The Politeness Parade with Zigzag and Buzzy

Patches the Story Dog

A story about Respect

for your Preschooler

Preschooler Respect Monsters

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Zigzag Zander, a quirky green zombie with zigzag stitches on his forehead, purple overalls, and big friendly eyes, stands waving in the middle of a cheerful street lined with colorful block houses and wobbly towers. In the background, a bright cozy town of mismatched block buildings and wobbly towers under a sunny sky.

Zigzag Zander lived in a bright little town. The houses were made of mismatched blocks. The towers were wobbly and tall. Friendly monsters lived side by side, and everyone waved hello.

Zigzag Zander, a quirky green zombie with zigzag stitches on his forehead, purple overalls, and big friendly eyes, lifts his nose high and sniffs the air with a big happy grin. In the background, swirly golden scent lines drift from a cheerful bakery with a striped pink-and-yellow awning.

One sunny morning, Zander sniffed the air. Sniff, sniff, sniff! Something smelled warm and sweet. "Muffins!" he cried. "Fresh muffins at the bakery!"

Buzzywhirl, a giant friendly insect with iridescent blue-green wings, big round curious eyes, a bright orange body, and a tiny tool belt around her middle, flutters excitedly beside a doorway. In the background, a cozy little workshop with gears and tiny gadgets on shelves.

Zander ran to find his best friend. "Buzzywhirl! Buzzywhirl! Do you smell that?" Buzzywhirl wiggled her shiny wings. "Mmmm! Let's go, let's go, let's go!"

A row of candy-colored mailboxes in red, yellow, and blue, a round stone fountain splashing water with a silly grin carved on it, and a patch of bright wiggly flowers squirming and giggling along a cobblestone path. In the background, the cheerful bakery with a striped pink-and-yellow awning at the end of the path.

They zoomed past candy-colored mailboxes — red, yellow, and blue. They zoomed past a giggling fountain that went splash, splash, tee-hee! They zoomed past a ticklish patch of wiggly flowers that squirmed and wiggled when they ran by.

A long winding line of colorful friendly monsters — big fuzzy purple ones, small scaly orange ones, round blue ones, and tall stripy ones — stretching far down the cobblestone street. In the background, the cheerful bakery with a striped pink-and-yellow awning and a warm glow from its window.

But oh no! The line at the bakery was very, very long. Monsters of all shapes and sizes stood waiting. Big monsters. Small monsters. Fuzzy monsters. Scaly monsters. All waiting for muffins.

Zigzag Zander, a quirky green zombie with zigzag stitches on his forehead, purple overalls, and big friendly eyes, pushes past monsters in the line, looking impatient, while a fuzzy purple monster and a small scaly orange monster look sad. In the background, more monsters in line looking worried near the cheerful bakery with a striped pink-and-yellow awning.

"I don't want to wait!" said Zander. He squeezed past a fuzzy purple monster. He scooted around a small scaly orange monster. "Hey!" said the fuzzy monster. "That's not nice," said the scaly monster. Their smiles turned into frowns.

Buzzywhirl flew up beside him. "Zander, wait. Look." He looked back. The monsters were sad. Their eyes were droopy. Cutting in line had hurt their feelings. "Oh," said Zander softly.

Zigzag Zander, a quirky green zombie with zigzag stitches on his forehead, purple overalls, and big friendly eyes, walks back toward the end of the line with a thoughtful, hopeful look on his face. In the background, candy-colored mailboxes in red, yellow, and blue and the ticklish patch of bright wiggly flowers along the cobblestone street.

Buzzywhirl said, "When we wait our turn, it shows we care. And kind words are like magic!" "Magic words?" asked Zander. "Yes! Please. Thank you. Excuse me. Try them!" So Zander walked back to the end of the line.

Zigzag Zander, a quirky green zombie with zigzag stitches on his forehead, purple overalls, and big friendly eyes, waves kindly at a fuzzy purple monster and a small scaly orange monster who are both smiling big happy smiles. In the background, other colorful monsters in line smiling and waving.

"Excuse me," Zander said to the fuzzy purple monster. The fuzzy monster smiled! "Thank you for waiting," Zander said to the small scaly orange monster. The scaly monster smiled too! The magic words really worked!

A candy-colored mailbox in bright red with a little flag on top, standing on the cobblestone street beside the ticklish patch of bright wiggly flowers that squirm playfully. In the background, the giggling round stone fountain splashing water with a silly grin carved on it.

While they waited, Zander and Buzzywhirl played a game. "I spy something red!" said Zander. "The red mailbox!" said Buzzywhirl. They laughed and laughed. Waiting was not so bad after all!

Three golden-brown muffins with bright rainbow sprinkles on top, sitting on a polka-dot napkin on a warm wooden bakery counter, with a puff of sweet-smelling steam rising from them. In the background, the inside of the cheerful bakery with shelves of bread, cupcakes, and a warm oven glow.

At last, they reached the front! "Two muffins, please!" said Zander. The baker smiled a big warm smile. "You two were so patient and polite. Here is an extra muffin — just for you!" "Thank you!" said Zander and Buzzywhirl together.

Zigzag Zander, a quirky green zombie with zigzag stitches on his forehead, purple overalls, and big friendly eyes, takes a happy bite of a golden-brown muffin with bright rainbow sprinkles while sitting on a sunny bench. In the background, the bright cozy town of mismatched block buildings and wobbly towers glowing in warm afternoon sunlight.

Zander took a big, warm bite. The muffin was squishy, sweet, and oh so yummy. He looked at Buzzywhirl and grinned. "Tomorrow, I'm going to use my magic words all day long. I wonder who will smile next!"

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Preschooler Respect Monsters