Little Otter's Lilypad Rescue
Little Otter's Lilypad Rescue — an illustrated stories story. 10 illustrated pages, free to read on Wonder Books.
Page 1
High atop Mount Cinder, where the air shimmered with stardust, stood the Emotion Observatory. "Adjust the empathy dial, Kenzo!" boomed Professor Eldrin, his voice echoing through the vast chamber. Little Otter, peeking from behind the Professor's long coat, wiggled his nose. "Are we really going to map feelings, Professor?"
Page 2
Professor Eldrin chuckled, adjusting his spectacles. "Indeed, Little Otter. And look!" He pointed towards a shimmering console. "A distress signal! A lilypad community is experiencing... overwhelming sadness." Kenzo gasped. "Can we help them, Professor?" The professor replied, "We must, but the rainbow bridge regulator is jammed, a side effect of prolonged sadness, the manuals say."
Page 3
"Overwhelming sadness, you say?" Kenzo asked, scratching his head. "I heard my grandmother once say, 'The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart,' as Helen Keller said. Perhaps we need to approach this with empathy, Professor," Kenzo suggested. Little Otter piped up, "But how do we fix the regulator? It only opens for certain people, according to the instruction manual." Professor Eldrin smiled. "That's the most interesting part!"
Page 4
"Let's try something," Professor Eldrin declared, pulling out a strange, humming device. "This empathy amplifier should help us open the bridge!" He turned the dial, and a wave of shimmering energy washed over the room. Suddenly, a klaxon blared! "Oh dear," said the Professor. "It seems amplifying empathy created a... sadness surge!" Little Otter's ears drooped as the machine began to sputter.
Page 5
"The surge is affecting the local emotions," Kenzo shouted over the din. "The lilypads are detaching from their moorings!" He pointed towards a large viewing screen displaying the cloud kingdom. Little Otter gasped, pointing. "Look! The lilypads are drifting towards... the Weeping Waterfall! It's a natural hazard that washes away all joy!" The Professor sighed. "The disaster happened exactly like the ancient texts said!"
Page 6
Suddenly, the observatory began to shake. "Earthquake!" cried Kenzo. "The sadness surge must have destabilized the mountain!" Professor Eldrin grabbed a railing, struggling to keep his balance. "We can't reach the lilypads now! It's too dangerous!" Little Otter, however, stood firm. "I'm going," he declared. "Those lilypad creatures need us!"
Page 7
"But Little Otter, it's suicide!" Kenzo cried. "How will you even get there?" Little Otter pointed to his tiny backpack. "I packed my glider! And I remember reading that lilypads are naturally buoyant because of air pockets within their leaves. We have to use that fact. Professor, can you stabilize the rainbow bridge even for a few moments?" The Professor nodded grimly. "I'll try!"
Page 8
With a surge of power, the rainbow bridge flickered to life for just a moment. Little Otter strapped on his glider and leaped! He soared through the air towards the drifting lilypads. "Remember, buoyancy," he muttered to himself. Reaching the lead lilypad, he quickly poked tiny holes in the bottom. The air pockets released, slowing its drift just enough! "It's working!" Little Otter cried.
Page 9
One by one, Little Otter slowed the lilypads, giving them a chance to reconnect with their moorings. Back in the observatory, Kenzo and Professor Eldrin cheered. "He did it!" Kenzo exclaimed. "He found courage when everyone else said no," Professor Eldrin whispered in awe. Little Otter landed safely on the final lilypad, exhausted but triumphant.
Page 10
"Well done, Little Otter," Professor Eldrin beamed, as they safely brought him back to the observatory. Little Otter smiled. "It just goes to show that even the smallest of us can make a difference. As Gandhi said, 'You must be the change you wish to see in the world.'" Kenzo nodded in agreement. "And that sadness, even when it feels overwhelming, can be overcome with courage and kindness."
About this story
- Audience: kids (ages 6–12)