Once upon a time, there was a little hamster named Harry. Harry loved to count his seeds and hoard them in his little hamster house. One day, Harry decided he wanted to be a famous performer. So, he started to study how to perform magic tricks.

Every day, Harry would practice making his seeds disappear and reappear. He would even talk to himself, trying to perfect his magic patter. But, there was one thing Harry didn't think about. He needed to look the part of a magician.

So, he set off to find a wizard's hat and cape. He found an old, dusty hat and a frayed cape at a thrift store. Harry was so excited! He rushed home to try them on, but the hat was too big and the cape was too small. Harry felt a little discouraged.

Then, he had an idea. He would make his own wizard hat and cape! He set to work, using some fabric he found and his trusty needle and thread. Harry was so busy making his costume, he didn't even realize it was getting late. He was so focused that he forgot to wash his hands or clean his hamster house.

The next day, Harry was ready to perform. He put on his wizard hat and cape, grabbed his magic seeds, and headed to the park to perform for the local children. As soon as he stepped up on the stage, he realized he had made a big mistake. The children were looking at him and laughing. He looked down and saw that his wizard hat was on backward and his cape was on inside out!

But Harry didn't let this ruin his big moment. He thought to himself, "What would a true magician do?" And with a twirl of his cape, he said, "Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you... the backward wizard!" The children loved it! They clapped and cheered as Harry performed his magic tricks.

After the show, Harry sat down to write about his big day. He realized that it didn't matter what he wore or how he looked, as long as he made people happy, that's all that mattered.

From that day on, Harry continued to study magic, perform for children, and wear his backward wizard hat and inside-out cape with pride. He had found that true magic comes from within and can be found in the things you love to do.

Reflections

1. What did Harry want to be when he grew up?
2. Why did Harry make his own wizard hat and cape?
3. Why were the children laughing at Harry when he first appeared on stage?
4. What did Harry realize about magic after his performance?
5. Why do you think Harry was so successful even though his hat and cape were backward?
6. What can we learn from Harry's story about being true to ourselves?