Humphrey the Hedgehog Helps a Home

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

Humphrey the Hedgehog Helps a Home — an illustrated stories story. 10 illustrated pages, free to read on Wonder Books.

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

Page 1

"Wake up, sleepyhead!" chirped Pip, nudging Humphrey with a twig. Humphrey the hedgehog grumbled, burrowing deeper into his cozy leaf pile.
"Wake up, sleepyhead!" chirped Pip, nudging Humphrey with a twig. Humphrey the hedgehog grumbled, burrowing deeper into his cozy leaf pile. "But the sun isn't even up yet! What's the commotion, Pip?" Pip, a small field mouse with boundless energy, declared, "Old Man Willow says the river's rising and might flood our homes!"

"Wake up, sleepyhead!" chirped Pip, nudging Humphrey with a twig. Humphrey the hedgehog grumbled, burrowing deeper into his cozy leaf pile. "But the sun isn't even up yet! What's the commotion, Pip?" Pip, a small field mouse with boundless energy, declared, "Old Man Willow says the river's rising and might flood our homes!"

Page 2

Humphrey blinked, his nose twitching. "Flood?" he squeaked, scrambling out of his leafy bed. "That's preposterous! Old Man Willow always exaggerates." Pip…
Humphrey blinked, his nose twitching. "Flood?" he squeaked, scrambling out of his leafy bed. "That's preposterous! Old Man Willow always exaggerates." Pip wiggled his nose. "Maybe, but he also found this strange stone near the riverbank! He says it hums when the water gets too high. It's been passed down through generations of forest creatures."

Humphrey blinked, his nose twitching. "Flood?" he squeaked, scrambling out of his leafy bed. "That's preposterous! Old Man Willow always exaggerates." Pip wiggled his nose. "Maybe, but he also found this strange stone near the riverbank! He says it hums when the water gets too high. It's been passed down through generations of forest creatures."

Page 3

"A humming stone?" Humphrey questioned, tilting his head. "Well, we can't ignore that, can we?" Pip puffed out his chest. "Exactly!
"A humming stone?" Humphrey questioned, tilting his head. "Well, we can't ignore that, can we?" Pip puffed out his chest. "Exactly! We must warn everyone!" Humphrey, remembering what Charles Darwin said, added, "It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change. We must adapt and help our friends!"

"A humming stone?" Humphrey questioned, tilting his head. "Well, we can't ignore that, can we?" Pip puffed out his chest. "Exactly! We must warn everyone!" Humphrey, remembering what Charles Darwin said, added, "It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change. We must adapt and help our friends!"

Page 4

They found Rosie Rabbit first, her burrow already damp. "The river's rising! We need to move to higher ground!" Humphrey exclaimed.
They found Rosie Rabbit first, her burrow already damp. "The river's rising! We need to move to higher ground!" Humphrey exclaimed. Rosie, ever practical, started gathering her carrots, but stopped short. "Oh dear! My wheelbarrow's broken! A wheel just popped off! I can't move all my supplies now!"

They found Rosie Rabbit first, her burrow already damp. "The river's rising! We need to move to higher ground!" Humphrey exclaimed. Rosie, ever practical, started gathering her carrots, but stopped short. "Oh dear! My wheelbarrow's broken! A wheel just popped off! I can't move all my supplies now!"

Page 5

Humphrey examined the broken wheel. "The axle snapped!" he declared. "We need something strong to replace it." Pip suddenly perked up.
Humphrey examined the broken wheel. "The axle snapped!" he declared. "We need something strong to replace it." Pip suddenly perked up. "Look!" he squeaked, pointing to a patch of sturdy, flexible reeds nearby. "Old Man Willow uses these for weaving! They're incredibly tough!" Humphrey exclaimed, "I heard the ancient druids in this region used reeds to create strong bonds!"

Humphrey examined the broken wheel. "The axle snapped!" he declared. "We need something strong to replace it." Pip suddenly perked up. "Look!" he squeaked, pointing to a patch of sturdy, flexible reeds nearby. "Old Man Willow uses these for weaving! They're incredibly tough!" Humphrey exclaimed, "I heard the ancient druids in this region used reeds to create strong bonds!"

Page 6

Humphrey and Pip began gathering the reeds, but then... SNAP! The humming stone slipped from Pip's paws and tumbled into a puddle. "Oh no!" Pip cried.
Humphrey and Pip began gathering the reeds, but then... SNAP! The humming stone slipped from Pip's paws and tumbled into a puddle. "Oh no!" Pip cried. "Now we can't tell how high the water is getting!" Humphrey said, "Without this we'll never know if they'll be safe!"

Humphrey and Pip began gathering the reeds, but then... SNAP! The humming stone slipped from Pip's paws and tumbled into a puddle. "Oh no!" Pip cried. "Now we can't tell how high the water is getting!" Humphrey said, "Without this we'll never know if they'll be safe!"

Page 7

"Don't despair!" Rosie declared. "I have an idea! Remember how Beatrice Badger taught us about water levels?" She grabbed a long stick.
"Don't despair!" Rosie declared. "I have an idea! Remember how Beatrice Badger taught us about water levels?" She grabbed a long stick. "We can mark the water level now and check it later to see how much it's risen!" Humphrey grinned. "Rosie, you're a genius! Let's hurry!"

"Don't despair!" Rosie declared. "I have an idea! Remember how Beatrice Badger taught us about water levels?" She grabbed a long stick. "We can mark the water level now and check it later to see how much it's risen!" Humphrey grinned. "Rosie, you're a genius! Let's hurry!"

Page 8

They worked together, using the reeds to repair Rosie's wheelbarrow and marking the water level on the stick. As they finished, the water began to rise rapidly.
They worked together, using the reeds to repair Rosie's wheelbarrow and marking the water level on the stick. As they finished, the water began to rise rapidly. "It's working! Let's go!" Rosie shouted, loading her carrots into the repaired wheelbarrow. They hurried towards the highest hill. 'The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams,' Humphrey said, remembering what Eleanor Roosevelt once said. 'And our dream is to keep everyone safe!'.

They worked together, using the reeds to repair Rosie's wheelbarrow and marking the water level on the stick. As they finished, the water began to rise rapidly. "It's working! Let's go!" Rosie shouted, loading her carrots into the repaired wheelbarrow. They hurried towards the highest hill. 'The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams,' Humphrey said, remembering what Eleanor Roosevelt once said. 'And our dream is to keep everyone safe!'.

Page 9

From the top of the hill, they watched as the water slowly receded. Soon, the sun peeked through the clouds. Pip sighed in relief. "We did it!
From the top of the hill, they watched as the water slowly receded. Soon, the sun peeked through the clouds. Pip sighed in relief. "We did it! Everyone's safe!" Humphrey smiled. "Thanks to everyone's quick thinking and teamwork! We all contributed and we can learn from each other!"

From the top of the hill, they watched as the water slowly receded. Soon, the sun peeked through the clouds. Pip sighed in relief. "We did it! Everyone's safe!" Humphrey smiled. "Thanks to everyone's quick thinking and teamwork! We all contributed and we can learn from each other!"

Page 10

"It just goes to show," Rosie said with a chuckle, "even a broken wheelbarrow and a lost humming stone can't stop good friends from helping each other!"…
"It just goes to show," Rosie said with a chuckle, "even a broken wheelbarrow and a lost humming stone can't stop good friends from helping each other!" Humphrey nodded in agreement, glancing at the distant stars. "If the sun and moon should ever doubt, they'd immediately disappear," Humphrey said, quoting William Blake. "I wonder what new adventure awaits us tomorrow..."

"It just goes to show," Rosie said with a chuckle, "even a broken wheelbarrow and a lost humming stone can't stop good friends from helping each other!" Humphrey nodded in agreement, glancing at the distant stars. "If the sun and moon should ever doubt, they'd immediately disappear," Humphrey said, quoting William Blake. "I wonder what new adventure awaits us tomorrow..."

About this story

  • Audience: kids (ages 6–12)

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