Ezra was a tiny ninja. He lived in a warm house with red doors, soft rugs, and a very squeaky stair.
Ezra wore a blue ninja suit. His hood had two little ears on top. He moved very quietly.
Tiptoe, tiptoe.
“Shh,” Ezra whispered. “A ninja listens.”
In the playroom lived King, a big golden lion toy. King wore a paper crown. He was kind. He was brave. But he was also a little silly.
“Good morning, Ninja Ezra!” roared King.
“Shh,” said Ezra.
“Good morning,” King said in a tiny lion voice. “Meow.”
Ezra giggled.
Then they heard a sound from the hall.
Bump.
Bump, bump.
The house lights blinked. The toy box lid went creak.
King held his paper crown. “Is it a sock monster?”
Ezra listened. “No. It is coming from the bathroom.”
They tiptoed past the sleepy sofa. They crossed the long rug. At the bathroom door, Ezra peeked inside.
There was Mummy.
Mummy was wrapped in white toilet paper. Not scary paper. Soft paper. She had round eyes and a crooked bow on her head.
“Oh dear,” said Mummy. “Oh, oh dear.”
Her little drum was broken. It lay beside the bath mat. One shiny red button was missing.
“Boom-boom,” Mummy said sadly. “My drum cannot boom. I was making a marching song. Now I only go… plop.”
She tapped the drum.
Plop.
King tried not to laugh. Then he laughed a tiny bit. “A royal drum must go boom!”
Mummy nodded. “The red button rolled away. I chased it. I bumped the basket. Then I got tangled in the paper. Now I cannot find it.”
Ezra was a good ninja. He did not say, “That is too hard.” He said, “We will look.”
“Together?” asked Mummy.
“Together,” said Ezra.
King lifted his chin. “The King’s Royal Search begins!”
First they looked under the blue bath mat.
No button.
Only a yellow duck.
“Quack!” said King.
The duck did not answer.
Next they looked behind the laundry basket.
No button.
Only one fuzzy slipper.
King put the slipper on his head. “I am King Slipper Lion!”
Ezra giggled so much that he almost fell over.
Then Ezra became still.
“Listen,” he said.
Tap.
Tap, tap.
A little sound came from the hallway.
Ezra crawled low. He followed the sound past the shoe rack. Past the umbrella stand. Past the very squeaky stair.
Tap.
Tap, tap.
The red button was rolling in a small crack by the wall.
“It is stuck!” said Mummy.
King reached with his big paw. His paw was too big.
Mummy reached with her wrapped hands. Her paper went crinkle-crinkle. Her hands were too soft.
Ezra looked around. A ninja uses what he sees.
He found a long, clean ruler on a little table. He lay on his tummy. He pushed the ruler slowly.
Push.
Push.
Push.
The red button rolled out.
“Got it!” cried Ezra.
King gave a quiet roar. “Hooray for Ninja Ezra!”
Mummy clapped. Her paper hands made a soft flappy sound.
They hurried back to the bathroom. Ezra placed the red button on Mummy’s drum.
Click.
Mummy tapped it once.
Boom!
She tapped it twice.
Boom-boom!
King marched in a circle. “Left paw! Right paw! Crown up high!”
Ezra marched too. Tiptoe, tiptoe, boom!
Mummy smiled. “Thank you for helping me. I have something for you.”
From behind the towels, she pulled out a small treasure box. It was blue, like Ezra’s suit. Inside were three bright gold stars.
“They are ninja stickers,” said Mummy. “One for Ezra, one for King, and one for me.”
Ezra put his star on his blue hood. King put his star on his paper crown. Mummy put hers on her drum.
Boom-boom, went the drum.
Tiptoe, tiptoe, went Ezra.
“Friends help friends,” said King.
“Yes,” said Ezra. “And a good ninja listens, looks, and helps.”
Mummy gave a happy little twirl. The toilet paper did not tangle at all.
The house was warm. The lights stayed bright. The squeaky stair squeaked one last time.
Ezra, King, and Mummy marched all the way to the playroom.
Boom-boom.
Tiptoe, tiptoe.
Meow.
And Ezra’s shiny new ninja star sparkled all day long.