The Girl and the Puffin

Mara is nine and lives on a small, windy island where the sea beats against tall cliffs. Each morning she pulls on her red rubber boots and studies the sky, waiting for the puffins to come back. Her gran, who has spent her whole life on the island, explains how the birds dig burrows, build nests and need calm and quiet to raise their eggs. Mara keeps a notebook and pencil nearby, drawing every puffin and writing down what she sees. One bird with a numbered band on his leg catches her attention, and she calls him Pip.

When a boat brings excited visitors who run along the cliffs shouting and waving, the puffins fly off in fright. Mara feels a knot in her tummy and decides to act. With help from Mr Tamsin, the harbourmaster, and encouragement from Gran, she makes an island guide with simple rules: keep your voice low, stay behind the rope fence, never touch a nest. The guide is printed for every visitor, and the island slowly grows calm again. Written by Çınar BİBER, this tale can be read on Masalcı Baba.