Sadie's Smile Seeds of Kindness
Sadie's Smile Seeds of Kindness — an illustrated stories story. 10 illustrated pages, free to read on Wonder Books.
Page 1
"Did you see that one, Pip? It was huge!" Sadie exclaimed, pointing a mitten-covered hand towards the sky. Her best friend, Pip, shivered. "I saw it, Sadie. Now can we please find the entrance to the Carnival of Shooting Stars? I'm freezing my ears off!" The two children hurried through the bustling crowd of festival-goers, their eyes scanning the swirling tents and twinkling lights.
Page 2
Suddenly, Pip stopped dead in his tracks, bumping into Sadie. "Look!" he gasped, pointing to a small, discarded pouch lying near a fortune teller's tent. Sadie cautiously picked it up; it was made of velvet and embroidered with tiny stars. Inside, they found a handful of... seeds? "Smile Seeds?" Sadie read aloud from the tiny label, confused. "What are those?"
Page 3
"Smile Seeds? That's silly," Pip scoffed, crossing his arms. Sadie ignored him, a thoughtful look on her face. "'The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others,'" she murmured, quoting Mahatma Gandhi. "I think we should find out what these seeds do, Pip! Maybe they can help someone here at the carnival who needs a smile." Pip sighed dramatically but followed Sadie as she wandered off, determined to find someone who needed cheering up.
Page 4
They walked past a ring toss, a dunking booth, and a hall of mirrors, before Sadie spotted a girl sitting alone on a bench, her head in her hands. "She looks sad," Sadie whispered to Pip. "Let's try the seeds on her!" Pip gulped, nervously adjusting his scarf. "Are you sure about this, Sadie? What if it doesn't work? Or worse... what if it makes things worse?"
Page 5
Sadie approached the girl cautiously. "Hello," she said softly. The girl looked up, her eyes red and puffy. "Hi," she replied, her voice barely a whisper. Sadie knelt down and gently offered her a Smile Seed. "We found these. We think they might help," Sadie explained kindly. As the girl took the seed, Sadie noticed a tiny, intricately carved wooden music box tucked beside her on the bench.
Page 6
The girl looked at the seed, then back at Sadie, confused. "What does it do?" she asked. Sadie shrugged. "We don't know. We just thought... maybe it could make you feel a little better." Suddenly, a loud crash echoed through the carnival! People screamed and pointed towards the Ferris wheel. One of the cars had stopped spinning, leaving its passengers stranded high above the ground.
Page 7
"Oh no!" Sadie cried, her eyes wide with concern. "Those people are stuck!" Pip wrung his hands. "We have to do something! But what?" The sad girl clutched the Smile Seed tightly. "I... I think I know what to do," she stammered. "My grandfather always said music can soothe even the scariest storms. Maybe... maybe my music box can help?"
Page 8
"That's it!" Sadie exclaimed. "The music box! Play it!" The girl took a deep breath and opened the music box. A beautiful, calming melody filled the air, drifting towards the Ferris wheel. Slowly, miraculously, the wheel began to turn again! The stranded passengers cheered as their car descended safely to the ground. "It worked!" Pip shouted, jumping up and down. "Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see," Sadie added, remembering the words of Mark Twain.
Page 9
The girl smiled, a genuine, bright smile that reached her eyes.
Page 10
"Thank you, Sadie and Pip," the girl said, her voice full of gratitude. "I don't think I would've ever used this again without you." Sadie hugged her new friend tightly. "We're just glad we could help," Sadie replied, smiling. As the meteor shower began to fade, Sadie knew that even the smallest seeds of kindness could bloom into something truly extraordinary.
About this story
- Audience: kids (ages 6–12)