Little Renee of Sunshine and the Everkind Tales
The Baltimore Post-Examiner is proud to present an excerpt from Little Renee of Sunshine and the Everkind Tales. Written and illustrated by Gael J. B. Orr, Little Renee of Sunshine and the Everkind Tales is a collection of three original read-aloud stories designed to support social and emotional development through imaginative storytelling. Crafted for children ages 4 to 12 and the adults who read with them, Little Renee of Sunshine and the Everkind Tales uses gentle fantasy and fairy adventures to explore themes of empathy, identity, patience, and kindness. The Kindle edition of Little Renee of Sunshine and the Everkind Tales is available at Amazon
From the story The Glade of Gentle Hearts.
(The story centers on sharing. Junie is Tobin’s sister, and she struggles with the idea of giving things up. A new fairy, Fizzlebelle, arrives in Everkind after losing everything. Tobin chooses to give her his most treasured possession, a gold button, which leads to a conversation between the siblings about fear, love, and how we decide when to share.)
The next morning, Junie crashed into Tobin’s bedroom door.
“I met Fizzlebelle,” she blurted. “And she told me you gave her your gold button.”
Junie’s eyes widened. “I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t seen it for myself. Why, Tobin? Why did you give her that button?”
Tobin shrugged gently. “She needed it more than I did.”
“But it was your best thing!” Junie said.
“I still have the memory,” Tobin replied softly. “Now she has something to build hers on. It will remind her she isn’t alone. That she has friends who care about her.”
Junie flopped onto a moss cushion and crossed her arms.
“I don’t get it,” she said. “I want to share. But what if I don’t get it back? What if it breaks? What if it’s my last favorite bite? What if I’ll miss it?”
Tobin listened carefully. He didn’t rush her. He knew those questions mattered.
“You’re not wrong,” Tobin said kindly. “It’s okay to feel like that. Everyone does. Even grownups.”
Junie scowled a little. “Grownups don’t share everything. They have drawers and safes and secrets.”
Tobin chuckled softly. “Exactly. Some things feel sacred. I never share my great-grandmother’s ribbon. I keep it in my drawer with my dreams.”
Junie thought about her owl feather from the Whispering Ceremony. She had never even let Tobin touch that.
She was quiet for a long moment, then asked, “So how do you know when to share?”
Tobin smiled and said,
“When love becomes louder than fear.”
Gael J. B. Orr writes imaginative stories that support children as they learn to understand their
emotions, value their individuality, and build strong relationships. Orr’s books, and the shared
act of reading them, create space for connection, reflection, and growth, inviting families and
caregivers to turn story time into thoughtful, engaging conversations about the child’s feelings
and the experiences of others. Beyond her writing, Orr holds a passion for preservation and
education and channels that by restoring antique horse carriages, giving history talks at local
museums, and teaching sidesaddle riding. For more information, visit GaelOrr.com.