"Look, a dinosaur in our schoolyard!" William exclaimed, his eyes wide with wonder.
It wasn't every day you saw a dinosaur, especially not in Fort Worth. William loved dinosaurs. He had toy dinosaurs, dinosaur books, and even dinosaur pajamas! He especially loved the big ones with long necks. But this dinosaur was real!
"William, are you telling tall tales again?" Mom chuckled as she adjusted his little backpack. "We need to hurry to school."
William shook his head, his blond hair bouncing. "But Mom, it's green and HUGE, and it's eating the flowers!"
Mom looked towards the schoolyard. There, munching peacefully on Mrs. Thompson’s prize-winning roses, was a gentle giant of a dinosaur, its scales shimmering like emeralds in the morning sun. "Oh my," she whispered.
The school bell rang, and children, instead of rushing inside, gathered around the dinosaur, their mouths agape. Some were scared, but most were just amazed.
"It's okay, everyone! Dinosaurs love nature, just like us!" William announced, puffing out his chest. He always felt brave around nature, especially at the zoo, his secret hideout.
A little girl with pigtails whispered, "Is it friendly?"
William, remembering his dinosaur books, said, "Maybe it's a Brachiosaurus. They only eat plants!" He carefully approached the dinosaur and held out a bright yellow dandelion. The dinosaur lowered its long neck, sniffed the flower with its giant nostrils, and then ate it right out of William's hand!
Everyone cheered. School that day was far from ordinary. Mrs. Thompson, after getting over her initial shock, declared it "Dinosaur Day"! They learned about dinosaurs, drew pictures of them, and even got to pet the gentle giant during recess. The dinosaur seemed to enjoy the children's company as much as they enjoyed his.
Later that afternoon, as William and Mom walked home, Mom said, "You were right, William. That was one amazing dinosaur!"
William grinned. "I told you! Sometimes the most exciting adventures happen when we least expect them."
As they rounded the corner onto their street, William looked back. The dinosaur was gone. But he knew he’d never forget the day a dinosaur came to school and reminded everyone about the wonders of nature. And maybe, just maybe, it had left a little bit of magic behind.
