Sunny the Squirrel Stays Positive - A Children's Story

Sunny the Squirrel Stays Positive

By Bill Conley – America’s Favorite Children’s Storyteller

Moral of the Story:
Life is brighter when you look for the silver lining in every cloud.
A smile and kind words can lift your heart and someone else’s too.
Staying positive brings peace, hope, and joy even on tough days.
An attitude of gratitude turns ordinary days into special ones.
Happiness grows when you choose to see the good in each moment.
Keep smiling, stay friendly, and share your sunshine wherever you go!

In the leafy treetops of Maple Bright Woods, there lived a little squirrel named Sunny. She had the softest reddish-brown fur and the bushiest tail you’d ever see, and she always wore a bright, warm smile that could chase away even the gloomiest raincloud.

Sunny’s mama often said, “Sunny, you bring sunshine wherever you go. Always remember, even when clouds come, your smile can break through.” Sunny took those words to heart every single day.

One morning, Sunny woke to the sound of wind rattling the branches and leaves tapping against her treehouse window. When she peeked outside, she gasped. Her neat pile of tasty acorns—carefully gathered and stacked for the week—was gone! The wind had knocked them all over the forest floor during the night.

Sunny’s heart sank for a moment. She thought about all the work she had done to find those acorns. But then she took a deep breath, wiggled her whiskers, and said to herself, “It’s okay, Sunny. Now you get to have an adventure! Finding those acorns again will be like a treasure hunt!”

With that, Sunny bounded outside and began her search. She looked under bushes, between tree roots, and even inside a hollow log. Every time she found an acorn, she cheered and tossed it into her tiny woven basket. She hummed her favorite tune as she worked, making the chore feel fun instead of frustrating.

While Sunny was searching, she spotted her friend Benny the Bluebird perched on a low branch. Benny’s feathers looked droopy, and he wasn’t singing like he usually did.

Sunny scurried up the tree trunk. “Hi, Benny! What’s wrong? Why so blue on such a beautiful morning?”

Benny sighed. “Sunny, I practiced my singing all week, but I still can’t hit the high notes like the other bluebirds. I don’t think I’m good enough.”

Sunny tilted her head and thought for a moment. “Benny, do you know what I love most about your song? It’s yours. It’s different and special. Maybe it’s not the highest, but it’s the happiest! Why don’t you sing, and I’ll clap along?”

Benny smiled shyly and chirped a soft tune. Sunny clapped her tiny paws to the beat and bobbed her head. Little by little, Benny’s song grew louder and brighter until he was singing proudly for the whole forest to hear.

“See?” Sunny laughed. “When you share your best, it’s always enough!”

Just then, dark clouds rolled over the bright sky. A few raindrops plopped onto Sunny’s fur, but instead of frowning, Sunny giggled. She loved how the rain made everything smell fresh and clean. She held her basket tight and skipped through the drizzle, counting the drops as they splashed on her nose.

Soon, she spotted Mrs. Hedgehog struggling to pick up fallen berries under a tree. The rain had knocked them all over the grass. Sunny hurried over.

“Need a paw?” Sunny asked. Without waiting for an answer, she helped Mrs. Hedgehog gather every last berry into her basket. Mrs. Hedgehog beamed. “Sunny, your smile is better than the sun!”

As the rain stopped, Sunny hopped from puddle to puddle, splashing and laughing. She saw old Mr. Tortoise resting under a bush, so she stopped to tell him a funny joke that made him chuckle so hard his shell shook. She even handed him one of her acorns for a snack.

By the time Sunny returned home, her paws were muddy, her fur was damp, and her basket was full again. She curled up on her favorite cushion near her tiny window and watched the sunset peek through the clearing clouds.

As she munched a crunchy acorn, Sunny whispered to herself, “Every day has something good in it if you look for it. Even when things go wrong, there’s always something right, too.”

She thought about her adventure: the lost acorns she’d found again, Benny’s beautiful song, Mrs. Hedgehog’s grateful smile, and old Mr. Tortoise’s chuckle. She felt a warm glow in her heart.

Sunny closed her eyes and whispered a little thankful prayer for her day, her friends, and the little things that made her smile. She knew tomorrow might bring new troubles—a fallen branch, a rainy day, a small worry—but she also knew she could face it all with a brave heart, a thankful spirit, and a big, bright smile.

Before drifting off to sleep, Sunny promised herself, “Tomorrow I’ll wake up and share my sunshine again. A smile for me and a smile for someone else—because one little bit of light can make the whole forest shine.”

And with that, Sunny the Squirrel, the happiest squirrel in Maple Bright Woods, drifted off to dream sweet dreams—dreams full of silver linings, gentle rain, and a heart full of gratitude that would never run dry.

Moral of the Story Poem:
When clouds appear and days seem gray,
A sunny heart can light the way.
A grateful smile, a word so kind,
Brings peace and joy for you to find.
Look for the good in all you see—
And share your sunshine, wild and free!