The Pillow Cloud

An illustrated stories story from Wonder Books — free to read, with narration.

The Pillow Cloud — an illustrated stories story. 10 illustrated pages, free to read on Wonder Books.

The Pillow Cloud — book cover — Wonder Books
The Pillow Cloud — an illustrated stories story. 10 illustrated pages, free to read on Wonder Books.

Page 1

"Hurry, Elara, before the sun dips completely!" Jasper called, his voice echoing slightly. Elara, clutching her worn book, stumbled over a root, nearly dropping…
"Hurry, Elara, before the sun dips completely!" Jasper called, his voice echoing slightly. Elara, clutching her worn book, stumbled over a root, nearly dropping it. "I'm coming, I'm coming! But this hill is steeper than it looks," she puffed, finally reaching his side. The Whispering Glade was just ahead, and Elara hoped the legends were true.

"Hurry, Elara, before the sun dips completely!" Jasper called, his voice echoing slightly. Elara, clutching her worn book, stumbled over a root, nearly dropping it. "I'm coming, I'm coming! But this hill is steeper than it looks," she puffed, finally reaching his side. The Whispering Glade was just ahead, and Elara hoped the legends were true.

Page 2

The Glade shimmered with an otherworldly light. "Look!" Jasper breathed, pointing to a peculiar plant with glowing leaves. Elara cautiously approached it.
The Glade shimmered with an otherworldly light. "Look!" Jasper breathed, pointing to a peculiar plant with glowing leaves. Elara cautiously approached it. "It's a Lumina Bloom," she whispered, recognizing it from her book. She'd read it only bloomed under special dream clouds and held the secret to softer dreams. "Maybe," Jasper said, grinning, "we could take one home."

The Glade shimmered with an otherworldly light. "Look!" Jasper breathed, pointing to a peculiar plant with glowing leaves. Elara cautiously approached it. "It's a Lumina Bloom," she whispered, recognizing it from her book. She'd read it only bloomed under special dream clouds and held the secret to softer dreams. "Maybe," Jasper said, grinning, "we could take one home."

Page 3

"Taking it would be wrong, Jasper. The book says they're essential for keeping the glade safe and balanced," Elara said, shaking her head. Jasper frowned.
"Taking it would be wrong, Jasper. The book says they're essential for keeping the glade safe and balanced," Elara said, shaking her head. Jasper frowned. "But my dreams have been so...rough lately. I toss and turn all night!" Elara sighed, then looked at her book again. "Well, maybe...maybe there's another way. 'The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart,' Helen Keller said.

"Taking it would be wrong, Jasper. The book says they're essential for keeping the glade safe and balanced," Elara said, shaking her head. Jasper frowned. "But my dreams have been so...rough lately. I toss and turn all night!" Elara sighed, then looked at her book again. "Well, maybe...maybe there's another way. 'The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart,' Helen Keller said. Maybe there's something else here that can help."

Page 4

Suddenly, a tiny voice squeaked, "Looking for something soft, are you?" Elara and Jasper jumped, startled. A small, fluffy creature with large, innocent eyes…
Suddenly, a tiny voice squeaked, "Looking for something soft, are you?" Elara and Jasper jumped, startled. A small, fluffy creature with large, innocent eyes peeked out from behind a Lumina Bloom. "Who are you?" Jasper asked, cautiously taking a step back. "I'm Pip! And I heard you talking about dreams. I know all about soft things."

Suddenly, a tiny voice squeaked, "Looking for something soft, are you?" Elara and Jasper jumped, startled. A small, fluffy creature with large, innocent eyes peeked out from behind a Lumina Bloom. "Who are you?" Jasper asked, cautiously taking a step back. "I'm Pip! And I heard you talking about dreams. I know all about soft things."

Page 5

Pip waddled forward. "I collect fluff from the Dream Sheep," he announced proudly, puffing out his chest. "Dream Sheep?" Elara asked, intrigued.
Pip waddled forward. "I collect fluff from the Dream Sheep," he announced proudly, puffing out his chest. "Dream Sheep?" Elara asked, intrigued. "They graze on star-grass and their wool becomes clouds of the softest dreams! They are a very rare species, known to live only at the edge of dreams, where imagination touches reality," Pip explained. "And I gather the fallen fluff to make comfy nests!"

Pip waddled forward. "I collect fluff from the Dream Sheep," he announced proudly, puffing out his chest. "Dream Sheep?" Elara asked, intrigued. "They graze on star-grass and their wool becomes clouds of the softest dreams! They are a very rare species, known to live only at the edge of dreams, where imagination touches reality," Pip explained. "And I gather the fallen fluff to make comfy nests!"

Page 6

"Take us to the Dream Sheep!" Jasper pleaded, his eyes wide with hope. Pip frowned. "Oh, dear, oh, dear. Getting to the edge of dreams isn't easy!
"Take us to the Dream Sheep!" Jasper pleaded, his eyes wide with hope. Pip frowned. "Oh, dear, oh, dear. Getting to the edge of dreams isn't easy! And...the Pillow Cloud is blocking the way," he said worriedly. "The Pillow Cloud?" Elara asked. Pip shivered. "It's a big, grumpy cloud made of nightmares! It hates soft things, and it LOVES to keep people from having good dreams!"

"Take us to the Dream Sheep!" Jasper pleaded, his eyes wide with hope. Pip frowned. "Oh, dear, oh, dear. Getting to the edge of dreams isn't easy! And...the Pillow Cloud is blocking the way," he said worriedly. "The Pillow Cloud?" Elara asked. Pip shivered. "It's a big, grumpy cloud made of nightmares! It hates soft things, and it LOVES to keep people from having good dreams!"

Page 7

"We have to try!" Jasper insisted. "My dreams are awful. We'll face that Pillow Cloud together!" Elara nodded, her determination returning.
"We have to try!" Jasper insisted. "My dreams are awful. We'll face that Pillow Cloud together!" Elara nodded, her determination returning. "Pip, can you guide us?" Pip hesitated, then puffed out his chest again. "Alright! But we'll need a plan. The Pillow Cloud hates anything cheerful and bright. We need to find a way to make our dreams brighter than our fears!"

"We have to try!" Jasper insisted. "My dreams are awful. We'll face that Pillow Cloud together!" Elara nodded, her determination returning. "Pip, can you guide us?" Pip hesitated, then puffed out his chest again. "Alright! But we'll need a plan. The Pillow Cloud hates anything cheerful and bright. We need to find a way to make our dreams brighter than our fears!"

Page 8

The trio journeyed through dream-like landscapes until they reached the Pillow Cloud. It loomed before them, a swirling mass of grey and black.
The trio journeyed through dream-like landscapes until they reached the Pillow Cloud. It loomed before them, a swirling mass of grey and black. "It's even scarier up close!" Jasper whimpered. Elara remembered the Lumina Bloom's gentle light. "Remember the Lumina Bloom? What if we use its light to strengthen our happiest memories?" She pulled a tiny mirror from her pocket, reflecting the soft glow of the star-grass onto the cloud. The cloud began to shrink. "Quickly!

The trio journeyed through dream-like landscapes until they reached the Pillow Cloud. It loomed before them, a swirling mass of grey and black. "It's even scarier up close!" Jasper whimpered. Elara remembered the Lumina Bloom's gentle light. "Remember the Lumina Bloom? What if we use its light to strengthen our happiest memories?" She pulled a tiny mirror from her pocket, reflecting the soft glow of the star-grass onto the cloud. The cloud began to shrink. "Quickly! Shine your happiest thoughts into it!"

Page 9

Jasper closed his eyes, thinking of laughing with Elara in the Glade. Pip remembered his softest nest. The light intensified, and the Pillow Cloud dissolved…
Jasper closed his eyes, thinking of laughing with Elara in the Glade. Pip remembered his softest nest. The light intensified, and the Pillow Cloud dissolved into harmless puffs of dream-fluff. "We did it!" Jasper cheered, grabbing Elara's hand. "The light of happy thoughts is stronger than any nightmare!" Pip chirped, "Remember to always let your brightest dreams shine!"

Jasper closed his eyes, thinking of laughing with Elara in the Glade. Pip remembered his softest nest. The light intensified, and the Pillow Cloud dissolved into harmless puffs of dream-fluff. "We did it!" Jasper cheered, grabbing Elara's hand. "The light of happy thoughts is stronger than any nightmare!" Pip chirped, "Remember to always let your brightest dreams shine!"

Page 10

Back in the Whispering Glade, Elara smiled. "My dreams feel lighter already." Jasper nodded. "Mine too. And you know what, Elara?" "What?" Elara asked.
Back in the Whispering Glade, Elara smiled. "My dreams feel lighter already." Jasper nodded. "Mine too. And you know what, Elara?" "What?" Elara asked. "'The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams,' just like Eleanor Roosevelt said!" Jasper declared, grinning. They knew, together, they could face any nightmare.

Back in the Whispering Glade, Elara smiled. "My dreams feel lighter already." Jasper nodded. "Mine too. And you know what, Elara?" "What?" Elara asked. "'The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams,' just like Eleanor Roosevelt said!" Jasper declared, grinning. They knew, together, they could face any nightmare.

About this story

  • Audience: kids (ages 6–12)

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