Lily was a little girl who loved to play! She loved building towers with her blocks, drawing colorful pictures, and pretending to be a brave explorer. But sometimes, when the sun went down, Lily didn't love bedtime so much. She worried about the dark and wished she could keep playing.
One evening, Lily’s Mama gave her a tiny, sparkly star sticker. “This,” Mama said, “is a dream star. If you hold it tight and think of something kind, it will help you have lovely dreams.” Lily carefully stuck the star on her pajama sleeve.
As Lily snuggled into bed, she thought about her friend, Tom. Tom had been sad earlier because he couldn’t find his favorite blue crayon. Lily decided to think about Tom finding a whole box of *new* crayons, all different colors! She squeezed her eyes shut and held the dream star tight.
Suddenly, Lily wasn’t in her bedroom anymore! She was in a land made of fluffy clouds and rainbow bridges. She saw Tom, and he *did* have a box of crayons! He was happily coloring a picture of a giant, smiling sun. Tom waved at Lily and offered her a bright pink crayon.
Lily and Tom colored together, making a beautiful picture of all their favorite things: flowers, animals, and even a wobbly tower of blocks. They laughed and giggled, and Lily felt so happy and peaceful.
Then, a gentle voice whispered, “It’s time to rest, little one.” Lily looked around and saw a friendly cloud shaped like a sheep. The sheep smiled and nudged her gently.
Lily slowly opened her eyes. She was back in her bed, and the room was softly lit by the nightlight. The dream star still twinkled on her pajamas. She realized that even when it’s dark, she could always use her imagination to create happy places.
Lily snuggled deeper under the covers, feeling warm and safe. She knew that thinking kind thoughts and using her imagination could make bedtime a wonderful time. She closed her eyes, a small smile on her face, and drifted off to sleep, ready for more lovely dreams. And she knew, even without the star, she could always find kindness and happiness inside herself.