Hazel Hedgehog Helps a Hummingbird

An illustrated stories story from Wonder Books — free to read, with narration.

Hazel Hedgehog Helps a Hummingbird — an illustrated stories story. 10 illustrated pages, free to read on Wonder Books.

Hazel Hedgehog Helps a Hummingbird — book cover — Wonder Books
Hazel Hedgehog Helps a Hummingbird — an illustrated stories story. 10 illustrated pages, free to read on Wonder Books.

Page 1

"Hurry, Hazel! Class is about to start," chirped Pipit, his tiny wings a blur. Hazel Hedgehog, her quill-covered back laden with books, scurried to keep up with…
"Hurry, Hazel! Class is about to start," chirped Pipit, his tiny wings a blur. Hazel Hedgehog, her quill-covered back laden with books, scurried to keep up with her hummingbird friend. The Tree School's entrance, a colossal hollow in the trunk of the Great Elderwood, beckoned the students inside; the Great Elderwood was no ordinary tree, for it moved with the seasons, bringing new lessons and wonders. "I don't want to miss Mr.

"Hurry, Hazel! Class is about to start," chirped Pipit, his tiny wings a blur. Hazel Hedgehog, her quill-covered back laden with books, scurried to keep up with her hummingbird friend. The Tree School's entrance, a colossal hollow in the trunk of the Great Elderwood, beckoned the students inside; the Great Elderwood was no ordinary tree, for it moved with the seasons, bringing new lessons and wonders. "I don't want to miss Mr. Owl's history lecture," Hazel puffed, her nose twitching with anticipation, "especially today!"

Page 2

Inside the library, a cozy nook filled with towering bookshelves, Hazel searched for her history book. "Have you seen the new map, Pipit?" she asked, pointing…
Inside the library, a cozy nook filled with towering bookshelves, Hazel searched for her history book. "Have you seen the new map, Pipit?" she asked, pointing with a tiny paw. He hovered closer, his long beak nearly touching the parchment. It depicted the Whispering Woods, but with strange markings they hadn't seen before. "Hmm," Pipit mused, "Those symbols... I wonder what they mean?"

Inside the library, a cozy nook filled with towering bookshelves, Hazel searched for her history book. "Have you seen the new map, Pipit?" she asked, pointing with a tiny paw. He hovered closer, his long beak nearly touching the parchment. It depicted the Whispering Woods, but with strange markings they hadn't seen before. "Hmm," Pipit mused, "Those symbols... I wonder what they mean?"

Page 3

"Let's find out!" Hazel declared, grabbing her satchel. "Mr. Owl always says, like Leonardo da Vinci said, 'Anyone who conducts an argument by appealing to…
"Let's find out!" Hazel declared, grabbing her satchel. "Mr. Owl always says, like Leonardo da Vinci said, 'Anyone who conducts an argument by appealing to authority is not using his intelligence; he is just using his memory'. We can't just rely on his lectures; we need to investigate ourselves!" Pipit zipped excitedly. "The Whispering Woods are just beyond the meadow! Maybe those markings lead to a hidden treasure!" he chirped, ready for an adventure.

"Let's find out!" Hazel declared, grabbing her satchel. "Mr. Owl always says, like Leonardo da Vinci said, 'Anyone who conducts an argument by appealing to authority is not using his intelligence; he is just using his memory'. We can't just rely on his lectures; we need to investigate ourselves!" Pipit zipped excitedly. "The Whispering Woods are just beyond the meadow! Maybe those markings lead to a hidden treasure!" he chirped, ready for an adventure. "Or maybe," Hazel added, "they lead to something even more interesting."

Page 4

As they ventured into the Whispering Woods, a thick fog swirled around them. "I can barely see!" Pipit exclaimed, bumping into a gnarled root.
As they ventured into the Whispering Woods, a thick fog swirled around them. "I can barely see!" Pipit exclaimed, bumping into a gnarled root. Suddenly, a twig snapped behind them. They whirled around, spotting a badger struggling with a large, thorny bramble. "Oh dear," Hazel said. "He seems to be stuck!"

As they ventured into the Whispering Woods, a thick fog swirled around them. "I can barely see!" Pipit exclaimed, bumping into a gnarled root. Suddenly, a twig snapped behind them. They whirled around, spotting a badger struggling with a large, thorny bramble. "Oh dear," Hazel said. "He seems to be stuck!"

Page 5

Hazel carefully snipped away the thorns with her tiny nail clippers. "Thank you kindly," the badger wheezed, shaking himself free.
Hazel carefully snipped away the thorns with her tiny nail clippers. "Thank you kindly," the badger wheezed, shaking himself free. "I am Barnaby, the woods cartographer." Barnaby added, dusting off his spectacles, "These woods have become quite peculiar lately. The ancient glow-sap stopped glowing." Hazel gasped. "Glow-sap is what lights the way at night!"

Hazel carefully snipped away the thorns with her tiny nail clippers. "Thank you kindly," the badger wheezed, shaking himself free. "I am Barnaby, the woods cartographer." Barnaby added, dusting off his spectacles, "These woods have become quite peculiar lately. The ancient glow-sap stopped glowing." Hazel gasped. "Glow-sap is what lights the way at night!"

Page 6

"Without the glow-sap, the nocturnal creatures will be lost!" Pipit cried. Suddenly, a chorus of panicked chirps echoed through the woods.
"Without the glow-sap, the nocturnal creatures will be lost!" Pipit cried. Suddenly, a chorus of panicked chirps echoed through the woods. "The hummingbirds!" Pipit shrieked, "They can't find their way back to their nests!" Hazel's face fell. "This is terrible! We have to do something." She noticed Barnaby held a compass. "Can that help us find where the glow-sap stopped working?"

"Without the glow-sap, the nocturnal creatures will be lost!" Pipit cried. Suddenly, a chorus of panicked chirps echoed through the woods. "The hummingbirds!" Pipit shrieked, "They can't find their way back to their nests!" Hazel's face fell. "This is terrible! We have to do something." She noticed Barnaby held a compass. "Can that help us find where the glow-sap stopped working?"

Page 7

Barnaby consulted his compass, its needle spinning wildly. "The source of the sap is in the Crystal Caves," he announced, pointing towards a shadowy ravine.
Barnaby consulted his compass, its needle spinning wildly. "The source of the sap is in the Crystal Caves," he announced, pointing towards a shadowy ravine. "But the caves are guarded by the grumpy Grubbles!" Hazel puffed, "We'll face them together! Pipit, can you scout ahead? Your sharp eyes can spot any traps!" Pipit nodded resolutely. "Right!" he zipped off toward the ravine. Barnaby, following with his map, turned to Hazel: "Stick close to me."

Barnaby consulted his compass, its needle spinning wildly. "The source of the sap is in the Crystal Caves," he announced, pointing towards a shadowy ravine. "But the caves are guarded by the grumpy Grubbles!" Hazel puffed, "We'll face them together! Pipit, can you scout ahead? Your sharp eyes can spot any traps!" Pipit nodded resolutely. "Right!" he zipped off toward the ravine. Barnaby, following with his map, turned to Hazel: "Stick close to me."

Page 8

Inside the Crystal Caves, they found the Grubbles – small, stone creatures – huddled around a dried-up sap well. "You're stealing our warmth!" one Grubbles…
Inside the Crystal Caves, they found the Grubbles – small, stone creatures – huddled around a dried-up sap well. "You're stealing our warmth!" one Grubbles grumbled. Hazel remembered something from the Whispering Woods map: "The map had symbols representing songs of the forest! We should sing!" she shouted. Hazel's voice, small but clear, filled the cave. "If we get through this," she said. "We will be singing like never before."

Inside the Crystal Caves, they found the Grubbles – small, stone creatures – huddled around a dried-up sap well. "You're stealing our warmth!" one Grubbles grumbled. Hazel remembered something from the Whispering Woods map: "The map had symbols representing songs of the forest! We should sing!" she shouted. Hazel's voice, small but clear, filled the cave. "If we get through this," she said. "We will be singing like never before."

Page 9

As Hazel sang, Pipit, following the symbols, began to hum a matching tune. Barnaby, recognizing the melody, added a deep, resonant harmony.
As Hazel sang, Pipit, following the symbols, began to hum a matching tune. Barnaby, recognizing the melody, added a deep, resonant harmony. The cave glowed faintly as their combined music vibrated. Suddenly, the dried-up well began to bubble and overflow with glowing sap! "We did it!" Pipit squealed, doing a loop. The Grubbles cheered. "The sap is back!"

As Hazel sang, Pipit, following the symbols, began to hum a matching tune. Barnaby, recognizing the melody, added a deep, resonant harmony. The cave glowed faintly as their combined music vibrated. Suddenly, the dried-up well began to bubble and overflow with glowing sap! "We did it!" Pipit squealed, doing a loop. The Grubbles cheered. "The sap is back!"

Page 10

Back in the Whispering Woods, the glow-sap illuminated the night. The hummingbirds zipped safely back to their nests. "We worked together," Hazel said to Pipit…
Back in the Whispering Woods, the glow-sap illuminated the night. The hummingbirds zipped safely back to their nests. "We worked together," Hazel said to Pipit, smiling as the others cheered. "We learned that helping others helps us all." Barnaby added, "Indeed. And that teamwork makes the dream work!"

Back in the Whispering Woods, the glow-sap illuminated the night. The hummingbirds zipped safely back to their nests. "We worked together," Hazel said to Pipit, smiling as the others cheered. "We learned that helping others helps us all." Barnaby added, "Indeed. And that teamwork makes the dream work!"

About this story

  • Audience: kids (ages 6–12)

More Wonder Books stories

All Wonder Books stories · Open the library