Piper the Penguin and the Big Splash
Large text for little eyes.
On a bright, icy morning in Pebble Bay, all the young penguins were sliding down snowy slopes into the water with giggles and splashes.
All except Piper Penguin. While everyone else dove like torpedoes, Piper stood on the edge of the ice, flapping nervously.
“Come on, Piper!” called her friend Tilly. “The water’s great!”
Piper peeked down at the chilly waves. “Um… it looks wet.” “That’s kind of the point!” laughed Tilly.
But Piper’s flippers shook. “What if I sink? Or freeze? Or swallow a fish by accident?!”
The others chuckled kindly. “You won’t! Penguins are born swimmers!” said Benny the Puffin.
“Well,” said Piper, puffing out her feathers, “maybe I missed that class.” The truth was, Piper loved the idea of swimming… just not the splashing part.
Operation: Swim School
The next morning, Piper’s friends gathered around.
“Okay,” said Tilly, “if you’re scared of swimming, we’ll teach you!”
Benny nodded. “Welcome to Operation Swim School!”
Piper blinked. “There’s… an operation?” “Step one,” said Tilly, “get used to the water.”
Piper tiptoed to the edge and stuck in one flipper. “It’s cold!”
“Step two,” said Benny, “blow bubbles!”
Piper bent down and tried. “puff—ack! Saltwater in my beak!”
The others giggled, but Piper managed a grin. “That’s… refreshing?”
Then came “Step three: Practice floating.” Piper lay on her belly on the snow. “I’m floating!” she said proudly. Tilly shook her head. “On land doesn’t count!”
They all laughed so hard they rolled down the slope. Piper couldn’t help laughing too, even if she was still too scared to swim.
The Unexpected Splash
The next day, a playful seal pup named Scoop popped up beside the penguins.
“Who wants to race?” he barked cheerfully.
“Not me,” said Piper quickly, scooting backward.
But then a big gust of wind whooshed across the ice. Piper wobbled, “Whaaa—!” SPLASH!
She landed right in the water! “PIPER!” shouted Tilly.
But instead of panicking, Piper blinked underwater.
“Hey… it’s not so bad down here!” she said, blowing a surprised stream of bubbles.
Fish darted past her, glittering like confetti. A jellyfish floated by like a pink balloon.
She wiggled her flippers. “I’m… swimming?” Benny whooped from above. “You’re doing it, Piper!”
Piper squealed with joy, sending bubbles everywhere. “Look! I’m floating and moving and not swallowing fish!” Scoop clapped his flippers. “You’re a natural!”
The Penguin Parade
When Piper climbed out of the water, dripping wet and grinning, her friends cheered.
Tilly hugged her. “See? You just needed one splash of courage!” Piper beamed. “And a lot of bubbles.”
From that day on, Piper became the best “splash coach” in Pebble Bay. Whenever a new penguin was scared, she’d tell them,
“It’s okay to be nervous. The bravest thing you can do is try!”
And every time she dove into the water, she shouted, “For Operation Swim School!”
The bay would echo with laughter, ripples, and flippers in motion, because even the most hesitant penguin can make the biggest splash once they take that first leap.
The End !
