Sam the snake becomes sad when she fears her slither won't be fast enough to win an upcoming race. Follow along as Sam first experiences sadness and defeat, learns to think on the bright side with the help of a forest friend, and eventually gains confidence and happiness as she finds her own unique slither. With a focus on social and emotional learning (SEL), tightly controlled vocabulary, and bright, fun illustrations to match the storyline and enhance empathy, children will learn about sadness and its associated thoughts, bodily sensations, and reactions in a supportive educational fiction reading experience.