A New Friend at Boulders Beach
Leo walked on the warm sand. He was at Boulders Beach in South Africa.
He looked at the big, round rocks. The blue sea water was cool and bright.
Soon, Leo saw a small friend. It was a little black and white penguin!
The penguin had a shiny black back. It had a soft white tummy with tiny spots.
It waddled left and right on the sand. Leo laughed to see it walk.
The penguin came very close to Leo's shoes. It looked up at him with curious eyes.
Leo stood very still like a statue. He did not want to scare his new friend.
The penguin let out a loud, happy honk. It sounded just like a little donkey!
Leo smiled from ear to ear. He loved the funny, noisy penguin.
The little bird hopped onto a big, flat rock. It waved its wings in the warm sun.
Leo waved his hands back at the penguin. He knew they were best friends now.
The sun began to set in the sky. It was time for Leo to go home.
He waved goodbye to the penguin colony. It was the best beach day ever.
- Boulders:
- Very large, smooth, round rocks.
- Waddle:
- To walk with short steps, rocking from side to side like a duck or penguin.
- Colony:
- A large group of animals of the same kind that live together in one place.
- Statue:
- A figure of a person or animal made of stone or wood that does not move.
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- 1Where was Leo walking at the beginning of the story?
- 2What kind of animal did Leo see on the beach?
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About this short story passage for Lower Elementary
“A New Friend at Boulders Beach” is a short story reading passage about African Penguins, written for Lower Elementary. It takes about 1 minute to read (194 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.