Sofia goes to the Zoo

Dedicated to my granddaughter, Sofia Grech-Cumbo, who inspires adventures filled with wonder and joy.

One bright and sunny morning, Sofia woke up with a big smile on her face. Today was an extra special day—Sofia and her family were going to the zoo! “Hooray! I’m going to see all the animals!” Sofia cheered as she got dressed in her favorite shirt with a picture of a lion on it.

When they arrived at the zoo, Sofia ran to the entrance, her eyes wide with excitement. “Look, Mom! Look, Dad! There’s a giraffe!” she pointed, spotting the tall, spotted giraffe nibbling on leaves from a high tree branch. “Let’s go see the lions first!” Sofia said eagerly, tugging on her parents' hands. As they walked into the lion’s area, Sofia heard a big roar! “Wow! The lion is so big and strong!” she said, her eyes wide in wonder. The lion lay lazily in the sun, stretching its long paws.

Next, they visited the elephant enclosure. Sofia saw a baby elephant playing with its trunk. “It’s so cute!” Sofia giggled. The baby elephant splashed water from a little pool, spraying it everywhere. Sofia laughed and waved at the playful elephant. Then, Sofia and her family walked over to the monkey exhibit. The monkeys were swinging from vines, jumping from tree to tree, and chattering loudly. “Look at them go! They’re so funny!” Sofia laughed, watching the monkeys have fun.

Sofia’s favorite part of the zoo was next—the penguins! She loved how they waddled around in their black and white suits. “They look like they’re wearing little tuxedos!” Sofia said, clapping her hands. The penguins splashed into the water and swam around quickly, diving and twirling like little swimmers. As the day went on, Sofia saw so many amazing animals—zebras with their black and white stripes, flamingos standing on one leg, and even a sleepy panda munching on bamboo.

Before they left, Sofia’s parents let her ride on the zoo train. “Choo choo!” she said, pretending to be the conductor. The train took them all around the zoo, and Sofia waved at all the animals she had seen earlier

On the way home, Sofia was tired but so happy. “Today was the best day ever! I saw lions, elephants, monkeys, and penguins!” she said, yawning. “I can’t wait to go back to the zoo and see them all again!”

And that’s the story of Sofia’s exciting day at the zoo, where she made lots of animal friends and had the most fun ever!