Dexter the Parrot Can’t Keep a Secret
Dexter the parrot repeats everything he hears, including the secret surprise party!
It was nearly Captain Zoe’s birthday, and Zara had a secret plan. ‘We’ll give the Captain a map of a secret island!’ she whispered. ‘But nobody must say a word.’ Dexter the parrot nodded very seriously.
But Dexter was a parrot, and parrots repeat everything. When Zoe walked by, Dexter said, ‘SECRET! SECRET! A map of a secret island!’ Zara jumped up. ‘Er, nothing!’ she said. ‘It’s just Dexter being silly.’
Zoe raised an eyebrow. ‘A secret?’ she said. ‘What secret?’ Dexter opened his beak. Zara quickly stuffed a cracker in it. Dexter said, ‘Mmph! Mmph!’ which was the nearest he could get.
All week, Zara had to guard the surprise. She hid it in the cabin. She kept Dexter busy with crackers and games. Dexter nearly told again three times. Once, Dexter even began to sing the whole plan.
On the big day, Zoe stepped onto the deck, and everyone jumped up. ‘SURPRISE!’ they shouted. Zoe looked so astonished. And then Dexter flapped up and squawked, ‘HAPPY BIRTHDAY!’ before anyone else could.
Zoe laughed so much that her hat fell off. ‘I knew there was a secret,’ she said, ‘but I didn’t know it would be such a good one.’ Zara gave Zoe a map of a secret island, and Dexter got the biggest cracker.
The little lesson
Keeping a surprise secret is hard, but the surprise is worth waiting for.
Let’s talk about it
- Have you ever kept a secret?
- What surprise would you plan for a friend?
Finish stories to collect Zara as a sticker in your Sticker Book.
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