A vibrant garden shimmered under the warm morning sun.

Lollie the ladybug loved her bright, cherry-red shell.

Her seven round, black spots sparkled like polished buttons.

Lollie: “Oh, what a lovely day!”

She happily twirled on a gigantic, dewy green leaf.

Lollie: “My perfect spots, so shiny.”

Suddenly, a super silly tickle wiggled deep inside Lollie's tiny nose.

It was the biggest, funniest tickle she had ever felt.

Lollie scrunched up her little ladybug eyes, ready for it.

Lollie: “A-A-AH-CHOO!”

Poof! Her seven black spots popped right off, like tiny balloons!

Lollie: “Oh no! My spots are gone!”

Lollie looked sadly at her plain, plain red back.

Lollie: “I feel so very bare.”

Flutter the butterfly fluttered by on her rainbow wings.

Flutter: “Why the long face, Lollie?”

Lollie: “My spots! They flew away!”

Flutter giggled, her antennae bouncing with amusement.

Flutter: “Don't fret! We'll find them!”

They searched near the towering, golden sunflowers.

Lollie peeked carefully under a big, white daisy petal.

Lollie: “No spots hiding here.”

They flew to Barnaby the wise old beetle, sitting on his cozy log.

Barnaby: “True spots are inside you, dear Lollie.”

Lollie thought about Barnaby's words, then looked at Flutter's pretty, patterned wings.

Lollie: “He is right! I am still me!”

She realized that her specialness didn't come from her spots.

Flutter: “You are always special!”

Just then, a tiny puff of wind gently returned her seven black spots, right back onto her shell!

Lollie snuggled happily on her soft, green leaf, her spots now perfectly in place.

She closed her sleepy eyes, dreaming of funny sneezes and wonderful polka dots.