A little story...

Once upon a time...
There was a little boy named Jimmy. Jimmy had always dreamed of going to Space Camp. He knew everything that a nine year old could know about space and imagined even more. Saturn was his favorite planet because of the awesome rings, and Pluto was his favorite "not planet" because he loved to tell grown up that they were wrong when they said it was the ninth planet. Because they went to school 20 years ago when scientists didn't know what they know today about dwarf planets and such.
Jimmy talked his grandma into buying him astronaut ice cream which was his favorite food. And all he wanted was to be an astronaut when he grew up and he knew that the first step to NASA would be Space Camp.
When Jimmy turned nine his parents said that if he worked hard and saved up all of his money, then he could go to space camp when he turned ten.
So Jimmy did just that. He did all of his chores around the house and in the yard each week. He even started pulling weeds for Mrs. Pemberly next door and feeding her cat when she was away. He spent even more time babysitting his little sisters and sometimes his crazy cousin Jane too.
It was a lot of work but he knew it would be worth it.
So the time came, and on his tenth birthday he opened the best birthday present ever. A ticket to space camp! It came with a book and a badge and everything! Jimmy opened the cover and read, "To Jimmy, You have worked hard and that will make you a great astronaut. I hope to see you in Space. Your friend, Buzz Aldrin."
All of his friends ooed and ahhed, "That's so cool" said TJ. "I wish I could go" said Max. "Awesome, I can't wait until my birthday" said Garrett. The day after the party Max came over to play. Max asked if he could see Jimmy's book about Space Camp and hold the ticket. "This is the coolest thing ever, you are going to become a real astronaut," said Max.
With only a week left to prepare, the next morning Jimmy woke up and went to read his book and get ready for camp. But it was gone! The book and the ticket were both missing!!!
"Mom did you move my book?" Jimmy asked everyone in the house and searched everywhere. But the book and the ticket for camp were nowhere to be found.
Jimmy cried. He cried like his baby sister and thought his hopes and dreams were lost.
"It's okay sweetheart, we'll find it or we can try and get you another one," said Jimmy's mother.
"But that was mine, with my name on it, the real thing signed by Buzz Aldrin himself."
One thing lead to another and Jimmy remembered that Max had held his book the day before. Then Jimmy got angry. "Max stole it. I know he did."
"Let's not jump to any assumptions now but I can call Max's mother in the morning and see if he might remember where he left it. Now get some rest."
Max didn't want to rest. He wanted to fester, and the more he thought the more angry he got. "I hate Max." Jimmy was restless and could not sleep, so he plotted his revenge until his tired eyes got the best of him.
"Mom, did you call Max's mom yet?" Max was shaking his mother and tapping her on the head with the phone. "Jimmy, don't be ridiculous, It's not appropriate to call people before 6am. Now you can go back to sleep or watch some cartoons if you can't sleep."
"Ugh" Jimmy pouted as he walked away, " You don't even care that my life is over and it's all Max's fault!"
"Now, don't assume dear- we don't know the whole story yet, it will all work out."
Jimmy turned on the TV and waited for his mother to wake up, all the while- getting more angry.
"Mom, can you call now?"
Ring ring... "You've reached the Andersons, we're not home right now, please leave us a message, beep-"
"I'm sorry Jimmy, but we will have to wait until later but let's keep looking for your book, it could still be here. Getting angry at Max won't get you any closer to space camp."
That afternoon, Jimmy went to play with TJ and Garrett, he was still so mad that he told them all about how Max stole his book and ticket and together they planned how to get even and steal Max's dog and never play with Max again.

When Jimmy got home his mother said, "I talked to Max's mother and Max did not take the book or ticket."

"I think he's lying and is too embarrassed to admit the truth," Jimmy shouted.

"Let's be reasonable, it could have been something else."

By this time Jimmy was consumed by the whole incident and taking it all out on Max. Jimmy thought his life was overm without that ticket he may never get to go to space camp and then he could not become an astronaut... so it had to be someone's fault.

Jimmy went to bed angry again.

The next day when Jimmy returned from swimming lessons his mother greeted him and said, "I have some good news for you!"

"Did Max bring my book back?"

"No dear, Max does not have anything to do with this, but I did find your book."
"Really? Where?"
"That afternoon that you and Max were playing was the same day that the cleaners came. They placed the book in the book case with the others and we didn't even know that it was here all along."

Jimmy could hardly believe it. He was stunned that he was wrong. All of that anger for nothing and Max didn't try to ruin his life.

"Jimmy, this is an important lesson to make sure that we don't assume things until we have all of the facts. That wasn't very nice to say all of those things about Max, was it?"

"But I really thought he did it..." Jimmy put his head down and could hardly enjoy having his book again because his mind now recounted all of the things he thought and said about his friend Max. "Do you think Max would ever come and play with me again?"

"I think so, let's see tomorrow. But tonight let's start packing your bags for Space Camp!"

(this is a first draft... anyone want to help edit & illustrate?)