The Boy and the Red Squirrel

The Boy and the Red Squirrel Çınar BİBER

In a small town at the edge of a green woodland, there lived a boy named Sam. He had light brown skin, short wavy black hair, and a gap-toothed smile that showed when he was happy. Sam loved nature more than anything. Every day after school, he pulled on his bright yellow raincoat and green rubber boots, grabbed his canvas satchel with the leaf pin, and went to the woods to watch the animals. 1

One morning, Sam saw something special. A red squirrel darted up a tall oak tree. Its fur was russet-red, its belly creamy white, and its ears had long tufts. The squirrel held an acorn in its tiny paws. Sam watched quietly from behind a bush. "Hello, little squirrel," he whispered. The squirrel flicked its bushy tail and nibbled the acorn. Sam wanted to learn everything about it. 2

At school, Sam told his teacher, Miss Leah, about the squirrel. She wore a green gardener apron and glasses, and she smiled kindly. "Red squirrels are wonderful," she said. "They need trees to live in and food to eat." Sam asked, "What kind of food?" Miss Leah explained, "Nuts, seeds, and berries from woodland trees." Sam decided to find out more. He wanted to help the squirrels. 3

After school, Sam went back to the woods with a notebook. He drew the red squirrel and wrote down what it did. The squirrel scrambled up a tree and leaped to another branch. It buried an acorn in the soft earth. Sam learned that squirrels hide nuts to eat later. He also saw that the squirrel needed many trees to move safely and find food. "Trees are like a supermarket and a playground for you," Sam whispered. 4

Sam noticed that some parts of the woods had few trees. The squirrel had to cross open ground to reach another tree. Sam worried. "What if a hawk sees it?" he thought. He remembered Miss Leah saying that habitats must be protected. So Sam decided to ask his class to help. The next day, he brought his notebook to school and showed his friends the squirrel's needs. "We can plant trees!" he said. 5

Miss Leah clapped her hands. "What a great idea, Sam!" she said. "We will plant native woodland trees. They will grow into a safe home for red squirrels and many other animals." The class cheered. Miss Leah showed them pictures of oak, hazel, and rowan trees. "These trees give food and shelter," she said. Sam felt excited. He couldn't wait to start planting. 6

On planting day, the class walked to the woodland edge. Miss Leah wore her gardening gloves and carried a trowel. Sam wore his yellow raincoat and carried a small oak sapling. The other children carried shovels and watering cans. "First, dig a hole," Miss Leah said. Sam dug carefully. He placed the sapling in the hole and patted the soil. "Grow big and strong," he told the little tree. 7

All morning, the children planted trees. Sam's friend Mia found a worm and gently moved it aside. "Worms help the soil," Miss Leah said. Sam planted three trees. He watered each one. Then he looked at the woodland. "These trees will be homes for squirrels," he said. Miss Leah nodded. "And for birds, insects, and many other creatures. That is called biodiversity." Sam liked that word. 8

After planting, the class sat on the grass. Miss Leah told them a story about a red squirrel that found a new tree to live in. "When we plant trees, we help nature," she said. Sam thought about the red squirrel he had watched. He hoped it would find the new trees. He imagined baby squirrels playing in the branches. "We are helping the world stay full of life," he said. 9

Weeks passed. Sam visited the new trees every day. He watered them and pulled out weeds. One morning, he saw a flash of red. The red squirrel ran to a new sapling and sniffed it. It dug a small hole and buried an acorn. Then it scampered up the tree. Sam's heart jumped. "It likes the new trees!" he whispered. He knew the squirrel would have food and shelter. 10

Sam told Miss Leah what he saw. She smiled. "You see, Sam, when we take care of nature, we protect habitats. And habitats protect biodiversity—all the different living things." Sam nodded. He understood now. The red squirrel needed trees, and the trees needed care. "Can we plant more trees?" he asked. Miss Leah laughed. "Of course! We can plant a whole woodland." 11

The class planted more trees around the school and in the park. Sam invited his family to help. His little sister planted a hazel sapling. "This will feed the squirrels," Sam told her. She beamed. The whole town joined in. Soon, new trees dotted the landscape. Sam wore his leaf pin proudly. He felt like a guardian of the woodland. 12

One sunny afternoon, Sam sat under an oak tree. A red squirrel with tufted ears and a bushy tail came close. It held an acorn and looked at Sam. "Hello again," Sam said softly. The squirrel twitched its nose and buried the acorn. Sam smiled. He knew the squirrel had a safe home. The trees would grow tall and strong. And the woodland would be full of life.