The Blocky Light in the Backyard

A personalised storybook starring Aahana, age 6

Aahana spots a strange square glow in her backyard at dusk and creeps closer to investigate. She discovers Milo, a small blocky character straight out of a Minecraft world, who is lost and a little scared. Instead of running off, Aahana befriends him, and together they build a little shelter using simple steps, one block at a time. Along the way Aahana learns that big jobs get easy when you break them into small pieces, and Milo learns that new friends can turn a scary night into a fun one.

Cover of The Blocky Light in the Backyard
The Blocky Light in the Backyard — illustration for page 1

Aahana was brushing her teeth for bed. Outside her window, something blinked. A little square light glowed by the fence. It was green, then blue, then gold. She pressed her nose to the glass. What could make a light like that?

Page 1

The Blocky Light in the Backyard — illustration for page 2

She tiptoed downstairs in her socks. The back door creaked open, soft and slow. The night air smelled like grass and rain. The light was still there, blinking near the old oak tree. Aahana took a deep breath and stepped outside.

Page 2

The Blocky Light in the Backyard — illustration for page 3

Closer now, she saw strange shapes. Little cubes stacked like toy blocks. Dirt cubes, stone cubes, even a glowing gold one. Aahana had never seen blocks like these in real life. Her heart beat fast, but her feet kept walking anyway.

Page 3

The Blocky Light in the Backyard — illustration for page 4

Behind a stack of blocks, something moved. Aahana froze. A blocky head popped up, round and square at the same time. Two big eyes blinked at her. Was it a robot? A ghost? She held very still and waited.

Page 4

The Blocky Light in the Backyard — illustration for page 5

Hello, said a small voice. My name is Milo. I got lost in the dark. Aahana let out a breath she did not know she was holding. He was not scary at all. He looked more like a puzzle come to life.

Page 5

The Blocky Light in the Backyard — illustration for page 6

Milo was small, blocky, and green around the edges. He wore a tiny square backpack full of dirt and stone. I fell through a crack in my world, he said. Now I cannot find my way home.

Page 6

The Blocky Light in the Backyard — illustration for page 7

Aahana sat down beside him in the grass. It is okay, she said. I will help you until morning. Milo's eyes lit up like little lanterns. Really? he asked. Aahana nodded. Nobody should be scared alone in the dark.

Page 7

The Blocky Light in the Backyard — illustration for page 8

Wind rustled the leaves above them. Milo shivered, even though he was made of blocks. I do not like nighttime, he whispered. It gets so dark I cannot see the mobs coming. Aahana had never heard of mobs before.

Page 8

The Blocky Light in the Backyard — illustration for page 9

We should build a shelter, Milo said. That is what I do in my world. But this pile of blocks looks like too much, Aahana said. It is too big to build all at once. Milo grinned his small square grin.

Page 9

The Blocky Light in the Backyard — illustration for page 10

We do not build it all at once, Milo explained. We build it one block at a time. First the floor. Then the walls. Then the roof. Aahana smiled. That sounded like something she could actually do.

Page 10

The Blocky Light in the Backyard — illustration for page 11

They started with the floor first. Milo placed one stone block down. Aahana placed the next one beside it. Step by step, the floor grew wide. It did not feel hard anymore, just one small piece at a time.

Page 11

The Blocky Light in the Backyard — illustration for page 12

Next came the walls, block by block. Aahana stacked dirt cubes in a neat square. Milo added glowing gold ones for windows. The little shelter began to rise, small and lopsided, but wonderfully theirs.

Page 12

The Blocky Light in the Backyard — illustration for page 13

Last came the roof, the trickiest part. Aahana balanced each block with careful hands. One almost tumbled, but she caught it just in time. See, Milo said, easy when you go slow, piece by piece.

Page 13

The Blocky Light in the Backyard — illustration for page 14

They crawled inside their small blocky house. It glowed warm and gold from Milo's lantern block. Outside, crickets sang in the grass. Thank you for helping me, Milo said. I was not scared once you came.

Page 14

The Blocky Light in the Backyard — illustration for page 15

In the morning, sunlight poured over the yard. The crack that brought Milo here shimmered near the fence. It is time for me to go home, he said. But I will remember you always, Aahana.

Page 15

The Blocky Light in the Backyard — illustration for page 16

Milo stepped through the shimmering crack and waved goodbye. The blocks and glow faded into morning light. Aahana stood alone in the quiet yard, smiling. She had built something small, one careful piece at a time, and made a friend along the way.

Page 16