Little Roo was a very bouncy joey. He lived with his mama in the warm, sunny Australian outback. Every day was an adventure, hopping through the red dust and munching on sweet grass. But today, Little Roo felt a little bit sad. He wanted to *do* something important, something more than just bouncing.
“Mama,” he asked, “What can I do to make the world a better place?” Mama Roo smiled. “Even the smallest joey can make a big difference, Little Roo. Look around. Is anyone in need of help?” Little Roo looked. He saw a kookaburra trying to build a nest, but the branches kept slipping from its beak. He saw a sleepy wombat struggling to roll a big, juicy apple into its burrow.
“I can help!” Little Roo exclaimed. He bounced over to the kookaburra. “Let me hold the branches steady for you!” he offered. The kookaburra chirped gratefully and carefully placed the branches while Little Roo held them firm. Soon, a sturdy nest was taking shape. “Thank you, Little Roo!” the kookaburra called. “You’re a very helpful joey!”
Next, Little Roo hopped over to the wombat. The wombat was puffing and panting, trying to push the apple. “Need a hand… or a paw?” Little Roo giggled. He used his strong little legs to help nudge the apple, and together, they rolled it right into the wombat’s cozy burrow. “Oh, thank you, Little Roo,” the wombat mumbled happily, already taking a big bite. “That was a very kind thing to do.”
As Little Roo continued his journey, he noticed a group of tiny lizards looking worried. “What’s wrong?” he asked. “The creek has dried up,” one of the lizards squeaked. “We need water to drink!” Little Roo remembered his mama telling him about a hidden spring further up the hill. It was a bit of a climb, and Little Roo was a little scared to go alone, but he knew he had to try.
Taking a deep breath, Little Roo bravely hopped up the hill. It was steep and rocky, but he kept going, remembering the thirsty lizards. Finally, he found the spring! It was bubbling with cool, clear water. He quickly hopped back down and showed the lizards the way. They all drank their fill, chirping their thanks to Little Roo.
When Little Roo returned to his mama, he was tired but very happy. “I helped the kookaburra, the wombat, and the lizards!” he announced proudly. “I made a difference!” Mama Roo hugged him tightly. “You did, Little Roo. You showed kindness, helpfulness, and courage. And you learned that even the smallest joey can make the world a brighter place.”
Little Roo snuggled close to his mama, feeling warm and content. He realized that making others happy made *him* happy too. As he drifted off to sleep, he dreamed of all the adventures he would have, and all the ways he could help his friends in the Australian outback. And he knew, with a happy sigh, that being a helpful joey was the best adventure of all.