203 Results in the "Children’s Fiction" category


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      The Valley

      The Valley Cover
      by LovelyMay The Valley opens beneath a quiet sky where moonlight silvers the contours of the land, softening the tension between reality and the dreams carried by a wandering boy. David, newly arrived with his father, seeks nothing more than rest in a barn, but the stillness is soon stirred by the strains of a violin. Music, woven with memory and longing, escapes through the barn's open cracks, drawing Simeon and Ellen Holly from their slumber. Their world, defined by duty and silence, is unsettled by this uninvited…
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      Two Letters

      Two Letters Cover
      by LovelyMay Two Letters arrives at a turning point in David’s world, as he begins to confront a future shaped by absence. He wakes in a strange bed, aware his father is gone, yet he clings to the idea of returning to the mountain, hoping his father will meet him there. The room feels foreign, and the people in it—well-meaning but unfamiliar—cannot replace what he has lost. Perry Larson, though kind, cannot ease David’s quiet resistance. He offers food and conversation, but David, overwhelmed by grief and…
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      Discords

      Discords Cover
      by LovelyMay Discords begins as a swirl of tension settles over the village, sparked by the sudden death of an unfamiliar man in Farmer Holly’s barn. The villagers, puzzled by the presence of the stranger and his peculiar son, are quick to label them as vagabonds. Yet there is something odd in how the boy speaks and behaves—too refined to be ordinary, too serene to fit the mold of hardship. David, unaware of the funeral plans for his father, remains absorbed in the words of a final letter left behind. In it, he is…
    • Nuisances, Necessary and Otherwise Cover
      by LovelyMay Nuisances, Necessary and Otherwise unfolds with David attempting to navigate the unfamiliar expectations of the Holly household. Used to a life of free exploration, he finds the structured routine stifling. When he offers to help with dishes, Mrs. Holly, surprised by the gesture, points out his dirty hands and sends him to clean them first. This simple task leads to a deeper conversation about what counts as useful work. David, shaped by his father’s belief in simplicity and nature, struggles to see the…
    • “You’re Wanted–You’re Wanted!” Cover
      by LovelyMay You're Wanted—You're Wanted! marks a profound shift in David’s sense of place within the Holly household. The weekend is marked by emotional weight, as David overhears Simeon and Mrs. Holly debating his presence and uncertain future. Though not meant for his ears, the conversation stirs feelings of rejection and confusion in David, who has never before encountered the pain of being unwanted. The once-welcoming farmhouse begins to feel cold and unfamiliar. Alone and aching, David turns to the one thing…
    • The Puzzling “Dos” and “Don’ts” Cover
      by LovelyMay The Puzzling "Dos" and "Don'ts" quietly captures the widening gap between David’s inner world and the everyday expectations placed upon him. With each new rule he’s asked to follow, David tries to balance his desire to please with his need to understand why beauty must be sacrificed for labor. Pulling weeds and chopping wood make sense in routine, but lying under apple trees and watching clouds still feel more real to him. That contrast is not lost on David, and he begins to notice how often his…
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      Joe

      Joe Cover
      by LovelyMay Joe is introduced as more than just another boy in the village—he becomes a mirror through which David begins to understand his own place in the world. During one of David's wandering afternoons, his violin draws Joe to him, not through sight, but through sound alone. Joe’s blindness doesn’t keep him from connecting; in fact, it sharpens his perception of David’s emotions expressed through music. The encounter is pure and without pretense, allowing both boys to experience a rare, unfiltered bond.…
    • The Lady of the Roses Cover
      by LovelyMay The Lady of the Roses begins with David’s continued desire to bring warmth into the lives of those around him, especially Joe and his younger sister, Betty. Despite the modest means of the Holly household, David becomes deeply disturbed by the children's hunger. Unable to ignore their need, he begins bringing food from home—doughnuts, cookies, and anything he can carry in his pockets. Although Mrs. Holly is initially critical of this action, her heart softens once she sees the sincerity of David’s…
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      Jack and Jill

      Jack and Jill Cover
      by LovelyMay Jack and Jill opens with a moment of sadness that lingers. David, trying to comfort Miss Holbrook with music, meets only silence and a cold dismissal. Her sorrow seems sealed, too deep for even a violin’s tenderness to reach. Disturbed but not defeated, David leaves the house with a heavy heart. He wonders how someone surrounded by beauty could be so filled with pain. Rather than dwell on confusion, he sets off into the village in search of lightness and perhaps someone to share joy with. What he finds,…
    • Answers That Did Not Answer Cover
      by LovelyMay Answers That Did Not Answer brings to light the conflict between a child's simple honesty and the adult world's tangled emotions. After standing up to bullies in defense of a helpless kitten, David finds kindness in strangers—Jack and Jill—who care for his injuries. Their home, quiet and humble, becomes a place where questions unfold rather than find resolution. David shares pieces of his past, memories of his father, and values shaped by a life secluded in nature and filled with music. His words carry…
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