THE ADVENTURES OF KENNEDY THE SQUIRREL

On a bright, wintery morning, Kennedy set out with her dad and brother to gather nuts for the long winter ahead. It had been a difficult year for the family. After losing her mother, Kennedy and her brother were still learning how to move forward without her, and they hadn’t collected as much food as they needed. As they began their walk home, Kennedy started to dance. She twirled and twirled, letting the cold air swirl around her — until suddenly she realized she didn’t recognize anything around her. The trees looked unfamiliar. The shadows felt different. A knot of fear tightened in her chest. The sky darkened as evening crept in. Kennedy’s paws trembled. She began to cry, worried she might never find her way home again. She had wandered farther than she ever had before, stumbling into a part of the forest she didn’t recognize. Dozens of animals were gathering food for winter, but none of them knew where her family was. Meanwhile, her father and brother searched frantically for her. When night fell with no sign of Kennedy, they reluctantly returned home, hoping she might somehow find her way back. Exhausted, confused, and hungry, Kennedy curled up beneath a tree and fell asleep. When she woke the next morning, sunlight warmed her face. Just then, she spotted a lumber truck rumbling down a nearby path. Hoping it might take her closer to home, Kennedy climbed aboard and held on tight as the truck carried her away.