The Wishing Well

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

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

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

Page 1

"Hurry, Lyra!" called Zephyr, his voice echoing across the cloud city. Lyra, clutching her satchel, dashed past shimmering towers and bustling sky-markets…
"Hurry, Lyra!" called Zephyr, his voice echoing across the cloud city. Lyra, clutching her satchel, dashed past shimmering towers and bustling sky-markets toward her best friend. "Did you hear? Old Man Nimbus says the Wishing Well has reappeared!" Zephyr pointed towards a swirling vortex of clouds in the city's center, usually hidden from view.

"Hurry, Lyra!" called Zephyr, his voice echoing across the cloud city. Lyra, clutching her satchel, dashed past shimmering towers and bustling sky-markets toward her best friend. "Did you hear? Old Man Nimbus says the Wishing Well has reappeared!" Zephyr pointed towards a swirling vortex of clouds in the city's center, usually hidden from view.

Page 2

"The Wishing Well?" Lyra asked, her eyes wide with disbelief. "I thought it was just a legend!" Zephyr pulled out a tattered scroll from his satchel.
"The Wishing Well?" Lyra asked, her eyes wide with disbelief. "I thought it was just a legend!" Zephyr pulled out a tattered scroll from his satchel. "Listen to this," he said, unfurling it with excitement. "It says the Well grants a single wish to someone with a pure heart, but only appears during the Convergence of the Celestial Shards, an event when the magic of the city increases and causes great flux around the cloud layer that has been hidden from view.

"The Wishing Well?" Lyra asked, her eyes wide with disbelief. "I thought it was just a legend!" Zephyr pulled out a tattered scroll from his satchel. "Listen to this," he said, unfurling it with excitement. "It says the Well grants a single wish to someone with a pure heart, but only appears during the Convergence of the Celestial Shards, an event when the magic of the city increases and causes great flux around the cloud layer that has been hidden from view.

Page 3

"A pure heart?" Lyra scoffed. "That's going to be a problem for someone, Zephyr! What if it is true? What would you wish for?" Zephyr paused, looking…
"A pure heart?" Lyra scoffed. "That's going to be a problem for someone, Zephyr! What if it is true? What would you wish for?" Zephyr paused, looking thoughtful. "'The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step,' as the philosopher Lao Tzu said," Zephyr mused. "And my first step is to prove the Well's magic! Let's do this, Lyra. Let's make a wish."

"A pure heart?" Lyra scoffed. "That's going to be a problem for someone, Zephyr! What if it is true? What would you wish for?" Zephyr paused, looking thoughtful. "'The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step,' as the philosopher Lao Tzu said," Zephyr mused. "And my first step is to prove the Well's magic! Let's do this, Lyra. Let's make a wish."

Page 4

As they approached the swirling vortex, a stern-looking woman with silver hair pulled into a tight bun blocked their path.
As they approached the swirling vortex, a stern-looking woman with silver hair pulled into a tight bun blocked their path. "Halt!" she commanded, her voice sharp. "No one is permitted near the Convergence without proper authorization. I am Captain Astra, Guardian of the Well, and I need to see your permits." Zephyr gulped.

As they approached the swirling vortex, a stern-looking woman with silver hair pulled into a tight bun blocked their path. "Halt!" she commanded, her voice sharp. "No one is permitted near the Convergence without proper authorization. I am Captain Astra, Guardian of the Well, and I need to see your permits." Zephyr gulped.

Page 5

"Permits?" Lyra asked innocently. "We didn't know we needed permits to admire the view!" Captain Astra raised an eyebrow skeptically.
"Permits?" Lyra asked innocently. "We didn't know we needed permits to admire the view!" Captain Astra raised an eyebrow skeptically. Zephyr, never one to back down from a challenge, pointed to a small, almost invisible shimmer near Astra's feet. "Look! A cloud pixie!" he exclaimed, hoping to distract her. These tiny guardians maintain the Cloud Layer's delicate magical balance.

"Permits?" Lyra asked innocently. "We didn't know we needed permits to admire the view!" Captain Astra raised an eyebrow skeptically. Zephyr, never one to back down from a challenge, pointed to a small, almost invisible shimmer near Astra's feet. "Look! A cloud pixie!" he exclaimed, hoping to distract her. These tiny guardians maintain the Cloud Layer's delicate magical balance.

Page 6

Astra glanced down, momentarily distracted. Quick as a flash, Lyra grabbed Zephyr's hand, and they darted around her, leaping over a small crystal barrier.
Astra glanced down, momentarily distracted. Quick as a flash, Lyra grabbed Zephyr's hand, and they darted around her, leaping over a small crystal barrier. "We're getting through!" Zephyr shouted triumphantly, but their celebration was short-lived. As they stepped onto the cloud platform surrounding the Well, the vortex surged violently, and the platform began to crumble. "The magic is unstable!" Lyra cried, fear in her voice.

Astra glanced down, momentarily distracted. Quick as a flash, Lyra grabbed Zephyr's hand, and they darted around her, leaping over a small crystal barrier. "We're getting through!" Zephyr shouted triumphantly, but their celebration was short-lived. As they stepped onto the cloud platform surrounding the Well, the vortex surged violently, and the platform began to crumble. "The magic is unstable!" Lyra cried, fear in her voice.

Page 7

"We need to stabilize the magic before we can make a wish!" Lyra exclaimed. Remembering the scroll, Zephyr frantically searched through his satchel.
"We need to stabilize the magic before we can make a wish!" Lyra exclaimed. Remembering the scroll, Zephyr frantically searched through his satchel. "The scroll mentioned a Celestial Harmonizer," he shouted over the roaring vortex, "something that can channel the magic and stabilize the field!" Lyra spotted something glittering under a pile of rubble. "I see it!" she yelled. "It looks like it is a little rusty, though."

"We need to stabilize the magic before we can make a wish!" Lyra exclaimed. Remembering the scroll, Zephyr frantically searched through his satchel. "The scroll mentioned a Celestial Harmonizer," he shouted over the roaring vortex, "something that can channel the magic and stabilize the field!" Lyra spotted something glittering under a pile of rubble. "I see it!" she yelled. "It looks like it is a little rusty, though."

Page 8

Lyra pulled out a small, tarnished metal sphere from the rubble. With trembling hands, she held it aloft. "It's the Harmonizer!" Zephyr cried.
Lyra pulled out a small, tarnished metal sphere from the rubble. With trembling hands, she held it aloft. "It's the Harmonizer!" Zephyr cried. "Remember what the scroll said! Focus your intentions on what you wish for and hold it high to balance the Celestial Shards!" Lyra closed her eyes, picturing the city safe and serene. She held the sphere high, and a beam of light shot towards the vortex. "Inner beauty shines brightest."

Lyra pulled out a small, tarnished metal sphere from the rubble. With trembling hands, she held it aloft. "It's the Harmonizer!" Zephyr cried. "Remember what the scroll said! Focus your intentions on what you wish for and hold it high to balance the Celestial Shards!" Lyra closed her eyes, picturing the city safe and serene. She held the sphere high, and a beam of light shot towards the vortex. "Inner beauty shines brightest."

Page 9

The vortex shimmered, then slowly dissipated, revealing the calm, blue sky beyond. The cloud platform was stable once more.
The vortex shimmered, then slowly dissipated, revealing the calm, blue sky beyond. The cloud platform was stable once more. Captain Astra approached them, her stern expression softened. "You saved the city, children," she said, a hint of a smile on her lips. "Perhaps... you both deserve a wish after all."

The vortex shimmered, then slowly dissipated, revealing the calm, blue sky beyond. The cloud platform was stable once more. Captain Astra approached them, her stern expression softened. "You saved the city, children," she said, a hint of a smile on her lips. "Perhaps... you both deserve a wish after all."

Page 10

Zephyr looked at Lyra. "What do you wish for?" he asked. Lyra smiled. "I wish for everyone in the city to see the beauty in themselves, just as they are." A…
Zephyr looked at Lyra. "What do you wish for?" he asked. Lyra smiled. "I wish for everyone in the city to see the beauty in themselves, just as they are." A warm glow enveloped the city. "Well I guess this proves that as Helen Keller said, 'The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart'."

Zephyr looked at Lyra. "What do you wish for?" he asked. Lyra smiled. "I wish for everyone in the city to see the beauty in themselves, just as they are." A warm glow enveloped the city. "Well I guess this proves that as Helen Keller said, 'The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart'."

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  • Audience: kids (ages 6–12)

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