Original subtitles

Hello, Carl. Why don't you look inside the shed?

Oh, that may not be the best place to take a rest, little friend.

Thanks.

You're welcome, Carl.

Have a look in the shed.

Hello again.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

Twinkle lights?

Shed?

Do you have any wooden boards? Like really long ones?

In the shed.

You've been busy today.

I'm building a spaceship.

An actual spaceship.

Really? I don't believe I've ever seen an actual spaceship before.

You want to see it?

I'd be delighted to.

These are the controls.

Here's where you make it go up.

That's where you make it go down. This makes it go fast.

I mean really fast.

What does that red button do?

It looks important.

It's the 3 -2 -1 blast -off controller.

You press it when you're ready to launch.

You've put a lot of thought into this.

I'm still working on it. This is what it's going to look like when I'm

Very impressive, Carl.

It won't come off.

Thanks, Addy.

I need this to be all closed up if it's going to fly into outer space.

Uh, do you really think this is going to fly?

Yes. Don't you?

It's not a real spaceship, Carl.

Yes, it is, Michael.

Tell him, Addy.

But it's never actually going to fly.

That would be impossible.

No, it's not impossible.

This is going to fly.

You'll see.

Do you need more things for your spaceship?

I don't know.

Come, have a snack.

I have bamboo and carrots.

This is the painting I've been working on.

It looks kind of like a rocket.

It's not a rocket.

But it did allow someone to reach great heights, like your very impressive

spaceship.

Addy and Michael don't think it is.

They say there's no way my spaceship is ever going to fly, ever.

They say it's impossible.

Oh. Do you think it's impossible?

No. I think it's going to fly all the way up into space, where the stars are

everything. But what'll happen if it doesn't fly?

Sit with me for a moment.

I will tell you about someone who once caught the sun.

Then we'll see about getting your spaceship off the ground.

Jokun was a young farmer who tended his family field from morning till night.

He loved his work, but the one thing...

You work too hard, Joku.

It is true.

When I leave for my fields at the start of each day, the sun is not yet up. When

I return at day's end, the sun has gone to sleep.

If only I could grab hold of the sun.

I could keep it from setting beyond the trees and make the day longer.

The sun has no master, Joku.

That would be impossible.

If there was one thing that Joku didn't like, besides not having enough daytime

for himself, it was being told that something was impossible.

Joku was very determined.

I don't believe in impossible.

Joku came up with a plan. A very clever plan.

Impossible!

What is Joku doing?

He says he's going to catch the sun to make the day last longer.

That's impossible.

I know.

I keep telling him, but he doesn't listen.

He's building a tower.

Isn't he, Stillwater?

Just like in your painting.

You're right.

And Joku kept building and building.

He never gave up.

This is impossible.

Why does he continue?

Even when they said it was impossible?

Especially when they said it was impossible.

What if they're right?

What if it is impossible to catch the sun?

But even in his brief moment of doubt...

Joku continued.

Did he fly off into space?

No, he didn't fly off into space.

But he did find what he was looking for.

The sun.

Because he was up so high, he could see beyond the trees, all the way

to the horizon.

So, while the rest of the village was in the shadow of night, Joku had a few

more moments of daylight, all to himself.

I caught you, son.

It's been said, only those who try can achieve the impossible.

That's like my spaceship.

Everyone else says it's impossible to make it fly, but I'm still going to try.

Maybe I don't need my spaceship to go all the way up in space.

Just a little bit higher would be okay.

Hmm.

I might be able to help you there.

We better get started.

Do you have any spacesuits?

You need all them?

Yep.

I'll open the hatch.

Welcome aboard.

The Flame Flash XTX, Addy.

First, we turn on the controls.

Whoa.

Now we do a system check.

When I call out a word, you say the word check.

Check.

Not yet.

Steering. Check.

Computer. Check.

Shields. Check. Wait, which one's shields?

That one.

Check. Ready for countdown.

Five. Four.

Three, two, one, launch!

We're moving.

Standby for turbo speed blockers, activate!

Wow! This is amazing!

Hey, why'd we slow down?

Because we're in space now.

Look.

Wow. I don't know how you did it, Carl.

But it really feels like the spaceship is flying. I told you it would.

That means we've landed.

That was amazing.

And so much fun.

It ruins everything.

Sorry your baseball game got canceled, Michael.

Want some tea?

No, thanks.

I was really looking forward to today.

We could play a board game.

Nah, I don't feel like it.

Are you just going to sit there and watch the rain all day?

Maybe if I stare at it long enough, it'll go away.

Come here.

Is that Stillwater?

He's just sitting there.

In the rain.

Why doesn't he have an umbrella?

Stillwater always has an umbrella when it's raining.

And sometimes even when it's not.

Maybe he lost it.

Maybe he's stuck outside.

I need to do something.

Well, what do you think?

I don't think you'll be getting wet with all that stuff on.

Hello, Michael.

Lovely day, isn't it? Do you need an umbrella?

I noticed you didn't have yours.

That's very kind of you. But no, I don't need an umbrella.

Today I'm using the rain as my raincoat.

But won't you get all wet?

You're supposed to stay out of the rain. See?

Perfectly dry.

You are very well protected.

Sometimes. When there's a warm summer shower like this, I like to feel the

raindrops falling on my fur.

You like the rain?

I love the rain. I always think about the journey each of these little

has taken in their life.

This one could have come all the way from China, carried here on a cloud.

Welcome to my garden, little raindrops.

Come and rest yourselves.

After such a long journey.

You think of it that way?

The rain doesn't seem all that bad.

Thinking of things a different way is good.

We call that perspective.

Have I told you about the gardener and the bee?

I don't think so.

Then I shall tell you.

It's one of my favorites.

Odette had one of the finest gardens for miles around.

She worked so hard to make things grow and loved everything about her patch,

except for one thing.

The bees.

Where could all these bees be coming from?

Though Odette didn't like the bees, she was a very curious gardener. She decided

to follow one to see where they lived.

Inside the fallen log, Odette found the bees' home.

Where am I?

Hundreds and hundreds of bees lived there. So many bees.

What if I were to be stung? So worried was she that the gardener was determined

that something should be done.

The next day, she called on a beekeeper friend for help.

No more bees?

They're all safe inside.

I'll take their hive away to another garden. But are you sure you want to do

this? Most certainly.

At the gardener's instruction, the beekeeper took the hive away.

No bees?

No sting.

The following spring, when her plants began to grow...

Odette was confused.

Something was missing.

Where's the fruit?

Where are the vegetables? Nothing is growing as it should.

But at least there are no more bees that might sting me.

It's a bee!

And that is when Odette realized her mistake.

The bees are good.

Plants need them.

You're right, Michael.

Without bees, there are no juicy tomatoes, no fat, crunchy cucumbers, and

branches heavy with sweet red cherries.

What a terrible mistake I've made.

All for the fear of a sting.

Oh, hello.

I apologize for having your home taken away, but wouldn't you please come back?

And could you bring some friends?

I do hope he comes back with his friends.

The bees did return.

And so did Odette's bounty.

Odette the gardener got something else that year.

I know. Honey.

That's right.

Honey. And enough to share.

I used to be afraid of bees, too.

Then something changed?

I learned they mostly don't mean to sting you.

And honey tastes good on toast.

Honey tastes good on everything.

You see, Michael, you found perspective.

Just like our friend the gardener.

Excuse me.

What does the rain feel like on you? Does it tickle?

To me, it feels like a thousand drum beats.

Music on my fur.

I like music, but I don't like the rain.

I don't like that sometimes the rain makes me sneeze.

What don't you like about the rain?

It ruins everything.

I was supposed to have a baseball game today, but it got canceled.

You can't do anything fun when it rains.

I can see how that must be frustrating for you.

But I wonder, is that all it can do?

Rain must do some good things, too.

Well, nothing would grow without the water from rain.

That's something good, I guess.

Hey, this is just like the bees in your story. They help make things grow, too.

Very perceptive, Michael.

And who says you can't do anything fun in the rain?

Here. Take this leaf.

Does it remind you of anything?

Hmm. It kind of looks like a little boat.

That's what I thought, too. And there's a nice little river running right

between us.

Oh, you want to race?

Ready, set...

It looks as if Carl found a way to have fun in the rain, too.

I used to do that, too, when I was his age.

I think I'm going to try using the rain as my raincoat, too.

It's not even that cold.

That's why I only do this in the summer.

Even I wear a raincoat in the wintertime.

Would you like to try some mud puddles, too?

Would you?

Yes, I believe I would.

Night creatures we were soaring high, blowing off some steam.

The maze is set. Will I make it across without falling to the bottomless pit?

Ready, set, go!

Ah! Not again!

Can I have a turn now, Carl?

I'm not finished!

I've been waiting forever.

That's supposed to be for all of us.

I know, but I'm not finished.

How much longer do you need?

A million zillion years.

Carl!

What are you doing?

I'm breathing.

That's not regular breathing, Addy. That's breathing.

It's different.

Why are you doing... Stillwater says if you have an

angry feeling inside you, sit still, close your eyes, and take deep, slow

breaths.

It can make you feel better.

Is it working?

Actually, it is.

Are you ready to give me a turn now?

I'm still not finished.

Why can't he just share?

Sound.

Hi,

Stillwater. What's that thing?

This? is a Xiao.

It's a traditional instrument from China.

I'm afraid I'm not very good at playing it, though.

Yeah, I can hear it from my backyard.

Oh, I hope I didn't disturb you.

Oh, no. I just heard the sound and wanted to know what it was. Are you

practicing? Yes, though I think panda lips may not be the right shape to make

pretty sounds come out of a Xiao.

See?

Would you like to try?

Uh, okay. How does it work? Put your fingers over the holes and blow gently

the mouthpiece.

Very nice, Addie. I think you're a natural.

I think maybe I need to practice, too.

Hmm.

Perhaps later.

Now, it is time for me to scoop leaves.

Would you like to help?

Sure.

The wind blows a lot of leaves into my goldfish pond.

Stillwater, if you know you're never going to be any good at playing the

why do you keep practicing?

I suppose it's the same as these leaves.

It is?

Every day, the wind blows leaves into the pond. And every day, I scoop them

Sometimes twice a day.

Sometimes three times a day.

Isn't the wind just going to blow them back in again?

I like a clean pond.

And so do the fish.

I also like scooping leaves.

This reminds me of a monk I once knew.

She asked a similar question about a scorpion. Would you like to hear the

I love your stories.

Master Chu was at the river with her young student, Ying.

They were washing their bowls.

Suddenly, Ying spotted something unusual floating past.

Teacher, do you see that floating in the water?

A scorpion, it seems.

Well, scorpions do not swim, Master.

It must have fallen in the river.

Yes, it seems so.

If we do not help it, it will surely drown.

Yes, we must help.

Oh, forgive me, Teacher.

Scorpions have pinching claws and a stinging tail.

And you do not wish to be hurt.

Not to worry, my child.

I will try.

Master, you've been stung.

The sting of the scorpion can be very painful.

But Master Chu was very brave and very strong.

I will be fine, my young friend.

The two continued washing their bowls when Ying noticed something familiar

floating past.

Master, the scorpion. It has fallen in again.

Let us hope this time it will be gentle.

Ouch.

Alas, I was wrong.

Master Chu's student was amazed that her teacher would do the same thing twice.

Teacher, why do you continue to save the scorpion when you know it is its nature

to sting?

Because it is my nature to save it.

Saving a life is surely worth the chance of a sting.

Why didn't Master Chu just use her bowl to scoop up the scorpion?

I've never thought of that, Addy.

I suppose Master Chu was long in kindness, but short in good ideas.

Even though they're kind of scary looking, I'm glad she saved the

But I would have tried something different the second time.

I wonder if Carl's still playing that game.

Game? We got this really fun game as a present.

It's a maze where you have to roll the ball across the top without it falling

into a hole.

Interesting.

Carl's been hogging it all day.

He won't even give me a turn.

That sounds a little bit like the scorpion, doesn't it?

Is it in Carl's nature to share so willingly?

Not really. He's still a little kid.

Maybe I need to try something different.

Hmm. Just like the monk should have.

Thank you, Stillwater.

You're welcome, Addy.

Hmm. Maybe I need to try something different, too.

Not again!

Hi, Carl.

I'm stoned already, Addy.

It's okay.

I'm not trying to take it from you.

You're not?

But it looks like you're having a hard time.

The marble keeps going into the holes.

No matter what I try, I make it go this way, and then this way, and then it

falls in.

It's too hard.

Would you like some help? We could maybe do it together.

Okay.

I'll be this knob.

You can be that one.

Okay, ready?

Aw, see?

You're right. This is hard.

Should we go again?

Yeah. This time, we'll try something different.

The maze is set. Can Addie and Carl, working together, avoid the bottomless

What's making that music?

I think it's Stillwater.

He must be trying something different, too.

Well, it sounds nice.

Just a regular car.

I got it! I got it!

Here, Addy.

Another car.

Just the water.

Hi, kid.

Hello, Carl.

I feel water.

So, what are you doing, Carl?

Waiting.

What are you waiting for?

Nice robot.

Oh, that's quite the drawing, Carl.

Well, if you like the drawing, wait until you see it for real.

Mom and Dad homemade order a super awesome toy robot for all my birthday

That super awesome toy robot is coming in the mail today and the mail is coming

any minute.

It's going to be 50 feet tall and can do like a million things.

Light beams, fries, pew, pew.

Speak robot talk. You are awesome, Carl.

We're awesome, robot.

We are awesome.

Stomp around with its robo legs.

Stomp, stomp. We're going to go on adventures.

meet your giant robot friend now.

Not giant.

Ginormous!

It's here!

Thank you, thank you.

Let me help you.

I'm sure the RoboTalk feature will work better than the light -up eyes.

What?

Maybe it can still stomp around with these teeny legs?

I'm sorry, Carl.

This is all wrong!

We were supposed to go on adventures and be heroes and stuff, but now we'll

never get to save the day!

Why don't I try to talk with him?

My robot isn't what I thought it would be.

And I have so much fun stuff planned.

It's okay to feel disappointed, Carl.

It is?

Of course.

That can happen when things don't go the way we expect.

I expected it to be a whole lot bigger and a whole lot cooler.

You know, something just like this happened to another friend of mine.

They bought a ginormous robot that wasn't ginormous?

Okay, perhaps not just like this.

Would you like to hear about it?

One year, my friend Dahlia decided to plant melon seeds.

Come summer, I'll be eating sweet, juicy melon every day.

And have plenty to share with my friends.

I know this is going to be my best harvest yet.

So out to her garden, Dahlia went with a box full of seeds.

All the while imagining how much she and her friends would enjoy those ripe,

juicy melons.

She planted each seed.

With care, she watered and weeded and waited.

Dahlia waited weeks and weeks for her melons to emerge, her excitement growing

far faster than the fruit itself.

But when the flowers finally turned to fruit, Dahlia was in for a big surprise.

Pumpkins? What happened to my melons?

It didn't take long for Dahlia to realize that she had mixed up her seeds.

Oh, silly me.

Now the only place I'll be eating melon is in my dreams.

Summer is ruined.

But in time...

she decided to give the pumpkin a chance.

While nibbling on pumpkin wasn't quite as refreshing as eating melon,

it was delicious baked into a pie.

Hi, Dahlia.

She happily shared the pumpkin pie with her friends, and they loved every bite.

They didn't even miss the melons they were expecting.

Dahlia didn't get what she was expecting, but the pies turned out to be

idea.

If things work out for Dahlia, maybe they can work out for me and my robot,

We can still do lots of fun stuff together, just in a different way.

Oh, perhaps you are right.

Perhaps I am.

Your eyes might not be able to protect us from asteroids, but they do light up.

No one can hide from my robot's powerful light beam.

Surrender, rock monster.

No, never.

All right, then take this.

Light beam activate.

Not the light. I give up.

Smells like pizza bagels.

Our next mission, talk to the chef.

That's his robot talk.

Only I can understand him.

Oh, yeah? What's he saying?

He says we would like a snack.

Here, tell him we can share.

That means thank you.

Refueling complete. Ready for more adventures?

What? No.

The Octosquid!

Never fear, Stillwater!

Team Cobot is here!

Whoa,

Octosquid got you good.

Goodness, you're here, Team Carlebot, to save the day.

It seems like you and your ginormous robot found some fun things to do.

Yeah, and he's the best robot friend ever.

Mission accomplished.

My hero.

With our spirits, we will float through the trees.

Like creatures we were soaring high, blowing off some steam.

Hold a mountain and a steppe that's in green.

Never ending dream.

Needs more lemon.

This water balloon launch is going to be epic.

The most epic water balloon launch in water balloon history.

These are going to fly way up to the moon.

And then come back down and splash you.

Hmm. The moon?

We'll see.

Ready?

There's not enough room in here for both of us.

On the picnic table.

Why are we hiding?

Because we just soaked... Addie with our water balloons and completely destroyed

the cupcakes she's been working all day to make.

She's going to be so mad.

Super duper mad.

She's going to be so mad, she's going to blast fire from her eyes or stop a

great big hole in the ground.

I just feel so bad about ruining our cupcakes.

Me too.

I bet they were yummy.

But there's nothing we can do about it now.

We just have to wait until the whole thing blows over.

She won't be able to find us here for a million zillion years.

Michael? Carl?

Is that you under the table?

Oh, I still water.

Are you playing hide and seek?

Can I play too?

We're not actually playing a game, but I'm starting to think this may not be

best hiding place.

If this isn't a game, then why are you hiding?

Because we splashed Addy with a whole bunch of water balloons.

Knocked her cupcakes in the mud. It was an accident, but she's still going to be

mad. That's why we're hiding.

What do you think we should do, Stillwater?

I think we should go outside where there's more room.

So, if you ran away to hide, how do you know Addy is angry?

Well, I would be if I spent all morning making cupcakes and they fell on the

ground. And got soaking wet.

I see.

Well, as long as you're here, would you like to help me with something?

Sure.

Look,

it's Jasper.

We're going to do some gardening. What kind of gardening?

Pulling some weeds.

Right over here.

Bamboo shoots.

They are rather small at the moment, and also the most delicious.

We just wait until they're bigger and easier to grab hold of. These are no

ordinary weeds.

They're long stems that grow out of the bamboo.

If I don't remove them now, they will grow all around the flower bed, and we

won't see the flowers anymore.

That makes sense.

Sometimes, putting off a difficult task until later makes it even more

difficult.

Would you like to hear a story about that?

Jasper says yes.

Well then, I'll begin.

Arjun was the caretaker of a beautiful courtyard garden.

It was Arjun who swept the winding path from one end to the other.

One day, As he swept, Arjun noticed something growing along the edge.

Weeds. The weeds were small, but very difficult to pull, and Arjun had a lot

more work to do that day.

They're so small, you can hardly see them.

I'll take care of these weeds tomorrow.

Tomorrow came, and Arjun went to pull the weeds.

But they were still small, and he was tired from a long day's work.

Weeds tomorrow.

Months later, as Arjun swept the path, he found that the tiny weed sprout

he had been neglecting had grown into a large thorny.

Bush.

I should probably dig you up.

Tomorrow.

Tomorrow, tomorrow, always tomorrow.

But with each tomorrow, it was another excuse to wait another day.

By the time Arjun finally went to conquer the Weedbush, it was too late.

The weed had grown into a thorny bramble, completely blocking the path.

What have I done?

I'll never be able to remove this thorny weed now.

Now, the once beautiful garden was ruined, covered under a tangle of

should have pulled that weight when it was small.

Like we should have told Addie we were sorry instead of running away.

Maybe Carl and I should go see how Addie is doing.

You could ask her now.

Here she comes. What do we do? We apologize, remember?

Oh, right.

Hey, Addie, I'm really...

I'm really sorry I hit you with those water balloons and ran away.

Me too.

I was a little annoyed at first.

But when I saw your faces, it was actually pretty funny.

You guys looked so shocked.

But what about the cupcakes?

They got ruined.

Those aren't the ones you dropped in the mud, are they?

No. I made more.

So you're not mad you had to make a whole new batch?

Why would I be mad about making more? I love baking cupcakes.

We still should have said sorry as soon as it happened.

I'm sorry too, Addy.

Apology accepted.

Thanks,

Addy. And these came out even better.

Stillwater, would you like a cupcake?

Oh, yes, please.

Here. You get one with extra sprinkles. Wow, Addy. These look like your best

work yet.

Thanks.

Glad you like them. But you do know what this means, don't you?

Thank you for letting me join your water balloon game.

Sure. Just get ready to get soaked.

Hmm.

Do you think it'll go fast?

I think so.

Like regular fast?

Or fast, fast?

Or fast, fast, fast?

It's gonna go faster, fast, fastest!

Hopefully fast enough to win the race.

But there's a lot of work to do before someone can actually drive it.

Well, ours is gonna be the coolest one in the whole neighborhood.

Can I help, Michael?

I'm really good at using rulers.

Thanks, Carl, but... I think this is more of a one -person job. Why don't you

see if Addie needs some help?

Uh, okay.

What are you doing, Addie?

I'm trying to get the steering to work.

time for the wheels yet.

We still have to fix a few things.

Good afternoon, my friends.

Stillwater! Stillwater!

I hope I'm not interrupting, but I thought the builders could use a

break.

Thanks. Thank you. You're the best.

It appears you are making quite a bit of progress on your soapbox racer. We're

getting there.

I'm trying to make the steering just right. And we're making some changes to

plans, which means triple -double -checking all of my measurements.

Yes, I see.

Very good work.

How about you, Carl?

Um, well, has anyone seen a bolt?

About this size.

I can find it.

Got it.

Carl,

could you spare a moment to help me carry some of this back?

Seems like Addie and Michael are having a great time building the race car.

Yeah. They've got plans and tools and have it all figured out.

And are you having fun?

I don't know.

Huh. I usually know whether or not I'm having fun.

All right.

I'm not having fun. I'm having no fun.

No fun doesn't sound fun at all. It isn't.

It just makes you feel sad and mad and bad inside.

I understand.

I can't draw plans like Michael. I can't build like Addie. I can't help find

stuff. I can't help with anything.

They don't even need me.

I'm useless.

You're useless?

I thought you were Carl.

Maybe that's how you feel. But that's not who you are.

We all have gifts to share.

Sometimes we have to look a little closer to find them.

Would you like to hear a story?

Okay.

Hannah lived in a house on a hill.

Every morning, She gathered her two large pots and set out to collect the

water.

Good morning, Dottie. Good morning.

Good morning, Daisy.

Good morning.

Every afternoon, Hannah made her way back up the hill, the pots filled to the

brim.

Dottie always beaming with pride, Daisy feeling quite the opposite.

Another great day. I didn't spill a drop.

I spilled all my drops.

When Hannah realized that one of her pots was unhappy, it made her feel

too.

What is it that troubles you, my friend?

Every day, you make a long journey down to the stream with two pots.

But only return with one pot's worth of water.

And it's all my fault.

I have a hole in my side.

And a pot with a hole is a useless pot.

Just replace me already.

I would never dream of it. I chose you because of that hole in your side.

Perhaps you will understand why if you take a... closer look at the path on our

way back home.

And so Daisy did just that and was surprised by what she found.

Look at all these flowers.

How lovely.

You never noticed them before? Where did they all come from?

They came from you.

Huh?

I planted seeds on your side of the path.

And every day, drips from the hole in your side have watered them.

Look what beauty you have brought to our world.

Maybe you could plant seeds on the other side of the path.

I could trade places with Dottie.

And water them, too.

Ah, now you understand.

A pot with a hole in its side is not a useless pot.

It is a special pot with a very special gift to give.

Hannah knew Daisy was a special pot all along.

She certainly did.

Daisy just needed a little help to see it.

Sometimes we all need a little help.

to see how special we are.

And speaking of needing help, it seems I've picked all of the lemons I can

easily reach.

But the lemons that hang closer to the trunk have proven a challenge for me to

get my paws on.

Perhaps you could help me reach them.

I can do that. I'm good at climbing trees.

That was a perfect job for you.

Yep. I think because I'm smaller, it was easier for me to get past the branches.

I wonder what else I can do.

You can help me stir up a new batch of lemonade.

Sorry, Stillwater.

I don't think I can.

This pot with the hole has a soapbox racer to make.

Get back to work.

You're done?

Not completely.

We're trying to figure out what to call it. You have any ideas, Carl?

Me? Yeah.

You're the best at coming up with cool names.

Remember when you named that bird who was taking all the bird seed?

Tweety O' Greedy.

He was greedy.

None of the other birds got to eat.

So you think you can come up with something?

Hmm.

Hmm.

The Carnado!

Lightning ball 10 ,000 X!

That's it! Awesome!

Have we tried it out yet?

We should probably do that, huh?

That's not good.

Addy, you try.

Uh -oh.

Guess I should have double, triple, double checked all my measurements.

He's way too small.

For the two of us.

You're right.

I bet I could fit.

Only one way to find out.

Look at that.

You're the perfect fit.

On three.

One.

Two.

Bye. Bye.

Bye.

Dog leash, rubber ball,

chew toy,

food bowl.

Everything I need to pet sit our neighbor's dog, Yuko, this weekend.

Huh. Pet sit.

Sounds important.

It is. It's a big responsibility.

I've always wanted a dog.

Oh. Then taking care of Yuko should be good practice.

Oh, yeah. I've got a whole bunch of fun stuff planned.

Fetching the ball, going on walks, playing chase.

Yuko's going to be my best friend.

At least for the weekend.

That does sound like fun.

Yuko is a very lucky dog.

Michael! The dog's here!

Oh, gotta go. See you later, Stillwater.

Have fun with Yuko, Carl.

Bye, Stillwater.

Carl,

this is Yuko. Oh, she's big.

Come on, Yuko.

Shake. Shake hello.

Huh.

Guess you don't know that trick.

Yuko. Come here, Yuko. You want to play?

She's licking me.

Down,

Yuko. Carl's still kind of nervous around dogs. But I'm not.

Come on. I'll show you around.

This is the sunroom.

And over there's my sister, Addie.

Hi, Yuko.

We're going to have so much fun.

Yeah, well, Yuko and I are going to have so much fun together.

Come on. I'll show you our room.

Here it is.

You're sleeping here with me.

This is your bed.

Try it out.

Don't you want to try out your bed, Yuko?

Let's go outside.

No, it's fine.

Go, Yuko. Go get it.

That's right, Yuko. Bring it here.

Yuko.

I like you too, Yuko.

Come on. That's enough.

You're such a good girl.

I'm tired of playing catch.

I'm going to take her for a walk.

Oh.

You don't want to walk, girl?

Okay, well, maybe later.

I think Hugo's ready now.

mind holding the leash.

Never mind.

I don't feel like walking anymore.

I bet Stillwater's never met Yuko before.

I'm going to take her over there for a visit.

We can show them all the fun stuff Yuko can do.

Yeah, I guess we can.

Hello, Michael.

This must be your new best friend.

This is Yuko.

I don't think we're best friends yet.

These things often take time.

Hello, Yuko. Nice to meet you.

Shake, Yuko. Shake hello.

What a wonderful trick.

Did you teach her that, Michael? No.

Carl did.

Well, it's a good trick all the same.

You know, I could use a break from raking leaves.

Would you like to come sit with me for a minute?

You go, you go.

Yeah, get it, get it.

Looks like pet sitting is going well.

Is it everything you thought it would be?

Not really.

Over here.

Good girl.

I had all these cool things planned.

But all Yugo wants to do is play with Carl.

Come on!

You're a good dog, Yugo.

Oh, I see. You seem disappointed.

I'm kind of mad.

She's supposed to be my best friend for the weekend, not Carl's.

Have you ever heard the saying, the giver should be thankful?

Well, I know it's polite to say thank you when someone gives you something,

it works the other way around.

Yes, it certainly does.

There was once a very generous mouse named Dario who learned to be a thankful

giver.

Dario considered himself to be the best chef in all the land.

Soup was his specialty, and people would line up every night just to get a

taste.

Most nights, he would run out of soup before everyone could get a bite.

Nobody liked that.

Least of all, Dario.

With a bigger kettle, everyone would have some.

Imagine what they'd say about me. I'd be a hero.

For me?

No. You're too kind. Really.

The next evening, Dario had prepared the biggest kettle of soup.

anyone had ever seen.

Oh wow, is that the kettle?

Haha, there'll be a parade in my honor tonight.

As expected, the feast was a hit.

Everyone loved the soup, but Dario was the only one not having fun.

His guests were enjoying his soup so much, they completely forgot about

Hmm. No one's treating me like a hero.

Where's my parade?

My celebration?

But he shouldn't have been disappointed.

He made all those people happy with his soup.

This is true.

And Dario realized that too.

It just took him a moment.

Of course. I made more than enough this time.

Mommy! Mommy! I got some more this time.

Dario realized that by making more soup, he created more happiness.

This was a reward far greater than anything he could have imagined.

I imagined pet sitting Yuko would be different.

I really wanted her to like me best.

Is that the most important part of pet sitting?

No, not really.

I have to make sure she's safe and happy.

Do you think she's safe and happy?

Come on, Yuko.

Go get the ball.

Get it? Get it?

Good dog.

Yeah, I think so.

Carl's happy too.

They're both having a good time together.

Gives him a pretty good pet sitter after all.

And giving Carl his gift of joy makes you a pretty good brother as well.

Michael, you play with her now.

I'm tired.

Looks like Yuko's tired too.

After you both rest a minute, we can try going for that walk again.

What?

He knows the word walk.

Guess it's time to go then.

Here, you can hold the leash, Carl.

Stillwater, want to come too?

Actually, I would.

What a beautiful day to go for a walk.

Whoa!

Three, two...

You don't need to lift off to see a lunar eclipse, Carl. We can watch it

right here in the yard.

Hot cocoa and marshmallows are served.

Thanks, Daddy.

Is that what the moon will look like tonight, Michael?

At the start, yes.

You'll see for yourself pretty soon.

Got it.

Cool.

There.

Now, to turn them on.

Mind lending me a hand?

Sure.

And the final touch,

moon pop.

From the moon?

No, silly. I made them.

They're cake pops, but I'm calling them moon pops instead.

Mmm, they look good.

Moon party?

Moon pops.

Seem to fit the theme for tonight.

Yeah, the moon. I wonder what it's doing now.

So when is this lunar eclipse?

It's lunar eclipse.

Lunar means moon, and eclipse means, well, sort of like covering something

This isn't the one where you have to wear the special glasses, is it?

No, that's a solar eclipse.

It's with the sun instead of the moon.

That can hurt your eyes if you look at it.

This one is perfectly safe to watch.

Will there be aliens?

Or meteors?

Are you riding aliens?

Probably not.

More like this.

Here.

I'll do an example.

It's when a shadow from the earth crosses over the moon.

What's that for?

I brought something special along for the occasion.

Well, in the old days during a lunar eclipse, some people in China would beat

drum to keep a dragon from eating the moon.

You never know. Maybe it'll keep the dragon away from the moon pops, too.

Don't worry, Moon.

We won't let the dragon eat you.

So, what happens now?

Well, the sun has set and the moon has risen.

So now, we wait.

Okay, we're getting close.

Just a few more seconds.

Is the dragon here yet?

I don't see a dragon, but the lunar eclipse is almost here. Is your drum

Ready. I'm going to get some pictures of the moon, especially when it turns

orange.

It's starting. It's starting.

See how dark the edge is? That's the Earth's shadow starting to move across

moon. Wow.

It looks like the shadow is taking a bite of the moon.

Get away, dragon.

Check it out.

It's turning orange.

That's from sunlight bouncing off the Earth's atmosphere.

It's the same reason sunsets can look orange.

Oh, wow.

Cool.

And this is just the start. Pretty soon the moon is going to disappear

completely in Earth's shadow.

Well, this is something I've never seen during a lunar eclipse before.

What is it? Is it a real dragon?

Have a look for yourself.

Clouds?

No, no, no, no.

Are clouds part of the eclipse?

No. And if they move in front of the moon, we won't be able to see the

Do you think my drum will send the clouds away?

It certainly couldn't hurt.

It's working! It's working!

What happened to the eclipse?

It's all bright again. We missed it.

The eclipse happened while the clouds were covering it up.

When's the next one?

Not for a few years.

Well, can we rewind this one?

And want to without the clouds?

Sorry, Carl.

No do -overs with eclipses.

All of this was for nothing.

What good is a lunar eclipse party without a lunar eclipse?

We saw some of it.

But not the best part.

This wasn't what we expected, is it?

You're feeling disappointed?

Majorly.

Does disappointed make your tummy feel funny? And your face all hot?

Because that's how I feel.

Yeah, and my chest is all achy too.

I'm sorry you're feeling this way, but I'm glad you were able to tell me how

your disappointment feels.

It's not the same as a lunar eclipse, but would you like to hear a story?

We love hearing your stories.

Well then, this takes place somewhere warm, far away.

Antonia was always full to the top with happy feelings.

She was quick to smile and enjoyed her life.

Antonia seems like the happiest person in town. She sure does.

She's always got a smile on her face.

Antonia had an unexpected guest.

A pretty songbird that flew into her yard.

Oh, what a pretty bird.

Welcome to my home.

I'm so happy you've come to visit me.

Stay as long as you like.

The next morning, the songbird once again filled Antonia's garden with its

beautiful song.

Good morning, pretty bird.

And so it was.

Every morning, day after day, the songbird greeted Antonia with its

melody.

Good morning, pretty bird.

There's that pretty bird again.

He visits her every day. She's so lucky.

But one morning, something very unexpected happened.

Good morning, pretty bird.

Oh, goodbye then.

The bird flew away?

Aww.

Did it ever come back?

No. Antonia never saw the bird again.

You must be so disappointed it flew away. I was disappointed, but I'm

for the brief moments I had with it.

Perhaps another happy surprise is right around the corner.

She was already pretty happy before, so the bird was kind of like a bonus.

She was glad she had it, but after it flew away, she was the same happy person

as before.

Yeah, just like when we were having fun before the clouds covered up everything.

So, how does your face and tummy and chest feel now?

Actually, a lot better.

Isn't it interesting how these feelings change when you give them time?

I was disappointed about the moon.

But I'm still happy we had the party.

I like drumming the dragon drum.

I like telling you guys everything I learned about lunar eclipses. And I like

decorating and getting all the treats ready.

Moon pops. I forgot to pass them out.

Oh, yeah.

Moon pops. Moon pops.

Really clever, Addy.

Oh, delicious.

Tastes like the moon.

This is the best lunar eclipse party ever.

I have an idea.

Stillwater, we'll need one of your lamps.

Stay awake, dragon.

The moon is safe.

Do one more, Stillwater.

All right, one more.

This one is my favorite.

Bye. Bye.

Bye.

Okay, Addie, after weeks of training, it's finally race day.

I wish we were running already.

All this waiting is making me nervous.

Whoa! There you go, Carl.

Thanks, Stillwater.

My pleasure.

Some of the best runners are here.

Asha is here.

Who's Asha?

She wins all the races.

I'm not ready. Yes, you are. You practiced running in the trees behind

house, and you've been working on your speed.

Being ready is the first step to winning the race. Do you remember the second?

Steady.

Whoa.

Addy's even steady upside down.

Not too fast and not too slow.

Go at a steady pace and keep your breathing steady.

And third is... Go!

That's right.

Once you reach the final lap, give it all you got and go as fast as you can to

the finish line.

This would be loud.

You can do this.

Oh, how exciting.

What's going on? I can't see Addy. This is called a cross -country race. Part of

it takes place in the woods where we can't see.

If we can't see... see her, how do we know she's doing okay?

That's what makes it exciting. We don't.

But Addie's been working really hard at this. I'm sure she's doing great.

Daddy, not too fast.

Not too slow.

At a good pace.

They should be nearing the middle of the race.

It might be a while.

Perhaps you can put your arm down until you see the runners return.

I wonder how Addy's doing.

He's coming out of the woods now.

Watch out for that tree branch.

One last log to jump over.

The race is over. Did Annie win?

No, she lost.

Let's go see Addy.

Addy, that was amazing!

I brought you water.

But I drank it.

Cheering can make you thirsty.

Thank you, Stillwater.

No, thanks.

Well, at least you were out in front for most of the race.

Uh, until the end. Why don't we celebrate your race with a smoothie?

I don't feel like one.

Oh?

There's nothing for me to celebrate.

I didn't win.

Asha always wins.

Thanks, guys.

Would you like to hear a story?

I would!

It's called... The Tortoise and the Hare.

I know that story already.

The turtle beats the rabbit.

Well, this story has a slightly different ending.

It does?

It does.

One sunny day, everyone came out to see the big race between the tortoise and

the hare.

On your mark, get set, go!

See you at the finish line!

See you later, hair!

Yeah, I knew. I knew it. We knew it. We all knew it.

Now, to wait for Tortoise.

I'm going home.

I'm sure Tortoise will be here soon.

This is my happy racing song.

I love to race all...

I did it! I won!

But hair finished hours ago. How can you claim victory, tortoise? Do you see?

The sun is still up.

Every time I raced before, it was long after dark when I crossed the finish

line.

I beat the sunset.

That's faster than I ever have before.

And I had a grand time doing so.

Tortoise knew that doing his best was reason to celebrate.

The tortoise wasn't racing against the hare.

He was racing against himself.

And he sang a happy little song while doing it.

Hey, Michael, what was my fastest time in practice?

Your fastest practice time was 24 minutes. And today was 22.

That's two minutes faster.

Yeah, that's my best time ever.

a personal record.

All right!

What does that even mean?

It means we all get smoothies.

Woo -hoo!

You know, your time today even beat Asha's fastest time from the last race.

Maybe Asha is still the fastest, but I did my best.

Hey, Addy. I just wanted to come over and say hi.

Hi, Asha. Hi.

Congratulations on your win.

You ran a great race.

I had to run faster than I ever have just to catch you. I got my best time

today.

Me too.

This is my happy racing song.

I love to race all day long.

Come have some breakfast.

No, thanks. I already ate.

I'm going to see Stillwater.

Wait, Carl.

You can't go out like that. Your shirt's too small.

No, it's not.

Yeah, it is.

No, it's not.

It's awesome.

Now that was awesome.

Do it again, Carl.

No. I'm going to see Stillwater.

In that shirt?

Isn't it kind of small for you now?

No! It's perfect and it fits just fine!

He really loves that shirt.

Are you dancing still water?

Not exactly.

I'm practicing Tai Chi.

It's a series of special movements that help me calm myself and get ready for

the day.

It looks like slow motion karate.

Would you like to try it?

Sure.

First, we honor the space with a bow.

Every move in Tai Chi has a name.

We'll start with Golden Rooster standing on one leg.

It certainly is.

I think you woke Jasper from his morning nap.

Begin with feet apart and arms at your side.

Lift your knee and hand until your elbow is just above your knee.

Lift your hand and knee.

Breathe in and out.

Now, turn your other toes out. Lift your left knee in hand.

Breathe in and out.

It seems like you're having a little trouble today, Carl.

Yeah, my arms won't stretch.

My tummy is kind of cold.

I wonder what could be causing that.

Shall we continue?

Let's try grasping the sparrow's tail.

Really? Oh, not a real sparrow. It's the name of the movement.

Just follow me.

Don't forget to breathe.

I guess it's my shirt.

Your shirt?

That's why my arms won't stretch.

My tummy is cold.

My shirt seems a lot smaller today.

Do you think space aliens came and zapped my shirt with the shrink ray?

anything is possible.

But we probably would have noticed if space aliens were in the neighborhood.

You know, Carl, when I first met you, you came up to here on me.

Now, look how tall you are.

Yeah, I'm getting taller every day.

So maybe my shirt didn't get smaller.

Maybe I got bigger?

Maybe.

I don't want to get bigger.

I don't want to get too big for my very most favorite shirt.

What if I get too big for my other things, too? Like my bed or my bike?

Am I going to keep growing for the rest of my life?

Not for the rest of your life.

But you'll probably keep growing until you're a full -fledged grown -up.

Most living things grow.

Birds grow.

Bamboo grows.

Even big panda bellies grow.

I like your big belly.

Me too.

It's just Jasper in his favorite box.

This is his home away from home.

Keep it how it fits.

This reminds me of another animal and her traveling home.

Come sit with me, Carl, and I'll tell you about it.

Sure.

All right, Carl.

There once was a hermit crab who had found a... Perfect home in a pretty

shell that was just the right size.

She carried that shell with her wherever she went.

Hey, nice shell, Nani.

Thanks. I just love it so much.

I'm going to keep it forever.

But forever is a long time.

And as the crab grew, the shell began to feel smaller and smaller.

Come on, Nonny. We're swimming over to the reef today.

Be right out.

Huh.

That's weird.

This shell feels a little tight.

Looks like it's time for you to move on to a new shell.

A new shell?

No, I'm never going to find another shell as special as this one. Never,

never.

And so she continued to live uncomfortably in her pretty little

shell until one morning.

I'm stuck.

Her ocean friends tried to help.

They tried pulling her out.

They tried shaking her out.

Not helping!

They even flathered her shell with super slippery sea snail slime and tried to

slide her out.

Ow! It was a bit painful. All that pulling and shaking and sliding.

But finally...

No more...

I am going to miss my beautiful shell.

But maybe it's time for a new beginning.

Hmm.

No, uh -uh.

Not that one.

With the help of her friend...

The crab soon found a new shell.

This new shell is different, but I think I'm going

to love it.

I'll always remember my old shell, but it's time to say goodbye.

And that's not all. The crab's old home became a new home for someone else.

I bet it was just a... right fit.

You know what, Stillwater?

I think I might need a new shell, too.

You think so?

I mean, I like this shirt best, but maybe there will be a new best.

What are you guys doing?

We're just talking about me saying goodbye to my old shell and getting a

one.

Uh, well...

A new shell sounds nice, but how about a new shirt instead?

I mean, it's not exactly new, but it's... Awesome!

It was my absolute favorite when I was your age, Carl.

Then one day it got too small.

You mean you got too big.

Yeah, but I never got rid of it.

I think it'll fit you now.

You're giving me your favorite shirt?

It's a little big, but you'll grow into it.

What do you think of my new shirt, Stillwater?

I've always liked horses.

Me too. Me too.

Did you know there's a Tai Chi move called parting the horse's mane?

Show us how to do it, Stillwater.

I'd be delighted.

No!

With our spirits we were floating through the trees.

Like creatures we were soaring high, blowing off some steam.

A whole mountain and its alphabet and green.

A never -ending dream.

Oh? Carl,

is that you?

So nice of you to visit.

Hi, Stillwater.

I'm not visiting.

I'm escaping.

Escaping? From what?

From the barber shop.

You're going to the barbershop. How exciting.

No, it's horrible.

It is?

You don't like the barbershop? No, I don't.

Well, I haven't been to the barbershop before, but I know I'm not going to like

it.

If you've never been, how would you know you won't like it?

I just do.

I wish my mom could cut my hair like she always does.

Now she says it looks too sloppy the way she does it. It's time for me to see a

professional.

What's a professional?

Well, a professional is someone who is very good at their job.

Like giving nice haircuts.

Well, I'm not going.

Hmm, a backpack.

It appears you're going to stay here a while.

Yeah, I've got everything I need.

I got my wand bottle, my ginormous robot, snacks.

Well, you're welcome to stay here with me while I trim the hedges.

Are barbers nice like my mom?

I think they are.

Michael and Addie say the barber uses clippers.

Like for the garden?

Oh, the barber uses hair clippers, not garden clippers.

They're different.

Michael says they're loud.

Not too loud, but they do make a sound.

I don't like loud noises.

Do they use sharp scissors?

I can't even use scissors.

What if the barber puts sticky, smelly stuff in my hair?

Yuck! Or what if they cut off all my hair by mistake?

Usually they cut it exactly how you tell them.

Hmm.

Have you been to the barber shop?

Do you like it?

Very much.

You do?

How come?

I like the steady buzz of the clippers. I find it very

relaxing. So relaxing that sometimes I even fall asleep.

I love the stillness. The warm towel against my fur.

The soothing smells.

They tickle my nose.

There's so much to like.

The barbershop is one of my favorite places.

Let's take a walk.

Sometimes, a new experience can be scary.

How do you make it not scary?

That's a very good question.

Would you like me to tell you a story about someone who did something they've

never done before?

Ginormous Robot does.

Well, Ginormous Robot, this story takes place at a lake far away in the

north.

There was a flock of geese who spent all summer on a beautiful lake.

But with winter fast approaching, it was time for the flock to fly someplace

much warmer.

But there was one young gosling who refused to go along.

Was he scared?

I think so.

It's time to leave, little gosling.

I don't want to. I like my pond.

I can see you're cold.

If we stay, it will only get colder.

There would be no seeds or insects to eat, and all of your friends are going

south for the winter.

It would get very lonely here, don't you think?

This is the only place I know.

And this is the only place I like.

Leaving seems scary.

The unknown can be scary, but can also be exciting.

Think of flying south as an adventure.

An adventure?

And you'll be with me?

Every inch. An adventure together.

Okay. Together.

I'm ready.

Wow. The tall trees, the blue lakes, the warm sun.

This is amazing.

It's even better because you're here with me.

That sounds fun. I like adventure, too.

Like when Addie, Michael, and I go camping.

I have an idea.

You do?

A great idea.

If the little goose didn't have to go alone to the south, maybe I don't have

go alone to the barber shop.

Will you come with me, Mr. Water?

Well, I do need a trim.

I'll go get Michael and Addie.

This is going to be...

Are you ready?

I'm ready.

Then it's time for an adventure together.

Hello, everyone.

Hello,

Tom. This is Carl. He's here for a haircut.

Terrific. Welcome, Carl.

He's my favorite part.

I didn't know you could do that.

The

water's

asleep.

Stillwater was right.

The clippers aren't loud at all.

I think this is Stillwater's favorite part.

Hi.

Carl, you look so handsome.

Yeah, we look good.

I thought you were going to get a haircut.

I only needed a trim, remember?

That's a lot of hair for a little haircut.

Barbershop wasn't so scary.

Can we come back tomorrow?

Oh, maybe not tomorrow, but we'll come back very soon.

Do you like your new haircut?

I like it because it looks just like yours.

But it doesn't look like me.

You're right.

Something is seriously wrong.

There we go.

Better?

Oh, man.

Not again.

I'll get your plane, Michael.

I get it.

I followed all the instructions.

How to fold the paper, make the wings straight, check the wind, the exact way

throw it.

The whole checklist.

What should I do with it?

Just put it in the pile with the other crashed up planes.

Can I try my paper airplane?

You made one?

Sure.

Which design did you use?

I just folded up a piece of paper.

We can try it out against my Silver Cyclone 9000 Super Deluxe and see which

goes farther.

I have one more folded up and ready to fly.

Stand right here.

Okay, on the count of three.

One. One, two, three!

Ugh, another nose dive.

That's quite all right, Carl.

Have you boys been making origami?

We're making paper airplanes.

What's origami?

Origami. If you have an extra piece of paper, I can show you.

Thank you.

Origami is the Japanese art of folding paper.

That sounds like what we did with our airplanes.

Yes. It seems very similar.

Now, let's see.

It's been a while since I've made one.

There. Whoa.

Is that a pterodactyl?

It's supposed to be a crane.

Well, it looks like a pterodactyl.

Then we'll call it a pterodactyl.

Is this the special paper and designs you need to make an airplane?

Yeah. It can get pretty complicated.

Especially if you're trying to make a perfect one.

Perfect?

This one. The Silver Cyclone 9000.

It says in the book it can fly up to 50 feet.

That's like from here to your koi pond.

Impressive. That's a long way for a paper airplane to fly.

I know, but...

None of mine go that far. They crash right away.

Hmm. I must not be doing something right.

The weird thing is that Carl didn't even follow the book, and his went farther

than any of mine ever did.

Yes, I remember.

I followed the instructions perfectly, so I don't know why I can't get it to

perfectly. Hmm.

I'm not sure either.

But I wonder if you would show me how to make one of your Silver Cyclone 9000s.

Sure. You take the special paper and fold it on the lines.

See? You have to make sure the wings are straight. That's important.

Fold, fold, flip.

Smooth this part out. This is the tricky part.

It has to be perfectly even or this part won't line up.

Then you even up the wings and it's finished.

Do you think it looks like the one in the book?

Indeed it does.

The last thing is to see which way the wind is blowing.

It appears to be blowing that way.

Yeah.

What next?

Now, the last instruction says to hold the plane like this and throw it.

It's so frustrating.

Hmm.

Do you have any ideas why your plane might not be flying the way you expect

to? It might be the wings.

Throwing it a different way might help, too.

Ah. Have you tried changing those things?

No, because that wouldn't be following the instructions.

It needs to be perfect.

May I have another sheet of paper?

Uh, sure.

Maybe.

It's not what you're doing wrong.

It's what you're doing right.

What do you mean?

The best way to explain might be with a story.

Ren was an eager apprentice who was given the opportunity to design his own

katasenshi, a dry garden of rocks and sand.

Today, was a special day because his careful work in his garden would finally

revealed to some very important visitors.

Wren's garden was almost finished.

All that was left was to rake the tiny pebbles into waves.

He wanted this detail to be perfect, but he was never quite satisfied.

That's not right.

No, not that either.

It has to be perfect.

No, not perfect.

Ren tried and tried.

But nothing he could do was his idea of perfect.

The garden is progressing nicely, Ren.

Master Tanuki, thank you.

But I'm not happy with my waves.

Have you tried the zigzag pattern?

Yes.

The swirls? That too.

How about the squiggles?

I also tried the squiggles.

I've tried every wave pattern I can think of. Done everything you taught me,

Master. But something just isn't right.

Hmm.

Uh -huh.

There is one thing we could try, Ren.

Something I don't believe I've taught you.

Please, Master Tanuki, can you show me? The guests will be here any minute.

Can you fix it, Master?

Yes. I believe so.

Have a seat.

There.

But the leaves!

Oh.

I see.

All this time, I was trying to make the waves perfect.

But all it really needed... was a little bit of... not perfect.

How do you like your garden now?

I think it's... just right.

So, maybe there is no such thing as a perfect garden.

Or perfect paper airplane.

Many people seek perfection, but I've never met anyone who's truly found it.

But being happy with what you've created can be its own reward.

An origami crane.

It's not perfect, but this one doesn't look like a pterodactyl.

I'm happy with how it came out.

Maybe I could try making my plane a little not perfect, too.

Now, how would that look, I wonder?

Well, the wings.

They're supposed to be straight across, but if I bend them up just a little

bit... Maybe it'll have more lift.

That means it'll float higher.

Oh, and maybe I'll try throwing it into the wind. That might help. There are

lots of things I can try.

That new plane?

Doesn't look like a Super Cycle 9000 Super Dilla.

I know.

Let's see how far this one can go.

Did you see that?

It didn't go very far, but it made that cool loop and didn't crash.

I've got a bunch more paper airplane ideas.

Want to help me try them out? Yeah.

Would you like to come to Stillwater?

I'd love to.

Maybe we can see if the pterodactyl will fly too.

All right.

On the count of three.

One.

With our spirits we were floating through the trees.

Like creatures we were soaring high, blowing off some steam.

A whole mountain and its alphabet's in green.

A never -ending dream.

There.

Hmm.

Is this right, Stillwater?

I don't think there's a right way or a wrong way, Addy. Just that you are happy

with how the fruit is arranged in the bowl.

I am.

I've never painted fruit before.

It's a still life painting.

Do you have to be still while you're painting?

We're not still. The fruit is.

Still life is a style of painting that uses everyday objects.

Like oranges.

How do we start?

First, start with what you see.

The shape of the fruit. The colors.

Hmm. I see circles with a bright orange color.

With a little dark shadow on the edge.

Like the crescent shadow of the moon.

Okay. Start over.

I'll just wait for him to pass.

Carl, can you be quiet, please?

It's hard to paint a still life.

When you're flying around being so loud.

I can't be quiet. I'm an airplane, and airplanes are supposed to be loud.

Carl, stop.

Joe Water and I are painting.

All are welcome in my garden, even loud airplanes.

How can you paint the bowl of fruit with all the noise he's making?

Well, it doesn't have to be quiet to paint.

In fact... I paint everything I see, feel, and hear.

I see an orange.

I feel like I want to paint.

And I hear... nothing.

Thanks, Carl.

I really appreciate you being quiet.

You're welcome!

That was for the still life painting!

Sorry.

We're painting the bowl of fruit.

Things arranged in the bowl.

I didn't know it was painting fruit. It looked like regular old eating fruit to

me.

Carl, why don't you go be an airplane again?

Maybe you can fly somewhere else.

Okay, sure.

Prepare for takeoff.

I'll do it.

Just go someplace else.

Okay? Okay.

Sorry. I had the fruit arranged how I wanted to paint it.

And now it's everywhere.

not to be, but painting a still life with all this noise is really hard.

It's perfectly natural to feel frustration toward Carl.

It is?

What's important is what you do with those feelings.

When I feel frustrated, I like to take big, deep breaths.

Until I feel better.

I've done that before when Carl makes me mad.

How about trying it again with me?

Okay.

I'm glad to hear it.

Would you like to start a new painting?

I don't know if I want to paint anymore.

Perhaps now is a good time for a break.

Okay.

This reminds me of a story.

Would you like to hear?

As long as it's not about airplanes.

I promise. There are no airplanes.

But there is a boat.

There was once an otter named Angus who lived near a little island that was

nested in a secluded river.

On the island grew a plum tree.

Each summer, the tree blossomed with delicious fruit.

Angus had long admired the fruit from afar, and was determined to make his way

to the island to pick some for himself.

Good morning, plum tree!

This was no easy task.

The current of the river was very strong, making it a challenge to reach

plum tree.

But Angus's determination was also strong.

I think today is finally the day.

Oh, how sweet those plums will be.

So, he took out the boat he had made and set out across the river.

Almost got it. No matter how hard he tried, the current would push him away.

I'll get it this time.

Tried and tried and tried.

Eventually... Angus could no longer fight against the stream.

Did he ever get the plump?

No, but he got something else he never expected.

River, I will go where you lead.

What is this place?

Oh, my.

Would you look at that?

Sometimes, letting go of expectations can lead to the sweetest rewards.

So instead of the plum he wanted, River led Angus to oranges and apples.

And even a coconut.

He learned to let go and go with the flow.

Let go and go with the flow.

I like that.

Angus let go of fighting the river and went with the flow to discover a new

place he never saw before.

Angus could no more control the river than you can control everything in the

backyard.

If the backyard isn't going to be quiet, maybe I can let go of making a quiet

painting. I can paint a loud painting instead.

Here's your painting fruit, Addy.

is the pear pant.

Everybody back in the bowl.

Hey, that's my spot.

Sorry, Addy. I'll try to be quiet.

That's okay, Carl.

I have an idea.

Give me your best airplane.

problem. Let go and go with the flow.

Interesting.

That is interesting.

The spider had something new to the still life. Keep going, Carl.

Clear for takeoff.

It's different than the quiet still life I started, but I really like this loud

painting. Indeed.

Can we do a quiet painting now?

You can rest now, Garo. I'm going to start a new painting.

What are you going to paint?

I don't know yet, but I can't wait to find out.

I'm going to show you how to do it on your own.

Okay.

Now watch closely.

This is how I learned how to tie my shoes.

Left over right, make your laces tight.

Left over right, make your laces tight.

Round and round the tree, can't catch me.

Round and round the tree, can't catch me.

Up through the hole, then you push.

Through the hole, then you pull.

I did it! I tied my own shoe!

I did it on my very first try!

Wow, you did!

Look, Michael, I'm the best shoelace tie in the whole wide world!

Nice job, Carl.

Now I'll never ever need help to tie my shoes again.

I've got a show still!

What do you think of my scarf, Jasper?

This is the first time I've tried to knit, so I'm still learning.

Hmm. We often learn the most from the times we fail.

I'll try again.

Still water!

Guess what I just did.

Uh, climbed Mount Everest?

Visited the moon.

Nope!

You found my missing sock.

No, I tied my shoe all by myself.

Oh, well, shoe tying is quite a skill.

Yep, I'm pretty much the best shoe tie in the history of all shoe tires since I

got it right on my very first try.

Want me to tie your shoe?

I don't usually wear shoes, but perhaps you can show me by tying a piece of yarn

around my foot.

They put left over right and pull through the hole.

No, wait.

First you go around the tree.

But where's the tree?

I know. You make the laces tight and then... I

think maybe I forgot what you do.

Well, I'm sure Addy will be happy to show you again.

No, I can't ask Addy.

I already told her I'm the best shoe tire ever and I'll never ever need help

again. Oh, I see.

So then, what will you do when you take off your shoes?

Well, I know. I'll never take them off.

Never? Yep.

Carl, we're filling up the pool.

Bring still water.

Shall we go for a swim?

When you splash in the pool, you can put your shoes back on and tie them all by

yourself. I bet that feels pretty good.

I don't really feel like splashing around today.

It's hot.

At least take your shoes off and get your feet wet, Carl.

I don't want to take my shoes off.

Why not?

You love getting wet. I don't want to. I just don't want to.

I never want to take my shoes off ever again.

You gonna take your bath, Carl?

Maybe tomorrow.

Would you like to come in and have some tea, Carl?

Do I have to take off my shoes?

It is what we usually do.

Then no thanks.

I don't want to untie my shoes.

It looks like one of your shoes has decided to untie itself.

Oh, no!

Well,

now that your shoe is off...

Would you like to come in for tea?

No. No?

How about a story then?

There once were two brothers, Kai and Kel.

They shared many things, including a birthday.

One birthday, the twin boys received brand new bicycles.

Wow!

They didn't know how to ride yet, but they were determined to learn.

I can't wait to try this. Yeah, it looks easy. I think you just get on and

pedal.

Kai was a bit more determined than Kel.

Let's try that again.

Uh, all right.

But they both tried again.

Whoa! Come on, let's keep trying.

Isn't as easy as I thought.

Yes, yes, yes! No, no, no!

One more time.

Oh, forget it. I'll never learn to ride a bike.

I'm gonna get a snack.

Kel went back inside, but not Kai.

Ride with me. You can do it.

Then we can ride to the park together.

Oh, thanks.

Hey, you want to ride over to the park with me?

Kai returned later that day to find his brother still at home.

Hey, Kel, you should have come with us. We rode our bikes all around the park

and back.

I couldn't come with you. I can't ride a bike, remember?

But it's not too late to learn. I'm glad you think that, Carl.

Cal realized that too.

Maybe I just need to keep trying.

And he did keep trying.

Over and over again.

And he rode the bike?

He rode the bike.

And the next day, Kai and Kel were able to ride off together to all kinds of new

adventures.

I think maybe Kel gave up too fast.

Just needed a little help and a lot more practice.

Every time we try and fail, we learn a little more about how to succeed.

So maybe I shouldn't give up so soon either.

Maybe I can learn to tie my own shoe.

I know you put left over right, then you do something else.

What you need, Carl?

I know I said I was the best shoe tie in the whole world because I got it right

on my very first try, but I sort of forgot how, and now I need help again.

Yeah. Sometimes I forget stuff, too. It took me, like, forever to remember how

to tie my shoes.

I don't even know how to tie my shoes.

Show me how those laces work again, Addy.

Sure. I'll show you both.

Left over right.

Make your laces tight.

Round and round the tree. Can't catch me.

Up through the hole. Then you pull.

I think I missed the tree.

Let me try it again.

Left over right.

Make your laces tight.

Round and round the tree.

I wonder what happened there.

I think the ears are too long.

I'll try it again.

Left over right, make your laces tight.

Round and round the tree, can't catch me.

Up through the hole, then you pull.

Ta -da!

Well done, Carl.

I remember making a lot more mistakes than that before I got it right.

With a little more practice, you really will be the best shoe tire in the whole

wide world. Can you go in the splash pool first?

I can practice after.

Last one to the pool is a goofy goose.

All right, I'm back!

Not as fast as me.

I guess I'm a goofy goose.

Maybe I'll work on this while I soak my toes.

With our spirits, we were floating through the trees.

Like creatures, we were soaring high, blowing off some steam.

A whole mountain and its epithets in green.

A never -ending dream.

I found a little bit of honey.

Now I'm a little sweeter inside.

Just a little bit of honey.

We're there to chill to the weather.

We all bundle up and head out together.

To go pick the biggest apples on the tree. It's a day of fun for you and

you and me.

Bravo! Nice song, everyone.

Thanks, Stillwater.

The tree we're going to has apples, right? Like the tree in the song?

Yep. I've been checking on it every day.

And it's got a ton of fruit on it now.

Then it's a good thing I wore my apple -picking hat.

How does your hat help you pick apples?

I'm not sure if it really does, but it's fun to wear.

Some of the apples might be hard to reach.

The branches grew a lot higher since last year.

Think we'll need to climb up to get them? I can do it. I got good at

Stillwater's lemon tree.

Then the job is yours.

It's a small bag, so there'll still be plenty of apples left for others to

Yes!

Hey,

there it is!

The apple tree!

Carl, hold up.

Why don't we take the shortcut across the log this time? Great idea.

through the woods takes so much longer.

I don't like that log.

I want to go the regular way.

I know it looks a little wobbly, but the log is super strong.

See?

I've walked down it a bunch of times.

Michael and I will cross first so you can see how we do it. I like to do it in

three big steps.

Like this.

One, two, three.

Ta -da!

I like to take small steps.

I don't want to cross it. But why?

What if there are crocodiles in the stream? What if a giant wave comes

in? What if the water is a hundred miles deep and I fall in?

Those are a lot of what ifs.

You look a little scared.

That's okay. But if it makes you feel better, there aren't any crocodiles in

stream. And it doesn't have any monster waves or even any little waves.

See? The water is barely an inch deep.

I am not crossing the log.

Michael, Addie, you go on ahead and start the apple picking.

Carl and I will catch up soon.

be happy to take you the other way to the apple tree if you prefer.

We don't have to cross the log.

Well, I want to cross the log, but I also don't want to. I understand.

While you're deciding, would you like to hear a story?

Okay.

Your stories are good for deciding.

Come, let's have a seat on my favorite rock.

lived in a quiet prairie town.

One day, he was greeted by the sounds of laughter and excitement.

For a carnival had come to town.

Having never been to one, Cal was very curious about it.

I wonder what it's like in there.

Hey, Cal.

Want to come check out the carnival with us? We've got an extra ticket.

Really? Thank you. It looks so exciting inside.

There's so much to do.

Oh, but I'm not sure.

Not sure about what?

What if the big top is so big I can't find my way out? What if it's too

What if the fun house isn't fun but scary?

Take your time, Cal. When you're ready, come on in and find us.

And so Cal stayed outside of the carnival as his friends went in.

His list of what -ifs grew and grew, keeping him from going inside.

What if I get stuck on the Ferris wheel?

What if it spins so fast it rolls away?

What if I end up rolling around the entire world?

As the day grew late, Cal figured that if he was going to go to the carnival,

had to go soon.

I guess the Ferris wheel hasn't rolled away yet.

But what if it does when I get on it?

He spent all day saying what if.

He should have gone inside and tried some stuff out.

You think so?

Well... As night fell, Cal came to a realization.

You're still here, Cal? Yeah, and I think I'm ready to go on the carnival

Oh, Cal, we need to tell you something.

They're closed.

Oh.

Did Cal go inside the next day?

What do you think?

I think he did. I think he realized all the things he was scared about.

They were kind of silly.

But feeling scared isn't silly.

No. I feel scared to cross the log.

That's okay, right?

Yes, it is.

Would you like to take the long way around now?

No, I want to try the log.

But what if I fall in the stream?

I don't know.

What's the worst that could happen?

Hmm, I might get a little wet.

Do you mind getting wet?

No, I love jumping in puddles. I do it every time it rains.

Yes, I've seen you.

I guess if I fall in and I get a little wet, that wouldn't be too bad.

I'm ready to go in the log now.

Can I hold your hand?

Of course.

Actually, I think I can do this by myself.

Okay. I'll be here if you need me.

Whoa!

Whoa! Are you okay, Carl?

I'm fine.

Look, the stream isn't deep at all. My shoe is barely even wet.

Are there any crocodiles in there?

No crocodiles.

But check out this cool rock from my rock collection.

Ooh, that's a real beauty.

And none of my what -ifs are happening.

How did that make you feel?

Happy. Even falling in is okay because I found this rock.

And look, there are no monster waves in the water either.

I want to keep going.

Yes! I did it!

Your turn, Stillwater.

Here I come.

You made it.

I made it.

Shall we pick some apples?

the stream, but my shoe barely got wet, and there weren't any crocodiles or

monster waves.

Oh, do you want to show them what you found after you fell in?

Oh, yeah. That was the best part.

Check out the cool rock I found in the stream.

Wow. It's smooth and shiny, kind of like the apples. I'm going to call it an

apple rock.

That is a cool rock.

Well, are you ready to pick some real apples?

We can use a good tree climber. Yes, I can get them.

Whoa, there are a bunch of good apples up here.

So it is.

Do we have enough?

This should be plenty.

That's weird.

Addy loves playing in the snow.

Not today, I guess.

Hey! Come on, let's go finish our snow fort.

I wonder why Addy doesn't want to come out and play with us.

I don't know.

Maybe she's not feeling well.

She looks kind of sad.

We should try to make her feel better.

Yeah, we can make her happy!

I know how to make her laugh really hard.

Laughing is good.

But first, I'm going to find out what's wrong.

Maybe I can fix it.

Are you okay, Addy?

Yeah.

Are you sure?

What a goofball!

Are you mad at me and Carl?

No.

Did something happen at school?

Did you lose something?

Something important?

No.

How can I help you feel better?

I know.

Let's try that new recipe for cinnamon rolls.

Want to?

No, thanks.

Hey, Addy, want to hear a joke?

What do you call an old snowman?

Water! Get it?

Snow is made of water.

So when it gets old, it melts and it turns into water.

Get it?

Not right now, Carl.

Thanks.

Okay. I'm going to go finish the floor then.

Bye.

What's wrong, Addie?

I don't know.

I guess I just feel kind of sad.

Why?

I don't know.

I just do.

Is there anything you need?

I'll get it for you.

Oh, we can play checkers.

No, thanks.

I just want to sit by the window for a while.

Oh.

Okay, then.

I'm going over to visit Stillwater.

Want to come?

No.

Well, just shout if you need me.

Hello, Michael.

Hello.

I like your snowman still water.

Thank you. It's a snow panda, actually.

Sorry, Jasper.

Didn't see you there.

You seem a little distracted today, Michael.

Yeah. I'm worried about Addie.

Oh?

She's kind of sad today and won't say why.

We all feel a little sad now and then.

Sometimes for no reason at all.

So how can I make her feel better?

Why do you think you must?

Well, because feeling sad is bad, isn't it?

Well,

I believe.

There are no good feelings or bad feelings.

There are just feelings.

No bad feelings?

We can't help the way we feel.

It's what we do with our feelings that's important.

Addie's just sitting in the sunroom, being quiet and doing nothing.

Perhaps that is just what she needs to do right now.

Maybe. But there must be something I can do to help her.

May I share a very old story with you?

It's one of my favorites.

Sure.

It's about a father and daughter.

One rainy afternoon, a father and his young daughter were heading to the

wearing their very finest clothes.

The road was wet and muddy.

And quite lippery.

Oh, here you are. Are you all right?

Thank you.

The father liked helping other people.

Please, allow me.

Thank you, sir. He was rarely in need of help himself.

Except for today.

Father!

Oh dear, someone should help him.

Do not worry.

I am fine, daughter.

I have a stick.

But the stick was too short.

I have some rope.

And the rope was too slippery to keep hold of.

This is most uncomfortable.

Don't worry, Father.

I'll help you.

But what can she do?

Oh, no.

Daughter, what are you doing?

I'm helping.

But that's not really helping, is it?

Yes. Yes, you are helping, daughter.

Thank you for joining me down here in the mud.

I feel so much better now.

How sweet of her.

She did have a way to help.

Oh, I get it.

Her way of helping was just to be with him.

That way he wasn't stuck in the mud all alone.

Indeed.

That's a great story, Stillwater.

I'm glad you liked it.

I guess there are lots of different ways to help someone.

So maybe I should try a different way of helping Addie.

Instead of trying to pull her out of the mud, I can just sit in the mud with

her.

Thanks, Stillwater.

Hi, Michael.

What are you doing?

I'm sitting in the mud with you.

Huh?

It's okay to feel sad sometimes, and I can't make you feel happy if that's not

how you feel.

But I can make sure you know that you're not stuck in the mud all alone.

You've been talking to Stillwater, haven't you?

Yeah.

Michael?

Yeah? Thank you for helping me.

Just a little bit funny.

I can't believe I found this old helicopter toy under my bed.

I want to try. Please, please, please.

Let's see if it even works.

Look at it go. All right.

Right into Stillwater's yard.

We better get it.

Where did it go, Michael?

Over that way, I think.

I can get it down. I'm a great tree climber.

Wait, Carl.

Stillwater said this tree is special.

It's a looking at tree, not a climbing on tree.

Let's try something else.

Better wait for Stillwater to come back.

He can get it down for us.

Come on, let's go home.

want to wait.

Aww,

that only made it more stuck.

I only just need to climb a little bit.

playing with a toy, and it went over the fence, and I came looking for it, and

that's why I'm here.

I see.

But then I found the tree like this, and I tried to fix it.

That was kind of you.

Do you think it'll be okay?

That is hard to say.

Is this what you wanted?

Yes. I mean, thanks. I mean, I'm going to go now. Bye.

Hey, Carl.

I think Stillwater just got home.

Let's go ask him to get the propeller out of the tree.

No, I'll do it.

You feeling okay?

Well, no.

I feel kind of bad.

You mean sick?

You should tell Mom and Dad.

No, not sick.

Just, just bad.

Never mind, okay?

I wonder what that was all about.

What are you doing?

Oh, trying to mend my old friend here.

It really looks broken.

Maybe it was struck by lightning, or a big squirrel sat on it, or it got hit

by a meteor.

I suppose any of those things are possible.

Yeah, I guess.

You seem upset, Carl.

Is something worrying you? You know I'm always ready to listen.

Oh, Stillwater, I broke the tree.

It wasn't the squirrel, it was me.

Michael said don't climb on it, but I did anyway.

And I didn't tell you because I was afraid I'd get in trouble.

I'm so sorry.

I can see that you are.

Now, tell me how you're feeling.

Well, my tummy hurts and my body feels hot and cold.

I feel yucky.

Sometimes, when we feel bad in our mind or in our heart, our body can feel

badly too.

I'm not angry at you, Carl.

But it's not okay when we don't tell the truth.

I know.

I thought so.

How do you feel now that you've told the truth about what happened to the tree?

A little better.

Why don't I tell you a story?

Then we can see how you feel.

There was once a little bunny who was celebrating his birthday.

Can I have some, Mama? Can I?

Please.

Of course you can, Harry.

Uh -uh.

At your party.

Harry heard what his mother said, but the cake looked so delicious.

He felt he just had to try it.

Uh -oh.

Hey, birthday buddy, your friends are here.

Is everything all right?

Sure.

I'm the birthday bunny.

All right.

Who's ready for cake?

Wow!

I'm not hungry.

Oh, you will be once you see it.

No. No, wait!

Oh, but it's your favorite.

Carrot cake.

I don't want any.

Harry, I don't understand.

Why are you doing this?

What's the matter?

You told me not to taste the cake.

But I did.

Then I made a mess of it. Then I didn't tell you when you asked what was wrong.

Now I feel awful.

Harry, anyone can have an accident.

But when that happens...

It's not okay to lie about it.

Does lying make you feel bad?

Yes, it does.

But also when we trust someone, we believe what they say.

Not telling the truth can break that trust.

Mommy, I'm sorry I didn't tell you what I did.

I'm sorry I ruined my party.

Oh, Harry, the party isn't ruined.

It's still your birthday, and I still love you.

You do?

Of course I do.

I love you too, Mommy.

Shall we return to the party?

Now, let's take a look at this cake.

Can't look that smushed.

Actually, that's pretty smushed. It kind of looks like a volcano exploded.

But you know what?

A little ice cream will cover that right up. Yay!

Ice cream!

Even though he didn't tell

the truth at first, the bunny did do the right thing in the end telling his

mommy what he did.

Yes. And you did the right thing too when you came back to tell me about the

tree. I'm sorry I made up all that stuff about the tree.

It just came out because I didn't want you to be mad at me.

I understand.

How do you feel now?

A lot better. But I'm still worried about the tree.

Is there anything we can do to make it better?

Well, I brought out some things that might help us help the tree.

Shall we work on this together?

Now this...

It's a special medicine for the tree that will help the wood to heal back

together.

I like being a tree

doctor.

Now will the tree be okay?

We've done our best.

The rest is up to the tree.

And time.

I'm sorry I hurt you, Mr. Tree.

I hope you get better. And soon.

In the meantime, you can show me how your toy works.

Yeah!

Oh, I'm pretty sure I can reach that.

No climbing necessary.

Are

we

there yet? We've been walking for hours.

I can hear the ocean.

We must be getting closer.

does the ocean sound like to you, Michael?

It's like a whooshy, smooth sound.

Ooh, I can smell the ocean.

Ha ha. And what does the ocean smell like to you, Addy?

Oceany?

Why, yes.

Yes, it does.

And I hear a seagull. That must mean we're getting very close.

Hello there.

What about you, Carl?

Are you sensing anything?

I can't see anything, but I can feel these beach toys getting heavy.

You were the one who wanted to bring all those toys.

I'm going to need them when we get to the beach.

Right, Stillwater?

Of course, Carl.

I'll set up our picnic and come join you.

I'll race you, Michael.

You're on.

Woo -hoo!

Yeah!

All right!

Yeah!

The sand tickles my toes.

Hey, the water's not too cold.

Come on, Stillwater.

I'm right behind you.

Anyone hungry?

I brought cucumber sandwiches.

Not yet. We just started playing.

Maybe later.

Well, hello again.

It looks like someone is hungry.

You're welcome.

Where should we build our sandcastle?

Hmm. What?

Away from the wave?

I think this is the perfect spot.

Beep, beep.

Make way for the construction truck.

If you mix the sand with water, it sticks together.

Thanks, Michael.

I'm going to have to bring in the whole crew.

This firm sand reminds me of packing brown sugar into measuring cups when I

cookies. That's pretty, Addy.

Thanks. If you make a wall around it, it could be a garden for a castle. I'll

see if I can find some rocks.

What are you drawing? Are those letters?

Words, actually.

In Chinese.

I like to write my thoughts in the sand.

What are you thinking about?

This is a word for sun.

I'm thinking about enjoying our sunny day.

Now I get to think of something else.

Would you like to write something down?

Hmm. I can't think of anything at the moment.

But I do like that big rock over there for the garden wall.

My, you have all been working hard.

I think this is the biggest sand castle we've ever built.

Maybe even the biggest one in the whole world.

Oh, no!

Everything okay?

That was close.

Water coming in.

The tide is rising.

That means the water is coming farther up the beach.

Make it stop.

I'm not finished playing yet.

It's getting closer.

Maybe this wasn't the perfect spot.

We should have built farther up the beach.

We have to protect the castle.

Let's build a moat for the water to go into.

We have to work fast.

But I didn't even get to play with the castle.

I didn't get a photo either.

I was going to add a swimming pool.

Why don't we sit and talk?

I was worried about the waves hitting our sand castle.

We all worked hard, and now it's washing away.

I can understand how you feel.

It reminds me of a story.

Would you like to hear it?

I think we all would.

Katya could carve magnificent things out of just about anything.

But her favorite thing to work with was ice.

Every winter, she would bring out her

tools and chip away at the frozen blocks of ice to create a beautiful sculpture.

She loved seeing the vision she had in her imagination come to life.

Especially the way it sparkled when light shined through.

Wow.

What will you make next, Katya?

You will have to wait and see, Emile.

Oh, how about a seal next? Or an arctic fox?

Perhaps.

Katya spent the entire winter creating a beautiful, glimmering scene made

completely out of ice.

Incredible! That looks just like me!

But as the seasons changed and winter turned to spring, the ice sculptures

began to melt.

Katya, your beautiful sculptures!

They're melting away!

You must do something quick!

Spring is here.

But your beautiful sculptures are going to be lost.

That is the nature of creating with ice.

The sculptures only last through winter.

Why not create in something more permanent, like stone?

I enjoy carving in stone, too.

But stone does not sparkle as the light shines through.

What will you do now that spring is here?

I now have plenty of time to plan what I will create next winter.

Except for a cube.

Katya put all that work into her sculptures.

Then they were gone.

Nothing lasts forever.

Katya couldn't stop them from melting once the weather got hot.

It's like when I make a cake.

I spend a lot of time decorating it, and then we eat it.

But then you make more cakes.

I do.

I'm like Katya. I like to think about different ones I can make next time.

The waves are washing away today's castle, but I have ideas for what we can

build next time we come, like a drawbridge.

Next time, I'll pick a location farther away so there's more time to play before

the tide comes in. And I can build the swimming pool. I'll bring more trucks.

There's always room for more trucks.

Whoa, did you see that?

Smash!

The waves are washing away the castle, just like Katya's ice sculptures went

away in the sun.

I wish I was a dinosaur so I could stomp on the castle before the waves heated a

lot. Might as well go have some fun.

Go ahead.

Stomp! Stomp!

Stomp! Stomp! Look how fast the water washes it away.

It's like we were never here.

best date ever. Goodbye, Ocean.

Bye, Castle.

Goodbye, my friend.

our spirits, we were floating through the trees.

Like creatures, we were soaring high, blowing off the sea.

A whole mountain and a flap of earth and green.

A never -ending dream.

I found a little bit of honey.

Now I'm a little sweeter than dust.

Just a little bit of honey.

Reach tall as a tree.

And now, small as a mouse.

Squeak, squeak.

That is a very realistic mouse, Carl.

Thanks, the water.

Now, stand like a flamingo.

Today is such a beautiful day.

The sky is blue.

There's a warm breeze.

A perfect day for celebrating.

Is today some kind of special day?

Well, Michael, while every day is a special day, today is particularly

It's the type of day that only happens once a year.

Let's end here for today.

Thank you for joining me for my morning exercises.

Aw, it's over?

I'm sorry to be in a rush, but I need to get something from the store,

especially for my special day.

What do you think Stillwater meant by a special day?

Hmm.

Special day?

Celebrating? Only comes once a year?

It sounds like this could be his birthday.

I bet that's it.

I know! We should have a birthday party for Stillwater! With cakes and games and

all that stuff!

You're right.

We should be making his day super special.

Let's make it a surprise party!

Yes! I love surprises!

Stillwater will be the one being surprised.

Addy, why don't you start on the cake?

I think... Stillwater has decorations in the shed.

I'll get to work on that.

What about me?

You can help me bring out the decorations.

But then we'll need you out in front of the house to let us know the second

Stillwater comes home.

I'll be the lookout. This is going to be so much fun.

Yeah, reporting.

I'm still in position.

I have a good view of the street. Over.

Takes out of the oven.

How are you guys doing?

Over. This is Carl.

Over.

Yes, we know it's you, Carl.

Do you see Stillwater?

I've still got a few more decorations to hang.

You forgot to say over. Over.

Over.

No sign of him yet. Over.

Okay. Nice work, Carl.

Keep watching.

Over.

I'm still frosting. You have to keep him out in the front until we're ready.

Over. Got it. Over.

Well, hello there.

You can't go in the backyard yet.

No? Why is that?

Michael, Addy, and me are throwing you a party.

A party?

Oh, and it's a surprise.

I wasn't supposed to tell you that yet.

Well, I am surprised.

Great! There'll be cake and decorations, too!

Surprise! This is all wonderful.

But what is it for?

It's for you. We put all the clues together to figure out it's your

What an unexpected gift.

But... Today isn't my birthday.

It's not?

But you said it was a special day, only happens once a year, and worth

celebrating.

Yes, I can see how you might think that means it's my birthday.

We really wanted to give you a special birthday party, but it's not even your

birthday.

We really goofed.

Does this mean we don't get to have a party?

We can't have a birthday party if it's not anyone's birthday.

I'm very touched by his kind gesture.

Even though it's not even your birthday?

Especially because it's not.

Let me tell you about another party that had an unexpected twist.

Was it a party for you?

No. Actually, this party was for a very wise queen.

She was celebrating her coronation.

That's the day she got her crown.

Everyone worked hard to think of the perfect gift to impress the queen.

I'm giving the queen a velvet cape to wear at night.

The very finest money can buy.

That will surely keep her warm.

I got the queen a sparkling new gem for her crown.

Oh, she will like how it shines.

What did you bring for the queen? I have made the queen a box out of the

strongest wood from the royal forest.

You made this?

It is a fine box indeed.

Certainly such a magnificent box contains an equally magnificent gift.

Show us what you bought to put inside.

Where is the present?

This is the present. You're giving an empty box to the queen on her most

day?

An empty box?

She will think you have forgotten her gift.

After hearing about the other gifts, the craftsman felt foolish about his.

He hid his beautiful box under the table, hoping no one would find it.

Thank you all for the wonderful coronation gifts.

There is one more here, under the table.

Who is this box from?

Oh, please, step forward.

It is from me, Your Highness.

What a beautiful box.

Thank you.

I'm sorry, Your Highness.

I was hoping you wouldn't find it.

After seeing all of these other gifts, I feel... Foolish, giving you an empty

box.

A gift from the heart is never foolish.

But, Your Highness, it's just an empty box.

I can see how much thought you give to this.

You have even carved the crown on here.

I choose to see not what's missing, but what's already here.

A box full of possibilities.

Thank you for this very special gift.

Of all the gifts she received that day, the homemade box was the queen's

favorite.

I get why the queen liked the box.

Even though the craftsman felt foolish at first, she appreciated that it was a

gift from the heart.

Just like this wonderful party.

We wanted to make you feel special.

And you did.

It means a lot to me that you put so much thought into planning a special

surprise party.

If it's not Stillwater's birthday, then what are we going to celebrate?

We can celebrate that you're our friend.

We can celebrate cake.

Do we still get to have cake?

I certainly hope so. I love Addie's cakes.

Thank you, Stillwater.

If you weren't going to the store to get birthday supplies, why were you going?

Seed packets.

Seeds? Seeds?

Today's the day I was planning on doing my annual planting for summer crops.

Blue sky, warm breeze, a perfect day for planting.

Maybe it's a birthday after all. It's the birthday of these plants.

That's the best not a birthday birthday cake I've ever had

I

can't

wait to hear what parts we got I hope we get cast as the sisters.

That would be amazing.

But sister, what do you want? I don't know. The ice princess has the best

but the fire princess becomes queen in the end. I don't mind which one. As long

as I can be in the school play with you.

Okay, kids.

I want to thank you for auditioning for the Royal Sisters.

When I hand you your script, the name of your part will be written on the top.

Lucas.

Caleb. Maya.

Addie.

I got the fire princess. Did you get the ice princess?

Did we get to play sister?

No.

I got the frog.

No.

The frog has the fewest lines in the whole show.

Maybe it's a mistake?

It says right here on my script.

Addie. The frog.

I'm sorry, Addie.

I practice every day after school.

I even memorize the song.

You would make the perfect ice princess.

Thanks. But that doesn't make me feel any better.

I don't like seeing you so sad.

The only word I say is bye -bye.

Over and over again. But the way you say it is really funny. I know, but it

makes me feel so silly.

Yeah.

My heart is silly, too.

I'm not even sure I really want to be in the play anymore.

Really? You were so excited.

Not anymore.

I'll see you later, Addie.

I have still water.

What are you doing with those flowers?

Hello, Addy. This is called ikebana.

It's the ancient Japanese art of flower arranging.

It's pretty.

Would you like to join me? You can make your own arrangement.

Okay.

In ikebana, we emphasize form and balance.

That means not too much, not too little.

This is relaxing.

Yes, it can be.

You had your audition for the school play today, didn't you?

Yeah, I've been cast as the frog.

It seems that you're not happy about this.

I was really hoping for a different part.

Ah, I see.

Maya got a good part, though.

She's going to play the fire princess.

She must be very excited.

Not really.

I mean...

She was at first, but then she wasn't.

Maya even said she wasn't even sure she wanted to be in the play.

Interesting.

I wonder what could have changed her mind.

Yeah, it was strange.

She was doing a happy dance and then... Oh!

When she saw how disappointed I was, Maya stopped celebrating for herself.

Do you think she stopped because of me?

This question reminds me of a cherry blossom tree.

Two trees, in fact.

And the two friends that cared for them.

Would you like me to tell you the story?

Yes, please.

I was hoping for a story.

Good. Because I like telling them to you.

Ami and her neighbor Ryo lived side by side on a rolling hillside.

The two were best friends that did everything together.

That sounds like me and Maya. Their favorite thing to do was drink tea and

admire their beautiful cherry blossom trees.

How's the view?

Breathtaking. Yours?

Amazing.

I love this.

A rainstorm must be on the way.

I'd rather not get my fur wet.

Night, Ami. See you tomorrow, Ryo.

My tree!

Oh no!

What happened? It was struck by lightning.

I'm so sorry, Ami.

Maybe it will grow back next spring.

Unlikely. That tree was my favorite thing ever.

Now it's gone.

Oh, I don't like seeing Ami so upset.

I wish it was my tree that was struck by lightning instead.

Wait.

Ryo didn't like seeing her best friend so sad.

She decided if Ami couldn't have a cherry blossom tree, they would be

together. But that's silly.

One tree is better than none.

Now there are no cherry blossom trees to admire.

This is true.

Rio, what did you do to your tree?

I cut it down.

If you can't have a tree, I don't want one either.

I'm sad that mine is gone, but I still had yours to look forward to.

Now neither of us have a beautiful tree.

Oh, what have I done?

I thought it would make you feel better, and... Now we both feel worse.

Maya is chopping down her cherry tree, isn't she?

She was holding back her own excitement because I was disappointed.

Someone who places others' happiness ahead of theirs is to be treasured,

They shouldn't have to give up something truly special to them.

Both are true.

Like Ikebana, one must find the balance between the two.

It's not right that Maya isn't happy because of me.

She deserves her moment to shine.

Thanks for the story, Stillwater.

It was my pleasure.

How is it?

Hmm.

Breathtaking.

Hey, Addy.

Greetings, Your Royal Highness.

Is this for me?

Yep. A fire cake?

for a fire princess.

That's amazing.

Come on in.

Thanks for the cake.

I should be the one making you a cake.

You didn't get the part you wanted.

I'm disappointed with my part, but even more disappointed that I made you feel

like you couldn't be excited for yourself.

It's okay.

No, it's not.

Can we have a do -over?

A do -over?

Yes.

Maya! What part did you get?

Oh, I got the fire princess.

Wow, that's the biggest part.

You're a pretty good actor.

I wasn't acting.

I really am excited for you.

Thanks, Addie.

Are you sure you still want to be in the play, even as a frog?

Of course.

I'm excited to be in the play with you.

Have you read the ending?

Not yet.

Well, then, you're in for a big surprise.

Stillwater, come on. We saved you a seat with us. We're in the front row.

You ready?

The show's about to start.

I'm nervous, Addy.

There's a lot of people out there.

You're going to be great.

Thanks for being so supportive.

It means a lot.

That's what best friends are for.

It's starting!

For saving my life and showing valor and courage, I might be Frog of the Realm.

And the kingdom will live, hopefully ever after.

Bye -bye.

That's my sister.

She was the funniest part of the show.

Thank you.

Recycle. Donate.

Keep.

Hi, Michael.

How's the cleaning going?

Good. I have a lot of toys to donate to the daycare.

Aren't those your Mighty Mega Monster Cards?

Yeah. I haven't played with these in forever.

You're not donating those, are you?

I'm not sure.

I know what I can do with my cards, Addy.

I've got a surprise for you, Carl.

A surprise?

For me?

You're giving me your mighty mega monster cards?

Yep. I used to love collecting them when I was your age.

Now I want you to have them.

You can even trade them with your friends for different cards.

Trade them?

I give you a card that you like, and in return, you give me a card that I like.

But we should both be happy with the trade.

Each card has different values.

Minor, Mega, and Mighty Mega.

Minor is the least important.

Mighty Mega is the most important.

But they also have different powers, too.

Night Flight, Shell Stomp, Super Stretch.

Whoa!

This one's my favorite.

He's called Logjumper.

Look, it's shiny.

It's called holographic. Cool, huh?

So cool.

That's my favorite.

Huh?

Pokepine? It's blue.

With spikes.

That can't be your favorite.

Why not?

I think it's funny. He's got really big eyes.

It's not special.

See this star?

One star means it's a miner.

That's least important.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

You're welcome.

I need you to take good care of them, okay?

Do you promise, Carl?

I will, I will.

Now I can trade with my friends because they have mighty mega monster cards,

too! You're the best, baby!

Because it has funny ears.

Sound Hound?

Oh, I'll trade you.

Which card do you want?

Hmm.

It was really nice of you to give him your cards.

I know how much they meant to you.

I hope he enjoys them as much as I did.

Can I have the log jumper?

It's shiny and I like how it has funny teeth.

Okay, sure.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

The bat?

Sure.

Shawcock?

That's a cool card. I wonder what its powers are.

Did you have fun trading with your friends?

Yeah, I got so many new cards. This is my favorite one.

I got the purple dog with the... What's the word?

Supersonic. It means faster than sound.

Supersonic bark.

Sound hound?

Everyone has that.

Wait, what did you trade for it? The shiny crocodile.

You traded the holographic mighty mega log chomper for a miner?

What's a miner again?

The least important.

You've got to get Logjumper back.

But I don't want to. Heather really wanted it, and I like the sound hound.

promised to take care of the cards.

Look, Carl, the corners are bent.

They have to stay in the binder so they don't get damaged.

They're not that bad.

Where's the binder?

I put the cards in a box.

I can't hold them if they're in a binder.

But when you hold them, they get fingerprints.

Oh, this was a mistake.

I should have never given you my cards.

Afternoon, Michael.

I'm sorting my recycling. Would you care to help?

I guess I can help.

Are you feeling okay?

Well,

Addy and I are donating old toys, and I found my Mighty Mega Monsters card

collection, but decided to give it to Carl instead.

Mighty Mega Monsters?

Sounds scary.

They're just trading cards. I collected them since I was Carl's age.

What a generous gift to give to your little brother.

I wish I hadn't. Carl doesn't take care of them like I did. He took them out of

the binder, and now they're all bent.

Worst of all, Carl traded away my holographic log chomper.

It was my most important card.

Oh.

You seem to still really care about these cards.

This must be frustrating for you.

It is. Carl just doesn't know how important some of them are.

Sometimes, when we have a big feeling, like feeling frustrated, noticing it and

taking a breath can help.

It does help a little.

Peach pits.

Huh? Your concern with Carl made me think of a story about peach pits.

Would you like to hear it? Sure.

I could use a little help right now.

Tally had a fruit stand, and her peaches were known to be the best in town.

Ah, perfectly ripe.

One day... A customer approached with a rather unique

proposition.

I'll buy the whole bucket of peach pits.

Huh?

Wouldn't you rather buy one of my peaches instead?

Oh, no, no, no. I prefer the pits.

The pits are worthless, sir.

Not to me.

This is way too much money.

He's making a big mistake.

Aren't those pits just trash?

Perhaps.

Telly certainly felt that way.

I'm sorry to bother you, Zeke, but I can't sell worthless pits to my

Please take these peaches instead.

Those peach pits aren't worthless.

They're more valuable than gold.

Here, I'll show you.

Soon I'll have myself an entire orchard.

Besides, I'm a squirrel.

The pit is far more useful than the peach to me.

They're the best for keeping my teeth nice and neat.

And maybe when my trees are big, you can sell some of the peaches in your fruit

stand. As long as I get to keep the pits.

That's a deal.

Who knew the pits I was throwing away were so valuable?

I did.

I guess some people like peaches and others like peach pits.

Everyone values things differently.

When one doesn't see something's worth, it doesn't mean it is entirely

worthless.

I expected Carl to value the cards the same as me, but I was wrong. I was so

excited for Carl to have fun with my cards, but I ruined it by getting mad

the trade.

Do you think Carl was happy with the trade?

Very happy. He couldn't stop talking about it.

I'm certain Carl will understand if you explain your feelings.

And I probably shouldn't call it my log chomper. I gave the carts to Carl, so

they were his to trade.

Go ahead.

You may have it.

Look, Michael, they're all back in the binder now. I told you I'd take care of

them. I knew you could take care of them.

I'll get Logchomper back if you want. No, you can keep Soundhound.

It's okay if we have different favorites.

If you think it was a good trade, that's good enough for me.

It was a great trade.

I like his ears.

Yeah, they are pretty funny.

I'm sorry for getting angry, Carl.

I guess I was more attached to these cards than I thought.

Do you want them back?

No, they're yours now.

But if you'd like, I can teach you how to play the Mighty Mega Monsters game.

There's a game?

I thought they were just for trading.

Well, you can trade them if you want, but the game is fun too.

Can I use my favorite card?

That's part of what makes it fun.

Can we take them out of the binder?

It'll make it easier to play. Sure.

Okay.

Now there are a lot of ways to play.

But these are the official rules.

It was so much fun. The funnest. I wish it would snow every minute of every day.

That would be a lot of snow.

Go, Michael!

Wow!

Epic wipeout! That was so awesome!

Thanks, but I didn't make it to the bottom of the hill.

Well, it looked like a lot of fun.

I'm going again.

I don't think I've ever seen a chipmunk in the snow.

He's so cute.

Hey, Michael!

We found a really cute little chipmunk. Want to see?

No, thanks.

It's okay, Mr. Chipmunk. He might say hi later.

I bet he's hungry.

He's very hungry.

Chipmunks don't often come out in the snow.

They usually sleep through the winter.

I'm glad we have food to share.

Okay, concentrate.

Whoa, whoa, whoa!

Ugh, not again!

I like how the snow feels nice and cold on the back of my neck. I can hear a

crunch when I move my arm.

Hey, that cloud looks like a snow dragon.

Oh, yeah.

I see it.

Kind of looks more like a fluffy white pony to me.

Oh, look.

Michael's taking his snow scooter back uphill.

Here he comes.

Yeah, he's doing it. Go, Michael, go.

Uh -oh.

Oh,

you almost made it that time.

Almost isn't good enough.

Perhaps now is a good time for a cup of hot chocolate.

I want marshmallows in mine.

Michael, how about you?

I can't take a break. Not until I ride my snow scooter all the way to the

of the hill without falling.

Well, as long as you're out here, do you mind if I stay with you?

No, I don't mind.

Wonderful.

Here, let me give you a hand.

It's a beautiful day, isn't it?

I don't know. I mean, I guess so.

Yes, it most definitely is.

Listen.

To what? I don't hear anything.

Exactly. I love all the seasons, but there's something really special about

winter. It's so...

Yeah,

I guess so.

Are you enjoying this beautiful snowy day?

Not really.

Falling in the snow is no fun at all.

Hmm.

Addie and Carl fell in the snow and they seem to like it.

Yeah. Don't know why.

Perhaps they were just enjoying the moment.

Would you like to hear a story about a mountain goat who learned to do just

that? Okay, sure.

Gulick, a rather large mountain goat, had his heart set on doing something

difficult. I'm going to climb all the way to the top today.

It was a much harder climb than he was used to.

But Gulik was determined to make it to the top.

As he struggled to climb, he passed another goat, who had stopped to smell a

bunch of wildflowers.

he passed yet another goat who was enjoying the view.

Why are all these climbers stopping?

They'll never make it to the top that way.

When Gulik finally reached the top of the mountain, he was happy to have

accomplished his goal.

I made it.

He was so set on his achievement that he didn't notice the llama sitting there.

enjoying the view.

Time to climb back down now.

But he just got there.

Didn't he want to sit and enjoy the view too?

The llama wondered the same thing.

Hey, where are you going?

Home. I climbed up the mountain and now I'm going to climb back down.

Well, I hope you enjoyed your hike.

What was your most favorite sight?

sight. Was it the wildflowers? You know, the pink ones only grow on this

mountain. The bird's nest.

It's rare to see them up this high.

Or maybe the spring of cool water halfway up.

I didn't see any of that.

No?

Well, you really missed out.

As he made his way back down, Gulik stopped to think about what the llama

said. Why didn't I notice those things?

He was so focused on his goal of getting to the top, he didn't take any time to

enjoy the day.

This is true.

And on the way back down, Gulik realized this as well.

Oh.

Quite a view, isn't it?

Yes, it is.

Wait! All those things, the things you saw, can you show me?

I'd be delighted.

I'll show you the spring first.

It's not too far.

I'd love to see it.

But I think I'd like to stay here a little while longer.

I like the view from here, too.

What had been your favorite part of being in the snow today?

When we stepped on the side of the hill and listened to the quiet.

I like that, too.

Maybe it's not too late for me to notice some sights today.

Maybe not.

Well, ready to ride back downhill?

Yes, but this time, I'm going down a different way.

I

guess

wiping out can be fun, too.

We brought you some hot chocolate. I ate four whole marshmallows.

I like marshmallows, too. But hot chocolate tastes good either way.

Mmm, that's good.

Hey, did you make it all the way down the hill while we were gone?

Not yet. I have an idea on how to get there.

But I'll work on that later.

Right now, there's something else I really want to do.

It's just a little bit funny.