Finding Pluto

Author: Mervat Al-Beltagi Illustrator: Husam Hassan

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The original work of this book was made possible through the generous support of the All Children Reading: A Grand Challenge for Development (ACR GCD) Partners (the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), World Vision, and the Australian Government). It was prepared by Asafeer Education Technologies FZ LLC and does not necessarily reflect the views of the ACR GCD Partners. Any adaptation or translation of this work should not be considered an official ACR GCD translation and ACR GCD shall not be liable for any content or error in this translation.

The sun looked far away into space,

then she checked each planet’s place.

She put her eyeglasses on and counted,

“We’re missing someone!” she shouted,

“Oh no! Where did little Pluto go?”

She shot one of her rays over to Mercury,

“Has Pluto been here or there?

Did you talk to him or see him anywhere?”

Mercury scratched the holes on his head.

Then he answered the sun and said,

“Well, I haven’t seen him, I don’t know.

Oh, where did poor little blue Pluto go?”

So Mercury went to Venus and asked,

“Has Pluto been here or there?

Did you talk to him or see him anywhere?”

A few volcanoes erupted as she shook her head,

then Venus lazily and said,

“Well, I haven’t seen him, I don’t know.

Oh, where did poor little frozen Pluto go?”

So Mercury and Venus went to Earth and asked,

“Has Pluto been here or there?

Did you talk to him or see him anywhere?”

The waves of the ocean thundered

as Earth answered them and said,

“Well, I haven’t seen him, I don’t know.

Oh! Where did poor Pluto with his strange orbit go?

So Mercury, Venus and Earth went to Mars and asked,

“Has Pluto been here or there?

Did you talk to him or see him anywhere?”

Mars’ face turned really red

as he answered them and said,

“Well, I haven’t seen him, I don’t know.

Oh! Where did poor Pluto of the Kuiper belt go?”

So, Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars went to Jupiter and asked,

“Has Pluto been here or there?

Did you talk to him or see him anywhere?”

Jupiter spun around quickly instead

as he answered the planets and said,

“Well, I haven’t seen him, I don’t know.”

Oh! Where did poor Pluto, with his slow rotation, go?

So Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars and Jupiter went to Saturn and asked,

“Has Pluto been here or there?

Did you talk to him or see him anywhere?”

Saturn with her rings rotated twice,

then she said

“Well, I haven’t seen him, I don’t know.”

Oh! Where did poor Pluto, with the least gravity go?

So Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn

went to Uranus and asked,

“Has Pluto been here or there?

Did you talk to him or see him anywhere?”

Uranus, who was ready to go to bed,

stretched and yawned, then finally said,

“Well, I haven’t seen him, I don’t know.”

Oh! where did poor Pluto, with his five

moons go?”

So Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus went to Neptune,

who was shivering cold, and asked,

“Has Pluto been here or there?

Did you talk to him or see him anywhere?

He is your closest neighbor so you should know where he is or

where he could go.”

From his body, Neptune shook off some snow,

Then he said,

“Well, I did see him pack his bags,

looking rather gloomy and sad.

I asked him where he was going but he never answered.”

The brother planets discussed the matter. They weren’t sure if they should tell the Sun or not.

Suddenly, they heard someone crying and hurried to see what was going on.

Pluto was sitting alone crying, out of his orbit.

The planets were so happy to finally find Pluto and asked him why

he had disappeared.

Cold little Pluto said,

“The scientists said I’m no longer a planet!

I’m just too small and I can’t clear debris from my orbit at all.”

The planets just looked at each other, not knowing what to say.

“We don’t care what the scientists call you -

a planet or not!

You’ll always be part of the Solar System family!

Our special little Pluto.”

The planets all shouted with glee,

“Here’s to our friend, Pluto, always special he’ll be!

THE END