7-9

Long ago in ancient Greece, music floated through the hills and valleys like a soft golden mist. And none played music more beautifully than Apollo, the god of music himself. His fingers danced across his lyre, sending out notes that shimmered in the air and made even the birds stop singing to listen. Everyone agreed: no one could match Apollo’s music. But one day, while resting under an olive tree on his island of Delphos, Apollo overheard a rumour from passing travellers. ...

Long ago, in a little mountain town, there stood a school at the edge of a steep hillside. The children loved to play there, and every morning their laughter rang out like bells. But deep inside the mountain, the earth was restless. Heavy rains had soaked the ground, and a landslide was waiting to happen. One afternoon, a gentle traveller came through the town. Nobody knew his name, but he had kind eyes and a voice that calmed even the most restless child. When he saw the school on the slope, he felt a shiver in his heart. He could sense danger beneath the soil. ...

A widow named Hong-Mo lived in a small house near the market. Every year, she raised hundreds of chickens to earn money for herself and her two children. Every day, the chickens walked to the nearby fields to look for food like bugs, rice, and green plants. The biggest chicken was called the king of the chickens because he was the strongest. He led the flock to new feeding places, and he crowed the loudest. None of the other chickens dared to argue with him. ...

Once upon a time, in the middle of a sunlit kitchen, a great glass jar of wild clover honey stood on the edge of a wooden table. The honey inside was thick and golden and sweeter than sugar, and it caught the light in a way that made the whole jar glow. Then a playful gust of wind came through the open window and caught the curtains. WHOOSH! The curtain swung forward, bumped the jar — and TILT… CRASH! ...

One day, Masher, Suri, Oscar the silvery oarfish, and Max the mosasaurus decided to explore the deepest, darkest place in the ocean: the Mariana Trench. “This is the deepest part of the entire ocean,” Suri said excitedly as they swam toward the abyss. “Wow, I can’t wait to see what’s down there!” Oscar exclaimed, his long silvery body shimmering in the dim light. Max nodded. “I’ve heard there are strange creatures that glow and gigantic deep-sea monsters!” ...

Suri the Giant Squid floated in the cold, dark waters of the deep sea, his tentacles swaying as he swam toward home. It had been a long time since he had seen his parents, and though he was sad to leave his friends behind, he knew he had to go. “See you soon!” Masher had rumbled as Suri waved his tentacle goodbye. Max the mosasaurus and Oscar the silvery oarfish had both wished him luck on his journey. Then, with one final glance at his friends, he had turned and descended into the deep abyss. ...

One sunny morning, Masher the megalodon and Suri the giant squid were cruising through the warm ocean when they saw something strange. A huge, silvery, ribbon-like creature was drifting oddly in the water, twisting and looping in a way that made it look thoroughly lost. “Is that… an oarfish?” Masher blinked his big eyes. A giant oarfish was a long, ribbon-like fish with a silvery body and a bright red fin running down its back. They could grow longer than a school bus and were rarely ever seen. ...

Masher and Suri were swimming in the super dark part of the ocean, far below where any sunlight could reach. It was so dark, only glowy fish lit the way. Suddenly, Suri pointed. “Masher, look!” There, on the sandy bottom, were a bunch of huge, round eggs. “Whoa!” Masher said. “Eggs? Down here? That’s really weird!” Suri wiggled his head. “You’re right. Nobody lays eggs this deep… except maybe…” A crab scuttled by. “Are these yours?” Masher asked. ...

Masher shivered. The northern ocean was seriously chilly. “Are you sure about this, Masher?” Suri’s tentacles curled tighter, the cold nipping at them. Masher grinned, rows of razor-sharp teeth flashing in the dim light. “Come on, Suri! We’ve tangoed with colossal squid, outsmarted those pesky fishing nets, and even given Bloop swimming lessons. A little ice cave won’t bite… much.” The water deepened to an inky black as they approached the cave mouth. Jagged icicles hung like frozen fangs, and an eerie blue light pulsed from within. ...

One quiet night in the vast ocean, Masher and Suri swam through the deep, their bodies gliding silently under the moonlit waves. The water was calm, and tiny fish flickered around them like stars. It was the kind of peaceful night where nothing ever happened, which was exactly why Masher liked it. Suddenly, a strange, deep sound echoed through the ocean. BLOOOOOOOP! Masher stopped, his fins going rigid. “Did you hear that?” ...