BENNY

THE BRAVE, BABY BEAVER

BY: SAMANTHA VACCA

Benny, the brave, baby beaver, did not fit in. Now, it wasn't that he didn't have any friends because the other beavers loved his company. Still, they did not treat him the same as they treated each other, all because he was younger. Benny just wanted to be taken seriously.

One day, an issue came up with the beavers' land. There were no more sticks left! How in the world could they make their little beaver dams without sticks?

The adult beavers then decided that they would make a wooden boat, sail across the river, and reach the fresh new land across the water.

So the next morning, the beavers all did just that. They worked together to make the boat out of broken, leftover twigs, and then all climbed aboard and said goodbye to their home before setting sail.

At first, everything was fine; their plan was working out great! Until they started to approach the rapids.

"Rapids," one of Benny's friend, Brian, told him. "Are really big waves. So big that they can stop entire boats and overpower sea creatures!"

So then the beavers began to panic. What would they do if they got caught in the tough water.

Suddenly, Benny came up with a great idea!

"Guys!" he called in excitement. "Guys, listen, I have an idea!"

"You're just a kid, Benny," Brian told him. "You don't know what you're talking about."

"Yeah," Brian's sister, Briana, chimed in. "Let the adults talk."

Benny was upset; he knew his plan would work! He just had to get the other beavers to listen to him, but each time that he tried to raise his voice to get their attention, the rushing water of the rapids coming closer or the shouting of the adults would drown him out.