"A talking squirrel told me you might need help with your homework!"
Olivia giggled. She was swinging high on the swings at the playground, her favorite place in all of Columbus. Dad was pushing her, his eyes twinkling.
"A talking squirrel? Now why would a squirrel know about my homework?" Olivia asked, hopping off the swing.
Dad chuckled. "Well, you do love talking to animals. Maybe he overheard you at the park yesterday?"
Olivia had a secret. She could understand and talk to animals! It was our little secret, just between us!
"He did say something about sparkly friends and a spaceship..." Olivia trailed off, remembering the squirrel's excited chatter.
Just then, a bright light zoomed across the sky and landed right in the middle of the sandbox! Olivia and Dad gasped. The light faded, revealing a tiny silver spaceship, no bigger than Olivia's dollhouse.
A small ladder unfolded, and down climbed...a tiny, glowing fairy! She had iridescent wings, sparkly clothes, and a magic wand that shimmered. Two more fairies, just as small and sparkly, followed behind her.
"Greetings!" chirped the first fairy. "We are the Homework Helpers from planet Zorp! We heard you needed help with your schoolwork."
Olivia's jaw dropped. This was even better than the time she'd met a talking raccoon in her backyard!
"I...I do have some math problems that are a little tricky," Olivia admitted, pulling out her workbook.
The fairies fluttered around Olivia, their wings making a soft tinkling sound. One fairy pointed her wand at the math problems, and they glowed with colorful light.
"We use star charts and moonbeams to solve equations on Zorp," the second fairy explained. "It's much more fun than adding and subtracting!"
The fairies spent the afternoon showing Olivia their magical methods for solving math problems. They even helped her with her spelling words, using stardust to write them out in the air.
Dad, who loved learning about birds, was just as amazed. He peppered the fairies with questions about their spaceship and their home planet.
As the sun began to set, the fairies announced it was time to return to Zorp.
"Thank you for the most amazing homework help ever!" Olivia exclaimed, giving each fairy a hug.
"Anytime!" the fairies chimed. "Just look to the stars, and we'll be there!" With a flash of light, they were gone.
Walking home hand-in-hand with her Dad, Olivia couldn't stop smiling. Homework wasn't so bad when you had sparkly friends from outer space to help you! And who knew, maybe she'd even visit them on Zorp someday.
