Liso loves going online. Her favourite website has everything she needs to have fun. She learns all kinds of dances.

She learns interesting facts about nature. She makes friends from all over the world. “Let’s go for a walk in the park,” said Dad,

looking up from his laptop. “I’d rather be online,” said Liso. “I can play, I can learn, and I can exercise,” she said.

“Why do I need to go anywhere else?” “Well,” said Dad. “There are some magical things in the real world…”  

“Oh wow,” said Liso. “That sounds amazing!” “It was,” said Thalia. “Mommy said it was a male bird.

He was bringing food back to the nest.” Thalia was too tired to dance, so Liso texted her friend, Ina.

“Let’s go and play at the online amusement park,” said Liso. “I can’t,” replied Ina. “I’m going to the park with my parents.

In the real world!” “Okay,” said Liso. “I’ll speak to you later.” Liso thought long and hard. Then she called out.

“Dad!” she shouted. “Let’s go for a walk in the park!” Dad closed his laptop. On the internet, Liso met her friend, Jamila.

“What have you been up to?” asked Jamila. “Not much,” said Liso. “I’ve just been online.” “Cool,” said Jamila.

“We went for a walk in the park. We saw all kinds of birds. We even saw a weaver bird building a nest by the lake!”

“Oh wow!” said Liso. “That sounds interesting.” “It was,” said Jamila. “My dad said the male bird was building a nest, and the

female was inspecting it. I don’t think she liked it; she tore the whole nest apart!” Then, Liso spoke to her friend, Thalia.

“Let’s do a dance,” said Liso. “In a little while,” said Thalia. “I’m tired from my run.” “A run?” asked Liso.

“Where did you run?” “We ran through a beautiful forest,” said Thalia. “We saw a duiker, a vervet monkey, and a hornbill bird

with a beautiful orange beak and a long tail!” 4 5 At the park, Liso and her Dad saw a bright blue bird with a tall, green crest.

“Wow,” said Liso. “I wonder what kind of bird that is!” “I think it’s a Knysna loerie,” said Dad. “Let’s try to follow it.”

The bird flew from treetop to treetop. The bird came to rest on a tree branch. The bird landed on a cycad.

Liso and her Dad followed him, running all the way. “Liso, why don’t you say hello,” said Dad. “Maybe he’s a magic loerie!”

Liso cleared her throat… “Hello there,” came a voice. “What are you doing here?” Liso and Dad’s eyes opened wide…

Right beside them, in the middle of the park, were Jamila, Thalia and Ina, with their parents! “There goes the loerie again,”

Liso shouted. “Let’s follow him!” “These birds got us away from our screens, out of the house, and into nature together,” said

Liso’s Dad. “They are magic birds after all.”

Nal'ibali Fun

Ideas to talk about

What do you do to have fun? How do you communicate with your friends? What is the internet?

Visual

What outside place is your favourite? Draw a picture of yourself there.

Reading

Be a story detective!  

How many different birds are mentioned in the story? Can you find the names of two forest animals? What sentence tells you that Liso had changed her mind about wanting to go to the park? How many different ways does Liso have of communicating with her friends?

Writing

Write a text message Liso might have written to another friend when she got home from the park.

Craft

Use twigs, grass, and leaves to build your own bird’s nest.

Performance

Go on an imaginary walk in a park: stretch up to see what is at the top of trees, crouch down low to look at plants and animals close to the ground and follow a bird that is flying from treetop to treetop.