Stories

Story·Translated from Urdu by Zahraa Haq, Art by Karuna Yang — A forgetful servant trying to remember the word for salt keeps adopting new phrases from people he meets, creating misunderstandings until a cobbler accidentally reminds him.

Story·Hadley Taylor — A curious girl defies warnings about a grumpy man's forbidden book collection, only to be seized by magical vines that emerge from an enchanted volume.

Story·Deeksha Rajesh — A soldier on a battlefield, carrying photos from fallen comrades, hesitates to shoot an enemy and is killed, choosing to let another's future persist over his own.

Story·Miranda Yesser — A samara seed journeys on the wind through countryside and village, fearful of landing far from home, until it grows into a maple tree that can finally see its origins.

Story·Emily Chang — A year after accidentally injuring her best friend on a snow day, Anna struggles with loneliness until a wounded bird helps her find a path toward healing and reconnection.

Story·Abigail Sun — Two girls building a snowman discover that many light snowflakes together become surprisingly heavy, then their creation magically waves at them.

Story·Celia Chen — A little fir tree wishes for grandeur, gets cut down to become a Christmas tree, then longs for his simple forest life when discarded after the holiday.

Story·Ava Shorten — A river blocked from the sea becomes a puddle who befriends an aging frog that shares stories of the ocean and ultimately carries the puddle to its destination.

Story·Sophie Daniel — During a thunderstorm, a frightened girl and her mother share their fears, leading the girl to discover courage as the storm passes and flowers bloom.

Story·Lila Mackenzie — A girl discovers that a strange hotel transforms based on whether you wear special glasses, revealing hidden realities including her trapped mother.