No thank you, I don't like pears.

Farley the squirrel was different to other squirrels. He was grey like other squirrels. He had a bushy tail like other squirrels. But he really was quite different. Farley the squirrel was allergic to nuts. If he ate a nut, it made him very poorly indeed.

“Why am I allergic to nuts, Mama?” Farley asked one day.

Farley’s mother said, “I don’t know my dear, but there are lots of other foods you can eat. Why don't we see what we can find?”

They decided to visit their friends in Cherry Blossom Wood and see what other tasty treats they could eat.

First, they went to see Bilal the badger in his burrow.

“Bilal, Farley is allergic to nuts,” said Farley’s mother, “what should he eat?”

Bilal thought and thought, then searched in his cupboard until he found a peculiar, green fruit.

“Why don’t you try this pear?” said Bilal.

“Oh. No thank you, I don’t like pears,” said Farley.

And off they went.

Then, they went to see Habiba the hedgehog in her nest.

“Habiba, Farley is allergic to nuts,” said Farley’s mother, “what should he eat?”

Habiba thought and thought, then searched in her cupboard until she found a slimy, wiggly creature.

“Why don’t you try this worm?” said Habiba.

“Oh. No thank you, I don’t like worms,” said Farley.

And off they went.

Next, they went to see Mari the mouse in her mousehole.

“Mari, Farley is allergic to nuts,” said Farley’s mother, “what should he eat?”

Mari thought and thought, then searched in her cupboard until she found a small, dark berry.

“Why don’t you try this blackberry?” said Mari.

“Oh. No thank you, I don’t like blackberries,” said Farley.

“Have you ever tried one?” asked Mari.

Farley shook his head and Mari laughed.

“Well, how do you know you don’t like it?” she said.

“I don’t like any food except nuts,” said Farley. He felt like he was going to cry.

Farley’s mother gave him a hug.

“I know you are sad that you can’t eat nuts,” she said, “but that doesn’t mean there aren’t other foods you will like. Why don’t you give it a try?”

Farley took the blackberry and had a tiny bite. Then he had a bigger bite.

“I do like blackberries!” Farley said.

He kept on taking bites until he had eaten the whole thing.

“See?” Farley’s mother said, “It’s okay if you don’t like some things, but if you give them a try, you might find something delicious!”

“Thank you, Mari,” Farley said with a big smile on his face.

And off they went to find as many blackberries as they could carry. Once they had plenty, they took the blackberries back to their nest in a big oak tree.

The next day, Farley was looking for new foods and he found some poppy seeds. He took them home to his mother.

“Mama, why don’t we try these poppy seeds?” said Farley.

“Oh no thank you, I don’t like poppy seeds,” said his mother.

“Have you ever tried them?” Farley asked.

Farley’s mother shook her head.

“I have tried other seeds and I didn’t like them,” she said.

“But you haven’t tried these ones,” said Farley, “how do you know you don’t like them?”

Farley’s mother sighed. She took the seeds and ate one. Then she ate another one.

“I do like poppy seeds!” she said.

She kept on eating the seeds until she had eaten them all.

Farley laughed and laughed. He wasn’t sad that he couldn’t eat nuts anymore.

He knew there were lots of other foods he could try!