At Sky Harbor, the boats did not sail on water. They sailed on soft white clouds.
Red boats went puff-puff. Blue boats went whoosh-whoosh. Little gold boats rang tiny bells: ting, ting, ting.
High above the harbor stood Sky School. Its roof was round and bright. At the door stood Headmaster, wearing a tall purple hat and very shiny shoes.
“Good morning, Superman!” said Headmaster.
“Good morning!” said Superman. He was a kind superhero. He wore his blue suit and red cape. His cape fluttered in the sky wind. Superman was very strong. But he was gentle, too. He helped baby birds find their nests. He carried big cloud boxes for old pilots. He always listened.
Then—BONG!
The big harbor bell rang all by itself.
“Oh dear,” said Headmaster.
The sky grew a little gray.
“The Little Star is gone.”
Superman looked up. In the middle of Sky Harbor was a tall beacon tower. Every night, the Little Star sat on top. It made the paths glow. It helped every cloud boat go home.
But now the tower was dark.
“Where did it go?” asked Superman.
Headmaster pointed to a trail of sparkles. The trail went past the cloud docks. It went around the rainbow crane. It went into a big, puffy fog cloud.
From inside came a sound.
“Grrr... sniff... achoo!”
A very large Monster stepped out.
The Monster had purple feet, green ears, and a round blue tummy. He looked scary for one tiny moment.
Then he sneezed again.
“Achoo!”
Sparkles flew from his nose.
Superman did not run away. He used his calm voice.
“Hello, Monster. Are you all right?”
The Monster hid his face behind his big hands.
“I did not mean to take the Little Star,” he mumbled. “It fell near me. It was cold. I put it in my tummy pouch to keep it warm.”
He opened a small pouch on his tummy.
There was the Little Star.
It gave a weak little blink.
“Blink,” said the Little Star.
But the Monster’s pouch was full of gray sneeze dust. The star could not shine well.
Headmaster nodded slowly.
“We need to clean the Little Star,” he said. “But we must be careful. It is small. It is sleepy.”
“I can help,” said Superman.
He lifted one hand. Not too fast. Not too strong.
“Whoosh,” he blew gently.
The gray dust danced into the air.
The Monster tried not to sneeze. His cheeks puffed up.
“Ah... ah...”
“Think of warm soup,” said Headmaster.
“Soup,” whispered the Monster.
“Achoo!”
Oh no! The Little Star popped out of the pouch and bounced away.
Boing! It bounced onto a pink cloud.
Boing! It bounced onto a cloud boat.
“Star overboard!” cried a pilot.
Boing! It bounced toward the windy edge of Sky Harbor.
Superman flew after it. His red cape went flap-flap-flap.
“Wait, little Star!” he called.
The Little Star bounced once more. It reached the edge of a cloud.
Below was the great blue sky.
Monster gasped. “I am sorry!”
Superman stretched out his arms. He flew softly. He did not grab. He did not rush. He made a safe cup with both hands.
Plop!
The Little Star landed in Superman’s hands.
“Got you,” said Superman.
“Blink-blink!” said the Little Star, a little happier.
Headmaster gave Superman a silver sky cloth. It was soft as a feather.
“Wipe in little circles,” he said.
Superman wiped the star. Circle, circle, circle.
Monster watched closely.
“Can I help?” he asked in a small voice.
“Yes,” said Superman. “You can hold the cloth corner.”
Monster held one tiny corner with one careful finger.
Together they cleaned.
Circle, circle, circle.
The Little Star grew bright.
Blink!
Glow!
Shine!
Soon it was sparkling like a happy spoon.
Headmaster clapped. “Wonderful teamwork!”
Superman flew up to the beacon tower. Monster came too, stepping from cloud to cloud. Headmaster rang the small bell.
Ting, ting, ting.
Superman placed the Little Star on its special golden nest at the top.
At once, light poured over Sky Harbor.
The red boats puffed. The blue boats whooshed. The little gold boats rang their bells.
The sky was bright again.
Monster looked down at his purple feet. “Will everyone be angry with me?”
Superman smiled.
“You made a mistake. Then you helped fix it.”
Headmaster gave Monster a soft white handkerchief with tiny stars on it.
“For your sneezes,” said Headmaster.
Monster smiled. “Thank you.”
Then Headmaster opened a round treasure box.
Inside were three gold sky badges. Each badge had a little star that glowed in the dark.
“One for Superman,” said Headmaster, “for being brave and gentle.”
“One for Monster,” he said, “for being honest and helpful.”
“And one for Sky School,” he said, “to remind us to help together.”
Superman pinned his badge on his cape. Monster pinned his on his tummy pouch.
That night, the Little Star shone extra bright.
Superman waved from the beacon tower.
Monster waved from a cloud boat.
Headmaster waved his purple hat.
And all through Sky Harbor, the boats found their way home.
Ting, ting, ting.
The end.