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Our Animal Besties writing contest from the 'Nature's Best Buddies' issue brought in a flood of heartwarming, imaginative and often hilarious tales of unexpected friendships. From swans befriending capybaras to chickens bonding with foxes, your entries were full of surprise, kindness and creativity. A huge thank you to everyone who took part – we loved reading each and every story!
The Capybara and the Swan
Our youngest winner wowed us with a sweet and simple tale of love and friendship!
A sweet and clever story showing that even the fastest animal can learn from the slowest. We loved the gentle message about patience, friendship and taking time to enjoy life.
We loved the bravery of Bethany the chicken and her strong bond with the injured fox, Wren!
Capy the Capybara
Sleeping in the water, noses in the air, lounges a capybara, covered in chocolate brown hair. On the tree near the river a rainbow burst weaves through the undergrowth, leaving little positive pops of colour wherever he goes.
Oh no! Capy is in a bit of a doozy – his herd is missing, and he has no one to hug! “Parrot, parrot, ” Capy called. "Whatever will I do? My herd left without me, and I have no clue where they could be. Oh no oh no!”
“Don’t worry Capy you should have not a doubt, I will fly through the air and scout the sky,” parrot exclaimed. So off they went. Parrot flew as high as he could, meanwhile Capy collected his favourite flower and hid it in the palm of his hand the whole trip.
Parrot spotted Capy’s herd resting on a hillside. So they walked and walked until they reached the herd and he let out a big sigh of relief.
Capy gave parrot the flower he had collected as a thank you gift. Parrot gave Capy the biggest hug he had ever experienced and Capy squeezed him so hard back his eyes started to bulge.
The end.
Capy’s journey to find his herd, with the help of a cheerful parrot, made us smile – especially the giant thank-you hug at the end!
Naia, age 10, Banbury
Lily and Mathew the Mouse
A beautiful and thoughtful story about a girl who doesn’t quite fit in – until she meets a little mouse. Together, they form a powerful team to help protect the forest. A unique tale full of quiet strength!
The Whale and the Dog
A heart-warming ocean adventure starring Luna the whale and Benji the dog. Ana’s story was filled with excitement, teamwork and a sweet dedication to her own pet – a lovely touch.
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This competition asked you to design a secret egg hidden somewhere in nature, and your entries went far beyond the obvious nests and burrows. Eggs arrived disguised as pine cones, floating on leaf boats, perched on volcano ledges, tucked into cloud cover and even masquerading as chocolate Easter eggs to fool foxes. Thank you to every reader who took up the challenge and thought like a parent bird, fish, reptile or imaginary creature trying to keep their precious egg safe.
We were swept away by the response to this competition. Letters arrived from rivers across the world – the Thames, the Mississippi and many more unnamed waterways – each one brimming with personality, passion and a genuine love of the natural world. You gave your rivers voices that were worried, hop...
Somewhere beneath a grassy field right now, a tiny insect is building an underground loudspeaker. Male mole crickets engineer horn-shaped burrows that amplify their calls hundreds of metres into the night air – and your child can recreate the same science at home using nothing but cardboard and a phone. This hands-on experiment explores sound, shape and natural engineering in a way that is genuinely surprising. No screens, no special equipment, just a brilliant idea borrowed from nature.
