Michael Harbut

Tommy woke up early on Christmas morning, excited to see what Santa had left under the tree. The world outside was covered in a thick blanket of sparkling snow, but inside, something felt off. His little sister Lucy sat quietly by the tree, her eyes glistening with disappointment.

In the Kingdom of Dandelion, there lived a young princess named Lila. She lived in a beautiful castle with her grandmother, Queen Maribel, and her playful kitten, Pippin. Lila was kind and curious, but she often felt like she was too small to make a big difference.

Asiri loved Christmas, especially in her magical corner of the forest where snow sparkled like stars and animals whispered secrets in the wind. She lived in a cozy cottage with her magical fox, Lumina, whose fur glowed with a warm golden light during the holiday season.

Jamie couldn’t believe it—National S’mores Day had finally arrived! Her family had planned a camping trip to celebrate the gooey, chocolaty treat in the best way possible: around a campfire in the great outdoors.

The 5: 00 p.m. rush-hour train ran through Steamville’s subway tunnels. Detective Steamboat Willie Mickey was riding home from a long day at work when he spotted smoke leaking from the back car.

When Salma walked into class wearing the hijab for the first time, she could tell everyone was whispering behind her back.

Elina was the fastest girl in her village. She loved running, through the fields and along dusty roads everyday. She wanted to be a professional athlete but the villagers said that only boys went into sports.

Zoey loved everything about her mother, but her favorite thing were her hands. For the longest time she used to sleep hugging her mother’s hand tightly to herself and she never let go of it whenever they went out of the house.

Lila couldn’t stop grinning. It was World Smile Day, and her teacher, Mrs. Reynolds, had given the class a challenge: "Spread as many smiles as you can today."

Nate couldn’t wait for Groundhog’s Day. Every year, his small town held a big festival to see if the famous groundhog, Shadow, would predict an early spring or six more weeks of winter.

Once upon a time, in a cozy little town, there lived a family called the Goldbergs. The Goldberg family was excited because it was almost time to celebrate Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights. Little Leah Goldberg couldn’t wait for the festivities to begin. She loved Hanukkah more than anything!

Jack loved his big, red cape. It wasn’t just a piece of fabric to him—it was his symbol of courage. His mom had made it for him when he was five, and since then, he wore it everywhere. Whether he was at home, in the park, or even at school, Jack’s cape was always tied securely around his neck.

A story about 3 different baby mothers all experiencing Thanksgiving with his nuclear family.

Emma loved her teacher, Ms. Carter, who always made learning fun. Ms. Carter had a way of turning math problems into games, history lessons into stories, and science experiments into magical discoveries.

Joanna and Janet are identical twins; they are six years old. They both have long hair, tall and light skin. Everyone loves them because they are beautiful. Their father was a pilot and their mother a nurse. Joanna wanted to become a pilot, just like her father....

Ten-year-old Sophie sat on the couch, staring out the frosted living room window. Snowflakes swirled in the chilly December air, blanketing the town in white. It was Christmas Eve, and the streets were alive with twinkling lights and cheerful carolers. But Sophie wasn’t feeling the holiday spirit.

The winter wind nipped at the edges of Sarah’s scarf as she hurried down the sidewalk, balancing a tray of cupcakes. It was Valentine’s Day, but instead of planning a romantic evening, she was headed to the local community center.

Once upon a time, in a kingdom surrounded by tall mountains and sparkling rivers, there lived a little princess named Lily. She was not like other princesses who wore glittering crowns and fancy gowns every day.

Lila was sitting on the couch when she saw a bright flyer on the table. It said, “Juneteenth Celebration: Music, Food, and Fun!” She picked it up and ran to her grandma in the kitchen. “Grandma, what is Juneteenth?” she asked. Grandma turned with a big smile. “Juneteenth is a very happy day!"

Mia was excited about Left Hander’s Day. As one of the only left-handed kids in her class, it was finally her turn to feel special. Her teacher, Ms. Brooks, had planned a whole day of activities to celebrate left-handed people and teach everyone about the challenges they faced.