What’s Next?

Toddler-PreS–Once Baby Badger knows all the nooks and crannies of his underground burrow, he’s eager to experience more. His father takes the young cub out after dark so he can learn where to find soft moss for rolling in and flower bulbs to eat. He’s even shown the ideal spot to view the wonder of stars and the full moon. Then his father tells him it’s time to return home because night is coming to an end. The young badger can’t sleep and is curious about the daytime, so he decides to go exploring on his own. After gazing in wonder at all he discovers in daylight, he’s hot and tired and realizes he doesn’t know how to get back home. Luckily, his daddy is nearby. Mixed-media illustrations show the burrow and the nighttime excursion in mainly black and gray. The forest in the morning is light and pastel colored. The illustrations of the burrow are rife with details, such as a buried treasure chest, worms, and the roots of plants. Bats, owls, and moths fill the night sky, and birds, butterflies, and blossoms call the daytime forest their home.