Tariq and the Greenhouse in the Sky by Fabella Publishing
Reading Age: 4-8 years | Genre: 🚀 Sci-Fi, Cosmic Space & Future Tech
Synopsis: High above the Earth in a shimmering glass dome, six-year-old Tariq and his grandmother grow extraordinary plants that breathe mist instead of soil. When their most prized Star-Jasmine is threatened by a clogged aeroponic nozzle, Tariq must harness the stratospheric winds and har
Characters: Tariq Al-Mansoor, Nadia Al-Mansoor (Teta Nadia)
Page 1
High above the earth, inside a gleaming, pressurized glass dome, six-year-old Tariq Al-Mansoor was a master sky-gardener. He loved the gentle hum of the air scrubbers and the warm sunlight filtering through the thick windows. Tariq never just checked on his plants; he serenaded them. “Grow big and strong, little green friends,” he whispered, singing a soft melody to a row of sprouting radishes. He clapped his hands as a new leaf uncurled.
Page 2
His grandmother, Teta Nadia, was a master botanical engineer. She taught Tariq how to grow life in the thin, high-altitude air without a single cup of soil. “Here, the roots hang freely,” Teta Nadia explained, pointing to the grand aeroponic chambers. “They breathe the air and drink from a very fine mist.” Today, they were waiting for their most precious plant to bloom: the delicate Star-Jasmine.
Page 3
Suddenly, a red light flashed on the central console. *BEEP! BEEP!* Tariq gasped and rushed to the Star-Jasmine’s chamber. The roots were bone dry! He peered closely at the brass misting nozzle. It was completely smothered in a crusty, white layer of mineral salts. “Oh no, the pump is clogged!” Tariq cried. He panicked, desperate to save the precious flower right this second. He had to act fast.
Page 4
Without thinking, Tariq grabbed his heavy metal watering can from the sink. He hoisted it up, ready to flood the entire root chamber with recycled water. Teta Nadia quickly caught his arm. “Stop, habibi! Aeroponic roots must breathe oxygen.” Tariq paused, his cheeks flushing pink. He remembered her lessons. “If you submerge them in standing water, they will drown,” she said gently. “They need a microscopic mist.”
Page 5
Tariq set the heavy can down. “Then I will just knock the crust off!” He grabbed a plastic trowel and reached into the chamber. *Scrape, scratch, clack!* He chipped at the hard white crust covering the delicate nozzle. But the mineral buildup was like solid rock. When he tested the pump, it just gave a pathetic, wheezing hiss. The Star-Jasmine’s leaves began to droop, curling toward the metal floor.
Page 6
“The nutrient salts are too thick,” Teta Nadia sighed, inspecting the nozzle. “We need a natural solvent, and completely pure water to flush the lines.” “Pure water coming right up!” Tariq said, dashing to the control console. He pulled the heavy mechanical levers to deploy the exterior cloud-harvesting meshes. Outside the thick glass dome, giant polypropylene nets unfurled directly into the rushing, gray stratocumulus clouds.
Page 7
Tariq watched the monitors eagerly. The roaring high-altitude wind whipped against the glass, pushing thick fog through the tight mesh fibers. Thousands of tiny cloud-droplets caught on the netting, merging into heavy drops. *Drip, drop, splash.* The pure, fresh water trickled down a funnel and safely through the airlock into their indoor collection vat. “We have the water!” Tariq cheered, carrying the sloshing bucket to the chamber.
Page 8
But the nozzle was still totally blocked. Tariq had an idea. “I will just push the pure water through really hard!” he declared. He poured the pure water into the system reservoir and turned the pressure dial all the way to maximum. The thick pipes began to shudder violently. The metal groaned and rattled under the intense strain. Teta Nadia took a cautious step back. “Tariq, wait!”
Page 9
*POP! PSSSHHH!* A safety valve blew open, spraying pure cloud-water everywhere across the ceiling, the floor, and Tariq’s face. None of it reached the roots. Tariq wiped his wet forehead, his shoulders slumping. He looked at the Star-Jasmine. Its stem was bent, its leaves a sickly, thirsty yellow. “Brute force doesn’t work,” Tariq whispered, tears stinging his eyes. “I ruined our special flower.”
Page 10
Teta Nadia placed a warm, dry hand on his shoulder. “A good scientist learns from every mistake, habibi. What else dissolves minerals?” Tariq sniffled, staring at the yellowing leaves, and then at the nearby food galley. He remembered what happened when he ate sour foods. “Acid!” he gasped. He sprinted to the hydroponic fruit tray and grabbed a plump, bright yellow lemon. “Acid dissolves minerals!”
Page 11
Tariq sliced the juicy lemon and squeezed it into a cup of warm, pure cloud-water. He carefully unclipped the crusted brass nozzle from the chamber and dropped it into the cup. *Fizz, pop, bubble!* The tangy citric acid immediately ate away the stubborn white salts. Within minutes, the nozzle was shiny and perfectly clean. Tariq snapped it back onto the pipe and turned the dial to normal.
Page 12
*Pffffft.* A perfect, cool mist sprayed from the nozzle, gently wrapping around the dangling roots. The Star-Jasmine eagerly drank the microscopic droplets. Right before their eyes, its tight buds uncurled into brilliant, star-shaped white petals, filling the dome with a sweet, earthy perfume. Teta Nadia pulled Tariq into a tight hug. Smiling proudly, Tariq sang a soft, joyous welcome to the newest flower in the sky.