(upbeat music) Hello, Arkansas students and families.

This is Meghan Ables, your 2016 Arkansas Teacher of the Year.

And of course, I'm so excited to be with you all today as we read another adventure about my good friend Beauty Mark.

Today's book is titled The Book G'luck And this book is written by Victor Biton and illustrated by Alissa Creno.

Saba.

I got a new book.

Could you read it to us?

asked Lionel, holding up a book with a peculiar yellow flower on the cover.

He climbed on to a bench with his sister, Beauty Mark and Saba, his grandpa.

It was a quiet evening.

The sun was setting and a crisp chill was in the air.

Well, said Saba, flipping to the end of the story.

Are you sure?

It has a sad ending.

I don't like sad stories, moaned Beauty Mark.

Well, maybe we can find a way for it to be happier, answered her grandfather.

They said in the garden under a big tree.

Their garden was always full of surprises.

There was a little patch of bushes that were Lionel's favorite.

The bushes grew the most amazing fruits, shaped like tiny elephants with ever changing flavors, all depending on your mood.

If you were angry, it'd be better not to eat them at all.

One bite and fire would come out of your nostrils from the hot pepper flavor.

And if you're happy, they tasted just like a fresh, rainy rainbow.

Across from that was Beauty Mark's favorite grove of flowers.

She named it the joke testing ground.

The flowers were very special.

If you tell them a funny joke, the flowers would burst into laughter.

But tell them a bad one, and their face will turn long and they'll start sighing.

Sometimes a truly awful, horrible, dumb, dumb joke will make them cover their face in embarrassment.

There was, however, a part of the garden that Saba asked them not to visit unless there was dire need for help.

You see, he told them, it is the house of the G'lucks.

They are miniature creatures who specialize in providing help, but they don't like to be disturbed unless it's absolutely necessary.

Anyway, said Lionel, impatient.

Are you going to read us the story?

The stars are about to come out.

Okay, said Saba.

He grabbed a book and started reading.

A long time ago, he read, in a small village by the big forest, there lived a family.

They had a simple and happy life.

Once a week they would get together for a lovely dinner Grandma cooked.

Many times, the uncle would play the guita and the kids would sing and dance.

And the star of the show, as always, was Glacier, their dog.

He was giant and had fluffy white fur.

When anyone entered the house, all that could be seen was a pile of snow with a long tongue sticking out, dashing at visitors, ready to lick them to death.

They couldn't ask for more.

Until one day Glacier wouldn't even touch his favorite treat.

He wouldn't even put up a single paw to the music.

What is wrong, asked Zoe, his little girl.

But Glacier only stuck out his tongue and sighed.

Every week he looked worse.

Everyone was worried about him.

Zoe's papa called the veterinarian, who examined him carefully and ran some tests.

At the end, the vet said in a somber voice, Only one thing can help Glacier, and that medicine is so rare and dangerous that even I don't have any.

He has to eat the petals of the curing yellow flower.

Why don't you have any?

asked Zoe.

It is not easy to get, replied the vet.

It's in the midst of the forest where there are two patches of yellow flowers.

The one heals and the other is so dangerous it can make things much worse.

How do you know which one is which?

Asked Zoe.

Well, said the vet.

There are signs, but there is an evil gnome who wants all the flowers to himself.

He'll change the sign if he sees anyone coming.

So one needs to be very careful.

I need to help my Glacier, thought Zoe, setting her chin.

I am small.

So if I go, the gnome will not notice me.

I'm sure to find the right flower.

The next morning, Zoe started walking to the forest.

As she approached the crossroad, her gaze was lifted, looking for the signs and she didn't notice a small root coming out of the ground.

Zoe tripped and fell in a pile of leaves with a loud crunch.

What was that?

Snorted the gnome, startled from his nearby napping spot.

He climbed to the top of the hill and saw Zoe rising.

Hah!

I see it's a little girl trying to find the yellow flower.

It won't be so easy.

Grunting, he went to the signs before Zoe could see him, switching the signpost with a laugh.

Stop.

Saba, I don't like this story.

cried Beauty Mark.

She is going to give her dog the wrong flower.

What can we do?

fretted Lionel.

We need help.

I think, said Beauty Mark, maybe it's time we go to the G'lucks' house.

That's a good idea, replied Saba.

They walk quickly to the little gate in their garden and opened it for the first time.

They entered a place like no other.

Everything was tiny.

Flowers, trees, fountains.

The light was purple and tiny stars and a moon were hanging above the trees.

A calming, serene music floated in the air.

What are those?

Asked Lionel pointing to tiny little paint creatures that looked like miniature panda bears with wings.

Those are the G'lucks, answered Saba, The G'lucks?

asked Lionel, unsure.

No.

The G'luck's, it short for good lucks, answered Saba, pointing them out.

He gestured to a pink and yellow striped one.

This one is the Chief G'luck.

He saved the day during the prince and princess's wedding, removing at the very last minute a clump of bitter herbs a bad witch had put inside their cake.

And this one, said he, pointing at a purple G'luck with white teardrops on her chest, is the Water G'luck.

She saved the one and only ice cream tree during a devastating drought.

We need some help, said Beauty Mark, pushing forward.

She held up the book for the G'lucks to see.

The little girl in the book is about to take a wrong turn and find the wrong flower.

The music abruptly stopped.

There was a little buzz in the air.

The G'lucks flew in formation, creating a shape of an arrow pointing to a tiny, shy green G'luck that looked blearily up from a book of her own.

I think they are telling us she can help, said Lionel.

Mmyawn, I'm the Book G'luck, replied the creature, setting her book down and rubbing her eyes.

I think I can help you.

I can enter any story and change it from the inside.

Hurry.

Zoe is about to reach the sign, exclaimed Lionel, pointing at the illustration in his sisters hands.

Please!

added Beauty Mark.

The shy G'luck fluttered forward and dove into the illustration as the gnome walked away.

She swooped to the signs and swapped them once more, just in time before Zoe arrived at the intersection.

And like a flash, she leapt out again.

Saba, Beauty Mark and Lionel leaned over the book.

Zoe followed the sign, picking up the yellow flower and then she ran all the way back home.

Here is a flower, she gasped as she entered the door, holding it to poor Glacier's lolling tongue.

Glacier licked the flower.

And then he licked it again.

Then with a happy snap, he ate the whole thing, standing up straight.

He bounded over to his girl.

all well again.

He barked happily and licked Zoe's face so hard she didn't need a bath for two weeks.

Saba, Beauty Mark and Lionel all sat back and sighed happily.

That's nice, said Beauty Mark.

See, Saba?

The ending wasn't sad at all.

Well, he replied, smiling at the small green G'luck, there is no bad ending that a little magic can't fix.

(upbeat music)