The Grouchy Ladybug by Eric Carle

Good evening.

I'm Mr. Seven. yea!

I'd like to do a night-time reading of

The Grouchy Ladybug.

Night-time reading is a quieter version of the story.

It's a time for you to relax, and unwind from

your very, very busy day.

The Grouchy Ladybug by Eric Carle.

The author writes a side note to help you

understand the story better.

He writes "Aphids are very small insects,

they suck the juice from leaves, and

then the leaves die.

Ladybugs eat aphids.

That's good for trees, shrubs, and other

plants that have leaves.

To the ladybugs I have dedicated this book.

Three cheers for them."

It was night, and some fireflies

danced around the moon.

At five o-clock in the morning,

the sun came up.

A friendly ladybug flew in from the left.

[bug flying sound effect]

It saw a leaf with many aphids on it

and decided to have them for breakfast.

But just them, a grouchy ladybug

flew in from the right.

[bug flying sound effect]

It too saw the aphids and wanted

them for breakfast.

Good morning! said the friendly ladybug.

Go away! shouted the grouchy ladybug.

I want those aphids.

We can share them suggested

the friendly ladybug.

No - they're mine, all mine screamed

the grouchy ladybug.

Or do you want to fight me for them?

If you insist answered the friendly

ladybug sweetly.

It looked the other ladybug straight in the eye.

The grouchy ladybug stepped back,

it looked less sure of itself.

Oh, you're not big enough for me

to fight, it said.

Then why don't you pick on some

body bigger?

I'll do that screeched the grouchy ladybug.

I'll show you. It puffed itself up

and [bug flying sound effect] flew off.

At six o-clock it met a yellow jacket.

Hey you, said the grouchy ladybug.

Wanna fight?

If you insist said the yellow jacket

showing it's stinger.

Oh, you're not big enough said

the grouchy ladybug and [bug flying sound effect]

flew off.

At seven o-clock it met a stag beetle.

Hey you, said the grouchy ladybug.

Wanna fight?

If you insist said the stag beetle,

opening its jaws.

Oh, you're not big enough said the

grouchy ladybug and [bug flying sound effect]

flew off.

At eight o'clock, it came across a

praying mantis.

Hey you, said the grouchy ladybug.

Wanna fight?

If you insist said the praying mantis

reaching out with its long front legs.

You're not big enough said the grouchy ladybug

and [bug flying sound effect] flew off.

At nine o'clock it almost flew into a sparrow.

Hey you, said the grouchy ladybug.

Wanna fight?

If you insist, said the sparrow

opening its sharp beak.

You're not big enough, said the grouchy ladybug

and [bug flying sound effect] flew off.

At ten o'clock it saw a lobster.

Hey you, said the grouchy ladybug.

Wanna fight?

If you insist, said the lobster

stretching its claws.

You're not big enough said the grouchy ladybug

and [bug flying sound effect] flew off.

At eleven o'clock it bumped into a skunk.

Hey you, said the grouchy ladybug.

Wanna fight?

If you insist said the skunk,

starting to lift its tail.

You're not big enough said the grouchy ladybug

and [bug flying sound effect] flew off.

At twelve noon it spotted a boa constrictor.

Hey you, said the grouchy ladybug.

Wanna fight?

If you insist said the snake...right after lunch.

You're not big enough, said the grouchy ladybug

and [bug flying sound effect] flew off.

At one o'clock it happened upon a hyena.

Hey you, said the grouchy ladybug.

Wanna fight?

If you insist said they hyena laughing

eerily and showing its teeth.

You're not big enough, said the grouchy ladybug

and [bug flying sound effect] flew off.

At two o'clock it met a gorilla.

Hey you, said the grouchy ladybug.

Wanna fight?

If you insist said the gorilla beating

its chest.

You're not big enough said the grouchy ladybug

and [bug flying sound effect] flew off.

At three o'clock it ran into a rhinoceros.

Hey you, said the grouchy ladybug.

Wanna fight?

If you insist, said the rhinoceros

lowering its horn.

You're not big enough said the grouchy ladybug

and [bug flying sound effect] flew off.

At four o-clock it encountered an elephant.

Hey you, said the grouchy ladybug.

Wanna fight?

If you insist, said the elephant

raising its trunk and showing its big tusk

You're not big enough said the grouchy ladybug

and [bug flying sound effect] flew off.

At five o-clock it met a whale.

Hey you, said the grouchy ladybug.

Wanna fight?

The whale did not answer at all.

You're not big enough anyway said the

grouchy ladybug and [bug flying sound effect]

flew off.

At five fifteen, the grouchy ladybug said to

one of the whales flippers, hey you.

Wanna fight?

But it got no answer, so it [bug flying sound effect]

flew off.

At five thirty, the grouchy ladybug said to the

whale's fin, hey you.

Wanna fight?

But it got no answer so it

[bug flying sound effect] flew off.

At a quarter to six, the grouchy ladybug

said to the whale's tail, hey you.

Wanna fight?

And the whale's tail gave the grouchy

ladybug such a slap that it flew across

the sea and across the land.

At six o-clock the grouchy ladybug

arrived right back where it had

started from.

Ah, here you are again said the friendly

ladybug. You must be hungry.

There's still some aphids left.

You can have them for dinner.

Oh, thank you, said the wet, tired, and

hungry ladybug.

Soon all the aphids were gone.

Thank you said the leaf.

You are welcome, answered both

ladybugs and they went to sleep.

The fireflies who had been sleeping

all day came out to dance around

the moon.

The end.

Good night.