Kimber loves playing softball. It is her favorite thing to do with her friends. She plays every chance she gets. She especially loves getting to hit the ball. 

But Kimber had a problem. She did not hit the ball great all the time. Sometimes, she would miss the ball and spin all the way around!

She tried and tried, but it seemed like she would never be good at hitting the ball. It was just no use.

Then one day, Kimber got a present. Her parents bought her a brand new bat! It was great! She went outside to practice right away. 

She hit the ball on the first try! It was amazing. The more she used the bat, the more she hit the ball. It was like the bat was magic.

She practiced all the time with her new bat. She was so excited to use it in a game. The more she used it, it seemed like the further the ball went too! 

Kimber showed her bat to her friends and told them it was magic. They could not believe it when she hit the ball out of the park!

One of the boys with her decided he wanted to try the bat too. He swung the bat as hard as he could at the ball.

All the sudden, they heard a loud crack. They looked and the bat was split apart and broken. Kimber was so upset! Her friend had broken her bat!

Kimber was so sad. How would she ever hit the ball great in the game now? She could not do it without the magic bat.

She knew she had to try. She had to give her very best and hit the ball as well as she could, even if she did not have the magic bat to help her.