Alessandra raced across the sunny park with her family. Beside the flower-bright pond, a duckling waddled from the reeds and flopped onto the grass.
The duckling peeped once. Alessandra pointed and said, “Oh!”
Alessandra followed as the duckling toddled past daisies and under a bench. Above them, leaves rustled: shush, shush.
The duckling peeped faster and headed toward the street. Alessandra’s family gathered close, gently blocking the way.
Alessandra carried a bare twig toward the pond. Her family tapped the ground behind it: tap, tap.
The duckling followed—step, step, SPLASH! It popped from a puddle with a leaf stuck on its head, and Alessandra laughed.
Alessandra and her family made a soft line beside the pond. The duckling waddled between their shoes.
A sudden breeze scattered petals across the water. The duckling spotted its waiting family and waddled straight home.
Under the trees, Alessandra held her family’s hands. The duckling paddled, splashed, and joined the noisy ducks.
“Quack, quack!” called the ducks. Flowers bobbed, water sparkled, and Alessandra watched the duckling splash.