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Cover of The Landing Branch

In press · ages 2–7

The Landing Branch

Hush waited in the gold water between the reeds. 24 pages, about 4 minutes read aloud.

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Read spread by spread The printed PDF

The pages

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Page 7: Hush waited in the gold water between the reeds. Evening made everything too quiet. He kept his gum leaf tucked and ready. Something always rustled here before dark. — p. 7 Hush waited in the gold water between the reeds. Evening made everything too quiet. He kept his gum leaf tucked and ready. Something always rustled here before dark.

Page 8: The reeds rustled. Hush snapped straight and whispered, "Branch. Branch. Branch." He held still as any stick. He wanted the dark not to find him. On the mud hump a tiny body compressed once. — p. 8 The reeds rustled. Hush snapped straight and whispered, "Branch. Branch. Branch." He held still as any stick. He wanted the dark not to find him. On the mud hump a tiny body compressed once.

Page 9: Nix had found the perfect branch. It did not sway, and it had two bright eyes. "Me first," she said. She bounced on the mud hump once. Then she compressed small as a seed. Her pennant fluttered hard at the tip. — p. 9 Nix had found the perfect branch. It did not sway, and it had two bright eyes. "Me first," she said. She bounced on the mud hump once. Then she compressed small as a seed. Her pennant fluttered hard at the tip.

Page 10: Hush held his freeze. Nix did not mind. "One-two-THREE!" she cried, and she sprang. She glided between the gold reeds, membranes wide. Her pennant streamed behind her. She aimed straight at the shoulder that would not move. Her open paws crossed the last reed toward his crown. — p. 10 Hush held his freeze. Nix did not mind. "One-two-THREE!" she cried, and she sprang. She glided between the gold reeds, membranes wide. Her pennant streamed behind her. She aimed straight at the shoulder that would not move. Her open paws crossed the last reed toward his crown.

Page 11: Nix landed on his head with a soft plop. The gum leaf caught under her paw. "Made it," she said, and her membranes drooped. Hush went stiffer than a real stick. His huge eyes stared out under her soft weight. He did not dare breathe. The world's worst branch had just been sat on. — p. 11 Nix landed on his head with a soft plop. The gum leaf caught under her paw. "Made it," she said, and her membranes drooped. Hush went stiffer than a real stick. His huge eyes stared out under her soft weight. He did not dare breathe. The world's worst branch had just been sat on.

Page 12: Nix looked up and found a taller reed. "Next one," she said. She launched off his crown before he could sag. Her membranes spread and her pennant snapped taut. Hush stayed rigid in the water below, leaf trembling. He had become a launch pad. A fresh rustle shivered the far bank of reeds. — p. 12 Nix looked up and found a taller reed. "Next one," she said. She launched off his crown before he could sag. Her membranes spread and her pennant snapped taut. Hush stayed rigid in the water below, leaf trembling. He had become a launch pad. A fresh rustle shivered the far bank of reeds.

Page 13: The rustle came closer through the reeds. Hush snapped vertical again, wider than before. He whispered, "Branch. Branch. Branch." He locked his beak at the sky. His eyes stretched wider than ever. The freeze had failed him once. He tried it harder anyway. — p. 13 The rustle came closer through the reeds. Hush snapped vertical again, wider than before. He whispered, "Branch. Branch. Branch." He locked his beak at the sky. His eyes stretched wider than ever. The freeze had failed him once. He tried it harder anyway.

Page 14: Nix came back faster than a blink. She bounced beside him, pennant ready. "One-two-THREE!" she cried, and she landed soft. She puddled flat across his whole crown. Her body melted and her membranes drooped over both tufts. Hush stayed locked rigid underneath. He was out of moves. The reeds rustled longer and closer around them. — p. 14 Nix came back faster than a blink. She bounced beside him, pennant ready. "One-two-THREE!" she cried, and she landed soft. She puddled flat across his whole crown. Her body melted and her membranes drooped over both tufts. Hush stayed locked rigid underneath. He was out of moves. The reeds rustled longer and closer around them.

Page 15: The longer rustle came. Neither of them moved. Hush's eye stayed open under her. — p. 15 The longer rustle came. Neither of them moved. Hush's eye stayed open under her.

Page 16: Hush did not snap into a branch this time. He opened his wide mouth above the reeds. Nix was already compressing on a nearby stalk. Her pennant fluttered, ready to go. "I will say it," Hush whispered. One clear word rode out toward the rustling reed. — p. 16 Hush did not snap into a branch this time. He opened his wide mouth above the reeds. Nix was already compressing on a nearby stalk. Her pennant fluttered, ready to go. "I will say it," Hush whispered. One clear word rode out toward the rustling reed.

Page 17: "Reed!" said Hush, all in one big breath. The word flew out loud across the gold shallows. Nix stopped mid-compress on her stalk. Her pennant hung still as stone. She did not finish the launch. The scary rustle had a name now, and a friend who said it too. — p. 17 "Reed!" said Hush, all in one big breath. The word flew out loud across the gold shallows. Nix stopped mid-compress on her stalk. Her pennant hung still as stone. She did not finish the launch. The scary rustle had a name now, and a friend who said it too.

Page 18: Hush and Nix sat in the gold water. Their shoulders almost touched. "Branch. Branch. Branch," Hush said, soft as dusk. He did not freeze. Nix leaned her head against his wing. — p. 18 Hush and Nix sat in the gold water. Their shoulders almost touched. "Branch. Branch. Branch," Hush said, soft as dusk. He did not freeze. Nix leaned her head against his wing.

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