Pemba and the Big Gray Feet

Read-aloud note

Read slowly, soften your voice near the end, and leave a small pause before the final goodnight line.

Inside this storybook

Under the flat-topped acacia tree lived a tiny ant named Pemba. All morning she worked. One grain of sand. Two grains of sand. Up, up, up. By lunchtime, Pemba had built the finest little hill on the whole red path. "Perfect," she said, and dusted off her feet.

Then the ground began to shake. Stomp, stomp, stomp! Here came the elephants, on their way to the river. One big gray foot came down. Squish! Pemba's hill was flat as a pancake. "HEY!" shouted Pemba. "Watch your feet!" But the elephants just kept walking. Stomp, stomp, stomp.

Pemba was so cross she climbed a tall grass stem and leaped right onto Grandmother Ombasa's trunk. "You squashed my home!" "Who is tickling me?" rumbled Ombasa. "This is OUR path!" "No, it's MY path!" Pemba stamped her six little feet. Ombasa stamped her four big ones. They huffed and they puffed, and nobody listened at all.

Then came a sad little cry. "Ow! Ow!" It was baby Kito. A thorn was stuck between his toes. The big elephants tried to help, but their trunks were much too big. "Oh dear, oh dear," said Ombasa. Pemba looked at the thorn. It was small. Just her size. She was still a little bit cross. But she marched over anyway.

Pemba grabbed the thorn with both arms. She tugged. She pulled. Pop! Out it came. Kito wiggled his toes and laughed. Grandmother Ombasa lowered her great head. "Little one, I am sorry about your home." Pemba smiled. "I am sorry I shouted." Then the elephants scooped soft earth with their trunks and piled up a brand-new hill, right beside the path, with a ring of round stones all around it.

That evening, the elephants walked home from the river. Stomp, stomp... tiptoe. Stomp, stomp... tiptoe. They stepped carefully around the ring of stones. Pemba waved from her hill. "Good night, big neighbors!" Kito waved his trunk. "Good night, little neighbor!" And under the acacia tree, everyone slept safe and sound.

The pages

A Home, Grain by Grain

Under the flat-topped acacia tree lived a tiny ant named Pemba. All morning she worked. One grain of sand. Two grains of sand. Up, up, up. By lunchtime, Pemba had built the finest little hill on the whole red path. "Perfect," she said, and dusted off her feet.

Stomp, Stomp, Stomp

Then the ground began to shake. Stomp, stomp, stomp! Here came the elephants, on their way to the river. One big gray foot came down. Squish! Pemba's hill was flat as a pancake. "HEY!" shouted Pemba. "Watch your feet!" But the elephants just kept walking. Stomp, stomp, stomp.

The Big Squabble

Pemba was so cross she climbed a tall grass stem and leaped right onto Grandmother Ombasa's trunk. "You squashed my home!" "Who is tickling me?" rumbled Ombasa. "This is OUR path!" "No, it's MY path!" Pemba stamped her six little feet. Ombasa stamped her four big ones. They huffed and they puffed, and nobody listened at all.

A Tiny Thorn

Then came a sad little cry. "Ow! Ow!" It was baby Kito. A thorn was stuck between his toes. The big elephants tried to help, but their trunks were much too big. "Oh dear, oh dear," said Ombasa. Pemba looked at the thorn. It was small. Just her size. She was still a little bit cross. But she marched over anyway.

Pull, Pemba, Pull!

Pemba grabbed the thorn with both arms. She tugged. She pulled. Pop! Out it came. Kito wiggled his toes and laughed. Grandmother Ombasa lowered her great head. "Little one, I am sorry about your home." Pemba smiled. "I am sorry I shouted." Then the elephants scooped soft earth with their trunks and piled up a brand-new hill, right beside the path, with a ring of round stones all around it.

Good Night, Little Neighbor

That evening, the elephants walked home from the river. Stomp, stomp... tiptoe. Stomp, stomp... tiptoe. They stepped carefully around the ring of stones. Pemba waved from her hill. "Good night, big neighbors!" Kito waved his trunk. "Good night, little neighbor!" And under the acacia tree, everyone slept safe and sound.

Read-aloud note

Read slowly, soften your voice near the end, and leave a small pause before the final goodnight line.