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Hello Sun

Quentin, a young hedgehog, decides to build a tree house to see the sun after feeling a sunbeam for the first time. Despite facing teasing and a bet with a cunning fox, he cleverly enlists the help of his forest friends to complete the tree house in time. Ultimately, Quentin and his friends successfully reach the top and enjoy the beauty of the sun together, fulfilling his dream.

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21 views33 pages

Hello Sun

Quentin, a young hedgehog, decides to build a tree house to see the sun after feeling a sunbeam for the first time. Despite facing teasing and a bet with a cunning fox, he cleverly enlists the help of his forest friends to complete the tree house in time. Ultimately, Quentin and his friends successfully reach the top and enjoy the beauty of the sun together, fulfilling his dream.

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fvcqrc2vf9
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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The more Quentin heard


about the sun, the more
he wanted to see it for
himself. Suddenly, he had
an idea.
“I’m going to build a
tree house at the top
of the tallest tree. That
way, I can see the sun
every day.”
Quentin went home to plan his tree house.
When Fox heard about Quentin’s idea, he came
up with a wicked plan of his own.
“I hear you’re building a tree house,” Fox
said. “Aren’t you a little small to do that?”
“I am not,”said Quentin.

“Really?” Fox paused. “How about


a little bet? If you finish it in three
days, I will cook up a feast for your
tree house-warming party.”

“But if you lose,”


Fox continued, “you’ll
have to clean up my
messy burrow.”
“It’s a deal,” said
Quentin.
Fox’s mouth watered. Hedgehogs were his
favorite dinner, but they were difficult to
catch because of their sharp spines. Soon,
Quentin would be cleaning up his burrow and
Fox would easily be able to throw him into
a pot of boiling water. “What a delicious
dinner it will be,” thought Fox.
Early the next morning, Quentin went
to see Beaver.
“Would you be interested in a little
trade?” he asked. “If I collect twigs for
your dam, would you cut some wood for
my tree house?”
“I could use a change of pace,” said
Beaver. “It’s a deal. For a bundle of twigs,
I’ll have all your wood cut by tonight.”
Quentin finished the job so quickly,
he was able to spend the entire day
fishing. When Fox passed by and saw
Quentin, he laughed to himself.
Obviously, Quentin had not started to
build his tree house.
Charlie and his friends stopped by
and teased Quentin, “Guess you gave
up on your tree house.” Then, they
started singing,
Quentin is a bragger,
Who longs to see the sun.
He wants to build a tree house,
But hasn’t yet begun!

Quentin ignored them. Just two more


days until he would finally see the sun.
The next day, Quentin
went to see Squirrel.
“Would you be interested
in a little trade?” he asked.
“If I collect nuts for you
today, would you climb high up in the
trees and build the walls for my tree
house?”
“Well, I am a little tired of looking
for nuts,” said Squirrel. “It’s a deal. For
a basket of acorns, I’ll help build your
tree house.”
Quentin gathered acorns
quickly. When his basket was
full, he decided to take a rest.
Fox was surprised to see
Quentin napping. “He’s making
it easier for me than I thought,”
he laughed.
Charlie, Weasel, and Badger
soon came along singing,
Quentin is a bragger,
Who longs to see the sun.
He wants to build a tree house,
But hasn’t yet begun!

Quentin did not respond.


In the warm light of a sun ray,
he dreamed about seeing the sun.
Just one more day.
The next morning, Quentin went to
see the Robins.
“Would you be interested in a little
trade?” he asked. “If I baby-sit your
little ones today, would you fly high
up in the trees and build the roof for
my tree house?”
“We sure could do with a break
from those little rascals,” sighed Mrs.
Robin. “It’s a deal. If you watch our
children all day, we will finish your
roof by tonight.”
Quentin spent all day telling stories
to the little Robins.
Fox was pleased when he saw
Quentin sitting in the Robins’ nest.
“Tomorrow I’ll have won my bet,” he
said to himself, “and then I shall have the
finest hedgehog supper I’ve ever had!”
Soon Charlie and his friends
started to tease Quentin again.
Quentin is a bragger,
Who longs to see the sun.
He wants to build a tree house,
But hasn’t yet begun!

They sang their silly song again


and again, until the Robins flew
down and chirped, “YOUR TREE
HOUSE IS FINISHED!”
“Finished?” gasped Charlie.
“Yes,” said Quentin. “Come look!”
There it was—a beautiful tree house high up
in the branches of an old oak tree. Everyone was
impressed, especially Charlie.
“Wait a minute,” Fox said suddenly. “How are
you going to get all the way up there?”
“Oh no!” Quentin hadn’t thought about that.
“You have lost our little bet,” said Fox. “I shall
be expecting you in the morning at my place.”
Fox left with a big grin on his face.
Quentin felt awful.
Quietly, Charlie asked, “Would you be interested
in a little trade?”
“What do you mean?” asked Quentin.
“If Badger, Weasel, and I help you build
a rope ladder,” said Charlie, “could we climb
up to your tree house and have a look at the
sun, too?”
“It’s a deal!” exclaimed Quentin.
In the light of many dancing fireflies, the
forest animals built a long rope ladder. It took
them all night. When the first sunbeams broke
through the thick forest, they were finally
done. Everyone was excited. Soon they
would see something that very few forest
animals had ever seen.
To everyone who loves the Sun

Text and illustrations copyright © 2003 by Hans Wilhelm

All rights reserved. International copyright secured. No part of this book may be
reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any
means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without the prior
written permission of Carolrhoda Books, Inc., except for the inclusion of brief
quotations in an acknowledged review.

Carolrhoda Books, Inc.


A division of Lerner Publishing Group
24I First Avenue North
Minneapolis, MN 5540I U.S.A.

Website address: www.lernerbooks.com

For more information about Hans Wilhelm, please visit: www.hanswilhelm.com

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Wilhelm, Hans, I945–


Hello sun! / written and illustrated by Hans Wilhelm.
p. cm.
Summary: Upon feeling a sunbeam for the first time, a young hedgehog decides
to build a tree house so that he can see the sun itself, and, despite teasing and a
bet with a wily fox, he finds a way to get the job done.
eISBN: I–57505–676–3
[I. Hedgehogs — Fiction. 2. Forest animals — Fiction. 3. Sun — Fiction.] I. title.
PZ7.W648I6 He 2003
[E]—dc2I 2002I5I966

Manufactured in the United States of America


I 2 3 4 5 6 – DP – 08 07 06 05 04 03
Quentin was the first to climb up the
ladder. His heart was beating loudly.
When he reached the top . . .
t Carolrhoda Books, Inc. • Minneapolis
Early one morning,
Charlie Rabbit, Weasel,
and Badger peeked
through the bushes and
saw an unusual sight—
Quentin, the little hedgehog,
stood on his hind legs, bathed
in the light of a sunbeam.
Quentin was never awake
during the day! He was so
happy he felt like singing.

Little light, with all your might,


You help the flowers grow.
You make me cheerful every day.
You warm my little toe . . .
“That’s no ‘little light,’” laughed Charlie
Rabbit. “That’s the sun. It’s bigger than the
whole forest.”
“If it’s so big, why can’t we see it?” asked
Quentin.
“The trees block out the sun and only let a
few sunbeams through. That’s why the forest
is so dark, silly!” replied Charlie.
“But what does the sun look like?” asked
Quentin.
“I don’t know,” said Charlie, “and I don’t
care. As long as I have green to nibble and
flowers to smell, I’m happy. Why do you
care anyway? You’re a night creature!”
But Quentin was not satisfied. He
wanted to know all about the sun, so
he decided to visit wise old Owl.
“Imagine a giant, juicy berry,” explained Owl.
“That’s what the sun looks like when it rises
every morning. At midday, the sun looks like a
big flower growing in the sky. And in the
evening, it disappears behind the mountains
like a huge ball of fire. The sun is most
beautiful when seen from above the treetops.”
. . . the sun welcomed him with
the warmest light!
“Hello Sun!” shouted Quentin.
The others joined him and greeted the sun, too.
Then Charlie started to sing,
Great big sun, you are so bright.
You bathe us in your glow.
You guide us on our merry way
And warm us head to toe.
All day long, the animals came to admire
Quentin’s tree house. They brought flowers and
gifts and a huge appetite. Fox served up quite
a feast!
Together they watched the sun. It was as
bright and beautiful as Quentin dreamed it
would be. He wouldn’t have traded this moment
for anything!

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