Sammy is four. Sammy is a little detective. He wears a red hat. He carries a small magnifying glass. He loves to look.
One morning, Mama says, "Oh no, look at the chair." The kitchen chair has a scratch. "Who did this?" Mama asks. Sammy says, "Detective Sammy will find out." He pats his red hat. He breathes in. He smells something. "I smell paint," he says.
Sammy looks for clues. He looks at the floor. He looks at the door. He looks at the window. He finds tiny blue drops on the floor. He whispers, "Blue drops." He holds his magnifying glass. He looks close. The drops sparkle like tiny stars.
"Can you help me?" Sammy asks. "Look with your eyes. Point to the blue drops." He waits. He smiles. Kids at home point and giggle.
Sammy follows the blue drops. They go past the table. They go past the rug. They go to the small box of toys. Inside the box, Sammy finds a small paint pot. The lid is open. "Oh!" Sammy says. He smells again. "Paint!" His nose wiggles.
He thinks. "Who likes blue?" he asks. He sees Teddy Bear with a blue paw. He sees toy car with blue wheel. He hears a tiny voice. "Sorry," says Bunny. Bunny has blue paint on her ears. "I painted the big box," Bunny says. "The paint splashed. I did not mean to make the chair sad."
Sammy sits down. He pats Bunny gently. "We can fix it," he says. "We repair things." Mama smiles. "Thank you, Detective Sammy," she says.
Sammy gets a soft cloth. He gets a small brush. He asks Bunny to help. They wipe the blue drops. They clean the chair with care. They mop the floor together. They put the lid on the paint pot. Bunny says, "I will be careful next time."
Sammy hangs a little sign that says "Careful Paint" near the box. He pats his red hat. "Mystery solved," he says. Mama gives him a cookie. Sammy munches and hums. He smiles. The house is tidy. Everyone is safe. The chair is happy again.
