Birdie and the flood

Birdie and the flood

The Story of Birdie: A Happy Bird's Adventure

Introduction to Birdie

  • Birdie is introduced as a cheerful bird who enjoys singing and feels safe in her cozy nest located in a tall tree.
  • She has a fondness for catching worms and conversing with her friend, Mr. Frog, who resides in a pond adorned with green lily pads.

The Storm Begins

  • One day, while searching for worms, Birdie notices dark clouds forming in the sky, leading to rain starting to fall on her head.
  • As the rain intensifies, it creates large puddles on the ground; loud thunder and lightning frighten Birdie.

The Aftermath of the Storm

  • The relentless rain causes flooding; soon water covers roads and cars, leading to destruction of Birdie's home as her nest begins to break.
  • Upon returning after the storm subsides, she finds her tree broken and her nest gone, leaving her feeling sad and lost.

Community Response

  • Helpers arrive with helicopters that create loud noises which scare Birdie further; Mr. Frog seeks refuge underwater.
  • Various helpers bring tools like buckets and shovels to clean up the mess left by the storm; they work together to restore order.

Restoration and Happiness

  • With teamwork, all rubbish is cleared away; some friends contribute feathers for Birdie's new coat while others help build a new nest.
  • Ultimately, everything is cleaned up, allowing Birdie and Mr. Frog to feel safe and happy again in their restored environment.
Video description

Birdie and the flood - online storybook for children It rains so much, Birdie and Mr Frog have to get away from the rising water. 'Birdie and the flood' is a story for young children about recovering from floods. The Birdie's Tree website offers a series of free online storybooks that parents and carers can read with their children to support and heal young minds during and after a natural disaster. Birdie’s Tree has been designed to support the mental health and emotional wellbeing of babies and young children, their parents and families, in relation to severe weather events and other natural disasters. The resources are helpful in the ‘preparedness’ phase (before a natural disaster happens), during the ‘response’ phase (while an event is happening) and in the ‘recovery’ phase (after an event has occurred). Birdie’s Tree has been developed by the Queensland Centre for Perinatal and Infant Mental Health (QCPIMH), Queensland’s statewide hub of expertise in the mental health and emotional wellbeing of expectant and new parents, babies and young children. QCPIMH is a Queensland Government service hosted by Children’s Health Queensland Hospital and Health Service. Visit www.childrens.health.qld.gov.au/natural-disaster-recovery