By Bill Conley
Moral of the Story:
Friendship is built through kindness, sharing, and laughter.
A neighborhood becomes special when everyone feels included.
Working together creates memories that last a lifetime.
Pablo Bay is a place where friendships grow every day.
In the sunny little neighborhood of
Pablo Bay, where the palms sway gently and the ducks waddle proudly around the
ponds, lived a group of kids who were as different as they were delightful.
There was Mia, who loved to draw
rainbows with sidewalk chalk.
Jaden, who could ride his bike with no hands.
Ava, who always had a big smile and a bigger heart.
Liam, the curious one who asked questions about everything.
And Emma, who always brought her jump rope and the best snacks to share.
They all lived on different
streets—Deer Chase Place, Painted Bunting Way, and Harbor Creek Place—but what
brought them together was one special place: the Pablo Bay gazebo.
Every afternoon after school, the
kids would race down the sidewalks on scooters and bikes, backpacks bouncing,
laughter echoing, and hearts full of joy. The gazebo became their clubhouse,
their ship, their castle, or whatever their imagination decided that day.
One sunny morning, a sign appeared
near the gazebo:
“PABLO BAY KIDS’ STORY HOUR — JUNE 14TH, 9am—A SPECIAL SURPRISE AWAITS!”
The kids huddled around the sign,
their eyes wide.
“A story hour just for us?” said Mia.
“And a surprise? What could it be?” asked Jaden, already bouncing with
excitement.
Over the next week, the kids came
together every day to get ready. They made welcome signs with glitter and glue,
cleaned up leaves from around the gazebo, and even practiced saying kind things
to everyone they passed.
Ava made name tags for all the kids
in the neighborhood—each one with bright colors and sparkles.
Liam wrote down questions to ask the storyteller.
Emma packed a basket full of juice boxes and animal crackers.
Mia drew a big welcome banner with the words:
“PABLO BAY FRIENDS ARE THE BEST!”
Finally, June 9th arrived.
The gazebo was full of happy chatter
and the scent of sunscreen and fresh lemonade. Parents gathered on benches,
neighbors waved to each other, and the kids sat in a big circle on picnic
blankets.
Then, a tall man with a kind smile
stepped into the gazebo and held up a big storybook. It was titled
“The Pablo Bay Kids and the Big Surprise”
—and the kids gasped in amazement.
As the story was read aloud, every
child saw themselves in the pages—laughing, playing, helping one another, and
building the kind of friendships that last forever.
But the biggest surprise was still
to come.
At the end of the story, the
storyteller smiled and said,
“Now it’s your turn to write the next chapter. Every day you choose kindness,
every time you share a laugh, and every moment you make someone feel welcome—you
are writing the story of Pablo Bay.”
The kids clapped and cheered.
Mia hugged Ava.
Jaden high-fived Liam.
Emma passed out her snacks to everyone.
And as the sun dipped low behind the
trees, casting golden light over the peaceful ponds, the Pablo Bay kids made a
promise:
Always be the kind of friends who make their neighborhood a place everyone belongs.
Moral to the Story Poem:
In Pablo Bay, where palm trees sway,
The children laugh and run all day.
With kindness, love, and hearts so true,
They make the world feel bright and new.
Questions to Talk About After the
Story:
1.
What are some ways we can make new
friends in our neighborhood?
2.
Why is it important to include
others in our games and fun?
3.
How can you help make your
neighborhood feel like a welcoming place for everyone?
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