It was a quiet afternoon, and Monkey Lyly was happily sitting outside with her favorite storybook. She loved looking through the colorful pictures and turning each page carefully. The garden was peaceful, and Lyly had no idea that the weather was about to change.
Suddenly, the sky became darker.
Lyly looked up and noticed big gray clouds moving overhead. A cool breeze began blowing through the trees.
Then—drip, drip, drip!
Rain started falling.
Lyly quickly looked at her book. Her eyes became wide when she realized the pages could get wet.
“Oh no! My book!” she cried.
Instead of running into the house, Lyly hugged the book tightly against her chest. She moved underneath a small covered area near the garden, trying her best to keep every drop of rain away from the precious pages.
The rain became heavier.
Lyly could have simply taken the book inside, but she was worried about getting it wet while carrying it through the rain. So she stayed outside, carefully covering the book with her little arms.
“Don’t worry, book. I’ll protect you!” Lyly whispered.
A strong breeze suddenly blew across the garden, and Lyly quickly turned her body to shield the book. She looked a little nervous, but she refused to let go.
After a few minutes, Mom noticed that Lyly was still outside.
“Lyly! Why are you standing out there in the rain?” Mom called.
Lyly looked toward her mother but continued holding the book.
“I’m protecting my book!” she explained.
Mom hurried outside with an umbrella and gently took Lyly and the book to a dry place.
“You could have come inside right away, sweetheart,” Mom said with a smile.
Lyly looked down shyly.
“I was afraid my book would get wet.”
Mom hugged her lovingly. “That was very thoughtful, but next time, protect yourself first. Books can be dried or replaced, but I don’t want you standing in the rain.”
Lyly nodded.
Together, they carefully checked the book. Luckily, the pages were still completely dry.
Lyly smiled with relief and gave Mom a big hug.
The rain continued falling outside, but Lyly was now warm and safe beside her mother. She had learned that caring for her favorite things was wonderful—but listening to Mom and keeping herself safe was even more important.
