The Mystery of the Missing Toy

Lily loved her toy elephant, Ellie. Ellie was soft and gray, and Lily took her everywhere. One sunny morning, Lily looked for Ellie, but she was not in her bed. Uh oh!

"Mommy, where is Ellie?" Lily asked.

"I don't know, Lily-bug. Did you look under your bed?" Mommy asked. Lily looked. No Ellie.

Lily looked in the toy box. No Ellie. She looked behind the curtains. No Ellie! Where could Ellie be?

Lily's brother, Tom, came in. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"Ellie is gone! I can't find her anywhere," Lily said. Tom helped Lily look. They looked in the closet and even in the kitchen. Still no Ellie.

Suddenly, Tom smiled. "Look!" he said, pointing to the backyard. There was Ellie! She was having a tea party with Lily's teddy bear under the big oak tree.

Lily laughed. "Ellie just wanted to play outside!" she said. She picked up Ellie and gave her a big hug. "Next time, I'll bring you outside myself!"