Zippy Swims to the Sun

7-9 min read
20 pages
8+

Zippy the penguin lives among snow and ice, but he always wonders what is far, far away. One day he jumps into the sea and swims all the way to a warm, sunny beach, where a group of kids become his friends. They teach him to play ball (he uses his beak!), he teaches them penguin races, and when it's time to go home, he takes a seashell to remember them by.

Zippy lived where everything was white: white snow, white ice, white hills by the cold gray sea. Every day he stood at the edge and looked far away. “What’s out there?” he wondered.

Zippy closed his eyes and dreamed of a faraway place with a big, bright sun and warm, gentle water. Oh, how he wanted to go there!

One day Zippy watched the waves splash against the ice. Splish. Splash. “That’s it,” he said. “I’m going!” He zoomed down the ice—wheee!—and into the sea. A strong current scooped him up and carried him far, far away.

Zippy swam and swam. Behind him, the ice got smaller and smaller until it was gone. The water got warmer and warmer. Ahh. It felt so nice!

A few days later, Zippy waddled out onto a little beach. He looked left. He looked right. At home there was snow. Here there was soft, warm sand! At home there was ice. Here there was a big yellow sun! “Wow,” whispered Zippy.

Down the beach, some kids were spending the summer together by the sea. They spotted Zippy and looked at each other. A penguin? Here? Then they ran over for a closer look.

“It’s a real penguin!” cried Tina. Everyone was looking at him. Zippy felt a little shy. He gave a small wave with one wing. “Hi,” he said softly. “I’m Zippy.”

The kids plopped down around Zippy, all talking at once. “Lie down like this! Wiggle into the sand! Doesn’t it feel nice and warm?” Zippy stretched out. The sand was warm under his tummy. The sun was warm on his back. “Oh my,” he sighed. At home, nobody ever lay down to get warm!

“What else do you do at the beach?” asked Zippy. “Lots of stuff!” said Jake. “We swim. We play ball. Come play with us!” Zippy’s eyes lit up. “Okay!”

Zippy watched from the sand. The kids splashed each other, giggling and squealing. Penguins didn’t play like that at home! Then he took a wobbly hop and dove in—SPLOOSH!

In the water, Zippy was fast. Zoom! He shot across the top of the water like a little torpedo. “That’s how real penguins swim!” he said. “Try it!” The kids stretched out flat and kicked as hard as they could.

Then it was the kids’ turn to teach. They played ball over a net. Zippy jumped and flapped his short little wings. Whoosh! The ball sailed right past him. His wings were too short, and his tummy was too round. He missed it every single time.

But Zippy didn’t give up. He tried again and again. Then he had an idea. When the ball came, he stretched up tall and—BOP!—hit it with his beak! The kids cheered. “Nice one, Zippy! Can I borrow that beak?” Everyone laughed, and Zippy laughed the loudest of all.

“We have games at home, too,” said Zippy. “Like penguin races! Want to see?” “Yes!” the kids shouted. Zippy waddled side to side, hopped with both feet, and flopped onto his tummy at the water—plop! Then everybody lined up. “Ready, set, GO!” They all waddled to the water and back as fast as they could.

Zippy’s feet sank in the soft sand. He wobbled. He tipped over—plop! But he didn’t mind one bit. His friends loved his penguin game, and that made him happy all the way down to his toes.

Day after day, the kids came looking for Zippy. “Zippy! Come on!” And off he ran with them, just like an old friend. Together they wiggled their feet in the warm sand. They sniffed the salty breeze. The sun kept everybody cozy and warm.

Now Zippy told them all about home. “There’s snow everywhere—white, white, white, as far as you can see!” He leaned forward and pretended to glide. “We slide on the ice on our tummies. Wheee!” Then he made a pretend dive. “And we catch fish! Gulp!” The kids listened with wide eyes. They tried to picture all that snow and ice, even with the warm sun on their faces.

But one day, it was time for Zippy to go home. The kids felt a little sad. They hugged him tight. Then Tina held out a tiny seashell. “This is for you,” she said. “When you look at it, remember us and all our fun in the sun.”

Zippy held the little shell. He rubbed it gently with his wing. It was small and smooth. He smiled, but his eyes were a little teary. “I’ll never forget you,” he said, “or our games. Maybe someday I’ll swim back, and we can play again!”

“Bye, friends!” called Zippy. The kids waved and waved from the shore. Then Zippy swam out into the sea, heading home. He held his shell close. And inside it, he could almost hear the warm waves… and his friends laughing.

Zippy Swims to the Sun

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