Mateo and the Golden Squash

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Read in full Mateo and the Golden Squash

15 pages, approximately 8 minutes while listening. Enter the child’s name in the reader above so the narrator can call the child’s name correctly.

1. 1

   At the Saturday market, a golden squash rolled from Grandma's basket. Mateo caught it before it bumped the apples.

2. 2

   The squash looked like a little sun. Mateo wanted to learn about it, one step at a time.

3. 3

   Grandma gave Mateo a safe job: rinse the squash, choose a bowl, and carry it to the kitchen.

4. 4

   Mateo made a discovery list: golden, bumpy, sweet-smelling. The more he noticed, the less mysterious it felt.

5. 5

   At dinner, the new food sat beside beans and bread. Familiar food made room for a mystery.

6. 6

   “I feel curious in my eyes and unsure in my tummy,” Mateo said. Grandma listened to both.

7. 7

   “You can look, smell, touch, or wait,” Grandma said. “Your next step is yours.”

8. 8

   Mateo chose one tiny taste. He noticed sweetness first, then a soft, new texture.

9. 9

   “I like the warm spice,” he said. “This feels different from foods I know.”

10. 10

    He placed the squash on the side of his plate. “Not today,” Mateo said. The meal stayed kind.

11. 11

    After dinner, Mateo drew a taste map: warm, soft, surprising, maybe.

12. 12

    At the next family picnic, Mateo saw squash in a friend's lunchbox. He remembered: I can choose.

13. 13

    Mateo shared his words: “I am learning how this food feels.”

14. 14

    That evening, Mateo planted a squash seed with Grandma. Some discoveries grow slowly.

15. 15

    A new food does not need a brave performance. With safety and choice, curiosity can grow.