V1. Leo’s Great Dance

Once there was a happy little leaf named Leo. He lived high up on a big, strong oak tree with all of his friends.

All summer long, Leo played games. He loved to reach for the warm sun and wiggle when raindrops tickled him. It was the best!

But one day, the air felt a little chilly. Leo looked at his edges and saw that his bright green color was changing to a shiny, brilliant gold.

“Oh no, Leo!” whispered his friends. “You’re changing! What’s happening?” They were all very worried. They didn’t want him to leave the branch.

[Pause and Wonder… During Your Reading] 🤔 How do you think Leo feels when he sees he is changing color?

Leo felt a little wobbly and scared. He didn’t want to change, either.

Just then, a friendly breeze came dancing by. Whooosh!

“Hello, little leaves!” the breeze whispered kindly. “My name is Zephyr. Please don’t be sad. It’s time for the Great Dance!”

Leo shivered. “The Great Dance? That sounds scary.”

“Scary?” chuckled Zephyr. “Oh no, it’s the most fun part! Letting go is how you learn to fly! You get to twirl and spin and float all the way down to the ground.”

[Pause and Wonder… During Your Reading] 🤔 What do you think the Great Dance will look like?

Zephyr swirled gently around Leo. “And after your dance, you get a very important new job. You’ll snuggle into the earth and become a cozy blanket for the tree’s roots. You help the tree sleep all winter so it can grow new baby leaves next spring!”

Hearing this, Leo wasn’t scared anymore. He was excited! A new job and a dance? How wonderful!

When the next puff of wind came, Leo wiggled his stem. “Whee!” he shouted. He waved goodbye to his friends on the branch. “Watch my dance!”

And then he let go.

Leo spun like a top. He soared like a superhero. He floated down, down, down, landing on a soft pile of other colorful leaves. It was the most beautiful dance ever.

Looking up, he saw his friends waving. They weren’t worried anymore. They couldn’t wait for their turn to dance, too.