Shining Shell - a story to read aloud

​A Story to read aloud...

Shining Shell, by Connie Manson © 2012

In the ocean blue, near the shore, the waves rolled this-a way, and they rolled that a-way. A sea shell tumbled and tossed in the water. It rolled and rolled and then came to a stop on the sandy ocean bottom. The sun was shining brightly up above, and little rays of sunshine danced in the water. A tiny blue fish came darting by, swimming up and swimming down, and looking all around. It saw the sea shell lying there. It looked to be as big as a smooth, shining palace! It swam up to the sea shell and called “Shining shell, shining shell, who dwells here?” But no one answered, because no one was inside. “Then I shall live here,” it said, and it made a cozy home inside the shell.

Along came goldie the fish. It saw the sea shell and called out,
“Shining shell, shining shell, who dwells here?”
“I do, tiny blue, oh-so-true, and who are you?”
“I am goldie the fish, who darts and dips.”
“Come inside, and make yourself a home here.”

And so the two of them began to live together. After a time, a little starfish came crawling by. It saw the sea shell and called out, “Shining shell, shining shell, who dwells here?”

“I do, goldie the fish, who darts and dips.”
“I do, tiny blue, oh-so-true, and who are you?”
“I am sandy the starfish who carries a wish.”
“Come inside, and make yourself a home here.”

And so the three of them began to live together.  Along came a sea turtle, paddling by. He saw the sea shell and called out, “Shining shell, shining shell, who dwells here?”

“I do, sandy the starfish who carries a wish.”
“I do, goldie the fish, who darts and dips.”
“I do, tiny blue, oh-so-true, and who are you?”
“I am snappy the turtle who paddles and flips.”
“Come inside, and make yourself a home here.”
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And so the four of them began to live together.

Suddenly before them darted a little sea horse. He was in a great hurry. He saw the sea shell and cried, “I am horse of the sea, please rescue me, for an octopus, he chases me!”

“Let’s bring him inside--a shelter we’ll be!”

Little horse of the sea was safely tucked inside. The octopus came gliding by. He looked this-a-way, he looked that-a-way. But nothing could he spy, save a shining shell that sat nearby.

Said the octopus, “How could that creature disappear so fast?”  Oh-so-quietly the little friends sat, until at last, the octopus went gliding away.

And from that day on, the little friends lived ever safe and sound, in their shining home on the sandy ground.