Stories

“There is more treasure in books than in all the loot in Treasure Island.” – Walt Disney

STORY ONE: Dusty and Bun Trick Harrison

Harrison is mean to Walker, so Bun and Dusty decide to get even.

Walker slid into the water and made his way to his favorite rock in the middle of the pond. The unsuspecting turtle had just begun to doze off from the effects of the warm afternoon sun, as a shadowy figure swam silently toward him.

STORY TWO: Cody Tries to Rescue Tucker

Cody uses one of Red’s inventions in an attempt to save Tucker.

“As I entered Midnight Cave, I immediately understood the reason behind its name. I was unable to see more than one or two feet ahead of me. The air was heavy and it was hard to breathe. As I turned the corner, I had a feeling someone was standing in front of me…waiting.”

STORY THREE: Tucker and Cody Build a Dam

Tucker agrees to go on an adventure with Cody, and the two must try to rescue a friend.

A moment later, Walker let out a loud squeal. “You guys, this is unbelievable!”

STORY FOUR: Bun and Dusty Run into Trouble

Dusty convinces Bun to break the rules and trouble follows.

Dusty scampered to a nearby oak tree and was just about to enjoy some more nuts when he suddenly screamed in pain.

STORY FIVE: Maddie and Red Help Walker

Maddie and Red work together to help Walker learn an important lesson.

After most of the animals had gone to bed, Maddie happened to notice Walker sitting alone in some tall grass, clearly deep in thought. “Something on your mind?” she asked.

STORY SIX: Walker Surprises Harrison

Harrison invites Walker to join him on a magical journey, and unexpected events lead to important realizations.

Just as Harrison was about to respond from a branch directly above the young turtle, Walker heard a thud, immediately followed by a groan.

STORY SEVEN: Dusty Gets Mad at Bun

Dusty refuses to listen to Bun and pays the price.

Bun felt uncomfortable about the entire situation, but she didn’t want Dusty to be even more upset with her than he already was, so she agreed to keep his secret.

STORY EIGHT: Maddie and Harrison Go on an Adventure

Maddie and Harrison venture to Mirror Lake, and Harrison has a chance to come to terms with his past.

Harrison stopped and stared at the majestic trees, their branches now extending well beyond where he remembered them from his last visit with Walker. Pointing to the large branch in the middle of the tallest pine, Harrison said wistfully, “That’s where I first saw her.“

STORY NINE: The Children Explore Catchum Creek

The children share unforgettable experiences during a weekend visit to Catchum Creek.

At precisely the same time TJ bent over to retrieve the net, Taylor let out a blood curdling scream. “Look out – there it is!”

STORY TEN: TJ’s and Scotty’s Awesome Day

TJ and Scotty will never forget their most memorable Saturday ever.

The tub careened into another large piece of ice, redirecting their vessel to the very middle of the ever-widening and fast-moving creek…headed straight for Devil’s Gorge!

STORY ELEVEN: A Sleepover to Remember

What begins as a normal sleepover turns into an incredible adventure.

Taylor paused to look around in an attempt to determine exactly where they were. Unable to recognize her surroundings, she began to grow concerned. Turning to her friend, she asked nervously, “Do you recognize this place? I have no idea where we are!”

STORY TWELVE: Danger in the Forest

A glorious and fun-filled autumn day suddenly becomes deadly serious for the children and the animals.

“It’s been so much fun today, but I think it’s time to head back,” Scotty advised. Just as they were about to leave, Samantha noticed a look of concern on Taylor’s face. “What’s wrong?” she asked.

STORY ONE: Lily

An anxious third grader tries to worry less with the help of her parents.

Lily loved her little sister and didn’t want anything bad to happen to her. She worried about Anna. In fact, Lily worried about a lot of things.

STORY TWO: Riley

Lily does her best to tolerate an annoying dog and meets with its owners.

“Mom, make it stop! Please – that barking is driving me crazy!” Lily pleaded in utter frustration. “I hate that dog! If I mess up on my tests, I swear I’m going to get even with that mutt!”

STORY THREE: Sophie

Sophie has a difficult time adjusting to a new school, but an unexpected introduction changes everything.

Sophie was sad. She had just switched to a new school and had tried to make friends earlier that day on the playground, but things didn’t go so well.

STORY FOUR: Lily and Sophie Become Friends

Lily and Sophie have their first playdate.

Sophie looked at the clock again, as she had already done a number of times since finishing breakfast. “Mom, is it really only 9:45?” she asked in disbelief. Her mother and father grinned, knowing Sophie could hardly wait for her new friend to arrive.

STORY FIVE: The Sleepover

Sophie goes to Lily’s for a sleepover, helps save the day and gets a surprise visitor at night.

As she finally started to drift off to sleep, Lily heard a noise that was strangely familiar. She listened closely, but it had stopped. Just as she began to fall back to sleep, the noise reappeared.

STORY SIX: Principal Stevens

Sophie is sent to the principal’s office, which leads to a series of unforeseen events.

Maybe it was because she was fed up with having her hair pulled, or maybe she was in a bad mood because she was worried about Lily and missed playing with her. Perhaps she was still mad about the extra reading time because of rolling her eyes. Whatever it was, Sophie snapped. She pushed Brad so hard that he fell over his desk, landing awkwardly on his wrist.

STORY SEVEN: Katie

Lily and Sophie gain a friend who helps them deal with the most popular girl at school.

The clouds were dark grey, and it was raining so heavily the windshield wipers were barely able to handle the torrential downpour. Sophie’s mood matched the gloomy weather. Her best friend Lily had missed school for the past week due to the flu, and Sophie had been sent to the principal’s office twice.

STORY EIGHT: Bailey

The girls make a new friend unexpectedly, and a walk with Bailey goes badly.

Lily noticed a large dog headed rapidly in Bailey’s direction. “Have you guys seen that dog before? He doesn’t look familiar…I don’t know if he’s friendly or not.” Before she could say another word, the dog was standing over Bailey in an aggressive posture.

STORY NINE: Julie and Kristi

Julie will stop at nothing to make certain she becomes class president.

Their conversation was abruptly interrupted by Julie and Beth, who had just entered the lunchroom in an uproar. “Somebody stole my favorite necklace, and I’ll bet it’s you, Kristi! I know we’re not friends anymore, but I never thought you would stoop so low!”

STORY TEN: Piper

A new family moves in next to Lily, which results in a very special friendship and an unbelievable final in the annual school talent competition.

Now for her surprise performance. She took a moment to look in the direction of her friends. She could tell they had no idea what she was about to do. After taking a deep breath to calm herself, she began.

STORY ELEVEN: Lily’s Secret Crush

Lily attempts to overcome her fear, and her bravery is rewarded.

Despite her self-doubt, Lily was determined to overcome her fear, and it felt good to hear Ryan say he believed she could do it. “OK, here goes nothing!”

STORY TWELVE: Sophie’s Change of Heart

Lily’s new connection with a friend continues to grow, Sophie discovers that a former enemy is not so bad, and Piper feels left out.

As soon as she got home, Lily called Sophie. “We need to do something to cheer Piper up. I have an idea.”

STORY ONE: Summer Surprise

After receiving shocking news, Lily plans a special event.

That Monday, just after lunch, Lily heard a knock on the door. As soon as she opened it, she knew something was horribly wrong. Sophie was standing there in tears.

STORY TWO: The Waterpark

The girls welcome a new friend and enjoy a school field trip.

The girls sat at their usual table and were just about to start eating when one of the new students carrying a lunch tray suddenly fell forward, sprawling onto the ground, her clothes covered with spaghetti.

STORY THREE: The Race

Carly trains hard to compete against a talented but annoying champion.

The day of the first track meet arrived, along with Carly’s nerves. She desperately wanted to perform well, but her legs still felt sore. “I sure hope I do okay. I wish my muscles felt fresher,” she thought, as she warmed up.

STORY FOUR: The Fundraiser

Lily and her friends work together to raise money for a friend’s family.

Her carefree smile was instantly replaced by a blank stare. She started to respond several times, but each attempt was thwarted by emotion. Lily and Piper sat there confused, not knowing what to say or do. Just before Lily was about to ask what was wrong, Carly replied, her voice barely audible.

STORY FIVE: Kristi and Alex

Kristi comes to the aid of a new classmate and is rewarded.

Kristi arrived at school early that Monday to ask her teacher a few questions about a homework assignment. As she neared Ms. Peterson’s classroom, she saw two large boys in the hallway taunting one of her classmates. Upon seeing Kristi, the taller boy leaned forward to where he was virtually nose-to-nose with Kristi’s classmate, sneered and said something under his breath, then turned to his friend and gruffly said, “Let’s go.”

STORY SIX: The Training

Alex agrees to accept a new challenge, but then questions his decision.

When they reached the halfway point of the final lap, Alex’s legs felt like rubber, and he was convinced there was a good chance he might fall. His only focus now was to somehow remain upright. Just after crossing the finish line, his legs gave way and he collapsed face down on the track.

STORY SEVEN: Katie and Brad

Brad helps Katie deal with an unexpected loss.

That afternoon on the way home, Katie felt reluctant to immediately resume the conversation she and Brad had been having, not wanting to overwhelm him. But there was nothing else she really wanted to talk about. Brad could sense how she was feeling, so he decided to break the silence.

STORY EIGHT: The Gift

Katie volunteers and receives a surprise gift.

As the weeks went by, Katie tried not to focus on her parents; however, it was becoming increasingly obvious that it was going to take quite a while for her to come to terms with everything. Her girlfriends had all listened patiently and done their best to console her when she brought the subject up, but she always left those conversations feeling nearly as sad as before.

STORY NINE: Emerson’s Peak

Lily and Ryan share a memorable adventure.

They had only walked for about five minutes when they heard something moving through the nearby bushes. Curious, Lily went to check things out. Suddenly, she let out a gasp.

STORY TEN: The Dance

The girls prepare for the annual year-end celebration.

With the dance only a week away, there was quite a buzz throughout the school that Friday. All the girls were excited, and it was time to make plans for the big event that next Saturday.

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