Mina stood at the school gate, her heart thumping with excitement and a bit of fear.

She clutched her mom's hand a little tighter. 'Will I make friends?' she whispered.

Her mom smiled warmly. 'Of course, you will. Just be yourself, Mina.'

Mina slowly entered her new classroom and looked around at all the strange faces.

A boy with bright red hair waved at her. 'Hi, I'm Tom! Want to sit here?'

She nodded and sat next to him. 'I'm Mina. This is my first day.'

Tom showed her some colored pencils. 'Want to draw with me before class starts?'

They drew pictures of the playground, their homes, and even a dragon under a tree.

The teacher walked in with a smile. 'Good morning, class! Let's start with introductions.'

When it was Mina's turn, she stood up. 'I like reading and I love cats,' she said.

The kids cheered, and one girl said, 'I love reading too! We can share books!'

By the end of the day, Mina felt happy. She had begun to make new friends.