Annotated Bibliography:

Folklore/ Fairy Tales: Kontis, A. (2012). Enchanted. San Diego:Harcourt Children's Books. Enchanted is a version of the fairy tale, The Frog Prince. Sunday, the seventh daughter of a seventh daughter, meets an enchanted frog by a well near her house. She quickly realizes that she loves the frog, but does not think that they can ever be together. She tries many times to kiss the frog, Rumble, and his enchanted state is unaltered. One night, without Sundays awareness, Rumble is changed back into a man when he realizes his love for Sunday as well as hers for him. Rumble, actually Prince Rumbold, calls a royal ball to meet Sunday in person. Unfortunately, he is working against fate because his family was the reason for Sundays brother, Jacks, demise. As Rumbold fights to get Sunday to recognize him, Sunday fights against Rumbold, because of th eir families past history. This book will appeal to any lover of fairy tales or any girl. It is a classic love story with many different fairy tales woven in. The book is for older middle schoolers; it can probably be classified as a young adult novel. Historical Fiction: Philbrick, R. (2009). The mostly true adventures of Homer P. Figg. New York City: Blue Sky Press. This is the story of Homer P. Figg, a boy on a mission to save his brother from the Union Army during the Civil War. After their uncle, the meanest man in Maine, sells Homers brother, Harold, into the Army, Homer sets out to find and rescue his brother. Along the way, Homer finds himself in the company of thieves, a Quaker, a traveling circus, a spy, and both Confederate and Union soldiers, but none can save him as well as his quick tongue. Homer survives many misadventures because of his lies and stories and eventually ends the Civil War after shooting his own brother down. This is an example of a historical fiction book that children, especially boys, will not shy away from because it seems boring. Philbrick engages readers and teaches them about the horrors of war, not only for those fighting, but anyone invested in the outcome. Homers misadventures are hysterical and keep readers turning the pages. Lowry, L. (2011). Number the Stars. San Anselmo: Sandpiper. Annemarie and her family are living in Copenhagen during WWII. Annemaries best friend, Ellen, is Jewish. When Ellen is forced into hiding, she joins Annemaries fam ily and pretends to be Annemaries sister. Annemaries family journeys to her uncles house to go to a funeral for a relative that Annemarie is sure does not exist. When a small group of strangers gathers for calling hours, Ellen is reunited with her family. Annemarie learns that her family is involved with the resistance and she gets a job that can mean life or death for Ellen and the other Jews trying to escape. I thoroughly enjoyed this story. The characters were noble and brave. Lowry even includes facts that make the reader learn more about patriotism and new developments created by normal citizens to aid in the resistance. Contemporary Realism: Rupp, R. (2012). After Eli. Somerville: Candlewick. After Eli tells the story of Daniel as he tries to move on with his life after his brother Eli is killed in the War in Iraq. Eli was like Daniels father and his death leaves Daniel to deal with his workaholic and overbearing father and now zombie mother, who refuses to move. Daniels life changes as he meets Isabelle, his first love. Isabelle changes his life; he abandons his old friends;

befriends Walter, the geeky outcast; and writes in his Book of the Dead to come to terms with Elis death. Daniel comes to terms with the loss of his brother, through new friendships, work with a former friend of Eli, and love. This is the touching and inspiring story for any young teen who has suffered a loss. Boys and girls will be able to identify with the well developed characters and relate to the current trends in culture. OConnor, B. (2007). How to steal a dog. New York: Frances Foster Books. Georgina is going through the normal woes of middle school when she is forced to give up everything in order to take care of her brother. She and her younger brother, Toby try to help their mother after they are kicked out of their apartment when their father leaves. Georgina and her family live in their beat up van as her mother tries to save enough money to move back into a respectable home. Georgina decides to steal a dog in order to get the reward money, but things do not go as planned after she and Toby steal the dog. Georginas life spirals out of control as she loses her friends, begins sacrificing homework and hygiene, and learns to never judge by appearances. OConnors story is told with humor and grace. The story is relatable to many c hildren as they face financial problems within their families. I think it is a great book to remind children about kindness and humility. Science Fiction: Stead, R. (2010). When you reach me. New York: Yearling. Miranda is dealing with the problems common to middle school students such as losing and gaining friends, juggling school, and working her first job, as well as trying to decipher mysterious notes left for her. Miranda is the product of a single mother, who is lucky to have many people watching out for her well-being, but when it becomes apparent that someone has been watching her and wants her help, Miranda struggles to unwrap the mysterious clues before someone she loves gets hurt. She must try to remain present in her new friends lives when all she really wants to do is be a part of her favorite book, which becomes more real than she could have guessed. This story is suspenseful and intriguing for younger readers. The characters are relatable and likeable, regardless of gender. A good pick for either mystery or science fiction lovers. Lengle, M. (2007). A Wrinkle in Time. New York: Square Fish. Megs father is a government scientist, who has not been home for many years. Meg misses her father and wishes that her peers understood her in the same way that her father understood her. Meg is teased because she is different, like her younger brother Charles Wallace. When strange neighbors stop by, Meg, Charles Wallace, and new friend Calvin, are whisked through time and space to another planet to help rescue their father, who is a prisoner of It. It is a dark shadow, what we would call evil. It is threatening Earth. Each of the three children have certain powers- Meg, her stubbornness; Charles Wallace, his ability to read people; and Calvin, his ability to communicateand they are helped by three former stars to fight it. The three children make it to Megs father, but Charles Wallace falls under its spell. Meg must overcome her crippling fe ar to save her brother after her father is freed. This story is truly wondrous. There is adventure after adventure and childrens imaginations soar with this story. The language is a bit old, but children fall right into the story. Children will likely be able to relate, because most feel like an outsider at one time or another, like Meg and Charles Wallace. Science Fiction, adventure, and fantasy readers will enjoy this book. Fantasy:

Rodda, E. (2004). Dragons Nest (Dragons of Deltora, Book 1). New York: Scholastic paperbacks. Lief, the king of Del, has successfully banished the Shadow Lord, but the Shadow Lord still influences Liefs thoughts. After finally breaking the Shadow Lords trance on his mind by destroying an evil crystal, Lief discovers a bigger problem: the Four Sisters have been placed throughout the kingdom and they are the reason for the droughts and dying of the land of Del. He sets out with friends Jasmine and Barda, to awaken a sleeping dragon to ask for help. When the dragon claims he is unable to help for reasons of honor, Lief must continue on with little hope to destroy one of the Sisters. This story is extremely fast paced. There is adventure from page one and nothing ever goes as is expected. Boys and fantasy lovers will adore not only this book, but this entire series. There are plenty of mythical creatures, codes and action. Funke, C. (2011). Dragon Rider. Somerset: Chicken House. Firedrake and Sorell, a magic dragon and brownie, set out to find the Rim of Heaven, a place where the dragons can live in peace without fear of being discovered by humans. Shortly into their journey, Ben, a human, joins them as they search Europe for clues to where the Rim of Heaven lies and how to get into it. When Nettlebrand, a dragon and dragon killer, hears that there is a traveling dragon, he decides that he must find the dragon and follow him to the Rim of Heaven to hunt out the last of the dragons. Nettlebrand sends a spy to travel with the group. Along the journey they meet many interesting characters including, a homunculus, humans searching for unicorns, a plane flying rat, and monks. Any magical/mythical creature that is known in stories is addressed in this story. It is imaginative and opens readers minds to possibilities and friendship. I would suggest this book to any reader. Although the book is quite large, it is not too difficult of a read; it would build reading stamina. Biography: Paulsen, G. (2002). Guts. New York: Laurel Leaf. These are Gary Paulsens explanations and retellings of life events that helped to shape his books Hatchet and the Brian books. Paulsen recounts stories from his adventures from hunting and fishing, Alaskan Iditarods, and his Army days. This biography features stories that will thrill outdoorsmen and boys. It is a prime example of how informational texts can be entertaining. And because Hatchet is still a staple in many curriculums, Guts will be a great book that can be a non-fiction pairing. Metselaar, M., & van der Rol R. (2009). Anne Frank: Her life in words and pictures from the archives of The Anne Frank House. New York: Flash Point. Anne Franks story is told from the point that she received her beloved and famous journal to her death in the Nazi concentration camp. The text of this biography includes factual text and excerpts from her diary. There are also many pictures showing Anne, her family, friends and their living arrangement in hiding. Annes writing shows her compassion for the affected Jews and her deep thoughts on life. There are also bits about Anne from the point of view of her peers. This story is really interesting, especially because most middle schoolers are familiar with her story. The text on the pages was in very small print, but there was not a lot of it; I would expect that students would not have a problem with it. Some of the subject matter is graphic and a bit disturbing, so I would recommend this book for older students.

Informational: Fritz, J. (1997). Where do you think youre going, Christopher Columbus? New York: Puffin. Christopher Columbuss feats are especially well-known in America. This informational text recounts Columbuss expeditions and what he had to do to set out on his voyages. He sailed to South America and made his way along islands that he thought were India, rounding up slaves and searching for gold. This book contains pictures, but it is advanced in subject matter. Readers will not get the fluffy story of Columbus discovering America, but rather the story of his many mistakes in bearing and human ethics. Columbuss discovery is recognized, along with everything that he did wrong. Brown, M. (2011). Waiting for Biblioburro. Berkeley: Tricycle Press. Children in Columbia are extremely underprivileged when it comes to adequate schooling and opportunities to read books and other materials. This bilingual text follows an avid young reader as she waits for a traveling librarian to come back to her town so that she can get new books. As she waits she decides to write a story of her own. This informational text is great for many reasons: it is bilingual, it portrays another culture, and it is based on a true story. Poetry or Novel in Verse: Silverstein, S. (2004). Where the sidewalk ends. New York: Harper Collins Publishers. This is a compilation of poetry for children. Poems range from being about faking illness to escape school, to eating too much, to being too tall, to pirating. Silverstein does a wonderful job of creating funny, witty poems and drawings that children will love reading and listening to. Silversteins poetry books are timeless and still popular among children and adults. He creates wonderful short poems with rhyme and rhythm that will be stuck in your head for hours.

Easy Reader/ Early Reader: dLacey, C. (2009). Gruffen (The Dragons of Wayward Crescent). London: Orchard Books. This short novel for developing readers tells the story of Gruffen, a dragon figurine that is more than a figurine. Gruffen was created by Lucys mother after Lucy is kept up many nights because of a monster in her room. Gruffen is a real dragon whose job is to protect Lucy and the house, and to do so he must find the monster. The monster is just a homeless bat. Gruffen becomes familiar with his new family, he befriends the bat and helps her find a home. This book is fun and imaginative. Readers who connect with it will be able to read more The Dragons of Wayward Crescent books. Graphic Novel: Pilkey, D. (2006). Captain Underpants and the Preposterous Plight of the Purple Potty People. New York: Blue Sky Press. Harold and George gain access to a time machine. It only has one rule: do not use it two days in a row. When the boys break the only rule, they are thrown into an alternate universe where everything looks like their world and time, but it is backwards: the principal is nice; the cafeteria makes good food; and the other Harold and George are evil. Harold and Georges evil twins have created an evil superhero, Captain Blunderpants (the opposite of Captain Underpants). While Harold and George explore, their evil twins steal their pets, Sulu and Crackers and try to hypnotize them. Only Sulu is hypnotized and the boys manage to escape from the reversed world, but so do their evil twins and

Captain Blunderpants. As the evil characters wreak havoc in Harold and Georges world, they find unexpected heroes in their grandparents, who have accidentally drank the special superpower drink. Kids will love the stories that Pilkey creates. The action is fast paced and the books are interactive with flip pages. There are drawings and misspellings too, so it is like George and Harold actually did write the story! Larson, H. (2008). Chiggers. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers. Abby is away at camp again this summer, but nothing is the same. Rose is a CA and has no time to spend with Abby. Lexis new bunkmate is spoiled and bratty, but lucky for Abby, she gets chiggers (like fleas) and is sent home. When Abbys replacement bunkmate shows up, her other two friends, Zoe and Beth, make it clear that they don't like Shasta. Shasta is different and she claims to have been struck by lightning, so she does not participate in many of the activities. Abby likes Shasta and all of the girls in the cabin find themselves dealing with the pressure of fitting in and getting boyfriends. I would recommend this graphic novel to older elementary or middle school girls. Girls will be able to identify with the pressures of fitting in with friends and feeling left out when friends move on. It is a Eisner Award winner; the pictures are very beautiful.

Multicultural: Winkler, H., Oliver, L. (2004). Holy enchilada. New York: Grosset & Dunlap. Hank Zipper and his friends learn about the Japanese culture in preparation for Multi-Cultural day, were Yoshi, a Japanese boy of Hanks age will be visiting. Yoshi will be spending the night with Hank and his family. Everyone in the class must bring in a dish from another country to the school banquet celebrating Yoshis visit. Hank and Yoshi decide to make enchiladas to share. When Hank and his friends begin to cook, Hanks dyslexia gets in the way and Hank may have mixed up a fraction in the recipe, making the enchiladas super hot. This story examines many different cultures and shows readers that no matter where you are from, everyone is human. As Hank and Yoshi find themselves becoming fast friends, they also realize that despite different cultures they are very much the same. Readers will enjoy this funny and fast paced read. The characters are relatable and very fun, they never do what you expect. Polacco, P. (2009). Mrs. Katz and Tush. New York: Doubleday Books for Young Readers. This book allows readers to see into the relationship of Mrs Katz, an older Yiddish widow, and Larnel, a young African American boy. When Larnel gives Mrs. Katz a cat to make her less lonely, she agrees to take it, but he must help her with it. Larnel begins to find parallels between the struggles of his ancestors and Mrs. Katzs people. The watercolor paintings of Polacco help illustrate the beautiful story of repressed and now thriving people. Readers will learn about struggle and friendship in this picture book. Award Winner: Taylor, M. (1997). Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry. New York: Puffin Books. Set in the 1930s this story follows Cassie and her negro family as they fight against prejudice and injustice. Nine-year-old Cassie does not understand the way that the world works in the South after all of the slaves were freed. She cannot fathom having to apologize to white girl, Lillian Jean, or how someone could burn a man, or how the Wallaces could shoot her father. Cassie and her brothers deal with the injustice and even manage to fight back on occasion, without much thought for the repercussion.

This story is very well written. Students will be able to relate to the characters because they vary in age and maturity. Young students will learn more about the life that blacks had to live after the Emancipation Proclamation along with the main character, Cassie. Although the injustices done to Cassie and her family are terrible, readers will better understand the story through their hardships.

Banned/ Challenged/ Sensitive Topic: Milne, A.A. (1996). The Complete Tales of Winnie-the-Pooh. New York: Dutton Juvenile. This book is a series of stories involving the loveable characters Christopher Robin, Pooh, Piglet, Rabbit, Owl, Eeyore, Kanga, and Roo. The narrator tells readers stories including how Piglet caught a heffalump, when Pooh found the North Pole, the kidnapping of Roo, what happened to Piglet in the flood, and more. This book is lighthearted and fun. Readers will enjoy the illustrations that go along with the text. I think younger readers will enjoy this book best because they will be able to imagine the animals really talking and imagine how their own stuffed animals may act. Popular Now: Oliver, L. (2012). Liesl and Po. New York: HarperCollins Liesl is like Cinderella, locked in an attic after the suspicious death of her father. She is extremely lonely, until she meets Po, a ghost who is also lonely. Will, an alchemists apprentice, walks by Liesls attic window everyday and fantasizes about meeting Liesl, but never does. When on an erra nd for his master, Will mixes up a box full of magic for Liesls fathers ashes. The horrible mix -up leads to a chain of events that bring Liesl, Po, and Will together while being chased by the alchemist, Liesls stepmother, and a number of other characters. This book started out very slowly for me. Once I got into it, about a 1/5th of the way through, I enjoyed it very much. The extra long character descriptions in the beginning did not make sense until later in the book when everything and everyone has a connection. A great adventure book, similar to Harry Potter. Quick Pick/ Recommended for Reluctant Readers: Spinelli, J. (2012). Jake and Lily. New York: Harper Collins Publishers. Jake and Lily are twins. They share everything: a room, toys, food, and goombla. Goombla is their magic twin power that allows them to know when the other is in trouble and what they are thinking. Every birthday Jake and Lily sleepwalk to the trainstation together and wake to the smell of pickles. As, the two get older they realize that the goombla can not be commanded, but it is always there. Then, one summer Jake makes new friends and does not want to be around Lily. Lily is heartbroken and lost, she has no life outside of Jake. And worse yet, Jakes new friends are bullies and they have targeted Lily in the past. Lily tries to make Jake want to hang out with her, but the goombla has disappeared. This is a really fun story. I think that children will be able to relate to either Jake or Lily, maybe both. One is trying to make new friends and the other is trying to hold on to her old ones. The story is told from both Jake and Lily in alternating chapters. It is super fast and has an uplifting ending.

Caldecott: Taback, S. (1999). Joseph Had a Little Overcoat. New York: Viking Juvenile. This picture book tells the story of Joseph and his favorite piece of clothing. As the material gets worn down, he alters it to make it a new piece of clothing. It gets smaller and smaller and smaller.

Taback uses cutouts and bright, bold colors to illustrate this story. There is a lot of rhythm and repetition in the text, as well as repetition in patterns in pictures. A very catchy book. Other Picture Books and chapter books: Series of Unfortunate Events: A Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket- This is the story of the Baudelaire children trying to escape from their evil uncle after the death of their parents. Corduroy by Don Freeman- Corduroy must find his lost button so that customers in the department store where he lives will want to buy him. Orange Peels Pocket by Rose A. Lewis- Orange Peel learns about her Chinese culture through visits to Chinese immigrants, who each leave a surprise in Orange Peels pocket for her to remember them by. The Fantastic Flying Books of Morris Lessmore by William Joyce- This is the story of a man, Morris, who loves his books and feels their love back for him as he writes his story. The Frog Princess: A Tlingit Legend from Alaska by Eric A. Kimmel- The daughter of the Tlingit tribe rejects all of her suitors in favor of the frog people. A Frog Prince by Alix Berenzy- This is the story of the Frog Prince, who does not stay with the spoiled princess, but instead goes on a journey to find someone who will love him as he is. A Friend for Dragon; Dragon Gets By; Dragon's Fat Cat, by Dav Pilkey- These are books for young children in which Dragon is a human trying to get by. Dragons by Lucille Recht Penner- This was a non-fiction book with different dragon legends and beliefs from different cultures. Food Hates You, Too by Robert Weinstock- This is a collection of food related poems for young children with illustrations. A Nonny Mouse Writes Again by Jack Prelutsky- This is a collection of poems for children written by Anonymous. The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick- This is the story of Hugo Cabret as he searches to find the parts to fix a broken automaton left by his father.

Book Talk Forms:

Bibliographic Information: Stead, R. (2010). When you reach me. New York: Yearling. Key Passage: Things you keep in a box- pages 1-2 Approach:

Plot-based Notes: Hand write the notes that Miranda finds in her belongings. >Alternative option: Mark the pages where Miranda receives the notes and maybe try reading her reactions to the notes instead of describing the plot so deeply (pages 60-61; 68;99; 163-164). Talk: Miranda is an average sixth grader living in New York City. She walks to school with her best friend, goes to classes, does her homework, and enjoys playing games. There are a few not so average things about Mirandas life too: she stays at her house alone after school before her mother gets home, her mother has been selected to be a contestant in $20,000 Pyramid, and Miranda one day she starts to receive mysterious notes from someone who knows all about her and her life. [Have a student read the first note]. Miranda is confused about who could have possibly left her the note. It seems that the note is the beginning of her bad luck. Sal, Mirandas best friend is punched on the way home from school and he no longer wants to talk to her, the key to Mirandas apartment is stolen along with one of her mothers boyfriends shoes, and Miranda is no closer to finding out who wrote the note. [Have student read the second note]. Amid the chaos of Mirandas changing life, Miranda begins to develop a new pattern with her new friends. Miranda makes friends with Annemarie and Colin and the three of them begin to work during lunch at a deli. Miranda starts to feel the sense of normalcy remaining and almost forgets about the notes, until she finds yet another. [Have student read the third note]. Miranda realizes that the life of one of her friends is at stake. She is trying desperately to decipher the notes and keep her friendships alive and her life under control when the unthinkable happens... [Have student read the fourth note]. To find out what happens to Miranda and who is leaving her the notes, read When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead. Bibliographic Information: Paulsen, G. (2002). Guts. New York: Laurel Leaf. Key Passage: Moose attacks- pages 48-51: beginning at At that precise moment a cow moose that had been standing in the darkened spruce trees swept me off my sled... Approach: Mood-based, plot-based, character-based, and scene-based Notes: Depending on the purpose of the booktalk consider showing students this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXRa3-oIOn8. It is an interview with Gary Paulsen about his life and writings.

>Alternative option: You can also have listeners listen to the beginning chapter on audio.I would do this for readers that have already read Hatchet and can remember the beginning of the story because that is what the first section is about. Talk: Who is Gary Paulsen? What has he written? Who has read Hatchet? (Gauge responses to determine how much to explain about Paulsen to students) Although Hatchet is a fictional book, many of the events in the book were based on real experiences by Gary Paulsen. Paulsen has led a very interesting life. He was in the army, was a volunteer EMT, competes in iditarods, has been hunting and fishing since childhood, has witnessed and been in a plane crash, and been attacked by mooses. One of my favorite stories from Guts is about the first time that Paulsen went hunting, with a bow that he had carved by himself. [Read the excerpt- page 83-87: beginning at That first time I went out hunting with my new homemade lemon-wood bow...]. If you enjoy the outdoors, if you loved Hatchet, if you want to learn more about hunting and fishing, or if you want to hear more about Paulsen, read Guts by Gary Paulsen, a story based on the real experiences that inspired Hatchet!

Bibliographic Information: Spinelli, J. (2012). Jake and Lily. New York: Harper Collins Publishers. Key Passage: Read introduction and opening chapters by both narrators (pages 1-10; they are short pages) Approach: Mood-based, character-based, and plot-based Notes: Consider pairing students up and asking questions that both students must answer and try to match with their partners. The partners with the closest or most matched answer win bookmarks or candy. (Depends on time) Talk: If I said the word goombla, would you know what it means? Take a minute and define what you think goombla means.... (After a few minutes, ask students to share their definitions) Goombla is actually the magical bond between Jake and Lily, fraternal twins. Goombla means that they can know what the other one is thinking and know where the other one is and even know when the other one is in trouble. There was the time that Lily said Im stuck as she colored inside and it turned out that Jakes foot was stuck in a fence outside. Or the time that Jake yelled STOP! and Lily stopped before running out in the road, when a car was zooming by. Jake even saves Lily from a growling dog across town, when he thinks she is in trouble. The most amazing, though, is how every

birthday, Jake and Lily wake up at the train station after sleepwalking there to the smell of pickles. Their goombla is perfect. Jake and Lily are closer than best friends and closer than siblings. They do everything together until Jake befriends a group of boys and begins to hang out with them instead of Lily. Even worse than feeling abandoned, Jakes new friends are led by a boy who used to bully Lily. Lily tries her hardest to keep the goombla alive, but the goombla can not be there without Jake. Lily must find her own friends and life outside of Jake in order to be happy, but does that mean that she is giving up on the goombla?

Story Hour:
Joyce, W. (2012). The fantastic flying books of Mr. Morris Lessmore. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers Outline: Read The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore to children (approximately 10 minutes) Show the Pixar short film of the story to children: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPUp-_iZV9E (approximately 15 minutes) Have a short discussion about the differences in the representations: one had words to help move the story and one did not. Explain the power of words in stories to transition over to the activity (approximately 5 minutes) Activity: SEE HANDOUT BELOW! Hand out the a mad libs version of The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore. Allow students to create their own story by filling in the words and drawing pictures. (approximately 15-20 minutes) Discuss the importance of reading and express that the children can be (and probably are) book lovers just like Morris Lessmore. Also tell them that just like they wrote their own version of the story, they control their own lives as well! (Approximately 5 minutes) Share the stories! (5-10 minutes) HANDOUT:

The (ADJECTIVE) (ADJECTIVE) (PL. NOUN) of (NAME)

*** MAD LIBS OF THE SAME COLOR DENOTE EITHER THE SAME OR RELATED WORD FORMS. READ THE CONTEXT OF THE SENTENCES TO HELP YOU OR ASK THE LIBRARIAN FOR HELP

(NAME) loved (PL. NOUN). He/she loved (PL. NOUN). He/she loved (PL. NOUN). His/her life was a (PL. NOUN) of his/her own, one orderly (NOUN) after another. He/she would

(VERB) it every morning and (VERB) of/to his/her joys and sorrows, of all he/she knew and everything that he/she hoped for. But every (PL. NOUN) has its upsets. One day the sky darkened. The winds blew and blew till everything (NAME) knew was scatteredeven the (PL. NOUN).

He/she didnt know what to do or which way to go. So he/she began to wander. And wander. Then a happy bit of happenstance came his/her way. Rather than looking down, as had become his/her habit, (NAME) looked up. Drifting through the sky above him, (NAME) saw a (ADJECTIVE) (NOUN). It was being pulled along by a (ADJECTIVE) squadron of (ADJECTIVE) (NOUN). (NAME) wondered if his (NOUN) could (VERB). But it couldnt. It would only fall on the ground with a (ADJECTIVE) thud. The (ADJECTIVE) (NOUN) knew (NAME) simply needed a (ADJECTIVE) (NOUN), so she sent him/her its favorite. The (NOUN) was an (ADJECTIVE) fellow, and urged (NAME) to follow it.

The (NOUN) led him/her to an extraordinary building where many (PL. NOUN) apparently nested. (NAME) slowly walked inside and discovered the most (ADJECTIVE) and (ADJECTIVE) room that he/she had ever seen. It was filled with the fluttering of (ADJECTIVE) (NOUN), and (NAME) could hear the (ADJECTIVE) chatter of a thousand different (PL. NOUN) as if each (NOUN) was whispering an invitation to adventure. The room (VERB) to life. And so (NAME)s life among the (PL. NOUN) began.

(NAME) tried to keep the (PL. NOUN) in some sort of order, but they always mixed themselves up. All in all it was an (ADJECTIVE) jumble. (NAME) found great satisfaction

in caring for the (PL. NOUN), gently fixing those with (ADJECTIVE) (NOUN) and unfolding the (ADJECTIVE) (PL. NOUN) of others. Sometimes (NAME) would become lost in a (NOUN) and scarcely (VERB) for days. (NAME) liked to share the (PL. NOUN) with others. Sometimes it was a favorite that everyone loved, and other times he found a (ADJECTIVE) whose (NOUN) was (ADJECTIVE). Everyones (NOUN) matters, said (NAME). And all the (PL. NOUN) agreed.

At night, after the (PL. NOUN) that needed (VERB)ing had been (VERB)ed and everyone had settled down to their proper places on the (NOUN), the (ADJECTIVE) ( NOUN) would get in the last word: Zzzzzzzzzz. It was then that (NAME) would once again (VERB) his own (NOUN). He/she (VERB) of/to his/her joys and sorrows, of all he/she knew and everything that he/she hoped for. The days passed. So did the months. And then years. And years and (NAME) became (ADJECTIVE) and (ADJECTIVE). But the (PL. NOUN) never changed. Their (NOUN) stayed the same. Now his (ADJECTIVE) friends took care of him the way he/she had once cared for them, and they read themselves to him/her each night.

Then one day he/she (VERB)ed the (NOUN). He looked up and said with a (ADJECTIVE) sigh, I guess its time for me to move on. The (NOUNS) were sorry, but they understood. (NAME) put on his/her hat and took his cane. As he/she went to the door, he/she turned and smiled, then waved good-bye. Ill carry you all in here, he/she said, pointing to his (NOUN [body part]). The (PL. NOUNS) waved their (NOUN [body part]), and (NAME) flew away. And as he/she flew away, he/she changed back to the way he/shed been that long ago day when theyd all first met.

The (PL. NOUNS) were quiet for a while. Then they noticed that (NAME) had left something behind. Its his/her (NOUN)! said his/her (ADJECTIVE) friend. Inside was (NAME)s (NOUN). All of his/her joys and sorrows, all that he/she knew and everything that he/she hoped for.