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Reading the story with your Child |
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"The Perfect Acorn" |
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 Most of the other chipmunks in the woods spent the summer
gathering acorns for winter. Maryann the Chipmunk was different. She was looking for the Perfect Acorn. Oh, she would eat imperfect acorns while she was looking. But she wouldn’t store any of those away for the winter. She would only store perfect
ones, when she found them. They would be so big that she would only need a few.Every night Maryann had a wonderful dream; she had found the Perfect Acorn. She saw herself at a dinner party with all her chipmunk friends. Some of them were eating imperfect small acorns. Others were eating acorns that had broken shells. Maryann smiled in eagerness. She was waiting for just the right moment when she could share hers. Then, in the dream, just the right time came. She showed everyone  the Perfect Acorn that she had found. Everyone was amazed at its color
and size. They asked her where she had found it. She delighted in telling
how she had looked in all the regular chipmunk places. And, how one day there it
was, behind the smallest tree in the woods. Then Maryann invited everyone to help her eat the acorn. She did not want to keep the acorn all to herself. She just wanted to be known as the chipmunk who had found the Perfect Acorn. Every morning, Maryann would wake up from this wonderful dream. She would feel so good about herself and her search for the Perfect Acorn. But soon, winter arrived. Maryann’s friends all had a good supply of acorns that they had saved. Maryann had none. And there were no more to be found. She became very hungry. After a while she went to her friend Carly and asked if she could borrow an acorn to eat. Carly said, “Sure, I don’t mind sharing with you. Here, have this
Maryann felt better than she had in a long time. She also realized something.
“Carly,” she said, “I think that blemished acorn was the best that I’ve ever eaten. I think you found the Perfect Acorn.” She told Carly about
her dream, and they both had a good laugh. |
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The end. |
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Real Facts about Chipmunks |
| Chipmunks are ground-dwelling rodents (mammals) of the squirrel family. One species that is common in North America is Tamias striatus, the eastern chipmunk. The eastern chipmunk is 5 to 6 inches long, not including a 4 inch tail. It weighs up to 5 ounces. Chipmunks carry food in cheek pouches. They sleep in winter but leave their burrows on warm days. |
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 Chipmunks are easily recognized by the light and dark stripes on their backs and
heads. They can be confused with some of the striped ground squirrels.
Chipmunks are smaller, bear facial markings, and have five dark stripes on their backs, including a distinct, central line that extends forward onto the head. Ground squirrels do not have markings on their heads. |
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one.”
Carly
gave Maryann a large acorn with an ugly dark spot on one side. “Is this one all right?”
she asked. “It may be a bit blemished.” Maryann bit into the acorn immediately. She was so hungry that she devoured the entire acorn on the spot. Her stomach stopped rumbling.