This week's Free story comes from the "Libby & Dish" It's called "Kid-Thing Backpack" As Libby thinks about her Aunt Cecily’s upcoming wedding, she generates a whole host of big questions. What exactly happens at a wedding? Do the two people suddenly become one person? And most importantly, will Libby still get to have special hikes with her soon-to-be Uncle Theo? As Libby explores these questions with Dish and her family, she learns with relief that she can free herself from worrying about grown-up questions too much. Each week on the Sparkle Stories Podcast, we share a free story from one of our original story series! For many many many more stories like this one, visit the Sparkle website: www.sparklestories.com Questions? Ideas? Requests? Email us! customerservice@sparklestories.com

Sparkle Stories Podcast

Kid-Thing Backpack from Libby & Dish

This week's Free story comes from the "Martin & Sylvia: Day of Rest" It's called "Do we have time" It is the first week of January and Martin and Sylvia's family is both excited and hesitant about beginning their new Day of Rest. First they need to choose a day and decide when to start. When Momma shares something she read about being in the 'present' or 'now' things start to fall in place for the very first Day of Rest Each week on the Sparkle Stories Podcast, we share a free story from one of our original story series! For many many many more stories like this one, visit the Sparkle website: www.sparklestories.com Questions? Ideas? Requests? Email us! customerservice@sparklestories.com

Do we have time from Martin & Sylvia: Day of Rest

This week's Free story comes from the "By Thistle By Thimble" It's called "The Lambs Wool Blessing" Between the bugs, blight, and bad weather, apples have a difficult time growing in certain parts of the world — but Mr. Dorsett has enjoyed abundant harvests year after year! Journeyman fruit growers flock to him to discover his secret, but no one finds anything unusual about his orchard. What they do not know is that Mr. Dorsett performs a single blessing on a single special winter’s night — a blessing that was taught long ago by an apple tree elf who resides in the orchard still. Each week on the Sparkle Stories Podcast, we share a free story from one of our original story series! For many many many more stories like this one, visit the Sparkle website: www.sparklestories.com Questions? Ideas? Requests? Email us! customerservice@sparklestories.com

The Lambs Wool Blessing from the By Thistle By Thimble

This week's Free story comes from the "By Thistle By Thimble" It's called "The Christmas Gifts" A poor father and son who live in a hovel and work all day in order to afford food and necessities both plan their Christmas gifts for each other in secret. But when a flood washes their hard work away, Christmas magic works out the perfect solution. Each week on the Sparkle Stories Podcast, we share a free story from one of our original story series! For many many many more stories like this one, visit the Sparkle website: www.sparklestories.com Questions? Ideas? Requests? Email us! customerservice@sparklestories.com

The Christmas Gifts from the By Thistle By Thimble

This week's Free story is called "Little Hammer, the Nubian Ibex - A Story for Hanukkah" Little Hammer, a young mountain goat, lives at the top of a dry, craggy mountain in Israel with his mother and aunts and grandparents. His father and uncles are away, working to push a group of leopards out of the valley they usually call home. When a messenger comes and says they must delay their descent into the valley, they understand, but they wonder how they will manage to find food in the meantime. A patch of grass is discovered — one just enough to feed the herd for one night. They rejoice in the moment, but then start asking, "What will we eat tomorrow?" Miraculously, the following morning they discover that the patch has not only returned ... but grown. Each week on the Sparkle Stories Podcast, we share a free story from one of our original story series! For many many many more stories like this one, visit the Sparkle website: www.sparklestories.com Questions? Ideas? Requests? Email us! customerservice@sparklestories.com

Little Hammer, the Nubian Ibex - A Story for Hanukkah

This week's Free story comes from the "Junkyard Tales" It's called "First Snow" Ben Thompson, a most unusual cat, wakes one morning to a disappointing sight: snow. He does not like snow — it is sticky, cold, and confusing. But the day turns around when he follows a long line of mice headed for some surprising winter fun. Each week on the Sparkle Stories Podcast, we share a free story from one of our original story series! For many many many more stories like this one, visit the Sparkle website: www.sparklestories.com Questions? Ideas? Requests? Email us! customerservice@sparklestories.com

"First Snow" from Junkyard Tales

This week's Free story comes from the "By Thistle By Thimble" It's called "Mr Gabriel and his Toy Shop" At the end of the central square of a small town, is a very old toy shop owned and run by Mr. Gabriel. He is a grumpy fellow and not known for his customer service - but my, does he have beautiful toys. The most incredible part of his toy shop, however, is what happens to the front window during December as it transforms into a magical Christmas scene. Each week on the Sparkle Stories Podcast, we share a free story from one of our original story series! For many many many more stories like this one, visit the Sparkle website: www.sparklestories.com Questions? Ideas? Requests? Email us! customerservice@sparklestories.com

"Mr Gabriel and his Toy Shop" from By Thistle By Thimble

This week's Free story comes from the "The Castlechanter Fairy Advent Calendar" It's called "Where to Start" December has finally arrived — Oscar Grimmson’s favorite month. As he begins dreaming about the upcoming winter festivities (including his own birthday), Oscar and his sister receive a surprise invitation to explore a new feature of the enchanted land of Hillwyn: the fairy advent spiral walk. Each week on the Sparkle Stories Podcast, we share a free story from one of our original story series! For many many many more stories like this one, visit the Sparkle website: www.sparklestories.com Questions? Ideas? Requests? Email us! customerservice@sparklestories.com Enjoy!

Story One: "Where to Start" from The Castlechanter Fairy Advent Calendar

This week's Free story comes from the "Libby and Dish" It's called "Family and Friends" As Libby's mom wrestles with one Thanksgiving dinner mishap after another, Libby finds ways to help the situation by telling stories with her grandparents and watching a new story unfold before her very eyes. Each week on the Sparkle Stories Podcast, we share a free story from one of our original story series! For many many many more stories like this one, visit the Sparkle website: www.sparklestories.com Questions? Ideas? Requests? Email us! customerservice@sparklestories.com

"Libby and Dish" from "Family and Friends"

Strong, Warm, and Grateful From The Willowbee Tree

This week's Free Story comes from the "By Thistle By Thimble" original audio story collection. It's called "The Fischer from the Top Branch". A water hole in the Serengeti plains needs a leader who will represent all creatures who need water. So - a ‘Prefect’ is elected every wet season to monitor the water and make sure everyone is served. But choosing the ‘Prefect’ is often contentious. This year the choice is between a Fischer’s Lovebird and a Leopard - and the election is emotional, ridden with conflict and indeed, personal. In the end the Lovebird is elected - but she immediately sees the need for healing - the need for the creatures to unite again. Luckily, she flies to the top branch of a nearby acacia tree and is able to see the land and all its creatures together. And that image helps her know what to do.hat if the children dressed as wizards, tigers, scarecrows, and baseball players actually became wizards, tigers, scarecrows, and baseball players? Each week on the Sparkle Stories Podcast, we share a free story from one of our original story series! For many many many more stories like this one, visit the Sparkle website: www.sparklestories.com Questions? Ideas? Requests? Email us! customerservice@sparklestories.com Enjoy!

"The Fischer from the Top Branch" from By Thistle By Thimble

This week's Free story comes from the "By Thistle By Thimble" It's called "The Trick and the Treat" Septimo the magician has one trick: a card trick where the Jack of Hearts mysteriously flies into the air and disappears – only to reappear over someone’s head and then float back to the deck. But the truth is, it is not a trick at all – it is real. Septimo received the trick one Halloween night when he was seven years old – and he has been using it ever since. Until one Halloween night many years later when the Jack of Hearts suddenly disappears. Where did it go? Maybe the girl with the sparkling green eyes knows… Each week on the Sparkle Stories Podcast, we share a free story from one of our original story series! For many many many more stories like this one, visit the Sparkle website: www.sparklestories.com Questions? Ideas? Requests? Email us! customerservice@sparklestories.com Enjoy!

"The Trick and the Treat" from By Thistle By Thimble

This week's Free Story comes from the "By Thistle By Thimble" original audio story collection. It's called "Knight and Magician". This story is about Ellie and Arnold, two six-year-old twins who share a wonderful idea: what would happen if all the children suddenly turned into their Halloween costumes? What if the children dressed as wizards, tigers, scarecrows, and baseball players actually became wizards, tigers, scarecrows, and baseball players? Each week on the Sparkle Stories Podcast, we share a free story from one of our original story series! For many many many more stories like this one, visit the Sparkle website: www.sparklestories.com Questions? Ideas? Requests? Email us! customerservice@sparklestories.com Enjoy!

"Knight and Magician" from By Thistle By Thimble

This week's Free Story comes from the " By Thistle By Thimble" original audio story collection. It's called "Halloween Wonder". In a sweet little town, there is a very particular three-story house that is the center of the town's annual Halloween celebration. Each year, the mysterious couple that lives there transforms their wrap-around porch into something new and fantastical and wows the entire town. The neighbors talk about it all year long! This year, however, it is an 8-year-old girl named Margaret that does something at once surprising and gracious which changes the town's Halloween tradition forever. Each week on the Sparkle Stories Podcast, we share a free story from one of our original story series! For many many many more stories like this one, visit the Sparkle website: www.sparklestories.com Questions? Ideas? Requests? Email us! customerservice@sparklestories.com Enjoy!

"Halloween Wonder" from By Thistle By Thimble

This week's Free Story comes from the "The Dory Horde: The Gilded Dragon" original audio story collection. It's called "Episode One: The Long Ride North." Aurora and her five children live a quiet life in the woods, until one day they receive a phone call: their grandfather has died suddenly and the family must take the long journey from Kentucky to his mysterious estate in the Yukon territory. But why? And what will they learn once they arrive? Each week on the Sparkle Stories Podcast, we share a free story from one of our original story series! For many many many more stories like this one, visit the Sparkle website: www.sparklestories.com Questions? Ideas? Requests? Email us! customerservice@sparklestories.com Enjoy!

"Episode One: The Long Ride North" from The Dory Horde: The Gilded Dragon

Sparkle Stories produces original audio stories for families around the world. Each week on the Sparkle Stories Podcast, we'll be sharing a Free Story from one of our Original Story Series! Find us at: www.sparklestories.com

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Sparkle Stories Podcast

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