(upbeat music) - Hello, Arkansas students and families.

It's Meghan Ables here again, excited to read a story that really touches my heart today.

I live in the country, out near Stuttgart, Arkansas, and I love to sit on the back porch and watch the hummingbirds and the butterflies.

So this story just really, really is special.

So I'm so excited today, we're going to read "The Butterfly Tree," and this story is written by Victor Biton and illustrated by Alissa Creno.

"Far, far away, in a little village surrounded by majestic mountains, lived a little girl.

She had many amazing talents but the best one was her ability to make friends.

When she smiled, the sun came out of the clouds.

When she laughed, fireflies danced and drew many happy faces in the air.

Beauty Mark's favorite place in the whole world was in her own backyard, it was shady, and cool, and perfect, (gentle piano music) it was a huge tree, its branches all covered with leaves.

When the sun sneaked between them, you could see endless light creatures dancing on the ground.

One day, Beauty Mark noticed a big mean-looking bird watching something squirming on the ground.

'Shoo, shoo,' she cried, the bird took heed and flew away.

Beauty Mark looked down to see what she had saved, she saw a trembling caterpillar in the tall grass.

He lifted his fuzzy head to look at her, still shaking with fear.

'Oh no,' said Beauty Mark, 'I'm so sorry, don't be scared, you're safe now.'

She put him on her palm and made a nest for him with some fallen leaves from her favorite tree.

The caterpillar was too small to talk, but he nuzzled her hand in return.

Every day Beauty Mark visited the caterpillar, making sure his little nest was safe, and feeding him.

He got bigger and bigger, until one day she came and found her friend wrapped in a big white cocoon.

Not so long after, Beauty Mark visited and the cocoon was wiggling!

In front of her eyes, a magnificent butterfly emerged, his wings were beautiful, when the sun hit them, the colors looked like fireworks erupting.

'Hello, Beauty Mark,' he said, 'Do you like the new me?'

'You look amazing,' she said, 'and your wings, your beautiful wings make a beautiful sound, they go par par-par, par-par' so she called him Par-Par.

Par-Par flew up, rested on her hand, and then flew by her lips to kiss her goodbye.

'Farewell, beautiful Par-Par,' said Beauty Mark, 'Let's meet again soon.'

Soon after came Beauty Mark's birthday.

The night before this celebration everyone was bursting with excitement and joy, there would be a big beautiful party with balloons, and flowers, and decorations, of course, underneath her favorite tree.

Crack!

Bright strokes of lightning tried to turn dark night into day.

Hard wind shook the whole house, and in the morning, it was as if someone had taken a giant broom and brushed everything away, all of the tree's magnificent leaves were gone.

Tears began to run down Beauty Mark's face.

Where were all the beautiful shapes, the creatures of light, or the shade she loved to rest in?

Her friends gathered around her and tried to cheer her up, 'We can make everything beautiful again,' they said, but when they put up the new decorations, the tree still looked stark and sad, and embarrassed to be naked.

'It's okay,' Beauty Mark said, she smiled a little smile and tried to be upbeat, 'We still have a nice party, as long as we're all together,' and everyone went inside to bring out presents and ice cream, and when they came back out, they saw the most amazing spectacle.

It was breathtaking, there was never a more beautiful tree, with shimmering, ever-moving leaves, their colors were like a thousand breathing rainbows.

As the children approached, they realized what they were looking at, it was a whole flock of butterflies, their wings flickered gently in the air, and the colors changing like a kaleidoscope.

Beauty Mark's tree was magical once more, and she felt her heart swell with joy.

One of the butterflies lept off his perch and flew to Beauty Mark's hand.

She knew him before she saw him clearly, it was Par-Par!

'Happy birthday,' he called to her.

She hugged him close, 'Thank you, my friend,' she said, 'Thank you.'

(gentle piano music fades) (upbeat music) (upbeat music stops)