Progressive 22
A Hat Full of Rainbows
Sophie was five years old and full of energy. She always wore a wide straw hat with colorful ribbons. But the hat wasn’t special because of the ribbons—it was special because of what Sophie kept inside it.
Inside the hat were little candies. Sophie called them “rainbows.” Whenever someone was sad, she gave them a candy from her hat. She said the rainbow inside would make them feel happy again.
One Monday, the park was quiet. Mr. Lewis, who ran the ice cream stand, looked upset. His freezer had broken, and all the popsicles melted. Sophie saw him and ran over, her curls bouncing.
“Hi, Mr. Lewis! Why do you look like a sad cloud?” she asked.
He tried to smile. “It’s nothing, Sophie. Just a bad day.”
Sophie tilted her hat and held it out. “Here, take a rainbow!”
Mr. Lewis blinked. “Rainbows?”
Sophie nodded. “Yes! They’re hiding in the candy. Eat one, and you will see.”
He laughed and picked a red candy. After he ate it, he looked at Sophie’s happy face and smiled for real. “Well, I feel a little better. Thanks, Sophie.”
“You’re welcome!” Sophie sang as she skipped away.
Word spread about Sophie’s hat full of rainbows. If someone was sad, she would run to them with her hat. At first, people thought it was just a game. But after taking a candy, they started to feel lighter and happier.
One afternoon, Mrs. Patel dropped her groceries. Eggs and vegetables rolled on the sidewalk. Sophie ran up quickly. “Don’t cry, Mrs. Patel. Take a rainbow.”
Mrs. Patel smiled and took a green candy. As she chewed it, she laughed softly. “Well, maybe I needed to clean my bag anyway,” she said, picking up her groceries.
Sophie’s older brother, Ethan, came home upset. He had lost his soccer game. Sophie climbed onto a chair to see his face clearly. “Here,” she said, holding out her hat. “You need two rainbows.”
“Two?” Ethan asked.
“One for the game, and one for your grumpy face,” Sophie said.
Ethan laughed and took the candies. “You’re something else, Soph,” he said.
The next week, Sophie helped more people. When her friend Mia fell off her bike, Sophie offered a candy from her hat. When the mailman dropped letters in the rain, Sophie gave him a candy. Soon, everyone in the neighborhood started to look for Sophie when they felt sad.
Sophie never ran out of rainbows. Every day, her hat seemed full of new magic. And every day, she saw how small acts of kindness could change someone’s mood.
By the end of the week, the park was full of happy faces. People smiled more and helped each other. Sophie’s hat didn’t just have candies—it had laughter, friendship, and little sparks of joy.
Sophie learned that even a small gesture, like offering a candy, could make a big difference. And the neighborhood learned that a little imagination—and a hat full of rainbows—could make everyone’s day brighter.
Comprehension Questions
Why was Sophie’s hat special?
How did Sophie help Mr. Lewis feel better?
What happened when Mrs. Patel dropped her groceries?
How did Sophie cheer up her brother, Ethan?
What lesson did people in the neighborhood learn from Sophie?
Your Thoughts
Have you ever done something small to help someone feel happy? How did it make you feel?
Why do you think Sophie’s “rainbows” worked even though they were just candies?
How can little acts of kindness make a big difference in a community?
