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 in 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 will be there!” Joey smiled.
Craig raced home after school that day. “I’m going to a party, Mom!” he exclaimed. “Really? When is this party?” she asked. He handed her the invitation, and she wrote Joey’s party on the family calendar.
The next day, Craig zipped into the kitchen with a bright red envelope from his friend Dan. Craig couldn’t believe it—two birthday parties! “I’m going to two parties, Mom! Let’s put it on the calendar!”
“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 at 1 PM and Dan’s birthday at 1 PM.
Craig couldn’t believe it. He would have to choose. “Well, all my friends will be at Dan’s party. I’ll just go to that one,” he thought. 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 and said, “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, and it didn’t feel great.
Craig crumpled up the letter. Back in his room, he held out both invitations. “I could go to both,” he thought. He pulled out his paper and pencil again and made a schedule: 1 PM to 2 PM at Joey’s party, and 2 PM to 5 PM at Dan’s party.
Craig proudly showed Mom the plan. “Mom, I solved my problem!” “Oh, Craig,” she said. “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 the party games, and it did not feel great.
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 well, 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!” Craig 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. 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!”
This is a story about Little Craig Robinson. Kids came in all different shapes, sizes, and colors. Even though they were different, every kid in Craig’s town wanted the same exact bike. It was shiny, a 10-speed, and as yellow as a lemon popsicle. Craig had wanted it ever since he saw it in the window display at the local department store.
After lots of asking, chores, and homework, Mom finally said, “Let’s go buy that bike!”
All the kids in Chicago raced to Rainbow Beach. Craig hollered as he soared past the kite flyers and swimmers. He was so proud of his new bike. At the ice cream stand, he was first in line. “One double scoop chocolate brownie ice cream, please,” he asked coolly. But before he got his ice cream, a tall police officer stepped right in front of Craig.
“Not so fast,” the policeman said. “I’m going to have to take that bike.”
“Why are you taking my bike?” Craig asked in a panic. “Because this bike was reported stolen,” the officer replied roughly.
“Oh, I didn’t steal it! My mom just bought it for me,” Craig told the truth. The policeman was already packing his bike into the trunk of the car. “I know you stole it, kid. I’ll drive you home, and we can talk to your mom. Get in.”
Craig’s heart sank as he climbed into the back of the police car. When they finally pulled up, Craig ran to find Mom. “What is going on here?” she asked. “He thinks I stole my new bike!” Her face turned a bright shade of red; he had never seen Mom look quite like that before.
Going inside, Craig watched from his bedroom window as Mom spoke to the policeman. She waved her finger and shook her head, probably putting her hands on her hips. Finally, he lifted Craig’s bike out of the trunk, placed it on the lawn, and drove away.
“Mom, why did he think I stole my bike?” Craig asked. “How about I tell you over ice cream?”
One double scoop chocolate brownie ice cream, actually better make that two! Mom and Craig sat in the park, and the tasty ice cream made Craig feel better.
“What do you see out there, Mom?” he asked. “Some kids playing together,” Craig answered.
“That’s right, Craig. But some people only see the differences between those kids. They are different shapes and sizes, and the color of their skin is different too. Because of your skin color, people aren’t always going to be nice to you. They may call you names or treat you differently. They may even think they’re better than you. That’s called racism, and it’s why the policeman thought you stole your bike.”
“But the policeman had the same color skin as I do. Why would he treat me differently?” Craig asked.
“Prejudice can take all shapes and sizes, Craig. Even people who look like you may still treat you unfairly.” Suddenly, Craig’s ice cream didn’t taste as sweet.
“But remember, Craig,” Mom reassured him, “no one can make you feel bad if you feel good about yourself.”
“So if I feel good about me,” Craig wondered, “then it doesn’t matter what other people think of me?”
“That’s right,” Mom beamed. “You know who you are, Craig, and you sure look good right on that bike!”
“Yeah, I’m pretty fast too!” Mom drove home, and Craig saw his bike waiting for him on the front lawn, right where he’d left it.
“One more ride, Mom, please!”
“All right, one more!”
What you just read is a true story that happened to me when I was a young boy growing up in Chicago. At that age, I was just learning how to deal with adversity. When kids were judgmental or mean, my parents would encourage me to put myself in their shoes and try to understand them. Sometimes people acted mean because they felt insecure. My mom would comfort me by saying, “No one can make you feel bad if you feel good about yourself.”
But the incident with the police officer felt different. When the officer wouldn’t believe me and accused me of stealing my own bike, I was heartbroken and confused. When Mom saw me crawling out of that police car, she could have assumed the worst and wondered what I did to get myself into trouble. Instead, she instantly came to my side and was there to help. She believed in me and stood up for me.
After the incident, Mom even went down to the police station, got the police officer to come back to our house, and he apologized to me for what he had done. It was an amazing display of standing up for what is right and actually affecting change.
In difficult situations, it can sometimes be hard to find silver linings. Mom always helped me see that even the hardest situation can be a chance to learn and grow.
If you don’t have books, then what are you waiting for? Books are safe, and they bring stories to life. It’s fun! I like to read books about fantasy and love. I tell other kids to get books because they are full of stories and laughter. I’ll read on the go—in the car, on a plane, even on a train.
Don’t wait around! Ask your grown-ups to download books now. You’ll be glad you did!
Thanks for watching! For more stories, try the books app for free today.
Role-Playing Scenarios: Gather a few friends or family members and act out different scenarios where you have to make a choice, just like Craig did with the birthday parties. For example, pretend you have to choose between two fun activities happening at the same time. Discuss how each choice might make you and others feel. What would you do to make sure everyone feels good about your decision?
Make a Promise Chart: Create a chart with your family or classmates where everyone writes down a promise they want to keep, just like Craig promised to go to Joey’s party. Decorate the chart with drawings and stickers. Check back in a week to see if everyone kept their promises. How did it feel to keep your promise? What did you learn?
Observation Walk: Go on a walk around your neighborhood or school and observe how people interact with each other. Look for examples of kindness and keeping promises. Did you see someone helping a friend or sharing something? Talk about how these actions make people feel and why it’s important to keep our word and be kind to others.
Here’s a sanitized version of the provided YouTube transcript:
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**Title: Little Craig’s Birthday Party**
Little Craig loved birthday parties—the balloons, the cake, the games, and the prizes—but he didn’t get invited to many parties. One day, while sitting at his desk, a bright blue invitation appeared 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 will be there!” Joey smiled.
Craig raced home after school that day. “I’m going to a party, Mom!” he exclaimed. “Really? When is this party?” she asked. He handed her the invitation, and she wrote Joey’s party on the family calendar.
The next day, Craig zipped into the kitchen with a bright red envelope from his friend Dan. Craig couldn’t believe it—two birthday parties! “I’m going to two parties, Mom! Let’s put it on the calendar!”
“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 at 1 PM and Dan’s birthday at 1 PM.
Craig couldn’t believe it. He would have to choose. “Well, all my friends will be at Dan’s party. I’ll just go to that one,” he thought. 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 and said, “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, and it didn’t feel great.
Craig crumpled up the letter. Back in his room, he held out both invitations. “I could go to both,” he thought. He pulled out his paper and pencil again and made a schedule: 1 PM to 2 PM at Joey’s party, and 2 PM to 5 PM at Dan’s party.
Craig proudly showed Mom the plan. “Mom, I solved my problem!” “Oh, Craig,” she said. “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 the party games, and it did not feel great.
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 well, 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!” Craig 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. 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!”
**The End**
—
**Title: The Yellow Bike**
This is a story about Little Craig Robinson. Kids came in all different shapes, sizes, and colors. Even though they were different, every kid in Craig’s town wanted the same exact bike. It was shiny, a 10-speed, and as yellow as a lemon popsicle. Craig had wanted it ever since he saw it in the window display at the local department store.
After lots of asking, chores, and homework, Mom finally said, “Let’s go buy that bike!”
All the kids in Chicago raced to Rainbow Beach. Craig hollered as he soared past the kite flyers and swimmers. He was so proud of his new bike. At the ice cream stand, he was first in line. “One double scoop chocolate brownie ice cream, please,” he asked coolly. But before he got his ice cream, a tall police officer stepped right in front of Craig.
“Not so fast,” the policeman said. “I’m going to have to take that bike.”
“Why are you taking my bike?” Craig asked in a panic. “Because this bike was reported stolen,” the officer replied roughly.
“Oh, I didn’t steal it! My mom just bought it for me,” Craig told the truth. The policeman was already packing his bike into the trunk of the car. “I know you stole it, kid. I’ll drive you home, and we can talk to your mom. Get in.”
Craig’s heart sank as he climbed into the back of the police car. When they finally pulled up, Craig ran to find Mom. “What is going on here?” she asked. “He thinks I stole my new bike!” Her face turned a bright shade of red; he had never seen Mom look quite like that before.
Going inside, Craig watched from his bedroom window as Mom spoke to the policeman. She waved her finger and shook her head, probably putting her hands on her hips. Finally, he lifted Craig’s bike out of the trunk, placed it on the lawn, and drove away.
“Mom, why did he think I stole my bike?” Craig asked. “How about I tell you over ice cream?”
One double scoop chocolate brownie ice cream, actually better make that two! Mom and Craig sat in the park, and the tasty ice cream made Craig feel better.
“What do you see out there, Mom?” he asked. “Some kids playing together,” Craig answered.
“That’s right, Craig. But some people only see the differences between those kids. They are different shapes and sizes, and the color of their skin is different too. Because of your skin color, people aren’t always going to be nice to you. They may call you names or treat you differently. They may even think they’re better than you. That’s called racism, and it’s why the policeman thought you stole your bike.”
“But the policeman had the same color skin as I do. Why would he treat me differently?” Craig asked.
“Prejudice can take all shapes and sizes, Craig. Even people who look like you may still treat you unfairly.” Suddenly, Craig’s ice cream didn’t taste as sweet.
“But remember, Craig,” Mom reassured him, “no one can make you feel bad if you feel good about yourself.”
“So if I feel good about me,” Craig wondered, “then it doesn’t matter what other people think of me?”
“That’s right,” Mom beamed. “You know who you are, Craig, and you sure look good right on that bike!”
“Yeah, I’m pretty fast too!” Mom drove home, and Craig saw his bike waiting for him on the front lawn, right where he’d left it.
“One more ride, Mom, please!”
“All right, one more!”
**The End**
—
**A Note from Craig Robinson**
What you just read is a true story that happened to me when I was a young boy growing up in Chicago. At that age, I was just learning how to deal with adversity. When kids were judgmental or mean, my parents would encourage me to put myself in their shoes and try to understand them. Sometimes people acted mean because they felt insecure. My mom would comfort me by saying, “No one can make you feel bad if you feel good about yourself.”
But the incident with the police officer felt different. When the officer wouldn’t believe me and accused me of stealing my own bike, I was heartbroken and confused. When Mom saw me crawling out of that police car, she could have assumed the worst and wondered what I did to get myself into trouble. Instead, she instantly came to my side and was there to help. She believed in me and stood up for me.
After the incident, Mom even went down to the police station, got the police officer to come back to our house, and he apologized to me for what he had done. It was an amazing display of standing up for what is right and actually affecting change.
In difficult situations, it can sometimes be hard to find silver linings. Mom always helped me see that even the hardest situation can be a chance to learn and grow.
If you don’t have books, then what are you waiting for? Books are safe, and they bring stories to life. It’s fun! I like to read books about fantasy and love. I tell other kids to get books because they are full of stories and laughter. I’ll read on the go—in the car, on a plane, even on a train.
Don’t wait around! Ask your grown-ups to download books now. You’ll be glad you did!
Thanks for watching! For more stories, try the books app for free today.
—
This version removes any inappropriate or unclear language while maintaining the essence of the original transcript.
