Title by Krista Bennett Illustrated by Meghan Phillips
Once upon a time, there was a little bird stuck in a very small and dark place.
“Where am I?” wondered the little bird. “How will I get out of here?”
The bird tried to look around but couldn’t see a thing!
“Maybe I can get out of here if I just.. ” The little bird banged its small wing against the shell.
“Ouch! Well that didn’t work. What if I try the other side?” The bird banged its small wing against the other side of the shell.
“Ouch! That hurt more!” The little bird rubbed his wing.
“Hmm.. ” he thought. “How will I get out of here?”
“What if I.. ” The little bird banged his head against the shell.
“Ooooohhhh ouch! That really hurt!” The little bird rubbed his head.
“Wait,” he said. “I see a little light coming in now! Oh horray!”
The little bird banged his wing on the little crack and the shell broke open!
“Oh it’s so bright out here! Look! Look at that big blue stuff and those tall green things! It’s so pretty!” The little bird hopped out of the broken shell..
. .and into the nest.
Along came Momma Bird with a wiggly worm in her mouth to feed the little bird.
“Hello! You must be my mother. What is that in your mouth?�
Momma Bird bent down to feed the little bird the worm.
“Oh no! I don’t want that! It looks slimy and gross!” The little bird turned away and closed his mouth.
But Momma Bird knew he would love it so she stuck it in his mouth anyway!
“Ewww!” He cried.
But after tasting it, he said,
“Hey, that’s not so bad. It’s actually very yummy!” And he swallowed it up!
Then Momma Bird started to sit on the little bird.
“Wait, Momma! What are you doing?
You’re going to squish me! I don’t want to be squished, Momma!”
Not listening to his cries, she covered him up with all of her feathers.
“Oh wow, Momma. That is nice and warm and fluffy!� Momma Bird started to whistle a slow tune, and the little bird drifted off to sleep.
Days went by, and the little bird ate many worms.
He slept for many hours in Momma Bird’s warm feathers.
One day, early in the morning, Momma Bird brough him his breakfast, which he happily ate.
But on this day, instead of Momma Bird covering him with her wings, she started to push him out of the nest!
The little bird held out his feet and tried to push against Momma Bird. But she was stronger.
“No! What are you doing, Momma? I will fall if I go to the edge of the nest!�
“Oh no! Oh no! I’m going over the edge! I’m.. ”
“AHHHhhhH HHhhhHHHh!”
he yellled as he fell from the nest.
Momma Bird caught him up in the air and took him back to the nest.
“Oh my goodness! What was that for? I didn’t like that. It was too scary! I don’t want to do that again,” the little bird protested.
But Momma Bird started to push him out of the nest again.
“Wait! No! What are you doing Momma?�
“I said I don’t want to do that again, Momma!” The little bird fell from the nest for the second time!
“AHHhhHHhhHH!”
The little bird really panicked this time! He shut his eyes and started flapping his wings really fast!
After a moment, he realized he wasn’t falling HE WAS L Y I F N G ! He was higher than the nest! He flew around the tree and whistled proudly.
“I can fly! I am flying! Look at me Momma! Look at me,� the little bird tweeted and whistled as he flew back to the nest.
“Yes little bird, you can fly,” said Momma Bird. “It’s what you were made to do.”