Tommy bounced on his bed, cramming a pair of binoculars into his bag. Max, with messy hair and a wide grin, double-checked their supplies. "Are you ready, Max? This is going to be the best adventure ever!" "Absolutely! I bet we’ll spot a monkey or even a tiger!"

Tommy leads the way, pointing out colorful flowers and hopping over mossy logs. Max follows, stopping to marvel at a bright red parrot squawking from a branch. "Look, Max! That bird is almost as loud as you when you laugh!" "Hey! I think I’m much louder," he giggles, trying to imitate the parrot.

Max frowns at the crumpled map in his hands. "Um, Tommy… do you remember which way we came from?" "I thought you were keeping track! The trees all look the same now."

Tommy digs into his backpack, pulling out his compass. "Let’s use the compass! If we keep heading east, we’ll find the river on the map." "And the river will lead us home! Great thinking, Tommy."

Max cups his hands, splashing cool water on his face. "We did it! Now we just follow the river until we’re back at the start," "Let’s race! Last one to the bend is a rotten banana!"

Tommy hugs his mom, his backpack now a little lighter but his heart much fuller. Max waves goodbye to the jungle, promising to return for another adventure. "Next time, let’s bring a bigger map—and more cookies!" "Deal! And maybe a monkey friend, too."