I have a real soft spot for beautiful animal stories
Especially with Edie at bedtime
We love to snuggle together
And learn about animals from around the world
About their habitats and behaviours
A lot can be learned through a seemingly simple story
A story of albatross meets penguin

Albatross are pelagic birds
Typically found on colder ocean waters
Wandering albatross are found
Across the Southern Ocean

In The Huddle by Sean Julian
We see Alba take to the skies
No longer a fluffy chick
She is ready to fly
Hungrily fishing the sea below
She does not see the wave above
It crashes down
Breaking her wing
And sweeping her to the shore

Alba wakes to find a penguin
Offering her a fish
Though they do not speak the same language
The penguin knows that Alba is alone and hurt
Alba knows that the penguin is offering
Kindness and food

Penguin is not alone
Other penguins come to see Alba
To look after Alba

Alba feels safe and loved
Until a storm approaches
Endangering the albatross and the penguins
The penguins huddle around Alba
Showing her the strength in their numbers
Showing her how together they can keep warm
Together they can survive the storm
The long antarctic storm

When Alba wakes and the storm has passed
The penguins are excited
The storm is over
The long dark wait for the sun is over
It was time for Alba to fly
Alba is healed and ready to continue her journey
She finds it hard to say goodbye
But Alba and her new friends know
That she has to go

Alba never forgot her penguin friends
And she lived her own life
With the same strength and kindness
The flightless birds had shown her
When Alba became a mother
She raised her chick with love
She kept them safe and warm
Protected them from harm
Knowing that when they were ready
She would let them fly

This story is a stunning illustration
Of the power of kindness

This story shows how one
Small act of kindness
Can have a huge and lasting affect

This is a beautiful nature story
That shows the awe and wonder of the wild
An inspiring story of community
That we can all learn something from