Rescue in the Snow

Jaden Jackson jumped onto his sled and glided down the snow-covered hill.

“You can’t catch me!” he called to his older sister, Leela, who was racing down the hill right behind him.

“I’m faster than you,” she said as she flew past Jaden. When she got to the bottom of the hill, Leela jumped up and smiled. “I told you I would win!”

“No fair,” Jaden frowned. “You got a head start!”

“Did not!” Leela insisted.

WOOF!

Their German shepherd, Lucky, chased after them. When she shook her thick fur, snow flew everywhere.

This weekend, the Jackson family was staying in Chicago. A massive blizzard had covered the city in snow.

While Jaden and Leela raced down the small hill, Dad and Mom were digging the piles of snow out from around the recreational vehicle, or RV, where they lived. Nearby, trucks plowed the roads and then poured salt on them. The salt helped the snow and ice to melt, so cars, trucks, and other vehicles could drive safely.

“Kiddos,” Mom called from inside the RV, “come get some peppermint hot chocolate!”

“Peppermint!” Jaden and Leela said at the same time. “Jinx, double jinx, triple jinx!”

Jaden grabbed a pile of snow and tossed it at Leela as he ran ahead of her and into the RV.

“Not nice!” Leela cried as she dusted the snow out of her hair. “I’m going to get you back—”

Just then, Mom’s phone rang. When Mom’s phone rang, that meant DISASTER!

The Jackson family traveled around the United States in their big RV. They helped communities during natural disasters. Mom was a journalist who took pictures and reported on the disasters. Dad was a medic who helped people who got hurt. Jaden and Leela helped animals and other kids who were in danger.

Lucky helped too, when she wasn’t taking a nap.

For the past few weeks, the Jackson family had been slowly driving north from Texas. They had rescued a baby dolphin and passed out food and clothes to people whose homes were damaged by hurricanes. They had also helped when wildfires blazed through Northern California.

Jaden and Leela watched as Mom spoke on the phone. When she nodded, they nodded. When she shook her head, they shook their heads.

“Who called?” Dad asked as Mom hung up the phone.

“That was a local elementary school,” Mom said, looking worried. “It’s an emergency!”

The Jackson family traveled around the United States in their big RV. They helped communities during natural disasters. Mom was a journalist who took pictures and reported on the disasters. Dad was a medic who helped people who got hurt. Jaden and Leela helped animals and other kids who were in danger.

Lucky helped too, when she wasn’t taking a nap.

For the past few weeks, the Jackson family had been slowly driving north from Texas. They had rescued a baby dolphin and passed out food and clothes to people whose homes were damaged by hurricanes. They had also helped when wildfires blazed through Northern California.

Jaden and Leela watched as Mom spoke on the phone. When she nodded, they nodded. When she shook her head, they shook their heads.

“Who called?” Dad asked as Mom hung up the phone.

“That was a local elementary school,” Mom said, looking worried. “It’s an emergency!”

“Let’s go!” Dad said urgently. Mom buckled in next to him as Jaden and Leela sat down at the table and put on their seat belts. Lucky snuggled in next to Leela.

Jaden and Leela pulled out their Disaster Squad kits. Every member of the Jackson family had their own kit.

Each kit had:

“Here,” Mom said as she gave one box to Leela and one to Jaden. “Something new to add to your kits.”

“These are retractable shovels,” Dad said. “Turn them around and pull out the handle.”

Jaden tugged on the small handle that was tucked behind the shovel. As he pulled, it extended up and out.

“These are going to be very useful,” Mom continued, “when we help to rescue the snow rabbit that is trapped!”

“We’re here!” Jaden exclaimed as the Jackson family pulled up to the elementary school. Dad, Mom, and Jaden climbed out of the RV. Leela followed, holding Lucky’s leash. Snow was falling around them.

“Thank you for coming!”

Leela and Jaden looked up to see a tall man walking over to them.

“I’m Principal Williams,” he said.

“I’m Lamar, and this is my wife, Jaya,” Dad said. “This is Leela and Jaden, and our dog, Lucky.” Lucky barked and wagged her tail.

“How can we help?” Mom asked as she snapped pictures of the school.

“Some of our students noticed through the classroom window that a snow rabbit was trapped under a block of ice,” Principal Williams said. “It probably got stuck during the blizzard.”

“Kiddos,” Dad nodded, “take out your shovels and start digging slowly.”

“But what if the ice cracks and hurts the rabbit?” Leela worried as she leashed Lucky to a small tree.

“If we aren’t careful, the glass window next to the rabbit could shatter,” Jaden added.

“That would be really dangerous,” Leela said, frowning.

“It’s risky, but if we work together, slowly and carefully, we should be able to make a small pocket in the ice for the rabbit to escape,” Dad said.

Jaden and Leela grabbed their warm winter gloves. Then they opened their retractable shovels and started digging.

“Almost there!” Leela said as she scooped up big piles of snow. She kept digging and digging until—

CLUNK!

“Oh no!” Jaden cried.

“That sounded like the shovel hitting the concrete on the ground,” Dad said calmly. “Let’s use our hands to dig. We must be close.”

Together they slowly dug through the soft snow. Inside the school, the teachers and students watched.

Jaden pulled up a chunk of snow, and suddenly, the rabbit jumped out. It circled Jaden and Leela. The rabbit shook its body and fluffed its fur. It sat up on its back paws and turned to look at the Jackson family. Then it bounced away into the snow.

“We did it!” Leela grinned. “We saved the snow rabbit!”

WOOF!

Lucky barked excitedly.

“It’s important to remember that animals need help during natural disasters too,” Mom said as she took more pictures.

“Thank you for rescuing the snow rabbit,” Principal Williams said, smiling as he handed Jaden and Leela each a small pin. It had a picture of two hands and “Helping Hands” written on the top.

The Jacksons waved goodbye and climbed back into the RV. Jaden and Leela plopped down on the small sofa.

“That was a lot of work!” Jaden sighed.

“I’m going to snuggle up with Lucky,” Leela said with a smile.

Just then, Mom’s phone rang . . .