Once upon a time, in a cozy little pencil case, lived a Pencil and a Pencil Sharpener. The Pencil loved drawing all sorts of things—mountains, castles, and animals. Each day, it would create beautiful pictures and write exciting stories for its owner, a little girl named Lucy.

At first, the Pencil was tall, sharp, and full of energy. But as it drew more and more, it began to wear down. The lines grew faint, and soon, the Pencil wasn’t able to draw or write as well.

The Pencil sighed, feeling a bit sad. “What am I going to do now? I’m no good like this,” it said, staring at its dull tip.

But the Pencil Sharpener, sitting quietly nearby, spoke up. “Don’t worry, Pencil. I can help you. Let me give you a new, sharp tip!” The Pencil was unsure at first, but with a gentle twist, the Sharpener carefully shaved away the dull wood and brought out a fresh, sharp point. The Pencil felt as good as new.

“Wow! Thank you, Sharpener!” the Pencil exclaimed. “I’m ready to draw again!” And off it went, creating even more wonderful drawings and writing magical stories for Lucy.

For a long time, the Pencil and the Sharpener worked together. Every time the Pencil wore down, the Sharpener was there to give it a fresh start. The Pencil loved that feeling of being new again and appreciated how the Sharpener always came to its rescue.

But, as time passed, the Pencil began to notice something. With each sharpening, it became a little shorter. “Sharpener, I’m getting smaller and smaller. What will happen when I’m too small to sharpen anymore?”

The Sharpener smiled kindly and said, “It’s true that each time I sharpen you, you lose a bit of yourself. But every time I do, you become stronger, sharper, and more capable. We all wear down in life, but what matters is what we do with the time we have.”

The Pencil understood and continued to create with all its heart. But one day, after a long time, the Pencil was finally down to just a tiny nub. It could no longer be sharpened, no matter how much it wished to keep drawing and writing.

“I guess this is the end for me,” said the Pencil, feeling both proud and a little sad.

The Sharpener looked at the Pencil with admiration. “You’ve done so much, Pencil. You’ve filled pages with your creations and helped make beautiful things. And though you’ve reached the end of your journey, I’ll still be here to help other pencils. But your mark will never be forgotten.”

Lucy picked up the last little bit of the Pencil and smiled, remembering all the wonderful things it had created. She placed the tiny Pencil in her special box, keeping it as a treasure.

The Pencil felt content, knowing that even though its time had come to an end, it had lived a full and meaningful life. The Sharpener remained in the pencil case, ready to help other pencils start their own journeys, just as it had helped the Pencil.

Moral:

Every journey has an end, but what truly matters is the impact you make along the way. Keep giving your best, and know that you’ve left something beautiful behind.

Parenting Tip: Teach children about the value of perseverance and teamwork. Use the story of the Pencil and Sharpener to show that even as we face challenges and changes, we can continue to grow and leave a positive impact.

Let’s Chat About This Story: Fun Questions for Curious Kids

• Why did the Pencil feel sad when it became dull?
• How did the Sharpener help the Pencil feel better?
• Why do you think the Sharpener didn’t mind that the Pencil became shorter?
• What do you think Lucy loved most about the Pencil?
• If you were the Pencil, what would you draw for Lucy?
• How is the Sharpener like a good friend in this story?
• What lesson did the Pencil learn from its journey?
• Do you think the Sharpener enjoyed helping other pencils too? Why?
• Have you ever had to work hard to keep doing something you love, like the Pencil?
• What do you think Lucy will do with the Pencil’s drawings and stories?

Did You Know? Fun Facts About Pencils and Sharpeners!

1. Did you know the longest pencil in the world is over 76 feet long? That’s longer than a bus!
2. Pencils can write in space and underwater! They don’t need ink, just their graphite lead.
3. The eraser on pencils wasn’t always there. People used to erase mistakes with breadcrumbs before the eraser was invented!
4. The pencil was invented over 450 years ago! It was first created in 1564 when a large deposit of graphite was discovered in England.
5. The word “pencil” comes from the Latin word “pencillus,” which means “little tail.”
6. One pencil can write around 45,000 words or draw a line that is 35 miles long!
7. Most pencils today are made of a mix of graphite and clay, not lead, as people used to think.
8. The famous yellow pencil was introduced in the 1890s and became a popular choice because yellow was associated with luxury and high quality.
9. Mechanical pencils don’t get shorter as you use them, but they still need a fresh lead refill
10. Some pencil sharpeners are designed to create special tip shapes for artists and engineers.In ancient times, scribes used small rocks to sharpen their early writing tools.
11. Hand-crank sharpeners are still used in schools around the world.
12. Eraser-tipped pencils were first invented in 1858 by Hymen Lipman.

Activity Idea:

Create a “Pencil Journey” Scrapbook!
Gather some paper and pencils. Have your child use a pencil to draw pictures or write short stories on each page. When the pencil wears down, sharpen it and talk about how it’s becoming stronger, just like in the story. Save the scrapbook as a memory of your child’s creativity!

Download Free Coloring Pages Related To This Story

Bring the story to life with coloring pages designed to spark creativity and make story time even more fun. Coloring helps kids express their creativity, improve focus, and reinforce the story’s themes in a fun, engaging way. After reading together, let them bring the story to life with colors!

Click on any of the free coloring pages below to download or print it!