Rex Can't Reach
10 pages · 6 min · ages 4+
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Rex wiggled his tiny green fingers toward the treat bowl on the smooth rock shelf. Rex wanted a sweet purple berry before the dance. “Come down, berry!” Rex whispered. “The bowl is too high,” Stego said with a mouthful of grass. “Rex can't reach!” Rex grumbled. Stego blinked slowly.
High above, Topsy was stuck on a thick tree branch with scratchy bark. If Topsy stayed up there, Topsy would miss the jungle dance. “Help me down!” Topsy called. “I will grab your tail!” Rex said. Rex stretched high on his tiptoes, his tiny arms fluttering like little butterfly wings. “Rex can't reach!” Rex puffed. Stego chewed another leaf.
Rex grabbed a leafy stick to make his arms longer. Rex wanted to hook Topsy's back foot. “Grab the wood!” Rex shouted. The rough bark tickled Rex's nose. Rex swung hard. Snap! The stick flipped and landed across Rex's nose like a silly green mustache. “Did it work?” Topsy asked. “Rex can't reach!” Rex sighed. Stego blinked twice.
Rex climbed onto a round boulder to be taller. Rex wanted to grab Topsy's foot. “Look at me now!” Rex called up. “You are very wobbly,” Stego said. Rex reached with both tiny claws. His feet slipped on cold wet moss. Whoosh! Rex slid into squishy mud with a loud plop! “Rex can't reach!” Rex groaned.
Rex scrambled onto Stego's wide, bumpy back. “Hold still, Stego,” Rex said. “I am a table,” Stego replied. Rex wanted to reach the leafy branch. The cool breeze tickled his round belly. Rex wobbled and rolled off into dry, crackly leaves with a loud crunch! “Are you near?” Topsy asked. “Rex can't reach!” Rex squeaked. Stego did not move a single toe.
Rex tied two giant palm leaves to his tiny wrists like enormous green gloves. Rex wanted to make the biggest grab ever. “I have super long arms!” Rex yelled. “Those look like salads,” Stego said. Rex jumped onto a bendy branch. Boing! Rex sprang into the warm air. His big leaf gloves flapped with a noisy whir! Rex flew right past Topsy.
Rex crashed into a soft berry bush with a heavy thud! Sweet sticky red juice splashed across his warm nose. Rex felt sad because his arms were simply too small. “I will never get down,” Topsy whimpered from the high branch. “Do not cry,” Rex whispered. Rex looked down at his tiny claws. “Rex can't reach!” Rex sniffled into the damp dirt.
Rex got mad at his tiny arms and kicked the hard ground. BOOM! The earth shook under his giant, heavy foot. The tree shuddered, and Topsy bounced lower. Rex felt the ground rumble through his toes. “My branch dipped down!” Topsy gasped. “Do that again,” Stego said. Rex looked at his enormous, thumping feet. Rex liked making big noises. “Rex has big feet!” Rex cheered.
Rex planted his giant feet in the cool green grass and puffed out his chest. STOMP! STOMP! ROAR! Rex stomped so hard that the tall tree bent all the way down to the ground. Topsy slid off the smooth branch and landed safely in a pile of moss. “You saved me!” Topsy cheered. “You are loud,” Stego said with a tiny smile.
At the jungle dance, Stego twirled across the warm sand. “Clap your hands for Stego!” Topsy shouted over the music. Rex tried to clap, but his tiny arms only tickled his own tummy. Rex looked at Topsy and grinned. STOMP-STOMP-BOOM! Rex stomped a booming beat with his giant feet. “Rex can't reach!” Rex laughed loudly, “So Rex makes the whole jungle dance instead!”