Andy's Storytime
Follow along as I read your favorite books aloud, featuring memorable voices and helpful audio queues when it's time to turn the page. Use Andy's Storytime in addition to your family reading time, or as background entertainment during playtime.
Andy's Storytime
The Antlered Ship
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"The Antlered Ship" by Dashka Slater, illustrated by The Fan Brothers, is a children's book that follows the adventures of a curious fox named Marco. Marco wonders about the world beyond his island and sets out on a journey to find out more about it. He joins a group of animals, including deer and pigeons to journey across the sea. The story emphasizes the importance of curiosity, exploration, and working together to overcome obstacles.
Today, we're reading the antlered ship written by SKUs later and illustrated by the fan brothers.
Story Start
The day, the antlered ship arrived. Marco wondered about the wide world. He had so many questions. Why do some songs make you happy? And others make you sad. Why don't trees ever talk? How deep does the sun go? When it sinks into the sea? But when he posed these questions to the other foxes, they grew silent. What does that have to do with chicken stew? They would ask. So Marco went down to the Harbor to see the ship. Three deer greeted him at the gangplank. Marco. Wasn't surprised to learn that they were lost. We hope to hire a C worthy crew. Explain Sylvia, the captain. I'm afraid. We aren't very good sailors. I will join you. Marco said. He thought to himself, I will search the seas for foxes who know the answers to my questions. Uh, pigeon named Victor volunteered along with his entire flock. We won't have adventures. They could. Welcome aboard captain Sylvia said. We're going to a wonderful island with tall sweet grass and short sweet trees. When we get there, we'll eat a delectable dinner. But the voyage was more difficult than anyone expected. It rained. Waves crashed over the sides of the deck. Why is water? So wet? Marco wondered. The pigeons weren't used to the hard work of raising and lowering the sales. After the first day, they went below decks to play checkers and stayed there. The deer worried about sharp rocks and fierce pirates and feeling seasick. They huddled in the bow and waited for something bad to happen. After days of drifting and dining on crackers, the animals were damp and cranky. We should have stayed in the woods. Sylvia said, deer, aren't supposed to go to see. We should have stayed in the park at Victor pigeons. Aren't supposed to do hard labor. Marco I, the deer and the pigeons. Fox, this aren't supposed to be vegetarian. He said, Still, we must do the best we can. That evening Marco found a recipe book in the galley and cooked a warm and reviving stew. Should we look at the charts he asked after everyone had eaten. We might find adventure here, said Victor. And trouble here said Sylvia. But. We'll find the island with tall sweet grass and short sweet trees here. And perhaps Fox is too Marco thought. Fox's with answers. As they plotted their course, the wind picked up. The storm clouds thinned into marvelous swirls. Raise the sails, Sylvia cried. In the morning, they came to the maze of sharp rocks. Each one, large enough to tear the bottom from the boat. But the pigeons flew ahead, tracing a path through the Shoals and sharp rocks to the safety of the open sea. The next afternoon, a pirate ship burst from behind a Rocky island. Terra Nova. Yeah, treasure, the pirate captain bellowed. We'll put a hole in your head. Sylvia commanded the ships clashed and crashed and smashed. Until the pirates turned and fled. That evening in Ireland, appeared on the horizon with tall waving grasses and short Swain trees. We found it. Sylvia cried. We've triumphed, Victor cooed. Do you see any foxes? Marco asked. The deer graze the grass and nibbled the trees. The pigeons told stories of their adventures to a flock of admiring seagulls, Marco scoured, the island for foxes. But he didn't find any. I failed. Marco told Victor and Sylvia. No foxes. No one to answer my questions. What questions Victor asked. Marco took a deep breath. Do islands like being alone. Do waves look more like horses responds and what's the best way to find a friend. You can talk to. That last one's easy. Sylvia said. You make friends by eating together. Oh, disagree said, Victor, you make friends by having adventures together. Maybe you're both right. Marco said. I think you make friends. By asking them questions. Well then used Sylvia. Should we head home tomorrow? What should we visit the island of scrumptious shrubbery? R two adventures enough. S Victor. Or should we have at least one more? Is it better to know what's going to happen? Wondered Marco. Or better to be surprised. There were so many questions left to answer and so many more to ask. So in the morning they raised the anchor and hoisted the heavy sales. They knew now that the wind would come and go. The clouds would sometimes make marvelous, swirls, and sometimes make them wet. And that everything they hoped to find It could be found a board in antlered ship. On the way to wherever they were going.
