Little Stories from Nature

CONTENTS introduction - p. 4 acorn hunt - p. 6

the robin and a nest to be built - p. 10 yesterday i was a tadpole! - p. 14 i spread my wings! - p. 18

adventure under the carrots - p. 22 the journey of a snowflake - p. 26 from flower to flower - p. 28

the fox is looking for a den - p. 32 the lost antlers - p. 36

my shell, my den! - p. 40

walking on the pond - p. 44 stinky skunk! - p. 46 bat flight - p. 50

badger’s pawprints - p. 54 in the anthill - p. 58

the droplet goes back

into the stream - p. 62

beavers at work - p. 64

marmots on guard! - p. 68

what a noise, woodpecker! - p. 72 two little brothers - p. 76

Acorn hunt When the freezing winter arrives, squirrels need to be ready. How? By stocking hiding places full of food! Follow the little squirrel as he collects large acorns and looks for the perfect place to store them.

The sun is already high in the sky when the little squirrel comes out of his hole in the branches of a large tree and sniffs the air. With rapid movements, he scuttles along the trunk so fast that it looks like he’s flying!

“A few big acorns to save for the winter are just what I need!” he thinks as he runs toward the oak tree in the center of the woods.

In the shade of the centuries-old oak, insects buzz and birds chirp as the squirrel approaches.

6

There it is!

Near the gnarled roots of the tree he can see a twig with a leaf hanging from it and a shiny acorn ready to be taken.

Without giving it a second thought, the squirrel grabs the acorn between his paws and hides it in his cheek. How funny his face looks with one big cheek!

“Quick, there’s no time to waste!” the squirrel thinks as he climbs a tree and moves from branch to branch toward a secret hiding place that only he knows. Among the birch trees, there is a hole hidden by a bush where he has already deposited walnuts, hazelnuts, and shiny acorns.

7

Yesterday I was a tadpole!

The frog has a story to tell. Read on to find out how he was born and transformed into a lovely little amphibian!

In the middle of a pond, a little frog sits comfortably on a damp stone. Insects buzz around him as he jumps and lands on a flat lily pad with one leap.

14

“How fun it is to jump!” thinks the frog.

“Only a short time ago I was swimming with my siblings in the water, wagging my long tail!”

Tadpole

As soon as he came out of his gelatinous egg, the frog looked like a small, dark fish; a tail attached to a round head allowed him to swim in the pond.

15

I spread my wings!

Butterflies are magnificent creatures with enchantingly colorful wings and a graceful flight. But how are they born? Read the story to find out about their transformation!

Hanging from a thin branch, what looks like a crumpled leaf swings in the wind. Looking at it closely, however, you notice that it is not a leaf but a greenish cocoon, hanging from the plant by two silk threads.

It seems to be alive, as if something inside is pushing to come out.

18

A gap forms in the cocoon, and little by little a creature with a velvety body emerges. It appears to have wings, but they are folded.

“Finally, the sun!” thinks the creature.

“I feel like I’ve been asleep for so long!” she adds, settling on the branch to soak up the warmth of the sun.

19

Adventure under the carrots Moles live in long tunnels underground.

But what do these cute animals do all day? Find out by reading the story!

At the edge of the garden there is a vegetable patch full of juicy vegetables: heads of lettuce, zucchini, and green tufts under which large orange carrots are growing. But hey, what is that among the vegetables? A mound of earth?

No, but what is it?

22

It looks like some animal has dug right under the patch and created small mounds of soft soil.

There it is! Under the earth, something small and furry moves in the dark. It’s a mole! He has big, strong front legs, with short, sturdy claws.

23

“So much juicy nectar!” thinks the bee as she begins to suck the sugary liquid in the center of the flower, using her tongue.

Her mouth is so long that it looks like a proboscis! Everything she collects she keeps in her honeycomb bag, a small organ that is found inside every bee.

30

Once finished, the little bee prepares to fly to another flower.

Her body is covered in small yellow balls; it is the pollen from the flowers on which she has stopped. Without knowing it, the bee transports pollen to every flower she lands on. Thanks to her buzzing flight, dozens of new flowers will be born!

31

“When we grow up, two large antlers will grow on our heads too! They are hard and strong, and we will need them to defend ourselves,” explains the older one. The little one doesn’t seem entirely convinced. “But why was this antler abandoned here?” he asks his brother.

38

“I really don’t know!” his brother replies.

A deep voice rises from the woods. “Let me explain it to you!” A large, dark deer makes his way into the clearing. On his head is an incredibly large and magnificent pair of antlers.

“Every year in winter, we deer lose our antlers.

Then, gradually, they grow back until they fall off again.”

The fawns hop around the adult deer, then follow him deep into the woods.

39

Bat flight Bats have very weak eyesight. That’s why, when they fly, they have a special strategy to avoid getting lost!

Darkness has come down to cover the forest. Hanging upside down, wrapped in his large wings, a bat is waking up.

“After a good sleep, it’s time to look for some juicy insects to eat,” he thinks, as he spreads his wings.

50

He flies off the tree. With his eyes, however, he can see very little!

Just ahead of him are the branches of another large tree, and he heads right toward them.

Watch out, bat!

51

The droplet goes back into the stream The water that we see flowing in rivers and streams completes a very important journey for life on Earth: the water cycle!

The small drop of water moves in a river at great speed. The sun warms it with its rays. “I feel so light!” thinks the droplet. “It almost feels like I’m floating!” The droplet has actually become water vapor and is rising toward the sky. The higher it goes, the colder it feels. “Brrr!” it thinks as it becomes a drop once again.

62

With her are other droplets that stay close together, forming white clouds. The droplet gets bigger and heavier! “I feel a force pulling me to the ground!” it thinks. And there it goes; it falls from the sky with the other droplets and returns to the stream!

63

The marmot notices the bird of prey flying over the area. “You won’t catch us!” she thinks, “I am a sentry!” The marmot emits a very high-pitched whistle to warn the others, who immediately run into their underground den.

70

After whistling, the sentinel marmot launches herself inside the den, just a few seconds before the golden eagle’s claws graze the grass where she just was.

Emergency over, thanks to a whistle!

71

They take a few cautious steps, then start jumping more and more.

“So much fun!” they say, chasing each other in the meadow. They taste a few daisies, then some juicy leaves before starting to chase each other again.

Suddenly, they hear a series of loud stomps.

78

Their father is stomping the ground with his hind legs; danger is coming!

Even though they are very small, the two little rabbits know that it is important to get back to their hole immediately.

With small, quick leaps they reach the adult rabbit and follow him underground.

79

ILLUSTRATOR Francesca Sudano is a director, animator, and illustrator. When she’s not drawing, she can be found out in the woods, searching for wild plants, mushrooms, and ideas. She’s passionate about funny and surreal stories. That’s why her projects often focus on the oddities of nature and bizarre life experiences.

To follow her adventures, search for @kooomash on Instagram or go to www.francescasudano.art.

AUTHOR Altea Villa has a doctor of Modern History degree in social history. Since 2018, she has been a content writer for children’s magazines and books, particularly focused on divulgation and “edutainment.”

WS whitestar kidsTM is a trademark of White Star s.r.l. © 2024 White Star s.r.l.

Piazzale Luigi Cadorna, 6 - 20123 Milan, Italy www.whitestar.it Translation: Inga Sempel Editing: Michele Suchomel-Casey All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission from the publisher.

First printing, March 2024 ISBN 978-88-544-2047-2 1 2 3 4 5 6 28 27 26 25 24 Printed and manufactured in Türkiye

by Arkadas Printhouse, Ankara Turkey