How Alexander the Gnome Found the Sun

Chapter 1

Once upon a time, maybe last Saturday, a gnome named Alexander decided he wanted to go up above his cozy, earthen home.  Alexander was different from his gnome friends. They were perfectly content in their little cottages hidden among the roots of trees, snuggled at the ends of mole tunnels, or perched among the hidden rocky cave ledges.
 
 Alexander wanted something more.  He wanted to explore.  He had heard that up above (although he wasn’t sure where that was), there was a great, bright light that grew big and then small until it disappeared.  Then it grew big again.  It was very hot and was called The Sun. He decided, “I am going to see the world of the Sun.
 
 He took his spade, found a nice patch of earth away from the gnome homes, and began to dig.  The digging kept getting harder until he hit a big rock.  “Maybe I need to try the opposite direction,” he thought.  So he tried again, digging above his head and jumping out of the way of the falling dirt. Finally, he felt his spade break through something and a thin stream of light streamed down.
 
 “Hurray,” he shouted and scrambled up, taking his spade with him to make the hole bigger.  He stuck his head through, and there was a whole new Earth unlike anything he had ever seen.  Colors shone everywhere—soft greens, yellows, reds, and the nice brown of the earth.  He looked up and saw blue that didn’t stop.
 
 Many beings of all sizes waved their arms or gazed at him. Thin brown poles with bobbing heads and colorful wavy hair smiled at him.  Through the moving air they tossed him a beautiful, sweet smell. They were the flower fairies with their flowers.  Behind them stood huge and silent graceful tree spirits with whispering fringed robes.  They blended into very thick, rough poles and waved their many green hands.

Draw Alexander