Sammy the Seal

    《Sammy the Seal 》（《海豹薩米》）是Syd Hoff的作品，描述小海豹薩米獨自離開動物園，在外漫遊的一天。

    小海豹薩米對每件事都充滿好奇心，牠好想去見識動物園之外的世界。在動物管理員詹森先生的允許下，薩米離開動物園，獨自探索新奇的世界。

    炎熱的天氣讓薩米有些受不了，牠必須找到有水的地方。薩米找到的地方都不太適合牠，牠只能離開，繼續尋找。直到牠來到學生聚集的學校。

    薩米跟著學生進入教室，一起背單字、學唱歌。在唱歌的時候，老師才發現薩米的存在。老師說，海豹不能來上學喔!

    薩米請求老師讓牠留下來，老師答應了。薩米在學校學會閱讀、寫字，還和小朋友一起打球。放學時，小朋友問薩米，牠明天會不會再來上學?

    薩米回答，學校很有趣，但動物園才是家!牠已經見識過外面的世界了，現在薩米要回家了!薩米覺得，沒有任何地方比得上家!

It was feeding time at the zoo. All the animals were getting their food.

Then it was time for the seals to be fed. Mr. Johnson took them fish.

But one little seal was not happy. He sat by himself. He looked sad. "What is wrong, Sammy？" said Mr. Johnson.

"I want to know what is like outside the zoo." said the little seal. "I want to go out and look around."

"All right, Sammy," said Mr. Johnson. "You have been a good seal. You may go out and see."

Sammy walked and walked and walked. He did not know what to look at first.

Some children were standing in line. Sammy got in line too. "What are we waiting for?" asked Sammy.

"School. What do you think?" said a boy. "That will be fun. I will come, too," said Sammy.

"I am sorry. This school is just for boys and girls."

“Please let me stay," said Sammy. "I will be good." "All right, you may stay," said the teacher.

A bell rang. School was over. "Will you be here tomorrow?" said the children. "No," said Sammy. "School is fun, but I belong in the zoo. I just wanted to know what it is like outside. Now I have to go back."

"Good-bye, Sammy," said the children. "We will come to see you." "Good," said Sammy.

Sammy was in a hurry to go back to the zoo. He had so much to tell the other seals.

“May I welcome you home, Sammy," said Mr. Johnson. "I am glad you are back. You are just in time for dinner."

"There is no place like home," said Sammy.