One sunny morning in Chicago, Evelyn, who loved the ocean even though she was only three, found a sparkly blue button behind her ear! It wasn't there before. "Daddy, look!" she squealed. Dad, who was busy studying a book about birds, looked up. "Wow, Evelyn, where did that come from?" he asked. Evelyn giggled. "I don't know, but it's sparkly!"
Just then, the button started to glow. The room filled with blue light and whoosh! Evelyn and Dad were standing in front of a giant castle made of sparkling stones. It had tall towers and a huge gate, and the walls shimmered with every color of the rainbow!
"Wow!" exclaimed Evelyn and Dad together. A little man with a big, friendly grin popped out from behind the gate. He was dressed in green and had a funny pointy hat perched on his head. "Welcome to Enchanted Castle!" he chirped. "I'm Finnian, a leprechaun! You found our magic button."
Finnian explained that Enchanted Castle was a place where magic and friendship were celebrated. "We love making new friends!" he declared. Evelyn and Dad smiled. They already felt welcome.
Evelyn and Dad spent the day exploring the castle with Finnian. They met other leprechauns, all dressed in bright colors and full of mischief. One leprechaun showed Evelyn a field of flowers that sparkled like her button! Another leprechaun taught Dad a silly jig.
Finnian told them all about friendship. "It's like having a special treasure you share with someone," he said. Evelyn thought about her best friend, Sam, back home. She couldn't wait to tell him about Enchanted Castle!
As the sun began to set, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink, it was time for Evelyn and Dad to go. "We had so much fun," said Evelyn, hugging Finnian. "Thank you for sharing your friendship with us."
"The magic button will always bring you back here," said Finnian, giving them each a twinkling smile.
With another flash of blue light, Evelyn and Dad were back in their living room. The sparkly button rested in Evelyn's hand. "That was amazing!" she said. Dad nodded, his eyes wide with wonder.
From then on, Evelyn and Dad often visited Enchanted Castle. They learned that friendship, like magic, could be found in the most unexpected places. And Evelyn knew, no matter how far away they traveled, the magic of friendship would always bring them home.
