This week's free story comes from the Junkyard Tales: Halloween Story collection. It's called "Halloween Magic."   Lil Mamma and Spiro have a bit of an ongoing competition during the Halloween season - whose costume is the best? Well this year Ben Thompson, clever cat, brings in some special halloween magic that turns the competition upside down.   The story you’re about to hear is 1 of over 1,400 original stories at Sparkle Stories. You can explore them all now for free. Go to sparklestories.com and click the button at the top that says “Start Free Trial,” then you can listen to as much as you like, anytime you like.   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!  [email protected] Enjoy!

This week's Free story comes from the Windward Ho! Fore & Aft (Book One) collection. It's called "Episode One: Periwinkle's Parrot."   In this first episode of Windward Ho! book one, Periwinkle "Wink" Mackenzie excitedly waits to purchase the next book in her favorite series, The Windward Chronicles, early on the morning of its release. She never suspects that receiving the new book will be only the beginning of an unforeseen adventure.   The story you’re about to hear is 1 of over 1,400 original stories at Sparkle Stories. You can explore them all now for free. Go to sparklestories.com and click the button at the top that says “Start Free Trial,” then you can listen to as much as you like, anytime you like.   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!  [email protected] Enjoy!

This week's Free story comes from the The Willowbee Tree collection. It's called "Ready to Swim."   It is back to school time for Piper and Clancy, the two older Willowbee children. Clancy is sad about leaving kindergarten and worried about what first grade will bring. The willow tree seems to understand this and takes the Willowbees to an island in the American south where an alligator, a white ibis and several ghost crabs show them something miraculous: the moment when a little loggerhead turtle makes the difficult and courageous journey to the sea.   Come join us as a Sparkle subscriber! Just visit sparklestories.com/summertime and find all of our best stories for summer - plus fun activities, crafts, and recipes to go along! Use the code SPARKLEAUGUST for a month-long free trial.   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!  [email protected] Enjoy!

This week's free story comes from the Stories about Sibling Rivalry collection. It's called "Tilde the House Tomte."   Tilde the House Tomte loves a challenge. When a mother with two children marries a father with two children — right under her own roof — she gets her challenge. Not only do the siblings bicker, but now the step-siblings have arguments as well. When the mother must be away for an entire week, Tilde helps the children see each other anew: with love and empathy.   Come join us as a Sparkle subscriber! Just visit sparklestories.com/summertime and find all of our best stories for summer - plus fun activities, crafts, and recipes to go along! Use the code SPARKLEAUGUST for a month-long free trial.   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!  [email protected] Enjoy!

This week's Free story comes from the Mrs. Castlechanter's Magic Cabinet collection. It's called "Mrs. Castlechanter."   Everyone has heard the curious tales about Mrs. Castlechanter, the beloved art teacher at Hillfort Elementary. How old is she anyway? And what was the story about the drawing that winked at a student? As it turns out, Mrs. Castlechanter’s history proves to hold some interesting stories ... as does her special art cabinet.   Come join us as a Sparkle subscriber! Just visit sparklestories.com/summertime and find all of our best stories for summer - plus fun activities, crafts, and recipes to go along! Use the code SPARKLEAUGUST for a month-long free trial.   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!  [email protected] Enjoy!

This week's Free story comes from the Martin & Sylvia: More Adventures! collection. It's called "The Rainbow Table."   After Sylvia enjoys a picture book about a feast shared by all the colors of the rainbow, she enthusiastically suggests that they hold a Rainbow Table potluck!  Each of the guests are to bring a dish that is a one of the colors of the rainbow.  She worries that, as it is early spring, many of the guests will bring Green - but she is in for a surprise!   Come join us as a Sparkle subscriber! Just visit sparklestories.com/summertime and find all of our best stories for summer - plus fun activities, crafts, and recipes to go along! Use the code SPARKLEAUGUST for a month-long free trial.   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!  [email protected] Enjoy!

This week's Free story comes from the Back to School Stories collection. It's called "Zebra Stripes."   "Zebra Stripes" from the Willowbee Tree series follows six-year-old Clancy. He is starting first grade this year and he worries that he won't fit into the class and find good friendships. Luckily, he meets an African Zebra who has similar worries, and the two of them realize that everyone is unique and special in their own way, and so everyone belongs.   Come join us as a Sparkle subscriber! Just visit sparklestories.com/summertime and find all of our best stories for summer - plus fun activities, crafts, and recipes to go along! Use the code SPARKLEAUGUST for a month-long free trial.   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!  [email protected] Enjoy!

This week's Free story comes from the Martin & Sylvia collection. It's called "Pick-Up League."   Martin wants to join little league baseball like his friend Peter, but Momma and Daddy say he isn’t old enough for organized sports. He has to be nine. Nine! Martin is amazed! But that doesn’t mean there’s no baseball for Martin. Daddy pulls together a pick-up game with friends; flexible rules, bat and ball options, and many creative calls from the sidelines make the game fun for everyone in the family!   Come join us as a Sparkle subscriber! Just visit  sparklestories.com/summertime and find all of our best stories for summer - plus fun activities, crafts, and recipes to go along! Use the code SUMMERTIME for a month-long free trial.   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!  [email protected] Enjoy!

This week's free story comes from the By Thistle By Thimble collection. It's called "Good Morning Magic."   Stephan is a very busy man, but he and his daughter Pippy have two special times they always spend together. They are together every morning when Pippy wakes, and every evening when Pippy goes to bed. These times are special for not only them, but for the fairies that regularly gather in the city apartment where they live. This is a good story to help with separation anxiety.   Come join us as a Sparkle subscriber! Just visit  sparklestories.com/summertime and find all of our best stories for summer - plus fun activities, crafts, and recipes to go along! Use the code SUMMERTIME for a month-long free trial.   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!  [email protected] Enjoy!

This week's Free story comes from the Martin & Sylvia: Learning Days collection. It's called "A Tasty Good Morning"   Martin and Sylvia love all kinds of delicious foods — and breakfast might just be their favorite family meal. One day, the children are surprised to learn that their friend Laura usually only eats cold cereal for breakfast. Could they tempt her to try something new? Together with Momma and Daddy, they prepare a breakfast feast that is good enough for everyone to eat.   If you want more than one story a day, and you’re not yet a subscriber, now you can try it out for free.  We always offer a free trial so you can test it and see if it’s for you.  This month’s code is SCREENFREE - and that will give you 30 days of listening.  That means for this screen free week, you can listen as often as you like to as many stories as you like!  Go to sparklestories.com/signup and use that code SCREENFREE.   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!  [email protected] Enjoy!