Did you know?
Super Fast Animals
by
Sophie Walker
Aris loves to learn new things. Today, Aris is opening a very special book about speed. “Did you know some animals are faster than a car?” Aris asks. Swift, a small flying companion, chirps with excitement. Together, they are ready to find the fastest animals on Earth.
On the first page, they see the land. “Look!” Aris says. “It is a cheetah!” The cheetah is the fastest animal on land. It can run as fast as 70 miles per hour. That is faster than a car on the highway! Aris watches the cheetah prepare to sprint across the tall grass.
Suddenly, the cheetah starts to run. Swift flies right next to it. The cheetah moves its legs very quickly. Its long tail helps it turn. “Wow!” Swift cries out. The cheetah is a golden blur as it chases the wind across the flat ground.
Aris turns the page to the deep blue ocean. “Did you know some fish can fly through the water?” Aris asks. A sailfish appears with a very long nose and a tall fin on its back. The sailfish can swim at 68 miles per hour. It is the fastest hunter in the sea.
Swift dives into a magical bubble to watch the sailfish. The sailfish uses its strong tail to push through the waves. It looks like a silver arrow shooting through the dark blue water. Swift tries to keep up, but the fish is just too quick!
“Now, look up!” Aris shouts. High in the sky, a bird is circling the clouds. It is the Peregrine Falcon. Aris learns that this bird is the fastest animal in the whole world. When it dives from the sky, it can travel at over 200 miles per hour!
The falcon folds its wings and drops like a stone. It is a “stoop” dive. Swift flies high up to see the falcon move. The wind whistles past as the bird falls faster and faster. Nothing on Earth can move as fast as a diving falcon.
Aris and Swift look at the book together. They see a chart comparing the animals. The cheetah is fast on the grass. The sailfish is fast in the water. But the falcon is the champion of the sky. “The world is full of amazing speed,” Aris says happily.
“Can I be fast, too?” Aris wonders. Aris starts to run across the garden. Swift cheers and holds a small timer. Aris runs as fast as possible, feeling the wind in their hair. Even though Aris is not as fast as a cheetah, it is fun to try!
The sun begins to set. Aris closes the book. “Today I learned about the land, the sea, and the sky,” Aris whispers. Swift lands on Aris’s shoulder. They are tired from their fast adventure. “Goodnight, fast animals,” Aris says, falling asleep under the stars.
