Cari: Short black hair, peach skin, light green eyes, thin, lanky, six toes on her left foot, long tongue that can touch her nose, bow-legged.
Black witch's hat with a lone white stripe going down it that lines up with her right eye, big ears, small nose, black velvet cloak with purple bats and stars above them stitched onto the back, a thick red sundress, black bloomers, thick white pantyhose, red socks with black squirrels on them, black boots with golden buckles.
Likes collecting antique clocks and action figures. Is bad at cooking, but good at sewing. Likes to fish, sing while flying, solve puzzles, and dance. Likes bacon and eggs, kiwis, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
Kano: Buzz-cut with black hair, brown eyes, brown skin, long arms and hands, gap in between his front teeth, slightly muscular, wide nose.
Horizontally striped green and white hat with ear flaps and white fur on the inside, deep blue cloak, dark purple shirt, blue jeans cut off midway at the shins, white and blue sneakers, white leather gloves with wrists straps with silver buttons.
Likes exploring, flying fast, and finding small trinkets to give to Cari. Is good at cooking, has a bad sense of direction.
Likes to dance, drum and play the flute, talk to animals, and sleep. Likes peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, chocolate, oranges, and oysters.
Author's Note: Greetings. This is Fickle Fingers, the author. Hopefully, that is not my real name. If it is, my parents made a huge mistake. Okay, it isn't my real name.
I hope anyone reading this is having a good day, and learns something from the day they’re having. If you're having a bad day, I hope this book helps it become better.
I wrote Cari and Kano because I wanted to make a book series that was light hearted, fun, and warm. My general work is much darker, so this series is a bright ray of sunshine for me. I hope it is the same for you.
This work was inspired by the book, and film, Kiki's Delivery Service, created by Eiko Kadono, and adapted into an animated film by Studio Ghibli. Sadly, the book series has no English translation that I know of, and I am unable to read Japanese. It is my favorite film.
The thought of a kind young girl soaring through the sky on a broomstick on her own touched a part of me. It made me wish I could be a child again, and ride with Kiki while giggling with each other, slicing through the wind, and staring at the sunset.
So much of the world destroys that youthful innocence and optimism. Watching Kiki make her way on her own while being supported, rather than controlled, by the adults around her filled me with warmth.
I hope that this book can give you the same warmth and hope that Kiki gave me.
To any child reading this, never let adults, or other children, steal your hope and love away. Plenty will try. Find people who cherish your laughter and smile. Laughter and smiles are the greatest gifts you can give to the world.
To any adult reading this, please, remember that there is no treasure, whether it be money, gold, diamonds, boats, planes, houses, or pools that shines with the warmth of a child's smile.
It is up to all of us to leave a better world for children than the world we grew up in. Children are not born with hatred in their hearts. It is our duty to make sure that none enters them.
May you all find a warm sky to fly in. May you all find a warm shoulder to lean on. May you all find a warm smile that makes you smile as well. Thank you for reading. May you all live a life filled with laughter and love.
Cari and Kano in the Warm Sky
1. When Cari flew fast on the broom, the wind felt like her mother's warm hands combing her hair. It was a nice feeling, and it made her smile.
2. Sometimes it tickled, and sometimes a bug hit her face and she shouted, “BLEH, KANO, I KISSED A BUG, EWWWW," but most times she smiled while Kano snored behind her.
3. Kano always snored when he was asleep. He was goofy. It was good that they magically stuck to their broom, like peanut butter on bread.
4. If Kano and Cari were a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, Cari would be the jelly because she was sweet and light, and Kano would be the peanut butter since he was thick and nutty.
5. Cari thought that they would be a good sandwich. The broom was the bread, and the sky was the milk they drank with the sandwich.
6. “SNORK!” Kano snored. Cari giggled. Kano sounded like a pig farting when he snored. But he smelled like oranges, because he liked eating oranges, and never washed his hands after eating them.
7. They were a few years away from being grown-ups, but they always wanted to be like kids. Kids had more fun than grown-ups.
8. Kano and Cari didn't like some grown-ups. Grown-ups liked money too much. Flying on brooms in the warm sky was much more fun than money.
9. Cari's favorite thing to do was sleeping in the hammock tied to their broom. It wrapped all around her like a sky blanket and was warm even when the wind was cold. She could make it see-through if she wanted to, like a window.
10. Cari liked to go to sleep while looking at the golden clouds and black birds. The birds sang at the sun and slowly scared it away so that she could see the glowing moon.
11. Their broom could fly fast, but she always flew slow while Kano was asleep. He needed rest so he could get smarter. Cari needed rest so that she could get smarter, too.
12. Kano and Cari were like mailmen. They took mail and gifts to people. They had never failed to deliver a gift, because gifts were important. Kano liked it when the gifts or letters made people smile.
13. Sometimes, Kano said that Cari snored. Cari thought he was lying. She hoped he was lying. Cari didn't want to sound like a pig farting.
14. There were dumb pirates in small planes with mean sharks painted on them that would try to steal their gifts. Kano used his wand to make their socks and shoes disappear, and then their feet got cold.
15. Cari felt bad for the pirates. She didn't like it when her feet were cold. She had big leather boots with golden buckles and red socks with black squirrels on them.
16. Sometimes, Cari got sleepy and laid on Kano's shoulder while they flew. Kano's shoulder was even warmer than the sky in summer. It was the best pillow in the whole world.
17. Cari liked Autumn. She liked flying through the red and orange leaves. She wished the leaves wouldn't fall and could fly with them.
18. Sometimes Kano ate leaves. Kano was a weirdo, but Cari still loved him. When Cari did weird things, Kano smiled. Kano was a good friend. He never burped too loud, always said, “Excuse me,” and he could cook in the air with floating pots.
19. The eggs that Kano made were very good. He liked talking to chickens and asked them a lot about eggs. Cari only liked to eat food Kano made.
20. Cari didn't like talking to chickens. They were loud and always said the same things. Cari thought that they would be happy if they could fly. Someday, Cari would give every chicken a broom so that they could fly.
21. Sometimes, the chickens smelled. Kano and Cari bathed in lakes everyday in their purple swimsuits Cari had made for them so that they didn't smell like chickens.
22. They liked to splash each other with water and play hide n' seek. Cari always let Kano find her. Kano got scared if he couldn't find Cari, and she didn’t want him to cry.
23. Kano was strong but soft when he hugged Cari. Sometimes Cari’s hair flew into Kano’s mouth. He said it tasted good. Kano was weird, but Cari was glad that her hair didn't taste bad.
24. Sometimes Kano said Cari's hair was nice, and she would get red and feel her cheeks and heart get warm. Kano liked to brush Cari's hair. He did a bad job, but he tried hard.
25. Kano turned invisible once. It took a long time until Cari could see him again. She kept running into him. It was funny, until she tripped on him and fell into a bush. Kano cried, but Cari wasn't mad at him.
26. Cari wanted to always be with Kano. Being with him made the sky look ever prettier. The warm sky was purple and pink sometimes. That was when Cari was the happiest.
27. Cari fell off of their broom once, but Kano caught her. Kano cried, and after that, they always tied ropes to the broom so that they wouldn't fall.
28. Kano was smart, and Cari was smart, too. They were happy that they could fly together. One day, they brought someone a bathtub. The man needed it, because he smelled like chickens.