The Pact and other stories: Stories for Boys and Girls

By Danielle Michaud Aubrey and Nadia Ilchuk

10 new and original stories with painted illustrations by Nadia Ilchuk. Imaginative stories of day-to-day adventures with human and animal characters that teach a life lesson. The story-telling is in the style of classics like The Adventures of Peter Rabbit, The Wind in the Willows or Winnie the Poo

• Language: English
• Publisher: Petra Books
• Release date: Dec 8, 2019
• ISBN: 9781989048399

Danielle Michaud Aubrey

BA Sociology, Psychology and Women's Studies, MA Conflict Studies.

Book preview

Ziggy, the Adventurous Little Spider

Octavia the spider was crawling along very slowly. She felt heavy, carrying all her precious eggs. She carefully laid them in a safe place, far away from caterpillars and birds.

A few weeks later, the eggs had hatched into a bounty of baby spiders. Oh my, sighed Octavia as she counted them.

Looking around, she remembered the alphabet as she began to name her offspring. Ann, Beth, Cricket, Doug, Evie, Fern, Gus, Helen, Ivy… and on she went. When she reached ‘z’, she was stuck! Tiny ‘z’ appeared to be stepping forward, then stepping back, and then swaying side-to-side. And then she would start her dizzy dance all over again.

Octavia smiled. Ziggy, she cried happily!

Stretching her long legs, Octavia led her babies, who were falling all over their little legs, to some fresh green leaves. She knew that they must learn to make their webs where they could catch bugs to eat.

She taught them to anchor long threads to trees and bushes, and then to weave them in a closer and tighter pattern. This was the best way to catch bugs and flies on windy days. Octavia was keeping a watchful eye to be sure that they spun their webs in a good pattern.

Mother Octavia noticed that Ziggy was day-dreaming. She was looking at the big puffy clouds sailing across the blue sky; this caused her web to be round and fluffy! Not at all what a web should look like. Ziggy, look at what your brothers and sisters are doing. You must practice and pay attention, she said.

But Mom, look at how pretty the clouds are, and how they float across the sky, said Ziggy, as she began to make a new web. Her brothers and sisters teased her as they learned to make their own webs. Ziggy tried harder to please her Mom.

A little while later Mom noticed Ziggy staring at an old drooping willow tree. She also saw that Ziggy’s web was made of one long web with many loose webs falling from above — like the willow branches. Mom left her brood and went to help Ziggy. This time she was upset as she asked Ziggy, Dear, what do you think you will catch with your web? Ziggy, who looked so happy, turned and said But Mom, I’m sorry, but just look at that beautiful tree; it’s so high, with arms swinging in the wind!

Octavia agreed, but again reminded her little dreamer that her web would not catch anything at all if the strings were to sway to and fro. No buts, she said, let’s try again tomorrow. It’s late and time for you to sleep with your brothers and sisters now. Octavia gathered her little spiders and they all intertwined their tired legs and fell to sleep. Good night little ones, she whispered, and she rested too.

Ziggy yawned and was about to nod off when she gasped; she had just seen a shooting star fly across the dark sky. Quickly she climbed to the top of a tall tree to try to see more of the night sky. In the distance she noticed for the first time a beautiful long bridge that was lit up by white lights. Entranced she looked and looked, mesmerized by the constant movement over the bridge. As in a dream she slowly made her way back to her family, and fell into a very deep sleep.

Next morning Mom noticed that Ziggy was very tired, so she let her work more slowly. Ziggy tried very hard to make a nice strong web, but she was surprised by all the new shapes and colors she was seeing in the woods: wild roses, berries, fallen leaves and acorns. Mom, there is so much to see.

Yes dear, but please try and tighten your web Ziggy.

That night, as if in a dream, Ziggy built wonderful webs of all the new things she had seen that day. The next morning, the sun gave a golden glow to her webs shaped liked roses and pinecones. Her brothers and sisters were amazed, while Octavia could only stare; the bushes and trees glowed like a magic wonderland all around them.

Oh my, she said as she looked at her sleeping Ziggy, what am I to do?

Months went by and Ziggy learned to straighten and tighten her webs; she