"Wooooweee! Look at that!" Evelyn pointed her tiny finger at a postcard. It showed a giant sand dune, all shimmery and blue.
"That's the Magic Desert," Grandma said, smiling. "Sometimes, the sand changes color! It's magical!"
Evelyn, who loved all things ocean-y, was amazed. A desert that changed colors? Maybe there were fish who lived in the sand!
"Grandma, can we go?" Evelyn asked, her big eyes wide with excitement. "Please?"
Grandma chuckled. "Well, it's awfully far. But, maybe we can pretend to go!"
Evelyn jumped up and down. "Yay!"
Grandma grabbed a big blanket and threw it on the floor. "This is our magic carpet. Hold on tight!"
Evelyn giggled and squeezed her eyes shut. When she opened them, Grandma had tied a colorful scarf around her head, just like the desert people in the postcard.
"We're here!" Grandma announced.
Evelyn gasped. The living room was now a giant desert! Pillows became sand dunes, and blankets shimmered like the magic sand. Grandma even put on a funny hat and pretended to be a camel!
Evelyn giggled and ran around the "desert." She dove behind a pillow-dune, pretending to be a fish diving in the deep blue. She felt so brave and sure of herself.
But then, she spotted a little, fluffy white bunny hiding behind the couch. It looked scared.
Evelyn knew what it felt like to be afraid. Sometimes, when she was swimming in the bathtub, she imagined scary sea monsters.
"Hi, little bunny," she said softly. "Don't be scared. I'm Evelyn."
The bunny hopped closer.
"This is my desert," Evelyn explained. "It's magical! Want to play?"
Evelyn showed the bunny how to dive behind the pillows and wiggle their noses like little fish. Soon, they were both laughing and having so much fun!
Grandma, watching them play, smiled. "Look at you," she said to Evelyn. "You're a natural explorer! And so kind to the little bunny."
Evelyn felt proud. She realized that being brave and kind made her feel good inside. It made her happy.
When it was time to go back home, Evelyn gave the bunny a gentle hug. "See you later!"
Back in their "regular" living room, Evelyn snuggled up to Grandma.
"Grandma, I was a little scared of the bunny at first," she confessed.
"That's okay," Grandma said, hugging her close. "It takes courage to be kind, especially to someone new. You were a very brave explorer today."
Evelyn smiled. She learned something very important today. Being brave and kind made her feel good. It made her…confident! And that feeling was even more magical than a color-changing desert.
