Once upon a time, there was a teeny-tiny ladybug named Dot. Dot had shiny red wings and seven teeny-tiny black dots. She lived under a soft green leaf. One sunny morning, Dot rubbed her sleepy eyes."Good morning, sun!" she sang. But Mama Ladybug was not there. Dot peeked over the leaf."Oh no!" she gasped. A BIG, BIG puddle stretched wide and wiggly between Dot and Mama. The puddle went SPLISH!
SPLASH! GURGLE! Mama Ladybug was on the other side, waving her tiny wing."I’m here, Dot!
I’m waiting!" Dot’s heart went pat-pat-pat. She felt tiny and the puddle felt HUGE."I’m scared," Dot whispered.
The puddle looked deep and dark. Little ripples whispered,"Too big! Too big!" A kind ant marched by."Why so sad, Dot?" Dot sniffed."I need to fly over the big splashy puddle to find Mama. But I’m too little." Ant wiggled his antennae."Little wings can do BIG things. Try it, Dot!" Dot took a tiny breath.
She climbed to the tippy-top of the leaf. She stretched her shiny red wings. WHOOSH! A breeze tickled her.
Dot shivered. She looked at the wide water. She looked at Mama far away. Mama called,"You can do it, sweet Dot!" Dot flutter-flutter-fluttered her wings. Up, up, up she rose. Zoom! But the puddle looked bigger from the sky.
Dot’s wings wobbled. Her courage felt as small as a crumb. Dot landed back on the leaf."I can’t," she sighed.
A happy cricket chirped,"Chirp-chirp! Try again, Dot! Think of Mama’s hug!" Dot closed her tiny eyes.
She thought of Mama’s warm wings, Mama’s gentle smile, Mama’s soft song. She felt a tiny spark inside. The spark grew and grew and grew. It felt like sunshine in her heart.
Dot stood tall on her leaf. She took a BIG tiny breath."I will try again!" she said.
Dot flapped her wings. FLAP-FLAP-FLAP! She flew up, up, up! The puddle sparkled beneath her.
Fishies looked up and waved their fins."Go, Dot, go!" they bubbled. Halfway across, Dot felt tired.
Her wings went flap-wobble-flap."Oh no!" she squeaked. Do you think Dot will make it?
Take a guess! Dot remembered Mama’s love. The spark in her heart grew brighter. Her wings felt strong again.
Zoom-zoom-zoom! Dot flew over the last splashy ripple. She landed right on Mama’s leaf. Mama Ladybug hugged Dot tight."You did it, my brave Dot!" Dot’s face glowed like the sun."I was scared, but I tried! My little wings did a BIG thing!" They rubbed their wings together. Happy tears sparkled like tiny stars. The big puddle clapped with soft waves. Splash-clap!
Splash-clap! Splash-clap! From that day on, whenever Dot saw a big puddle, she smiled. She knew little bugs can do brave things.
And every evening, Mama and Dot flew together, their wings twinkling like tiny red lights under the moon. So if you ever feel tiny and scared, remember brave little Dot. Close your eyes, feel the spark in your heart, and flap your pretend wings. Zoom!
You can do brave things too! Good night, brave one.