A/N: This one was a challenge as I'd never written childrens' stories/books before and I've been out of reading those to my own kids for quite a while. :D So imagine my surprise at winning the Children's Book Challenge (NFA)! I actually entered two versions: the short version which only contained the italics you see in the long version; the childrens' book as such.

On this frosty December day, the Christmas lights cast a warm glittering glow in the otherwise dark hustle and bustle shopping streets of DC.
A young boy pulled excitingly at his dad's arm making them both end up facing the big floor-to-ceiling windows of a bookstore. The little boy had his nose pressed against the window, his breath fogging the glass but it didn't hamper his sight of the colorful display of kids' favorite books. With shining green eyes, he turned to look up into his father's face while pointing a tiny finger towards one particular book.

The father, a tall man in his early forties, smiled when seeing the book that had caught his young son's attention.

"You like that one, Chad?" His own emerald eyes alight with pleasure at his son's choice.

The boy nodded with an eagerness that radiated from his blushing face.

"The shop's closed, but you could add it to your list to Santa. You never know he may have one just for you."

-o0o-

Nimble fingers worked lovingly on wrapping paper and lint to finish the last parcel after which another pair of hands set it amidst the other Christmas presents under the elaborately decorated Christmas tree.

Abby got up and straightened her back after she'd been arranging the presents on the artificial snow she'd strewn over and all around the tree.

Feeling a pair of arms snake around her waist, she leaned back into them, letting her head rest against her husband's shoulder.

He gave her a chaste kiss on her cheek.

-o0o-

Chad's fingers tore the wrapping from around his Christmas present. Well, one of his presents, for Santa had been very generous for this boy.
This Christmas morning, he'd scrambled out of bed and raced downstairs to the discovery of so many gifts littering all around the Christmas tree it had left him giddy with unbridled delight.

"The book! Daddy! Santa gave me the book I soooo wanted! He read my list!"

With an exclamation of joy, he jumped up, holding up the book with both hands, and ran around the room in his pajamas before snuggling on the couch where he let himself be held by his mom's arms.

Chad pushed the book in his dad's hands and breathlessly said: "Please, daddy, read!"

Tim laughed, knowing his boy was well capable of reading himself. Nevertheless, he opened the book on the first page, showing the beautiful drawings to both Chad and Abby before clearing his throat to read, not afraid of hamming it up some.

The day started out like any other for Special Agent Mac, and after finishing his bowl of Dinosaur cereal, he drove to his work. Oh yes. Agent Mac had a very exciting job. He was a detective and he solved mysteries.

That day, he was sitting at his desk, stuffing a Nutter Butter in his mouth when his boss walked into the room calling the attention of his Very Special Agent Mac.

"Somebody appears to have smuggled a koala on board a submarine!"

Now Agent Mac didn't really like ships. And since submarines were also floating in the seas, he wasn't too fond of those, either. Ships and submarines made him seasick.

"Daddy, is it bad? Does it hurt to be seasick?"

Tim looked up from the book and regarded his son. His eyes flitted over towards Abby's in which he only read amusement. He blushed slightly.

"Uhm... It's...a bit like you feel when we're driving over to gramps for the holidays,you know? When your tummy's feeling upset."

"Oh, poor Agent Mac!" Chad exclaimed, commiserating with Agent Mac. He knew very well what it felt like to be carsick and if seasickness was the same…

Tim resumed the reading.

Of course, being a Very Special Agent, Mac wouldn't let this keep him from doing his job and, grabbing his backpack, he set out to find little Nemo.

It was the beginning of another great adventure.

Before too long, he found himself walking in the belly of the submarine, searching far and near for the poor little koala that had gone missing. He ran through long, narrow corridors. He looked in every cabin and checked every closet but the little koala couldn't be found.

Meanwhile, Nemo, the little koala, sat shivering in a small cage a seaman had hidden in the dark recesses under his bed.

He was feeling so miserable and lonely after another man had trapped him; taken him far away from his mom and dad and his little brothers and sisters. He'd travelled miles and miles until the seaman had smuggled him on board the submarine.

For weeks and weeks, he'd been locked away and fed on veggies he didn't like and that did nothing more but upset his tummy. So, Nemo didn't eat as much as he should and his stomach felt emptier as the journey progressed.

"Why doesn't he eat his veggies, Mommy?" Chad turned in his mother's arms to face her as he raised his question.

"Because koala bears eat leaves from a special tree, honey," Abby replied.

His hunger grew and grew, and Nemo yawned for he felt sleepy and faint.

Once a day, though, the seaman would lift the cage from its hiding place and into the light. That was far better since Nemo could now have a peek around the place rather than sitting in the dark space under the bed where all he could do was weep himself to sleep.

"Nemo!" Chad cried in anguish, as he felt for the poor koala's misery.

Abby soothed the boy, running her fingers through his golden locks and caressing his soft cheeks.

Despite searching every crook and nook on the submarine, Agent Mac remained unsuccessful in finding the little koala. He talked to all the seamen he encountered on board but none of them could help him even if they wanted to. He'd even left a couple of those very special leaves, the ones koala bears were so fond of, all over the place. He hoped Nemo would never be able to resist them. To no avail. At least, not yet.

Agent Mac just knew Nemo was within his reach and it made him more determined to look harder.

"Yes! Find Nemo, agent Mac! You have to!" Chad jumped up from between Abby's arms with anticipation, shaking his little fists in the air.

Abby calmly pulled him close again, effectively curbing his eagerness for the story's progress.

Tim gave a boyish grin and continued reading.

Nemo sat in his cage, listening to the sounds coming from outside the cabin. His dark beady eyes kept shifting from the door to the seaman who kept him a captive, and back again.

Resolute footsteps approached the cabin and came to a stop at the door.

The seaman quickly grabbed the cage and opened the door so Nemo would escape and create a diversion. That would allow him to make his own escape.

The door slowly opened and Agent Mac carefully stepped inside.

That was the moment for Nemo to run. His blunt nose could now pick up the scent of the special leaves koalas loved. It was the familiar scent of home! That could mean only one thing: his family was near!

But now, there was a human standing in his way! Blocking his path to liberty...to his family. He was going to have none of this!

Freed from his cage, Nemo pounced upon Agent Mac and in a jiffy was up around the startled human's neck, clutching at his face, his ears, pulling at his hair …anything he could grab a hold of.

The seaman scampered off as Agent Mac first ran in circles before stumbling along the corridor yelling for help as he tried to get rid of a frightened, desperate...and very hungry koala.

It was impossible to tell who was shocked the most: Agent Mac, Nemo or the other seamen who were met by this funny spectacle of a Very Special Agent wearing this very strange furry hat.

Now, Chad was having a fit of giggles at the image of Agent Mac and his ridiculous hat.

Agent Mac, with Nemo riding atop of his head, ran hither and thither and quite perchance they crossed paths with...none other than the seaman who had kept Nemo captive for so long.

Nemo loosened his grip on Agent Mac enabling the Agent to at last make his arrest.

Chad and Abby both cheered and hugged. "Yippieeeee!"

"Way to go, Agent Mac!" Abby cried as she high fived with Chad.

Tim laughed and turned his attention back to the book for the last part.

Soon after this horrid adventure, the little koala was returned to his overjoyed family.

And Very Special Agent Mac was happy to leave the submarine and finally feel the solid earth beneath his feet, glad to see another case concluded and a koala family reunited.

Agent Mac had done it again.

Tim clapped the book shut and laid it on the coffee table, the title on the cover clearly visible: "Agent Mac: Finding Nemo, by Thom E. Gemcity".

FIN

I hope you enjoyed the reading. And while you're at it, please review.