In the Clouds

"In the Clouds"- a The Quiet Dreamers short story

2,100 words

Age: upper elementary

1st story in The Quiet Dreamers collection

Asteria’s head is always in the clouds... and in books. She’d rather spend recess with her favorite fantasy characters than play with others or gossip about crushes. Her drawings, daydreams, and story ideas keep her company when the world feels too loud.

But not everyone understands.

Her parents push her to read “real” books and she needs to “get her head out of the clouds.” And when a class project forces her into the world of nonfiction, Asteria feels like she’s losing the one part of herself that makes sense.

Then she meets Albion: a nervous, fact-loving boy with his own quiet quirks. Together, they discover a surprising truth: maybe fiction and nonfiction aren’t enemies after all. Maybe the imagination can thrive in both.

A celebration of curiosity, creativity, and kids who don’t quite fit the mold, In the Clouds is a tender, thoughtful story for readers aged 9–12… or anyone who’s ever felt like their inner world was just a little too big for the real one.