The BEST FRIENDS in the SEA
Written & Illustrated by KATIE BEATON
To Dana, my very best friend,
And the journeys we’ve taken together.
Elizabeth Street Books
The BEST FRIEN Text & Illustrations Copyright Š 2013 KATIE BEATON. All Right Reserved.
NDS in the SEA Written & Illustrated by KATIE BEATON
Gather ‘round dear fishies, Gather ‘round my chair. Gather ‘round to hear the tale, Of one courageous dare. There was a time when I was young, When I, no bigger than a pea, Had set out on a journey to find, The Best Friends in the Sea!
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When I started on my journey My age was only two, And that's when I found, just outside town, A fish that looked like a shoe. He said, “I've heard of a friendly place. It is across the sea. Come with me, I'll take you there, It's where I want to be!�
But the journey was tough, the water was rough, And my shoe friend said to me, “I'm sorry my friend, my journey must end, But my buddy you'll always be!”
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When I left my shoe friend, My age was only three, And that's when I came, on the side of the lane, Upon a fish that looked like a tree. She said, “I've heard of a friendly place, It is across the sea. Come with me, I'll take you there, It's where I want to be!�
But the journey was tough, the water was rough, And my tree friend said to me, “I'm sorry my friend, my journey must end, But my buddy you'll always be!�
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When I left my tree friend, My age was only four, And that's when I met, beneath a fisherman's net, A fish like a bug on the floor. He said, “I've heard of a friendly place, It is across the sea. Come with me, I'll take you there, It's where I want to be!�
But the journey was tough, the water was rough, And my bug friend said to me, "I'm sorry my friend, my journey must end, But my buddy you'll always be!"
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I swam and swam,
For a long time.
Finally, I reached the place, That I was told would be, Full of the very, very best friends, Anyone could find in the sea.
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There were smiling fish and crying fish,
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And angry fish and laughing fish.
There were eye fish and ear fish,
And dog fish and deer fish.
I stayed there for a while, Until I could finally see, The best friends in the whole wide world, Were a shoe, a bug, and a tree.
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I swam and swam for a very long time, I swam through day and night,
I swam through waters dark and gray,
And waters clear and bright.
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When I found my old friends, My age was only five. I found my shoe, my tree and my bug, And then we danced a dive! I said, “I went to the friendly place, Way across the sea, But you're my friends, I'll stay right here. It's where I want to be!�
And so you see dear fishies, You need not travel far. To find good friends, just be a friend! Look around you! Here they are!
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Elizabeth Street Books Katie Beaton is a writer from the village of Creemore, Ontario. It is difficult to not be inspired by a place this green and flourishing. This is Katie's first published title. Watch for MISS IRINA'S GARDEN coming soon. Text & Illustrations Copyright Š 2013 KATIE BEATON. All Right Reserved.