Leo and the Brave Backpack Dinosaur

Leo stomped down the pavement like a dinosaur.

“Stomp, stomp, ROAR! Sad goes out the door!”

Rufus pulled his lead, sniffing every lamppost. Today was a big day. Today was nursery day.

Rufus walked Leo right to the blue door. Then Leo’s feet stopped.

Inside, it was LOUD. Someone was banging a pan.

“Mum,” whispered Leo, “I think my roar fell out.”

Ms Pip opened the door, smiling. “Dogs wait outside, I’m afraid.”

Rufus licked Leo’s nose. Slurp! Then he sat by the step.

Leo went in. Now it was just Leo… and his dino backpack.

Leo tried painting. He mixed red and yellow and blue and…

SPLOT. The paint pot tipped. Brown dribbled down his hoodie sleeve.

Leo’s lip wobbled. Was the sad sneaking in?

He patted his dino backpack. “Stomp, stomp, ROAR! Sad goes out the door!”

It worked a little. Leo tried the sandpit next.

A girl in purple dungarees was building a tower.

Leo helped. He patted the sand very, very hard.

WHUMP! The whole tower flopped flat, right onto her foot.

“My CASTLE!” she wailed.

Leo’s tummy went squishy. Oh no.

At snack time, Leo was so worried he squeezed his banana too hard.

SPLURT! Banana shot up and landed on Ms Pip’s glasses.

Everyone giggled. Leo wanted to hide.

Leo crept into the book corner and sat on a beanbag.

Pffffft, went the beanbag, like a very rude trumpet.

Leo didn’t even laugh. Even his roar felt tiny now.

He hugged his dino backpack and whispered, “Stomp, stomp, roar…”

The words came out small. Sad was still in the room.

Then – snuffle, snuffle – something sniffed at the window!

Rufus! Waiting with Mum, watching. Leo felt a little roar wake up.

Nell sat nearby, sniffing too, rubbing her sandy foot.

Leo held out his dino backpack. “Want to borrow my roar?”

Nell held it up high. Together they stomped all round the room.

“Stomp, stomp, ROAR! Sad goes out the door!”

Even Ms Pip roared. Outside, Rufus howled along. Arooo!

At home time, Rufus was waiting by the blue door.

Leo waved to Nell all the way down the pavement.

“Stomp, stomp, ROAR! I’ll be back for more!”