Project Gutenberg's FreeChildrenStories.com Collection, by Daniel Errico This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org Title: FreeChildrenStories.com Collection Author: Daniel Errico Release Date: August 22, 2009 [EBook #29762] Language: English Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 *** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FREECHILDRENSTORIES.COM COLLECTION *** Produced by Al Haines FREECHILDRENSTORIES.COM COLLECTION BY DANIEL ERRICO FREECHILDRENSTORIES.COM 2009 Stories taken with permission from FreeChildrenStories.Com, a site dedicated to free online literature for children, featuring many more stories written and illustrated by Daniel Errico. All stories and are registered copyright ©2009 Daniel Errico, and may not be transmitted or reproduced for profit without author's explicit authorization. CONTENTS Bearpaws Nathan Zebratail Billy Sits Here! Bounce! Buck’s in Charge! Christmas Eve upon the North Pole CloudPlay Damsel in a Dress Dishwashia! How the Firefly Got its Light I Don’t Want a Haircut In Space Jerry’s Box Martin and the Wave Microbug Tug Muddy Feet My Dog Is From Neptune Neighbors Neon Can Beat Anyone! Night Hippos No Dancing at the Dinner Table! Noble Gnarble Ode to Burping Philip Loses Everything! Prescott Hawthorne Simon and Barry The Boulder and the Beavers The California Gold Rush The Difference a Dot Makes The Island of Bum Bum Ba Loo The Particular Way of the Odd Ms. McKay The Story of Yes and No The Three Brothers of Maladime Tremendous Stupendous! Why the Cricket Chirps Will You Walk My Wikosh? Woolly Not So Mammoth Worstday Birthday Party I BEARPAWS NATHAN ZEBRATAIL There was once a boy named Nathan Green. He was never rude and never mean. But everyone was scared of him, Nancy, Dennis, Tom and Tim. Nick and Susan, Mike and James, Never let him play their games. He knew why, but didn’t say. His mom said he was born that way. Nathan’s hands aren’t hands at all. They’re bigger than a basketball. They’re covered brown by furry hair, Just like paws on any bear. Nathan hated both his paws. He never used their mighty claws. It’s also hard to make a friend When there’s a tail on your rear end. It’s black and white and wags around. When it swats, you hear a sound. His mom said, “Never be ashamed”, But classmates said, “He should be tamed!” He taped his tail down everyday, But still they wouldn’t let him play. “He can’t join; he’ll pop the ball!” So recess wasn’t fun at all. He wished his tail were off his rear. He wished his paws would disappear. But then one day… In class he learned about a creature. “It’s very special,” said his teacher. “Tail of a beaver, bill of a duck, Feet of an otter, just his luck!” “He needs them all to stay alive, They’re each a gift to help him survive.” “What is it?” called out Nathan loudly. “A PLATYPUS!” said teacher proudly. Nathan couldn’t help but smile. All this time, all the while, He had never seen the truth- His paws and tail must have a use! From that day on, he changed his ways. No one’s scared of him these days. His tail is wagging when he sits, His paws are helpful baseball mitts. Kids love to see him open drinks. They like the splashing, Nathan thinks. His tail, in summer, keeps him cool. His friends crowd round when he’s at school. His newest classmate wants to meet him. Nathan wonders how she’ll treat him. Teacher makes the class grow quiet, “No one speak, don’t even try it.” “There’s someone here you all should meet. This is Martha Hippofeet.” Nathan likes her. II BILLY SITS HERE! “Billy sits here and Walter up front, And, Walter, I’m watching, so don’t try a stunt.” First day of class, Miss McClaire sets the seats. And she doesn’t know it, but Bob always cheats. He hides in the back till he hears the bell ring. She’s too busy leaving to notice a thing. “I’ll finish this later when we’re all back from eating. We’re not done yet, and remember your seating.” He sneaks and he creeps to her new seating chart. She wrote it in pencil, a very good start! He grabs the eraser and scratches his head, “She’s nuts if she thinks that I’ll sit next to Fred!” He switches with Kathy, next to the door. Class can be fun, but he likes leaving more. “My best friend Sebastian will sit next to me. If we mess around, there’s no way she can see.” “Willy’s with us since he gives me his snack. Richard is smelly-I’ll throw him in back. Sam’s next to Richard for being too tall. Hope is annoying, so she’s by the wall.” “Edgar’s up front with his huge bushy hair. He’ll like his seat ’cause he loves Miss McClaire. Kelly’s behind him, so his head blocks her view. And Jill to her left, that’ll bother her too!” “There’s no switching Walter-she’ll notice a change. Rod’s in the corner. He’s always been strange. Lucas makes jokes so I’ll put him close by, But I’ll move Maryann since he might make her cry.” “Maybe Hope is okay. She can sit on our side. She’s not so annoying on the morning bus ride. Frank can be mean, he should sit in the hall. If not, then it’s either the back or the wall.” “The Hellerman twins go next to each other- It’s written in stone by their father and mother. Well, eating a snack is a little bit silly. Last thing I’ll do is switch Hope with Willy.” Bob hides in the closet, a very tight crunch. They all shuffle in from the afternoon lunch. Miss McClaire tells the class something he can’t believe. He muffles his shouting and bites on his sleeve. All of his work is finally complete, And she tells the class, they can pick their own seats! III BOUNCE! Jimmy has a favorite ball. His parents call it his “Jimmy Ball.” Bounce! goes the Jimmy Ball onto the table. Bounce! goes the Jimmy Ball into the pudding. Bounce! goes Jimmy after his ball. Bounce! goes the Pudding Ball into the ice bucket. Bounce! goes the Freezing Ball onto the couch. Bounce! goes Jimmy after his ball. Bounce! goes the Couch Ball hitting the ceiling. Bounce! goes the Ceiling Ball into the water. Bounce! goes Jimmy after his ball. Bounce! goes the Wet Ball up all the stairs. Bounce! goes the Bouncy Ball into his room. Bounce! goes Jimmy after his ball. Bounce! goes the Jimmy Ball onto the bed. Bounce! goes the Sleepy Ball onto his pillow. Bounce! goes Jimmy after his ball. And all night long Jimmy dreamt of bouncing. IV BUCK'S IN CHARGE! Buck just got a new baby brother! Buck’s baby brother might not know it yet, but around here…BUCK’S IN CHARGE! From the moment he wakes up in the morning, Buck’s in charge. He uses his imagination to be in charge of everything he does. Buck has quite an imagination. Commander Buck is standing in front of the bathroom mirror. He sees hundreds standing at attention before him. With one swipe of his hand, they all lay down in place. Do you know what Buck is doing? He’s combing his hair! Head Zoo Keeper Buck is looking down at his bare feet. He’s called in because ten are on the loose, wiggling around like wild animals. Buck covers them up and ties them down. Do you know what he’s doing? He’s putting on socks and shoes! Chief Buck of the Rescue Team sits down at the kitchen table. Dozens are drowning in a sea of white. He scoops them up with just one arm, but none of them are going to make it. Do you know why? Because he’s just eating his cereal! When Buck’s in his room, he’s the Construction Boss. He oversees the building of a skyscraper! Do you know how he does it? He’s playing with building blocks! When it’s getting time for bed, Buck’s the Mayor. He’s sitting in a deep canyon. Mayor Buck orders the dam to be broken, and warm water fills up the entire hole. Do you know what he’s doing now? He’s taking a bath! When Buck is playing with his little baby brother, he’s careful not to play too rough, and he listens to his Mom and Dad. Do you know what Buck’s doing now? He’s being a good brother! Even Buck can’t be in charge all the time. V CHRISTMAS EVE UPON THE NORTH POLE (Inspired by “A Visit from St. Nicholas” by Clement Moore) ‘Twas the night before Christmas upon the North Pole. Not a creature was sleeping, not one single soul. All the elves were done working, now cozy in bed, While Christmas Eve jitters danced around in their head. Did they make enough gifts for the good girls and boys? Would the children wake up to find half-broken toys? Then from the shop, they all heard a great BANG! And the high-tech security elf alarm rang. They put on their shoes and ran down in a flash To make sure some thief wasn’t after their stash. When they turned on the lights, can you guess who appeared? It was jolly St. Nick with his white fuzzy beard. “Santa!” they yelled, “We’re surprised that you’re back. Did your suit rip again? Do you need a new sack?” He said, “Comet is tired, so are Vixen and Prancer, And Cupid is mad at both Blitzen and Dancer.” “Dasher and Donder have just run away- I can’t do my job if they don’t pull my sleigh.” “Go up on the roof and help save Christmas Day!” The elves did just that, without one word to say. But a reindeer dilemma is not what they found, From Cupid to Comet, they were all safe and sound. They saw Christmas trees and stockings galore, And enough milk and cookies, that they’d never need more. With no explanation and without a goodbye, Santa hopped on his sleigh and started to fly. So there they all were, on the roof by themselves, When they noticed a sign that read, “WE LOVE THE ELVES!” And children popped up from behind rows of trees. They were hiding all over, behind tables and wreathes. They circled the elves as they started to cheer So loudly that elves at the South Pole could hear! And under the tree, which was grandest of all, Presents were waiting, some large and some small, Some wrapped with bows, some with bells that would jingle, But each with a note that was signed by Kris Kringle. All the elves got a gift, and they liked every one. Just a few trades were made before gifting was done. By the end, they were speechless with such gratitude. (And elves always talk, unless chewing their food.) It was time to turn in, for the younger elves’ sake. They’d be working tomorrow (enough of this break). And as he lay down to sleep, filled with holiday spirit, A little elf spoke, but it was quite hard to hear it. He whispered the words with a childish delight, “Merry Christmas to all, and to all a goodnight…” VI CLOUDPLAY Everyday nightly, the clouds get together. They all float with ease since they’re light as a feather. They form into shapes, like a man molding clay, And they laugh at each other because that’s how they play. The wind swirls around and it sets them off spinning, While the moon keeps an eye on them, constantly grinning. And the stars start to twinkle and whistle a tune, Which never gets old for the ocean and moon. The waves applaud loudly by crashing the shore, While the trees grow up higher to listen some more. If you wander outside and you look up by chance, You may catch the clouds in the midst of their dance. But you have to be quick because clouds move along, And they float through the sky at the end of the song. They drift all directions, this way and that, The fluffy clouds, droopy clouds, skinny and fat. And when each of them settles in its own patch of sky, They’re sad that it’s over, and some of them cry. A tear from a cloud is not like yours or mine. It falls from the sky in a very straight line. It wets all the grass and it splashes the lakes. And the animals love all the sounds that it makes. We know those tears by their other name-rain. (If you ask me, that word is entirely too plain.) So remember, the next time the clouds cry at night, The dance is now over and it’s time to sleep tight! VII DAMSEL IN A DRESS There once lived a brave knight who was always saving princesses. One day he rode by a tower with a princess inside and a horrible dragon nearby. The knight charged at the dragon and drove him off. Victorious, he burst through the tower door and found the princess. “I am here to save you!” said the brave knight. “Save me from what?” asked the princess, looking angrily at her broken door. “Why, the horrible dragon that I chased away, of course,” said the brave knight. “That dragon was my pet and there’s nothing horrible about him!” she yelled. “You’d better get him back or you’ll never be a knight again,” she said (and she meant it). The brave knight left right away to find the dragon that he was no longer allowed to call horrible. The dragon was already miles away because dragons fly quickly after a knight charges at them. It took the knight days to find the dragon who was resting in a cave. The brave knight crept up on the beast as he slept. The dragon was having such a wonderful dream that fire came shooting out of his nose. (You see, dragons breathe fire when they are scared and angry, but also when they are very happy.) The fire made the brave knight’s armor extremely hot, so he started removing it until he was wearing only the raggedy clothes underneath. He took his armor and horse outside before waking the dragon. “Excuse me,” said the knight to the dragon. “Mmmrph,” said the dragon. “I’ve been chased from my home by a horrible knight. Leave me alone!” “That’s awful,” said the brave knight, realizing that the dragon did not recognize him, “but maybe it was just a mistake. What if the knight is not so horrible after all?” “He is the most horrible knight ever!” answered the dragon. “I hope I never see him again.” “If you take me to your home, I will talk to him for you and sort all of this out,” said the knight. Before they left, the knight snuck outside, set his armor on the horse, and told it to ride back to the tower. Riding on top of the dragon, it did not take long for the knight to find the princess’s tower. “I don’t see him,” said the knight, “where is the horrible knight?” “I don’t know,” said the dragon. After a few short hours of looking for the knight, they saw a horse who came riding up to them, carrying shiny armor on his back (horses are much faster without knights riding on them). “That is the horse and that is the armor of the horrible knight,” said the dragon. “Oh no,” said the knight, “It looks like he is gone. A knight does not usually leave his horse or take off his armor. But what will become of his kingdom? The townspeople will need a new knight to fight for them.” “You could take over for him!” said the dragon who was now so happy that fire shot out of his nose again. So the knight put on the armor, and it fit extremely well. He hopped on the horse and rode it perfectly. The dragon was very impressed. With the pet dragon now safely home, the brave knight went inside to tell the princess the good news. “That’s fantastic!” said the princess, “Now you have time to fix that door that you broke.” As the brave knight fixed the tower door, the dragon watched him and laid down for a nap. The dragon felt much better knowing that despite the same armor, this new knight was not so horrible. VIII DISHWASHIA! Who washes the dishes, inside the dishwasher? It can’t be the work of the furry mish-mosher You might think they’re cleaned by a set of scrub-tubbers Or even a pair of guck blasting dirt clubbers I assure you, my friends, that this isn’t the case Creatures like those don’t belong in this place The truth is more simple, without clubbing troubles It’s a traveling crew of tiny blue bubbles The dishwashing bubbles are famously famous As you probably know, so no need to explain this At first a few bubbles go collect the detergent They spread it around, in a manner most urgent The smart bubbles talk and they formulate plans While younger ones scour the pots and the pans DJ Bubbles is always in charge of the tunes As they dance down the forks and then dance up the spoons Parachute Bubbles drop down from above And they ski down the plates to help give them a scrub Then out comes the water from every direction But not from up top, that’s the only exception When the warm water sprays, if you’re not very choosy The teacups get filled and they make a jacuzzi Some bubbles swim round, in the pool at the bottom Where goggles are best for your eyes if you got ‘em The talented bubbles put on soap-sudsy skates And they fly down the bowls to jump over the plates Every once in a while there’s a new kind of mess And only a master of dishwash-i-ness Could possibly clean such a strange gucky muck And no everyday bubble would have any luck That’s when they call in the world’s greatest cleaner She’s a little pink bubble, as you know if you’ve seen her. She studies the stain and she tests out the dirt She doesn’t use water, not even a squirt Before you can blink she has cleaned it all up It’s not on the pots, or the forks, or the cups She cleans the whole place, in a short little while She can’t help herself, it is kind of her style And then comes the part that the bubbles like least When the dishes are clean for their next messy feast And the water shuts off and the steam starts to fade And the bubbles slide off in a farewell parade Soon they’ll be needed to scrub up more food And more dirty dishes will lighten their mood IX HOW THE FIREFLY GOT ITS LIGHT Back in the days before the days, the sun and the moon were always in the sky. There was no nighttime, and there was no daytime. The sun and moon were quite content in the sky together. After a while, the animals called to the sun and the moon and asked them to come listen for a moment. The Moon came swooping down and was followed by the sun. “We do not know when to start sleeping,” said the elephant to the moon, “because you are always so full in the sky.” “And we do not know when to wake,” said the zebra to the sun, “because you are always out and never rising.” All but the sleepy-headed dulfly were there to complain. The sleepy-headed dulfly looked like a firefly, but he did not glow in anyway like you are used to. His body was dark and dull and all together boring. The sun, because he was always a little brighter than the moon, thought hard about what to do. “I will stay in the sky half of the time,” said the sun,” and the moon will stay in the sky when I am not so that you may know when to sleep. But one of you will have to signal when it is time for us to switch, for that is how these things are done, and otherwise we will not know.” “It cannot be me,” said the lion, “I am far too busy tending to the plains.” “It cannot be me,” said the monkey, “I am far too busy picking fruit from the trees.” One by one, all the animals explained why they could not possibly be the one to help the moon and the sun. One by one, until only the sleepy-headed dulfly remained. “Wake up dulfly!” yelled the sun. “Why do you bother me?” asked the sleepy-headed dulfly. The sun replied, “My friend the moon and I must part ways, and this makes me sad. But it is the only way that the animals can sleep well. So once a day you will signal me to rise, and the moon will know that it is time to fall, and we will call it dawn. And once more you signal the moon to rise, and I will know that it is time for me to set, and we will call it dusk.” “I couldn’t possibly!“ said the sleepy-headed dulfly, “How could I signal someone as large as you, when I am so small. You will not be able to see me!” The sun breathed in slowly and then sent a burst of light right into the dulfly’s behind where it stayed glowing brightly. “Owwwwwww!” screamed the sleepy-headed dulfly who was now very frightened of the sun. The sun commanded him in a loud voice, “You will fly around and flash the light in your behind at dusk and dawn, and the moon and I will know that it is time to switch. The rest of the time you may sleep.” Ever since that day, the sleepy-headed dulfly has been known as the firefly, and the sun and the moon have risen and set without fail because he does his job well. And so, if you are outside at dawn or dusk and you happen to catch a firefly, you must be sure to let him go because even though he is small, it is he who decides when the sun rises and sets. X I DON'T WANT A HAIRCUT Sammy and haircuts didn’t get along. “I don’t need a haircut!” he would always argue. One day Sammy got his worst haircut yet. After that, he decided he would never get another haircut again. For a while he loved his long hair. It grew past his eyes, and he liked how it blew in every direction when it was windy outside. It grew past his nose, and he liked how it moved when he shook his head around. It grew past his chin, and he didn’t miss the barber at all. But as his hair got longer, some things got harder. It was harder for Sammy to see since the hair covered his eyes. He ate two stacks of napkins before he realized they weren’t pancakes. It was also harder for Sammy to wash his hair since it was so long. In the shower, he found two potato chips and a paper clip stuck in his hair. It was even harder for Sammy to wear hats. His baseball cap couldn’t possibly fit on a head with so much hair. His hair grew past his shoulders, and Sammy didn’t know what to do with it. It grew past his belly button, and Sammy wasn’t enjoying his long hair as much as he used to. It grew past his feet, and Sammy kept tripping over it. Sammy was not so happy with his long hair anymore. Finally, one morning his parents had enough, so they marched up to his room to take him to the barber. But by that time his hair had filled up the entire room, and it was still growing! Sammy squeezed out the front door, and his hair followed behind. He sat in the backseat of the car, and his hair dragged behind him. His parents sat him in the barber chair, and his hair filled up the entire shop! When the haircut was over Sammy felt great. When he looked in the mirror he decided that maybe he was wrong about haircuts. Everyone was happy… except for the barber who spent the next three days cleaning up all the hair he had cut. XI IN SPACE I’ve decided I’m moving, I’m running away. I’m bored of this room, and I’d rather not stay. The best place to live for a girl such as me Is in space with no rules and no gravity. My cat Bill and I will need astronaut suits. Our feet should be fine if we take some snow boots. We’ll wear yellow gloves that you use to wash dishes, Since dad doesn’t use them, like mom says she wishes. For my helmet, I’m going to bring a fishbowl. My goldfish won’t mind since Bill swallowed them whole. For the rest, I have found us some trash bags to wear. With our shiny new suits, we will be quite the pair! The spaceship dilemma is easy to fix. I built one last summer, you know, just for kicks. Space is enormous- you can fly all around. I bet I’ll see planets that nobody’s found! As for Space Monsters, I am not that afraid. A monster’s a friend that you haven’t yet made. First thing I’ll do is go looking for Saturn. I can fly through its rings in my zag and zig pattern. Next I’ll go zipping by Venus and Mars. It’s nice because spaceships are faster than cars. Bill thinks that on Neptune there are birds everywhere. I think he’ll be mad if we don’t stop by there. Mercury seems like a great place to tan, But it might be too hot if I don’t pack a fan. When I’m hungry I’ll munch on some Jupiter fruit. I hope that the juice doesn’t drip on my suit. On Uranus I’ll put on a wonderful play. The whole solar system can come, if they pay. It’s freezing on Pluto, especially at night, But it’s famous for hosting the best snowball fight. Eventually I will fly back to the Earth. It’s really quite beautiful, for what it’s worth. I guess there’s no rush to explore space just yet. There are creatures down here that I still haven’t met. I can’t help but dream about all that’s in space. But for now I’ll enjoy what is here in this place. XII JERRY'S BOX Jerry woke up on Monday. He grabbed a box he was keeping under his bed. When he came downstairs, his parents asked him what was inside. “Something really fun,” he said, but nothing more. Jerry walked to his bus stop with the box in his hands. Everybody at the bus stop asked him what was in it. “It’s very important,” he said, but nothing more. When he got to school, the teacher asked him what was in his box. “It’s a secret,” he said, but nothing more. At lunch his friends all crowded around and asked him to open it. “I can’t-it’s a gift,” he said, but nothing more. The box sat with him all day, and no one in class could think about anything else. His teacher didn’t let Jerry know, but she was curious too. She decided to send him to the principal for disturbing the class, hoping to get an answer. The principal asked Jerry what he was keeping in the box and if it was dangerous. “It’s not for you,” he said, but nothing more. Jerry went back to class and sat down. The entire class was watching as he handed the teacher a note from the principal. “Well, if it’s a gift, Jerry, I suggest you deliver it now.” Jerry turned around and faced the class. He walked down the aisle and stopped at the desk of Oscar. Oscar’s eyes lit up. Nobody paid attention to Oscar. Nobody talked to Oscar. And nobody had ever stopped at Oscar’s desk, until now. Jerry handed him the box, with a new note tucked inside. Oscar read the note. “Dear Oscar, This is my box. Enjoy. P.S. It works better if you don’t open it!” On Tuesday, nobody had more people at his desk than Oscar. XIII MARTIN AND THE WAVE Martin was hot as he sat by the shore. They’d come for the ocean, but he liked the sand more. “The water is fine, come on in!” said his dad. But the waves looked so big, that idea sounded bad. His mother insisted, “You should go in.” No point in fighting- his mother would win. She covered his face up with strong suntan lotion, Then they walked down to the edge of the ocean. His pinky toe was first to enter, Then the big toe, front and center. An hour later he was up to his knee, And he was turned round, so he didn’t see… A monstrous wave came up from behind, It knocked off his suit (which was quite hard to find). The wave knocked him down, and he cried for a while. It was half a day later before he could smile. “I’ll never go back, not ever!” he said. “I’ll stay in my room, under covers in bed.” Martin was happy, that he’d arrived home, But that wave was special: it knew how to roam. The wave was now hiding behind his oak tree. When it peaked out at him, Martin could see. He ran inside quickly and slammed his front door. What would a wave want to follow him for? The wave didn’t leave- it was always around. He could tell where it was by the swoosh-swooshing sound. He heard it at dinner while eating some rice, But no one else could, he even asked twice! The wave followed close on his way back from school. When someone was coming, it hid in a pool. It was waiting outside while Martin was playing, Pretending to be water that the sprinkler was spraying. By the end of the week, Martin was through. He needed it gone, and he knew what to do. He went to the ocean, on the very next day. He turned to the wave and had something to say. “I’m sick of you wave, now get back in there,” Being scared of this wave was too hard to bear. He jumped in the water, the wave jumped in too, “Let’s settle this now, just me and you!” The wave came up fast, but Martin was brave, He was no longer scared of this meddlesome wave. With both arms stretched out, he rode the wave back. It seemed that with swimming, he had a knack. For the rest of day, Martin had fun, With the water, the waves, the sand and the sun. The wave didn’t scare him, once he gave it a try, And when he left the water, he waved it goodbye. XIV MICROBUG TUG Microbug Tug is small. He’s smaller than a peanut. He’s even smaller than a crumb! MicroBug Tug wants to go on a vacation, and he’s visiting the human body. The problem is, he doesn’t know his way around too well, and he gets lost very easily. Can you help him figure out where he is? Tug is in a deep cave. He’s surrounded by two rows of white stumps, one row on top and one row on bottom. It looks like there’s some food caught between two of them. Do you know where he is? He’s in the Mouth! Well, that’s not where he wants to be- he might get eaten! He moves on and now he’s crawled inside a funny looking shape. Every sound is louder inside. He can hear an echo as the sound bounces around and hits a “drum.” Do you know where he is? He’s in the ear! Tug can’t enjoy his vacation with all that racket. He climbs up further until he’s surrounded by tall stalks everywhere. There are thousands of them all next to each other and when a wind comes, they get blown all around. Do you know where he is? He’s in the hair! Tug sees something coming towards the hair and hops on when it gets there. Now there are five things he’s never seen before next to him. Four of them are longer, and one of them is shorter. Each of them has a hard plate on the tip of it. Sometimes they point, sometimes they wiggle, and sometimes they get together and snap! Do you know where Tug is? He’s on the hand! Gosh, there’s way too much excitement on the hand, so Tug hops off when the hand starts scratching another part of the body. Now he’s looking into two tunnels and air is coming in and out of each of them. Tug notices that he’s close to the mouth again. It looks like there are some short hairs inside, but he doesn’t want to get any closer. Do you know where he is now? He’s in the nose! All of a sudden there is a SNEEZE! Tug is thrown in the air until he falls into a bowl shaped hole. He crawls to the top, but there’s nothing close by. It’s like he’s in the middle of nowhere, or maybe it’s the middle of the human body? Do you know where he is? He’s in the belly button! Wow, you really know the human body! Tug would be lost without you, but he has had it with this vacation. The human body is not for him, so he grabs his bag and hops off. Thanks for helping! XV MUDDY FEET When I woke, my feet were clean, Spotless with a sparkling sheen. First things first, I put on socks, Then my shoes to walk on rocks. Shoes are great for tricky jumps Over puddles, logs, or stumps. Once I laid them on the floor, Off I went, out the door. Just before I reached the grass, Down came raindrops falling fast. They weren’t cold, I didn’t mind. Warm rain is my favorite kind. Hitting dirt, it mished and moshed. Pretty soon it splished and sploshed. The ground was wet and getting wetter. Dirt is nice, but mud is better. ‘Cause nothing ever will compete With hopping round on muddy feet. I like grass between my toes Even though it stains my clothes. I like sand from on the beach. It gets in places hard to reach. With leaves, I like them by the pile. Never fails to make me smile. But nothing’s even half as sweet As hopping round with muddy feet. So that is why my shoes came off And that is why I caught a cough. All stuffed up and feeling ill, I wonder if my mother will Clean the dirt that’s on my sheet From laying here with muddy feet. XVI MY DOG IS FROM NEPTUNE Don’t get me wrong, I think my dog is the greatest, but it just so happens that he’s not from this planet. My parents are part-time astronauts, and one weekend they took a trip to Neptune (they love it in the summer). Sometimes when they go to outer space, they bring me back space rocks or plants from Mars or my favorite dish, Pluto pancakes, but not this time… When they arrived home from Neptune (after they parked their space ship in the garage), they had a big cage with them. I had never seen a creature like what was inside, so I named it after the first thing it ate: a shoe. They said that Shoe was the smartest dog on Neptune. He could play dead, roll over, shuffle cards, cook, and use a computer. BUT, since I don’t speak Neptunian, I couldn’t get him to do any of those things, and I had to start teaching him all over again. I think that on Neptune dogs must eat human food because Shoe likes to eat what I’m eating, but he hates his earthly dog food. He’s a lot faster than any of the earth dogs in the neighborhood. He can beat any of them in a race, but he never rubs it in, because all Neptunians are good sports. I think dogs and squirrels are sworn enemies on Neptune because Shoe is always barking at them. Also, I think that on Neptune, dog bowls are shaped like toilets because Shoe loves drinking from ours. Shoe can eat more food than ANYONE on earth ever could. I know this for certain because my uncle can eat the most food in the entire world, and Shoe eats more than he does for a snack. I think that Neptune is as good a place as any to come from, and I’m glad Shoe is from there. I wouldn’t change a single thing about him. Next weekend my mom and dad are going to Saturn for a barbeque. Shoe and I are both hoping that they don’t bring back a cat. XVII NEIGHBORS When I go to bed, I just lay down my head On a bed goes my head, when I lay down for bed In a room sits my bed, with four legs on the floor On a bed in a room with a floor and a door A door with a lock to a house that’s my home A home with a door to the street where I roam A bed in a room in a house on my street In a house with a floor for my bed where I sleep A room in my house in a town, on my block In my town at my house is the door with a lock On my street, here on the Earth, in the center of town On top of the Earth that is spinning us round On the Earth in my house with four legs on the floor On my bed, in our galaxy, with a front door