AnyOneCanRead®

Module B – Lessons 91 to 103

Lesson 91 – Part Eight

NEW WORDS: States, United, address, battery, beaming, celebrate, decides, drivers, driving, hail, hailed, liberty, license, listed, lower, offers, paycheck, priceless, railing, reminds, rushing, safely, shooting, sides, statue, stores, subs, torch, torches, weaving, welded, welding

The Visit

Kim was happy that she had found herself a summer job. “Let’s go and visit Mom,” she said. “She will be finished teaching by the time we get there.” Mrs. Gunter was a math teacher. She taught at a college in lower Manhattan.

Kim held up a hand to hail a cab. A yellow cab screeched to a stop on the side of the street. Kurt and Kim hopped in. “Where to?” asked the driver. Kim told him the address. The cab went shooting off. Wind came rushing in the windows as the cab sped past stores on both sides.

Kurt hung on tight. It was a crazy ride. The cab man was weaving in and out of traffic. Kurt thought they might crash. Part of him was frightened. But part of him found driving at that speed exciting. It was like riding in a race car. “Do you have a license to drive?” Kurt called to the driver.

“Yes. All cab drivers must have a license,” the driver said.

“And they teach you to drive like this?”

“No, no,” said the driver. “It takes years and years of driving to become an expert like me!” They made it safely. Kim paid the driver and gave him a tip. She and Kurt went in to see their mom.

Mrs. Gunter gave Kim a big hug. Kurt snuck in between them so he could be part of the hug, too. Then Kim told her mom how they had spent the day. Kim listed the places they had visited. She explained what had happened with Tom and Beth, with Alberto at the Corner Market, with Dwight, the Man of Light, with Hester the Florist, and, at last, with Mr. Fremont. She told her mom how she had used math to help her get the job at the grocery.

By the end of the story, Mrs. Gunter was beaming. “You see,” she said. “I told you math would help you out one day. You thought I was crazy.”

“You were right,” said Kim. “Mr. Fremont was really impressed that I could add up the tally without the cash register and also add in the sales tax.”

“Good for you!” said her mom. “I’m so proud of you!”

“I never dreamed I would have a job in a grocery,” added Kim, “but I think it’s going to be a good job for me.”

“It may not be the job of your dreams,” said her mom. “But it’s a job. The next job you get can be better. And the next one can be even better. If you study hard in college, you will have a chance to get the job of your dreams some day. Until then, just do a good job and save as much of your paycheck as you can.”

“I will,” said Kim.

“Let’s do something fun!” said Kurt.

“I know!” said their mom. “Let’s celebrate Kim’s new job by getting some subs and snacks and going down to Battery Park for a picnic. Are you two hungry for dinner?”

“You bet!” said Kurt.

“This is crazy!” Kim said. “Mom, all day, Kurt ate and ate. Each time I got him a snack, I said, that’s the end of that. But he was still hungry.”

“Well, he’s a strong, growing child,” said Mrs. Gunter. “And he was busy all day.”

“That’s right!” said Kurt.

They went to a sub shop nearby. Mrs. Gunter ordered a sub for each of them, plus some snacks and drinks. Then Mrs. Gunter hailed a cab. The three of them got in. The cab took them down the West Side Highway. It dropped them off in Battery Park, on the south end of Manhattan.

Battery Park

As the sun went down, Mrs. Gunter, Kim, and Kurt had a picnic in Battery Park. Kim was all set to relax. She was tired after her long day of job hunting.

After the picnic, Kurt went to the railing and pointed at the Statue of Liberty. “Why is the Statue of Liberty holding up an ice cream cone?” he asked.

Kim smiled. “Kurt! That’s not an ice cream cone! It’s a torch!”

“What’s a torch?”

“A torch is a stick with fire on one end,” said Kim.

“Fire is cool!” said Kurt.

“A torch is what they used in the old days when there were no lights,” Mrs. Gunter explained.

“I’ll bet Dwight, the Man of Light sells torches!” said Kurt.

Kim smiled. “And since it’s Dwight,” she said, “I’ll bet the price is right!”

Mrs. Gunter explained, “The Statue of Liberty was given to the United States by France.”

“You mean it was a gift?” Kurt asked. Mrs. Gunter nodded. “Man,” he said, “that’s one big present! They must have needed a big box to gift wrap it.”

“I think they sent it over here in parts and then welded the parts back together to make the statue.”

“Welding is cool!” said Kurt.

“There are cooler things in life than welding,” said Mrs. Gunter.

“Like what?” said Kurt.

“Like being free,” said Mrs. Gunter. “People here in the United States are free. Mr. Fremont is free to hire Kim or not hire her. And Kim is free to take the job he offers her or not. Later on, if Kim decides to try to find a different job, she is free to do it. If we decide to pack up our stuff and leave Brooklyn, we are free to do it. Also, we are free to say what we feel like saying. That’s what liberty means. It means being free to do what you wish, say what you wish, and think what you wish. Do you understand?” Kurt nodded.

Mrs. Gunter went on, “The Statue of Liberty reminds us that we are free. It reminds us that liberty is a priceless thing.”

Kurt looked back at the Statue of Liberty. He was thinking of all the things he was free to be when he got bigger: a baseball player, a shop owner, a banker, a baker, a race car driver, a spaceship driver. “I see what you mean,” he said. “Liberty is even cooler than welding.”

Kurt helped Kim and his mom clean up the picnic. They tossed their trash into a trash can. Then they went to the subway stop to catch a train back to Brooklyn.

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Lesson 92 – Poems And Rhymes

NEW WORDS: Bessy, Charley, Charley’s, Earth’s, Surrey, abroad, arriving, bananas, bloom, bosom, bound, breast, chasing, curving, darling, diller, dollar, dresses, elephant’s, fireside, flit, frisking, girlfriend, goslings, grasshopper, greeting, hammer, honeybunch, hurrying, hushabye, intimately, lain, leafy, lickety, millpond, nail, poems, pressed, pushing, racing, raindrops, scholar, scurrying, settling, shepherd, shepherd’s, sliding, snuggle, softly, somebody, squiggling, summer’s, swerving, tearing, thousand, tiniest, toothpaste, toothsome, tulips, tumble, umbrella, umbrellas, whisking, whizzing, wiggling, worrying

The Old Woman Of Surrey

There was an old woman in Surrey,
Who was morn, noon, and night in a hurry,
Called her husband a fool,
Drove the children to school,
The worrying old woman of Surrey.

Fish

Look at them flit, lickety–split.
Wiggling, squiggling, swerving, curving.
Hurrying, scurrying, chasing, racing.
Whizzing, whisking, flying, frisking.

Tearing around,
With a leap and a bound,
But none of them making the
Tiniest, tiniest, tiniest, tiniest sound.

Poem By Mary Ann Hoberman

Ride Away

Ride away, ride away,
Johnny shall ride,
And he shall have kitty-cat,
Tied to one side.

He shall have little dog,
Tied to the other,
And Johnny shall ride,
To see his grandmother.

A Diller, A Dollar

A diller, a dollar,
A ten o’clock scholar,
What makes you come so soon?
You used to come at ten o’clock,
But now you come at noon!

Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear

Teddy Bear,
Teddy Bear,
Turn around.

Teddy Bear,
Teddy Bear,
Touch the ground.

Teddy Bear,
Teddy Bear,
Show your shoe.

Teddy Bear,
Teddy Bear,
That will do.

Teddy Bear,
Teddy Bear,
Go upstairs.

Teddy Bear,
Teddy Bear,
Say your prayers.

Teddy Bear,
Teddy Bear,
Turn out the light.

Teddy Bear,
Teddy Bear,
Say good night.

Tumbling

In jumping and tumbling,
We spend the whole day,
Till night by arriving,
Has finished our play.

What, then? One and all,
There’s no more to be said,
As we tumbled all day,
So we tumble to bed.

Hushabye My Darling

Hushabye my darling,
Don’t you make a peep.
Little creatures everywhere,
Are settling down to sleep.

Fishes in the millpond,
Goslings in the barn,
Kitten by the fireside,
Baby in my arms.

Listen to the raindrops,
Singing you to sleep.
Hushabye my darling,
Don’t you make a peep.

Poem By Clyde Watson

There’s Music In A Hammer

There’s music in a hammer.
There’s music in a nail.
There’s music in a kitty cat,
When you step upon her tail.

An Autumn Greeting

“Come,” said the Wind to the Leaves one day.
“Come over the meadow and we will play.
Put on your dresses of red and gold.
For summer is gone and the days grow cold.”

Charley

Charley’s neat, and Charley’s sweet,
Charley, he’s a dandy.
Every time he goes to town,
He gives his girlfriend candy!

Under The Ground

What is under the grass,
Way down in the ground,
Where everything is cool and wet,
With darkness all around?

Little pink worms live there.
Ants and brown bugs creep,
Softly round the stones and rocks,
Where roots are pushing deep.

Do they hear us walking,
On the grass above their heads,
Hear us running over,
While they snuggle in their beds?

Poem By Rhoda W. Bacmeister

Three Children On The Ice

Three children sliding on the ice,
Upon a summer’s day,
As it fell out, they all fell in,
The rest, they ran away.

Oh, had these children been at school,
Or sliding on dry ground,
Ten thousand dollars is my bet,
That they would not have drowned.

You parents who have children dear,
And you, too, who have none,
If you would keep them safe abroad,
Then keep them safe at home.

Trees

I think that I shall never see,
A poem as lovely as a tree.
A tree whose hungry mouth is pressed,
Against the Earth’s sweet flowing breast.

A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray.
A tree that may in summer wear,
A nest of robins in her hair.

Upon whose bosom snow has lain,
Who intimately live with rain.
Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.

Poem By Sergeant Joyce Kilmer

Way Down South

Way down South,
Where bananas grow,
A grasshopper stepped,
On an elephant’s toe.

The elephant said,
With tears in his eyes,
“Pick on somebody,
Who’s your own size.”

Umbrellas

Umbrellas bloom,
Along our street,
Like flowers on a stem.

And almost everyone
I meet,
Is holding one of them.

Under my umbrella-top,
Splashing through the town,
I wonder why the tulips
Hold umbrellas
Up-side-down!

Poem By Barbara Juster Esbensen

Tommy Snooks

As Tommy Snooks and Bessy Brooks,
Were walking out one Sunday,
Says Tommy Snooks to Bessy Brooks,
“Will you marry me on Monday?”

Little Peter

Little Peter, the shepherd boy,
Sings to the sheep in the meadow green,
But when the hungry wolf comes out,
The shepherd’s dog goes after him!

Toothsome

No need to squeeze out half a tube
Of toothpaste, honeybunch,
Unless you plan to use it in
A sandwich for your lunch?

Poem By Norah Smaridge

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Core Knowledge (R) Independent Reading

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Bedtime Tales

Lesson 93 – Part One

NEW WORDS: blackness, chest, fumed, glinting, gramp, lass, moral, patted, pitch, planning, plopped, selling, shrugged, slumped, spilt, splashed, yanked, zing

Mike’s Bedtime

Mike had his jet plane in his left hand. “Zip! Zing!” he yelled. “Take that, T. Rex!”

Just then, his dad came in and said, “Mike, it’s bedtime.”

“But, Dad,” Mike said, “I’m seven! Can’t I sit up a bit?”

Mike’s dad said, “Not if the sun is down and the street lamp is on. Then, it’s bedtime.”

Mike said, “But, if the street lamp is off, it’s not bedtime yet!” Mike ran to check on the lamp and the sun. He yanked back the drapes. The sun had set. It was pitch black. The street lamp was glinting in the blackness. It was bedtime.

“Ug!” Mike said. He slumped and let his chin drop on his chest.

“Bedtime!” said his dad.

Mike limped to his bed and plopped down on it. He made a face that said, “I wish it was not bedtime!”

Mike’s dad smiled. “What if I tell you a bedtime tale?” he asked. “Would that help?” Mike did not think it would help much. He shrugged. “When I was a kid,” his dad said, “your Gramp would tell me bedtime tales. I liked them. I’ll bet I can still tell a lot of them.”

“OK,” said Mike, “I would like one bedtime tale.” Mike’s dad sat down on the bed and patted Mike on the back of the neck. “This is a bedtime tale your Gramp liked to tell me,” he said.

The Milk

Mike’s dad was getting set to tell a bedtime tale. He said, “The name of this bedtime tale is The Milk.” Once upon a time, a lass named Jane set off from home to sell a bucket of milk. As she went, she was thinking of the cash she would get from selling the milk.

“I have big plans. I will sell this milk,” she said, “and I will use the cash to get a hen. I hope my hen will make lots of eggs. Then I will sell those eggs and use the cash to get a cute piglet. I will take care of the piglet and let him munch on pig slop till he gets nice and plump.”

“Then I will sell the pig and get a nice dress that I can dance in, and . . .” But just as she was thinking of the dress, she tripped on a stone, and the bucket fell with a crash. The milk splashed on the path. Jane made a face and fumed at the spilt milk.

Moral: Take one step at a time.

“Is that the end?” asked Mike.

“That’s it,” said his dad.

“What a shame!” said Mike. “She had such big plans!”

Mike’s dad nodded. “You can make plans, but planning by itself will not make things happen.”

Mike sat thinking a bit. Then he said, “Dad, that bedtime tale was not bad. But it was sad. Next time would you tell a fun tale?”

“Yes,” said his dad. “Next time.”

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Bedtime Tales

Lesson 94 – Part Two

NEW WORDS: Jim, Jim’s, Pete, Pete’s, boots, bragging, compete, drifted, drooled, ending, fixing, goodness, handed, hitched, limes, nabbed, rubbed, tipped, tricked, vest

The Jumping Frog

“Dad,” Mike said, “you said we could have a fun bedtime tale this time. Have you got one that’s fun?”

“Yes,” said his dad. “I’ve got one I think you will like. It’s a tale my dad used to like to tell. It takes place in the West, a long time back in the past. The name of the tale is The Jumping Frog.” Once there was a man named Big Jim who had a frog. Big Jim held the frog up and made a speech.

“This here is the best jumping frog in the land!” he said. “This frog has speed. It can jump three feet at once. You think your frog can jump? I’ll bet he can’t jump like my frog! In fact, I got ten bucks says there’s not a frog in the land can jump as fast as this frog. This frog hops like the wind. This frog . . .”

Well, Big Jim would have kept on bragging, but, just then, a man in a black vest got up and spoke. “My name is Pete. I’m not from here,” said the man. “And I do not have a frog. But if I did, I would take the bet and race your frog.”

“Well, shucks,” said Big Jim. “That’s not a problem. Here, take my frog. I’ll run down to the stream and catch you a frog, so we each have a frog to compete in the race.” Big Jim handed his frog to Pete. Then he ran off to the stream.

Mike’s dad was not finished telling the tale, but Mike had drifted off to sleep. He gave Mike a kiss and hoped he would have sweet dreams.

The Frog Race

“Dad,” Mike said when he woke up, “what happened with the jumping frog? I missed the end of the tale. I was sleeping.”

“I did not tell it to the end,” said his dad. “When you drifted off to sleep, I stopped.”

“Oh, tell the ending!” said Mike.

Mike’s dad picked up the tale where he had left off. Big Jim handed his frog to Pete and ran off to the stream. Pete held Big Jim’s frog in his hand. Pete looked at the frog. Then Pete reached into his pocket and got a pile of limes. Yum — Big Jim’s frog drooled.

The frog ate the whole pile of limes from Pete’s hand! Then Pete set the frog down. While Pete was feeding the frog limes, Big Jim was down at the stream. He tossed off his boots and went frog hunting. At last he nabbed a nice green frog. He ran back and handed the frog to Pete.

“There’s your frog!” said Jim. “Just set him down there next to my frog. Then we will let them compete to see which one of them is the fastest!” Pete set his frog down.

“All set?” said Jim.

“All set,” said the man.

Then Jim yelled, “Jump, frogs, jump!”

Pete gave the two frogs a tap to get them jumping. His frog hopped off nice and quick. But Jim’s frog just sat there. Once he hitched up his legs like he was fixing to jump. But it was no use. With all those limes in him, he was planted there just as solid as a rock. His tummy was full!

Pete’s frog hopped and hopped till it got to the finish line. “Fine race!” said Pete. He took Jim’s ten bucks and slipped the cash in his pocket. Then Pete tipped his hat and set off.

Well, Big Jim was stunned. “What happened to my frog?” he said. “I hope he’s not sick.” He bent down and picked up the frog and rubbed his tummy. “Goodness!” said Jim. “He must have had a big lunch! I think Pete tricked me! He fed my frog too much to eat!” Jim said.

Big Jim let out a whoop. His face got red. Jim ran to catch Pete. But it was no use. Pete had run off. Pete had tricked Big Jim!

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Core Knowledge (R) Independent Reading

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Bedtime Tales

Lesson 95 – Part Three

NEW WORDS: bounded, cheeks, gasp, hedgehog’s, huffing, involves, join, lookout, male, outlined, perfect, puckered, puffing, spikes, stern, sundown, sunrise, temper, wits

The Hare and the Hedgehog

Mike and his dad sat on the bed. “Did you like the tale of The Jumping Frog?” Mike’s dad asked.

“Yes,” said Mike. “I liked how Pete tricked Jim by feeding his frog the limes!”

“Then I think you will like this next tale, as well. It involves a trick, too. The name of this one is The Hare and the Hedgehog.”

“What’s a hare?”

“It’s like a rabbit.”

“OK. Tell it!”

Once there was a hare who was proud of his speed. He liked to brag. “I’m so fast!” he said. “I am the fastest! No one is as fast as me!” Well, the hedgehog got sick of all this bragging. He set himself to thinking how he could trick the hare and get him to stop bragging all the time. The hedgehog made a plan. He went to the hare and said, “Let’s race!”

The hare smiled. “You and I?” he said. “Is this a joke? What would be the point? Those legs of yours are like stumps. It must take you from sunrise until sundown to hike a mile!”

“Will you join me in a race?” said the hedgehog.

“I will join you!” said the hare.

“Good,” said the hedgehog. “We will race south from this fence up to the house on the hill. But I can’t race till I have my lunch. I’ll be back at one.” Then the hedgehog went home and spoke to his wife. “Wife,” he said, “at one I will run a race with the hare.”

“What?” said his wife. She frowned and asked, “Are you out of your wits? He’s so fast! You can’t hope to win a race with him.”

“Trust me,” said the hedgehog. “I have a plan.”

“What’s his plan?” asked Mike.

“I will tell you next time,” said his dad.

“Well, rats!” said Mike. “It was just getting good! I wish you could just tell me now.”

“Next time,” said his dad.

How the Hedgehog Tricked the Hare

“Where was it I left off?” asked Mike’s dad.

“The hedgehog was telling his wife the plan to trick the hare,” said Mike.

“Got it!” said his dad. The hedgehog made a map of his plan. He pointed to the map and outlined his plan to trick the hare. “The hare and I will race from down by the fence up to the house on the hill,” the hedgehog said to his wife. “I need you to stand next to the house. Stand in a spot where the hare can’t see you. And be on the lookout, my dear!”

The hedgehog’s wife nodded and said, “Your map is clear. I will be there.”

The hedgehog went on, “When the hare gets close, you must pop out and shout, ‘There you are! What took you so long?’ But when you do this, make your voice deep and stern like my voice. The hare can’t tell one hedgehog from the next. If you sound like me, he will think you are me. And he will think that he has lost the race!”

“What a clever plan!” said his wife. “It’s perfect!” She puckered up and kissed him on one of his cheeks, where he had no spikes. The hedgehog handed his wife the map.

After his meal, the hedgehog went to the fence. His wife went up to the house on the hill. The hedgehog and the hare lined up. “All set?” said the hare.

“All set,” said the hedgehog.

“Run!” said the hare. The hare bounded off. He was a fast and powerful runner. In a flash, he ran down the hill, past the well, and up to the house.

When he got to the top of the hill, there was a hedgehog standing next to the house. It was the hedgehog’s wife, but she spoke in a deep, stern voice like a male hedgehog. “There you are!” she said. “What took you so long?”

The hare was stunned. “It can’t be!” he said. “How did you get here so fast? I will race you back to the fence!”

And so the hare ran back past the well and up the hill until he got back to the fence. And what did he see when he got there? A hedgehog! This time it was the male hedgehog. The hedgehog said, “There you are! What took you so long?”

“No, no, no!” screamed the hare. The hare lost his temper. “It can’t be. It can’t be. I am faster. I will race you back to the house! You can’t beat me!”

So the hare ran back up the hill, past the well, and up to the house. And what did he see when he got there? A hedgehog! This time it was the hedgehog’s wife. In a deep, stern voice, she said, “There you are! What took you so long?”

The hare ran to the fence and back ten times. But it was the same all ten times. At last, he was so tired out that he fell on the ground next to the male hedgehog. He could not stop huffing and puffing. He frowned and said, with a gasp, “I feel weak. You are faster and better than me!” The hedgehog just smiled.

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Bedtime Tales

Lesson 96 – Part Four

NEW WORDS: clucking, grilling, nearer, pancake, plowing, porch, scooped, snorted, squinted, zoomed

The Pancake, Part One

“Did you enjoy the tale of the hedgehog and the hare?” asked Mike’s dad.

“Yes, I liked it,” said Mike. “The hedgehog came up with a good trick.”

“The tale I’d like to tell you next has a trick in it, too.”

“Cool!” said Mike. “Is there a hedgehog in it?”

“Nope,” said his dad. “But there is a pancake in it!”

“A pancake?”

“Yep.”

“Neat! Tell it!”

“But the sun has not set yet! The street lamp is not on yet!”

“Please! I would like to hear it! Will you tell the pancake tale!”

Once upon a time there was a mom who had six kids. One morning, the mom was grilling a pancake for the kids. The kids looked at the pancake. They got out their forks and started licking their lips. The pancake looked back at the kids. He was scared. He feared the kids would eat him. When the mom was not looking, the pancake jumped out of the pan and ran off. The pancake ran out of the house.

“Stop, pancake!” shouted the mom from the porch.

“Stop, pancake!” shouted the six kids.

All seven of them chased the pancake as he ran out of the yard. But the pancake was too fast. He outran them all. The pancake ran north on a foot path. He zoomed past a barn and two farmers who were plowing the ground.

“Why are you running, pancake?” the farmers asked.

The pancake shouted, “I’ve outrun a mom and six kids, and I can outrun you, too! I’m too fast and too smart for you.”

“You think so?” said the farmers. They started running. But the pancake was too fast. He outran the farmers.

Just then Mike’s sister Ann came in. She was just three. She had on her gown for bed. “Dad,” she said, “will you tell it to me, too?”

“Yes, I will,” said her dad. “You can sit up here with Mike and hear the rest of the tale.”

The Pancake, Part Two

“Let’s see,” said Mike’s dad. “Where did I stop?”

“The pancake was running,” said Mike. “He had just outrun the two farmers.”

“OK,” said Mike’s dad. “Let’s start there.”

The pancake ran on until, by and by, he ran past a pig. “Why are you running, pancake?” the pig asked.

The pancake shouted, “I’ve outrun a mom, six kids, and two farmers, and I can outrun you, too! I am too fast and too smart for you.”

“You think so?” said the pig. Then it snorted and started running. The pig chased the pancake. But the pancake was too fast.

The pancake ran on until, by and by, he ran past a hen. “Why are you running, pancake?” the hen asked.

The pancake shouted, “I’ve outrun a mom, six kids, two farmers, and a pig, and I can outrun you, too! I am too fast and too smart for you.”

“You think so?” said the hen. Then she set off, clucking as she ran. The hen chased the pancake. But the pancake was too fast.

The pancake went on until, by and by, he ran past a fox. “Why are you running, pancake?” the fox asked.

The pancake said, “I’ve outrun a mom, six kids, two farmers, a pig, and a hen, and I can outrun you, too! I am too fast and too smart for you!”

The fox did not get up. He just sat there and said, “What was that you said? I could not quite make it out.”

The pancake stopped running and yelled, “I’ve outrun a mom, six kids, two farmers, a pig, and a hen, and I can outrun you, too! I am too fast and too smart for you!”

The fox squinted and said, “What was that you said? I still could not quite hear you. Why do you stand so far off? Stand nearer to me so I can hear you.”

The pancake ran up near to the fox. Then he shouted at the top of his lungs: “I’VE OUTRUN A MOM, SIX KIDS, TWO FARMERS, A PIG, AND A HEN, AND I CAN OUTRUN YOU, TOO! I AM TOO FAST AND TOO SMART FOR YOU!”

“You think so?” said the fox. “I think you made a mistake and got a bit too close.” Then he scooped the pancake into his mouth and ate it for dinner. And that was the end of the pancake. And that is the end of the tale.

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Bedtime Tales

Lesson 97 – Part Five

NEW WORDS: clapping, footprints, joints, mistakes, panfer, panther, sounding, tricking, trickster

The Panther

Mike and Ann ran in. “Dad,” said Mike, “Please tell us a bedtime tale!”

“Yes,” said Ann, clapping her hands. “Tell us a pancake tale.”

“I would if I could,” said their dad. “But I can’t.”

“Why not?” asked Mike.

“As far as I can tell, there is just one pancake tale.”

“Oh, no!” said Mike. “Now I’m in a sad mood.”

“Let’s sit down on Mike’s bed,” said their dad. “I’ll see if I can think of a good bedtime tale that you will enjoy. Would you kids like a tale that has a panther in it?”

“What’s a panfer?” Ann asked. Since she was just three, sometimes when she said “th” it came out sounding like “f.”

“It’s panther,” said Mike with a smile.

“Panfer!” said Ann.

“Ug!” said Mike.

“Mike,” said their dad. “Don’t be mean. Be nice to your sister. She’s just three. When you were her age, you made mistakes, too.”

“I did?”

Their dad nodded. Then he spoke to Ann. “A panther is a huge black cat that has sharp teeth.”

“Tell it!” said Ann. “Tell the panfer tale!”

“OK,” said their dad. “The name of this tale is The Panther.” Once there was a panther who could no longer hunt. His legs were just too tired. His joints were just too stiff. So he went in his cave and sat down near the mouth of the cave. The panther still had to get food to eat. But how could he get food without hunting? At last he came up with a plan.

Soon, an owl came up to the mouth of the cave. “How are you feeling, Panther?” the owl asked.

“Not so well,” said the panther. “I am sick and can’t leave my cave. Will you visit me in my cave? When someone is sick, it is so nice to have a pal visit.” The owl went in for a visit. He stepped inside. But he did not step out.

Next a hare came hopping by. “How are you feeling, Panther?” the hare asked.

“Not so well,” said the panther. “I am sick. Will you visit me in my cave? When someone is sick, it is so nice to have a pal visit.” The hare went inside the cave for a visit. He hopped inside. But he did not hop out.

Next a fox ran up. “How are you feeling, Panther?” the fox asked.

“Not so well,” said the panther. “I am sick. Will you visit me in my cave? When someone is sick, it is so nice to have a pal visit.”

“Thanks,” said the fox, “but no thanks!”

“Why not?” asked the panther.

“You can’t fool me,” said the fox. “I see lots of footprints going into your cave, but there are no footprints going out of it.”

Moral: Be careful who you trust.

“What a clever fox,” said Mike.

“I don’t understand,” shouted Ann. “What happened?”

“It seems that Mike is as smart as the fox,” said the dad. “Perhaps he can tell you the reason the fox said ‘No thanks!’ to the panther.”

“The fox is smart,” Mike said. “He tricked the pancake and could tell that the panther was tricking him. You can’t trick a trickster like the fox!”

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Core Knowledge (R) Independent Reading

(Review guidelines for publishing Core Knowledge (R) materials at the bottom of this page-view.)

Bedtime Tales

Lesson 98 – Part Six

NEW WORDS: hunger, indeed, pang, pounced, tugged

Cat and Mouse Keep House

“Dad,” said Mike, “can you tell us a bedtime tale that has a trick in it?”

“A trickster tale?” asked the dad.

“Yes!” shouted the kids with one voice.

“OK,” said the dad. “The name of this tale is Cat and Mouse Keep House.”

Once, a cat and a mouse set up house. “We must get some food for the winter,” said the mouse.

“Yes,” said the cat. “We must indeed.” So, the two of them went out and got a jar of jam.

“Where can we hide this jar of jam to keep it safe?” asked the cat.

“Let’s hide it in the house next door,” said the cat. “No one is in that house.”

“Yes,” said the mouse. “The old house next door is just the place!” So, the cat and the mouse hid the jar of jam in a dark corner of the house next door. They said that they would let it sit there until winter came.

A week passed. The cat felt a pang of hunger. He started thinking of the jar of jam. What if he went and had just a bit of jam for a snack? There would still be a lot left. The cat made a plan to trick the mouse.

“Mouse,” said the cat, “I must run off for a bit. Will you keep the house while I am out?” The cat ran to the house next door and got out the jar. He started licking the jam. He licked and licked. When he stopped there was just a bit of jam left. Then he ran back home.

A week passed. This time it was the mouse who felt a pang of hunger. “The cat is napping,” he said to himself. “I think I will visit the house and get myself a snack. I will just have a bit of the jam. What’s the harm in that? There will still be a lot left.”

The mouse ran to the house next door. When he got there, what did he see? A jar with no jam! The cat had tricked him. The mouse was mad. He ran back and woke up the cat. “You tricked me!” said the mouse.

“Did I?” said the cat.

“You ate the jam we said we would save for winter! You had it for a snack!” the mouse yelled.

“Yes!” said the cat. “I could have you for a snack!” But the mouse was too mad to stop.

“You tricked me!” he shouted. “Now we have no jam! Now we … ” But he did not have time to finish his sentence. The cat pounced on the mouse and made an end of him.

Moral: Be careful who you trust.

“What do you think is the point of the tale?” asked the dad. “Is there a point?”

Mike said, “I think that the point is that mice should not keep house with cats.”

“I like that!” said the dad. “My dad used to tell me that tale when I was a kid. He said the point of it was: Be careful who you trust.”

Then the dad got up and tugged on the drapes. “Look there!” he said. “It’s dark outside. The street lamp is on. The tale is finished. It’s time for bed.”

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Core Knowledge (R) Independent Reading

(Review guidelines for publishing Core Knowledge (R) materials at the bottom of this page-view.)

The Cat Bandit

Lesson 99 – Part One

NEW WORDS: Bing, Hank, bandit, belt, dotted, magnet, nugget, resting, seventh, sink, sprang, swung, tong, tongs, tugging, whiff, wishing, zipping

The Hot Dog

Mom had a hot dog. She left the hot dog on a shelf in the den. The hot dog sent up a smell. The smell drifted and drifted. The cat bandit sat on the deck, wishing he had a snack. Then the hot dog smell hit him. Such a smell! Sniff, sniff, sniff! The cat bandit ran in the den. He spotted the hot dog up on the shelf.

He got up on a bench. Then he sprang up on the TV set. Then, with a big jump, he sprang up and landed on the shelf. Then — munch, munch, munch — the cat bandit had himself a picnic lunch.

The Chicken Nugget

Hank set his dish in the sink. He left a big chicken nugget on the dish. The nugget was still hot. The smell of chicken drifted up from the sink. It drifted into the den. The cat bandit was napping in the den. But he was sniffing as he slept. Sniff, sniff, sniff! The cat bandit sprang up. He ran in and spotted the nugget in the sink.

He sat a bit, thinking up a plan. Then he went to the closet and got a bunch of boxes. He set up a box. Then he set a big box next to that box. Then he set the biggest box next to the sink. The cat bandit set off running. He ran up the boxes, hopping from box to box. Then — munch, munch, munch — that was the end of the chicken nugget.

The Snack Mix

Beth left a basket of snack mix on a shelf. The cat bandit spotted the snack mix. He felt he had to get it. But how? He sat thinking. Then he got up and ran off to the deck. The cat bandit got the grilling tongs Dad kept next to the gas grill. He set the tongs up on the rug. Then he went and got a bunch of rocks. He set the rocks on the rug.

He got a rock and set it down on the top tong. He set his leg on the top tong to press it down. Then he let the tong spring up. Swish! The rock went zipping off. Bing! The rock hit the shelf.

But it did not hit the basket with the snack mix. The bandit set a rock on the tongs and shot it. Swish, bing! Swish, bing! Swish, bing! The bandit shot six rocks. But the rocks did not hit the basket of snack mix.

At last — swish, smack! The seventh rock hit the basket. The basket fell down. It landed on the rug. The rug was dotted with snack mix. Then — chomp, chomp, chomp — that was the end of the snack mix.

The Ham

Mom left a pink ham sitting in a big black pan. The cat bandit was resting on a quilt when he got a whiff of the ham. What was that smell? It was ham! Where was the ham? The cat bandit set off, sniffing as he went. He went on sniffing until he spotted the ham. But the ham was up on top.

How was he to get it down? That was the problem. The cat bandit ran to the closet and got a belt. Then he ran to the shed and got a strong magnet. He stuck the magnet on the end of the belt. The magnet stuck to the belt. Then the cat bandit swung the belt. Clang! The magnet on the end of the belt hit the pan. It stuck to the pan.

In a flash, the cat bandit was tugging on the belt. Tug, tug, tug! Yank, yank, yank! At last, the pan slid off. It fell down and landed with a clang. Then — munch, munch, munch — that was the end of the ham.

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Core Knowledge (R) Independent Reading

(Review guidelines for publishing Core Knowledge (R) materials at the bottom of this page-view.)

The Cat Bandit

Lesson 100 – Part Two

NEW WORDS: clicked, flashing, glinted, lenses, plank, sensed, slash, tilted, whiz

The Fish

Once Mom hung a fish up on a string. The cat bandit was scratching himself when he got a whiff of the fish. Quick as a flash, he ran into the kitchen. The bandit spotted the fish hanging on the string. He sat down to think up a plan to get the fish. The cat bandit ran and got Mom’s glasses. He set the glasses on a bench that was in the sun.

The sun shone on the two lenses of the glasses. The lenses glinted in the sun. The bandit slid the glasses a bit to the left. He slid the glasses until one of the lenses sent hot sun flashing onto the string. Then he sat.

The sun from the glasses shone on the string. The string got hot. The wax on the string melted. Then, rip! The fish fell. Then — munch, munch, munch — that was the end of the fish.

The Milk

Once Beth left a glass of milk on the deck. The cat bandit spotted it. It was up where he could not get it. The bandit was sad. But then he spotted a string that ran from the shed to the deck. Mom had hung wet socks, wet pants, and a wet jacket on the string. The bandit grinned.

The cat bandit went and got Dad’s belt. Then he got up on top of the shed. He swung the belt on top of the string. Then he held on to the belt and jumped off the shed. Whiz! The bandit went zipping off on the string. Pop, pop, pop! He knocked the socks off the string. Pop, pop, pop! He knocked the pants off the string. Thwack! He knocked the jacket off the string.

At last the bandit went zipping past the milk. As he went past, he kicked the cup with his leg. The cup fell on the deck with a crash. The bandit landed on the deck. Then — lap, lap, lap — that was the end of the milk.

The Chips

Once Mom left a big bag of chips on the top shelf in the kitchen. “The cat will not get them up there,” she said. But it was not long until the cat bandit was up to his tricks. He got a log, a plank, and a big rock. He set the rock on the bench. He set the log on the rug next to the bench. He set the plank on top of the log. Then the bandit sat on one end of the plank.

He slid the rock off the bench. The rock fell and landed on one end of the plank. Smack! The end of the plank where the rock fell went down fast. But the end of the plank the cat bandit was sitting on popped up, and the cat bandit popped up with it.

Whiz! The cat bandit went zipping up. The cat bandit did a flip and landed on top of the shelf. Slash! The bandit cut a big gash in the bag. Then — crunch, crunch, crunch — that was the end of the chips.

The Catfish

Dad went fishing and got a big catfish. He left the catfish in a bucket. Then he locked the bucket in the shed. “There!” he said as he clicked the lock shut. “This lock will stop the cat!”

The tempting smell of fish drifted in the wind. The cat bandit sensed that there was a fish in the shed. He went to visit. The shed was locked up. But that did not stop him! He went and got a belt. He hitched the end of the belt to the lock and tugged on it. But the lock held and the shed just sat there.

The cat bandit went and got a dog. The cat and the dog tugged on the belt. But still the shed just sat there. The cat bandit went and got a pig. The cat, the dog, and the pig tugged on the belt. That did it. The shed tilted to the left. Wham! The shed fell with a crash. Then — munch, munch, munch — that was the end of the catfish.

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Lesson 101 – Stories Misc

The First Snow

NEW WORDS: Sparky, afternoon, angels, bedroom, buried, cancer, clearing, collar, cures, drifts, driveway, flake, forts, freezer, guessed, hockey, icy, living, placing, skating, skiing, sledded, snowman’s, snowmen, throwing, thrown, weekend

James had not seen snow before. Well, he HAD seen it in pictures. But he’d never felt the ice cold flakes in his own hands.

He’d never thrown a snowball. He’d never tried to catch a snow flake on his tongue. He’d never built a snowman. He’d never put a snowball into the freezer. So, he couldn’t bring it back out, some time in the middle of the summer.

He’d never snuck up behind his Dad, snow in hand. It would be fun to drop chunks of snow down his Dad’s shirt collar. Then he would screech, “Surprise!”

There was so much “snow fun” that he had missed in his ten years of life, so far. But James and his family had lived too deep in the South for it to snow. It just didn’t get cold enough. But this would change in the new school year.

His Mom had just landed a great new job. She would help to find more cures for cancer. So, they had moved way North for the new job. It would snow a LOT there. He could count on that, every winter!

James would learn about new things to do, where the weather is much colder. Things like ice fishing and cross-country skiing. Things like snow-boarding, ice skating, and hockey. This would all be great fun for James.

Ten weeks had gone by in the school year. Finally, a big snow was coming. It was a Thursday afternoon. The first large flakes filled the sky. It was about four o’clock. James was getting his homework done for the day.

He couldn’t believe his eyes! He thought he was seeing giant magic popcorn puffs. They were going to cover everything in a thick, white quilt. James guessed that millions of snow flakes were coming down!

James went to bed around nine-thirty. There were already a good six inches of snow on the ground. He woke up early the next day. Light, icy flakes were still coming down.

He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Or what he was NOT seeing! Now there was only white. He couldn’t see a road, a bush, a branch, or a car. There was only one clear thing in view. That was the tree trunks in the woods.

His Mom came into his bedroom. She said, “James, there’s now over a foot of snow on the ground! Up north, they’re good at clearing snow from the roads. But this storm was even too much for them. The school buses aren’t safe to ride in weather like this. So guess what? School is closed for today! You’ll get a long weekend!”

It was James’s first snow day! And it was a magical day. He played with snowmen, snow forts, and snowballs. He sledded down steep hills. He fell in the snow and made snow angels with his arms and legs. He also got to watch his cat, Sparky, try to keep from getting buried in the tall snow drifts.

It was late in the day on Friday. James was placing a carrot on his third snowman’s face. This one now had a long, thin nose. His Dad drove up the driveway. He was coming home from work a bit early.

His Dad got out of his car. James yelled to him, “Living up north is so much fun! I’m so happy that you and Mom brought us here!” James turned around. But then he felt a snowball hit the back of his coat. He and his Dad started laughing. Then they had fun throwing snowballs at each other, until it was time for dinner!

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Lesson 102 – Short / Long (Vowel) Reflex-Builder

NEW WORDS: Dade, Don, Gabe, Gavin, Hal, Janice, Lonnie, Lou, Mal, McCabe, Moore, Nam, Ned, Rick, Talbot, Viet, Walter, Whit, athlete, bade, bass, beater, behave, bony, bother, butt, butte, cards, comb, comfort, country’s, criminal, dike, director, dome, driven, drone, duke, fib, fiber, fort, gab, glove, guard, guava, hale, hatching, heaven’s, hiked, juice, kin, lack, leak, lonely, male, minute, mull, mute, mutt, mystery, pale, polish, pose, positive, prom, quake, routine, shale, she’d, shin, stain, stale, stallion’s, steak, tack, tank, teens, teethe, towed, twine, vice, waiter, waste, weary

Hale Hal yelled from the hall, “Stop!”

Mal is the only male here.

Dean is in the den.

We saw a country hick on our hike.

Mack, what will you make?

Does a duck quack in an Earth-quake?

It’s hot in our hotel.

The kid on 1st base likes sea bass.

I was polite, and his face lit up.

For heaven’s sake, that sack is heavy!

Stan had a stain on his shirt.

That dog that can’t bark is a “mute mutt.”

I felt bad when we bade Gran good-bye.

Polish this pole.

Will the golf pro be at our prom?

Pay the train fare, or you won’t get far.

Have you learned to behave?

Set these on the seat.

Is Lonnie lonely?

Shall I ask if this rock is shale?

I can’t tell whether she likes the weather.

She’d likely be in the shed.

Is the fuel tank full?

They towed his car from down town.

The dog’s collar is a red color.

I ate at 7:00.

Did you take my thumb tack?

Face that fact!

Can I have a candy cane?

I’d like to lick the spoon.

What does Ned need?

I lack the lace needed to sew this dress.

Is Tim like that all the time?

Sid is on our side.

That was a super supper!

This map will take us to the maple trees.

Will will do it in a while.

Show me the shower leak.

I wonder where that bee has been.

Dad showed us how to use this.

My dear, it’s a mystery.

This egg beater works better.

Mrs. Moore asked for more.

Gabe, you gab too much.

Let’s sit for a minute at the site.

Yes, please, that would be pleasant.

Let’s roam around the room.

Vic ran for Vice-Chair.

We got a new goat.

Deal the cards, dear.

That made the maid mad.

She told a fib about eating enough fiber.

Get rid of the trash, then we’ll take a ride.

Snip her hair, and she’ll snipe at you.

I’m weary of wearing this.

Don’t do that, Don.

Don’t stare at that film star.

Whit has on a white shirt.

That country’s name is Viet Nam.

Dick, that dike is a sea wall.

Waiter, bring some water to Walter.

He’s putting on his glove before putting the golf ball.

This leak will flood our floor.

Has she met me?

Are you cooking your steak rare?

There’s no comfort in our fort.

I’m positive that’s a good pose.

That bear cub has an ice cube.

Don’t panic, Janice is nice.

That monster is the best beast in the movie.

My pal has pale skin.

Rick loves rice.

Gavin gave me a huge hug.

Duke has a pet duck.

She has made a hasty decision.

Pete got a pet.

Ned will need some more.

Bake the chicken on its back.

We will get wet.

Come let me comb your hair.

Tim is on time.

Put one on my plate.

Mr. Butt hiked up to the butte.

When I dove off the side, a dove flew by.

Tal and Talbot tell great tall tales.

Who are those ten teens there?

She ran out into the rain.

Later, I’ll hide where he hid.

I hope I see a kangaroo hop.

Close the closet door.

Babies teethe when they get their teeth.

Tell her to come here.

There’s stale food in the stallion’s stall.

Do not rip up that note.

Dad is from Dade County.

Hover the drone over Rover.

I’ll mull over buying a mule.

I was about to throw out that waste.

After my shoe shine, I bumped my shin.

Bring those twin rolls of twine.

Both of them bother me.

He’s driven to be a race driver.

Mr. McCabe drives a cab.

What will the doe do next?

My kin folk are kind.

That Director is in dire trouble.

What crime is that criminal hatching?

Bonny is bony and skinny.

Let that athlete help you!

Taking that route is my routine.

Dom took a photo of the dome.

That guard likes guava juice.

Though he’s wrong, he thought through it carefully.

Lou is loud.

We’re not sure where you were?

He took Dad’s tools.

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Lesson 103 – Stories Misc

The Witch Barber

NEW WORDS: Greg, Kenny, Sears, William, barber, blips, cackled, canal, catalog, chain, circled, clippers, dentist’s, egads, greater, grit, haircut, horror, lizard, minor, monkeys, morphed, ordeal, passes, peaceful, pliers, shearings, shriek, sixty, ticks, torture, towels, warts, wuss

The Witch Barber

Oh no, egads, here we go. It’s that time again, the once-a-month horror! “Oh, William, the pain, the pain!”

I’d watch my Mom set up the horror. She’d put the two old gray towels down. She’d use the same ones, month after month. They were in the middle of the den floor. My heart began to pound, and it would now beat two times its normal speed.

I heard the call. It was more like a shriek. “Kenny, please get the orange chair! It’s time for a haircut!”

I’d rather walk the plank. Where could I hide? No, that wouldn’t be worth it. Mom and Dad would not let me get away with any monkey business. I had to behave. I’d just have to grit my teeth and let it happen. Sometimes life is just a bear.

Boy, did Mom and Dad watch the money. We could do this at home. Why would we pay for it some place else. Why pay a barber? Yeah, sure, SHE could cut our hair herself, or so she thought. “Cut” is a poor word for it. It was more like “chop and pull.” The word “torture” came to mind. And I was just six years old!

I dragged it out and moved like a snail. But the clock ticks on. I had to do it, and I sat in the chair. I actually slumped into the chair. And it was just like every month. My kind, very pretty mother morphed into a witch. Her skin turned green. She became lizard-like. Warts grew on her nose. Her fingers turned into bones. And her teeth went black. She cackled, and those creepy flying monkeys circled the room, in flight! “Kenny, sit up straight!”

And there were the clippers of death. The witch clippers. Those old, dull witch clippers. They didn’t cut our hair. They PULLED our hair. They TUGGED at our hair! She could have gotten the pliers. She could have pulled our hairs out one by one. That would have been no worse!

Those awful clippers started up. What did I hear? Not a soft, gentle hum in my ears. It was more like a chain saw! I wanted to yell, “TIMBER!”

I shut my eyes. I took a deep breath. Surprise! Nothing bad for sixty seconds. But then, “OUCH!” Here it comes. Then, “OUCH” again, over and over! When would this end!?

I glanced around. I tried to find something in the room to take my mind off of it. The Christmas tree was lit up and pretty. Greg and I had gone over the Sears Christmas catalog. We had told Mom and Dad about all the toys that we might like this year. I was almost peaceful.

But then again, “OUCH!”

This went on for nine minutes. But it seemed like five hours. FIVE LONG, SLOW HOURS!

But time passes. The ordeal was finally over. There was only one joy that I could get out of it. That was to call out to my brother. “Greg, guess what? It’s YOUR turn!!!!!”

Many long years have passed. And now I’m bald. But life has taught me about far worse things than hair pulling! Those shearings had really been nothing at all. They had been just minor blips of pain. I had been SUCH a little wuss.

For, in later years, I would learn of a far greater horror.

THE DENTIST’S CHAIR. AND THE ROOT CANAL!!!!!! AHH!!!

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Click on this link to move forward to Module C, Lessons 1 – 10

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AnyOneCanRead®

Module B – Lessons 91 to 103

Lesson 91 – Part Eight

Lesson 92 – Poems And Rhymes

Lesson 93 – Part One

Lesson 94 – Part Two

Lesson 95 – Part Three

Lesson 96 – Part Four

Lesson 97 – Part Five

Lesson 98 – Part Six

Lesson 99 – Part One

Lesson 100 – Part Two

Lesson 101 – Stories Misc The First Snow

Lesson 102 – Short / Long (Vowel) Reflex-Builder

Lesson 103 – Stories Misc The Witch Barber

Lesson 101 – Stories Misc

The First Snow

Lesson 103 – Stories Misc

The Witch Barber