10-year-old Buddy was just an ordinary boy but with an extraordinary heart. He had a lot of friends but never really had a “best friend” until he met Simon — a new boy in class who used a wheelchair.

Nobody showed any interest in making friends with Simon except for Buddy. He quickly bonded with Simon because he believed true friends come in different sizes and shapes...

Buddy lived with his grandma, Doris, in their small home in the suburbs. He had lost his parents five years ago in a car crash. Doris raised him, and she was all he had. Buddy promised himself that he would do anything to make his grandma proud and happy, and his prayers (祈祷) were soon answered, but in a way he never imagined.

Buddy had always wanted to help Doris with her rent, so during his free time, he cut grass for neighbors, walked dogs, and even helped older people carry their groceries home in exchange for $1. So far, he had saved $70, but that wasn’t enough to meet their expenses. Not one to be discouraged, Buddy kept going and the only other person who comforted him was Simon.

The two boys often ventured (冒险) into the woods near their school to watch birds during their spare time. It was their favorite hobby. One afternoon before the summer vacation, they went to their favorite spot in the woods. Buddy pushed Simon’s wheelchair, discussing how exciting their adventure would be. They laughed their way into the dense forest, knowing little about what was coming.

Moments later, the boys had a problem moving forward. One of the wheels sank into a branch beneath the mud. The wheelchair broke down, making it difficult to move ahead. Worse still, it seemed the rain was around the corner. The boys could hear rolling thunder across the mountains, which scared them. They wanted to run but could not leave one another. “Wait! I’ve got a plan,” shouted Buddy, trying to lean (倾斜) over and lift his friend up from the wheelchair. His attempt failed because Simon was too heavy for him.

John Brown is a college student, who is performing well in all aspects. But when he was two years old, he suffered from autism (孤独症) that delayed his brain’s growth. The basic symptoms included inability to pick up social cues, a refusal to interact with friends or family, and a lack of skills in processing speech, thinking and learning.

John’s parents, who were teachers, were initially shocked at the revelation. What’s worse, they learned the bad news that John was going to become blind when he grew up. Even so, they kept his illness as a secret under medical advice, and were always there for their son.

As little John was at school, he began to notice how other kids were able to answer questions in class a lot faster than he did. Because of his significantly slow thinking, it took him many minutes to come up with an answer to the best of his abilities. But he worked harder than other classmates for his coursework, such as sitting in front of the class to read the words on the blackboard better, and spending longer time studying to pass tests.

John’s parents still stood by him, encouraging him and saying, “You are the best!” They recorded every detail of his growth in a notebook. But they were not prepared for how the following events positively changed their son’s life forever. Through primary and secondary schools, John began to change from keeping to himself to interacting with his classmates.

When he entered the college, he joined the marching band, something he never had any interest in, but his mom convinced him that it was a great way to not only make friends, but also help gain more confidence in himself. Later, he played the trumpet (小号) well and got along well with the band members.

At the same time, he showed his talent for creative writing and wrote his first essay about a brave man. His thinking ability and imagination made leaps. As he got even older, he taught his fellow classmates how to write essays well, and even shared what original pieces he wrote with them, despite the fact he was still unaware about his illness.

However, one day when John came home from college, he accidentally found a medical chart in his parents’ room.

Now, as an excellent college student, John is full of confidence and hope.

Henry finished rolling copies of The Gazette, filled his bag and took off to deliver the news.

It was 8:15 a.m. when he delivered the last newspaper. He had put the paper where Mr.Grady could get it without struggling to the sidewalk. Across the street, Henry’s delivery had landed perfectly too. Mrs. Burke, with twin babies, probably liked having her paper within easy reach.

Henry parked his bike near the office building and bounded up to the editor-in-chiefs door. Mr. Trotta said, “We’re closing shop, Henry. Advertising is down. Television is how people get their news today.”

“Um, no,” said Henry. “I’ve met so many people on my route. It’s sad. People won’t get their neighborhood news anymore.”

Mr. Trotta nodded and sighed. “We held out as long as we could," he said. “You were terrific, Henry — always dependable.”

A week after his last deliveries, Henry wondered if his customers missed The Gazette as much as he did. He thought of a way to find out. He started out on his old route with a notebook. First stop: Mr. Jonas, 17 Oak. Mr. Jonas said that he liked reading the week’s happenings and he had a pile of comics from old copies of The Gazette. He wondered if anyone would want them. Henry made a note in his notebook.

Mrs. Burke said she needed a babysitter. She was going to put an ad in The Gazette, but…

As Henry made more notes, an idea started forming in his head. Maybe he could create a newsy page for the neighbors. But how would he print it? He went to the library and explained everything to Miss Ginger, the librarian. “Follow me,” she said. Seconds later, in front of a machine, Miss Ginger turned a handle and a purple-printed sheet rolled out. “ Will mimeographed (油印的) copies work?” she asked.

“Perfect.”

Henry had a plan.