Ferdinand the frog felt far from fantastic. "I'm just a plain green frog," he'd sigh. "Nothing special about me!" He gazed glumly at his reflection in the pond. "Just a regular, ribbiting frog."
One sunny day, Ferdinand hopped by Fiona the firefly. Fiona was famous for her flashy light shows. "Wow!" Ferdinand croaked. "Your lights are dazzling, Fiona! I wish I could shine like that."
Fiona flickered her lights playfully. "But Ferdinand," she buzzed, "you're a fantastic frog! You can leap long leaps and catch crunchy critters with your tongue. I can't do that!"
Ferdinand tilted his head, pondering Fiona's words. He *could* leap pretty far. And his long, sticky tongue *was* pretty awesome for catching snacks.
He hopped over to Harriet the hedgehog, who was known for her beautiful, blossoming garden. "Your flowers are simply stunning, Harriet!" Ferdinand exclaimed. "I wish I could grow something so lovely."
Harriet chuckled softly. "But Ferdinand, you're a fantastic frog! You can swim in the cool, clear water and bask in the warm sunshine. My prickles make that impossible!"
Ferdinand dove into the water, feeling the sun warm his back. Harriet was right! Swimming and sunbathing *were* pretty fantastic.
Later, Ferdinand bumped into Chester the chameleon, a master of disguise. "Your colors are incredible, Chester!" Ferdinand gasped. "I'm always just plain green. I wish I could change my colors too!"
"But Ferdinand, you're a fantastic frog!" Chester chirped, changing from blue to orange to purple. "You have a strong, booming voice that echoes through the forest. I could never make such a loud sound!"
Ferdinand puffed out his chest and let out a mighty "RIBBIT!" His voice echoed through the trees. Chester was right! He did have a powerful ribbit.
Ferdinand finally understood. He didn't need to be a firefly, a hedgehog, or a chameleon. He was fantastic just the way he was! He was a fantastic frog, full of unique and wonderful talents.
From that day on, Ferdinand embraced his froggy self. He leaped with joy, caught crunchy critters with pride, and swam with a happy heart. After all, being Ferdinand the frog was truly fantastic!
Reflection Questions