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Anaya's Thumb Author: Natasha Sharma Illustrator: Ruchi Shah
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Anaya’s most favorite thing in the world is her thumb. She loves her round, thick and blobby thumb as it sits in her mouth. She sucks it in bed, she sucks it in class and she sucks it on the swing. She sucks it all the time! Her parents don’t like it much and are always saying, ‘Your thumb smells’, ‘Anaya stop!’, ‘Anaya don’t!’
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Anaya is at the zoo today. Her parents do not look at her thumb since they are busy looking at the animals. Anaya sees an elephant. She spots a calf that is not splashing with his mother. He is not trumpeting with his father. He is not eating bananas with his friends. What is the baby elephant doing? Sucking his trunk! CHUSK! CHUSK!
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Just ahead are some deer. Anaya sees a fawn that is not munching with her mother. She is not looking at other animals like her father. She is not prancing with her friends. What is the baby deer doing? Sucking her hoof! CHUSK! CHUSK!
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Next, the monkeys call out. Anaya spots an infant who is not clinging to her mother. She is not playing the clown with her father. She is not playing hide and seek with her friends. What is the baby monkey doing? Sucking her thumb! CHUSK! CHUSK!
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Anaya spots hippos in the water. She sees a hippopotamus calf that is not yawning wide with her mother. She is not grunting with her father. She is not swimming with her friends. What is the baby hippo doing? Sucking her lip! CHUSK! CHUSK!
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The tigers welcome her with a growl. And look at that tiger cub! He is not snoozing with his mother. He is not swatting flies with his father. He is not sneaking up on his friends. What is the baby tiger doing? Sucking his tail! CHUSK! CHUSK!
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Anaya sits down and thinks of the baby animals that are missing all the fun. Anaya looks at the people around her. She sees a boy on his father's shoulders waving his arms. She sees a boy carrying cotton candy and a juice can.
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She sees a girl clicking pictures with a camera. She sees a baby shaking her rattle. All the children are having fun! Anaya looks down her nose and sees her own hand curled up, with the thumb in her mouth. Could she put her thumb to better use?
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Anaya pulls her thumb out of her mouth, runs ahead and stops between her parents. She holds onto their hands, counts 1-2-3, jumps up and swings high in the air . “WHEEE!” And the little baby monkey watching her from above does the same.