Ellie and the Giant Tree

This is my little sister, Ellie. Our story happens in our backyard at night, when the fireflies come out and the big tree looks like a giant. Ellie was not even scared! She stomped right up in her yellow rain boots and gave the tree a giant hug. The tree wiggled its leaves like it was laughing, and a little door opened in its trunk.

Ellie said, "Eric, come on!" and crawled right in. I went in after her. Inside the tree was a super tall staircase that went round and round all the way up. The fireflies came in too and lit it up like tiny lanterns so we could see.

At the top was a secret room made of branches, with a big round window. A baby owl was sitting all by itself. It was crying little owl tears because it fell out of its nest and it couldn't find its mom.

Ellie picked up the baby owl really gentle and gave it one of her best hugs, and it stopped crying. I said we had to find its mom! The fireflies made a big glowing arrow out the window, pointing to where the nest was, way up in the top branches.

We climbed out the round window onto a big branch, and I held Ellie's hand super tight. Ellie put the baby owl in her rain boot like a little basket so it was safe! Then the tree helped us and lifted its branch up, up, up like an elevator, right to the nest.

The mom owl came swooping back! She was so happy she hooted really loud and hugged the baby with her wings. Then she did the coolest thing. She flew us down to the grass on her back, super fast! Ellie laughed the whole way, and the fireflies made a heart shape in the sky.

After that, we went inside, and Ellie fell asleep on the couch, still wearing her rain boots. And now, every night the baby owl hoots at our window to say goodnight.