Voices you've never heard before.
Coming from a frog, a lamp, a tree,
an occasional houseplant, and more.
Not ANYMORE
in the voice of a squirrel
I'm so happy
on my favorite tree.
I love it,
and it loves me.
It grows nutty pinecones —
my favorite food.
But then puts my cones
too far away — so rude.
I've asked it to grow
them all within reach.
I ask it every year
with a gentle screech.
My tree just ignores me.
It hears every word.
It acts like I'm a woodpecker —
that pesky bird.
It must expect me
to grow wings —
or think I came
with built-in springs.
On its thinnest twigs —
my cones are bunched tight.
Did it put them there
just out of spite?
What!
Did you see that?
My tree just gave
my pinecone
to that cat!
That cat didn’t even
climb up my tree.
My tree happily
tossed a pinecone
to him for free!
Tree!
How could you?
After all
we've been through!
You are spiteful —
right to your core!
You're not my favorite
anymore!
THE REASON
in the voice of a tree
I was growing so straight —
right to the sky.
Then something happened —
I don't know how or why.
My back started to pull —
my front followed suit.
Something’s wrong with my trunk —
is the problem my root?
THESE THREE HUMANS
in the voice of a squirrel
Today, humans moved in.
I don't even know
where to begin!
This place is mine —
everything was fine
until these three
humans moved in!
Watching them
from up high,
there's a lady,
a girl, and one guy.
The lady is tall.
The girl is small.
She keeps kicking a ball.
Oh, she threw it —
she almost made me fall.
This has put me
in such a mood.
Are they here
to eat all my food?
If these humans
find my cones
I'll be nothing but
skin and bones.
I can't have humans
foraging in my space.
But they're far too big
for me to chase.
...
A glass of water, please
in the voice of a houseplant
Still no water —
it's been a week and a day.
Does she want me
to shrivel up and blow away?
I see her drink water
the whole day long.
I just get music
when Alexa plays her song.
She listens to podcasts
and mops the floor.
A whole bucket of water —
what’s the floor need it for?
...
what I wouldn't give
in the voice of teeth
Why did I have to be
teeth in the mouth?
Why couldn't I have been
feet who live
farther south?
I'd be in charge.
I'd move with ease —
sand in the summer.
Snow? Yes, please!
I could wiggle my toes —
I could dance and leap.
I could run for miles,
and then fall asleep.
But no! I'm stuck
in this mouth all day,
chewing up broccoli
and oatmeal gone gray.
...
NEXT TIME
in the voice of a dog
What's a dog
gotta do?
Don't they understand?
I mean,
this isn't new!
I jump on their legs
when they come near.
I don't know how
to make this more clear!
I just want to play —
run around all day.
But whenever I jump,
they yell, "Down!" and "Stay!"
That's not the plan
I had for today!
Now I'm in this crate
just wasting away!
What's a dog
gotta do?
I know!
Next time,
I'll chew up their shoe!
THE DRYER VENT
in the voice of a bunny
Brr...it's so cold.
Maybe I'm just getting old.
The snow never used to bother me so.
Maybe my fur is starting to go.
...
NOT A RAT
in the voice of a frog
I hopped in
this open RV
to relax a little
and watch TV.
But I accidentally pooped
on the tile floor,
right in front
of the refrigerator door.
Just then, a lady
entered the room.
I leaped out of sight —
to a frog, humans mean doom!
From behind the door,
I peeked around.
Worried she’d seen me —
I didn’t make a sound.
...
BRUNCH
in the voice of a moose
I'm just a moose
eating leaves on a tree.
Yet, people stop
to take pictures of me.
I do this
all day long.
Why the cameras?
What did I do wrong?
For goodness’ sake,
I'm just eating brunch.
What if I took pictures
of them eating lunch?
Every time they strolled
down the street?
Every time
they sniffed their feet?
When they come to town
to look around,
I don’t call the police.
Why can't you
just leave me in peace?
And if we have
our babies near,
you act like it’s
a red carpet premiere.
Why must you
all make a fuss?
So many of you
on every bus.
Pictures from the road,
your window, your door —
now, you watch me bathe?
I can’t take any more!
...
The PERFECT SPOT
in the voice of an aspen leaf
I'm a little Aspen leaf.
I've just fallen to the ground.
As it was happening, no one knew,
because I didn't make a sound.
...
YOU WON'T EVEN SEE ME
in the voice of a mosquito
I'm a sleek mosquito
looking for a snack —
a chest, arm,
leg, shoulder, or back.
I'd even take a face
or a bony hand.
I'd love a stinky ankle.
It's a great spot to land.
I prefer people.
Animals? Too much hair.
It's best when it's hot —
you leave your skin bare.
...
my view
in the voice of a bird
The world is
dangerous for a bird.
I've explained this to Squirrel,
but he says I'm absurd.
Squirrel swears
he has it far worse —
like having trees
that feed him all day
is some kind of curse.
He's ridiculous.
He doesn’t know
what I go through.
He thinks
I've got the easy life.
He has no clue.
...
For the good and bad days we all know
and the parts we don't always show.
napkins
When we're out to eat,
and I asked my husband for napkins,
why does he only grab two?
Who can eat a meal
with only that few?
I mean are they both for me
and he gets none?
Or are we meant to split them
and he expects me to only use one?
...
All Along
I know it sounds funny, but growing up
the dictionary was my favorite book.
I'd lose myself in that well of words —
I opened at once — that's all it took.
I'd even hide in the library and read
when lunch was served at school.
I got bullied so often
for not being cool.
...
WE'RE NOT GETTING A PET
My daughter dragged me
into a pet store.
I wish I'd never walked
through that door.
I didn’t know
if I'd ever get out —
at every corner,
I heard her shout.
“Oh my gosh, we need this!
Oh my gosh, we need that!”
But we don't even have
a frog, a fish, a snake,
a dog, a bird, or a cat.
...
SPRING PIGGIES
Let the piggy toes finally be free!
No more warm clothes for you and me.
Away with the winter boots, jackets, and hats.
Bring out the rain boots, jackets, and hats!
...
Heard and seen
They say I'm a kid, but what does that mean?
It used to mean 'never heard and rarely seen.'
But not at my house
and not these days.
My parents like it
when I stay home and play.
They say it's because
time will go by fast
and they want to make
every memory last.
...
my mom would never lie
I can't go in the attic.
My mother told me so.
She said if I went in,
my eyes would start to glow.
My head would grow much larger —
too big for me to hold.
My feet would shrink up to my knees,
my skin would go blue and cold.
She said I'd lose my teeth
and all my hair.
Each piece would fall out
if I wandered up there.
The attic must have magic —
it sounds like a horrible place to go.
This is odd, because I saw her
come out of there just two days ago.
...
watch out for the hypocritters
Have you ever seen
a Hypocritter before?
I bet you have — they’re all around.
Here’s what to look for.
They’ll come into the house
leaving shoes on their feet.
Then tell you to take yours off
by the door — nice and neat.
They’ll tell you,
“Don’t eat from the jar!”
Then dip into the peanut butter —
spoon in hand at the bar.
They’ll tell you,
“We’re not eating sweets!”
Then you find candy in their bed
underneath the sheets.
They’ll warn you,
“Don’t drive too fast!”
Then get a ticket for speeding
from the officer they raced past.
Everyone knows a Hypocritter —
maybe even a few.
The Hypocritter
could even
be you!
tall and stronG
A house stands tall and strong
giving us shelter all year long.
When sharp winds slice and cold rain falls
the roof over our head protects it all.
The walls are sturdy.
The floors not dirty.
The house can live
past one hundred and thirty.
It keeps out the critters -
the spiders and the mice.
Well it mostly does,
pest control comes at a price.
...
73 orchids
In Sarasota, Florida,
you'll find a lovely place,
Where people can clear their heads
when they need a little space.
It's called Selby Gardens -
I went to walk around.
I quickly found myself astounded
by all the sights, smells, and sounds.
Flowers hung suspended
right above my head.
Once a home, still filled with love,
now welcomes strangers through instead.
Butterflies and dragonflies,
led me, as if to invite,
to water lilies on rippled glass
were the most transfixing sight.
A myriad of ferns,
flora hugged every route.
Banyan trees with bridges
allowed children to run about.
...
not again
Ugh!
Where is that hat?
I left it right here.
Now where’s it at?
I’ll check the car.
It must be there.
It’s not a small hat.
I’ve checked everywhere!
I think I’ve lost
my sunglasses too —
they’ve walked off together
on the legs they grew.
...
Light the match and stand up tall.
Grit, purpose, and doing the hard thing on purpose
The Mighty Yet
Some things seem impossible
with that first step you take.
You try, you stumble —
you feel your courage break.
Your hands feel shaky,
your confidence small —
you may wonder
why you even tried at all.
Every expert you see
was once uncertain too,
standing right where you are,
unsure what to do.
Everyone has something
that doesn’t click right away—
a skill that takes practice,
day after day.
...
Catch Your frog
What is this?
What's on my head?
It's cold and damp,
like buttered bread.
It's roundish, not flat —
bumpy too.
What is this thing
all covered in goo?
There's a frog
on my head?
THERE'S A FROG ON MY HEAD!
Right here with me —
in my bed!
...
UNRAVEL YOUR PURPOSE
As you grow older,
you'll be asked in more than one way,
"What do you want to be
when you grow up someday?"
As if your future is a map
you're expected to know -
every turn, every stop,
every path you should go.
There are so many choices,
and they just seem to grow.
So you shrug, and say,
"Honestly...I don't know."
But choosing a direction
before knowing your heart
is like striking a match in the rain -
impossible to spark.
But here's something few ask,
though it matters much more:
What speaks to your soul?
What tugs at your core?
Ignore the titles or labels
that sound proper or smart.
Instead, discover the problems
that tug at your heart.
What problem, if solved,
would bring you joy to pursue?
What challenge feels meaningful
and deeply you?
...
Forged by the journey
Each of us goes through things
we don't yet understand.
Some moments go beyond
what our hearts had planned.
But every moment you travel through
shape a better, stronger, and wiser you.
You must keep going
to find your strength inside.
Even when the storm feels
too dark and long to ride.
What if everything you face -
the joy, the gloom -
is preparing you for something
that's coming soon?
...
The journey of wonder: caring for me
What if your body was a boat
carrying you through a rough sea...
Would you want it to be a strong ship?
Or a tugboat stuck up in a tree?
What if your teeth were a river
where sunlight sparkled bright...
Would you keep the water clear and fresh
or let litter build night after night?
...
words
Words have more power than you may know
They can pick others up or make them feel low.
...
Peer Pressure
There will be many times in your life
you will need to be strong,
especially when you face peer pressure,
for so much could go wrong.
...
unique
You are you and I am me
That makes us both very unique.
...
Stand together
People will come together, and we will become stronger
when we stand as one.
By loving one another,
there’s nothing that can’t be done!
...
Judgment
“Don’t judge a book by its cover”
means don’t decide too fast.
Get to know the person first —
don’t decide who they are at a glance
....
reset
We all get frustrated at times,
maybe even upset.
But it never has to ruin your day —
at any moment,
you can choose to reset.
...
Forgiveness
When you choose to forgive,
it's a gift you give to you.
It changes the way you see the world
and all you've been through.
...
Appreciation
Appreciation is simple, yet tricky to define—
it’s something you feel, not just a polite little line.
It lives in your heart, in a warm little space,
that lights up your eyes and brightens your face
...
compassion
Compassion is a feeling
that helps us to know
when someone around us
is feeling quite low.
...
courage
Trying new things can be frightening
and not just for a few.
Most people are scared
to try something new.
So don't worry
when this happens to you.
...
determination
Part of being determined
is to first have a dream.
Then pursue it
with every fiber of your being.
Determination keeps you moving forward
no matter what someone says.
Just stay on your path, keep going -
FULL STEAM AHEAD!
...
honesty
COMING SOON
loyalty
COMING SOON
kindness
COMING SOON
manners
Manners are things we do and say
to be polite in our special way.
What does it mean to be polite?
It means to be kind, respectful, and do what is right.
...
patience
COMING SOON
sharing
COMING SOON
Emotions come and go.
Feel them, name them, let them flow.
coming soon
Fire, snow, or ocean waves —
being prepared helps us be brave.
coming soon
The water runs deep. The water runs cold.
These are the stories I finally told.
Tall and Strong
A house stands tall and strong,
giving us shelter all year long.
...
CUTTING THE WEB
You're wrong.
Nobody cares.
...
Dear Closet
I used to sit in my closet and weep
for all the things I could not keep.
...
I share the new ones if you're on the list.
Stories and sketches come to you
as soon as they exist.
You'll also be the first to know
when the books are ready to go.