The Neighbors: Julian and Leilani Out in Nature

This story is called The Neighbors: Julian and Leilani Out in Nature by Lauren Kratz Prushko. This is a LibraryCall recording. In two tiny houses on two little hills two best friends, Julian and Leilani opened their doors, (opening door sound) they clicked off their lights, they stepped outside, and they closed their doors. Then, they went up the hill. They went down the hill. They went up the hill. They went down the hill. They went up the hill. They went down the hill. And they met in the middle. "Hello, hello, Julian," said Leilani. "Hello, hello Leilani," said Julian. What was in the middle, you might ask? Well, there was a clear and shallow pond, with tiny fish called minnows and eye-catching dragonflies that fly straight up and down and can also fly like a helicopter over the pond! (dragonfly wings sound) Julian and Leilani met at the pond to play and have adventures like best friends do. Sometimes they brought their toys but do you know when they had the most fun? When they would sit together, share yummy snacks, and discover what was happening around them. Julian and Leilani were sitting together near the pond and eating red and bumpy raspberries on that particular day. They spied slow movement in the water, and suddenly, a green head with yellow stripes going up and down its face and neck appeared out of the water. It was a Painted Turtle, and it was swimming fast towards them, and then the turtle would stop and float for a bit and then its legs and arms would start paddling again and when they thought the Painted Turtle would swim out of the pond, it suddenly turned and swam over to log and climbed abroad. Leilani said, "Look, Julian!" There were 5, 10, 15, 20 Painted Turtles basking in the sun. "Let's finish our raspberries and bask in the sun too, Leilani," said Julian. Then they went up the hill. They went down the hill. They went up the hill. They went down the hill. They went up the hill. And they open their doors (opening door sound) They stepped inside. They turned on their lights. And they closed their doors. The next day it was Leilani's turn to pack and share snacks. She decided to bring some Snickerdoodle cookies, "fun to say and fun to eat," thought Leilani.She had just baked them with her mom last night, and she loved rolling the cookie dough into the cinnamon and sugar before she helped put the cookies in the oven. Then Julian and Leilani, opened their doors, (opening door sound) they clicked off their lights, (click sound) they stepped outside, and they closed their doors. (closed-door sound) Then, they went up the hill. They went down the hill. They went up the hill. They went down the hill. They went up the hill. They went down the hill. And they met in the middle. "Hello, hello, Julian," said Leilani. "Hello, hello Leilani," said Julian. After eating their Snickerdoodle cookies, they decided to build a fort out of branches and sticks they found around the pond. Julian paused and called out, "Leilani, look at the spider web!" Leilani came over and saw a delicate but strong spider web on a hanging branch over the pond. The tree branch split into two branches, and a spider had built its web between the branches. The web was beautiful, with the sunlight shining through the silk. Leilani turned to Julian and said, "I have some string. Let's make a spiderweb pattern with our sticks and string!" and they did. Then they went up the hill. They went down the hill. They went up the hill. They went down the hill. They went up the hill. And they opened their doors. They stepped inside. They turned on their lights. And they closed their doors. (closed-door sound) Julian woke up the next day and sprung out of bed. He had pep in his step and was ready to start the day! He packed some tart green apples and bounced towards the door. Then Julian and Leilani, opened their doors, they clicked off their lights, they stepped outside, and they closed their doors. Then, they went up the hill. They went down the hill. They went up the hill. They went down the hill. They went up the hill. They went down the hill. And they met in the middle. Leilani skipped and jumped and jumped and skipped to Julian. She also woke up with a pep in her step! They stood together looking over the pond and crunched into their apples. The best friends looked up and saw a blackbird flying in the sky, but then the bird stopped flapping its wings, held its wings straight out, and used the air pressure under its wings to bounce up and down. Another smaller bird flew over and tried the bouncy game but had to keep flapping its wings to stay up. Then the two birds soared away. "That was amazing!" Julian said and smiled at Leilani. "Let's bounce and pretend to fly!" cheered Leilani. And they did. Then they went up the hill. They went down the hill. They went up the hill. They went down the hill. They went up the hill. And they open their doors. They stepped inside.They turned on their lights. And they closed their doors. That night, Julian and Leilani fell sound asleep, dreaming about fast swimming turtles with painted-on stripes, well-built but delicate spiderwebs, and birds bouncing on air. This was The Neighbors: Julian and Leilani Out in Nature by Lauren Kratz Prushko. This has been a LibraryCall recording.