Ella and the Banana Ear Emergency

Starring Ella

When Astronaut Max loses his hearing right before a space storm hits, three-year-old Astronaut Doctor Ella blasts off in her Rainbow Rocket to help. Guided by her teachers' advice to spot small clues and keep a steady hand, Ella notices a stray banana peel floating in orbit. She uses her medical light to discover bananas lodged in Max's ears, carefully removes them with silver grabbers, and allows him to hear the storm warning in time to steer them to safety.

Ella was practicing with her silver stethoscope when the alarm flashed red across the control panel. BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! Astronaut Max cannot hear, and a space storm is coming! Ella gripped her bag firmly and said, "I feel nervous, but I can still be brave."

Ella remembered what her teachers at the academy taught her. Ms. Ellen always said, "Notice the smallest clues." Ms. Luz reminded her, "Slow hands solve big problems." Ella repeated their words like a quiet rhythm as her rocket blasted into deep space.

Ella zoomed past Mars and spotted something yellow floating outside in the dark vacuum. "A banana peel?" she wondered, peering through the viewscreen. Bananas certainly did not grow on Mars. Ella carefully netted the peel as a clue before continuing toward Jupiter.

Ella found Max near the stormy clouds of Jupiter. His warning alarm rang loudly with a sharp DING! DING! DING! But Max just tapped his helmet, completely oblivious to the noise. Ella guided him safely into her airlock right before the dark storm clouds gathered.

Ella checked Max's radio receiver and tested his helmet speakers. Both worked perfectly. "What am I missing?" she asked herself, tapping her chin. Then Ms. Ellen's advice echoed in her mind: notice the smallest clues.

Looking closer, Ella spotted a bright yellow smudge right near Max's ear. She shined her glowing medical penlight into his ear canal. "There is a banana in your ear!" she announced. She checked his other side and giggled. "There is another one!"

Outside, the space storm rumbled and shook the rocket walls. Remembering to keep slow hands, Ella held her Silver Grabbers steady. TUG! POP! Out came the first banana. TUG! POP! Out came the second. Max blinked and shouted, "I can hear again!"

With his hearing restored, Max caught Neptune's radio warning signal and safely piloted them out of the storm path. Back at the station, Max remembered two playful space monkeys tossing banana peels during lunch. Ella placed her silver stethoscope back in her bag with a calm, quiet smile.