The Kangaroo with a Pocket Zoo

Read-aloud note

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

Story

Zara the kangaroo had a secret in her pouch. Not a baby. Not a sandwich. A tiny, tiny zoo.

Inside her pouch lived two mini elephants named Pip and Plum, who liked to splash in a thimble full of water. There were three mini hippos who napped on a folded-up leaf. And there was one very bossy ladybug named Dot, who had only two spots but acted like she had a thousand. Dot always said, "Line up! Sit down! It is SNACK TIME." And everybody did, because Dot had a very loud voice for such a small bug.

Every morning, Zara bounced through the park. Boing, boing, boing! And every bounce made the animals giggle. "Again! Again!" said Pip and Plum. The hippos just held on tight to their leaf. Dot said, "Bouncing is FINE, but nobody spill the water." Nobody spilled the water. Not even once.

One afternoon, Zara stopped at the park fountain and looked in. She saw her own face looking back. And then she saw Pip, and Plum, and the three hippos, and Dot, all looking out too, eyes wide and wondering. "Oh," said Dot very quietly. "It is another zoo." Zara smiled. "That one is just us," she said. Dot thought about that for a moment. "Good," said Dot. "This zoo is better." And Pip and Plum agreed, and the hippos snuggled into their leaf, and Zara bounced all the way home. Boing, boing, boing.

Scenes

Zara's Secret Pouch

Zara the kangaroo had a secret in her pouch. Not a baby. Not a sandwich. A tiny, tiny zoo. Inside lived two mini elephants named Pip and Plum, three napping hippos on a folded-up leaf, and one very bossy ladybug named Dot.

Bouncing Through the Park

Every morning, Zara bounced through the park. Boing, boing, boing! Every bounce made the animals giggle. "Again! Again!" said Pip and Plum. The hippos held on tight to their leaf. Dot said, "Bouncing is FINE, but nobody spill the water."

Nobody Spilled the Water

Nobody spilled the water. Not even once. Pip and Plum held the thimble steady, the hippos snuggled down, and Dot nodded. "Line up! Sit down! It is SNACK TIME." And everybody did, because Dot had a very loud voice for such a small bug.

The Fountain Reflection

One afternoon, Zara stopped at the park fountain and looked in. She saw her own face—and then Pip, Plum, the three hippos, and Dot, all peering out too, eyes wide and wondering. "Oh," said Dot very quietly. "It is another zoo."

Boing, Boing, Home

Zara smiled. "That one is just us," she said. Dot thought for a moment. "Good. This zoo is better." Pip and Plum agreed, the hippos snuggled into their leaf, and Zara bounced all the way home. Boing, boing, boing.