Ana and the Tumbledown Tower

Ana loved the beach more than anything. The sand felt like warm sugar under her toes, and the waves whispered fizzy secrets as they tickled the shore. She was building a magnificent sandcastle, carefully placing a row of sparkly, pearly shells along the top wall. Each shell was special, and she made sure every single one was snug and safe.

Not far away, a little boy named Leo was carrying a big, blue bucket. It sloshed with seawater and was filled with long, green seaweed for his own sandy tower. He was walking very carefully, taking big, serious steps. But one of his thongs caught in the soft sand. Wobble, wobble... SPLAT! The bucket tipped over, sending water, seaweed, and sand everywhere in a big, messy puddle.

A couple of older kids sitting nearby pointed and laughed. "Ha ha! You've made a swamp!" one of them giggled. Leo's face turned as red as a boiled lobster, and his bottom lip began to wobble. Ana saw his sad eyes, and a funny, uncomfortable feeling wiggled in her tummy. She knew it wasn't a kind laugh.

Ana thought about how she looked after her little brother when he fell over. She didn't laugh then; she helped him up. So, she stood up, marched right past the giggling kids, and knelt beside Leo. She didn't say anything at first. She just picked up his big, blue bucket and started to gently scoop the soggy sand back into a pile.

Leo sniffled and looked up at her, his wobbly lip stopping its quiver. He picked up a piece of seaweed and carefully placed it on the new pile. The other kids stopped laughing and quietly went back to their own game. Soon, Ana and Leo had built a brand new tower, even taller than before, decorated with all the wonderful seaweed. Ana knew then that helping a friend felt even warmer than the sun on the sand.