When "I quit" really means "I'm not good enough."
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Riki Rabbit and the Craft Table Tangle (A Story and Activities Gift!)
As educators and parents, we've all been there: a child pushes their paper away, tears up their drawing, and mumbles, "I quit."
Navigating perfectionism and frustration in early childhood is tough. That’s why we created Riki Rabbit and the Craft Table Tangle, a gentle story from the world of Heartwood Forest.
What started as a small sample grew into a complete 24-page mini-unit packed with reading comprehension, vocabulary building, and creative drawing prompts.
Included: A personal note from the author
We want you to experience the joy of Heartwood Forest risk-free!
Head over to our Teachers Pay Teachers store (green button below) to download the entire packet for free, and while you're there, explore the rest of the forest characters!
The Great Heartwood Forest Contest
Anna Belle Sparkles and the Hidden Hollow
Book 1 $5.95 (Differentiated Story)
What Happens When a Salmon is Asked to Fly?
When the forest holds a contest with the same rules for everyone, Sally Salmon feels "not smart" because she can't fly or run. This story helps students embrace the Power of Yet and find their own "Berry Thicket" niche.
Anna Belle Sparkles and the Hidden Hollow
Anna Belle Sparkles and the Hidden Hollow
Book 2 $5.95 (Differentiated Story)
Anna Belle’s telekinesis and Alchemi’s scientific logic are put to the test when their crystal tower keeps tumbling. They learn that success—in building and in learning—requires a strong foundation.
Riki Rabbit and the Twig Hoop
Book 3 $5.95 (Differentiated Story)
Riki Rabbit sees a rolling hoop where others only see a pile of sticks. With the help of Red Willow Fox and her Anchor Friend, Sammy Skunk, Riki proves that practice is the bridge between a vision and reality.
The Mischievous Monkeys and the Golden Mangos
Book 4 $5.95
(One Version Extended Story)
Zany and Hilarious Monkey and Ocelot Adventure!
Grades 4–5:
Written to grade-level standards.
Grades 1–3: Recommended as an engaging Read-Aloud for younger learners!
Fee Fee and Margie are identical twin monkey whirlwinds who love collecting "exotic treasures" (like rhinestone sunglasses and magenta
Book 4 $5.95
(One Version Extended Story)
Zany and Hilarious Monkey and Ocelot Adventure!
Grades 4–5:
Written to grade-level standards.
Grades 1–3: Recommended as an engaging Read-Aloud for younger learners!
Fee Fee and Margie are identical twin monkey whirlwinds who love collecting "exotic treasures" (like rhinestone sunglasses and magenta floppy hats). But when their high-energy play leads to The Great Mango Fiasco, the forest floor becomes a sticky disaster! This story follows the twins as they accidentally ruin Professor Purrfect’s ocelot tracking lesson with a "torrential mango storm."
As the twins witness the impact of their "finders-keepers" attitude and their messy antics, they experience a tiny spark of "heart guilt." This leads to the "Silent Fix"—a lesson in restitution where they quietly return the ocelots' bicycles and learn that taking responsibility is the first step toward growth.
Do we judge a fish by her ability to fly?
Each year, animals gather for a chance to win the title of “Extraordinary Creature of the Year.”
To win, a contestant must succeed in three trials: swimming, flying, and running.
Sally Salmon is the first to compete.
She feels strong and confident as she swims through the murky algae-colored river, her torpedo-shaped body gliding through the turbulent current with precision.
She joyfully leaps several feet into the humid air and splashes back down gracefully.
In the water, she is extraordinary!
Trill Sparrow lives in Berry Thicket.
She is small and agile, flying low through the dense bushes without ever getting caught in the prickly thorns.
Her melodic, rhythmic songs guide others to the ripest red and purple berries hidden in clusters deep within the leaves.
She is known as helpful, thoughtful, and generous.
In the thicket, she is extraordinary!
Now it is Miles Dash Cheetah’s turn.
He is a powerful runner, built for speed.
His body moves like a spring, launching him forward with force and grace.
His claws grip the rich, dark, uneven forest floor, and his long tail keeps him balanced through sharp turns.
He is the fastest animal in the forest and can sprint up to seventy miles an hour in short bursts!
On land, he is fearless, in control, and extraordinary!
Then Red Willow Fox raises her paw...
“All this time, we have been comparing ourselves instead of paying attention to our own strengths.”
“If we judge a fish by her ability to fly, she will believe she is not smart or not good enough.”
Sage Alder Owl, perched high in an old oak tree, nods thoughtfully
“We do not all learn the same things in the same way, in the same order, or become great at everything we try,” he says.
“But that is all right.”
“We discover who we are by doing what we love—and practicing it a little each day.”
“When we do that, life has a way of working out.”
Heartwood Forest Science and SEL Resources
The Secret Life of Chameleons
Science Exploration: Chameleons
This resource invites students into the high forest canopy, where chameleons move slowly, watch carefully, and survive with some of the most remarkable adaptations in the reptile world. Through illustrated nonfiction lesson pages, students learn how chameleons grip branches, move their eyes independently, launch sticky tongues, change color, hatch from eggs, and live independently from day one.
Social-Emotional Learning: Body Cues, Empathy, & Respectful Boundaries
A chameleon’s body can show changes when it is stressed, alert, excited, frightened, too cool, or too warm. Its color, posture, movement, and behavior can all give clues about what it may need.
This resource uses chameleon science as a gentle bridge to human self-awareness. Students learn that people have body cues, too. A fast heartbeat, tense shoulders, restlessness, quietness, zoning out, or needing space can all be signals that a person is feeling something strongly.
Through this connection, students are invited to notice body cues, think about healthy calming strategies, and understand that every living thing deserves respect. The goal is not to make students share private feelings. The goal is to help students build empathy, notice signals, and respect boundaries — in animals, in other people, and in themselves.
Groundhog Underground!
Groundhog Underground! is a fun, visually engaging Heartwood Forest Nature Quick Lesson that helps students learn about groundhogs, burrows, pups, hibernation, groundhog family life, and the difference between groundhogs and gophers.
This resource combines short informational reading with vocabulary practice, labeling, comparison, a maze, life-stage learning, review activities, and a simple answer key. Students are encouraged to look back at the reading pages, making this a low-pressure activity that supports comprehension and confidence.
The pages are colorful, kid-friendly, and designed to be easy to print and use when you need a quick lesson that still feels thoughtful and complete.
What’s Included
This 10-page resource includes:
- Cover/starter activity page
- Groundhog informational reading page
- Quick facts sidebar
- Vocabulary match activity
- Label the burrow activity
- Groundhog or gopher comparison page
- Heartwood Wonder Box with Alchemi Watts (Our Science Guy)
- Wildlife problem solver page
- Brief family note
- Groundhog maze
- Groundhog family life facts
- From pup to adult life-stage page
- Fun review page
- Simple black-and-white answer key
- Bonus Groundhog Day page
Heartwood Forest Keeps Growing!
