Abigail: Oh! Ganz einfach. Wildblumenfeld. Die Vergissmeinnicht dort halten winzige Funken von all den Kindern, die uns je geliebt haben. Wenn man genau hinhört, summen sie wie Bienen.

Abigail: Meistens ist es ein Puppen- und Spielzeugladen. Normalerweise gehen die Leute nicht dorthin, aber Oma Doris war einmal dort, und Emily auch. Ich habe einmal einen Reim benutzt, um dorthin zu gehen, aber raten Sie mal, hier ist ein Geheimnis – um dorthin zu gelangen, muss man nur fest daran glauben.

Um… time zone? Time isn’t a big deal there—definitely not like here. I never think about time when I’m in Sparkle Valley. It’s all just… right now. And that’s kind of wonderful.

Oh, there are a lot of scary places. I really don’t like Conundrum Cave. But I would say the Forest of Memories is the scariest because that's where the Inzos live. And they are the worst! Oh wait, the scariest place is the Abyss where the Beast lives. But I'd rather not talk about that right now.

I floated down the Wrong Way River in a flower boat and ended up there after falling over a big waterfall.

Are you saying I'm lying?

That's ok, don’t believe me. Sparkle Valley doesn’t just show up for me or anyone. You have to believe first.

Ask me what the air smells like in Wildflower Field—like honey and rain. Ask me how to ride an Inzo, Ask me about all my friends who live there —Gloria, Reggie, Fluffy, Major Bob. I didn’t dream any of that. I was there.

The thing is, if you believe in places that appear when you really need them—where anything can happen—then maybe you’ve been to Sparkle Valley too. You just forgot. But trust me (or don't), it’s always there. Waiting.

I tried to pack once. I brought a swimsuit and it was freezing. You never know where you’ll end up, so I just bring myself. Plus, it’s not like I know when I’m going. Oh wait! Bring some chalk and a flashlight. You’ll thank me later.

Oh, I wish I could! I really do. So many of my friends want to come too. But Sparkle Valley isn’t the kind of place you can just hop on a train to. You gotta feel it. It shows up when you need it, or when your heart is brave (or broken). You just have to be ready.

Big. Like, really big. I’ve never seen a map. I think they have one at the Academy of Muses, but I never saw it.

The thing about Sparkle Valley is... it can change. There was this huge slide once — a Wangowhirl — that just showed up out of nowhere and took us to a castle. But then I never saw it again.

Once I saw a new mountain just show up. And then I saw a frog dressed as a prince (my friend Reggie). So you just never know. That’s why it’s so hard to say how big it is. It sort of changes all the time.

Good question. I never thought about it. There are no phones or any computers there – at least that I know about. Grandma Doris drew pictures in her diary. But in Sparkle Valley I’m always doing something. Taking a picture is for watching something, so I just don’t think about pictures.

Huh? What do you mean? How else would we go?

I remember once we visited our relatives in Germany and I was worried they might not have toilet paper, so we packed some just in case. They did. And Sparkle Valley has TP too, by the way.

It has the biggest trees with the brightest leaves, and snow, and a desert that is sandy and hot. Sometimes there are big storms and I remember earthquakes too that changed the landscape. So I guess... yes. Sparkle Valley has seasons. Just imagine them all together. All at once. Btw, my favorite season is summer vacation!

Lots of people have tried to make rules - The Smortzle, Hank Needlenose, and Ivana. But Sparkle Valley doesn't let them. That’s what makes it Sparkle Valley—no one really gets to be in charge. Exactly how I like it! 😀

The Powder of Life can make things real. Grandma Doris says it’s really just believing very hard. Which sounds boring, but she might be right. You can’t put it on your cereal, and you definitely can’t order it on the computer. I had some once, but I exploded it. Sometimes I wish I still had it. So you can’t get any from me. But that doesn’t mean it won’t show up again. I don't think anything is “gone forever” in Sparkle Valley.

Not really. The real world stays the same even when you don’t. Sparkle Valley changes with you. It’s not about rules, it’s about how you feel when you’re there. You can’t just wish for something and make it happen. It’s not like that. There’s just more freedom — which can be good or bad. It’s more random too. Sometimes a friend shows up. Sometimes a monster. Everything’s just more there. More fun, but also more scary, and sometimes kind of crazy — like the time it rained upside down and the rain was lemonade. What was that all about?