Hayden and Henry Holbrook were twins. People often think that identical twins are the same in every way, but this couldn't be further from the truth when it came to Hayden and Henry. The boys were exact opposites. Sure, they both had the same mane of golden, floppy curls, the same piercing, blue eyes, and the same cheeky smile, but that was where the similarities ended.
Hayden was the brainy one; he was a walking encyclopedia. His main areas of expertise included computer coding, dinosaurs, and British folktales (Robin Hood was his favorite), but in general, he knew a lot about a lot of things. Hayden always had his nose in a book and loved to watch documentaries on the TV. He was painfully shy and hated being outdoors in nature. Henry, on the other hand, preferred joke books to informative ones. He was always clowning around and making others laugh. Henry had a real heart of gold and was always willing to help others. He also loved sports and was a champion swimmer.
Every summer, the boys' parents sent them to a summer camp in New York State for a month. Henry loved it. Hayden hated it. For Hayden, the time away was a nightmare. Henry tried to convince his brother that camp was actually amazing, but every year it was the same: Hayden refused to try new things and mostly sat on the sidelines while the other boys had the time of their lives. Because the boys had been going to camp since they were 7 years old, all the counselors knew them well and understood how different they were. They would try to cajole Hayden into joining in, but after the first few days, they would let him be and allow him to read his books during sport and activity times.
The boys had turned 13 in April, so this would be their last summer at camp. Henry was therefore more determined than ever to help Hayden enjoy their time away. As they drove up the long, dirt road toward the camp with their parents, it was Henry who first spotted the banner advertising new activities.
"Hayden, did you see that sign? It says they have now have trampolining, hip-hop dance, and–wait for it–archery. Archery! Just like Robin Hood with his bow and arrow. See? I told you this year would be the best yet!"
As hard as he was trying to maintain the sullen, first-day-of camp attitude he had perfected over the years, Hayden couldn't help but be intrigued. He had always loved to pretend he was Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves, stealing from the rich and giving to the poor. Hayden had begged his parents for a bow and arrow on each of his and Henry's birthdays for the last few years but had always been told he was too young, and it was too dangerous.
"Hayden must be allowed to try archery if the camp is running the activity, right?" Henry asked his parents pleadingly.
"I guess it would be alright," their mother said with a smile. It was music to Hayden's ears. That summer was the best of both boys' lives. Using a bow and arrow was everything Hayden had dreamed it would be. On the archery field, he felt strong and confident. He excelled at the sport and won every competition. Many of the other boys were in awe of Hayden's skill with a bow, and this gave him even more confidence. He decided to give some of the other activities a try, and found that he really enjoyed lacrosse, trampolining, and even hip-hop dancing! On the final day of camp, Henry and Hayden were jointly awarded Camper of the Month awards during the parents' assembly. Their parents were full of pride.
"Ever thought of applying to be junior camp counselors next year, boys?" their dad asked, ruffling both boys' curls as they walked toward the car. Hayden and Henry looked at each other, their eyes dancing as identical cheeky smiles lit up their faces.
What is the theme of the story?
Group of answer choices
Accept people for who they are.
Be happy with what you have.
Always be kind to others.
Don't be afraid to try new things.
