Kim and Mona, both five, lined up their tricycles at the park's starting line. "Ready, set, go!" they shouted together, pedaling as fast as they could.

In a lush green forest, there is a sweet salamander named Sally. She is lively and scurries around having fun. She loves to play on the forest floor and splash in puddles.

Marky was excited for the Easter Egg Hunt. His mom had hidden many eggs, but only one golden egg, and Marky dreamed of finding it.

A playful bear named Benny loved to be an explorer. This morning, Benny decides to be brave and go on a big adventure.

Lily is cheerful and loves to play outside with her friend Sara. One sunny day, Lily wakes up early. She looks out of her window and sees the bright sun shining in the sky. Lily feels happy. "I am happy!" she says with a big smile.

A young boy named Joey lived in a small town with an interesting pile of dirt. One hot afternoon, Joey’s mother said, “Joey, can you please move that pile of dirt? It just showed up and we need it gone.”

After the rains, Benny the Beaver discovered that the gopher family’s home was in trouble! The river was getting too full and was sure to flood their house. All the other beavers were busy helping other families, so it was up to Benny to help. But, oh no! Benny had never built a big dam before and felt a little scared.

One day, Sheri found a little puppy in the park. It was alone and without a collar or tag. Sheri took the puppy home and asked her mom, "Can I keep him, please?"

Her mom said, "You can care for him until someone claims him. If no one does, then ask me again."

Suddenly, there was a loud crack of thunder, and the lights flickered before going out completely. Noah's heart skipped a beat, and he looked around in confusion. "What happened?" he asked, his voice a little shaken.

Mom, Dad, Magie, Mary, and Noah huddled in the darkened living room, their faces confused.

It was a great day for Max. Why, you ask? Max just had a birthday, and his present was a brand-new kite. With string in hand, Max ran up and down the hill, dragging his kite into the wind. Then suddenly, woosh, it was up in the sky far above his head. It wasn’t long before Max's face suddenly lost all its joy as his colorful kite got snagged in a tall tree. He thought he had lost it forever and started to cry. "It's gone," Max said sadly.

Lily and her grandma have a very special garden. It's a place where tomatoes seem to smile at the sun, and big, round pumpkins play hide-and-seek under their green leaves. This garden is full of bright colors and is a place where Lily finds out new things and meets new friends.

Michael had big dreams and an even bigger heart. One morning, his dad asked him to run to the store and grab a newspaper. "Sure thing, Dad!" Michael grinned, excited for the quick trip.

He hopped on his bike, feeling the wind tickle his cheeks as he pedaled down the street. The store wasn't far away, and he could practically smell the newspaper's fresh ink already. But as he rounded the corner, something caught his eye.

Big storms were no strangers to Mouse Meadows, where the air buzzed with tales of rain and sunshine but none as enchanting as those about rainbows. This story, however, is about a little girl mouse named Jasmin, who carried the biggest dreams in the tiniest of hearts. Jasmin had never seen a rainbow, but her ears were filled with stories of their magic and mystery.

In a place filled with sunshine and flowers called Garden Town, there was a bright red house where a family with three kids lived. Nicole was ten and loved coming up with new games. Robert, who was nine, was always looking for adventures, and Corey, the youngest at eight, always laughed, making everyone around him happy.

In a town not too far from where you live, a man named Sal loved old things that most people threw away. He believed that every old thing had a story, and he was the one to find it. So, he spent his days visiting places filled with things no one else wanted.

Nine years old and full of big dreams, Ronald loved to make up stories and play make-believe. What he didn’t know was he had a secret admirer who also loved his stories and liked to draw. Find out how these two neighbors share a common bond.

In a cozy little house, on a soft, fuzzy rug, lived a small black cat named Sebastian. Sebastian had big, bright eyes that sparkled with wonder. One day, while curled up in a ball, Sebastian watched a TV show that made his heart thump with excitement. It was a show about a spaceship zooming through the stars, and guess what? The captain was a dog! Sebastian's eyes grew wide. "I want to be an astronaut!" he declared, his tail flicking with excitement.

A girl named Mona lived in a cozy little town filled with tiny, happy houses and gardens that said hello with their flowers. Mona was ten years old and had the brightest eyes filled with dreams. She lived in a little house painted green, like a piece of spring. Right next door lived her best friend, Jackie, who was eleven and danced like the leaves do when the wind tickles them.

The story of Ellie and Jimmy is designed to teach being different is okay, as is being brave and scared. Follow along as the children in the classroom learn these valuable lessons.

This is a story of Scraps the squirrel and Robin the bird, as they discover acts of kindness happening within their own backyard. The story is narrated and has printable activities for young learners.