Hi! My name is Tommy the Turtle. I am a 

painted turtle. I eat under water plants, 

dragonfly larva, and crawdads. I spend most 

of my time sunbathing on a rock or a log. Did 

you know that the webbing on our feet helps 

us push water behind us when we swim? 

By Marissa

Hello, my name is Ms. Raccoon. I have two 

babies. I make a den underground in tree 

roots. I catch my food in a nice pond, called 

Bob’s Pond. I eat fish, frogs, tadpoles, crayfish, 

insects, turtles, mice and bird eggs. I am 

usually the size of a huge cat with a big bushy 

tail. I have very sharp claws. My babies stay 

with me until they are big enough to catch 

their own food. 

By Audrey

After a long night of no food Bob’s Pond lights up with 

the sunrise, I launch outside to grab some minerals to 

eat for my shell. I come across a wounded minnow. I 

don’t normally eat animals, but I decided to go for it 

anyway. When I pinch with my dominant claw, I can 

feel the minnow’s tiny bones crushing beneath my 

pincher. It still struggles, but not for long. I hold it in 

front of my pinchers, and it’s gone within seconds. It 

doesn’t taste great. My relaxation doesn’t last long. I 

hear splashing by the shoreline. I see strange creatures 

who seem to be coordinated in movement. A sort of 

large shape comes above me, but I am smarter than 

this. I thrust myself backwards under a rock. Another 

close escape and another casual day.

By Logan

Hello, I am Pepper the red-winged blackbird! Do you 

like worms? Because I like worms. Flies are good too, 

but I like acorns the best. I live near Bob’s Pond. I 

sleep in a nest of moss and sticks right where I can 

see the pond. I often see Mr. Jump hopping around 

the pond. Sometimes I skim the water, wings open 

and proud, looking for water bugs and eating in the 

air. I don’t do this just for hunting. I guard my nest up 

in the air, looking for mountain lions, so I can sound 

the alarm call. We have a loud squawk as a cry. I’m 

sure you’ve hear it before. Oh! Hear that? That’s my 

friend calling me for dinner. I’d better go and eat. I 

sure am hungry. Good-bye!

By Ava

I am a minnow. My species is close to being at 

the bottom of the food chain. I eat plankton 

and tiny bugs. We are getting hunted by 

bullfrogs, hawks and many more animals. We 

can grow from 1 inch to 3 inches. We can be 

different colors, like brown and silver. We 

could have stripes or dots. I like living in Bob’s 

Pond because it’s fun!

By Robbie

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