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Ambo chapter opener illustration

Ambo

SHARE, NEVER TAKE

Ambo the Sharer

Ambo is a gentle beaver who keeps an eye on everyone at Gully’s market. He’s not looking for the best trade. He’s looking for whoever’s having a hard day.

Because sometimes the dice are unkind. Sometimes a little islander rolls and rolls and hardly ever gets the goods they need, while everyone around them fills their baskets. And when Ambo sees someone falling behind like that, he does the kindest thing in little Gullwick: he shares.

Here is how sharing works in Gullwick, and it’s important. When a friend is running short, the islander with the most gives a little — just a little — from the top of their own full basket. Nobody grabs. Nobody takes. Nobody knocks down another islander’s cottage or snatches their goods. You only ever give from your own pile, so the friend who’s behind can catch up.

One rainy morning, poor Milo had rolled badly all day and had almost nothing. He sat by his half-built wall looking gloomy. Ambo noticed straight away. He looked in his own basket — full and cosy, plenty to spare — and he carried a little grain and a little stone over to Milo. “Here,” Ambo said softly. “You’ve had a hard morning. This’ll get you going again.”

Milo blinked. “But — that’s yours.”

“It’s the Commons now,” said Ambo, warm and easy. “I’ve got more than I need, and you’ve got less. So a bit hops over to you. That’s just how we do it here. Nobody left behind.” He patted the little pile. “And tomorrow, if I have the hard morning, someone will do the same for me. That’s why the whole island stays standing.”

Milo’s gloom melted right away. He built his wall, and by afternoon he was laughing again — and later, when Bramble had a bad roll, it was Milo who carried a little grain over to her.

That’s the warm secret Ambo tends: share from your fullest basket, never take from anyone’s, and no islander is ever left behind.

If a friend is running short, share a little from your fullest basket — never take from theirs — so nobody is left behind. That’s Ambo.

Reading together with a grown-up? A card for the grown-up

For the grown-up: ask one question, then wait. When they answer, add one word to what they said. Tap the button when they have said something — that is one turn each, a circle. Nothing is recorded or kept.

Let them finish it

Say “Ambo says: if a friend is running short, share a little from your fullest basket — …” and stop. Let them finish it.

Then say the whole line together: “Ambo says: if a friend is running short, share a little from your fullest basket — never take from theirs — so nobody is left behind.”.

Now wait. Count slowly to five in your head. Their answer is worth the quiet.

Circles together: 0

The IslePals ensemble

Ambo is one of the friends in IslePals. Each friend shows you one idea by how they act; meet them all and you have the whole subject.