The Scouts
Short Stories from Long Hill Book 4
Book Overview
Humans are going to destroy the forest to build homes for themselves. Hannah Hen, Simon Squirrel and Jasper Squirrel are sent to search for a new home for their community. When Jasper goes down, Monroe Mongoose is tasked to lead the mission.
The scouts brave snakes, wolves and other predators for the future of Long Hill.
This page turning adventure is a heartwarming story of friendship, misunderstandings and sacrifice for animal lovers of all ages. Grade 3 reading level.
Here's a preview
“Move it,” Jasper barked. “Faster.”
If Hannah had known how tough the training was going to be, she wouldn’t have been so eager to join the team. The squirrels scampered from branch to branch with ease. Hannah could barely hop onto the lowest branch. Keeping her balance while perching on a branch was good enough for a chicken, but not for the squirrel-led scout team. She hopped onto the next branch, spreading her wings for balance. Then she took a few cautious steps along the branch, before hopping onto the next appendage.
“She’s much better than when she first started,” Simon interjected on Hannah’s behalf. She remembered her first training stint when she perched on the branch. The scared hen clung on for dear life, too terrified to hop onto the neighbouring branch. Now that she could walk from branch to branch in broad daylight, Hannah was proud of her own progress.
“If she can’t run across branches, how are we going to evade the predators and get to the blue bird’s nest?” Jasper barked. The first part of their mission was to travel through uncharted terrain to Blake’s holiday home. The migratory bird would then guide them through the next leg of the journey.
The sun had set. They trained by night at Jasper’s insistence. Visibility, even with moonlight, was bad. She could make out from the shadows where each branch was but lacked the confidence to walk on branches in the dark.
“C’mon Jasper,” Hannah moaned. “We’ve been training since dawn. It’s too dark to train now!”
“Get this right and we’ll call it a night,” Jasper’s tone softened. “This is our last practice session. We must leave tomorrow if we are to catch Blake before he heads home for summer.
Hannah was so exhausted her legs kept shaking. What’s worse, she could hardly see at night. She peered into the pitch darkness beneath her and shuddered.
“Look straight. Don’t look down,” Jasper urged. “Here,” he leaped on the branch hanging above her. “I’ll show you how.”
The nimble squirrel romped from branch to branch, quick as lightning.
“See how easy this is?” Jasper boasted as he leaped for the highest branch.
Snap!
The brittle stick broke, sending Jasper tumbling to the ground. He grabbed air trying to break his fall.
Splat!
Hannah and Simon stared in horror as a shaft of moonlight illuminated the limp, motionless body of their leader.
If you'd like to read the rest of the story but can't find it, please recommend the book to your local library so that they can get it for you.
Title: The Scouts
Author: Janice Wee
Ebook ISBN: 9798224401710
Ebook price: $3.99 USD
Print ISBN: 9798224313747
Print price: $9.99 USD