Dot and the Drip-Drop Fern
At a water hole full of enormous dinosaurs, little Dot finds a wonderfully small solution to a very big wait. A warm, gently funny story about noticing what others miss—and making room for everyone.
✨ Make a Storybook FreeA MayaLili Original · ages 3-5 · free to read and print
Dot could see tails. Dot could see toes. But could Dot see the water? Not one little splash. The smallest dinosaur stood behind a crowd of enormous drinkers. “Excuse me,” she squeaked. “May I squeeze through?” “Certainly,” said a giant. Slowly, slowly, he shifted one toe.
The whole story
Dot could see tails. Dot could see toes. But could Dot see the water? Not one little splash. The smallest dinosaur stood behind a crowd of enormous drinkers. “Excuse me,” she squeaked. “May I squeeze through?” “Certainly,” said a giant. Slowly, slowly, he shifted one toe.
Dot waited. A beetle walked over her foot. Then back again. “Nearly finished,” rumbled another giant. Glug. Glug. Gloooooog. Dot’s throat ached. She swallowed, but there was nothing to swallow. She stepped into a patch of shade. Plip! Something cool landed on her nose.
Above her, a fern held water in its curled leaves. Plip. Plop. Nobody else had noticed. Dot tipped up her chin and caught a drop. Then another. “Oh!” she whispered. “A drink just my size.” She drank until her throat felt soft and cool again.
“Look what I found!” Dot called. Three enormous heads turned. “A fern fountain!” One giant tried to fit his nose beneath it. Plip. “That,” he said, “might take me all week.” Dot giggled. Then the giant noticed how far she stood from the water.
“Room for Dot,” he murmured. The giants shuffled aside. One nudged a stone, letting water trickle into a shallow hollow. A front-row puddle! Dot splashed in with both feet. “Perfect.” When she wanted another sip, she only had to bend her head.