Jungle Surprises (3 page)

“Tugg, what kind of bird has polka-dot wings and a wiggly tail?” asked Teeny.

 

Tugg looked up in the sky. He knew that it was not really a bird, but he wanted to tease Teeny.

“That's a Belong Bird,” said Tugg. “In a minute it will
be long gone
! Just a little gorilla joke, Monkeyface. Let's go see if we can find it.”

 

In a clearing they found some of their neighbors. Everyone was looking up at the strange bird in the sky.

 

Milly Heron asked, “Is it green and blue with a crooked tail?”

“No, it is red and yellow with a straight tail,” said Rory Lion.

BooBoo the Baboon said, “Then it must be a parrot.”

 

“It is too high to be a parrot,” said Go-Go Gazelle.

“Then it is an airplane,” said Zig, the wacky zebra brother.

“It is too small to be an airplane,” said Zag, the other wacky zebra brother.

 

Everyone was quiet for a long time. No one knew for sure what was up in the sky.

“Where is Violet?” asked Tugg. “She will know what it is.”

 

So everyone marched over to Violet's house. But the warthog was not at home. Instead they found Chuckie Cheetah.

“Chuckie,” asked Tugg, “where is Violet?”

“Wind-fishing.”

“Wind-fishing?”
Teeny scratched her head. “What is that?”

“I have no idea,” said Chuckie. “Violet just said she was hoping to catch a strong wind.”

 

At last, there was Violet lying in a heap of jungle grass, whistling and holding onto a piece of string that went straight up to the sky.

 

“Look!” yelled Teeny. “Violet really
is
wind-fishing. Her fishing line goes all the way up to the sky.”

“What are you fishing for, Violet?” Tugg asked her. “And have you seen a strange bird?”

 

Violet tugged on the string until something fluttered down and landed right in front of Teeny.

Everyone gasped, “Violet, you caught the bird!”

Violet burped. “It's a
kite
bird,” she said. “Now, who wants to fly it?”

 

And everyone spent the rest of the afternoon wind-fishing with Violet's kite.

Dear Parents,

All children learn to read at their own pace and in their own way. Some children dive in successfully while others seem to struggle. Regardless of your child's stage of development, this book can be shared together. Although
Tugg and Teeny
is designed to be a beginning chapter book for newly independent readers, any child can enjoy the stories inside.

Independent Readers:
These children can pick up this book and read, comprehend, and get pleasure from it independently. Allow your child to read the book alone. After you have also read the book, discuss the stories together. Discover which parts your child liked best, and share what you enjoyed. Compare the stories to another book or to a real-life occurrence.

Newly Independent Readers:
These children are very excited to be reading their “first chapter book.” If your child is at this stage, begin by introducing the characters and concepts in the stories. Following your introduction, listen to your child read the book aloud, and offer assistance when needed. Allow your child to look at the pictures to enhance the stories and aid in comprehension. Although this book is considered to be a beginning chapter book, it is really a collection of stories. If your child does not have the endurance to read the entire book, just one of the three stories can be read in a sitting.