What is it like to grow up? Liam wondered as he played with his toy dinosaurs in his room in Philadelphia. Suddenly, a thought popped into his head. "Hey, Lily!" he called to his furry friend. Lily, always up for an adventure, wagged her tail excitedly. "Let's go on a trip! Maybe we can find out about growing up!"
Liam's dad helped him pack a backpack full of snacks and juice boxes. "Remember to be careful," Dad said as Liam and Lily set off. They walked down the street, Liam's hand tucked safely in his dad's. Soon they reached a place Liam had never seen before - a shimmering portal, hidden behind a waterfall!
"Wow!" gasped Liam. Holding Lily's leash tight, Liam cautiously stepped through the portal, his dad waving from the other side. Everything shimmered and swirled, and when Liam opened his eyes, he was in a place unlike any he'd ever seen.
It was a beach! The sand was white and sparkly, the water was a bright, happy blue, and the sky was full of fluffy white clouds. Palm trees swayed gently in the breeze. "Look, Lily!" Liam giggled, "It's a beach just like in my picture books!" Lily barked happily and wagged her tail so hard her whole body wiggled.
As they walked along the beach, Liam noticed something even more amazing than the sparkling sand and the blue, blue water. There, in the distance, were… Unicorns! They were just like Liam imagined, with their white coats shining in the sun and their spiral horns glinting with rainbow colors.
"Lily, come on!" Liam cried, and he ran towards the beautiful creatures. The Unicorns were friendly, and they didn’t mind Liam and Lily at all. One of them, with a mane as pink as cotton candy, dipped her head and smiled at Liam.
"Hello, little one," she said in a voice like wind chimes. "We are the Unicorns of Growing Up. We help things grow and change."
"Wow!" Liam breathed. "Can you tell me about growing up?"
The Unicorn nodded. "Growing up is like the beach," she said. "Every day, the waves come in and out, just like you learn new things and change a little bit every day."
Liam looked out at the waves. He liked how they crashed on the shore and then flowed back out again.
"But it's not always easy," said another Unicorn, this one with a horn that shimmered with all the colors of the sunset. "Sometimes you might feel scared or unsure."
Liam nodded. He knew how that felt.
"But that's okay," said the first Unicorn gently. "Because just like the palm trees on this beach grow strong and tall, so will you. You will learn and grow every day."
Liam spent the rest of the day playing with the Unicorns. They told him stories about all the amazing things he would learn and do as he grew up. He learned about being kind, brave, and curious, just like the Unicorns. They even let him touch their magical horns!
As the sun began to set, painting the sky in a blaze of orange and pink, Liam knew it was time to go home. He hugged each of the Unicorns goodbye and promised to visit again soon.
Hand-in-paw with Lily, he stepped back through the shimmering portal. As they walked back home, hand-in-hand with his dad, Liam thought about what the Unicorns had told him. He was excited about growing up, about learning new things, and becoming stronger and braver every day. And he knew, no matter what, his family and Lily would always be there for him, just like the steady palm trees on the magical beach.
