Xun Zhang

As a mother to a spirited 5-year-old boy and an educator, I’ve found magic in the chaos of bedtime storytelling. Every night, my son reinvents adventures—like his version of "Jack and the Beanstalk," where Jack teams up with a fire-breathing robot dragon to defeat a marshmallow giant. His additions—complete with sound effects and makeshift capes—aren’t just playful twists; they’re portals to his imagination, where logic bows to creativity and our bond grows stronger. This storytelling passion fuels my classroom. When my students rewrite myths with superhero hamsters or build tales about underwater cities guarded by ninja sharks, I see that same spark—the one that turns fidgety energy into focused excitement. Whether it’s a boy proudly declaring his pirate story “better than the movies” or a quiet learner using LEGO figures to act out a tale about friendship, storytelling becomes more than words. It’s a tool for courage, a way to navigate big feelings, and a reminder that even the wildest ideas—like robot dragons or marshmallow giants—hold power. At home and in school, these stories stitch together laughter, learning, and the messy joy of growing up.