The Walrus and the Puffin

In a cold blue bay dotted with floating icebergs, Walter the walrus enjoys slow swims and low, rumbly humming. His peaceful routine is interrupted one bright day when Percy, a tiny puffin, lands on a nearby rock. Despite their differences—Walter is huge and slow, Percy is small and quick—they become friends immediately. Each teaches the other something useful, from the best fishing spots to the warmest rocks for resting, and they learn that friendship comes in all shapes and sizes.

When the sky darkens and the sea turns rough, Percy's short wings tire in the wind, and he tumbles across the water with nowhere safe to land. Walter uses his big body to shield his little friend from the crashing waves and offers Percy the steadiest place he knows: his own broad back. Percy must decide whether to trust his friend and climb up. This gentle tale by Jane MEADOW, which can be read on Kids Tale Book, follows the two through the storm to a snug rock sheltered behind a tall cliff and closes with the quiet after the wind dies down. Young children will learn that help can come from someone very different, that bravery is not about size, and that trusting a friend can carry you through rough water. It is ideal for read-aloud sessions with preschoolers and early readers.