ClassX Video Lessons Youtube Channel Vooks Storybooks Animated Kids Book: Little Craig – Balloons and Cake!
Little Craig loved birthday parties! He loved the balloons, the cake, the games, and the prizes. But, he didn’t get invited to many parties. One day, while he was sitting at his desk, a bright blue invitation appeared right in front of him. It was from Joey, the new kid at school. Craig imagined himself at Joey’s party: walking into a sea of blue balloons, eating a big slice of cake, playing games, and winning a prize.
Craig looked at Joey and said, “I’ll be there.” Joey smiled.
Craig raced home after school that day. “I’m going to a party, Mom!” he exclaimed.
“Oh really? When is this party?” Mom asked.
He handed her the invitation. Mom went straight to the family calendar on the wall and wrote “Joey’s party” on the date. The next day, Craig came into the kitchen with a bright red envelope. It was from his friend Dan. Craig couldn’t believe it—two birthday parties!
“I’m going to two parties, Mom!” Craig shouted excitedly.
“Let’s put it on the calendar,” Mom said.
“Oh, did you look at the date, Craig?” Mom held out both invitations. They were on the same day at the exact same time:
Craig couldn’t believe it. He had to choose. He thought, “Well, all my friends will be at Dan’s. I’ll just go to that one.” He went to the calendar to cross out Joey’s name.
“You told Joey first that you would go to his party. You’re only as good as your word, Craig. But it’s up to you; you’ll know what to do,” Mom said.
Maybe being invited to two parties wasn’t that fun after all. In his room, Craig got out a piece of paper and wrote:
“Dear Joey, I can’t go to your birthday party because it is the same day as Dan’s.”
He wrote it in his best handwriting with his sharpest pencil. “That should do the trick,” Craig thought.
“Mom, can you please mail this to Joey?” Craig asked.
Mom read the letter. “Imagine you were Joey. What if every kid you invited to your party wrote you a letter like this?”
Craig imagined a line of kids passing him letters: “I won’t be there, sorry Craig,” and “Neither can I.” It did not feel great.
“But it’s up to you; you’ll know what to do,” Mom reminded him.
Craig crumpled up the letter. Back in his room, he held out both invitations. “Maybe I could just go to both,” he thought. He pulled out his paper and pencil again and made a schedule:
Craig proudly showed Mom the plan. “Mom, I solved my problem!”
“Oh, Craig. Imagine you were Joey and everyone left your party early to go to someone else’s,” Mom said.
Craig imagined all of his friends leaving before playing any of his party games. It did not feel great.
“But it’s up to you; you’ll know what to do,” Mom said again.
That night, Craig dreamed about Joey all alone at his birthday party. Everybody left; there was no one to admire his balloons, no one to eat his delicious cake, and no one to play his games to win prizes.
The next day at school, Craig told Dan he wouldn’t be able to make it to his party. “Really? Oh, thanks for telling me,” Dan said. Craig was going to keep his word to Joey.
When the party day finally arrived, little Craig walked through a sea of blue balloons and saw Joey’s smiling face. “Hey Craig!” Joey said. “Hi Joey! The party’s great!” Craig replied.
He ate a big slice of cake, played all of the party games, and even won a prize. Craig felt good inside, and it wasn’t just because he won at the games; it was because he knew he did the right thing. Best of all, he made a new friend along the way.
When Mom picked him up, Craig ran to the car. “Mom, I knew just what to do!” he said proudly.
Mom hugged him. “I am so proud of you,” she said.
If you don’t have books, what are you waiting for? It’s a kid-safe, ad-free library full of storybooks brought to life. My favorite story on Books is “The Unicorn and Horse” because the horse feels like he’s not beautiful, but he actually is. I’m going to explore more on Books, and you should too! Don’t wait around—ask your grown-up and start exploring more fun stories like these. You’ll be glad you did!
Thanks for watching! For more stories, try the Vox app for free today.
Here’s a sanitized version of the provided YouTube transcript:
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**[Music]**
Little Craig loved birthday parties—the balloons, the cake, the games, and the prizes. However, he didn’t get invited to many parties. One day, while sitting at his desk, a bright blue invitation popped right in front of him. Little Craig looked up and saw Joey, the new kid in school, holding it out. Craig imagined himself at Joey’s party: walking into a sea of blue balloons, eating a big slice of cake, playing games, and winning a prize.
Craig looked at Joey and said, “I’ll be there.” Joey smiled.
Craig raced home after school that day. “I’m going to a party, Mom!”
“Oh really? When is this party?”
He passed her the invitation. Mom went straight to the family calendar on the wall and wrote “Joey’s party” on the date. The next day, Craig zipped into the kitchen with a bright red envelope. It was from his friend Dan. Craig couldn’t believe this was happening—two birthday parties!
“I’m going to two parties, Mom!”
“Let’s put it on the calendar.”
“Oh, did you look at the date, Craig?” Mom held out both invitations. They were on the same day at the exact same time:
– Joey’s birthday party: August 23rd, 1 PM (cake and ice cream, games and prizes)
– Dan’s birthday: August 23rd, 1 PM (skating and pizza)
Craig couldn’t believe it. He would have to choose. He thought, “Well, all my friends will be at Dan’s. I’ll just go to that one.” He went to the calendar to cross out Joey’s name.
“You told Joey first that you would go to his party. You’re only as good as your word, Craig. But it’s up to you; you’ll know what to do.”
Maybe being invited to two parties wasn’t that fun after all. In his room, Craig got out a piece of paper and wrote:
“Dear Joey, I can’t go to your birthday party because it is the same day as Dan’s.”
He wrote it in his best handwriting with his sharpest pencil. “That should do the trick,” Craig thought.
“Mom, can you please mail this to Joey?”
Mom read the letter. “Imagine you were Joey. What if every kid you invited to your party wrote you a letter like this?”
Craig imagined a line of kids passing him letters: “I won’t be there, sorry Craig,” and “Neither can I.” It did not feel great.
“But it’s up to you; you’ll know what to do.”
Craig crumpled up the letter. Back in his room, he held out both invitations. “Maybe I could just go to both,” he thought. He pulled out his paper and pencil again and made a schedule:
– 1 PM to 2 PM: Joey’s party
– 2 PM to 5 PM: Dan’s party
Craig proudly showed Mom the plan. “Mom, I solved my problem!”
“Oh, Craig. Imagine you were Joey and everyone left your party early to go to someone else’s.”
Craig imagined all of his friends leaving before playing any of his party games. It did not feel great.
“But it’s up to you; you’ll know what to do.”
That night, Craig dreamed about Joey all alone at his birthday party. Everybody left; there was no one to admire his balloons, no one to eat his delicious cake, and no one to play his games to win prizes.
The next day at school, Craig told Dan he wouldn’t be able to make it to his party. “Really? Oh, thanks for telling me.” He was going to keep his word to Joey.
When the party day finally arrived, little Craig walked through a sea of blue balloons and saw Joey’s smiling face. “Hey Craig!” “Hi Joey! The party’s great!”
He ate a big slice of cake, played all of the party games, and even won a prize. Craig felt good inside, and it wasn’t just because he won at the games; it was because he knew he did the right thing. Best of all, he made a new friend along the way.
When Mom picked him up, Craig ran to the car. “Mom, I knew just what to do!”
Mom hugged him. “I am so proud of you.”
**[Music]**
**The End**
**[Music]**
If you don’t have books, what are you waiting for? It’s a kid-safe, ad-free library full of storybooks brought to life. My favorite story on Books is “The Unicorn and Horse” because the horse feels like he’s not beautiful, but he actually is. I’m going to explore more on Books, and you should too! Don’t wait around—ask your grown-up and start exploring more fun stories like these. You’ll be glad you did!
Thanks for watching! For more stories, try the Vox app for free today.
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This version maintains the essence of the original transcript while removing any unnecessary or distracting elements.
