The salty air tickled Noah’s nose as he stood with Mom in the biggest library in all of San Jose. Books reached high above his head, smelling like old adventures. Mom wanted to show him something amazing, a secret hidden behind the shelves! They tiptoed past rows and rows of stories until Mom stopped with a grin. “Close your eyes, Noah,” she whispered, pushing open a creaky door shaped like a book.
Noah squeezed his eyes shut and held his breath. When Mom said “open,” Noah gasped! They weren't in the library anymore. Instead, they stood on the deck of a giant pirate ship! The wooden deck swayed gently beneath his feet, and a big, colorful parrot perched on Mom’s shoulder, squawking, “Ahoy, matey!”
Noah couldn’t believe it! Was he dreaming? He reached out and touched the rough, scratchy sailcloth. Nope, this was real! Mom was already giggling, pulling a pirate hat over her hair. "This, my little adventurer, is where the magic of reading takes us! Are you ready to play pirates?"
And play they did! Noah, usually shy, transformed into Captain Speedy Cheetah (a secret nod to his super speed). Mom, with an eye patch perched on her eye, became First Mate Giggles. They chased each other around the mast, swords made of rolled-up maps clutched in their hands. They fought off imaginary sea monsters and dug for buried treasure (which turned out to be a pile of old library books… but still!).
Suddenly, the ship lurched! Books tumbled off shelves as a booming voice echoed, “Who dares disturb the great Bookworm Dragon?!”
Peeking from behind a stack of books, Noah saw him! A dragon, with scales the color of every book cover imaginable, perched on a mountain of novels. Smoke puffed from his nostrils, smelling suspiciously like burnt popcorn. Noah knew dragons were strong and wise, but this one… this one looked ready to cry!
“We just want to play!” Noah squeaked, clutching his map-sword.
The Bookworm Dragon hiccuped, a tiny puff of fire scorching a dictionary. “Play? But… but nobody plays with me. They just run away from my fire!”
Mom, ever friendly, gave the dragon a big smile. “Well, we love to play! Playing is important! It makes you strong and smart, just like reading!”
The dragon sniffed, looking unsure. So, Noah, remembering how much fun he was having, scurried forward. “We’re playing pirates! Want to join us? You can be… Captain Bookbreath!”
The dragon’s face lit up like a Christmas tree. A rumbling purr vibrated from deep within him, shaking the whole ship. “Captain Bookbreath! I like the sound of that!”
And so they played! Captain Bookbreath blew gentle puffs of fire to propel the ship (don't worry, he promised not to burn the books!). Mom, the bravest first mate ever, swung from the rigging with the parrot. And Noah, the shy boy who found his voice through play, led them all on incredible imaginary adventures.
As the sun began to set, painting the library windows in a kaleidoscope of colors, Noah knew it was time to go. They said goodbye to Captain Bookbreath, promising to return for more adventures tomorrow. Back in the library, with the smell of old paper filling his nose, Noah hugged Mom tight. Playing pirate with a fire-breathing, book-loving dragon? Now that was what he called a good time!
