Peko Pal
The Sister Colony
One summer, colony elder Willow reveals a decades-old mystery, a sister otter colony that vanished after Codornices Creek was changed forever. Brandt and Carter follow the water to reunite two families and welcome Berkeley's newest Secret Keeper.
- Ages
- 5–7
- Length
- 36 min, 8 chapters
- Feel
- Gentle
- Wi-Fi to play
- Not needed
Why parents pick it
A summer story about finding family you thought was lost: the brothers help two otter colonies reconnect after a creek was buried under streets. It also shows how to explore a real place safely, with permission and a parent along the first time. The creek in it, Codornices Creek, is a real Berkeley creek that runs underground in pieces.
Good fit if your child…
- likes following a map or a creek to see where it goes
- is curious about the creeks that run under city streets
- loves a reunion story, or knows someone who lives far from family
Listen to a preview
From Chapter 1
School had been out for exactly one week, which in Carter's opinion made it officially summer, no matter what the calendar said.
"Remember our promise?" Carter said, hopping over a crack in the sidewalk on the way to the creek. "From the very first summer. We said we'd keep visiting every year."
"I remember," Brandt said. "This is year three."
"Three whole years," Carter said, like it was an enormous number, which to Carter, it basically was.
"You say that every summer," Brandt pointed out.
"It's true every summer," Carter said, with the weary patience of someone explaining something for the hundredth time.
The willow branches by the boulder had grown thicker since last summer, and Brandt had to duck lower than he remembered to slip through into the tunnels. Inside, the air was cool and familiar, smelling faintly of creek water and moss.
What happens
It is the third summer of Brandt and Carter's promise to visit the otters, and this year Willow shares a story she has not told in a very long time. A cousin colony once lived along Codornices Creek, until the creek was buried under city streets, and nobody has heard from them since. With Maya and Jasper, the boys plan a bike expedition, learn how Berkeley's creeks were piped underground, and ask Dad's permission for a creek-exploring project. Along the way they meet Priya, a neighbor who has mapped every storm drain she can find.
Listeners will enjoy a summer detective story of maps, clues, and careful listening, and learn how a city's hidden waterways connect.
For the grown-up
What they get from it. Children learn what a culvert is, that many creeks in Berkeley were put into pipes, and that tracing one takes maps and patience. They also see children check with a parent before exploring and bring in a new friend carefully.
Before you play it. It stays gentle. The only sad moment is when the colony explains that half their number was lost after their creek was buried, and the reunion that follows is tearful and happy. A small scare comes when the children hear scraping from a storm grate, but no one is in danger.
Ask your child afterwards:
- Why did the two colonies lose touch for so long?
- Brandt said a bigger secret can mean more people to help carry it. What do you think he meant?
- If you followed a creek near your home, what do you think you would find?
Chapters
- The Summer PromiseSummer begins with a promise, and Willow's story of a colony no one has heard from.
- Following the WaterA map of Berkeley, a creek that goes underground, and a plan that needs permission.
- New TerritoryA shady park, a pipe where the creek vanishes, and a new friend.
- Signs of OttersUnder a sidewalk grate, something is scraping, and then something answers back.
- First ContactThree visitors, one name, and a pair of eyes watching from the dark.
- Reuniting the FamilyCareful visits at dusk, an old otter with a torn ear, and a long-awaited reunion.
- A New Secret KeeperBrandt explains everything to Priya, and she has about forty questions.
- Two Creeks, One SummerA backyard barbecue, a walk to the creek, and unexpected visitors waiting by the boulder.
Themes
Common questions
- What age is The Sister Colony for?
- It is written for ages 5–7.
- How long is The Sister Colony?
- 8 chapters, about 36 min in all.
- Is The Sister Colony scary?
- It stays gentle. The only sad moment is when the colony explains that half their number was lost after their creek was buried, and the reunion that follows is tearful and happy. A small scare comes when the children hear scraping from a storm grate, but no one is in danger.
- Does it need Wi-Fi?
- No. Once it is on the Pal, it plays without Wi-Fi.
Playing it on the Pal
Press the button to play or pause. Tap left or right to skip back or ahead 15 seconds, double-tap for the previous or next chapter, or triple-tap left to start the book over. Up and down switch to another book. It picks up where you left off.