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Cover of The Dropped Rope

In press · ages 2–7

The Dropped Rope

The far bank shone through the gum leaves. 26 pages, about 5 minutes read aloud.

Set inPuddlebend

Read spread by spread The printed PDF

The pages

Page 1: — p. 1

Page 2: — p. 2

Page 3: — p. 3

Page 4: — p. 4

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Page 6: — p. 6

Page 7: The far bank shone through the gum leaves. Bramble stopped at the mud. Nix leaned toward the three dark stones. "The grass looks taller over there," she said. — p. 7 The far bank shone through the gum leaves. Bramble stopped at the mud. Nix leaned toward the three dark stones. "The grass looks taller over there," she said.

Page 8: Bramble patted the first stone twice. His paw closed on the rope tassels at his hip. He said, "We check first. Then we go." "Three full checks. Nobody crosses till then." — p. 8 Bramble patted the first stone twice. His paw closed on the rope tassels at his hip. He said, "We check first. Then we go." "Three full checks. Nobody crosses till then."

Page 9: Nix bounced in place on the soft mud. Her whole body squeezed small and tight like a spring. "One-two-THREE!" she whispered to the stones. The pennant shook hard beside her. She was not watching his check at all. — p. 9 Nix bounced in place on the soft mud. Her whole body squeezed small and tight like a spring. "One-two-THREE!" she whispered to the stones. The pennant shook hard beside her. She was not watching his check at all.

Page 10: She sprang from the mud before the check was done. "One-two-THREE!" she cried. The full count carried her out over the middle water. Her grin stretched wide as the creek slid under her. The near bank fell away behind. No rope could catch her now. — p. 10 She sprang from the mud before the check was done. "One-two-THREE!" she cried. The full count carried her out over the middle water. Her grin stretched wide as the creek slid under her. The near bank fell away behind. No rope could catch her now.

Page 11: Bramble's foreleg came around in one slow wide arc. He swept Nix back onto the soft mud under the gum. "We start again," he said. His paw never left the rope tassels. The pennant was still streaming when she landed. — p. 11 Bramble's foreleg came around in one slow wide arc. He swept Nix back onto the soft mud under the gum. "We start again," he said. His paw never left the rope tassels. The pennant was still streaming when she landed.

Page 12: Bramble stacked three pebbles into a low wall beside the rope end. He said, "We check first. Then we go." He patted the first stone twice more. Nix puddled flat on the mud. Her membranes drooped and her pennant hung still. "Two more checks," he rumbled. "Stay steady." — p. 12 Bramble stacked three pebbles into a low wall beside the rope end. He said, "We check first. Then we go." He patted the first stone twice more. Nix puddled flat on the mud. Her membranes drooped and her pennant hung still. "Two more checks," he rumbled. "Stay steady."

Page 13: Nix's spine went tight on the mud. She did not wait for a full count this time. "One-TWO!" she burst out. She was already moving. Her hind legs left the bank before the words were done. The pennant fluttered hard behind her. She was in the air on a half-count spring and grinning. — p. 13 Nix's spine went tight on the mud. She did not wait for a full count this time. "One-TWO!" she burst out. She was already moving. Her hind legs left the bank before the words were done. The pennant fluttered hard behind her. She was in the air on a half-count spring and grinning.

Page 14: Bramble planted his haunches across the near stone. He blocked the whole path from edge to edge. Nix hit his foreleg mid-arc and tumbled down. The three pebbles scattered across the mud. "Back," he said. His paw gripped the rope harder than before. "We still have one check left. Stay steady." — p. 14 Bramble planted his haunches across the near stone. He blocked the whole path from edge to edge. Nix hit his foreleg mid-arc and tumbled down. The three pebbles scattered across the mud. "Back," he said. His paw gripped the rope harder than before. "We still have one check left. Stay steady."

Page 15: But Nix gave no count at all. She wound once and sprang. She glided the whole way over the open creek. She landed on the far stone alone. The water lay wide between her and the bank she had left. — p. 15 But Nix gave no count at all. She wound once and sprang. She glided the whole way over the open creek. She landed on the far stone alone. The water lay wide between her and the bank she had left.

Page 16: Bramble looked across the water. The rope could not reach her. The words cost more now. — p. 16 Bramble looked across the water. The rope could not reach her. The words cost more now.

Page 17: Bramble's paw opened around the tassels. Each braid slid across the pad of his foot. The third check never came. "I will come," he said low. He said it across the whole width of the water. The rope end dropped and stayed dropped. — p. 17 Bramble's paw opened around the tassels. Each braid slid across the pad of his foot. The third check never came. "I will come," he said low. He said it across the whole width of the water. The rope end dropped and stayed dropped.

Page 18: The rope-sash slipped free of his shoulder. The tassels fell toward the mud beside the scattered pebbles. He said, "We check first. Then we go." He left the words on the bank with the rope. His free paw hung open and empty. — p. 18 The rope-sash slipped free of his shoulder. The tassels fell toward the mud beside the scattered pebbles. He said, "We check first. Then we go." He left the words on the bank with the rope. His free paw hung open and empty.

Page 19: Bramble stepped onto the first dark stone. He had no rope in his paw. Across the water Nix held still on her stone. Her pennant hung quiet. She did not launch. She waited as he took the next step. — p. 19 Bramble stepped onto the first dark stone. He had no rope in his paw. Across the water Nix held still on her stone. Her pennant hung quiet. She did not launch. She waited as he took the next step.

Page 20: They sat shoulder to shoulder on the far bank. The grass stood tall around them. Behind them the rope lay thin and dark on the old mud. Nix leaned in. — p. 20 They sat shoulder to shoulder on the far bank. The grass stood tall around them. Behind them the rope lay thin and dark on the old mud. Nix leaned in.

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