February
The Secret Valentine
Snow was melting in Dusty Gulch, and pink paper hearts were popping up all over town.
Snow was melting in Dusty Gulch, and pink paper hearts were popping up all over town. Valentine’s Day was coming!
When Deputy Dodge opened his door that morning, a valentine fluttered down at his feet — a big, wobbly red one. But there was no name on it. Only a riddle:
“To find your friend, just follow my clue: begin where the water runs cold, deep, and blue.”
“A secret valentine!” gasped Dodge. “But who would send a riddle?”
He ran to find Ranger Reena — and discovered she’d gotten one too, on her doorstep, with the very same riddle!
“Cold, deep, and blue water,” said Reena. “That’s the old well in the square. Let’s go!”
At the well, tied to the bucket rope, swayed a second heart: “Now trot to the place where the sweet smells drift, where Pierre flips a treat with a flick and a lift.”
“The crepe stand!” they shouted together.
Chef Pierre only smiled and pointed his spatula at a third heart, stuck to his sugar jar. That clue sent them to the barn. The barn clue sent them to the big oak tree. Each step, Hans sniffed the trail and Nubi pounced on the next hidden heart.
But the riddles were tricky, and twice they guessed wrong. One clue said “where horses rest their sleepy heads” — Dodge ran to the stable, but the heart was actually at the hitching post out front! Another sent them in a circle right back to the well.
“Somebody clever made these,” puffed Reena. “I bet it’s Tahra. She loves riddles.”
“Or Amr,” said Dodge. “Or Ashley!”
The very last clue led them under the big oak tree at sunset. They tiptoed closer… and —
“SURPRISE!”
Out jumped Ashley, Amr, AND Tahra — all three, giggling. They’d made the secret valentine together, each writing one tricky riddle.
“We wanted you to have an adventure,” said Tahra, “because you give everyone else so many!”
In the middle of the group hung one enormous heart, signed by every friend.
Then came the twist: Reena reached into her satchel and pulled out a secret valentine of her own — for Dodge. And Dodge, blushing, pulled one out for Reena. They’d each been planning a surprise too!
Everyone laughed until their sides hurt.
“To my best friend,” read Reena’s heart. “Happiest trails, always.”
“Best friends forever and ever,” read Dodge’s.
Hans woofed. Nubi purred. And Dusty Gulch glowed with love — one tricky riddle, and one paper heart, at a time.
The End
How the illustrations in this story were made
Setup — A Riddle at the Door
Cozy illustration storybook: a melting-snow morning with pink paper hearts strung along the eaves; Deputy Dodge (young blonde cowboy, blue eyes, tan hat, red bandana, denim shirt, gold star badge) stands on the boardwalk holding up a big wobbly red valentine with a riddle and no name, eyes wide; Ranger Reena (light-brown skin, brown eyes, dark curly pigtails, olive flat-brim hat, green shirt, olive vest, pink accents) shows her own identical heart; Nubi (sandy-orange tabby, cream belly and paws, curly tail) peeks from her hat; Thunderpaws Hans (giant light brown lab, caramel back, white belly, pointy ears) sniffs the heart. Sweet and full of wonder. Kid-friendly, never dark.
Mystery — Follow the Hidden Hearts not yet generated
Cozy illustration storybook: at Chef Pierre's blue crepe cart (French chef, no mustache, white toque, tricolor neckerchief) he points his spatula at a red heart clue on his sugar jar; Deputy Dodge (young blonde cowboy, blue eyes, tan hat, red bandana, denim shirt, gold star badge) crouches reading it, Ranger Reena (light-brown skin, brown eyes, dark curly pigtails, olive flat-brim hat, green shirt, olive vest, pink accents) puzzles it out; Thunderpaws Hans (giant light brown lab, caramel back, white belly, pointy ears) noses the trail; Nubi (sandy-orange tabby, cream belly and paws, curly tail) pounces a hidden heart off a crate. Playful treasure-hunt mood. Kid-friendly, never dark.
Resolution — Surprise Under the Oak Tree
Cozy illustration storybook: at golden sunset under a big bare oak, Ashley (artistic young woman, blonde braid, pink gingham dress, sun bonnet), Amr (young man, light-brown skin, dark hair pulled back, plaid shirt, suspenders, pageboy cap), and Tahra (young woman, olive skin, long dark wavy hair with a bright ribbon, teal-accented vest) jump out laughing "surprise!"; a huge signed heart hangs from the branches; Deputy Dodge (young blonde cowboy, blue eyes, tan hat, red bandana, denim shirt, gold star badge) and Ranger Reena (light-brown skin, brown eyes, dark curly pigtails, olive flat-brim hat, green shirt, olive vest, pink accents) blush and swap their own valentines; Thunderpaws Hans (giant light brown lab, caramel back, white belly, pointy ears) woofs, Nubi (sandy-orange tabby, cream belly and paws, curly tail) purrs at their feet. Joyful and warm. Kid-friendly, never dark.