Out and about at the Zoo by Jo Linsdell

The text is sing-song rhyming meter about a child and his mum (mom) day out at the zoo.  The pictures are big, bold, adorable, kid-friendly and very colorful.  They hop off the page at ya.  A very fun and quick read. It is a very easy read even beginning readers could read it with little assistance.  Want to bring a smile to a child's face this book will do it; it is just that type of book.  The illustrations are loveable and the theme is enjoyable.  Who doesn't love to visit the zoo? 

You may visit the tour site and see what others are saying here.  Everything I've read so far is very positive. Also watch a video where the author reads the book. 

Read Jo's guest post on The Importance of reading to Kids here.

Rhyming text and colourful pictures accompany this fun day out discovering different animals at the zoo.

Jo Linsdell is a freelance writer, author and illustrator. Originally from the UK, she now lives in Rome, Italy with her husband and their two young sons.

Purchasing links (print):

• Amazon.com
• Amazon.it
• Amazon.co.uk
• CreateSpace.com

Purchasing links (kindle):

• Amazon.com

• Amazon.it

• Amazon.co.uk

an ecopy of this book was provided by the author in exchange for my honest review.

Kaleidoscope collection by Hameray Publishing

I was so excited when Bill from Hameray Publishing contacted me to do some product reviews of their books on my site.  The first collection I chose to review was the Kaleidoscope collection.   The Kaleidoscope Collection is a series of 150 books at various reading levels written by a team of experienced reading teachers, leaders, literacy coaches and reading specialist.  The authors come from many different states and teaching backgrounds.  There are fiction as well as non-fiction titles in the series.  These readers may be used in small groups, individually or put into a classroom library.  Currently there are 40 book available with 50 additional titles to be added here in January of 2012 and 60 more added in January 2013.

Book Features include:

• a large range of interesting topics that reflect the diverse world of young readers
• high-quality illustrations/photographs 
• encounter characters that are familiar to their own lives as well as meet new folks in different jobs and settings
• prose, poetry and effective use of vocabulary to engage and challenge readers to expand their horizons
• like a kaleidoscope the books add color and interest and new experiences to the reader

as a teacher I was very impressed with these readers that were sent me to review.  The illustrations were wonderful the print easy to read.  On the average one readers is about 8 pages as to not overwhelm the new budding or the reluctant reader.
Here is a sample of a book using photos...

Here is a sample page of a book using illustrations....

Needless to say my pictures of the pictures doesn't do them justice. 
Here is the sample of books I was sent for this review...

Halloween Night by Gaynell R. Jamison

We Recycle by Susan G. Weaver Jones

Crash Cars by Lisa Burnett Killebrew

Zip the Squirrel by Kimberly Ziemann

No Rules by Sandy Veach

So if you need some reinforcement at home you may want to check out this great collection and others that are put out by Hameray Publishing. 

review copies have been provided in exchange for my honest review by....

Hermie: A Common Caterpillar by Max Lucado

Are you thinking about Christmas yet??  Well, Hermie the Worm would delight any youngster on Christmas morning and all year long.  Hermie: A Common Caterpillar by Max Lucado is a excellent book.  I totally fell in love with Hermie from day one of reviewing him.  Your child will learn that being common isn't always a bad thing.  We all are special in God's eyes.  God is working on them and isn't finished with them.  These themes are much needed to help any child gain a healthy self-esteem.  The illustrations are beautiful too.  I haven't come across a Max Lucado book that I haven't fell in love with yet.  Just can't go wrong.  I'm sold.

Get more information about this book here.

Be sure to check out the Hermie Prize Pack Giveaway here.
Deadline Oct. 15th





a digital copy of this book was provided by Thomas Nelson in exchange for my honest review

Penny & Rio: The Mysterious Backyard Meeting by Jennifer Swanson

The Mysterious Backyard Meeting is a children's short chapter book. Easy reading those about 1-3 graders. This book is based on the author's dogs, Penny & Rio.

This book is about Penny, a mischievous dog, and Rio, her lazy sister. "If curostiy killed the cat"? then why not a curious dog. Penny likes to have fun and adventure, but not too much in one day. Penny over hears some night animals in the backyard scheming up some trouble; so she thinks. She aims to stop them dead in their tracks. Penny thinks that cats are trouble, well maybe not all cats. Penny learns that things aren't always what they appear to be.

Visit Penny & Rio web site here.

Herman by Tayler Roberson

Today I'm going to do another author interview. We haven't done that in awhile so thought it was time. This author is a first time author. Tyler Roberson is author of a children's easy-to-read, short chapter book. First, let me introduce the book a little. I would say 1-3 graders would enjoy this book and learning a little from and about Herman.

Herman and Eugene, better known as Gene, both have something in common. They are orphaned.
Eugene is a lively, but responsible, serious and shy (around kids) black-haired, blue-eyed, freckled-face, nine year old boy. He lives with his grandparents and Uncle Don on their farm in Northern Michigan. Eugene loves fishing, talking and singing songs. He is a hard worker around the farm. He finds a baby heron that quickly becomes his friend as he nurses it back to health. Eugene affectionately refers to the heron as Herman.

This is a cute story and your child will learn facts about herons and what it means to rescue and release an animal back into the wild. I was impressed. I give this book two thumbs up and a fishing pole to boot. I've asked Mr. Roberson if he'd be so kind to answer a few questions so you may get to know this new author better.

Could you share with my readers a little bit about yourself?

I am 45 years old. I am married and have one son, two stepdaughters, and a stepson. I also have four beautiful grandchildren and two on the way. I was born in Cheboygan, Michigan which serves as the setting for Herman. I currently live in Harrison, Michigan which is in the central part of the state or "middle of the mitten".

I'm from Michigan as well. Niles, right on the Stateline MI/IN, Southwestern corner more less

Are you a full-time author or do you have another occupation besides?

Currently I write full-time and take care of three of my grandchildren.

That is so neat that you take care of your grandchildren. What a big job.

Could you share a few (3-5 would be nice) fun fact with my readers about yourself that they might not know and you wouldn’t mind if they knew, of course.

I enjoy fishing whenever I get the chance which is why Gene, in my story loves fishing. I also like to travel. Two of my favorite places I visited are Yellowstone National Park and the Gettysburg Battlefield National Park. I am fascinated by shipwrecks in the Great Lakes and have visited the Shipwreck Museum at Whitefish Point in Michigan's upper peninsula.

Cool. I really loved reading about Gene.

Have you always been interested in being a writer?

I would say a better way to say it is I have always enjoyed writing. Writing became my "creative outlet". I always wanted to paint or sketch pictures, but I lacked the skill. As a result, I started to "paint with words"; writing in a descriptive style to allow readers to envision something the way I see it.

I'm not much of an artist, and I can't say I'm a good word painter either, but I love reading what others write.

Who or what had had the most influence in your becoming a writer?

When I was young I watched a TV show called The Waltons. John Boy, the oldest brother, wanted to be a writer and was always scribbling in his notebook. That was my first exposure to someone actually aspiring to writing as a career. Louis L'Amour, my favorite author, was another major influence as were, of course, my parents and grandparents.

I loved the Waltons too when I was growing up. Let you in on a little secret. We're the same age.

Could you share a little bit of how you came up with the inspiration for this story?

Herman is based on an actual event from my father's boyhood. I grew up hearing him tell the story of a young heron chick he rescued and named Herman, so when I was casting about for an idea to write about, my dad's experience was a natural choice.

What better way to write than from personal experience, well dad's personal experience, he passed on to you through stories.

Is it easy to get into the Children’s genre?

I think the most challenging part of writing for children is remembering that you are writing for children. Childhood is a time of constant wonder and discovery. The challenge is to relate to kids on their level without becoming condescending.

Sometimes as adults we have a hard time getting on child's level.

This being your first book what were your feelings when you finally saw and held the finished product in your hands?

A tremendous sense of accomplishment. Holding a copy of the book and knowing it was something that would last beyond myself was a truly rewarding moment.

Well, congratulations. I enjoyed reading this book and trust there will be more in the works.

Do you have any more books in the works? If so can you share with us a little bit.

I am currently developing stories about a Michigan family that experiences life just prior to and during the Civil War. There will also be future stories about Gene and his family.

Well, I love reading children's books. I guess that's the teacher in my. Hopefully, I'll be able to review many more of your books. They sound interesting. We need good clean books for our kids to read.

Is there any character in your book Herman that you best relate to? Why?

At this point in my life I'd say Uncle Don. I enjoy my grandkids and try to infuse humor as well as discipline into their lives.

Well, I enjoyed getting to know Uncle Don in this book and hopefully, we'll see him in future Gene books.

Have you ever been involved in an animal rescue/release effort before as you use in your book? If so could you share a bit about this with the readers.

Nothing as dramatic as Herman. When I was young we found two abandoned kittens that had gotten their heads stuck in a snack chip bag. We freed them and took them home.

I just had a sparrow fly into my house here a few weeks ago. We had to rescue it and set it free again. What would you like the readers to come away with after reading this book?

I would hope that anyone who reads Herman can relate to the story and its characters in a real way. The little heartaches and triumphs of everyday life are something we all go through and it's best to share them with someone who loves us.

Thanks that is so important to remember. What would you say for yourself is the hardest part of the writing process?

Actually setting aside the time to just sit down and write. There is always so much going on and things to do that it can be difficult to step back and take a few moments to pick up my pen.

There always seems to be something calling our needs. Something that needs our attention. What is the most rewarding part of the writing process?

Knowing that you're bringing something to life that you can share with other people.

That's always a good feeling. Do you have a web site? How can someone find more information on this book

Yes. People can find me at www.hermantheheron.com. Also, readornotread.com contains some reviews.

Oh, thanks for the web site. I'll have to go check it out myself. When not writing what is your favorite pastime?

I really like hanging out with my grandkids and playing with them. I also like to play games on my computer or Playstation 3.

I don't have any grandkids yet, but I bet they are fun. You sound like a cool grandpa. Do you have any parting words you’d like to leave with the readers?

I'd just simply like to say thank you for their interest in Herman and myself, and I hope to be able to share more adventures with them in the future.

Thanks for taking the time to answer these questions. God Bless on your writing adventure. Loved your first book.

Learn more about this book here.

A copy of this book was provided for review by WinePress Publishing

The Jesus Book by Stephen Elkins

If your child likes to learn about Jesus then this is the book for them to find under the Christmas tree. What better gift to find on Christmas than a gift about the person that Christmas is all about. The reason for the season. Jesus. This book will answer any question your child might have about Jesus.

• 
  

Who He is

What He did

What He taught

• 
  

There is even a timeline showing when the events happened. Maps showing where the events happened. A section explaining why the events happened and how they happened. It's all backed by scripture verses for you child to look up and read.

If your child has questions about Jesus then this is a good book to get for them. Of course outside of the best book: The Holy Bible.

The book comes with a song CD. There are 30 children's songs on the CD all having to do with Jesus.

View a sample flip book here For more information on this book go here

Children's book - Katie & Kimble: A Ghost Story by Linda Thieman

This book was a delightful read. Any 7-10 year old (third/fourth grader) will find it easy and fun with short chapters. Katie and her family move to a new town because of her mother's job. Katie doesn't have many friends right at first in this new town as in most cases is the problem when kids move. Her dog is a loyal friend that helps her out after she falls into a hole. He summons help. Katie's family is a loving family and her parents are very open to talking things out with Katie. Katie has responsibilities around the house. Kimble is the ghost of a little girl that use to live in the house that Katie and her family move into. Kimble is a friendly ghost much like Casper the friendly Ghost. She helps Katie out and leaves gifts for her. Kimble shares with Katie a secret stairway to the attic and also her secret room that her mother made for her in the attic. Katie and Kimble quickly become friends. Oh, by the way, only small children and animals can see Kimble. Katie's mother never sees her, but she believes she's there for Katie. Thieman also sprinkles in humorous settings. In the book children will learn some Jewish customs. Kimble teaches Katie how to play dreidel. For teachers and homeschoolers there is a web site you can go to and download free classroom activities that go along with the book.

Read Chapters 1-6 free at Katie and Kimble blog

Virtual Book tours

Sydney Clair’s Season of Change by Pam Davis with my review

It is time to play a Wild Card! Every now and then, a book that I have chosen to read is going to pop up as a FIRST Wild Card Tour. Get dealt into the game! (Just click the button!) Wild Card Tours feature an author and his/her book's FIRST chapter!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

Today's Wild Card author is:

Pam Davis

and her book:

Sydney Clair’s Season of Change

Authentic (March 1, 2008)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Pam Davis is an author and motivational speaker who views her charge as bringing the timeworn truths of Scripture to life. Pams candid teaching style not only enlightens but also entertains, leaving her audiences with a refreshed desire for the living Word of God. She lives with her husband, Steven, and three children in Fort Worth, Texas.

Visit her at her website.

Product Details:

Reading level: Ages 4-8
List Price: $7.99
Paperback: 80 pages
Publisher: Authentic (March 1, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1934068500
ISBN-13: 978-1934068502

My Review:
This was a fun book to read. I read it aloud to my daughter. It didn't take us long. In this story your child well learn about equal rights of blacks and how they were treated in the 60's. Sydney Clair not only goes through changes but so does her friends and family and the whole USA for that matter as equal rights was a great issue that had to be overcome. Peer pressure was a great issue that Sydney Clair had to overcome also. With God's help we can overcome any obstacle that comes in our life. Oh, yes and did I mention that in the back of this book there is a step into the past section where there are pictures and a brief history of the time period. Kind of like a scrapbook type idea. I liked the fact that Davis used the KJV of the Bible when scriptures were used. Good job Pam Davis. Thumbs up for this book. Also there is a website to visit for girls to do girly things on. It is very much along the line of the American Girl history books. Go ahead and read the first chapter and see for yourself.

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:


Chapter One

It’s going to be a bad day, Sydney Clair thought to herself. She snuggled deeper under the covers. Maybe if she stayed in bed all day, nothing would change. Her sister wouldn’t leave. She’d stay right here with the rest of the family, the way things had always been.

But she could already hear Penny moving about the room they shared, packing last-minute items and singing to herself. Sydney Clair pulled the pillow over her head.

It sounded like she was taking everything.

“Not the dancing clowns!” Sydney Clair removed the pillow when she heard the music box.

Penny smiled. “Don’t worry. I’m not taking the dancing clowns.”

Sydney Clair thought her sister was the prettiest girl ever. She blinked back tears, but Penny still saw them.

“I’m only a twenty-minute bus ride away, Clair-Bear. You can come visit anytime.”

Clair-Bear. It was a nickname her sister had given her when she was just a baby. She’d loved it when she was little.

Sydney wasn’t a very common name amongst her friends’ Susies, Vickys, and Lucys. Mother had named her Sydney in honor of her grandfather who passed away shortly before Sydney Clair was born. Now Sydney Clair appreciated the name more—and liked the uniqueness of it—but “Clair-Bear” still had a special place in her heart. Though, with Penny leaving, who would call her that now? And who would braid her hair for school? Who could she talk to about what was happening in her favorite book series? Who would walk down to the Dairy Queen with her for Dilly Bars?

Who would be her sister?




The family’s Plymouth station wagon meandered its way onto the University of Texas campus. Sydney Clair could tell Penny was practically bursting with excitement. She stared out the window, pointing to every statue and building on campus. “That’s Hogg Memorial Auditorium. That’s Austin Tower. You can see the whole campus from the top of it.”

Sydney Clair didn’t even pretend to be interested. But her dad slowed down the car and stretched to see the Tower. “Can you read the inscription?” he asked.

“And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free,” quoted Penny. “Isn’t that a Bible verse?”

Mother nodded. “John 8:32, I believe.”

“Ding, ding, ding,” Mr. Wilcox chimed. “Your mother wins the prize.”

“And what might that prize be?” Mother asked teasingly.

“Uh . . . I’ll make dinner tonight,” Mr. Wilcox said.

“That means we’re having peanut butter and jelly,” Sydney Clair interjected from the back seat.

“Or corn chips and soda pop,” said her mother, laughing.

Mr. Wilcox pretended to pout. “You have no confidence at all in my cooking abilities.”

“I’m just remembering when you made me that birthday cake while we were dating.”

“Uh, oh. Don’t bring that up . . . ” Mr. Wilcox said.

“What was wrong with it, Mother?” Penny asked.

Mother turned her head to look at the girls. “He decided to frost it before he put it in the oven.” She began to laugh. “When he took it out, the whole top was charred black.”

“I didn’t know you were supposed to bake the cake first and then decorate it,” Dad said with a grin on his face. “And, bless her heart, your mother ate it anyway.”

“What you lacked in culinary skills, you more than made up for in charm,” Mother told him.

“I’m voting that Mother keeps her job of doing the cooking,” said Sydney Clair.

Sydney Clair tried to imagine her mother and dad before they were married. She knew they must have laughed a lot—because even now they were always joking about something.

Her dad pulled into a parking spot and shut off the engine in front of Penny’s dormitory.

“Here we are,” said Mr. Wilcox. “Bradshaw Hall.”

“Isn’t it beautiful?” said Penny.

“It’s very stately,” Mrs. Wilcox agreed, opening her car door.

All Sydney Clair saw was a boring brick building. She stepped out into the hot, dusty Austin summer, already feeling the start of sweat on her temples. Not only was her sister abandoning her to go to college, but she’d have to spend the next few hours carrying boxes up and down stairs.

“What’s going on over there?” Mrs. Wilcox asked. Sydney Clair looked in the direction she was pointing toward and saw a swarm of college students marching around in a circle waving signs. Some seemed to have relinquished themselves to the heat and sat lounging in small circles on the grass.

“They’re protesting bleached toilet paper,” said Penny. “Leah told me all about it. Companies whiten toilet paper with chemicals that can ruin our environment. It needs to be stopped.”

Leah was Penny’s best friend and an expert in everything.

“We should get started,” Mr. Wilcox said. He lifted a large box out of the back of the station wagon.

Sydney Clair kept watching the protesters. A young man, whose hair hung down to his waist and wore a colorful headband, seemed to be in charge. He shouted from the steps of a building, waving his sign high in the air. Like the others, he wore frayed blue jeans, and his feet were bare. “The land has taken good care of us—we need to take good care of it!”

The other protesters shouted back in agreement. “Right on, man!” “That’s right!” “Protect our planet!”

Sydney Clair’s dad broke into her thoughts. “If I’d have worn my hair like that, your grandmother would’ve never let me out of the house.”




Sydney Clair lost count of the number of times she climbed the three flights of stairs to Penny’s new room.

She still didn’t understand why Penny was so excited about college. The room they shared at home was twice the size of this one. She felt her eyes moisten thinking about sleeping in the room all by herself.

As Sydney Clair reached the third floor for the umpteenth time, Penny’s squealing voice caught her attention. “It’s so great to finally meet you!”

Sydney Clair turned into Penny’s dorm room and plopped down the avocado green beanbag she’d been carrying.
A red-haired girl. who wore a peasant blouse and a denim skirt, sat cross-legged on the bed next to her sister.

“Sydney Clair, this is Moonbeam,” Penny said. “My roommate.”

Sydney Clair quickly shoved aside the thought that she used to be Penny’s roommate. “Hi,” she mustered. She wondered what Moonbeam’s parents had named her brothers and sisters. Star? Planet? Galaxy? Were they astronomers?

“Peace,” Moonbeam said, holding up two fingers in a V-shape.

“What are your sisters and brothers named?” asked Sydney Clair.

“What kind of question is that?” Penny said.

“It’s cool,” said Moonbeam. “I have two brothers, named Jack and Harry.”

“Those names are pretty normal,” said Sydney Clair. “Why isn’t yours?”

Penny glared at her. “Sydney Clair!” she scolded.

“No sweat. Little Daisy here is curious,” said Moonbeam. “My parents named me Shirley. But I chose Moonbeam. It seemed to fit my personality better—y’know, who I really am. I shine in the midst of dark ideas.”

Penny nodded in agreement, but Sydney Clair thought it was just plain weird. Why was Moonbeam calling her Daisy? She liked the names Shirley and Sydney Clair better but thought it best not to say.

“You have to listen to this record,” Moonbeam was saying. “Have you heard of Jefferson Airplane?”

“No, but I really like the Beatles. And Peter, Paul, and Mary,” Penny said. Moonbeam nodded approvingly. “Their song ‘Blowin’ in the Wind’ is far-out.”

Sydney Clair noticed a guitar case in the corner. “Do you play the guitar?”

“I’m learning,” said Moonbeam. “Maybe someday it’ll be the group Peter, Paul, and Moonbeam.”

Sydney Clair didn’t think so, but she kept her mouth shut.

Another girl burst into the room. “Guess what, Moonbeam! We have a colored girl on the floor.”

Moonbeam quickly introduced Sydney Clair and Penny to Beth. “What room is she in?”

“Two doors down.”

“Didn’t the University of Texas open up to colored students several years ago?” asked Penny.

“Sure,” said Beth. “But this is my third year here, and I’ve never lived on the same floor as one before.”

Sydney Clair wondered what was taking her parents so long. She didn’t really like college life. But she knew she felt bad for the colored girl living two doors down. She hadn’t been exposed to a lot of colored people in her life. There weren’t any Negro families in her neighborhood. Only a handful of colored kids went to her school and they pretty much stuck to themselves.

“Well, I don’t have a problem with it,” stated Moonbeam.

“I do. And my mother certainly will when she finds out. She’s from Alabama, and things are different there,” said Beth. She started talking about some town named Birmingham and how the town residents set buses on fire that Freedom Riders were riding.

Sydney Clair wondered who Freedom Riders were. The whole thing sounded scary.

A knocking sound came from the hallway.

“Come in,” called Moonbeam.

A petite colored girl swung open the door. She wore a white blouse and plaid skirt. “Sorry to bother you. Can you tell me how to get to the library?”

Moonbeam started giving directions, but Sydney Clair noticed that Beth turned away and stared out the window.




Outside her car window, Sydney Clair watched the pink sunset fade into the Texas plain. It had been a long day, and she was tired.

“I hear some larger companies are coming into town. There will be some good-paying jobs opening up,” Mother was telling Dad.

Mother often talked about “larger corporations” these days, but Dad never seemed as interested. “And all those good-paying jobs will require a suit and tie,” he said.

“I think you’d look very handsome in a tie,” Mrs. Wilcox said.

Sydney Clair was still thinking about the university they’d
just left. The whole place seemed crazy and loud and chaotic.
Even as they’d pulled out of the parking lot, girls wearing flower wreaths in their hair waved signs saying, “Bring our GIs home!” She remembered the young man with the long hair. Yep . . . college was a far cry from the white picket fences of their quiet neighborhood, where walking to the Piggly Wiggly for candy was enough for excitement.

“Don’t you like the name Shirley better than Moonbeam?” she asked her parents.

Mr. Wilcox chuckled as he drove. “College students have their own way of doing things.”

“Especially in this day and age,” said Mrs. Wilcox. “I hope Penny does okay there.”

“She’ll be fine.” Mr. Wilcox patted his wife’s hand. “We’ve raised her well.”

“Do you think she’ll change?” Sydney Clair wondered aloud.

“In some ways,” her dad said. “She’s growing up. She’ll be learning new things, meeting new people.”

“I mean really change. Will she still be our Penny?”

“She’ll always be our Penny,” her mother said.




Sydney Clair was still missing her sister as she and her mother washed the dishes that evening. The sounds of The Dick Van Dyke Show wafted in from the next room where her dad sat in his easy chair with the newspaper. Her mother had made Sydney Clair’s favorite dinner—roast beef with mashed potatoes—but it hadn’t cheered her up much. She kept thinking of Penny at college.

“There’s only three of everything,” she said. “Three plates, three forks.” She handed her mother a sudsy glass to rinse. “Three glasses.”

“I guess things change,” Mrs. Wilcox said. “They’ll always change. Someday you’ll go off to college and move away from home.”

“Maybe I’ll just move into the playhouse,” said Sydney Clair. Her dad had built her a new playhouse over the summer. It was better than any playhouse she’d ever seen, and her friends Vicky and Ann had agreed. It had shutters that opened and closed, a little kitchen with a sink that held water, and even electricity for the light that hung over the table. Mrs. Wilcox often brought cookies or snacks to Sydney Clair and her friends, who regularly hosted tea parties from the playhouse. Inside the playhouse or out on the lawn in front—it didn’t matter. Mrs. Wilcox would often say, “You need to eat more than just tea and crumpets,” which were usually Kool-Aid and corn chips. But with Sydney Clair’s imagination, they were never just tea and crumpets. They were exotic concoctions from far off lands. Sydney Clair cherished her playhouse. Because it never changed, she thought.

Her mother chuckled. “Someday you’ll even outgrow the playhouse.”

Sydney Clair couldn’t imagine that.

Mr. Wilcox walked into the kitchen, carrying the newspaper. “Did you see this article, dear?” He handed Mrs. Wilcox the newspaper, and they started talking about some race riots that had taken place in California.

“Do you know there’s a colored girl that lives on Penny’s floor?” Sydney Clair said.

Mrs. Wilcox nodded. “Yes, and I hope your sister will make sure she feels welcome.”

“Knowing Penny, she’ll do just that,” said Mr. Wilcox. “Can I help you finish the dishes?”

“As always, your timing is perfect,” said Mother. “We just finished.”

“And I missed it,” Mr. Wilcox feigned disappointment.

“Someday we’ll have to get one of those new automatic dishwashers they have out now. We’d be done doing dishes in no time,” said Sydney Clair.

“I thought you were my automatic dishwasher, Sydney Clair.” Her mother smiled.

“I think she might need a tune-up,” Dad said. “She’s slowing down a little.”

“Maybe she needs some chocolate cake to get her going again,” Mother suggested.

Sydney Clair’s spirits lifted a bit. “We have chocolate cake for dessert?”

“We do,” Mrs. Wilcox said, her eyes twinkling. “And because I love you so much, I baked the cake before I frosted it.”

“Wow, what an interesting idea,” said Sydney Clair.

“I can tell when I’m being made fun of,” Mr. Wilcox said. “But I’m still sticking around for chocolate cake.”




Sydney Clair chewed on the end of her pencil while she stared at her calendar. Bo, the family’s golden retriever, brushed past Sydney Clair’s bare legs and curled up on a rug in the middle of the floor. Every day, Sydney Clair would write either “good day” or “bad day” to describe how the day had gone. All day, she’d planned that this would be a “bad day.” She mindlessly scratched behind Bo’s ears.

Boy, I’m really going to miss Penny,” she said. Penny’s bare bed, now stripped of its pink sheets, made the room look so empty.

Bo looked up at her with big brown eyes, as if he understood Sydney Clair’s sadness.

“At least I still have you to keep me company,” Sydney Clair told him.

Bo answered by putting his head on his paws.

Sydney Clair penciled “bad day” on the calendar. But then she thought about joking around with her parents, having chocolate cake, and talking to her mom about going shopping for school. I guess it wasn’t all bad, she thought. Sydney Clair jotted “mostly” in front of “bad day.”

“What do you think, Bo?” she asked.

The dog perked up and seemed to smile back in agreement.