The Dino Who Wanted to Peep

Read-aloud note

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

Story

Barnaby was a very big dinosaur with bumpy green skin and a long, swishy tail, but he lived in a tiny blue barn with a very small chicken named Pip. Every morning, Barnaby tried to be as quiet as a mouse, tip-toeing through the tall grass on his giant toes. Tip-toe, tip-toe, hush! Pip the chicken was much smaller than Barnaby’s littlest toenail, but she was very loud. Every morning, she puffed out her yellow feathers and shouted, "Cluck-cluck-BOOM!" to wake up the sun. Barnaby would giggle a big, rumbling giggle that made the garden flowers wiggle. "Oh, Pip," Barnaby would say, "you are a very big chicken in a very small body."

One sunny Tuesday, Barnaby and Pip found two red hats hanging from the low branch of an apple tree. Barnaby put on the tiny hat, and it sat right between his two bumpy ears. Pip put on the big hat, and it covered her whole fluffy head like a tent. They decided to play a game of Follow the Leader through the garden. When Pip hopped over a pebble, Barnaby hopped over the pebble, too. Thump! The ground gave a happy shiver. When Barnaby did a slow, dino-dance, Pip did a fast, chicken-spin. They realized a funny secret about their garden: the bigger the friend, the softer the heart, and the smaller the friend, the bigger the voice.

They walked down to the silver pond to see their reflections in the water. Barnaby looked at his long neck, and Pip looked at her short wings. Then, they noticed something they had never seen before. Barnaby had three golden feathers right at the tip of his tail, and Pip had three green scales right on the top of her head. "Look!" chirped Pip, pointing with her wing. "You have a little bit of chicken on your tail!" Barnaby smiled and pointed his big, friendly finger. "And you have a little bit of dinosaur on your head!" They weren't just neighbors in the blue barn; they were a little bit the same.

As the moon climbed into the sky like a giant glowing cracker, Barnaby and Pip went back to their barn. Barnaby laid down on a big pile of soft yellow hay, and Pip snuggled right into the hollow of his giant green paw. It was the warmest, safest nest in the whole world. Barnaby let out a tiny, soft "peep," and Pip let out a tiny, soft "stomp" with her foot. They closed their eyes, feeling very lucky to be exactly who they were. The stars blinked over the barn, watching the big dinosaur and the little chicken dream together until the sun came back to play.

Scenes

The Morning Shout

Barnaby was a very big dinosaur who lived in a tiny blue barn with a very small chicken named Pip. Every morning, Barnaby tip-toed quietly through the tall grass, while Pip puffed her feathers and shouted to wake the sun.

The Red Hats

They found two red hats in the garden. Barnaby put on the tiny hat, and Pip put on the big hat like a tent. They played Follow the Leader, learning that the bigger the friend, the softer the heart.

The Silver Pond

At the silver pond, they looked at their reflections. Barnaby had three golden feathers on his tail, and Pip had three green scales on her head! They realized they were a little bit the same.

The Glowing Cracker

As the moon climbed into the sky like a glowing cracker, the two friends walked back toward their cozy blue barn, feeling happy and tired.

The Safest Nest

Barnaby laid down on soft yellow hay, and Pip snuggled right into his giant green paw. The stars blinked over the barn, watching the big dinosaur and little chicken dream together.