Bee--eep!

   Teddy shut off his shell alarm clock. He sat up in bed, stretched his long neck and curled his green toes. “Today’s the day!” He ran to the back door.

   “Have fun, Teddy,” his mom called. “Hap…”

   SLAM!

   The door closed before Teddy could hear the rest. He couldn’t wait to get to the water. For four long years, Teddy had played in the saltwater estuary.

   “It’s safer.” And “You’re so small,” his mother told him.

    Not today, thought Teddy. Today I go in the ocean! After all, wasn’t he a sea turtle? Shouldn’t he be in the sea?

    “I’m going to celebrate my big day with a big event.”

   Teddy took a deep breath and dove into the cool water. He swam quickly to the end of the river. Pretty soon, the river widened out and then…

   Whoosh! A wave crashed over his head. It tasted salty.

   “The ocean!” he shouted.

   Teddy dove deep under the water. He saw red and orange coral.

    “Whoa!” Teddy flipped on his side to avoid being hit by an electric eel, glowing on and off as it swam past him. “The ocean is so cool!” The fish were amazing. Some had big fancy tails, and others had small fins, some swam fast and others were very slow. Teddy floated on his back for a moment. He was having so much fun. Then he noticed the sun was directly overhead.

   “It’s late. I have to get back.”

   Teddy flipped over to his stomach and began to swim. But he didn’t know where to go. A big wave tossed Teddy under the water. He came up spluttering.

   “Where am I?”

   Splash!

   Three dolphins swam next to him.

   “Can you help me?” Teddy asked.

   But the dolphins couldn’t hear him. They were too busy jumping in the air and diving under the water.

   “I need to get home!” Teddy yelled.

   One dolphin looked at him in mid-air and flipped his tail. Then, they swam away.

   A big splash hit Teddy in the face.

    “But, I’ll miss my birthday crab cake.” Teddy began to cry.

   Whoosh!

   A big burst of water flipped Teddy up in the air. He landed on something hard. It felt funny, kind of slimy and spongy. What type of land was this? Teddy looked down in amazement as two big eyes looked up at him. He was on a whale! Teddy was scared. Would the whale take him further out in the sea? He pulled inside his shell and started to cry. After a while, he spotted his tributary.

   “That’s where I live. Stop here!” The whale stopped and tipped his head. Teddy slid down the side of the whale. He waved his leg in thanks.

   With a flip of his big tail, the whale swam off.

    Teddy raced home. He jumped out of the water and ran inside.

   “Happy Birthday, Teddy!”