Arabic

Fadi the little elephant is teased for his big ears and slow walk. When a flood traps baby monkeys, rabbits and gazelles on a small island, only Fadi dares to wade through the current and carries them all to safety. No one teases him again.

Salim, a poor woodcutter, drops his only axe into a river. A kind old man dives in and offers him a golden axe and then a silver one, but Salim honestly refuses both. When he shows the plain iron axe, Salim claims it, and the old man rewards his honesty with all three.

Zaid finds a fallen star and keeps it in a jar by his bed, but its light fades because it misses the sky. He climbs a hill and sets it free, and every night afterward the star winks at him before he sleeps.

Slowpoke the snail is always late because his steps are small, and his friends laugh. When he misses the cake at a picnic, a ladybug helps the others understand. The next picnic is held right by his house, and the friends learn to wait for each other.

Reem loves stars and planets. One night a glowing little spaceship takes her on a tour: bouncing on the Moon, passing red Mars, seeing Saturn’s rings and Jupiter’s Great Red Spot, and finally the beautiful blue Earth. She wakes up determined to become a space scientist.

Before Eid, Grandma bakes date-filled Eid cookies (kaak). Adam can’t resist and eats five. Tempted to blame the cat, he confesses instead. Grandma thanks him for his honesty, and they bake a fresh tray together.

Khalid wants to give his grandfather a birthday present but has no money. He makes a handmade book of old photos and family memories and learns Grandpa’s favorite song on the oud. His grandfather calls it the best gift of his life.

After thousands of years of lighting the night, the tired Moon wishes for a night off. The stars offer to cover the sky and shine so brightly that children see the constellations like never before. Now the Moon rests once a month — the new moon.

Zeina is the tallest giraffe on the plains but is secretly afraid of heights. When a baby elephant gets lost in the tall grass, she takes a deep breath, looks far into the distance and spots his trunk waving by the lake — discovering her courage.

An old olive tree in the middle of the village gives blossoms to the bees, shade to passers-by and olives to the villagers. During a harsh winter, the villagers prop up its branches, the children tend its roots and birds nest in it. The next spring it is greener and more fruitful than ever.