Cory the raccoon lived in the Old Village,
along the clear stream, near the deep forest,
within the broad meadow.
Each day, Cory walked through the village, greeting friends
and neighbors, while Cory’s friend Owl flew along.
One day, Cory and Owl were surprised to hear angry growls and howls.
They followed the noise to Fox’s front yard, where they saw Badger
stealing Fox’s bright blue shiny new bicycle. Badger had always been
big and loud, but Cory had never seen him be a bully before.
The next day, they heard more howling and
growling, this time in front of Badger’s house.
Copyright © 2023 by Brian D. McLaren and Gareth Higgins; Illustrated by Anita Schmidt. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.