The warm morning sun streamed into Dotty the ladybug's cozy leaf home.

Dotty stretched her tiny legs and delicate wings, ready for a new day.

She looked into a shimmering dewdrop, her favorite morning mirror.

Dotty: “Oh, my spots! They're gone!”

Dotty: “I am a plain ladybug now!”

Barnaby the big, brown beetle tapped politely on her front door.

Barnaby: “Good morning, Dotty!”

Dotty: “Barnaby, look at me!”

Barnaby: “Oh dear! No spots!”

Dotty: “My spots disappeared!”

Barnaby: “What happened to them?”

They ventured out, searching excitedly through the tall green garden, full of bright flowers.

Dotty carefully looked under a giant mushroom cap, hoping for a spot.

Dotty: “No spots hiding here!”

Barnaby peered inquisitively behind a big, floppy sunflower petal.

Barnaby: “Are they playing hide-and-seek?”

Dotty: “Maybe they rolled far away!”

Barnaby: “Let's ask the bees!”

Golden bees buzzed happily around sweet flower nectar, very busy.

Dotty: “Do bees have my spots?”

Barnaby: “No, silly Dotty, no!”

They finally reached a big, shiny mud puddle, glimmering brightly in the sun.

Dotty saw her plain red reflection staring back from the water.

Dotty: “Still no spots there!”

Then she noticed something very funny near her left wing.

She gently dabbed her wing with a tiny bit of water from the puddle.

Dotty: “My spots were just mud!”

Barnaby: “Muddy spots are fun!”

Barnaby laughed loudly and clapped his front legs with joy.

Barnaby: “Hooray for mud spots!”

Dotty giggled, realizing her spots had just been covered in funny, squishy mud all along. She happily learned getting messy is okay sometimes!