Plate: raven | en

Think of two very different friends. One is Hyena, like a dog with freckles (spots). He has strong jaws, pointy ears, and walks on the ground. The other is Raven, a big black bird in a shiny “coat.” Raven has wings and a sharp beak and can fly high in the sky. In the picture, Hyena looks up and Raven flaps above him. That tells us the two characters are noticing each other outside on dry land, with the sky above them. One lives mostly on the ground, the other in the air—kind of like a friend who rides a bike and a friend who rides a kite. They are different, but they can still meet, talk, or help each other. Key words to learn: hyena, raven, wings, beak, feathers, spots, claws, sky, ground, fly, walk.

Think of two playground buddies. One buddy, Hyena, runs on the ground with spotted fur and a big smile. The other buddy, Raven, is a black bird who flies in the sky. Even though one runs and one flies, they were once great friends. They played together all the time—Hyena trotting and laughing below while Raven swooped and cawed above. The big idea: friends can be different and still have fun together.

What it says: One day, Hyena tells his friend (a bird), “I would love to fly into the sky with you.” Hyena has a wish—he wants to do what his friend can do. Picture clues: We see Hyena and his bird friend touching paw and wing, looking up at the clouds in the sky. This shows friendship and the dream to fly. Think of it like this: When your friend is on a swing going high, you might say, “I want to go up there with you!” That’s Hyena’s feeling. Big idea: It’s about a friend, a wish to fly, and the sky. Sharing your dream with a friend is kind and brave. Key words to learn: Hyena, friend, fly, sky, with you, one day.

Raven shared some feathers with Hyena. Hyena stuck the feathers together to make wings, like wearing a costume. Hyena flapped and jumped, but he was too heavy. The wings couldn’t lift him, so he couldn’t fly. It’s like when you try to jump while carrying a big heavy backpack—you can’t go very high. Birds are light, but Hyena is built for running, not flying. That’s why, even with feathers and wings, Hyena couldn’t fly.

Main idea: Hyena wants to go up high, so he politely asks Raven, “Please could I hold onto your tail as you fly up?” Raven flies, and Hyena holds on and goes into the sky. Think of it like this: When you’re small and want to see over a fence, you ask a taller friend to lift you. Hyena is asking Raven to help him go up like that. What happens in the picture: - Raven spreads its wings and flies up. - Hyena grabs Raven’s tail and is lifted off the ground. - They go up into the sky together. Key words to learn: - ask/asked: to say what you want politely. - please: a polite word you say when you ask for help. - hold onto: grab and keep holding. - tail: the back end of an animal; Ravens have tail feathers. - fly/flew: move through the air with wings. - sky: the space above the ground. Big idea: Be polite when you need help (say “please”), and friends like Raven can help you reach places you can’t get to alone.