The Tale of Ridley's Tail

Ridley the gray squirrel loses most of his bushy tail to a barred owl. He is more concerned with the way he now looks than he is with the pain and his frightening escape. When he heals and returns to Big Woods school, his classmates giggle and whisper, pointing at his loss. Ridley runs home in tears. His mother sits him down and explains to him that despite the loss of his tail, he is still the same kind, happy squirrel that he was before. She also gives him some tips for dealing with the bullies at his Big Woods school.