Once upon a time in a desert land,
Lived a Gila monster, so tattered and grand,
He loved to whittle with his claws,
And had a stash of treasures, hidden in his jaws.

One day he felt exasperated and blue,
And decided to wash in the morning dew,
He willingly veered from his usual path,
And came upon a young skeptic, doing the math.

The skeptic had a theory that he wished to prove,
But the Gila monster was in no mood to groove,
He wanted to be left alone to his own ways,
And enjoy the peacefulness of his desert days.

But the young skeptic was persistent and bold,
And convinced the Gila monster to join his hold,
Together they explored the desert with glee,
Discovering new wonders, so happy and free.

And from that day on, the Gila monster knew,
That sometimes it's okay to try something new,
To step out of your comfort zone, and be bold,
And explore the world, with stories untold.

Reflections

Here are a few questions to ask kids to think about the story:

1. What did the Gila monster enjoy doing in his free time?
2. Why was the Gila monster feeling exasperated?
3. What did the young skeptic want to prove with his theory?
4. How did the Gila monster feel about the young skeptic at first?
5. What did the Gila monster and the young skeptic discover on their adventure in the desert?
6. How did the Gila monster's attitude change throughout the story?
7. What do you think the Gila monster learned about trying new things?