The Shameless Banana Thief UFLI Foundations Lesson 106

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The Shameless Banana Thief

Practice Words

branches dreadful things books closely dishes gladly hands harder joyful kindly louder loudest loudly lovely only playful retrace shameless softly thinker tucked flowers lived loved exactly bananas rumbled smacked reached looked tossed pads whispered eyes buzzing called wings wobbled wiped frowned coiled trying rats peels squeezed groaned sneaky wailed going runs stomped clenched fists muttered growled sounded agreed opened leading clues gasped followed having leaned shouted lifted pointed growing closed words smiled tied giving cheeks tilted steps growling cried clapped
Page 1
On the left side of the image, a large tree with a thick brown trunk dominates the scene, its green canopy spreading across the top. A small treehouse is nestled among the upper branches, partially hidden by lush green leaves and hanging vines with yellow flowers. A brown cartoon monkey hangs upside down by one arm from a branch extending right of the trunk, its other arms and tail splayed outward, with a wide-eyed, open-mouthed surprised expression on its tan face. The right side of the image is empty, plain cream background, leaving open space. A strip of soft green grass runs along the bottom at the base of the tree.

High in a tree, tucked in the branches with yellow flowers, there was a treehouse. And in that treehouse lived Monkey. Monkey loved exactly three things: bananas, bananas, and more bananas. He ate them for breakfast. He ate them for lunch. He ate them for dinner. And if his tummy rumbled at night, he gladly ate one more.

Page 2
On the right side of the image, Monkey stands on the wooden floor of his treehouse interior, leaning forward with a distraught, worried expression — furrowed brow, wide eyes, downturned mouth — as he searches desperately for his missing bananas. One hand rests on his hip while his tail curls behind him. The treehouse is in disarray: books, cushions, and small objects are scattered across the wooden floor, having been tossed around in his frantic search. Green vines hang outside a window or doorway. The left side of the image is plain white background, left clear for text.

One morning, Monkey woke up with the loudest rumble in his tummy. He smacked his lips. 'Breakfast time!' But when he reached for his bunch of bananas, they were gone. He looked under his pillow. He looked behind his books. He tossed soft pads and dishes across the floor. No bananas. Not a single one. 'A thief,' Monkey whispered, his eyes going wide, 'took my breakfast.'

Page 3
On the left side of the image, Monkey stands on a wooden treehouse platform built among the branches of a large tree, leaning forward over the railing with one arm extended, looking worried and calling out with a concerned, open-mouthed expression. Honey Bee hovers nearby on a branch just to the right of Monkey, laughing heartily with her wings wobbling from the laughter. The scene is set outdoors on a bright day with green foliage overhead and small yellow flowers hanging from the tree. Two additional smaller bees fly in the upper-centre area near a golden-yellow glow.

Monkey leaned over the railing and saw a little bee buzzing by the yellow flowers. 'Excuse me!' he called loudly. 'Did you take my bananas?' The bee had such a giggle that her wings wobbled and she almost fell off the branch. 'Me? Lift a big bunch of bananas?' She wiped a tiny drop from her eye. 'I can only lift a drop of honey!' Monkey frowned. She had a point.

Page 4
On the right side of the image, Monkey stands on a red wooden balcony or platform attached to a large tree, looking up with a polite, curious expression and one hand raised in a wave or greeting. Snake is coiled around a thick tree branch above, looking down toward Monkey with a calm, haughty grin. The scene is set outdoors on a bright, clear day with a soft blue sky and small yellow flowers on trailing vines hanging from the tree.

Then he saw Snake, coiled on a branch just above him. 'Excuse me, Snake,' Monkey said, trying to be polite. 'Did you, by any chance, eat my bananas?' Snake looked down with a slow, hissy grin. 'I eat rats, not fruit. Do I look like a beast who peels bananas?' He let out a long hiss. 'With what hands?' Monkey frowned harder. Snake had a point.

Page 5
On the left side of the image, Monkey hangs upside down from a vine among the branches of a large tree, gripping the vine with one hand and a branch with his feet, his face visible and turned toward the viewer. His expression is worried and anxious, with wide eyes and a frowning, open mouth showing distress, and one hand clutches his clenched tummy. The outdoor scene is set in a lush tree canopy with green leafy foliage, small yellow flowers on the vine, and a soft blue sky visible through the leaves. The right side of the image is plain white background, clear for text overlay.

Monkey swung in the branches and hung upside down from a vine. His tummy squeezed and groaned. 'A thief!' he wailed. 'A sneaky thief stole my bananas! And I am going to find them!' But it is very hard to be a good thinker when you are upside down and your brain runs on zero bananas.

Page 6
On the right side of the image, Monkey stands on a wooden deck with a railing, gritting his teeth with eyes squeezed shut in frustration, fists clenched at his sides in a tense, irritated pose. Green vines with small yellow flowers hang down from above, and a small pile of cut bamboo stalks sits in the bottom-right corner. The left side of the image is plain white background, suitable for text overlay.

Monkey stomped back to his treehouse deck. He bit down hard. He squeezed his eyes shut. He clenched his fists. 'When I find out who took my bananas,' he muttered, 'there are going to be dreadful, dreadful things.' His tummy growled again, even louder this time. It sounded like it agreed.

Page 7
On the left side of the image, Monkey stands on a wooden treehouse platform built into a large tree, leaning forward against the railing and peering down with wide eyes and a surprised, excited expression, as if spotting something yellow on the grass far below. A faint trail of yellow bananas is visible on the ground at the base of the tree. The tree has lush green foliage above and yellow flowers with vines growing along its trunk. The right side of the image is plain white background, suitable for text overlay.

When Monkey opened his eyes, he saw something that made them go wide. Down on the grass below his tree, there was a trail. A trail of bright yellow bananas, leading away from the trunk, one by one, like little clues left behind by a shameless thief. 'Yes!' Monkey gasped. 'I have got you now!'

Page 8
On the right side of the image, Monkey stands on a wooden bridge or platform with red railings, leaning forward over the railing at a three-quarter angle, his face visible and contorted with anger and hunger — mouth wide open as if shouting, brow furrowed. In the middle distance, Rabbit sits on the green grass facing toward the viewer, with a great big bunch of bananas and several loose bananas scattered on the ground around him in a casual picnic setting. The scene is set outdoors in a lush green meadow with tropical-looking foliage hanging from the top of the frame. The left ~40% of the image is plain white/light background, suitable for text overlay.

He followed the trail with his eyes, and there at the very end sat a white rabbit. A white rabbit having a lovely little picnic. A white rabbit right beside a big bunch of bananas. Monkey reached for the railing and leaned so far out that his feet left the deck. 'You bad, bad thief!' he shouted. 'You stole my breakfast! Those are my bananas!' Rabbit looked up and blinked.

Page 9
On the left side of the image, Rabbit stands upright on the grass, holding a banana in one hand and pointing with the other toward a small banana plant growing nearby. Rabbit has a cheerful, laughing expression, completely unbothered. Behind Rabbit, a large tree dominates the left edge, with Monkey perched on a small wooden platform high up on the trunk, peering down over the railing with a surprised expression. Vines with small yellow fruits hang from the tree's branches. The scene is set outdoors in a lush, green backyard setting on a bright day, with the right side of the image fading to plain white background.

Rabbit did not look upset. Not even a little bit. He lifted a banana in one paw and pointed to a small banana plant growing just behind him. 'These?' Rabbit said with a playful grin. 'These are mine! I grew them in my own garden. You can come and look if you like.' Monkey opened his mouth. Then he closed it. Then he opened it again. No words came out.

Page 10
On the right side of the image, Rabbit stands at the base of a large tree, smiling warmly and reaching up to tie a big bunch of bananas to a vine that hangs down from above. Monkey peers down from a wooden treehouse built high up in the tree, grinning with a surprised, grateful expression as he watches Rabbit below. The scene is set outdoors in a grassy suburban yard on a bright, clear day, with soft green foliage and a hazy blue sky in the background. The left side of the image is open sky with large, soft white clouds, leaving clear space for text.

But Rabbit did something Monkey did not expect. He smiled and tied a big bunch of bananas to a vine that hung from the treehouse. 'It has been a very big harvest,' Rabbit said kindly. 'Take this bunch!' Monkey stared down from his treehouse. Just a minute ago, he called Rabbit a thief. Now Rabbit was giving him a gift. His cheeks went hot.

Page 11
On the left side of the image, Monkey stands on a wooden ladder propped against a large tree trunk, with a worried, uncertain expression on his face. He holds a bunch of bananas in one hand and gestures with the other. The scene is outdoors with green vines and small yellow flowers trailing along the tree. Down on the grass at the base of the tree, Rabbit stands looking up at Monkey with a calm, reassuring smile, speaking up to him. The right side of the image is plain white background, framed by a decorative scalloped border.

Monkey took the bunch of bananas and looked down at Rabbit. 'Thank you,' he said softly. 'But I still never found out who took mine.' Rabbit tilted his head. 'Try to retrace your steps from last night. Look closely at what you did before you blame a thief.' Monkey closed his eyes. Last night. What did he do? He was in his treehouse. It was dark. His tummy was growling. He reached for a banana and then...

Page 12
On the right side of the image, Monkey stands in a wooden treehouse built against a large tree, leaning on the railing with a wide, laughing grin and one hand raised with a thumbs-up, looking as though having a sudden joyful realisation. Banana peels are scattered all around the treehouse railing and on the deck below. A bunch of bananas sits on the railing beside Monkey. The left side is open sky with a soft blue watercolour background; a couple of small green birds fly near the tree's branches and vines.

'No!' Monkey opened his eyes wide. He looked at the banana peels all around the treehouse railing. Peel after peel after peel. 'I woke up in the night with a growling belly!' he cried. 'I ate them all! Every single one!' He clapped a hand over his mouth, then broke into a wide grin. 'The banana thief was me!' And down below, Rabbit let out a joyful hoot.

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