Once upon a time, there was a bird named Bertie who lived by the beach. He loved the sun and the sea but was always forgetful - like the time he forgot to put on sun cream and got sunburned. One day, while exploring the sand dunes, he stumbled upon a sandcastle with a crab sitting on top. "Hi there!" said Bertie. "I'm looking for something special at the beach. Do you have any ideas?" The crab replied, "Why don't you try finding a shell? I heard they're pretty rare." Bertie thought that was a great idea! He set off on his boat to search the sea. After a while, he spotted a shiny shell and swooped down to grab it. But just as he had it in his beak, a big wave came and carried it away! Bertie had to wait until the water receded to try again. Finally, he found a beautiful shell and brought it back to the sandcastle to show the crab. "Wow!" said the crab. "That's the best idea I've ever seen!" From that day on, Bertie and the crab were the best of friends, always finding new adventures at the beach.

Reflections

1. What was Bertie looking for at the beach?
2. What did the crab suggest Bertie do to find something special?
3. What happened to the first shell Bertie found?
4. How did Bertie feel when he finally found a rare shell?
5. Why do you think Bertie and the crab became best friends?