The Gingerbread Cottage by the Sea
Illustration: A whimsical gingerbread cottage with candy cane trim, gumdrop buttons, and frosting swirls, perched on a cliff overlooking the blue sea. Lucy with flowing blonde hair plays in the garden while Lucky, the fluffy white terrier, chases butterflies.
In a cozy gingerbread cottage that smelled of cinnamon and sugar, lived an 8-year-old girl named Lucy with golden blonde hair that sparkled in the sunlight. Her best friend was Lucky, a wire fox terrier with the softest white coat, who followed her everywhere with his tail wagging like a little white flag.
Lucy lived with her grandmother, who had the kindest eyes and knew all sorts of wonderful secrets. One rainy afternoon, Grandmother called Lucy to the attic.
"My dear," she said, pulling out a beautiful umbrella covered in stars and moons, "this is no ordinary umbrella. It's been in our family for generations. When you open it and say 'Take us where the adventure grows,' it will whisk you and Lucky to anywhere in the world!"