Nora and Mango Chase the Sunbeam: A Cat Story

Join Nora and Mango, her orange tabby, on a playful chase after a sunbeam through the house and garden. This free illustrated story follows their bright afternoon adventure.

Nora in a yellow coat follows an orange tabby cat chasing a bright sunbeam across a flower-filled garden.

Nora kneels on a kitchen floor beside Mango, an orange tabby raising one paw in a patch of sunlight.

Nora found Mango crouched on the kitchen floor, pawing at a bright sunbeam that had slid away from the warm laundry basket. “Can you catch it?” Nora giggled.

Mango runs toward an open blue back door while Nora reaches after her in the kitchen.

The sunbeam slid toward the open back door. Mango sprang after it, tail high. “Wait for me!” Nora called, hurrying after her. The bright strip led them outside.

Mango stretches toward a bright patch of sunlight on the garden grass as Nora stands behind her.

On the grass, Mango pounced where the sunbeam landed. But just as her paws came down, the bright patch slipped away. Nora bent over, laughing. “You almost had it!”

Mango runs along stepping stones toward an apple tree while Nora follows across the garden.

The sunbeam flickered beneath the apple tree. Mango darted after it, low and quick. Nora ran along the stepping stones behind her. “Where will it go next?” she called.

Nora crouches beside an apple tree while Mango reaches a paw toward leaf-shaped light on the trunk.

Under the tree, Mango batted at the dancing spots on the trunk. Nora crouched and held a hand beneath the leaf-shaped shadows. “The leaves are making them dance!” she said.

Nora points as Mango walks along a stripe of sunlight beneath the apple tree.

A new stripe of sunlight stretched toward the fence. Nora pointed. “Look, Mango—” But Mango was already trotting after it. Nora hurried after her.

Nora and Mango sit beside a wooden fence with several sparrows perched on top.

At the fence, Mango stopped beneath the sparrows and gave a tiny chirp. The birds chattered back. Nora leaned beside her. The sunbeam waited below.

Sparrows fly above Mango and Nora near a wooden garden bench at sunset.

Then the sparrows fluttered away. Their shadows swept across the grass, and Mango whirled after them toward the garden bench. Nora laughed and followed.

Mango stands on a wooden bench with one paw in a bright patch of sunlight while Nora leans beside her.

The afternoon light turned orange. The sunbeam climbed onto the old bench, and Mango sprang up after it. She pressed one white paw into the glowing patch. Nora grinned beside her.

Nora sits on a wooden bench beside Mango, who is curled up on the bench.

At last, the sunbeam stopped moving. Mango circled once, then folded herself into its warmth. Nora sat beside her, smiling. “You caught it,” she whispered.

Nora carries Mango in her arms past a garden bench.

The last sunlight slipped away. Mango’s eyes drooped shut, so Nora carefully lifted her and held her close. Then she carried her back toward the house.

Nora and Mango sit together in a large laundry basket in the kitchen as the sun sets outside the window.

Nora settled into the laundry basket beside Mango. Mango tucked her paws beneath her chest and nestled against Nora. As the last light faded, Nora curled close and smiled.

Nora and Mango Chase the Sunbeam

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