On the night of his eighth birthday, Leo sat bolt upright in bed. A soft golden glow spilled beneath his bedroom door like liquid honey. He pressed his palm flat against the cool floor. What could it be?
His parents appeared in the doorway, their faces lit by something magical they held between them. It was a book — but not just any book. Its cover shimmered like the night sky itself.
Leo reached out with both hands. The moment his fingertips touched the cover, a warm hum vibrated through his skin. The pages fluttered on their own, glowing softly.
The first chapter floated to life. A tiny star wiggled free from the page, its six points trembling like it had just woken up. It hovered for a heartbeat — then zoomed off.
Zzzzip! The star zipped circles around Leo's head, leaving a glittering trail of sparkles in the dark air. It looped around the bookshelf, buzzed past the window, and came racing back.
Leo chased the sparkle trail with his eyes, giggling. The star dipped low and tickled the tip of his nose — then vanished straight back into the margin. He laughed all on his own.
Then something tugged his sleeve. A second star — bigger than the first — had popped out of the page and was pulling at his pajama arm. It pointed urgently at the next chapter.
Leo leaned closer. Two more stars were tangled together in the illustration — a clumsy knot of golden limbs, tumbling over each other like kids who'd tripped on the playground.
Leo reached into the page. His fingers brushed against the starlight and it felt like warm silk. Gently, carefully, he worked the stars apart until they sprang free with a soft pop.
The final chapter blazed. A dozen stars streamed out of the book at once, filling the room with a dancing ring of light that swirled around Leo like a snowstorm made of gold.
The stars shaped themselves into a family, then a house, then a heart. Then they settled back onto the pages, each one whispering a single word only Leo could hear.
Leo pressed his cheek against the glowing cover and closed his eyes. The stars on his ceiling kept twinkling, tiny and steady. His parents kissed his forehead and slipped out. 'I know,' he whispered to the dark.