It was the first day of summer for the ducks at Playful Pond. Pepper was ecstatic! Ready for the day, she left home and waddled into the pond.

    Swimming, Pepper realized she didn’t have any friends. I will make it my mission to find some! Pepper thought.

Pepper entered the woods.

    To her excitement, she found a group of brave, busy beavers!

    The beavers were building. They were bulldozers, knocking down logs. They are so strong, Pepper thought. I’m not strong! They won’t like me. I must pretend to be a beaver.

    Pepper approached them, saying, “Hello! I am a beaver like you. May I play, too?”

    “You’re an odd beaver,” the beavers said, “but you can play with us!”

    Pepper didn’t know how to be a beaver. She sweated while lifting log after log. Quickly, this became difficult, and she dropped them all! Embarrassed, Pepper ran away.

    Pepper was frazzled, but she continued her journey. 

Soon, Pepper came across some slow, slimy snails. She decided to play with them.

    The snails moved as slow as molasses. Their slime left a trail! They are so slimy, Pepper thought. I’m not slimy! They won’t like me. I must pretend to be a snail.

    Pepper approached them, saying, “Hello! I am a snail like you. May I play, too?”

    “You’re an odd snail,” the snails said, “but you can play with us!”

    Pepper didn’t know how to be a snail. She couldn’t slide well. She began to lose her balance. 

    Pepper slipped on the slime and fell to the ground! Humiliated, Pepper ran away again.

    Pepper wanted to cry. She had failed to make friends twice! 

    She was about to go home when some fantastic frogs frolicking near her pond caught her eye. 

    The frogs glided through the water like stars in the sky. They are so graceful, Pepper thought. I’m not graceful! They won’t like me. I must pretend to be a frog.

    Pepper approached them, saying, “Hello! I am a frog like you. May I play, too?”

    “You’re an odd frog,” the frogs said, “but you can play with us!”