Max冬冬

This is Kate. She lives in a safe little nest in a tree.
Kate lives in a safe little nest in a tree in the country.
Kate likes her special place.
She likes to wake up with the sun and sing.
She sits in the shade of the tree.
She likes to wade in the lake.
This is Jane. She lives in a house at the end of the street.
Jane lives in a house at the end of the street in a big town.
One day, Kate said, “I will go over to Jane’s house! I will take this map and follow it to town.”
Jane met Kate at the gate.
Jane and Kate had lots of fun.
They ate cakes and played games.
They skated to the gate.
“Isn’t my town the best place in the world?” Jane asked.
“No,” said Kate. “The country is the best place on earth!”
They giggled. “In all the world, we have our own special places!”

Chapter 9 Put Those Books Away

As soon as I got home from school, I went up to my big sister Amy’s room.
Amy is in fifth grade, so she knows lots of things.
“You’ve got to help me!” I said. “If the school reads a million pages in books, Principal Klutz will put on a gorilla suit and let us turn the school into a videogame arcade!”
“I would do anything to see that,” Amy said.
Amy knows how to work the computer really well. She helped me make posters that said
LET’ S TURN OUR SCHOOL INTO A VIDEO-GAME ARCADE!
and LET’ S TURN PRINCIPAL KLUTZ INTO A GORILLA!
We tacked the posters up all over Main Street. Amy sent e-mails and instant messages to all the kids in the fifth grade. The next morning we tacked the posters up all over school. I passed them out to the kids I saw. Mrs. Roopy, the school librarian, said we could put up some posters in the library. Mr. Sacco, the custodian, said we could put some up in the lunchroom and the bathrooms. Ms. Hynde, the music teacher, said we could put some up in the music room.
By the middle of the day, everyone in the school was reading like crazy! Kids were reading during lunch. Kids were reading during recess! Kids were plowing their way through books and then running to the school library to ask Mrs. Roopy if they could check out more. I read a book about frogs, and I don’t even care anything about frogs.
Some of the teachers were starting to get mad, because kids were reading books when they were supposed to be doing other things.
“Please put those books away,” Miss Daisy had to tell us. “It’s time for reading.”
Miss Daisy said she was sorry that she wouldn’t be able to help us very much because she didn’t know how to read. But she was nice enough to draw a big mural in the hallway with a giant thermometer on it. Every time we read a lot of pages, she would make the temperature line on the thermometer go up. At the top of the thermometer were the words One million .
Soon kids were bursting into our room and yelling, “Mrs. Biggs’s class has read another five hundred pages!” and “Miss Hasenfratz says to add another six hundred pages!” It was fun watching the temperature go up.
At the end of a week, our school had read almost a half a million pages!

A couple of mice lived in a dusty attic with their only child.
His name was Matthew.
In one corner of the attic, draped with cobwebs, were piles of newspapers, books, and magazines, an old broken lamp, and the sad remains of a doll.
That was Matthew's corner.
The mice were very poor, but they had high hopes for Matthew.
He would grow up to be a doctor, perhaps.
Then they would have Parmesan cheese for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
But when they asked Matthew what he wanted to be, he said,
"I don't know...I want to see the world."
One day Matthew and his classmates were taken to the museum.
It was the first time.
They were amazed at what they saw.
There was a huge portrait of King Mouse the Fourth, dressed like a general.
And next to it was a picture of cheese that made Matthew drool.
There were winged mice that floated through the air and mice with horns and bushy tails.
And mountains and rushing streams, and branches bowing in the wind.
The world is all here, thought Matthew.
Entranced, Matthew wandered from room to room gazing at the paintings.
There were some that he didn't understand at first.
One looked like crusts of pastry, but when he looked more carefully, a mouse emerged.
Then, turning a corner, Matthew found himself face to face with another little mouse.
She smiled at him.
"I am Nicoletta," she said.
"Aren't these paintings wonderful?"
That night Matthew had a strange dream.
He dreamed that he and Nicoletta were walking, hand in hand, in an immense, fantastic painting.
As they walked, playful patches of color shifted under their feet,
and all around them suns and moons moved gently to the sound of distant music.
Matthew had never been so happy.
He embraced Nicoletta.
"Let's stay here forever," he wispered.
Matthew woke with a start.
He was alone.
Nicoletta had faded with his dream.
The gray dreariness of his attic corner appeared to him in all its bleak misery.
Tears came to his eyes.
But then, as if by magic, what Matthew saw began to change.
The shape hugged each other and the pale colors of the messy junk heap brightened.
Even the crumpled newspapers now looked soft and smooth.
And from afar Matthew thought he heard the notes of a familiar music.
He ran to his parents' corner.
"I know!" he said. "Now I know! I want to be a painter!"
Matthew became a painter.
He worked hard and painted large canvases filled with the shapes and colors of joy.
The he married Nicoletta.
In time he became famous, and mice from all over the world came to see and buy his paintings.
His largest painting now hangs in the museum.
When asked about the title, Matthew smiles.
"The title?" he says as if he had never thought about it before.
"My dream."

Olivia was depressed.
"I think I'm having an identity crisis," she told her parents.
"I don’t know what I should be!"
"Well," said her father, "you‘ll always be my little princess!"
"That's the problem," said Olivia. "All the girls want to be princesses."
"At Pippa's birthday party, they were all dressed in big, pink, ruffly skirts with sparkles and little crowns and sparkly wands. Including some of the boys."
"I chose a simple French sailor shirt, matador pants, black flats, a strand of pearls, sunglasses, a red bag, and my gardening hat."
"Why is it always a pink princess? Why not an Indian princess or a princess from Thailand or an African princess or a princess from China?"
"There are alternatives."
"For the school dance recital, everyone was trying out for the fairy princess ballerina. Even a couple of the boys."
"But, Olivia," said her mother, "I seem to remember last year you wanting to be a ballerina."
"That was when I was little."
"I'm trying to develop a more stark, modern style."
"Olivia, it's time for your bath," said her mother.
"And on Halloween," said Olivia, "what did all the girls go as?"
"Princesses."
"Princesses!"
"I went as a warthog. It was very effective."
"If everyone's a princess, then princesses aren't special any more!" said Olivia.
"Why do they all want to be the same?"
After her bath, Olivia's mother read her a story.
It was about a beautiful maiden who was locked in a tower by an evil queen.
"When a prince came along, rescued her, and made her his——"
"Not his princess!" cried Olivia.
"Fine," said her mother, who was tiring of this discussion.
"I'll read you the story of the Little Match Girl. Once there was a little girl who was forced to sell matches barefoot in the snow."
"The matches kept her warm for a while, but all too soon they ran out..."
"Oh, Mommy, that's so sad," said Olivia, tearing up.
"I may not want to be a princess, but I wouldn't want to be freezing in the snow."
Her mother said, "Well, I want you to be ASLEEP in five minutes!"
"But first read me the story about Little Riding Hood!"
"No, Olivia, it's bedtime."
"Just the parts where everyone gets eaten. Please?"
"No. I'm turning out the light."
Olivia lay in the dark trying to sleep, but her brain wouldn't let her.
"Maybe I could be a nurse and devote myself to the sick and the elderly."
"I could use my brothers to practice bandaging."
"And various other treatments."
"Or maybe adopt orphants from all over the world!"
"Or I could be a reporter and expose corporate malfeasance."
Hmm...
Then it occurred to her.
"I know...
"I want to be queen."

It is fall.
The leaves change colors.
They turn yellow and red.
We are driving in the car.
We drive to the Fall Festival.
Lots of critters are there.
We bring a wagon to hold the things we buy.
I see so many apples.
I try one.
Mom pays the man.
Little Sister has apple cider.
She spills it.
It is sticky.
We go on a hayride.
There is not much hay.
We ride through a field full of pumpkins.
I watch a critter shoot pumpkins into the air.
They go SPLAT!
It is fun to watch.
We walk to the apple trees.
I see critters picking apples.
I get to pick apples, too.
Dad buys the apples that we pick.
Mom will make many apple pies.
Yum! I eat another apple.
Mom says, "No more apples."
Next we look for a Halloween pumpkin.
Some pumpkins are too small.
Some pumpkins are too funny looking.
I find the perfect pumpkin.
It is big.
Mom finds the perfect pumpkin, too.
It is not so big.
We play the horseshoe game.
We each get three throws.
We can win prizes.
I go first.
I aim.
I throw.
I fly. Whoops!
I forgot to let go.
Dad goes next.
He wins every time.
He wins a bunny for Little Sister and a bear for me.
It is time to go home.
Little Sister pulls the wagon.
I help her.
Dad carries the pumpkin.
Mom picks up the apples that we drop.
I think fall is great, but I ate too many apples.

I am just a little sick today.
Mom says, "No school. You need to stay in bed."
Being just a little sick is fun.
I get breakfast in bed. Yay!
It is just plain toast. Yuck!
"I want Fruity Crunch," I say.
Mom says, "You are too sick. Go to bed."
"I am not too sick to play video games."
"Yes, you are," says Mom.
"Now go to bed and rest."
I am not too sick to fly to the moon on my rocket ship.
"The rocket ship ran out of gas," Mom says.
"It needs to rest."
I am too sick to build a tent on my bed.
I am hiding from my bear.
Suddenly I don&`&t feel good.
My bear and I go to find Mom.
Mom sends me back to bed.
She takes my temperature.
"You have a fever," says Mom.
I say, "I am sleepy."
I wake up from my nap.
I feel great!
I get dressed.
I will go out to play.
Mom says, "Oh, good, you are all dressed.
Let&`&s go to the doctor."
But I am not sick anymore," I say.
Mom takes me to the dotcor anyway.
We wait and wait.
I put on a funny-looking robe.
The back is open.
The doctor checks my throat, my nose, and my ears.
The doctor gives Mom something to make me feel better.
We go home.
I can&`&t wait to go out and play with my friends.
"Oh no," says Mom.
"The doctor said you have to rest all day."
I am tired of resting!
I ask, "Can I please go to school tomorrow?"
I changed my mind.
Being just a little sick is no fun.

Dad goes to the basement.
He has work to do.
I am working, too.
I am working with my tools.
I am tired of working.
I hear my dad walking up the basement stairs.
He calls me.
He needs my help.
The door is stuck.
I will help.
I twist and turn the doorknob.
I can&`&t open the door.
I say, "I will get keys.
Keys will open the door.
They are hanging in the hall."
I climb up and get them.
There are many keys.
I try them all. Oops!
One breaks off.
"Don&`&t worry, Dad," I say.
"I will call 9-1-1.
Stay there.
I&`&ll be right back."
I dial 9-1-1 on the telephone.
A very nice 9-1-1 lady answers the phone.
I say, "My dad is locked in the basement and can&`&t get out."
The 9-1-1 lady asks me my telephone number.
I tell her.
She asks what my address is.
I know my addess, too.
I tell her.
I tell Dad that help is on the way.
Suddenly, I am hungry.
I go to the kitchen.
I make a snack to eat until help arrives.
Soon I hear sirens.
First the police car comes.
Then the fire truck comes.
I see Fireman Joe.
"We have to get my dad out of the basement.
Follow me," I tell everyone.
I will show them where to go.
Fireman Joe tells Dad to stand back.
Fireman Joe takes a big ax.
He breaks down the door.
Hooray! Dad is safe!
Everyone helps take the broken door outside.
The policemen say goodbye.
The firemen say goodbye.
"Thank you and good-bye!" I say.
Dad says I am a hero.
I just called 9-1-1.

I am Little Critter.
This is Little Sister.
She is my little sister.
That is Dog.
He is our dog.
Wow! Look at all the snow!
Dog likes snow.
Little Sister likes snow.
I like snow, too.
We play in the snow.
I dig in the snow.
Little Sister rolls in the snow.
We make snowballs.
We throw snowballs.
Oops!
Sorry, Little Sister.
We make a snowman.
We roll some big snowballs.
One, two, three.
One snowball on the bottom.
The next one goes on top.
This one goes on the very top.
Ta-da!
Little Sister puts on the hat.
I put on the nose.
Dog puts on the arms.
Then we put on the eyes.
Hello, Snowman!
Time for lunch, Snowman!
What does a snowman eat?
Snowball soup!
We make a pot of snowball soup.
We give the snowman a spoon.
Eat all your soup, Snowman!
We go inside.
We eat soup for lunch, too!
Yum! Yum!
Thank you, Mom!
We go outside.
Oh, no! Dog is eating the snowball soup.
Silly dog!
Snowball soup is not for dogs.
That was for the snowman.
Don't worry, Snowman!
Time to make more snowball soup.
Yum! Yum!

Today my class is going to the firehouse!
I dress like a fireman.
Time to fight a fire!
This is Fireman Joe.
This is his dog, Sparky.
Sparky is a fire dog.
Fireman Joe has boots.
He has a jacket.
He has a helmet.
I have boots.
I have a jacket.
I do not have a heimet.
Joe slides down the pole.
Sparky howls.
That is what he does when there is a fire.
We see a fire truck.
It is big.
It is red.
It has hoses and a ladder.
Joe checks the hoses.
He lets me help.
Whoosh goes the water.
This hose is working fine.
Joe checks the ladder.
He goes up and up.
He is in the sky.
Hello, Fireman Joe!
Joe checks the siren.
It goes Ooo! Eee! Ooo!
The siren is very loud.
I cover my ears.
Joe tells us about fires.
He tells us smoke goes up.
When smoke go up,
we must go down to the floor.
I get on the floor.
Joe tells us what to do if we are on fire.
Stop, drop, and roll!
I stop, drop, and roll!
Fireman Joe smiles.
He has a surprise.
He reaches into his truck.
Helmets for everyone!
I put on my helmet.
Joe tells me I will be a good fireman one day.
Ding! Ding! goes the fire alarm.
I wave good-bye to Fireman Joe.
I wave good-bye to Sparky.
Time to fight a fire!
Fireman Joe is ready to go!
Sparky is, too.

This is my town.
This is where I live.
These are the people in my town.
They live here, too.
This is our post office.
The mail comes in here.
I come here to mail letters.
This is our fire station.
The fire truck lives here.
Oo! Ee! Oo! go the sirens.
When there is a fire, the firemen go to it.
They put the fire out.
This is our police station.
Police officers work here.
They keep our town safe.
This is our diner.
Sometimes we come here for lunch. Yum!
This is our town hall.
Our mayor works here.
Sometimes we have parades in our town.
This is our library.
I come here to find books to read.
During story hour, the librarian reads to us.
But when story hour is over we have to be quiet.
This is our movie theater.
I can buy my own ticket.
I like to get popcorn.
I am always extra careful.
This is our store.
Sometimes Mom and Dad let me walk here by myself.
This is our school.
My friends and I are in Miss Kitty&`&s class.
School is fun!
This is our park.
We play football here.
This is our bakery.
It has the best cupcakes.
This is the office of our town newspaper.
It is a busy place.
Look! Last week my picture was in the newspaper.
This is my town.
It is the nicest place in the whole world.