Author: 32oliverf

Photo by Me

About four months ago, we read the book Squirm. Squirm is a very good book by Carl Hiaasen. Carl is a very famous author. He has written the Newbery Honor-winning book called Hoot. Squirm is about a boy who loves snakes. He has never met his dad so now he is wondering who he was or is. His dad sends money every month. He finds a money check, and the address says, Montana. He ventured out to Montana to meet his dad. He finds him and finds out his job is to go after poachers. They then go on a mission after a poacher. If you want to read the end read Squirm by Carl Hiaasen.

After we finished Squirm we started to research about endangered animals. I  found the Pygmy Three Toed Sloth. I did lots of research on the animal. Everyone in my grade also chose a different animal to research. After we all did a bunch of research we started to write books from our animal’s point of view. You can see my story below⬇️.

We also worked with an artist named Peg. Peg helped us make 3D books to put our story in. We learned how to collage, glue, make designs and make habitats. She helped us make our awesome books, as shown above ⬆️. I had a great experience working with Peg. She was so helpful, kind, and good. Thank you for reading. Comment below if you have ever made a book.

 

Story:

Terry the Pygmy Three-Toed Sloth

By Oliver

The island is getting smaller every day, shrinking like a pool being drained. My name is Terry the Terrible, the Pygmy Three-Toed Sloth, feared by all. Well, maybe not all, but a little. My birth name is Bradypus pygmaeus. I only live on this very small island called Isla Escudo de Veraguas off the coast of Panama. You can only find us high up in the red mangroves on the island. We are also the smallest sloths in our family, but we have black patches over our eyes like raccoons. I live in my snuggle, just me and my mom, on the east side of the island.

I just hope Coccidia doesn’t get around because it has been haunting our snuggle. You see, Coccidia is a terrible disease, including lots of parasites that rupture our cells to produce more diseases. It’s so terrible that it could wipe out our whole population. Enough of that scary stuff, I’m trying to find food because my regular meals, insects, leaves, and branches aren’t here anymore. I keep crawling along the hard-bark trees in search of food. My hunger grows every second like a wildfire. Later that day, I found a bunch of bugs on a branch. They taste different because humans are taking down everything. The humans keep coming in and cutting down the trees, with all my regular food. It is a terrible sound when the tree comes booming down, like an earthquake. Everything shakes. Right then, one of the largest trees comes crackling down, just a few yards away. The wind from the tree grabs at my fur. When the trees hit the ground, it is like everyone in the world can hear. Every night, I stay up late looking up into the stars, wondering if this will be my last. You see, pygmy three-toed sloths can’t really do anything about it because we are only 18-24 inches and only weigh 8-10 pounds.

Our population is getting smaller every day, but if you donate money to cure Coccidia, we can make a comeback. Every penny helps the doctors to try to find a cure for this terrible disease. You can also stop building houses that need wood. It would help a lot of animals, but especially us. If you stopped taking trees from our home to build wooden houses, it would keep trees for our habitat. You can build brick or concrete houses, so you wouldn’t need the wood.

Thank you for trying to help us make a comeback. Did you know that sloths move at 0.15 mph but are great swimmers? Thank you for taking the time to read this important story. We can all do a little bit to save this awesome animal. Please help us. We need to stay alive and on this great planet forever. Thank you again. Please, please, please, we need hope! For all the Terrys in the world!!!