The B-Buds held out their palms. Amirah started with Mei and poured some sprinkles into her hand. Strangely, only purple sprinkles poured out of the vial.
“My favorite color!” Mei said, pleased.
“That’s never happened before,” Amirah said, staring at the container. Then she moved on to Elvis. When she shook the sprinkle vial, only green ones appeared in his hand.
“Let me guess,” she began. “Green is your favorite color?”
“Right!” he replied.
Amirah laughed. “See what I mean?” she said as she turned to Olivia. “Sprinkles are magic!”
This time, when Amirah put sprinkles into Olivia’s hands, only blue ones appeared.
“Magic,” Olivia agreed.
“Birthday magic got us here,” Amirah told the B-Buds. “And birthday magic will bring us back. I promise.”
Her friends looked so relieved that Amirah smiled even bigger.
That’s when she noticed something odd: a driftwood sign in the shape of an arrow. It had a single word carved on it: HOME.
“Was that there before?” Amirah asked, confused.
“I . . . don’t think so,” Mei replied. “But . . . maybe we just didn’t notice it.”
“Maybe,” Amirah said—but she didn’t sound convinced.
“How can one sign lead to home for all of us?” Elvis asked. “We couldn’t live farther apart if we tried!”
“I don’t know,” Amirah said. “But I trust the Magical Land of Birthdays. It’s always sent us in the right direction before.”
When she started walking toward the sign, the other B-Buds joined her. They followed a series of driftwood arrows, chatting eagerly about all the birthday fun that would be waiting for them when they got home. When they reached the top of one of the taller dunes, Amirah stopped suddenly.
“Look,” she said, pointing. “Is that it? Is that our way home?”
Down on the sand, there was a merry-go-round, with shiny silver poles and ribbon streamers that fluttered in the breeze. It had six sections: one purple, one blue, one green, one orange, one yellow, and one pink.
“Just like the colors of the rainbow,” Amirah breathed.
“I bet we’re supposed to hop on the section that’s our favorite color,” Mei said.
Amirah knew Mei was right and that the pink section was meant for her. But then she realized there were two extra sections on the merry-go-round. Who were the orange and yellow sections for?
“You three get on and hold on tight,” Elvis told them. “I’ll give us a big push.”
“But how will you get home?” Olivia asked.
“Once it’s spinning fast, I’ll jump on,” he replied. “Everyone ready?”
“Yes!” chorused Amirah, Mei, and Olivia.
“Then here we go!” Elvis said. He grabbed one of the poles and started to run. The merry-go-round moved slowly at first, but soon it started to pick up speed. Elvis’s determined face turned red as he struggled to keep up.
“Come on, Elvis!” Mei called.
“Jump on—before it’s too late!” Amirah added.
With one last burst of speed, Elvis leaped onto the merry-go-round and grasped the silver pole with both hands, landing on the green section. Amirah sighed in relief. Then she threw back her head and laughed with joy!
“Happy birthday, B-Buds!” Amirah shouted.
“Happy birthday!” she heard her B-Buds shout back.
The merry-go-round was spinning faster, faster, faster . . . The colors blurred into a swirling rainbow that shattered into so many pieces . . .
Hundreds and thousands, Amirah thought as everything grew so bright that finally, she had to shut her eyes.
When she opened them again, she was all alone.
And she was home.
“I’m back,” Amirah whispered. “I’m back!”
She was in her bedroom. The curtains were closed; she couldn’t tell if it was night or day. How much time had passed, exactly? Amirah tapped her temples as she tried to remember. She and Mama had just finished making her special cake . . . Amirah’s Birthday Cake from The Power of Sprinkles . . .
I didn’t miss it, did I? Amirah suddenly worried. What if she’d spent her entire birthday in the Magical Land of Birthdays?
Amirah sat up and rubbed her eyes. Her head felt a little fuzzy. Had it all been a dream? Had she slept through her entire birthday? What if it was over, and she’d have to wait a whole year for it to come again?
There was a knock at the door.
“Come in,” Amirah said eagerly.
It was Mama. Amirah’s rainbow-striped party dress was draped over her arm. “Ironed and ready for you, princess!” Mama announced. “You’ll have just enough time to get ready before the guests arrive.”
“Thank you!” Amirah cried. “I can’t wait for my birthday party!”
Mama smiled. “Neither can I,” she replied as she raised the shades on the window and sunlight flooded into the room. “Everyone is going to love your special cake.”
Amirah grinned back at her mother. “I can’t wait for everyone to see the special surprise inside,” she said. “All those hundreds and thousands!”
“Hundreds and thousands?” Mama asked.
“Oh—that’s what they call sprinkles in Australia,” Amirah explained. “Speaking of sprinkles, I need a refill. My container is emp . . .”
As Amirah took her sprinkle stash out of her pocket, though, her voice trailed off.
It was filled to the brim.
A little magic from the Magical Land of Birthdays, she thought as she returned it to her pocket.
“That reminds me,” Mama said. “I have a little present for you. I wanted to give it to you now, before everyone gets here . . .”
Mama’s eyes were twinkling as she held out a golden box tied with a big bow.
“Oooh, my first birthday present!” Amirah said. “Thank you, Mama! What is it?”
“Open it and find out,” Mama replied.
Amirah perched on the end of her bed and carefully untied the bow. When she lifted the lid of the box, Amirah was left speechless by the special gift nestled in the tissue paper.
“Oh, Mama,” she finally whispered.
Amirah reached into the box and pulled out the most gorgeous tiara she’d ever seen. It was covered with tiny crystals that glittered as they caught the light, casting rainbows around the room like so many sprinkles. It was the very center of the tiara, though, that left Amirah too stunned to speak. A unicorn
