Once upon a time there was a penguin named Puddles who lived in the cold Arctic. One day, Puddles saw a hot air balloon floating by and decided to take a ride. Up in the air, Puddles was so happy that he started to dance. But then, he realized he was getting thirsty and hungry. Puddles tried to find something to drink and eat, but all he found was ice and fish. Suddenly, Puddles felt very sad because he didn’t like ice or fish. Just when Puddles thought his day couldn’t get any worse, the hot air balloon started to descend and he found himself back in the cold Arctic. But then, Puddles heard a voice calling out to him. It was his friends, who had prepared a warm bowl of soup and a hot cup of cocoa just for him. Puddles was so grateful and happy that he danced and sang with his friends all night long. The end.

Reflections

1. How did Puddles feel at the beginning of the story?
2. What did Puddles find in the hot air balloon?
3. How did Puddles feel when he was thirsty and hungry?
4. What did Puddles’ friends do for him in the end of the story?
5. Why was Puddles happy in the end?