Tara’s Turtle Trouble

Lexile: 510 | Grade: 3

Passage

Tara loved animals. She had a cat named Whiskers and a fish named Bubbles. But one day, she found something new—a turtle slowly walking near her backyard fence.

The turtle looked lost. Tara gently picked it up and placed it in a box with some lettuce and water. She named it Toby.

At first, Tara wanted to keep Toby forever. But the next day, she read online that wild turtles are happiest when they live outside in nature.

Tara felt sad. She liked Toby, but she also wanted him to be happy. She told her mom, 'I think we should let him go.'

Tara and her mom took Toby to a nearby pond with grass, rocks, and sunshine. Tara set him down, and he slowly walked into the water.

'Goodbye, Toby,' she whispered. 'I hope you have a great turtle life.'