<p>A HARBOR SEAL PUPPY GROWS UP By Joan Hewett Photographs by Richard Hewett</p><p>By the Ocean The harbor seal puppy is 2 weeks old. Nursed Back to Health Her name is Sidney. Sidney stays close to Sidney is brought to a sea mammal her mother. She drinks her mother’s milk. center. Waves crash on the rocky beach. Harbor A scientist named Peter is in charge. seal families lie in the warm sun. Peter takes care of young seals. He lifts Sidney and her mother lie in the sun too. the thin pup from her cage. Sidney’s mother gets hungry. She dives Sidney is weak from hunger. Peter in the water to catch fish. The water is too knows just what to do. He puts a tube in cold for Sidney. So Sidney stays on the Sidney’s mouth. shore. Then Nicole pumps a drink into Sidney’s The seal pup waits for her mother. She stomach. The drink is like a mother seal’s waits for 3 days. She is very hungry. milk. People notice the seal pup. She is alone. Sidney is full. She is also very tired. She Will her mother come back? falls asleep. The next day, the pup is still alone. The When Sidney wakes up, her eyes are people call for help. Sidney is rescued. bright. She looks around.</p><p>1 Peter examines the pup. Her heartbeat is Sidney is 5 weeks old. She has a thick normal. So is her temperature. She is layer of fat. The fat will keep her warm in healthy. cold water. Sidney is ready to be on her Sidney has a full set of teeth. That means own. she is at least 3 weeks old. Sidney is small for her age. Returning to the Ocean Sidney gets her drink 3 times a day. She Peter puts the pup in a carrying case. becomes stronger. Using her flippers, she Other scientists take over. They carry scoots around. Sidney onto a boat. Sidney is excited by A child’s plastic pool becomes Sidney’s the ocean’s salty smell. She shakes in the playpen. She likes the water. She swims case. faster and faster. The boat heads toward an island. When Nicole shows Sidney a fish. Sidney does they are almost there, the boat stops. It is not want it. time to say good-bye. A scientist tips the Nicole does not give up. Day after day, case. “Good luck, little one,” she says. she wiggles a fish in front of Sidney. Sidney slips into the water. She will find Then one day, the pup swallows it. other seals. She will catch fish. Sidney Before long, Sidney wants to eat fish. She will grow up in her ocean home. waits for her bucket of fish in the morning. The pup is gaining weight. She no longer needs her healthy drink. </p><p>2 Comprehension Questions</p><p>1. Tell the main idea of the story.</p><p>2. What are some details that support this main idea?</p><p>3. In your own words, tell what happened during the beginning, middle, and end of the story.</p><p>4. When you read about nonfiction, you learn about the world. What did you learn about how a scientist checks on an animal’s health?</p><p>3</p>