Scarlett loved going to the library with her mom. She couldn't read the words yet, but she loved looking at the pictures. One day, they found a big book with a sparkly cover. It showed a castle with many towers, all in bright colors!
"Wow!" Scarlett pointed at the castle. "Pretty!"
"That’s Enchanted Castle," Mom whispered. "It’s a magical place!"
As Mom read about the castle, the book glowed! Suddenly, the room was filled with light, and when it faded, Scarlett and Mom were in front of the castle!
"Whoa!" Scarlett giggled. The castle doors were huge!
The castle was even more colorful up close. But something was wrong. Everything was… gray! Knights stood guard, but their armor was dull. A princess walked by, but her dress looked faded.
A little bluebird flew down, chirping sadly. “The castle colors are gone! Stolen by the Mischief Maker!”
"Don't worry," Scarlett said. Even though she was only two, she was super smart for her age. "We'll find the colors!"
A friendly knight told them about the Mischief Maker. "He loves taking things that make others happy."
They searched the castle, looking for clues. In the gardens, wilted flowers drooped sadly.
"Look!" Scarlett pointed. Underneath a drooping sunflower, she saw tiny, glittery footprints.
"Those are fairy footprints," Mom said. "Fairies love bright colors. Maybe they can help!"
They followed the footprints to a hidden grove filled with even more flowers, but these were still bright and colorful! In the middle sat a tiny fairy, her wings shimmering with every color imaginable.
"We need your help," Mom explained. "Can you tell us where to find the Mischief Maker?"
The fairy pointed to a winding path. "Follow the rainbow stream, it will lead you to him!"
Scarlett and Mom followed the stream. It flowed with colors, leading them to a dark cave hidden behind a waterfall. Peeking inside, they saw the Mischief Maker! He was surrounded by jars, each one holding a stolen color. He was about to trap the bluebird's beautiful blue in a jar!
Scarlett knew what to do. She was a very inventive girl. She took out her favorite stuffed cat, Mittens. Mittens had lots of colorful ribbons. Scarlett held up Mittens.
"Look!" Scarlett exclaimed. "Mittens has more colors than you!"
The Mischief Maker’s eyes widened. He loved collecting colors, and he'd never seen so many beautiful ribbons! He carefully put down the bluebird and his jar.
"Wow," he breathed, reaching for Mittens. “Can I have one?”
Scarlett smiled. “Yes, but first, you have to give back the castle's colors!”
The Mischief Maker hesitated. He really wanted a ribbon. He looked at the sad, gray castle, then back at Mittens’ bright ribbons. Taking a deep breath, he opened the jars, and the colors flew back to the castle, returning everything to its former glory!
The knight gave Scarlett a shiny medal for being a great detective. Then, Scarlett gave the Mischief Maker a red ribbon, and he promised to never steal colors again.
As Scarlett and her mom held hands and walked back through the castle gates, a familiar bluebird flew alongside them, chirping happily.
The light returned, and they were back in the library. Scarlett hugged Mittens tight. It was fun to be a detective, but it was even better to be back home, safe with her mom.
