It was Christmas Eve, and the Johnson family was on their way to Grandma and Grandpa’s new house. The car was packed with presents, warm blankets, and cookies for the trip. Dad drove the car, Mom read the map, and the three kids—Ellie, who was nine, Sam, who was six, and little Mia, who was three—sat in the back, humming Christmas songs.

It was Christmas Eve morning in the little town of Frost Hollow. Snow blanketed the rooftops, and the streets twinkled with holiday lights. Families bustled about, laughing and carrying gifts, but Clara sat alone on the window seat of her tiny living room, her chin resting in her hand.

It was only three days until Christmas, and the whole village of Glitterwood was filled with excitement. Trees were decorated, lights twinkled, and children ran around in their winter coats. But in a small cottage on the edge of the forest, Emil sat by the window and sighed. He watched the snow falling and thought about his best friend, Alva.

It was a cold, snowy evening in the small village of Winter Hollow. The streets sparkled with fairy lights, and children’s laughter filled the air. Three best friends – Lily, Max, and Sophie – had a special plan. They were going to surprise their friend Charlie, who had been home sick all week, with a handmade Christmas present. Charlie lived at the edge of the forest, and the friends were excited to brighten his day.

It was the day before Christmas Eve in the magical land of Northvale, where Santa lived with his reindeer and elves. Everyone was busy packing presents and loading the sleigh. But something was wrong this winter – Rudolph, the reindeer with the glowing red nose, had caught a cold! His nose, which usually shone like a beacon, was dim.

Naomi loved archery. Every weekend, she and her dad drove to the local range, where she practiced releasing arrow after arrow toward the large, colorful targets. She loved the thwack of an arrow hitting its mark and the focus archery required. While Naomi had fun practicing, she often grew frustrated when her arrows didn’t hit the bullseye. Her dad always reminded her, “Archery isn’t just about hitting the target—it’s about staying calm and focused.”

Ben loved baseball. Every afternoon, he and his friends played at the neighborhood park, running bases and swinging for the fences. His favorite position was outfielder, where he could sprint across the field and dive for fly balls. Ben was fast and loved the feeling of catching the ball mid-air, but when he joined his school’s baseball team, things felt a lot more serious.

Ethan loved riding his bike. Every day after school, he sped through the neighborhood, racing his friends or exploring new trails in the woods. He loved the freedom of cycling—the rush of the wind in his face and the thrill of zooming downhill. But when his school announced a cycling race, Ethan hesitated.

Lila and her twin brother, Leo, were inseparable, and one of their favorite activities was playing table tennis in their basement. They’d set up their paddles and take turns smashing shots back and forth, laughing whenever a ball flew wildly off course. Over time, they both got pretty good—so good, in fact, that their games often ended in ties.

Amir loved karate. Every week, he practiced his punches, kicks, and katas with his classmates at the dojo. His dream was to earn his yellow belt, the first big step on his journey to becoming a black belt. But as the date of the belt test approached, Amir began to feel nervous.

Liam loved hockey. Ever since he could walk, he had skated on the frozen pond behind his house, dreaming of becoming a star player like his favorite NHL heroes. He practiced every day after school, shooting pucks into a net set up in his backyard and racing around the ice to sharpen his speed.

Sofia loved gymnastics. She spent hours practicing at the gym, flipping on the balance beam, soaring over the vault, and twirling gracefully on the floor. Her favorite event, though, was the uneven bars. She felt like she was flying whenever she swung between the bars, twisting and turning in midair. But there was one skill Sofia struggled with: the dismount.

Ella loved basketball. Every day after school, she practiced shooting hoops in her driveway, dreaming of becoming the star player on her school team. She could dribble fast, pass with precision, and land layups most of the time. But there was one thing she struggled with: free throws.

Sammy was the fastest kid in his neighborhood—or at least that’s what he loved to believe. He spent every afternoon racing his friends through the park, his sneakers pounding the dirt path as he laughed and ran. But Sammy had never competed in a real race before, and when his teacher announced the school’s annual track meet, his excitement turned into nervous butterflies.

Lila loved soccer. Every afternoon after school, she’d race to the park, ball in hand, ready to practice her dribbling, passing, and shooting. She had big dreams of becoming the best soccer player in her town, maybe even the whole country! But there was one small problem: Lila didn’t believe in herself.

One night, Ellie was reading about the planets and learned about Pluto, a small icy world once called the ninth planet. She wondered what Pluto was like and why it was now called a “dwarf planet.” As she drifted off to sleep, she felt herself floating through space again. When she opened her eyes, she was near a small, icy planet glowing softly in the dark.

One evening, Ellie thought about the planet farthest from the Sun—Neptune. She had read that Neptune was a mysterious blue planet with fierce storms and strong winds. As she drifted off to sleep, she felt herself floating through the vast darkness of space. When she opened her eyes, she was in front of a deep, beautiful blue planet surrounded by swirling clouds.

One night, Ellie looked out her window and wondered about the distant planets at the edge of the solar system. She had read that Uranus was an icy, blue-green planet tilted on its side. As she drifted to sleep, Ellie felt herself floating through space once more. When she opened her eyes, she was in front of a cool, pale blue planet with a gentle glow and a strange tilt.

One evening, Ellie sat by her window, looking up at the bright evening sky. She knew that Venus, the planet closest to Earth, often shone brightly in the evening. Curious to learn more, Ellie closed her eyes, and suddenly, she was floating through space again. When she opened her eyes, she was face-to-face with a planet that glowed in shades of yellow and gold.

One night, Ellie lay in bed, thinking about the planets. She’d recently learned that Mercury was the closest planet to the Sun, and she wondered what it would be like to see it up close. As she drifted off to sleep, she suddenly found herself floating in space, right next to a small, rocky planet that seemed both warm and mysterious.