diff --git "a/TinyStories_1229.txt" "b/TinyStories_1229.txt" new file mode 100644--- /dev/null +++ "b/TinyStories_1229.txt" @@ -0,0 +1,10000 @@ + +Finally, the tornado was gone and all that remained was destruction. Jenny felt so thankful that she and her family were safe. Although she was scared, Jenny was glad that she had seen the tornado and the amazing power of nature first-hand. +Once upon a time there was a small girl called Nessa. She was very independent and liked to do everything by herself. One day, she decided she wanted a snack from the fridge on her own. Nessa opened the fridge door and noticed something strange happening. + +"Wow, that's so cool," said Nessa. + +She watched in amazement as the fridge started to move! Nessa's mom walked in and saw the fridge moving. + +"Nessa, what did you do?" she asked. + +Nessa smiled proudly and said, "I made it happen! I moved the fridge all by myself. I'm so independent!" + +Nessa's mom smiled with pride and gave her a big hug. From then on, Nessa always felt confident she could do anything she put her mind to. +Once upon a time there was a girl called Lucy. She was very bright and loved to play. Every day she went to nursery and was always so excited to learn new things. + +One day, her mum took her out on a special surprise. Lucy couldn't believe it when she saw that it was an ice-cream parlour! She was so happy that she got to pick any flavour she liked. Lucy chose choco-vanilla, her very favourite. + +They stayed and played in the parlour all day. Lucy laughed and had so much fun. Her mum felt a little guilty though - she knew that Lucy had an exam the next day. She thought it might be best to go home. + +But she couldn't resist spoiling Lucy, so her mum let her stay just a little longer. Eventually, they left and Lucy was feeling so tired. She went to bed early so she would be prepared for her exam the next day. + +But Lucy needn't have worried - she was so bright that she passed her exam with flying colours! +Once upon a time there lived a rich family. The father was very clever and had a big brain. One day, he decided to peek through the key hole to see what the family next door was doing. + +He saw that the family had nothing and were very poor. Through the keyhole, he saw the children in rags. His heart melted in sadness and he felt very sad. + +The father thought and thought until finally he had an idea. He called his children and said, “Let’s go over to the neighbor’s house and give them some of our nice things.†+ +The children agreed and the family showed up at the neighbor’s door holding bags full of nice clothes and food. The neighbor’s family was filled with joy and surprise to receive such a gift. + +The moral of the story is that it feels great to be generous. You don’t need to be rich to make someone else’s life better. Kindness can always be shared with others. +Once upon a time, there was a girl who was very excited to celebrate her birthday. She had a will. Everyone told her what she wanted to do, so she did it. + +The girl said, "Let's have a party!" Everyone agreed and started to plan for the big day. + +On the day of the party, the girl was very happy. She put on her best dress and was ready to celebrate. But when she got to the party, it was dull and boring. No one was there to celebrate with her. + +The girl was very sad. She said, "Where is everyone? I thought we were supposed to celebrate." + +But all she heard was silence. There was no one to celebrate with her, and she was all alone. She sadly realized that her birthday had been a bad ending. +Roy and Avery were best friends. Roy loved to invite Avery to his house to play. One day, Roy asked Avery, “Would you like to come to my house to play football?†+ +Avery was so excited that he said, “Yes!†+ +They went to Roy’s house and saw a big purple football. Roy said, “Let’s play with the purple football!†+ +They had so much fun playing with the purple football. They kickeed it, chased it, and threw it back and forth. They even held races to see who could kick it the farthest. + +Avery was so happy that Roy had invited him to play. He knew he would never forget this fun day with his best friend. +Once upon a time, a long time ago, there were two friends who loved to dance. They would take turns making up silly moves to the beat of their own drums. Every day, they would dance together in a field near the ancient castle. + +One day, the two friends looked up at the sky and saw a puff of smoke. They both exclaimed loudly, "What is that smoke?". + +A kind old man, who was standing nearby, said to them "That is an ancient smoke ceremony - it has been done for thousands of years. It is a ritual to dance for good luck". + +The two friends looked at each other and then back at the old man. They smiled widely and excitedly, their arms and legs twirling in time with the drums they had created. + +The old man laughed and clapped to the beat of their dance, watching in amazement. + +As the smoke cleared, the friends knew they had been granted the luck they had been seeking. +Once upon a time there was a giant called Jack. He liked to eat really big food and never exercise. One day, he was feeling really tired, so he decided to search around for some exercise. + +He saw a tight rope hanging between two trees in a nearby park and he decided to give it a try. He grabbed one end of the rope but was too tight to get a good grip. He tried again and again but he couldn’t manage to make the rope loose. + +Just then, a friendly squirrel appeared. She told Jack: “If you want to make the rope loose, you have to search inside yourself for strength. Exercise your muscles, and with practice you’ll be able to do anything like I can!†+ +Jack took the squirrel’s advice and started to exercise. After a few weeks, he was able to make the tight rope loose with ease. He learned that if he wanted to succeed, he had to find the strength within himself. + +The moral of the story is: if you want to achieve something difficult, take small steps and practice. Only then will you find the strength to succeed. +Sandy loved playing in the snow. She went outside in the morning and ran around, making silly snow angels and throwing snowballs. + +One day she saw something strange in the snow. It was a bag with a strange design on it. She picked it up and asked her mom what it was. + +Her mom replied, "That's not something to play with, Sandy. It's something that needs to be stored away safely. Now, go back and play in the snow." + +So Sandy put the bag away and went back to playing in the snow. She couldn't help wondering what was in the bag. + +Suddenly, someone shouted her name. It was her mom! "Sandy! Come here. I have something for you." + +Sandy rushed over and saw that her mom was holding a snowball maker! Sandy smiled and jumped into the air. She now knew what had been inside the bag: It was a silly snowball maker, just for her! +One day, Benjamin and Sarah were walking along the river. They saw a dish floating on the shallow waters. It was a beautiful dish, with golden stars painted on it. Benjamin was very excited, but Sarah was more careful. + +Sarah said, "Benjamin, it's very nice, but we don't know where it's come from. It may bring us bad luck if we take it!" + +But Benjamin wanted the dish. He said, "I don't care! I want it." + +So, Sarah had to give in and they brought it home. They agreed to marry the dish. But, soon afterwards, bad things started happening. Their clothes were torn, their toys were broken and food was getting harder to find. + +Sarah was angry at Benjamin for being ignorant. She said, "How could you just marry the dish without asking first? We should have been more careful!" + +Benjamin had to agree. He realized that he should think before he acts. From then on, Benjamin was careful and stopped making ignorant decisions. + +Moral of the story: Think before you act and be careful about what you marry. +Max was a little boy. He liked to wander around all day. He liked to explore, find new things, and experience all the cool things in life. One day he went out and started his journey. + +He soon came across a meadow full of small white bubbles. He thought they were the most unique things he had ever seen! Without hesitation, he started to pop all the bubbles. + +He noticed something amazing as each bubble popped - a beautiful rainbow! Max was so excited. He made it his mission to pop as many bubbles as he could. + +Max was so happy with what he had found. He had an amazing day full of adventure and new experiences, and he was glad to have been able to explore this unique place. +Once upon a time, there was a little girl called Olivia. She was very upset because it was raining so hard outside that water was flooding her garden. Olivia wanted to go for a swim, but she knew it was too dangerous to play in the big puddle. + +Then, Olivia's mommy had an idea. She said, "Let's go and have a bath!" Olivia and her mommy got all their rubber ducks, and they ran upstairs to the bathroom and filled up the tub. + +The water was nice and warm and Olivia was so happy. She paddled and splashed around in the bubbles. She even showed her mommy her best swimming moves! + +When they were done, Olivia and her mommy both felt much better. They had a big cuddle and then dried off with fluffy towels. + +Even though it was still raining outside, Olivia was no longer upset because she had been able to bathe in the warm and bubbly water. +John and his mom had been looking forward to an exciting day out. They were going to the theater. As they drove, John was so excited he could hardly sit still. + +When they got to the theater, John's mom saw a woman who needed help. The woman was struggling to carry her bags. Without hesitation, John's mom put her hand on the woman's shoulder and offered her help. + +The woman was so grateful and said, "Thank you for being so compassionate". John's mom told her that it was his pleasure. + +John was very proud of his mom. He wanted to do something kind too. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small toy he had been saving. He offered it to the woman with a hug. + +The woman was very touched and gave John a big smile. She thanked them both and wished them a good day. John and his mom happily went into the theater, knowing they had done something kind. +Once upon a time there was an old door. Inside the door was a room, but no one had ever been in it. + +One day, a curious toddler was walking along and stumbled upon the door. The little one thought to herself, "Why has no one ever opened this old door?" + +So she grabbed the doorknob and twisted it open. She stepped inside the room and it was empty, but it had a special feeling. + +The little one asked out loud, "Can I accept this room as mine?" + +Suddenly the door shut behind her. The little one was very frightened, and she was about to cry when she heard a voice. + +The voice said, "Yes, you may accept this room as yours. Welcome to your new home!" + +The toddler couldn't believe her luck. She realized that the old door was there to protect her from the outside world. + +Since then, the little one has always been happy and content in her new home. She was glad that the old door had accepted her. +Once upon a time, there was a girl who wanted to study. She wanted to learn something new and do something difficult. One day, she decided to go to the stable. + +There, she saw many horses. She tried to study, but it was very hard because the horses kept moving around. She tried again and again, but she kept getting distracted. + +Then, one of the horses came over to her and said, "Follow me. I will help you study." She was skeptical, but the horse kept encouraging her, so she followed it. + +The horse took her to a quiet corner of the stable and said, " here, you can study better." She thanked the horse, and tried to focus on her studies. + +She worked hard and eventually she was able to learn something new. She thanked the horse for helping her with her studies and even though it was difficult, she was happy. +Once upon a time, there was a bunny. The bunny had to go for a walk. But, it was too scary for the bunny to go alone. So, the bunny asked for help. + +"Mommy, can you rescue me?" the bunny asked. + +Mommy smiled. "Yes, sweetheart, I can rescue you." + +Mommy and the bunny went on the walk together. It was a very long walk. The bunny became very tired. + +Suddenly, there was a terrible noise. It was loud and scary. The bunny was so scared that it started to cry. + +Mommy knew exactly what to do. She quickly scooped the bunny up in her arms and said, +"It's okay, sweetheart. Mommy will rescue you." + +Mommy kept walking and soon they were both safe. The bunny was so happy that Mommy had rescued it. + +The end. +Once upon a time, there was a brave soldier. He was a very brave and strong man, but today he was facing a dangerous enemy. + +The soldier was brave and tried his best not to show his fear. He shouted: "I am ready to fight!" + +The enemy shouted back: "Ha! We are strong, you will not win!" + +The soldier was determined to fight, but he was struggling. He was trying his best, but the enemy was too powerful. + +Suddenly, an angel appeared in the sky. The angel said: "Be brave, brave soldier! You can do this!" + +The soldier felt strength fill his body. He fought and fought until finally, he defeated the enemy. + +When he was finished, the soldier was very proud. He knew that with courage, he could face any challenge. +Once upon a time there was a jeep. The jeep was bright and noisy. All day, the jeep kept driving around the city. + +Everywhere the jeep went, it was so loud! Everybody heard the jeep coming. The loudness kept everyone awake all night long. + +Then, one day the jeep got stuck. It couldn't get out of the mud! Everyone tried to help, but the jeep just kept getting stuck over and over again. + +Finally, a tow truck came to help. The tow truck pulled the jeep out of the mud and the jeep was free! Everyone cheered and the jeep drove away, still loud but much happier too. +Once upon a time, there was a bear who loved to explore. He wanted to try something new and exciting, so he suggested he visit a new place. His friend raccoon said, "Hey bear, I know the perfect place to go! We can go to the weird house on the hill." The bear thought the idea sounded great, so he agreed to go. + +At first, it all seemed perfect. The house had a fancy garden and the walls shined in the sun. But as soon as they opened the door, it became clear that something wasn't right. The house was fake and there was no one inside. The bear was so disappointed and he started to cry. The raccoon quickly suggested they leave, and so they did. + +The bear was sad they couldn't explore the house, but it was probably for the best. They had been tricked by the fake house, but at least they were safe. +Once upon a time there was a girl named Lucy who had a very persistent problem. Everywhere she went, her pasta was getting hidden from her. + +She asked her mom, "Mommy, why does pasta always hide from me?" + +Her mom smiled and said, "That's because pasta is very sneaky. You must be persistent. You have to find it." + +Lucy thought hard and then came up with a plan. She spent all day searching for the pasta. Eventually she found it hiding behind a tree. + +Lucy shouted, "I found you!" + +From that day on, Lucy always made sure her pasta was safe. She was very persistent in finding it whenever it hid. + +The end. +John was an eager boy. He ran around the park carrying his favourite ball. Then, he saw something that made him stop. It was an old stand, with a huge ladder on it. "What is this?"he thought. + +He walked closer and saw that it had lots of fun things to play with. He was eager to try them all. + +John walked up the ladder and looked around. On the top of the stand, he saw something moving. It was a little bird, chirping and singing. + +John was excited. He wanted to carry the bird in his hands. He reached out, but the bird hopped away. + +John laughed. He tried again. He moved slowly and said, "Be gentle, little bird". The bird stayed still, so John grabbed it and brought it closer to his face. + +John looked into the little bird's eyes and said, "You're so cute". Then, he held the bird carefully in his hands and walked back down the ladder. + +When he reached the ground, he put the bird back on the stand, and said goodbye. Then, he waved and ran off with a smile on his face, still eager to play. +One day, two children, Tom and Amanda, were packing for a camping trip. Tom’s mom said, "Make sure to pack everything you need!" + +Tom grabbed his backpack and began to fill it with the essentials for his trip - a blanket, some food, and a flashlight. He looked up and saw a small mole poking its head out of the grass nearby. + +"Mom, can I keep this mole?" he asked. + +His mom thought for a moment and then said, "I don't think that would be a good idea. He'll be safer in the wild." + +So, Tom reluctantly put the mole back down and watched as it scurried back into the grass. + +He winked at Amanda and finished packing his bag. They were finally ready for the camping trip. + +“Can you believe it?†Tom said. “Look how much stuff we packed! Now we just need to leave before we run into any bad moles.†+Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Jane. She liked to play with crayons a lot. One day, she was drawing with her crayons when suddenly a monster appeared! He was big and terrible! The monster said, "Give me your crayons!" Jane said, "No! I don’t want to!" + +The monster drove forward and began to grab the crayons. Jane was very scared! Suddenly, a knight in shining armor appeared. He said, "I will help you!" He used his shield to bash the monster away. The knight ran up to the monster and shouted, "Leave her alone!" + +The monster was so scared that he ran away! Jane thanked the knight for helping her. The knight said, "No problem! No one should be scared like that." Jane smiled and thanked the knight again. She was glad that the knight had helped her. She went back to drawing with her crayons. She had a wonderful day with the knight and her crayons! +Once upon a time, there was a little girl called Lily. She was playing in the park when she saw an elderly woman sitting on a bench. Lily was curious and walked up to the woman. + +"Hello," said Lily. + +"Hello, young one," the elderly woman replied. + +Lily asked the woman why she was sitting there all alone. The woman revealed that she was waiting to pick some wild berries. + +"Do you want to come with me and pick some berries?" the woman asked. + +Lily agreed and the two of them went to a nearby field to pick the berries. They filled their baskets and returned to the park with their overflowing baskets. + +Lily was very happy. She thanked the elderly woman for taking her and giving her a moment of joy and laughter. The woman smiled and said that it was her pleasure. + +The two of them waved goodbye as the elderly woman revealed that she would be returning the next day before heading off home. +Once upon a time, there lived a Little Boy in a tiny village. He wasn't like the other children; he was a very curious Little Boy. One day, he decided to explore the forest near his home. + +After venturing deep inside, Little Boy stumbled across a strange light. It was harsh, like nothing he had ever seen before. Little Boy grew scared and wanted to leave, but he was also fascinated. So, Little Boy decided to keep watching the light. + +Suddenly, the strange light disappeared, leaving Little Boy alone in the dark. He was unsure what to do but eventually found his way out of the forest. + +Back home, Little Boy thought about the experience and realised something important. He learnt that curiosity is not always positive - sometimes it can lead to dangerous situations. Little Boy vowed to never explore the unknown again. +Once upon a time, there was a prince. He was very sad because he didn't have anyone to play with. The prince frowned. He wanted to find a friend but he didn't know where to look. + +He decided to go for a walk in the forest, but as soon he stepped in, a giant wolf appeared. The prince got scared and wanted to run away. But then he found a small cave and realised it was a safe place to hide. + +The prince hid inside the cave and waited for the wolf to go away. After a long wait, the wolf finally left. The prince was so happy that he was safe. He smiled and then started looking around. + +He found a little puppy in the corner of the cave. The prince smiled even bigger now. He was sure that he had found a new friend. He and the puppy played together every day until it was time for the prince to go home. He said goodbye to the puppy and waved. He was so glad he had found a new friend. +Mama and Papa were walking with their daughter in a big, green field. "Look," Mama said, pointing to an old metal door. "This door needs to be unlocked so that we can explore the rest of the field." +They tried to unlock the door, but it wouldn't open. Soon Papa became frustrated and started to yell. +"We need something strong and fit," he said. +Mama looked around and noticed a big rock. She smiled and said, "This rock is perfect. With this, we will be able to unlock the door." + +Papa lifted the rock up and used it to force open the door. Sure enough, it opened with a loud unlock! To the family's delight, they saw that the field was beautiful and filled with interesting things to explore. + +Mama and Papa hugged each other with excitement. "We did it!" they exclaimed. Their daughter cheered with joy and they all held hands as they ran through the field together. +Once upon a time, there was a hot cat that was loved by everybody in its neighborhood. Every day, the cat would go out and play. One day, the cat was walking down the street and encountered two friends. One of them said to the other, “Let’s choose the hot cat and take it with us!†+ +The other friend replied, “No! That’s not nice. We can’t choose something that doesn’t belong to us. That’s stealing.†+ +The first friend listened and agreed, “You’re right. We have to be kind to others and respect the things they own.†+ +So, they continued down the street, leaving the cat. They both learned a valuable lesson that day; always choose to be kind and never take something that doesn't belong to you. +Once upon a time there were two kids. One was large and one was small. They were best friends. + +One day, the small kid said to the large kid, "Let's go for a ride!" The large kid said, "Ok, let's go!" + +So the two kids hopped on their bicycles and began to ride. The large kid rode in front, and the small kid rode behind. + +As they rode, the large kid kept glancing over his shoulder. The small kid asked, "Why are you looking over your shoulder?" + +The large kid said, "I think I saw a large hill up ahead! Let's go check it out!" + +The small kid got excited. "Let's go!" + +When they arrived at the top of the hill, they saw the most exciting thing – a huge roller coaster! The kids cheered with excitement. + +The large kid said, "Let's ride it together!" + +The small kid was scared but the large kid said, "It will be okay, I will be right behind you!" + +So the two kids rode the roller coaster together and had so much fun. They had a day filled with laughter and adventure that they would never forget. +John was a three year old boy who liked to go for drives in his daddy's car. He loved looking at the trees and the sky when he was in the car with daddy. + +One day, John and daddy decided to go for a drive. John was looking out of the window and he suddenly stopped and said: "Daddy, what is that strange thing in the field?" + +Daddy looked and said: "Oh, that's a snake, John." + +John said: "It looks weird!" + +Daddy laughed. "Yes, it's a weird-looking snake," he said. + +They kept driving, and John kept looking out of the window, but he never saw that snake again. +One day, John and his mommy were sitting in a plane. They were flying far away and were both excited. +John's mommy smiled, but John was worried. He had never been on an airplane before and he was scared. +"Why are you so worried John?" asked his mother. +John pointed outside the window, "The clouds. They look funny." +John's mother laughed and hugged him, "It's alright. Flying can be a bit tricky, but it'll be okay." +John looked out the window again. But as they flew higher, they started to struggle. The plane began to shake and bounce around. +John was scared and grabbed his mom's hand. They held on to each other tightly as the airplane bumped and swayed. +John was worried, but his mommy was there with him. Together, they faced the struggle and eventually the plane flew safely past the clouds. +Once there was a wise chicken named Willy. Willy lived on a farm with his other farm friends and one day he felt like he wanted to go for a walk around the farm. He strutted off across the farm, pecking at the ground as he went, looking for some tasty bugs to feed on. + +Suddenly, Willy heard a loud noise coming from the paddock next door. He stopped and listened carefully and could hear animal cries of distress. Worried that his friends were in trouble, he ran over quickly to see what was going on. + +When he got to the paddock, he found two little pigs who were trying to get out of the mud they were stuck in. The two pigs looked up at Willy and squeaked, "Help us! Please feed us something so we can get out of this sticky mud!" + +Willy thought for a moment, then with his wise eyes he spotted a shrub nearby with some bushes and leaves on it. He pecked at the branches, then flew back down with some of the leaves in his beak to give to the pigs. + +The pigs munched away on the leaves and as they did so, the mud slowly let go of their feet and they were soon free. The two pigs thanked Willy, then they ran off together, happy and relieved. + +Willy was proud of himself for saving his farm friends in trouble. He strutted off +Jack was so excited. He had a new jeep! It was very nice, with a bright yellow color. Jack's dad said it could even reverse. That sounded like fun! So Jack hopped in and tried it out. He pushed the button, and suddenly, the jeep started to drive backwards! Jack laughed as he drove it around the yard, reversing faster and faster. His dad just watched and smiled. Then, when Jack was done, he reversed the jeep back to where it had been. What a fun day! +Once upon a time there was a young boy named Bob. Bob loved horses, but he was always too scared to ride one. One day, Bob decided to go to the stable near his house and try to ride a horse. He slowly walked up to the big, beautiful horse and gave him a gentle pat on the back. + +Bob said, "Hello, horse! Do you want to go for a ride?" +The horse shook his head, and Bob's heart dropped. He thought he would never get to ride a horse. + +But then the horse said, "I would love to take you for a ride. I know it might be scary, but if you try, I bet it would be incredible!" + +Bob was so excited! He hopped on the horse's back and held on tight. The horse carefully walked around the stable, giving Bob the most amazing ride of his life. + +When Bob finished, he thanked the horse and gave him a big hug. He was so grateful for the horse's incredible kindness. + +Moral of the story: People can accomplish amazing things when they aren't afraid to try new things. +Once, there was a boy named Jack who loved to go to the temple every weekend. At the temple, Jack liked to look around and listen to the music. + +One weekend, Jack went to the temple with his friend Peter. As soon as they arrived at the temple, Jack and Peter saw another boy, named Joe. Jack and Joe started talking and became friends right away. + +Joe told Jack that he liked to go to the temple every weekend too. Jack was excited to have a new friend who liked to do what he did. + +As they talked, Jack noticed that Peter was starting to get jealous. He was unhappy that Joe was spending time with Jack. Jack tried to include Peter in their conversation, but it didn't help. In the end, he had to take Peter back home. + +Jack and Joe stayed at the temple for a while, talking and having fun. When it was late and they said goodbye, Jack felt happy. He was glad to make a new friend who was interested in the same things he was. +Once upon a time, there was a mommy, a daddy, and a girl. The girl was three years old, and loved to explore her home. She especially liked to see what was in the kitchen. + +One day, the girl opened the kitchen door and saw the big stove. She was so excited! She walked closer and said, "Wow, look how nice the stove is!" + +The mommy and daddy smiled at each other and said, "Yes, we admire our stove too." + +The girl, who was jealous that her parents liked the stove so much, ran to her room and grabbed a special toy. She brought it back to the kitchen and said, "Look, this is my favorite toy too, and I admire it!" + +The mommy and daddy laughed, and said, "Yes, we admire your toy too!" +Once upon a time, there was a little girl. Her name was Molly and she was three. One day Molly wanted to go for a ride in an automobile, so she asked her mom. + +Molly said, "Mom, can I borrow an automobile?" + +Mom replied, "No, Molly, an automobile is too big for you. But I have an idea - let's borrow a soft pillow and I'll push you around in it." + +Molly thought it was a great idea and so she clapped her hands. + +Mom said, "Okay, let's go!" + +Molly and her mom went outside, found the soft pillow, and then Molly got on top. Her mom pushed Molly around in the soft pillow, while Molly waved and said hello to the neighbors. + +Molly had a wonderful time and when it was time to go back inside, she thanked her mom for letting her borrow the soft pillow and for giving her a ride in an automobile. +Once upon a time, there was a little girl called Matilda. She was walking on the beach and she looked out across the ocean. + +Suddenly, she saw something terrible, it was a crab. It was huge and it was walking along the sand. + +Matilda got so scared that she shouted out loudly: “Oh no, what is that??†+ +Just then, her mum saw her and came running over. She told Matilda, “Don’t be scared, that’s just a crab. It’s okay, you don’t need to worry.†+ +So, Matilda stopped being scared and watched the crab scuttle away. She felt much happier and went back to playing in the sand. +Once upon a time there was a rabbit named Bobby. He loved to zoom around in the forest. One summer day he spotted a rare axe in the woods and he was really excited. He wanted to take it home, so he grabbed it tight and started to zoom. + +Suddenly, Bobby heard a gruff voice shouting behind him, "HEY!" He turned around and saw an old man. He asked Bobby, "Where do you think you are going with my axe?" Bobby replied, "I thought I could take it and zoom around with it." + +The old man scowled and said, "I can't let you do that." He grabbed the axe and said, "You can't just take things that don't belong to you." He took the axe and zoomed away. Bobby sadly returned home, feeling really bad. + +The end. +Once there was a bunny and a squirrel who lived in the same forest. Every day they would dance together in a clearing. One day the bunny noticed a gate in the forest that she had never seen before. She was very anxious and wanted to find out what was behind the gate. + +So the bunny asked the squirrel if he wanted to explore it together. The squirrel was a bit hesitant but the bunny was very insistent and so he eventually agreed. + +They opened the gate and what they found was a dark and scary tunnel. The bunny was still excited but the squirrel was very anxious. The bunny convinced the squirrel to come inside and explore further. + +After walking for a few minutes, the bunny heard a loud noise coming from behind them. She turned around and noticed that the gate had closed. The bunny and the squirrel were stuck inside. + +The moral of this story is that curiosity can be dangerous. Taking risks and exploring should always be done with care. +Once upon a time there were two best friends, Sam and Alex. Sam was eager to ride his bike, but Alex wanted to read a dictionary. Sam told Alex, "But why would you want to read a dictionary?". Alex replied, "I just want to learn more things, it's fun!". Sam thought about it for awhile, and realized that learning was very important. + +So, they decided to both ride their bikes, but also take their dictionary to read while they rode. They went around the neighborhood, reading and exploring together. As they rode, they noticed the other things around them, like the birds flying by, the dogs in the park, and the rabbits in the fields. + +At the end of the ride, they had both learned so much and enjoyed the experience! Sam and Alex felt proud and fulfilled. They realized that when you take the time to explore new things, you can learn and also have a lot of fun doing it! +Sammy was three years old and was starting school. He walked into the classroom and saw all the white chairs, desks and walls. He looked around curiously at his new environment. + +The teacher, Mrs. Smith, walked in and said hello. Sammy didn't know it yet, but this was going to be his best friend. She said, "Let's all sit down and introduce ourselves." + +Sammy was so excited to start school, he smiled from ear to ear! Then, Mrs. Smith said, "Today is the first day at school and it's going to be lots of fun!" + +Sometimes, school could be scary and kids feel anxious about it. But, Mrs. Smith was special - she always found ways to make school fun and put a big smile on everyone's faces. + +At the end of the day the kids said goodbye. Sammy looked forward to the next day when he would be smiling in the classroom again. +Mia was sad, she had no one to play with. She was so lonely that she hugged her doll tightly. Suddenly, she noticed something in the corner of the room, it was another doll. She happily ran to it and joined it, holding its hands. + +Mia smiled and said "Hi, do you want to play with me?" The second doll did not reply, it remained silent and motionless. Mia was confused and said, "Why aren't you talking to me?" + +Then, a voice from behind said, "Hello Mia, I'm your little brother. I've been watching you from the corner of the room and I wanted to join you." Mia was so happy to know she had a new friend and said, "Let's play together. I'm glad you're here." + +The two dolls jumped, hugged and played happily together in Mia's room. Mia was no longer sad and the day was filled with lots of fun for her and her brother. +Once upon a time, there was a little rabbit called Charlie. Charlie wanted a spear so he could play with his friends. He asked his mom if he could have one, but she said no. + +Charlie asked his mom, "Why not?" + +His mom said, "Spears are not available. They can be very dangerous and you can hurt yourself or your friends with it." + +Charlie felt sad, but then he had an idea. He ran to a nearby lake and froze the water with his paws. + +He quickly scooped out a spear shaped ice and said, "Now I have a spear and I can play with my friends." + +His mom said, "That's crafty, but it's still not safe. What if the ice melts?" + +Charlie thought and then he said, "We can just freeze it again when we're done." + +His mom replied, "That's much safer. Just use your head and be careful!" + +The moral of the story is that you can be creative, but you should use your head and be careful with your ideas. +Mummy and Daddy were talking about something important. Mummy was speaking very slowly, so that Emma could understand what she was saying. + +"Emma, it's very important that we weigh your body," Mummy said. + +Emma was a bit puzzled. "Why?" She asked. + +"It's so that we can make sure you are growing properly. That's why we need to weigh your body," Mummy replied. + +Emma was scared but she tried to be brave. Daddy helped her onto the scales but as soon as she stood on the them, she felt very dizzy. She wobbled and had to be taken off the scales. + +Mummy and Daddy spoke to her very kindly and reassured her. With a bit of help, Emma managed to stand still on the scales, and after a few moments she was weighed. + +Mummy and Daddy hugged Emma and they all laughed. + +"You did a great job," said Daddy. "You were so brave." + +Emma felt very proud and smiled widely. She knew that weighing her body was important and she was happy that she had done it. +Once upon a time, there was a small princess named Lola. She had a beautiful blanket that was fluffy and perfect for cuddling. One day, Lola went to the park and saw a prince who was playing with a ball. + +The prince smiled and waved to Lola. She smiled back, holding her blanket tight. When the prince asked why she was holding the blanket so tightly, she replied, "I'm keeping my blanket safe. I want to marry it." + +The prince laughed and asked, "Can you really marry a blanket?" + +Lola nodded. "Of course! I love my blanket and I want to marry it so I never have to be apart from it." + +The prince laughed again and said, "Well, if you really want to marry your blanket, then I can help you. We can have a small ceremony and make it official." + +And so, Lola and the prince had a small ceremony and made it official. Lola held her blanket tight and even had it wear a special crown for the wedding. From then on, she was never parted from her blanket and they lived happily ever after. +Once upon a time there was a chubby pet who lived in the woods. His name was Sam. Every day Sam would explore the forest, looking for new things to do. + +One day, Sam stumbled across a huge lake. He wanted to go for a swim. But as soon as he jumped in, the water began to freeze! Sam was terrified. He couldn't move at all. + +Then, out of nowhere, a big bear came by and picked Sam up in his paws. The bear walked with Sam back to his den, where he put him near the fire. Soon the fire heated up the water and Sam was free! + +Sam thanked the bear several times before running back to his home in the woods. From then on, whenever Sam went for a swim, he made sure to go in the warmer parts of the lake, so he wouldn't freeze again! +Once upon a time, there was a princess who lived in a palace. She was very neat and tidy, and never made a mess. One day, the princess made a promise to her prince - she said she would meet him at the palace gates in one hour. + +The princess hurried inside to prepare. She quickly tidied up her messy room and got ready to leave. But when she opened the door, she was surprised - the palace was in a terrible mess! Everywhere she looked there was rubbish and dirt. + +The princess was very distressed and had no idea what to do. But then she remembered the promise she made - so she quickly got to work. She cleared up as much as she could and was soon done. + +When the prince arrived, he was happy to see that the palace was looking much better. He thanked the princess for keeping her promise and they lived happily ever after. +Once upon a time, there were two best friends, Tim and Lila. They were the best of friends, always dependable and looking out for each other. + +One day, Lila had an exciting event to attend and asked Tim if he wanted to come. Tim was so excited and excitedly accepted. + +When they arrived at the event, Tim and Lila had so much fun. They took funny pictures of each other, ran around and did silly dances. But most of all, they made each other laugh with their hilarious jokes. + +Lila smiled and said to Tim, “You have the best jokes! I can always rely on you for a good joke.†+ +Tim replied, proudly, “I have lots of dependable jokes. Whenever you need a laugh, I’m here to help!†+ +The two friends laughed and enjoyed the event. They had a wonderful time and would remember it forever. +It was the start of a new school year and Jack was ready to go. He and his mom had done all they could to get ready and they were feeling excited. As his mom hugged him, she reminded him to keep his bedroom tidy and do all his homework reliably. Jack nodded and said goodbye as he ran outside to meet his friends. + +The weeks went by and Jack's grades were looking good. He had kept his room and his work in order. But one night Jack had an idea. Instead of going to bed, he stayed up later to watch TV. + +The next day Jack's mom was mad. She reminded him about his bedroom and the importance of responsible work. Jack apologized and said he wouldn't forget again. + +But forget he did. Soon Jack was poor at school and his bedroom was a mess. Jack refused to listen to his mom. + +Finally one afternoon, Jack's teacher called home. He said Jack's grades had slipped, but there was still time to turn it around. When his mom heard the news, she sat Jack down and reminded him of the importance of reliability and order. + +Jack got the message. He worked hard and once again managed to keep his room clean and do his work reliably. In the end, Jack was glad his mom had been there to remind him of the value of being responsible and reliable. +Fred was a small boy who loved adventure. He liked to explore and learn about the things around him. One day, he was in his backyard and he saw something very interesting. It was a brown triangle! He couldn't quite understand what it was, so he thought and thought about what it could be. + +He decided to pick it up and take a closer look. He looked at every angle and noticed how it changed shape as he turned it around. He started to think about all of the places he could put the triangle in his house. + +As Fred was thinking, his mom came outside to look for him. She said, "Fred, what do you have?" Fred happily held up the brown triangle and said, "Mommy, look what I found!" His mom smiled and said, "That's very cool. What do you think it is?" + +Fred smiled and said, "I think it's a special shape that we can use when we play our games." His mom shook her head and said, "You are very smart, Fred." She gave him a big hug and they went inside to play. From then on, Fred used his triangle to help him play other fun games with his family. +Once upon a time there were two friends, Callie and Ben. They both loved to be creative. One day, they wanted to play a game. Ben had an idea. He said they should kick the ball into the fireplace! Callie thought it was a fun idea, so they started. Callie went first and she kicked the ball into the fireplace! Ben was so surprised! He laughed and then tried to do it too. He kicked and kicked, but the ball just wouldn't go in. Then Callie had a creative idea. She suggested they stand farther back and try again. This time Ben's kick worked! The ball went into the fireplace! They both cheered and hugged each other, happy that their creative idea worked! +Once upon a time, there was a special little boy called Joe. He was very curious and always wanted to go explore the world. + +One day, Joe asked his mom if she could buy him something special. She thought for a moment and then smiled, as she knew exactly what to get him. + +When Joe and his mom got to the store, Joe was amazed. There were lots of colorful things he wanted to get, but then he saw something that caught his eye. + +"Look at those paws!" Joe exclaimed. His mom looked over, and sure enough, there was a display full of funny paw-shaped toys. Joe was so excited that he wanted to get one right away! + +Mom carefully handed him one of the paws, which was made of a very flexible material. Joe was instantly in love and couldn't wait to take it home. + +When Joe got home, he found the perfect place to keep his new paw. From then on, this flexible paw always made him laugh and smile the happiest. +Once upon a time, there was a girl who had a dream about flying. She looked up at the sky and saw a cloud that was very high. She wanted to reach the cloud, so she told her parents about her dream. + +They mentioned a special sort of machine, it was called an airplane. She got a big smile on her face and told them she wanted to fly in an airplane. + +So, one sunny day they took her to an airport and she saw lots of airplanes. She was so excited that she wanted to fly right away. Her parents mentioned that she would need an adult to help her before she could fly in the airplane. + +Finally, after lots of planning and preparation, she was able to take her first flight. She flew up very high in the sky and she finally reached the cloud she had dreamed of so long ago. She felt so proud of herself that she shouted out with joy! +Once, a mommy and her child named Mark had a special tank that could fit into Mark's toy truck. But, one day all the fun came to an end, when Mark saw the tank was not tight. + +Mark begged his mommy, "Please, can you load it tight in the truck, mommy? Just one more time." + +But his mother said, "I'm sorry, sweetie. We can't do it. We need to take it back to the store." + +Mark was so sad he could barely speak. + +The next morning, Mark woke up to see the tank was gone. He had no toy truck, and it seemed tightness was no longer part of his life. +Mama had a plan. She was going to make a yummy treat for the whole family. Everyone was excited and couldn't wait! + +Mama had to go to the market to buy special ingredients. She said she needed something special to make the treat. + +Back at home, Mama got to work. She put the ingredients in a motor and blended them together. The smell was warm and sweet. Everyone was eager for the treat! + +When the time came to serve up the yummy surprise, everybody cheered! It was the best treat ever! + +Mama said that the secret ingredient was love. This made everyone feel even yummier inside. +Once upon a time, there was a car. The car wanted to fly, so he drove off to look for wings. He drove through the woods and down the streets, but he couldn't find any wings. + +The car was getting frustrated. He stopped and asked a bird, "Where can I find some wings?" + +The bird said, "I have wings, but you can't borrow them. I need them to fly." + +The car was even more frustrated. Then the car had an idea. He asked the bird, "Can you help me make wings so I can fly too?" + +The bird thought for a moment, then nodded. Together, they built two big wings for the car and soon the car was off in the air. + +The bird waved goodbye as he watched the car drive off into the sky. From then on, the car always drove with wings. +Once upon a time there was a bossy dog. The dog always wanted to do things his own way. Every morning, the dog would be the first one ready for breakfast. He was so bossy that he wouldn't let anyone else eat, so his mom had to feed him first. + +When the dog was done eating, he always wanted to go for a walk. He was so bossy that he wouldn't let anyone walk with him. But he was always happy to have his dog friends come and join him. + +Whenever he was out, the dog liked to find food on the ground. He would sometimes even bark at people and tell them to feed him! But most of the time, his mom would find some treats and feed him. + +The bossy dog was always so happy when he got food. He loved spending time with his mom and going on walks with his dog friends. Even though he was very bossy, he always appreciated being fed. +Once upon a time there was a little girl. She was very brave and adventurous. She liked to explore and have lots of fun. + +One day it started to rain. The little girl did not mind. She put on her raincoat and grabbed her umbrella. She thought it would be fun to go outside and play. + +When she was outside something very special happened. She found a rainbow and it made the rainy day more cheerful. She followed the rainbow and it led her to a matching game. + +The little girl thought this was an adventure and so she began to play. She matched the pictures of animals and sang a happy song. + +When she was done playing she realised that although it was raining, it had still been quite an adventurous day! +Once upon a time, there was a small and brave star who lived on a planet far away in the sky. Her name was Thea. + +Every day, Thea would rise to the sky and shine brightly throughout the night, until it was time for her to rest again. But as days went by, Thea could feel her energy slowly dying away, until her light was too small to be seen. + +Thea was miserable. She asked the other stars why she wasn't shining brightly anymore. + +"It's the planet," they said sadly. "It's been getting darker, and it's keeping us from sharing our light." + +Thea was determined to bring light to the planet, so she gathered all the stars together and gave them the strength to rise together. + +Finally, their lights were so strong that the whole planet was filled with light and hope. Everyone was happy and grateful to Thea for saving the day. +Once upon a time, there was a brain. He loved to belong and be part of the team. So one day, he asked the other brains if he could join them. + +The other brains shook their heads. "No," they said. "We don't want you here. You are terrible." + +The brain was sad and told them he just wanted to belong. But the other brains wouldn't listen. Then a terrible fight started. + +The brain tried to reason with the others but they just laughed and said, "You will never belong here - it is terrible!" + +The brain was so sad, he ran away and never got to belong. +Once upon a time, there was a little girl called Lucy who was three years old. She had two friends in her class, Josh and Sam. Every day, Josh and Sam would play together but Lucy often felt left out. She was feeling jealous. + +One morning, Lucy walked into class and yawned loudly. When Josh and Sam saw her, they asked her to join them in playing. Lucy was so happy! She ran over to them and saw they were playing in the chair. + +However, Josh and Sam were still yawning. "Why are you yawning?" asked Lucy. Josh said, "Sam and I were feeling tired, so we decided to use the chair to help us get energized.†+ +Lucy saw that her friends were helping each other and learned a valuable lesson. She saw that it was better to help each other than to be jealous. From then on, Lucy knew that it was better to be kind and helpful than to be jealous of your friends. +Once there was a little boy called Tom. Tom was very adventurous and loved to explore. He looked around the house trying to find something exciting to do. He finally stumbled upon a big box of cocoa. + +Tom's eyes lit up as he opened the box and he grinned from ear to ear. He picked up the cocoa and walked over to the kitchen table. + +Tom's mum heard him and walked over to see what he was up to. She said, "Tom, I'm glad you found the cocoa but, why do you need it?" Tom smiled and said, "I'm going to make an adventure in the garden with the cocoa mum!" + +Mum smiled back at him and said, "That sounds like a very adventurous plan. I think we should add some marshmallows to your cocoa too. Now, let's go and find them!" + +Tom smiled and followed his mum to the kitchen cupboard. He enjoyed collecting all the ingredients, pouring the cocoa and then stirring it together. Afterwards they both grabbed a mug and went out to the garden. + +Tom giggled as they sat and watched the birds flitting around and then they shared their hot cocoa. Tom said that it was the best adventure he ever had and his mum smiled in agreement. +The sun shone brightly in the summer sky, making the lake waters sparkle. Little Caroline was enjoying her time by the lake on her rubber ring. She squealed with delight as she splashed in the cool water. + +"Look Daddy! Look at me splash!" she shouted with enthusiasm. + +Her father smiled, watching as his daughter laughed in pure joy. Suddenly, Caroline discovered something small and round at the bottom of the lake. She dived into the water and swam towards it. + +"What is it, Daddy?" she asked. + +"It looks like a small inch," he said. + +Caroline grabbed the inch and swam back to dry land with it. She was so excited to find the strange object and show it to her father. + +But the inch made her wet, so Daddy picked her up and carried her home. He put her into a warm bathtub to wash off all the lake water. + +"Splashing is fun, but it's also important to make sure you don't stay too wet," he said. + +Caroline giggled as she scrubbed her arms and legs, happy that her Daddy was there to keep her safe. +John was a 3 year old boy who loved to play with his toys. One day, he was looking for something new to do. He had all the toys he needed, so he asked his mom for something else. + +His mom said she knew just the thing. She gave John some broken pieces of plastic, a jar of glue, and some glitter. She told him to put the pieces back together with the glue then decorate it with the glitter. + +John was excited, so he got to work. He put all the pieces together as best he could. Then, he asked for a paintbrush so he could paint the pieces with the glue and stick the glitter to them. + +John worked really hard and eventually ended up with a beautiful mosaic. His mom was so proud of him. She said, "John, you did a great job today. You worked so hard and you should be proud of yourself." + +John smiled and ran back to show all his toys his new work of art. +Once upon a time there was a girl who liked yellow things. She had a yellow dress, yellow toys, and even a yellow room. One day, she heard the phone ring. She ran to it, and picked up the phone. + +The girl said hello and the voice on the other side said, "Is this the organized girl who loves yellow?" +The girl was surprised and answered yes. + +The voice said, "I have a surprise for you. Come outside and you'll see." + +The girl went outside and saw a big yellow box with a bow on the top. She smiled, she knew it was a surprise for her. + +She opened the box and inside was a big, yellow puppet! She was so excited and thanked the voice on the phone. She hugged the puppet tight and ran inside to show her mom. + +When her mom saw it, she said, "That was so nice of whoever answered the phone." + +The girl smiled and said, "It was me who answered!" + +The mom and the girl laughed and hugged one another. From then on, they stayed organized while they enjoyed the fun new yellow puppet. +Once upon a time, there was a generous machine. It was always giving and so loved by everyone. + +One day, the machine started to vanish. Everyone was worried and did not know why it was disappearing. So, a brave little girl went up to the machine and asked, “Why are you vanishing?†+ +The machine replied, “I am so generous and have given so much that I am running out of energy. I need to rest so I can come back and give again.†+ +The little girl was sad that the machine was leaving, but she thanked it and said goodbye. + +The machine smiled and said, “Don't worry, I will return soon.†+ +And it did just that! After a few days, the machine was fully charged and back, ready to give again with so much generosity. +Once upon a time, there was an old man who had a tall tree in his garden. The old man cared for his tree very much and he wanted it to grow strong and tall. Everyday the old man would stand below the tree, look up, and smile. + +One day, a strong wind blew and a piece of the tree fell to the ground. The old man was very sad and he did not know what he should do. He felt sad and alone, he wondered how he would make the tree strong again. + +Luckily, the old man's neighbours came over to help. Together, they carefully picked up the broken piece and put it back on the tree. Then, they all worked together to help the old man care for the tree until it was tall and strong again. + +The old man was so happy and he thanked the neighbours for their help. This made the neighbours smile. + +The old man learnt an important lesson that day. He realised that when people care and help each other, they can do great things together. +Bella was very excited. She was going to the park to play. She quickly said goodbye to her mum and hopped on her bike. She cycled down the road, feeling the wind on her face. + +When Bella got to the park, she raced over to the slide. But something was wrong. There was a big crack down the side. Bella thought it was disgusting. + +Bella shouted up to her friend, "Rosie, come down here. Look at this crack, it's nasty!" + +Rosie came running over - she was worried. "What are we going to do? We can't play on the slide if it's broken," she said. + +Then an idea came to Bella. She smiled and said, "Let's find the park keeper and get him to fix it. He'll make it better in no time." + +So Bella and Rosie looked around the park and found the park keeper. He was happy to help and soon the slide was back to normal. + +Bella and Rosie cheered and they clambered up the ladder. They had a wonderful time playing on the slide. +Once upon a time, a little boy and his mommy were walking in the park. They came across a pond and the little boy wanted to have a drink. + +"Mommy, can I have a drink?" he asked. + +"Yes, but it might not taste very good," his mommy said, "it might not be smooth." + +So the little boy bent down to the edge of the pond, and he put his lips to it to take a drink. But when he did, his face crinkled up and he didn't like it. + +"Eww, mommy, it tastes yucky," he said. + +But then his mommy turned around and smiled. She pointed to a jug on the ground. + +"Maybe try this," she said. + +The little boy looked inside and saw that it was full of cool, smooth water. He smiled and took a drink. It was much better than the pond water! + +"Ahh, this is much better!" he said. + +His mommy smiled and said, "see, if you look around, you can find exactly what you need!" +Once upon a time there was a brave and adventurous rabbit. This rabbit was on a mission, to count all the acorns in the forest. He hopped along and searched far and wide until he found his first acorn. He hopped and counted, "One!". After hours of searching, he found another acorn. He hopped and counted, "Two!". He kept hopping and counting and soon he had counted dozens of acorns. He hopped, counted and searched until he had counted every single acorn in the forest. He was very happy to have been so brave and adventurous. +Once upon a time, there were two brothers. The older brother always wanted to help his younger brother. He was always ready to serve his brother whenever he needed help. One day, the older brother offered to make dinner for his brother. He picked up some of his brother's favorite food and loaded up the table with plates and cups. He carefully served the dinner to his brother. His brother was so happy to be served dinner and thanked him many times. After dinner, they hugged each other and played together the rest of the night. + +The End +Once upon a time there was a little boy called Jimmy. Jimmy was three years old and had lots of toys he liked to play with. One of his favorite toys was a little wooden car. + +Jimmy liked to seat in the car, so one day he took it outside into the garden. But when he tried to seat in it, something bad happened! The wooden car was too old and it broke! + +Jimmy was very sad and started to cry. His mom heard him and came running to help. She hugged Jimmy and then said to him: "Don't worry, I'm sure we can fix the car". + +And then his mom went inside to find some wood and glue. A little while later, she had fixed the car, and Jimmy was very happy! He put his seat in the car, and that day he had lots of fun playing with it. +Once there was a little girl named Emily. She was curious and loved to explore the world around her. She was always asking questions. + +One day Emily was playing with some blocks. She was trying to create a tower but it kept falling down. She thought to herself, "If only I had something to hold it together!" + +Just then Emily's dad came into the room holding a cable. "Hey Emily, take this cable and see what you can create!" + +Emily was very excited as she took the cable and built many interesting things with it. She was so proud of her creations. + +Emily's dad smiled proudly at his daughter. He said, "I'm so glad you enjoy creating things with the cable. It's nice to see you so excited." + +Emily smiled back and continued to play with the cable. She created many wonderful things and loved using her imagination. Creating was her new favorite thing to do! +Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Piper. She was so excited because her Uncle had come to visit. + +Piper ran up to him and said, “Uncle, can you play with me?†+ +Uncle smiled. “Of course I can. Let’s go outside and play tug-of-war.†+ +So the two of them went outside and found a big rope. Uncle said, “I’ll pull one end and you pull the other end. Are you ready?†+ +Piper was so happy and said, “Yes!†They both started to pull as hard as they could. After a few minutes, Piper won the tug-of-war. She was so proud and grateful for her Uncle for playing with her. + +Uncle said, “You did a great job! Let’s do it again in a few minutes.†So they did and Piper won again. + +After a few rounds, Uncle said, “You’re so strong, Piper! You are the tug-of-war champion!†Piper was so happy and thankful to have such a kind and fun Uncle. +Once there was a little girl who was always very hungry. She went to the kitchen to find something to eat and saw steam coming from a pot on the stove. She was excited to see what it was. + +The little girl asked her mom, "What's that?" + +Her mom smiled and said, "That's dinner. It's some chicken with vegetables to make you strong." + +The little girl said, "Can I dress it please?" + +Her mom nodded happily and said, "Yes, put some salt, pepper, and herbs on it. That will make it taste even better." + +The little girl put the spices on the dinner and it smelled delicious. She was so hungry after smelling all the steam that was coming out of the pot. So, she and her mom both dressed the dinner and sat down to eat together. They laughed as they tasted a bit of the food. It was so delicious! The little girl was not so hungry any more. +Nina and her mom were very happy. They had just won a contest and they were celebrating. + +"Let's go drink milkshakes!" said Nina's mom. + +Nina was excited and they went to the store. They each bought a large shake and sipped it happily. + +Suddenly, the store phone rang. The lady at the store answered the phone. Her face went white. + +"There's an emergency!" said the lady. Nina and her mom were frightened. The lady said the store was closing because it was expensive to keep it going. + +Nina was very sad. She and her mom had to leave the store, still holding their half-finished milkshakes. They went home, but they were no longer happy. +Jake and his mommy went for a walk. Jake held his mommy's hand and hopped through the grass. He spotted a camera in the tall tree and his eyes lit up. + +Jake said, "Mommy, can I reach the camera?". His mommy replied, "No, Jakey, the camera is too high. You can't reach it.". + +Jake looked up, found a branch and said, "Mommy, can I try?". His mommy nodded and said softly, "Sure, buddy". + +Jake grabbed the branch and was about to start climbing when he noticed something. The branch was very heavy! + +With a determined look in his eyes, he said, "I can do it, Mommy.", and then he began his climb. With one final push, Jake grabbed the camera and proudly showed it to his mommy. + +His mother smiled and said, "Good job, Jakey!" +Once upon a time, there was a silly little duck. He was looking for something to do, when he saw an old log lying on the ground. He hopped up onto the log and started to mark it with his feet. + +The log was made of wood and it felt funny to the little duck. He hopped up and down, tapping it with his feet. He was having so much fun, tapping and marking the wood, that he didn't notice a little mouse scurrying over to him. + +"What are you doing little duck?" asked the mouse. + +The little duck replied, "I'm marking the wood. It's fun!" + +The little mouse smiled and said, "Let me join in! I can help you mark it." + +The little duck smiled and said, "Yes! Let's mark the wood together!" + +So the little duck and the little mouse tapped and marked the wood together. They laughed and had so much fun, until the sun started to set and the mouse had to go home. + +But before they parted, they both agreed that they had had a really funny, fun time tapping and marking the wood. +One day, Mommy and her three year old daughter Sarah decided to go for a visit to the park. As they entered, Sarah noticed a huge pit in the ground. She had never seen it before, and was excited to explore. + +"Mommy, what is that big pit?" asked Sarah. + +"That's a pit," answered Mommy. "It's like a big hole in the ground. It's very deep, so we need to be careful around it." + +Sarah was a bit scared, but she did not want to show it. She was determined to try something normal and brave. They slowly made their way around the pit, and Sarah even peered inside. + +"Look at all the toys inside!" exclaimed Sarah. + +Mommy smiled and said, "Yes, isn't it amazing? It must belong to someone living around here. Let's be careful and not take any of the toys." + +Finally, the visit to the park was over. As Sarah and Mommy waved goodbye to the pit, Sarah made a promise to herself to come back and explore the pit some more. +"Mommy, what is surrender?" Little buddy asked his mom as he was riding in the backseat of his parents' car. + +His mom turned around, clearly troubled by the question. She pondered if this was the best conversation to have with her little 3-year-old. She searched for the words she wanted to use, "Surrender is when you feel so overwhelmed or scared of trying, that you just give in and don't try anymore." + +Just then, Little Buddy started to feel a sense of familiarity, as if he knew personally what his mom meant by surrender. + +He paused for a moment, a feeling of panic washing over him as he remembered a few nights before when he was scared of the dark, and he had been too scared to sleep in his own bed. He had gone to his parents' bed, feeling comforted and safe, and he had surrendered to his fear. + +Little Buddy's mom noticed his troubled expression, and she reached out to hug him. "It's OK Little Buddy, you don't have to surrender to something bad, but you can surrender to something good, like feeling safe and being held." + +Little Buddy smiled and felt a little better. He knew in his heart he didn't have to surrender to all his fears, but he could instead choose to surrender to love and safety. +Once upon a time there was a little girl called Lucy. She was three years old and very curious about the world. One day, Lucy asked her mommy, "What does 'finish' mean?" Her mommy thought for a moment and then said, "It means to do something until it's all done." + +Lucy nodded and scampered off to play with her dolls. All day long she thought of different things she could finish. She decided she would finish a puzzle before dinner. She worked hard, and when she was done, she raised her head and smiled. + +Later, Lucy was playing with her baby brother when he said a strange word. Lucy asked him what it meant. He replied, "Ignorant means not knowing the right thing to do." Lucy was curious. She asked her mommy what it meant, and her mommy explained that it happened when someone was not aware of something. + +Lucy thought about being ignorant for a moment and then said, "I'm going to be smart. I'm going to learn lots of things and never be ignorant again!" She smiled and held her head up high. Her mommy smiled and said, "That's a great idea!" + +From that day on, Lucy started learning about the world and never forgot the importance of finishing her tasks. No matter what she did, she kept her head up, determined to never be ignorant again. +Jenny was playing outside when something amazing happened. As the sun began to set, the sky filled with the most colorful colors she had ever seen. She jumped up and down, excitedly watching the shades of orange, yellow and pink. + +"Oh look Mom, the sky is so pretty," said Jenny. + +"Yes," replied Mom. "That's called a sunset, and it's one of the most beautiful things in nature." + +Soon, the sun completely vanished, leaving only the colorful sky in its place. Jenny smiled as the colors slowly faded away, and she said goodnight to the sunset. + +"Goodnight, sunset," she said. "Thank you for being so amazing." + +"You're very welcome, Jenny," said her mom, as she gently squeezed her daughter's hand. Then they walked back home, together. +Once upon a time there was a little girl who was feeling very sad. She was sorry because she had no money and she wanted to buy some nice things. + +One day, a friend saw her and said, "I want to help you. I'm going to give you some money!" + +The little girl was so happy and excited, she hugged her friend. Her friend smiled and said, "You can use the money to buy whatever you want". + +She went to the shop, chose a few things and when she was ready to buy, the shop keeper released a lot of money. The little girl was so happy - the money in her hands was enough to buy all of her things and some more! + +The little girl thanked her friend and said she was very sorry for being sad. Then she went home, happy and excited to show everyone what she'd bought! +Jimmy and his mom were playing in the backyard. He saw a big pile of junk in the corner of the yard and he asked his mom what it was. His mom said to him, "That's a pile of junk. It's very old and not useful anymore." + +Jimmy wanted to make something out of the junk, but he was too little to do it himself. So, his mom said, "Let's pretend we can make something out of the junk. This way, we can play together!" + +Jimmy smiled. Together, the two of them started to build. Jimmy picked up little pieces of junk and arranged them into a little house. His mom made a pretend door for the house. Then, Jimmy put a tiny rock in the doorway so no one could come in. + +The two of them laughed and kept pretending as they kept building with the junk, until it was time for dinner. +Once upon a time, there was a fierce little cat. Her name was Mika. She always wanted to explore the world but her mum wouldn't let her. + +One day, Mika decided to go on an adventure without telling her mum. She saw a screw that had fallen from a cupboard and she wanted to get it. + +Mika's mum saw her and said, +"Mika, why do you want that screw?" + +Mika said, +"I want it for my adventure in the world". + +Mika's mum was a bit worried, but she was also very proud of her brave and fierce daughter. She said, +"Okay, you can have the screw but please be careful - the world is a big and scary place!" + +Mika took the screw and set off on her adventure. She was excited and scared, but she knew she was brave and fierce enough to conquer the world. +Once there was a spoiled little girl named Emily. Every day Emily's mummy got her dressed in the most beautiful princess dress. Emily was so proud when she put it on, it made her feel like a real princess. + +Yesterday Emily had a special task to do. Her mummy asked her to put on her dress all by herself. Emily was so excited to do this task as she had never done it by herself before. + +So, Emily went up to her room and slowly but surely, she was able to put on her beautiful princess dress all on her own. When Emily was done, she ran back to her mummy to show her. Her mummy was so proud and even clapped her hands to say well done. + +From that moment on, Emily was determined to dress herself every day. She was so proud of herself that she didn't need her mummy to do it for her anymore. Emily was a spoiled princess, but she was so proud she could dress herself now too. +Once upon a time, there was a mom and her daughter. Every day they went to the park together and had lots of fun. They fed the birds, played on the swings and laughed a lot. + +One day, when it was time to go home, the sky suddenly turned orange, and a storm began. Mom and daughter quickly ran, but the storm was getting closer and closer. Finally, the daughter said, "Mommy, it feels like my feet are freezin'!" + +Suddenly, Mom had an idea. She said, "Let's make a big hug around your feet. That'll help warm them up." The girl agreed, and snuggled up against her mom's warm body. It worked! They stayed warm until the storm passed. + +Mom and daughter hugged each other and thought, "What a blessing to have each other!" The hug made them feel like no storm could ever keep them apart. +Once upon a time, there were two friends, Ben and Jack. Ben was a rabbit, and Jack was a frog. Every day, they liked to play in the garden. + +One day, Jack said to Ben, "Let's escape!" So they hopped to the fence and they saw a big cut in it. Ben said, "Wow, this is the perfect escape!" So they quickly hopped through the cut. + +They explored the beautiful fields beyond. It was so bright and the sun was shining perfectly. "It looks so perfect out here - I'm so glad we escaped!", said Ben. Jack nodded and said, "Me too, Ben. Me too." + +And they played together in the beautiful fields all day, until it was dark and they had to go home. Every night, they remembered the perfect escape they had had through the cut in the fence. +Jimmy was out playing in his yard when he found something very unusual. He picked it up and found that it was a thin onion. He decided to take it inside and fix it for dinner. + +When Jimmy's mom saw the onion, she was not happy. She said, "Jimmy, why did you bring this onion inside? It's too thin to eat. I'm afraid you'll have to throw it away." + +Jimmy was very sad. He had thought that his mom would be happy that he had found dinner. He asked, "Please, can't I just fix it?" + +But Jimmy's mom said no and made him throw away the onion. Jimmy went outside very upset and cried. Even though he had tried to do something good, it had ended badly. +Once there was a pig who lived with his mummy and daddy. He was very happy living with his family. The pig went for a walk in the garden and saw a tasty circle on the ground. He wanted to eat the tasty circle so he started to gobble it up. + +Mummy Pig said, "No, stop it! That isn't food. You should not eat it." + +But the little pig didn't listen, he kept eating the tasty circle until it was all gone. + +Mummy Pig got angry and said, "I will have to restore the circle now so the garden looks nice again. It's going to take me a long time." + +The little pig said he was sorry and tried to help mummy pig restore the circle, but it was too late. The tasty circle was gone and the garden was still not the same. +Once there was a dog named Spot and he really liked to help people. One morning, Spot was walking near a river when he saw a letter floating on the cold water. Spot knew he had to help and jumped into the river to get the letter. + +When Spot got to the letter, he saw that it was almost burned, so he quickly put it on dry land. Then, he shouted, "What should I do now?" + +Just then, a little girl came running to the river and said to Spot, "Put the letter by the fire. Maybe then it won't be burned". + +So, Spot took the letter to a fire and put it close. When he looked at the letter again, it was still a little burned but not completely. The little girl was so happy that the letter was not completely burned. + +Spot was happy too and wagged his tail. He knew that the little girl and the letter were both safe because he had helped. +Once upon a time there lived a kind old man called Tom. Tom was very alone in his house and he wanted someone to keep him company. + +One day, Tom was laying on his bed when he heard a noise! He looked around but he couldn't see what was causing it. Suddenly, a small lamp appeared in front of Tom and he sat up in surprise. + +The lamp spoke to him in a kind voice. "Hello Tom," the lamp said, "I'm the Genie of the Lamp. I'm here to grant you one wish!" + +Tom couldn't believe it was real. "What kind of wish do you want me to make?" he asked the Genie. + +The Genie replied, "It's up to you. I'm here to help. Just be sure to make a wish that will make you really happy and make the world a better place." + +Tom thought for a moment and then smiled. "I wish to have a friend to keep me company," he said. The Genie waved his hand and suddenly Tom found himself surrounded by cats, dogs and other animals. He laughed out loud in delight. The animals were friendly, kind and very happy to keep Tom company. + +Tom never felt so happy. He thanked the Genie for granting him his wish and the Genie waved good bye before fading away into the night. From that day on, Tom never felt alone again. +One day, a little girl called Amy was watching a film with her mum. It was a very colourful film, with lots of pictures and singing. Amy was enjoying it so much that she was jumping up and down with excitement. + +Mum said, "Let's go outside and play in the snow, Amy." + +Amy smiled and said, "Yes, I'd love to go outside and play." + +When they went out, Amy's eyes widened at the sight of all the fluffy snow. There were white piles and drifts everywhere. She squealed with delight and started running around, scooping up handfuls of snow. + +Mum said, "Look, I'm going to make a snowman, it will be fun!" + +Amy eagerly agreed and they set to work. Mum made a big white snowball, which they rolled around the garden, making it bigger and bigger. They added two smaller white snowballs on top and made two coal eyes and a carrot nose. + +Mum said, "Let's tell it the story of how we made it!" + +Amy nodded and the two of them told the snowman the story together. They laughed and giggled as they told it, and afterwards Amy said, "Let's do it all again, Mum!" + +Mum smiled and said, "Of course, let's go back inside and watch the film again!" +John was looking out the window. He looked up at the sky and thought to himself. What could I do today? He could hear the birds chirping outside and the sun was shining. He decided to go outside. + +John walked up to the window and tried to open it, but it wouldn't budge. He thought it might be stuck so he knocked on the window. Suddenly, he heard his dad behind him. + +"John, what are you doing?" his dad asked. + +John looked back at him and said, "I'm trying to open the window, Dad!" + +His dad said, "Well, you have to turn the handle first. Here, let me show you how." + +John watched as his dad turned the handle and opened the window. He was so happy to be able to get some fresh air. He smiled and said, "Thank you, Dad." + +John's dad smiled back and said, "You're welcome, son. Now why don't we go outside and enjoy the fresh air?" + +John happily agreed and they both went outside to play in the sunshine. He was so glad that he was able to open the window. +Sandy was ready for a big adventure. She put on her shoes and opened the door. Walking out into the bright sunshine, Sandy was ready to explore. + +Suddenly, a raven flew through the air and Sandy smiled. She waved her hand at the raven and the bird replied with a cheerful chat. + +Sandy walked a few steps further and started to yawn. She was getting very sleepy, so she decided to sit under a big tree for a rest. Sandy wrapped her arms around her knees and watched the raven in the sky above. + +The Raven saw Sandy sitting there, and flew away. Sandy waved goodbye and started to doze off. She was ready to drift off into a happy sleep. +Molly was excited as she woke up one morning. She looked around and saw that it was sunny outside and birds were singing. She had something important to do today. + +Molly got ready and went outside. She saw her neighbor, Billy, counting cars. She asked him, "What are you doing?" + +Billy said, "I am counting cars. I am going to count all of them before the morning is over." + +Molly was excited. She asked if she could help. Billy said it was okay, so they both started counting the cars. As they were counting, they were so absorbed in the task that they didn't notice the time. + +When they got to the last car, they realized that the morning was almost over and they hadn't finished counting. They were both sorry that they hadn't completed the task on time. + +The next morning, Molly saw Billy counting cars again. She asked him why he was doing it again and he told her that he was counting the cars that they didn't get to count yesterday. + +Molly was sad. She knew they should have finished the task, but they got too carried away. She knew it was impossible to count all the cars now and it was too late. +Once upon a time, in a big open field there lived a rabbit. One day, the rabbit was looking for something to do. He noticed a popular spear resting against a nearby tree. He went over to it, picked it up and said, "What a beautiful spear!". + +At that moment, a chipmunk popped out of the tree and said, "That spear belongs to me!" The scared rabbit put the spear down and said, "I'm sorry - I didn't know this was yours." The chipmunk replied, "That's okay. I don't mind sharing it with you!" + +The rabbit was so happy that the chipmunk had forgiven him. He thanked him and asked if he could come back and play with the spear every day. The chipmunk replied, "Of course! You can use the spear whenever you like." + +The rabbit was so happy to have made a new friend. He visited the chipmunk and his popular spear every day and they became very close. +Once upon a time, there was a peace-loving creature named Daisy. Daisy loved to travel the universe, searching for calm places. She had magical powers which could heal anyone who needed help. + +One day, Daisy found a little boy in tears. "What's wrong?" she asked the boy. + +The boy sniffled and said, "My sandcastle has gone, I can't find it anymore." + +Daisy smiled and said, "Let me use my magic to help you.†She raised her hands, closed her eyes and hummed a special tune. + +Suddenly, a beautiful sandcastle appeared in front of them. The boy was so happy and thanked Daisy. + +"Don't worry," said Daisy. "My magic can heal many things in the universe. Let us spread peace and calm wherever we go." + +The boy smiled and nodded his head. Together, they explored the universe, healing and bringing joy everywhere they went. +George was a regular 3 year old who loved going to the theater. Every Tuesday, he would go to the theatre with his family. He would watch the stories and all the colors on the big screen with big eyes. + +One day, George asked a question while they were watching the show. He wanted to know who the people on the stage were and why they were there. His mom explained that they were actors and they were pretending to be someone else. + +The regular theater visits continued, and George began to recognize the actors. He pointed to them on the stage and asked who they were. He even recognized the same songs each week. + +Making the theater their regular routine, George and his family made lots of memories. They laughed, sang and even danced in their seats. It was always a big adventure with lots of questions and answers. +Once upon a time, there was a generous family. They had a son named John. John was a big happy boy. + +One day, John's mom took a photo of him and said, "John, smile!" +John smiled and said, "Mom, why did you take the photo?" + +"I am going to send it to Grandma," she said. "Grandma misses you very much." + +John was excited. He ran to the kitchen to find Grandma. He wanted to give her a kiss. + +John hugged Grandma and whispered in her ear, "I missed you too." He kissed her on the cheek. + +Grandma was so happy. She said, "Thank you for the kiss, it was very generous of you." + +John smiled and said, "You're welcome, Grandma." + +Grandma gave him a big hug. They both knew that love is the most generous thing of all. + + +The End. +Once upon a time, in a small village, lived Fred. Fred was a big bear and he had lots of friends. Every day, Fred and his friends would go for a walk and play in the sunshine. + +One day, when the sun was shining, Fred saw a little bird sitting in a tree, looking very sleepy. The bird had no friends, so Fred went over and said hello. He encouraged the bird to join him and his friends for a play. + +The bird was so happy that he joined Fred, and the two of them had lots of fun together. After playing, Fred suggested that they have a rest, so they found a nearby stream and the bird drank some of the cool, fresh water. This made the bird feel much better, and he didn't look so sleepy anymore. + +The bird was so grateful to Fred for looking after him and he thanked him before flying away. Fred learned an important lesson that day, to always be kind and encouraging to others. It showed him that small, kind actions can make a big difference to others. +Once there was a high tower with a special feather at the very top of it. Everyone wanted to get the feather but nobody knew how they could. + +One day, a brave three-year-old boy came along and said, "I will solve this problem and get the feather!" + +The people laughed and said that it was impossible, but the boy was determined. He climbed up the tower, step by step. + +The steps became more difficult as he reached higher and higher. Finally, he reached the top. + +He saw the beautiful feather, grabbed it, and proudly brought it back down to the people. + +Everyone cheered and clapped for him. + +"You did it!" they said, "You solved the problem!" +The brave three-year-old smiled and waved the feather for everyone to see. +Once upon a time, there was a clever little boy called Sam. He loved to explore the world around him. + +One day, Sam went on an adventure. He took with him a lovely brown bag with a big buckle. He put lots of goodies inside the bag and he was very excited. + +Sam carefully picked up his bag and started to carry it with him down the road. He couldn't wait to see what he was about to discover. + +As Sam was walking, he heard a high-pitched squeak. It was coming from an old rusty wheelbarrow. Sam stopped and looked. Inside the wheelbarrow were two cats trying to push it along the road. + +Sam was so kind and he said to the cats, "Do you need a hand? I can carry the wheelbarrow for you." The cats gratefully thanked him, and Sam carried the wheelbarrow on his journey. + +It was a very successful adventure and all four of them got safely home. Sam, the clever boy, was proud of his helpful accomplishment. +Once upon a time, there lived a naughty cat. He loved to go out and play in the park. Every day, he could be seen having a lot fun. He especially enjoyed swinging on the swings. + +One day, when he was swinging, he suddenly fell down. He was scared, but he was also very angry because he was sure that somebody had pushed him. He looked around to see who it was, but there was nobody there. + +He heard a voice coming from the trees. It was a little bird. The bird said, "I'm sorry. I saw you were having so much fun that I wanted to swing too. I thought if I pushed you a little, you might give me a chance to take a turn. But it was wrong of me to do that." + +The naughty cat realized that it wasn't nice of him to play rough. He apologized for his behavior and promised the bird he would share the swing with her the next time. + +The moral of the story is that it's important to share and not to be selfish. We must always show respect and care for others. +Once upon a time there was a rich family. They lived in a big and beautiful house. + +One day, the family's 3 year old had a snack of some yummy biscuits. He took a bite and began to chew. + +The little boy noticed a cushion on the chair opposite him. He stopped chewing and said: "What's this cushion doing here?". + +His older sister smiled and replied: "It is to help us feel comfy while sitting down". + +The little boy thought this was a great idea. He went over to the cushion and began to chew on it. It felt nice and soft, so he thought it was even tastier than the biscuits! + +The family all laughed at the little boy's funny chewing. They were happy to have a rich and comfy home full of laughter. +Once upon a time, there was a little boy who loved to go places and explore. One day, he decided to go to a faraway country. His mom was a bit worried but he was so excited that she couldn't say no. As he ventured into the strange new country, the little boy begin to feel a bit upset. He wished he had brought a friend. + +As he kept walking, he noticed that the countryside seemed eerily quiet and still. He had walked for such a long time and still hadn't seen anyone else. Suddenly, he heard a loud laugh coming from a bush nearby. Out popped a friendly monkey! + +The little boy was so relieved to have made a new friend and he laughed and played with the monkey for what seemed like hours. After a while, the monkey said he had to go back home. The little boy had been so entertained by the monkey that he had completely forgotten about the feelings of being upset in this strange new country. +John looked around his living room. There were lots of interesting things to explore. He spotted his cosy armchair in the corner. He ran over and jumped in it. It was so comfy! He poked his head back out and shouted. + +"Mum! Send me on a wild adventure!" + +John's mum smiled. She knew just the thing. She went to the kitchen and came back with a pile of cushions and a big blanket. + +"Here you go John," she said. "I'm sending you on a wild adventure. Make a tent with the cushions and wrap yourself in the blanket." + +John did as he was told and soon he was snuggled up in a tent with a wild adventure going on all around him. He imagined himself sailing on a pirate ship, exploring times of long ago. + +John was having the best time. He was lost in his wild adventure until Mum called out from the kitchen. + +"Dinner time John, back in the armchair please!" + +John sighed and reluctantly climbed out of his tent. As he climbed back into his armchair, he knew that another wild adventure was never far away. +Once upon a time, there was a mom and a dad and their little girl, who was three years old. They lived in a happy house full of toys. + +One day, the little girl wanted to do something special for her mom and dad. She went outside and grabbed some soil from the ground. She wanted to organize it into something fun for her family. + +The girl started to pat the soil into shapes and make pictures with the dirt. She worked hard and made something hidden, but very special. + +When she was done, the girl ran inside to show her mom and dad. They were so happy to see her project. They praised her and gave her lots of hugs. + +The little girl had learned a brand new way to organize the soil and make something beautiful. She was so happy to make something special for her family. +Once upon a time there was a player. He was creative and loved to make up games to play. One day he had a great idea and decided to show it to his friends. + +He gathered them all together and said, "Let's play a game!" His friends were so excited and listened eagerly for his idea. + +"I will hide something and you have to find it!" he said. His friends did not know how to play yet so he explained. "You each have to look around for the hidden thing. If you find it, you win!" + +The player's friends were so excited that they immediately began looking around. After a few moments, one of his friends said, "I found it!" Everyone was so happy and started to laugh. + +The player declared, "You are the winner! Look at how creative this game was!" The player and his friends laughed and laughed and played the game many more times. +Once upon a time there was a famous fox. He had a big, fluffy tail and everyone in the forest admired it. He was so proud of it and everyone wanted to touch it. + +One day, the fox decided to fill his tail with something special. He hopped around and tried to find the perfect thing for his tail. + +He found some feathers, some string and even some leaves, but none of these things were quite right. So he kept looking, hopping around and trying to find the right thing. + +Finally, the fox spotted some pretty glitter and knew that he had found the perfect thing to fill his tail with. He carefully placed the sparkly glitter in his tail, and it looked beautiful. + +All the animals in the forest were amazed at the beautiful tail of the famous fox. They all wanted a tail like his, special and unique. The fox was so proud that he just strutted around showing off his sparkling and famous tail. + +The End. +Harry and Thomas were best friends. They lived next door to each other and liked to do all kinds of things together. + +One day, the boys decided that they should play hockey in the street. They got the hockey out and ran into the street. + +Just then, a car came driving by. It was going fast and was not clear to the boys that it was coming. The driver yelled 'Look out!' but it was too late. + +It happened quickly. The car hit the hockey and it went flying across the street. Harry was very sad and started to cry. Even Thomas got sad. + +The boys went home, picked up the hockey, and the game was over. +Once upon a time there was a small girl named Ellie. Ellie loved to help her mom clean. Every day Ellie and her mom would clean their house together. One day her mom told her that they were going to do something special. She said they were going to clean the neighbor's house as a surprise! + +At first, Ellie was a bit nervous but then was so excited. She and her mom worked together to clean the neighbor's entire house. When they were finished, Ellie was very proud. + +When the neighbor came home and saw how clean the house was she was so surprised! She said to Ellie that cleaning was a very kind thing to do and thanked her very much. + +After this special day, Ellie and her mom kept cleaning together every day. Cleaning is not just about keeping things neat, it is also a way to help others! +Once there was a boy named Stuart. He liked to build things. One day he wanted to build something special. He decided to build a boat. + +He went to the beach to find some materials to build it. He found a lot of oysters on the shore. He took as many oysters as he could carry. + +At first, Stuart was very happy with his finds. He began to build the boat with the oysters, and he was almost finished. + +Suddenly, a fearful monster appeared. Stuart was scared so he started to run away. But he still had a few oysters in his hands. + +The monster said, "You can keep the oysters, but you should share them with your friends." Then the monster disappeared. + +Stuart was very surprised by what the monster said. He realised that it is important to share and that it is not fair to keep everything for himself. So, he decided to share the oysters with his friends and they had a lot of fun building things with them. + +The moral of the story is that it is important to share and be nice. +Sunmy was a happy little girl. She enjoyed playing with her friends outside in the lovely fresh air. + +One day Sunmy noticed something strange. The air seemed thin and it was difficult to breathe. She realised the oxygen wasn’t rising up like usual. + +‘Mummy, I can’t breathe!’ Sunmy said in a frightened tone. + +Her mum quickly scooped her up and held her close to her chest. ‘It’s ok Sunmy, we will get it fixed.’ She said in an attractive voice. + +Sunmy and her mum set off to find the source of the problem. They could see something high up in the sky blocking the sunlight and stopping the air from rising. + +‘What is that?!’ Sunmy asked. ‘It’s a huge dust cloud,’ her mum explained. ‘It is blocking the sun and stopping the air from rising.’ + +Sunmy and her mum set off to find a way to move the dust cloud away from the sun. They worked together to come up with a plan. In the end they were successful! The dust cloud was cleared away and the sun was able to rise. The oxygen was able to breathe freely again. + +‘Well done, Sunmy!’ Her mum said, proud of Sunmy’s courage and determination. Sunmy smiled, +Once upon a time, there were two friends named Dino and Renee. They were both looking for an oasis in their backyard. They had heard about this mysterious place for a long time but nobody had ever seen it. + +So Dino and Renee decided to go looking for it. After searching for a while, they couldn't find anything. + +Then, suddenly, Renee said: "Look over there! It's an oasis!" They both rushed over, but it was strange because the oasis was filled with unusual things. + +Dino said, "Let's take a look!" + +So they both went to the oasis and it was strange and magical. There were exotic creatures, and they could speak to them. Renee asked them if they had anything to give. One of the creatures said, "Yes, I have something very special to give you." + +The creature gave the two friends a sparkling stone. It shone like the sun and sparkled all around them. They were so excited that they both thanked the creature and ran home. + +When they arrived back home, their parents were so surprised. They had never seen anything so unusual in their backyard before! Dino and Renee had found something very special in the oasis. +Jill and Joe were two best friends. Jill was a wealthy girl and Joe was a poor boy. Joe wore shoes made of leather. + +Jill smiled when she saw Joe's leather shoes. She thought that Joe looked really smart. + +"The shoes look really nice, Joe," said Jill. + +Joe smiled back at her. "I'm glad you like them," he said. + +Jill wanted to make Joe feel special because she was a wealthy girl and he was a poor boy. + +"Hey Joe, do you want to come to my house and have dinner with me?" she asked. + +Joe was so happy and his face lit up with a big smile. "Yes, I'd love to!" he said. + +Jill and Joe had a wonderful dinner together at Jill's house. Joe was so grateful to Jill for being so kind to him. They had a lot of fun and ate until they were full. + +At the end of the night, Jill and Joe hugged each other and said goodbye. They both had big smiles on their faces and they both knew that they were the best of friends. +Once upon a time, there were two friends called Joe and Daisy. Joe was pale and Daisy had beautiful golden hair. +One day they went to the airport to watch the planes as they flew past them and down the runway. Suddenly, in front of them, flew a huge plane. + +Daisy shouted with excitement, "Look Joe! It's a pilot!" +Joe stared at the plane and said, "That's a big pilot!" + +The plane flew above them for a few minutes and then it suddenly separated into two pieces. The two friends watched in amazement as the pilot flew away in one part and the second part flew away in a different direction. + +Joe looked confused. He said, "Where did the pilot go? Separated mean gone?" + +Daisy smiled at Joe and replied, "No, Joe. Separate means the pilot went two different ways." + +Joe smiled back and said, "Ahhh, okay. I understand now. That's cool!" + +The two friends watched the sky until the last pale plane faded away in the distance. +Once there was a girl named Ellie. Ellie loves to play with her string. She could swing it around and pretend it was a rope. One day her mother said that Ellie had to be careful with her string. She was very spoiled and needed to be careful with her things. + +Ellie, not listening, started to swing her string around like usual. She was about to let the string go until it was cut in half! + +Ellie was not happy. She started to cry. When her mother saw what happened she said, "I told you to be careful with the string, Ellie. Now what are you going to do?" + +Ellie thought and thought until she had an idea. She remembered hearing about a man in the village who could mend things. She decided to take her string to him and see if he could help. + +The man listened to Ellie as she explained what happened. He looked and agreed to fix the string. A few minutes later, the man had mended the string good as new. + +Ellie thanked the man, happy to have her string back and vowed to take better care of it in the future. +Johnny was waiting in the kitchen. He was excited to have the orange cake his mum had made for him. He watched his mum carefully as she put the cake on the table. Johnny's face lit up and he jumped up and down, clapping his hands. + +Suddenly, the door opened. Johnny heard a loud noise and panicked. He hid under the table. + +"Don't be scared, Johnny," said his mum. "It's just your dad. He's come to help celebrate your birthday." + +Johnny peeked out from under the table to see his dad. He felt relieved and smiled. + +His parents took out the candles and put them on the orange cake. Johnny blew them out and ate a big piece of the cake. It was delicious! +Once upon a time there was a penguin who loved to wash. He would wake up in the morning and wash, and then again in the afternoon. He loved washing so much he thought he was the best at it. + +One day, a duck came to the beach and asked the penguin if it could also have a wash. But the penguin said no, because it thought it was the only one who was allowed to wash. The duck was sad and flew away. + +The next day, the penguin saw the duck on the beach again, but this time it had the seal. The seal asked the penguin if it could have a wash, but the penguin was even more selfish and said no. The seal and the duck were both sad and flew away. + +The penguin's selfish behaviour soon reached the ears of the other animals on the beach. They all thought the penguin was very selfish and wanted nothing to do with it. + +The penguin realised how selfish it had been and apologised to the duck and the seal. After a few days of being patient, the duck and the seal returned and asked the penguin if they could have a wash. This time, the penguin said yes and they all had a wonderful time washing together! +Once upon a time there was a kind lady who lived in the countryside. She loved to go out and talk to her animal friends in the garden. One afternoon, the lady was eating a spicy salad in the garden when she noticed a curious 3 year old child watching her. + +The lady smiled at the child and said "Hello, what have you been up to today?" + +The child smiled back and said "I'm learning how to jump." + +The lady was impressed and asked "Oh, that's wonderful. Why don't you show me how you do it?" + +The child stood up and started to show the lady all the different ways she was learning to jump. She jumped over and over, higher each time. + +The lady laughed and said "This looks like so much fun, can I try?" + +The child nodded and soon the lady was learning how to jump too. They laughed and jumped until the sun started to set. + +The lady thanked the child for allowing her to join in the fun and said goodbye. As the lady left, she said "I'll have to remember to make my salads a bit spicier from now on." + +The child smiled and waved goodbye to her kind new friend. +Once upon a time, there was a small boy named Mark. He was three years old and he was always very curious. He wanted to explore the world and have fun. + +One day, Mark decided to go for a walk. He quickly grabbed his favorite toy and headed outdoors. He was having a great time. + +Suddenly, Mark spotted something unusual. It looked like a bush was moving! Mark was surprised and he quickly grabed his toy and ran over to take a closer look. + +It was a sleepy bear! The bear had been taking a nap in the bush and was very surprised by Mark. But the bear was very friendly. She smiled at Mark and they quickly became friends. + +Mark was so excited that he grabbed his toy again and ran to share the news with his mom. The two friends waved goodbye and Mark ran off, full of joy and happiness. +Once upon a time there was a little boy named John. He was only three years old and he loved to explore. One afternoon, he stumbled across an old violin in the attic. He picked it up and started to spin it around and around. + +John's mom saw him playing with the violin and said, "John, that's a fake violin. You can't play the real music with it." + +John put the violin back down and started to feel sad. He had very much hoped to learn how to play real music. + +John's mom saw the look on his face and said, "John, if you really want to learn how to play real music, then you need to practice hard. And it is ok to make mistakes during practice. Mistakes help us learn." + +John was so excited to learn how to play the violin, that he started to practice right away. After a few weeks, he was finally able to play real music with the violin. + +The moral of the story is that it is always ok to make mistakes while learning new things. With hard work, the results can be very rewarding. +Mommy was unpacking boxes in the living room. Little Tommy watched her carefully, expecting a present. Mommy reached into one of the boxes and pulled out a big can of black paint. Little Tommy's face lit up and he clapped his hands in excitement. + +"Can I paint with this, Mommy?" Little Tommy asked. + +Mommy shook her head. "No, this is for the wall. I'm going to make the wall black," she replied. + +Little Tommy made a sad face. He didn't want his mommy to paint the wall black. He wanted to make something else with the paint. + +Mommy noticed Little Tommy's sad face and smiled. "Don't be sad, Little Tommy. I have something else for you," she said. + +Mommy reached into the box and pulled out a smaller container with bright colors. "Look Little Tommy, this paint is just for you. You can make anything you want with it!" + +Little Tommy cheered. He couldn't wait to play and make something beautiful. He hugged his mommy and started unpacking the new paint. He was ready to make something amazing. +Once upon a time there was a girl named Sally who loved to study. Every day she would curl up on the window seat with her favorite books. She really enjoyed studying and learning new things. + +One day, as Sally was reading, she heard a loud noise coming from outside. It sounded like someone was pounding on the ground. Sally looked out the window to see what was causing the noise, but there was nothing there. + +Confused, Sally went back to her books and tried to study. But the noise kept coming back. It seemed like the ground was shaking. Sally began to get scared, so she decided to go outside and see what was happening. + +When Sally stepped outside, she saw a group of people banging drums, singing and dancing. Everyone was happy! Then Sally realized that the good noise was actually a celebration! Everyone was celebrating the start of a new school year. + +Sally was so excited! She had been studying hard, and now the time had come for her to put her newfound knowledge to the test! She ran back inside, grabbed all her books, and went straight to school. + +Sally's hard work paid off. She did very well in school and graduated with top honors. She always remembered the noise from that day, and it was a reminder of how good it felt to study. +Once upon a time there was a rabbit. He wanted to dance his best dance ever! So he hopped around and spun in the sun. + +He felt so happy, until he got too close to a cable. The cable was heavy and he got stuck! He tried to get out but he couldn't. He felt embarrassed. + +He was so embarrassed that he stopped dancing and began to cry. He wished he had been more careful. + +Then a wise owl swooped down and told him, "When you're dancing, be sure to look around carefully so that you know what's around you before you start hopping. That way nothing will surprise you". + +The rabbit was happy to get the wise advice, and he thanked the owl. From then on he danced carefully and happily. + +The moral of the story is that being careful can help you to have fun without getting embarrassed! +Once upon a time, there were two best friends, Jack and Jill. They were always together. One day, they were walking together in the park and they saw a large, empty pie in the grass. + +"Can we eat it?" asked Jack. + +Jill smiled and said, "No, it's empty, Jack! We can't eat nothing!" + +Jack thought for a moment. Then he said, "Let's pinch it!" + +So the two friends pinched the empty pie. Then, a few moments later, Jack and Jill heard something underneath the pie. + +The two friends lifted the pie up and underneath was a large box! Jack and Jill opened the box and found something special inside. It was a brand new, delicious looking cherry pie! + +The two friends were so happy! They each took a slice and enjoyed the sweet taste together. + +From that day, Jack and Jill knew that sometimes the best things are found beneath an empty pie. +It was a sunny afternoon and Emma was taking a walk in the park. She was wearing her favorite dress, a black one. Suddenly, a black cat ran out and she started to chase it. + +The cat ran over to a shelter, it had a big sign which said: 'Do not enter'. But Emma didn't read the signs and she went in anyway. + +Suddenly, she heard a voice. It said: "Hey, what are you doing in here? This is a private shelter". Emma looked around, but she couldn't see who was talking. + +Suddenly, a man came out from the shelter and said to her: “You should never ignore the sign! I'll have to ask you to leave now†+ +Emma was a little scared, but she obeyed the man's orders. As she left, she promised herself to always read the signs from now on. +Gary was wearing his old filthy scarf. He was cold and alone, but he thanked the stars - at least he had his scarf. He was living in a small, rundown house, but he was happy to have a roof over his head. + +One day, Gary carefully took his filthy scarf off and set it down on the ground. He started to clean it, but he noticed something shiny and beautiful. "Oh wow!" Gary exclaimed. He carefully wiped away the dirt and revealed a beautiful golden coin. + +Gary was thrilled. He thanked the stars for the surprise, and was determined to use the coin to buy something special. + +The next morning, Gary set out with his coin and his filthy scarf. He went to the shop nearby, and bought a bright, colourful scarf that cost exactly one coin. He was so excited, he thanked the shopkeeper and hugged his new scarf. He wore it proudly and was never cold again. + +The coin was a blessing - and Gary thanked it for the wonderful surprise! +Once upon a time there was a shopkeeper who sold pianos. He had to decide if he should buy a cheap piano from the piano store. So, he asked his friend to help. + +The shopkeeper's friend said, "Let me weigh the piano first and then you can decide." + +The shopkeeper agreed and they both went to the store. Together they weighed the piano and found that it was very light. + +The shopkeeper was pleased, so he bought the cheap piano. Everyone was happy and the shopkeeper took the piano home. + +The end. +Once upon a time there was a little boy called Tom. He was three years old and he often got very bored. Tom had a pet frog called Fred and on one sunny day, he decided to take Fred out for a walk. + +Tom and Fred went over to the park and there was a huge gate they had to pass through. Tom was very organized; he always liked things to remain where they belonged. He opened the gate slowly and carefully and he and Fred stepped inside. + +As soon as they started exploring, Tom saw a big pond and he thought it looked like a lot of fun. "Let's go in, Fred!" said Tom. Fred hopped up and down in agreement and they stepped into the pond together. + +Tom and Fred splashed around in the cool water, but suddenly, Tom felt something grab his leg! It was a giant octopus and it started to soaks his clothes! Tom started to scream and Fred quickly hopped away. + +Tom was in trouble and he couldn't get away from the giant octopus. In the end, Tom was never heard from again and Fred the Frog had to find his way home all by himself. +Once there was a little girl named Sally. She loved playing by the ocean. One day, she decided to measure the biggest reef she could find. Sally got out her tape measure and measured the reef. It was very big! + +But as she continued to measure it, she noticed something strange. It seemed as though the reef was getting poorer and poorer! Sally was worried that the reef didn't have enough food. She called out to it, “What's wrong? Are you hungry?†+ +Sally waited for an answer, but there was none. She knew she had to help the reef. She ran to the nearest store and brought back some yummy food. She carefully placed the food around the reef. + +The next day, Sally returned to the reef. She saw that it had grown bigger! She was so happy that she had been able to help the reef get stronger. +Tony was walking through the park looking for something new and exciting to do. He saw a large hill with a majestic view of the city. He wanted to climb it, but it was too steep. + +Suddenly, Tony spotted a large gray bird gliding slowly up the side of the hill. + +"Wow!" Tony exclaimed. "Look at the bird rise up the hill!" + +Tony quickly decided to try it himself and he ran up the hill. After many attempts, he finally made it to the top and looked out at the beautiful city. + +At the top, Tony learnt an important lesson: no matter how hard something looks, with determination and patience, we can all rise to the challenge. +Dad was busy in the kitchen. He was getting ready to make something special. He opened the cupboard and found a long, thin tube. He smiled as he took it out of the cupboard; now Dad could prepare the surprise. + +He cut the tube into little pieces and then added them to a pot of boiling water. The pieces started to bubble. Dad added some spices to the pot to make it smell great. + +After a few minutes, Dad said the surprise was ready. He opened the pot and showed the family what he had made. It looked wonderful, like a big golden cake. The family all cheered – it smelled so good! Dad had made a beautiful, delicious pie – a surprise for everyone. It was great! +Joey was walking home from the park on a sunny day, humming under his breath. As he rounded the corner, he saw his mailbox. He had a thought that maybe he would get a surprise letter in it. He loved getting mail! + +When Joey opened the mailbox though, the inside was empty instead of the organized piles of mail that his mom usually put inside. + +Joey sat down, very sad. He scrunched up his face and started to cry. + +Just then he heard his mom's voice. "What's wrong, Joey?" she asked. + +Joey wiped away his tears, and said, "My mailbox has no mail. I wanted to get a letter!" + +His mom put her arm over Joey's shoulder. "Oh, I'm sorry, sweetheart, but don't give up hope just yet," she said. "Mommy has an idea. Let's go turn the mailbox upside down." + +Joey was confused but went along with his mom's idea. When he turned the mailbox upside down, he saw a colourful letter had dropped inside. He gasped and shouted, "Mommy! It worked!" + +Joey's mom smiled and said, "See, being organized pays off in the end!" +Once upon a time there were two brothers. They loved to play together and do fun things. +One day at the farm, the brothers wanted to play hide and seek. So, one brother hid in the barn behind some hay. The other brother couldn't find him, so he started to stretch. His arms and legs stretched out to all corners of the barn. + +Finally, his eyes caught something and he saw his brother! He was hiding in the hay and it was getting kind of dirty. The brother had a great laugh and all the hay started to shake. They spent the whole day playing and having fun. + +When it was time to go, the brothers hugged each other and said goodbye. They knew they'd meet again soon, but until then they would have to stretch their imaginations to keep playing together. +Once there was an animal. The animal was walking across the farm, when it suddenly stopped and sniffed the air. Something smelly was in the air and it made the animal sneeze. The animal thought it should investigate, so it followed the smell. + +As the animal got closer to the smell, it began to get winder and winder. Eventually the animal stumbled upon a pile of droppings. Yuck! The animal thought, it was so smelly! + +The animal asked, "Who could have dropped this?". Suddenly it heard a small noise from the bushes. + +The animal jumped, but then it heard the noise again. It sounded like it was saying something. The animal slowly crept closer towards the bushes. + +The next thing the animal saw was a very smelly skunk! The skunk had dropped the droppings, and it was laughing! + +The animal got the shock of its life. It had never seen a skunk before, and it certainly smelt like a smelly animal! The animal quickly ran away and never returned. +Once upon a time there was a mommy and a little girl. The little girl wanted to do yoga with her mommy, so they got out their mats and had fun. They stretched, rolled, and waved their arms. + +Mommy said, "This is so fun! Now let's make towers." So they stacked their bodies on top of each other and laughed. Then the little girl toppled. + +"Oh no," said Mommy. "Are you okay?" + +The little girl said she was fine, but she was sorry she made the tower fall. + +Mommy said, "It's ok. Let's spend more time doing yoga!" + +So they put their mats away and hugged. Then both Mommy and the little girl said, "Yoga is great!" +Once upon a time there was a boy who was very troubled. He was sad all the time and couldn't understand why. One day he decided to go for a walk and, when he was walking, he saw a curious thing - a ball! He was so excited that he ran over to it and started to bounce it. As he bounced, a little fairy appeared from the ball. She was full of wisdom and told him to look inside himself for happiness and not to be sad anymore. + +The boy thanked the fairy and from that day on he bounced the ball whenever he felt troubled. He realised the ball was full of joy and when ever he bounced it, he felt a little better. Whenever he was having a tough day, a bounce of the ball would make things brighter. + +The boy kept bouncing the ball and soon realised that wisdom can be found everywhere. He never stopped bouncing and always kept his heart and head full of happy thoughts. He learned that wisdom and happiness only come when we can find joy in the little things. +Once upon a time, there was a mummy and a daddy. They had a three year old son called Teddy. + +Today was not like other days. It was gloomy outside. Teddy and his mummy and daddy decided to stay inside. + +Mummy said "Shall we play a game, Teddy?" Teddy was excited and jumped up and down. Mummy said, "Let's play a teaching game!" + +Mummy allowed Teddy to choose who would teach the game. Teddy chose his daddy. His daddy said, "What shall I teach you, Teddy?†+ +Teddy thought very hard. He said, "Teach me to build a tower with blocks." + +Daddy smiled and said, "That is a great idea! Let's get the blocks." + +They all went to the toy room and started building a tall tower. Together, they laughed, and were very happy, even on the gloomy day. +Daisy was a brave girl. She was always up for adventure and happy to try new things. Today, Daisy decided she wanted to try and fold a piece of paper. She had seen her mom do it and thought it looked fun. Daisy got a piece of paper and started folding it. She wanted to make it look just like her mom did. + +Suddenly, Daisy heard a loud sound. It sounded like a big explosion. Before she knew it, Daisy felt her eyes getting heavy, and couldn't stand anymore. She smelled something funny, like a gas. Daisy passed out on her bedroom floor. + +When Daisy woke up, she was in the hospital. The doctors told her that it was a good thing that she was so brave, because a gas explosion was next door and she passed out before she breath too much of it. Daisy was so brave, but unfortunately her adventure didn't end as happy as it started. +Once there was a princess who loved a special thing. Every day the princess thought of this thing, wondering when they could meet. She wanted her special thing to feel how much she loved it. + +One day, while walking in the garden, the princess discovered a box. The box was just the right fit for her special thing. She quickly opened the box, and inside was her special thing! + +The princess felt so happy, she hugged her special thing and said, "I've been waiting so long for you. I love you so much!" + +Her special thing replied, "I've been waiting for you too. I love you too!" +Once there were two little kids, Fred and Jane. Jane was three and Fred was five. One day, Fred wanted to play a game with Jane, but Jane wanted to read. So Fred got his parent's phone and read a story from it to Jane. + +The story was about a giant cookie that was yummy. Jane asked Fred if she could have some and Fred said no. Jane asked again and Fred said no again. Then Fred ate the cookie. + +Jane got very mad. She started to cry and said "It's not nice to not share your yummy treats with your friends". Fred apologised and said he would never do that again. + +The moral of the story is to always share your yummy treats with your friends. +Once there was a friendly bear. He loved to explore the forest. One day, he found a jar hidden in a bush. The bear was curious, so he opened the jar. He discovered some yummy honey inside! + +The bear was so happy that he wanted to share it with everyone. He went around the forest asking his friends, "Do you want some honey?" His friends all shouted "yes" and the bear happily gave them some honey in the jar. + +Soon, all the honey was gone. But the bear wasn't ready to share any more. He held the jar tightly in his paws and demanded that it stay with him. He was not willing to give it away to anyone. + +The bear happily kept the jar as a reminder of all his friends who had enjoyed the sweet honey. From that day on, he always kept it close. +Once upon a time there were two friends, Alex and Amy. Every day they liked to do something different. One day, Alex had an idea. He wanted to mix two different foods together. He had a big smile on his face and asked Amy a loud question. + +He said, "Would you like to mix some yummy things together?" + +Amy was excited and said, "Yes, let's do it!" + +Alex asked, "What would you like to mix?" + +Amy thought for a moment and said, "Let's mix apples and ice cream!" + +Alex smiled, "Good idea! I think that'll be yummy, let's do it!" + +They got the apples and ice cream and started to mix them together. It took a bit of work, but soon enough they had a delicious mix! They couldn't wait to taste it. + +They both had a spoonful of the mix and it tasted so good! They had made the most delicious mix! Alex and Amy agreed that mixing things together could be lots of fun. From then on, they always found new things to mix. +Once upon a time, there was a hairy elephant. He had a big nose and wanders through the jungle. One day, he saw a weapon on the ground. He was curious, so he picked it up. + +Just then, a small mouse saw the elephant with the weapon. The mouse was embarrassed. + +The mouse said, "Why do you have a weapon?" + +The elephant replied, "I don't know! I just found it." + +The mouse was relieved, but still embarrassed. + +The mouse said, "Let's leave it here and forget about it." + +The elephant agreed and they both walked away. The hairy elephant was happy to have a new friend, and the mouse was happy to not be embarrassed anymore. +Sam was playing outside. He saw an insect standing on a leaf. The insect was very flexible. Sam called out excitedly, "Mama, look! It's an insect!" + +Mama came running over to her little boy, smiling. "Look at how flexible it is," she said in wonder. + +Sam smiled up at her. "Let's see how long it can stand there," he exclaimed. + +He started counting. +"1, 2, 3," he said. The insect stayed in place. + +Mama and Sam kept counting. "10, 11, 12," they said together. Suddenly, the insect started to move and flew away. + +Sam clapped his hands in amazement. "That was so cool!" he said. Mama smiled and said, "Yes, it was!". +One day, Jim and his mom were outside. Jim was excited to go to the park. + +"Mom, can we go to the park?" he asked with a big smile. + +"Yes, let's go," his mom said. + +They put on their shoes and started walking. When they arrived, Jim saw the playground and the busy slide. He ran towards the slide and started to climb it. + +His mom was sitting on a bench watching the happy blue sky. She saw a big fluffy cloud moving slowly in the sky above them. + +"Look, Jim!" his mom said. "Do you see the cloud?" + +Jim looked up. + +"Yes, I see it!" Jim said. + +They watched the cloud together until it disappeared. Jim and his mom had a lot of fun. He raced up and down the slide, and then had a seat on the rock wall. It was the best day ever! +Once upon a time there was a little boy named Sam who wanted to learn about fans. So one day, he asked his mom for a fan. She said yes, so they went together to the store. Sam picked out a bright red fan. + +On the way back home, it started to rain. Sam began to worry because he hadn't gotten a chance to play with his fan. He asked his mom, “Will my fan get wet if it rains?†+ +His mom replied, “Yes, if it rains it can get wet, so we need to hurry home!†+ +When they got home, Sam put the fan on the table, but the rain had already made it wet. He was so disappointed. + +But, his mom showed him how to dry it with a towel. After the fan was dry, Sam gave it a whirl and was so happy! He finally got to learn about fans. +Once upon a time there was a little boy with brown eyes. His name was Peter. Peter went to class with his friends every day. In school he had to match colors, shapes and numbers. One day, Peter was playing with his friends, and he found a big box of brown matches. + +"Look at this!" Peter said to his friends. "Lets all play with the matches!" + +So the kids all gathered around and began to play with the matches. Soon they had a whole bunch of brown matches lined up around the room. + +"We should show our teacher!" Peter said. + +So the kids all ran to their teacher and showed him the match masterpiece they had just made. + +The teacher smiled and said, "That's amazing! You did a great job matching those colors." + +The teacher was so proud of them, and Peter was happy too. He had matched all the colors perfectly! +Once upon a time there was a bossy girl named Hannah. She liked to boss her friends around. One day it started to rain. Hannah thought it was a great idea to go outside and play in the rain. + +Her friends asked, "Shouldn't we stay inside?" + +Hannah just smiled and said, "No, it's fun! Come on, it's raining in style!" + +So her friends followed her outside and soon they were all enjoying playing in the rain. Soon the rain became really heavy and the friends knew they should go back inside. But Hannah was stubborn, she wanted to keep playing. + +Hannah's friends begged, "Hannah, let's go! It's getting really wet out here!" + +Hannah just shook her head and said, "No way! I'm having too much fun!" + +Suddenly, a lightning bolt struck and it hit Hannah! Her friends quickly ran to get help, but it was too late. Hannah had been struck by lightning and died. + +The moral of the story is that it's important to listen to your friends, especially if they are offering you helpful advice. If Hannah had listened to her friends and gone inside, she would have been alive today. +Once upon a time, there was a mommy and her baby. The mommy wanted her baby to go out and play in the sunshine. So, mommy took her baby outside and said goodbye. + +Soon, a mean badman came out from behind a tree. He had a tight grip on the baby and he would not let go. The mommy began to cry out for help, but no one came. + +The badman said to the mommy, "I won't let you take your baby back. I want to keep her for myself!" + +The mommy begged and pleaded with the badman, but he would not change his mind. Eventually, the badman took the baby away and the mommy had to watch. She was heartbroken and knew she could do nothing to prevent it. + +Sadly, the baby was never seen again and the mommy had to carry on without her. The bright sunshine could not prevent such a bad ending. +Once upon a time, there was a fierce horse who lived in a forest. One day, the horse took a wrong turn and ended up in a swamp. The horse struggled and suffered to try and get back on dry land. + +Suddenly, an old man appeared. He said to the horse, "Don't worry, I can help. Follow me." + +The horse followed the man and soon they were walking on dry land. The horse was so happy and thanked the old man. + +The old man said, "You should be careful next time. It's not safe for a horse in this swamp. It can be fierce." + +The horse thanked the old man again, and continued on its way. It never suffered like that again. +Once there was a little girl named Lucy who was three years old. One day, she was playing by a stream in her village. She watched the water running and found it fascinating. + +Suddenly, she heard a voice coming from the stream. It said to her, "Hello. I'm the stream. Do you understand me?" + +Lucy was so surprised that a stream could talk. She looked around but there was nobody else around. She thought it was her imagination, so she didn't answer. + +But then the stream said again, "I said, do you understand me?" Lucy nodded her head yes. + +The stream said, "I am glad that you understand. Are you glad?" + +Lucy smiled and said, "Yes, I am glad!" She was so happy that she could communicate with the stream. + +From then on, whenever Lucy visited the stream, they would talk and play together. She was so glad to have a new friend! +Once upon a time, there was a boy named Jack. Jack had a little sister named Jane. Jack and Jane were playing in the garden when Jane found a big bookcase. She asked Jack if she could borrow his hammer. + +Jack felt sad, because he wanted to play too, but he obliged and gave her the hammer. Jane pounded the bookcase with the hammer and it fell to the ground. She quickly opened it to see what was inside. + +For a few moments, Jack was silent. He looked up at the sky, feeling why he had refused to come outside in the first place. Then he heard his sister scream. + +She stumbled out of the bookcase, holding a small box. She quickly took off the lid and revealed a bright pink teddy bear, one with sad brown eyes. She gave the teddy bear to Jack and said, “This is your bear. I found it inside the bookcase!†+ +Jack hugged the teddy bear and they continued to play. He knew that his refusal to come out and help his sister had been a good thing, and he was relieved that the bookcase had not been empty. +Once there was a blue leaf. It was so happy. It wanted to go on an adventure. So one day it zoomed off. It zoomed passed a bird, a tree, and even a flower. The wind was so strong it took the leaf even further. + +The leaf saw a blue lake. It wanted to go for a swim. So it zoomed down and jumped into the water. It swam around and around, splashing and having fun. + +After a while it decided it was time to go home. It zoomed up out of the water, feeling happy and ready to go. The leaf zoomed and zoomed until it was back home again. + +The blue leaf was so happy with its adventure. Every day it would look at the sky, dreaming of its next big zoom. +Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Daisy. Daisy loved spending time with her family, playing with her friends and exploring the world outside. + +One day, Daisy imagined what it would be like to take a taxi ride. She wondered what kind of things she would see. + +Daisy's mom said, "Would you like to go for a ride in a taxi?" Daisy was so excited she exclaimed "Yes please!" + +Daisy's mom called for a taxi, and soon enough a warm yellow taxi pulled up. Daisy and her mom climbed inside. + +The taxi driver said "Where to?" Daisy's mom told him the destination and off they went! + +They drove down streets, past houses, shops, parks and more. Daisy loved every part of it. She felt so warm and was filled with excitement. + +The taxi ride was over before Daisy knew it and she was sad to leave. But she promised herself that she would go for more taxi rides in the future! +One day, Bob and his Dad were exploring in the woods near their house. Bob was excited when Dad said they would bury something. + +Bob asked Dad what they would bury. Dad explained it was a staff and it was special, but he wouldn't explain why. He said Bob would understand why when the time was right. + +They dug a deep hole and buried the staff. After they put the staff in the ground and Dad said a few words. Dad told Bob to never tell anyone they buried the staff. + +Bob felt ashamed he wasn't allowed to know why they buried the staff, but he promised Dad he wouldn't tell anyone. + +When Bob and Dad got home, Dad told Bob he would pick up the staff that night. Bob asked Dad what would happen when he got the staff. Dad said, "You'll see". + +Bob was so excited he could hardly wait. That night, Dad brought the staff back home and Bob finally understood why they buried it. It had magical powers that could only be unlocked in the ground! Bob was very excited and no longer felt ashamed he didn't know why they buried the staff. +This was a cold, cold day. Bob had a cold and felt quite out of sorts. He decided to ask his mom for help. + +Bob: "Mom, I have a cold. Can you help?" + +Mom: "Of course I can. Come here and I'll give you a hug." + +Bob quickly cuddled up to his mom and she gave him a big, reliable hug. She then took a tissue and gently wiped his nose. + +Mom: "There you are my brave little one. You'll feel better soon." + +Bob smiled. He knew that he could always rely on his mom for comfort when he had a cold. +Once upon a time, there was a lazy giraffe named George. He wanted to have fun with the other animals, so he decided to start swimming. + +The first day, he tried to swim in the river, but he was too scared to jump in. He went to see his best friend, a cheetah named Athena. + +“Athena, why didn’t I jump in the river?†George asked. + +Athena smiled and said, “You are lazy, George, but don’t worry. I will teach you how to swim.†+ +Athena told George to float on his back, kick his feet and move his arms like a symbol. George followed Athena’s instructions and after a few minutes, he finally learned to swim. + +Since that day, George and Athena have been swimming in the river every day. To them, swimming was the best way to have fun! +Once upon a time there was a boy named Billy. He loved to play basketball. He was very good at it too. He always had a basketball, and was always bouncing it up and down. + +One day, he wanted to do something special, something really brilliant. So he decided to lift the basketball into the air and see how high he could get it. + +He bounced the basketball harder and harder and with each bounce it went higher and higher. Finally, it went so high he thought it would never come down. He was so proud at how brilliant he was. + +But then the basketball started to come down and he was surprised how quickly it fell. He ran to catch it, but he was too slow. Luckily, the basketball didn't break. He smiled and bounced it up and down again. +Once upon a time, there was a careful little boy named Frank. Frank loved to explore and find different things in his backyard. One day, Frank found a special bean. He decided to take it home. + +Frank was so excited about his new discovery. He ran back towards his house but just before he got there, he stumbled and the bean fell out of his pocket. + +Frank was very upset and he refused to pick it up and take it home. Instead, he ran inside to fetch his mom and tell her the news. His mom told him she was proud of him for being careful and promised if he picked up the bean she would plant it. + +Everything seemed to have worked out until one day the bean started to grow. It sprouted a big green vine that grew dangerously close to the house. Frank was so scared it would get to far and he wouldn't be able to stop it. + +His mom thought carefully and told him that if he was careful, the bean would not get too close to the house. She was right, and soon the vine had stopped growing. + +Frank was so happy he decided to keep the bean forever and he stayed very careful around it. He never refused to pick it up again! +One day, Tom and Lily went to the park with their mom. They saw many flowers, birds and trees. They liked to run, play and laugh. They were very happy. + +They found a big hill with a lot of grass. They wanted to roll down the hill. They asked their mom if they could. She said yes, but be careful. They said okay, and ran to the top of the hill. + +Tom went first. He lay down on the grass and rolled down the hill. He felt the wind on his face and the grass on his body. He shouted, "Whee!" He reached the bottom of the hill and stood up. He felt dizzy and giggled. + +Lily went next. She lay down on the grass and rolled down the hill. She felt the sun on her hair and the flowers on her hands. She said, "Wow!" She reached the bottom of the hill and knelt on the ground. She saw a small butterfly on a yellow flower. She thought it was charming. She smiled and said, "Hello, butterfly!" + +The butterfly flew away. Lily followed it with her eyes. She saw it land on Tom's nose. Tom was surprised and blinked. The butterfly flew away again. Tom and Lily laughed. They hugged each other and said, "That was fun!" + +Their mom came to them and said, "Are you ready to go home?" They said yes, but they wanted to come back to the park again. She said okay, and they walked to the car. They held hands and sang a song. They were very happy. +Sam liked to play hockey with his dad. They had a big stick and a round thing that they hit with the stick. They tried to hit the round thing into a net. Sam was very good at hockey. He could run fast and hit hard. + +One day, Sam's mom came to watch them play. She had a small box with a button. She said, "I want to record you playing hockey, Sam. You are so good. I want to show your grandma and grandpa." + +Sam smiled and said, "Okay, mom. But don't tell anyone. I am modest. I don't like to brag." + +Sam's mom nodded and pressed the button. She watched Sam and his dad play hockey. She saw Sam score many goals. She was very proud of him. + +When they finished playing, Sam's mom showed Sam the box. She said, "Look, Sam. This is you playing hockey. You can see yourself on the screen. You are amazing." + +Sam looked at the box and saw himself playing hockey. He was happy. He said, "Thank you, mom. You are amazing too. Can we watch it again?" +Lily liked to watch videos on her tablet. She liked to watch videos of animals, songs, and stories. She watched videos every day, and sometimes she forgot to play with her toys or talk to her family. + +One day, her mom said, "Lily, it is time to stop watching videos. You need to do other things, like draw, read, or play outside. Videos are fun, but too much is not good for you." + +Lily did not want to stop. She said, "No, mom, I want to watch more videos. They make me happy. Please, mom, let me watch more videos." + +Mom said, "No, Lily, you have watched enough. You can watch videos again tomorrow, but now you need to do something else. How about you sign a song with me? You like to sign, don't you?" + +Lily liked to sign. She learned to sign from her dad, who was deaf. She liked to sign with him and make him smile. She thought for a moment, and then she said, "Okay, mom, I will sign a song with you. But can we watch one more video first?" + +Mom said, "All right, Lily, we can watch one more video, but only one. And then we will sign a song together. How about we watch a video of a jolly song, like 'If You're Happy and You Know It'?" + +Lily said, "Yes, mom, I like that song. It is a jolly song. It makes me clap and stomp and shout. And I can sign it too." + +Mom and Lily watched the video of the jolly song. They clapped and stomped and shouted along with the video. And they signed the words with their hands. They had fun and laughed a lot. + +When the video was over, mom said, "That was a jolly video, Lily. Did you enjoy it?" + +Lily said, "Yes, mom, I enjoyed it. Thank you for watching it with me. And thank you for signing with me. I love you, mom." + +Mom said, "I love you too, Lily. And I'm proud of you for signing with me. Signing is a good way to communicate and express yourself. And it is a good way to show dad that you care about him. He will be happy to see you sign when he comes home from work." + +Lily said, "Yes, mom, I want to show dad that I care about him. I want to make him happy. Can we sign another song for him when he comes home?" + +Mom said, "Of course, Lily, we can sign another song for him. And maybe we can also draw him a picture, or read him a story, or play a game with him. There are many things we can do with him, besides watching videos. Videos are fun, but they are not the only way to have fun. And they are not the only way to learn and grow. Do you understand, Lily?" + +Lily said, "Yes, mom, I understand. Videos are fun, but other things are fun too. And other things are good for me too. I will watch less videos, and do more things. I will sign, and draw, and read, and play. And I will be happy, and make you and dad happy too." + +Mom said, "That's wonderful, Lily. You are a smart and kind girl. And you are a good daughter. I'm glad you learned this lesson today. Now, let's go and have some snacks, and then we can sign some more songs." + +Lily said, "Okay, mom, let's go. I'm hungry, and I'm jolly. And I'm ready to sign some more songs." + +The end. +Anna likes to learn new things with her tutor, Miss Lee. Miss Lee teaches Anna how to read, write, and count. Anna has a lot of fun with Miss Lee, and Miss Lee is very kind and patient. + +One day, Anna and Miss Lee are playing with some blocks. Anna wants to build a big tower, but she does not have enough blocks. She sees that Miss Lee has some blocks on her table. Anna thinks that Miss Lee will not mind if she takes some of them. + +Anna walks to the table and tries to grab some blocks. But the blocks are stuck together with some glue. Anna pulls hard, but the blocks do not move. She pulls harder, and harder, until... + +CRASH! + +The blocks fall off the table and make a loud noise. Miss Lee's papers and books also fall down and scatter on the floor. Miss Lee turns around and sees the mess. She is very angry. + +"Anna, what did you do?" Miss Lee asks in a stern voice. "Why did you pull the blocks? They were not for playing. They were for a project. You made a big mess and ruined my work. You should have asked me first." + +Anna feels scared and sorry. She did not mean to make Miss Lee angry. She did not know that the blocks were not for playing. She just wanted to build a big tower. + +"I'm sorry, Miss Lee," Anna says in a small voice. "I did not know. I just wanted some blocks. I wanted to build a big tower with you." + +Miss Lee sighs and calms down. She sees that Anna is sad and sincere. She knows that Anna is a good girl who likes to learn. She decides to forgive her and teach her a lesson. + +"It's okay, Anna," Miss Lee says in a softer voice. "I'm not angry anymore. But you have to learn to be careful and respectful. You have to ask before you take something that is not yours. You have to listen and follow the rules. You have to help me clean up the mess. Do you understand?" + +Anna nods and says, "Yes, Miss Lee. I understand. I'm sorry. I will be careful and respectful. I will ask and listen and follow the rules. I will help you clean up the mess." + +Anna and Miss Lee hug and smile. They work together to pick up the blocks, the papers, and the books. They put them back on the table and in the shelves. They make the room neat and tidy again. + +Then, they go back to playing with the blocks. Anna asks Miss Lee if she can use some of them. Miss Lee says yes and gives her some. They build a big tower together. They have a lot of fun. They are happy. +Lily and Ben were watching television. They liked the show with the animals and the songs. They laughed and clapped their hands. But then the show was over. The television said, "The end." + +"Can we watch more?" Lily asked. + +"No, we have to finish our lunch," Mom said. She came into the living room with two plates of food. "Come on, let's eat. You can watch television later." + +Lily and Ben did not want to eat. They wanted to watch more television. They made sad faces and whined. + +"Please, Mom, just one more show," Ben said. + +Mom shook her head. "No, you have to eat first. Television is not good for you all the time. You need to eat healthy food and play outside. Television can wait." + +Lily and Ben sighed. They followed Mom to the kitchen. They sat on their chairs and looked at their plates. They did not like the food. It was green and mushy. They pushed it away. + +"Mom, this is yucky," Lily said. + +"Mom, this is gross," Ben said. + +Mom smiled. "It's not yucky or gross. It's broccoli and cheese. It's good for you. It makes you strong and smart. You have to try it. If you finish your food, you can watch television again." + +Lily and Ben looked at each other. They did not want to try the food. But they wanted to watch television. They wanted to see the animals and the songs. They decided to make a deal. + +"Okay, Mom, we will try it," Lily said. + +"But only a little bit," Ben said. + +Mom nodded. "Okay, only a little bit. But you have to finish it. No wasting food." + +Lily and Ben took a small bite of the food. They closed their eyes and swallowed. It was not as bad as they thought. It was warm and cheesy. They took another bite. And another. Soon, they finished their plates. + +"Mom, we finished!" Lily said. + +"Mom, we finished!" Ben said. + +Mom was proud. She hugged them and kissed them. "Good job, Lily and Ben! You ate your food. You are strong and smart. Now you can watch television again." + +Lily and Ben were happy. They ran to the living room. They turned on the television. They saw the animals and the songs. They laughed and clapped their hands. They forgot about the food. They forgot about the distant world. They only watched television. +Ben and Sam are brothers. They like to play with their toys in their room. But sometimes they fight over the same toy. Mom says they have to share, but they do not want to. + +One day, they fight over a big truck. Ben says it is his, and Sam says it is his. They pull and tug and yell. Mom hears them and comes to their room. She is not happy. + +Mom says they have to separate. She takes the big truck and puts it on a shelf. She says they cannot play with it until they learn to share. Then she puts a door between them. Ben stays in one half of the room, and Sam stays in the other half. They cannot see or talk to each other. + +Ben and Sam are sad and bored. They have other toys, but they do not want to play with them. They miss each other. They want to play with the big truck and with each other. + +They decide to say sorry to each other. They knock on the door and say, "I am sorry. Can we play together?" Mom hears them and smiles. She opens the door and gives them the big truck. She says they can play with it if they share and take turns. Ben and Sam hug and say thank you. They are happy again. + +They play with the big truck and with their other toys. They share and take turns. They do not fight anymore. Mom is proud of them. She says they are good brothers. She says they are not lazy. They are smart and kind. +Tom was a little boy who liked to learn new things. He liked to look at books and pictures and ask questions. One day, he went to the library with his mom. The library was a big place with many books and people. + +"Mom, can I get a book?" Tom asked. + +"Sure, Tom. You can choose one book to take home. But you have to be quiet and respectful in the library. This is a place where people come to read and learn," his mom said. + +Tom nodded and followed his mom to the children's section. He saw many books with colorful covers and interesting titles. He wanted to read them all. He picked up one book about animals and opened it. He saw a picture of a lion and read the word aloud. + +"Lion!" he said. + +"Shh, Tom. You have to whisper in the library. Remember, this is a quiet place," his mom said. + +Tom whispered, "Sorry, mom. Lion!" + +He turned the page and saw a picture of a giraffe. He read the word aloud again. + +"Giraffe!" he said. + +"Shh, Tom. You have to whisper in the library. Remember, this is a quiet place," his mom said. + +Tom whispered, "Sorry, mom. Giraffe!" + +He turned the page and saw a picture of a zebra. He read the word aloud again. + +"Zebra!" he said. + +"Shh, Tom. You have to whisper in the library. Remember, this is a quiet place," his mom said. + +Tom whispered, "Sorry, mom. Zebra!" + +He turned the page and saw a picture of a monkey. He read the word aloud again. + +"Monkey!" he said. + +"Shh, Tom. You have to whisper in the library. Remember, this is a quiet place," his mom said. + +Tom whispered, "Sorry, mom. Monkey!" + +He turned the page and saw a picture of a snake. He read the word aloud again. + +"Snake!" he said. + +"Shh, Tom. You have to whisper in the library. Remember, this is a quiet place," his mom said. + +Tom whispered, "Sorry, mom. Snake!" + +He turned the page and saw a picture of a bear. He read the word aloud again. + +"Bear!" he said. + +"Shh, Tom. You have to whisper in the library. Remember, this is a quiet place," his mom said. + +Tom whispered, "Sorry, mom. Bear!" + +He turned the page and saw a picture of a penguin. He read the word aloud again. + +"Penguin!" he said. + +"Shh, Tom. You have to whisper in the library. Remember, this is a quiet place," his mom said. + +Tom whispered, "Sorry, mom. Penguin!" + +He turned the page and saw a picture of a whale. He read the word aloud again. + +"Whale!" he said. + +"Shh, Tom. You have to whisper in the library. Remember, this is a quiet place," his mom said. + +Tom whispered, "Sorry, mom. Whale!" + +He turned the page and saw a picture of a dolphin. He read the word aloud again. + +"Dolphin!" he said. + +"Shh, Tom. You have to whisper in the library. Remember, this is a quiet place," his mom said. + +Tom whispered, "Sorry, mom. Dolphin!" + +He turned the page and saw a picture of a shark. He read the word aloud again. + +"Shark!" he said. + +"Shh, Tom. You have to whisper in the library. Remember, this is a quiet place," his mom said. + +Tom whispered, "Sorry, mom. Shark!" + +He turned the page and saw a picture of a starfish. He read the word aloud again. + +"Starfish!" he said. + +"Shh, Tom. You have to whisper in the library. Remember, this is a quiet place," his mom said. + +Tom whispered, "Sorry, mom. Starfish!" + +He turned the page and saw a picture of a turtle. He read the word aloud again. + +"Turtle!" he said. + +"Shh, Tom. You have to whisper in the library. Remember, this is a quiet place," his mom said. + +Tom whispered, "Sorry, mom. Turtle!" + +He turned the page and saw a picture of a fish. He read the word aloud again. + +"Fish!" he said. + +"Shh, Tom. You have to whisper in the library. Remember, this is a quiet place," his mom said. + +Tom whispered, "Sorry, mom. Fish!" + +He turned the page and saw a picture of a crab. He read the word aloud again. + +"Crab!" he said. + +"Shh, Tom. You have to whisper in the library. Remember, this is a quiet place," his mom said. + +Tom +Anna and Ben are playing with their toy soldiers. They have two teams, red and blue. Anna is red and Ben is blue. They make noises and pretend to fight. + +"Bang, bang, you are hit!" Anna says. + +"No, I am not, you missed!" Ben says. + +They keep playing until Anna has only one soldier left. Ben has many soldiers. He surrounds Anna's soldier with his soldiers. + +"Give up, Anna, you lose!" Ben says. + +"No, I never give up!" Anna says. + +She makes her soldier run and hide behind a pillow. Ben follows her with his soldiers. He finds her soldier and points his toy gun at it. + +"Ha, ha, I found you! Now you have to surrender!" Ben says. + +Anna looks at her soldier. It is white, not red or blue. It is unique. She likes it very much. She does not want to surrender. + +"Please, Ben, let me keep my soldier. It is special. It is white. It is not like the others. It is my friend." Anna says. + +Ben looks at Anna's soldier. He sees that it is white, not red or blue. It is unique. He feels sorry for Anna. He likes Anna. She is his sister. + +"Okay, Anna, you can keep your soldier. It is special. It is white. It is not like the others. It is your friend." Ben says. + +He gives Anna a hug. They smile and share their soldiers. They play together and have fun. +Sam and Lily were at the beach with their mom and dad. They liked to play in the sand and look for shells. Sometimes they saw big fish in the water, but they were afraid to go too deep. + +One day, they saw something very big and gray on the shore. It was a whale! It was not moving and it looked sad. Sam and Lily ran to see it. + +"Mom, dad, look! A whale!" they shouted. + +Their mom and dad came to see the whale too. They said it was hurt and needed help. They called some people who knew how to help whales. + +"Can we help too?" Sam asked. + +"Yes, you can," their mom said. "You can carry some water and pour it on the whale. That will keep it wet and cool." + +Sam and Lily got some buckets and filled them with water. They carried them to the whale and poured the water on its skin. The whale made a soft noise. It sounded like thank you. + +Sam and Lily felt happy. They wanted the whale to be better. They were also anxious. They hoped the people who knew how to help whales would come soon. + +They kept carrying water and pouring it on the whale. They talked to the whale and told it not to be scared. They said they were its friends. + +After a while, they saw a big truck and a big boat. The people who knew how to help whales were here. They had a big net and a big crane. They lifted the whale with the net and the crane and put it on the boat. + +"Bye, whale! We hope you feel better!" Sam and Lily said. + +The whale made another soft noise. It sounded like goodbye. + +The boat took the whale to the deep water, where it could swim and be happy. Sam and Lily waved to the whale. They felt proud and glad. They had helped a whale. +Tim and Lily were playing with their crayons on the floor. They liked to draw big pictures of animals and cars and flowers. But Tim was not happy with his picture. He wanted to make it better. He took a strip of paper and tried to wipe his crayon marks with it. But the paper was too thin and it tore. He made a big hole in his picture. + +"Look what you did!" Lily said. She was angry at Tim. "You ruined your picture and mine too!" + +"I'm sorry, Lily," Tim said. "I didn't mean to. I just wanted to fix it." + +"Well, you can't fix it now," Lily said. "It's all broken. You are a bad drawer and a bad brother!" + +Tim felt sad and mad. He didn't like Lily's words. He wanted to make her feel sorry too. He grabbed her picture and tried to wipe it with his strip of paper. But Lily saw him and shouted. + +"Stop it, Tim! Leave my picture alone!" + +She pulled her picture away from him and pushed him. He fell on the floor and bumped his head. He started to cry. + +"Mommy! Mommy!" he called. "Lily hurt me!" + +Mommy came running from the kitchen. She saw Tim crying and Lily holding her picture. She saw the torn paper and the crayon marks on the floor. + +"What happened here?" she asked. "Why are you fighting?" + +Tim and Lily both tried to tell their story. They blamed each other for the mess and the pain. Mommy listened and shook her head. + +"Tim, Lily, you both did wrong," she said. "You should not wipe your pictures with paper. You should use a cloth or a sponge. And you should not tear or push each other. You should be kind and gentle. You are brother and sister. You should love each other." + +She hugged them both and kissed their heads. She helped them clean up the floor and gave them new paper and crayons. She told them to draw something nice together and to say sorry to each other. + +Tim and Lily looked at each other. They felt sorry for what they did. They said sorry and hugged each other. They decided to draw a big heart with their names inside. They smiled and gave their picture to Mommy. Mommy smiled and hung it on the fridge. She was proud of them. They were good children. +Lily was a shy girl who liked to play with her dolls. She had a big dollhouse with many rooms and furniture. She also had a chain of beads that she used to decorate her dolls' dresses. She was very careful with her chain and always put it back in her box when she was done. + +One day, her cousin Ben came to visit. He was a loud boy who liked to run and jump. He saw Lily's dollhouse and wanted to play with it. He grabbed one of her dolls and said, "Let me see this. It looks funny." + +Lily felt scared and said, "No, Ben, that's my doll. Please give it back. You might break it." + +Ben did not listen. He pulled the doll's hair and ripped off her dress. He saw the chain of beads and said, "What's this? It looks shiny. I want it." + +He tried to take the chain, but it was too tight around the doll's waist. He pulled harder and harder, until the chain snapped and the beads flew everywhere. Some of them hit Lily's face and made her cry. + +Ben dropped the doll and ran away. He did not say sorry. He did not care. + +Lily picked up her doll and hugged it. She felt sad and angry. She looked at the mess on the floor and the broken chain. She wiped her tears and said, "It's okay, doll. I still love you. We can fix this." + +She got her box and started to collect the beads. She hoped she could find them all and make a new chain. She hoped Ben would not come back and ruin her things again. She wished he would be nicer and play with her. She wished he would not be so mean. +Tom and Mia are friends. They like to play with trains. They have many trains and rails. They make a big track on the floor. + +"Look, my train is fast!" Tom says. He pushes his train on the rail. + +"My train is pretty!" Mia says. She shows her train to Tom. It has flowers and stars on it. + +They play for a long time. They make their trains go up and down, left and right, around and around. + +Then, Tom's mom comes in. She says, "Tom, it's time to go. We have to visit grandma." + +Tom says, "Oh, no! I don't want to go. I want to play more." + +Mia says, "Don't be sad, Tom. You can play with me again tomorrow. And you can take your train with you." + +Tom says, "Really? Can I?" + +Mia says, "Yes, of course. And maybe grandma has some trains too. She likes trains, right?" + +Tom says, "Yes, she does. She has an old train that was her dad's. It is very cool. It makes a loud sound." + +Mia says, "Wow, that sounds fun. Maybe you can show me when you come back." + +Tom says, "OK, I will. Thank you, Mia. You are a very friendly friend. You remind me of grandma. She is very friendly too." + +Mia says, "You're welcome, Tom. You are a very friendly friend too. You remind me of my brother. He likes trains too." + +They hug and say goodbye. Tom takes his train and goes with his mom. Mia waves and smiles. They are happy. They are friends. +Lila and Tom were playing in the park. They liked to run, jump and slide. They saw a big hill with many flowers. They wanted to climb it and see what was on the other side. + +They ran up the hill, holding hands. They saw a big tree with many branches. They saw a bird's nest with three eggs. They saw a shiny stone with many colors. They saw a weird thing that looked like a stick with a star. + +"What is that?" Lila asked. + +"I don't know. Maybe it's a magic thing," Tom said. + +He picked up the stick and waved it in the air. He said, "I wish we could fly!" + +Suddenly, they felt a breeze. They felt light. They felt happy. They started to rise in the air. They were flying! + +"Wow! This is amazing!" Lila said. + +"Look! We can see the whole park!" Tom said. + +They flew over the slides, the swings, the sandbox and the fountain. They saw their friends, their parents, their dogs and their bikes. They waved and shouted, "Hello! We are flying!" + +Everyone looked up and saw them. They were surprised. They were amazed. They were confused. + +"How are they doing that?" they asked. + +"It's magic!" Lila and Tom said. +Lily and Ben were playing with a rope in the garden. They wanted to make a swing on the big tree. Lily knew how to make a knot, but Ben did not. He tried to copy Lily, but his knot was loose and messy. + +"Look, Lily, I made a knot!" Ben said, holding up his rope. + +Lily looked at Ben's knot and shook her head. "That is not a knot, Ben. That is a tangle. Your rope will fall off the tree." + +Ben felt sad and angry. He threw his rope on the ground and crossed his arms. "You are mean, Lily. You don't want to play with me." + +Lily saw that Ben was upset and felt sorry for him. She was compassionate and wanted to help him. She picked up his rope and walked over to him. + +"I'm sorry, Ben. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. I want to play with you. Do you want me to show you how to make a knot?" Lily asked, smiling. + +Ben looked at Lily's smile and felt better. He nodded and smiled back. "Yes, please, Lily. I want to learn how to make a knot." + +Lily and Ben sat down on the grass and Lily taught Ben how to make a knot. They took turns to practice and soon they had two strong knots on their ropes. They tied their ropes to the tree and made a swing. They pushed each other and laughed as they swung back and forth. They were happy and had fun. They were good friends. +Tim and Lily were playing in the garden. They liked to dig in the dirt and look for bugs. Tim found a worm and showed it to Lily. + +"Look, Lily, a worm!" Tim said. "It is long and slimy and wiggly." + +Lily looked at the worm and felt nervous. She did not like worms. She thought they were scary and gross. + +"Put it away, Tim!" Lily said. "I don't want to see it!" + +But Tim did not listen. He thought it was funny to make Lily scared. He moved the worm closer to Lily's face and said, "Boo!" + +Lily screamed and pushed Tim away. She ran to the house and told her mom what Tim did. Her mom was angry and came to the garden. + +"Tim, that was not nice!" her mom said. "You should not scare Lily with a worm. You need to change your behavior and say sorry to Lily." + +But Tim did not want to change. He did not want to say sorry. He liked to play with worms and tease Lily. He said, "No, I don't!" + +He picked up the worm again and threw it at his mom. The worm hit her mom's hair and got stuck. His mom was shocked and disgusted. She screamed and shook her head. The worm fell to the ground and crawled away. + +Tim's mom was very upset. She grabbed Tim by the arm and took him to the house. She said, "Tim, you are in big trouble! You are going to your room and you are not coming out until you learn to be nice. And you are not playing with worms anymore!" + +Tim cried and kicked and shouted. He did not want to go to his room. He did not want to be nice. He wanted to play with worms. But his mom did not care. She locked him in his room and left him alone. + +Tim was sad and angry. He wished he had a worm to play with. He did not have any friends. He did not have any fun. He did not have a good ending. +Sara and Tom were playing in the park. They liked to run and jump and slide. They saw a big hole in the ground. It looked like a fun place to hide. + +"Let's go in there!" Tom said. "Maybe we can find something cool." + +Sara was not sure. She thought the hole was ugly and dark. She did not want to go in. + +"I don't know, Tom. It looks scary. What if we get stuck?" + +"Don't be silly, Sara. It's just a hole. Come on, it will be fun." Tom said. He grabbed Sara's hand and pulled her in. + +They crawled in the hole. It was cold and wet and smelly. They could not see anything. They heard a loud noise. It was a trap! + +"Help! Help!" Tom and Sara screamed. They tried to get out, but they could not. The hole was too small. They were trapped. + +A big, ugly rat came out of the dark. It had sharp teeth and red eyes. It looked hungry. It saw Tom and Sara. It smiled. + +"Hello, little snacks. I've been waiting for you." The rat said. It moved closer to them. + +Tom and Sara were very scared. They wished they had not gone in the hole. They wished they had listened to Sara. They wished they could disappear. +Lily and Tom were very hungry. They wanted to eat turkey for lunch. Mom said she had a big turkey in the freezer. She said she would cook it for them. + +But the freezer was broken. The turkey was not cold anymore. It was soft and wet. Mom said the turkey was bad. She said they could not eat it. She said they had to throw it away. + +Lily and Tom were sad. They liked turkey. They asked Mom what they could eat instead. Mom said she had some cheese and bread. She said they could make cheese toast. + +Lily and Tom helped Mom make cheese toast. They put cheese on bread and put it in the oven. They watched the cheese melt. It looked yummy. + +Mom took the cheese toast out of the oven. She cut it into pieces. She gave some to Lily and Tom. They ate it with some grapes and milk. They said it was good. + +Mom smiled. She said she was glad they liked it. She said they were alert and smart. She said they could have turkey another day. Lily and Tom hugged Mom. They said they loved her. They said they loved cheese toast too. +Sam liked to help his mom in the kitchen. He liked to smell the good things she cooked and baked. He liked to touch the soft and sticky dough she made for bread and cookies. He liked to roll and cut the dough into shapes and put them on the tray. + +One day, his mom gave him a special job. She said he could polish the apples for the pie. She showed him how to rub the apples with a cloth until they were shiny and clean. Sam was happy. He took an apple and started to polish it. He liked how it felt in his hand and how it looked in the light. + +But then he saw the dough on the table. It looked so lively and fun. He wanted to play with it again. He put the apple down and grabbed a piece of dough. He rolled it and stretched it and made a snake. He laughed and put the snake on his head. He took another piece of dough and made a ball. He threw it in the air and caught it. + +He did not see his mom come back to the kitchen. She saw the apple on the floor and the dough on the table and on Sam's head. She was not happy. She said, "Sam, what are you doing? You were supposed to polish the apples, not play with the dough. Now the dough is dirty and the apples are not ready. You made a big mess." + +Sam felt bad. He did not mean to make his mom angry. He said, "I'm sorry, mom. I wanted to help you. But the dough was so lively and I wanted to have fun. Can I still polish the apples?" + +His mom sighed. She said, "Yes, you can still polish the apples. But first you have to clean up the dough and wash your hands. And next time, please listen to me and do what I ask you. OK?" + +Sam nodded. He said, "OK, mom. I love you." He hugged his mom and said, "And I love your dough. It is the best dough in the world." His mom smiled and said, "I love you too, Sam. And I love your snake. It is the best snake in the world." They laughed and cleaned up the kitchen together. Then they polished the apples and made the pie. It was the best pie in the world. +Tom and Anna like to play with their green cart. They put their toys in the cart and push it around the yard. They pretend they are going to the store or the park or the zoo. + +One day, they see a big pile of leaves in the corner of the yard. They think it looks like fun to jump in the leaves. They run to the pile and leave their cart behind. They jump and roll and laugh in the leaves. + +But then they hear their mom call them. She says it is time to go inside and have lunch. They have to finish their play and clean up the yard. They say, "OK, mom, we are coming." + +They go back to their cart and see that it is full of leaves. The wind has blown the leaves into their cart. They think it is funny and silly. They dump the leaves out of the cart and put their toys back in. They push their cart to the porch and put it away. + +They run to the door and hug their mom. They tell her about their play and their green cart. She smiles and says, "That sounds like fun. Now let's have some soup and sandwiches." They wash their hands and sit at the table. They are hungry and happy. They finish their lunch and say, "Thank you, mom." +Tim and Sam were playing at the beach. They liked to dig in the sand and splash in the water. They saw many things in the water, like fish and crabs and shells. + +One day, they saw something big and strange in the water. It had eight long arms and a round head. It was an octopus. Tim and Sam were curious and wanted to touch it. + +"Look, Sam, an octopus!" Tim said. "Let's go and see it!" + +"OK, Tim, but be careful. It might be scary," Sam said. + +They swam closer to the octopus. The octopus saw them and moved away. Tim and Sam followed it. The octopus tried to hide under a rock, but Tim and Sam found it. They reached out their hands to touch it. + +The octopus did not like that. It was afraid of Tim and Sam. It used its arms to push them away. It squirted ink at them. It made a loud noise. + +"Ow, ow, ow!" Tim and Sam cried. "The octopus hurts us! It is mean!" + +They swam back to the shore. They were sad and scared. They had ink on their faces and arms. + +They saw a little girl on the beach. She had a bucket and a shovel. She was digging in the sand. She saw Tim and Sam and smiled. + +"Hi, I'm Lily. Do you want to play with me?" she asked. + +Tim and Sam nodded. They liked Lily. She was nice and friendly. + +They played with Lily in the sand. They made a big castle and a moat. They had fun. + +They forgot about the octopus. They learned to resist their curiosity and leave the octopus alone. They made a new friend. They were happy. +Ben and Sam are friends. They like to play with cars and balls. One day, they find a big cap on the street. It is red and shiny. It has a gold star on it. + +"Wow, look at this cap!" Ben says. "It is so pretty. I want to wear it." + +"No, I want to wear it!" Sam says. "It is mine. I saw it first." + +They both grab the cap and pull hard. They do not want to share. They want to have the cap for themselves. + +The cap is not strong. It breaks in two. Ben and Sam are sad. They look at the broken cap. They do not feel rich anymore. They feel silly. + +"I am sorry, Ben," Sam says. "I was mean. I should have let you wear the cap." + +"I am sorry, too, Sam," Ben says. "I was greedy. I should have let you have a turn." + +They hug and say sorry. They are friends again. They do not need the cap to be happy. They have each other. +Ben and Lily were playing in the garden. They had a new ball that was red and shiny. They kicked the ball to each other and laughed. + +But then the ball went over the fence and into the old house next door. The old house was dark and scary. Ben and Lily did not like the old house. + +"Let's get the ball back," Ben said. He was brave. + +"No, I'm scared," Lily said. She was not brave. + +Ben climbed over the fence and ran to the old house. He opened the door and saw the ball. It was on a table next to a big vase. Ben grabbed the ball and ran back to the door. + +But the door was closed. Ben tried to open it, but it was locked. He was trapped in the old house. + +He shouted, "Help! Help!" + +Lily heard Ben and ran to the fence. She saw the door was closed. She was worried. + +"Ben, are you okay?" she asked. + +"No, I'm stuck," Ben said. "The door is locked." + +Lily looked around and saw a key. It was hanging on a hook on the fence. She took the key and ran to the door. She put the key in the lock and turned it. The door opened. + +Ben ran out of the old house. He hugged Lily and thanked her. + +"You're welcome," Lily said. "You're my hero." + +They went back to the garden and played with the ball. They were happy. + +The sun was shining and it was hot. The ball was wet from the vase. But soon it was dry. It was still red and shiny. It was their new ball. They loved their new ball. +Anna liked to draw pictures with her crayons. She had many colors and she made animals, flowers, and houses. She wanted to show her pictures to her mom and dad, but they were busy working. Anna was sad and bored. + +She saw a big piece of paper on the table. She thought it would be fun to make a big picture with all her crayons. She started to draw a rainbow, a sun, and a tree. She used many colors and made the picture bright and pretty. She was happy and proud. + +She wanted to hang her picture on the wall, but it was too big and heavy. She tried to lift it, but it was difficult. She asked her mom and dad for help, but they did not hear her. They were still working. Anna was sad and frustrated. + +She saw a pair of scissors on the table. She thought she could cut her picture into smaller pieces and hang them on the wall. She started to cut her picture, but she did not know how to use the scissors well. She cut the rainbow, the sun, and the tree. She made the picture into many small pieces. She was confused and upset. + +She heard a loud noise outside. She looked out the window and saw a strong wind. The wind blew the door open and came into the room. The wind took all the small pieces of her picture and carried them away. Anna watched her picture fly away. She was shocked and sad. + +She cried and ran to her mom and dad. They stopped working and hugged her. They asked her what was wrong. She told them about her picture and the wind. They felt sorry for her and comforted her. They told her they loved her and her pictures. They said they would help her make a new picture. They said they were proud of her for trying to complete a big project. They said it was not easy, but it was fun and creative. They said they would hang her new picture on the wall together. Anna smiled and nodded. She felt happy and loved. +Lily and Sam liked to play in the snow. They made a big snowman with a hat and a scarf. They gave him a carrot nose and two buttons for eyes. They were very happy with their snowman. + +But then they saw a big red sled. They wanted to ride on it. They ran to the sled and tried to fit on it. But it was too small for both of them. Lily pushed Sam off the sled. Sam pushed Lily off the sled. They started to fight. + +The snowman saw them fighting. He felt sad. He wanted them to be friends. He rolled down the hill and bumped into the sled. The sled broke into pieces. Lily and Sam stopped fighting. They saw the broken sled and the snowman. They felt sorry. + +They ran to the snowman and hugged him. They said they were sorry for breaking the sled and for fighting. They said they liked the snowman and each other. The snowman smiled. He was happy again. + +Lily and Sam were tired. They decided to go home. They said goodbye to the snowman and thanked him for being their friend. They walked home holding hands. They were happy too. +Sara and Tom were poor. They lived in a small house with their mom and dad. They did not have many toys or clothes. But they loved each other very much. + +One day, mom and dad said they had a surprise for Sara and Tom. They took them to a big truck. The truck had many boxes inside. Mom and dad said they were moving to a new house. A house with more rooms and a yard. + +Sara and Tom were happy and excited. They helped mom and dad load the boxes into the truck. They were careful not to break anything. They found some of their toys and books in the boxes. They also found a big, soft blanket. The blanket was red and felt like velvet. + +"Wow, this blanket is so nice!" Sara said. "Can we keep it, mom?" + +"Of course, sweetie. This blanket is a gift from grandma. She made it for you and Tom. She said it will keep you warm and cozy in your new house." Mom said. + +"Thank you, grandma!" Tom said. He hugged the blanket and smiled. + +Sara and Tom shared the blanket and sat in the truck with mom and dad. They waved goodbye to their old house and drove away. They were looking forward to their new house and their new life. They felt happy and grateful. They had each other and they had the velvet blanket. +Tim and Mia are friends. They like to play in the park. They pretend the park is a jungle. They make sounds like animals. They run and jump and hide. + +One day, Tim has a new toy. It is a big truck. It has wheels and a horn. Tim is very happy. He shows his truck to Mia. Mia likes the truck too. She wants to play with it. + +"Can I have a turn?" Mia asks. + +"OK, but only for a little bit," Tim says. He gives the truck to Mia. Mia drives the truck on the grass. She honks the horn. She smiles. + +Tim watches Mia. He feels sad. He misses his truck. He wants it back. He waits and waits. He taps his foot. + +"Mia, are you ready?" Tim asks. + +Mia looks at Tim. She sees his face. He is not happy. She thinks for a moment. She likes the truck, but she likes Tim more. She is a good friend. + +"Yes, I am ready," Mia says. She gives the truck back to Tim. "Thank you for sharing. It was fun." + +Tim takes the truck. He feels happy again. He smiles. He is a good friend too. + +"You're welcome. Do you want to play jungle with me?" Tim asks. + +"Yes, I do!" Mia says. They put the truck aside. They run and jump and hide. They make sounds like animals. They have fun. They are happy. +Ben and Sam are friends. They like to play with cars and blocks. But today they have a problem. They have to do math with their teacher. Math is hard. Ben and Sam do not like math. + +The teacher gives them a paper with numbers. She says, "You have to write the answers. Use your pencils." Ben and Sam look at the paper. They do not know the answers. They feel sad and angry. + +Ben has an idea. He says to Sam, "Let's look at Lisa's paper. She is smart. She knows the answers." Sam says, "OK, let's do that." They look at Lisa's paper. They copy her answers. They think they are clever. + +But the teacher sees them. She is not happy. She says, "Ben and Sam, what are you doing? You are cheating. That is not good. You have to do your own math. Give me your papers. You have to do it again." + +Ben and Sam feel ashamed. They say, "We are sorry, teacher. We did not want to do math. It is hard. We wanted to play." The teacher says, "I understand. But math is important. You have to learn. You have to try. You have to be honest. Cheating is wrong. You have to say sorry to Lisa too. She did her own math. She worked hard." + +Ben and Sam go to Lisa. She is bald. She has no hair. She is sick. She has to go to the hospital sometimes. But she is brave. She likes to learn. She likes math. Ben and Sam say, "Lisa, we are sorry. We cheated. We looked at your paper. We copied your answers. That was not nice. Can you forgive us?" Lisa says, "Yes, I forgive you. But you have to do your own math. Math is fun. You can do it. I can help you if you want." Ben and Sam say, "Thank you, Lisa. You are a good friend. You are smart and kind. We will do our own math. We will not cheat again. We will learn from you." Lisa smiles. She says, "You are welcome. Let's be friends. Let's do math together." Ben and Sam smile too. They say, "OK, let's do that." They go back to their seats. They do their math. They try their best. They learn something new. They are happy. The teacher is happy too. She says, "Well done, Ben and Sam. You did your math. You were honest. You said sorry. You forgave. You are good friends. I am proud of you." Ben and Sam say, "Thank you, teacher. We are proud of ourselves too." They hug Lisa. They hug each other. They are friends. They like math. They like to learn. They are happy. The end. +Lily liked spring. Spring was when the sun was warm and the flowers were pretty. Lily liked to pick flowers and make crowns for her dolls. She also liked to watch the birds and the bugs. + +One day, Lily saw a red bird in a tree. The red bird was singing a nice song. Lily wanted to sing like the red bird. She asked her mom, "Mom, can you teach me how to sing like the red bird?" + +Mom smiled and said, "Sure, Lily. I can teach you some songs. But you have to listen carefully and practice a lot. Singing is not easy, but it is fun." + +Mom and Lily sat under the tree and sang some songs. Mom taught Lily how to make different sounds and how to follow the tune. Lily tried her best to copy Mom. Sometimes she made mistakes, but Mom helped her fix them. Sometimes she sang well, and Mom praised her. + +The red bird heard them and flew down to join them. The red bird liked their songs and sang along with them. Lily was happy and said, "Look, Mom, the red bird likes our songs. He is our friend now." Mom hugged Lily and said, "Yes, he is. And you are a good singer, Lily. I am proud of you." Lily smiled and sang some more with Mom and the red bird. They had a lot of fun in the spring. +Lily was a little girl who liked to draw. She had many crayons and papers in her room. She drew flowers, animals, stars and anything she saw. She was proud of her drawings and showed them to her mom and dad. + +One day, she wanted to draw something new. She looked out of her window and saw the sun. The sun was big and bright and yellow. It made the sky blue and the grass green. Lily thought the sun was beautiful. She decided to draw the sun. + +She took a yellow crayon and a big paper. She drew a big circle for the sun. Then she drew many lines around the circle for the sun's rays. She smiled at her drawing. She wanted to show it to her mom and dad. + +She ran out of her room with her drawing. She saw a man in the living room. He was not her mom or dad. He was a stranger. He had a bag and a hat. He looked at Lily and her drawing. + +"Who are you?" Lily asked. She was scared of the stranger. + +"I'm a friend of your mom and dad. They asked me to watch you for a while. They had to go out for something. What do you have there?" The stranger said. He lied to Lily. He was not a friend. He was a thief. He wanted to take things from Lily's house. + +"This is my drawing. It's the sun. Do you like it?" Lily said. She was proud of her drawing. + +The stranger smiled. He pretended to like it. He wanted to make Lily trust him. + +"That's a very nice drawing. You are very good at drawing. Can I see it closer?" The stranger said. + +He reached out his hand to take the drawing. He planned to tear it and throw it away. He did not care about Lily's drawing. + +But Lily did not let him. She held her drawing tight. She did not trust the stranger. + +"No, you can't. This is my drawing. It's mine. Go away!" Lily said. She was angry at the stranger. + +She ran to the kitchen. She saw a phone on the table. She remembered her mom and dad told her to call them if she needed help. She picked up the phone and dialed their number. + +"Mom, dad, help! There's a stranger in the house. He tried to take my drawing. He's bad. Come back soon!" Lily said. She cried. + +Her mom and dad heard her voice. They were worried. They told her to stay in the kitchen and lock the door. They said they would be back soon. They called the police. + +The police came quickly. They caught the stranger. They took him away. They found Lily's mom and dad. They brought them to Lily. + +Lily hugged her mom and dad. She was happy to see them. She showed them her drawing. They praised her drawing. They said she was brave and smart. They said they were proud of her. + +Lily smiled. She was proud of herself. She was proud of her drawing. She was proud of the sun. She saw the sun rise in the sky. It was a new day. +Sara and Ben are friends. They like to play with toys. Sara has a doll and Ben has a car. They play with their toys every day. + +One day, Sara and Ben want to try something new. They decide to trade their toys. Sara gives her doll to Ben and Ben gives his car to Sara. They say thank you and smile. + +They play with their new toys for a while. They have fun. But then they miss their old toys. Sara misses her doll and Ben misses his car. They feel sad. + +They go to each other and say sorry. They want to trade back their toys. They hug and say it is okay. They trade back their toys. They are happy again. + +They wrap their toys in a blanket and put them in a basket. They say they love their toys. They say they love each other. They are normal friends. They go home. The end. +Lila and Ben are twins. They like to run and play in the park. One day, they see a big sign. It says: "Fun Race for Kids. Win a Medal!" + +"Let's join the race!" Lila says. "I want a medal!" + +"Me too!" Ben says. "But we need to sign up first." + +They run to a table where a lady has papers and pens. She smiles and gives them each a paper. They write their names and give the papers back. + +"Good luck!" the lady says. "The race starts soon. Go to the line over there." + +Lila and Ben go to the line. They see other kids with numbers on their shirts. They get numbers too. They are excited and nervous. + +The lady with a whistle says: "Ready, set, go!" She blows the whistle and the kids start to run. + +Lila and Ben run as fast as they can. They pass some kids and some kids pass them. They see the finish line. It has a big banner that says: "You Did It!" + +Lila and Ben cross the finish line together. They are tired and sweaty, but happy. They high-five each other. + +The lady with the whistle comes to them. She has medals in her hand. She puts a medal around Lila's neck and another one around Ben's neck. + +"Congratulations!" she says. "You both did great! You are the winners of the fun race!" + +Lila and Ben look at their medals. They are shiny and have stars on them. They feel proud and special. + +"Thank you!" they say to the lady. + +They hug each other and smile. They are not normal kids. They are medal kids! +Sara liked to help her mom with the mail. She would take the envelopes from the box and give them to her mom. Mom would write on them and put stamps on them. Then Sara would polish them with a cloth. She liked to make them shiny and smooth. + +One day, Sara found a hidden envelope under the couch. It was big and red and had a heart on it. Sara was curious. She wanted to see what was inside. She opened the envelope and found a card. It had a picture of a bear and a bunny. It said, "I love you, Sara. From, Dad." + +Sara was happy. She missed her dad. He was away for work. She hugged the card and smiled. She wanted to show it to her mom. She ran to the kitchen with the envelope and the card. She said, "Mom, look what I found! It's from Dad!" + +Mom was surprised. She did not know about the envelope. She looked at the card and smiled. She said, "That's very sweet of Dad. He loves you very much. And so do I." + +Sara and Mom hugged and kissed. They polished the envelope and the card and put them on the fridge. They waited for Dad to come home. They loved him very much. +Anna and Ben are friends. They like to play with toys. They have many toys: cars, dolls, blocks, balls, and animals. They want to sort their toys by color. + +Anna says, "Let's sort the toys. I take the red ones, you take the blue ones." + +Ben says, "OK, Anna. That sounds fun. I like blue." + +They start to sort the toys. Anna puts the red cars, dolls, blocks, and balls in a big box. Ben puts the blue cars, dolls, blocks, and balls in another big box. They are happy. + +But then they see a problem. They have two animal toys: a lion and a bear. The lion is yellow and brown. The bear is brown and black. They are not red or blue. + +Anna says, "What do we do with the lion and the bear? They are not red or blue. They are fierce animals. They can bite." + +Ben says, "I don't know, Anna. Maybe we can make a new box for them. A box for fierce animals." + +Anna says, "That's a good idea, Ben. Let's do that. We can find a green box for them. Green is the color of grass and trees. Fierce animals like grass and trees." + +They find a green box and put the lion and the bear in it. They are careful not to touch their teeth. They finish sorting their toys. They are proud. + +They say, "We did it! We sorted our toys by color. We have a red box, a blue box, and a green box. We are good friends. We like to play together." +Tom and Mia like to play in the garden. They have a big ball, a red truck and a doll. They also have a cactus in a pot. The cactus is green and has many sharp points. + +One day, Tom and Mia are playing with the ball. They throw it to each other and catch it. They have fun. But then, the ball goes too high and lands on the cactus. The ball pops and makes a loud noise. + +Tom and Mia are scared. They run to the cactus and see the ball. It is flat and has holes. They are sad. They like the ball. + +They hear their mom coming. She sees the ball and the cactus. She is angry. She shouts at Tom and Mia. She says they are naughty and careless. She says they have to buy a new ball. + +Tom and Mia are sorry. They say they are sorry. They hug their mom. She hugs them back. She says she loves them. She says they have to be careful with the cactus. She says it can hurt them. + +She gives them an orange. The orange is sweet and juicy. They eat the orange and feel better. They say they will not play with the cactus again. They say they will play with the truck and the doll. They smile. They are happy. +Lily and Ben were playing with blocks. They liked to make big stacks of different colors. Lily had a red stack and Ben had a blue stack. They were happy and proud of their stacks. + +"Look at my stack, Lily! It is so high and strong!" Ben said. + +"Wow, Ben! Your stack is very good. But mine is better. See? It has more blocks than yours!" Lily said. + +"No, Lily! That is not fair. You took some of my blocks when I was not looking. Give them back!" Ben said. + +"No, Ben! They are mine now. You can not have them. Go away!" Lily said. + +Ben was angry and sad. He wanted his blocks back. He did not like Lily. He had an idea. He saw a lemon on the table. He knew lemons were sour and made funny faces. He took the lemon and squeezed it hard. He made a big drop of lemon juice. He walked to Lily's stack and dropped the lemon juice on it. + +"Ha! Take that, Lily! Now your stack is sour and bad!" Ben said. + +Lily saw what Ben did. She screamed and cried. She did not like sour things. She did not like Ben. She ran to her stack and tried to wipe off the lemon juice. But it was too late. The lemon juice made the blocks sticky and wet. They did not stick together anymore. They fell down and broke. Lily's stack was gone. + +Lily was very sad and angry. She wanted her stack back. She wanted to hurt Ben. She picked up a broken block and threw it at Ben. But she missed. The block hit the window and made a loud noise. The window cracked and shattered. Glass flew everywhere. + +Mom heard the noise and came to see what happened. She saw the broken window, the broken blocks, the lemon juice, and the crying children. She was very mad and scared. She did not like what they did. She did not like their mess. She did not like their fight. + +Mom yelled at Lily and Ben. She told them they were naughty and mean. She told them they had to sit in the corner and think about what they did. She told them they could not play with blocks anymore. She took away their blocks and threw them in the trash. + +Lily and Ben sat in the corner. They felt bad and sorry. They wished they had not fought. They wished they had shared their blocks. They wished they had not made Mom mad. They wished they had not broken the window. They wished they had not ruined their stacks. They wished they had been nice. But it was too late. The end. +Ben and Lily were playing in the park. They liked to run and jump and slide. They saw a rabbit in the grass. The rabbit was brown and soft. It had long ears and a fluffy tail. + +"Look, a rabbit!" Ben said. He wanted to touch the rabbit. He ran to the rabbit. + +"Wait, Ben!" Lily said. She knew the rabbit was scared. She did not want to make the rabbit run away. She walked to the rabbit. + +The rabbit saw Ben and Lily. It did not know them. It was scared. It did not want to be touched. It moved very fast. It ran to the bushes. + +"Come back, rabbit!" Ben said. He was sad. He wanted to be friends with the rabbit. + +"Ben, the rabbit is scared of us. We are too big and loud. We have to be quiet and gentle. Maybe the rabbit will come back if we give it some food." Lily said. She was smart. She had a carrot in her bag. She broke the carrot in half. She gave one half to Ben. She put the other half on the grass. + +Ben and Lily sat on the grass. They did not move. They did not talk. They waited for the rabbit. + +The rabbit smelled the carrot. It was hungry. It liked carrots. It peeked from the bushes. It saw Ben and Lily. They were still and quiet. They did not look scary. They looked nice. + +The rabbit moved very slowly. It came out of the bushes. It went to the carrot. It nibbled the carrot. It was yummy. + +Ben and Lily smiled. They saw the rabbit. They did not move. They did not talk. They watched the rabbit. + +The rabbit finished the carrot. It looked at Ben and Lily. It was not scared. It was curious. It moved closer to them. It sniffed them. It licked them. + +Ben and Lily giggled. They felt the rabbit. It was soft and warm. They petted the rabbit. They were gentle. + +The rabbit liked Ben and Lily. It was happy. It moved closer to them. It cuddled with them. + +Ben and Lily hugged the rabbit. They were happy. They made a new friend. +Sara and Ben are playing with their toy kitchen. They have cups, plates, spoons and a big pot. They pretend to make soup with water and leaves. Sara likes to pour water from the pot into the cups. Ben likes to stir the soup with a spoon. + +"Soup is ready!" Sara says. "Let's have lunch!" + +They sit on the floor and pretend to drink and eat. They make slurping and chewing noises. They are having fun. + +"Look at the clock!" Ben says. "It is noon!" + +Noon is when the sun is high in the sky. It is also when Mom comes home from work. Sara and Ben love Mom. They want to surprise her with their soup. + +"Let's tidy up!" Sara says. "Mom will be happy!" + +They put the cups, plates, spoons and pot back in the toy kitchen. They throw the leaves in the trash. They wipe the floor with a cloth. They make the toy kitchen look neat and clean. + +"Good job!" Ben says. "We are good helpers!" + +They hear the door open. Mom is home! They run to hug her. + +"Hi, Mom!" Sara and Ben say. "We made soup for you!" + +Mom smiles and kisses them. She sees the toy kitchen and the clock. + +"Wow, you made soup at noon!" Mom says. "That is very clever! And you tidied up too! That is very nice! Thank you, my sweeties!" + +Mom hugs them again. Sara and Ben are happy. They love Mom. They love soup. They love noon. +Tom and Sam were brothers who liked to play with cars. They had many cars of different colors and sizes, but their favorite car was a big red one made of steel. It was shiny and strong and made a loud noise when they pushed it. + +One day, their mom said they had to share the car with their cousin Lily, who came to visit. Lily was a girl who liked dolls and dresses, not cars. Tom and Sam did not want to share their car with her. They thought she would break it or make it dirty. + +"Please, can I hold the car?" Lily asked, reaching for the steel car. + +"No, it's ours!" Tom said, pulling the car away. + +"Me too, it's ours!" Sam said, holding the other side of the car. + +Lily started to cry. She felt miserable. She did not have any toys to play with, and her cousins were mean to her. + +Their mom heard Lily crying and came to see what was wrong. She saw Tom and Sam fighting over the car and Lily sobbing on the floor. + +"What are you doing?" she asked, angry. "You should be nice to your cousin and share your toys with her. She is your guest and your family. Give her the car now!" + +Tom and Sam did not listen to their mom. They wanted to keep the car for themselves. They pulled harder and harder, until the car broke in half. The steel car was ruined. It was not shiny or strong or loud anymore. It was just two pieces of metal. + +Tom and Sam looked at the broken car and felt miserable. They had lost their favorite toy and made their cousin and their mom sad. They wished they had shared the car with Lily. But it was too late. The end. +Sara and Ben were playing in the garden. They liked to pick flowers and make crowns. Sara saw a big green lime on the tree. She wanted to taste it. She climbed on a chair and reached for the lime. + +"Be careful, Sara!" Ben said. "Limes are sour, not sweet. You will not like it." + +But Sara did not listen. She pulled the lime and bit into it. She made a funny face and spit it out. It was very sour and bitter. She did not like it at all. She started to weep. + +"See, I told you!" Ben said. "Limes are not for eating. They are for making juice or putting in water. You are silly, Sara." + +Sara felt sad and angry. She threw the lime at Ben. It hit him on the head. He was surprised and hurt. He also started to weep. + +Their mom heard them and came to see what was wrong. She saw the lime and the tears. She hugged them and said, "It's okay, my loves. Limes are not for throwing either. They are for sharing. Let's go inside and make some limeade. You will like it better than the lime alone. And please, don't be silly or mean to each other. You are both sweet and smart." +Tommy hated his dad's mustache. It was big and black and it tickled his face when dad kissed him. Tommy wanted dad to shave it off, but dad said no. He said he liked his mustache and it made him look strong. + +One day, Tommy had a plan. He found mom's scissors and hid them under his pillow. When dad was sleeping, Tommy sneaked into his room and cut off his mustache. He was very quiet and careful, but he still left some hair on dad's face. + +When dad woke up, he was very angry. He saw his mustache on the floor and his face in the mirror. He yelled at Tommy and said he was a bad boy. He said he looked weak and silly without his mustache. He said he had to grow it back. + +Tommy felt sorry and scared. He did not mean to make dad angry. He just wanted him to look like before. He hugged dad and said he was sorry. He said he loved him with or without his mustache. He said he did not hate his mustache, he just did not like it. + +Dad calmed down and hugged Tommy back. He said he was sorry too. He said he loved him no matter what. He said he understood that Tommy did not like his mustache, but he asked him to never cut it again. He said he would let him choose his own haircut when he was older. + +Tommy nodded and smiled. He said he was glad dad was not mad anymore. He said he would wait until he was older to cut his hair. He said he hoped dad's mustache would grow back soon. He said he would try to get used to it. He said he still thought dad looked strong. +Tim and Lily are playing in the park. They see a big fountain with water. The water is shiny and makes a splash sound. Tim and Lily run to the fountain and laugh. + +"Look, Lily, there are coins in the water!" Tim says. He points to some round things that are yellow and brown. "They are copper. People throw them and make a wish." + +"What is a wish?" Lily asks. She tilts her head and looks at Tim. + +"A wish is something you want to happen. Like, I wish I had a big cake. Or, I wish I could fly. Or, I wish you were my sister." Tim says. He smiles at Lily. + +Lily smiles back. She likes Tim. He is her best friend. She picks up a copper coin from the ground. She holds it in her hand and closes her eyes. + +"I wish we could play here every day." She says. She throws the coin into the water. It makes a splash. + +Tim picks up a coin too. He holds it in his hand and closes his eyes. + +"I wish the same thing." He says. He throws the coin into the water. It makes a splash. + +Tim and Lily hug each other. They are happy. They watch the water and the copper coins. They make more wishes and more splashes. They have fun. +Lily and Sam are playing with their toys in the living room. Lily has a doll and Sam has a car. They are having fun making noises and pretending to go on adventures. + +"Look, my doll is sleepy," Lily says. "I will rock her to sleep in this basket." She puts her doll in a basket and gently rocks it back and forth. She sings a soft song to her doll. + +"Can I play with your car, Sam?" she asks. + +"OK, but be careful," Sam says. "It is my favorite car. It can go very fast and measure how far it goes." He shows Lily a button on the car that makes a beep sound and a number appear on a screen. + +"Wow, that is cool," Lily says. She takes the car and pushes the button. The car zooms across the floor and makes a loud beep. The screen says 10. + +"Look, Sam, it went 10!" Lily says. + +"That is good, but I can make it go more," Sam says. He takes the car back and pushes the button harder. The car zooms faster and makes a louder beep. The screen says 20. + +"Look, Lily, it went 20!" Sam says. + +"That is very good, Sam," Lily says. "But can you make it go mild?" + +"Mild? What is mild?" Sam asks. + +"Mild is when something is not too fast or too slow, not too loud or too quiet, not too big or too small," Lily says. "It is just right." + +"Oh, I see," Sam says. "Like this?" He pushes the button gently. The car moves slowly and makes a soft beep. The screen says 5. + +"Yes, like that," Lily says. "That is mild. I like mild." + +"Me too," Sam says. "Mild is nice." + +They smile and hug each other. They play with the car and the doll together, sometimes fast and sometimes mild, until it is time for dinner. +Ben and Mia love to play with their toys. They have many toys, but their favorite ones are the jets. The jets are big and fast and make loud noises. Ben and Mia like to pretend that they are pilots and fly their jets around the room. + +One day, they decide to have a race with their jets. They line up their jets on the floor and count to three. Then they push their jets and run after them. "Whoosh! Whoosh!" they say as they fly their jets. They want to see who has the faster jet. + +Ben's jet is red and Mia's jet is blue. They are both very competitive. They try to make their jets go faster and faster. They zoom past the sofa, the table, the chair, and the door. They are having so much fun. + +But then, something happens. Ben's jet bumps into Mia's jet and makes it fall. Mia's jet lands on the floor and breaks. Mia is very sad and angry. She picks up her jet and sees that one of the wings is gone. She starts to cry. + +"Hey, that's not fair!" she shouts at Ben. "You made my jet break! You are a bad pilot!" + +Ben feels sorry for Mia. He did not mean to make her jet break. He looks at his jet and sees that it is still okay. He has an idea. + +"I'm sorry, Mia," he says. "I did not want to make your jet break. It was an accident. Here, you can have my jet. It is still good. You can fly it and I will roar like a lion." + +Mia stops crying and looks at Ben. She sees that he is being nice. She takes his jet and smiles. + +"Thank you, Ben," she says. "You are a good friend. You can roar like a lion and I will fly your jet. Maybe we can share our jets next time." + +Ben nods and smiles. He starts to roar like a lion. "Roar! Roar!" he says. Mia flies his jet and makes it whoosh. "Whoosh! Whoosh!" she says. They play together and have fun. They are happy. +Lila and Tom are friends. They like to play in the park. One day, they see a big melon on a table. It is green and round and has many seeds inside. + +"Look, a melon!" Lila says. "I like melon. It is sweet and juicy." + +"Me too," Tom says. "But we can't eat it. It is not ours." + +They look around. They do not see anyone near the table. They have an idea. + +"Let's play with the melon," Lila says. "We can wear it like a hat." + +They run to the table. They pick up the melon. It is heavy. They try to put it on their heads. It is too big. It falls down and breaks. + +"Oh no!" Lila says. "The melon is broken. We made a mess." + +They hear a voice. It is a man. He is brown and tall and has a beard. He is angry. + +"Hey, you kids!" he says. "What are you doing with my melon? That was my lunch. You owe me a new melon." + +Lila and Tom are scared. They drop the melon pieces. They run away. They do not wear the melon. They do not play with the melon. They do not like the melon. They are sorry. +Anna and Ben are friends. They like to play outside in the sun. They have a ball, a bike and a doll. They have fun together. + +One day, the sky is dark and the wind is loud. Anna and Ben hear a big boom. It is thunder. They see a flash. It is lightning. They are scared. + +"Let's go to my house!" Anna says. "It is white and big. We can be safe there." + +"OK!" Ben says. They run to Anna's house. They hold hands. + +Anna's mom is at the door. She smiles and hugs them. "You are very smart to come inside," she says. "There is a storm. It can be dangerous outside." + +"Can we play in your house?" Anna asks. + +"Of course," Anna's mom says. "You can play in the living room. There are toys and books. But you have to remain quiet. Your dad is working in his office. He needs to concentrate." + +"OK, mom," Anna says. "We will remain quiet. Thank you for letting us play in your house." + +Anna and Ben go to the living room. They find their favorite toys and books. They play and read. They whisper and giggle. They are happy and cozy. They forget about the storm. They like Anna's white house. +Lily was a girl who loved to play with her doll. Her doll was adorable, with a pink dress and yellow hair. Lily and her doll did everything together. They had tea parties, read books, and sang songs. + +One day, Lily had to go to grandma's house for a visit. She packed her bag with her clothes and her toys, but she forgot to bring her doll. She did not notice until she got to grandma's house and opened her bag. + +"Oh no!" Lily cried. "Where is my doll? I miss her so much!" + +Grandma hugged Lily and said, "Don't worry, my dear. Your doll is safe at home. You can call mommy and tell her to take good care of her. And I have a surprise for you. Come with me." + +Grandma took Lily to a room where there was a big box with a bow. She opened the box and showed Lily what was inside. It was a new doll, with a blue dress and brown hair. She looked a lot like Lily. + +"This is for you, Lily. I made her myself. She is your new friend. You can name her whatever you like." + +Lily smiled and hugged the new doll. She was adorable, too. She thanked grandma and said, "She is beautiful, grandma. I will name her Anna. But I still miss my other doll. Can I call mommy now?" + +Grandma nodded and gave Lily the phone. Lily called mommy and told her about Anna. She also asked mommy to hug her other doll and tell her that she loved her and missed her. Mommy said she would, and that she was proud of Lily for being so brave and kind. + +Lily felt better after talking to mommy. She played with Anna and grandma for the rest of the day. She still missed her other doll, but she was happy to have a new friend. She knew that she would see her other doll again soon, and that they would all have fun together. +Ben and Lily have a new puppy. His name is Spot. He is unusual. He has black and white spots all over his fur. He likes to play and run and bark. + +One day, Ben and Lily want to feed Spot. They go to the kitchen and find a big bowl. They fill it with water and kibble. They carry it to the backyard, where Spot is waiting. + +"Here, Spot, here!" Ben calls. "We have food for you!" + +Spot runs to the bowl and sniffs it. He licks the water and nibbles the kibble. He wags his tail and looks happy. + +"Good boy, Spot!" Lily says. "You are a hungry puppy!" + +But then, Spot does something unusual. He pushes the bowl away with his nose. He runs to the garden and digs a hole. He finds a carrot and pulls it out. He brings it to the bowl and drops it in. He eats the carrot and the kibble together. + +"Spot, what are you doing?" Ben asks. "You are a puppy, not a bunny!" + +Spot barks and winks. He likes carrots. He is unusual. He is a funny puppy. + +Ben and Lily laugh. They love Spot. He is their unusual, funny, and cute puppy. +Tom and Anna like to play with their toy cars. They have many cars of different colors and sizes. Some are made of metal and some are made of plastic. They like to race them on the floor and make loud noises. + +One day, their mom tells them to wash their cars before dinner. She says that washing their cars will make them shiny and clean. Tom and Anna agree and take their cars to the bathroom. They fill the sink with water and soap and start to wash their cars. + +Tom has a red metal car that he likes very much. He washes it carefully and dries it with a towel. He puts it on the counter and admires it. He says to Anna, "Look at my car. It is so shiny and red. It is the best car ever." + +Anna has a yellow plastic car that she likes very much. She washes it quickly and shakes it to dry it. She puts it on the floor and gets ready to race it. She says to Tom, "Look at my car. It is so fast and yellow. It is the best car ever." + +Tom and Anna start to argue about whose car is better. They raise their voices and say mean things to each other. Their mom hears them and comes to the bathroom. She sees their cars and their faces. She says to them, "Stop fighting, please. Both of your cars are nice and you should be polite to each other. Why don't you share your cars and play together?" + +Tom and Anna feel sorry for being rude. They say sorry to each other and hug. They decide to share their cars and play together. They take turns racing and admiring their cars. They have fun and thank their mom for washing their cars. Their mom smiles and says, "You're welcome. I'm glad you're happy and polite. Now, let's go have dinner." +Lila and Ben were twins who liked to play outside. One day, they saw a big pile of snow in the park. They ran to the snow and started to make a snowman. + +"Look, Lila, I found a hat and a scarf for our snowman!" Ben said. He put the hat and the scarf on the snowman's head and neck. + +"Wow, Ben, our snowman looks so nice!" Lila said. She found a carrot and two stones for the snowman's nose and eyes. + +They were very happy with their snowman. They gave him a hug and a kiss. Then they heard a loud bark. + +A big dog came running to the snowman. He jumped on the snowman and knocked him down. He bit the hat and the scarf and the carrot and the stones. He made a big mess. + +"Hey, stop it, bad dog!" Lila and Ben shouted. They tried to chase the dog away, but he was too fast and strong. + +The dog's owner came to the park. He saw the dog and the snowman. He was very angry. + +"Bad dog, bad dog! How could you do this? You spoiled their snowman!" He said. He grabbed the dog's leash and pulled him away. + +He walked to Lila and Ben. He said he was sorry for what the dog did. He said he would buy them a new hat and scarf and carrot and stones. + +Lila and Ben were very sad. They looked at their snowman. He was not a snowman anymore. He was just a pile of snow. + +They felt very cold. They wanted to go home. + +They said thank you to the dog's owner. They said goodbye to their snowman. They walked to their mom, who was waiting for them. + +They told their mom what happened. Their mom gave them a hug and a kiss. She said she was proud of them for being nice and polite. + +She said they could make a new snowman tomorrow. She said they could sit by the fire and drink hot cocoa. + +Lila and Ben smiled. They felt warm and cozy. They loved their mom. They loved each other. They were happy. +Lily and Ben were friends. They liked to play in the park. One day, they saw a big pile of corn. They wanted to eat some. + +"Let's take some corn," Lily said. "It looks yummy." + +"OK," Ben said. "But we have to be quick. The farmer might see us." + +They ran to the pile of corn and grabbed some ears. They peeled off the husks and bit into the corn. It was sweet and juicy. + +"Wow, this is good," Ben said. "Do you want some more?" + +"Yes, please," Lily said. She reached for another ear of corn. + +But then they heard a loud voice. It was the farmer. He was angry. + +"Hey, you two! What are you doing with my corn? That's stealing! Give it back right now!" + +Lily and Ben were scared. They dropped the corn and ran away. They felt bad and embarrassed. They knew they did something wrong. + +They ran to the swings and sat down. They were quiet for a long time. + +"I'm sorry, Lily," Ben said. "I shouldn't have taken the corn. It was not nice." + +"I'm sorry, too, Ben," Lily said. "I should have listened to you. We have to be quick." + +They hugged each other and said they were sorry. They decided to never take corn again. They learned their lesson. +Sara and Ben were playing in the park. They liked to slide, swing and run. But their favorite thing was to splash in the pond. The pond had many ducks and fish. Sara and Ben liked to feed them bread and watch them swim. + +One day, they saw a new duck in the pond. It was big and white, with a red beak. Sara and Ben thought it was pretty. They wanted to pet it. They threw some bread to it, but it did not eat. It just looked at them with angry eyes. + +"Come here, duck," Sara said. "We want to be your friends." + +But the duck did not come. It swam away from them. Sara and Ben followed it. They got closer and closer to the edge of the pond. They did not see the sign that said "Danger. Do not go near the water." + +The duck stopped near a pile of rocks. Sara and Ben reached out their hands to touch it. But the duck was not friendly. It opened its mouth and bit Sara's finger. Sara screamed and let go. She fell into the water. + +"Help, help!" Sara cried. "The water is filthy and cold!" + +Ben was scared. He wanted to help Sara, but he did not know how. He looked around and saw a big stick. He grabbed it and ran to the water. He held out the stick to Sara. + +"Grab the stick, Sara!" Ben shouted. "I will pull you out!" + +Sara saw the stick and grabbed it. Ben pulled with all his might. He pulled Sara out of the water. She was wet and dirty. She had a red mark on her finger. She was shivering and crying. + +Ben hugged Sara and tried to calm her down. He said, "It's okay, Sara. You are safe now. The duck was mean, but it can't hurt you anymore. Let's go home and tell Mom. She will make you feel better." + +Sara nodded and sniffed. She said, "Thank you, Ben. You are a good brother. I'm sorry I chased the duck. I learned my lesson. I will never go near the water again." +Anna liked to look at things with her microscope. She had many slides with different things on them. She had slides with leaves, flowers, bugs, and hair. She kept them in a box that was organized by color and shape. + +One day, her friend Ben came to play with her. He wanted to see what Anna had in her microscope. Anna said, "You can choose one slide to look at. But you have to be careful and not break it." + +Ben looked at the box and saw many slides. He did not know which one to choose. He asked Anna, "Which one is your favorite?" + +Anna thought for a moment. She said, "I like the slide with the butterfly wing. It has many colors and patterns. It looks like a rainbow." + +Ben said, "I want to see that one too." He took the slide with the butterfly wing and put it on the microscope. He looked through the eyepiece and saw the tiny scales and hairs on the wing. He said, "Wow, this is amazing. It is so pretty and detailed." + +Anna smiled and said, "I'm glad you like it. Do you want to see another one?" + +Ben nodded and said, "Yes, please. Can I choose the slide with the hair?" + +Anna said, "Sure. That one is interesting too. You can see the different types of hair and how they are different from each other." + +They took turns looking at the slides and talking about what they saw. They had fun learning new things with the microscope. They were happy to share their hobby with each other. +Lily was hungry. She wanted to eat beef for lunch. She saw a big piece of beef on the table. It looked yummy. She reached for it with her hand. + +But Mom saw her. Mom said, "No, Lily, that is not your beef. That is for dinner. You have to wait." Mom slapped Lily's hand away. Lily felt sad and angry. + +She cried, "But I am hungry! I want beef now!" She tried to grab the beef again. Mom slapped her hand harder. Lily cried louder. + +Mom said, "Stop, Lily, stop! You are being naughty. You have to eat your soup first. Then you can have some beef later. If you don't eat your soup, you will get no beef at all." + +Lily did not like soup. She thought it was boring. She wanted beef. But she did not want to get no beef at all. She looked at Mom. Mom looked serious. Lily knew Mom meant it. + +She stopped crying. She said, "Sorry, Mom. I will eat my soup." She picked up her spoon. She ate her soup. It was not so bad. She hoped the beef would be better. She hoped Mom would give her a big piece. She was still hungry. +Lily and Max were camping with their mom and dad. They slept in a big tent with cozy blankets and pillows. They liked to hear the sounds of the night, like the crickets and the owls. + +One morning, Lily woke up early. She saw a little light coming through the tent. She wanted to see the sunrise. She nudged Max and whispered, "Wake up, Max. Let's go see the sunrise." + +Max rubbed his eyes and whispered, "Okay, Lily. But we have to be quiet. Mom and dad are still sleeping." + +They put on their jackets and shoes and tiptoed out of the tent. They walked to a hill where they could see the sky. They saw the sun peeking over the mountains. It was orange and pink and yellow. It made the clouds look like cotton candy. + +They sat on the grass and watched the sun rise. They felt the warm rays on their faces. They heard the birds singing and the breeze blowing. They smiled at each other and whispered, "Wow, this is beautiful. This is peaceful." + +They hugged and thanked the sun for the new day. Then they went back to the tent and snuggled with their mom and dad. They were happy and sleepy. They dreamed of the sunrise. +Tom and Lily were playing in the garden. They liked to dig holes and look for worms and bugs. Sometimes they found shiny stones or old coins. They put them in a jar and pretended they were treasure. + +One day, they dug a very big hole. They were very excited. Maybe they would find something amazing. They kept digging and digging until they saw something glitter in the dirt. + +"Look, Lily, look!" Tom shouted. "It's gold! We found gold!" + +Lily gasped and ran to the hole. She reached for the glittery thing, but it was too deep. She tried to dig more, but the dirt was hard. + +"Let me try, Tom," she said. "Maybe I can get it." + +Tom moved aside and let Lily dig. He watched her anxiously. He hoped she could get the gold. He wanted to see it and touch it and show it to their mom and dad. + +But as Lily dug, something strange happened. The glittery thing started to move. It wriggled and squirmed and made a hissing sound. Then it popped out of the hole and appeared in front of them. It was not gold. It was a snake! + +Tom and Lily screamed and ran away from the hole. They dropped their jar and their shovel and ran to the house. They were very scared and very sad. They had not found gold. They had found a snake. + +"Mom, dad, help!" they cried. "There's a snake in the garden!" + +Mom and dad came out and saw the snake. They were not scared. They knew it was not a dangerous snake. It was a garter snake. It was harmless and shy. It had probably been hiding in the hole and got scared by the digging. + +Mom and dad picked up the snake gently and put it in a box. They explained to Tom and Lily that the snake was not gold, but it was still a beautiful and interesting creature. They asked them if they wanted to keep it as a pet or let it go. + +Tom and Lily looked at the snake. It was not what they had hoped for, but it was still pretty and curious. They decided to keep it as a pet. They named it Goldie and gave it a nice home in a terrarium. They learned more about snakes and how to take care of them. They still liked to dig in the garden, but they were more careful and respectful of the animals that lived there. They realized that sometimes, what appears to be gold is not gold, but something else that is also valuable and wonderful. +Lila and Tom were playing in the park with their ball. They liked to run and kick the ball to each other. They had fun and laughed a lot. + +But then the sky became dark and gray. Lila and Tom looked up and saw big clouds. They heard a loud noise. It was thunder. They felt scared. + +"Let's go home, Lila," Tom said. "It will rain soon." + +"OK, Tom," Lila said. "But where is our ball?" + +They looked around and saw their ball far away, near the big tree. They ran to get it, but then they saw something strange. It was mist. The mist was white and wet and cold. It covered the ground and the tree and the ball. + +Lila and Tom felt anxious. They could not see well. They could not find their way back to the park gate. They held hands and tried to walk, but they got lost. + +"Help, help!" they shouted. "Where are we?" + +They hoped someone would hear them and help them. They wished they had stayed in the park. They wished the mist would go away. They wished they were home. +Ben and Lily are twins. They share a room and a big bed. Every morning, they wake up when the sun comes in the window. They like to look at the calendar on the wall. The calendar has pictures of animals and numbers. They learn the names of the animals and the numbers. + +One day, they wake up and see a new picture on the calendar. It is a picture of a cake with candles. Ben says, "Look, Lily, it is a cake. What is it for?" Lily says, "I don't know, Ben. Maybe it is for someone's birthday." They get out of bed and run to the door. They want to ask Mom and Dad about the cake. + +They open the door and see Mom and Dad waiting for them. Mom and Dad have big smiles and say, "Surprise! Happy birthday, Ben and Lily!" Ben and Lily are very happy. They hug Mom and Dad and say, "Thank you, thank you!" Mom and Dad say, "You are welcome, our sweet twins. Today is your birthday. You are four years old now. We have a special day planned for you. Come on, let's go to the kitchen. We have a real cake for you, and some presents too." + +Ben and Lily follow Mom and Dad to the kitchen. They see a big cake with four candles on it. They also see some wrapped boxes and bags. They are very curious and excited. They say, "Wow, this is the best day ever! This is the most interesting cake we have ever seen! Can we blow the candles and open the presents?" Mom and Dad say, "Of course, you can. But first, let's sing happy birthday to you." They all sing together and clap their hands. Then, Ben and Lily blow the candles and make a wish. They wish for more fun and more love. They open the presents and find toys and books and clothes. They say, "Thank you, thank you, Mom and Dad. We love you so much. We love our cake and our presents. We love our birthday." Mom and Dad say, "We love you too, Ben and Lily. You are our precious twins. You make us very happy. We hope you enjoy your birthday. We have more surprises for you later. But first, let's eat some cake. It is delicious." They all sit down and eat some cake. They laugh and talk and have a good time. They are a happy family. +Anna and Ben were playing in the garden. They liked to dig in the dirt and look for bugs. Sometimes they found worms or beetles or snails. They put them in a jar and watched them move. + +One day, they saw something shiny in the dirt. They dug it out and saw that it was a metal box. It had a lock on it, but no key. They wondered what was inside. Maybe it was treasure or toys or candy. + +They tried to open the box, but it was too hard. They asked their mom for help, but she said she was busy. They asked their dad for help, but he said he didn't have a key. They asked their big sister for help, but she said she didn't care. + +They were sad and frustrated. They wanted to know what was in the box. They decided to hide it under a bush and try again later. + +The next day, they went back to the garden. They looked for the box, but they couldn't find it. They searched and searched, but it was gone. They were very upset. Who took their box? + +They heard a laugh from behind the fence. It was their neighbor, Sam. He had a big smile on his face and a cookie in his hand. He said, "I found your box. I opened it with a hammer. Do you want to see what was inside?" + +He lifted the lid of the box and revealed the contents. It was full of cookies. Lovely, delicious, chocolate chip cookies. He said, "I took one for myself, but you can have the rest. They are very yummy." + +Anna and Ben were surprised and happy. They thanked Sam for sharing the cookies. They took some and ate them. They were very yummy indeed. They decided that Sam was a good friend and that the box was a good find. They smiled and laughed and enjoyed their treat. +Sara did not like the cold. She hated the cold. It made her nose run and her ears hurt. She wanted to stay inside and play with her toys. But her mom said she had to go outside and play with her brother. Her mom gave her a scarf to wear. Sara did not like the scarf. It was itchy and tight. She tried to take it off, but her mom said no. + +Sara went outside and saw her brother. He was making a snowman. He had a hat and a carrot and some buttons. He looked happy. Sara felt angry. She did not want to make a snowman. She wanted to go back inside. She walked over to her brother and pushed his snowman. It fell down and broke. Her brother cried. He said she was mean. He said he hated her. + +Sara felt bad. She did not mean to make her brother cry. She did not hate him. She just hated the cold and the scarf. She said she was sorry. She helped him make a new snowman. They gave it a scarf and a hat and a carrot and some buttons. They smiled. They hugged. They did not hate each other. They loved each other. They went inside and had hot chocolate. Sara felt warm. She did not mind the scarf anymore. She said thank you to her mom. She said she liked the cold a little bit. +Anna and Ben are friends. They like to play outside in the sun. But today, the sun is very hot. Anna and Ben feel thirsty and tired. + +"Let's go inside and drink some water," Anna says. + +"OK, but first, let's close the door of the playhouse," Ben says. + +They go to the playhouse and close the door. But the playhouse is also very hot. They cannot breathe well. + +"Anna, I don't like it here. It's too hot. Let's go out," Ben says. + +But when they try to open the door, it is stuck. They push and pull, but the door does not move. + +"Anna, I'm scared. The door is broken. How can we get out?" Ben says. + +Anna thinks hard. She remembers that there is a window in the playhouse. She looks for the window and sees it. It is small, but big enough for them to crawl through. + +"Ben, look! There is a window. We can go out through the window," Anna says. + +She goes to the window and opens it. She feels a cool breeze on her face. She smiles and says, "Come on, Ben. Follow me." + +She crawls through the window and jumps to the ground. She turns around and helps Ben to do the same. + +They are out of the playhouse. They run to the house and drink some water. They feel better. + +"Anna, you are very smart. You found the window. You are a reliable friend," Ben says. + +"Thank you, Ben. You are a reliable friend, too. You did not give up. You helped me to close the door and to open the window," Anna says. + +They hug and laugh. They are happy. They are friends. +Lily was a little girl who liked to play with her new doll. She named her doll Anna and gave her a pretty dress and a hat. Lily and Anna did everything together. They had tea parties, read books, and sang songs. + +One day, Lily's big brother Tom wanted to play a trick on her. He waited until Lily was out of her room and then he took Anna. He wrote a note with his crayons and left it on Lily's bed. The note said: "I have your doll. If you want her back, you have to do what I say. Tom." + +Lily came back to her room and saw the note. She felt very sad and scared. She loved Anna and did not want to lose her. She wondered what Tom wanted her to do. She looked around and saw Tom hiding behind the door. He had a big grin on his face. + +Lily was not happy. She ran to Tom and grabbed Anna from his hands. She hugged Anna and said: "You are a mean brother. You scared me and made me cry. You should not take my things and write bad notes. Anna is my friend and you are not." + +Tom felt sorry. He did not mean to hurt Lily. He just wanted to have some fun. He said: "I'm sorry, Lily. I was just joking. I did not know you would be so scared. I like Anna too. She is a nice doll. Can we be friends again?" + +Lily looked at Tom and saw that he was sorry. She said: "OK, Tom. I forgive you. But you have to promise not to scare me or take my things again. And you have to play with me and Anna sometimes. We can have fun together." + +Tom nodded and said: "I promise, Lily. I love you and Anna. You are my sister and my friend. Can I give you a hug?" + +Lily smiled and said: "Yes, Tom. You can give me a hug. And Anna too. We are a family and we love each other." + +They hugged and kissed and then they played with Anna. They had tea parties, read books, and sang songs. They were happy and forgot about the note. +Sara and Ben were playing with blocks. They wanted to make a big tower with many colors. Sara had a plan. She said, "Let's put the blocks in a zigzag. That way, the tower will be strong and tall." + +Ben liked the idea. He said, "OK, Sara. You start from one side, and I start from the other. We will meet in the middle and complete the tower." + +They began to stack the blocks in a zigzag pattern. They were careful and patient. They used red, blue, yellow, and green blocks. The tower grew higher and higher. Sara and Ben were happy and proud. + +But then, they heard a loud noise. It was Max, their big brother. He came into the room and saw the tower. He said, "Wow, what a nice tower. Can I play with you?" + +Sara and Ben were scared. They knew Max liked to knock down things. They said, "No, Max. This is our tower. We worked hard to make it. Please don't touch it." + +Max was not humble. He did not listen to Sara and Ben. He said, "I don't care. I want to play with the blocks. They are mine, too." He reached out his hand and pushed the tower. + +The tower fell down with a crash. The blocks scattered everywhere. Sara and Ben cried. They were sad and angry. They said, "Max, you are mean and rude. You ruined our tower. Go away!" + +Max felt sorry. He saw the tears in Sara and Ben's eyes. He said, "I'm sorry, Sara and Ben. I was wrong. I should have asked you first. Can I help you rebuild the tower?" + +Sara and Ben looked at Max. They saw he was sincere. They said, "OK, Max. You can help us. But you have to be gentle and kind. And you have to follow our plan." + +Max nodded. He said, "OK, Sara and Ben. I will be gentle and kind. And I will follow your plan." + +They hugged and made up. They started to rebuild the tower in a zigzag. They worked together and had fun. They completed the tower and smiled. They learned to share and respect. They were happy and proud. +Tom likes to balance cups on his head. He thinks it is fun and funny. He puts one cup on his head and walks around. He does not fall. He puts two cups on his head and walks around. He does not fall. He puts three cups on his head and walks around. He does not fall. He is happy. + +He sees a big cup on the table. It is full of milk. He wants to balance it on his head too. He thinks it will be more fun and more funny. He climbs on a chair and reaches for the big cup. He grabs it and puts it on his head. He tries to walk around. + +But the big cup is too heavy and too full. It slips off his head and falls down. The milk spills everywhere. It spills on Tom, on the chair, on the table, on the floor. It makes a big mess. Tom is wet and sticky. He is not happy. He cries. + +Mom hears Tom cry and comes to see what is wrong. She sees the big mess. She is not happy. She is angry. She scolds Tom for being silly and naughty. She tells him to clean up the mess and go to his room. She takes away his cups. He can not balance them anymore. He is sad. He cries more. +Lily and Max wanted to mail a card to their grandma. They drew pictures of flowers and hearts on the card. They wrote "We love you" with crayons. They put the card in an envelope and licked the flap. + +They put on their coats and hats and went outside. They saw a stand with many boxes and letters on it. It was the mail stand. They looked for a slot to put their card in. But the stand was very messy. There were papers and cans and toys all over it. Someone had made a big mess. + +"Who did this?" Lily asked. "This is not nice." + +"I don't know," Max said. "But we have to find a place for our card." + +They moved some of the things on the stand. They saw a small hole with a sign that said "Mail". They pushed their card through the hole. They hoped it would reach their grandma. + +"Bye bye, card," Lily said. "Have a good trip." + +"Bye bye, card," Max said. "Say hello to grandma." + +They smiled and held hands. They walked back to their house. They were happy they had mailed their card. They hoped their grandma would like it. +Tim and Sam were squirrels who liked to find nuts in the park. They had a big tree where they stored their nuts for winter. One day, they saw a shiny nut on the ground. It was bigger and rounder than any nut they had ever seen. + +"Wow, look at that nut!" Tim said. "Let's take it to our tree!" + +Sam agreed and they ran to the nut. But when they got there, they saw a boy with a red hat. He was holding a string that was tied to the nut. + +"Gotcha!" the boy said. He pulled the string and lifted the nut in the air. He laughed and ran away with the nut. + +Tim and Sam were sad and angry. They had lost their nut and the boy was mean. They followed the boy to his house. They saw him put the nut on a table in his garden. He went inside and closed the door. + +"Let's get our nut back!" Sam said. He climbed on a chair and reached for the nut. But the nut was not a nut. It was a ball that made a loud noise when Sam touched it. The boy heard the noise and came out. + +"Hey, you squirrels!" the boy said. "That's my ball, not your nut! Go away!" + +Tim and Sam were scared and confused. They jumped off the chair and ran to the fence. They saw a hole in the fence and crawled through it. They returned to the park and looked for real nuts. + +They found a pile of nuts under a bush. They were happy and hungry. They started to eat the nuts. But then they saw another squirrel. She was thin and tired. She had no nuts. + +"Hello, friends," she said. "Can I have some nuts? I have none and I am hungry." + +Tim and Sam felt sorry for her. They remembered how they felt when they lost their nut. They decided to be generous and share their nuts. + +"Sure, you can have some nuts," Tim said. "We have plenty and you need them." + +"Thank you, friends," she said. "You are very kind and generous." + +They gave her some nuts and ate together. They became friends and talked about the park. They forgot about the boy and the ball. They were happy and full. +Ben liked to fly his kite in the park. He had a red kite with a long tail and a smiling face. He ran with the kite and watched it soar in the sky. He felt happy and free. + +One day, he saw another kite in the air. It was blue and had a figure of a bird on it. It looked very pretty and fast. Ben wanted to see it closer. He ran towards the other kite and shouted, "Hello! Who are you?" + +The other kite answered, "Hello! I'm Lily. I'm a bird kite. Who are you?" + +"I'm Ben. I'm a face kite. Do you like to fly?" Ben asked. + +"Yes, I love to fly. It's fun and exciting. Do you want to fly with me?" Lily asked. + +Ben nodded. He liked Lily. She was friendly and compassionate. She did not mind that his kite was different from hers. They flew together and played in the sky. They made shapes and patterns with their kites. They laughed and talked. They became good friends. +Lily and Tom were twins who liked to play in the park. One day, they saw a big tree with many branches. They wanted to climb the tree and see what was up there. + +"Let's climb the tree, Tom!" Lily said. "Maybe we can find a bird or a squirrel." + +"OK, Lily, but be careful. The tree is very high and the branches are thin." Tom said. He followed his sister to the tree and they started to climb. + +They climbed and climbed until they reached a big branch. There, they saw something shiny and colorful. It was a newspaper that someone had left on the branch. The newspaper had many pictures and words that they could not read. + +"Wow, look at this, Lily! It is a newspaper. It is very attractive. It has a picture of a princess and a castle." Tom said. He picked up the newspaper and showed it to Lily. + +"Yes, it is very attractive, Tom. But we can not keep it. It is not ours. Maybe someone is looking for it." Lily said. She was a good girl who did not like to take things that did not belong to her. + +"OK, Lily, you are right. Let's put it back where we found it. Maybe the person who left it will come back and get it." Tom said. He was a good boy who listened to his sister. They put the newspaper back on the branch and climbed down the tree. + +They were happy that they had climbed the tree and seen the attractive newspaper. They ran to their mom and dad who were waiting for them on the bench. They told them what they had done and what they had seen. Their mom and dad smiled and hugged them. They were proud of their twins who were brave and honest. +Anna likes to play with her guitar. She has a red guitar that makes loud sounds when she strums it. She likes to sing songs with her guitar. Sometimes she makes up her own songs. + +One day, Anna decides to play her guitar for her friend Ben. She brings her guitar to his house and knocks on the door. Ben opens the door and smiles. He likes Anna and her guitar. + +"Hi, Anna. Do you want to play with me?" Ben asks. + +"Yes, I do. Can I show you my guitar?" Anna says. + +"Sure, I want to see your guitar. It looks very smooth and shiny. Can I touch it?" Ben says. + +Anna nods and lets Ben touch her guitar. He feels the smooth wood and the metal strings. He tries to strum it, but it makes a funny noise. + +"Oops, sorry. I don't know how to play the guitar. Can you teach me?" Ben says. + +Anna smiles and says, "Yes, I can teach you. It's easy and fun. You just have to hold it like this and move your fingers like this. Then you can sing along with me." + +Anna and Ben sit on the floor and play the guitar together. They sing some songs they know and some songs they make up. They have a lot of fun and laugh a lot. They decide they like playing the guitar together. They are happy and proud of their music. +Lily liked to choose her own mug for her milk. She had many mugs in the kitchen, but her favorite was the pretty one with flowers and butterflies. She always looked for it when she was thirsty. + +One day, Lily came home from the park with her mom. She was very hungry and wanted some milk and cookies. She ran to the kitchen and opened the cupboard. But she could not find her pretty mug. She saw other mugs, like the blue one with stars, the red one with cars, and the yellow one with ducks. But she did not want any of them. She wanted her pretty mug. + +"Mom, where is my pretty mug?" she asked, feeling sad. + +"Sorry, honey, I don't know. Maybe it's in the dishwasher, or maybe daddy took it to work by mistake. Why don't you choose another mug for now?" her mom said, trying to cheer her up. + +Lily shook her head. She did not want another mug. She wanted her pretty mug. She started to cry. + +Her mom hugged her and said, "Don't worry, sweetie, we'll find your pretty mug soon. Maybe it's hiding somewhere. Let's play a game. You can be the detective and look for clues. I'll help you." + +Lily stopped crying and nodded. She liked to play games. She wiped her tears and smiled. She decided to choose the blue mug with stars for her milk. She thought it looked like a detective's mug. She drank her milk and ate her cookies. Then she put on her hat and grabbed her magnifying glass. She was ready to solve the mystery of the missing pretty mug. +Lily and Tom were excited to go to the village with their mom. They wanted to see the animals, the shops and the playground. They packed their bags and got in the car. + +But on the way, they saw a big truck that was broken. It blocked the road and made a loud noise. Mom said they had to wait until the truck moved. She said they had a delay. + +Lily and Tom were sad and bored. They did not want to wait. They wanted to go to the village. They asked mom how long they had to wait. + +Mom said she did not know. She said they had to be patient and find something to do in the car. She gave them some books and toys. + +Lily and Tom tried to read and play, but they were not happy. They looked out the window and hoped the truck would move soon. + +After a long time, they heard a beep. The truck started to move. The road was clear. Mom said they could go to the village now. She said they were sorry for the delay. + +Lily and Tom cheered and clapped. They were excited again. They thanked mom and said they loved her. They said they could not wait to see the village. They smiled and hugged each other. +Tom and Jen are twins. They like to play together. They have many toys and books. But they also like to make noise. They shout and laugh and bang their toys. Mom and Dad are not happy. They say, "You are too noisy. You need to separate. Tom, you go to your room. Jen, you go to the living room. And stay there until we say so." + +Tom and Jen do not want to separate. They want to play together. They cry and say, "No, no, no. We do not want to separate. We want to stay together. Please, please, please." But Mom and Dad do not listen. They take them to different rooms. They close the doors. They say, "You need to learn to be quiet. And to listen to us. Maybe then you can play together again." + +Tom and Jen are sad and angry. They do not like to be alone. They do not like to be quiet. They do not like to listen. They think Mom and Dad are mean. They want to see each other. They have an idea. They sneak out of their rooms. They run to the kitchen. They see a big cake on the table. It is for Mom's birthday. They smile and say, "Let's eat the cake. That will make us happy. And Mom and Dad sorry." + +They grab the cake and run to the backyard. They sit on the grass and eat the cake. They use their hands and mouths. They make a big mess. They do not care. They think they are smart and funny. They laugh and say, "This is the best cake ever. We are the best twins ever. We do not need to separate. We do not need to stay. We do not need to be quiet. We do what we want." + +But then they hear a loud noise. It is Mom and Dad. They are angry. They see the cake and the mess. They see Tom and Jen. They say, "What have you done? You are very naughty. You ruined the cake. You disobeyed us. You did not separate. You did not stay. You did not be quiet. You did what you want. Now you will be in big trouble. You will have no toys. No books. No TV. No fun. For a long time." + +Tom and Jen are scared and sorry. They say, "We are sorry. We are sorry. We are sorry. We did not mean to. We just wanted to play. And to eat the cake. Please, please, please. Do not be mad. Do not take our toys. Do not take our books. Do not take our TV. Do not take our fun. Please, please, please." + +But Mom and Dad do not listen. They take them to their rooms. They take their toys and books and TV and fun. They say, "You need to learn to be good. And to respect us. And to share the cake. Maybe then you can have your things back. And play together again." + +Tom and Jen cry and cry. They hug each other. They say, "We are sorry. We are sorry. We are sorry. We love you. We love you. We love you. Please, please, please. Forgive us. Forgive us. Forgive us." But no one hears them. They are alone. They are quiet. They are sad. The end. +Lily was a princess who liked to play with her dolls. She had many dolls, but her favorite was a prince doll. She named him Leo and gave him a crown and a cape. She always included him in her games and stories. + +One day, her brother Max came into her room. He wanted to play with her, but he did not like dolls. He liked cars and trucks and dinosaurs. He saw Leo on the bed and grabbed him. + +"Hey, give him back!" Lily shouted. "He is my prince and he is important!" + +"No, he is not!" Max said. "He is just a doll and he is silly. I want to play with him. He can be a driver or a hunter or a monster." + +Lily was very angry and sad. She tried to get Leo back, but Max was bigger and stronger. He ran away with the doll, laughing. Lily cried and followed him. + +They ran into their mom, who saw what was happening. She stopped them and asked them what was wrong. + +"Max took my prince and he won't give him back!" Lily said. + +"Leo is not a prince, he is a doll!" Max said. + +Mom looked at them and said, "You both need to learn to share and respect each other's toys. Leo is Lily's doll and she loves him. He is important to her. You can't take him without asking. And Lily, you can't keep Leo all to yourself. You can let Max play with him sometimes, if he is nice and careful. Maybe you can find a way to play together, with dolls and cars and dinosaurs. What do you think?" + +Lily and Max thought for a moment. They both felt sorry for making each other upset. They said sorry to each other and hugged. They decided to try to play together, with Leo and some of Max's toys. They found out that it was more fun to include each other and be kind. Mom smiled and gave them a kiss. She was proud of them. +Tom and Jen are friends. They like to play in the park. One day, they see a new boy. He is pale and has a big hat. He sits on a bench and reads a book. + +Tom and Jen want to invite him to play. But they are shy. They think he is different. They whisper to each other. They do not say hello. + +The new boy sees them. He feels sad. He wants to make friends. He smiles at them. But they do not smile back. They run away. + +The next day, Tom and Jen go to the park again. They see the new boy. He is still pale and has a big hat. He sits on a bench and reads a book. + +Tom and Jen feel sorry. They remember how they were mean. They want to be nice. They go to the new boy. They say hello. They invite him to play. + +The new boy is happy. He says yes. He puts down his book. He tells them his name is Sam. He says he is pale because he is sick. He wears a big hat to protect his skin. He likes to read books to learn new things. + +Tom and Jen are surprised. They learn that Sam is not so different. He is fun and smart. He likes to play and share. They have a lot in common. They become friends. + +The moral of the story is: Do not judge people by how they look. Be kind and open. You can find friends in unexpected places. +Tom and Anna are playing with blocks in their room. They like to build towers and houses with different colors and shapes. Tom is very organized. He puts the blocks in neat rows and stacks them carefully. Anna is more creative. She mixes the blocks and makes funny patterns and shapes. + +"Look, Tom, I made a flower with the blocks!" Anna says, showing him her work. + +"That's nice, Anna, but you should keep the blocks organized. See, I made a castle with the blocks. It has walls and windows and a door." Tom says, pointing to his work. + +"But I like to make different things with the blocks. It's more fun!" Anna says, picking up some more blocks. + +"Be careful, Anna, you might knock down my castle!" Tom says, watching her. + +Suddenly, they hear a loud noise from downstairs. It sounds like someone is banging on the door. + +"What's that?" Anna asks, dropping the blocks. + +"I don't know. Let's go see." Tom says, grabbing Anna's hand. + +They run downstairs and see their mom opening the door. It is their dad, who has come home from work. He is holding a big box. + +"Hi, kids! I have a surprise for you!" Dad says, smiling. + +"What is it, Dad?" Tom and Anna ask, curious. + +"Let's go to your room and find out!" Dad says, leading them upstairs. + +They go to their room and see the blocks all over the floor. + +"Oh, no! Our blocks!" Tom says, upset. + +"It's okay, Tom. We can clean them up later. Look what Dad has for us!" Anna says, excited. + +Dad opens the box and shows them what is inside. It is a new set of blocks, bigger and brighter than the ones they have. + +"Wow! New blocks!" Tom and Anna say, happy. + +"These are special blocks. They can make sounds and light up when you put them together. Do you want to try them?" Dad says, handing them some blocks. + +"Yes, please!" Tom and Anna say, eager. + +They start to play with the new blocks, making different sounds and colors. They forget about the old blocks and have fun with their dad. They hear the new blocks beep and buzz and sing. They are very happy. +Mia likes to help her mom in the kitchen. She likes to open the fridge and take out the food. She likes to wash the fruits and vegetables. She likes to stir the pots and pans. + +One day, mom asks Mia to help her make dinner. She gives Mia a big bag of broccoli. Mia opens the bag and sees the green trees. She likes broccoli. She thinks they are yummy and good for her. + +Mia washes the broccoli in the sink. She puts them in a big bowl. She sprinkles some salt and cheese on them. She puts them in the oven. She sets the timer. She waits for the beep. + +When the timer beeps, mom helps Mia take out the broccoli. They are hot and crispy. They smell good. Mia and mom put them on a big plate. They bring them to the table. Dad and Sam are waiting for them. + +Mia is proud of her broccoli. She says, "I helped mom make dinner. I opened the bag. I washed the broccoli. I put cheese on them. They are delicious. Do you want some?" + +Dad and Sam smile. They say, "Yes, please. Thank you, Mia. You are a great helper. You are a calm and good cook. We love your broccoli." They all enjoy the dinner. Mia is happy. +Tim and Sam were brothers who liked to play in the yard. One day, they found a bottle under a bush. It had a skull and bones on it. Tim said, "Look, Sam, this is poison. It can make you sick or die. We should store it away so no one can touch it." + +Sam nodded and followed Tim to the shed. They put the bottle on a high shelf and closed the door. Then they went back to play with their ball. + +The next day, their mom asked them to help her clean the shed. She said, "There are some old things we don't need anymore. We can give them away or throw them out. Come on, boys, let's go." + +Tim and Sam went with their mom to the shed. They opened the door and saw the bottle on the shelf. Tim remembered what he and Sam had done. He felt uncomfortable. He wanted to tell his mom, but he was afraid she would be angry. + +He whispered to Sam, "Don't say anything about the poison. Maybe she won't see it." + +Sam nodded and looked away. He felt uncomfortable too. + +Their mom started to sort out the things in the shed. She picked up a box and lifted it up. She didn't see the bottle on the shelf. The bottle fell down and broke on the floor. The poison spilled out and made a bad smell. + +Their mom screamed and dropped the box. She saw the skull and bones on the bottle. She said, "What is this? Who put this here? This is very dangerous. Tim, Sam, did you know about this?" + +Tim and Sam looked at each other. They felt very uncomfortable. They knew they had made a big mistake. They said, "Sorry, mom. We found it in the yard. We wanted to store it away. We didn't mean to hurt anyone." + +Their mom hugged them and said, "I'm glad you're okay. But you should never touch or store anything that looks like poison. You should always tell me or dad if you find something like that. Do you understand?" + +Tim and Sam nodded and said, "Yes, mom. We understand. We're sorry." + +Their mom said, "It's okay. I love you. But we have to clean this mess now. And we have to be more careful next time." +Tom and Lily were playing with their toy cars in the garden. They liked to make noises and pretend they were driving fast. But then, Tom's car broke. The wheel came off and rolled away. + +"Oh no! My car is broken!" Tom cried. He was very sad. + +"Don't cry, Tom. I can help you. I know how to repair cars," Lily said. She was very smart. + +"Really? How?" Tom asked. + +Lily picked up the wheel and the car. She looked for some glue in the shed. She found a bottle and opened it. She put some glue on the wheel and the car. She pressed them together and waited. + +"There! Your car is fixed!" Lily said. She gave the car back to Tom. + +"Wow! Thank you, Lily! You are the best!" Tom said. He was very happy. + +They hugged and smiled. They looked at their cars. They had numbers on them. Tom's car had the number 5. Lily's car had the number 8. + +"Let's race again. My car is faster than yours," Tom said. + +"OK. But be careful. Don't break your car again," Lily said. + +They lined up their cars and counted. "One, two, three, go!" They pushed their cars and ran after them. They laughed and cheered. They had a lot of fun. + +The garden was peaceful. The sun was shining. The birds were singing. Tom and Lily were friends. They loved their cars. They loved each other. +Ben and Lily were playing in the garden. They liked to run and jump and chase each other. They saw a big squash on the ground. It was green and round and heavy. + +"Look, a squash!" Ben said. "Let's play with it!" + +He picked up the squash and threw it to Lily. Lily caught it and threw it back. They laughed and had fun. + +But then, Ben had a stupid idea. He wanted to speed with the squash. He ran as fast as he could with the squash in his arms. He did not look where he was going. + +"Ben, stop!" Lily shouted. "You will hit the fence!" + +But Ben did not stop. He ran and ran and ran. And then, he hit the fence. The squash broke and splashed all over him. He fell down and hurt his nose. + +"Ow, ow, ow!" Ben cried. "The squash is bad! It hurt me!" + +Lily ran to him and helped him up. She saw his nose was bleeding. She felt sorry for him. + +"Ben, you were stupid," she said. "You should not speed with the squash. You should be careful." + +She took him to the house and gave him a band-aid. She hugged him and said, "I'm sorry, Ben. I still like you. But next time, let's play with something else." +Tom and Mia are twins. They like to play with their toys in their room. But sometimes they fight over the toys. They want the same toy and they do not share. + +One day, they see a big box in the living room. They are curious. They crawl to the box and look inside. They see many new toys. They are happy. They want to play with the toys. + +But they do not ask their mom and dad. They just take the toys and go back to their room. They do not say thank you. They do not think about their mom and dad. + +They start to play with the toys. But soon they fight again. They want the same toy and they do not share. They pull and push and shout. They make a big mess. + +Their mom and dad hear the noise. They go to their room. They are not happy. They see the toys and the mess. They ask Tom and Mia, "Where did you get these toys? Did you ask us? Did you say thank you? Do you know how to share?" + +Tom and Mia feel ashamed. They do not answer. They know they did something wrong. They know they were not fair. + +Their mom and dad say, "We bought these toys for you as a surprise. We wanted to make you happy. But you did not respect us. You did not respect the toys. You did not respect each other. You need to learn how to be fair. Fair means you treat others the way you want to be treated. Fair means you share and take turns. Fair means you say please and thank you. Fair means you make peace and not fight." + +Tom and Mia say, "We are sorry, mom and dad. We were not fair. We want to be fair. We want to make peace. We want to share and take turns. We want to say please and thank you. We want to make you happy." + +Their mom and dad say, "We forgive you, Tom and Mia. We love you. We are happy when you are fair. We are happy when you make peace. We are happy when you share and take turns. We are happy when you say please and thank you. We are happy when you play nicely." + +Tom and Mia hug their mom and dad. They say, "We love you, mom and dad. Thank you for the toys. We will be fair. We will make peace. We will share and take turns. We will say please and thank you. We will play nicely." + +They put the toys back in the box. They clean up the mess. They take the box to the living room. They ask their mom and dad, "Can we play with the toys now? Please?" + +Their mom and dad say, "Yes, you can. But only if you are fair. Only if you make peace. Only if you share and take turns. Only if you say please and thank you. Only if you play nicely." + +Tom and Mia say, "We will, we will. Thank you, mom and dad." + +They crawl to the box and look inside. They see the toys. They smile. They choose a toy each. They say, "Can I play with this toy? Please?" + +They say, "Yes, you can. But you have to give it to me when I ask. Please." + +They say, "OK, I will. Thank you." + +They play with the toys. They do not fight. They share and take turns. They say please and thank you. They play nicely. + +They are fair. They make peace. They are happy. +Tim and Lily were best friends. They liked to play together every day. One day, Tim said, "Let's visit the park. We can go on the swings and the slide." Lily said, "Yes, that sounds fun. But we have to ask our moms first." + +They ran to their moms and asked if they could go to the park. Their moms said yes, but they had to wear their new shirts. Tim and Lily did not like their new shirts. Tim's shirt was red and had a big truck on it. Lily's shirt was pink and had a lot of flowers on it. They thought their shirts were boring and ugly. + +They put on their shirts and went to the park. They saw some other kids playing there. One of them was Ben. Ben was not very nice. He liked to tease and make fun of other kids. He saw Tim and Lily and said, "Look at your shirts. They are so silly. You look like babies. Why don't you wear something more charming, like me?" He pointed to his shirt, which was blue and had a star on it. + +Tim and Lily felt sad and angry. They did not like Ben's words. They did not think his shirt was charming. They thought it was plain and dull. They wanted to say something back, but they did not know what. They wished they had their old shirts, which were more colorful and fun. + +Then, they had an idea. They looked at each other and smiled. They said, "You know what, Ben? You are right. Our shirts are silly. But we like them that way. They make us happy. And they have a secret. Do you want to know what it is?" Ben said, "What secret? There is no secret. You are just lying." Tim and Lily said, "No, we are not. Watch this." They pressed a button on their shirts. Suddenly, their shirts lit up and made sounds. Tim's shirt made a loud honk and flashed like a siren. Lily's shirt played a sweet melody and sparkled like a rainbow. + +Ben was shocked and jealous. He did not know their shirts could do that. He said, "Wow, that is amazing. How did you do that? Where did you get those shirts?" Tim and Lily said, "We got them from our moms. They are special shirts. They are not boring and ugly. They are fun and charming. And they are only for us. You can't have them." They stuck out their tongues and ran away. They went on the swings and the slide and had a great time. They did not care about Ben anymore. They were happy with their shirts and their friendship. +Sam and Lily were twins who loved to go on trips with their mum and dad. They had a big van that could fit all their toys and clothes and snacks. Sometimes they would sleep in the van when they went to the park or the beach or the mountains. + +One day, they went to the zoo to see the animals. They saw lions and monkeys and elephants and giraffes. They were very happy and excited. They wanted to see everything and learn their names. + +"Look, mum, a big bird!" Sam said, pointing at an ostrich. + +"That's right, Sam, that's an ostrich. It can run very fast, but it can't fly," mum said. + +"Why can't it fly?" Lily asked. + +"Because it's too heavy and its wings are too small," dad said. + +"That's funny!" Lily said, and started to laugh. + +Sam laughed too. They thought the ostrich was very silly. + +Then they saw a penguin. It was black and white and had a beak and flippers. + +"Look, dad, a small bird!" Lily said, pointing at the penguin. + +"That's right, Lily, that's a penguin. It can swim very well, but it can't fly," dad said. + +"Why can't it fly?" Sam asked. + +"Because it lives in a very cold place and its feathers are too thick," mum said. + +"That's funny!" Sam said, and started to laugh. + +Lily laughed too. They thought the penguin was very silly. + +They saw many more animals and had a lot of fun. They learned new words and asked many questions. They ate ice cream and popcorn and drank juice. They took pictures and made noises. They had a brilliant day. + +When they got back to the van, they were very tired and happy. They cuddled with their mum and dad and thanked them for the trip. + +"We love you, mum and dad," they said. + +"We love you too, Sam and Lily," mum and dad said. + +They drove home, singing songs and telling stories. They laughed and smiled all the way. They had a brilliant day. +Tim and Sam were brothers who liked to play outside. One day, they saw a big red truck with a loud siren. It was a fire truck. They wanted to see what it was doing, so they ran after it. + +"Look, Sam, the fire truck is stopping at that house!" Tim said. "Maybe there is a fire!" + +"Let's go closer and see!" Sam said. They were very nosy. + +They crossed the street and ran to the house. They saw smoke and flame coming out of a window. They also saw some firemen with hoses and helmets. + +"Wow, that's scary!" Tim said. "But also cool!" + +"Maybe we can help!" Sam said. He saw a big hose on the ground. He picked it up and tried to turn it on. + +"Sam, don't!" Tim said. "That's not for us!" + +But it was too late. The hose was on and it sprayed water everywhere. Sam lost his grip and the hose rolled away. It hit one of the firemen and knocked him down. The fireman was angry and hurt. + +"Hey, you kids, what are you doing?" he shouted. "Get away from here! You're making things worse!" + +He grabbed the hose and turned it off. He called his partner to help him up. He glared at Tim and Sam. + +"You two are in big trouble!" he said. "You could have caused a bigger fire or hurt someone! Where are your parents?" + +Tim and Sam were scared and sorry. They wished they had not been so nosy. They wished they had stayed away from the fire truck. They wished they had listened to Tim. They started to cry. +Tim liked to play soccer with his friends at the park. He had a ball, a net, and some cones. That was his equipment. He liked to kick the ball and score goals. He was good at soccer. + +One day, a new boy came to the park. His name was Max. He had a bigger ball, a bigger net, and more cones. He said he was better at soccer than Tim. He said he wanted to play with Tim and his friends. + +Tim was anxious. He did not like Max. He did not want to play with him. He thought Max was mean and bossy. He wanted to play with his own equipment. He did not want to share. + +Max said he would show Tim how to play soccer. He said he would teach him some tricks. He said he would let him use his equipment. He said he would be nice. + +Tim did not believe him. He did not want to learn from Max. He did not want to use his equipment. He did not want to be nice. He wanted to quit. He wanted to go home. + +He told Max he did not want to play with him. He told him he did not like him. He told him he wanted to quit. He took his ball, his net, and his cones. He ran away from the park. + +Max was angry. He did not understand why Tim quit. He did not understand why Tim did not like him. He did not understand why Tim did not want to play with him. He was sad and lonely. + +He wished he had a friend to play soccer with. He wished he had been nicer to Tim. He wished he had not been mean and bossy. He wished he had not made Tim quit. +Lily liked to play with her dolls. She had many dolls, but her favorite was Anna. Anna had a blue dress and long hair. Lily liked to brush Anna's hair and make her talk. + +One day, Lily was playing with Anna in her room. She put Anna on a chair and said, "You are a princess, Anna. You are very good and pretty." Lily pretended to be a fairy and waved a wand. She said, "I will give you a wish, Anna. What do you want?" + +Anna did not say anything, because she was a doll. But Lily imagined that Anna said, "I want a friend, Lily. A friend like you." + +Lily smiled and said, "OK, Anna. I will make a friend for you." She waved her wand again and said, "Abracadabra, make a friend appear!" + +Lily looked around the room, but she did not see anyone. She felt sad and said, "Oh, no. It did not work. There is no friend for Anna." + +But then, she heard a noise behind the chair. She looked and saw a small kitten. The kitten was white and fluffy. It had blue eyes and a pink nose. It looked at Lily and Anna and meowed. + +Lily was surprised and happy. She said, "Wow, a kitten! How did you get here? Did you come from my wand?" + +The kitten did not answer, because it was a kitten. But it jumped on the chair and rubbed its head against Anna. It purred and licked Anna's hair. + +Lily laughed and said, "Look, Anna. You have a friend. A friend like me. A friend who is good and pretty. And soft and cuddly." + +Anna did not move, because she was a doll. But Lily imagined that Anna smiled and said, "Thank you, Lily. Thank you for my wish. I love you and I love my friend." + +Lily hugged Anna and the kitten and said, "I love you too, Anna. And I love our friend. You are the best dolls ever." +Lily did not like to bathe. She thought it was too cold and too wet and too boring. She wanted to play with her toys and watch her cartoons. But Mommy said she had to bathe every night before bed. + +"Come on, Lily, it's time to bathe," Mommy said. "You can choose your favorite soap and your favorite towel." + +"No, Mommy, no!" Lily said. "I don't want to bathe! I want to play!" + +Mommy sighed. She knew Lily was tired and cranky. She tried to be patient and gentle. + +"Lily, you have to bathe. It's good for you. It makes you clean and fresh and healthy. And it's fun! You can splash and sing and make bubbles. Please, Lily, don't make a fuss. It will only take a few minutes." + +Lily pouted. She did not think it was fun. She thought it was yucky and silly and hard. She did not want to be clean and fresh and healthy. She wanted to be dirty and cozy and happy. + +"Mommy, please, no!" Lily said. "I'm scared! I don't like the water! It's too loud and too deep and too fast!" + +Mommy hugged Lily. She knew Lily was not really scared. She was just trying to avoid the bath. But she also knew Lily needed some comfort and encouragement. + +"Lily, you're not scared. You're brave. You can do anything you set your mind to. You've bathed many times before, and you've always been fine. The water is not loud or deep or fast. It's warm and gentle and slow. And I'm right here with you. I won't leave you alone. I'll help you and talk to you and make you laugh. How about we count to ten and then we go to the bath?" + +Lily looked at Mommy. She saw Mommy's smile and felt Mommy's hug. She heard Mommy's words and knew Mommy loved her. She thought maybe Mommy was right. Maybe she was brave. Maybe she could bathe. + +"Okay, Mommy," Lily said. "Let's count to ten. And then we go to the bath. But only for a few minutes. And then we play." + +Mommy nodded. She was proud of Lily. She knew Lily was brave. She knew Lily could bathe. + +"Okay, Lily," Mommy said. "Let's count to ten. One, two, three..." +Tom and Lily are friends. They like to play in the garden. They see many flowers and bugs. They also see a big plant with green leaves. Tom says, "What is this plant? It smells good." + +Lily says, "This is an herb. My mom uses it to cook. She says it makes food tasty. Do you want to try it?" + +Tom nods. He picks a leaf and puts it in his mouth. He bites it. He makes a face. He spits it out. He says, "Yuck! This is not tasty. This is bitter. I don't like it." + +Lily laughs. She says, "You have to cook it first. You can't eat it raw. It is not for biting. It is for cooking." + +Tom says, "Oh, I see. I'm sorry, herb. I didn't know. Can we still be friends?" + +The herb does not answer. It is a plant. It does not talk. But it does not mind. It is glad that Tom and Lily like to play in the garden. It is glad that they are curious and happy. It is glad that they are friends. +Sara and Ben were playing in the garden. They liked to dig and water the plants. Mom had a big tomato plant that gave many red and juicy tomatoes. Sara and Ben wanted to pick some for lunch. + +"Look, this one is big and ripe!" Sara said, pointing to a tomato. She reached for it, but Ben stopped her. + +"Wait, Sara. You have to rub it first. Mom said so. It makes it shiny and clean." Ben said. He took the tomato and rubbed it with his hands. + +"Why?" Sara asked. + +"Because sometimes there are bugs or dirt on it. And they are smelly and yucky. You don't want to eat them, do you?" Ben said. + +"No, I don't. Let me rub it too." Sara said. She took the tomato and rubbed it with Ben. + +They rubbed and rubbed, until the tomato was very shiny and clean. They smiled and put it in their basket. They picked some more tomatoes, rubbing each one carefully. + +They were happy and proud of their work. They ran to the kitchen to show Mom their tomatoes. + +"Wow, you did a great job, Sara and Ben! These tomatoes look delicious. Thank you for helping me in the garden." Mom said. + +"You're welcome, Mom. We rubbed them all. They are not smelly or yucky." Sara said. + +"That's right. You are very smart and careful. Now, let's wash our hands and make some tomato salad for lunch. How does that sound?" Mom said. + +"Yay, tomato salad! We love tomato salad!" Sara and Ben said. + +They washed their hands and followed Mom to the table. They enjoyed their lunch and their tomatoes. They were happy and full. +Lily loved her doll very much. She named her doll Anna and gave her a pink dress and a hat. She took Anna everywhere she went, even to the park. Lily liked to swing on the swings with Anna and pretend they were flying. + +One day, Lily met a boy named Max at the park. Max was bigger than Lily and he had a toy car. He saw Lily and Anna on the swings and he wanted to play with them. He ran over to Lily and said, "Can I see your doll?" + +Lily was scared of Max. He looked mean and loud. She hugged Anna and said, "No, this is my doll. Go away!" + +Max did not listen. He grabbed Anna from Lily and said, "I want to swing with your doll. She looks fun." + +Lily cried and tried to get Anna back. But Max was stronger and he pushed Lily away. He put Anna on the swing and pushed it hard. Anna flew in the air and landed on the ground. Her dress was torn and her hat was gone. She looked sad and broken. + +Lily ran to Anna and picked her up. She was angry and sad. She yelled at Max, "You are a bad boy! You hurt my doll! She is delicate and precious. You have to say sorry!" + +Max felt sorry. He saw that Lily was upset and that Anna was damaged. He did not mean to hurt them. He said, "I'm sorry, Lily. I was wrong. I should have asked you nicely. Can I help you fix your doll?" + +Lily looked at Max. She saw that he was sorry and that he wanted to help. She said, "Okay, Max. You can help me. But you have to be gentle and kind. Anna is my friend and I love her." + +Max nodded and smiled. He said, "Okay, Lily. I will be gentle and kind. Anna is your friend and you love her. Can we be friends too?" + +Lily smiled and nodded. She said, "Yes, Max. We can be friends too. But you have to share and play nicely. Can we swing together?" + +Max agreed and they went to the swings. They swung together with Anna and had fun. They learned to be nice and respectful. They became good friends. +Lily and Tom are friends. They like to play in the park. They see a big dish on the grass. The dish is shiny and round. It looks like a moon. + +"Let's jump on the dish!" Lily says. "Maybe we can fly to the moon!" + +Tom nods. He likes to fly. They run to the dish and jump on it. The dish is not strong. It breaks with a loud noise. Lily and Tom fall on the grass. + +"Ow! That hurt!" Tom says. He rubs his knee. It is red and sore. + +"Sorry, Tom. I did not know the dish was weak." Lily says. She feels bad. She hugs Tom. + +A man comes to the park. He is angry. He is the owner of the dish. The dish is his art. He made it for a show. He shouts at Lily and Tom. + +"Hey, you! What did you do to my dish? You broke it! You are bad kids!" + +Lily and Tom are scared. They do not like the man. They do not understand his words. They only hear noise. + +The man does not know that Lily and Tom are deaf. They cannot hear him. They only see his mouth move. They use their hands to talk. + +"Who is he?" Tom asks Lily with his hands. + +"I don't know. He is mad. Let's go." Lily answers with her hands. + +They get up and run away. They leave the park. They go to their homes. They are safe. They are still friends. They still like to play. But they do not like dishes. They like balls. Balls are fun. Balls are strong. Balls do not break. +Tom likes to make blueberry pies with his mom. They go to the market and buy fresh blueberries. They wash them and put them in a big bowl. Then they mix flour, butter, sugar and water in another bowl. They roll the dough and put it in a pie pan. They add the blueberries and some more sugar on top. They put the pie in the oven and wait for it to bake. + +Tom's dad is a fireman. He works at the fire station. He helps people when there is a fire or an accident. He is very brave and reliable. He always comes home when his shift is over. He loves to eat blueberry pies with Tom and his mom. He says they are the best pies in the world. + +One day, Tom's dad has to go to a big fire. He tells Tom and his mom to be careful and he will be back soon. Tom and his mom are worried. They watch the news and see the fire on TV. They hope Tom's dad is OK. They decide to make a blueberry pie for him. They follow the same steps as before. They put the pie in the oven and wait for it to bake. + +Tom's dad comes home after the fire is out. He is tired and dirty. He hugs Tom and his mom. He tells them he is OK and he is proud of them. He smells the blueberry pie and smiles. He says it is the best surprise ever. He cuts a big slice and shares it with Tom and his mom. They eat the pie and talk about their day. They are happy and grateful. They love each other very much. +Sara and Ben are playing in the park. They like to slide and swing and run. But they do not like the big dog that lives next to the park. The big dog is noisy and scary. He barks and growls and chases them. + +One day, the big dog gets out of his yard. He runs to the park and sees Sara and Ben. He wants to play with them, but they do not want to play with him. They are afraid of him. They scream and run away. + +"Help! Help!" Sara and Ben scream. "The big dog is coming!" + +They see a big tree. They have an idea. They climb the tree and hide in the branches. The big dog cannot climb the tree. He stays under the tree and barks and jumps. + +"Go away, big dog!" Sara and Ben shout. "You are noisy and scary! We do not want to play with you!" + +The big dog does not understand. He thinks they are playing a game. He waits for them to come down. He does not give up. + +Sara and Ben are stuck in the tree. They do not know what to do. They hope someone will come and help them. They hope the big dog will go away. They are tired and scared. They wish they had not come to the park. They wish they had stayed at home. +Sam and Mia were twins who liked to play outside. They had a big yard with many flowers and trees. They also had a dog named Spot who was their best friend. Spot liked to run and jump and dig holes in the yard. + +One day, Sam and Mia's parents told them they had to go to a hotel for a few days. They said they had some work to do and they could not take Spot with them. They said they would leave Spot with their neighbor, Mr. Lee, who had a big farm. They said Spot would have fun with the other animals and they would come back soon. + +Sam and Mia were sad to leave Spot, but they packed their bags and got in the car. They hugged and kissed Spot and told him to be good. Spot wagged his tail and licked their faces. He did not know why they were leaving him. + +Mr. Lee came to pick up Spot and took him to his farm. He put Spot in a big cage with some chickens and pigs. He said he would feed him and give him water, but he did not play with him or pet him. Spot was lonely and scared. He missed Sam and Mia and his yard. He barked and whined and tried to get out of the cage. + +One night, Spot saw a hole in the cage. He squeezed through it and ran away. He wanted to find Sam and Mia and go home. He ran and ran until he came to a road. He saw a car coming fast. He did not know what to do. He froze in the middle of the road. The car hit him and he felt a lot of pain. He closed his eyes and did not move. + +The next day, Sam and Mia came back from the hotel. They were happy to see their home and their yard. They asked their parents where Spot was. They said they wanted to play with him and hug him. Their parents looked sad and told them what happened. They said Spot was gone and they had to bury him. They said they were sorry and they loved them. + +Sam and Mia cried and cried. They did not want to bury Spot. They wanted him to be alive and happy. They went to the yard and dug a hole. They put Spot in the hole and covered him with dirt. They put some flowers and a toy on top. They said goodbye to Spot and told him they loved him. They hugged each other and wished he was still with them. + +The yard was quiet and peaceful, but Sam and Mia were not. They were sad and angry and lonely. They missed Spot and they hated the hotel and the car and the cage. They wished they never had to leave him. They wished they could have him back. They wished they could have a different ending. +Tom and Mia like to play in the park. They run, jump, and swing on the swings. But Tom's favorite thing is the slide. He likes to go down fast and feel the wind in his hair. + +One day, Tom and Mia go to the park with their mom. Tom runs to the slide, but he sees a big boy on it. The big boy is not nice. He does not let anyone else use the slide. He says it is his slide and he pushes and shouts at the other kids. + +Tom is not scared of the big boy. He is persistent. He wants to use the slide too. He waits for his turn, but the big boy does not move. Tom tries to climb up the ladder, but the big boy kicks him. Tom falls and hurts his knee. He cries. + +Mia sees what happens. She is angry. She runs to Tom and hugs him. She tells him it is okay. She tells the big boy to stop being mean. She says the slide is for everyone. The big boy laughs and says no. He says he is bigger and stronger and he can do what he wants. + +Mia is persistent too. She does not give up. She has an idea. She looks around and sees a pile of leaves. She picks up some leaves and throws them at the big boy. The leaves hit his face and make him sneeze. He is surprised and loses his balance. He stumbles and falls off the slide. He lands on the ground with a thud. + +Tom and Mia smile. They climb up the ladder and slide down together. They have fun. They share the slide with the other kids. The big boy gets up and runs away. He is not happy. He learned a lesson. He learned that being mean is not good. He learned that being persistent is good. He learned that sharing is good. +Anna and Ben are twins. They like to play together. Sometimes they share their toys, but sometimes they fight. + +One day, they find a big box in the garage. Inside the box, there are many old things. They see hats, books, scarves, and shoes. Anna and Ben want to try them on. + +Anna picks a red hat and a blue scarf. She puts them on and says, "Look at me! I am a princess!" Ben picks a black hat and a green book. He puts them on and says, "Look at me! I am a wizard!" + +They have fun pretending to be different people. They laugh and make stories. + +Then, Anna sees a pair of shiny shoes. They are silver and have stars on them. Anna wants the shoes. She says, "Wow! These are the best shoes ever! I want them!" + +But Ben sees the shoes too. He wants the shoes. He says, "No, these are the best shoes ever! I want them!" + +Anna and Ben both reach for the shoes. They pull and tug. They yell and cry. They are angry and sad. + +Mom hears the noise. She comes to the garage. She sees Anna and Ben fighting over the shoes. She says, "Stop! What are you doing? Why are you fighting?" + +Anna and Ben tell Mom that they both want the shoes. They say that the shoes are the best shoes ever. They say that they are not fair. + +Mom looks at the shoes. She says, "These shoes are very old. They are not the best shoes ever. They are Grandma's shoes. She wore them when she was young. She loved them very much. She was very compassionate. She helped many people. She gave them food, clothes, and hugs. She was happy and kind." + +Anna and Ben listen to Mom. They feel sorry. They say, "We are sorry, Mom. We did not know. We love Grandma. She is compassionate too. She helps us. She gives us cookies, stories, and kisses. She is happy and kind." + +Mom smiles. She says, "I am glad you love Grandma. She loves you too. She would be happy if you played with her shoes. But you have to share them. You have to be compassionate too. You have to help each other. You have to be happy and kind." + +Anna and Ben nod. They say, "Okay, Mom. We will share the shoes. We will be compassionate. We will help each other. We will be happy and kind." + +They hug Mom. They hug each other. They put on the shoes. They take turns pretending to be Grandma. They laugh and make stories. They are happy and kind. +Lily and Ben were playing in the backyard. They saw a big grill that their dad used to make food. They wanted to see what was inside. + +"Let's open it!" Lily said. + +"No, we can't. Dad said it is hot and we can get hurt." Ben said. + +But Lily did not listen. She pulled the lid and saw some coals that were still glowing. They looked like red stars. She reached out to touch them. + +"Ow!" She cried. She burned her hand and it hurt a lot. She ran to Ben and showed him her hand. + +"See, I told you. You should listen to dad. He knows what is good for us." Ben said. He hugged Lily and helped her go inside. + +Mom saw Lily's hand and put some ice on it. She was not angry, but she was sad. + +"Why did you touch the grill, Lily?" She asked. + +"I wanted to see the glow. It was pretty." Lily said. + +"I know, but it was also dangerous. The glow means it is hot and can hurt you. You should be careful and obey dad. He loves you and wants you to be safe." Mom said. + +Lily felt sorry. She learned her lesson. She said sorry to mom and dad and gave them a kiss. She was tired and wanted to sleep. She cuddled with Ben and they fell asleep. + +The moral of the story is: Listen to your parents and be careful with things that can hurt you. +Lila and Tom were friends who liked to play in the jungle. They liked to see the animals and the plants and the colors. One day, they saw a big hole in the ground. They wanted to know what was inside. + +"Let's go and look," said Lila. + +"OK, but be careful," said Tom. + +They walked to the hole and looked down. It was very dark and deep. They could not see anything. + +"Maybe there is a treasure," said Lila. + +"Or maybe there is a monster," said Tom. + +They heard a loud roar from the hole. It was a lion. The lion was hungry and angry. It jumped out of the hole and chased Lila and Tom. + +"Run, run, run!" shouted Tom. + +They ran as fast as they could. They tried to find a place to hide. But the lion was faster and stronger. It caught up with them and bit them. Lila and Tom screamed and cried. The lion ate them. + +The end. +Tim and Kim are twins. They like to play with their toys. One day, they find a big horn in the garage. It is old and dry. They wonder what it can do. + +"Let's blow the horn!" Tim says. He puts the horn to his mouth and tries to make a sound. But nothing happens. He tries again and again, but the horn is too dry. + +"Let me try!" Kim says. She takes the horn from Tim and blows hard. She makes a loud noise. "Wow! It works!" she says. + +But the noise is too loud. It makes Tim sneeze. He sneezes and sneezes. He can't stop. His nose is tickly. + +"Sorry, Tim!" Kim says. She puts the horn down and hugs him. "Are you okay?" + +Tim nods. He wipes his nose. He smiles. "It's okay, Kim. The horn is fun. But maybe we should play with something else. Something quieter." + +They look around the garage. They see a ball, a bike, and a teddy bear. They pick up the teddy bear and cuddle it. It is soft and warm. They like it. + +The end. +Tom and Sam were playing with their toys in the backyard. They liked to pretend they were soldiers and had guns and missiles. Tom had a unique missile that he got for his birthday. It was big and red and made a loud noise when he pushed a button. + +"Look at my missile, Sam. It is the best one ever. You can't have it. It is mine," Tom said. + +Sam felt sad and angry. He wanted to play with the missile too. He thought Tom was not a good friend. He decided to pay him back. He waited until Tom was not looking and grabbed the missile. He ran away with it. + +"Hey, give me back my missile, Sam. That is not fair. You are a thief," Tom shouted. He chased after Sam. + +Sam ran into the street with the missile. He did not see the car coming. The car hit Sam and the missile. There was a big crash and a loud boom. Sam and the missile were broken. Tom saw what happened and screamed. + +The end. +Anna was very excited. Today was her birthday. She woke up early and ran to the living room. She saw a big box with a bow on the table. It was a present for her. + +"Mommy, Daddy, can I open it?" she asked. + +"Not yet, sweetie. You have to wait for your friends to come. They will bring you more presents. And we have a cake and balloons for you too," Mommy said. + +Anna pouted. She wanted to open her present now. She wondered what was inside. Maybe it was a doll, or a book, or a puzzle. She loved all those things. + +She decided to mind her present. She sat next to it and looked at it. She touched the bow and the paper. She shook it gently and listened. She smelled it and smiled. She imagined all the fun she would have with it. + +Soon, the doorbell rang. Anna's friends were here. They had presents for her too. They hugged her and wished her a happy birthday. They played games and sang songs. They ate cake and blew out the candles. + +Then, it was time to open the presents. Anna was the first one. She tore the paper and opened the box. She gasped. It was a teddy bear. A big, soft, brown teddy bear. She loved it. + +"Thank you, Mommy and Daddy. This is the best present ever. I will name him Teddy and he will be my friend," she said. + +"You're welcome, honey. We're glad you like it. Happy birthday, Anna," Mommy and Daddy said. + +Anna hugged Teddy and smiled. She was very happy. She shared her presents with her friends and they played with them. They had a lot of fun. It was a great birthday. Anna was very excited. +Sara liked to number her toys. She had many toys, but she loved some more than others. She gave them numbers from one to ten. One was the best, and ten was the worst. + +Her doll was number one. She loved her doll very much. She gave her a name, Lily, and a dress, and a hat. She played with her every day. She was very delicate, so Sara was careful with her. + +Her ball was number ten. She did not love her ball at all. She never played with it. It was hard and dirty and boring. She kicked it away when she saw it. + +One day, Sara's brother Tom came to her room. He saw her toys and wanted to play with them. He did not know their numbers. He grabbed Lily and threw her in the air. He caught her and threw her again. + +Sara was very angry. She shouted at Tom. "Stop! Stop! That is my doll! She is number one! She is delicate! You will break her!" + +Tom did not listen. He laughed and threw Lily higher. Lily flew out of his hands and hit the wall. She fell to the floor. Her dress was torn and her hat was lost. Her arm was broken. + +Sara ran to Lily and picked her up. She cried and hugged her. She was very sad. She looked at Tom and said, "You are very bad! You do not know how to number! You do not know how to love! You do not know how to be delicate!" +Anna likes to sing. She sings when she wakes up, when she eats, when she plays. She sings loud and happy. She makes up songs about her toys, her family, her friends. + +One day, Anna goes to the park with her mom. She sees a big car. The car is shiny and red. It has four doors and a roof that can open and close. Anna thinks the car is pretty. She wants to see it closer. + +She runs to the car and touches it. She sings, "Car, car, you are so nice. Car, car, you are so bright. Car, car, you make me smile. Car, car, can I ride?" + +A man comes out of the car. He is wearing a suit and a hat. He looks angry. He says, "Hey, kid, get away from my car. This is not a toy. This is a very expensive car. Only rich people can have this car. You are not rich. You are poor. Go away." + +Anna feels sad and scared. She does not understand why the man is so mean. She says, "I'm sorry, sir. I just like your car. I was singing a song. I did not hurt your car. Please don't be mad." + +The man does not listen. He says, "I don't care about your song. You have no business here. Go back to your mom. And don't ever touch my car again." + +He gets in his car and drives away. Anna runs to her mom and hugs her. She cries. Her mom says, "It's okay, Anna. Don't mind that man. He is not nice. He does not know how to share. He does not know how to be happy. You are a good girl. You have a beautiful voice. You can sing whatever you want. You are rich in love and joy. And that is more important than any car." +Anna and Ben like to play music. They have a band with their toys. Anna plays the drum and Ben plays the guitar. They make loud noises and have fun. + +One day, Mom says they have to quit. She says it is time for nap. Anna and Ben do not want to nap. They want to play more music. + +"Please, Mom, can we play a little more?" Anna asks. + +"No, you have to quit now. You are tired and you need to rest. Your toys are tired too. Look, they are falling asleep." Mom says. + +Anna and Ben look at their toys. They see that their drum, guitar, and other toys are lying on the floor. They look sleepy and quiet. + +"Maybe Mom is right. Maybe we are tired too." Ben says. + +"OK, Mom, we will quit. But can we play music again later?" Anna says. + +"Of course, you can. But first, you have to nap. Come on, let's go to your room. I will read you a story." Mom says. + +Anna and Ben pick up their toys and follow Mom. They say goodbye to their band and thank them for playing. They go to their room and lie on their bed. Mom reads them a story and they close their eyes. They dream of music and their band. They are happy. +Lily was a little girl who loved animals. She had a cat, a dog and a fish at home. She liked to watch them play and cuddle with them. She also liked to learn new things about animals. She had a book with many pictures of animals from different places. + +One day, she went to the zoo with her mom and dad. She was very excited to see all the animals there. She saw lions, monkeys, elephants and more. She pointed at each animal and said its name. She tried to remember what her book said about them. + +She saw a big animal with black and white stripes. She knew it was a zebra. She liked its long tail and its graceful way of running. She wanted to touch it, but her mom said no. She said the zebra might bite or kick. Lily understood and stayed behind the fence. + +She saw another animal with a long neck and brown spots. She knew it was a giraffe. She liked its big eyes and its gentle face. She wanted to feed it, but her dad said no. He said the giraffe might be full or scared. Lily understood and waved at it. + +She saw one more animal that she did not recognize. It had a big body, a small head and a very long nose. It was gray and wrinkly. It made a loud noise and sprayed water from its nose. Lily was curious and asked her mom what it was. Her mom said it was an elephant. She said it was very smart and strong. Lily was amazed and wanted to learn more about it. She asked her mom to read her the book about elephants when they got home. Her mom said yes and smiled. Lily was happy and hugged her mom. She loved animals and the zoo. +Lily and Max are playing in the yard. They like to run and jump and laugh. They see a big ball in the garage. They want to play with it. + +"Can we get the ball, Mom?" Lily asks. + +"Sure, but be careful. The garage is messy and dark. Don't touch anything else," Mom says. + +Lily and Max run to the garage. They find the ball behind some boxes. It is red and blue and shiny. They are happy. + +"Look, Max, a nice ball!" Lily says. + +"Let's bounce it, Lily!" Max says. + +They take the ball outside. They bounce it high and low. They have fun. + +But then, the ball goes too high. It flies over the fence. They can't see it anymore. + +"Oh no, Max, we lost the ball!" Lily says. + +"What do we do, Lily?" Max says. + +They are sad. They run to Mom. They tell her what happened. + +"Don't worry, kids. It's okay. The ball is not ours. It belongs to our neighbor, Mr. Lee. He is nice. He will give it back to us," Mom says. + +"Really, Mom?" Lily says. + +"Yes, really. Come on, let's go and ask him. Maybe he will let you play with it some more," Mom says. + +Lily and Max smile. They run with Mom to Mr. Lee's house. They hope he has the ball. They hope he is nice. +Lily was a beautiful cat. She had soft fur and big eyes. She liked to play with her toys and sleep in the sun. But she was lonely. She wanted a friend to share her fun. + +One day, she saw a rat in the garden. The rat was small and brown. He had a long tail and sharp teeth. He looked scared of Lily. Lily wanted to talk to him. + +"Hello, rat," she said. "Do you want to play with me?" + +The rat shook his head. "No, thank you, cat," he said. "You are big and strong. You might hurt me." + +Lily felt sad. She did not want to hurt the rat. She wanted to be his friend. + +"Please, rat," she said. "I will not hurt you. I will be nice to you. We can play with my toys and sleep in the sun. I will include you in my fun." + +The rat looked at Lily. He saw that she was not mean. He saw that she was lonely. He felt sorry for her. + +"Okay, cat," he said. "I will play with you. But be careful. Do not bite me or scratch me." + +Lily was happy. She smiled at the rat. She showed him her toys and shared them with him. They played and chased and rolled. They had fun. + +Then they lay down in the sun. They snuggled and purred. They became friends. + +Lily was not lonely anymore. She had a friend to share her fun. The rat was not scared anymore. He had a friend to protect him. They were happy. +Lily and Ben were friends who liked to play in the park. One day, they found a shiny gem in the grass. It was red and sparkly and made them happy. + +"Wow, look at this gem!" Lily said. "It is so pretty!" + +"Can I see it?" Ben asked. "I want to hold it too!" + +Lily did not want to share the gem. She hugged it to her chest and said, "No, it is mine! I found it first!" + +Ben felt sad and angry. He said, "That is not fair! You are being mean! We should share the gem, it is big enough for both of us!" + +Lily and Ben started to argue and tug at the gem. They did not notice a poor man who was sitting on a bench nearby. He had no home, no food, and no friends. He saw the children fighting over the gem and felt sorry for them. + +He walked over to them and said, "Hello, little ones. Why are you fighting over this gem? It is just a stone, it cannot make you happy. Happiness comes from sharing and caring, not from having and keeping. Why don't you give the gem to me? I will sell it and buy some food and clothes for myself. Then I will share some with you, and we can all be happy." + +Lily and Ben looked at the poor man. They saw his ragged clothes, his dirty face, and his kind eyes. They felt ashamed of their selfishness and realized that the gem was not as important as they thought. They said, "We are sorry, sir. We were being silly. You can have the gem, we don't need it. We hope you can find some happiness with it." + +The poor man smiled and thanked them. He took the gem and walked away. Lily and Ben hugged each other and said, "We are sorry, too. We are still friends, right?" + +"Of course we are," they said. "We have something better than a gem. We have each other." +Lila and Ben were best friends. They liked to play in the snow and make snowmen and snowballs. One day, they decided to build an igloo with the snow. They worked hard and made a big igloo with a door and a window. + +"Wow, our igloo is so cool!" Lila said. "We are very intelligent to make it." + +"Yes, we are!" Ben agreed. "Let's go inside and pretend we live here." + +They crawled inside the igloo and sat on the floor. They pretended they were snow people and had snow pets and snow food. They had a lot of fun. + +But they did not know that the sun was shining very bright. The sun made the snow melt and the igloo weaker. The igloo started to drip and crack. + +"Uh-oh, I feel wet," Lila said. "The igloo is soaking us." + +"Me too," Ben said. "The igloo is breaking. We have to get out." + +They tried to crawl out of the door, but it was too late. The igloo collapsed on them and buried them under the snow. They could not breathe or move. They were very scared and cold. + +"Help, help!" they cried. But no one heard them. They were stuck in the snow. They were very sad. The end. +Sara likes to play in the garden. She sees a bird on a tree. The bird is blue and yellow. Sara thinks the bird is pretty. She wants to say hello to the bird. + +Sara walks to the tree. She says, "Hi, bird. I am Sara. Do you want to be my friend?" The bird looks at Sara. The bird says, "Tweet, tweet." Sara smiles. She thinks the bird is nice. + +Sara says, "Do you want to play with me, bird? I have a ball. We can roll the ball. It is fun." The bird says, "Tweet, tweet." The bird flies down from the tree. The bird lands on the ball. The ball moves. The bird falls off the ball. Sara laughs. She thinks the bird is silly. + +Sara says, "Are you OK, bird? That was funny. You can try again. I will help you." The bird says, "Tweet, tweet." The bird hops on the ball. Sara holds the ball. She says, "Ready, bird? One, two, three." Sara lets go of the ball. The ball rolls. The bird stays on the ball. Sara claps. She says, "Good job, bird. You did it." + +The bird says, "Tweet, tweet." The bird flies to Sara. The bird lands on Sara's head. Sara giggles. She says, "You are a good friend, bird. I like you. You can stay with me. You are welcome in my garden." The bird says, "Tweet, tweet." The bird gives Sara a kiss. Sara hugs the bird. She says, "I love you, bird. You are the best." +Lily and Tom are friends. They like to play in the park. They spend a lot of time on the swings, the slide and the seesaw. They have fun together. + +One day, they see a new toy in the park. It is a big ball. It is red and shiny. It is popular. Many children want to play with it. Lily and Tom want to play with it too. + +They run to the ball. They try to grab it. But another child has it. He is bigger than them. He does not want to share. He says, "This is my ball. Go away!" + +Lily and Tom are sad. They do not like the big child. They think he is mean. They walk away from the ball. They look for another toy. + +They find a pile of leaves on the ground. It is brown and crunchy. It is not popular. No one wants to play with it. But Lily and Tom think it is fun. They jump into the leaves. They throw them in the air. They laugh and giggle. + +They forget about the ball. They are happy. They have their own toy. They spend the rest of the day in the leaves. They are still friends. +Ben and Lily were twins who liked to play a lot. They had many toys and games in their room, but their favorite was to pretend they were explorers. They would use their blankets and pillows to make tents and caves, and their stuffed animals to be their friends or enemies. + +One day, they decided to explore the wide jungle in their backyard. They put on their hats and backpacks, and took their binoculars and maps. They said goodbye to their mom, who told them to be back before nap time. + +They had a lot of fun in the jungle. They saw birds and bugs and flowers. They climbed trees and rocks and bridges. They found a secret waterfall and a hidden treasure. They felt very successful and happy. + +But they did not watch the time. They played for too long, and did not hear their mom calling them. They did not notice the sky getting dark and the wind getting cold. They did not see the big storm coming. + +When they realized they had to go back, it was too late. The rain was pouring and the thunder was roaring. They could not find their way home. They were lost and scared and wet. They wished they had listened to their mom and taken a nap. They cried and hugged each other, hoping someone would find them. But no one did. The end. +Ben and Mia are two rabbits who live in a hut in the woods. They like to hop and play with their friends, but they do not like to clean their hut. Their hut is very messy, with toys, clothes, and carrots everywhere. + +One day, their mother comes to visit them. She knocks on the door of the hut and says, "Hello, Ben and Mia. Can I come in?" Ben and Mia are scared. They know their mother does not like messes. They try to hide their things under the bed and behind the sofa, but it is too late. + +Their mother opens the door and sees the mess. She is not happy. She says, "Ben and Mia, what is this? Your hut is very messy. You need to clean it up right now. Or you will not get any dessert tonight." + +Ben and Mia are sad. They do not want to miss dessert. They love dessert. They say, "We are sorry, mother. We will clean our hut. Please do not be mad at us." They start to pick up their toys, clothes, and carrots and put them in their places. + +Their mother smiles. She says, "That's good, Ben and Mia. I am glad you are sorry. And I am proud of you for cleaning your hut. If you finish soon, we can have some cake and milk together. How does that sound?" + +Ben and Mia are happy. They say, "That sounds great, mother. Thank you. We love you." They hug their mother and finish cleaning their hut. Then they hop to the kitchen and enjoy their dessert. They learn their lesson. They decide to keep their hut tidy from now on. +Lily and Ben were twins. They liked to play and share. One day, their mom said, "I have a surprise for you. Come to the kitchen." + +They ran to the kitchen and saw a big cake on the table. It was a beautiful cake. It had pink frosting and sprinkles. It had candles and a sign that said, "Happy Birthday, Lily and Ben!" + +"Wow!" Lily and Ben said. "Thank you, mom! You are the best!" + +Mom smiled and hugged them. "You are welcome, my loves. You are four years old today. I am so proud of you. I made this cake to provide you with joy and sweetness." + +Lily and Ben hugged mom back. They felt happy and loved. They blew out the candles and made a wish. They wished for more fun and more cake. They cut the cake and ate it. It was delicious. They shared it with mom and dad. They had a wonderful birthday. They thanked mom for the beautiful cake. Mom thanked them for being her beautiful twins. +Lily liked to watch television. She liked to see the animals and the colors and the songs. She had a big television in her living room. She wanted to share it with her friend Ben. + +She called Ben on the phone. "Ben, do you want to come to my house and watch television?" she asked. + +"Yes, I do!" Ben said. "What are we going to watch?" + +"We can watch anything you like," Lily said. "I have many DVDs." + +"OK, I will come soon," Ben said. "Bye, Lily." + +Lily was happy. She ran to her room and picked some DVDs. She liked the ones with the bears and the rabbits and the birds. She hoped Ben would like them too. + +She put the DVDs on the table and waited for Ben. She heard a knock on the door. She opened it and saw Ben. He had a big smile and a small bag. + +"Hi, Lily!" he said. "I brought something for you." + +"What is it?" Lily asked. + +Ben opened his bag and took out a box. It was a box of chocolates. Lily loved chocolates. She thanked Ben and gave him a hug. + +"Let's go watch television," she said. + +They went to the living room and sat on the couch. Lily turned on the television and put a DVD. It was a story about a bear and a rabbit who were friends. + +They watched and laughed and ate chocolates. They had a lot of fun. + +But then, Lily noticed something. The chocolates were bitter. They were not sweet like she expected. They made her mouth feel funny. She looked at Ben. He looked funny too. He was making a face. + +"Lily, these chocolates are bitter," he said. "They are not good." + +Lily nodded. She felt bad. She wanted to give Ben something nice, not something bitter. + +She remembered something. She had a box of cookies in the kitchen. She had made them with her mom. They were sweet and crunchy and yummy. + +She had an idea. She paused the DVD and said to Ben, "Ben, I have something else for you. Come with me." + +She took his hand and led him to the kitchen. She showed him the box of cookies. She opened it and gave him one. + +"Try this," she said. "It is a cookie. I made it with my mom. It is sweet and crunchy and yummy." + +Ben took a bite. He smiled. He liked the cookie. It was sweet and crunchy and yummy. + +"Thank you, Lily," he said. "This is a good cookie. You are a good friend." + +Lily smiled too. She was happy. She gave him another cookie and took one for herself. + +They ate the cookies and went back to the living room. They watched the rest of the DVD and enjoyed the story. + +They had a good day. They invited each other to share something nice. They learned that sometimes things are bitter, but sometimes things are sweet. And the sweet things are better. +Tim and Lily like to play basketball. They have a big ball that is orange and black. They take turns to throw the ball into the hoop. Sometimes they miss, but they do not get mad. They laugh and try again. + +One day, a new boy comes to the park. His name is Sam. He has a small ball that is red and blue. He wants to play with Tim and Lily. He asks them, "Can I play with you?" + +Tim and Lily are friendly. They say, "Yes, you can play with us. Do you know how to play basketball?" + +Sam says, "No, I do not know. Can you teach me?" + +Tim and Lily nod. They show Sam how to hold the ball, how to bounce the ball, and how to throw the ball. Sam tries to do what they do. He feels happy. He says, "This is fun. Thank you for teaching me." + +Tim and Lily smile. They say, "You are welcome. You are a good learner. Do you want to play a game with us?" + +Sam says, "Yes, I do. Let's play a game." + +They divide into two teams. Tim and Sam are on one team, and Lily is on the other team. They play basketball until it is time to go home. They have a lot of fun. They feel tired, but they also feel proud. They say goodbye to each other. They promise to play again soon. +Lila was a little girl who loved to dance. She danced in her room, in the garden, and in the park. She danced with her dolls, her dog, and her friends. She danced when she was happy, when she was sad, and when she was bored. She danced all the time. + +One day, Lila saw a big poster of a dance show. It had bright colors, sparkles, and stars. It said, "Come and see the most amazing dancers in the world!" Lila wanted to go and see the show. She asked her mom if they could go, but her mom said no. She said, "The show is too far, too expensive, and too dangerous. The dancers do tricks that are not safe for little girls. You can dance at home, but not at the show." + +Lila was very sad. She did not understand why her mom said no. She thought the show would be fun and beautiful. She wanted to see the dancers in the world. She decided to sneak out of her house and go to the show by herself. She took her backpack, her bike, and her money. She did not tell her mom where she was going. + +Lila rode her bike to the show. She saw many cars, buses, and people on the road. She was scared, but she kept going. She found the place where the show was. She bought a ticket and went inside. She saw a big stage, bright lights, and loud music. She saw the dancers in the world. They wore costumes, makeup, and shoes. They jumped, spun, and flipped. They looked like they were flying. + +Lila was amazed. She wanted to dance like them. She went to the front of the stage and tried to copy their moves. She did not see the sign that said, "Do not go on the stage. It is dangerous." She did not hear the people who shouted, "Get off the stage. It is dangerous." She did not feel the wires, the props, and the fire that were on the stage. She only saw the dancers in the world. + +But then, something bad happened. Lila tripped on a wire and fell. She hit her head on a prop and cut her arm on a fire. She screamed and cried. The music stopped, the lights went off, and the dancers stopped. They saw Lila on the stage. They were shocked and scared. They ran to help her. They called for a doctor and an ambulance. They asked her, "Who are you? Where is your mom? Why did you come on the stage? Don't you know it is dangerous?" + +Lila was hurt and scared. She realized she made a big mistake. She said, "I'm sorry. I'm Lila. I love to dance. I wanted to see the dancers in the world. I did not know it was dangerous. I did not listen to my mom. I ran away from home. I'm sorry." + +The dancers felt sorry for Lila. They said, "It's okay. We understand. We love to dance too. But we also know the rules. We practice a lot, we wear safety gear, and we listen to our teachers. We do not go on the stage when we are not supposed to. We do not do tricks that are not safe for us. We respect the stage and the show. We do not want to get hurt or hurt others. Dancing is fun, but it can also be dangerous. You have to be careful and smart." + +Lila learned a lesson. She said, "Thank you. I learned a lesson. I will be careful and smart. I will respect the stage and the show. I will not run away from home. I will listen to my mom. She knows what is best for me. She loves me and wants me to be safe. I love her and I want her to be happy. I will go back to her and say sorry. I will dance at home, but not at the show." + +The dancers hugged Lila and gave her a bandage, a sticker, and a ticket. They said, "You're welcome. We hope you feel better. We hope you still love to dance. You can come and see the show again, but only with your mom. She can buy a ticket and sit with you. She can watch you and cheer for you. She can see the dancers in the world, but also see you, the dancer in her world." + +Lila smiled and said, "Thank you. I will do that. I will come and see the show again, but only with my mom. She is the best mom in the world. She is the best dancer in my world." +Lily was a little girl who loved animals. She had a dog named Spot, a cat named Fluffy and a hamster named Nibbles. She liked to play with them and feed them and hug them. They were her best friends. + +One day, Lily and her mom went to the park. There were many other animals there, like birds and squirrels and ducks. Lily wanted to see them all. She had some bread in her bag to give them. She asked her mom if she could go closer. + +"OK, but be careful and don't go too far," her mom said. "And don't feed the bread to the ducks. It's not good for them." + +Lily nodded and ran to the pond. She saw some adorable ducklings swimming with their mom. She wanted to touch them and pet them. She took out a piece of bread and threw it into the water. The ducklings came closer, but their mom quacked loudly and chased them away. + +Lily felt sad. She didn't mean to scare them. She just wanted to be their friend. She looked around and saw a big cage near a bench. Inside the cage, there was a rabbit. It had white fur and pink ears and a twitchy nose. It looked lonely and bored. + +Lily went to the cage and said hello to the rabbit. The rabbit looked at her and sniffed. It seemed friendly. Lily saw a sign on the cage that said: "Please do not feed the rabbit. It is on a special diet." + +Lily wondered what the rabbit ate. She remembered that her hamster liked to eat seeds and nuts. She had some in her bag. She thought the rabbit would like them too. She opened her bag and took out a handful of seeds and nuts. She opened the cage and put them inside. + +The rabbit was happy. It hopped over to the seeds and nuts and started to nibble on them. It made a cute sound and wagged its tail. Lily smiled and reached out to stroke its fur. The rabbit let her and licked her hand. + +Lily felt a warm feeling in her heart. She thought the rabbit liked her. She wanted to take it home and play with it. She looked at her mom, who was sitting on a bench and reading a book. She didn't notice what Lily was doing. Lily had an idea. She picked up the rabbit and put it in her bag. She closed the cage and the bag and ran back to her mom. + +"Mom, can we go home now?" she asked. + +"Sure, honey. Did you have fun?" her mom asked. + +"Yes, mom. I made a new friend," Lily said. + +She held her bag close to her chest and smiled. She didn't see the man who owned the rabbit. He was looking for his pet. He saw the empty cage and the sign. He saw the bread in the water and the ducklings. He saw Lily and her mom leaving the park. He was angry and confused. He shouted: + +"Hey, stop! That's my rabbit! You can't take it! It's not a toy, it's meat!" +Anna and Ben are playing with their toys in the living room. They have cars, dolls, blocks and books. They are having fun, but they are also making a mess. The toys are everywhere on the floor, on the couch, on the table. + +"Anna, Ben, it's time to wash your hands and have a snack!" Mom calls from the kitchen. "Come on, hurry up!" + +Anna and Ben put down their toys and run to the kitchen. They wash their hands with soap and water in the sink. They are careful not to splash too much. They dry their hands with a towel. + +Mom gives them each a plate with a sandwich and a glass of juice. She also gives them a napkin. "Here you go, my loves. Enjoy your snack. And don't forget to zip your mouths when you chew!" + +Anna and Ben giggle. They know Mom is joking. They zip their mouths with their fingers and pretend to chew. Then they unzip their mouths and say "Thank you, Mom!" + +They eat their snack and drink their juice. They are careful not to spill or drop anything. They use their napkins to wipe their mouths and hands. + +When they are done, they put their plates and glasses in the sink. They zip their mouths again and give Mom a big hug and a kiss. "We love you, Mom!" + +Mom hugs and kisses them back. "I love you too, Anna and Ben. You are such good and careful children. Now, how about we clean up the living room together?" +Anna and Ben love Christmas. They love the lights, the songs, the presents and the cookies. They also love Santa and his reindeer. They want to give them something nice. + +"Let's make some yummy food for Santa and his reindeer," Anna says to Ben. + +"OK, what can we make?" Ben asks. + +"We can make some cookies for Santa and some carrots for his reindeer," Anna says. + +They go to the kitchen and ask their mom for help. They mix, roll, cut and bake the cookies. They also wash and peel some carrots. They put them on a big plate. + +"Good job, Anna and Ben," their mom says. "You are very kind and thoughtful." + +They take the plate to the living room and put it near the fireplace. They also write a note for Santa. + +"Dear Santa, thank you for the presents. We hope you like the cookies and the carrots. Please share them with your reindeer. Love, Anna and Ben." + +They go to bed and dream of Santa and his reindeer. They hope they will enjoy the yummy food. They are very happy. +Tim and Sam are brothers. They like to play with their toy cars and trucks. One day, they pretend to be mailmen and deliver letters to their mom and dad. + +Tim takes a big truck and puts many letters in it. He drives fast and honks his horn. He says, "I am a good mailman. I deliver letters to everyone." + +Sam takes a small car and puts one letter in it. He drives slow and yawns. He says, "I am a lazy mailman. I deliver one letter and then I nap." + +Tim and Sam go to their mom and dad's room. Tim knocks on the door and says, "Mail for mom and dad!" He gives them many letters and smiles. + +Sam knocks on the door and says, "Mail for mom and dad!" He gives them one letter and frowns. + +Mom and dad open the letters and read them. They are happy and proud of Tim and Sam. They say, "Thank you for the letters, boys. You are both good mailmen." + +They hug and kiss Tim and Sam. They notice that Sam has a red nose. They say, "Sam, are you sick? Your nose is red." + +Sam says, "No, I am not sick. I am lazy. I rubbed my nose on the pillow when I napped." + +Mom and dad laugh and say, "You are a silly mailman, Sam. But we love you anyway." + +Tim and Sam laugh too. They say, "We love you too, mom and dad." They go back to play with their toy cars and trucks. They have fun being mailmen. +Lily and Ben were best friends. They liked to play in the garden and look at the flowers. One day, they saw a new flower that was very big and furry. It was purple and yellow and had a long stem. + +"Wow, look at that flower!" Lily said. "It is so pretty and soft. Can we touch it?" + +"I don't know," Ben said. "Maybe it is not a flower. Maybe it is a monster. It has a big mouth and teeth." + +They went closer to the flower and saw that it was opening and closing its mouth. It made a loud noise like a roar. + +"Help, it is a monster!" Ben shouted. "Run, Lily, run!" + +They ran away from the flower and hid behind a tree. They were very scared and hugged each other. + +"What is that thing?" Lily asked. "Why is it so angry?" + +"I don't know," Ben said. "Maybe it is hungry. Maybe it wants to eat us." + +They heard the flower make another noise. It sounded like a cry. + +"Wait, maybe it is not angry," Lily said. "Maybe it is sad. Maybe it is lonely." + +They looked at the flower and saw that it had tears in its eyes. It looked at them with a sad face. + +"Maybe it is not a monster," Ben said. "Maybe it is a friend. Maybe it wants to play with us." + +They decided to be brave and go back to the flower. They said hello and smiled. The flower smiled back and stopped crying. + +"Hi, flower," Lily said. "What is your name?" + +The flower made a noise that sounded like "Fluffy". + +"Fluffy, that is a nice name," Ben said. "We are Lily and Ben. We are your friends." + +They touched the flower and felt that it was very soft and warm. They gave it a hug and a kiss. The flower hugged and kissed them back. + +They played with the flower and had a lot of fun. They talked and laughed and sang. They gave the flower some water and some food. The flower was very happy and thanked them. + +They became the best of friends and visited the flower every day. They learned that the flower was not a monster, but a furry and friendly flower. They loved the flower and the flower loved them. They were very happy. +Lila and Ben were playing in the garden. They saw a big onion growing in the dirt. Lila wanted to pick it and see how it smelled. Ben wanted to leave it alone and play with his ball. + +"Come on, Ben, let's pick the onion!" Lila said. She was impatient and curious. + +"No, Lila, we can't. Mom said not to touch the plants. They are for dinner." Ben said. He was careful and obedient. + +Lila did not listen to Ben. She pulled the onion out of the dirt. It had a long green stem and a round white bulb. She held it up to her nose and sniffed. It made her eyes water and her nose sting. She sneezed and dropped the onion. + +"Ow, ow, ow! The onion hurts!" Lila cried. She rubbed her eyes and nose. + +Ben ran to Lila and hugged her. He felt sorry for her. He picked up the onion and put it back in the dirt. He hoped Mom would not notice. + +"Let's go inside and wash your face, Lila. The onion is bad. It makes you cry." Ben said. He was kind and helpful. + +Lila nodded and followed Ben to the house. She learned her lesson. She did not want to touch the onion again. She wanted to play with Ben and his ball. +Lily and Tom are twins. They like to play with their toys and their dog, Spot. Spot is a cute dog. He has brown fur and a black nose. He likes to lick Lily and Tom and wag his tail. + +One day, Lily and Tom are having a tea party. They have a pink table and two chairs. They have cups and plates and spoons. They have water and cookies. They pretend to drink tea and eat cookies. They talk to each other and to Spot. + +"Spot, do you want some tea?" Lily asks. She holds a cup to Spot's mouth. + +"Spot, do you want some cookies?" Tom asks. He puts a cookie on a plate and slides it to Spot. + +Spot is happy. He drinks the water and eats the cookie. He barks and jumps. He knocks over the table and the cups and the plates and the spoons. They fall on the floor and break. Water and crumbs are everywhere. + +Lily and Tom are scared. They hear their mom coming. They know they are in trouble. They hide under the bed. + +Mom sees the mess. She is angry. She calls Lily and Tom. They do not answer. She finds them under the bed. She pulls them out. + +"Lily and Tom, what did you do?" Mom asks. She is not happy. + +"We were having a tea party with Spot," Lily says. + +"Spot is a cute dog, but he is not a good guest," Tom says. + +Mom sighs. She loves Lily and Tom and Spot, but she does not like the mess. + +"You have to clean up this mess," Mom says. "And you have to punish Spot. He has to go to his bed and stay there. No more tea parties with Spot." + +Lily and Tom nod. They are sorry. They help Mom clean up the mess. They tell Spot to go to his bed. They hug him and say they are sorry. + +Spot is sad. He does not understand why he has to go to his bed. He likes tea parties. He likes Lily and Tom. He whines and looks at them with his big eyes. + +Lily and Tom feel bad. They love Spot. They finish cleaning up. They go to Spot's bed. They pet him and tell him they love him. They say they will play with him later. + +Spot is happy. He licks Lily and Tom and wags his tail. He forgives them. He knows they are his friends. He falls asleep with them. +Ben liked to polish his bike. He used a cloth and some soap to make it shiny and clean. He was proud of his bike and wanted to show it to his friends. + +One day, he saw a boy with a gray bike. The boy's bike was old and dirty. It had many scratches and dents. Ben thought the boy's bike was ugly and laughed at him. He said, "Your bike is bad. My bike is better. You should polish your bike like me." + +The boy felt sad and angry. He said, "I don't have a cloth or soap. I don't have time to polish my bike. I have to use it for exercise. I ride it every day to school and back. It helps me stay healthy and strong. Your bike may be shiny, but you don't use it much. You are lazy and weak." + +Ben was surprised and ashamed. He realized he was wrong to judge the boy by his bike. He said, "I'm sorry. I was mean and rude. You are right. Your bike is good for exercise. I should use my bike more and not just polish it. Can we be friends?" + +The boy smiled and nodded. He said, "Yes, we can be friends. Maybe we can ride our bikes together sometime. And maybe I can borrow your cloth and soap to polish my bike a little." + +Ben agreed and gave the boy his cloth and soap. They both learned a lesson. They learned that polish is not as important as exercise, and that kindness is better than pride. +Sara liked to help her mom in the kitchen. She could stir the soup, wash the fruits, and set the table. She was proud of her skills. One day, mom asked her to get some plates from the cupboard. Sara was happy to do it. She opened the cupboard and reached for the plates. + +But she was too small. She could not get the plates. She tried to stand on her toes, but she still could not get them. She saw a stool nearby. She had an idea. She dragged the stool to the cupboard and climbed on it. Now she could get the plates. She smiled and took one plate. + +But she did not see the cup on the edge of the shelf. When she took the plate, the cup fell down. It hit the stool and broke into pieces. Sara was scared. She heard a loud noise. She dropped the plate and jumped off the stool. She ran to the living room and hid behind the couch. + +Mom heard the noise too. She came to the kitchen and saw the mess. She saw the broken cup and the plate. She saw the stool and the cupboard. She was angry. She looked for Sara. She called her name. She did not see her. + +Sara heard mom's voice. She felt bad. She knew she did something wrong. She wanted to say sorry. But she was afraid. She did not want mom to be mad at her. She did not want to leave the couch. She stayed there and hoped mom would not find her. +Ben and Lily like to play with water. They have a big hose in the garden. They can spray water from the hose. They spray water on the flowers, on the grass, on the dog and on each other. They laugh and splash and have fun. + +One day, it is very cold outside. Ben and Lily want to play with water, but they see something strange. The water from the hose is not wet anymore. It is icy. It makes white and shiny things in the air and on the ground. They are like symbols. Ben and Lily do not know what they are. They touch them and they are cold and hard. + +Ben and Lily think they are magic. They spray more water and make more symbols. They make a big symbol on the wall. It looks like a star. They make a small symbol on the fence. It looks like a heart. They make a funny symbol on the dog. It looks like a hat. They giggle and clap and have fun. + +But then, the sun comes out. It is warm and bright. The symbols start to melt. They become wet again. Ben and Lily are sad. They like the symbols. They want to keep them. But they cannot. They watch the symbols disappear. + +Ben and Lily hug each other. They are still happy. They have each other. They say they will make more symbols another day. They go inside and have some hot chocolate. They are warm and cozy. They are glad they played with water. +Sara and Tom were twins. They liked to play with their toys and eat snacks. One day, their mom said, "We are going to the shop. Do you want to come?" Sara and Tom nodded. They loved the shop. They hoped to see candy and books and balloons. + +Mom put them in the car and drove to the shop. Sara and Tom saw many things they liked. They asked mom to buy them, but mom said, "No, we only need bread and milk and eggs." Sara and Tom were sad. They wanted to have fun at the shop. + +They saw a big jar of cookies on a shelf. The jar had a sign that said, "Free samples. Take one." Sara and Tom looked at each other. They smiled. They ran to the jar and grabbed handfuls of cookies. They stuffed them in their mouths and pockets. They did not see the man who was watching them. + +The man was the shop owner. He was angry. He had put the jar of cookies there as a trap. The cookies were old and smelly. He wanted to catch the people who stole from his shop. He walked to Sara and Tom and said, "Hey, you two. What are you doing? You are stealing my cookies. They are not free. They are bad. You have to pay for them." + +Sara and Tom were scared. They felt sick. The cookies tasted awful. They wanted to spit them out, but they could not. The man grabbed their arms and dragged them to the counter. He called their mom and said, "Your kids are thieves. They ate my smelly cookies. They have to pay for them. They have to pay a lot." + +Mom came to the counter. She was shocked. She saw Sara and Tom crying and holding their stomachs. She saw the jar of cookies and the sign. She saw the man and his angry face. She said, "I'm so sorry. I did not know they did that. How much do they have to pay?" + +The man said, "They have to pay ten dollars for each cookie. They ate twenty cookies each. They have to pay four hundred dollars. If you don't pay, I will call the police." + +Mom did not have four hundred dollars. She only had twenty dollars. She begged the man to let them go, but he did not listen. He called the police. The police came and took Sara and Tom away. They put them in a car and drove them to a place where bad kids go. Sara and Tom never saw their mom or their toys or their snacks again. They only saw smelly cookies. They wished they had not been greedy. They wished they had listened to their mom. They wished they had not gone to the shop. +Lily and Sam were twins who liked to travel with their mom and dad. They went to many places by car, by plane, by train, or by bus. They saw many things and met many people. + +One day, they went to a big city with tall buildings. They stayed in a hotel that had an elevator. An elevator was a box that moved up and down with a button. Lily and Sam liked to press the button and watch the numbers change. + +One morning, they met a nice lady in the elevator. She had a big hat and a big bag. She smiled at them and said, "Hello, little ones. Where are you going today?" + +"We are going to the zoo," Lily said. "We want to see the lions and the monkeys and the penguins." + +"That sounds fun," the lady said. "I am going to the museum. I want to see the paintings and the statues and the fossils." + +"Wow," Sam said. "That sounds cool." + +The elevator stopped at the lady's floor. She waved at them and said, "Have a nice day. Maybe we will see each other again." + +"Bye, nice lady," Lily and Sam said. "Have a nice day, too." + +They pressed the button for their floor and waited for the elevator to move again. They were happy to travel and make new friends. +Lily and her dog Spot like to visit Grandma every week. Grandma lives in a big house with a nice garden. Spot loves to run and play in the garden with Grandma's cat, Fluffy. + +One day, the weather was very bad. It was raining and windy and cold. Lily and Spot could not go outside. They had to stay in the house. Lily was sad. She wanted to play in the garden. Spot was sad too. He wanted to chase Fluffy. + +Grandma saw that Lily and Spot were sad. She said, "Don't worry, my dear. The weather will be better soon. Why don't we play a game inside? I have some cards and puzzles and books. We can have fun together." + +Lily smiled. She liked games. She said, "OK, Grandma. That sounds good. What game do you want to play first?" + +Grandma smiled too. She said, "How about we play Go Fish? It's a card game. You have to ask for cards and match them. Do you know how to play?" + +Lily nodded. She said, "Yes, I know how to play. I learned it at school. It's fun. Can Spot play too?" + +Grandma laughed. She said, "Of course he can. He's a loyal dog. He can be your partner. He can help you find the cards you need." + +Lily hugged Spot. She said, "Thank you, Spot. You're the best dog ever. You always make me happy." + +Spot wagged his tail. He licked Lily's face. He was happy too. He loved Lily and Grandma. He didn't mind the bad weather. He was glad to visit them. He hoped they would play Go Fish and other games until the sun came out. +Ben and Lily were twins who liked to play with their toys. They had many toys in their house, but they always wanted more. One day, their mom and dad gave them a big surprise. They had bought them an incredible toy house that looked like a real house. It had windows, doors, rooms, furniture, and even a garden. + +"Wow, this is the best toy ever!" Ben and Lily shouted. They ran to the toy house and started to explore it. They pretended to be a family and had fun with their dolls and cars. They were very happy. + +But soon, they began to fight over the toy house. Ben wanted to play in the kitchen, but Lily wanted to play in the bedroom. Lily wanted to use the pink doll, but Ben wanted to use the blue car. They started to yell and push each other. They did not share or take turns. + +"Stop it, you two!" their mom said. "You are spoiling your toy house and your fun. You need to be nice and play together." + +But Ben and Lily did not listen. They kept fighting and throwing things. They broke the windows, the doors, the furniture, and the garden. They made a big mess. + +Their mom and dad were very angry. They took away the toy house and all their other toys. They sent them to their room without any dinner. Ben and Lily cried and said they were sorry, but it was too late. They had spoiled their incredible toy house and their day. They wished they had been good and played nicely. +Lila and Ben are playing in the park. They like to run and jump and slide. They have a lot of fun. But the sun is very hot today. It makes them feel dizzy and thirsty. + +"Ben, I'm dizzy. Can we go to the shade?" Lila asks. + +"OK, Lila. Let's go to the tree. It has a lot of leaves. They make the sun less hot," Ben says. + +They run to the tree and sit under it. They drink some water from their bottles. They feel better. + +"Look, Lila. I have a hat. It is red and blue. Do you want to try it?" Ben says. + +"Yes, Ben. I like your hat. It is pretty. Can I put it on?" Lila says. + +"Sure, Lila. You can put it on. It will keep the sun away from your head," Ben says. + +He gives her his hat. She puts it on. She smiles. + +"Thank you, Ben. You are a good friend. I like your hat. It makes me feel cool and happy," Lila says. + +"You're welcome, Lila. You are a good friend too. You look nice with my hat. It makes me feel glad," Ben says. + +They hug. They play some more. They are not dizzy anymore. They are happy. The sun is still hot, but they have a hat and a tree. They have each other. They have fun. +Tom and Lily are friends. They like to play games in the living room. They have many toys and cushions. One day, they decide to play a game with the cushions. They make two teams: Tom and his teddy bear, and Lily and her doll. + +"Let's see who can make the biggest cushion tower!" Tom says. "The winner is the most famous!" + +"OK!" Lily says. "But we have to be careful. Don't knock down the tower!" + +They start to stack the cushions on the floor. Tom and Lily try to make their towers as high as they can. They use different colors and shapes of cushions. They have fun and laugh. + +But then, Tom's teddy bear slips and falls. He hits Tom's tower and makes it fall down. All the cushions scatter on the floor. + +"Oh no!" Tom says. "We lose!" + +Lily looks at her tower. It is still standing. It is very tall and pretty. + +"Yay!" Lily says. "We win! We are the most famous!" + +She hugs her doll and smiles. + +Tom feels sad. He loves his teddy bear, but he wanted to win. + +"It's OK, Tom," Lily says. "It's just a game. You can try again. You are still my friend." + +She gives him a cushion and a hug. + +Tom smiles. He is happy. He gives her a cushion and a hug back. + +They are friends. They like to play games. They have many toys and cushions. +One day, a queen was very sad. She wanted her land to be peaceful, but there was a bad king who always tried to fight with her. He had a big army and many weapons. He did not like the queen or her people. + +The queen had a good friend, a brave knight. He loved the queen and wanted to help her. He said to her, "Do not worry, my queen. I will prevent the bad king from hurting you. I will go to his castle and talk to him. Maybe he will listen and stop being bad." + +The queen smiled and hugged the knight. She said, "Thank you, my friend. You are very kind and brave. Be careful and come back soon. I will pray for you and for peace." + +The knight rode his horse to the bad king's castle. He knocked on the gate and asked to see the king. The king came out and saw the knight. He was angry and said, "What do you want, you fool? Do you come to fight me or to beg me?" + +The knight said, "No, my king. I come to talk to you. I come from the queen's land. She is a good and fair queen. She does not want to fight you. She wants to be your friend and to live in peace with you. Why do you hate her so much? Why do you want to hurt her and her people?" + +The bad king laughed and said, "You are a liar and a traitor. The queen is a weak and wicked woman. She wants to take my land and my power. She is my enemy and I will never be her friend. I will not listen to you. Go away or I will kill you." + +The knight was sad and angry. He said, "You are a cruel and foolish king. You do not know the value of peace and friendship. You only know how to make war and pain. You are the enemy of yourself and of everyone. I will not go away. I will stay and fight you. Maybe I can prevent you from doing more harm." + +The bad king and the knight drew their swords and fought. The fight was long and hard. The knight was brave and strong, but the bad king was cunning and mean. He cheated and hurt the knight. The knight fell to the ground and the bad king raised his sword to kill him. + +But then, something amazing happened. The queen came to the castle with her army. She had heard about the knight's mission and followed him. She saw the bad king and the knight and shouted, "Stop, stop, stop! Do not kill him. He is my friend. He came to talk to you, not to fight you. He came to bring you peace, not war. Please, listen to him. Please, listen to me. Let us end this hate and violence. Let us be friends and live in peace." + +The bad king was surprised and scared. He saw the queen and her army and realized he was outnumbered. He dropped his sword and said, "Please, do not hurt me. I am sorry. I was wrong. I will listen to you. I will be your friend. I will live in peace with you." + +The queen and the knight were happy and relieved. They hugged each other and thanked each other. They forgave the bad king and welcomed him as a friend. They made a treaty of peace and friendship. They celebrated and rejoiced. The land was peaceful and happy. The end. +Lily liked to design things. She had many crayons and papers. She drew houses, flowers, animals and people. She also liked to make things with clay and sticks. She was very good at design. + +One day, she went to the lake with her dad. Her dad was a fisherman. He had a big boat and a net. He caught many fish and sold them at the market. Lily wanted to help her dad. She said, "Dad, can I design something for you?" + +Her dad smiled and said, "Sure, Lily. What do you want to design?" + +Lily thought for a moment. She said, "I want to design a new net. A net that can catch more fish and bigger fish. A net that is strong and pretty." + +Her dad said, "That sounds like a great idea, Lily. How will you design it?" + +Lily said, "I will use some of your old net and some of my crayons and clay. I will make it colorful and shiny. I will make it with holes of different sizes. I will make it with a handle and a hook. I will show you when I am done." + +Her dad said, "OK, Lily. I will wait for you. But be careful. Don't go near the water. The water is deep and cold. And don't touch the fish. Some fish are bad. They have sharp teeth and spikes. They can hurt you." + +Lily said, "OK, dad. I will be careful. I will design the best net ever." + +Lily went to work. She cut some of the old net and tied it together. She colored it with her crayons and added some clay balls. She made it look like a rainbow. She made some holes big and some holes small. She made a handle with a stick and a hook with a bent wire. She was very proud of her design. + +She ran to her dad and said, "Dad, look at my net. Isn't it beautiful? Can we try it?" + +Her dad looked at her net. He was surprised and amused. He said, "Wow, Lily. You are very creative. Your net is very beautiful. But I don't think it will work very well. The holes are too big or too small. The fish will either escape or get stuck. The crayons and the clay will wash off. The stick and the wire will break. Your net is not very strong." + +Lily was sad. She said, "But dad, I worked very hard. I wanted to help you. I wanted to catch more fish and bigger fish. I wanted to make you happy." + +Her dad hugged her and said, "Lily, I am very happy. You are very sweet and kind. You have a big heart and a big imagination. You don't need to help me. You just need to be yourself. You are my best design." +Sara and Tom are friends. They like to play in the park. They run, jump, slide and swing. They have fun. + +But Sara and Tom are also hungry. They want to eat lunch. They have sandwiches, apples and juice in their backpacks. They look for a place to sit and relax. + +They see a big tree with a lot of shade. They think it is a good place to relax. They walk to the tree. But they see a problem. There is a big hole in the tree. And there is a squirrel in the hole. + +The squirrel looks at Sara and Tom. It has a nut in its mouth. It makes a noise. It sounds like it is saying "Go away! This is my tree!" + +Sara and Tom are scared. They do not want to make the squirrel angry. They do not want to take its tree. They say "Sorry, squirrel. We did not know this was your tree. We will find another place to relax and eat lunch." + +They walk away from the tree. They look for another place to relax. They see a bench near a fountain. They think it is a nice place to relax. They walk to the bench. But they see another problem. There is a dog on the bench. And the dog is very big and very fit. + +The dog looks at Sara and Tom. It has a bone in its mouth. It makes a noise. It sounds like it is saying "Woof! Woof! This is my bench!" + +Sara and Tom are scared. They do not want to make the dog angry. They do not want to take its bench. They say "Sorry, dog. We did not know this was your bench. We will find another place to relax and eat lunch." + +They walk away from the bench. They look for another place to relax. They see a picnic table near a flower bed. They think it is a perfect place to relax. They walk to the picnic table. And they see a surprise. There is a basket on the picnic table. And there is a note on the basket. It says "For Sara and Tom. Enjoy your lunch. Love, Mom and Dad." + +Sara and Tom are happy. They do not see any problem. They do not see any squirrel or dog. They see only a basket with yummy food. They say "Thank you, Mom and Dad. You are the best. This is the best place to relax and eat lunch." + +They sit on the picnic table. They open the basket. They find sandwiches, apples, juice and cookies. They eat and drink and smile. They relax and enjoy their lunch. They have fun. +Anna and Ben are playing hide and seek in the farm. Anna is the seeker and Ben is the hider. Anna counts to ten and then looks for Ben. She sees a big red barn and thinks Ben might be hiding there. + +She walks to the barn and opens the door. She hears a loud moo and sees a big bull. The bull is hungry and angry. He does not like strangers in his barn. He sees Anna and runs towards her. + +Anna is scared and screams. "Help! Help! There is a bull in the barn!" + +Ben hears Anna and comes out of his hiding spot. He sees the bull chasing Anna and runs to help her. He finds a stick and waves it at the bull. He shouts at the bull. "Go away! Go away! Leave Anna alone!" + +The bull stops and looks at Ben. He is confused and afraid of the stick. He turns around and runs back to his corner. He mooes softly and eats some hay. + +Anna and Ben run out of the barn and hug each other. They are safe and happy. They thank Ben for saving Anna. They decide to play somewhere else and never go to the barn again. They say sorry to the bull and hope he is not too hungry. +Tom and Lily are playing in the park. They like to swing and slide and run. They see a big net on the grass. It is for catching bugs and butterflies. + +"Look, a net!" Tom says. "Let's catch some bugs!" + +"Okay!" Lily says. "That sounds fun!" + +They take the net and run around the park. They see a bee, a spider, a ladybug and a butterfly. They try to catch them with the net, but they are too fast and fly away. + +"Aw, this is hard!" Tom says. "We need to be more careful and quiet." + +"Maybe we can find some slower bugs," Lily says. "Like a snail or a worm." + +They look under the rocks and the leaves. They find a snail and a worm. They put them in the net. + +"Yay, we did it!" Tom says. "We caught some bugs!" + +"Let's look at them!" Lily says. "They are so small and slimy!" + +They seat on a bench and look at the snail and the worm in the net. They see their shells and their eyes and their tails. + +"Hello, snail and worm!" Tom says. "We are Tom and Lily. We are your friends." + +"Can we keep them?" Lily asks. "They are so cute!" + +"No, we can't," Tom says. "They belong to the park. They need their home and their food. We have to let them go." + +"Okay," Lily says. "You are right. They will be happier in the park." + +They take the net and go back to the grass. They open the net and let the snail and the worm go. + +"Bye, snail and worm!" Tom says. "Thank you for letting us see you!" + +"Bye, snail and worm!" Lily says. "You are very helpful. You teach us about bugs!" + +They wave to the snail and the worm. They see them crawl away. They smile and hug. + +They are happy. They had fun with the net. They learned something new. They were kind to the bugs. +Anna likes to play with her computer. It has many games and pictures and sounds. She can press the buttons and make things happen on the screen. She likes to learn new words and colors and shapes. + +One day, Anna finds a twisty thing on the back of her computer. She does not know what it is. She is curious. She wants to see what it does. She twists it and twists it and twists it. + +Suddenly, the screen goes dark. The computer makes a loud noise. Anna is scared. She thinks she broke her computer. She starts to cry. + +"Anna, what's wrong?" her mom asks. She hears Anna crying and comes to her room. + +"Mommy, I broke my computer!" Anna sobs. She shows her mom the twisty thing. + +"Oh, Anna, you twisted the power cord. That's why the computer turned off. It's not broken, don't worry. We just need to plug it back in." her mom explains. She takes the twisty thing and puts it in the wall. She turns on the computer. + +The screen lights up again. The computer makes a happy sound. Anna sees her games and pictures and sounds. She is happy. + +"Mommy, thank you! You fixed my computer!" Anna says. She hugs her mom. + +"You're welcome, Anna. But next time, don't twist the power cord, okay? It's not a toy. It's for the computer to work." her mom says. + +"Okay, mommy. I'm sorry. I won't twist it again." Anna says. She learns a new word: power cord. She plays with her computer. She likes her brown computer. It is her favorite toy. +Tom and Sue like to play with blocks. They have many blocks of different colors and shapes. They can make houses, cars, animals and more with their blocks. + +One day, they decide to make a big tower with their blocks. They stack the blocks on top of each other, trying to make the tower as high as they can. They use red blocks, blue blocks, yellow blocks and green blocks. + +"Look, our tower is so tall!" Tom says. + +"Yes, it is. But we can make it taller!" Sue says. She sees a pipe on the floor. It is a long and thin pipe. She picks it up and adds it to the top of the tower. + +"Wow, that is a good idea!" Tom says. "The pipe makes our tower look original. It is different from other towers." + +They are happy with their tower. They admire it and smile. They think it is the best tower ever. They do not see the cat that is watching them from the couch. The cat is curious. It jumps off the couch and walks towards the tower. It wants to touch the pipe. It stretches its paw and taps the pipe. The pipe wobbles and falls. The tower falls too. The blocks scatter on the floor. + +"Uh-oh!" Tom and Sue say. They are sad and surprised. They look at the cat. The cat looks at them. It meows and runs away. + +Tom and Sue sigh. They start to pick up the blocks. They decide to make another tower. They hope the cat will not bother them again. They still like the pipe. They think it is a fun and original thing to add to their tower. +Anna loved to play in the garden with her toys. She had a ball, a doll, a car and a squash. The squash was big and round and green. Anna liked to roll it and hug it and pretend it was her friend. + +One day, Anna saw a rabbit appear in the garden. The rabbit was white and fluffy and had long ears. Anna wanted to play with the rabbit. She ran to the rabbit with her squash and said, "Hello, rabbit! Do you want to play with me and my squash?" + +The rabbit was scared of Anna. He did not want to play with her or her squash. He wanted to run away. He saw a hole in the fence and ran to it. But the squash was in his way. He bumped into the squash and made it fall. The squash broke into pieces. + +Anna was sad and angry. She cried and shouted, "Bad rabbit! You broke my squash! Go away, go away!" The rabbit felt ashamed. He did not mean to break the squash. He was sorry. He said, "I'm sorry, Anna. I did not want to break your squash. I was afraid of you. Can you forgive me?" + +Anna stopped crying and looked at the rabbit. She saw that he was sorry and afraid. She felt sorry for him too. She said, "It's okay, rabbit. I forgive you. I was too loud and fast. I scared you. Can we be friends?" The rabbit nodded and smiled. He said, "Yes, Anna. We can be friends. Thank you for being kind." Anna and the rabbit hugged and played together. They shared the pieces of the squash and had fun. + +The moral of the story is: Be careful with your things and respect others' feelings. You can make friends by being kind and forgiving. +Lily and Tom were bored. The weather was bad. It was cold and wet. They could not go outside and play. They looked at their toys, but they did not want to play with them. + +"Let's do something fun," Lily said to Tom. + +"Like what?" Tom asked. + +Lily had an idea. She saw a big vase on the shelf. It was shiny and pretty. It had flowers on it. + +"Let's play with the vase," Lily said. + +Tom was not sure. He thought the vase was not a toy. He thought Mom would be angry if they touched it. + +"But Mom said not to touch it," Tom said. + +Lily did not care. She wanted to have fun. She climbed on a chair and reached for the vase. + +"Come on, Tom. It will be fun," Lily said. + +Tom was scared. He did not want to get in trouble. He did not want to climb on the chair. He did not want to touch the vase. + +But Lily did not listen. She grabbed the vase and pulled it. The vase was heavy. Lily lost her balance. She fell off the chair. The vase fell with her. It hit the floor. It broke into many pieces. + +CRASH! + +Lily and Tom heard Mom coming. They were in big trouble. They were not bored anymore. They were scared. +Jill likes to rub her cat, Spot. Spot is soft and warm and makes a happy sound. Jill rubs Spot on his head, his back and his belly. Spot likes it too. He purrs and licks Jill's hand. + +One day, Jill and Spot go outside to play. It is a sunny day, but there is a lot of wind. The wind blows Jill's hair and Spot's fur. Jill thinks it is fun. She runs and jumps and laughs. Spot thinks it is scary. He hides under a bush and shivers. + +Jill sees a fancy hat on the ground. It is red and shiny and has a big feather. Jill thinks it is pretty. She picks it up and puts it on her head. She feels like a princess. She walks and twirls and sings. + +Spot sees the hat too. He thinks it is a bird. He wants to catch it and play with it. He comes out of the bush and runs after Jill. He jumps and bites and scratches. + +Jill is surprised and scared. She drops the hat and cries. Spot is confused and sad. He stops and meows. Jill and Spot hug and say sorry. They are friends again. + +They go back inside and rub each other. They are warm and happy and quiet. They forget about the wind and the hat. They only remember their love. +Lily and Sam liked to play with blocks. They could build many things with blocks. They could build houses, towers, cars, and animals. One day, they decided to build a suit with blocks. + +"What is a suit?" Lily asked Sam. + +"A suit is what grown-ups wear when they go to work or to a party. It has a jacket, a shirt, a tie, and pants. Sometimes it has a hat too," Sam explained. + +"Why do we need a suit?" Lily wondered. + +"We don't need a suit, but it would be fun to make one. We can pretend to be grown-ups and go to a fancy place," Sam said. + +They started to build a suit with blocks. They used blue blocks for the jacket, white blocks for the shirt, red blocks for the tie, and black blocks for the pants. They used yellow blocks for the buttons and green blocks for the hat. + +They finished building the suit with blocks. They put it on the floor and looked at it. + +"It looks nice, but it is very big. How can we wear it?" Lily asked. + +"We can take turns. You can wear it first, and then I can wear it. We can use a belt to make it fit better," Sam suggested. + +They found a belt and wrapped it around the suit. Lily put on the suit and the hat. She looked at herself in the mirror. + +"I look like a grown-up, but a very modest one. I don't have any jewels or flowers or sparkles," she said. + +"You look very smart and pretty. You can go to any party you want," Sam complimented her. + +"Thank you. Now it is your turn. You can wear the suit and the hat too," Lily offered. + +They swapped the suit and the hat. Sam put on the suit and the hat. He looked at himself in the mirror. + +"I look like a grown-up, but a very modest one. I don't have any watches or ties or shoes," he said. + +"You look very handsome and cool. You can go to any work you want," Lily praised him. + +"Thank you. This is a fun game. We can build more things with blocks," Sam said. + +They smiled and hugged. They liked to play with blocks. They liked to build things with blocks. They liked to build a suit with blocks. +Sam and Lily were playing in the park. They saw a big sign with a picture of a lion and some letters. Sam wanted to know what it said. + +"Look, Lily, a lion! What does the sign say?" Sam asked. + +Lily looked at the sign. She did not know the letters. She shrugged. + +"I don't know, Sam. Maybe it is a symbol. A symbol is a picture that means something," Lily said. + +"What does the lion symbol mean?" Sam asked. + +Lily thought for a moment. She remembered what her mom told her about lions. + +"Maybe it means wild. Wild is when something is not tame. Tame is when something is friendly and listens to you. Wild is when something is scary and does what it wants," Lily said. + +Sam nodded. He understood what Lily said. + +"Wild sounds fun. I want to be wild like a lion. Roar!" Sam said, and he pretended to be a lion. + +Lily laughed. She wanted to be wild too. + +"Me too, Sam. Roar!" Lily said, and she joined Sam in being a lion. + +They ran around the park, roaring and chasing each other. They had fun being wild. They did not see the sign that said "Do not feed the animals". +Mia and Leo were playing in the garden. They liked to dig and plant and water the flowers. Mia saw a big white thing in the ground. She pulled it out. It was a cauliflower. + +"Look, Leo, I found a cauliflower!" Mia said. + +"Wow, Mia, that is a big cauliflower!" Leo said. "Can we eat it?" + +Mia nodded. She liked cauliflower. She broke off a piece and gave it to Leo. She took another piece for herself. They bit into the cauliflower. + +But something was wrong. The cauliflower did not taste good. It tasted bitter and sour and yucky. Mia and Leo spat out the cauliflower. They looked at each other. Their mouths were blue! + +"Leo, your mouth is blue!" Mia said. + +"Mia, your mouth is blue too!" Leo said. + +They ran to the house. They saw Mom in the kitchen. Mom saw them and gasped. + +"Mia, Leo, what happened to your mouths?" Mom asked. + +"We ate a cauliflower from the garden, Mom," Mia said. + +"But that was not a cauliflower, Mia. That was a cabbage. A blue cabbage. It is not for eating. It is for making dye," Mom said. + +"Dye?" Mia and Leo asked. + +"Yes, dye. It is something that makes things change color. Like your mouths. They became blue because of the dye in the cabbage," Mom said. + +"Can we make them not blue, Mom?" Mia and Leo asked. + +Mom smiled. She took a wet cloth and wiped their mouths. The blue came off. + +"There, now your mouths are not blue anymore. They are pink and red and normal," Mom said. + +"Thank you, Mom," Mia and Leo said. + +They hugged Mom. They learned a new word: dye. They also learned not to eat things from the garden without asking Mom first. They decided to stick to carrots and peas and tomatoes. They did not like blue cabbage. +Lily and Ben are playing in the park. They see a big slide. Lily wants to go first, but Ben runs to the slide. He does not yield to Lily. + +"Ben, let me go first!" Lily says. "You always go first!" + +"No, I want to go first!" Ben says. He puts on a mask. He thinks the mask makes him brave. He does not care about Lily. + +Lily is sad and angry. She waits for Ben to slide down. She has an idea. She finds a stick. She holds the stick in front of the slide. Ben does not see the stick. He slides down very fast. + +"Ouch!" Ben says. He hits the stick with his mask. His mask breaks. He cries. He is not brave anymore. + +Lily feels sorry for Ben. She goes to him. She gives him a hug. She says, "I'm sorry, Ben. I was mad at you. But I don't want to hurt you. Can we share the slide?" + +Ben nods. He says, "I'm sorry, too, Lily. I was mean to you. I don't need the mask. Can we be friends?" + +Lily and Ben smile. They go to the slide together. They take turns. They have fun. The slide is easy and fun for both of them. +Tim and Sue went to the park with Mom. They saw a big slide and ran to it. They took turns to go down the slide. It was fun. + +Then they saw a hairy dog. The dog was brown and had a long tail. It looked friendly. Tim and Sue wanted to pet the dog. + +"Can we pet the dog, Mom?" they asked. + +Mom said, "No, you can't. The dog belongs to someone else. And you don't know if the dog is nice or not. It might bite you." + +But Tim and Sue did not listen to Mom. They ran to the dog and tried to touch it. The dog did not like that. It growled and barked. It showed its teeth. + +Tim and Sue got scared. They tried to run away. But the dog was faster. It jumped on them and bit them. Tim and Sue cried. They had blood on their arms and legs. + +Mom heard them and ran to them. She saw the dog and shouted, "Go away, bad dog! Leave my children alone!" + +She picked up Tim and Sue and hugged them. She saw their wounds and said, "Oh no, you are hurt. We have to go to the doctor. Now!" + +She took them to the car and drove to the hospital. The dog ran away. It did not care. + +Tim and Sue were sad and sorry. They wished they had listened to Mom. They learned a hard lesson. They never tried to pet a strange dog again. +Anna was sad. Her cat, Luna, was sick. Luna had a big cut on her leg from a bad dog. Anna gave Luna water and food, but Luna did not want to play or purr. + +Anna's mom said they had to go to the vet. The vet was a nice person who helped animals. The vet looked at Luna's cut and said it was bad, but not too bad. The vet gave Luna some medicine and a bandage. The vet said Luna would heal soon, but she had to stay at the vet for a few days. + +Anna missed Luna a lot. She cried every night and wished Luna was with her. She drew pictures of Luna and put them on her wall. She prayed for Luna to get better. + +One day, Anna's mom said they could go and get Luna. Anna was so happy. She ran to the car and put on her seat belt. She could not wait to see Luna. + +When they got to the vet, Anna saw Luna in a cage. Luna looked better. Her cut was smaller and her bandage was clean. Luna saw Anna and meowed. Anna ran to Luna and hugged her. Luna licked Anna's face and purred. + +The vet said Luna was a brave and strong cat. The vet said Luna could go home, but she had to be careful and not run or jump too much. The vet said Luna would heal completely in a few weeks. + +Anna thanked the vet and took Luna home. She put Luna on her bed and cuddled with her. She told Luna she loved her and she was sorry for the bad dog. She told Luna she was a powerful cat and she was proud of her. + +Anna and Luna were happy. They looked out the window and saw the flowers and the birds. They felt the sun and the breeze. They knew it was spring. They knew spring was a time for healing and new life. They smiled and fell asleep. +Tom and Lily went to the shop with Mom. They wanted to buy some candy and a toy. Mom said they could each choose one thing. + +Tom saw a big truck on the shelf. He liked trucks. He wanted to lift the truck and see how it worked. He reached for the truck, but it was too high. He jumped and jumped, but he could not touch it. + +"Mom, can you help me?" he asked. "I want the truck." + +Mom was busy looking at some clothes. She did not hear Tom. Tom felt sad. He wanted the truck very much. + +Lily saw a pretty doll on the shelf. She liked dolls. She wanted to lift the doll and hug it. She reached for the doll, but it was too high. She jumped and jumped, but she could not touch it. + +"Mom, can you help me?" she asked. "I want the doll." + +Mom was busy looking at some shoes. She did not hear Lily. Lily felt sad. She wanted the doll very much. + +Tom and Lily had an idea. They decided to help each other. Tom lifted Lily up and put her on his shoulders. Lily lifted the doll and gave it to Tom. Tom lifted the truck and gave it to Lily. They smiled and thanked each other. + +"Look, Mom, we got what we wanted!" they said. + +Mom turned around and saw them. She was surprised and angry. She thought they were naughty and rude. She took the doll and the truck from them and put them back on the shelf. + +"No, you can't have these things. You have to ask me first. And you can't climb on the shelves. You could fall and hurt yourself. And you could break the things. And you could make a mess. And you could bother the other people. You should be ashamed of yourselves!" she said. + +Tom and Lily felt embarrassed. They did not mean to be bad. They just wanted to have some fun. They said they were sorry. They followed Mom to the cashier. They did not get any candy or toy. They learned their lesson. +Lily and Ben are playing in the park. They like to run and jump and slide. The sun is hot and makes them thirsty. They drink some water from their bottles. + +"Look, Lily!" Ben says. "A rainbow in the sky!" + +Lily looks up and sees the rainbow. It has many colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple. It is like a big smile in the sky. + +"Wow, it is so pretty!" Lily says. "Can we come closer to the rainbow?" + +Ben shakes his head. "No, we can't. The rainbow is far away. It is made by the sun and the rain. When the sun shines on the rain, it makes the colors. But we can't touch the rain or the sun." + +Lily feels sad. She wants to touch the rainbow. She thinks it must be soft and warm. + +"Maybe we can make our own rainbow," Ben says. He has an idea. He takes his water bottle and sprays some water in the air. He asks Lily to do the same. + +They spray water and look at the sun. They see tiny rainbows in the water drops. They are not as big or as bright as the rainbow in the sky, but they are still pretty. + +"Look, we made rainbows!" Lily says. She smiles and claps her hands. + +Ben smiles too. He is happy that Lily is happy. They spray more water and make more rainbows. They laugh and play until their water bottles are empty. Then they go home with their mom. They tell her about the rainbow in the sky and the rainbows they made. Mom hugs them and says they are very clever. She gives them some cookies and milk. They eat and drink and feel good. They like rainbows. They like the sun. They like the park. They like each other. They are happy. +Anna and Ben are twins. They like to play with their toys and their dog, Spot. One day, they decide to play restaurant. Anna is the cook and Ben is the waiter. + +"Spot, you are the customer. Sit here and wait for your food," Ben says. He gives Spot a bowl and a spoon. Spot wags his tail and licks the spoon. + +Anna is busy in the kitchen. She has a pot, a pan, and a wooden spoon. She puts some water, some rice, and some carrots in the pot. She stirs and stirs. She puts some cheese and some bread in the pan. She flips and flips. + +"Ben, the food is ready. Come and serve it," Anna calls. Ben comes with a tray and a napkin. He puts the pot and the pan on the tray. He covers them with the napkin. + +"Here you go, Spot. Enjoy your meal," Ben says. He lifts the napkin and shows the food. Spot barks and jumps. He smells the rice and the cheese. He likes them very much. + +"Thank you, Anna and Ben. You are very good at playing restaurant," Spot says. He eats and eats. He is very happy. + +Anna and Ben smile and clap. They are happy too. They like to serve food to their friend. They finish playing and clean up. Then they go for a walk with Spot. They have a lot of fun. +Once upon a time, in a big, big ocean, there was a mighty fish named Fin. Fin was strong and loved to help his friends. One day, Fin saw a small fish stuck in a net. The small fish was very sad and scared. + +Fin wanted to save the small fish, so he swam very fast to the net. He used his mighty tail to break the net and set the small fish free. The small fish was so happy and said, "Thank you, Fin! You are my hero!" + +From that day, all the fish in the ocean knew that Fin was a mighty and helpful friend. They learned that it is good to help others in need. And they all lived happily ever after. +One day, a boy named Tim went to the beach with his mom. They took a big bag with them. In the bag, there was a towel, a bucket, and a shovel. Tim was very happy. He knew he was going to have a fun day. + +Tim and his mom found a nice spot on the beach. They put the towel on the sand. Tim took the bucket and the shovel. He started to fill the bucket with sand. He wanted to make a big sandcastle. The bucket became very heavy. + +Tim's mom saw that the bucket was too heavy for him. She helped him carry the heavy bucket. They put the sand on the towel. Tim made a big sandcastle with the help of his mom. They had a great day at the beach. +Once upon a time, there was a charming little town. In the town, there was a big tunnel. The tunnel was dark and long. Many people went in and out of the tunnel every day. + +One day, a little boy named Tim went into the tunnel. He wanted to see what was on the other side. Tim felt scared because it was so dark. But he was brave and kept going. + +As Tim walked through the tunnel, he started to feel happy. He knew he was almost at the other end. When he came out of the tunnel, he saw a beautiful park. Tim played in the park all day and had lots of fun. +Once upon a time, there was an ancient taxi. It was very old and slow. The taxi lived in a big city. People always wanted to go fast, but the ancient taxi could only go slow. + +One day, a little girl named Lily needed to go to the park. She saw the ancient taxi and said, "Taxi, take me to the park, please." The taxi started to go, but it was still very slow. Lily did not mind. She liked the slow ride. + +As they went to the park, a big man saw the ancient taxi. He was in a hurry. The man demanded, "Taxi, go faster! I need to go now!" But the ancient taxi could not go faster. The big man was angry, but Lily told him, "It's okay, we can all go slow and be happy." The big man thought about it and agreed. They all went slow and had a nice day. +Once upon a time, in a big forest, there was a little bear. The bear loved to watch the birds fly in the sky. He liked how they moved their wings up and down. He wished he could fly like them. + +One day, a kind bird saw the bear watching her. She felt grateful to have a friend who liked to watch her fly. So, she flew down to the bear and said, "Hello, bear! Do you want to play with me?" The bear was very happy and said, "Yes, I want to play!" + +The bird and the bear played all day long. They ran, jumped, and laughed together. The bear was grateful to have a new friend, and the bird was grateful to have someone who loved to watch her fly. They became the best of friends and played together in the forest every day. +One day, a little boy named Tim found a big leather ball. He was very happy. He wanted to play with the ball. He ran to the park with the ball. At the park, he saw a big dog. The dog looked at the ball. + +Tim said to the dog, "Do you want to play with me?" The dog wagged its tail. Tim threw the ball and the dog ran to get it. They played for a long time. Tim felt a little scared that the dog might not give the ball back. + +The dog stopped and looked at Tim. The dog had a big smile. It ran back to Tim with the ball. Tim was very happy. He said, "Thank you, dog!" The dog wagged its tail. Tim knew the dog was a good friend. + +Tim and the dog played until the sun went down. Tim said, "It's time to go home. Goodbye, dog!" The dog barked and wagged its tail. Tim walked home with the big leather ball. He was not scared anymore. He knew he had a new friend at the park. +One day, a doctor went to the park. He saw a big, deaf dog. The dog was sad because he could not hear. The doctor wanted to help the dog. + +The doctor went home and thought of a way to help the dog. He decided to mix some things together. He mixed a red ball, a green leaf, and some water in a big bowl. + +The doctor took the mix to the park. The dog drank the mix. The dog felt better and could hear again. The dog was happy, and the doctor was happy too. They played in the park all day. +Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Sarah. She loved to play with her toys and make loud noises. One day, she found a soft cloth in her room. She decided to play with it. + +Sarah took the cloth and went outside. She saw a little bird lying on the ground. The bird was hurt and could not fly. Sarah felt sad for the bird. She wanted to help it. She took the cloth and wrapped it around the bird's wing. The bird felt better and started to move. + +Sarah's mom came outside and saw what she did. She was very proud of Sarah for helping the bird. The bird flew away and Sarah learned that it is good to help others when they need it. From that day on, Sarah always tried to help her friends and family. The moral of the story is to always be kind and help others when they need it. +Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Amy. She loved to eat toast for breakfast. One day, she wanted to make toast all by herself. She went to the kitchen and found a loaf of bread. But, the bread was spoiled. It was green and smelly. Amy was sad. + +Amy's mom saw her and said, "Don't worry, we can go to the store and buy new bread." They went to the store and bought fresh bread. When they got home, Amy's mom showed her how to make toast. Amy learned to stand by the toaster and wait for the bread to pop up when it was ready. + +After they made the toast, Amy and her mom sat down to eat. Amy was so happy that she learned how to make toast. She promised to always check if the bread was good before making toast again. The moral of the story is to always make sure your food is good to eat and ask for help when you need it. +One day, a little boy named Tim went to the park with his mom. He brought his favorite stuff with him, like his ball and toy car. Tim loved to play at the park, but sometimes he felt confused about where his mom was. + +While playing, Tim saw a big dog. He wanted to play with the dog, so he asked the dog's owner, "Can I play with your dog?" The owner said, "Sure, but be careful. He likes to run fast!" Tim threw his ball, and the dog chased after it. They played for a while and had lots of fun. + +But then, Tim looked around and couldn't see his mom. He started to panic. He didn't know what to do without his mom. He searched and searched, but he couldn't find her. Tim was very sad and scared. He didn't know that his mom was looking for him too, but they never found each other that day. +Once upon a time, there was a little boy named Tim. Tim loved to go to the theater with his mom. One day, they went to see a show. But when they got there, they saw that the theater was broken. Tim was sad. + +"Mom, why is the theater broken?" Tim asked. His mom said, "I don't know, Tim. Maybe we can help fix it." + +Tim and his mom went to find some tools. They found a big red mark on the wall. Tim's mom said, "Look, Tim! This mark shows us where to fix the theater." They worked together to fix the broken part of the theater. + +When they were done, the theater was not broken anymore. Tim was happy. His mom was happy too. They went inside and watched the show. It was the best show Tim had ever seen. +Once upon a time, in a deep forest, there lived a group of animals. They were all friends and lived happily together. They called their home "Nation Forest." + +One day, a new animal named Joke came to the forest. Joke was very funny and always made the other animals laugh. Everyone liked Joke and wanted to be his friend. Joke loved to play and make the other animals happy. + +But sometimes, Joke's jokes went too far. One day, Joke hid a friend's food as a joke. The friend was very hungry and could not find his food. The other animals told Joke that his joke was not funny and that he should be kind to his friends. + +Joke felt sad and said sorry to his friend. He learned that it is good to make others laugh, but it is also important to be kind and think about their feelings. From that day on, Joke still made the animals laugh, but always made sure his jokes were kind and did not hurt anyone's feelings. + +The animals in Nation Forest learned that it is good to have fun and laugh together, but they should always be kind to one another. They lived happily ever after, being both funny and kind. +One day, a tired boy named Tom went on a trip with his mom. They needed to take their passports with them. Tom's mom put the passports in a bag. Tom was excited to go on the airplane. + +On the airplane, Tom met a new friend named Sue. Sue was also going on a trip. They talked and played with their toys. Tom showed Sue his passport. Sue said, "I have one too!" They both smiled. + +When they got off the airplane, Tom's mom sighed. She was happy they had a good trip. Tom and Sue said goodbye to each other. Tom hugged his mom and said, "I had so much fun!" His mom hugged him back and said, "I'm glad you did, Tom." +One day, a smart cat named Tom saw a big nail on the ground. He wanted to pass it to his friend, a little dog named Max. Tom thought that Max could use the nail to fix his small house. + +Tom picked up the nail with his mouth and walked to Max's house. When he got there, Max was sitting outside. "Max, I have a nail for you," Tom said. Max looked at the nail and smiled. "Thank you, Tom!" he said. "This will help me fix my house." + +Together, Tom and Max used the nail to fix the small hole in Max's house. They were very happy that they could help each other. After they finished, they played together in the sun. Tom and Max were the best of friends. +Once upon a time, there was a little boy named Mark. Mark loved to play outside, even when it was icy and cold. He liked to make snowballs and slide on the ice. + +One day, Mark met a snowman who could speak! The snowman said, "Hello, Mark! Let's play together." Mark was very happy and excited. He had never met a snowman who could speak before. + +They played together all day in the icy snow. They made snowballs and threw them at each other. They laughed and had lots of fun. When it was time to go home, Mark said goodbye to his new friend, the speaking snowman. He couldn't wait to play with him again the next day. +One day, a small cat named Zip saw a trap. The trap had a big red ball inside. Zip loved to play with balls, so he wanted to get it. + +Zip asked his friend, a dog named Sam, "How can I get the ball from the trap?" Sam said, "Be careful, Zip. The trap can hurt you. Let's get help." + +Zip and Sam went to find their friend, a bird named Sky. Sky was very smart. Sky said, "I can help you, Zip. I will get the ball for you." Sky flew up and got the ball from the trap. The trap did not hurt Sky. + +Zip was very happy. He said, "Thank you, Sky! You are a good friend." Zip, Sam, and Sky played with the ball all day. They were very careful not to go near the trap again. +Once upon a time, there was a big, kind elephant named Ella. Ella lived in a big forest with many trees and animals. She liked to help her friends. + +One day, Ella saw a little bird stuck in a tree. The bird was scared and said, "Help me, please!" Ella, being a compassionate elephant, wanted to save the bird. So, she used her long nose to reach up and gently lift the bird out of the tree. + +When the bird was safe, it said, "Thank you, Ella!" Ella smiled and said, "You're welcome, little bird!" From that day on, the bird and Ella were the best of friends. They played and laughed together in the forest, and Ella continued to help all her friends. +Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Sue. She loved to play with her toys and eat yummy snacks. One day, Sue got very dirty while playing in the mud. Her mom said, "Sue, it's time to bathe!" + +Sue didn't want to bathe. She wanted to keep playing with her toys. But her mom said, "If you don't bathe, you can't have any yummy snacks." Sue loved yummy snacks, so she agreed to bathe. + +After Sue was clean, she put on her favorite dress with a big zipper. But the zipper got stuck! Sue was sad and didn't know what to do. Her mom came to help and fixed the zipper. Now, Sue was clean and happy in her dress. She got to eat her yummy snacks and play with her toys again. +Once upon a time, in a small house, there was a girl named Lily. Lily liked to polish her shoes and make them shiny. One day, she saw a sock on the floor. It was a modern sock with many colors. She picked it up and put it on her foot. + +Lily went to the park and met her friend Tim. Tim saw the modern sock on Lily's foot and said, "Wow, your sock is very nice!" Lily smiled and said, "Thank you, Tim! I found it in my house. Do you want to see how I polish my shoes?" + +Tim nodded and they went back to Lily's house. Lily showed Tim how to polish shoes. They had fun making their shoes shiny and clean. They laughed and talked while they polished their shoes. + +After they were done, they went back to the park to play. Lily and Tim were happy to have each other as friends. They played all day with their shiny shoes and Lily's modern sock. +Once upon a time, there was a warm, friendly wolf. He lived in the woods with his family. Every day, he played with his brothers and sisters under the big, bright sun. + +One day, a small bird got stuck in a bush. The warm wolf saw the bird and wanted to help. He walked over to the bush and used his teeth to remove the bird's wing from the branches. The bird was free and flew away, happy that the wolf had helped him. + +The warm wolf went back to his family, proud of what he had done. His family was happy too, and they all played together in the woods, knowing that they had a kind and helpful friend in the warm wolf. +Once upon a time, there was a man named Tom. Tom was a competitive man who loved to win. One day, he went to the park and saw a boy named Tim. + +Tom said, "Let's race to the tree!" Tim agreed, and they began to run. Tom was fast, but Tim was faster. Tom did not want to lose, so he quit the race. + +Tom saw an old lady with a cane. She was walking very slow. Tom thought, "I can win this race!" He asked the old lady, "Do you want to race?" The old lady said, "Yes." + +They started to race, and Tom was faster than the old lady. He won the race and was very happy. Tom learned that it's not always important to win, but to have fun and try your best. +Once upon a time, there was a little town. In the town, there was a big flood. The water was everywhere. People were sad and scared. They needed help. + +An incredible big bird saw the town. The bird wanted to help the people. It had big wings and could fly very high. The bird tried to close the water with its wings. It wanted to stop the flood. + +But the bird was not strong enough. The flood was too big. The water did not stop. The incredible bird tried very hard, but it could not close the water. The town stayed wet and the people stayed sad. The end. +Once upon a time, there was a little boy named Tim. He had a red bicycle that he loved to ride. One sunny day, Tim went outside to play with his bicycle. The ground was wet from the rain that had just stopped. Tim didn't care, and he rode his bicycle around in the wet grass. + +As Tim was riding his bicycle, he saw a big tear in the grass. He thought it would be fun to ride over it. But when he did, his bicycle got stuck in the tear. Tim tried to pull the bicycle out, but it was too hard for him. He started to cry because he didn't know what to do. + +Tim's mom heard him crying and came outside to see what was wrong. She saw the bicycle stuck in the tear and told Tim that he should have been more careful. Tim's mom helped him pull the bicycle out, but it was broken from trying to get out of the tear. Tim was very sad because he couldn't ride his bicycle anymore. The moral of the story is to always be careful and think before you do something, or you might end up with a broken bicycle. +Once upon a time, in a small house, there was a bookshelf. On the bookshelf, there were many books. A cat and a dog lived in the house too. + +One day, the cat wanted to climb the bookshelf. The dog thought it was foolish. He said, "No, cat, don't do it!" The cat disagreed and said, "I want to see what is up there." + +The cat climbed the bookshelf and saw a big, pretty book on the top. The cat and the dog looked at the book together. They were happy and did not disagree anymore. They learned that sometimes it is good to try new things, even if it seems foolish at first. +Once upon a time, there was a lazy cat named Tom. He liked to sleep all day in the sun. His favorite spot was next to the mint plant. The mint plant was green and smelled nice. + +One day, Tom saw that the mint plant was not growing. He was sad because he loved the mint. He wanted to help the mint grow big and strong. So, Tom asked his friend, a little bird, what to do. + +The bird told Tom that the mint needed water and sun to grow. Tom decided to help. Every day, he would bring water to the mint plant. Soon, the mint began to grow again. Tom was happy, and he could sleep next to the big mint plant all day. +One day, a little boy named Tim went to the garden. He saw a big squash. It was so big and round. Tim wanted to pick it up, but he was careless. He dropped the squash, and it broke. + +Tim's mom came and said, "Oh no, Tim! You broke the squash. But don't worry, I will teach you how to be careful." Tim felt sad, but he wanted to learn. + +The next day, Tim and his mom went to the garden again. They saw another big squash. Tim's mom showed him how to pick it up slowly and carefully. Tim tried, and he did it! He picked up the squash without dropping it. Tim was happy, and his mom said, "Good job, Tim! Now you know how to be careful with squashes." + +Tim and his mom took the big squash home. They made yummy food with it. Tim was proud that he had learned to be careful. He knew he would not be careless again. +Once upon a time, there was a little bird named Tim. Tim had a small wing. He was a stubborn bird and wanted to build a big nest. + +Tim found sticks, leaves, and grass to build his nest. He put them together with his small wing. It was hard work, but Tim was stubborn and did not give up. + +One day, Tim finished his big nest. He was very happy. Tim's friends saw the nest and said, "Wow, Tim, you did it!" Tim smiled and said, "Yes, my small wing and stubborn heart helped me build my big nest." +Once upon a time, there was a compassionate girl named Lily. She loved to help others and make them happy. One day, she found a big piece of metal in her yard. She thought of a way to use it to spread joy. + +Lily asked her dad to help her make the metal into a big, shiny slide. They worked hard together and soon, the slide was ready. Lily invited all her friends to come and play on the new slide. + +Everyone had fun going up and down the slide. They laughed and smiled as they played. Lily was happy to see her friends enjoying the slide. She knew that her compassionate heart had helped spread happiness to everyone. +Once upon a time, in a small town, there lived a little girl named Lily. She had a big birthday party coming up. She wanted all her friends to come, so she made invitations. + +One day, Lily went to her friend Tom's house. She said, "Tom, I have an invitation for you. My birthday party is soon. Will you come?" Tom smiled and said, "Yes, Lily! I will come to your party. It will be fine and fun!" + +Lily went to all her friends' houses to pass out the invitations. They all said they would come to her party. Lily was very happy. + +On the day of the party, all of Lily's friends came to her house. They played games, ate cake, and had a great time. Everyone said, "Thank you, Lily, for the fine party and the invitation!" +Once upon a time, there was a little boy named Tim. Tim was nervous because he was not feeling well. His mom said, "Don't worry, Tim. We will go see the doctor." + +At the doctor's office, the doctor looked at Tim and said, "You need some medicine to feel better." Tim's mom said, "Thank you, doctor. Can you please write down the name of the medicine?" The doctor nodded and wrote the name of the medicine on a small paper. + +Tim's mom took the paper and went to the store with Tim. They bought the medicine and went back home. Tim took the medicine and started to feel better. He was not nervous anymore. Tim was happy and played with his toys all day. +Once upon a time, in a big forest, there lived a wild hunter. He loved to listen to the birds sing and the wind blow. One sunny day, he met a small, lost bunny. + +"Hello, bunny," said the wild hunter. "Why are you lost?" + +"I can't find my mom," said the bunny, with big, sad eyes. "Can you help me?" + +The wild hunter listened carefully to the sounds of the forest. He heard the soft call of the bunny's mom in the distance. "Follow me," he said, and they went to find the bunny's mom. + +As they walked, the wild hunter and the bunny listened to the sounds of the forest. They heard the birds, the wind, and the rustling leaves. Soon, they found the bunny's mom. + +"Thank you for helping me," said the bunny, happy to be with his mom again. The wild hunter smiled and waved goodbye. He loved to help his friends in the big, wild forest. +Once upon a time, there was a little fragile bird named Timmy. Timmy lived in a small nest on a big tree. He loved to fly around and play with his friends all day. + +One day, the sun went down and it was dark outside. Timmy was scared of the dark. He didn't know how to go back to his nest. He saw a kind squirrel named Sally. Sally said, "Don't worry, Timmy. I will help you get home." + +Sally took Timmy's wing and they walked together. They saw other animals who were happy to welcome Timmy and Sally. They said, "Hello!" and "Good night!" to them. Soon, Timmy and Sally found the big tree with the small nest. + +Timmy was so happy to be back home. He thanked Sally for helping him in the dark. They became best friends and played together every day. From that day on, Timmy was never scared of the dark again because he knew he had friends to help him. +One day, a little girl named Lucy was in the kitchen with her mom. Lucy wanted to help her mom make a cake. Her mom said, "Lucy, can you get me a teaspoon, please?" Lucy looked around and found a teaspoon. She felt safe and happy to help her mom. + +Lucy's brother, Tim, came into the kitchen. He wanted to play with Lucy. Tim took the teaspoon from Lucy and ran away. Lucy was sad and said, "Tim, give it back! Mom needs it for the cake!" Tim didn't listen and kept running. + +Lucy's mom saw what happened and said, "Tim, you should not take things from others. Please give the teaspoon back to Lucy." Tim felt regret for what he did. He said, "I'm sorry, Lucy," and gave the teaspoon back to her. Lucy and Tim both helped their mom make the cake, and they all enjoyed it together. +One day, a cop named Sam was walking down the street. He saw a big ice cream shop. Sam was hungry, so he went inside. The ice cream looked very tasty. He saw many colors like red, blue, and yellow. + +Sam asked the ice cream man, "Can I have a tasty ice cream, please?" The ice cream man smiled and said, "Of course! What color do you want?" Sam picked the blue one because it was his favorite color. + +As Sam walked outside to eat his tasty ice cream, he saw a cat stuck in a tree. He wanted to help the cat, but his ice cream started to freeze his hand. Sam put the ice cream down and climbed the tree. He saved the cat and felt very happy. The cat thanked Sam, and they both enjoyed the tasty ice cream together. +Once upon a time, in a small village, there lived a dancer named Lily. She was a wild dancer, spinning and jumping all day long. Everyone in the village loved to watch her dance. One day, Lily found a broken toy in the park. She felt sad for the toy and wanted to repair it. + +Lily asked her friend, Tom the bear, to help her fix the toy. Tom was very good at fixing things. They worked together to repair the toy, and soon it was as good as new. Lily was very happy and danced with joy. She knew that one day, the toy would make someone else happy too. + +A few days later, a little boy named Sam came to the village. He was sad because he lost his favorite toy. Lily remembered the toy she and Tom had repaired. She gave it to Sam, and he was so happy. The village people clapped and cheered as Lily danced wildly, celebrating the joy she brought to Sam. And from that day on, Lily and Sam became the best of friends. +Once upon a time, in a small town, there was a kind man who wanted to restore peace. He knew that if he could teach people about the law, everyone would be happy. He was very persistent in his work. + +One day, a big, mean wolf came to the town. The wolf did not like the law. He wanted to make the town a bad place. The kind man tried to teach the wolf about the law, but the wolf did not listen. + +The persistent kind man tried again and again to teach the wolf about the law. But the wolf was too strong and mean. In the end, the wolf scared the kind man away. The town was sad and did not have peace. The bad wolf won. +Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Lily. She loved to play in her big backyard. One sunny day, she dug a deep hole with her toy shovel. She wanted to see how far down she could dig. + +As Lily dug deeper, she found a shiny gem. It was blue and sparkled like the sky. She picked it up and showed it to her mom. "Look, Mom," Lily said, "I found a gem!" Her mom smiled and said, "Wow, that's a beautiful gem, Lily!" + +Lily was very happy. She put the gem in a special box and kept it in her room. Every night, she would look at the gem and remember the fun day when she found it in the deep hole. And every time she showed it to someone, they would say, "What a pretty gem!" +One day, a dog named Max found a long chain. He liked the chain very much. He wanted to play with it. But there was a problem. The chain was on a big tree. Max tried to get the chain, but he could not reach it. + +Max had a friend, a fast rabbit named Lucy. Max asked Lucy for help. Lucy was very fast, so she could jump high. Lucy jumped up and got the chain for Max. Max was very happy. He said, "Thank you, Lucy. You are a good friend." + +But then, another dog named Sam saw the chain. Sam wanted the chain too. Max did not want to give the chain to Sam. They both wanted the chain. Lucy had an idea. She said, "You can both play with the chain. You can take turns." Max and Sam agreed. They played with the chain together and had a lot of fun. +Once upon a time, there was a boy named Tim. He had a small wallet. Tim was a tough boy. He liked to play outside with his friends. + +One day, Tim found a big box. The box could supply toys for him and his friends. Tim was very happy. He wanted to share the toys with his friends. + +But Tim was not careful. He lost his wallet. He was very sad. Tim could not find his wallet. His friends were sad too. The story has a bad ending. +Once upon a time, in a big field, there was some wheat. The wheat was tall and happy. They liked to talk to each other and play in the sun. + +One day, a bad crow came. The crow wanted to eat the wheat. The wheat got scared. They did not want to be eaten. The wheat said, "Please, Mr. Crow, do not eat us." + +The crow did not care. He started to snap the wheat with his beak. The wheat cried for help. They did not want to be hurt. + +A big dog heard the wheat cry. He ran to the field and barked at the bad crow. The crow got scared and flew away. The wheat was safe and thanked the dog. They were happy again. +One day, a little girl named Lucy went outside to play. She saw a big tree with red apples. Lucy wanted to pick an apple to eat. She jumped and jumped, but she could not reach the apples. Lucy felt sad. + +Then, a crazy bird with blue and yellow feathers came to help Lucy. The bird used its beak to pick an apple for her. Lucy was very happy. She took a big bite of the apple. It was sweet and juicy. + +Lucy saw her skin got dirty from playing outside. She went back home to wash her hands and face. After she was clean, she shared the apple with her mom. They both loved the apple, and Lucy was happy that the crazy bird helped her. +Once upon a time, there was a sleepy cat named Tom. Tom lived by the sea. Every day, he would sit on the warm sand and watch the blue waves. He liked the sound the waves made. It made him even more sleepy. + +One day, Tom saw a little girl playing near the water. She had a pretty shell in her hand. Tom walked over to her and said, "Hi, I like your shell. Can I see it?" The little girl smiled and said, "Hi, sleepy cat. My name is Lily. Sure, you can see my shell." + +Tom looked at the shell and said, "This shell has value. It is very pretty." Lily was happy that Tom liked her shell. She said, "Thank you, sleepy cat. You can keep the shell if you want." Tom was so happy. He waved his tail and said, "Thank you, Lily. I will keep it forever." From that day on, Tom and Lily were best friends. They played by the sea and watched the waves together. +Once upon a time, there was a weird frog. The frog liked to play a drum. Every day, the frog went to the pond to play his drum. All the animals came to listen. They liked the sound of his drum. + +One day, a big, mean snake came to the pond. The snake wanted to eat the frog. The frog was scared. He tried to escape. He hopped and hopped to get away from the snake. The animals were sad. They wanted the frog to be safe. + +The frog hopped and hopped, but the snake was fast. The snake caught the frog. The animals cried. The frog could not escape. The pond was quiet. There was no more drum sound. The animals missed the weird frog and his drum. +Once upon a time, there was a wealthy man named Tom. Tom had a big house and a lot of toys. One day, he met a little boy named Tim. Tim had no toys, and he was sad. + +Tom said, "Don't be sad, Tim. I will lend you one of my toys." Tim was very happy and said, "Thank you, Tom!" Tom gave Tim a toy car. Tim played with the toy car all day. + +But then, Tim lost the toy car. He looked everywhere, but he could not find it. Tim was very sad. He put his thumb in his mouth and cried. Tom was mad at Tim for losing his toy car. Tim never got to play with Tom's toys again. +Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Lucy. She liked to play in the park with her friends. One day, Lucy saw a small bird with a hurt wing. She wanted to help the bird, so she ran to find a grown-up. + +Lucy found a kind nurse named Mary in the park. She told Mary about the hurt bird. Mary said she would help the bird. Lucy felt happy that the bird would get help. She knew Mary would make the bird feel better. + +Mary and Lucy went to the hurt bird. Mary put a band-aid on the bird's wing. The bird felt better and could fly again. Lucy and the bird were happy. They discovered that with a little help, you can make a big difference. +Once upon a time, there was a little rabbit named Bob. Bob loved to eat celery. One day, he found the biggest celery in the garden. It was so big and green. Bob was very happy and wanted to take it home. + +On his way home, Bob saw a little bird stuck in a tree. The bird was sad and scared. Bob wanted to help the bird. He thought that he was fit and strong enough to rescue the bird. + +Bob climbed the tree and reached the bird. He used his strong legs to push the branch. The bird was free and could fly again. The bird thanked Bob for his help. Bob took his big celery home and shared it with his new friend, the bird. They were both happy and full. +One day, a nice dog named Max went to the doctor with his mom. Max had to get an x-ray. He was a little scared, but his mom said, "Don't worry, Max. It will be quick." + +The doctor took Max to a big room with a funny machine. The machine took a picture of Max's bones. The doctor looked at the x-ray and said, "Good news, Max! Your bones are strong and healthy." + +Max was so happy, he started to clap his paws. His mom clapped too. They went home and had a big party to celebrate. Max was not scared of x-rays anymore. +Once upon a time, there was a lazy cat named Tom. Tom liked to sleep all day and play all night. One day, Tom saw a ghost in his house. The ghost was big and white. Tom was scared, but he wanted to be friends with the ghost. + +Tom tried to balance on his back legs to look big and strong. He wanted the ghost to see that he was not afraid. But the ghost did not like Tom trying to balance. The ghost thought Tom was trying to scare him away. So, the ghost started to make loud noises and shake things in the house. + +Tom was sad and did not want the ghost to be mad at him. He thought of a plan. He found a toy and started to play with it. The ghost saw Tom playing and wanted to play too. They played together all night and became good friends. The ghost was not scary anymore, and Tom was not lazy anymore. They had lots of fun and lived happily ever after. +Once upon a time, there was an enormous cat. This cat loved to eat cereal. Every day, the cat would ask his mom to serve him his favorite cereal. + +One day, the cat's mom was too busy to serve him cereal. The cat was very sad. He wanted his cereal so much. So, he decided to serve the cereal by himself. + +The cat climbed up on the chair to reach the cereal box. But, he fell down and made a big mess. The cereal was all over the floor. The cat's mom was not happy. The cat did not get to eat his cereal that day. +Once upon a time, there was a little daisy. The daisy lived in a big field. The daisy was sad because it was very hot and dry. The daisy needed water to grow. + +One day, a big cloud came. The cloud was full of water. The daisy was happy. The cloud started to rain. The daisy started to soak up the water. The daisy was very happy. + +But then, a big wind came. The wind was very strong. The wind blew the rain away. The daisy was frustrated. The daisy did not get enough water to grow. The daisy had to wait for the rain to come back. +Tim and Sam were brothers. They liked to read books together. One day, they found a big book in the attic. It had many pages with pictures and words. + +"Let's read this book," Tim said. He opened the book and turned the pages. He saw a picture of a snake. "Look, Sam, a snake. It is long and green." + +Sam looked at the picture. He did not like snakes. He thought they were scary and disgusting. "I don't like snakes," Sam said. He turned the page. He saw a picture of a spider. "Look, Tim, a spider. It has eight legs and many eyes." + +Tim looked at the picture. He did not like spiders. He thought they were creepy and disgusting. "I don't like spiders," Tim said. He turned the page. He saw a picture of a frog. "Look, Sam, a frog. It is slimy and wet." + +Sam looked at the picture. He did not like frogs. He thought they were gross and disgusting. "I don't like frogs," Sam said. He turned the page. He saw a picture of a cake. "Look, Tim, a cake. It has icing and sprinkles." + +Tim looked at the picture. He liked cakes. He thought they were yummy and sweet. "I like cakes," Tim said. He turned the page. He saw a picture of a worm. "Look, Sam, a worm. It is wiggly and brown." + +Sam looked at the picture. He liked worms. He thought they were fun and cool. "I like worms," Sam said. + +Tim and Sam looked at each other. They did not seem to like the same things. But they still liked each other. They smiled and hugged. They closed the book and put it back in the attic. They went downstairs to play. They were happy. +Lily and Max are twins. They like to play in their room. They have many toys and books. But sometimes they want to see what is outside. + +One day, they see a big pink balloon in the sky. It is very pretty and shiny. They want to touch it. They crawl to the window and look up. They see the balloon getting smaller and smaller. + +"Where is it going?" Lily asks. + +"I don't know. Maybe to another house," Max says. + +"Can we go there too?" Lily says. + +Max thinks for a moment. He sees a chair near the window. He has an idea. + +"Maybe we can. Come on, Lily. Let's climb on the chair and open the window," he says. + +He crawls to the chair and pulls Lily with him. They climb on the chair and reach for the window. But the window is too high. They stretch their arms and legs, but they cannot open it. + +They hear a voice behind them. It is their mom. + +"What are you doing, Lily and Max?" she says. + +She sees them on the chair and the window. She is not happy. She picks them up and puts them on the floor. + +"You should not climb on the chair and the window. It is not safe. You could fall and get hurt," she says. + +She hugs them and kisses them. She gives them a cookie and a glass of milk. + +"Sorry, mom," Lily and Max say. + +They eat their cookie and drink their milk. They are not sad anymore. They still have each other and their toys and books. And maybe they will see the pink balloon again. +Lily and Ben were very happy to go to the farm with their mom and dad. They wanted to see the animals and play in the hay. They packed their bags with clothes, toys and snacks. They got in the car and drove for a long time. + +When they arrived at the farm, they saw a big red barn, a green field and a blue sky. They met the farmer, who was very nice and friendly. He said they could stay in the guest house and explore the farm. He also said he had a surprise for them, but they had to wait until tomorrow. + +Lily and Ben unpacked their bags in the guest house. They put their clothes in the closet, their toys on the bed and their snacks on the table. They were very excited to see the surprise. They wondered what it could be. Maybe a pony, or a puppy, or a kitten. + +The next morning, they woke up early and ran outside. They followed the farmer to the barn. He opened the door and said, "Here is your surprise. Meet Pinky, the unusual pig." + +Lily and Ben gasped. They saw a big pink pig with a curly tail, a snout and...wings. Yes, wings. Pinky had two white wings on her back, like a bird. She was flying around the barn, making oink and chirp sounds. + +"Pinky is a very special pig," the farmer said. "She was born with wings and she loves to fly. She is very friendly and smart. Do you want to play with her?" + +Lily and Ben nodded. They went inside the barn and petted Pinky. She licked their faces and nuzzled their hands. She let them ride on her back and flew with them around the barn. They had so much fun with Pinky, the unusual pig. They decided she was the best surprise ever. +Ben was lonely. He had no friends to play with. He lived in a big house with his mom and dad, but they were always busy. He wished he had a dog or a cat or a bird to keep him company. + +One day, he heard a whistle from his bedroom window. He ran to see who it was. He saw a boy with a red cap and a bike. The boy smiled and waved at him. + +"Hi, I'm Sam. I just moved next door. Do you want to be my friend?" the boy asked. + +Ben was happy. He nodded and opened the window. + +"Hi, I'm Ben. I want to be your friend. Can you come and play with me?" he asked. + +Sam nodded and parked his bike. He climbed the fence and went to Ben's bedroom. They played with Ben's toys and books and puzzles. They laughed and talked and had fun. + +Ben was not lonely anymore. He had a friend. He whistled with joy. He was glad Sam moved next door. +Ben and Lily liked to play with their toy boat. They made it from a big pine cone and a leaf. They took it to the pond and put it in the water. They watched it sail with the wind. + +"Look, it's so fast!" Lily said. "It's brilliant!" + +Ben nodded. He wanted to make the boat go faster. He blew on the leaf. The boat sailed away from them. It went to the other side of the pond. + +"Oh no, how can we get it back?" Lily asked. She was sad. + +Ben had an idea. He saw a big stick on the ground. He picked it up and ran to the edge of the pond. He reached out with the stick and tried to hook the leaf. He was careful not to fall in. + +He got it! He pulled the boat back to them. Lily clapped her hands. She hugged Ben. + +"Thank you, Ben! You are brilliant too!" she said. + +They smiled and played with their boat some more. They had fun. They loved their pine cone boat. +Anna and Ben were playing in the living room. They saw a big calendar on the wall. It had many pictures of animals and numbers. Anna liked the calendar. She wanted to look at it. + +"Can we take the calendar down?" she asked Ben. + +"No, we can't. Mommy said we have to leave it there. It is her calendar. She uses it for work," Ben said. + +But Anna did not listen. She climbed on the couch and reached for the calendar. She pulled it hard. The calendar came off the wall, but it also made a loud noise. Mommy heard the noise and came to the living room. + +"What are you doing?" Mommy asked. She was angry. She saw the calendar on the floor. It was wet. Anna had spilled her juice on it. The pictures and numbers were ruined. + +"Anna, you are very naughty. You took my calendar and made it wet. You know you are not supposed to touch it. Now I can't use it for work. You have to go to your room and think about what you did," Mommy said. + +She picked up Anna and pushed her to her room. She closed the door. Anna was sad. She cried. She wished she had listened to Ben. She wished she had not taken the calendar. She wished Mommy was not mad at her. She had a bad day. +Lily and Max were bored. It was a rainy day and they could not go outside. They looked at the window and saw the weather. It was wet and gray and sad. + +"Mom, can we do something fun?" Lily asked. + +"Sure, honey. Why don't you play with your toys?" Mom said. + +Lily and Max went to their room. They had many toys, but they did not want to play with them. They wanted to do something new and exciting. + +"Look, Max. I have an idea." Lily said. She took a big cardboard box and cut a hole in it. She put some stickers and crayons on it. She made a spaceship. + +"Wow, Lily. That's cool. Can I come with you?" Max said. + +"Of course, Max. You are my co-pilot. Put on this helmet." Lily said. She gave Max a plastic bowl and put one on her head. + +They climbed inside the box and pretended to fly. They made noises with their mouths. + +"Zoom, zoom, zoom. We are going to the moon." Lily said. + +"Zoom, zoom, zoom. We are going to see the stars." Max said. + +They had fun with their imagination. They forgot about the weather and the boredom. They zoomed and zoomed until it was time for dinner. +Anna and Ben were twins who liked to play outside. One day, they saw a big bridge over a river. They wanted to cross the bridge and see what was on the other side. + +"Let's go, Ben!" Anna said. "Maybe we can find something fun over there." + +"But Mom said we should not go too far from home," Ben said. "She will be angry if we are naughty." + +Anna did not listen to Ben. She ran to the bridge and started to cross it. Ben followed her, because he did not want to be alone. He wondered what they would find on the other side. + +When they reached the middle of the bridge, they heard a loud roar. They looked down and saw a big, hairy monster in the river. It had sharp teeth and claws, and it was angry. It wanted to eat them. + +"Help!" Anna and Ben screamed. They were very scared. They ran back to the other side of the bridge, where their mom was waiting for them. + +"Where have you been?" Mom asked. "I was worried about you. You were very naughty to go to the bridge without telling me." + +"We are sorry, Mom," Anna and Ben said. "We wanted to see what was on the other side, but there was a monster in the river. It was very scary." + +Mom hugged them and said, "I'm glad you are safe. Next time, you should listen to me and stay close to home. There are no monsters here, only toys and snacks." + +Anna and Ben nodded and said, "We love you, Mom. We will not be naughty again." They learned their lesson and never went to the bridge again. +Tom and Lily are friends. They like to play in the garden. One day, they find a big green fruit on the ground. It is an avocado. + +"What is this?" Tom asks. + +"It is an avocado. My mom likes to eat it. She says it is good for you," Lily says. + +"Can we eat it too?" Tom wonders. + +"Maybe. But we need to cut it first. And we need a spoon," Lily says. + +They look around for something to cut the avocado. They see a big rock. They use the rock to hit the avocado. It breaks open. They see the soft green part and the big seed inside. + +"Wow, it looks yummy!" Tom says. + +They take a spoon from the sandbox. They scoop out some of the green part. They taste it. + +"Mmm, it is creamy and sweet. I like it," Lily says. + +"Me too. It is tasty," Tom agrees. + +They eat more of the avocado. They are happy. They leave the seed on the ground. + +"Maybe it will grow into a new avocado tree," Lily says. + +"That would be nice. Then we can have more avocados to eat," Tom says. + +They smile at each other. They think the avocado is a useful fruit. They go back to play in the garden. +Lily and Tom are friends. They like to play with their toys and books. Lily has a doll with long hair. Tom has a car with big wheels. They share their toys and have fun. + +One day, Lily wants to make her doll look pretty. She takes a brush and combs her doll's hair. She makes a part in the middle of her doll's hair. She says, "Look, Tom, my doll has a part like me!" + +Tom looks at Lily and her doll. He thinks they are both pretty. He says, "You are very intelligent, Lily. You know how to use a brush and make a part. Can you teach me how to do that?" + +Lily smiles and says, "Of course, Tom. I can teach you how to use a brush and make a part. It is easy and fun. Come, I will show you." + +Lily and Tom sit on the floor. Lily gives Tom another brush and another doll. She shows him how to hold the brush and comb the doll's hair. She shows him how to make a part in the middle of the doll's hair. Tom tries to do the same. He says, "Look, Lily, I did it! My doll has a part like yours!" + +Lily and Tom are happy. They hug each other and their dolls. They say, "We are very intelligent. We know how to use a brush and make a part. We are good friends." +Lily and Ben are twins. They like to play in the park with their mom and dad. They see many things in the park: trees, flowers, birds, dogs, and people. + +One day, they see a pond with ducks. Lily and Ben want to feed the ducks. They ask their mom for some bread. Mom gives them some bread and says, "Be gentle with the ducks. They are small and scared of loud noises." + +Lily and Ben nod and walk to the pond. They break the bread into pieces and throw them to the ducks. The ducks swim to the bread and eat it. They make quack sounds. Lily and Ben laugh and clap. + +"Look, mom, the ducks are happy!" Lily says. + +"Yes, they are. And so are you," mom says. + +Lily and Ben feel happy too. They feel peace in their hearts. They hug their mom and dad. They say, "We love you and the ducks." + +Mom and dad hug them back. They say, "We love you too. And we love the park. It is a beautiful place to be." +Tom and Sue are friends. They like to play outside. One day, they see a big house near the river. It has a big wheel that turns with the water. Tom and Sue want to see the big house. + +"Let's go to the big house," Tom says. "Maybe we can discover something." + +"OK," Sue says. "But we have to be careful. Mom and Dad said we should not go too far." + +Tom and Sue walk to the big house. They see a door that is open. They go inside. They see many machines and bags of flour. They hear a loud noise. + +"What is this place?" Sue asks. + +"I think it is a mill," Tom says. "They make flour here. Flour is important. We use it to make bread and cake." + +Tom and Sue look around. They see a man who works in the mill. He is busy and does not see them. + +"Hello, mister," Tom says. "Can you show us how the mill works?" + +The man turns and sees Tom and Sue. He is surprised and angry. + +"Who are you? How did you get in here? This is not a place for children. It is dangerous. You could get hurt by the machines or the wheel. Go away now!" + +Tom and Sue are scared. They run out of the mill. They go back to their home. + +"Sorry, Mom and Dad," Tom and Sue say. "We went to the mill. We wanted to discover something. But the man was mad at us. He said the mill is dangerous." + +Mom and Dad hug Tom and Sue. They are glad they are safe. + +"It is good that you are curious and want to discover things," Mom says. "But you have to be careful and listen to us. Some places are not for children. They are for grown-ups who work there." + +"We understand, Mom and Dad," Tom and Sue say. "We will not go to the mill again. We will play in the yard or the park. There are many things to discover there too." +Sara and Mia were best friends. They liked to play together in the park. One day, they saw a big hill with flowers. They wanted to race to the top. + +"Let's see who is faster!" Sara said. + +"OK, ready, set, go!" Mia said. + +They ran as fast as they could. Sara was wearing a new blouse that her mom had made for her. It was pink and had butterflies on it. Sara was very proud of her blouse. She thought it was very creative. + +Mia was wearing an old shirt that was blue and had a hole in it. Mia did not care about her shirt. She thought it was comfortable and did not mind the hole. + +Sara and Mia reached the top of the hill at the same time. They were both out of breath and happy. They looked at the flowers and the sky. They smiled at each other. + +"Wow, you are very fast, Mia!" Sara said. + +"Thank you, Sara. You are very fast too!" Mia said. + +"Your blouse is very pretty, Sara. I like the butterflies!" Mia said. + +"Thank you, Mia. Your shirt is very nice too. I like the blue!" Sara said. + +They hugged each other. They did not care about their clothes. They cared about their friendship. They learned that it does not matter what you wear, but who you are. They were both creative and kind. They were both winners. +Lily and Ben were best friends. They liked to play with toys, draw pictures and run in the park. One day, Lily's mom gave her a camera. She said it was a special gift and she could take photos of anything she wanted. + +Lily was very happy. She wanted to take photos of Ben, her toys, her dog and the flowers. She ran to Ben and showed him the camera. Ben was curious. He wanted to see how it worked. He asked Lily if he could hold it. + +Lily said yes, but she told him to be careful. She said the camera was not a toy and it could break. Ben nodded. He took the camera and looked at it. He saw a button and pressed it. The camera made a click sound and flashed a light. + +Lily smiled. She said Ben took a photo of himself. She asked him if he wanted to see it. Ben said yes. He gave the camera back to Lily and she showed him the screen. They saw Ben's face, but it was not a normal face. It was a funny face. Ben had his tongue out and his eyes crossed. He looked silly. + +Lily and Ben laughed. They thought the photo was funny. They wanted to take more photos of funny faces. They took turns holding the camera and making faces. They had a lot of fun. + +But then, something happened. Lily had the camera and she was about to make a face. Ben had an idea. He wanted to surprise Lily. He leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. He thought it would be funny. + +But Lily did not think it was funny. She thought it was disgusting. She felt Ben's wet lips on her skin and she did not like it. She screamed and pushed him away. She said "Yuck! Ben, you are disgusting! Don't kiss me!" + +Ben was shocked. He did not mean to make Lily angry. He thought she would laugh. He said "Sorry, Lily. I was just joking. Don't be mad." + +But Lily was mad. She was also sad. She said "You ruined my photo. You ruined my camera. You ruined my fun. Go away, Ben. I don't want to play with you anymore." + +She ran away with the camera, leaving Ben alone. Ben felt bad. He did not know what to do. He wanted to say sorry again, but Lily did not listen. He wanted to be friends again, but Lily did not want him. He wished he never kissed her. He wished he never saw the camera. He wished he could go back to the park and play with Lily like before. He wished he could make her smile again. +Lily had a new toy. It was a parrot that could talk. She liked to play with it and make it say funny things. She named it Polly. + +One day, Lily's brother Tom came to her room. He was bored and wanted to play with Lily. But Lily did not want to share her parrot. She said it was hers and Tom had to find his own toy. + +Tom was angry. He thought Lily was not fair. He wanted to play with the parrot too. He tried to grab it from Lily, but Lily held it tight. They pulled and pulled, and the parrot started to scream. + +"Help! Help! Stop! Stop!" the parrot said. + +But Tom and Lily did not stop. They pulled harder and harder, until the parrot broke. Its head came off, and its wings and feet fell to the floor. The parrot was destroyed. + +Lily and Tom stopped. They looked at the broken parrot. They felt sad and sorry. They had ruined their toy and hurt their friend. + +They hugged each other and said they were sorry. They said they would be more fair and share their toys. They picked up the pieces of the parrot and tried to fix it. They hoped it would talk again. They loved their parrot. +Lily and Max were very happy. They had a new toy. It was a big ball that could bounce very high. They wanted to play with it in the park. + +They ran to the park with the ball. They saw a big space with grass and flowers. They threw the ball and watched it bounce up and down. They laughed and clapped. + +"Look, Lily, the ball can bounce as high as the sky!" Max said. + +"Wow, Max, it is so fun!" Lily said. "Can I try?" + +"Sure, Lily, here you go!" Max said. He gave the ball to Lily. + +Lily threw the ball with all her might. She wanted to make it bounce very high. But the ball bounced too high. It bounced over the fence and into the street. + +"Oh no, Lily, the ball is gone!" Max said. + +Lily felt sad. She liked the new ball. She did not want to lose it. + +"Maybe we can get it back, Max," Lily said. "Let's go and see." + +They ran to the fence and looked at the street. They saw a big truck coming. The truck was very loud and fast. It drove over the ball and popped it. + +Lily and Max gasped. They saw the ball become flat and fly away. They could not believe it. + +"Our new ball, Max, our new ball!" Lily cried. + +Max hugged Lily. He felt sad too. He liked the new ball. He did not want to lose it. + +"I'm sorry, Lily, I'm sorry," Max said. "It was an accident. We can get another ball, maybe." + +Lily nodded. She wiped her tears. She knew Max was right. It was an accident. They could get another ball, maybe. + +They walked back to their home. They held hands. They still felt sad, but they also felt glad. They had each other. They were friends. And friends could make each other happy. +Lily and Ben were playing in the park with their ball. They saw a man sitting on a bench. He looked sad and lonely. Lily and Ben wanted to make him happy. + +"Hello, man!" Lily said. "Do you want to play with us?" + +The man shook his head. "No, thank you. I have too many worries." + +"What are worries?" Ben asked. + +"Worries are bad thoughts that make you feel scared or sad," the man said. + +Lily and Ben did not like bad thoughts. They wanted to help the man. + +"Maybe you can tell us your worries and we can make them go away," Lily said. + +The man smiled a little. "That is very kind of you, but I don't think you can help me. My worries are too big and too hard." + +"Please try," Ben said. "We are good listeners." + +The man sighed. He told them his worries. He worried about his job, his money, his health, his family, and his future. He worried about everything. + +Lily and Ben listened carefully. They tried to think of ways to make the man feel better. They told him some silly jokes, some happy stories, and some nice compliments. They made him laugh and smile. + +The man felt a little lighter and warmer. He thanked Lily and Ben for their time and their kindness. He said they were very smart and sweet. + +Lily and Ben were happy. They learned that worries are not good, and that talking and playing can help. They also learned that sometimes, a silly joke can make a big difference. They hugged the man and said goodbye. They went back to playing with their ball. They hoped the man would not worry so much anymore. +Tom and Sam were brothers. They liked to play in the woods near their home. One day, they found a big cave. They went inside and saw many shiny rocks. They were very happy. + +"Look, Tom, these rocks are so pretty! Let's take some home and sell them. We can buy candy and toys with the money!" Sam said. + +"OK, Sam, but we have to be careful. The cave might be dangerous. And we have to tell Mom and Dad where we are going." Tom said. + +They filled their pockets with the shiny rocks and ran out of the cave. They did not see the sign that said "Do not enter. Protected area." They did not hear the growl of a big bear that lived in the cave. + +They went to the market and sold the rocks to a man. He gave them some money and smiled. He knew the rocks were very valuable. He was not a good man. + +Tom and Sam bought some candy and toys and went home. They were very proud of themselves. They showed their Mom and Dad what they bought. + +"Where did you get the money for these things?" Mom asked. + +"We sold some rocks we found in a cave in the woods." Sam said. + +"A cave in the woods? What cave? Did you see a sign?" Dad asked. + +They told their Mom and Dad about the cave and the shiny rocks. They did not know they had done something wrong. + +Mom and Dad were very angry and sad. They explained to Tom and Sam that the rocks were not theirs to sell. They were part of nature and belonged to everyone. They also told them that the cave was home to a big bear and they could have been hurt. They said they had to return the money and the things they bought and apologize to the man and the bear. + +Tom and Sam felt very sorry and ashamed. They realized they had been greedy and foolish. They did what their Mom and Dad told them. They returned the money and the things they bought to the man. He was not happy, but he gave them back. They also went back to the cave and left some honey and berries for the bear. They hoped the bear would forgive them. + +They learned a lesson that day. They learned to respect nature and animals and not to take what was not theirs. They also learned to be honest and careful and to listen to their Mom and Dad. They never went back to the cave again. They played in the woods, but they only looked at the flowers and the birds and the trees. They were happy. +Sara and Ben were playing with snow in the garden. They made a big snowman with a hat, a scarf and a carrot nose. They were very happy with their snowman. + +"Look, Mommy, look!" Sara shouted. "We made a snowman!" + +Mommy came out of the house and smiled. "Wow, you did a great job, Sara and Ben. Your snowman is very nice." + +"Can we keep him, Mommy?" Ben asked. "Can he stay in the garden?" + +Mommy shook her head. "No, Ben, he can't. He will melt when the sun comes out. He will become water and go away." + +Sara and Ben looked sad. They did not want their snowman to melt. They wanted him to stay with them. + +"Can we take him inside, Mommy?" Sara asked. "Can he stay in our room?" + +Mommy laughed. "No, Sara, he can't. He will melt inside too. He will make a big mess on the floor. He will make your room wet and messy." + +Sara and Ben looked at each other. They did not know what to do. They wanted to keep their snowman, but they did not want him to melt or make a mess. + +"Mommy, can we take a picture of him?" Ben asked. "Can we remember him?" + +Mommy nodded. "Yes, Ben, you can. That's a good idea. You can take a picture of him and keep it in your album. You can look at him anytime you want." + +Sara and Ben smiled. They ran inside and got the camera. They came back and took a picture of their snowman. They hugged him and said goodbye. + +"Bye, snowman. We love you. You are our friend." they said. + +They went inside with Mommy and put the picture in their album. They looked at it and felt happy. They still had their snowman, even if he was not in the garden yet. +Anna liked to go to the park with her mom. She liked to play on the swings and the slide and the sandbox. She also liked to wave at the elderly lady who sat on the bench and fed the birds. The lady always smiled and waved back at Anna. + +One day, Anna saw a pink balloon in the sky. She wanted to catch it and play with it. She let go of her mom's hand and ran after the balloon. She did not see the big car that was coming fast on the road. She did not hear her mom scream her name. + +The elderly lady saw Anna run into the road. She dropped her bread and tried to get up from the bench. She wanted to help Anna and stop the car. But she was too slow and too weak. She fell down and hurt her leg. + +The car hit Anna and the balloon. There was a loud noise and a lot of blood. The driver got out and cried. He did not mean to hurt Anna. He did not see her. He called for help. + +Anna's mom ran to Anna and held her. She cried and cried. She wished she had not let go of Anna's hand. She wished Anna had not seen the pink balloon. She wished the elderly lady had not waved at Anna. She wished it was all a bad dream. But it was not. It was real. And it was too late. +Lily loved to read books with her mom. She liked to look at the pictures and listen to the stories. Sometimes, she would ask her mom to read the same book again and again. + +One day, Lily picked a book from the shelf and brought it to her mom. "Can you read this one, please?" she asked. + +Her mom smiled and opened the book. "This is a very long book, Lily. Are you sure you want to read it?" + +Lily nodded. She wanted to know what was in the book. She sat on her mom's lap and waited. + +Her mom started to read. She read about a boy who went on an adventure with his friends. He met a dragon, a fairy, and a giant. He had to be brave and smart to find his way home. + +Lily liked the story. She asked her mom questions about the boy and the dragon and the fairy and the giant. Her mom answered her questions and turned the pages. + +But after a while, Lily started to feel tired. Her eyes felt heavy and her head felt sleepy. She yawned and rubbed her eyes. + +"Mom, can we stop now?" she complained. "I'm sleepy." + +Her mom looked at the book. They had only read half of it. There were many more pages left. + +"Okay, Lily. We can stop now. We can read the rest tomorrow, if you want." Her mom said. + +She closed the book and put it on the table. She hugged Lily and kissed her forehead. + +"You are a very good reader, Lily. And a very compassionate listener. You care about the boy and his friends. I'm proud of you." She said. + +Lily smiled and snuggled with her mom. She felt happy and warm. She closed her eyes and fell asleep. +Lily and Ben were playing with their dolls in the living room. They liked to pretend that their dolls were a family and they were the parents. Lily had a big doll with a long dress and a hat. Ben had a small doll with a mustache and a coat. + +"Let's go to the park with our dolls," Lily said. "It's a sunny day and they want to have fun." + +"OK," Ben said. "But we have to be careful. There are some big kids who are mean and they might take our dolls." + +They put their dolls in a basket and went outside. They walked to the park and found a nice spot under a tree. They took out their dolls and started to play. + +"Hello, Mrs. Doll," Ben said in a deep voice. "You look very pretty today. Do you like my mustache?" + +"Thank you, Mr. Doll," Lily said in a high voice. "Your mustache is very nice. Do you like my hat?" + +They made their dolls hug and kiss. They were having a good time. + +But then, they heard a loud laugh. They looked up and saw two big kids coming towards them. They had bikes and helmets and they looked mean. + +"Hey, look at those babies," one of them said. "They are playing with dolls. How silly!" + +"Let's take their dolls and throw them in the pond," the other one said. "That will be fun!" + +Lily and Ben were scared. They held their dolls tightly and tried to run away. But the big kids were faster and they caught them. They grabbed their dolls and laughed. + +"Give them back!" Lily cried. "They are ours!" + +"Too bad!" the big kid said. "They are wet now!" + +He threw Lily's doll in the pond. It landed with a splash and sank. Lily screamed. + +"Stop it!" Ben shouted. "You are mean!" + +He tried to get his doll back, but the big kid pushed him. He fell on the ground and hurt his knee. He cried. + +The big kids laughed and rode away on their bikes. They left Lily and Ben alone with their basket. + +Lily and Ben were sad and angry. They had lost their dolls and they were hurt. They wanted to go home. + +They got up and walked to the pond. They hoped to find their dolls, but they couldn't see them. They were too deep in the water. + +They hugged each other and said they were sorry. They said they loved each other and their dolls. + +They decided to go home and tell their mom what happened. They hoped she would help them and make them feel better. + +They picked up their basket and left the park. They walked slowly and quietly. They wanted to settle their problem and be happy again. +Tom and Lily wanted to play outside. They put on their boots and coats. They said bye to Mom and went to the backyard. + +There was a lot of mud in the backyard. It rained yesterday and the ground was wet and soft. Tom and Lily liked mud. They decided to prepare a mud cake. + +They found a big bucket and a shovel. They filled the bucket with mud. They added some leaves and sticks. They stirred the mud with the shovel. They said, "This is our mud cake. It looks yummy." + +They looked for a place to put their mud cake. They saw a big rock. They said, "This is our table. We can put our mud cake on the table." They carried the bucket to the rock. They were slow because the bucket was heavy. + +They dumped the mud on the rock. They shaped the mud with their hands. They said, "This is our mud cake. It is ready. Who wants a slice?" They pretended to cut the mud cake with the shovel. They laughed and had fun. +Tom and Lily liked to play near the creek. They saw many fish and frogs and stones in the water. Sometimes they threw stones and made splashes. Sometimes they caught frogs and let them go. Sometimes they just watched the fish swim. + +One day, they saw a big bird near the creek. It was black and white and had a long beak. It was a heron. The heron was looking for fish to eat. It stood very still and waited. Then it poked its beak into the water and caught a fish. + +"Wow, look at that bird!" Tom said. "It is very good at fishing." + +"Yes, it is," Lily said. "It can provide food for itself and its babies." + +They watched the heron eat the fish and fly away. They wanted to see where it went. They followed the creek and saw a big nest on a tree. The nest had three baby herons in it. They were gray and fluffy and had short beaks. They opened their mouths and made noises. + +"Hello, baby birds!" Tom said. "Do you want some fish?" + +The baby herons looked at Tom and Lily. They did not know what they were. They did not want their fish. They wanted their mother's fish. + +"Shoo, shoo, go away!" Lily said. "You are scaring the baby birds. They are waiting for their mother to come back." + +Tom and Lily left the nest and went back to the creek. They played some more and had fun. They were happy and hungry. They hoped their mother would come soon and provide them with some food. They were persistent in asking her when she would come. They loved their mother and her food. +Lily and Tom were playing with a ball in the park. They liked to kick the ball to each other and run after it. Sometimes they would shout "goal!" when they scored. + +But then a big boy came and took their ball. He said it was his ball and he did not want to share. He ran away with the ball and laughed. + +Lily and Tom were very sad. They wanted their ball back. They tried to chase the big boy, but he was too fast. They did not know what to do. + +Then they saw a man with a yellow hat. He was walking his dog. The dog was friendly and wagged its tail. The man saw Lily and Tom and asked them what was wrong. + +They told him about the big boy and the ball. The man said he knew the big boy. He was his nephew. He said he was sorry and he would talk to him. + +He called the big boy and told him to come back. The big boy came back, but he did not look happy. He still held the ball. + +The man said to the big boy, "You should not take things that are not yours. That is not nice. You should say sorry and give the ball back to Lily and Tom." + +The big boy did not want to say sorry. He said he liked the ball and he wanted to keep it. He said Lily and Tom were silly and he did not care. + +The man was angry. He said to the big boy, "If you do not say sorry and give the ball back, I will strike you. Do you want that?" + +The big boy was scared. He did not want to be struck. He said sorry and gave the ball back to Lily and Tom. He said he would not do it again. + +Lily and Tom were happy. They thanked the man and the dog. They said they liked the yellow hat. They said goodbye and went back to play with their ball. They smiled and had fun. +Lily and Ben are hungry. They want to eat pizza for lunch. But Mom is not at home. She is at work. Dad is in bed. He is sick. He has a pale face and a hot head. + +"Can we help Dad?" Lily asks Ben. + +"Maybe we can make pizza for him," Ben says. "He likes pizza." + +They go to the kitchen. They find some bread, cheese, and sauce. They put the sauce on the bread. They put the cheese on the sauce. They put the bread in the oven. + +They wait for the pizza to be ready. They smell the cheese and the sauce. They hear the oven beep. + +They take out the pizza. They cut it into pieces. They put some on a plate. They bring the plate to Dad's room. + +"Dad, we made pizza for you," Lily says. + +"Wow, thank you, Lily and Ben," Dad says. "You are very kind and helpful. This pizza looks delicious." + +He takes a bite of the pizza. He smiles. He feels a little better. + +Lily and Ben are happy. They hug Dad. They eat pizza with him. They love Dad. +Lily and Ben are playing in the park. They like to run and jump and slide. Lily sees a big swing and wants to try it. She runs to the swing and sits on it. Ben follows her and pushes her gently. + +"Higher, higher!" Lily says. She feels happy and free on the swing. She likes how the wind blows her hair and the sun warms her face. + +Ben pushes her harder and harder. He wants to make her happy. But he pushes too hard and Lily falls off the swing. She lands on the ground and hurts her knee. She feels a lot of pain and starts to cry. + +"Ow, ow, ow!" Lily says. She holds her knee and looks at the blood. She is scared and sad. + +Ben runs to her and hugs her. He is sorry and worried. He says, "I'm sorry, Lily. I didn't mean to hurt you. Are you okay?" + +Lily shakes her head and says, "No, I'm not okay. It hurts a lot. I want to go home." + +Ben says, "It's okay, Lily. It's normal to feel pain when you fall. It will get better soon. Let me help you stand up. We can go to the nurse and get a band-aid. Then we can go home and have some ice cream. How does that sound?" + +Lily nods and says, "Okay, Ben. Thank you for helping me. You are a good friend." + +Ben helps her stand up and holds her hand. They walk to the nurse and get a band-aid. Then they go home and have some ice cream. Lily feels a little better and smiles at Ben. Ben smiles back and says, "You're welcome, Lily. You are a brave girl." +Tom loves to play baseball with his dad. He has a big red glove and a small white ball. He likes to catch the ball and throw it back to his dad. Sometimes he hits the ball with a bat and runs to the bases. + +One day, Tom wants to play baseball with his dad, but his dad is busy. He has to work on his computer and talk on his phone. Tom is sad. He does not have anyone to play with. He looks at his glove and his ball and his bat. He wants to have fun. + +He sees his mom in the kitchen. She is making a cake. She has a big bowl and a spoon and some eggs and some flour and some sugar. She is mixing everything together. She looks happy. Tom has an idea. He runs to his mom and says, "Mom, can I help you?" + +His mom smiles and says, "Sure, Tom, you can help me. You are very helpful. What can you do?" Tom thinks for a moment. He sees a long string on the table. He picks it up and says, "I can tie this string around the cake. It will make it look nice." + +His mom laughs and says, "That's very creative, Tom, but we don't need to tie a string around the cake. We need to put it in the oven and bake it. Then we can put some frosting and some sprinkles on it. It will be delicious." + +Tom says, "Oh, I see. Can I help you with that?" His mom says, "Of course, you can. You can help me crack the eggs and pour the flour and the sugar. You can help me stir the batter and pour it into the pan. You can help me put the pan in the oven and set the timer. You can help me make the frosting and spread it on the cake. You can help me add the sprinkles and make it look pretty." + +Tom is happy. He helps his mom with everything. He has fun. He learns how to make a cake. He forgets about baseball for a while. He thinks his mom is the best. + +His dad finishes his work and comes to the kitchen. He smells the cake and sees Tom and his mom. He says, "Wow, what a nice surprise! You made a cake! It looks amazing! You are both very helpful. Can I have a slice?" + +Tom and his mom say, "Yes, you can. We made it for you. We love you." They hug and kiss his dad. They cut the cake and eat it together. It is delicious. They are happy. Tom thinks his family is the best. He still loves baseball, but he loves cake too. +Lily and Tom are friends. They like to play in the garden. They see a little rabbit in the grass. The rabbit is white and soft. It has long ears and a pink nose. + +"Look, a rabbit!" Lily says. "Can we keep it?" + +Tom shakes his head. "No, we can't. It is not our rabbit. It belongs to someone else. Maybe it is lost." + +Lily feels sad. She wants to keep the rabbit. She thinks it is cute and funny. She has an idea. She runs to the kitchen and gets a carrot. She breaks it in half and gives one piece to Tom. + +"Let's give the rabbit a carrot. Maybe it is hungry. Maybe it will like us," she says. + +Tom nods. He likes the idea. He follows Lily to the garden. They kneel down and hold out the carrot pieces. The rabbit sees them and hops closer. It sniffs the carrot and nibbles it. It makes a happy sound. + +"Hello, rabbit. Do you like the carrot?" Lily asks. + +The rabbit looks at Lily and Tom with its big eyes. It wiggles its nose and ears. It seems to say thank you. + +Lily and Tom smile. They feel happy too. They pet the rabbit gently. They play with it for a while. They forget about keeping it. They just enjoy being with it. +Ben and Lily were playing in the park with their ball. They liked to kick the ball to each other and run after it. Sometimes they missed the ball and it rolled away. They always ran to get it back. + +One day, a big dog came to the park. It saw the ball and wanted to play too. It ran to the ball and grabbed it with its teeth. It shook the ball and made it squeak. Ben and Lily were scared of the big dog. They wanted their ball back. + +"Hey, dog, give us our ball!" Ben shouted. + +"Go away, dog, that's our ball!" Lily cried. + +But the dog did not listen. It was ignorant. It did not know how to share. It ran away with the ball and hid behind a tree. + +Ben and Lily were sad and angry. They did not know what to do. They looked around for help. They saw a cop walking in the park. He had a badge and a hat and a whistle. He looked nice and strong. + +"Excuse me, cop, can you help us?" Ben asked. + +"What's the matter, kids?" the cop said. + +"A big dog took our ball and won't give it back. It's behind that tree. Can you get it for us?" Lily said. + +"Sure, I'll try. Don't worry, I'll be right back," the cop said. + +The cop walked to the tree and saw the big dog. He blew his whistle and said, "Hey, dog, drop the ball. That's not yours. That's the kids' ball. Be a good dog and give it back." + +The dog heard the whistle and the cop's voice. It was afraid of the cop. It dropped the ball and ran away. The cop picked up the ball and brought it back to Ben and Lily. + +"Here you go, kids. Here's your ball. I'm sorry the dog took it. He was ignorant. He did not know how to play nice. Are you okay?" the cop said. + +"Thank you, cop. You are very kind. We are okay. We are happy to have our ball back. Can we play with you?" Ben said. + +"Sure, I have some time. Let's play. How about we kick the ball to each other and run after it?" the cop said. + +"Yay, that sounds fun. Let's play!" Lily said. + +Ben and Lily and the cop played in the park with the ball. They had a lot of fun. They were not scared of the big dog anymore. They were glad they met the cop. He was their friend. +Tom and Sam were friends who liked to play football. They had a big football that was red and shiny. They kicked it in the park and had fun. + +One day, they saw a pond with some boats. The boats were small and had white sails. Tom and Sam wanted to try them. They ran to the pond and grabbed a boat each. + +They put their football in one of the boats and pushed it into the water. They watched it sail away. They laughed and clapped. + +But then, a big duck came. The duck saw the football and thought it was food. It bit the football and made a hole. The air came out and the football became flat. The duck spat it out. It was disgusting. + +Tom and Sam were sad. They had lost their football. They tried to get it back, but it was too far. They cried and said sorry. + +A man saw them and came to help. He had a big stick and a net. He used them to catch the boat and the football. He gave them back to Tom and Sam. + +He said, "You should not take things that are not yours. You should ask before you use them. And you should be careful with your toys. They can get broken or lost. You are lucky I was here. Next time, you might not be." + +Tom and Sam nodded. They thanked the man and hugged their football. They learned their lesson. They decided to play football in the park and not in the pond. They were happy again. +Tim and Mia went to the zoo with Mom and Dad. They saw many animals, like lions, elephants, and monkeys. They liked the monkeys best, because they made funny faces and noises. + +Then they came to a big cage with a gorilla. The gorilla was very big and hairy, and he had a sad face. Tim and Mia wondered why he was sad. + +"Hello, gorilla," Tim said. "Do you want to play with us?" + +The gorilla looked at Tim and shook his head. He did not want to play. + +"Why not?" Mia asked. "Don't you like us?" + +The gorilla replied with a loud roar. He did not like anyone. He wanted to be alone. + +Tim and Mia were scared by the loud roar. They ran to Mom and Dad, who hugged them and told them not to worry. + +"Sorry, kids," Dad said. "The gorilla is not happy here. He misses his home in the forest, where he can run and climb and be free." + +Tim and Mia felt sorry for the gorilla. They wished they could help him. + +"Maybe we can send him a letter," Tim suggested. "And tell him we are his friends." + +"Or a banana," Mia added. "He might like that." + +Mom and Dad smiled and nodded. They said that was a nice idea. They took Tim and Mia to the gift shop, where they bought a postcard and a sticker of a banana. They wrote a message to the gorilla, and stuck the sticker on it. + +They gave the postcard to the zookeeper, who promised to deliver it to the gorilla. They hoped the gorilla would like it, and feel a little less sad. They waved goodbye to the gorilla, and left the zoo. +Ben was a lonely boy. He had no friends to play with at school. He liked to look at the view from his window. He saw trees, birds, and cars. Sometimes he saw other kids playing outside, but they never asked him to join them. + +One day, a new boy came to his class. His name was Sam. He had curly hair and a big smile. He sat next to Ben and said hello. Ben was shy and did not say anything. He looked at his book and hoped Sam would go away. + +At recess, Sam followed Ben to the swings. He asked Ben if he wanted to swing with him. Ben shook his head and walked away. He found a quiet spot under a tree and sat down. He felt sad and angry. Why did Sam bother him? He just wanted to be alone. + +Sam did not give up. He came to the tree and sat next to Ben. He said he was sorry if he made Ben mad. He said he just wanted to be friends. He said he was new and did not know anyone. He said he liked the view from the tree. He pointed at the clouds and the birds. + +Ben looked at Sam. He saw that Sam was nice and friendly. He felt a little curious. He looked at the view with Sam. He saw a cloud that looked like a dragon. He pointed at it and said, "Look, a dragon!" + +Sam smiled and said, "Wow, you're right! It does look like a dragon! Do you like dragons?" + +Ben nodded and said, "Yes, I do. They are big and strong and brave." + +Sam said, "Me too. They are my favorite. Do you want to play dragons with me?" + +Ben felt a warm feeling in his chest. He said, "Yes, I do. Can we be friends?" + +Sam said, "Of course we can. You are my first friend here. Come on, let's go and roar like dragons!" + +Ben and Sam got up and ran to the playground. They pretended to be dragons and chased each other. They laughed and had fun. Ben did not feel lonely anymore. He felt happy and glad. He had a new friend who liked the same things as he did. He did not tremble when he talked to Sam. He felt brave like a dragon. +Tim and Lily were twins who liked to play outside. One day, they saw a big ship on the water. It was navy, like the color of the sky at night. It had many flags and people on it. + +"Wow, look at that ship!" Tim said. "It must be very rich. I wish I could go on it and see the world." + +Lily gazed at the ship too. She thought it was pretty, but she did not want to leave her home. She liked her family and friends and the park and the library. + +"I don't want to go on that ship," Lily said. "I like it here. We have everything we need. We are happy." + +Tim and Lily went to the shore and waved at the ship. Some people on the ship waved back. They looked happy too. + +Tim and Lily learned that different people have different dreams. They also learned that being rich is not only about having money or things. It is also about being grateful and kind and loving. They hugged each other and went back to play. +Ben and Jen are twins who like to play in the pool. They have a big pool in their backyard, with a slide and a float. Mom and Dad tell them to always wear their swim suits and their swim caps, and to never go in the pool without an adult. + +One day, Ben and Jen are bored. They want to have fun in the pool, but Mom and Dad are busy. They think they can sneak out and swim by themselves. They find their swim suits and their swim caps, and they run to the pool. They don't listen to Mom and Dad. They are bad. + +They climb on the slide and slide into the pool. They splash and laugh and swim. They think they are having fun, but they are not. They are in danger. The pool is deep and they are not strong. They get tired and scared. They can't swim back to the edge. They need help. + +Mom and Dad hear them cry. They run to the pool and see them in trouble. They jump in and save them. They hug them and scold them. They tell them they were very bad and very foolish. They tell them they could have drowned. They tell them to never do that again. They tell them to always listen and obey. They tell them to always resist the temptation to do bad things. + +Ben and Jen are sorry. They cry and say sorry. They learn their lesson. They promise to never swim without an adult. They promise to always do good things. They hug Mom and Dad and thank them. They love Mom and Dad. Mom and Dad love them. They are happy. +Lila and Ben were playing pirates in the garden. They had a big ship made of cardboard and a flag with a skull. They pretended to sail the seas and look for treasure. + +One day, they saw another ship coming closer. It was their neighbor, Sam, who also liked to play pirates. He had a bigger ship and a flag with a cross. He shouted, "Ahoy, mateys! I am the mighty Captain Sam, and this is my crew. We are here to take your treasure and your ship. Surrender or prepare to fight!" + +Lila and Ben did not want to surrender. They grabbed their swords made of sticks and their guns made of water bottles. They ran to the edge of their ship and sprayed water at Sam and his crew. Sam and his crew sprayed water back at them. They had a big water fight. + +But Sam had a secret weapon. He had a bottle of ink that he had taken from his dad's desk. He opened the bottle and threw it at Lila and Ben's ship. The ink splashed all over their cardboard and their flag. It made a big mess. + +Lila and Ben were shocked. They looked at their ship and saw that it was ruined. They had no more water to fight back. They felt sad and angry. They said, "That's not fair, Sam! You cheated! You used ink! That's not a pirate thing to do!" + +Sam laughed. He said, "Too bad, mateys! I am the mighty Captain Sam, and I make the rules. You have to surrender now. Give me your treasure and your ship, or I will use more ink!" + +Lila and Ben did not know what to do. They did not want to give up their treasure and their ship. But they did not want to get more ink on them. They looked at each other and whispered. They had an idea. + +They said, "OK, Sam, we surrender. You can have our treasure and our ship. But first, you have to come closer and shake our hands. That's the pirate way to end a fight." + +Sam smiled. He thought he had won. He said, "All right, mateys, I accept your surrender. I will come closer and shake your hands. But don't try anything funny, or I will use more ink!" + +He sailed his ship closer to Lila and Ben's ship. He jumped out and walked towards them. He reached out his hand to shake Lila's hand. But Lila had a surprise for him. She had hidden a water bottle behind her back. She squeezed it hard and sprayed water at Sam's face. + +Sam gasped. He felt the water on his face. He wiped his eyes and saw that the water was black. It was the ink from his bottle. It had mixed with the water and stained his face. He looked like a raccoon. + +Lila and Ben laughed. They said, "Ha ha, Sam! We got you! You have ink on your face! That's what you get for cheating! You are not the mighty Captain Sam, you are the silly Captain Ink!" + +Sam felt embarrassed. He realized he had been tricked. He said, "Hey, that's not fair, Lila and Ben! You cheated! You used water and ink! That's not a pirate thing to do!" + +Lila and Ben said, "Too bad, Sam! We are the mighty pirates Lila and Ben, and we make the rules. You have to go home now and wash your face, or we will use more water and ink!" + +Sam had no choice. He ran back to his ship and sailed away. He said, "Fine, Lila and Ben, you win this time. But I will be back. I will get my revenge. You will see!" + +Lila and Ben waved goodbye. They said, "Bye bye, Sam! See you later, Captain Ink!" + +They hugged each other and smiled. They had saved their treasure and their ship. They had won the water fight. They were the mighty pirates Lila and Ben. They were happy. +Lila and Sam are playing in the park. They see a big pile of sand. They want to make something with the sand. + +"What do you want to make?" Lila asks Sam. + +"I want to make a castle," Sam says. + +"Me too," Lila says. "But we need something to make it pink. Pink is my favorite color." + +They look around and see some flowers. They pick some pink flowers and put them in a bucket. They add some water and stir it with a stick. They make pink water. + +They pour some of the pink water on the sand. They use their hands and a shovel to shape the sand into a castle. They make towers and walls and a door. They decorate the castle with more flowers. + +They are happy with their castle. They pretend to be a king and a queen. They invite some other children to play with them. + +But then they see something unknown. It is big and furry and has four legs. It is a dog. The dog runs towards the castle. It barks and jumps and digs. It knocks down the castle and makes a mess. + +Lila and Sam are sad and scared. They cry and run away. The dog chases them. + +"Go away, dog!" Lila shouts. + +"Leave us alone!" Sam shouts. + +They run to their mom and dad. They hug them and tell them what happened. + +"It's okay, sweeties," mom says. "The dog didn't mean to ruin your castle. He was just curious and playful. He didn't know it was yours." + +"Maybe he wanted to play with you," dad says. "But he didn't know how to ask nicely. He needs to learn some manners." + +They look at the dog. The dog looks at them. He wags his tail and licks his lips. He seems sorry. + +"Maybe we can be friends with the dog," Lila says. + +"Maybe we can teach him how to play with us," Sam says. + +They go back to the park. They bring some treats and a ball. They call the dog and give him some treats. They throw the ball and let him fetch it. They pet him and praise him. They make friends with the dog. + +They decide to name him Pinky. They make a new castle with the sand. They invite Pinky to join them. They have fun together. + +The end. +Tom and Sam are friends. They like to play ball in the park. One day, they see a big tree with many apples. They want to get some apples to eat. + +"Look, Sam, there are so many apples on the tree. Let's throw the ball and make them fall," Tom says. + +"OK, Tom, that sounds fun. You go first," Sam says. + +Tom throws the ball hard at the tree. He tries to hit an apple, but he misses. The ball strikes a branch and bounces back. It hits Tom on the head. Tom falls down and cries. + +"Ow, ow, ow, that hurts. The ball is mean," Tom says. + +Sam runs to Tom and helps him up. He sees a bump on Tom's head. He feels sorry for Tom, but he also thinks it is funny. + +"I'm sorry, Tom, are you OK? The ball is not mean, it is just a ball. It was an accident. But you look funny with that bump," Sam says. + +Tom stops crying and looks at Sam. He sees Sam's smile. He also thinks it is funny. He laughs with Sam. + +"I'm OK, Sam, thank you. You are right, it is just a ball. And I do look funny with that bump. Let's try again, maybe we can get some apples this time," Tom says. + +They throw the ball again and again. They have fun and they get some apples. They eat the apples and share them with other kids. They forget about the trouble and the bump. They are happy. +Ben and Lily were twins who liked to explore. One day, they went to the park with their mom and dad. They saw a big hill with a lot of trees and flowers. They wanted to climb the hill and see the view. + +"Can we go up there, mom?" Ben asked. + +"Sure, but be careful and stay close to us," mom said. + +Ben and Lily ran up the hill, holding hands. They saw birds and bugs and rocks. They felt the wind and the sun. They were happy. + +When they reached the top of the hill, they saw a tall tower. It was made of metal and had a round thing on top. It looked like a giant pencil. + +"What is that, dad?" Lily questioned. + +"That is a radio tower. It sends and receives signals for phones and radios," dad explained. + +"What are signals?" Ben questioned. + +"Signals are like messages that travel in the air. They help people talk to each other from far away," dad explained. + +"Wow, that is cool," Lily said. + +"Can we go inside the tower?" Ben asked. + +"No, we can't. It is not safe and it is not for us. It is for the people who work there," dad said. + +"Oh, okay," Ben said. + +They looked at the tower for a while, then they looked at the view. They saw the park, the houses, the cars, the sky, and the clouds. They saw many colors and shapes. They were amazed. + +"This is beautiful, mom," Lily said. + +"Yes, it is. I'm glad you like it," mom said. + +They hugged their mom and dad and thanked them for taking them to the park. Then they went down the hill, holding hands. They had a fun day. +Lily and Max were twins who liked to play in the forest. They were very creative and made up stories about fairies and elves. One day, they found a big mushroom with red and white spots. It looked like a house for a fairy. + +"Wow, look at this mushroom!" Lily said. "Maybe a fairy lives here. Let's knock and see." + +Max nodded and tapped on the mushroom with his finger. But nothing happened. He tapped again, harder. Still nothing. + +"Maybe the fairy is not home," Lily said. "Or maybe she is shy. Let's leave her a gift and come back later." + +They looked around and saw some flowers, pine cones, and berries. They picked some and arranged them in a circle around the mushroom. They hoped the fairy would like their gift. + +"Remember, we have to go back before dark," Max said. "Mom and Dad will be worried if we are late." + +Lily agreed and they ran back to their house. They told their parents about the mushroom and the fairy. Their parents smiled and said they were very creative. + +The next day, they went back to the forest to see the mushroom. They were excited to see if the fairy had taken their gift. But when they got there, they saw something else. The mushroom was gone. In its place, there was a big hole in the ground. And next to the hole, there was a sign that said: + +"Thank you for the yummy snack. Love, the gopher." +Lila and Ben were at the beach with their mom and dad. They liked to play in the sand and splash in the water. They saw a big ball that was red and blue and yellow. It was heavy and had air inside. + +"Can we bounce the ball, mom?" Lila asked. + +"Sure, but be careful. Don't go too far from the shore," mom said. + +Lila and Ben took the ball and ran to the water. They threw the ball to each other and laughed. The ball bounced on the waves and made a funny sound. They had fun with the ball. + +But then a big wave came and took the ball away. Lila and Ben tried to catch it, but it was too fast. They watched the ball float away. + +"Where is the ball, Ben?" Lila asked. + +"I don't know, Lila. It's gone," Ben said. + +They felt sad and ran back to their mom and dad. They told them what happened. + +"I'm sorry, kids. The ball was not ours. We found it on the shore. Maybe someone else lost it," dad said. + +"Maybe they will find it again," mom said. + +"Maybe," Lila and Ben said. + +They hugged their mom and dad and looked at the sea. They hoped the ball would find its way back to the shore. +Lily and Ben are twins. They share a room and a bed. Lily likes to sleep on the left side of the bed. Ben likes to sleep on the right side of the bed. But sometimes, Ben moves in his sleep and takes up more space. He pushes Lily to the edge of the bed. + +One night, Lily wakes up and feels Ben's feet on her back. She tries to move away, but there is no room. She sighs and whispers, "Ben, move over. You are being selfish. You have all the bed and I have none." + +Ben does not hear her. He is dreaming of candy and toys. He smiles and kicks his feet. Lily sighs again and pushes Ben's feet off her back. She hopes he will stay on his side. + +But Ben does not stay on his side. He rolls over and puts his arm around Lily. He thinks she is a teddy bear. He hugs her tight and says, "Mine, mine, mine." + +Lily feels Ben's breath on her face. She is angry and scared. She does not like to be hugged so tight. She shouts, "Ben, let go of me. You are being selfish. You have all the bed and all the hugs and I have none." + +Ben wakes up and hears Lily's shout. He opens his eyes and sees Lily's face. He is confused and sorry. He says, "Lily, I'm sorry. I did not know it was you. I thought you were a teddy bear. I like teddy bears. Do you want to share my teddy bear?" + +Lily looks at Ben's teddy bear. It is old and dirty. She does not want to share it. She says, "No, thank you. I have my own teddy bear. But I want to share the bed. Can we share the bed and sleep on our own sides?" + +Ben nods and says, "Okay, Lily. We can share the bed and sleep on our own sides. I'm sorry I was selfish. I love you, Lily." + +Lily smiles and says, "I love you, too, Ben. Good night, Ben." + +They move to their own sides of the bed and hug their own teddy bears. They close their eyes and fall asleep. They do not sigh or shout anymore. They are happy and peaceful. +Lila and Tom are playing in the park. They see a big fly on a flower. The fly has shiny wings and a long nose. + +"Look, a fly!" Lila says. "It is so pretty!" + +Tom nods. He wants to touch the fly. He thinks the fly is soft and tickly. He moves his hand slowly to the flower. + +"Be careful, Tom!" Lila says. "The fly might fly away!" + +Tom does not listen. He touches the fly. The fly buzzes and flies away. Tom is sad. He likes the fly. + +"Where did the fly go?" Tom asks. + +Lila points to the sky. The sky is clear and blue. She sees the fly flying high. + +"There it is!" Lila says. "It is flying in the sky!" + +Tom looks up. He sees the fly too. He smiles. He thinks the fly is happy. + +"Maybe the fly likes the sky more than the flower," Tom says. + +Lila nods. She thinks so too. She and Tom wave to the fly. + +"Bye, fly!" they say. "Have fun in the sky!" +Ben and Sam were friends who liked to race. They raced on their bikes, on their feet, and on their slides. They always had fun, but sometimes they fought over who was faster. + +One day, they saw a big peach tree in the park. It had many ripe peaches that looked yummy. Ben and Sam wanted to eat some, but they did not know how to reach them. + +"I have an idea," Ben said. "Let's race to the tree and see who can get a peach first. The winner gets to eat it, and the loser gets nothing." + +"OK," Sam said. "But you have to be fair. No pushing or cheating." + +They agreed and got ready to race. They ran as fast as they could, but Ben was a little bit faster. He got to the tree first and jumped to grab a peach. He was so happy that he did not see the wide branch above his head. + +CRACK! + +Ben hit his head on the branch and fell to the ground. He dropped the peach and started to cry. He had a big bump on his head and it hurt a lot. + +Sam ran to him and saw what happened. He felt sorry for Ben and picked up the peach. He wanted to share it with him, but Ben was too angry and sad. + +"Go away!" Ben shouted. "You are not my friend anymore. You made me lose the race and hurt my head. I hate you!" + +Sam was shocked and hurt. He did not make Ben lose the race or hurt his head. He tried to help him, but Ben did not want his help. He did not want his peach either. + +Sam did not know what to do. He threw the peach away and ran back to his home. He did not want to race with Ben anymore. He did not want to be his friend anymore. + +The end. +Lily and Ben were playing with bricks in the yard. They liked to build houses and towers and castles with the bricks. They had many colors and shapes of bricks to choose from. + +"Look, I made a big house for my doll!" Lily said, showing Ben her creation. "It has a door and a window and a roof." + +"That's good, Lily," Ben said. "But I made a better house for my car. It has a garage and a ramp and a fence." + +They both smiled and admired their houses. Then they heard their mom calling them from the kitchen. + +"Kids, lunch is ready! Come and serve yourselves!" + +Lily and Ben ran to the kitchen, leaving their bricks behind. They were hungry and excited to see what mom had made for them. They hoped it was something good, like pizza or pasta or sandwiches. + +But when they got to the kitchen, they saw something else on the table. It was a big plate of bricks. Red bricks, blue bricks, yellow bricks, green bricks. Mom had made them a brick salad. + +"Surprise!" Mom said, smiling. "I saw you playing with bricks, so I thought you would like to eat them too. They are very good for you. They have lots of vitamins and minerals and fiber. And they are crunchy and tasty. Come on, serve yourselves!" + +Lily and Ben looked at each other in shock and horror. They did not want to eat bricks. They wanted to eat real food. They did not think bricks were good for them. They thought bricks were hard and nasty. They did not think bricks were crunchy and tasty. They thought bricks were ouchy and yucky. + +They opened their mouths to protest, but mom was faster. She took a big spoon and scooped some bricks onto their plates. + +"Bon appetit!" She said, cheerfully. "Enjoy your brick salad!" + +Lily and Ben stared at their plates, feeling sick and scared. They wished they had not played with bricks. They wished they had played with something else. Something that mom would not make them eat. Something like... flowers. Or dirt. Or worms. Anything but bricks. +Lily and Ben are friends. They like to play outside. Sometimes they jog with their moms and dads. Jogging is fun and good for them. + +One day, Lily and Ben see a big weight on the grass. It is round and shiny and has a number on it. Lily and Ben are curious. They want to touch it and lift it. + +"Look, Ben, a weight!" Lily says. "Can we play with it?" + +"I don't know, Lily," Ben says. "It looks heavy and hard. Maybe it is not for us." + +Lily and Ben go closer to the weight. They try to pick it up, but it is too heavy. They can't move it at all. They push and pull, but nothing happens. + +"Ouch, Lily, this hurts my hands!" Ben says. "Let's stop. This is not fun." + +"OK, Ben, let's go," Lily says. "Maybe we can find something else to play with." + +Lily and Ben leave the weight and run away. They don't see the man who owns the weight. He is jogging behind them. He is strong and fast. He likes to jog with his weight. It is important for him. He sees Lily and Ben and smiles. + +"Hello, kids," he says. "Did you like my weight?" + +Lily and Ben are surprised. They turn around and see the man. They feel shy and scared. They don't know what to say. + +"Sorry, mister," Lily says. "We didn't mean to touch your weight. We were just curious." + +"That's OK, kids," the man says. "I don't mind. Curiosity is good. But be careful. My weight is heavy and hard. It is not for kids. It is for me. I jog with it to make me stronger and healthier. It is important for me." + +"Why is it important for you, mister?" Ben asks. + +"Because I want to be fit and happy," the man says. "Jogging with my weight helps me do that. Do you like to jog, kids?" + +"Yes, we do, mister," Lily and Ben say. "We jog with our moms and dads sometimes. It is fun and good for us." + +"That's great, kids," the man says. "Jogging is a good way to play and exercise. Keep it up. But don't play with my weight. It is not for you. It is for me." + +"OK, mister, we understand," Lily and Ben say. "Thank you for telling us. Bye, mister." + +"Bye, kids," the man says. "Have fun and be safe." + +Lily and Ben wave to the man and run away. They find a ball and a hoop and play with them. They have fun and are happy. They don't play with the weight anymore. They know it is not for them. It is for the man who jogs with it. It is important for him. +Lily and Ben like to paint. They have many colors of paint and big papers. They paint flowers and trees and animals. They are happy. + +But then, Lily sees Ben's painting. He paints a big sun with yellow and orange. Lily likes the sun. She wants to paint the sun too. She takes Ben's paint and brushes. + +"Hey, that is mine!" Ben shouts. He is angry. He wants his paint back. He tries to grab it from Lily. + +"No, it is mine now!" Lily shouts. She is selfish. She does not want to share. She holds the paint tight. + +They shout and pull and push. The paint spills on the floor and on their clothes. They make a big mess. They are not happy. + +Mom comes and sees the mess. She is not happy either. She scolds Lily and Ben. She tells them to clean up and say sorry. She tells them to share and be nice. + +Lily and Ben feel bad. They know they did wrong. They say sorry to each other and to Mom. They help to clean up. They hug and make up. + +They decide to paint together. They use different colors and make a pretty rainbow. They are happy again. Mom is happy too. She smiles and praises them. She hangs their painting on the wall. +Lily and Sam liked to play in the park. They had a big red flag that they waved in the air. They pretended they were pirates and the flag was their treasure. They ran and jumped and laughed. + +One day, they saw a big black bird on a tree. It had shiny eyes and a sharp beak. It looked at their flag with interest. Lily and Sam did not like the bird. They thought it was wild and mean. They wanted to scare it away. + +"Go away, bird!" Lily shouted. "This is our flag! You can't have it!" + +But the bird did not go away. It flew down and grabbed the flag with its claws. It flew back to the tree and tried to rip the flag apart. + +"Hey, stop that!" Sam cried. "That's our flag! Give it back!" + +But the bird did not listen. It made a loud noise and tore the flag some more. + +Lily and Sam were very sad and angry. They did not know what to do. They looked around and saw a man with a bag of bread. He was feeding some ducks by the pond. + +"Maybe he can help us," Lily said. "Maybe he can feed the bird and make it drop the flag." + +They ran to the man and told him what happened. The man was kind and smiled. He took a piece of bread and threw it to the bird. + +"Here, bird, have some bread. It's better than a flag. Let go of the flag and eat the bread." + +The bird saw the bread and let go of the flag. It flew to the bread and ate it. It liked the bread more than the flag. + +Lily and Sam were happy. They thanked the man and ran to the flag. It was a bit torn, but they did not mind. They still loved their flag. They waved it in the air and continued to play. They did not look at the bird anymore. They learned to be careful with their flag and not to make the bird angry. They had fun in the park. +Lily likes to sing songs. She sings when she wakes up, when she eats, when she plays and when she goes to bed. She sings loud and happy and makes up her own words. + +One day, she finds a new toy in her room. It is a big red button that makes sounds. She presses it and hears a funny song. She likes it and sings along. She presses it again and hears a different song. She likes that one too and sings louder. + +But then, she presses it and hears a sour sound. It is not a song. It is a beep that hurts her ears. She does not like it and stops singing. She tries to press the button again, but it only makes the sour sound. She gets scared and sad and cries. + +Mommy hears her cry and comes to her room. She sees the red button and knows what it is. It is a timer that she uses for cooking. She forgot to take it back to the kitchen. She hugs Lily and says sorry. She explains that the button is not a toy and that the sour sound means that the time is up. + +She takes the button away and gives Lily a new toy. It is a music box that plays nice songs. She winds it up and lets Lily hear. Lily smiles and wipes her tears. She likes the music box and sings along. She pauses to give Mommy a kiss and says thank you. Mommy kisses her back and says you're welcome. They sing songs together and are happy. +Sara and Tom are playing with clay. They want to make animals with the clay. Sara makes a cat with a long tail and whiskers. Tom makes a dog with big ears and a bone. They are happy with their animals. + +But then Tom sees Sara's cat and he wants it. He says, "Give me your cat. I like it more than my dog." + +Sara says, "No, it is my cat. I made it. You can make your own cat." + +Tom is angry and impatient. He does not want to make his own cat. He wants Sara's cat now. He grabs Sara's cat with his hand and tries to take it. + +Sara does not let go of her cat. She holds it tight with her hand and says, "Stop it, Tom. You are mean. Let go of my cat." + +They pull and pull on the cat. The cat breaks in half. Sara and Tom are both sad and mad. They cry and shout at each other. They do not want to play anymore. They have no friends and no animals. They have a bad day. +Lily and Max were playing in the garden. They liked to look at the flowers and the bugs. Lily saw a big sunflower and ran to it. She wanted to smell it and touch it. + +But when she got close, she saw that the sunflower was fake. It was made of plastic and had a wire stem. Lily felt sad and angry. She did not like fake flowers. She wanted real ones. + +She threw the fake sunflower on the ground and yelled, "This is not a flower! This is a lie! I quit this game!" + +Max heard Lily and came to see what was wrong. He saw the fake sunflower and picked it up. He smiled and said, "This is not a lie, Lily. This is a toy. We can pretend it is a real flower and have fun with it. Look, it has a happy face and a bright color. It is a nice toy." + +Lily looked at Max and the fake sunflower. She saw that Max was right. The fake sunflower had a happy face and a bright color. It was a nice toy. She felt sorry for throwing it and yelling. + +She said, "I'm sorry, Max. You are right. This is a nice toy. Can we play with it together?" + +Max nodded and said, "Of course, Lily. We can play with it together. We can make a garden with it and other toys. We can have fun with it." + +Lily and Max hugged and smiled. They took the fake sunflower and other toys and made a garden with them. They pretended they were farmers and watered and cared for their plants. They had fun with the fake sunflower and did not quit their game. +Sara and Tom are friends. They like to play together. One day, Sara's mom says they can visit Tom's house. Sara is happy. She puts on her coat and shoes. + +Sara and Tom walk to Tom's house. They see a big fence. Behind the fence, there is a dog. The dog is fat and loud. He barks at Sara and Tom. + +"Wow, look at that dog!" Tom says. "He is so fat and loud. Do you want to peek at him?" + +Sara is scared. She does not like fat and loud dogs. She shakes her head. "No, thank you. I do not want to peek at him. He might bite us." + +Tom laughs. "He will not bite us. He is friendly. He just wants to say hello. Come on, let's peek at him. It will be fun." + +Tom goes to the fence. He puts his hand on the fence. He tries to peek at the dog. The dog sees Tom. He jumps at the fence. He barks louder. + +"Wow, he is so big and strong!" Tom says. "He wants to play with us. Come on, Sara, peek at him. He will not hurt you." + +Sara does not listen. She runs away. She does not want to play with the dog. She wants to go to Tom's house. She is afraid of the dog. + +"Tom, come on!" Sara says. "Let's go to your house. I do not like the dog. He is too fat and loud. He scares me." + +Tom hears Sara. He stops peeking at the dog. He runs after Sara. He says sorry to Sara. He says he likes the dog, but he likes Sara more. He says they can play with his toys instead. + +Sara and Tom go to Tom's house. They forget about the dog. They have fun. They play with Tom's toys. They are happy. They are friends. +Sara liked to feed the birds in the garden. She had a small bag of seeds that she sprinkled on the grass. She was careful not to drop any on the path, because that was where the cat liked to walk. + +One day, she saw a big, black bird with a shiny beak and a loud voice. It was a crow. The crow saw the seeds and flew down to eat them. It scared away the other birds with its noise and pecked at the seeds greedily. + +Sara was angry. She did not want the crow to eat all the seeds. She wanted to share them with the other birds. She picked up a stick and ran towards the crow. She waved the stick and shouted, "Go away, crow! Go away!" + +The crow was not afraid of Sara. It flapped its wings and cawed back, "Caw, caw, caw! This is my food! This is my food!" It snapped its beak at Sara and tried to peck her. + +Sara was scared. She dropped the stick and ran back to the house. She cried and told her mom what happened. Her mom hugged her and said, "Don't worry, Sara. The crow is not nice, but it will not hurt you. You are brave to feed the birds in the garden. Maybe next time, you can feed them from a feeder that hangs from a tree. Then the crow will not reach them." Sara nodded and smiled. She still liked to feed the birds in the garden, but she was more careful of the crow. +Sam and Lily like to play with their toys. They have a lot of toys, but their favorite is the helicopter. The helicopter is big and red and makes a loud noise. Sam and Lily pretend to fly the helicopter around the room and land it on different things. + +One day, they decide to land the helicopter on the sofa. The sofa is soft and comfy, but the helicopter is heavy. When they put the helicopter on the sofa, it makes a big dent. Sam and Lily do not see the dent, but their mom does. She is not happy. + +She comes into the room and sees the helicopter on the sofa. She says, "Sam and Lily, what are you doing? You can't put the helicopter on the sofa. It is too heavy. It will ruin the sofa. You have to be careful with your toys." + +Sam and Lily are scared. They pause and look at their mom. They do not want to make her mad. They say, "Sorry, mom. We did not know. We were just playing. We will take the helicopter off the sofa." + +Their mom says, "Okay, thank you. But next time, please play with the helicopter on the floor or on the table. The sofa is not for toys. It is for sitting and resting. Do you understand?" + +Sam and Lily nod and say, "Yes, mom. We understand. We will be more careful." They take the helicopter off the sofa and put it on the floor. They hug their mom and say, "We love you, mom." + +Their mom smiles and says, "I love you too, Sam and Lily. Now you can keep playing, but be gentle with your toys and the sofa." She kisses them and leaves the room. + +Sam and Lily are happy. They still like the helicopter, but they do not put it on the sofa anymore. They play with it on the floor and on the table. They have fun and do not make any more dents. +Tim and Kim are twins. They like to play in the park. They run and jump and slide and swing. They have fun. + +One day, they see a big tree. The tree has many leaves and fruits. Tim and Kim want to try the fruits. They look like gum. They are red and shiny and sticky. + +"Let's get some gum!" Tim says. + +"OK!" Kim says. + +They climb the tree. They reach for the gum. They pull and pull. The gum is thin and long. It stretches and snaps. Tim and Kim laugh. + +But then, Tim loses his grip. He falls from the tree. He stumbles and rolls on the grass. He hurts his knee. He cries. + +"Tim, are you OK?" Kim asks. She jumps down from the tree. She runs to Tim. She hugs him. + +"I'm OK," Tim says. He wipes his tears. He shows Kim his knee. It has a small cut. It bleeds a little. + +"Let me help you," Kim says. She takes a leaf from the tree. She wraps it around Tim's knee. She kisses it. + +"Thank you, Kim," Tim says. He smiles. He feels better. + +They share the gum. They chew and chew. The gum is sweet and sour. They make funny faces. + +They go back to play. They are happy. They are twins. They love each other. +Lily and Ben were playing with blocks. They liked to build towers and houses and cars. Lily had a big pile of blocks and Ben had a small pile. Ben wanted to add more blocks to his pile, but Lily did not want to share. + +"Can I have some of your blocks, please?" Ben asked Lily. + +"No, they are mine. Go find your own blocks," Lily said. + +"But you have so many. I only have a few. Please, Lily, be nice," Ben said. + +"No, no, no. Go away, Ben. You are a bad brother," Lily said. + +Ben felt sad and angry. He looked around and saw a tire. He had an idea. He rolled the tire to Lily's pile of blocks and pushed it hard. The tire knocked down Lily's blocks and made them fall everywhere. Lily was shocked and cried. + +"Ben, why did you do that? You ruined my blocks. You are a mean brother," Lily said. + +Ben felt sorry and ashamed. He realized he had done a bad thing. He went to Lily and hugged her. + +"I'm sorry, Lily. I was mad at you for not sharing. But that was not a good way to show it. I should not have used the tire to hurt your blocks. Can you forgive me?" Ben said. + +Lily looked at Ben and saw that he was sincere. She wiped her tears and smiled. + +"I forgive you, Ben. I'm sorry too. I was selfish and did not want to share. But that was not a good way to be. I should have been kind and given you some of my blocks. Can we be friends again?" Lily said. + +Ben nodded and smiled. They hugged and said they were sorry. Then they picked up the blocks and decided to share them. They built a new tower together and had fun. + +The moral of the story is: Sharing is caring. Do not be selfish or mean. Do not use things to hurt others. Say sorry when you make a mistake. Forgive when someone says sorry. Be friends and have fun. +Sara and Ben like to play in the garden. They have a big sand box with many toys. They make castles and roads and bridges with the sand. They are happy. + +One day, it rains a lot. The garden is wet and muddy. Sara and Ben cannot play in the sand box. They are sad. They look out of the window and wait for the sun. + +The next day, the sun comes out. Sara and Ben run to the garden. They want to play in the sand box. But they see something bad. There is a big hole in the sand box. The rain has washed away some of the sand. And some of their toys are gone too. They are angry. + +"Who did this?" Sara asks. "Who spoiled our sand box?" + +"Maybe it was a dog," Ben says. "Or a cat. Or a bird. Or a monster." + +They look around. They see some footprints in the mud. They are big and round. They follow them. They lead to the fence. They see a hole in the fence too. And on the other side, they see a big black pig. The pig is chewing on one of their toys. It is a red car. + +"That's our car!" Sara shouts. "That's our toy! Give it back!" + +The pig looks at them. It grunts. It does not care. It likes the car. It is tasty. + +Sara and Ben are very mad. They want to get their car back. They want to fix their sand box. They want to make the pig go away. But they do not know how. They need a plan. +Lily and Ben were playing with marbles in the park. They had many colors and shapes of marbles, and they liked to roll them on the grass and make patterns. Lily had a special marble that was shiny and blue, like the sky. She loved her marble very much and never let anyone else touch it. + +One day, a big boy came to the park. He saw Lily and Ben playing with marbles and he wanted to join them. He asked Lily if he could see her shiny blue marble, but Lily said no. She was selfish and did not want to share. The big boy got angry and tried to grab the marble from Lily's hand. Lily screamed and held on to her marble, but the big boy was stronger and he pulled it away. He ran off with the marble, laughing. + +Ben saw what happened and he felt sorry for Lily. He knew how much she liked her marble and he wanted to help her. He ran after the big boy and shouted, "Give back the marble! It is not yours!" The big boy did not listen and he kept running. Ben was faster and he caught up with him. He tackled him to the ground and snatched the marble from his hand. He ran back to Lily and gave her the marble. He said, "Here, Lily, I rescued your marble. Are you happy?" + +Lily was happy and she hugged Ben. She thanked him for rescuing her marble and she said, "You are a good friend, Ben. I am sorry I was selfish. Do you want to play with my marble?" Ben smiled and said, "Yes, I do. But only if you play with mine too." They agreed to share their marbles and they played happily in the park. The big boy was sad and he learned a lesson. He realized that being selfish was not nice and that sharing was better. He decided to be more friendly and to ask before taking things. He hoped that Lily and Ben would forgive him and let him play with them next time. +Ben and Lily were playing hide and seek in their room. Ben was the seeker and Lily was the hider. Lily ran to the closet and hid behind the coats. She was very quiet and hoped Ben would not find her. + +Ben looked under the bed, behind the curtains, and in the toy box. He could not see Lily anywhere. He scratched his bald head and wondered where she was. He decided to ask for a clue. + +"Lily, Lily, where are you?" he shouted. "Give me a clue, please!" + +Lily giggled and said, "I can see the ceiling!" + +Ben looked up and saw a small hole in the closet door. He saw Lily's eye peeking through it. He smiled and ran to the closet. He opened the door and saw Lily. + +"I found you, I found you!" he said. "You are a good hider, Lily!" + +Lily came out of the closet and hugged Ben. "You are a good seeker, Ben!" she said. "But you cheated, you asked for a clue!" + +Ben laughed and said, "No, I did not cheat, you gave me a clue! You said you can see the ceiling!" + +Lily realized she made a mistake. She said, "Oops, you are right, I did. Next time, I will not say anything!" + +Ben and Lily decided to play again. They took turns hiding and seeking. They had a lot of fun. Sometimes they would disappear and sometimes they would appear. They loved playing hide and seek. +Lily and Ben are friends. They like to play in the park. One day, they see a big sign. The sign says: "Dog Show. Come and join. Win a prize." + +Lily and Ben love dogs. They want to join the show. They ask their moms. Their moms say yes. They are happy. + +They take their dogs to the park. Lily has a small dog. His name is Spot. Ben has a big dog. Her name is Luna. They walk their dogs to the show. They see many other dogs. Some are big, some are small, some are fluffy, some are smooth. + +A man with a hat is the judge. He says: "Welcome to the dog show. I will look at your dogs and give them points. The dog with the most points will win a prize. Be polite and have fun." + +Lily and Ben are polite. They say hello to the other kids and their dogs. They wait for their turn. The judge looks at Spot. He says: "Spot is a cute dog. He has nice spots. He can sit and shake. He gets eight points." Lily smiles. She hugs Spot. + +The judge looks at Luna. He says: "Luna is a beautiful dog. She has shiny fur. She can roll and fetch. She gets nine points." Ben cheers. He pets Luna. + +The judge looks at the other dogs. He gives them points. He says: "Thank you for joining the dog show. You all have lovely dogs. But there can be only one winner. And the winner is... Luna!" He gives Ben a ribbon and a toy. Ben is very happy. He thanks the judge. + +Lily is sad. She wanted to win. But she is polite. She says: "Congratulations, Ben. Luna is a great dog. You deserve the prize." She smiles. + +Ben is kind. He says: "Thank you, Lily. Spot is a great dog too. You are a good friend. Do you want to share the prize?" He gives Lily the toy. + +Lily is happy. She says: "Thank you, Ben. You are a good friend too. Do you want to play with the toy?" She gives Ben the toy. + +They play with the toy and their dogs. They have fun. They are happy. +Anna and Ben are friends. They like to play with dolls and cars. But sometimes they fight over toys. One Sunday, they go to the park with their moms. Anna sees a big slide. She runs to it and climbs up. She points to the slide and says, "Look, Ben, this is my slide. You can't go on it." + +Ben feels jealous. He wants to go on the slide too. He says, "No, Anna, this is not your slide. This is for everyone. I can go on it if I want." He runs after Anna and tries to push her. Anna pushes him back. They start to yell and cry. + +Their moms hear them and come to the slide. They see Anna and Ben fighting. They are not happy. They say, "Anna, Ben, stop fighting. You have to share the slide. You can take turns. Fighting is not nice. Say sorry to each other." + +Anna and Ben look at their moms. They feel sorry. They say, "Sorry, mom. Sorry, Anna. Sorry, Ben." They hug each other. They decide to share the slide. They go down together and laugh. They are friends again. Their moms smile and say, "Good job, Anna and Ben. You are good friends. Now let's go and have some ice cream." +Tom and Lily were playing in the park. They liked to swing, slide and run. They saw a big sign that said: "Do not go past this fence. Danger!" Tom was curious. He wanted to see what was behind the fence. Lily was scared. She did not want to break the rule. + +"Come on, Lily, let's go and look," Tom said. He climbed over the fence. Lily followed him. She did not want to be alone. + +Behind the fence, they saw a big pond. It was dirty and smelly. There were many frogs and bugs. Tom and Lily did not like it. They wanted to go back. + +But they could not find the fence. They were lost. They started to cry. + +A man heard them. He was a park ranger. He was not lazy. He worked hard to keep the park safe and clean. He saw Tom and Lily. He was angry. + +"What are you doing here?" he asked. "Did you not see the sign? This pond is dangerous. You could get hurt or sick. You are very naughty." + +He took them by the hand and led them to the fence. He helped them climb over. He returned them to the park. + +"Go and find your parents," he said. "And do not come here again. And say sorry for breaking the rule." + +Tom and Lily nodded. They were sorry. They ran to their parents. They hugged them and told them what happened. Their parents were worried and mad. They scolded them and said they had to go home. + +Tom and Lily learned their lesson. They never went past the sign again. They played in the park where it was safe and fun. +Anna and Ben like to play with blocks. They have many blocks of different colors and shapes. They can build houses, towers, cars and animals with their blocks. + +One day, they see a new toy in the store. It is a machine that can print blocks. You put a picture of a block on the machine, and it makes a real block for you. The machine has many pictures of blocks that you can choose from. + +"Wow, look at that!" Anna says. "We can print any block we want!" + +"Let's ask Mom if we can buy it!" Ben says. + +They run to their mom, who is looking at some books. They show her the machine and ask her to buy it for them. + +Mom looks at the machine and the price tag. She shakes her head. + +"I'm sorry, kids, but this machine is too expensive. We can't afford it. You already have many blocks at home. Why don't you use your imagination and make your own blocks?" + +Anna and Ben feel sad. They really want the machine. They think it is very cool and fun. + +But they also love their mom. They know she works hard to buy them things. They don't want to make her unhappy. + +They hug their mom and say, "OK, Mom, we understand. We love you. We love our blocks, too. We can make our own blocks with paper and scissors and glue." + +Mom smiles and kisses them. She is proud of them. She says, "That's a great idea, kids. You are very creative and smart. I love you, too. Let's go home and make some blocks together." +Lily liked to blow bubbles. She had a big bottle of bubble soap and a wand with a hole. She dipped the wand in the soap and blew. Out came many bubbles, big and small, round and shiny. They floated in the air and made Lily happy. + +But her brother Max did not like bubbles. He thought they were silly and boring. He wanted to play with his cars and trucks. He did not want bubbles in his way. He said to Lily, "Stop blowing bubbles! They are annoying! Shut the bottle and go away!" + +Lily did not listen to Max. She liked blowing bubbles too much. She blew more and more bubbles, and some of them popped on Max's head and face. He got angry and wet. He grabbed the bottle from Lily and threw it on the ground. The bottle broke and the soap spilled. No more bubbles. + +Lily was sad and mad. She loved her bubbles and her bottle. She looked at Max with tears in her eyes. She said, "You are mean and rude! You broke my bottle and my bubbles! You are a bad brother!" + +Max felt sorry and ashamed. He saw Lily's pale face and heard her cry. He knew he had done a wrong thing. He said to Lily, "I'm sorry, Lily. I was mean and rude. I did not mean to break your bottle and your bubbles. You are a good sister. Can you forgive me?" + +Lily stopped crying and looked at Max. She saw his sorry face and heard his sorry words. She said, "It's okay, Max. I forgive you. But don't do it again. Bubbles are fun and pretty. You can blow some with me if you want." + +Max smiled and hugged Lily. He said, "Thank you, Lily. I love you. Maybe I can try some bubbles with you. But can we also play with cars and trucks?" + +Lily nodded and smiled. She said, "Yes, we can. I love you too. Let's go find another bottle of bubble soap and share it. And then we can play with cars and trucks." + +They went inside the house and looked for another bottle of bubble soap. They found one in the bathroom and took it outside. They blew bubbles and played with cars and trucks. They had fun and were happy. They were good brother and sister. +Anna likes to play with her dolls. She has many dolls with long hair. She likes to brush their hair and make them look pretty. Sometimes she uses shampoo to wash their hair. She thinks shampoo makes their hair soft and shiny. + +One day, Anna wants to try a new hairstyle for her dolls. She sees a picture of a girl with a braid in a book. She thinks it looks nice. She wants to make a braid for her dolls too. She picks up one of her dolls and tries to make a braid. But it is hard. She does not know how to do it. She gets frustrated and drops the doll. + +"Mommy, I can't do it!" she cries. "I want to make a braid, but I don't know how!" + +Mommy hears Anna and comes to her room. She sees Anna and her dolls on the floor. She sees the shampoo and the book. + +"What are you trying to do, sweetie?" Mommy asks. + +"I want to make a braid like this girl, but I can't do it!" Anna says, pointing to the book. + +Mommy smiles and picks up the doll. She says, "Don't worry, I can help you. Making a braid is not easy, but you can learn. You just need to be patient and flexible. Do you know what flexible means?" + +Anna shakes her head. + +"Flexible means you can bend and twist and change. Like this doll's hair. See, it is flexible. You can move it in different ways. But you have to be gentle and careful. If you pull too hard, you will hurt the doll and make the hair messy. Do you understand?" + +Anna nods. + +"Good. Now, let me show you how to make a braid. You need to take three parts of the hair and cross them over each other. Like this. And then you repeat. Like this. And then you tie the end with a ribbon. Like this. There, you made a braid!" + +Mommy hands the doll to Anna. Anna looks at the braid and smiles. She says, "Wow, it is beautiful! Thank you, Mommy! Can you teach me how to do it?" + +"Of course, I can. But first, let's clean up the shampoo. We don't want to make a mess, do we?" + +Anna agrees. She helps Mommy put away the shampoo and the book. Then she sits down with Mommy and her dolls. She listens to Mommy and tries to make a braid. She manages to do it after a few tries. She is proud of herself. She says, "Look, Mommy, I did it! I am flexible!" + +Mommy hugs Anna and says, "Yes, you are, sweetie. And you are smart and creative and brave. I love you, Anna." + +"I love you too, Mommy." Anna says. She plays with her dolls and their braids. She is happy. +Sara loves to play with her jeep. She likes to drive it on the grass, on the sand, and on the rocks. She pretends she is going on adventures with her jeep. + +One day, she sees a new boy in the park. He has a big truck with lights and sounds. He drives it on the road and makes loud noises. Sara thinks his truck is cool, but she likes her jeep more. + +She goes to the boy and says, "Hi, I am Sara. Do you want to play with me and my jeep?" + +The boy looks at her jeep and says, "No, thank you. Your jeep is small and old. My truck is big and new. It is better than your jeep." + +Sara feels sad and angry. She says, "No, it is not. My jeep is beautiful and fun. It can go anywhere. Your truck is boring and noisy. It can only go on the road." + +The boy says, "That is not true. My truck can go anywhere, too. It can climb hills and jump over bumps. It can do anything your jeep can do, and more." + +Sara says, "Oh, yeah? Can your truck teach you anything?" + +The boy says, "What do you mean? Trucks don't teach. They just drive." + +Sara says, "Well, my jeep can teach me. It can teach me about colors and shapes and numbers and letters. It can teach me about animals and plants and stars and planets. It can teach me about stories and songs and jokes and games. It can teach me anything I want to learn." + +The boy says, "Wow, really? How can your jeep do that?" + +Sara says, "Come, I will show you. My jeep has a secret. It has a magic book inside. The book has pictures and words and sounds and buttons. When I open the book, it talks to me and teaches me. It is my friend and my teacher. Do you want to see?" + +The boy says, "Yes, please. That sounds amazing. Can I play with your jeep and your book?" + +Sara says, "Sure, you can. But you have to be nice and share. And you have to say sorry for being mean to my jeep." + +The boy says, "OK, I am sorry. I was wrong. Your jeep is beautiful and smart. Can we be friends?" + +Sara says, "Yes, we can. Come on, let's go on an adventure with my jeep and my book." +Sara and Ben were playing by the pond. They liked to throw stones and watch the ripples. But they did not see the alligator hiding under the water. The alligator was hungry and wanted to eat them. + +Suddenly, the alligator jumped out and snapped at Sara. She screamed and ran away. Ben was scared and tried to follow her, but the alligator was faster. It caught Ben by his leg and dragged him into the pond. + +"Help! Help!" Ben cried. "Sara, help me!" + +Sara heard Ben and turned around. She saw the alligator and Ben in the water. She felt very sad and angry. She wanted to save Ben, but she did not know how. She looked around and saw a big stick. She picked it up and ran to the pond. + +"Let go of Ben, you mean alligator!" Sara shouted. She hit the alligator with the stick as hard as she could. The alligator felt pain and let go of Ben. Ben swam to the shore and climbed out. He was hurt and bleeding. He hugged Sara and thanked her. + +"You are brave, Sara. You saved me," Ben said. + +"You are my friend, Ben. I love you," Sara said. + +They wept together and held each other. The alligator was angry and scared. It swam away and hid under the water. It did not want to mess with Sara and Ben again. They were too strong and smart for it. Sara and Ben went home and told their mom what happened. She was proud of them and took care of Ben's wound. She gave them cookies and milk and read them a story. They felt better and smiled. They were happy to be alive and to have each other. +Anna and Ben are playing on the farm. They like to dress up as different animals. Anna puts on a cow costume. She says, "Moo, moo, I am a cow. I give milk and eat grass." Ben puts on a lion costume. He says, "Roar, roar, I am a lion. I am fierce and strong. I hunt and eat meat." + +Anna and Ben run around the farm, pretending to be a cow and a lion. They have fun. But then they see a real cow in the field. The cow is big and brown. It has horns and a bell. Anna and Ben want to play with the cow. They run towards the cow. + +The cow sees Anna and Ben. It thinks they are strange animals. It does not like them. It feels scared and angry. It lowers its horns and charges at them. It says, "Moo, moo, go away. This is my field. You are not welcome here." + +Anna and Ben are scared too. They see the cow coming at them. They scream and run away. They drop their costumes and hide behind a fence. They say, "Help, help, the cow is fierce. It wants to hurt us." + +The farmer hears Anna and Ben. He comes to see what is wrong. He sees the cow and the costumes. He understands what happened. He says, "Don't worry, Anna and Ben. The cow is not fierce. It is just confused. It thought you were trying to take its field. It was protecting itself. You should not dress up as animals and bother the cow. It is not a game. It is dangerous." + +Anna and Ben say, "We are sorry, farmer. We did not mean to scare the cow. We just wanted to play. We will not dress up as animals and bother the cow again. We will be careful and respectful." + +The farmer says, "That's good, Anna and Ben. I am glad you are safe and sorry. You can still play on the farm, but not with the cow. You can play with the dog, the cat, the chicken, or the horse. They are friendly and gentle. They like to play with you." + +Anna and Ben say, "Thank you, farmer. We like the dog, the cat, the chicken, and the horse. They are fun and nice. We will play with them." + +Anna and Ben hug the farmer. They pick up their costumes and go to play with the other animals. They are happy and careful. The cow is calm and peaceful. The farm is quiet and friendly. The end. +Sam and Mia are friends. They like to play in the park. One day, they find a jar under a tree. The jar is big and shiny. It has a lid with a star on it. + +"Wow, look at this jar!" Sam says. "What do you think is inside?" + +"I don't know," Mia says. "Maybe candy or toys or magic." + +"Let's open it and see," Sam says. He tries to twist the lid, but it is too tight. He asks Mia to help him, but they still can't open it. + +"Maybe we need a tool," Mia says. "Or maybe we need a password." + +"Or maybe we need a wish," Sam says. He looks at the star on the lid and thinks hard. He wishes that the jar would open and give them something fun. + +Suddenly, the jar makes a pop sound and the lid comes off. Sam and Mia are surprised and happy. They look inside the jar and see a lot of colorful balls. The balls are soft and bouncy. They are not regular balls. They are special balls. + +"Wow, our wish came true!" Sam says. "The jar gave us special balls!" + +"Yay, let's play with them!" Mia says. They take out the balls and start to throw them, catch them, and roll them. The balls make funny noises and change colors. Sam and Mia have a lot of fun with the special balls. They decide that the jar is their best find ever. They thank the jar and the star and put the lid back on. They hide the jar under the tree and promise to come back another day. They run to the swings and continue to play. They are very happy. +Lily and Ben were playing hide and seek in the house. Lily was the seeker and Ben was the hider. Ben ran to the living room and saw a big curtain. He thought it was a good place to hide. He went behind the curtain and waited for Lily to find him. + +Lily looked in the kitchen, the bedroom, and the bathroom, but she could not find Ben. She was getting tired and bored. She decided to try the living room. She walked in and saw the big curtain. She had a feeling that Ben was behind it. She tiptoed to the curtain and pulled it back. + +"Boo!" Ben yelled, jumping out from behind the curtain. He wanted to scare Lily and make her laugh. + +But Lily did not laugh. She was very scared and angry. She did not like Ben's yell. She started to cry and scream. + +"Ben, you are mean! You made me cry! I don't want to play with you anymore!" Lily yelled, running away from Ben. + +Ben felt sorry and sad. He did not mean to make Lily cry. He wanted to make her happy. He ran after Lily and tried to hug her. + +"Lily, I'm sorry! I was just playing! Please don't be mad at me! You are my best friend!" Ben said, holding Lily's hand. + +Lily looked at Ben and saw his sorry face. She felt a little better. She knew Ben was not mean. He was just silly. She wiped her tears and smiled. + +"Ben, it's okay. I forgive you. You are my best friend, too. But don't yell at me again. It's not nice. It's scary." Lily said, hugging Ben. + +Ben nodded and hugged Lily back. He was happy that Lily was not mad at him anymore. He was lucky to have a friend like Lily. He said sorry again and promised to be nice. + +They went back to the living room and played with the curtain. They made it into a tent and a cape and a dress. They had fun and laughed. They forgot about the yell and the cry. They were happy. +Tom and Anna like to play with their toy cars. They have many cars of different colors and sizes. They make sounds like vroom and beep when they move them on the floor. + +One day, Tom and Anna decide to pretend that they are driving to the park. They pack some snacks and water in their backpacks and choose their favorite cars. Tom picks a red car and Anna picks a blue car. + +"Are you ready, Anna?" Tom asks. + +"Yes, I am, Tom. Let's go!" Anna says. + +They start to drive their cars on the floor, following a path they made with tape. They pass by the sofa, the table, the chair, and the door. They have fun making turns and honking at each other. + +But then, Tom's car stops moving. He tries to push it, but it does not work. + +"Oh no, what's wrong?" Anna asks. + +"I think my car has no fuel. It needs more fuel to go," Tom says. + +"Fuel? What is fuel?" Anna asks. + +"Fuel is what cars need to run. It is like food for cars. It is usually in a can or a pump," Tom explains. + +"Where can we get fuel?" Anna asks. + +"Maybe we can find some in the kitchen. Come on, let's go look," Tom says. + +They leave their cars on the floor and run to the kitchen. They look around for something that looks like fuel. They see a bottle of juice, a can of soup, a jar of honey, and a box of cereal. + +"Maybe this is fuel," Tom says, pointing at the juice. + +"No, that is juice. We drink juice. It is not for cars," Anna says. + +"Maybe this is fuel," Tom says, pointing at the soup. + +"No, that is soup. We eat soup. It is not for cars," Anna says. + +"Maybe this is fuel," Tom says, pointing at the honey. + +"No, that is honey. We put honey on bread. It is not for cars," Anna says. + +"Maybe this is fuel," Tom says, pointing at the cereal. + +"No, that is cereal. We have cereal for breakfast. It is not for cars," Anna says. + +"Then what is fuel?" Tom asks. + +"I don't know. Maybe we should ask mom or dad. They know about cars," Anna says. + +"Good idea. Let's go call them," Tom says. + +They run to the living room, where mom and dad are reading a book. They tell them about their problem. + +"Mom, dad, we need your help. Tom's car has no fuel. Where can we get fuel?" Anna asks. + +"Fuel? For your toy cars?" mom asks. + +"Yes, mom. We are pretending to drive to the park, but Tom's car stopped working. It needs more fuel to go," Anna says. + +Mom and dad smile. They are proud of Tom and Anna for using their imagination and playing nicely together. + +"Well, you are very lucky, because we have some fuel for your cars. It is in the garage. Do you want to see it?" dad asks. + +"Yes, please!" Tom and Anna say. + +"Okay, but you have to be very careful. Fuel is not like juice or soup or honey or cereal. Fuel is flammable. That means it can catch fire easily. You should never touch it or play with it. Only adults can use it for cars," dad warns. + +"Okay, dad. We will be careful. We will not touch it or play with it. We just want to see it," Tom and Anna promise. + +Dad takes them to the garage, where he has a can of fuel and a funnel. He shows them how to pour some fuel into Tom's car through the funnel. He tells them to be very careful not to spill any fuel on the floor or on themselves. + +"Wow, thank you, dad. You are the best," Tom says. + +"Yes, thank you, dad. You are awesome," Anna says. + +"You are welcome, kids. Now you can go back to your game. Have fun, but be careful," dad says. + +Tom and Anna hug dad and run back to the living room with their cars. They are happy that they have fuel for their cars. They resume their drive to the park, making sounds like vroom and beep. They have a lot of fun. Mom and dad watch them and smile. They love their kids. +Lily did not like to share her toys with her baby brother. She always said, "Mine, mine, mine!" and took them away from him. One day, her mom said, "Lily, you have to share with your brother. He is little and he wants to play too. If you don't share, you have to quit playing and go to your room." + +Lily did not listen to her mom. She kept taking her toys from her brother and making him cry. Her mom said, "Lily, I told you to share. Now you have to quit playing and go to your room. You can come out when you are ready to be nice." + +Lily was angry. She stomped to her room and slammed the door. She said, "I don't want to share. I don't want to play with him. I don't want to be in this house. I want to go away." She looked out the window and saw a big hill behind the house. She thought, "Maybe I can run away to the hill and play by myself. No one will bother me there." + +She put on her shoes and coat and sneaked out of the house. She ran to the hill and climbed to the top. She looked around and saw the sky was clear and blue. She saw the birds and the flowers and the trees. She felt happy and free. She said, "This is my hill. This is my place. I don't need anyone else." + +But soon, she felt cold and hungry and thirsty. She looked for some food and water, but she could not find any. She looked for some shelter, but she could not find any. She looked for some friends, but she could not find any. She felt lonely and scared. She said, "This is not my hill. This is not my place. I need someone else." + +She looked down and saw her house. She saw her mom and her dad and her brother. They were looking for her. They were calling her name. They looked worried and sad. She felt sorry and ashamed. She said, "That is my house. That is my family. I love them and they love me." + +She ran down the hill and back to the house. She hugged her mom and her dad and her brother. She said, "I'm sorry, mom. I'm sorry, dad. I'm sorry, brother. I was wrong. I want to share. I want to play with you. I want to be in this house. Please don't be mad at me." + +Her mom and her dad and her brother smiled and hugged her back. They said, "We're not mad at you, Lily. We're glad you're back. We were worried about you. We love you, Lily. You're part of our family. You belong in this house. Please don't run away again." + +Lily nodded and said, "I won't, mom. I won't, dad. I won't, brother. I love you too. You're my family. I belong in this house. I'm happy here." And she was. +Sara and Ben are friends. They like to play with toys. They have a lot of toys in their room. They have dolls, cars, blocks, and books. + +One day, Sara and Ben are playing with dolls. Sara has a pink doll and Ben has a blue doll. They make the dolls talk to each other. + +"Hello, I am Lily. I like to dance and sing. Do you want to be my friend?" Sara makes her doll say. + +"Hello, I am Max. I like to run and jump. Yes, I want to be your friend." Ben makes his doll say. + +They make the dolls hug and smile. They are happy. + +But then, Sara sees a car on the floor. She likes cars. She wants to play with the car. She puts down her doll and picks up the car. + +"Vroom, vroom, vroom. This car is fast and fun." Sara says. + +Ben sees Sara playing with the car. He feels sad. He likes the car too. He wants to play with the car. He puts down his doll and reaches for the car. + +"Hey, that is my car. Give it to me." Ben says. + +"No, it is my car. I saw it first." Sara says. + +They pull the car from each other. They are angry. + +"Stop, stop, stop. You are not nice. You are not my friend." Sara says. + +"Stop, stop, stop. You are not nice. You are not my friend." Ben says. + +They start to cry. They are not happy. + +Mom hears them crying. She comes to their room. She sees them fighting over the car. She is not happy. + +"What is going on here? Why are you crying? Why are you fighting?" Mom says. + +"Sara took my car. She is not nice. She is not my friend." Ben says. + +"Ben took my car. He is not nice. He is not my friend." Sara says. + +Mom sighs. She takes the car from them. She puts it on the shelf. + +"Listen, Sara and Ben. You are friends. You have to share. You have to be kind. You have to play together. You have a lot of toys. You can play with any toy. But you have to take turns. Do you understand?" Mom says. + +Sara and Ben nod. They are sorry. They are not angry. + +"Can we play with the car again?" Sara says. + +"Yes, you can. But only for a minute. Then you have to give it to the other one. And say thank you. And smile. OK?" Mom says. + +Sara and Ben nod. They are fine. They are happy. + +They take turns playing with the car. They say thank you. They smile. They are friends. They play together. +Tom and Lily were playing with their ball in the lawn. They liked to kick the ball to each other and run after it. Sometimes, the ball would go too far and roll into the street. Tom and Lily knew they had to be careful and look both ways before they went to get the ball. + +One day, a big truck entered their street. It was very loud and fast. Tom and Lily stopped playing and watched the truck. The truck did not see the ball and ran over it. The ball popped and flew in the air. Tom and Lily were sad and scared. + +"Tom, our ball is gone!" Lily cried. + +"I know, Lily. The truck was bad. It broke our ball." Tom said. + +They ran to their house and told their mom what happened. Their mom hugged them and said she was sorry. She said she would buy them a new ball. She also said they should not play in the lawn near the street. She said they should play in the backyard where it was safe. + +Tom and Lily nodded and said they understood. They thanked their mom and went to the backyard. They found some toys and games to play with. They decided to play hide and seek. They had fun and forgot about the ball. They were happy and safe. +Tim and Kim were twins who liked to play in the forest near their home. They had a lot of fun exploring the trees, the flowers, and the animals. But they also liked to get what they wanted, and sometimes they would demand things from their parents, their friends, and even the forest. + +One day, they saw a big, shiny, red apple hanging from a branch. They both wanted it, and they started to fight over it. They pulled and pushed and shouted, but the apple did not fall. They did not see the bird who lived in the apple, who was very scared and angry. + +The bird flew out of the apple and pecked Tim and Kim on their heads. They cried out in pain and ran away from the forest. They did not get the apple, and they did not have any fun. They learned that demanding things is not nice, and that they should share and respect the forest and its creatures. + +The next day, they went back to the forest with a basket of seeds and nuts. They said sorry to the bird and gave him some food. They also gave some food to the other animals they met. They played nicely with each other and with the forest. They had a lot of fun, and they felt happy. They learned that being kind and generous is better than being greedy and selfish. +Lily and Ben were twins who liked to play outside. One day, they saw a big green cactus with many sharp needles. Lily wanted to touch it, but Ben said no. + +"That cactus can hurt you. It is not soft like a flower. It is hard and prickly. Stay away from it," Ben said. + +But Lily did not listen. She was curious and brave. She walked closer to the cactus and reached out her hand. She thought it would feel funny and tickle her fingers. + +Suddenly, a small animal jumped out from behind the cactus. It was a rabbit with long ears and a fluffy tail. It was scared of Lily and Ben. It made a loud noise and ran away. + +Lily and Ben were surprised and scared too. They did not see the rabbit before. They did not know it was hiding there. They screamed and ran back to their house. + +The rabbit had saved them from the cactus. It had sprung out and scared them away. If they had touched the cactus, they would have been hurt by the needles. The rabbit was not lazy like the cactus. It was fast and smart. It knew how to protect itself and its home. Lily and Ben learned a lesson that day. They learned to be careful and respectful of nature. They never tried to touch the cactus again. +Lily and Ben are twins. They like to play dress up. They have many hats and clothes in a big box. They can be anyone they want. + +One day, they decide to dress up as people from different nations. Lily puts on a red dress and a yellow hat. She says, "I am from China. I like to eat noodles and dumplings." Ben puts on a blue shirt and a white hat. He says, "I am from France. I like to eat cheese and bread." + +They look at each other and smile. They think they are very cute. They say, "Bonjour" and "Ni hao" to each other. They pretend to travel around the world. + +Mom comes in and sees them. She laughs and says, "You two are so creative and funny. You look like little tourists." She takes a picture of them and hugs them. She says, "I love you, my cute little travelers." +Tim and Sam were brothers who liked to observe the big boats at the harbor. They dreamed of being sailors one day and going on adventures. They had a toy boat that they played with in the bathtub, but they wanted to see a real boat up close. + +One day, they saw a sign that said "Boat Tours". They asked their mom if they could go, and she said yes. They were very happy and ran to the dock. There, they saw a big boat with a red flag and a man in a blue hat. He was the captain of the boat. + +"Hello, boys," he said. "Do you want to see my boat?" + +"Yes, please!" Tim and Sam said. + +"OK, follow me. But be careful, don't touch anything. The boat is very old and fragile." + +The captain showed them the boat. He showed them the wheel, the anchor, the sails, and the cabin. He told them stories about the sea, the storms, the pirates, and the treasures. Tim and Sam listened with wonder and asked many questions. + +They were having so much fun that they did not notice that the boat was moving. The captain had untied the rope and started the engine. He was not a nice man. He was a bad man. He was a thief. He wanted to steal the boat and sell it to someone else. He thought Tim and Sam were stupid and would not notice. + +But he was wrong. Tim and Sam were not stupid. They were smart. They saw the water moving and the land getting smaller. They realized they were in trouble. + +"Mom!" they shouted. "Help!" + +The captain heard them and laughed. He said, "Too late, boys. You are coming with me. You are my hostages now. If you want to see your mom again, you have to do what I say." + +Tim and Sam were scared, but they did not give up. They looked around and saw a big red button. It said "SOS". They remembered that SOS meant "help" in sailor language. They had a plan. + +They waited until the captain was busy looking at his map. Then they ran to the button and pushed it hard. A loud siren sounded and a bright light flashed. The captain was surprised and angry. He tried to stop them, but it was too late. + +The siren and the light alerted the coast guard. They saw the boat and came to rescue Tim and Sam. They arrested the captain and took him to jail. They returned the boat to its owner and thanked Tim and Sam for their bravery. They gave them medals and hats and let them ride in their boat. + +Tim and Sam were very happy. They hugged their mom and told her what happened. She was very proud of them and said they were the best sailors ever. They agreed and smiled. They had a great adventure and learned a lot. They still liked to observe the big boats at the harbor, but they also liked to observe the coast guard. They were their heroes. +Anna and Ben are friends. They like to play in the garden. They see many flowers and bugs. They also see some red things on a plant. They are tomatoes. + +"Look, Ben, tomatoes!" Anna says. "They are red and round and yummy." + +"Can we pick them?" Ben asks. + +"I don't know. Let's ask Mom," Anna says. They run to the house and find Mom in the kitchen. + +"Mom, can we pick some tomatoes from the garden?" Anna asks. + +"Sure, you can, but only if you complete your snack first," Mom says. She gives them some crackers and cheese. + +Anna and Ben eat their snack quickly. They say thank you to Mom and run back to the garden. They are careful not to step on the flowers. They find the tomato plant and pick some tomatoes. They are happy. + +"Look, Mom, we picked some tomatoes!" Anna says. She holds up a big tomato. + +"Wow, you did a great job!" Mom says. She smiles and hugs them. "These tomatoes look ripe and juicy. We can make a salad with them for dinner." + +"Yay, salad!" Ben says. He likes salad. + +Anna and Ben wash their hands and help Mom wash the tomatoes. They cut them into pieces and put them in a bowl. Mom adds some lettuce, cheese, and dressing. She tosses the salad and puts it on a plate. + +"Look, our salad is ready!" Mom says. She puts the plate on the table. + +"It looks good!" Anna says. She takes a fork and tries a piece of tomato. "It tastes good, too!" + +"Me too, me too!" Ben says. He also tries a piece of tomato. "Yummy!" + +Mom watches them eat with a smile. She thinks they are graceful and sweet. She is proud of them. She joins them and enjoys the salad, too. They have a nice dinner together. They are happy. +Anna and Ben are at the zoo with their mom. They see many animals, like lions, monkeys, and giraffes. They are very happy and excited. + +"Look, mom, a hippo!" Ben says, pointing to a big gray animal in the water. "He is so big and fat!" + +"Yes, he is, Ben. Hippos are very strong and can swim well. But they also like to rest on land and eat grass," mom says. + +Anna and Ben go closer to the fence and watch the hippo. He opens his mouth and yawns. He looks very sleepy. + +"Hello, hippo!" Anna says. "Do you want to play with us?" + +The hippo does not answer. He closes his eyes and snorts. + +"I think he is too sleepy to play, Anna. Maybe he had a long day," mom says. + +"Or maybe he is bored, mom. He needs a friend," Ben says. + +"Maybe you are right, Ben. Do you know what I recommend?" mom says. + +"What, mom?" Anna and Ben ask. + +"I recommend we go to the gift shop and buy a toy hippo for him. Maybe he will like it and feel less lonely," mom says. + +"Yay, that's a good idea, mom!" Anna and Ben say. "Let's go!" + +They run to the gift shop and find a cute toy hippo. They go back to the fence and wave it to the real hippo. + +"Look, hippo, we have a present for you!" Anna says. + +The hippo opens his eyes and sees the toy. He looks curious and comes closer. He sniffs the toy and nudges it with his nose. + +"Wow, he likes it, mom!" Ben says. + +"Yes, he does, Ben. He has a new friend now," mom says. + +Anna and Ben smile and clap. They are happy they made the hippo happy. The hippo winks at them and cuddles with the toy. He is still sleepy, but not lonely. +Tom and Lily were twins who liked to play in the garden. One day, they saw a big red truck with a loud siren. It was an emergency truck that helped people who were hurt or sick. They wanted to see it up close, so they crawled under the fence and ran to the street. + +"Wow, look at the truck!" Tom said. "It has a ladder and a hose and a shiny badge." + +"Can we touch it?" Lily asked. "Maybe we can climb the ladder and see inside." + +But before they could get near the truck, a man in a yellow hat and a black coat came out. He was a firefighter who worked on the truck. He saw the twins and frowned. + +"Hey, you two, what are you doing here?" he asked. "This is not a place to play. This is an emergency. There is a fire in the house across the street. You could get hurt or lost." + +Tom and Lily were scared. They did not know there was a fire. They did not want to get hurt or lost. They wanted to go back to the garden. + +"Sorry, mister," Tom said. "We just wanted to see the truck. We like trucks." + +"Well, trucks are nice, but they are also rare and important," the firefighter said. "They help us save people and animals from danger. You should not crawl under the fence or run to the street. You should stay in the garden where it is safe and where your mom and dad can see you." + +"Okay, mister," Lily said. "We will stay in the garden. We will not crawl under the fence or run to the street again." + +The firefighter nodded and smiled. He gave them each a sticker with a truck on it. He told them to be careful and to listen to their mom and dad. Then he went back to the truck and drove away with the siren. + +Tom and Lily waved goodbye to the truck. They crawled back under the fence and went to the garden. They showed their stickers to their mom and dad and told them what happened. Their mom and dad hugged them and said they were glad they were safe. They said they were proud of them for being honest and brave. They said they loved them very much. +Tom and Lily are friends. They like to play with blocks and cars and dolls. One evening, they are at Tom's house. They want to complete a big tower with the blocks. + +"Look, Lily, I have a blue block. You have a red block. Let's put them on top of the tower," Tom says. + +"OK, Tom, that sounds fun. But we have to be careful. The tower is very high. We don't want it to fall down," Lily says. + +They take turns to add more blocks to the tower. They are very happy. They make the tower taller and taller. They are almost done. + +But then, Tom's dog, Spot, comes into the room. Spot is loud. He barks and runs and jumps. He sees the tower and thinks it is a toy. He wants to play with it. + +"Spot, no! Stop! That's our tower!" Tom shouts. + +But it is too late. Spot bumps into the tower with his nose. The tower falls down. The blocks make a loud noise. Tom and Lily are sad. They worked hard to complete the tower. Now it is gone. + +"Bad dog! Bad dog! You ruined our tower!" Tom cries. + +"Tom, don't be mad at Spot. He didn't know. He just wanted to play," Lily says. + +She hugs Tom and gives him a kiss. She picks up some blocks and gives them to Tom. + +"Come on, Tom, let's make another tower. We can do it again. We are good at it. And this time, we can close the door so Spot can't come in," she says. + +Tom smiles and wipes his tears. He takes the blocks from Lily and nods. + +"OK, Lily, you are right. Let's make another tower. You are a good friend. And Spot is a good dog. He just needs to learn," he says. + +They start to build a new tower. They are happy again. They complete the tower before it is time to go to bed. They are proud of their tower. They say good night to each other and to Spot. They have a good evening. +Tom and Mia like to play with their bikes in the park. They have fun riding on the paths and making noises with their bells. One day, they see a big boy with a new bike. His bike has four wheels, not two. He rides very fast and does not look where he is going. + +"Wow, look at his bike!" Tom says. "It has so many wheels!" + +"I want to try it!" Mia says. "Maybe he will let us have a turn." + +They run after the big boy and ask him nicely. "Hello, can we please try your bike? It looks very fun." + +The big boy stops and looks at them. He has a mean face and a loud voice. He says, "No, you can't. This is my bike and I don't share. Go away, you little pests. You have your own bikes." + +He is very rude to Tom and Mia. He makes them feel sad and angry. He does not care about their feelings. He only cares about his bike. + +Tom and Mia do not like the big boy. They think he is selfish and mean. They decide to play with their bikes and ignore him. They say, "We don't need his bike. Our bikes are better. We have fun with our bikes and we share with our friends. He can keep his bike and be alone." + +They ride away and find their friends. They have a good time playing with their bikes and their friends. They are happy and kind. They forget about the big boy and his bike. +Lily and Ben are playing with their dog Spot in the park. Spot likes to run and chase the ball that Lily throws. Ben likes to pet Spot and give him treats. Spot is a good dog, but sometimes he is rough. He jumps on Lily and Ben and licks their faces. He also bites their shoes and pulls on their socks. + +"Spot, stop!" Lily says. "You are too rough. You hurt my heel with your teeth. Look, it is red and sore." + +Ben questions Lily. "Why does Spot do that? Does he not like us?" + +Lily shakes her head. "No, he likes us very much. He is just excited and playful. He does not know he is rough. We have to teach him to be gentle." + +"How do we do that?" Ben asks. + +Lily thinks for a moment. "We can say 'no' when he is rough and give him a toy to bite instead. We can also praise him when he is calm and give him a hug. He will learn that being gentle is better than being rough." + +Lily and Ben try to do that. They say 'no' when Spot bites their shoes and give him a rubber bone. They say 'good boy' when Spot sits and waits for the ball. They hug him when he comes back with the ball. Spot wags his tail and looks happy. He is still a good dog, but now he is a gentle dog too. Lily and Ben are happy too. They love their dog Spot. +Ben and Mia like to play with their kayak. It is a big toy boat that they can sit in and paddle on the water. They have a blue kayak and a red kayak. Sometimes they race each other, and sometimes they explore the lake. + +One day, they decided to record their adventure. They asked their mom to give them her phone. She said yes, but they had to be careful. She showed them how to use the camera and the microphone. She said they could make a video of their kayak trip. + +They put the phone in a plastic bag and tied it to the kayak. They put on their life jackets and helmets. They said bye to their mom and got in their kayaks. They pushed off from the shore and started to paddle. + +"Hi, I am Ben and this is Mia," Ben said to the phone. "We are going on a kayak adventure. We will show you what we see and hear." + +"Look, there is a duck," Mia said. "Quack, quack, hello, duck. Do you want to race us?" + +The duck ignored them and swam away. Ben and Mia laughed and paddled faster. They saw more animals and plants on the lake. They talked to the phone and each other. + +They came to a big rock. It had a hole in it. It looked like a cave. Ben and Mia were curious. They wanted to see what was inside. + +"Let's go in," Ben said. "Maybe we will find a treasure." + +"OK, but be careful," Mia said. "It might be dark and scary." + +They paddled towards the rock. They saw that the hole was open. They could fit their kayaks inside. They went in slowly. It was dark and quiet. They turned on the flashlight on the phone. They saw some bats hanging from the ceiling. They heard some water dripping. + +"Wow, this is cool," Ben said. "We are in a secret cave." + +"Shh, don't scare the bats," Mia said. "They are sleeping." + +They looked around the cave. They did not see any treasure, but they saw some shiny stones and shells. They picked some up and put them in their kayaks. They decided to go back to the lake. They paddled out of the hole. They saw the sun and the sky. They felt happy. + +"We did it," Ben said. "We explored the cave. We have a video of our adventure." + +"Let's go back and show mom," Mia said. "She will be proud of us." + +They paddled back to the shore. They got out of their kayaks. They hugged their mom. They showed her the video and the stones and shells. She smiled and said they were brave and smart. She said they could keep the kayak and the phone. They thanked her and said they loved her. They had a fun day. +Lily and Tom were playing with their toys in the living room. They liked to pretend they were astronauts, exploring space with their rocket and helmet. They made zoom and beep sounds as they flew around the couch and the table. + +"Look, Lily, I found a new planet!" Tom said, holding up a green ball. "It has trees and animals and water. Let's go there!" + +"OK, Tom, but be careful. Maybe there are aliens there too!" Lily said, following him with her pink ball. "Maybe they are friendly, or maybe they are mean!" + +They landed their balls on the floor and got out of their rocket. They looked around and saw a big pile of clothes and shoes. They thought it was a mountain. + +"Wow, this planet is so big and strange!" Tom said, climbing on the clothes. "Maybe we can find some treasure here!" + +"Or maybe some aliens!" Lily said, peeking under the shoes. "Maybe they are hiding from us!" + +They searched and searched, but they did not find any treasure or aliens. They only found a smelly sock. + +"Yuck, what is this?" Tom said, picking up the sock. "It smells bad!" + +He threw the sock away, but it landed on his dad's face. His dad was sleeping on the couch, but he woke up when he felt the sock. + +"Hey, what are you doing?" his dad said, frowning. "Why are you throwing socks at me?" + +"Sorry, dad, we were playing space!" Tom said, feeling scared. "We thought this was a new planet!" + +His dad looked at the mess they made and shook his head. + +"You two are very creative, but you also need to clean up after yourselves!" he said, getting up. "Come on, help me put these clothes and shoes away. And no more socks on my face, OK?" + +"OK, dad, we're sorry!" Lily and Tom said, feeling sorry too. "We'll help you!" + +They helped their dad tidy up the living room and put their toys away. Then they hugged him and said they loved him. + +"Maybe next time we can play space in your room, or outside!" Lily said, smiling. + +"Or maybe we can read a book about space, and learn more about the planets and the stars!" Tom said, excited. + +"That sounds like a good idea!" their dad said, smiling too. "But first, let's have some lunch. I'm hungry, and I bet you are too!" + +They went to the kitchen and had some sandwiches and juice. They talked about their space adventure and their dad told them some fun facts about space. They had a good time, and they forgot about the smelly sock. +Tom and Sue were playing with their toy cars in the garden. They had a lot of fun making noises and racing each other. But Tom wanted to have all the cars for himself. He was selfish. + +"Give me that car, Sue. It is mine!" he said. + +"No, Tom. It is not yours. It is mine. You have many cars already. Share with me!" Sue said. + +Tom did not listen. He grabbed the car from Sue and ran away. Sue was sad and angry. She followed Tom and tried to get her car back. + +Tom ran to the shed, where his dad kept his tools and his old bike. He hid behind the bike and played with the car. He did not see the fire that was burning in a metal can. His dad had put some wood and paper in the can to make ash for the plants. + +Sue saw the fire and smelled the smoke. She was scared. She shouted to Tom. + +"Tom, Tom! There is fire in the shed! Come out, come out! It is dangerous!" + +Tom heard Sue, but he did not care. He wanted to keep the car. He was selfish. + +"Go away, Sue! This is my car! You cannot have it!" he said. + +Sue did not go away. She ran to the shed and tried to pull Tom out. But Tom resisted. He held the car tightly. + +The fire grew bigger and hotter. It reached the bike and the tools. It made loud noises and sparks. Tom and Sue were in trouble. + +"Help, help!" they cried. + +Their dad heard them and ran to the shed. He saw the fire and his children. He was shocked and worried. He grabbed a hose and sprayed water on the fire. He put out the fire and saved his children. + +He hugged Tom and Sue and checked if they were hurt. They were not hurt, but they were dirty and scared. They had ash on their faces and clothes. + +Their dad was angry and sad. He scolded Tom for being selfish and playing with fire. He took away the car and gave it to Sue. He told Tom to say sorry to Sue and to share his toys. + +Tom felt ashamed and sorry. He realized he was wrong and selfish. He said sorry to Sue and hugged her. He promised to share his toys and to be careful with fire. + +Sue forgave Tom and smiled. She thanked her dad for saving them. She shared the car with Tom and played with him. + +They learned a lesson and became better friends. +Tom and Mia are friends. They like to play in the park. One day, they see a food truck. The food truck has many colors and smells good. Tom and Mia want to try the food. + +They go to the food truck and ask for a taco. The man in the truck gives them a taco and a napkin. He says, "Be careful, the taco is spicy. It can make your mouth hot." Tom and Mia nod and say thank you. They take the taco and the napkin and sit on a bench. + +Tom and Mia take a bite of the taco. They feel the spicy in their mouth. They like the spicy. They smile and sign to each other that the taco is good. They take another bite and another bite. They finish the taco and wipe their mouth with the napkin. + +But then, they feel something wrong. Their mouth is too hot. Their tongue is too hot. Their throat is too hot. They feel pain. They want water. They look for the water fountain. But the water fountain is far away. They have to run to the water fountain. + +They run to the water fountain. But they are not fast enough. They trip and fall. They hurt their knees and elbows. They cry and scream. They drop the napkin. The napkin flies away in the wind. They have no napkin to help them. They have no water to help them. They have no one to help them. They are alone and sad. They wish they never ate the taco. The end. +Lily and Sam were playing with blocks. They liked to make different shapes with the blocks. They made squares, circles, and rectangles. But they did not know how to make a triangle. + +"Look, I made a square!" Lily said, showing Sam her block. + +"That's nice, Lily. But I want to make a triangle. How do we make a triangle?" Sam asked, looking at his blocks. + +"I don't know, Sam. Maybe we can ask Mommy. She knows everything!" Lily said, jumping up. + +They ran to the kitchen, where Mommy was making cookies. They smelled yummy. + +"Mommy, Mommy, can you help us?" Lily and Sam said together. + +"Sure, my sweeties. What do you need?" Mommy said, smiling. + +"We want to make a triangle with our blocks. But we don't know how. Can you show us?" Sam said, holding his blocks. + +"Of course, I can. A triangle is a shape with three sides and three corners. Like this." Mommy said, taking three blocks and putting them together to make a triangle. + +"Wow, Mommy, you are so smart! That's a beautiful triangle!" Lily said, clapping her hands. + +"Thank you, Lily. You are very kind. Do you want to try to make a triangle too?" Mommy said, giving Lily three blocks. + +"Yes, please. Thank you, Mommy, for providing us with blocks and teaching us how to make a triangle!" Lily said, making her own triangle. + +"You're welcome, Lily. And thank you, Sam, for being curious and wanting to learn new things. You are both very clever. Now, who wants a cookie?" Mommy said, taking the cookies out of the oven. + +"Me, me, me!" Lily and Sam said, running to the table. + +They ate the cookies and played with their blocks. They made many triangles and other shapes. They had a lot of fun. They loved Mommy and Mommy loved them. They were a happy family. +Anna and Ben are friends. They like to play in the park. They like to run, jump and slide. They say this is good exercise. Exercise makes them strong and happy. + +One day, they see a big dog in the park. The dog is black and has long hair. The dog barks loud. Anna and Ben are scared. They run away from the dog. They hide behind a tree. + +"Ben, I don't like the dog. He is scary. He might bite us." Anna says. + +"Me too, Anna. I don't like the dog. He is mean. He might chase us." Ben says. + +They stay behind the tree for a long time. They are afraid to come out. + +Then, they hear a voice. It is a girl. She is looking for the dog. + +"Max, where are you? Come here, boy. Don't run away." The girl says. + +Anna and Ben peek from behind the tree. They see the girl. She is lovely. She has a pink dress and a bow in her hair. She sees the dog. She runs to him. She hugs him. She kisses him. + +"Max, you are a good boy. You are my best friend. I love you." The girl says. + +The dog wags his tail. He licks her face. He is happy. + +Anna and Ben are surprised. They come out from behind the tree. They walk to the girl and the dog. + +"Hello, we are Anna and Ben. We are sorry. We were scared of your dog. He is very big and loud." Anna says. + +"Hello, I am Lily. This is Max. He is my dog. He is not scary. He is very friendly and gentle. He likes to play and have fun. He is very good." Lily says. + +"Can we play with you and Max? We like to play and have fun too. We like to exercise." Ben says. + +"Sure, you can play with us. Max likes to make new friends. He likes to exercise too. He likes to run, jump and slide. Come on, let's go." Lily says. + +Anna and Ben smile. They are not scared anymore. They follow Lily and Max. They play in the park. They have a lot of fun. They learn a new thing. + +The moral of the story is: Don't judge a book by its cover. Sometimes, things that look scary are not scary at all. Sometimes, things that look scary are very nice and kind. You should always be brave and curious. You should always make new friends. You should always exercise and have fun. +Sam likes to play with his dog, Spot. Spot is a big dog with a black patch on his eye. Sam and Spot run and jump in the yard. They have fun together. + +One day, Sam sees his mom teach his baby sister, Lily, how to say some words. Sam wants to teach Spot some words too. He thinks Spot is smart and can learn. + +He takes Spot to his room and shows him a bright ball. He says, "Ball, Spot, ball. Can you say ball?" Spot looks at Sam and barks. Sam claps and says, "Good boy, Spot! You said ball!" + +He shows Spot a bright book. He says, "Book, Spot, book. Can you say book?" Spot looks at Sam and barks. Sam claps and says, "Good boy, Spot! You said book!" + +He shows Spot a bright star. He says, "Star, Spot, star. Can you say star?" Spot looks at Sam and barks. Sam claps and says, "Good boy, Spot! You said star!" + +Sam is happy and proud. He hugs Spot and says, "You are a good dog, Spot. You can say many words. I love you, Spot." Spot licks Sam's face and wags his tail. He loves Sam too. +Ben and Mia went to the park with Mom. They saw a big pond with many ducks and geese. Ben and Mia liked to feed them bread. Mom gave them some bread and said, "Be careful, some geese can be mean." + +Ben and Mia walked to the pond and threw some bread. The ducks and geese came closer and quacked. One goose was bigger and louder than the others. He wanted all the bread for himself. He chased away the other birds and snapped at Ben and Mia. + +"Go away, mean goose!" Ben shouted. He threw a big piece of bread far away. The goose ran after it. Ben and Mia laughed. + +But the goose came back soon. He saw Mia holding some bread. He ran towards her and bit her hand. Mia cried. It hurt a lot. The goose's beak was bitter and sharp. + +"Ow, ow, ow!" Mia said. "Mom, help!" + +Mom heard Mia and hurried to the pond. She saw the goose and scared him away. She hugged Mia and checked her hand. It was red and sore, but not bleeding. + +"I'm sorry, Mia. That was a bad goose. He should not bite you. Are you okay?" Mom said. + +Mia nodded. She was still sad and angry. She did not like the goose. She wanted to go home. + +"Let's go home, Mom. I don't want to feed the geese anymore. They are mean and bitter." Mia said. + +"Okay, sweetie. Let's go home. We can feed the ducks another day. They are nice and soft." Mom said. + +Ben and Mia held Mom's hand and walked away from the pond. They did not look at the goose. The goose was still hungry and angry. He quacked loudly and looked for more bread. But no one gave him any. He was alone and bitter. +Lila and Ben were twins who loved to play at the beach. They liked to build sand castles, collect shells and splash in the water. One day, they saw a big boat on the sea. It was white and shiny and had a flag on it. + +"Wow, look at that boat!" Ben said. "I want to go on it and see what's inside." + +"Me too!" Lila said. "Maybe there are pirates or treasure or dolphins." + +They ran to their mom and dad, who were sitting on a blanket with a picnic basket. They asked them if they could go on the boat. + +"Sorry, kids, but you can't go on that boat," their mom said. "It belongs to someone else and they might not like it if you go on it without asking." + +"But we really want to see it!" Ben said. "Please, please, please!" + +"No, Ben, you have to listen to your mom," their dad said. "The boat is too far and too big for you. It might be dangerous or scary. You can play with your toys and watch the boat from here." + +Ben was very sad and angry. He refused to play with his toys or watch the boat. He crossed his arms and pouted. He did not want to talk to anyone. + +Lila felt sorry for her brother. She wanted to cheer him up. She looked around and saw something in the water. It was small and gray and had a fin on its back. It was a baby shark. It was adorable. + +"Ben, Ben, look!" Lila said. "There's a baby shark in the water. It's so cute and friendly. Maybe it wants to play with us." + +Ben looked up and saw the baby shark. He forgot about the boat and smiled. He loved sharks. He grabbed his bucket and shovel and ran to the water with Lila. + +"Hi, baby shark!" Ben said. "Do you want to be our friend?" + +The baby shark swam closer and nodded. It wagged its tail and made a happy sound. Lila and Ben laughed and played with the baby shark. They gave it some fish from their picnic basket and made a sand castle for it. They had so much fun. + +Their mom and dad watched them and smiled. They were glad that their twins were happy and having a good time. They took a picture of them with the baby shark and the boat in the background. It was a perfect day at the beach. +Lily and Ben were friends. They liked to play outside in the park. One day, it was very cloudy and windy. Lily and Ben did not care. They put on their coats and boots and went to the park. + +They saw a big puddle. They wanted to jump in it. They ran to the puddle and splashed each other. They laughed and had fun. But then, they heard a loud noise. It was thunder. They looked up and saw dark clouds and lightning. They were scared. + +"Let's go home!" Lily said. + +"OK!" Ben said. + +They ran to the gate. But then, they saw a problem. It started to rain. A lot of rain. They did not have an umbrella. They were wet and cold. They trembled. + +"What do we do?" Ben asked. + +"I don't know!" Lily said. + +They looked around. They saw a big tree. They ran to the tree. They hoped the tree would keep them dry. But it did not. The rain was too strong. The tree did not help. + +They were sad and scared. They hugged each other. They wished they had an umbrella. + +Then, they saw a man. He was walking to the park. He had an umbrella. It was a big and colorful umbrella. It had flowers and stars on it. It was attractive. + +The man saw Lily and Ben. He saw they were wet and cold and scared. He felt sorry for them. + +"Hello, kids!" he said. "Are you OK?" + +"No!" Lily and Ben said. "We are wet and cold and scared!" + +"Where are your parents?" the man asked. + +"They are at home!" Lily and Ben said. + +"Do you want me to take you home?" the man asked. + +"Yes, please!" Lily and Ben said. + +The man smiled. He opened his umbrella. He invited Lily and Ben to come under it. They did. They felt warm and dry and safe. + +"Thank you, mister!" Lily and Ben said. + +"You're welcome, kids!" the man said. + +He took them by the hand. He walked them to their homes. He gave them his umbrella. + +"Keep it!" he said. "It's a gift!" + +"Wow!" Lily and Ben said. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" + +They hugged the man. They ran to their doors. They waved to the man. They went inside. + +They were happy. They had a new umbrella. It was a big and colorful and attractive umbrella. They loved it. + +They decided to play with it. They pretended it was a tent. They pretended it was a rocket. They pretended it was a parachute. + +They had fun. They forgot about the rain. They forgot about the thunder. They forgot about the puddle. + +They only remembered the man. He was kind. He was nice. He was their hero. +Mira and Lila are friends who like to draw. They have many colors of pastel to make pictures. Pastel is a soft thing that makes marks on paper. Mira and Lila like to share their pastels and their ideas. + +One day, they are drawing animals in the park. Mira draws a big lion with yellow and brown pastels. She makes the lion roar with a big mouth and sharp teeth. Lila draws a small mouse with gray and pink pastels. She makes the mouse squeak with a tiny nose and ears. + +Mira looks at Lila's mouse and says, "Your mouse is very cute, but it is too small. The lion can eat it. You should make it bigger and stronger." + +Lila looks at Mira's lion and says, "Your lion is very scary, but it is too bad. The mouse can run away from it. You should make it nicer and friendlier." + +Mira and Lila do not agree. They think their own drawings are better. They start to argue and get mad at each other. + +A lady who works in the park sees them and comes over. She smiles and says, "Hello, girls. I like your drawings. They are very creative and colorful. Can I see them?" + +Mira and Lila show her their drawings. The lady says, "Wow, you have used pastels very well. Pastels are good for making different shades and blending. You have made the lion look very fierce and the mouse look very sweet. But do you know what I recommend?" + +Mira and Lila shake their heads. They want to know what the lady recommends. + +The lady says, "I recommend that you try to draw the lion and the mouse together. Maybe they can be friends. Maybe they can play or talk or share. What do you think?" + +Mira and Lila think for a moment. They look at each other and nod. They say, "That sounds like a good idea. We can try that. Thank you, lady." + +The lady says, "You're welcome, girls. Have fun and be kind to each other." + +Mira and Lila take their pastels and start to draw the lion and the mouse together. They make them smile and hug and share a cheese. They are happy and proud of their new drawing. They also say sorry and hug each other. They are friends again. +Anna and Ben are twins. They like to play with their toys in their room. One day, they find a magic wand in a box. It is shiny and has a star on the end. + +"Wow, look at this!" Anna says. "Let's try it out!" + +"OK, but be careful," Ben says. "We don't know what it can do." + +Anna points the wand at a teddy bear and says, "Shrink!" The teddy bear becomes very small, like a mouse. + +"Wow, it works!" Anna says. "This is fun!" + +She points the wand at a doll, a truck, a book, and a ball. They all shrink too. + +"Stop, Anna, stop!" Ben says. "You are making a mess!" + +He tries to grab the wand, but Anna pulls it away. + +"No, it's my turn!" Anna says. "Shrink!" + +She points the wand at Ben. Ben feels a strange tingling. He looks down and sees his feet getting smaller. He screams. + +"Anna, what did you do?" Ben says. "Make me big again!" + +Anna looks scared. She doesn't know how to make Ben big again. She drops the wand. + +"I'm sorry, Ben, I'm sorry!" Anna says. "I didn't mean to!" + +She runs to the door and calls for their mom. + +"Mom, mom, help!" Anna says. "Ben is shrinking!" + +Mom hears Anna and comes to their room. She sees the tiny toys and the tiny Ben on the floor. She picks up Ben and the wand. + +"What happened here?" Mom says. "Anna, did you do this?" + +Anna nods and cries. + +"I found a magic wand and I played with it," Anna says. "I made Ben shrink. I don't know how to make him big again." + +Mom looks at the wand. She sees a button on the side. She presses it. + +"Unshrink!" Mom says. + +Ben feels the tingling again. He grows back to his normal size. He hugs Mom and Anna. + +"Thank you, Mom, thank you!" Ben says. "I was so scared!" + +Mom hugs them both. + +"I'm glad you are OK, Ben," Mom says. "Anna, you have to be more careful with things you don't understand. This wand is very dangerous. It is not a toy. It is important to ask before you use something that is not yours." + +Anna nods and says sorry. + +"I'm sorry, Ben, I'm sorry, Mom," Anna says. "I won't do it again. I love you." + +"I love you too, Anna," Ben says. "But next time, let me have a turn with the wand." + +They all laugh. Mom takes the wand and puts it back in the box. She locks the box and hides it in the closet. She hopes they never find it again. +Lily was a very original girl. She liked to make things with her toys and her crayons. She made a big castle with her blocks and a princess with her doll. She was very proud of her castle and princess. + +Tommy was Lily's brother. He was not very original. He liked to destroy things with his feet and his hands. He saw Lily's castle and princess and he wanted to destroy them. He ran to Lily's room and kicked her blocks and threw her doll. + +Lily was very sad and angry. She cried and shouted at Tommy. She told him to go away and never touch her things again. Tommy was scared of Lily's cry and shout. He ran away and hid under his bed. + +Mommy heard Lily and Tommy. She came to see what was wrong. She saw Lily's castle and princess destroyed. She saw Lily crying and Tommy hiding. She was not happy with Tommy. She told him to say sorry to Lily and help her fix her things. She told Lily to calm down and breathe. + +Mommy gave Lily and Tommy a hug. She said she loved them both. She said they should be nice to each other and share their things. She said she would give them a massage to make them feel better. She rubbed their backs and their heads with her hands. Lily and Tommy felt better. They said sorry to each other and hugged. They helped each other make a new castle and a new princess. They played together and had fun. Mommy smiled and watched them. She was proud of her original and kind children. +Lily loved to play the violin. She had a small violin that her mom gave her for her birthday. She liked to make music with it and sing along. Sometimes she played for her friends and they clapped for her. + +One day, Lily went to the park with her mom and her violin. She saw a man with a big hat and a bell. He was ringing the bell and asking people for money. He looked sad and cold. Lily felt sorry for him. + +She ran to him and said, "Hello, sir. Do you like music?" + +The man smiled and said, "Yes, I do. Music makes me happy." + +Lily said, "I can play the violin for you. Maybe it will make you happier." + +The man said, "That is very kind of you, little girl. Thank you." + +Lily played a song for the man. She played with her heart and her fingers. The man listened and nodded. He liked the song very much. He said, "You are very talented, little girl. You have a gift." + +Lily said, "Thank you, sir. You have a gift too. You have a bell. It makes a nice sound." + +The man said, "Yes, I do. But it is not enough. I need money to buy food and clothes. That is why I ring the bell and ask people for help. But not many people help me. They are busy or mean." + +Lily said, "That is not fair. You deserve help. You are a good person. Here, take my violin. You can sell it and buy what you need. I don't need it. I can sing without it." + +The man was shocked. He said, "No, no, no. I can't take your violin. It is yours. It is precious. You love it. You play it so well. It would be wrong to take it from you." + +Lily said, "But I want to help you. I want to share with you. You are my friend. Friends help each other. Please, take it. It will make me happy." + +The man was touched. He said, "You are very generous, little girl. You have a big heart. But I can't accept your violin. It is too much. How about this? You keep your violin and I keep my bell. And we play together. We make music together. Maybe people will hear us and like us and give us some money. Maybe we will make them happy too. What do you say?" + +Lily liked the idea. She said, "Yes, yes, yes. Let's do that. Let's play together. Let's be friends." + +The man and Lily hugged. They took their instruments and played together. They played and sang and smiled. They rang and bowed and thanked. People heard them and liked them and gave them some money. They were happy too. They said, "You are wonderful. You are amazing. You are a blessing." +Lily was very sleepy. She had played all day with her toys and her friends. She yawned and rubbed her eyes. She wanted to go to bed, but she also wanted to hear a story from her grandpa. + +She climbed on his lap and hugged him. He had a big mustache that tickled her nose. She liked his mustache. It was gray and soft. She asked him, "Grandpa, can you tell me a story?" + +Grandpa smiled and kissed her cheek. He was very wise. He knew many stories. He said, "Of course, my dear. What kind of story do you want to hear?" + +Lily thought for a moment. She liked stories about animals and magic. She said, "How about a story about a lion and a fairy?" + +Grandpa nodded and began to tell her a story. He said, "Once upon a time, there was a lion who lived in the jungle. He was the king of the animals, but he was not happy. He was lonely and bored. He wished he had a friend to play with and talk to. One day, he met a fairy who was flying over the trees. She was small and bright and had wings. She saw the lion and said, 'Hello, Mr. Lion. You look sad. Can I help you?'" + +Lily listened to the story with wonder. She wanted to know what happened next. She yawned again and snuggled closer to her grandpa. He continued to tell her the story, but his voice became softer and slower. He saw that Lily was falling asleep. He finished the story with a happy ending. He said, "The lion and the fairy became friends. They had fun and learned from each other. They made each other happy. They lived happily ever after. The end." + +Lily smiled in her sleep. She dreamed of the lion and the fairy. She was glad she had a friend like her grandpa. He was the best storyteller. He loved her very much. He tucked her in and kissed her forehead. He whispered, "Good night, my dear. Sweet dreams." He turned off the light and left the room. He yawned and stretched. He was tired too. He went to his bed and fell asleep. He dreamed of Lily and his mustache. He was happy. +Tom and Lily were twins who liked to play outside. They had a big yard with a swing, a slide and a sandbox. One sunny day, they decided to have a race. They would run from the swing to the slide and back again. + +"Ready, set, go!" Tom shouted and started to run. Lily followed him, but she was slower. Tom reached the slide first and slid down with a whoop. He ran back to the swing and touched it. "I win!" he said. + +Lily was still running, but she was tired. She saw a big tree in the yard. It had a lot of shade and a soft grass. She thought it looked like a good place to rest. She stopped running and walked to the tree. She lay down on the grass and closed her eyes. + +Tom saw Lily lying under the tree. He ran to her and said, "Hey, why did you stop? You are lazy!" + +Lily opened her eyes and said, "No, I'm not. I'm just hot and sleepy. The tree is cool and cozy. Why don't you join me?" + +Tom looked at the tree. It did seem cool and cozy. He was also hot and sweaty. He thought maybe Lily was right. He said, "Okay, maybe I will. But only for a little bit. Then we can play some more." + +He lay down next to Lily and closed his eyes. They both felt the breeze and heard the birds. They smiled and fell asleep. They were not lazy. They were just happy. +Once upon a time, there was a little boy named Timmy. Timmy loved to play outside and explore. One day, he was walking around his neighborhood when he saw a funny looking dog in a garage. + +"Hi there, little doggy," Timmy said. "What's your name?" + +The dog didn't answer, but he wagged his tail happily. Timmy reached out to pet the dog, but the dog suddenly bit his hand! + +"Ouch!" Timmy cried. "Why did you bite me, little doggy?" + +The dog just barked and ran away. Timmy learned that sometimes even funny looking dogs can be mean, and he should be careful when trying to pet them. +Once upon a time, there was a baby who wanted to play with a toy. The toy was on a high shelf, and the baby couldn't reach it. The baby cried and cried, wanting the toy so badly. + +A kind person saw the baby and wanted to help. They tried to reach the toy, but it was not easy. The person tried and tried, but they could not reach it. + +The baby kept crying, and the person felt sad. Finally, the person had an idea. They found an easy way to get the toy down from the shelf. The baby was so happy and stopped crying. They played with the toy and had lots of fun. The end. +Once upon a time, there was a little boy named Timmy. Timmy loved to go to the store with his mommy. They would buy yummy snacks and toys to play with. + +One day, while they were in the store, Timmy saw a big black dog outside. He gazed at the dog and thought it was very cool. The dog had a shiny black coat and a wagging tail. + +Timmy asked his mommy if they could take the dog home, but his mommy said no. They already had a pet cat at home. So, Timmy said goodbye to the black dog and went back inside the store to buy some candy. The end. +Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Lily. She lived in a small village with her family. One day, her parents gifted her a beautiful dress. Lily loved it so much that she decided to travel to the nearby city to show it to her friends. + +As she walked through the city, she saw many people who were not as lucky as her. They didn't have nice clothes, food or even a home. Lily felt sad and decided to do something about it. + +She went back to her village and gathered all the clothes and toys she no longer used. She then traveled back to the city and gifted them to the people in need. Lily felt happy knowing she could help others. The moral of the story is that it is important to be kind and share with others who are less fortunate. +Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Lily. She loved to eat juicy pears. One day, she went to the park to play with her friends. They saw a big bird in the sky and started to applaud. + +Suddenly, they heard a noise. It was a nosy squirrel trying to steal their snacks. Lily's pear fell on the ground and the squirrel ran away with it. Lily was sad, but her friends applauded her for sharing her snack. They all decided to share their snacks and have fun together. + +From that day on, Lily learned that sharing is important and it's always better to have fun with friends than to be nosy and selfish. +Once upon a time, there was a happy girl named Lily. She loved to ride her bike with her mom and dad. One day, they decided to go to the park. Lily's mom said, "Lily, you can ride your bike, but you must permit us to hold your hand." Lily agreed and they set off to the park. + +On the way, they saw a big motor with lots of noise. Lily asked, "What is that?" Her dad said, "That is a motorbike. It has a big motor that makes it go fast." Lily thought it was very cool. + +Finally, they arrived at the park and Lily was so happy. She rode her bike and played on the swings. It was a great day with her family. +Once upon a time, there was a boy named Tim. He liked to read books about boats. One day, he saw a big yacht on the icy water. The yacht was so big and shiny! Tim was so excited to see it. He wanted to go on the yacht and see what it was like. But he was too little to go on the yacht alone. So, he asked his mom to take him on the yacht. His mom said yes! Tim was so happy. They went on the yacht and saw many pretty things. They even saw some icy mountains! Tim had so much fun on the yacht. +Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Lily. She was very smart and loved to read books. One day, she went to the café with her mom. Her mom ordered a cup of coffee and Lily asked for milk. + +Suddenly, Lily's mom sneezed and spilled some coffee on the table. "Bless you, Mommy!" said Lily. "Are you okay?" + +"Yes, thank you, Lily," replied her mom. "I just sneezed and spilled some coffee. It's okay though, accidents happen." + +Lily smiled and continued to drink her milk while her mom cleaned up the spilled coffee. They had a nice time together and talked about all the books they wanted to read. The end. +Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Lily. She loved to wear her velvet dress because it was soft and cozy. One day, Lily went to her friend's house to play. Her friend had a big box of toys and they decided to play a matching game. + +Lily picked up a heavy block and her friend said, "That block matches the red car!" Lily was happy that she found a match. Then, her friend picked up a velvet teddy bear and said, "This teddy bear is so soft and matches my pink blanket." + +After playing for a while, Lily said, "I'm getting hungry. Do you have any snacks?" Her friend replied, "Yes, I have some crackers that match your favorite cheese." Lily was excited and they enjoyed their snack together. + +As they were leaving, Lily's friend said, "I had so much fun playing with you. Your velvet dress matches your pretty eyes." Lily smiled and said, "Thank you. I had fun too. Let's play again soon!" +Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Lily. She loved to play outside in the garden. One day, she found a worm crawling on the ground. It was so tiny and fragile. She picked it up and held it gently in her hand. + +But then, Lily's big brother came outside. He saw the worm and said he hated worms. He took the worm from Lily's hand and threw it far away. Lily was very sad. She wanted to save the worm, but it was too late. The worm was gone forever. + +Lily learned that sometimes people can be mean and do things that hurt others. She promised to always be kind and gentle with the creatures she found in the garden. And she never forgot the fragile little worm that she couldn't save. +Once upon a time, there were two friends named Timmy and Sally. They loved playing together and having fun. One day, they decided to make hamburgers. Timmy brought the meat and Sally brought the buns. + +As they were making the hamburgers, Sally accidentally dropped some ketchup on the floor. "Oops, I made a messy!" Sally said. Timmy replied, "That's okay, we can clean it up together." + +After they finished making the hamburgers, they sat down to eat. "These hamburgers are delicious!" Timmy exclaimed. Sally smiled and said, "I'm happy we could unite and make them together." + +From that day on, Timmy and Sally made hamburgers together every week. They always made a little bit of a messy, but they didn't mind because they had fun cleaning it up together. +Once upon a time, there was a happy bunny named Benny. Benny loved to eat yummy celery every day. One day, Benny went for a walk in the forest and saw the sun shining bright in the sky. Benny felt warm and happy. + +Suddenly, Benny heard a loud noise. It was his friend, the dependable squirrel, who had lost her acorns. Benny wanted to help his friend, so he looked for the acorns. After a while, Benny found them and gave them to the squirrel. + +The squirrel was very grateful and said, "Benny, you are such a dependable friend. You always shine like the sun and make me happy." Benny felt proud and happy to help his friend. From that day on, Benny and the squirrel played together every day and ate lots of yummy celery. +Once upon a time, there was a shy ant who lived in a big garden. One day, the ant was walking around when it saw a big, mean bug. The bug wanted to slap the ant because it was in its way. + +The ant was scared and didn't know what to do. It tried to run away, but the bug was too fast. Just when the bug was about to slap the ant, a friendly bird came and scared the bug away. + +The ant was so happy that it had a new friend. From that day on, the ant wasn't shy anymore and would always say hello to the bird whenever it saw it. The end. +Once upon a time, there was a furry cat named Fluffy. Fluffy loved to play in the sunshine. One day, Fluffy went outside to play and slipped on a banana peel. "Meow! That hurt!" cried Fluffy. + +Just then, Fluffy's friend, a little boy named Timmy, came by. "Are you okay, Fluffy?" asked Timmy. "No, I slipped and hurt my paw," replied Fluffy. + +Timmy picked up Fluffy and took her to the vet. The vet put a bandage on Fluffy's paw and gave her some medicine. "You'll be all better soon, Fluffy," said Timmy. + +Fluffy was so happy to have such a good friend like Timmy. They went back home and played together in the sunshine. From that day on, Fluffy was more careful not to slip on anything. +Once upon a time, a little girl named Lily went to her grandma's house. Grandma had a big garden with lots of plants, including a vine that grew up a tall tree. Lily loved to play in the garden, but she always wanted to climb the tree. + +One day, Lily asked her grandma, "Can I climb the tree?" + +Grandma said, "No, it's too dangerous. But you can dream about climbing it!" + +Lily thought about it and said, "Okay, I will dream about it tonight." + +That night, Lily had a clever idea. She went to the garden and found a long stick. She used it to reach the vine and climbed up to the top of the tree. When she woke up, she told her grandma about her dream and how she climbed the tree with the help of the vine and her clever stick. + +Grandma was surprised and said, "Wow, that was a great dream! But remember, it's important to be safe and not climb trees without help." + +Lily nodded and promised to always be careful. From then on, she loved to dream about climbing the tree and using the vine to help her reach new heights. +Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Lily. She loved to walk in the forest and explore the world. One day, she saw a cliff and wanted to climb it. She started to climb, but she lost her balance and fell down. She was very scared, but she was okay. + +She realized it was crazy to climb a cliff without help. She learned that it's important to ask for help when we need it. She decided to ask her parents to come with her next time. They went together and had a lot of fun. Lily was happy because she learned a good lesson. +Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Lily. She loved to play hide-and-seek with her friends. One day, Lily and her friends were playing and Lily hid behind the couch. But when it was time to come out, she couldn't find her way back. She was lost! + +Lily's friends looked and looked for her, but they couldn't find her. Finally, Lily heard her friend calling her name. "Lily, where are you?" her friend shouted. "I'm lost behind the couch," Lily replied. + +Her friend found her and helped her out. "You were very naughty to hide so well," her friend said. "I'm sorry," Lily said. "I didn't mean to get lost." From then on, Lily promised to always stay where her friends could find her. +Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Lily who loved playing with her doll. One day, Lily and her doll went to the park to play. While they were playing, a big dog came up to them. The dog looked scary, but Lily's mom said it was harmless. + +Lily felt scared and started to shiver. She said to her doll, "I'm scared of the doggy." The doll replied, "Don't worry, I'll protect you." + +The dog came closer and Lily's doll stood up to it. The dog barked and growled, but Lily's doll didn't back down. Eventually, the dog got scared and ran away. Lily was so happy and hugged her doll tightly. "You're my hero," she said. From that day on, Lily's doll was her best friend and protector. +Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Lily. She loved to dance and twirl around in her pretty pink dress. One day, Lily and her mommy went to the store to buy some groceries. While they were walking, they saw a man who was very rude. He pushed past them and didn't say sorry. + +After they finished shopping, Lily's mommy realized that her wallet was missing. They looked everywhere, but it was nowhere to be found. Lily had an idea. She started to dance and twirl around, hoping that someone would find the wallet and bring it back to them. And guess what? A kind lady found the wallet and returned it to them. Lily and her mommy were very happy and grateful. They thanked the lady and went home with smiles on their faces. +Once upon a time, there was an ancient oven in a big house. The oven was very big and had a door that could open and close. One day, a little mouse wanted to peek inside the oven to see what was inside. The mouse climbed up onto a chair and peeked inside the oven. But then, the door of the oven suddenly closed and trapped the little mouse inside! The mouse was scared and wanted to get out. Luckily, a kind person heard the mouse's cries and opened the oven door to set the mouse free. From then on, the little mouse never peeked inside the oven again. The end. +Once upon a time, there was a little boy named Timmy. Timmy loved to play outside in the sunshine. One day, he went for a walk in the forest and saw a big, frightened rabbit. The rabbit was scared of something. + +Suddenly, Timmy heard a loud noise. He looked up and saw a bird shooting through the sky. The bird was very fast! Timmy was amazed and wanted to see more. He followed the bird and found a beautiful meadow. The sun was shining bright and it was very warm. + +Timmy felt happy and wanted to play. He saw a butterfly and chased it around. The butterfly flew high and Timmy laughed. He knew he would always remember this sunny day. +Once upon a time, there was a boy named Timmy. Timmy loved to draw pictures with his crayons. One day, Timmy drew a picture of a castle, but he accidentally ripped it. Timmy was sad because he thought he couldn't fix it. + +But then, Timmy's mom came and said she could restore the picture. Timmy was happy because he didn't know what "restore" meant, but he knew it meant his picture would be fixed. + +A few days later, Timmy's mom gave him back his picture. It was printed on a big piece of paper and looked even better than before. Timmy was so happy that he showed it to everyone he knew, even though some people were unknown to him. +Once upon a time, there was an old lady who lived in a small house. She loved to bake cookies and cakes. One day, a little girl named Lily came to visit her. "Hello, old lady," said Lily. "Hi, little girl," replied the old lady. "Would you like to help me bake some cookies?" asked the old lady. "Yes, please!" said Lily. + +They went to the kitchen and the old lady took out some flour, sugar, and eggs. They mixed everything together and put the dough in the oven to bake. While they waited for the cookies to bake, the old lady told Lily a story about a magical fairy. "Wow, that's amazing!" said Lily. + +Soon, the cookies were ready and they both sat down to eat them. "These are the best cookies I've ever tasted!" said Lily. "Thank you for helping me bake them," said the old lady. "You're welcome," said Lily. They both had a wonderful time together and promised to bake more cookies the next time Lily came to visit. +Once upon a time, there was a boy named Timmy. Timmy needed to go to the toilet really badly. He ran to the toilet and sat down. But the seat was hot! It burned his little bum. + +"Ouch!" cried Timmy. + +His mom heard him and came to the toilet. "What's wrong, Timmy?" she asked. + +"The seat is hot!" said Timmy. + +"I'm sorry, Timmy. I just finished using it. I'll wait until it cools down before I lend it to you again," said his mom. + +Timmy waited patiently and when the seat was cool, he used the toilet. After that, he felt much better and went to play with his toys. The end. +Once upon a time, there was a big castle. The castle had many rooms, and each room was special. One of the rooms had a big treasure chest with lots of gold inside. The gold was very shiny and impressive. + +The king who lived in the castle liked to include the gold in his parties. He would put the gold on the tables and everyone would admire it. One day, a thief came and tried to steal the gold. But the king's guards caught him and put him in jail. + +From that day on, the king made sure to keep the gold safe. He put it in a special room with a big lock. And whenever he had a party, he would include the gold so that everyone could see how impressive it was. The end. +Once upon a time, there was a cop named Jack. Jack was driving his car when he saw a little girl crying on the street. Jack stopped his car and asked the girl, "Why are you crying?" The little girl said, "I lost my teddy bear and I can't find it." + +Jack asked the little girl, "Did you blink your eyes and look around?" The little girl said, "No, I didn't blink my eyes." Jack said, "If you blink your eyes, you might see your teddy bear somewhere." + +The little girl blinked her eyes and looked around. She saw her teddy bear lying on the grass. The little girl was so happy and she hugged her teddy bear tightly. Jack smiled and said, "Don't be ignorant, always blink your eyes and look around." The little girl said, "Thank you, cop Jack!" and ran away happily with her teddy bear. +Once upon a time, there was a little boy named Timmy. Timmy loved to run and play outside. He was always very lively and happy. One day, Timmy's mom told him they needed to do some exercise together. They went to the park and did some jumping jacks and stretches. + +After their exercise, Timmy saw a squirrel in a tree. He wanted to say hello to the squirrel, so he poked the tree with a stick. The squirrel got scared and ran away. Timmy felt bad that he scared the squirrel. + +Later that day, Timmy's mom took him to the store. While they were there, Timmy saw a toy he really wanted. He begged his mom to buy it for him, but she said no. Timmy got upset and started to throw a tantrum. He kicked and screamed and knocked over a display. + +Everyone in the store was very angry. Timmy's mom was embarrassed and took him home. Timmy felt bad for acting out and not listening to his mom. He learned that sometimes we don't get what we want, and it's important to be patient and respectful. +Once upon a time, there was a hero named Max. Max was very brave and strong. He loved to help people and save the day. One day, Max went to the park to play with his friends. They were having fun when they saw a group of bullies. The bullies were being mean to a little girl. Max knew he had to help. + +Max walked up to the bullies and said, "Stop being mean to her. It's not nice." The bullies laughed and said, "What are you going to do about it, stupid hero?" Max didn't like being called stupid, but he didn't want to fight. He knew there was a better way to solve the problem. + +Max said, "Let's play a game. We can all be friends and have fun together." The bullies didn't want to play at first, but Max was very persuasive. Soon, they were all playing together and having a great time. The little girl was happy too. She said, "Thank you, Max. You're my hero." Max smiled and felt proud. He knew that sometimes the bravest thing you can do is surrender to kindness. +Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Lily. She loved to play outside with her friends. One day, they decided to try and balance on a log. Lily was scared, but she wanted to try too. + +Her friend said, "Come on, Lily! You can do it!" + +Lily took a deep breath and stepped onto the log. She wobbled a little bit, but she managed to balance herself. Her friends cheered for her. + +After they were done playing, Lily and her family went to church. Lily loved going to church because she got to sing and see her friends there too. She felt happy and safe inside the church. + +When they left the church, Lily's mom asked her how she felt. Lily said, "I was scared on the log, but I balanced myself. And I love going to church because it makes me feel happy." +Once upon a time, there was a little fish named Nemo. Nemo was swimming in the ocean with his fish friends when he saw a big, scary shark. Nemo was worried and he swam away as fast as he could. + +Nemo went to talk to his friend, a crab named Sebastian. "Sebastian, I saw a big shark and I'm worried he will eat me," said Nemo. "Don't worry, Nemo. I will cover you with my shell," replied Sebastian. + +Nemo felt safe under Sebastian's shell, but unfortunately, the shark found them. The shark ate Nemo and Sebastian was very sad. He wished he could have done more to protect his friend. +Once upon a time, there was a small bird named True. True loved to fly around the forest and sing songs. One day, True met a friendly rabbit who wanted to be friends. "Can you show me how to fly?" asked the rabbit. True replied, "I can't show you how to fly because you are too big and heavy." + +The rabbit felt sad and wanted to be small like True. Suddenly, they heard a loud noise coming from the bushes. It was a big fox who wanted to eat the rabbit. True quickly flew up and distracted the fox while the rabbit ran away. The fox chased after True but couldn't catch them. + +After the fox was gone, the rabbit thanked True for saving their life. "You are my true friend," said the rabbit. True smiled and replied, "I may be small, but I can show you how to be brave and quick." From that day on, the rabbit and True were the best of friends and had many more adventures together. +Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Lily. She loved to eat snacks, especially apples and crackers. One day, her mommy gave her a shiny red apple to eat. Lily took a big bite and it was delicious! + +After she finished her snack, Lily saw her mommy polishing her shiny shoes. She wanted to help, so her mommy gave her a soft cloth to polish her own shoes. Lily worked hard and soon her shoes were shiny too! + +Later that day, Lily went to the park with her mommy. She saw a big slide and wanted to go down it. It was very high but she was brave. She climbed up and slid down, feeling very proud of herself. It was a fun day for Lily! +Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Lily. She loved to play outside on the grassy lawn. One day, Lily's mom came outside and said, "Lily, it's important to keep our lawn clean and pretty." + +Lily asked, "How can I help?" + +"You can help me raise the rake and pick up the leaves," said her mom. + +Lily picked up the rake and started to help her mom. They worked together to clean up the lawn. When they were finished, Lily's mom said, "Great job, Lily! You're such a big help." + +Lily smiled and felt proud of herself for doing something important. From that day on, she always helped her mom take care of the lawn. +Once upon a time, there was a boy named Timmy. Timmy loved to play with his toys and go outside to run and jump. One day, Timmy saw a weird bug crawling on the ground. The bug had bright colors and long legs. Timmy thought it was cool, but also a little scary. + +Timmy asked his mom, "What is that weird bug?" His mom said, "I don't know, but it looks interesting." They watched the bug for a while, and then it flew away. Timmy was sad it was gone, but he knew he would see more weird bugs in the future. + +Later that day, Timmy's mom asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up. Timmy thought for a moment and said, "I will be a superhero!" His mom smiled and said, "That's a great idea! You can be anything you want to be." Timmy felt happy and excited about his future. +Once upon a time, a big whale lived in the ocean. The whale was very friendly and liked to swim with other sea creatures. One day, a little fish got lost and didn't know where to go. The whale saw the little fish and said "welcome" to her. The little fish felt happy and followed the whale. The whale showed the little fish the way home and they became friends. From that day on, the little fish would visit the friendly whale every day and they would swim together in the ocean. +Once upon a time, there was a little train named Thomas. Thomas had a very special engine that made him go fast. One day, Thomas was going on a long journey through the countryside. He saw many different things like cows, trees, and flowers. But then something mysterious happened. Thomas saw a big, dark cloud in the sky. He didn't know what it was or where it came from. + +Suddenly, the wind started to blow very hard and Thomas started to shake. He didn't know how to behave because he was scared. But then he remembered that he had a strong engine and he could keep going. So, Thomas kept chugging along until he finally made it to his destination. He was very happy that he was able to overcome his fear and keep going even when things got tough. +Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Lily. She loved to cook with her mom on the stove. One day, Lily's mom asked her to organize the pots and pans on the shelf. Lily was serious about helping her mom, so she carefully put each pot in its place. + +After they finished organizing, Lily's mom decided to make pancakes for breakfast. They turned on the stove and Lily helped pour the batter onto the hot pan. Soon, delicious pancakes were ready to eat! + +Lily was so proud of herself for helping her mom and using the stove to make pancakes. She knew that organizing the pots and pans made cooking easier and more fun. From that day on, Lily always helped her mom organize the kitchen before they cooked together. +Once upon a time, there was a big pumpkin. It was very orange and round. One day, a little girl went for a walk in the woods. She saw the pumpkin and thought it was very pretty. + +The pumpkin was uncomfortable on the ground, so the little girl offered to help. She picked up the pumpkin and carried it all the way home. + +When they got home, the little girl put the pumpkin on her front porch. It looked very nice there. She felt happy that she could help the pumpkin and give it a new home. +Once upon a time, there was a pink boat in the port. The boat was very pretty and many people liked to look at it. One day, two friends wanted to play with the boat. They fought over who would get to play with it first. + +"I want to play with the boat!" said one friend. + +"No, I want to play with it!" said the other. + +They pushed and pulled each other until one of them accidentally pushed the other into the water. The friend who fell in the water couldn't swim and nobody was there to help him. The pink boat just sat in the port, watching as the friend struggled and eventually drowned. + +The end. +Once upon a time, there was a little boy named Timmy. Timmy loved potatoes. He loved them mashed, baked, and fried. One day, Timmy’s mom brought home a large potato from the store. Timmy was so excited to eat it, but his mom said they had to wait until dinner. + +Timmy couldn’t wait any longer, so he decided to peek at the potato. He looked at the potato and thought it was the biggest potato he had ever seen. But as he was looking at it, he accidentally dropped it on the floor and it broke into pieces. + +Timmy felt sad and guilty for breaking the potato. His mom told him that it’s important to be patient and wait for things, and that sometimes when we rush, we make mistakes. From then on, Timmy learned to be patient and wait for things, just like he had to wait for the potato to be cooked. +Yesterday, Tommy went to the park to play. He was very proud of his new toy truck. Tommy loved to play with it in the sandpit. He made a big hill and drove his truck up and down. + +Suddenly, Tommy saw his friend Sally. Sally had a big smile on her face. She wanted to play with Tommy's truck too. Tommy felt happy to share his toy with Sally. They played together for a long time. + +At the end of the day, Tommy felt very tired. He said goodbye to Sally and went home with his truck. He was still proud of it and couldn't wait to play with it again tomorrow. +Once upon a time, there was a little boy named Timmy. He loved to play with his toys and draw pictures. One day, Timmy's mommy asked him to help her with something. She needed him to support the door while she fixed it. Timmy was happy to help and held the door up with his strong arms. + +After they finished fixing the door, Timmy's mommy showed him a special toy. It was a car that his grandpa had given him when he was a little boy. Timmy thought it was the coolest car he had ever seen. His mommy told him that it was an original toy and very special. Timmy promised to take good care of it and keep it safe. + +From that day on, Timmy loved to support his mommy whenever she needed help. And he always made sure to keep his grandpa's original toy car safe and sound. +Once upon a time, there was a happy little girl named Lily. She loved to comb her hair every day and march around the house with her toys. One day, Lily saw her friend crying because she lost her favorite toy. + +Lily felt sad for her friend and wanted to help her find the toy. She marched around the house with her friend, looking under the couch and behind the curtains. After a while, they found the toy hidden under the bed. + +Lily's friend was so happy and gave her a big hug. Lily felt enthusiastic and happy that she could help her friend. She learned that helping others can make everyone feel good. From that day on, Lily always looked for ways to help her friends and make them happy. +Once upon a time, there was a bunny named Benny. Benny liked to eat carrots and radishes. One day, Benny went to the garden to find some yummy veggies to eat. He found a big, red radish that looked delicious! + +Benny tried to pick up the radish, but it was too heavy for him to carry. He looked around and saw a friendly squirrel. "Can you help me carry this radish?" Benny asked the squirrel. + +The squirrel was happy to help and together they carried the radish back to Benny's cozy burrow. Benny took a big bite of the delicious radish and shared some with his new friend. They sat together and enjoyed the tasty treat. From that day on, Benny and the squirrel were the best of friends and always helped each other carry yummy veggies. The end. +Once upon a time, there was a little boy named Timmy. Timmy loved to eat jam on his toast every morning. One day, Timmy's mom made him toast with a mysterious jam he had never tasted before. + +Timmy: "Mommy, what kind of jam is this?" + +Mom: "It's a special jam I made myself. It's a secret recipe." + +Timmy: "Can you print the recipe for me so I can make it too?" + +Mom: "Sure, I can print it out for you later. But first, finish your toast." + +Timmy happily finished his toast, wondering what the mysterious jam was made of. He couldn't wait to make it himself one day with the printed recipe. +Once upon a time, there was a boy named Tim. Tim liked to use his toy car to drive around his room. One day, Tim found a shiny bell on the ground. It was a unique bell, with a pretty sound. Tim picked it up and rang it. Ding ding! He liked the sound so much, he decided to use the bell as a decoration in his room. From that day on, Tim would ring the bell every time he played with his toy car. The end. +Once upon a time, there was a little bird named Tweetie. Tweetie lived on top of a roof. One day, Tweetie was feeling very sleepy. He opened his beak wide and let out a big yawn. + +But just as Tweetie was about to take a nap, a big, mean cat came along. The cat wanted to catch Tweetie and eat him for dinner. Tweetie was scared and didn't know what to do. + +Suddenly, a mild wind started blowing. The wind blew the cat off the roof and Tweetie was safe. He was so happy that he started singing a happy song. From that day on, Tweetie knew that he had to be careful and always keep an eye out for danger. +Once upon a time, there was a girl named Lily. Lily loved to draw and color pictures. One day, she decided to create a special folder for all her artwork. The folder was pink and had a unicorn on it. + +Lily's mom thought the folder was weird because it had glitter all over it. But Lily loved it and was proud of her creation. She put all her drawings inside the folder and showed it to her friends. + +Lily's friends thought the folder was cool and wanted to create their own too. So, they got some sparkly paper and stickers and made their own folders. Lily was happy that she inspired her friends to create something new. From that day on, Lily and her friends had a special place to keep all their artwork. +Once upon a time, there was a monkey named Max. Max liked to play in the trees all day long. One day, Max saw some bananas on the ground. Max was very hungry, so he ate all the bananas. + +After eating the bananas, Max felt embarrassed. He knew he shouldn't have eaten them all. Max decided to go apologize to the other animals in the forest. + +Max went to the other animals and said, "I'm sorry for eating all the bananas. I should have shared them with you." The other animals accepted Max's apology and forgave him. + +But later that day, Max got sick. He had eaten too many bananas and his tummy hurt. Max learned his lesson and knew that he should have shared the bananas instead of eating them all by himself. The moral of the story is that it's important to share and not be greedy. +Once upon a time, a little girl named Lily went to the park with her mom. She saw a cute bunny hopping in the grass. Lily wanted to pet the bunny, but it ran away. + +Lily said, "Mommy, where did the bunny go?" + +Her mom replied, "Let's search for it together." + +Lily and her mom looked all around the grass. Suddenly, Lily saw the bunny again. It was so adorable! She gently petted it and the bunny stayed with her for a while. + +Lily was so happy and said, "Thank you, Mommy, for helping me find the bunny." +One day, a little girl named Lily went to the park with her mom. She saw a big slide and wanted to try it. She climbed up the stairs and sat on the slide. But before she could slide down, she saw something shiny on the slide. It was a crown! + +"Wow, a crown!" Lily said. "Maybe it belongs to a queen!" + +She picked up the crown and put it on her head. She felt very happy and proud. She slid down the slide with the crown on her head. She smiled and waved to her mom. + +"Look, mom, I'm a queen!" she shouted. + +Her mom smiled and clapped. She was glad that Lily was having fun. She walked over to the slide and hugged Lily. + +"You are a very pretty queen, Lily," she said. "But do you know who this crown really belongs to?" + +Lily shook her head. She didn't know. + +"This crown belongs to a very special queen," her mom said. "She is the queen of the bees. She lives in a hive with many other bees. They make honey and pollinate flowers. They are very busy and healthy." + +Lily looked at the crown. She saw that it had tiny holes and yellow stripes. It looked like a bee. + +"Oh, I see," she said. "This is a bee crown. I didn't know that bees had queens." + +"Yes, they do," her mom said. "And they need their queen to lead them and take care of them. Without their queen, they would be very sad and confused. So we should return this crown to the queen bee. Do you know where we can find her?" + +Lily thought for a moment. She remembered that she had seen a big tree with a hole in it. She had heard a buzzing sound coming from the hole. + +"Maybe the queen bee lives in that tree," she said. "Let's go and see." + +Lily and her mom walked to the tree. They saw many bees flying in and out of the hole. They also saw a sign that said "Bee Hive. Do Not Disturb." + +"Look, mom, this is where the bees live," Lily said. "But how can we give the crown back to the queen bee?" + +Her mom had an idea. She took a piece of string from her pocket and tied it to the crown. She gave the other end of the string to Lily. + +"We can attach the crown to the string and lower it into the hole," she said. "Then the bees will see it and take it to their queen. But we have to be very careful and gentle. We don't want to hurt the bees or make them angry." + +Lily nodded. She held the string and slowly lowered the crown into the hole. She watched as the bees flew around the crown. Some of them landed on it and touched it with their antennae. They seemed to recognize it and like it. + +"Look, mom, the bees like the crown," Lily said. "They are taking it to their queen." + +Her mom nodded. She saw that the bees were lifting the crown with their legs and wings. They carried it deeper into the hole. Soon, the crown disappeared from sight. + +"Good job, Lily," her mom said. "You did a very kind thing. You made the queen bee happy. And you learned something new about bees. Aren't they amazing?" + +Lily smiled. She felt happy too. She had helped the queen bee and had fun. She learned that bees had queens and crowns. She liked bees. + +"Yes, mom, they are amazing," she said. "And so are you. You are my queen. And I love you." + +She hugged her mom and kissed her cheek. Her mom hugged her back and kissed her forehead. + +"I love you too, Lily," she said. "You are my princess. And you are amazing." +Tom and Mia are friends. They like to play pretend. Today, they pretend to be pirates. They have a big box for a ship, and a broom for a flag. + +"Arr, matey, we are the best pirates ever!" Tom says. He wears a hat and an eye patch. + +"Arr, yes, we are!" Mia agrees. She wears a scarf and a necklace. + +They sail on the sea of their living room. They look for treasure and adventure. They sing pirate songs and laugh. + +But then, they see a big shadow on the wall. It looks like a monster. It has big teeth and claws. It growls and roars. + +"Ahoy, what is that?" Tom asks. He is scared. + +"It is a dragon!" Mia says. She is brave. "We have to fight it!" + +She grabs a pillow and throws it at the shadow. The shadow moves and makes a noise. + +"Ow, stop that!" The shadow says. It is not a dragon. It is Tom's big brother, Sam. He was hiding behind the couch. + +"Sam, you are not a dragon!" Tom says. He is angry. + +"Sorry, I was just having fun. I wanted to see if you would believe me." Sam says. He is not serious. + +"That is not fun, that is mean!" Mia says. She is not happy. + +"Come on, don't be mad. It was just a joke." Sam says. He tries to smile. + +"No, it was not. You ruined our game. Go away!" Tom says. He turns his back to Sam. + +"Yeah, go away! We don't want to play with you!" Mia says. She turns her back to Sam too. + +Sam feels bad. He knows he was wrong. He says sorry and leaves. + +Tom and Mia hug. They are still friends. They decide to play something else. They believe in their imagination. They have fun. +Lily and Ben were best friends. They liked to play in the garden and make up stories. One day, they found a lime on the ground. It was green and round and smelled good. + +"Let's plan a picnic with the lime," Lily said. "We can pretend it is a cake and share it with our toys." + +"OK," Ben said. "But we need to find a place to have the picnic. Where should we go?" + +Lily looked around and saw a big tree with a hole in it. "How about there?" she pointed. "It looks like a secret house. Maybe there are fairies inside." + +Ben nodded. "Let's go. But we have to be careful. The tree might be old and have bugs." + +They picked up the lime and their toys and walked to the tree. They put a blanket on the ground and set up their plates and cups. They cut the lime in half and gave each toy a piece. Then they each took a bite of their own piece. + +"Yuck!" Lily and Ben said at the same time. The lime was sour and made their faces twist. They spit out the lime and made a funny noise. + +They heard a giggle from inside the tree. They looked and saw a little girl with wings and a dress made of leaves. She was holding a basket of berries. + +"Hello," she said. "I'm Flora, the fairy of the tree. I saw you plan your picnic and I wanted to surprise you. I'm sorry the lime was not sweet. It is good for making juice, but not for eating. Here, have some berries. They are sweet and juicy and good for you." + +Lily and Ben smiled and thanked Flora. They took some berries and gave some to their toys. They ate and talked with Flora and learned about the tree and the garden. They had a lot of fun and became friends with Flora. + +They learned that Flora was compassionate and kind. She helped the plants and animals in the garden and gave them gifts. She also liked to play and make up stories. She invited Lily and Ben to come back and visit her anytime. + +Lily and Ben agreed. They hugged Flora and said goodbye. They took their toys and their blanket and walked back to their house. They decided to keep the lime as a souvenir of their picnic and their new friend. They put it on their shelf and smiled. They had a wonderful day. +Lily and Max are twins. They like to play with pastels. Pastels are soft and colorful. They can make pictures with them on paper. + +One day, Lily and Max find a big box of pastels in the closet. They are very happy. They take the box to the living room and open it. There are many pastels inside. Some are new and some are old. + +Lily picks a new pastel. It is pink. She likes pink. She starts to draw a flower on a white paper. Max picks an old pastel. It is brown. He does not like brown. He wants a new pastel too. + +He looks at Lily's paper. He sees her pink flower. He likes it. He wants it. He reaches for Lily's pastel. Lily sees him. She does not want to share. She holds her pastel tight. + +"Mine!" she says. + +"No, mine!" he says. + +They pull the pastel. They hear a snap. The pastel breaks in half. They both drop the pieces. They look at each other. They are sad. They have no pastel now. + +They hear a voice. It is Mom. She comes to the living room. She sees the broken pastel. She sees the twins' faces. She knows what happened. + +She picks up the pieces. She gives one to Lily and one to Max. She smiles. + +"It's okay," she says. "You can still draw with them. You can make new colors. You can share. Sharing is nice." + +Lily and Max look at the pieces. They look at Mom. They look at each other. They nod. They say sorry. They hug. + +They take their pieces and start to draw again. They make new colors. They share. They are happy. They have pastels. +Tom and Jen are friends. They like to play in the park. One day, they see a big parade. There are many people and animals and cars and flags. They want to join the parade. + +"Let's march with them!" Tom says. He holds Jen's hand and runs to the parade. + +"Wait, Tom!" Jen says. "We need a flag too!" She sees a red scarf on a bench. She picks it up and ties it around her waist. + +"Now we are fine!" Jen says. She smiles and waves the scarf. + +They march with the parade. They feel happy and proud. They see many things and hear many sounds. They do not see the man who owns the scarf. He is looking for it. He is angry and sad. + +The man sees Tom and Jen. He sees his scarf on Jen's waist. He runs to them. He shouts at them. + +"Hey, you! Give me back my scarf! That is mine!" He says. + +Tom and Jen are scared. They did not know the scarf was his. They thought it was free. They stop marching. They let go of each other's hand. + +"Sorry, sir. We did not know. We just wanted to march with the parade." Jen says. She unties the scarf and gives it to the man. + +The man takes the scarf. He looks at Tom and Jen. He sees their faces. They are sorry and sad. He feels sorry too. He remembers when he was a child. He liked to march with parades too. + +"It's okay, kids. I forgive you. You can keep the scarf. It looks fine on you." He says. He smiles and gives the scarf back to Jen. + +"Really? Thank you, sir. You are very kind." Jen says. She ties the scarf around her waist again. + +Tom and Jen hug the man. They thank him again. They hold each other's hand and run back to the parade. They march with the scarf. They feel happy and proud again. They see many things and hear many sounds. They do not see the man who waves at them. He is happy and proud too. +Tom and Mia are friends. They like to play at the park. There is a big slide at the park. Tom wants to go on the slide, but Mia is scared. + +"Come on, Mia, you can do it!" Tom says. He encourages Mia to try the slide. "It is fun and fast. I will go with you." + +Mia looks at the slide. It is very high and long. She shakes her head. "No, Tom, I am too small. The slide is too big. I will fall." + +Tom smiles. He has an idea. He sees a smaller slide near the big one. It is not as high or as long. It is fit for Mia. "Look, Mia, there is another slide. It is just right for you. Let's go on that one first." + +Mia follows Tom to the smaller slide. She feels a little better. She climbs the steps and sits on the slide. Tom sits behind her. He holds her hand. "Ready, Mia?" he asks. + +Mia nods. She is still a little scared, but she trusts Tom. "Ready, Tom," she says. + +Tom pushes them down the slide. They go fast, but not too fast. They feel the wind on their faces. They laugh and scream. They land on the ground. They are happy. + +"Wow, that was fun!" Mia says. She is not scared anymore. She wants to go again. + +"See, Mia, you did it!" Tom says. He is proud of Mia. He hugs her. "Do you want to try the big slide now?" + +Mia looks at the big slide. She thinks for a moment. She feels brave. She nods. "Yes, Tom, I want to try the big slide. But you have to go with me." + +"Of course, Mia, I will go with you. We are friends. We can do anything together," Tom says. + +They run to the big slide. They climb the steps and sit on the slide. They hold hands. They are ready for a new adventure. +Lily liked to read books. She had many books with pictures and words. She read about animals, cars, fairies and more. She read every day and learned new things. + +One day, she took her book and went to the park. She saw a big tree with many branches. She climbed up the tree and found a nice branch to sit on. She opened her book and started to read. + +But then, she heard a loud noise. It was a crow. The crow was black and had a sharp beak. The crow flew to the branch where Lily was sitting and said, "Caw, caw, caw! This is my branch! Go away, go away, go away!" + +Lily was scared and sad. She said, "Please, Mr. Crow, let me read my book. I like this branch. It is big and strong. I will not bother you. I will be quiet and read." + +But the crow was rude. He said, "No, no, no! This is my branch! You are a bother. You are not quiet. You are a silly girl. Go away, go away, go away!" + +He pecked at Lily's book and tore the pages. He pecked at Lily's hair and pulled the strands. He pecked at Lily's face and made her cry. + +Lily was hurt and angry. She said, "Stop, stop, stop! You are a bad crow. You are mean and rude. You do not share. You do not care. Go away, go away, go away!" + +She threw her book at the crow and hit him on the head. He said, "Ow, ow, ow! You are a bad girl. You are mean and rude. You do not play. You do not stay. Go away, go away, go away!" + +He flew away from the branch and left Lily alone. Lily was sad and lonely. She picked up her book and saw the torn pages. She said, "I do not like this park. I do not like this tree. I do not like this crow. I want to go home. I want to read my book." + +She climbed down the tree and ran to her mom. She hugged her mom and told her what happened. Her mom said, "I am sorry, Lily. That was a bad crow. He was mean and rude. He did not share. He did not care. He was not a friend. You are a good girl. You are kind and smart. You like to share. You like to care. You are a friend. I love you, Lily. Let's go home and read your book." + +Lily smiled and said, "I love you, mom. Thank you, mom. Let's go home and read my book." +Tom was a little boy who liked to play with his toys. He had many cars, trains, and planes that he could zoom around his room. He also had a big teddy bear that he hugged every night. Tom loved his toys, but he did not like to clean them. He left them on the floor, on the bed, and on the table. He did not put them away in the box when he was done. + +One day, his mom told him to take a shower. She said he was dirty and he needed to wash. Tom did not want to take a shower. He wanted to play more. He said, "No, mom, I don't want to take a shower. I want to play with my toys." + +His mom said, "Tom, you have to take a shower. It is good for you. You will feel fresh and happy. And you have to clean your toys too. They are dusty and messy. You have to take care of them. They are your friends." + +Tom did not listen to his mom. He ran to his room and locked the door. He lay on the floor and played with his toys. He made loud noises and pretended he was flying in the sky. He did not hear his mom knocking on the door. He did not hear the thunder outside. He did not see the dark clouds. + +Soon, it started to rain. The rain was very heavy and strong. It made a lot of noise on the roof. It also made a hole in the roof. The water came through the hole and into Tom's room. It wet his toys and his bed. It made a big puddle on the floor. Tom was scared. He cried and shouted, "Mom, mom, help me! There is water in my room! My toys are wet! My bed is wet!" + +His mom heard him and came to his room. She opened the door and saw the water. She was worried. She said, "Oh, Tom, what happened? Why did you lock the door? Why did you not take a shower? Why did you not clean your toys?" + +Tom felt sorry. He said, "I'm sorry, mom. I was naughty. I did not listen to you. I did not want to take a shower. I did not want to clean my toys. I just wanted to play. But now I see I was wrong. I should have done what you said. I should have taken a shower. I should have cleaned my toys. I should have put them away. Now they are wet and dirty. And so am I." + +His mom hugged him and said, "It's okay, Tom. I forgive you. But you have to learn from this. You have to do what is good for you. You have to take care of yourself and your things. You have to be responsible and respectful. You have to listen to me. I love you and I want you to be happy and healthy." + +Tom nodded and said, "I love you too, mom. And I will do what you say. I will take a shower. I will clean my toys. I will put them away. I will be a good boy." + +His mom smiled and said, "That's good, Tom. Come on, let's go to the bathroom. We will take a shower together. And then we will dry your toys and your bed. And then we will have some cookies and milk. How does that sound?" + +Tom smiled and said, "That sounds great, mom. Thank you, mom. You are the best mom." + +The end. + +Moral value: The story teaches the value of obedience, cleanliness, and responsibility. It shows the consequences of not listening to parents, not taking care of oneself and one's belongings, and being careless. It also shows the importance of apologizing, forgiving, and learning from mistakes. It shows the love and care of parents and children. +Ben liked to play with his dad's machine. It was a big machine that could add numbers. Ben did not know what numbers were, but he liked to press the buttons and see the lights. The machine made funny noises when Ben pressed the buttons. It went beep and boop and brrr. + +One day, Ben saw his dad put a paper in the machine. The paper had numbers on it. Ben wanted to see what the machine would do with the paper. He waited until his dad was not looking and took the paper. He put it in the machine and pressed some buttons. The machine made a loud noise. It went zzzt and crack and boom. + +Ben was scared. He ran to his dad and hugged him. His dad looked at the machine and saw smoke and sparks. He was angry. He said, "Ben, what did you do? You broke my machine! That was an expensive machine! It cost a lot of money! You should not play with things that are not yours!" + +Ben felt bad. He said, "I'm sorry, dad. I just wanted to see what the machine could do. I did not mean to break it. Can you fix it?" + +His dad sighed. He said, "I don't know, Ben. It might be too broken to fix. You have to be more careful next time. Machines are not toys. They are tools. They help us do things. But they can also be dangerous if we don't use them right." + +Ben nodded. He said, "I understand, dad. I won't touch your machine again. I love you, dad." + +His dad hugged him. He said, "I love you too, Ben. But you still have to go to your room and think about what you did. And no more playing with machines until you are older." + +Ben went to his room. He felt sad. He wished he had not broken his dad's machine. He hoped his dad would forgive him. He learned a lesson that day. He learned that machines are not toys. He learned that some things are expensive and hard to fix. He learned that he should listen to his dad and not touch things that are not his. +Lily and Ben are friends. They like to play with paper and crayons. They want to make a card for their teacher, Mr. Lee. Mr. Lee is bald. He has no hair on his head. + +Lily and Ben prepare the card. They draw a big sun and a rainbow. They write "We love you, Mr. Lee" with big letters. They use many colors. They are happy with their card. + +They go to the printer. They want to print their card. They put the paper in the printer. They press the button. The printer makes a noise. The paper comes out. The card is ready. + +They run to Mr. Lee's desk. They give him the card. They say "Surprise! This is for you, Mr. Lee!" + +Mr. Lee smiles. He looks at the card. He sees the sun and the rainbow. He sees the words. He says "Thank you, Lily and Ben! This is a beautiful card. You are very kind and creative. I love you too!" + +Lily and Ben hug Mr. Lee. They are proud of their card. They are happy to make Mr. Lee happy. They are good friends. +One day, a bird named Blue flew to the east to find a new home. He saw a big tree with many fruits and flowers. He wanted to live there, but he was clumsy and did not know how to make a nest. + +He tried to strike some twigs and leaves with his beak, but they fell to the ground. He tried to strike some grass and feathers, but they flew away in the wind. He tried to strike some mud and stones, but they broke and splashed. He felt sad and tired. + +Then he saw a squirrel named Red who lived in the same tree. Red was smart and knew how to make a nest. He had a cozy and warm nest with nuts and berries. He saw Blue and felt sorry for him. + +He said to Blue, "Hello, friend. Do you need some help? I can show you how to make a nest. You just need to be patient and careful. Come, follow me." + +Blue was happy and grateful. He followed Red and learned how to make a nest. He used some twigs and leaves, some grass and feathers, and some mud and stones. He struck them gently and firmly with his beak, and made a nice and sturdy nest. + +He thanked Red and said, "You are very kind and helpful. You are a good friend. I am glad I met you." + +Red smiled and said, "You are welcome, friend. You are brave and willing. You are a good friend too. I am glad you live here." + +They became good friends and lived happily in the tree. + +The moral of the story is: If you are clumsy and need help, do not be afraid to ask. If you are smart and can help, do not be proud to share. Friendship is more important than skill. +Lily was a regular cat. She liked to nap, chase mice, and scratch the sofa. But she had one special thing: she could pass through walls. She learned this when she was a kitten, and she used it to explore the house and the garden. + +One day, she saw a big dog outside. The dog was barking and running around. Lily wanted to play with him, but she was afraid he would bite her. She decided to pass through the wall and sneak up behind him. She thought it would be fun to scare him. + +She waited until the dog was near the wall, and then she passed through it. She pounced on his tail and said, "Meow!" The dog was very surprised. He turned around and saw Lily. He was not angry, he was happy. He said, "Woof! Who are you? You are a funny cat. Do you want to be my friend?" + +Lily was also surprised. She expected the dog to be mean, but he was nice. She said, "Meow! I am Lily. I can pass through walls. Do you want to see?" The dog said, "Woof! Yes, please. That sounds amazing. How do you do that?" + +Lily said, "Meow! I don't know. I just do it. Come, follow me." She passed through the wall again, and the dog followed her. He was amazed. He said, "Woof! This is so cool. Can we do it again?" Lily said, "Meow! Sure. Let's go to the kitchen. Maybe we can find some food." + +They passed through the wall again, and went to the kitchen. They saw a bowl of milk on the table. Lily said, "Meow! Look, milk. My favorite. Do you want some?" The dog said, "Woof! No, thank you. I prefer bones. But you can have it." Lily jumped on the table and drank the milk. She said, "Meow! Thank you. You are a good friend. Do you want to play some more?" The dog said, "Woof! Yes, I do. But we have to be careful. The humans might see us. They don't like it when we pass through walls. They think we are ghosts." + +Lily said, "Meow! Don't worry. We can be fast and quiet. Come on, let's go to the living room. There are some toys there." They passed through the wall again, and went to the living room. They saw a ball, a rope, and a stuffed animal. They played with them, and had a lot of fun. They tossed the ball, tugged the rope, and cuddled the stuffed animal. They laughed and wagged their tails. + +They became the best of friends. They passed through walls every day, and explored the house and the garden. They shared their food and their toys. They gave each other licks and paws. They were happy and regular. They were Lily and the dog. +Tim and Mia were twins who liked to play in the park. One day, they saw a big balloon tied to a bench. It was red and shiny and had a picture of a dragon on it. Tim and Mia wanted the balloon very much. + +They ran to the bench and tried to untie the balloon. But the knot was too tight and they could not open it. They pulled and tugged and twisted, but the balloon did not move. They started to cry. + +An old man was sitting on the bench. He had a long beard and a hat. He looked very ancient. He saw Tim and Mia crying and felt sorry for them. He said, "Do you want this balloon, children?" + +Tim and Mia nodded and wiped their tears. The old man smiled and said, "I will give you this balloon, but you have to do something for me first. You have to think of a good name for the dragon on the balloon. Can you do that?" + +Tim and Mia looked at the balloon and thought hard. They liked dragons and knew many names for them. They said, "We can do that!" + +The old man said, "Good. Then tell me, what is the name of the dragon on the balloon?" + +Tim and Mia thought for a moment and then said together, "Sparky!" + +The old man laughed and said, "That is a good name. Sparky the dragon. I like it. Here, you can have the balloon. But be careful, do not let it fly away." + +He untied the balloon and gave it to Tim and Mia. They thanked him and hugged the balloon. They were very happy. They ran to the swings and played with Sparky the balloon. They had a lot of fun. +Tom and Sam were brothers. They liked to play in the kitchen. One day, they found a big knife on the table. It was shiny and sharp. + +"Look, Sam, a knife!" Tom said. He wanted to touch it. + +"No, Tom, don't touch it!" Sam said. He knew knives were dangerous. "Mom said knives can hurt us. Put it down!" + +But Tom did not listen. He grabbed the knife and raised it high. He felt strong and brave. He wanted to show Sam. + +"Tom, stop!" Sam shouted. He was scared. He saw the knife come down fast. He closed his eyes and screamed. + +Mom heard the scream. She ran to the kitchen. She saw Tom and Sam on the floor. She saw blood on Sam's arm. She saw the knife on the floor. + +"Tom, what did you do?" Mom asked. She was angry and sad. She picked up Sam and hugged him. She took him to the bathroom. She cleaned his wound and put a bandage on it. + +"Mom, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Tom cried. He felt bad and sorry. He did not mean to hurt Sam. He did not know knives were so scary. He wished he had listened to Sam. + +Mom came back to the kitchen. She looked at Tom. She was still angry, but she also loved him. She hugged him and said, "Tom, you have to be careful. Knives are not toys. They can hurt you and others. You have to listen to me and Sam. Do you understand?" + +Tom nodded. He understood. He said, "I'm sorry, Mom. I love you. I love Sam. Can I say sorry to Sam?" + +Mom smiled. She said, "Yes, you can. Come on, let's go to the bathroom. Sam is waiting for you." She took Tom's hand and led him to the bathroom. Sam saw them and smiled. He said, "Hi, Tom. I'm okay. Don't worry." + +Tom hugged Sam and said, "I'm sorry, Sam. I was silly. I won't touch knives again. I love you, Sam." + +Sam hugged Tom and said, "I love you, too, Tom. You are my brother. Let's play something else." + +Mom watched them and felt happy. She said, "I love you both. You are my boys. Now, let's go and have some cookies." She took them to the living room. They ate cookies and played with their toys. They forgot about the knife and the blood. They were happy. +Ben and Lily were playing in the sand. They had a big bucket and a small bucket. They filled the big bucket with sand and turned it over. They made a sand castle. They were happy. + +A big dog came by. He saw the small bucket. He thought it was a toy. He ran to the small bucket and bit it. He made a hole in the small bucket. He was clumsy. + +Ben and Lily saw the dog. They were angry. They shouted at the dog. "Go away, dog! You broke our bucket! You are bad!" + +The dog was scared. He dropped the small bucket and ran away. He was hungry. He saw a sandwich on a bench. He jumped on the bench and ate the sandwich. He was happy. + +But the sandwich was not his. It was Tom's. Tom was a boy who was having a picnic with his mom. He saw the dog. He was sad. He cried. "Mom, the dog ate my sandwich! I am hungry!" + +The mom saw the dog. She was mad. She called the dog catcher. The dog catcher came and caught the dog. He put the dog in a cage. The dog was sad. + +The moral of the story is: Do not take what is not yours. You might hurt someone or get in trouble. Be nice and share. +Tom and Lily went to the park with Mom. They saw many animals there. They saw ducks, geese, rabbits, and squirrels. Tom and Lily liked the squirrels best. They were brown and fluffy, and they ran up and down the trees. + +"Look, Mom, a red squirrel!" Lily said, pointing to a bright spot on a branch. "It is so pretty!" + +"Yes, it is, dear," Mom said. "But we have to be careful. Red squirrels are not very friendly. They can bite if we get too close." + +Tom wanted to see the red squirrel better. He walked towards the tree, holding a piece of bread in his hand. He thought the red squirrel might like some food. He did not listen to Mom. + +"Tom, come back!" Mom called. "That is not a good idea!" + +But Tom did not hear her. He reached out his hand to the red squirrel. The red squirrel saw the bread and jumped down. It grabbed the bread with its teeth. But it also bit Tom's finger. Tom cried out in pain. + +"Ow, ow, ow!" Tom said. "The red squirrel bit me!" + +Mom ran to Tom and took him in her arms. She checked his finger. It was bleeding a little. She wrapped it with a tissue and hugged him. + +"I'm sorry, Tom," Mom said. "Are you okay?" + +Tom nodded, still sobbing. He looked at the red squirrel. It was eating the bread on the ground. It did not care about Tom. + +"I don't like the red squirrel," Tom said. "It is mean." + +Lily came to Tom and gave him a kiss. She felt sorry for him. + +"I don't like the red squirrel either," Lily said. "It is not nice. Let's go see the ducks. They are friendly. They don't bite." + +Mom smiled and wiped Tom's tears. She took Tom and Lily by the hand and led them to the pond. They saw the ducks swimming and quacking. They threw some bread to them. The ducks came closer and ate the bread. They did not bite. Tom and Lily felt better. They liked the ducks. They forgot about the red squirrel. +Anna and Ben are twins. They like to play with their toys in the living room. But sometimes they fight over the same toy and make a lot of noise. Mom does not like that. She tells them to behave and share their toys. + +One day, Mom has a surprise for them. She brings a big box from the car and puts it on the floor. Anna and Ben are curious. They run to the box and try to open it. But Mom says, "Wait, this is a special gift. You have to be good and listen to me." + +Mom tells them to sit on the couch and close their eyes. She opens the box and takes out something soft and furry. She puts it on her palm and walks to the couch. She says, "Open your eyes and meet your new friend." Anna and Ben open their eyes and see a cute kitten on Mom's palm. They gasp and smile. They love the kitten. + +Mom says, "This is Lily. She is your new pet. You have to be kind and gentle with her. She is very small and scared. You have to feed her, play with her, and keep her clean. Can you do that?" Anna and Ben nod and say, "Yes, Mom. We can do that. We will behave and take care of Lily." + +Mom lets them hold Lily and pet her. Lily purrs and snuggles with them. Anna and Ben are happy. They thank Mom for the gift. They decide to share their toys with Lily and each other. They are good twins. Mom is proud of them. +Anna loved to play the violin. She had a small violin that her mom gave her for her birthday. She liked to make music with it and sing along. She was happy when she played the violin. + +But Tom, her big brother, did not like Anna's violin. He thought it was too loud and annoying. He wanted to watch TV or play games, but he could not hear them well because of Anna's violin. He was angry when Anna played the violin. + +One day, Tom had enough. He went to Anna's room and grabbed her violin. He said, "Stop playing that stupid violin! It hurts my ears! Give it to me, I will break it!" + +Anna was scared and sad. She loved her violin and did not want to lose it. She said, "No, Tom, don't take my violin! It is mine, mom gave it to me! It is not stupid, it is beautiful! Let go of it, please!" + +Tom and Anna started to fight. They pulled and pushed and shouted. They did not listen to each other. They did not care about each other. They only cared about the violin. + +But the violin was not strong. It could not handle the fight. It snapped and cracked and broke. The strings and the wood and the bow fell to the floor. The music was gone. The violin was gone. + +Tom and Anna stopped fighting. They looked at the broken violin. They felt sorry and ashamed. They wished they had not fought. They wished they had been kind and gentle. They wished they had shared and respected. They wished they had loved. + +But it was too late. The violin was broken. And so was their happiness. + +The moral of the story is: Fighting is bad. It can hurt people and things. It can ruin what is precious and beautiful. It is better to be nice and calm. It is better to listen and understand. It is better to share and respect. It is better to love. +Tom and Mia were very happy. It was cold outside, but they had a warm fireplace in their house. They liked to sit on the rug and rub their hands and feet near the fire. They also liked to play with their toys and talk to each other. + +One day, they decided to play a game. They wanted to see who could rub the fireplace faster and make more sparks. They were very enthusiastic and giggled a lot. They took turns to rub the fireplace with their hands, then with their toys, then with their clothes. + +"Look, Mia, I can rub the fireplace with my teddy bear!" Tom said. He rubbed his teddy bear hard on the fireplace. He saw some sparks fly out. He was very proud. + +"Wow, Tom, that's amazing!" Mia said. She wanted to try too. She grabbed her doll and rubbed it on the fireplace. She saw more sparks fly out. She was very happy. + +But then, something bad happened. The sparks from the fireplace caught on their toys and clothes. The toys and clothes started to burn. The fire grew bigger and bigger. Tom and Mia were scared. They screamed for help. + +Their mom and dad heard them and ran to the living room. They saw the fire and grabbed Tom and Mia. They took them outside and called the firemen. The firemen came and put out the fire. But it was too late. The fireplace, the rug, the toys and the clothes were all burned. Tom and Mia were very sad. They cried and hugged their mom and dad. They learned a hard lesson. They should never play with fire. +Anna liked to play with her dolls. She had many dolls, but her favorite was a pink doll with long hair and a pretty dress. She called her doll Lily and took her everywhere. + +One day, Anna went to the park with her mom and Lily. She saw some other kids playing with a ball and wanted to join them. She asked her mom if she could borrow the ball for a little while. Her mom said yes, but told her to be careful and not lose Lily. + +Anna ran to the other kids and asked if she could play with them. They said yes and gave her the ball. Anna was happy and threw the ball high in the air. She did not see a big rat hiding behind a bush. The rat saw Lily on the bench and thought she was a tasty snack. He ran to the bench and grabbed Lily with his teeth. He ran away with Lily in his mouth. + +Anna heard Lily scream and turned around. She saw the rat running away with her doll. She was very sad and angry. She dropped the ball and ran after the rat. She shouted, "Give me back my Lily! She is not your food! She is my doll!" + +But the rat was faster and smarter than Anna. He ran into a hole under a tree and disappeared. Anna could not follow him. She cried and cried. She lost her favorite doll and could not get her back. Her mom came and hugged her. She said, "I'm sorry, Anna. The rat was very mean and stole your doll. Maybe we can find another doll for you." + +But Anna did not want another doll. She only wanted Lily. She was very unhappy and wished she never borrowed the ball. She learned a hard lesson. She should have watched her doll and not left her alone. The end. +Lily and Ben were playing in the living room. They liked to pretend they were pirates and look for treasure. Lily had a map and Ben had a sword. They searched under the sofa, behind the curtains and in the bookcase. + +"Look, Ben, I found a lamp!" Lily said, holding up a shiny metal lamp. "Maybe it has a magic genie inside!" + +"Let me see!" Ben said, grabbing the lamp from Lily. He rubbed it hard, hoping for a wish. + +But nothing happened. The lamp was just a lamp. Ben was disappointed and angry. He threw the lamp on the floor. + +"Hey, don't do that!" Lily said. "You might break it!" + +But it was too late. The lamp hit the floor and made a loud noise. It also knocked over a vase of flowers, which spilled water everywhere. + +Mom heard the noise and came to the living room. She saw the mess and the broken lamp. She was very upset. + +"What did you do?" Mom asked. "You broke the lamp and made a big mess! That was a very foolish thing to do!" + +"Sorry, Mom," Ben said. "I wanted to see the genie." + +"There is no genie, Ben," Mom said. "That lamp is not magic. It is just a lamp. And you should not throw things. You could hurt yourself or someone else. You should prevent accidents, not cause them." + +Lily and Ben felt sorry. They helped Mom clean up the mess. They learned their lesson. They decided to play something else. Something safer and nicer. +Ben and Lily liked to look at the stars at night. They wondered what was out there in the big, big space. They called it the universe. They wanted to see more of it. + +One night, they saw a bright light in the sky. It was a rocket. It was going to the moon. Ben and Lily were very excited. They wanted to go on the rocket too. + +They ran to their mom and dad and asked if they could go on the rocket. Their mom and dad said no. They said the rocket was for grown-ups only. They said it was too far and too dangerous for kids. + +Ben and Lily were sad. They did not like that answer. They wanted to see the moon and the stars. They wanted to be brave and explore the universe. + +They decided to make their own rocket. They found a big cardboard box and some paint. They painted the box to look like a rocket. They cut out a window and a door. They put on their helmets and their backpacks. They were ready to blast off. + +They carried their rocket to the backyard. They put it on the grass. They climbed inside. They counted down. Three, two, one, go! + +They yelled as loud as they could. They pretended they were flying to the moon. They imagined they saw planets and stars and aliens. They had a lot of fun. + +Their mom and dad heard them yelling. They came to the backyard. They saw their rocket and their smiles. They were proud of their kids. They said they were very brave and creative. They said they could see the universe in their eyes. +Lily and Max were going to perform a song for their mom and dad. They had practiced a lot and knew all the words. They wore their best clothes and held their toy microphones. + +"Are you ready, Max?" Lily asked. + +"Yes, I am ready, Lily," Max said. + +They walked to the living room, where their mom and dad were sitting on the couch. They smiled and clapped for them. + +"Hello, mom and dad," Lily said. "We are going to perform a song for you. It is called 'The Inch Worm'." + +They started to sing and move their fingers like inch worms. They sang about how inch worms measure things with their bodies and how they are very smart. + +Mom and dad listened and watched. They liked the song and how Lily and Max sang and moved. They thought they were very cute and clever. + +When the song was over, Lily and Max bowed and said, "Thank you, thank you." + +Mom and dad stood up and hugged them. They said, "That was a wonderful performance. We are so proud of you, Lily and Max. You did a great job." + +Lily and Max felt happy and proud. They had performed a song for their mom and dad and made them smile. They loved their mom and dad and their song. +Lily was a bee who liked to hold flowers. She would fly from one flower to another, and hold them with her legs and mouth. She would take some of the sweet stuff inside the flowers and bring it back to her hive. Her hive was a big house made of wax, where many bees lived and worked together. + +Lily was very popular in her hive, because she was good at finding flowers and sharing the sweet stuff. She had many friends who liked to talk to her and play with her. Sometimes, they would fly together and hold each other's wings. They would sing and buzz and have fun. + +One day, Lily saw a new flower that she had never seen before. It was big and red and smelled very nice. She wanted to hold it and try the sweet stuff. She flew closer and closer, but she did not see the danger. The flower was not a flower, but a trap. It was a plant that liked to eat bees. It had a mouth that looked like a flower, and it could snap shut very fast. + +"Help!" Lily cried, as the plant caught her and tried to close its mouth. "Help me, please!" + +Her friends heard her cry and flew to help her. They saw the plant and knew it was bad. They used their stingers and their legs and their mouths to fight the plant. They made loud noises and scared the plant. The plant let go of Lily and opened its mouth. Lily flew out and hugged her friends. + +"Thank you, thank you!" she said. "You saved me!" + +"You're welcome, Lily!" her friends said. "We're glad you're safe!" + +They flew back to their hive, holding each other's wings. They told the other bees what happened and warned them about the plant. They shared the sweet stuff they had and celebrated. Lily was happy and grateful. She had the best friends in the world. +Tom and Lily are friends. They like to play games and learn new things. One day, they have a quiz at school. The quiz is about animals. Tom and Lily love animals. + +The teacher asks the first question. "What animal has a long neck and spots?" Tom knows the answer. He raises his hand and says, "Giraffe!" The teacher nods and smiles. "That's right, Tom. Well done!" + +The teacher asks the second question. "What animal has stripes and roars?" Lily knows the answer. She raises her hand and says, "Tiger!" The teacher nods and claps. "That's right, Lily. Good job!" + +The teacher asks the third question. "What animal has a big horn and gray skin?" Tom and Lily think hard. They do not know the answer. They look at each other and shrug. The teacher sees that no one knows the answer. He says, "This animal is called a rhino. It is very fierce and strong. It can run fast and charge at enemies." + +Tom and Lily are curious. They want to see a rhino. They ask the teacher, "Can we see a rhino, please?" The teacher nods and says, "Yes, you can. Next week, we will go to the zoo. There, you can see a rhino and many other animals. How does that sound?" + +Tom and Lily are excited. They nod and say, "Yay! We can't wait to go to the zoo!" They hug each other and thank the teacher. They are happy that they did well on the quiz and that they will learn more about animals. +Lily liked to study books with pictures and words. She wanted to learn many things. She had a big book about animals that she loved. She looked at the book every day. + +One day, Lily saw a big envelope in the mail. It had her name on it. She was very happy. She opened the envelope and saw a letter and a sticker. The letter said, "Dear Lily, I am your aunt Sue. I live far away. I miss you very much. I hope you like this sticker. It is a lion. Lions are brave and strong. You are brave and strong too. Love, Aunt Sue." + +Lily smiled. She liked her aunt Sue. She liked the sticker. It was a lion. She wanted to put the sticker on her book about animals. She ran to her room with the letter and the sticker. + +But Lily was careless. She did not see her little brother Tommy on the floor. He was playing with his cars. Lily tripped over Tommy and fell down. She dropped the letter and the sticker. Tommy saw the sticker and grabbed it. He liked the lion too. He put the sticker on his car. + +Lily cried. She was hurt and angry. She wanted her sticker back. She shouted at Tommy, "Give me my sticker! It is mine! Aunt Sue gave it to me!" + +Tommy shouted back, "No! It is mine! I like it! It is a lion!" + +They fought over the sticker. They pulled and tore it. The sticker ripped in half. They both cried. + +Mom heard the noise and came to see what was wrong. She saw Lily and Tommy crying and the sticker ripped. She saw the letter on the floor. She was sad and mad. She said, "Lily, Tommy, what did you do? This was a nice letter and a nice sticker from your aunt Sue. She sent them to you because she loves you. You were careless and selfish. You ruined the letter and the sticker. You hurt each other. You should be ashamed." + +Lily and Tommy felt ashamed. They said sorry to Mom and to each other. They hugged and said sorry to Aunt Sue too. But it was too late. The letter and the sticker were ruined. They could not fix them. They could not study the lion anymore. They learned a hard lesson. They wished they had been more careful and kind. +Ben and Lily liked to play in the garden. They liked to look at the flowers and smell them. They liked to see the bees and the butterflies. They liked to water the plants with the hose. + +One day, they saw a new flower. It was big and red and had many petals. It was not there before. They wondered what it was. They asked their mom. + +Mom said, "That is a poppy. It is a flower that blooms only for a short time. It is very pretty, but also very useful. People can make medicine and food from it. And some people wear a poppy suit on a special day to remember the brave soldiers." + +Ben and Lily wanted to learn more about the poppy. They asked their mom if they could pick one and take it inside. Mom said, "No, you can't. The poppy is very delicate. If you touch it, it will lose its petals and die. You have to let it stay in the garden and enjoy it from afar." + +Ben and Lily understood. They did not want to hurt the poppy. They decided to make a picture of it instead. They got some paper and crayons and drew the poppy. They gave the picture to their mom. Mom was very happy. She said, "Thank you, Ben and Lily. You are very kind and creative. This is a beautiful picture of the poppy. I will hang it on the wall and look at it every day." +Tim and Mia were twins who loved to play with their toys. They had many toys, but their favorite was a big shark that could open and close its mouth. They liked to pretend that the shark was swimming in the sea and eating fish. + +One day, Tim and Mia were playing with the shark in their room. Tim wanted to make the shark bite Mia's doll, but Mia did not like that. She said, "No, Tim, stop! That is my doll, not your fish. The shark can't eat her." + +Tim did not listen. He said, "Yes, it can. The shark is hungry and strong. Watch this!" He pushed the shark's mouth hard on the doll's head. But the shark was not strong enough. The shark's mouth broke with a loud snap. + +Tim and Mia gasped. They looked at the shark and saw that its mouth was hanging loose. They could not make it open and close anymore. They felt sad and scared. They knew that their mom would be angry when she saw the broken shark. + +They heard their mom's footsteps in the hall. They quickly hid the shark under the bed and pretended to play with other toys. But their mom was not fooled. She saw the doll's head sticking out from under the bed. She said, "What is this? What happened to the shark?" + +Tim and Mia looked at each other. They did not know what to say. They wished they had not broken the shark. They wished they had shared it nicely. They learned that being envious and mean can make things worse. +Lily and Ben were playing in the yard. They saw a big pile of leaves that Dad had raked. They wanted to jump in it and have fun. + +"Let's go, Ben!" Lily said. "The leaves are soft and crunchy." + +"Okay, Lily!" Ben said. "But we have to be careful. Dad said not to mess up his rake." + +They ran to the pile and jumped in. They laughed and threw leaves in the air. They made leaf hats and leaf wings. They pretended to be birds and animals. + +But then they heard Mom calling them from the kitchen. "Lily! Ben! Time for lunch!" + +They got out of the pile and brushed off the leaves. They ran to the door and smelled something good. + +"What did you cook, Mom?" Lily asked. + +"I cooked soup and bread, my loves," Mom said. "Come and wash your hands and sit down." + +They washed their hands and sat at the table. Mom gave them each a bowl of soup and a slice of bread. They thanked Mom and started to eat. + +But Lily made a face. She did not like the soup. It was bitter and sour. She did not want to eat it. + +"Mom, I don't like this soup," Lily said. "It tastes bad." + +Mom looked at Lily and smiled. "I'm sorry, Lily. I tried a new recipe. It has lemon and herbs in it. I thought it would be good for you. But maybe it's too bitter for your little tongue." + +"Can I have something else, Mom?" Lily asked. + +"Of course, Lily," Mom said. "You can have some cheese and crackers instead. And some apple slices for dessert." + +Lily was happy. She liked cheese and crackers and apples. She ate them and felt better. + +Ben liked the soup. He ate it all and asked for more. He said it was yummy and warm. + +Mom was glad. She hugged Ben and Lily and said, "You are both very good. I love you very much." + +They hugged Mom back and said, "We love you too, Mom." +Lily and Ben were twins who liked to play with their toys. One day, they found a shiny gem in their backyard. It was red and sparkly and impressive. They both wanted to have it for themselves. + +"Give me the gem, Lily!" Ben said. "It is mine!" + +"No, it is mine, Ben!" Lily said. "I saw it first!" + +They started to pull and tug on the gem, trying to take it away from each other. They did not behave. They were loud and rude and mean. + +Their mom heard them and came outside. She saw them fighting over the gem. She was not happy. + +"Stop it, Lily and Ben!" she said. "You are not sharing. You are not being nice. You are not behaving." + +She took the gem from them and put it in her pocket. She said they had to go inside and have a time out. They had to think about what they did wrong. + +Lily and Ben felt sorry. They did not want to lose the gem. They did not want to make their mom sad. They said they were sorry to each other and to their mom. They said they would behave and share and be nice. + +Their mom smiled and hugged them. She said she was proud of them for saying sorry and being good. She said they could have the gem back if they promised to play with it together and take turns. They promised. + +She gave them the gem and they went outside again. They played with the gem and their other toys. They had fun and laughed and were happy. They behaved. They were impressive. +Lily loves her kitten, Max. She likes to play with him, hug him and feed him. Every day, she gives him some milk and some fish in a small bowl. Max likes to drink and eat, and then he purrs and rubs his head on Lily's hand. + +One night, Lily hears a noise outside her window. She gets up and looks out. She sees a big, dark shadow moving in the garden. She is scared. She thinks it is a monster. She runs to her bed and covers herself with her blanket. + +"Mommy, mommy, there is a monster outside!" she cries. + +Mommy comes to her room and turns on the light. She hugs Lily and says, "Don't worry, sweetie, there is no monster. It is just a big, friendly dog. He lives next door. He sometimes comes to visit us. He likes Max, too. He wants to play with him and feed him some bones." + +Lily peeks out of the blanket and sees the dog. He is not dark anymore. He is brown and white. He has a long tail and floppy ears. He looks happy and wagging his tail. He barks softly and licks the window. + +Lily smiles and says, "He is not a monster. He is a nice dog. Can I play with him and feed him some cookies?" + +Mommy says, "Yes, you can, but only in the morning, when the sun is up. Now, it is time to sleep. Say good night to the dog and to Max." + +Lily says, "Good night, dog. Good night, Max. I love you both." She kisses Mommy and cuddles with Max. She falls asleep and dreams of playing with the dog and the kitten in the garden. +Tom was a little boy who liked to play with his toys. He had many cars, trucks, and trains that he drove around his room. He also liked to look at the mail that came to his house. He wanted to see if there were any letters or cards for him. + +One day, Tom saw a big envelope on the table. It had his name on it. He was very happy and curious. He wanted to open it and see what was inside. He did not ask his mom or dad if he could open it. He did not behave well. + +He took the envelope and ran to his room. He tore it open with his hands. He saw a lot of papers and pictures inside. They looked very important and pretty. He did not know what they were. He decided to play with them. He cut them with his scissors. He drew on them with his crayons. He made a big mess. + +Soon, his mom came to his room. She saw the papers and pictures on the floor. She was very angry and sad. She picked up the envelope and looked at it. It was from his grandma. She had sent him a family tree and some photos of his ancestors. She had worked very hard to make it for him. She wanted him to learn about his family and be proud of them. + +She told Tom that he had done a very bad thing. He had ruined a very special gift. He had hurt his grandma's feelings. He had not behaved well. He had to say sorry to his grandma and to his mom. He had to clean up his room. He had to do without his toys for a week. + +Tom felt very sorry and ashamed. He cried and hugged his mom. He said he was sorry to his mom and to his grandma. He learned a lesson. He learned to behave well. He learned to respect other people's things. He learned to be grateful for his family. +Tom and Lily are friends. They like to play in the park. One day, they see a big tree with many yellow berries. They want to try them. + +"Look, Lily, yellow berries!" Tom says. "They look yummy. Can we eat them?" + +"I don't know, Tom," Lily says. "Maybe they are not good for us. Maybe they are sour or bitter. Or maybe they are for birds, not for kids." + +Tom and Lily watch the tree. They see a blue bird fly to the tree. It picks a yellow berry with its beak. It eats the berry. It makes a happy sound. + +"See, Lily, the bird likes the yellow berries," Tom says. "They must be good. Let's get some." + +Tom and Lily run to the tree. They reach for the yellow berries. But the tree is too high. They cannot get them. + +"Aw, too bad," Tom says. "We are too small. We need a stick or a ladder." + +"Or a friend," Lily says. She sees a big dog near the tree. The dog is brown and fluffy. It has a friendly face. It wags its tail. + +"Hi, dog," Lily says. "Can you help us? Can you get some yellow berries for us?" + +The dog barks. It jumps to the tree. It bites a branch. It shakes the branch. Some yellow berries fall to the ground. + +"Wow, thank you, dog," Tom says. He picks up a yellow berry. He gives one to Lily. He gives one to the dog. + +Tom, Lily, and the dog eat the yellow berries. They are sweet and juicy. They smile and laugh. They are happy. They have a new friend. +Anna liked to play with her mom's telephone. She liked to press the buttons and hear the sounds. Sometimes she pretended to talk to her friends or her grandma. But she knew she had to be careful and not call anyone for real. + +One day, Anna found the telephone on the couch. She picked it up and pressed some buttons. She heard a voice say "Hello, this is Bob from the zoo. Do you want to hear something interesting?" Anna was curious. She said "Yes, please." + +Bob said "We have a new baby elephant at the zoo. She is very cute and smart. She likes to play with a big ball. Do you want to know her name?" Anna said "Yes, please." + +Bob said "Her name is Ella. She is a surprise for everyone. We did not know her mom was going to have a baby. She revealed herself yesterday. Do you want to see her?" Anna said "Yes, please." + +Bob said "OK, I will send you a picture of Ella on the telephone. Look at the screen and wait for a beep." Anna looked at the screen and waited. She heard a beep and saw a picture of a small gray elephant with a big ball. She smiled and said "Wow, she is so pretty. Thank you, Bob." + +Bob said "You are welcome, Anna. I am glad you like Ella. Do you want to come to the zoo and see her in person?" Anna said "Yes, please. But I have to ask my mom first." + +Bob said "OK, ask your mom and let me know. Goodbye, Anna." He hung up the phone. + +Anna ran to find her mom. She showed her the picture of Ella and told her about Bob and the zoo. She asked her mom if they could go and see Ella. Her mom was surprised and confused. She asked Anna how she got the phone and who Bob was. Anna told her everything. Her mom was not angry, but she was amazed. She said "Anna, you are very lucky. You had a very interesting phone call. But next time, please ask me before you use the phone. OK?" + +Anna said "OK, mom. I am sorry. But can we go and see Ella?" Her mom smiled and said "Yes, we can. Let's get ready and go to the zoo. Maybe we can meet Bob and thank him for the picture. And maybe we can play with Ella and her ball. What do you think?" + +Anna said "I think that sounds great. I love Ella. And I love you, mom." She hugged her mom and they went to the zoo. They had a wonderful day. +Lily and Ben are twins. They like to play outside in the sun. One day, they see a big truck with a picture of ice-cream on it. The truck makes a loud sound. "Ding-ding-ding!" The twins run to the truck. + +"Hello, little ones. Do you want some ice-cream?" the man in the truck asks. He has a big smile and a white hat. + +"Yes, please!" Lily and Ben say. They look at the ice-cream. There are many colors and shapes. Lily picks a pink cone with a cherry on top. Ben picks a blue cup with a star on top. + +"Here you go. Enjoy your ice-cream!" the man says. He gives them the ice-cream and takes some money from their mom. + +Lily and Ben lick their ice-cream. It is cold and sweet. They are very happy. They sit on a bench and watch the birds and the clouds. + +"Look, Ben. That cloud looks like a dog!" Lily says. She points to the sky. The sky is clear and blue. + +"I see it, Lily. And that cloud looks like a cat!" Ben says. He points to another cloud. The twins giggle. + +Suddenly, they hear a loud yell. "Hey, you! Stop!" They turn around and see a boy running. He has a red shirt and a black hat. He is holding a bag. Behind him, they see a woman running. She has a green dress and a yellow necklace. She is holding a phone. + +"That boy took my phone! Help me!" the woman yells. She is very angry and scared. + +Lily and Ben are very surprised. They do not know what to do. They look at their mom. Their mom stands up and calls the police. She tells them what is happening. + +"Stay here, kids. Don't worry. The police will come soon and catch the bad boy," their mom says. She hugs them and gives them a kiss. + +Lily and Ben nod. They hold their ice-cream and wait. They hope the woman will get her phone back. They think the boy is very mean and silly. They are glad they have their mom and their ice-cream. +Lily and Max were friends. They liked to play with dolls and cars. One day, Lily's mom said they could have pizza for lunch. Lily was happy. She loved pizza. + +"Can Max come too?" Lily asked her mom. + +"Sure, honey. I'll call his mom and ask," her mom said. + +Lily ran to Max and told him the good news. Max was happy too. He loved pizza. + +"Let's go to your house and wait for the pizza," Max said. + +They went to Lily's house and played in her room. Lily had a lot of toys. She had a big dollhouse, a train set, a teddy bear, and a puzzle. Max had fewer toys. He had a car, a ball, and a book. He looked at Lily's toys and felt jealous. + +"Lily, can I play with your dollhouse?" Max asked. + +"No, Max. That's mine. You can play with the car," Lily said. + +"But I always play with the car. I want to play with something else," Max said. + +"Too bad. The dollhouse is for girls. You are a boy," Lily said. + +Max was angry. He didn't like Lily's words. He wanted to play with the dollhouse. He thought it was unfair. + +He grabbed the dollhouse and tried to take it. Lily grabbed it too and pulled it back. They both tugged and shouted. + +"Stop it, Max! Let go of my dollhouse!" Lily yelled. + +"No, Lily! I want to play with it!" Max yelled. + +They pulled harder and harder. The dollhouse broke. The dolls and furniture fell on the floor. Lily and Max stopped and looked at the mess. They both felt sad. + +Lily's mom heard the noise and came to the room. She saw the broken dollhouse and the crying children. + +"What happened here?" she asked. + +"Lily and Max broke my dollhouse!" Lily said. + +"No, Lily broke it! She wouldn't let me play with it!" Max said. + +Lily's mom was angry. She reminded them that they were friends and they should share and be nice. She said they couldn't have pizza anymore. She said Max had to go home and Lily had to stay in her room. + +Lily and Max felt sorry. They said they were sorry. But it was too late. The pizza was gone. The dollhouse was gone. The friendship was gone. +Tom and Lily were playing in the garden. They liked to look for bugs and flowers. They saw a bright yellow butterfly and ran after it. But the butterfly flew away. + +"Look, Tom, a cricket!" Lily said. She pointed to a green bug that was hopping on the grass. Tom and Lily rushed to catch it. They wanted to see it up close. + +The cricket saw them and jumped away. It made a loud chirp. Tom and Lily followed the sound. They ran across the garden, but the cricket was too fast. + +"Where did it go?" Tom asked. He looked around, but he could not see the cricket. + +"Maybe it went under the bush," Lily said. She bent down and lifted a branch. She saw something shiny. "Wow, Tom, look!" + +Tom came over and saw what Lily had found. It was a big red ball. It had white stars on it. It looked like a magic ball. + +"Who left it here?" Tom wondered. He picked it up and bounced it. It made a boing sound. + +"Maybe it's a gift from the cricket," Lily said. She smiled and clapped her hands. "Thank you, cricket!" + +Tom and Lily played with the ball. They threw it, kicked it, and rolled it. They had a lot of fun. They forgot about the cricket. But the cricket was still there. It watched them from the bush. It chirped happily. It was glad they liked the ball. It was a gift from the cricket. +Lily and Ben were playing with their toys in the living room. They liked to pretend they were astronauts exploring the universe. They had a big cardboard box that was their spaceship, and some stickers that were the stars and planets. + +"Look, Lily, I found a new planet!" Ben said, pointing to a green sticker. "It has hairy trees and purple flowers. Let's go there!" + +"OK, Ben, but we have to be careful. Maybe there are aliens there that want to eat us!" Lily said, grabbing her teddy bear. "We need our helmets and suits." + +They put on their plastic bowls and scarves and climbed into the box. They made noises like a rocket and shook the box. They pretended they flew through the sky and landed on the green planet. + +They got out of the box and looked around. They saw the hairy trees and the purple flowers. They also saw something else. It was big and round and fuzzy. It had two eyes, a nose, a mouth, and four legs. It was a sheep. + +"Hello, who are you?" the sheep said, looking at them. "Are you visitors from another planet?" + +Lily and Ben were scared. They thought the sheep was an alien that wanted to eat them. They ran back to the box and tried to close the flap. + +"Wait, don't go!" the sheep said, following them. "I don't want to eat you. I just want to be your friend. I'm lonely here. There are no other sheep on this planet." + +Lily and Ben stopped running. They looked at the sheep. It did not look mean. It looked sad. + +"Are you sure you don't want to eat us?" Lily asked. + +"Of course not. I only eat grass and flowers. See?" the sheep said, showing them its teeth. "I can't chew meat. It's too hard." + +Lily and Ben felt sorry for the sheep. They decided to be brave and talk to it. + +"What's your name?" Ben asked. + +"My name is Wooly. What's yours?" the sheep said. + +"I'm Ben and this is Lily. We're from Earth. It's a blue planet with lots of people and animals." Ben said. + +"Wow, that sounds amazing. I wish I could see it." Wooly said. + +"Maybe you can. We have a spaceship. We can take you with us." Lily said. + +"Really? You would do that for me?" Wooly said, wagging its tail. + +"Sure. We like you. You're nice and hairy. Come on, let's go." Lily said, holding Wooly's hoof. + +They got into the box and made noises like a rocket again. They pretended they flew back to Earth. They were happy. They had a new friend. They had a new adventure. They had fun. +Anna loved to play the flute. She had a shiny flute that made pretty sounds when she blew into it. She learned how to play the flute from her big sister, who was very good at it. Anna wanted to be like her big sister and play the flute for everyone. + +One day, Anna had a chance to play the flute at school. She was very excited and nervous. She practiced a lot at home and remembered what her big sister taught her. She wanted to make her big sister proud. She put on her best dress and took her shiny flute to school. + +When it was her turn to play, she walked up to the front of the class. She saw her teacher, her friends, and her big sister in the audience. She smiled and held her flute. She took a deep breath and started to play. She played a song that she liked and that she knew well. She played with confidence and joy. She made the flute sound beautiful and clear. + +Everyone listened and clapped. They liked her song and her playing. They said she was very impressive and talented. Anna felt happy and proud. She bowed and thanked them. She looked at her big sister, who was smiling and clapping the loudest. She ran to her and hugged her. Her big sister hugged her back and said, "You did great, Anna. I'm so proud of you. You are a wonderful flute player." Anna felt warm and loved. She said, "Thank you, big sister. You are the best teacher. I love you." They hugged again and went home together, holding their flutes. +Sara was a big girl who liked to learn new things. She wanted to go to university when she grew up, like her mom and dad. They told her that university was a place where you could study many things and meet many people. + +But university was also very expensive. Sara's mom and dad had to work hard and save money to pay for it. They could not buy many toys or clothes or trips for Sara. They had a modest house and a modest car. Sara sometimes wished she could have more things, like her friends. + +One day, Sara's mom and dad gave her a piggy bank. They said it was for her to save money for university. They said she could put some of her allowance and birthday money in it, and they would also put some money in it every month. They said if she saved enough, she could go to any university she wanted. + +Sara was happy and excited. She liked the piggy bank. It was pink and had a cute face. She put it on her shelf and started to save money. She did not spend her money on candy or stickers or books. She put it in the piggy bank. + +One day, Sara's friend Lily came over to play. Lily saw the piggy bank and asked what it was. Sara told her it was for university. Lily laughed and said that was silly. She said university was boring and hard. She said she would rather spend her money on fun things, like dolls and dresses and movies. She said Sara should do the same. + +Sara felt confused and sad. She liked fun things too, but she also liked learning new things. She did not know what to do. She asked her mom and dad for advice. + +They hugged her and said they were proud of her for saving money. They said university was not boring or hard, but interesting and rewarding. They said it would help her achieve her dreams and make the world a better place. They said she could still have fun things, but she should also think about the future. They said it was her choice, but they hoped she would keep saving money. + +Sara thought about it and decided to keep saving money. She thanked her mom and dad and told them she loved them. She also told Lily that she respected her choice, but she had a different one. She said she wanted to go to university and learn new things. She said she hoped they could still be friends. + +Lily was surprised and curious. She asked Sara why she wanted to go to university. Sara told her about the things she wanted to study and the people she wanted to meet. She said she wanted to help others and make a difference. Lily listened and nodded. She said she understood and admired Sara. She said they could still be friends. + +Sara and Lily hugged and smiled. They played with their toys and had fun. They also talked about their dreams and plans. They learned from each other and respected each other. They were happy and hopeful. + +The moral of the story is: It is good to save money for your education and your future. It is also good to have fun and enjoy life. You can do both if you are wise and balanced. You can also be friends with people who have different choices and opinions, if you are respectful and open-minded. +Tom and Anna are twins. They like to play and have fun. But they do not like to eat their food. They always say they are not hungry or they do not like what mom makes. + +One day, mom makes soup and bread for lunch. She tells Tom and Anna to come and eat. Tom and Anna come to the table, but they do not want to eat. They make faces and push their bowls away. + +Mom says, "You have to eat your food. It is good for you. It will make you strong and healthy. If you do not eat, you will be hungry and sick." + +Tom and Anna do not listen. They say they want to play with their toys. They get up and run to their room. + +Mom is sad and angry. She says, "You are not being nice. You are being rude and wasteful. You are not thinking of others who have no food. You are not being patient and complete your lunch. You are being selfish and disobedient." + +Tom and Anna do not care. They play with their toys and forget about their food. + +But after a while, they start to feel hungry. Their stomachs growl and ache. They look for something to eat, but they find nothing. They remember their soup and bread, but they are cold and hard now. They feel sorry and ashamed. + +They go to mom and say, "Mom, we are sorry. We were wrong. We should have eaten our food. We were not being patient and complete our lunch. We were being selfish and disobedient. Can we have some food now?" + +Mom says, "I am glad you are sorry. I forgive you. But you have to learn your lesson. You have to be grateful for what you have. You have to be patient and complete your tasks. You have to be respectful and obedient. You have to be kind and generous. Then you will be happy and good." + +She gives them some food, but not as much as before. She says, "This is all you get. You have to eat it all. And you have to share it with each other. And you have to say thank you." + +Tom and Anna eat their food. They say thank you. They share it with each other. They feel full and happy. They hug mom and say, "We love you, mom. We will be patient and complete our tasks. We will be respectful and obedient. We will be kind and generous. We will be happy and good." + +Mom smiles and hugs them back. She says, "I love you, too, Tom and Anna. You are my good twins. You make me proud." + +The end. +Lila and Ben were playing in the garden. They liked to wander around and look at the flowers and the bugs. They saw a big tree with green balls on it. Lila wanted to pick one. + +"Can I have a green ball?" she asked Ben. + +"OK, but be careful. They are not balls. They are limes. They are sour and make your face funny," Ben said. + +Lila reached up and pulled a lime from the tree. She smelled it. It smelled fresh and strong. She took a bite. She made a face. It was sour and bitter. She did not like it. She spit it out. + +"Yuck! I don't like limes. They are uncomfortable in my mouth," she said. + +Ben laughed. He thought Lila's face was funny. He gave her a hug. + +"Sorry, Lila. Limes are not for eating. They are for making juice or putting in water. Maybe you will like them when you are bigger. Do you want to play something else?" he asked. + +Lila nodded. She threw the lime away. She did not want to see it anymore. She wanted to play something else. She followed Ben to the sandbox. They played with their toys and forgot about the limes. They had fun in the garden. +Lily wanted to go to the park with her mom and dad. She liked to play on the swings and the slide. She put on her pink coat and her purple boots. She was very happy. + +But when she got to the park, she saw a big dog. The dog was brown and furry. It barked loudly. Lily was scared of the dog. She hid behind her mom and dad. + +"Hi, Lily!" said a voice. It was Ben, her friend from preschool. He was holding a leash. The dog was his. "This is Rex. He is very friendly. Do you want to pet him?" + +Lily shook her head. She did not want to pet the dog. She wanted to go away. But Ben urged her to try. He said Rex liked children. He said Rex would not bite. He said Rex was soft and warm. + +Lily looked at Ben. He was smiling. He was not scared of the dog. He seemed to like the dog. Maybe the dog was not so bad. Maybe Lily could pet the dog. She took a step forward. + +But then, something happened. Lily felt a tug on her coat. She looked down. The dog had grabbed her zip with his teeth. He was pulling on her coat. He was trying to play with her. But Lily did not think it was fun. She thought it was scary. She screamed. + +Ben let go of the leash. He ran to the dog. He tried to make the dog let go of the zip. He said he was sorry. He said the dog was just being silly. He said the dog did not mean to hurt Lily. + +But Lily did not listen. She was crying. She was embarrassed. She wanted her mom and dad. She wanted to go home. She did not like the dog. She did not like the park. She did not like Ben. She did not like anything. +True was a gifted dog. He could do many things that other dogs could not. He could sit, stay, roll, and fetch. He could also lead his friends to the best places to play and sniff. + +One day, True and his friends were bored. They wanted to have some fun. True had an idea. He said, "Follow me. I know a place where we can run and jump and dig." + +True led his friends to the park. There were many trees and flowers and grass. There were also many people and children and toys. True and his friends were happy. They ran and jumped and dug. They also made new friends with some of the people and children and toys. + +One of the children had a ball. He threw it for True and his friends. They chased it and brought it back. The child was happy. He said, "You are very good dogs. You are very smart and fast and friendly. You are gifted dogs." + +True and his friends wagged their tails. They liked the child. They liked the ball. They liked the park. They liked True. He was a gifted dog. He could lead them to the best places to play and sniff. +Lily and Max were friends who liked to play in the forest. They saw many animals and plants there. One day, they found a big bush with many blueberries. They were hungry and wanted to eat some. + +"Look, Max, blueberries! Let's pick some and eat them!" Lily said. + +"OK, Lily, but be careful. Mama said some blueberries are bad and make us sick. We have to look for the good ones." Max said. + +Lily nodded, but she was careless. She did not look at the blueberries well. She just grabbed the ones that looked big and juicy. She did not see that some of them were green and had spots. + +"Yum, yum, these are so good!" Lily said, putting many blueberries in her mouth. + +Max looked at her and saw the bad blueberries. He was scared. + +"Lily, stop! Those are bad blueberries! Spit them out!" Max shouted. + +But Lily did not listen. She was too busy eating. She did not feel the bad taste or the pain in her tummy. She just wanted more and more. + +"Max, you are silly. These are the best blueberries ever. I dare you to eat some too!" Lily said, laughing. + +Max shook his head. He did not want to eat the bad blueberries. He wanted to help Lily. He tried to take the blueberries from her hand, but she pushed him away. + +"Go away, Max! These are mine! You are not my friend!" Lily said, angry. + +Max was sad and scared. He did not know what to do. He ran to find Mama and tell her what happened. He hoped Mama could help Lily. + +But it was too late. Lily ate too many bad blueberries. She felt very sick. She threw up and cried. She wanted Max and Mama. But they were not there. She was alone and in pain. She wished she had listened to Max and been careful. She wished she had not been careless. She wished she had not eaten the bad blueberries. +Sam and Mia liked to play near the factory. The factory made big toys for big kids. Sam and Mia wanted to see the toys, but the factory had a big fence and a big gate. The gate had a sign that said "No kids allowed". + +One day, Sam and Mia saw a friendly man come out of the factory. He had a big bag of toys. He smiled at Sam and Mia and said "Hello, kids. Do you like toys?" + +Sam and Mia nodded. They wanted to ask the man if they could have some toys, but they were shy. The man said "I work in the factory. I make the toys. Do you want to see how I make them?" + +Sam and Mia nodded again. They were curious. The man said "OK, follow me. But be quiet and careful. The factory is loud and busy." + +The man opened the gate and let Sam and Mia in. He showed them the machines and the workers and the toys. Sam and Mia were amazed. They saw cars and dolls and trains and balls. They wanted to touch them, but the man said "No, no. These are not ready yet. They need to be checked and packed and sent to the shops." + +Sam and Mia understood. They followed the man to his office. He gave them each a toy from his bag. He said "These are for you. They are special toys. I made them myself. They are the only ones like them in the world." + +Sam and Mia were happy. They thanked the man and hugged him. They said "You are very friendly. You are the best toy maker ever." + +The man smiled and said "You are very welcome. You are very nice kids. But now you have to go. The factory is closing soon. And don't tell anyone about our secret visit. OK?" + +Sam and Mia nodded. They promised to keep the secret. They said goodbye to the man and left the factory. They ran home with their toys. They played with them all day and all night. They never forgot the friendly man and the factory. +Anna likes to draw. She draws with crayons on paper. She draws flowers, suns, stars and hearts. She likes to show her drawings to her mom and dad. + +One day, Anna wants to make a print. She sees a big stamp with a butterfly on it. She dips the stamp in paint and presses it on a paper. She makes a print of the butterfly. She thinks it is pretty. + +She shows her print to her mom. "Look, mom, I made a print!" she says. + +Mom smiles and hugs her. "That's very nice, Anna. I like your print. It is colorful and regular. You know how to make a print," she says. + +Anna feels happy. She knows how to make a print. She wants to make more prints with different stamps. She asks mom to help her. Mom says yes. They have fun making prints together. +Sam liked to play with his wheel. He had a big wheel that he could roll on the grass. He had a small wheel that he could spin with his finger. He had a shiny wheel that he could hang on his wall. He loved his wheels very much. He valued them more than anything. + +One day, a new boy moved in next door. His name was Tom. He had a bike with two wheels. He rode his bike up and down the street. He looked happy and fast. Sam wanted to play with him, but he was shy. He stayed in his yard with his wheels. + +"Hi, I'm Tom. What's your name?" Tom said to Sam one day. He stopped his bike in front of Sam's house. + +"I'm Sam. I like your bike. It has nice wheels," Sam said. + +"Thank you. I like your wheels too. They are big and small and shiny. Can I play with them?" Tom asked. + +"Sure. You can play with my wheels. I will play with your bike. We can share," Sam said. + +Sam and Tom played with each other's wheels. They had fun. They rolled and spun and hung the wheels. They rode the bike together. They laughed and talked. They became friends. + +Sam was not lonely anymore. He still valued his wheels, but he valued his friend more. He learned that wheels are good, but friends are better. +Ben and Mia were twins who liked to play outside. One day, they saw a big hole in the fence of their backyard. Ben wanted to go through the hole and see what was on the other side. Mia was scared and said no. She said there might be wild animals or bad people there. But Ben insisted. He said he was brave and curious and wanted to have an adventure. He said Mia was a baby and a chicken. Mia felt sad and angry. She didn't want to be a baby or a chicken. She wanted to be brave and curious too. So she followed Ben through the hole. + +On the other side of the fence, they saw a lot of trees and grass and flowers. It looked like a forest. Ben and Mia were amazed. They ran and jumped and picked some flowers. They felt happy and free. They didn't see any wild animals or bad people. They only saw some birds and butterflies and bugs. They thought they had found a secret place. + +But then they heard a loud roar. It sounded like a lion or a bear. Ben and Mia were terrified. They looked around and saw a big, furry, angry creature coming out of the bushes. It had sharp teeth and claws and eyes. It looked like a monster. Ben and Mia screamed and ran back to the hole. But the hole was too small for them to fit through. They had grown too big since they went through the hole. They were stuck. They felt very uncomfortable and helpless. They wished they had listened to Mia and stayed in their backyard. They wished they had never gone through the hole. They wished they had never met the monster. +Sara likes to lie on the grass and look at the sky. She sees many things in the sky. She sees birds and clouds and planes. Sometimes she sees a butterfly. She likes butterflies. They are pretty and colorful. + +One day, Sara sees a black butterfly. She has never seen a black butterfly before. She thinks it is special. She wants to see it closer. She gets up and follows the black butterfly. The black butterfly flies over the fence and into the woods. + +Sara climbs over the fence and runs after the black butterfly. She does not see where she is going. She does not see the big rock. She trips over the rock and falls down. She hurts her knee and cries. + +The black butterfly hears Sara cry. It feels sorry for Sara. It flies back to Sara and lands on her hand. It tickles Sara's fingers. Sara stops crying and smiles. She says thank you to the black butterfly. The black butterfly says you're welcome with its wings. + +Sara and the black butterfly become friends. They play together in the woods. Sara forgets about her hurt knee. She is happy. She likes the black butterfly. The black butterfly likes Sara. They are both special. +Lily and Ben were twins who liked to play together. They had many toys, but their favorite was a big train set that their grandma gave them. They said it was a gifted toy, because it was very fun and special. + +One day, they wanted to play with the train set, but they could not agree on how to build the tracks. Lily wanted to make a long loop around the room, but Ben wanted to make a zigzag shape. They started to quarrel and shout at each other. + +"Stop it, Lily! You always want your way!" Ben said. + +"No, you stop it, Ben! You are being mean!" Lily said. + +They pulled and pushed the tracks and the trains, and made a big mess. They were so angry that they did not hear their mom calling them for lunch. + +Mom came to their room and saw the quarrel and the mess. She was not happy. She said, "Lily and Ben, what are you doing? Why are you fighting over the train set? Don't you know that it is a gifted toy? It is meant to be shared and enjoyed, not to cause trouble and tears. You should be grateful and kind to each other, not selfish and rude. You are twins, you should love and help each other, not hurt and hate each other." + +Lily and Ben felt ashamed and sorry. They realized that they were wrong to quarrel and spoil the fun. They said, "We are sorry, mom. We are sorry, Lily. We are sorry, Ben. We love you, mom. We love you, Lily. We love you, Ben. Can we hug and make up?" + +Mom smiled and said, "Of course you can, my sweeties. I love you, too. Now, let's clean up the mess and have some lunch. And then, maybe you can play with the train set again, but this time, nicely and nicely." + +Lily and Ben hugged and made up. They cleaned up the mess and had some lunch. And then, they played with the train set again, but this time, nicely and nicely. They took turns and listened to each other. They made a beautiful track that had both a loop and a zigzag. They had a lot of fun and laughter. They learned that sharing and caring is better than quarreling and hurting. They thanked their grandma for the gifted toy, and their mom for the wise words. They were happy twins. +Anna likes to play with her toys. She has many toys, but her favorite is a box of shapes. The box has holes for different shapes, like circles, squares, and stars. Anna likes to match the shapes with the holes. She says, "Circle goes in circle hole. Square goes in square hole. Star goes in star hole." + +One day, Anna sees a yellow pill on the table. She thinks it is a toy. She picks it up and looks at it. She sees it is round, like a circle. She says, "Circle goes in circle hole." She runs to her box of shapes and tries to put the pill in the circle hole. But the pill is too big. It does not fit. Anna pushes harder, but the pill does not go in. + +"Anna, what are you doing?" Mommy asks. She sees Anna with the pill and the box. She is worried. She takes the pill from Anna and says, "This is not a toy, Anna. This is a pill. It is for Daddy. He is sick. He needs to take the pill to feel better. You cannot play with pills. They are not for you. They can make you sick." + +Anna is sorry. She did not know. She says, "I'm sorry, Mommy. I thought it was a toy. I wanted to match it with the hole. I like to match things." + +Mommy hugs Anna and says, "I know, Anna. You like to match things. But you have to be careful. Some things are not for matching. Some things are for other purposes. You have to ask me before you touch something you don't know. OK?" + +Anna nods and says, "OK, Mommy. I will ask you. Can I play with my box of shapes now?" + +Mommy smiles and says, "Yes, you can. But only with the shapes, not with the pills. And wash your hands first. OK?" + +Anna says, "OK, Mommy. Thank you." She washes her hands and goes back to her box of shapes. She matches the shapes with the holes. She is happy. She says, "Circle goes in circle hole. Square goes in square hole. Star goes in star hole." +Sam and Lily were playing with cardboard boxes in the backyard. They made a big fort with the boxes and pretended to be soldiers. Sam had a toy gun and Lily had a toy sword. + +"Bang, bang, you are dead!" Sam shouted, pointing his gun at Lily. + +"No, I am not, you missed me!" Lily said, swinging her sword at Sam. + +They ran around the fort, laughing and fighting. But then, Sam tripped over a rock and fell down. He hurt his knee and it started to bleed. He cried out in pain. + +Lily heard him and ran to him. She saw his knee and felt sorry for him. She put down her sword and hugged him. + +"Are you okay, Sam?" she asked. + +"It hurts, it hurts a lot!" Sam said, sobbing. + +Lily looked around and saw a piece of cloth on the ground. She picked it up and wrapped it around Sam's knee. + +"Here, this will help you heal," she said. "Don't cry, Sam, it will get better soon." + +Sam stopped crying and looked at Lily. He smiled a little and said, "Thank you, Lily, you are a good friend." + +Lily smiled back and said, "You are welcome, Sam, you are a good friend too." + +They hugged again and then went back to their fort. They played some more, but more gently. They did not want to hurt each other again. + +The end. +Anna and Ben were twins. They liked to play together. One day, they went to a big park with their mom and dad. The park had a maze made of tall plants. Anna and Ben wanted to try the maze. + +"Can we go in the maze, mom?" Anna asked. + +"Sure, but stay close to each other and don't get lost," mom said. + +Anna and Ben ran into the maze. They followed the paths and turned left and right. They saw many flowers and bugs. They thought the maze was fun. + +But after a while, they got tired and confused. They did not know how to get out of the maze. They did not see their mom and dad. They felt scared and sad. + +"Where are we, Ben?" Anna asked. + +"I don't know, Anna. I wish we could find the way out," Ben said. + +They hugged each other and tried to be brave. They walked and walked, hoping to see the exit. They did not like the maze anymore. They thought the maze was boring. + +Then, they heard a voice. It was their dad. He was calling their names. + +"Anna! Ben! Where are you?" dad shouted. + +"Dad! We're here! We're here!" Anna and Ben shouted back. + +They followed the sound of dad's voice. They saw him standing at the end of the maze. He looked happy and relieved. + +"Anna! Ben! I'm so glad you're safe!" dad said. He hugged them and kissed them. + +"Sorry, dad. We got lost in the maze. We were scared," Anna said. + +"It's okay, Anna. I'm sorry, too. I should have watched you more closely. The maze was too big and tricky," dad said. + +"Can we go home now, dad? We don't like the maze anymore. It's boring," Ben said. + +"Sure, Ben. Let's go home. The maze is boring. You know what's not boring? Ice cream. How about we get some ice cream on the way home?" dad said. + +Anna and Ben smiled. They liked ice cream. They held dad's hand and walked out of the maze. They saw mom waiting for them. She hugged them and said she was proud of them. They all went to get some ice cream. They had a good day. +Ben and Lily were playing in the garden. They liked to pretend they were hunters and explorers. They had sticks that they used as spears. They threw them at the trees and the flowers. + +"Look, I can measure how far my spear went!" Ben said. He lay down on the grass and stretched his arms and legs. "One, two, three, four, five Ben-lengths!" + +"That's not how you measure, silly!" Lily said. She had a rope that she used as a ruler. She put one end of the rope next to her spear and the other end next to a rock. "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven rope-lengths!" + +"Wow, you are better than me!" Ben said. He got up and picked up his spear. He wanted to try again. + +But then they heard a weird noise. It was like a growl and a hiss. They looked around and saw a big lizard. It had green scales and a long tail. It was looking at them with yellow eyes. + +"Run!" Lily shouted. She grabbed her rope and ran to the house. Ben followed her with his spear. They slammed the door behind them. + +"What was that?" Ben asked. He was scared and curious. + +"I don't know," Lily said. "Maybe it was a dinosaur. Or a dragon. Or a monster." + +They hugged each other and peeked through the window. The lizard was still in the garden. It sniffed their spears and their rope. Then it walked away. + +"Maybe it was just hungry," Lily said. + +"Or maybe it wanted to play," Ben said. + +They smiled at each other. They were brave hunters and explorers. And they had a weird new friend. +Ben is a boy who likes to do many things. He likes to play with his cars, his blocks and his ball. He also likes to do big boy things, like help his mom and dad with chores. But there is one thing he does not like to do. He does not like to use the toilet. + +Ben thinks the toilet is scary and old. It is big and white and makes a loud noise when you flush it. Ben is afraid of the toilet. He prefers to use his diaper or his potty. His mom and dad try to make him use the toilet, but he says no. + +One day, Ben goes to visit his grandma. His grandma is very nice and gives him cookies and milk. She also has a toilet in her bathroom. But her toilet is different from Ben's toilet. Her toilet is small and pink and has a picture of a flower on it. It also makes a soft sound when you flush it. Ben thinks her toilet is pretty and nice. + +Ben decides to try her toilet. He asks his grandma to help him. She holds his hand and shows him how to sit on the toilet. She tells him to relax and do his business. Ben feels a little nervous, but he trusts his grandma. He does his business and feels proud. He flushes the toilet and hears the soft sound. He smiles and hugs his grandma. + +Ben tells his mom and dad what he did. They are very happy and proud of him. They give him a sticker and a hug. Ben feels happy and proud too. He thinks he likes to use the toilet now. He thinks he is a big boy. He thinks his grandma has the best toilet in the world. +Tim and Sam are brothers. They like to play with their toys. But sometimes they fight over the same toy. One day, they both want to play with the red car. + +"Give me the car!" Tim says. + +"No, it is mine!" Sam says. + +They pull and tug on the car. They make a lot of noise. Their dad hears them. He is a man. He is frustrated. He comes to their room. + +"What is going on here?" he asks. + +"Tim and Sam are fighting over the car," they say. + +Dad looks at the car. He sees that it is broken. The wheels are off. The door is bent. He is sad. + +"Look what you did to the car," he says. "It was a nice car. Now it is ruined. You should not fight over toys. You should share and take turns." + +He picks up the car. He throws it in the trash. He gives them each a book. + +"Here, read these books instead," he says. "They are good for your brain. Maybe you will learn something." + +Tim and Sam look at the books. They are not happy. They miss the car. They wish they had not fought. They say sorry to each other. They hug. They decide to read the books together. They hope dad will give them a new car someday. +Lily and Ben are friends. They like to play in the park. One day, they see a big basket of food on a bench. They are hungry, so they go to look. + +"Wow, look at all the food!" Ben says. "There are apples, cheese, bread, and more!" + +"I want an apple," Lily says. "They are red and sweet." + +"I want cheese," Ben says. "They are yellow and soft." + +They take an apple and a piece of cheese from the basket. They are about to eat, when they hear a loud voice. + +"Hey, that's my food!" the voice says. "Give it back!" + +They turn around and see a man running towards them. He is angry and scary. He has a big hat and a long coat. + +"Sorry, mister, we didn't know," Lily says. "We are hungry, and the food looked good." + +"That's no excuse," the man says. "You are bad kids. You should not take things that are not yours." + +He grabs the apple and the cheese from their hands. He looks at the basket and sees something else. + +"What's this?" he says. "Celery? Who put celery in my basket?" + +He picks up a bunch of celery and looks at it with disgust. + +"I hate celery," he says. "They are green and bitter. They make my mouth hurt." + +He throws the celery on the ground. He stomps on it with his big shoes. He makes a lot of noise. + +Lily and Ben are scared. They don't like the man. They don't like celery either. They think celery is yucky. + +They run away from the bench. They run to the swings. They swing high and fast. They forget about the man and the food. They have fun. + +They decide to never take food from a basket again. They also decide to never eat celery again. They think celery is the worst food ever. They are happy with their swings. They are still friends. +Ben and Lily were playing with their blocks. They wanted to build a big house for their toys. They worked hard and put the blocks together. They were almost done. + +"Look, Lily, we only need one more block to complete the house!" Ben said. + +"Where is it?" Lily asked. + +Ben looked around and saw the last block on the other side of the room. He ran to get it. But he did not see the bull. + +The bull was Lily's toy. It was big and brown and had horns. It liked to charge at things and make loud noises. It saw Ben running and thought he was playing with it. It ran after him. + +"MOO!" the bull said. + +Ben heard the bull and turned around. He was scared. He dropped the block and ran back to Lily. + +"Help, Lily, the bull is chasing me!" Ben said. + +Lily saw the bull and Ben. She was brave. She picked up a pillow and threw it at the bull. The pillow hit the bull and made it stop. + +"Go away, bull, you are not fair!" Lily said. + +The bull was confused. It did not want to hurt Ben. It just wanted to play. It looked at the pillow and the block and the house. It felt sorry. + +"Sorry, Ben, sorry, Lily, I did not mean to scare you," the bull said. + +Ben and Lily heard the bull. They were surprised. They did not know the bull could talk. + +"It's okay, bull, we forgive you," Ben said. + +"Can you help us complete the house?" Lily asked. + +The bull nodded. It picked up the block and the pillow and brought them to Ben and Lily. They put the block on the house and the pillow on the roof. The house was complete. + +"Yay, we did it!" Ben and Lily said. + +They hugged the bull and thanked it. The bull was happy. It joined them in the house and played with their toys. They all had fun. +Lily was a gray cat who lived in a big house with a nice family. She liked to play with her toys, nap on the sofa, and chase the birds in the garden. But sometimes she felt lonely, because she had no other cat friends to talk to. + +One day, she saw a new cat outside the window. He was black and white, and he looked very friendly. He waved his paw at her and said, "Hello, I'm Max. Do you want to play with me?" + +Lily was curious and excited. She wanted to play with Max, but she did not know how to escape from the house. She looked around and saw a small hole in the screen door. She pushed it with her nose and made it bigger. Then she squeezed through the hole and ran to Max. + +"Wow, you are very smart and brave," Max said. "Come on, let's have some fun. I know a place where there are lots of mice and fish to catch." + +Lily followed Max to a nearby alley, where they found a pile of garbage and a dirty pond. They started to hunt for food, but they soon realized that it was not easy. The mice were fast and the fish were slippery. They also had to watch out for the big dogs and the mean people who shouted at them. + +Lily began to miss her home and her family. She wondered if they were looking for her and if they were worried. She also felt hungry and cold. She said to Max, "I don't like it here. I want to go back to my house. Can you help me find it?" + +Max looked at her and shrugged. "I don't know where your house is. I don't have a house. I live on the streets. You can stay with me if you want, but you have to learn how to survive." + +Lily felt sad and scared. She realized that she had made a mistake. She wished she had never escaped from her house. She wished she had appreciated her family and her toys and her garden. She said to Max, "Thank you for being my friend, but I can't stay with you. I have to find my way back. I'm sorry." + +Max nodded and said, "I understand. Good luck, Lily. Maybe we'll meet again someday." + +Lily said goodbye to Max and started to walk along the road, hoping to see a familiar sign or a friendly face. She learned a valuable lesson that day: she learned to be grateful for what she had and to be careful of what she wished for. +Jill and Tom were twins who liked to play outside. One day, they saw a big van parked near their house. It was white and had many pictures of animals on it. They wondered what was inside. + +"Let's go see!" Jill said. She ran towards the van, but Tom stopped her. + +"Wait, Jill. Mom said we should not go near strangers. Maybe the van belongs to a stranger." + +Jill looked at Tom and frowned. She wanted to see the animals. She did not think the van was bad. + +"Look, Tom. There is a man by the van. He is old and has a kind face. He is not a stranger. He is a friend. Come on, let's say hello." + +She pulled Tom by the hand and walked to the man. The man smiled and waved at them. + +"Hello, little ones. Do you like animals?" he asked. + +"Yes, we do!" Jill and Tom said together. + +"Would you like to see some? I have a lot of animals in my van. I am a vet. I help animals when they are sick or hurt. Come, I will show you." + +He opened the door of the van and invited them in. Jill and Tom followed him, excited and curious. They did not see the other man who was hiding behind the van. He had a mean face and a big bag. He was not a friend. He was a stranger. He was waiting for the right moment to grab the twins and put them in the bag. He wanted to take them away and sell them. He was a bad man. +Sara and Ben are friends. They like to play games together. Today, they are playing with blocks. They build a big tower with many colors. + +"Look, Sara, our tower is so high!" Ben says. He is happy. + +"Yes, it is very high, Ben. Can you reach the top?" Sara asks. She wants to put one more block on the tower. + +Ben tries to reach the top, but he is too short. He jumps and stretches, but he cannot touch the top. He feels sad. + +"Here, Ben, I can help you." Sara says. She is kind. She picks up Ben and lifts him up. Now Ben can reach the top. He puts the last block on the tower. + +"Thank you, Sara. You are a good friend." Ben says. He smiles. + +"You are welcome, Ben. You are a good friend, too." Sara says. She smiles, too. + +They hug and look at their tower. They are proud of their game. They are happy. +Sam was a little boy who liked to play with his toy navy. He had many boats and planes that he could make go on the water and in the air. He liked to pretend that he was a brave captain who could fight the bad guys. + +One day, he heard a loud noise outside his window. He looked and saw a big storm with dark clouds and rain. He was scared and ran to his mom. She hugged him and said, "Don't worry, Sam. It's just a storm. It will go away soon." + +Sam wanted to be brave, but he still felt afraid. He asked his mom, "What about my toy navy? Will it be okay?" His mom said, "Let's go and see." They went to his room and saw that his toy navy was still on the table. But some of the boats and planes had fallen down and were broken. Sam felt sad and started to cry. + +His mom said, "It's okay, Sam. We can fix them. They are just toys. They are not real." She picked up the broken toys and put them in a box. She said, "Let's go to the kitchen and have some cookies. Then we can play with your other toys." + +Sam nodded and followed his mom. He still felt a little sad, but he also felt better. He knew that his mom loved him and that he was safe. He stopped crying and smiled. He thought, maybe he could be a brave captain after all. He did not tremble anymore. +Anna and Ben are playing in the park. They see a big tree with red fruits. Anna wants to try one. She picks a fruit and bites it. + +"Yuck!" she says. "This fruit is bad. It has a sour taste." + +Ben laughs. He knows the name of the fruit. It is a lemon. + +"That is not a fruit, Anna. That is a lemon. Lemons are not for eating. They are for making juice." + +Anna makes a face. She does not like the taste of lemon. She spits out the lemon. + +"Juice? How do you make juice from a lemon?" she asks. + +Ben replies, "You need water and sugar. You squeeze the lemon and mix it with water and sugar. Then you have lemonade. Lemonade is good. It is sweet and clear." + +Anna thinks for a moment. She likes sweet things. She likes clear things. Maybe she will like lemonade. + +"Can we make lemonade, Ben?" she asks. + +Ben nods. He has a bottle of water and a bag of sugar in his backpack. He also has a knife and a cup. + +"Sure, Anna. Let's make lemonade. Then we can share it and drink it." + +Anna smiles. She is happy. She likes playing with Ben. She likes learning new things. She likes lemonade. +Anna and Ben are playing in the park. They see a big ball on the grass. They run to the ball and try to catch it. But they both want the ball for themselves. + +"Give me the ball!" Anna says. "It is mine!" + +"No, it is mine!" Ben says. "I saw it first!" + +They pull and tug on the ball. They are angry and sad. They do not want to share. + +A man comes to the park. He has a dog with him. The dog is smart and friendly. He sees the ball and the children. He wants to play too. + +He runs to the ball and grabs it with his mouth. He runs away with the ball. Anna and Ben are surprised. They stop fighting and look at the dog. + +"Hey, come back!" Anna says. "That is our ball!" + +"Wow, what a fast dog!" Ben says. "He has a big brain!" + +They chase the dog. The dog is happy. He thinks it is a game. He runs around the park and makes the children laugh. + +The man sees the dog and the children. He smiles. He thinks the dog is impressive. He calls the dog. + +"Rex, come here!" he says. "Good boy!" + +The dog comes to the man. He drops the ball. He wags his tail. The man picks up the ball and gives it to the children. + +"Sorry, he likes to play with balls," he says. "Do you want to play with him?" + +Anna and Ben look at each other. They nod. They are not angry and sad anymore. They are happy and friendly. + +"Sure, we want to play with him," Anna says. "He is a fun dog!" + +"Thank you for the ball," Ben says. "He is a smart dog!" + +They play with the dog and the man. They throw the ball and catch it. They have a good time. They learn to share and be kind. They make new friends. +Ben and Lily were playing in the woods. They liked to explore and find new things. They saw a hut made of sticks and leaves. It looked old and dark. + +"Let's go inside and see what's there," Ben said. He was brave and curious. + +"I don't know, Ben. It seems scary and dangerous," Lily said. She was anxious and careful. + +"Don't be afraid, Lily. It's just a hut. Maybe we can find some treasure or a secret," Ben said. He took Lily's hand and walked towards the hut. + +They opened the door and looked inside. It was dark and dusty. They saw some pots and pans, some blankets and some books. They also saw a big spider web and a mouse. + +"Wow, look at all this stuff. Maybe someone used to live here," Ben said. He picked up a book and opened it. + +"Ben, I don't like it here. It's too dark and creepy. Can we go back now?" Lily said. She saw the spider and the mouse and felt scared. + +"Okay, okay. Let's go back. But can I keep this book? It looks interesting," Ben said. He put the book in his backpack. + +They closed the door and ran back to the woods. They felt happy and safe. They decided to play something else and forget about the hut. +Lily and Ben were friends who liked to play at the park. One day, they saw a big goose near the pond. Lily wanted to feed the goose some bread, but Ben was scared of the goose. He said, "No, Lily, the goose is mean. It will bite us." + +Lily did not listen to Ben. She said, "Don't be silly, Ben. The goose is nice. It will like the bread. Come on, let's go closer." She took Ben's hand and walked towards the goose. + +The goose saw Lily and Ben and started to honk loudly. It flapped its wings and ran towards them. Lily and Ben were afraid and dropped the bread. They tried to run away, but the goose was faster. It caught up with them and pecked Ben's leg. Ben cried out in pain and fell down. + +Lily was sorry for Ben, but she was also embarrassed. She saw some other kids at the park who were laughing at them. She felt bad and wished she had listened to Ben. She said, "I'm sorry, Ben. I was wrong. The goose is mean. Are you okay?" + +Ben was not okay. He was hurt and angry. He said, "No, I'm not okay. You were silly, Lily. You made the goose chase us. You made me get bitten. You made me look stupid. I don't want to be your friend anymore." He got up and limped away, leaving Lily alone with the goose. + +Lily was sad and scared. She wanted to go after Ben, but the goose was still there. It was not patient. It wanted more bread. It honked and flapped and ran at Lily again. Lily screamed and ran away, but the goose followed her. She did not know what to do. She wished she had never seen the goose. She wished she had never come to the park. She wished she still had a friend. +Anna and Ben want to go to the zoo. They have tickets from their mom. They put on their shoes and coats. Anna can tie her shoes by herself. Ben cannot tie his shoes. He asks Anna for help. + +"Anna, can you tie my shoes?" Ben says. + +"OK, Ben. I will tie your shoes. But hurry up. We have to go soon." Anna says. + +Anna ties Ben's shoes. But she ties them too tight. Ben feels pain in his feet. He cries. + +"Ow, ow, ow! Anna, you hurt me! You tie my shoes too tight!" Ben says. + +Anna looks at Ben. She sees his tears. She feels sorry. She unties his shoes. She ties them again. She ties them gently. + +"I'm sorry, Ben. I didn't mean to hurt you. Is this better?" Anna says. + +Ben stops crying. He tries his shoes. They feel good. He smiles. + +"Thank you, Anna. This is better. You are a good sister." Ben says. + +Anna and Ben hug. They take their tickets. They go to the zoo. They see many animals. They have fun. +Lily and Max were twins who liked to play in the park. One day, they saw a large truck with many boxes on it. The truck stopped near the park and a man got out. He opened one of the boxes and took out a big red ball. + +"Wow, look at that ball!" Lily said. "Can we play with it?" + +"I don't know," Max said. "Maybe the man will be mad if we touch it." + +But Lily was curious and ran to the truck. She reached for the ball, but the man saw her and shouted. + +"Hey, stop! That's not yours!" + +Lily was scared and ran back to Max. The man followed her and looked angry. + +"Who are you? What are you doing here?" he asked. + +"We're sorry, mister," Max said. "We just wanted to see the ball. We live in this town. We're twins." + +The man paused and looked at them. He saw that they were small and had the same brown hair and eyes. He remembered that he had a twin sister who lived far away. He missed her a lot. + +He sighed and smiled. He picked up the ball and gave it to Lily. + +"Here, you can have it. It's a gift from me to you. But be careful, it's very bouncy." + +"Really? Thank you, mister!" Lily said. She hugged the ball and smiled. + +"Thank you, mister!" Max said. He hugged the man and smiled. + +The man felt happy and hugged them back. He told them his name was Sam and he was moving to a new town. He asked them if they wanted to help him unload the truck. They said yes and ran to the truck. + +They had fun playing with the other toys and helping Sam. They became friends and said goodbye when Sam left. They waved to him and his truck as he drove away. + +They went back to the park and played with the ball. They shared it with the other kids and had a good time. They were glad they met Sam and his ball. They hoped he would be happy in his new town. +Sara and Ben were twins who lived on a farm with their mom and dad. They liked to play with the animals and help with the chores. One day, they saw a big truck coming to the farm. It had a sign that said "Animal Rescue". + +"Who are they?" Sara asked. + +"I don't know. Let's go see," Ben said. + +They ran to the truck and saw some people getting out. They had cages and nets and ropes. They looked angry and mean. + +"Hey, kids, get out of the way. We're here to take these animals to a better place," one of them said. + +"No, you can't! They're our friends! They're happy here!" Sara shouted. + +"Too bad. They're ours now. Move or we'll make you," another one said. + +Sara and Ben felt fearful. They didn't want to lose their animals. They looked around and saw their dog, Spot, barking at the people. They also saw their dad coming out of the barn with a pitchfork. + +"Hey, what are you doing here? Get off my land!" their dad yelled. + +He ran towards the truck, but one of the people grabbed him and pushed him to the ground. Sara and Ben gasped. They wanted to help their dad, but they were too scared. + +Then, they heard a loud moo. They turned and saw their cow, Bessie, charging at the people. She was angry and strong. She knocked over the cages and the nets and the ropes. She freed the other animals and chased the people away. The truck drove off fast, leaving behind a mess. + +Sara and Ben cheered. They ran to their dad and hugged him. He was okay, but he had a bruise on his face. + +"Are you okay, dad?" Sara asked. + +"I'm fine, thanks to Bessie. She's a hero," their dad said. + +They looked at Bessie, who was licking her calf. She mooed softly and wagged her tail. + +"Thank you, Bessie," Ben said. + +They all smiled and petted Bessie. They were happy and safe on their farm. +Lily and Ben were playing in the park. They liked to run, slide and swing. They saw a big pond with many ducks. They wanted to feed the ducks with bread. + +They walked to the pond and threw some bread in the water. The ducks came closer and ate the bread. Lily and Ben were happy. They saw something else in the water. It was long and green and had many teeth. It was a crocodile! + +"Look, Ben, a crocodile!" Lily said. + +"Wow, a crocodile!" Ben said. "It is scary!" + +The crocodile saw the children and opened its mouth. It wanted to eat them. Lily and Ben were scared. They ran away from the pond. They saw a man with a big hat and a white coat. He was a zookeeper. + +"Help, help, there is a crocodile in the pond!" Lily and Ben said. + +The zookeeper looked at the pond and saw the crocodile. He was surprised. He said, "Oh no, that is not a crocodile, that is an alligator. It escaped from the zoo. I have to catch it and take it back." + +He took a rope and a net and went to the pond. He threw the net over the alligator and tied the rope around it. He pulled the alligator out of the water and put it in a big cage. He said, "Don't worry, children, the alligator is gone. You are safe now." + +Lily and Ben were relieved. They said, "Thank you, zookeeper, you are very brave." + +The zookeeper said, "You are welcome, children, you are very smart. You discovered the alligator before it could hurt anyone. But remember, never go near the pond again. It is dangerous." + +Lily and Ben nodded. They said, "We will remember, zookeeper. We will never go near the pond again. We will play somewhere else." + +They waved goodbye to the zookeeper and the alligator. They went to play on the slide and the swing. They had fun. They learned something new. They discovered the difference between a crocodile and an alligator. +Lily and Ben were twins who liked to play in the snow. One day, they made a big snowman in the yard. They gave him a hat, a scarf, and a carrot nose. They were very proud of their snowman. + +But then, a mean boy named Max came by. He saw the snowman and wanted to ruin it. He threw a snowball at the snowman's head and knocked off his hat. Lily and Ben were angry. They shouted at Max. + +"Stop it! That's our snowman! Go away!" Lily said. + +"No, I won't! I'll make him fall down!" Max said. He threw another snowball at the snowman's body and hit his scarf. + +Lily and Ben ran to the snowman and tried to protect him. They picked up some snow and threw it back at Max. Max dodged and threw more snow at them. They had a big snowball fight in the yard. + +But then, their mom came out of the house. She saw them fighting and was not happy. She called them to come inside. + +"Lily, Ben, Max, stop fighting right now! You need to get warm and have some hot cocoa. Come inside!" she said. + +The three kids stopped fighting and looked at their mom. They felt a little sorry for what they did. They followed her to the house. But as they walked, they did not see the icy patch on the hall. They slipped and fell down. They all laughed and helped each other up. They decided to be friends and share the hot cocoa. They also agreed to fix the snowman later. +Ben and Lily liked to play with their toy cars. They made them zoom on the floor, on the sofa, and on the table. They had fun making noises and pretending to race. + +One day, they saw a big rock in the garden. It was round and smooth and shiny. They thought it would be fun to make their cars zoom on the rock too. They ran outside with their cars and climbed on the rock. + +But the rock was not a good place to play with cars. The cars slid and bumped and fell off the rock. Ben and Lily got angry and sad. They blamed each other for losing their cars. They started to shout and cry. + +Mom heard the noise and came outside. She saw the rock and the cars and the children. She asked them what happened. Ben and Lily told her how they wanted to play on the rock, but it did not work. They said they were sorry for being mean to each other. + +Mom hugged them and said, "It's okay to try new things, but you have to be careful and respectful. The rock is not a toy, it is part of nature. It has its own beauty and purpose, but it is not for zooming cars. You have to find a better place to play with your cars, like the floor or the sofa or the table. And you have to share and be kind to each other, because you are brothers and sisters and you love each other." + +Ben and Lily nodded and said they understood. They apologized to the rock and thanked it for being there. They picked up their cars and went back inside. They decided to play on the floor, where they could zoom their cars safely and happily. They learned that being lazy and careless can cause trouble, but being smart and caring can make things better. +Ben and Mia are friends. They like to play with toys and listen to music. One day, they go to the park with their moms. They see a big slide and run to it. + +"Me first!" Ben says. He climbs up the ladder and slides down. "Whee!" + +"Me too!" Mia says. She follows him and slides down. "Yay!" + +They take turns sliding and laughing. They are having fun. But then, a chubby boy comes to the slide. He has a mean face and a loud voice. + +"Move!" he says. He pushes Ben and Mia away. He climbs up the ladder and seats on the slide. He does not slide down. He blocks the way. + +"Hey, that's not nice!" Ben says. He tries to climb up again, but the chubby boy kicks him. + +"Go away!" he says. He laughs and makes a rude noise. + +Mia is sad and angry. She wants to slide too. She sees a music box on a bench. It belongs to the chubby boy. She has an idea. + +She runs to the bench and grabs the music box. She turns it on and plays the music. It is a happy song. + +"Hey, that's mine!" the chubby boy says. He hears the music and sees Mia. He gets off the slide and runs to her. He tries to take the music box back. + +"No, it's mine now!" Mia says. She holds the music box tight. She runs away from him. + +Ben sees Mia and the music box. He smiles and joins her. They run around the park and play the music. They are having fun again. + +The chubby boy is mad and sad. He can't catch Mia and Ben. He can't slide or play music. He sits on the ground and cries. + +His mom sees him and comes to him. She hugs him and talks to him. She tells him to say sorry and share. She tells him to be nice and make friends. + +The chubby boy listens to his mom. He wipes his tears and nods. He walks to Mia and Ben. He says sorry and asks if he can play with them. + +Mia and Ben look at him. They see his sad face and hear his sorry voice. They think for a moment. They decide to give him a chance. + +They nod and smile. They give him the music box and invite him to slide. They say they can be friends. + +The chubby boy smiles and says thank you. He plays the music and slides with them. He is having fun too. + +They all play and listen to music. They are friends. They are happy. The end. +Ben and Lily were going to the zoo with their mom. They had to take the bus to get there. Ben liked the bus. He liked to look out the window and see the cars and the trees and the people. Lily did not like the bus. She thought it was too loud and too bumpy and too crowded. She worried that she would get sick on the bus. + +"Mom, I don't want to go on the bus," Lily said. "Can we walk to the zoo?" + +"No, sweetie, it's too far to walk. The bus will take us there faster and easier. Don't worry, you'll be fine. Just hold my hand and breathe slowly," Mom said. + +But Lily still worried. She closed her eyes and tried not to think about the bus. She hoped they would get to the zoo soon. + +The bus stopped at a red light. Ben saw a big truck next to them. The truck had a picture of a cow on it. Ben liked cows. He pointed at the truck and said, "Look, Lily, a cow!" + +Lily opened her eyes and looked at the truck. She saw the cow, but she also saw something else. The truck had a hole in the back. And out of the hole came a lot of brown stuff. It looked like mud, but it smelled very bad. It was cow poop! + +Lily screamed. "Ew, ew, ew! That's disgusting! Mom, make it go away!" + +Mom looked at the truck and saw the poop. She made a face and said, "Oh, yuck! That's gross! Don't look, kids, don't look!" + +But it was too late. Lily had seen enough. She felt her stomach turn and her mouth fill with spit. She leaned over and threw up on the floor of the bus. + +Ben saw Lily throw up and he felt sorry for her. He also felt a little sick himself. He said, "Lily, are you okay?" + +Lily nodded, but she was not okay. She was still worried. She worried that the bus would never get to the zoo. She worried that the poop truck would follow them. She worried that she would throw up again. + +She wished they had walked to the zoo. +Sam and Mia are friends. They like to play outside. Today, they see a big puddle of mud. It looks fun. + +"Let's play in the mud!" Sam says. + +"OK!" Mia says. + +They run to the puddle and jump in. They splash and laugh. They make mud pies and mud castles. They get very dirty. + +But then, they hear a voice. + +"Sam! Mia! Time to go home!" It is Sam's mom. + +"Oh no!" Sam says. "We are so dirty. Mom will be mad." + +"What can we do?" Mia says. + +They look around. They see a hose. They have an idea. + +"Let's wash ourselves with the hose!" Sam says. + +"That's easy!" Mia says. + +They run to the hose and turn it on. They spray each other with water. They wash off the mud. They are clean again. + +"Good job!" Sam says. + +"Good job!" Mia says. + +They smile and hug. They are happy. + +They decide to play in the mud again tomorrow. +Sara and Tom like to go to the harbor with their mom and dad. They see many boats and birds and people. Sara likes the big boats that make loud noises. Tom likes the small boats that go fast. They talk to each other about the boats and the birds and the people. + +One day, they see a new boat at the harbor. It is very big and shiny and colorful. It has many flags and windows and lights. Sara and Tom think it is the most attractive boat they have ever seen. They want to go closer and look at it. They ask their mom and dad if they can go. + +Their mom and dad say yes, but they have to be careful and stay with them. They walk to the new boat and see a man standing on it. He is wearing a white hat and a blue shirt. He smiles and waves at them. He says he is the captain of the boat and he invites them to come on board. He says he will show them around and talk to them about the boat. + +Sara and Tom are very happy and excited. They climb on the boat with their mom and dad and the captain. They see many things on the boat. They see a big wheel and a compass and a map. They see a kitchen and a bedroom and a bathroom. They see a radio and a TV and a computer. They see a lot of buttons and levers and switches. They talk to the captain and ask him many questions. He answers them and tells them stories about the boat and the sea. + +Sara and Tom have a lot of fun on the boat. They thank the captain for letting them visit. They say goodbye and go back to the harbor. They tell their mom and dad that it was the best day ever. They hope to see the attractive boat again. +Lily and Ben liked to play in the dark. They had a flashlight that made a bright light. They took turns to shine the flashlight on the walls and make funny shapes with their hands. They laughed and had fun. + +One night, they heard a loud noise outside. They were scared. They ran to the window and looked out. They saw a big truck with a big hook. The truck was coming to their house. They did not know why. + +They ran to their mom and dad and told them. Their mom and dad were angry. They said the truck was here to take their house away. They said they had no money to pay for the house. They said they had to leave now. + +Lily and Ben did not want to leave. They loved their house. They cried and hugged their mom and dad. They grabbed their flashlight and their favorite toys. They followed their mom and dad to the truck. + +The truck driver was mean. He said they had to hurry up. He said he had no time to waste. He threw their things in the back of the truck. He did not care if they broke. He shut the door of the truck with a loud bang. + +Lily and Ben felt sad. They looked at their house for the last time. They saw their flashlight on the floor. They had forgotten it. They wanted to get it. But it was too late. The truck drove away. They never saw their flashlight again. +Sara and Tom were playing in the park. They liked to go on the swings, the slide and the seesaw. But there was one thing they never tried: the big purple slide. It was very high and very fast. Sara and Tom were scared of it. + +One day, Sara said to Tom: "Do you dare to go on the big purple slide?" Tom said: "No, I do not dare. It is too high and too fast. Do you dare?" Sara said: "No, I do not dare either. But maybe we can try it together. We can hold hands and go down slowly." + +Sara and Tom walked to the big purple slide. They looked up and saw how high it was. They felt their hearts beat fast. They held hands and climbed the steps. They reached the top and sat on the slide. They looked down and saw how fast it was. They felt their breaths get short. They held hands tighter and said: "One, two, three, go!" + +Sara and Tom slid down the big purple slide. They felt the wind in their hair and the sun on their faces. They felt the thrill in their bellies and the joy in their voices. They screamed and laughed and smiled. They reached the bottom and jumped off the slide. They hugged each other and said: "We did it! We did it! We went on the big purple slide!" + +Sara and Tom were very happy and proud. They had tried something new and fun. They had faced their fear and overcome it. They had done it together. They looked at the big purple slide and said: "That was awesome! Can we do it again?" +Lily and Sam were at the beach with their mom and dad. They liked to play in the sand and look for shells. Sometimes they went into the water, but not too far, because the sea was huge and scary. + +One day, they saw a big boat on the sea. It had a sail and a flag and looked very pretty. Lily and Sam wanted to go on the boat and see what was inside. They asked their mom and dad if they could go. + +Mom and dad said no, the boat was too far and they did not know who was on it. They said it was not safe to go on a boat with strangers. Lily and Sam were sad and pouted. + +Mom and dad saw that they were sad and wanted to make them happy. They suggested a different game. They said they could pretend to be pirates and make a treasure map. They could use sticks and stones and shells to mark the spots where they hid their treasure. Then they could take turns to find it and say "Arrr!" and "Ahoy!" like pirates. + +Lily and Sam liked this idea. They thought it was fun and exciting. They forgot about the boat and started to make their map. They had a lot of fun playing pirates and finding treasure. They thanked their mom and dad for suggesting the game. They said they loved the beach and the sea. +Ben and Lily were playing with their toys in the living room. They had a lot of fun making noises and pretending to be animals. But then Ben saw something shiny under the sofa. He crawled over and pulled it out. It was a big red car with wheels and lights. + +"Wow, look what I found!" Ben said, holding the car. "This is mine now!" + +Lily frowned and ran over to him. She wanted the car too. She tried to grab it from Ben, but he held it tight. + +"No, it's mine! I found it first!" Ben said, pushing Lily away. + +They started to fight over the car. They pulled and tugged and shouted. They did not hear their mom coming into the room. + +"Hey, hey, what's going on here?" Mom said, looking at them. "Why are you fighting?" + +Ben and Lily stopped and looked at Mom. They felt ashamed and scared. They did not want to make Mom angry. + +"We found this car under the sofa, and we both want it," Ben said, showing Mom the car. + +Mom smiled and took the car from Ben. She turned it over and revealed a sticker on the bottom. It had a name and a date on it. + +"This car is not yours, Ben. It's not Lily's either. It's your uncle's car. He gave it to me when he was a little boy, like you. He asked me to keep it safe for him until he comes back to visit. Do you remember your uncle?" Mom said, holding the car. + +Ben and Lily nodded. They remembered their uncle. He was nice and funny. He played with them and gave them hugs. He lived far away, but he sometimes called them on the phone. + +"Your uncle loves you very much, and he would be sad if he knew you were fighting over his car. He would want you to share and play nicely. Can you do that?" Mom said, looking at them. + +Ben and Lily looked at each other. They felt sorry for fighting. They did not want to make their uncle sad. They nodded again. + +"Yes, Mom. We can share and play nicely," Ben said. + +"Me too, Mom. I'm sorry, Ben," Lily said. + +Mom smiled and gave them each a kiss. She handed them the car and told them to be careful with it. She said they could play with it until their uncle came back. Then they would have to give it back to him. + +Ben and Lily thanked Mom and hugged her. They took the car and went back to the living room. They decided to take turns driving the car and making noises. They had a lot of fun playing together. They did not fight anymore. They were fine. +Tom and Sam were brothers who liked to play with their toys. But they also liked to quarrel a lot. They always wanted the same toy and did not like to share. One day, they found a cord in their room. It was long and thin and had a plug at one end. They did not know what it was for, but they both wanted it. + +Tom said, "I saw it first, it is mine!" Sam said, "No, I saw it first, it is mine!" They pulled the cord from both ends and tried to take it from each other. They did not listen to their mom, who told them to stop and be nice. They did not care about anything else, only the cord. + +The cord was old and weak. It had a hole in it, where the wires were showing. The wires were shiny and weird. They looked like snakes. Tom and Sam did not see the hole, they only saw the cord. They pulled harder and harder, until the cord broke. The wires snapped and sparked. They touched Tom and Sam, who were holding the cord. They felt a big shock and a lot of pain. They screamed and dropped the cord. They fell to the floor and did not move. + +Their mom heard the scream and ran to their room. She saw the cord and the wires and the plug. She saw Tom and Sam on the floor, still and quiet. She was very scared and sad. She called for help, but it was too late. Tom and Sam were gone. They had quarreled too much and played with something they should not have. They had made a big mistake and paid a big price. The end. +Ben likes to fix things. He has a box of tools and he helps his dad fix the car, the bike and the lamp. He likes to use the hammer, the screwdriver and the tape. He feels happy when he fixes something that is broken. + +One day, Ben sees a big hole in the sky. He thinks it is a broken cloud. He wants to fix it. He gets his tools and a ladder. He puts the ladder on the grass and climbs up. He tries to reach the hole, but it is too high. He feels sad. + +Then he sees a plane flying in the sky. He thinks the plane is rich, because it can go so fast and so far. He waves at the plane and shouts, "Hello, plane! Can you help me fix the cloud?" The plane sees Ben and his tools. It flies closer and lowers a rope. Ben grabs the rope and the plane lifts him up. + +Ben is very excited. He feels like he is flying too. He reaches the hole and uses his tape to cover it. He thinks the cloud looks better now. He smiles and says, "Thank you, plane! You are very nice and very rich!" The plane honks and says, "You are welcome, Ben! You are very brave and very smart!" The plane lowers Ben back to the ground and flies away. + +Ben runs to his dad and tells him what he did. His dad hugs him and says, "I am very proud of you, Ben! You fixed the cloud!" Ben feels happy and proud. He looks at the sky and sees the cloud. He thinks it is the most beautiful cloud in the world. +Tom and Lily were playing in the park. They liked to run and jump and slide. They saw a big dog with a red ball in his mouth. The dog looked happy and friendly. + +"Let's follow the dog!" Tom said. "Maybe he will play with us." + +"OK!" Lily said. She liked dogs. She had a dog at home. His name was Spot. + +They ran after the dog. The dog ran too. He saw a squirrel and chased it. Tom and Lily chased the dog and the squirrel. They had fun. + +But then the dog stopped. He saw a man with a big coat and a hat. The man had a pocket on his coat. The dog smelled something in the pocket. He wanted to see what it was. + +The dog jumped on the man and put his nose in the pocket. The man was angry. He shouted at the dog. + +"Hey! Get off me, you mutt! That's my lunch!" + +The man pushed the dog away. He took out a sandwich from his pocket. He bit the sandwich. He made a face. He spit out the sandwich. + +"Yuck! This is bitter! What did you do to my sandwich, you stupid dog?" + +The dog looked confused. He did not do anything to the sandwich. He just smelled it. He did not like the sandwich either. It was bitter. + +Tom and Lily saw what happened. They felt sorry for the dog. They also felt scared of the man. He was mean and loud. + +"Come on, let's go," Tom said. He took Lily's hand. They ran away from the man and the dog. + +They found a bench and sat down. They hugged each other. They were glad they were safe. + +They decided not to follow dogs anymore. They decided to play with their own toys. They had a ball and a doll in their backpacks. They took them out and played with them. + +They were happy again. They forgot about the bitter sandwich and the angry man. They smiled and laughed. They were friends. +Anna likes to add things. She adds beads to make necklaces. She adds stickers to make cards. She adds blocks to make towers. She likes to see how many things she can add. + +One day, Anna hears a loud noise outside. She looks out the window and sees a parade. She sees people with drums and horns and flags. She sees cars with flowers and balloons. She sees animals with hats and ribbons. She thinks the parade is very pretty and fun. + +Anna wants to join the parade. She runs to her room and finds some things to add. She adds a scarf to her head. She adds a belt to her waist. She adds a spoon to her hand. She thinks she looks very fancy and ready. + +She runs outside and follows the parade. She waves her spoon and smiles. She sees other children with their own things to add. She sees a boy with a hat and a whistle. She sees a girl with a skirt and a tambourine. She thinks they look very happy and friendly. + +She makes new friends and they add their things together. They add their noises and their colors and their shapes. They make a big and loud and bright parade. They have a lot of fun and they feel very clear. They like to add things. +Tom and Sue were playing with their toys in the living room. They liked to make noise and have fun. But they did not like to clean up after themselves. They left their toys all over the floor and the sofa. + +Mom came in and saw the mess. She was not happy. She said, "Tom and Sue, you need to put away your toys. They are not safe here. You might trip on them or break them. And look at this cord. It is hanging from the lamp. Someone could pull it and make the lamp fall. That would be bad." + +Tom and Sue did not listen to Mom. They said, "We don't want to clean up. We want to play. The cord is not a problem. It is tough. It will not break. And the lamp is heavy. It will not fall." + +Mom said, "You are wrong. The cord is not tough. It is thin and weak. And the lamp is not heavy. It is light and fragile. If you pull the cord, the lamp will fall and smash. And you will get hurt. And I will be sad. Please, listen to me and clean up your toys. It is good to be tidy and careful." + +Tom and Sue still did not listen to Mom. They said, "No, no, no. We know better. You are silly. We will not clean up. We will play." And they ran away to their room. + +Mom sighed and shook her head. She decided to leave the mess for a while. She hoped Tom and Sue would learn their lesson. + +But they did not. They came back to the living room and saw the cord. They thought it was fun to pull it and swing it. They did not know that Mom had unplugged the lamp. They pulled the cord hard and the lamp fell. It smashed on the floor and made a loud noise. Tom and Sue were scared and hurt. They cried and called for Mom. + +Mom came and saw the broken lamp and the crying children. She was angry and sad. She said, "I told you to clean up your toys and not to pull the cord. But you did not listen to me. You were naughty and foolish. Now look what you have done. You have broken the lamp and hurt yourselves. And you have made a bigger mess. How do you feel?" + +Tom and Sue felt sorry and ashamed. They said, "We feel bad. We are sorry, Mom. We should have listened to you. You were right. The cord was not tough and the lamp was not heavy. We were wrong. We were silly. We will not do it again. Please, forgive us." + +Mom hugged Tom and Sue and said, "I forgive you, my children. But you need to learn from your mistake. You need to obey me and respect me. I love you and I want you to be safe and happy. And you need to clean up your toys and help me fix the lamp. It is good to be obedient and helpful." + +Tom and Sue nodded and said, "Yes, Mom. We love you too. We will do as you say. We will be good." And they cleaned up their toys and helped Mom fix the lamp. They learned their lesson and never pulled the cord again. +Lily and Ben are friends. They like to play in the park. One day, they see a big truck. The truck has many ice creams. The ice creams are cold and sweet. + +"Look, Ben, ice creams!" Lily says. "I want one. Do you want one?" + +"Yes, I do," Ben says. "But we have no money. We are poor. We cannot buy ice creams." + +Lily and Ben are sad. They watch the truck. The truck stops near a shop. A man gets out. He opens the freezer. He takes out some ice creams. He puts them in a box. He goes into the shop. + +"Maybe we can have some ice creams," Lily says. "The man is not here. The freezer is open. Let's go and see." + +Lily and Ben run to the truck. They look inside the freezer. They see many ice creams. They are happy. They take two ice creams. They run away. + +"Yay, we have ice creams!" Lily says. "They are cold and sweet. We are not poor. We are lucky." + +But then they hear a loud voice. It is the man. He is angry. He sees Lily and Ben. He runs after them. + +"Hey, you, stop!" the man says. "You stole my ice creams. Give them back. You are bad." + +Lily and Ben are scared. They drop their ice creams. They run faster. They go back to the park. They hide behind a tree. + +"That was not nice," Ben says. "We should not take things that are not ours. We are sorry." + +"Yes, we are sorry," Lily says. "We should not have ice creams. We should have manners." +A prince was in a big castle. He liked to play with his toys and books. He was very clever and knew many things. But he was also lonely. He had no friends to play with. + +One day, he saw a bird outside his window. The bird was red and yellow and blue. It was very pretty. The prince wanted to talk to the bird. He opened the window and said, "Hello, bird. Do you want to be my friend?" + +The bird flew to the window and said, "Hello, prince. I can be your friend. But you have to be kind and gentle. You cannot hurt me or trap me." + +The prince nodded and smiled. He said, "I will be kind and gentle. I will not hurt you or trap me. Come, let us play together." + +The bird agreed and flew into the castle. The prince and the bird played with the toys and books. They had fun and learned from each other. The prince was happy and the bird was happy. + +But there was a bad man in the castle. He was the prince's uncle. He wanted to be the king. He did not like the prince or the bird. He wanted to get rid of them. + +He saw the prince and the bird playing in the prince's room. He sneaked in and grabbed the bird. He said, "Ha, ha, ha. I have you now, you silly bird. You will not bother me or the prince anymore. I will snap your neck and throw you away." + +The prince heard the bad man and ran to him. He said, "No, no, no. Let go of my friend. He is not silly. He is clever and kind. You are bad and mean. You cannot snap his neck and throw him away." + +The bad man laughed and said, "You are too late, prince. You are too weak and foolish. You cannot stop me. I will snap his neck and throw him away. And then I will snap your neck and throw you away. And then I will be the king." + +The prince was scared and sad. He did not know what to do. He looked at his friend. The bird was scared and sad too. He looked at the prince. He saw a toy sword on the floor. He had an idea. + +He said to the prince, "Prince, listen to me. I have a plan. You have to be brave and quick. You have to grab the toy sword and hit the bad man. You have to make him let go of me. You can do it. You are clever and strong." + +The prince heard the bird and nodded. He said, "Okay, bird. I will try. I will be brave and quick. I will grab the toy sword and hit the bad man. I will make him let go of you. I can do it. I am clever and strong." + +The prince and the bird waited for the right moment. When the bad man was about to snap the bird's neck, the prince grabbed the toy sword and hit the bad man. The bad man was surprised and hurt. He let go of the bird and dropped him. The bird flew to the prince and hugged him. The prince hugged him back. + +The bad man was angry and scared. He said, "You little brats. You think you can beat me. You think you can save yourselves. You are wrong. I will get you. I will snap your necks and throw you away. I will be the king." + +He reached for the bird and the prince. But before he could touch them, the door opened. The king and the queen came in. They saw the bad man and the bird and the prince. They saw what was happening. They were shocked and angry. + +They said, "What are you doing, you wicked man. How dare you hurt our son and his friend. How dare you try to snap their necks and throw them away. How dare you try to be the king. You are not the king. You are a traitor and a coward. You will not get away with this. You will be punished." + +They called the guards and the guards came in. They grabbed the bad man and took him away. They said, "You are under arrest. You will go to the dungeon. You will stay there forever. You will never snap anyone's neck or throw anyone away. You will never be the king." + +The king and the queen hugged the prince and the bird. They said, "We are so sorry, our son and our friend. We are so glad you are safe and alive. We are so proud of you. You are very clever and brave. You saved each other and us. You are our heroes." + +The prince and the bird smiled and said, "Thank you, our father and our mother. We are happy you are here and well. We love you +Tom and Lily are friends. They like to play with toys and draw pictures. Today, they go to the park with their moms. They see a big slide and run to it. + +"Me first!" Tom says. He climbs up the ladder and slides down. + +"Me next!" Lily says. She follows Tom and slides down too. + +They do this many times. They have fun. But then, Tom wants to slide faster. He pushes Lily when she is on the ladder. + +"Hey!" Lily says. She falls down and hurts her knee. She cries. + +"Sorry, sorry!" Tom says. He sees Lily's knee is red. He feels bad. + +Lily's mom comes and hugs her. She puts a band-aid on her knee. + +"Are you okay, Lily?" she asks. + +Lily nods. She stops crying. She looks at Tom. He looks sad. + +"Tom, do you want to say something to Lily?" Tom's mom asks. + +Tom goes to Lily. He gives her a flower. + +"I'm sorry, Lily. I was mean. Can you forgive me?" he asks. + +Lily smiles. She takes the flower. + +"It's okay, Tom. I forgive you. You are still my friend." she says. + +They hug. They are cheerful again. + +"Can we play some more?" Tom asks. + +"Yes, let's play!" Lily says. + +They go to the swings and swing high. They laugh and talk. They have a good day. Their moms are happy too. They are proud of Tom and Lily. They are good friends. +Lily and Ben were friends who liked to play in the woods. They found a hut made of sticks and leaves. They wanted to make it their home. They looked for things to put in the hut. + +Lily found a red flower. She thought it was pretty. She put it in a cup and placed it on a rock. She said, "This is my display. It makes the hut look nice." + +Ben found a feather. He thought it was soft. He put it on a stick and stuck it in the ground. He said, "This is my display. It makes the hut look fun." + +They were happy with their displays. They went inside the hut and pretended to cook and sleep. They heard a noise outside. They peeked through the leaves and saw a tall man. He had a big beard and a hat. He was looking at their hut. + +He saw the flower and the feather. He smiled and said, "What a lovely display. Someone has been very creative." He knocked on the hut and said, "Hello, is anyone there?" + +Lily and Ben were scared. They did not know the man. They hid under a blanket and did not make a sound. They hoped he would go away. +Tom and Mia are twins. They like to play in their room. They have many toys and books on a big shelf. Mom and Dad say the shelf is important. They say it keeps the room tidy and safe. + +One day, Tom and Mia are bored. They want to have fun. They see the shelf. They think it looks like a mountain. They want to climb it. They pull and push the toys and books. They make a lot of noise. + +Mom and Dad hear the noise. They come to the room. They see the shelf. It is broken. The toys and books are everywhere. Some are torn and dirty. Mom and Dad are angry. They say, "What have you done? You have destroyed the shelf! It was important! You could have hurt yourself or each other! You have to clean up this mess!" + +Tom and Mia are sorry. They cry. They say, "We are sorry, Mom and Dad. We just wanted to play. We did not mean to destroy the shelf. We did not know it was important. We will clean up the mess. We will be careful next time." + +Mom and Dad hug Tom and Mia. They say, "We love you, Tom and Mia. We know you did not mean to destroy the shelf. But you have to learn to respect your things and your room. They are important. They are part of your home. You have to take care of them. And you have to listen to us. We want you to be safe and happy." + +Tom and Mia nod. They say, "We understand, Mom and Dad. We love you too. We will respect our things and our room. We will take care of them. And we will listen to you. We want to be safe and happy too." + +They help Mom and Dad clean up the mess. They put the toys and books in a box. Mom and Dad say they will buy a new shelf soon. They say they are proud of Tom and Mia for being honest and helpful. They say they can play with their toys and books again, but only on the floor or on the bed. They say they can also read them or make up stories with them. They say they have many ways to have fun without destroying anything. + +Tom and Mia smile. They say, "Thank you, Mom and Dad. You are the best. We have many ways to have fun without destroying anything. We will show you our stories later. We hope you like them." + +They hug Mom and Dad. They go to the floor and play with their toys and books. They are happy. They have learned a lesson. They have learned to respect their things and their room. They have learned to listen to their parents. They have learned to have fun without destroying anything. +Tom and Lily are friends. They like to go to the park and play on the swings. One day, they see a big sign that says "Fun Fair". They want to go and see the fun fair. + +"Look, Tom, there are rides and games and balloons!" Lily says. + +"Wow, let's go, Lily!" Tom says. + +They run to the fun fair. But there is a man at the gate. He stops them and says, "You need a ticket to enter the fun fair. Do you have a ticket?" + +Tom and Lily are confused. They do not know what a ticket is. They shake their heads. + +"Sorry, no ticket, no fun fair. Go away," the man says. + +Tom and Lily are sad and angry. They want to go to the fun fair. They do not understand why they need a ticket. + +"Let's sneak in, Lily. Maybe we can find a ticket inside," Tom says. + +"OK, Tom. But be careful," Lily says. + +They look around and see a hole in the fence. They crawl through the hole and enter the fun fair. They see many people and many things. They are excited and curious. + +They see a big wheel that goes round and round. They want to ride on the big wheel. They run to the big wheel. But there is another man there. He also asks them for a ticket. + +"Where is your ticket?" he says. + +Tom and Lily are confused again. They do not have a ticket. They try to run away. But the man grabs them and shouts, "Hey, you two, you are not supposed to be here. You are thieves. I will call the police." + +Tom and Lily are scared and sorry. They cry and beg, "Please, please, do not call the police. We just wanted to have fun. We did not know we needed a ticket." + +But the man does not listen. He calls the police. The police come and take Tom and Lily away. They are in big trouble. They wish they had a ticket. They wish they had stayed at the park. They wish they had never seen the fun fair. +Lily liked to teach her doll how to read. She had a big book with many pictures and words. She would point to a word and say it out loud. Then she would ask her doll to say it too. Sometimes her doll would say the word right, and Lily would clap and hug her. Sometimes her doll would say the word wrong, and Lily would frown and shake her head. + +One day, Lily's brother Tom came into her room. He saw Lily and her doll with the book. He laughed and said, "That's a silly game. Dolls can't read. They are dumb and boring. You should play with my cars. They are fast and fun." He grabbed the book from Lily and threw it on the floor. He reached for her doll and said, "Give me that doll. I will show you what I can do with it." + +Lily was scared and angry. She loved her doll and her book. She did not want Tom to take them or hurt them. She said, "No, Tom! Leave me and my doll alone. You are mean and rude. Go away!" She tried to pull her doll back, but Tom was stronger. He pulled harder and said, "No, Lily! You are silly and babyish. I will teach you a lesson. I will make your doll fly." He lifted the doll high in the air and swung it around. + +Lily screamed and cried. She knew what Tom was going to do. He was going to throw her doll out of the window. She had seen him do that to other toys before. He liked to break things and make a mess. He was a threat to her and her doll. She wished her mom or dad would come and stop him. But they were not home. They had gone to the store and left Tom in charge. He was supposed to look after Lily, but he did not care. + +Lily did not give up. She ran to the window and jumped on Tom. She bit his arm and scratched his face. She made him drop the doll. She caught the doll and hugged it tight. She said, "You are hurt, Tom. You are hurt because you are bad. You should not hurt me or my doll. You should say sorry and be nice." Tom was hurt and surprised. He did not expect Lily to fight back. He dropped the book and ran out of the room. He said, "Ow, ow, ow! You are crazy, Lily. You are crazy and mean. I hate you and your doll. I will get you later." He slammed the door behind him. + +Lily was sad and scared. She did not know what Tom would do later. She hoped he would forget and leave her alone. She picked up the book and put it on the bed. She looked at her doll and said, "Are you okay, doll? I am sorry Tom was mean to you. I love you and I will protect you. You are smart and sweet. You can read and you can fly. You are my best friend." She kissed her doll and smiled. She opened the book and said, "Let's read some more. I will teach you some new words." She pointed to a word and said it out loud. Then she asked her doll to say it too. +Lily was very happy today. It was her birthday and she had a big cake with candles. She saw a package on the table with a bow. She wondered what was inside. She asked her mom, "Can I open it now?" + +Mom smiled and said, "Yes, you can. But first, make a wish and blow the candles." Lily closed her eyes and wished for something fun. She blew the candles and everyone clapped. She ran to the package and tore the paper. She saw a box with a picture of a doll. She opened the box and took out the doll. She was very pretty and had a dress and shoes. + +Lily hugged the doll and said, "Thank you, mom. She is perfect. What is her name?" Mom said, "You can name her whatever you like. She is your new friend." Lily thought for a moment and said, "I will name her Rose. She looks like a rose." Mom said, "That is a lovely name. Do you want to play with her?" Lily nodded and said, "Yes, I do. Can we go to the park?" Mom said, "Sure, we can. Let me get your coat and hat. Are you ready?" Lily said, "Yes, I am ready. Come on, Rose. Let's go to the park." She held the doll in her arms and followed mom to the door. She was very happy and excited. She wondered what adventures she and Rose would have at the park. +Lila was a modest cat. She did not like to show off her fur or her tail. She liked to curl up in a warm spot and nap. She did not care for loud noises or big crowds. + +One day, Lila saw a shiny thing in the sky. It was round and bright and made her eyes hurt. She wondered what it was. She decided to follow it and see where it went. + +She ran across the grass and the road and the bridge. She did not notice the cars or the people or the dogs. She only saw the shiny thing. It moved slowly and changed colors. It was very pretty. + +She came to a big hill. She climbed up and up and up. She was tired and thirsty, but she wanted to reach the shiny thing. She thought maybe it was a friend for her. + +She got to the top of the hill. She saw the shiny thing was very far away. It was not a friend. It was the sun. It was too hot and too bright for her. She felt sad and silly. + +She turned around and saw her home. It was not far away. She saw her family. They were looking for her. They were worried. They saw her and waved. They were happy. + +Lila ran down the hill. She crossed the bridge and the road and the grass. She did not care for the sun anymore. She only wanted her family. They hugged her and kissed her and gave her water and food. They told her they loved her. + +Lila was a modest cat. She did not like to show off her fur or her tail. She liked to curl up in a warm spot and nap. She did not care for the sun or the sky. She only cared for her family. They were her shiny thing. +Ben and Mia liked to play in the park. They had a toy boat that they could sail in the pond. They took turns to push the boat and watch it go fast on the water. + +One day, they saw a big fence around the pond. There was a sign that said "No boats". Ben and Mia were sad. They wanted to sail their boat, but they could not. + +"Why is there a fence?" Mia asked. + +"I don't know. Maybe they are fixing the pond," Ben said. + +"Can we go over the fence?" Mia asked. + +"No, that is not safe. And the fence is too heavy to move," Ben said. + +They looked around and saw a small stream near the park. The stream had no fence and it was clear and shallow. + +"Look, Ben! We can sail our boat there!" Mia said. + +"Good idea, Mia! Let's go!" Ben said. + +They ran to the stream and put their boat in the water. They had fun sailing their boat and making waves. They forgot about the fence and the pond. They were happy. +Lily and Sam were best friends. They liked to play in the park and share their toys. One day, they saw a big tree with many leaves. They had a plan. They wanted to climb the tree and pretend they were angels. + +They took off their shoes and socks and started to climb. They were very careful and helped each other. They reached a high branch and sat on it. They felt happy and proud. They looked at the sky and the birds and the clouds. They spread their arms and said, "We are angels!" + +But then, they heard a loud voice. It was Lily's mom. She was angry and scared. She shouted, "Lily, Sam, what are you doing? Come down right now! That is very dangerous! You could fall and hurt yourself!" + +Lily and Sam felt sorry. They did not want to make Lily's mom angry and scared. They did not know it was dangerous. They thought it was fun. They climbed down slowly and carefully. They put on their shoes and socks and ran to Lily's mom. + +They hugged her and said, "We are sorry, mom. We did not mean to be bad. We had a plan. We wanted to be angels." + +Lily's mom hugged them back and said, "I know, my loves. But you are not angels. You are children. And children need to be safe and listen to their moms. I love you very much. But please, do not climb the tree again. OK?" + +Lily and Sam nodded and said, "OK, mom. We love you too. We are sorry." + +They smiled and held hands. They learned their lesson. They decided to play something else. They were still best friends. And they were still happy. +Anna and Ben like to play at the gym. They like to run, jump, and slide on the big mats. They also like to see the sun shine through the windows. It makes them happy and warm. + +One day, they see a new toy at the gym. It is a big ball that can shine different colors. It looks fun and pretty. Anna and Ben want to play with it. + +"Can we play with the ball, please?" they ask the teacher. + +"Sure, but be careful. The ball is not very dependable. It can break easily. And don't touch the button on the side. It can make the ball explode," the teacher says. + +Anna and Ben nod. They take the ball and roll it on the floor. They see the ball shine red, blue, green, and yellow. They laugh and clap. + +"Look, it's like a rainbow!" Anna says. + +"Let's make it shine more!" Ben says. + +He sees the button on the side of the ball. He wonders what it does. He thinks it will make the ball shine brighter. He pushes the button. + +The ball makes a loud noise. It explodes. Pieces of the ball fly everywhere. They hit Anna and Ben. They hurt them. They make them bleed. They make them cry. + +The teacher hears the noise. She runs to the gym. She sees the ball broken. She sees Anna and Ben hurt. She is scared and angry. + +"What did you do? I told you not to touch the button! You are very naughty! You could have killed yourselves!" she yells. + +She calls for help. She takes Anna and Ben to the hospital. They need stitches and bandages. They are in pain. They are sorry. They wish they had listened to the teacher. They wish they had not played with the ball. They wish they had not seen it shine. +Lily liked to play with her dolls. She had many dolls, but her favorite was Anna. Anna had a pink skirt and long hair. Lily liked to brush Anna's hair and dress her up. + +One day, Lily's brother Tom came into her room. He wanted to play with Lily. He saw Anna on the bed and grabbed her. He said, "This is my doll now. She is a pirate. Arrr!" + +Lily was angry. She said, "No, Tom! Give Anna back! She is not a pirate. She is my doll. You have your own toys. Go away!" + +But Tom did not listen. He ignored Lily and ran away with Anna. He laughed and said, "Too bad, Lily. Anna is mine now. She likes to sail the seas and fight with swords. She does not like skirts and hair." + +Lily chased Tom. She wanted Anna back. She cried and shouted, "Tom, stop! You are mean! Anna is not happy with you. She wants to be with me. Give her back!" + +Tom ran into the living room. He saw Mom on the couch. He said, "Look, Mom. I have a new doll. She is a pirate. She is cool." + +Mom looked at Tom and Anna. She saw Lily behind him. She saw Lily's tears and heard her words. She said, "Tom, that is not your doll. That is Lily's doll. You took her without asking. That is not nice. You have to give her back to Lily. Now." + +Tom did not want to give Anna back. He said, "But Mom, I like Anna. She is fun. Lily does not play with her right. She is boring." + +Mom said, "Tom, I don't care. Anna is Lily's doll. She loves her. You have to respect that. You have to share and be kind. You have to say sorry to Lily and give Anna back. Now." + +Tom saw Mom's face. He saw it was clear that she was serious. He knew he had to do what she said. He said, "Okay, Mom. I'm sorry, Lily. Here is Anna. You can have her back." + +Lily took Anna and hugged her. She said, "Thank you, Mom. Thank you, Tom. I forgive you. But please don't take Anna again. She is my friend. She likes to play with me. She likes her skirt and hair." + +Tom said, "Okay, Lily. I'm sorry. I won't take Anna again. Maybe we can play together sometime. With other toys. Not dolls." + +Lily said, "Okay, Tom. Maybe we can. But not now. Now I want to play with Anna. Alone." + +Tom said, "Okay, Lily. Have fun. Bye." + +Tom left the living room. Lily stayed on the couch with Anna. She smiled and said, "Don't worry, Anna. You are safe with me. I love you. You are my favorite doll." +Lily and Sam are friends. They like to play outside in the park. But today it is very cold. The wind blows hard and the sky is gray. + +"Let's go home, Lily," Sam says. "I am cold and hungry." + +"Me too," Lily says. "But I want to slide one more time." + +Lily runs to the slide. She does not see the big dog that is coming. The dog is black and brown. It has sharp teeth and loud bark. It wants to play, but it does not know how to be gentle. + +The dog sees Lily. It runs to her. It jumps on her. It grabs her jacket. It pulls hard. Lily falls down. She cries. + +"Help, help!" Lily shouts. "The dog has my jacket!" + +Sam hears Lily. He is scared, but he wants to help. He picks up a thin stick. He runs to the dog. He waves the stick. He yells at the dog. + +"Go away, go away!" Sam says. "Leave Lily alone!" + +The dog hears Sam. It lets go of Lily's jacket. It looks at Sam. It thinks Sam wants to play too. It runs to Sam. It tries to grab the stick. + +But Sam is smart. He throws the stick far away. The dog chases the stick. It forgets about Lily and Sam. + +Lily and Sam get up. They hug each other. They are happy they are safe. + +"Thank you, Sam," Lily says. "You are brave and kind." + +"You are welcome, Lily," Sam says. "You are my friend." + +They take their jackets. They run to their homes. They tell their moms and dads what happened. They have warm soup and bread. They are not cold and hungry anymore. They are glad they have each other. +Jill and Ben were twins who liked to play with blocks. They wanted to build a big tower, but they had a problem. They did not have enough blocks. They asked their mom if they could have more blocks, but she said no. She said they had to share and improve their tower with what they had. + +Jill and Ben were not happy. They started to argue and fight over the blocks. They pulled and pushed and yelled. They were very rude to each other. Their mom heard them and came to see what was wrong. She saw their messy tower and their angry faces. She was not pleased. + +She said, "Jill and Ben, you are not being nice. You are not working together. You are not improving your tower. You are making it worse. If you don't stop fighting, I will take away all your blocks. Do you understand?" + +Jill and Ben nodded, but they did not mean it. They waited until their mom left and then they continued to fight. They wanted to have the tallest tower, even if it was only by an inch. They did not care about their blocks or their tower. They only cared about winning. + +But they did not notice that their tower was getting weaker and weaker. It was leaning and wobbling. It was ready to fall. And then, with a loud crash, it did. All their blocks came tumbling down. Jill and Ben were shocked and scared. They looked at their broken tower and their scattered blocks. They felt sad and sorry. + +They realized that they had been foolish and selfish. They had wasted their blocks and their time. They had hurt their tower and their feelings. They wished they had listened to their mom and shared and improved their tower. They wished they had been kind and helpful to each other. + +They hugged and said, "I'm sorry. I love you. Let's try again." + +They picked up their blocks and started to build a new tower. They worked together and improved their tower with what they had. They made it strong and stable. They made it tall and beautiful. They were proud and happy. + +Their mom came back and saw their new tower and their smiling faces. She was very pleased. + +She said, "Jill and Ben, you are being very nice. You are working together. You have improved your tower. You have made it better. I am proud of you. You can have more blocks if you want." + +Jill and Ben thanked their mom and hugged her. They said, "We don't need more blocks. We have enough. We have each other." +Sam and Mia were playing in the sandbox. They had a big bucket and a small spoon. They wanted to make a cake with sand and water. + +"Let's stir the sand and water together," Sam said. He used the spoon to mix them in the bucket. + +"OK, but we need a hole to put the cake in," Mia said. She used her hands to dig a hole in the sand. + +They poured the sand and water mixture into the hole. It looked like a wet cake. + +"Yummy, our cake is ready," Sam said. He pretended to eat a slice. + +"Wait, we need to decorate it," Mia said. She looked around for something to put on the cake. She saw a red flower growing near the sandbox. + +She ran to the flower and tried to pick it. But the flower was stubborn. It did not want to leave its stem. + +"Come on, flower, you are so pretty. I want you for our cake," Mia said. She pulled harder on the flower. + +But the flower was persistent. It did not want to go with Mia. It held on to its stem. + +"Ouch, you are hurting me," the flower said. Mia was surprised. She did not know that flowers could talk. + +"Sorry, flower, I did not mean to hurt you. But why don't you want to come with me?" Mia asked. + +"Because this is my home. I like it here. I have sun and water and friends. If you take me away, I will die," the flower said. + +Mia felt sad. She did not want to make the flower die. She let go of the flower. + +"I'm sorry, flower. I did not know that. You can stay here. You are very brave and persistent," Mia said. + +"Thank you, Mia. You are very kind and gentle. You can visit me anytime. But please don't pick me," the flower said. + +Mia nodded. She ran back to the sandbox. She told Sam what the flower said. + +"Wow, that's amazing. I did not know that flowers could talk either. Maybe we can find something else to decorate our cake," Sam said. + +They looked around and saw some pebbles and shells. They picked some and put them on the cake. + +"There, our cake is beautiful. And we did not hurt anyone," Mia said. + +They smiled and hugged. They were happy with their cake. And the flower was happy too. +Tom and Lily were twins who liked to play outside. They had a big garden with many flowers and trees. They also had a small pond where they could see fish and frogs. + +One day, it rained a lot and the pond became bigger and bigger. It looked like a flood. Tom and Lily wanted to see the flood, so they put on their boots and coats and went outside. + +"Wow, look at the water!" Tom said. "It is so high and fast. Can we go near it?" + +"No, Tom, it is not safe," Lily said. "Mum and Dad told us to stay away from the flood. It can be dangerous. We can play somewhere else." + +But Tom was curious and independent. He did not listen to Lily. He walked closer to the flood and tried to touch it with his hand. He wanted to see how it felt and tasted. + +"Tom, come back!" Lily shouted. "You are too close to the flood. It can pull you in. Come back, please!" + +But Tom did not hear Lily. He leaned over the water and put his tongue out. He tasted the flood. It was cold and dirty and salty. He did not like it. He made a face and spat it out. + +Suddenly, he felt something tug on his leg. It was a big fish that had come out of the pond. It bit his boot and tried to drag him into the flood. Tom was scared and screamed. + +"Help, help! The fish is biting me! Help me, Lily!" + +Lily heard Tom and ran to him. She grabbed his hand and pulled him away from the flood. She was strong and brave. She saved Tom from the fish. + +"Are you okay, Tom?" Lily asked. "Did the fish hurt you?" + +Tom was shaking and crying. He hugged Lily and said, "I'm sorry, Lily. I was silly and naughty. I should have listened to you. The flood is bad and the fish is mean. I don't want to taste it again. Thank you for saving me, Lily. You are a good sister." + +Lily hugged Tom and said, "It's okay, Tom. I'm glad you are safe. You are a good brother. But next time, please listen to me and Mum and Dad. They know what is best for us. And don't taste the flood. It is yucky." + +Tom nodded and said, "I promise, Lily. I won't taste the flood again. Let's go inside and have some cookies. They are yummy." + +Lily smiled and said, "Yes, let's go. Cookies are much better than the flood." + +They held hands and went inside. They ate some cookies and drank some milk. They were happy and warm. They learned their lesson and never tasted the flood again. +Tom and Mia were twins who loved to play music. They had a piano in their living room that their mom and dad gave them. They liked to press the keys and make different sounds. Sometimes they sang along or danced to the music. + +One day, they heard a loud bang from the living room. They ran to see what happened. They saw that the piano had fallen over and some of the keys were broken. They felt sad and scared. + +"Who did this?" Tom asked. + +"I don't know," Mia said. "Maybe it was the cat. He likes to jump on the piano." + +They went closer to the piano and examined it. They saw that the cat was not there. They saw that some of the strings were loose and some of the wood was cracked. They tried to press some of the keys, but they did not make any sound. + +"Mama, Papa, help!" they shouted. + +Their mom and dad came to the living room and saw the mess. They hugged Tom and Mia and told them not to worry. + +"We're sorry, we didn't do it," Tom and Mia said. + +"We know, we know," their mom and dad said. "It was an accident. The piano was old and weak. It could not stand anymore. We will try to fix it or get a new one." + +"Can we still play music?" Tom and Mia asked. + +"Of course, you can," their mom and dad said. "You can use other instruments, like the guitar, the drum, or the flute. Or you can use your voice, your hands, or your feet. Music is everywhere. You just have to listen and enjoy." +Tom and Lily were playing in the park. They liked to pretend they were brave knights and princesses. They had a big stick for a sword and a shiny lid for a shield. + +Suddenly, they saw a big, hairy monster behind a tree. It had sharp teeth and red eyes. It growled and moved closer to them. + +"Help! A monster!" Lily screamed. She ran behind Tom and held his hand. + +Tom was scared, but he tried to be brave. He lifted his stick and his lid. He shouted at the monster. "Go away, monster! We are not afraid of you!" + +The monster laughed. It was not a real monster. It was their big brother, Sam. He had put on a furry coat and a mask. He liked to play tricks on Tom and Lily. + +"Ha ha ha! I got you, Tom and Lily! You are not brave knights and princesses. You are silly babies!" Sam said. He moved closer to them. + +Tom and Lily were angry. They did not like Sam's trick. They did not want to surrender to the monster. They had an idea. They used their flexible lid to throw it at Sam's face. It hit his mask and made him drop it. + +"Ow! That hurt!" Sam said. He rubbed his nose. + +Tom and Lily saw Sam's face. They recognized him. They smiled. + +"Ha ha ha! We got you, Sam! You are not a monster. You are a big, hairy brother!" Tom and Lily said. They ran to Sam and hugged him. + +Sam smiled too. He hugged them back. He was sorry for his trick. He liked to play with Tom and Lily. + +"OK, OK, you got me. You are brave knights and princesses. And I am a big, hairy brother. Can we play together?" Sam said. + +Tom and Lily nodded. They forgave Sam. They liked to play with him. + +They decided to play a new game. They pretended they were a team of superheroes. They had a big stick, a shiny lid, and a furry coat. They looked for more monsters in the park. +Sam was a boy who liked to work. He helped his dad with the sheep on the farm. He fed them, brushed them, and counted them every day. He was happy to work with the sheep. + +One day, a big dog came to the farm. The dog barked and ran after the sheep. The sheep were scared and ran away. Sam saw the dog and shouted, "Stop! Go away! You are bad!" But the dog did not listen. He chased the sheep to the fence. + +Sam ran to his dad and said, "Dad, dad, a big dog is chasing the sheep! We have to help them!" His dad grabbed a stick and followed Sam to the fence. He saw the dog and the sheep. He waved the stick and yelled, "Shoo! Shoo! Leave the sheep alone!" The dog saw the stick and the dad. He was afraid and ran away. + +Sam and his dad checked the sheep. They were fine. None of them was hurt. They were just shaken. Sam and his dad hugged the sheep and calmed them down. They thanked each other for working together and saving the sheep. + +The moral of the story is: Work is good and helps us take care of what we love. We should also work together and help each other when there is trouble. +Ben and Lily were twins who shared a room. They liked to play with their toys and read books before bed. But sometimes, they felt scared of the dark night. They heard strange noises and saw shadows on the wall. + +One night, Ben heard a loud thump under his bed. He gasped and hid under his blanket. He whispered to Lily, "Did you hear that? There is something under my bed!" + +Lily heard it too, but she was brave. She got out of her bed and walked to Ben's. She said, "Don't be afraid, Ben. It's probably just a toy or a shoe. I'll check for you." + +She bent down and looked under the bed. She saw a big teddy bear that had fallen from the shelf. She picked it up and smiled. She said, "See, Ben? It's just your teddy bear. He must have missed you and wanted to cuddle." + +She gave the teddy bear to Ben and squeezed it tight. Ben felt better and hugged his sister. He said, "Thank you, Lily. You are very brave and kind. I'm sorry I was scared." + +Lily said, "It's okay, Ben. Everyone gets scared sometimes. But we can always help each other and feel safe. That's what siblings do." + +They snuggled in their beds with their teddy bears and said good night. They slept peacefully and had sweet dreams. + +The moral value of the story is: courage, kindness, and sibling love. +An elderly farmer had a big cow. The cow gave him milk every day. The farmer was happy with the cow. + +One day, a bad man came to the farm. He saw the cow and wanted it. He said to the farmer, "Give me your cow. I demand it." + +The farmer said, "No, this is my cow. You cannot have it. Go away." + +The bad man was angry. He tried to take the cow by force. He pulled the cow's tail and pushed the farmer. + +The cow did not like the bad man. She mooed loudly and kicked him with her hooves. The bad man fell down and hurt himself. + +The farmer called for help. His dog and his neighbors came to the farm. They chased the bad man away. The farmer thanked them and hugged his cow. + +The cow and the farmer were safe and happy. They lived on the farm for a long time. +Tom and Sam were brothers. They liked to play outside. One day, they saw a big swamp near their house. It was smelly and muddy. They wanted to explore it. + +"Let's go to the swamp!" Tom said. "Maybe we can find frogs and snakes!" + +"No, Tom, it's too dangerous!" Sam said. "Mom and Dad told us not to go there. It's dirty and wet. We can get sick or hurt." + +But Tom did not listen. He ran to the swamp. He jumped in the water. He splashed and laughed. He did not care about Sam. + +"Tom, come back!" Sam shouted. "You are being silly and naughty! The swamp is not a good place to play!" + +But Tom did not hear him. He was having too much fun. He saw a big log. He wanted to climb on it. He managed to get on top of it. He felt proud and happy. + +But the log was not a log. It was a crocodile. It opened its mouth. It snapped at Tom. Tom screamed. He tried to get away. But it was too late. The crocodile bit him. It dragged him under the water. Tom was gone. + +Sam saw everything. He was scared and sad. He cried. He ran back to the house. He told Mom and Dad what happened. They were shocked and angry. They called the police and the ambulance. But they could not help Tom. Tom was dead. + +The end. +Ben and Lily were playing in the park. They saw a big tree with a rope hanging from it. The rope looked like fun. Ben wanted to swing on the rope. + +"Can I try?" Ben asked Lily. + +"Okay, but be careful," Lily said. "The rope is high and the ground is hard." + +Ben ran to the rope and grabbed it. He swung back and forth, feeling happy. He went higher and higher. He did not see the branch above him. + +"Ben, watch out!" Lily shouted. "There is a branch!" + +But it was too late. Ben hit his head on the branch. He let go of the rope and fell to the ground. He did not move. + +Lily ran to Ben and cried. She tried to wake him up, but he did not open his eyes. She was scared. She did not know what to do. + +She wished she had prevented Ben from swinging on the rope. She wished they had played something else. She wished Ben was okay. But he was not. +Tim and Lily are playing with a toy train. They like to make the train go fast and slow on the tracks. They have a cord that can increase or decrease the speed of the train. Tim holds the cord and Lily watches the train. + +"Can I hold the cord, Tim?" Lily asks. "I want to make the train go fast and slow too." + +"OK, Lily, but be careful. Don't pull the cord too hard or the train will fall off the tracks," Tim says. He gives the cord to Lily and lets her control the train. + +Lily is happy. She makes the train go fast and slow. She likes to see the train zoom and stop. She pulls the cord a little bit to increase the speed of the train. She thinks it is fun. + +But then she pulls the cord too much. The train goes too fast and flies off the tracks. It crashes on the floor and breaks into pieces. Lily is scared and sad. She looks at Tim and sees that he is angry and sad too. + +"I'm sorry, Tim. I didn't mean to break the train. I was just having fun. Please don't be mad at me," Lily says. She starts to cry. + +Tim is mad, but he is also honest. He knows that Lily didn't do it on purpose. He also knows that he likes Lily and he doesn't want to hurt her feelings. He takes a deep breath and tries to calm down. + +"It's OK, Lily. I'm not mad at you. I know you were just having fun. But you have to be more careful next time. The train was my favorite toy and now it's broken. Maybe we can fix it together," Tim says. He hugs Lily and wipes her tears. + +Lily hugs Tim back and smiles. She is glad that Tim is honest and kind. She says sorry again and thanks him for being her friend. They go to find some glue and tape to fix the train. They hope that the train will work again and they can play with it some more. +Tom and Sam were brothers. They liked to play in the woods near their house. One day, they found a big axe in a pile of leaves. Tom wanted to take it home, but Sam said no. + +"It is not ours. We should leave it here. Mom and Dad will be mad if they see it," Sam said. + +"But I want it. It is shiny and sharp. I can chop things with it," Tom said. He was spoiled and always got what he wanted. + +He grabbed the axe and ran away. Sam followed him, trying to stop him. Tom ran too fast and did not see the big rock in his way. He tripped and fell. He dropped the axe and it hit his foot. He screamed in pain. + +"Ow, ow, ow! It hurts, it hurts!" Tom cried. + +Sam ran to him and saw the blood. He was scared and sorry for his brother. He took off his shirt and wrapped it around Tom's foot. He helped him get up and walk back to the house. + +"Mom, Dad, help! Tom is hurt!" Sam shouted. + +Mom and Dad came out and saw Tom's foot. They were shocked and worried. They took him to the car and drove to the doctor. Sam went with them. He held Tom's hand and said he was sorry. + +"It is okay, Sam. You were right. I was bad. I should have listened to you. The axe was not a toy. It was dangerous," Tom said. + +Sam hugged him and said he loved him. Tom said he loved him too. They learned a lesson that day. They never played with axes again. +Lily likes to play with her dolls. She has many dolls, but her favorite is Anna. Anna has long hair and a blue dress. Lily likes to lead Anna and her other dolls in games and stories. She makes Anna the model for the other dolls. She tells them what to do and how to act. + +One day, Lily's mom gives her a new doll. The new doll is Elsa. Elsa has blonde hair and a white dress. She can sing and talk. Lily is very happy and grateful. She thanks her mom and hugs Elsa. She wants to play with Elsa and Anna together. + +But Elsa does not want to play with Anna. Elsa says she is the queen and she does not need a model. She says she can lead the other dolls by herself. She says Anna is boring and old. Lily is sad and angry. She does not like Elsa's words. She loves Anna and she does not want to hurt her. + +Lily decides to teach Elsa a lesson. She takes Elsa and Anna to the garden. She puts Elsa on a high branch of a tree. She says Elsa can be the queen of the tree and lead the birds and the bugs. She says Anna will be the model for the other dolls in the house. She says Elsa can sing and talk to herself. + +Elsa is scared and lonely. She does not like the tree. She does not like the birds and the bugs. She wants to play with Lily and the other dolls. She says she is sorry and she asks Lily to help her. Lily hears Elsa's voice and feels sorry for her. She climbs the tree and gets Elsa. She says Elsa can play with them if she is nice and kind. She says Anna can be her friend and her model. Elsa agrees and says thank you. Lily is happy and grateful. She leads Elsa and Anna back to the house. They play together and have fun. +Ben liked to spend time with his dad. His dad worked in an office with many people and computers. Sometimes, Ben went to the office with his dad and played with the toys and books there. + +One day, Ben and his dad went to the office together. Ben saw a big red ball on a desk. He wanted to play with it. He asked his dad, "Can I have the ball, please?" + +His dad said, "No, Ben. That ball is not yours. It belongs to someone else. You can play with the other toys and books." + +Ben was sad and angry. He did not like the other toys and books. He wanted the ball. He waited until his dad was busy talking to someone. Then, he ran to the desk and grabbed the ball. + +He heard a loud voice behind him. It was a lady. She worked in the office too. She said, "Hey, kid! That's my ball! Give it back to me!" + +Ben was scared. He did not want to give the ball back. He held it tight and ran away. He bumped into his dad. His dad saw the ball and the lady. He said, "Ben, what are you doing? That's not your ball. You have to say sorry and give it back." + +Ben felt ashamed. He knew he did something wrong. He said sorry to the lady and gave her the ball. The lady smiled and said, "It's okay. I know you like the ball. But you have to ask before you take something. Next time, you can ask me and maybe I will let you play with it if I'm not using it." + +Ben nodded. He learned his lesson. He hugged his dad and said, "I'm sorry, dad. I won't do it again. Can we go home now?" + +His dad said, "Yes, Ben. We can go home now. I'm proud of you for saying sorry and giving the ball back. You are a good boy." + +They left the office and went home. Ben was happy to spend time with his dad. He did not need the ball anymore. He had his dad and his own toys and books. He played with them and had fun. +Tom and Lily were playing in the garden. They had a big ball and a small car. They liked to share their toys and have fun. But then the sky became dark and the wind became loud. It was a storm! + +They ran inside the house and closed the door. They were scared of the storm. They heard the rain and the thunder. They hugged each other and waited for the storm to go away. + +But then Tom saw the ball and the car outside. They were wet and dirty. He was angry. He said to Lily, "You forgot our toys! You are a bad sister!" He pushed her away and took his teddy bear. + +Lily was sad. She said, "I'm sorry, Tom. I didn't mean to forget. I was afraid of the storm. Please don't be mad at me." She tried to hug him, but he turned away. + +Then their mom came and saw them. She said, "What's wrong, my loves? Why are you not happy?" She listened to their story and said, "The storm is over now. The sun is shining. You can go back to the garden and play. But first, you need to forgive each other. Forgiving is when you say sorry and hug and smile. Forgiving is when you love each other no matter what. Can you forgive each other?" + +Tom and Lily looked at each other. They felt sorry for being mean. They said sorry and hugged and smiled. They forgave each other. They said, "We love you, mom. We love each other too." They went back to the garden and played. They found their ball and their car. They were still wet and dirty, but they didn't mind. They had fun. They also found some apples on the tree. They picked them and ate them. They were delicious. They were happy. +Anna and Ben are friends. They like to play in the kitchen. They find a big bowl and a spoon. They want to make a cake. + +"What do we need to make a cake?" Anna asks. + +"We need flour, eggs, milk, and sugar," Ben says. + +They look for the ingredients in the cupboard and the fridge. They put them in the bowl. They are ready to mix. + +"Mix, mix, mix!" they chant as they stir the bowl with the spoon. The batter is sticky and lumpy. They think it looks yummy. + +They hear a knock on the door. It is Grandma. She comes to visit. + +"Hello, Anna and Ben. What are you doing?" Grandma asks. + +"We are making a cake, Grandma. Do you want some?" Anna says. + +Grandma smiles. She sees the mess in the kitchen. She sees the bowl and the spoon. + +"That is very nice of you, but I think your cake needs some more work. Can I help you?" Grandma says. + +"Yes, please, Grandma. You are very wise. You know how to make a cake," Ben says. + +Grandma helps them to add some more flour, some baking powder, some butter, and some vanilla. She helps them to mix the batter until it is smooth and fluffy. She helps them to pour the batter into a cake pan. She helps them to put the cake pan in the oven. + +"Thank you, Grandma. You are the best," Anna and Ben say. + +"You are very welcome, Anna and Ben. You are very fun. I love to play with you," Grandma says. + +They hug Grandma. They wait for the cake to bake. They smell the cake. It smells delicious. They are happy. They have fun. They learn to mix. +Lily was sleeping in her bed. She had a photo of her family on the nightstand. She loved her family very much. She liked to look at the photo before she went to sleep and when she woke up. + +One morning, she heard a loud noise outside. She opened her eyes and saw a big truck. The truck was filthy. It had mud and dirt all over it. It was making a lot of smoke and noise. Lily was scared. She grabbed her photo and hugged it. + +She ran to her mom and dad's room. She knocked on the door. "Mom, Dad, wake up! There is a scary truck outside!" she cried. + +Her mom and dad opened the door. They saw Lily holding her photo. They saw the truck outside. They were not scared. They smiled and hugged Lily. + +"Don't worry, Lily. That is not a scary truck. That is a garbage truck. It comes every week to take away the trash. It is a good truck. It helps keep our street clean," her mom explained. + +"Really?" Lily asked. She looked at the photo. She saw her family smiling. She felt better. + +"Yes, really. Come on, let's go have some breakfast. Then we can go outside and play. Maybe we can even wave to the garbage truck driver and say thank you," her dad said. + +Lily nodded. She put her photo back on the nightstand. She followed her mom and dad to the kitchen. She was not scared anymore. She was hungry and happy. +Sara loves to play with her model cars. She has many cars of different colors and sizes. She likes to make them zoom and crash on the floor. She pretends they are racing or having adventures. + +One day, she finds a new car in her toy box. It is a shiny red fire truck with a ladder and a siren. She is very happy and excited. She says, "Wow, look at this! A fire truck! I can rescue people with this!" + +She takes the fire truck and starts to play with it. She makes it go fast and loud. She says, "Wee-oo, wee-oo, fire truck coming! There is a fire in the house! We have to save the cat!" + +She puts a stuffed cat on a high shelf and pretends it is trapped by the fire. She tries to reach it with the ladder, but it is too short. She says, "Oh no, the ladder is not long enough! How can I rescue the cat?" + +She looks around and sees her big brother Tom. He is reading a book on the couch. She runs to him and says, "Tom, Tom, help me! The cat is in danger! I need your help!" + +Tom looks at her and smiles. He is a gentle and kind brother. He says, "OK, Sara, I will help you. What do you need?" + +Sara says, "I need you to lift me up so I can use the fire truck ladder. Please, hurry!" + +Tom puts down his book and lifts Sara up. He holds her steady as she extends the ladder and reaches for the cat. She grabs the cat and says, "I got it, I got it! I rescued the cat!" + +She hugs the cat and the fire truck. She says, "Thank you, Tom, you are the best brother ever!" + +Tom says, "You're welcome, Sara, you are a brave fire truck driver. I'm proud of you." + +They both laugh and hug. They play with the model cars and the cat for a long time. They have a lot of fun. +Lily and Ben are friends. They like to play in the park. They like to taste ice cream and swing on the swings. One day, they go to the park with their moms. + +"Look, Lily, there is a new swing!" Ben says. He runs to the swing. It is big and red. He sits on the swing and pushes with his feet. He goes high and fast. He laughs. + +"Can I try, Ben?" Lily asks. She likes the swing too. She walks to the swing. But Ben does not stop. He swings and swings. He does not share. + +"No, Lily, this is my swing!" Ben says. He swings higher and faster. He does not look at Lily. He is not nice. + +Lily is sad. She wants to swing too. She looks around. She sees a big pile of leaves. The leaves are yellow and brown and orange. They look fun. She runs to the pile of leaves. She jumps in the pile of leaves. She makes a big mess. She laughs. + +"Wow, Lily, that looks fun!" Ben says. He stops swinging. He sees the pile of leaves. He sees Lily. He wants to play too. He jumps off the swing. He runs to the pile of leaves. He jumps in the pile of leaves. He makes a bigger mess. He laughs. + +"Can I play with you, Lily?" Ben asks. He is sorry. He wants to be nice. + +"Sure, Ben, you can play with me!" Lily says. She is happy. She likes Ben. She shares. + +They play in the pile of leaves. They throw leaves in the air. They make leaf hats and leaf crowns. They taste the leaves. They are bitter and crunchy. They make faces. They laugh. + +Their moms come to the pile of leaves. They see Lily and Ben. They see the mess. They shake their heads. They smile. + +"Time to go home, kids!" their moms say. "You need a bath!" + +Lily and Ben get out of the pile of leaves. They are messy. They have leaves in their hair and on their clothes. They hold hands. They walk to their moms. + +"Bye, Lily, see you tomorrow!" Ben says. + +"Bye, Ben, see you tomorrow!" Lily says. + +They hug. They are friends. They like to play in the park. They like to taste ice cream and swing on the swings. And they like to make a mess. +Tim and Lily were best friends. They liked to play in the park every day. Yesterday, they saw a big box near the slide. They wondered what was inside. + +"Let's open it!" Tim said. + +"Maybe it's a toy or a cake!" Lily said. + +They ran to the box and lifted the lid. Inside, they saw a small, furry animal. It had long ears, a fluffy tail and big teeth. It looked at them and made a noise. + +"A bunny!" Lily said. "It's so cute and harmless!" + +Tim reached out to touch it. But the bunny did not like that. It bit Tim's finger hard. Tim screamed and let go of the lid. The lid fell down and closed the box. + +"Ow, ow, ow!" Tim cried. "It hurt me!" + +Lily ran to Tim and hugged him. She saw blood on his finger. + +"I'm sorry, Tim!" Lily said. "I didn't know it was a bad bunny!" + +They ran to the bench where their moms were sitting. They told them what happened. Their moms took them to the nurse. The nurse cleaned Tim's finger and put a band-aid on it. + +"It's okay, Tim," the nurse said. "The bunny was scared. It didn't mean to hurt you. But you should always be careful with animals you don't know." + +Tim nodded. He felt better. He looked at Lily and smiled. + +"Can we still be friends?" he asked. + +"Of course!" Lily said. "You're my best friend!" + +They hugged and went back to the park. They decided to play on the swings instead of the slide. They never opened the box again. +Sam and Ben are playing with their toy rockets. They have a big box full of missiles that they can attach to their rockets. Sam likes to make his rocket very fast and loud. Ben likes to make his rocket very colorful and shiny. + +One day, they find a new missile in the box. It is very big and red, with a yellow tip. Sam and Ben both want to use it for their rocket. They argue and pull the missile from each other. + +"Mine!" Sam says. "It will make my rocket go zoom!" + +"No, mine!" Ben says. "It will make my rocket look pretty!" + +They tug and tug, but the missile does not fit on either of their rockets. It is too big and heavy. They get angry and frustrated. They throw the missile on the floor. + +Suddenly, they hear a loud beep. The missile starts to flash and shake. Sam and Ben are scared. They think the missile is going to explode. + +"Run!" Sam says. + +"Help!" Ben says. + +They run away from the missile and hide behind the couch. They are very alert and nervous. They wait for the boom. + +But there is no boom. The missile stops beeping and flashing. It is quiet and still. Sam and Ben peek from behind the couch. They see their mom holding the missile. She is smiling and shaking her head. + +"Boys, this is not a toy missile. This is a remote control for the TV. You must have pressed the buttons by accident. It is not dangerous, but it does not belong in your box. Where did you find it?" + +Sam and Ben look at each other. They feel silly and ashamed. They say sorry to their mom and to each other. They put the remote control back where it belongs. They decide to share their toy missiles and play nicely. They learn their lesson. +Anna and Ben are twins. They live on a farm with their mom and dad. They like to play with the animals and help with the chores. Sometimes they get bored and look for new things to do. + +One day, they find a big rock near the barn. It is not like the other rocks. It is shiny and has many colors. Anna and Ben think it is unique. They want to keep it and show it to their mom and dad. + +"Look, Ben, this rock is so pretty!" Anna says. "Can we take it home?" + +"Sure, Anna, let's go!" Ben says. They pick up the rock and carry it to the house. It is heavy and hard, but they are strong and happy. + +Mom and dad are in the kitchen. They see Anna and Ben coming with the rock. They are surprised and curious. + +"Wow, what do you have there, kids?" mom asks. + +"It's a rock, mom, a unique rock!" Anna says. "We found it near the barn. Can we keep it?" + +"It's a rock, dad, a shiny rock!" Ben says. "It has many colors. Can we show it to you?" + +Mom and dad smile and nod. They take the rock and look at it closely. They see that it is not a normal rock. It is a geode, a rock with crystals inside. They explain to Anna and Ben what a geode is and how it is formed. They tell them that it is a rare and special rock. + +Anna and Ben are amazed and proud. They have found a unique rock on their farm. They thank mom and dad for teaching them something new. They decide to put the rock in their room and share it with their friends. They hug mom and dad and each other. They love their farm and their family. +Tim and Mia like to play music. Tim has a guitar and Mia has a microphone. They pretend to be rock stars and sing songs. Mia likes to sing very loud. She thinks it is fun. + +One day, they play music in the park. They see a big dog. The dog is brown and furry. The dog likes music too. He comes to Tim and Mia and wags his tail. He wants to play with them. + +"Hello, doggy!" Mia says. "Do you want to sing with us?" + +The dog barks. He takes the microphone from Mia. He runs away with it. Mia is sad. She wants her microphone back. + +"Come back, doggy!" Tim says. "That is not your microphone. That is Mia's microphone." + +Tim and Mia chase the dog. The dog is fast. He leads them to a big tree. He puts the microphone under the tree. He looks at Tim and Mia and wags his tail again. + +"Good doggy!" Mia says. "Thank you for giving back my microphone." + +Mia takes the microphone from under the tree. She hugs the dog. The dog licks her face. He is happy. + +"Can we be your friends, doggy?" Tim says. "You are a good doggy." + +The dog barks. He nods his head. He likes Tim and Mia. They are nice. + +Tim and Mia play music with the dog. The dog sings with them. He sings very loud. He thinks it is fun. They have a lot of fun together. They are happy. +Anna and Ben are twins. They like to play with their toys in the evening, when the sun is light. But they do not like to share their toys. They want to have their own toys. + +One day, their mom and dad give them a big surprise. They receive a new toy each. Anna receives a doll with a pink dress. Ben receives a car with four wheels. They are very happy and thank their mom and dad. + +But soon, they start to fight over the new toys. Anna wants to play with the car, and Ben wants to play with the doll. They pull and tug and shout at each other. They do not listen to their mom and dad, who tell them to be nice and share. + +The sun goes down and the evening gets dark. Anna and Ben are still fighting. They are not happy. They are angry and sad. They do not have fun with their new toys. + +Then, they hear a loud noise outside. They look out the window and see a big firework show. They see bright colors and shapes in the sky. They hear booms and pops and crackles. They are amazed and excited. They forget about their fight and run to their mom and dad. They hug them and say sorry. They agree to share their new toys and play together. They watch the firework show and smile. They are happy. They have fun. The end. +Lily liked to climb. She climbed on chairs, on tables, on beds, on trees. She was very good at climbing. But one day, she climbed too high. She climbed on the roof of her house. She wanted to see the sky and the birds. + +But the roof was broken. It had a big hole. Lily did not see the hole. She stepped on it and fell down. She screamed. Her family heard her scream. They ran outside. They saw Lily on the ground. She was hurt. She had blood on her arm and her leg. + +Her family was scared. They picked her up and hugged her. They said, "Lily, Lily, are you okay? We love you. You are brave. But you should not climb on the roof. It is dangerous. It is broken. You could have died." + +Lily cried. She said, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I wanted to see the sky and the birds. I did not know the roof was broken. It hurt. It hurt a lot. I love you too. Please don't be mad at me." + +Her family was not mad at her. They were happy she was alive. They took her to the doctor. The doctor gave her a bandage and a sticker. He said, "Lily, you are lucky. You only have some cuts and bruises. They will heal soon. But you have to be careful. You have to listen to your family. They know what is best for you. They want you to be safe and happy." + +Lily nodded. She said, "I will. I will listen to my family. I will be careful. I will not climb on the roof again. I will climb on other things. Like the slide and the swing and the monkey bars. They are fun and not broken." + +Her family smiled. They said, "That's good, Lily. That's very good. We are proud of you. You are a good climber. But you are also a good listener. And a good daughter. And a good sister. And a good friend. You are part of our family. And we love you very much." +Lila and Tom were playing in the garden. They liked to run, jump and hide behind the trees. They also liked to look for bugs and flowers. They were having fun. + +"Look, Lila, I found a ladybug!" Tom said, holding a red and black bug in his hand. + +"Wow, Tom, it is lovely!" Lila said, leaning closer to see. "Can I hold it?" + +"OK, but be gentle. It is very small and soft." Tom said, giving the bug to Lila. + +Lila held the bug in her hand and smiled. She felt it tickle her palm. She wanted to show it to Mom. + +"Let's go inside and show Mom our ladybug." Lila said, holding Tom's hand. + +"OK, but we have to be quiet. Mom is taking a nap." Tom said, nodding. + +They walked to the house and opened the door. They tiptoed to Mom's room and peeked inside. They saw Mom sleeping on the mattress. She looked peaceful and happy. + +"Shh, Lila, don't wake Mom up." Tom whispered. + +"I won't, Tom. Look, Mom is sleeping on the mattress. It looks cozy and soft." Lila whispered. + +They decided to leave Mom alone and go to their own room. They entered their room and closed the door. They put the ladybug on their window sill and watched it crawl. They felt happy and sleepy. + +"Tom, can we take a nap too?" Lila asked. + +"Sure, Lila, let's take a nap. We can play more later." Tom said. + +They climbed on their mattress and snuggled under the blanket. They closed their eyes and fell asleep. They dreamed of lovely bugs and flowers. +Sara and Ben are brother and sister. They like to play in the park. Sara has long hair and Ben has short hair. They have a ball and a kite. + +One day, they go to the park with their mom. Sara wants to fly the kite. Ben wants to kick the ball. They run to different places. Mom sits on a bench and watches them. + +Sara tries to fly the kite, but the wind is too strong. The kite flies away from her hand. She runs after it, but she cannot catch it. She sees the kite in a tree. She is sad and scared. She shouts, "Mom, help! My kite is in the tree!" + +Ben hears Sara shout. He stops kicking the ball and looks for her. He sees her under the tree. He runs to her and hugs her. He says, "Don't worry, Sara. I will get your kite. I can climb the tree." + +Ben climbs the tree. He is brave and strong. He reaches the kite and untangles it. He throws it down to Sara. She catches it and smiles. She says, "Thank you, Ben. You are a good brother." + +Mom sees Ben and Sara. She is proud and happy. She calls them, "Come here, my sweeties. Let's have a picnic. I have juice and cookies for you." + +Ben and Sara run to mom. They share the juice and cookies. They tell mom about their adventure. They hug and kiss mom. They say, "We love you, mom. You are the best." +Lily and Ben like to play outside. They run and jump and laugh. They see a big cloud in the sky. The cloud is white and fluffy. It looks like a sheep. + +Lily and Ben want to touch the cloud. They think it will feel soft and warm. They jump up and down and try to reach the cloud. But the cloud is too high. They cannot touch it. + +Lily and Ben feel sad. They want to play with the cloud. They sit on the grass and look at the cloud. The cloud changes shape. It looks like a duck. Then it looks like a hat. Then it looks like a star. + +Lily and Ben feel happy. They laugh and clap. The cloud is funny. It makes them smile. They point and name the shapes. They play a game. They guess what the cloud will look like next. + +Lily and Ben have fun. They forget about touching the cloud. They enjoy watching the cloud. The cloud is their friend. They say thank you to the cloud. They wave goodbye to the cloud. They go home and tell their mom about the cloud. +Tom and Jen like to play with blocks. They have many blocks of different colors and shapes. They can make towers, houses, cars and animals with their blocks. They are very organized. They put each block in a box that matches its color and shape. + +One day, they decide to make a big group of blocks. They want to use all their blocks and make the biggest group ever. They start to take out the blocks from the boxes and put them on the floor. They have fun making the group bigger and bigger. + +But they do not see that their dog, Max, is watching them. Max likes to play with blocks too. He thinks they are toys for him. He waits for a chance to join the fun. He sees a red block that is sticking out from the group. He runs to the block and tries to grab it with his mouth. + +But when he does that, he makes the group of blocks fall down. All the blocks drop to the floor and make a loud noise. Tom and Jen are shocked. They see their big group of blocks is gone. They see Max with the red block in his mouth. He looks happy and wags his tail. + +Tom and Jen are sad and angry. They worked hard to make the big group of blocks. They yell at Max and tell him to go away. Max does not understand. He thinks they want to play more. He drops the red block and runs to another block. He makes more blocks fall down. Tom and Jen cry. They do not want to play with blocks anymore. They do not want to play with Max either. +Lily and Ben were playing in the park. They liked to run and jump and slide on the grass. They saw a big puddle near the swings. It was shiny and wet. + +"Let's splash in the puddle!" Lily said. She ran to the puddle and jumped in. She made a big splash and laughed. + +"Me too!" Ben said. He followed Lily and jumped in the puddle. He made a bigger splash and laughed louder. + +They splashed and played in the puddle. They were happy and playful. They did not see the mud on their shoes and clothes. + +"Look at you two!" Mom said. She came to the park to pick them up. She saw the mud on their shoes and clothes. She was not happy. + +"Uh-oh!" Lily and Ben said. They stopped splashing and looked at Mom. + +"You are very dirty!" Mom said. "You need to wipe the mud off. Come here, I have a towel." + +Lily and Ben walked to Mom. They felt sorry. They did not mean to make a mess. + +"Sorry, Mom," Lily said. + +"Sorry, Mom," Ben said. + +Mom wiped the mud off their shoes and clothes. She was not angry. She loved them. + +"It's okay," Mom said. "I know you were having fun. But next time, be careful of the puddles. They can make you dirty." + +"Okay, Mom," Lily and Ben said. + +They hugged Mom and thanked her for the towel. They learned their lesson. They still liked puddles, but they would not splash in them too much. +Lily and Tom were playing in the park with their dolls. They liked to pretend that their dolls were friends and had adventures together. They made a house out of sticks and leaves for their dolls to live in. + +But then a big boy came and saw their house. He had a mean face and a loud voice. He said, "This is my park. You can't play here. Give me your dolls or I will break your house." + +Lily and Tom were scared. They hugged their dolls and said, "No, please. These are our dolls. We made this house. Go away." + +The big boy laughed and said, "You are babies. I can do what I want. I will count to three and then I will take your dolls and smash your house. One, two..." + +But before he could say three, a kind lady came and saw what was happening. She had a soft voice and a nice smile. She said, "Stop that, young man. You can't bully these children. They have the right to play here. You should be ashamed of yourself. Apologize to them and leave them alone." + +The big boy looked at the kind lady and saw that she was serious. He felt afraid and sorry. He said, "I'm sorry. I won't do it again." He ran away. + +The kind lady said to Lily and Tom, "Are you okay, my dears? Don't worry. He won't bother you anymore. You have very pretty dolls and a lovely house. Can I play with you?" + +Lily and Tom nodded and smiled. They said, "Yes, please. You are very kind. Thank you for helping us." + +They invited the kind lady to join their game. They had fun playing with their dolls and their house. They made a new friend. They were happy. +Lily and Ben were twins who liked to play with their toy cars. They had many cars of different colors and sizes, but their favorite ones were the red and blue ones. They always raced them on the floor, making loud noises and pretending to be drivers. + +One day, they found a pair of sunglasses in their mom's purse. They thought they looked cool and decided to wear them while playing with their cars. They put them on and felt very happy. + +"Look at me, I'm a super driver!" Ben said, zooming his blue car around. + +"Me too, I'm a super driver!" Lily said, speeding her red car after him. + +They were having so much fun that they did not notice their mom coming into the room. She saw them with her sunglasses and was not happy. + +"Hey, what are you doing with my sunglasses?" she asked, taking them off their faces. "These are not toys, they are for grown-ups. You could break them or hurt your eyes." + +"But mom, we were just playing!" Ben said, feeling sad. + +"Yeah, we were just playing!" Lily said, feeling sad too. + +Mom looked at them and sighed. She knew they did not mean to be naughty, but they had to learn to respect other people's things. + +"I know you were just playing, but you have to ask before you take something that is not yours. And you have to be careful with things that are not toys. How would you feel if someone took your cars and broke them?" she said. + +Lily and Ben thought about it and felt sorry. They did not want anyone to take their cars and break them. They loved their cars very much. + +"We would feel very bad, mom," Ben said. + +"We would feel very bad too, mom," Lily said. + +They hugged their mom and said they were sorry. Mom hugged them back and said she forgave them. She also said she had a surprise for them. + +She went to her purse and took out two pairs of toy sunglasses. They were plastic and colorful and had stickers on them. She gave one pair to Lily and one pair to Ben. + +"These are for you, my super drivers," she said, smiling. "You can wear them while playing with your cars, but only inside the house, okay?" + +Lily and Ben were very happy and thanked their mom. They put on their toy sunglasses and went back to playing with their cars. They learned that it was not nice to take things that were not theirs, and that they could have fun with ordinary things. They also learned that their mom loved them very much and always had something good for them. +Tim and Sam are brothers. They like to play in the garden. They have a big tree with a rope. They swing on the rope and have fun. + +One day, they see something shiny in the tree. They want to see what it is. They swing on the rope and try to reach it. But it is too high. They cannot touch it. + +"Maybe it is a star," says Tim. "It is very bright and pretty." + +"No, it is not a star," says Sam. "Stars are in the sky at night. This is something else. Maybe it is a coin or a ring." + +They swing harder and harder. They want to get the shiny thing. But they still cannot reach it. + +They think of a plan. They are intelligent boys. They get a ladder from the shed. They put the ladder next to the tree. They climb the ladder and get closer to the shiny thing. + +They see that it is not a coin or a ring. It is a small mirror. Someone put it in the tree. It reflects the sun and makes it shine. + +They are disappointed. They wanted something more exciting. They take the mirror and put it in their pocket. They go back to the rope and swing again. They forget about the mirror. They have fun. +Tom and Sam are friends. They like to play with cars and blocks. One day, they find a big rubber ball in the park. It is red and shiny and bouncy. They want to play with it. + +They take turns to kick the ball and catch it. They have fun. But then, the ball goes too far. It lands in a muddy puddle. The ball is dirty and wet. Tom and Sam are sad. + +They try to clean the ball with their hands. But they only make it more messy. They get mud on their clothes and faces. They look funny. They giggle. + +They see a hose near the puddle. They have an idea. They use the hose to spray water on the ball. The water washes away the mud. The ball is red and shiny and bouncy again. They are happy. + +They also spray water on each other. They laugh and splash. They are wet and cold. But they don't care. They are having fun. + +They support each other. They are good friends. They love the rubber ball. They love to play. +Tim and Mia were playing on the beach. They saw a big yacht on the water. It was white and shiny and had a flag on it. + +"Wow, look at that yacht!" Tim said. "It must be very fast and fun to ride on." + +"I want to go on the yacht," Mia said. "Maybe we can find the captain and ask him." + +They ran to the edge of the water and waved at the yacht. But the yacht did not stop. It kept going and going. + +"Maybe the captain is busy," Tim said. "Or maybe he does not see us." + +They waited and waited, but the yacht did not come back. They felt sad and bored. + +Then they heard a loud noise. It was a helicopter. It flew over the yacht and dropped a rope. A man came down the rope and landed on the yacht. + +"Look, look!" Mia said. "Who is that man? What is he doing?" + +"I don't know," Tim said. "Maybe he is a friend of the captain. Or maybe he is a pirate." + +They watched as the man ran to the door of the yacht and kicked it open. He went inside and came out with a bag. He climbed back up the rope and flew away with the helicopter. + +"That was scary!" Tim said. "He took something from the yacht. Maybe it was money or jewels." + +"Or maybe it was candy," Mia said. "Do you think he will share it with us?" + +"I don't think so," Tim said. "He was a bad man. He did not ask the captain. He did not say please or thank you." + +They felt angry and scared. They wished the captain would come back and chase the bad man away. + +But the captain did not come back. The yacht was empty and quiet. + +They decided to go back to their mom and dad. They told them what they saw. Their mom and dad hugged them and said they were brave. + +They said they did not believe what happened. They said it was a very strange and scary story. + +But Tim and Mia knew it was true. They saw it with their own eyes. They believed it. +Lily and Ben are friends. They like to play in the pool. They swim and splash and laugh. They have fun. + +One day, they see a big fish in the pool. It is orange and white and has a long tail. It swims fast and makes bubbles. Lily and Ben are curious. They want to see the fish. + +"Hello, fish!" Lily says. "Do you want to play with us?" + +The fish stops and looks at Lily and Ben. It nods and smiles. It swims closer to them. + +"Hello, kids!" the fish says. "I am Finn. I am a smart fish. I can talk and do tricks." + +Lily and Ben are amazed. They have never seen a fish like Finn. They want to learn more about him. + +"Wow, you are a smart fish!" Ben says. "Can you show us a trick?" + +Finn nods and smiles. He swims to the edge of the pool and jumps out of the water. He lands on a towel and rubs his body. He makes a funny noise and wiggles his tail. + +Lily and Ben clap and cheer. They think Finn is very funny and clever. They rub his body and pet his tail. They make friends with Finn. + +They play with Finn for a long time. They swim and splash and laugh. They have fun. +Lily and Ben wanted to help their dad make dinner. He was using the grill to cook some meat and corn. They asked him if they could help. + +"Can we help, dad?" Lily said. + +"Please, dad?" Ben said. + +Dad smiled and said, "You are very kind, but the grill is very hot. You can't touch it or you will get hurt. I don't permit you to go near the grill. But you can help me in another way." + +"How, dad?" Lily and Ben said. + +"You can help me set the table. You can get the plates, the forks, the knives, and the napkins. And you can get some water for us to drink. That would be very helpful," Dad said. + +Lily and Ben nodded and ran to the kitchen. They got the things they needed and carried them to the table. They were careful not to drop anything. They felt proud and happy to help their dad. + +"Good job, Lily and Ben! You are very good helpers. Thank you for setting the table. Now we can enjoy our dinner together," Dad said. + +Lily and Ben smiled and hugged their dad. They liked to help him. They liked to eat the meat and the corn from the grill. They liked to be a kind family. +Sam likes to play with bricks. He has many bricks of different colors and shapes. He can build towers and houses and cars with his bricks. He is very happy when he plays with bricks. + +One day, Sam wants to make a big tower with all his bricks. He puts one brick on top of another, and another, and another, until his tower is very tall. He is very proud of his tower. He wants to show it to his mom and dad. + +But then, a big wind comes and blows his tower down. The bricks fall and scatter on the floor. Some bricks hit Sam and make him hurt. He cries and cries. He is very sad and angry. + +His mom and dad hear him cry and come to see what is wrong. They see the bricks and the broken tower. They hug Sam and kiss his hurts. They tell him they are sorry and they love him. + +They help him pick up the bricks and move them to a safer place. They tell him he can try to build another tower later, when the wind is gone. They also tell him he can build other things with his bricks, like a house or a car or a boat. They ask him what he wants to build. + +Sam stops crying and thinks. He smiles and says he wants to build a boat. He likes boats. He thinks boats are fun. He says thank you to his mom and dad. He starts to play with his bricks again. He is happy. +Lily and Ben are playing in the park. They see a big wall with many colors. They want to go closer and look at the wall. + +"Wow, look at the wall!" Lily says. "It has red, blue, yellow, green, and more!" + +"Can we touch the wall?" Ben asks. "Maybe it is soft and nice." + +Lily shakes her head. "No, we have to be careful. Mommy said walls can be dirty and rough. And we don't know who made the colors. Maybe they are not happy if we touch them." + +Ben nods. He does not want to make anyone unhappy. He also does not want to get dirty or hurt. He has an idea.