Too Prickly for a Pal? UFLI Foundations Lesson 110

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Too Prickly for a Pal?

Practice Words

funny happy stories tried try bumpy crazily cried cry dry easily empty happiest happily hurried hurry jolly jumpy lucky ready sorry spied story worried pointy prickly sandy busy
Page 1
On the right side of the image, Spike stands in his terracotta pot looking sad and hopeful, facing a group of three potted trees who are clustered together with smug, dismissive expressions. The scene is set outdoors on reddish-brown ground with a colorful flowering hedge running across the background under a white sky. Spike's posture is slightly hunched and uncertain, while the trees lean together as a clique, clearly rejecting him.

Spike the cactus did not have a pal. Not one. Not ever. But this was the day he would try. He could feel it in his spines. 'Hi!' said Spike, hopping up to three trees. 'I am Spike! Want a hug?' The trees looked at each other. Then they laughed crazily, shaking their leaves. 'A hug? From you? No way, Spikes. Get lost.'

Page 2
In the lower half of the image, Spike is shown in three sequential poses hopping cheerfully from left to right in his small terracotta pot, conveying movement across the scene. In each pose Spike has a happy, optimistic smile — unbothered and determined to keep going. Dashed bouncing lines between each position emphasize the hopping motion. The top half is plain white background, and the overall setting is a simple, minimal outdoor ground plane with soft shadows beneath the pot.

Did Spike cry? Did Spike give up? Did Spike go home and sulk? Nope. 'That is fine!' said Spike happily, hopping off with a grin. 'Those trees are just not ready for a pal as jolly as me.' He hopped across the yard, his pot clinking. He hummed a happy little song he had made up himself.

Page 3
On the right side of the image, Spike is shown in a sequence of poses hopping across the scene in his terracotta pot, with dashed lines indicating his bouncing path. In the center-right, Spike stands in his pot looking up hopefully with a friendly smile at a grumpy orange tree, which has narrowed, annoyed-looking eyes peering out from its foliage. The outdoor scene features a warm peachy-orange ground with a colorful flower hedge running along the background.

Spike spied a tree standing by itself. 'Just right!' he said. 'You look like you need a pal to chat with, and I am very good at chatting!' The tree squinted down at him. 'No to chatting. No to pals. No to all of it. Just go.'

Page 4
On the left side of the image, Spike stands in his terracotta pot on reddish-brown ground, facing a banana tree (also in a pot) that has a worried, fearful yellow face peeking out from its leaves. Spike has a slightly confused or uncertain expression, appearing to approach the banana tree. The scene is set outdoors in a garden with a colorful flower hedge running along the background under a plain white sky. Two additional small potted plant characters are visible — a flower to the right of the banana tree turning away, and another flower on the far left also moving away, both with small fearful facial features, fleeing the scene.

Next, Spike spotted a tree with big leaves and a worried yellow face. 'Hi! I am Spike! Want to be pals?' The tree took one look at his spines and cried, 'Pointy! Pointy! Pointy!' It shook so hard that two little plants ran off in a hurry. 'I am not that pointy,' said Spike, looking down at himself. He was, in fact, very pointy.

Page 5
On the right side of the image, Spike is shown multiple times in a sequence — standing in his terracotta pot beside a tall mango tree and a smaller guava bush, both in pots with annoyed, sighing facial expressions. Spike appears with a hopeful but slightly sad expression as he approaches each tree. The scene is set outdoors in a sunny garden yard with a row of colorful flowering bushes in the background and warm reddish-brown ground. A dashed trail on the ground shows Spike's path moving from tree to tree, with one instance of Spike walking away toward the far right looking dejected.

Spike tried a tall tree. It sighed. He tried a bush. It sighed louder. 'We know about you, Spike,' they said. 'You are that prickly fellow who wants hugs. Please do not poke us.' Spike walked off slowly. His song went quiet.

Page 6
On the left side of the image, Spike stands in his terracotta pot looking up at Pawpaw tree with a hopeful, slightly shy expression. Pawpaw tree, also in a terracotta pot, towers over Spike and looks down at him with a calm, knowing expression. Pawpaw tree has a straight slender brown trunk, a round green leafy canopy forming its head with large round white eyes, small dark eyebrows, and a subtle smile, with several large lobed green fronds extending outward from the top like hair. They are outdoors in a garden setting with a colorful flower bed visible behind them, and the right side of the image is plain white background.

Just one plant left to try. A big tree at the far end of the yard. Spike hopped over, but this time he did not bounce. He just stood there, looking up. 'I bet I know,' said the big tree, peering down at him. 'You are Spike. The one looking for a pal all day.' Spike nodded. 'Well,' said the big tree. 'Lucky for you, I do not get jumpy easily.'

Page 7
Pawpaw tree stands on the right side of the image with a warm, welcoming smile and gentle eyes, looking slightly downward as if inviting someone closer. The tree's large leafy fronds spread outward like open arms against a plain white background. The scene is set outdoors in bright daylight with a calm, welcoming atmosphere.

The big tree spread his leaves wide, like open arms. 'The rest of them judged you before they even gave you a chance. That was not right, was it? Come sit with me, Spike.' Spike's eyes went round. 'Really? You mean it?' 'Really.' Spike hurried over. For the first time all day, he felt that his song just might be right.

Page 8
On the left side of the image, Spike stands in his terracotta pot next to Pawpaw tree (also in a pot), both with surprised, wide-eyed expressions. Spike is shaking, mouth open in shock with his small arms raised, and Pawpaw tree looks upset and is trembling, with a worried frown, drooping green fronds, and a single sweat drop on her leafy crown. Motion lines surround both characters, suggesting an agitated reaction. The right side of the image is plain white background.

They chatted for ages. Spike told funny jokes. The big tree told stories of wind and rain. It was the happiest day of Spike's life. Then Spike got so happy that he leaned in to laugh, and... pop! One of his spines pricked the big tree's leaf. 'Ouch!' yelled the big tree. 'That was my leaf!'

Page 9
On the right side of the image, Pawpaw tree stands with an angry, furrowed expression, frowning and looking upset, leaning away as if pulling back from someone. Its large leaf fronds are trembling with agitation, indicated by small motion lines above them. The left side of the image is plain white background, leaving ample space for text overlay.

The big tree pulled away, his leaves trembling. 'I knew it! They all warned me! Get out, Spike. Go find a pal you will not hurt.' 'I am so sorry! I did not mean to! Please...' 'Out!' Spike did not finish. He just hopped off, feeling very small and very quiet.

Page 10
On the left side of the image, Spike stands in his terracotta pot in an empty garden, looking outward with a bright, determined smile — as if he has just decided to find somewhere new. The garden around him is bare and quiet, emphasizing that he is alone with no other spikey plants in sight. The background is plain white, suggesting open space and possibility ahead.

Spike sat alone in the empty yard. No trees. No bushes. No one. Maybe they were right. Maybe a cactus could not have a pal. Maybe he was just too... Spike stopped. He looked at his spines. Then he looked at the road past the fence. 'Wait!' he said. 'I have been looking for a pal who is not prickly. What if I need one who is?'

Page 11
On the right side of the image, Spike stands in his terracotta pot on sandy, dry terrain just beyond a road, looking curiously at Thorn bush with a happy, excited expression. A dashed line traces Spike's path from the road across to his current position. Thorn bush sits beside Spike as a round, ball-shaped tangle of dark brown thorny vines with small spikes protruding in all directions, with two large white mismatched eyes and a small open dark mouth, looking back at Spike. The scene is set outdoors in a sandy, arid landscape with a paved road and sidewalk visible in the upper-left corner, along with a hint of greenery near the roadside.

Spike crossed the road and headed out to the dry, sandy dunes. And there, sitting in the sand like a bumpy brown ball, was a bush with thorns from head to toe. 'Wow,' said Spike. 'You are really pointy.' Thorn bush blinked its big funny eyes. 'You are really pointy.' They stared at each other. 'I am Spike. Want a hug?' 'I was hoping you would ask!'

Page 12
On the left side of the image, Spike and Thorn bush walk together across sandy dunes at sunset, both with wide joyful smiles as if singing together. Spike stands upright in the center-left without his pot, smiling broadly, with a small flower blooming from the top of his head and a dotted trail of footprints behind him leading back to a clay pot left by the road in the far background. Thorn bush — a round, dark brown ball of thorny vines with mismatched white eyes and a small open mouth — bounces along beside Spike on the right. Dark mountains and a glowing sun sit on the horizon. The right side of the image is plain sandy background with warm golden sky.

They hugged. And nobody said 'ouch!' Spike left his pot by the road, and the two of them set off across the dunes, singing songs and telling stories and bumping spines without one yelp. And between the second song and the third story, something happened that had never happened before. Spike grew a flower, right out of the top of his head. He did not even see it. He was too busy laughing with his pal.

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