Shreya had always wanted to be independent. So, as soon as she became eligible, she asked her father to get her a scooter and teach her how to ride. Her father, Mohan, loved his daughter. He didn’t need to think twice before granting Shreya her wish. “Now, we must get to practice every day before…
Mrs. Rihana had a sudden guest in the middle of a weekday. She was readying for her post-lunch routine—tending to the flowerbeds in her backyard—when her uncle, Mr. Gafaar, showed up. She hadn’t seen her uncle for a long time. His visit came to her as a pleasant surprise. She greeted Mr. Gafaar warmly. Mr.…
The day was Friday. Airah and Aleeza went to the park with their father to spend the sunny afternoon playing. Looking at their identical curly hair, anyone could tell they were sisters. Aleeza, being older by a couple of years, was a tad taller than Airah. But in having fun, Airah was above everyone else.…
Karim was scared. He didn’t want to leave his father’s side, with so many strange faces around at the train station. The March sky was overcast; the weather windy. Karim was kept warm by his red and green chequered hoodie. His father wanted him to play, but Karim just would not step away. Priya walked…
The winter had given way to spring in the valley. The sun was out. There air was fresh and cold. Sam and Hamid took their bat and ball to play cricket in the field close to their home by the lake. That is how they wanted to spend their Sunday. In a nursery nearby, people…
Riza was a grocer in a small town in Persia. He worked very hard, but earned only enough to feed his family. Riza wasn’t happy. He wanted to earn more. He wanted to be wealthy. There also lived a rich landlord in Persia. Kind, the landlord wished to share his wealth with someone who needed…
An alligator and a crocodile once lived in a river. The alligator was smaller in size compared to the crocodile, which was twice as big. But they lived without any quarrels, each of them keeping to its side of the river. The river had fish in plenty. One day, a kingfisher happened to fly over…
Sasha was sitting underneath the basket on the court next to her home. She had not been able to make a basket the whole evening. She was sad and disappointed. “Why can I not do it? Not even once? How can everyone else do it?” she kept beating herself up, although it was the first…
In the middle of a thick forest, there was a vast pond. Deer and lions, elephants and leopards, bears and giraffes, all lived in the forest in harmony, all relying on the pond for water. All animals went to the pond to quench their thirst once every day. There was an unwritten rule about the…
It was a warm Sunday. The month was January. Hannah found a bird lying in their backyard. The little sparrow had broken her wing. As Hannah approached, the bird struggled hard to get away from whatever harm could come from the 5-year-old. Hannah gently picked up the bird, and went to her mother. “Look, Mommy,…
