The Boy and the Puffins

Eight-year-old Sam steps off the boat onto Puffin Island wearing his yellow raincoat and red boots, with a notebook and pencil ready to sketch whatever he finds. Ranger Jo greets him at the dock and walks him along the grassy paths to see the puffins, plump black-and-white seabirds with bright orange striped beaks that waddle, carry silver fish, and raise their chicks in burrows on the slope.

Sam's happiness fades as visiting families wander off the paths, shout, and leave litter behind. One puffin trembles near its burrow, another pecks at a plastic bag, and a third stays hidden. Ranger Jo explains that puffins are shy and easily frightened by loud voices and people coming too close. Sam decides to act, turning his notebook into a tool: he draws friendly pictures and simple messages asking visitors to stay on the paths, keep their voices soft, and protect the burrows. Written by Çınar BİBER, this gentle tale can be read on Masalcı Baba.