. One stormy afternoon, a grand Greek sailing ship bound for the famous city of Athens was caught in a tempest. The wind howled — WHOOSH! — and the great waves smashed against the wooden hull. Then, with a loud CRACK, the ship struck a hidden rock and began to sink, just off the coast near Piraeus, the busy port town where all the ships docked. ...
Once upon a time, on a busy little farm at the edge of a green valley, there lived a dog named Buster. Buster was small and furry and had a very big attitude. He loved chasing mice, barking at the post van, and finding the cosiest spots on the farm for long, lazy naps. One chilly afternoon, Buster went looking for somewhere warm to rest. He trotted into the big wooden barn and smelled something wonderful: fresh, sweet-smelling hay. ...
Once upon a time, during a long, hot summer, a cheerful grasshopper spent his days hopping through the fields, singing his favourite songs. He loved the warm sunshine, the sweet smell of the flowers, and the delicious taste of the juicy green leaves. All around him, he saw ants busily working. They were carrying heavy grains of wheat, tiny seeds, and other bits of food back to their anthill. “Why do you work so hard?” the grasshopper asked them, laughing. “The sun is shining, the flowers are blooming, and there’s plenty of food everywhere! Come and sing with me!” ...
A widow named Hong-Mo lived in a small house near the market. Every year, she raised hundreds of chickens to earn money for herself and her two children. Every day, the chickens walked to the nearby fields to look for food like bugs, rice, and green plants. The biggest chicken was called the king of the chickens because he was the strongest. He led the flock to new feeding places, and he crowed the loudest. None of the other chickens dared to argue with him. ...
Once upon a time, in the middle of a sunlit kitchen, a great glass jar of wild clover honey stood on the edge of a wooden table. The honey inside was thick and golden and sweeter than sugar, and it caught the light in a way that made the whole jar glow. Then a playful gust of wind came through the open window and caught the curtains. WHOOSH! The curtain swung forward, bumped the jar — and TILT… CRASH! ...
One day, Masher, Suri, Oscar the silvery oarfish, and Max the mosasaurus decided to explore the deepest, darkest place in the ocean: the Mariana Trench. “This is the deepest part of the entire ocean,” Suri said excitedly as they swam toward the abyss. “Wow, I can’t wait to see what’s down there!” Oscar exclaimed, his long silvery body shimmering in the dim light. Max nodded. “I’ve heard there are strange creatures that glow and gigantic deep-sea monsters!” ...
Suri the Giant Squid floated in the cold, dark waters of the deep sea, his tentacles swaying as he swam toward home. It had been a long time since he had seen his parents, and though he was sad to leave his friends behind, he knew he had to go. “See you soon!” Masher had rumbled as Suri waved his tentacle goodbye. Max the mosasaurus and Oscar the silvery oarfish had both wished him luck on his journey. Then, with one final glance at his friends, he had turned and descended into the deep abyss. ...
One sunny morning, Masher the megalodon and Suri the giant squid were cruising through the warm ocean when they saw something strange. A huge, silvery, ribbon-like creature was drifting oddly in the water, twisting and looping in a way that made it look thoroughly lost. “Is that… an oarfish?” Masher blinked his big eyes. A giant oarfish was a long, ribbon-like fish with a silvery body and a bright red fin running down its back. They could grow longer than a school bus and were rarely ever seen. ...
Masher and Suri were swimming in the super dark part of the ocean, far below where any sunlight could reach. It was so dark, only glowy fish lit the way. Suddenly, Suri pointed. “Masher, look!” There, on the sandy bottom, were a bunch of huge, round eggs. “Whoa!” Masher said. “Eggs? Down here? That’s really weird!” Suri wiggled his head. “You’re right. Nobody lays eggs this deep… except maybe…” A crab scuttled by. “Are these yours?” Masher asked. ...