Nico’s Leafy Plan — The backpack waiting on the sidewalk looks ordinary, but its zipper is hiding the beginning of a very silly school-morning project. Read the full story →
The backpack waiting on the sidewalk looks ordinary, but its zipper is hiding the beginning of a very silly school-morning project.
A papery whoosh rattled through the big maple tree, smelling like pencil shavings, cold air, and one suspiciously squashed sandwich. Nico, the bus driver, was busy with his dream: to arrive on the first day with the neatest leaf parade the school had ever seen. He had steered the school bus right up the curving road, hands on the wheel, while the wind tossed maple leaves like confetti. Can you find the leaf floating just above the bus sign? Nico called that one Captain Crunch because it always landed loudly.
The plan was simple: one leaf on the stop sign, one leaf on the welcome banner, and one tiny leaf tucked into the backpack pocket before the bell rang. Unfortunately, the biggest leaf near the tree trunk had other ideas. It swooped down, spun twice, and slapped itself over Nico’s windshield like a leafy mustache. Look at the driver in the front window—can you tell he’s trying not to laugh?
By the time the bus stopped beside the school, the banner still read “Welcome Back to School,” but now the sidewalk had a zigzag trail of leaves leading right to the forgotten backpack. Nico saluted the tree and whispered, “Excellent work, parade team.”
