title,content malis-friend_BookDash-FKB.txt,"Then a taxi driver, hooting around the yard with his wire car. Mali enjoys playing by himself. Beep! Beep! He likes to be a pilot, Beeeeeeeeeeep! swooshing around the house with his paper plane. Mali never goes out to play with others. Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh! Gogo says, ""Mali go out and play ibhola with the others."" But Mali does not enjoy himself. Gogo says, ""Mali, look, the children are playing ibhathi. Go out and play."" Mali tries again. But he does not enjoy himself. Gogo tries one more time. ""Mali, go out and play maphonselana with the others."" Once again, Mali tries. He does not enjoy himself. There is a knock on the door. Ko! Ko! Ko! It’s Lesedi from next door. She has come to play. Mali is shy. He does not know how to play with Lesedi. Lesedi asks him if he would like to make mud pies and cakes. They make mud pies Mali enjoys and cakes and even himself very pancakes and biscuits. much. Mali has trouble throwing, moving and catching the stones. But he gets Lesedi comes better at the game. back again. She shows Mali how to play ingedo. Mali enjoys himself very much. Mali then shows Lesedi how to make a paper plane. They go all around the house swooshing their planes. Oh! They laugh a lot! Mali asks Lesedi, ""Can I ""Of course come to you can!"" your house to play tomorrow?"" she laughs. The next morning, after gobbling down his porridge, Mali takes out his wire car. ""Where are you going, Mali?"" asks Gogo. ""I am going out to play with Lesedi!"" he laughs. " I-Really-Want-A-Dog....An-Introduction-to-Dog-Ownership-for-Children-.txt,"I really wanted a dog. I Really, really, really wanted a dog!!! But Mum said, first I needed to learn more about dogs. ""Do you know how to look after a dog?"" She asked me. I asked my big sister if she could help me look up facts about dogs on the internet. We found out that: Dogs need to have a healthy diet. Dogs need lots of water. Dogs need regular exercise. Dogs need a place to sleep. Most dogs love playing games. Dogs need to have a security gate – for their protection and other peoples! ""And, what type of dog would you like?"" Mum asked me. I asked my big sister again, if she could help me look it up on the internet. Border Collie? Boxer? Basset Hound? A Pomerian is really fluffy, very cute, with lots of energy. It would need to be brushed a lot, and Mum might get mad about the hair. A great dane has a gentle nature and is very intelligent. But I don't think he would fit in our small house; or in our small car if we had to take him to the vet. An Alaskian Husky is a very nice dog, but it would be really hot for him in summer, since we don't live in Alaska. I guess we'd have the same problem with a Canadian Eskimo Dog. An Airedale terrier was originally bred to hunt otters; we don't have many otters around here. A Finish Lapphund, originally bred to herd reindeer, is very popular in Finland, but we don't have many reindeer here either. Miniature Schnauzers are spunky guard dogs, but they tend to bark more than bite. Spaniels are warm natured, friendly, and loyal, and make great pets. How about a Russian Spaniel? Would I need to speak to him in Russian? The Shar Pei was originally bred as a place guard dog in China, but, we don't have a palace. What about a Broholmer? Or an Australian Terrier? Or a Czechoslovakian wolf-dog? I'd like a poodle, but they also have a lot of curly fur to look after. Perhaps a labradoodle – it's a cross between a labrador and a poodle. Labradors or Retrievers are kind, friendly, and outgoing dogs, they also love helping people. They are the most common dog breed used to help blind people. A labrador might be a nice dog to have – if he's not too busy helping blind people. Should I get a puppy or an adult dog? Puppies are cute, but need lots of training. Older dogs are trained, but may have learned bad habits. Mum had one more question for me, do you know how much a dog will cost??!! Luckily me and my sister had already thought about that one. And looked it up. A pure breed can be quite expensive, but there are lots of animal welfare groups where a dog can be adopted, and this helps out a pet without a home. To adopt a dog you need to pay for the dog's doctor bills to make sure he is healthy and has all his vaccination shots. Good quality dog baskets and toys can be found at the supermarket or bulk stores, or at the animal welfare shelter. As can good quality dog food. Don't forget about the fence if you don't have one. Some countries may require a dog license. I learnt dogs are really fun to have, but also a big responsibility. Mum says she's thinks I am ready for a dog now. Mum and I will go down to the animal shelter to see if I can find a dog that loves me as much as I love him or her. I hope you enjoyed learning about dogs as much as I did. " stick-your-tongue-out-Pratham-FKB.txt,"Stick Your Tongue Out! Blue tongue Black tongue Long tongue Strong tongue Spiky tongue Sticky tongue Rough tongue Smooth tongue Forked tongue Fast tongue Heavy tongue Hairy tongue What is YOUR tongue like? Let’s talk about tongues Did you know that tongues are made of muscle and are able to do many different things? Yet tongues never get tired or sore! Polar Bear’s blue tongue absorbs the sun’s heat to keep warm. Giraffe’s tongue is dark, which protects it from sunburn in the African savannah. Pangolin puts its long tongue into anthills to slurp up ants – its favorite snack. Salamander shoots out its powerful tongue to snatch crickets and fruit flies. Goose grips grass with its spiky tongue and tears it off to munch. Frog catches flies with its sticky saliva and stretchy tongue. Cat’s rough tongue helps it brush its fur. Dog cools off by sticking out its tongue that swells up when it gets too hot. Snake uses its forked tongue to smell its surroundings. Chameleon’s tongue darts out with lightning speed to grab that grasshopper before it leaps away. Blue Whale, the largest animal on Earth, has the heaviest tongue that helps trap tiny krill that it loves to eat. Flamingo’s hairy tongue helps filter blue- green algae and shrimps that are its favourite food. " lions-are-always-brave_Bookdash_CC-BY-SA_FKB-4-19.txt,"Oh! Hello. I’m a lion. Do you know what that is? Should I tell you? Let me tell you. A lion is strong. Lions can run very fast. Lions are extreeemely stretchy. And, um, br ... br ... ... brave. Lions are always brave! Lions aren’t scared of ... ANY ... .... THING! ROAR! This book was provided for publication by the creator to Free Kids Books. Want to find more great books like this one? Totally YAY! " one-by-two.txt,"One by Two Jiya was excited. It was Big Mela day! ""Hurry up, Ammi!"" Jiya tugged impatiently at Ammi's dupatta. Ammi smiled. She knew the real reason for Jiya's excitement. ""The Big Mela is open ALL day, Jiya,"" she said. ""It isn't going anywhere."" ""But Rani is! To a wedding! In the afternoon..."" Jiya stopped suddenly. Ammi roared with laughter. ""I knew you two rascals had planned this together!"" Rani was Jiya's neighbour. She was only five, and she adored eight-year-old Jiya. Jiya wondered how Ammi had known their secret. ""Ammi magic!"" winked Ammi. She didn't tell Jiya that she and Rani's Amma had made their own plans for the Mela. Ammis have secrets too. The Big Mela was as wonderful as ever. But Rani's eyes and nose were only searching for one thing. ""Jiya didi, I can smell it now!"" Rani was very excited. ""Rafiq Kaka's Famous Mutton Biryani and More Famous Gulab Jamoons! I want a WHOLE plate to myself! May I, pleeeeease?"" Jiya laughed. ""A WHOLE plate? Your eyes are bigger than your little stomach, Rani!"" Jiya counted out her money. She only had enough for one plate of biryani and one plate of gulab jamoons. But Rani looked so eager that Jiya didn't have the heart to tell her. ""Tell you what, Rani!"" she said. ""We'll do a One-by-Two."" ""One-by-Two? What's that?"" ""You'll see,"" said Jiya. ""One plate of Famous Biryani, please, Rafiq Kaka!"" Jiya emptied her purse onto the counter. ""ONE plate?"" protested Rani. ""I thought we were getting one EACH!"" ""One-by-Two is more fun!"" said Jiya. ""That's right!"" said Rafiq Kaka, heaping a plate with biryani. He cut a big piece of mutton in half and popped both pieces on top of the rice. Then he filled a bowl with jamoons, six instead of the usual four. ""Thanks, Rafiq Kaka,"" Jiya smiled gratefully at him. Rani had had enough. ""What's a One-by-Two, didi? Tell me NOW!"" Jiya put one piece of mutton on Rani's plate and one on hers. ""One-by- Two means that we take ONE thing and share it equally between the TWO of us,"" she said. ""I like that,"" said Rani. ""It's a fair way to share. But how do we do it, didi?"" ""We draw a line right through the centre of the plate to make 1 plate of biryani into 2 equal parts. You get one part, and I get the other part, like this. One-by-Two. Same-same."" Five minutes later, the girls had wiped their plates clean. ""Yum!"" said Rani. ""I'm stuffed!"" ""What about the One-by-Two for the jamoons?"" said Jiya. ""Oh yes! I want to draw the line in the middle!"" said Rani. Rani drew a line through the sugar syrup with her spoon. But every time she moved her spoon away, the jamoons simply floated back into the centre of the bowl. ""This isn't working, didi,"" she said sadly. ""We can't do a One-by-Two with the jamoons."" Jiya laughed. ""Of course we can,"" she said. ""We just do it a different way."" ""Let's put one here for you,"" Jiya put a jamoon in Rani's bowl, ""and one there for me. And now we do the same with the syrup. One spoonful for you, and one for me."" ""Okay,"" said Rani. ""What next?"" ""We do it again,"" said Jiya. ""One for Rani, one for Jiya. And we keep doing that until all the jamoons and all the syrup are gone."" ""Can I do it now?"" said Rani, eyes shining. ""One here, one there. And now there are no more jamoons left. One-by-Two!"" ""Not so fast,"" said Jiya. ""One-by-Two means dividing a thing into two EQUAL parts. Are you sure we have shared the jamoons equally, Rani?"" Rani shook her head. ""Let's find out,"" said Jiya. ""Count how many jamoons you have, and how many I have."" ""I have 1,2,3... 3 jamoons, and you have 1,2,3... 3 jamoons. That means,"" Rani was excited now, ""we have shared the jamoons EQUALLY! We have a One-by-Two! And we didn't even draw a line in the middle!"" Jiya laughed. ""Yes, you got ONE of TWO equal parts, and I got ONE of TWO equal parts. ONE by TWO!"" ""Hurray!"" said Rani. ""Can we eat now?"" They grinned at each other through a mouthful of yummy jamoons. ""Did you girls have fun?"" asked Rani's Amma. ""Yes, Amma!"" Rani hugged her mother. ""I learned how to turn ONE into TWO."" ""One into two?"" Ammi looked puzzled. ""I don't understand."" Jiya and Rani giggled. ""That's okay, Ammi,"" winked Jiya. ""It's a secret."" Learning to share What if Rani's friend Raju had joined Jiya and Rani? Would a One-by-Two have worked then? No, of course it wouldn't. Jiya would have had to do a different trick, called a One-by-Three, where she divided ONE thing into THREE equal parts. What if Ammi had joined them and they still had only one plate of biryani to share? Well, Jiya would have simply performed the One-by-Four, where she would have divided the ONE plate of biryani into FOUR equal parts. There is a name in mathematics for the trick of dividing something into many equal parts. The trick is called Fractions. Fractions are wonderful because they help you share things equally and fairly. In maths: The one-by-two fraction is written as 1/2. Another name for One-by-Two is Half. The one-by-three fraction is written as 1/3. Another name for it is One-third. The one-by-four fraction is written as 1/4. Another name for it is a Quarter. Think about it: How would you do a One-by-Two with a dosa? Would you draw a line through the centre with a knife or use the 'one here-one there' method? What if Rafiq Kaka had given the girls seven jamoons? How would they have done a One-by-Two then? What method would you use to do a One-by-Two with: A bowl of sweets A glass of sugarcane juice " Barnaby-Frog-Has-a-Busy-Day-.txt,"One fine day Barnaby frog was singing the ""Police man's"" song from the Mikado. The Mikado is a musical show written by Mr Gilbert and Mr Sullivan and is often sung by frogs because they are very bouncy tunes. Hitting a high note Barnaby looked straight up into the sky. He suddenly stopped singing. There hovering high above in the sky was the Great White Ork. The Ork would gobble up a little frog like Barnaby for breakfast. Barnaby jumped for the nearest cover, this just happened to be an upturned milk bucket. From under the bucket, Barnaby saw Daisy Mazy the milkmaid coming to milk Butterpob the cow. She would take the bucket away. Barnaby needed another place to hide. He hopped as hard as he could. One hop, two hops, three hops, Barnaby made it to the safety of Percy the Pigs water trough. The Great White Ork circled overhead in the sky. Hearing the splash of water Percy the Pig remembered he was thirsty and came running toward the water trough. Barnaby saw Percy running up very fast and looking very thirsty. Barnaby did not want to be sucked up inside Percy. Barnaby swam then leapt quite high, he spotted a dish of water near by. Not the best place to hide small and quite cold. An old frying pan the farmer threw out. Barnaby was wondering, what he should do. When Percy the pig came running right through. Percys back leg hit the Frying pans handle. Sent Barnaby Frog out with a tumble. Never had Barnaby flown so high. Would he, he thought. End up bumping the sky. The Great White Ork saw his breakfast ascending, he put back his wings to swoop on poor Barnaby. Barnaby Frog, he started to fall. But the Great White Ork was gaining, nothing could stop him. He would catch little Barnaby, there was no doubt. Suddenly then, With a great big splash, Barnaby landed in the farm yard pond. Barnaby hid in the weed and the stones, deep at the bottom of the bottom of the farm yard pond. That, thought Barnaby, who would not move, was quite enough excitement, for one fine day. " 030-BULLY-BILL-Free-Childrens-Book-By-Monkey-Pen.txt,"Farmer Fred had just bought a new bull. He named him Bill. Bill was a strong and handsome bull with great horns. He was very big for his age. Farmer Fred got Bill, the bull loaded into the trailer, and headed back home to his farm. When they arrived, Farmer Fred said, ""Bill, welcome to your new home."" Bill just snorted and tossed his head back to show off his impressive horns. This was all new to Bill as he was raised in a small stall and his new home was very different. He had a lot to explore. Bill stood on the hill and watched all the barnyard animals. He thought to himself. ""I am the biggest animal on Farmer Fred’s farm. No other animal has such great horns."" Bill chuckled at the chickens as he slowly walked up to them. They were so small and they didn’t have horns. As Bill approached, the chickens clucked. The lone duck, ducked, as Bill almost stepped on her. Bill lowered his head and quickly shook it from side to side right in front of the chickens. ""I’m Bill, the bull and I’m bigger than you chubby chickens,"" he said in a deep voice. ""And I am the boss of the barnyard."" Bill, the bull, frightened the chickens. They rapidly ran, flipped, flopped and, flew, to the safety of their cozy coupe. This made Bill, the bull, laugh loudly. He was having fun. Bill saw some plump pigs moving in the mud and decided to play a prank. As he approached, he said loudly, ""I heard Farmer Fred say that he needed some bacon for breakfast and ham for dinner."" He then laughed loudly and tossed his head around showing off his great horns. This frightened many of the pigs and they proceeded to their pen for protection. The biggest pig, named Pork Chop, walked up to Bill and said. ""You are a very mean bull, Bill."" Bill snorted a reply. ""Well, you have a big, flat nose, a tornado tail and pink ears. Also, you are dirty, and smelly"" Then Bill lowered his head, snorted a great snort, and shook his horns at Pork Chop. Pork Chop was a wise old pig and knew what Bill was doing. He wouldn’t be bullied by any bull, even Bill. Now, Bill, the bullying bull, was expecting Pork Chop to mush through the mud and proceed to the pen for protection. But Pork Chop just stood there looking at him. Then Pork Chop said in a soft voice. ""You are a very mean bull, Bill,"" and walked away Then, Bill saw some sheep in the meadow. Bill began to walk across the big barnyard towards them. When he got there, he was met by the Roger Ram, the leader of the flock.""I’m Roger Ram, rejoicing at meeting my newest neighbor on Farmer Fred’s farm,"" he said in a very polite manner. Bill ran at Roger Ram, snorting and shaking his big horns and said, ""I am Bill, the bull. I am the boss of the barnyard."" In a split second, Roger Ram, rammed Bill the bullying bull, between his big horns. Bill, the bullying bull, looked at Roger Ram and said. ""All that white curly hair, might give you lots of flair, but you ram like a ewe."" Then Bill backed up, started to paw at the ground with his hefty hooves, snorted seven snorts, shook his horns, lowered his now lumpy head, and………… Roger Ram and the others retreated from the meadow. Bill, the bullying bull, was proud of what he had done. All the barnyard animals were afraid of Bill. He was either threatening them with his size and big horns or making fun of the way they looked. It was not a pleasant day on Farmer Fred’s farm. ""I am going to call him Bully Bill,"" said Henrietta Hen. ""That’s not nice,"" responded Roy Rooster. ""It’s being a bully yourself."" ""Well, we will work on something to stop his bullying,"" replied Toby Turtle. Roger Ram said, ""I don’t know what we can do? I rammed him and he called me a ewe."" Dorothy Duck said, ""He almost stepped on me with those heavy hooves. No one is safe!"" With tears in her eyes, little Patty Piglet said, ""I heard, I was going to be eaten by Farmer Fred. I’m scared."" Pork Chop said in a soft and soothing tone, ""Don’t worry my friends. By the evening feed by Farmer Fred, Bill, the bullying bull, will become our buddy."" Bill was having so much fun. He certainly was the boss of the barnyard. He looked around and saw a big barn, with open doors, and he just had to let whoever lived there know that he was boss of the barnyard. It was a bright sunny day but as Bill walked into the dark barn, he couldn’t see anything. This frightened him a little. He turned the corner around the door and … BOOM … he was stopped in mid stride. Bill realized that he had just walked into something really big. So big, it didn’t move when he walked into it. As Bill’s eyes adjusted to the darkness in the barn, he started to see what had stopped him. He was looking at the chest of some big animal. Bill was scared. As he looked up, he could see the biggest bull, with the biggest horns, staring down at him. A voice like thunder filled the barn. ""I finally get to meet Bill, the boss of the barnyard."" Now Bill didn’t know what to do or what to say. All he could do was look up at this giant and wonder what would happen next. There was silence in the barn for several minutes as Bill just looked up in amazement. Finally, the big bull said something. ""I am Brian Bull and have lived on Farmer Fred’s farm for many, many, years. In all those years, never have the other animals asked me for help. But today, they came to me with the story of a big bull that was bullying them and they asked me to put an end to it. I agreed!"" Bill was never, ever, so frightened. Brian could toss him across the barnyard, with little effort, and one push from his head. Brian slowly lowered his head. Bill looked down and began to shake. Brian got closer and whispered into Bill’s ear. ""What do you think I should do, Bill? I promised the other animals I would put a stop to your bullying."" ""Please believe me Brian. You have!"" Bill said in a truly honest voice. ""I have never been so frightened in my life and I know how the other animals must have felt."" Bill began to sob a little. ""I now know how it feels to be bullied and you didn’t even really bully me. I have learned my lesson and I will go out and apologize to all the animals and ask them to forgive me ""You don’t have to,"" Brian said. ""You already have."" As Bill turned around, he saw all the other animals standing in the doorway. ""Here pig-pig-pig, come on chick-chick …."" The animals heard Farmer Fred calling them for the evening feed. Pork Chop walked over to Bill and said. ""Come on, buddy. Let’s eat."" " Maya_fights_for_a_Cause_FKB.txt,"Maya fights for a cause Madhavpur was a village adjoining a wild life sanctuary. The villagers deeply cared for the environment and the forest surrounding their village . The forest adjoining the village boasted of varieties of foxes, bats, snakes, wild boars , elephants and birds. The forest also boasted of a special species called the elephant bird. It was a huge bird with a long strong neck, huge legs with sharp claws and long talons . Their numbers had dwindled over the years and very few survived the harsh weather conditions and there was just one left in the jungles of Madhavpur. The villagers tended their farms and led a happy life, living in perfect harmony with nature. Although there was a huge inflow of tourists during the holiday season, the village continued to remain hidden from land sharks who lost no opportunity to cut down trees and turn green pastures into concrete jungles. One day the village Mukhiya ( headman) called for an emergency meeting. Part of the village and some parts of the jungle was soon to be turned into a private wildlife resort to be run by a rich businessman. Some of the villagers would lose their farms and their livelihood. What was once a very cheerful and happy village, now went about their daily lives with gloom and uncertainty. Not many in the village were educated and they didn't know whom to ask for help. Maya was a smart ten year old in the village. She attended the village school and was one of the brightest girls in the village.""How can we let go of our farms and our livelihood just like that? "". Our cattle will die, the forest animals will leave and the elephant bird that we proudly boasted about might just go extinct !"", cried Maya. ""There must be some way we can reach out to the higher authorities "", she fumed. Maya spent the entire day wondering whom to approach for help. Only the village English teacher was educated . She had come down from the city as a volunteer and had stayed on. Maybe the teacher knew someone in the city who could help . So Maya set out to the neighbouring village to meet the teacher, taking the jungle path.It was pitch dark .The trees threw monstrous shadows , a jackal howled from a distance and it all seemed scary . But Maya had no time to waste.She had to find a way to mobilise the villagers and she needed someone who was educated to support their cause. ""We should write a letter to the forest department, and send a copy to the Prime Minister's office, and we should also inform the media. I have friends in the city who can help me do all this "" said Smitha ma'am, the village teacher. The teacher lost no time in creating the necessary documents. She was the only one that could write in English. Meanwhile, Maya went door to door campaigning for the cause. She even mobilized the villagers from neighboring towns to support the cause. Soon, they were a thousand strong force that was fighting to preserve Madhavpur and the wildlife sanctuary. Many weeks passed, and one day Salim Chacha, the village postman handed over a letter to the village headman. The letter from the forest department congratulated the villagers for fighting for their cause. There will be no illegal construction happening in Madhavpur or its surrounding villages, read the letter. Anyone deviating forest rules would be severely dealt with, said the forest department. Madhavpur and its villagers had won their case through honesty and sincerity . The Prime Minister's office invited the village school teacher and Maya to New Delhi. They were to be decorated on Children's day for their bravery and concern for the environment. The entire village erupted with joy. Not only had the elephant bird put their village on the map, but now brave Maya and her teacher were now a national sensation from Madhavpur! " wiggle-jiggle_Bookdash_FKB.txt,"Wiggle jiggle wriggle! I am a wiggly worm. Flowers and l eav my fa es a vour re ite Yu foo d. m m yi n my tumm y! Wiggle jiggle wriggle! I am a wiggly worm. I love the rain. Pitter- patter on the leaves. Watch me wiggle and dance. Wiggle jiggle wriggle! POO!!! My magic poo makes plants grow BIG. I love to see my plants grow. Yellow , re d , b lu e and green. Wigg le ig g le ! j ig gl w r e I am a wiggly worm. Wiggle Wiggle when you see me in the garden. jiggle wriggle! Where am I now? I’mhere in my cocoon! Oh wait! I’mnot a wiggly worm! Flitter flutflter itter! I am a butterfly! " FKB-Chinchilla.txt,"Chinchillas are in the rodent family. This means they are cousins to mice, rats, squirrels, and guineapigs. Chinchillas are shy yet friendly creatures with soft fur and big ears. They are clean animals and very lovable. Chinchillas used to be found in al areas of Chile, Argentina, Peru, and Bolivia, but widespread over-hunting has led to them becoming nearly extinct. The species is listed as critically endangered, as of 2016. Chinchillas are mostly nocturnal, preferring to come out at night, like cats and many other rodents. Their fur is very soft and valued for the fur trade which was almost deadly for the species. The fur industry nearly brought Chinchillas to extinction, but now it is responsible for their increasing numbers. While there are only around 10,000 Chinchillas left in the wild, while there are around 80,000 Chinchillas in farms. Many animal rights organisations complain about conditions and killing methods in chinchilla farms. Chinchillas can make great pets, they are friendly and clean. But they need dental care, a special diet, and an environment that is not too hot. Chinchillas are omnivores but mostly enjoy a vegetable diet. For feeding pet chinchillas a pellet diet specifc to the species is best. Chinchillas don't bath in water, they bath in dust! Chinchillas thick fur doesn't agree with water and they should not get wet. The End " cinderellaorlitt00londiala_bw.txt,"CINDERELLA, LITTLE GLASS SLIPPER. WHAT females are these, introduced to our view ? Three sisters : most proud and unfeeling are two, I mean pompous Martha and Bella ; The other, ill-treated by night and by day, Their drudg'ry must do, their commands must obey, And is called, in contempt, Cinderella. One ev'ning a ball being given at court, The ladies went out, after making their sport Of their amiable heart-broken slave ; She saw them depart, and she heaved a deep sigh, "" O that I Then burst into tears, and exclaim'd, Such a treat as my sisters could have !"" Her godmother just at this moment appears, "" And says for her comfort, Come, dry up your tears, For I am a Fairy, you know ; I wonders perform with this magical wand, So instantly do what I choose to command, 11 And you to the palace shall go. ""Go fetch me a pumpkin:"" 'twas brought in a trice ; "" Now open the mouse-trap : Oh ! here are six mice, Which soon six fine horses shall be :"" Twas said and 'twas done, and then by a touch, The pumpkin was instantly changed to a coach, Most superb and delightful to see. ""The rat-trap now bring me:"" a large rat was caught, And soon, from the yard, six fine lizards were brought, For the fairy her skill to display ; The former, a grave steady coachman became, And the latter were changed by a touch of the dame, To six footmen, in liveries gay. The glittering equipage stood at the door, When the good-natured, kind-hearted, Fairy once more, Waved her magical wand in the air ; Cinderella's mean garments at once we behold, Transferr'd into robes all bespangled with gold, And fit for a Duchess to wear. A pair of glass slippers the Fairy next gave, And then of her god-daughter took a kind leave, After giving the needful advice ; "" Stay not till 'tis midnight, I charge you, for fear Your dress, coach, and servants, should all disappear, And your horses again turn to mice."" Our heroine now drove away to the ball, Where her peronal charms were admired by all Who saw the young stranger advance ; The Prince who desired no fairer a bride, Respectfully begged she would sit by his side, And afterwards asked her to dance. The clock struck eleven and once more began, When away from the palace our heroine ran, With such speed, not a creature could find her : Through the guards she escap'd, as a servant quite plain, But though all research and enquiry proved vain, She left a glass slipper behind her. The Prince was distracted, and taken so ill, Physicians could yield him no aid by their skill ; The seat of disease was his mind : The slipper, with sighs, to his lips he oft pressed, And, at length, to his mother, the Queen, he con- fessed That for love of its owner he pined. A herald, on horseback, now went through the town, Proclaiming aloud that the heir to the crown Would certainly make her his bride, Whom the little glass slipper exactly should fit ; And all were invited next morning, to meet, At a place where it lay to be tried. The ladies in crowds were assembled next day, But went disappointed and blushing away, Unable to thrust in a toe : Cinderella, at length ; said ""I'll try, if you please :"" The slipper went on with astonishing ease, And the other she also could show. Astonishment now was excited of course ; But she who could change a small mouse to a horse, Determined to do something more : She comes, and the stranger, who danc'd at the ball, Is instantly seen and acknowledged by all, In a dress as superb as before. Adieu to the doctors ; go, bid the bells ring ; Cinderella has married the son of a King, And pardoned her sisters beside : Those sisters, most humbled, now cheerfully own, That none is more worthy to sit on a throne Than this virtuous and kind-hearted bride. farm's One Shilling each, Coloured. 1. ALPHABET OF GOODY TWO- 21. MOTHER HUBBARD AND HER SHOES "" DOG. by learning which, she ; soon got rich."" 22. NURSERY DITTIES from the 2. CINDERELLA ; or, the Little Lips of Mrs. Lullaby. Illus- Glass Slipper. trations by Leech. Plain. 3. COCK-ROBIN; a very pretty 23. OLD WOMAN AND HER PIG. Painted Toy, for little Girl, or 24. PEACOCK AT HOME (The) with ; little Boy. the BUTTERFLY'S BALL; and the 4. CRIES OF LONDON (The). FANCY FAIR. 5. COSTUMES OF DIFFERENT NA- 25. PEEP AT THE STARS, in easy TIONS; Illustrated. Rhymes. 6. COURTSHIP, MARRIAGE, and PIC- 26. PORTRAITS AND CHARACTERS NIC DINNER OF COCK ROBIN OF THE KINGS OF ENGLAND. AND JENNY WREN. Parti. 7. COWSLIP (The) ; with 32 new 27. PORTRAITS AND CHARACTERS woodcuts, plain (Is.Qd. coloured). OF THE KINGS. Part II. 8. DAISY (The) ; ditto, (ditto.) 28. PETER PIPER'S PRACTICAL 9. DAME PARTLETT'S FARM, an Ac- PRINCIPLES of Plain and Perfect count of the good Life she led, Pronunciation. To which is and the Riches she obtained by added, ACollection of Moral Industry. and Entertaining Conundrums. 10. GRANDMAMMA'S RHYMES for 29. Puss IN BOOTS ; or, The Mas- the NURSERY. With 24 supe- ter-Cat. rior woodcuts. Plain. 30. RATIONAL ALPHABET (The) ; 11. DAME TROT AND HER CAT. and The ROYAL PRIMER; or, 12. HISTORY OF THE APPLE PIE. High Road to Learning. Written by Z. With DAME 31. SIMPLE STORIES, in Words of DEAKLOVE'S DITTIES. One Syllable. By the Author of 13. HISTORY OF THE HOUSE THAT "" Stories of Old Daniel."" JACK BUILT. 32. SNOW-DROP (The) ; or, Poetic 14. HISTORY OF PRIMROSE PRET- Trifles for Little Folks. TYFACE. With 4 plates, plain. 33. TAKE YOUR CHOICE ; or, The 15. HOLIDAY PRESENT (The).With Alphabet Community. 4 plates, plain. 34. TOMMYTRIP'S MUSEUM OF 16. INFANT'S FRIEND (The) ; or, BEASTS. Part I. Easy Reading Lessons. 35. TOMMYTRIP'S MUSEUM OF 17. INFANT'SGRAMMAR (The); or, BEASTS. Part II. a Picnic Party of the Parts of 36. TOMMY TRIP'S MUSEUM OF Speech. BIRDS. Part I. 18. LITTLE RHYMES FOR LITTLE 37. TOMMY TRIP'S MUSEUM OF FOLKS: BIRDS. Part II. 19. MONKEY'S FROLIC (The), &c. 38. WALKS WITH MAMMA ; or, Sto- 20. MARGERY MEANWELL ; or, the ries in Words of One Syllable. Interesting Story of Goody Two 39. WHITTINGTON AND HIS CAT. Shoes, rendered into Familiar 40. WORD BOOK (The); or, Stories, Verse. With 20 plates. Plain. chiefly in Three Letters. " Look-at-me.txt,"Look At Me Look at us. Do you want to be our friend? My legs are very strong. I can run really fast with them. And my arms... such a nice swing! I like to draw. I use my hands for drawing. Should I draw your picture? I can see you with my eyes. The bird sings a sweet song. I can hear it with my ears. I think Ma is making halwa. I can smell it with my nose. Oh! This sugarcane is so tough! But my teeth are strong too! It is very sweet. My tongue just told me. I can sing. Should I sing you a song? Ma says I have a good voice. Does it come from my throat? " 012-JESSIE-THE-RABBIT-Free-Childrens-Book-By-Monkey-Pen.txt,"Jessie, the rabbit was eating a carrot in a green meadow, one sunny day. He watched the other animals run around and play and he admired them. He had always been the shy one and they were always playing without him. They made fun of him because he got startled so easily. If a tree fell somewhere in the forest, he would rush into his rabbit hole and hide for the rest of the day. ‘You’re such a scared cat, Jessie,’ Teddy, the cub once said when she passed by him. ‘You never have any fun, Jessie.’ But Jessie, the rabbit was a cautious and wise rabbit. He knew better than to ignore every sound. ""I may look stupid and scared, but I will always be prepared for danger."" thought Jessie. He would hide and curl up every time he heard a crack or saw a shadow loom over his hole. One fine day, just like any other, a distant crack was heard. A tree fell down and a light brightly burned. Jessie darted into his hole, while the other animals continued frolicking around. Jessie shouted as loud as he could ‘Run!’, but no one heard him. So he jumped inside his hole and curled up into a ball. While Jessie was hiding, he could still hear the others laughing. Then all of a sudden, Jessie heard some squeals, some running and then Beaver started shouting, ""The forest is on fire, the forest is on fire! Everybody run, the fire is spreading!"" The Beaver continued to shout as he ran past Jessie’s hole. The whole forest was in a wild panic. Trampling everything, the animals ran away, leaving behind a cloud of dust and the forest on fire. Only Jessie was left in his hiding place, safe beneath the ground. Jessie had cleverly stashed away a supply of food and water in his hole. He knew that one day danger would come and he wanted to be prepared. He was relieved to know he had enough supplies to last until the fire was over. In the distance, Jessie could hear a loud squeal ""Help! Someone, help me, please."" Jessie did not want to come out of his hole, as he knew that the fire was spreading. But then he heard the squeal a second and third time. Jessie couldn’t just hide in his hole while someone was out there on his own. Jessie slowly raised his head from his hole. He could see the flaming trees all round. He heard another squeal and turned his head to see Teddy, the cub lying down with his leg caught beneath a thick, fallen branch. The ground around him was burning and the fire was getting closer. The Jessie was very scared but he couldn’t just leave Teddy there. Huffing and puffing, he rushed with incredible speed towards the Teddy. ‘Jessie, please, you need to find a way to get this thing off!’ said Teddy. Jessie started running around, looking for a way to help. Jessie saw that the other side of the branch had started to burn and was becoming thinner. Jessie had an idea and he darted down into his hole. He grabbed some of the nut casings that he had stored the water in and ran back towards Teddy. He rushed towards the branch and poured the water on the branch. The branch was now thin and wobbly, but Teddy still could not get his foot free. So Jessie gathered all his strength and in a single dash smashed his body against it. A crack was heard and the branch broke into half, freeing Teddy. He slowly got up and approached Jessie. Teddy was surprised at Jessie’s heroism and even more surprised at how he had managed to free him. He saw jessie lying down. Jessie was looking very tired, so he picked him up in his mouth and rushed away from the fire into the cool hills nearby. A few days later all the animals had settled into a new place in the woods, where the fire hadn’t reached. Everyone was still playing but something had changed. Teddy, the cub was taking care of Jessie, the rabbit who was still recovering. No one laughed at Jessie anymore for he had saved their friend and they knew of his courage. From that day on, all of them followed in his footsteps and have been careful till this day. They now knew that being careful does not mean that you are not brave. " Whos-the-Prettiest.txt,"Who is the prettiest? Sethni was a little girl. She had seven beautiful dresses in the seven beautiful colors of the rainbow. She wore them on the seven days of the week. She wore the violet dress on Sunday. She wore the indigo dress on Monday. She wore the blue dress on Tuesday. She wore the green dress on Wednesday. She wore the yellow dress on Thursday. She wore the orange dress on Friday. She wore the red dress on Saturday. The dresses were very jealous of each other. ""I’m the prettiest,"" said the red dress. ""No, I’m the prettiest,"" said the green dress. ""No, I am,"" said the yellow dress. ""No, I--- !"" ""No !"" The dresses quarreled all day long. The dresses were hung together in Sethni’s wardrobe. But they didn’t like being next to each other. ""Stay away from me!"" said the orange dress. ""You stay away---!"" The violet dress pushed her away. ""Don’t touch me!"" The blue dress nudged the green dress. ""Don’t ---!"" ""No !"" They quarreled all the time. Whenever Sethni came to the wardrobe to select her dress, they fought to be picked first. Each one of them wanted Sethni to wear it every day. So, when Sethni selected one dress for the day, the others got very envious. They couldn’t wait until their turn came. One day, her mother hung them all on the line in the garden, after washing. It was a beautiful sunny day. The frocks were swinging in the wind and touched each other, as they moved about. But none of them liked it. The violet dress glared. The indigo dress frowned. The blue dress huffed. The green dress squawked. The yellow dress pushed. The orange dress nudged. The red dress pinched. ""I’m the prettiest. So don’t come close to me."" The violet dress pushed the indigo dress away. ""No, it’s me, who’s the prettiest."" The blue dress pushed all the others away. The quarrel started again, in the garden. They pushed, kicked, nudged and pinched eachother. Everyone wanted to be the prettiest. They quarreled more and more. The blue dress got very angry. ""I’ll make you all ugly!"" She looked around. The garden was muddy after a heavy rain. So, she bent down, scooped up a handfull of mud and threw at the others. ""Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek!!!"" they all shrieked. The other dresses also got very angry and threw mud at each other. Soon, all the beautiful dresses were covered with brown mud. Then, Sethni’s mother came out, shouting in despair. ""Oh, nooooo!"" She put all the dresses into a washbasin and scrubbed them hard. But the muddy brown stains didn’t rinse out. The dresses had all become very ugly and blotchy. Sethni’s mother put them into the basin again and added some bleaching powder to it. Soon, the bleach turned all the dresses white. ""Oh, no, noooooooo!"" they cried, but it didn’t help. Sethni’s mother put them back on the line, in the garden. All of them were fretting. Who is the prettiest now, they wondered. But all were the same plain white. They had lost all their beautiful colors because of their jealousy and anger. So, they were ashamed of themselves. They looked shyly at each other. The wind blew around the dresses. They swayed together in the wind. And there were no more quarrels to be the prettiest. They smiled at each other and soon became friends. The sun was very glad to see them happily together. So it turned all the dresses whiter and whiter until they glowed brighter and brighter. And they all became so beautiful. " I-know-my-rights-Pratham-FKB-MAD.txt,"I Know My Rights Rights for you, rights for me, Rights are there for everybody, Rights lift up and rights defend, Rights are like your best friend. Rights stop things from going wrong, Our rights make us very strong! Rights are the need of the hour, Your very own secret super power! Every girl like me deserves The chance to breathe in this world. I HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE BORN. Kho-kho, cricket, kabaddi, Swinging, sliding, hide-and-seek. I HAVE THE RIGHT TO PLAY. Meeting friends, new and old, On the streets and in our homes. I HAVE THE RIGHT TO MEET AND MAKE FRIENDS. You might not see me in a crowd, But you’ll hear my voice – it’s extra loud! I HAVE THE RIGHT TO HAVE MY OPINIONS RESPECTED. Around me is a big strong bubble. Step too close, you’ll be in trouble. I HAVE THE RIGHT TO NOT BE SEXUALLY AND PHYSICALLY ABUSED. I know that I have got the choice To change the world with my voice I HAVE THE RIGHT TO SELF EXPRESSION. I don’t want to cook and clean, Help fix cars or serve tea. I HAVE THE RIGHT TO NOT BE SENT TO WORK. I won’t hide or stay indoors. I have the right to learn and soar. I HAVE THE RIGHT TO SPECIAL CARE, SUPPORT AND EDUCATION. What, why, where and how? My questions need an answer now! I HAVE THE RIGHT TO INFORMATION. I HAVE THE RIGHT TO KNOW MY RIGHTS. UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in Child Friendly Language 1 Everyone under 18 has these rights. 2 All children have these rights, no matter who they are, where they live, what their parents do, what language they speak, what their religion is, whether they are a boy or girl, what their culture is, whether they have a disability, whether they are rich or poor. No child should be treated unfairly on any basis. 3 All adults should do what is best for you. 4 The government has a responsibility to make sure your rights are protected. 5 Your family has the responsibility to help you learn to exercise your rights, and to ensure that your rights are protected. 6 You have the right to be alive. 7 You have the right to a name, and this should be officially recognised by the government. 8 You have the right to a nationality (to belong to a country). 9 You have the right to an identity – an official record of who you are. 10 You have the right to live with your parent(s), unless it is bad for you. You have the right to live with a family who cares for you. 11 If you live in a different country than your parents do, you have the right to be together in the same place. 12 You have the right to be protected from kidnapping. 13 You have the right to give your opinion, and for adults to listen and take it seriously. 14 You have the right to find out things and share what you think with others, unless it harms or offends other people. 15 You have the right to choose your own religion and beliefs. 16 You have the right to choose your own friends and join or set up groups, as long as it isn’t harmful to others. 17 You have the right to privacy. 18 You have the right to get information that is important to your well-being. 19 You have the right to be raised by your parent(s) if possible. 20 You have the right to be protected from being hurt and mistreated, in body or mind. 21 You have the right to special care and help if you cannot live with your parents. 22 You have the right to care and protection if you are adopted or in foster care. 23 You have the right to special protection and help if you are a refugee. 24 You have the right to special education and care if you have a disability, so that you can live a full life. 25 You have the right to the best health care possible, safe water to drink, nutritious food, a clean and safe environment, and information to help you stay well. 26 If you live in care or in other situations away from home, you have the right to have these living arrangements looked at regularly to see if they are the most appropriate. 27 You have the right to help from the government if you are poor or in need. 28 You have the right to food, clothing, a safe place to live and to have your basic needs met. 29 You have the right to a good quality education. You should be encouraged to go to school to the highest level you can. 30 Your education should help you use and develop your talents and abilities. It should help you learn to live peacefully, protect the environment and respect other people. 31 You have the right to practice your own culture, language and religion - or any you choose. 32 You have the right to play and rest. 33 You have the right to protection from work that harms you, and is bad for your health and education. If you work, you have the right to be safe and paid fairly. 34 You have the right to protection from harmful drugs and from the drug trade. 35 You have the right to be free from sexual abuse. 36 You have the right to protection from any kind of exploitation. 37 You have the right to not be punished by anyone in a cruel or harmful way. 38 You have the right to protection and freedom from war. Children under fifteen cannot be forced to go into the army or take part in war. 39 You have the right to help if you’ve been hurt, neglected or badly treated. 40 You have the right to legal help and fair treatment in the justice system that respects your rights. 41 If the laws of your country provide better protection of your rights than the articles in this Convention, those laws should apply. 42 You have the right to know your rights! The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child says that every child must have all these rights. If you feel that you or someone you know is/are being denied their rights, then speak to an adult about it. You can call Childline on 1098 and talk to someone there. To know more about child rights, visit Note - 1098 is a phoneline available in India where this book was first published, there are childline numbers in almost every country, visit to find a local contact number, or reach out to us via we will connect you with help. " Its-all-the-Cats-Fault-.txt,"It's All the Cat's Fault! Why haven’t you done your homework? Miss, it’s all the cat’s fault. If she had not got stuck on the tree, I would not have taken the ladder to climb it. If I had not taken the ladder to climb it, I would not have needed to fix it. If I had not needed to fix it, I wouldn’t have woken up the baby. If I had not woken up the baby, my mother would not have rushed out of the kitchen. If my mother had not rushed out of the kitchen, the monkey would not have got in. If the monkey had not got in, he would not have eaten up all the food. If he had not eaten up all the food, my father would not have bought rotis and chicken curry at the tea-shop. If my father had not bought rotis and chicken curry at the tea-shop, the dog would not have followed him home. If the dog had not followed him home, he would not have eaten my homework. So, you’re saying the dog ate your homework? Yes, Miss, it’s all the cat’s fault! " The-Monster-in-My-Basement-Dave-Preston_FKB.txt,"The MONSTER in My Basement A City of Light Imprint I found a monster in my basement, oh what a big surprise! His hair was red and matted. Yellow were his eyes. He looked so sad and lonely. I wondered what to do. He said, I’d like a bite to eat. How about you?"" I wondered what he wanted: fruit or tuna fish? R Chicken FO or a hot dog or ice cream in a dish? How about spaghetti? or sweet potato pie? Then he drooled and looked me straight in the eye! I began to... Shake a little bit, shake a little bit, shake, shake, shake, shake, shake... I wondered— R had I made a FO big mistake? He said his name was, HOWARD. I said my name was DavE. He said, I’m really hungry. Would you like to see my cave?"" I tried to answer, No, sir,"" but I found it hard to talk. So he grabbed my hand and we began to walk. We strolled out through the courtyard and down the merry lane. He told me he was starving. I tried to feel his pain. We stopped to buy some napkins, some pepper and some tea. Oh, what would you do if you were me? I began to... Shake a little bit, shake a little bit, shake, shake, shake, shake, shake... I wondered— had I made a big mistake? We came around the corner and there was Howard’s mom. Who’d you bring for dinner?"" she asked so sweet and calm. I gathered all my courage "" and said, My name is DavE. Then she grabbed my arm and pulled me into her cave. Howard set the table. His mother poured the tea. She asked me quite politely if I had a family. I answered, Yes, I do ma’am, who someday you should meet."" Then she smiled and said, It’s almost time to eat!"" I began to... Shake a little bit, shake a little bit, shake, shake, shake, shake, shake... I wondered— had I made a big mistake? Howard put his bib on, and a grin spread through his face. My heart was thumping loudly as we bowed our heads for grace. Just then I heard the doorbell and what to my surprise, Stood a man with two dozen pizza pies! We sat and ate our pizza, which I must say was quite great. I stayed to help with dishes, til I noticed it was late. I turned and said, I’m sorry,"" as they finished up their tea. But for a while I thought your dinner would be ME ! "" They began to... Laugh a little bit, laugh a little bit, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha... It seems that I had made a BIG mistake! THE END " how-to-solve-a-problem-like-himani-storyweaver-FKB-stories.txt,"How to Solve a Problem like Himani March 28 It’s so hot here! Golu was very naughty today. She climbed up a slant and would not come down. Silly goat! Seema and Gullu had to help me get her down. March 30 I can see the snow-capped Himalayan peaks–Nandakot, Maiktoli, Panchachuli, Chaukhamba. But Kumaon is dry. Gullu and I help Ija and Baujyu* get water from the pump down the road, or from the stream further down. Ooof! Wish the water could reach us directly from the snowy mountains. Drinking water is difficult to get even in January, when it snows. *Ija and Baujyu: Kumaoni words for ‘mother’ and ‘father’. April 2 Our ten-day summer workshop with Reena didi started today. She has come from Mumbai. She asked us thousands of questions! What do you like about school? What do you not like about school? How do you commute to school? Suddenly she turned to me and asked the meaning of my name. ""Himani means snow,"" I said. Why does she ask so many questions? April 3 What a fun day it was! We played a game. One of us needed to think of a problem that we might have faced and state it in the form of a question. Then another classmate had to ask a question related to it. It was almost like a chain story. We had so many questions! Why can’t we have a pipe straight from the How can we get clean melting glaciers? drinking water in school? Why do you ask Why do we need clean water? such questions? Where will the water come from? Why don’t we concentrate Where will we get a water filter from? on our water problem? Why can’t we make it? Who knows how to make one? Why can’t we have a water filter? April 4 We were surfing the Internet when I found this chart: SOLVE ANY PROBLEM, STEP BY STEP > Identify the problem. > Find out everything you can about the problem. > Discuss. > Decide on the most suitable idea. > Try it out. > If you succeed, very good! > If not, try another idea. Could we really solve a problem using this method? April 5 At school, we made a list of our problems. How many problems do we have? BIG PROBLEMS No direct water at Landslides home or school Slippery roads to school during Leeches in our socks the monsoon during the rains. Neighbours who No hospital or get violent after clinic near by drinking PROBLEMS WE CAN SOLVE Heavy school bag Unclean drinking water Plastic bottles everywhere Unlit paths at night April 6 Worked with Ija and Baujyu in the cauliflower patch. Then ran to school for problem-solving day! We went out in pairs to the library, and to talk to our teachers and to each other. Then we came back to class. 1. Identify: The problem is unfiltered drinking water at school. Students keep falling sick because of this. 2. Find out: Why is getting clean water a problem here? Many streams around Kumaon are supposed to have pure water. There are no streams near our school. 3. Discuss: We found out that some people use cloth. This only filters bigger sediments, not harmful bacteria. Manorama said they have a small water filter at home. Moringa seeds in water pots help purify water, said a teacher. 4. Decide: Would a water purifier help us? Try it out! Pebbles We all drew water filters! We decided Moringa Seeds we needed one that could be attached to the nozzle of our water drum. Coarse Sand Santosh bhai and Ashish bhai, our seniors, helped us make a water filter based on our drawings. They have Charcoal taken a few days off from college to make a water catchment system in Fine Sand our school. The filtered water tasted so fresh and clean! Cloth April 11 In the last three days, we’ve done a lot of art. We have applied the problem-solving method to come up with more ideas. Cycle Plough Does not require cattle or a tractor to pull it. Good for narrow step farms. Bottle Torch Torch made with recycled parts. Fitted inside a discarded plastic bottle, so that dampness does not spoil it. Dampness spoils battery- operated torches very quickly in this region. Mini-irrigator Drip irrigation for crops like grapes that need soil to stay hydrated. Made with recycled water bottles, attached to plants like IV tubes in hospitals. April 13 Now that the workshop is over, we’re all busy with harvesting and packing apricots, pears, apples and rhododendron flowers. Ija and Baujyu are so nimble and good at picking fruits! Not me. Yesterday, I slipped and twisted my ankle while picking fruit. No fracture, thank God! I wish I had a gadget that could pick fruits for me! Maybe we could train Golu and the other goats to pick fruits, ha, ha. Seriously, how wonderful it would be to have an efficient, safe, eco-friendly apple-picking machine! Satkhol Tales " PrismPalace1228c-STEM_girls_FKB-ilovepdf-cmpr.txt,"Prism Palace A young girl receives a prism for a birthday present and when she begins to wonder about it the adventure begins. You are in for some surprises when you enter Prism Palace. You will meet a beautiful fairy and an elf. Can you guess his name? Prism Palace ""Come inside my palace,"" said the fairy as she pulled on a crystal door knob. The hallway inside was enor- mous and blazing with lights of every color. With these words the adventure for Tess Renee begins. The author, Cindi Leacock, is a Science Writer living with her fam- ily in Ann, Arbor, Michigan. Take a trip with her inside a prism, and skate with her on a ray of light. Meet an amaz- ing elf and learn his special name. Prism Palace combines the excitement of an adventure story with science knowl- edge about light and wave- lengths, a treasure for every child’s library. " the-magic-block.txt,"The Magic Block Rinky loves her elder brother’s handwriting. He writes with a very special shiny ink pen. One day, when Bhaiya is not at home, Rinky looks for his pen. She slides open his drawer. Out go his books! Out goes a stapler! Out goes a metal ruler! At the bottom of the drawer, Rinky finds his special pen. But what’s that? A strange black block is stuck to it. Rinky pulls the pen and the block apart. But then… Plink, click! A bottle-cap jumps and sticks to the block! Rinky giggles with delight. Can things stick to this block like magic? Does the stapler stick to this block? Plink, click! Yes, it sticks. Does the furry cat stick to it? No, it does not. Does the metal ruler stick to this block? Plink, click! Yes, it sticks. Does this hairy brown coconut stick to it? No, it does not. The hairy coconut tickles Rinky’s nose. AH-CHOO! She sneezes loudly. The pen flies out of her hand and disappears under the bed. Rinky is worried. Bhaiya will be back soon! She sticks her hand under the bed. Oh no! She can’t reach the pen. She tries to reach the pen with the ruler. Oh no! The pen slides further away. If only there was a way to bring the pen closer to her. Suddenly, Rinky has an idea. The best idea ever! Rinky brings the black block near the ruler. Plink, click! It sticks! She then holds the ruler under the bed and stretches her hand. Stretch, stretch, stretch... Plink, click! Guess what sticks to the block? Quick! Quick! Bhaiya will be home soon. In go the pen and the black block. In go the books and stapler. In goes the metal ruler. Rinky slides the drawer shut. Just in time! She hears the door slam, and Bhaiya walks into the room. ""Rinky,"" says Bhaiya, ""Why is there a coconut on the floor?"" The Secret of the Magic Block The magic block in the story is called a bar magnet. Magnets come in many shapes. They can be round, rectangular, square or U-shaped. A magnet cannot stick to all objects. It can only stick to certain objects that have special elements in them. These special elements that allow an object to stick to a magnet are iron, nickel, steel and cobalt. Which of these do you think will stick to a magnet? " The-Picturesque-Life-of-Canela-The-Hooves.txt,"Canela likes flowers. The red ones are her favorite. Canela likes to bounce around. ""Boing, boing, boing, boing, boing, boing, boing..."" Canela likes to take naps in the most dangerous of places. ...only to then realize that that is not such a good idea. ""Meh, Meh, Meh"". Canela likes to walk around picking leaves off trees. But one day, something strange happened. She could not walk in the fancy way she was used to. Her hooves hurt. ""What is happening to me?"", she wondered. All frazzled, her legs shook like jello. Her tail - disheveled like an old broom. ""Someone needs a pedicure"", her owner said. Canela was taken to a place to get her hooves trimmed, but she was scared and she took off as fast as her little feet could carry her. She hid behind a rock. She hid behind some aloe vera plants. She hid behind a guava tree. Finally, she couldn't take another step. Every time she tried, her hooves wouldn’t let her. Her friends brought her some fruit, but she couldn't even eat. She was sad. She was scared. ""What can be worse than this?"", she asked herself. then she started bleating, ""meh, meh, meh"", so her owner could hear her. She was returned to where she was to get her hooves trimmed. This time she did not run away. After getting her hooves trimmed, she bounced, ran, and played with her friends again. ""It wasn't that bad - getting my hooves trimmed. I feel great!"", she thought after all. " 045-SAMUEL-THE-BOY-SCIENTIST-Free-Childrens-Book-By-Monkey-Pen.txt,"""Hi! My name is Samuel and I want to be a scientist. You may be wondering why and my answer is simple. I am amazed at all the wonderful things like rockets to the Moon, fire trucks pumping out all that water, fast race cars, space ships, and the list goes on. But those are big things and I just don’t understand everything about them yet. I also wonder about small things like-how does sugar turn into crystals called rock candy? Or how are those rock formations in caves made? Hmm – I know it has something to do with Science. My sister Samantha wants to be a scientist too, but she likes things that I don’t-like why her dolls eyes open and close. But even though we don’t like the same things, it’s still Science so we get along just fine. In fact, our teachers help us better understand Math, technology, current events and trends - all of which are important. We even help each other and have lots of fun. I like to experiment or take things apart to see how they work. No matter what I do, I tell my mom or dad what I am going to be doing and sometimes even ask for their help. I would never just do something – I could get hurt. Sometimes it’s best to start small, that’s what I did. I remember my first experiment in detail and it was a lot of fun to do. It had to do with growing small crystals, much like the way rock candy is made. You may be wondering why that is important and all I can say is that it’s the basis for making any type of crystal. Their shape and size depends on many things and the more you read about them, the more you experiment, the more you grow interesting crystals. Try this experiment; I call it The Crystal Bowl. It’s lots of fun and there is nothing dangerous about it. Because I am using a common chemical I let my mom know what I am doing. Here is what you need: • A small clear bowl to grow the crystals in • Epsom salt (a common chemical) • Food coloring • A measuring cup The Experiment : In the clear bowl, stir ½ cup of Epsom salts with ½ cup of very hot tap water. The hotter, the better. Stir for at least 1 minute. You will be making a saturated solution (scientific talk)-meaning that the water cannot hold any more of the Epsom salts. Some undissolved salt crystals will be at the bottom of the bowl. Add a couple of drops of your favorite food coloring. I like red. Place the bowl in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours. I put a sign on the bowl – Samantha-Do Not Eat! (I’m so funny.) Take out your bowl of crystals and pour out the extra water that may be at the bottom. Have fun examining them. Okay, it’s time to get Scientific. What just happened? You just made Magnesium sulfate crystals. Magnesium sulfate is the actual name for Epsom salt. The temperature of the water determines just how much Magnesium sulfate it can hold. The hotter the water, the more it can hold, and the more crystals it can grow. So why did we put it in the refrigerator? By rapidly cooling the water we forced fast crystal growth. The quickly cooling water became denser and made the Magnesium sulfate atoms run into each other joining together into crystal structures. When you grow crystals this way they will be small, thin, and a lot of them. If you let the water evaporate slowly you will get different crystals. You will have to experiment to see the results. That is Science! Oh, don’t forget to clean up any mess and ask your mom or dad to really clean anything you might reuse. Have you ever seen those really neat formations in a cave? They are commonly called stalactites (they grow from the top of the cave down) and stalagmites (that grow from the cave floor up). Want to make some? I’ll bet you do! Again there is nothing dangerous, but let your mom or dad know what you are doing. This experiment takes some time and could get a little messy. Here is what you need: • Two glass jars • A large plate or pan • Baking soda • String • Paper clips • Water The Experiment : Fill the two jars with hot water. The hotter, the better. Stir in as much baking soda as will dissolve in the water. Mix it up well and make that saturated solution. Cut the string so it can go close to the bottom of the jars and go between them when they are several inches apart. Then tie a paper clip to each end to act as weights. Put one end of the weighted string into each of the jars. Place the jars on the large plate or pan, making sure the string has a little dip in the center. The plate or pan is needed to catch the drips of your scientific solution. Put your experiment in a safe place for 3 to 4 weeks. Keep an eye on it and watch your formation grow. What has happened? The saturated solution is carried through the string. This process is called capillary action. When it gets to the dip in the string it drips onto the plate or pan. It is similar to water passing through the ground, picking up minerals, and falling through a cave. Over time the dripping water evaporates and creates stalactites and stalagmites. It’s magic! Well, actually it is Science and takes place all over the world. Science is fun and I am glad I am going to be a scientist. Maybe you’ll decide to be one too."" " Goat-and-Terror-Birds-R-.txt,"Goat. And the terror birds By PJ Gilbers Goat. And the Terror Birds is the first of the Goat Adventure Series. Dedicated, with gratitude, to the brave sol- diers Of the Webster groves Undertheporch Shrew Army: General Rachel Colonel Austin Major sydni Private, first class morgan Illustrations by: Nicolas Lonprez nklpz.art@gmail.com Published 2014 (c) 2014 May not be reprinted or reproduced. Make certain you check out the questions and discussions at the end! CHAPTER ONE ""Momma says a goat is moving in the old Woodruff house. She said she met him. And she said he was really nice."" Suzie was walking to school with her cousin, Mac. Only Suzie nev- er just walked. Suzie twirled. Always. ""A goat? Goats don’t live in houses or have furniture. You got it all wrong. As usual."" Mac was ten and three quarters. Suzie had just turned eight. Suzie did a giant twirl, kicking up dust. ""You’ll see, smarty pants."" They ran into their kitchen in search of food, just like they did every day after school. Only today…was different. Because today, standing in the kitchen, was a goat, wearing an apron while searching through their cabinets. ""Hi! I bet you’re our new neighbor. I’m Suzie and this is my cousin, Mac. He’s ten and three quarters. I’m eight. He lives with us ‘cuz his mom died and his dad is off in the jungles somewhere looking for the Terror Bird."" Mac rolled his eyes. ""Tell him our whole life story, why don’t you?"" ""Good afternoon,"" the goat said, handing them a plate of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. Mac took a cautious step closer. ""My name is William. I have indeed just moved in and I sensed hungry children were in need of some cookies. Now, I thought it would be a good idea if we start dinner since your moth- er will be late tonight."" Mac took a cookie while Suzie was already finishing her second and reaching for a third. ""Goats don’t talk or walk on their hind legs. This must be a joke…a trick!"" ""Indeed,"" William mused as he bustled around, setting bowls out and searching the cabi- nets, as if a goat in the kitchen was normal. Then he started throwing the contents of the cabinets and refrigerator all around the room. Cinnamon and bread crumbs, sugar and vanilla, all flew in different directions. Mac screamed at him to stop. ""What’s wrong with you? Stop it! You’re making a huge mess…!"" ""Whatchya making?"" Suzie asked, twirling in the flour and food coloring on the floor, making wondrous designs. ""I believe brownies should do well. Brownies and perhaps a broccoli pie."" ""Yippee, yippee, yippee!"" Suzie twirled then began to paint smeared rainbows on the walls with the floury goop. ""This is insane. Goats can’t talk or cook. Now get out of here!"" William was holding a carton of eggs, holding each egg up to the light. ""’Has a bump,"" and he threw it over his shoulder, ""too yellow."" He threw it. ""Funny shape on the bottom."" He threw it. Splat, splat, splat. They hit the wall behind the sink and slid slowly down. ""Ah, now that is a perfect egg."" He cracked the egg into the mixing bowl, then poured a mountain of flour in, turning the mixer on, and creating spectacular clouds. ""I’m not, I repeat not, cleaning this up!"" Mac wiped flour from his face. ""You deranged, insane, mammal—cut it out! Suzie stop! You’re just making it worse!"" William smiled at the mess, snapped his fingers, and froze time. ""Perhaps, " Little-red-hen.txt,"The Little Red Hen Little Red Hen lived in a barnyard. She spent almost all of her time walking about the barnyard in her picketty-pecketty fashion, scratching everywhere for worms. She dearly loved fat, delicious worms and felt they were absolutely necessary to the health of her children. As often as she found a worm she would call ""Chuck-chuck-chuck!"" to her chickies. When they were gathered about her, she would distribute choice morsels of her tid-bit. A busy little body was she! A cat usually napped lazily in the barn door, not even bothering herself to scare the rat who ran here and there as he pleased. And as for the pig who lived in the sty—he did not care what happened so long as he could eat and grow fat. One day the Little Red Hen found a Seed. It was a Wheat Seed, but the Little Red Hen was so accustomed to bugs and worms that she supposed this to be some new and perhaps very delicious kind of meat. She bit it gently and found that it resembled a worm in no way whatsoever as to taste although because it was long and slender, a Little Red Hen might easily be fooled by its appearance. Carrying it about, she made many inquiries as to what it might be. She found it was a Wheat Seed and that, if planted, it would grow up and when ripe it could be made into flour and then into bread. When she discovered that, she knew it ought to be planted. She was so busy hunting food for herself and her family that, naturally, she thought she ought not to take time to plant it. So she thought of the Pig—upon whom time must hang heavily and of the Cat who had nothing to do, and of the great fat Rat with his idle hours, and she called loudly: ""Who will plant thenSeed?"" But the Pig said, ""Not I,"" and the Cat said, ""Not I,"" and the Rat said, ""Not I."" ""Well, then,"" said the Little Red Hen, ""I will."" And she did. When she went on with her daily duties through the long summer days, scratching for worms and feeding her chicks, while the Pig grew fat, and the Cat grew fat, and the Rat grew fat, and the wheat grew tall and ready for harvest. So one day the Little Red Hen chanced to notice how large the wheat was and that the grain was ripe, so she ran about calling briskly: ""Who will cut the Wheat?"" The Pig said, ""Not I,"" the Cat said, ""Not I,"" and the Rat said, ""Not I."" ""Well, then,"" said the Little Red Hen, ""I will."" And she did. She got the sickle from among the farmer's tools in the barn and proceeded to cut off all of the big plant of wheat. On the ground lay the nicely cut Wheat, ready to be gathered and threshed, but the newest and yellowest and downiest of Mrs. Hen's chicks set up a ""peep-peep-peeping"" in their most vigorous fashion, proclaiming to the world at large, but most particularly to their mother, that she was neglecting them. Poor Little Red Hen! She felt quite bewildered and hardly knew where to turn. Her attention was sorely divided between her duty to her children and her duty to the Wheat, for which she felt responsible. So, again, in a very hopeful tone, she called out, ""Who will thresh the Wheat?"" But the Pig, with a grunt, said, ""Not I,"" and the Cat, with a meow, said, ""Not I,"" and the Rat, with a squeak, said, ""Not I."" So the Little Red Hen, looking, it must be admitted, rather discouraged, said, ""Well, I will, then."" And she did. Of course, she had to feed her chickies first, though, and when she had gotten them all to sleep for their afternoon nap, she went out and threshed the wheat. Then she called out: ""Who will carry the wheat to the mill to be ground?"" Turning their backs with snippy glee, that Pig said, ""Not I,""and that Cat said, ""Not I,"" and that Rat said, ""Not I."" So the good Little Red Hen could do nothing but say, ""I will then."" And she did. Carrying the sack of Wheat, she trudged off to the distant mill. There she ordered the Wheat ground into beautiful white flour. When the miller brought her the flour she walked slowly back all the way to her own barnyard in her own picketty-pecketty fashion. She even managed, in spite of her load, to catch a nice juicy worm now and then and had one left for the babies when she reached them. Those cunning little fluff-balls were so glad to see their mother. For the first time, they really appreciated her. After this really strenuous day Mrs. Hen retired to her slumbers earlier than usual—indeed, before the colors came into the sky to herald the setting of the sun, her usual bedtime hour. She would have liked to sleep late in the morning, but her chicks, joining in the morning chorus of the hen yard, drove away all hopes of such a luxury. Even as she sleepily half opened one eye, the thought came to her that to-day that Wheat must, somehow, be made into bread. She was not in the habit of making bread, although, of course, anyone can make it if he or she follows the recipe with care, and she knew perfectly well that she could do it if necessary. So after her children were fed and made sweet and fresh for the day, she hunted up the Pig, the Cat and the Rat. Still confident that they would surely help her some day she sang out, ""Who will make the bread?"" Alas for the Little Red Hen! Once more her hopes were dashed! For the Pig said, ""Not I,"" the Cat said,""Not I,"" and the Rat said, ""Not I."" So the Little Red Hen said once more, ""I will then,"" and she did. Feeling that she might have known all the time that she would have to do it all herself, she went and put on a fresh apron and spotless cook's cap. First of all she set the dough, as was proper. When it was time she brought out the moulding board and the baking tins, moulded the bread, divided it into loaves, and put them into the oven to bake. All the while the Cat sat lazily by, giggling and chuckling. And close at hand the vain Rat powdered his nose and admired himself in a mirror. In the distance could be heard the long-drawn snores of the dozing Pig. At last the great moment arrived. A delicious odor was wafted upon the autumn breeze. Everywhere the barnyard citizens sniffed the air with delight. The Red Hen ambled in her picketty-pecketty way toward the source of all this excitement. Although she appeared to be perfectly calm, in reality she could only with difficulty restrain an impulse to dance and sing, for had she not done all the work on this wonderful bread? Small wonder that she was the most excited person in the barnyard! She did not know whether the bread would be fit to eat, but—joy of joys!—when the lovely brown loaves came out of the oven, they were done to perfection. Then, probably because she had acquired the habit, the Red Hen called: ""Who will eat the Bread?"" All the animals in the barnyard were watching hungrily and smacking their lips in anticipation, and the Pig said, ""I will,"" the Cat said, ""I will,"" the Rat said, ""I will."" But the Little Red Hen said, ""No, you won't. I will."" And she did. " just-the-way-i-am-RtR-FKB.txt,"Just the Way I Am A herd of sheep was coming back home in the evening, happy as usual. Except for Matko. She was too wide to fit through the new farm gate. She had been sleeping outside for over a week. And now she would have to sleep outside again. That darn gate! It wasn't fair. The yogi sheep said, ""Do yoga! Yoga will make you thinner. Then you will fit through the gate."" The next day, Matko started doing yoga. Many days passed… But Matko was still too wide to fit through the gate. The jogger sheep suggested, ""Start jogging! Jogging will make you thinner. Then you will fit through the gate."" So Matko went for a jog every day. Days passed, but she was still too wide for the gate. The swimmer sheep advised, ""Start swimming! Swimming will make you thinner. Then you will fit through the gate."" So Matko began swimming... But she was still too wide to fit through the gate! Bunni came by showing off her bicycle. ""Start cycling, Matko. Cycling will make you thinner. If cycling doesn't help you fit through the gate, I'll eat my hat!"" Matko was upset. ""Enough now! I just want to go home."" So she thought. And she thought, and she thought some more. And then she set off. A few days later, Matko returned. Now she had a plan. She had... ...TOOLS! The next morning, Matko woke up in her favorite place. All the other sheep were astonished. ""But you're still so wide!"" they brayed. ""How did you get inside the yard?"" ""I simply made the gate a little wider,"" Matko replied with a grin. ""I am fit, and I am fine...just the way I am!"" " theres-an-alien-in-my-house_en_3-17.txt,"There’s an alien in my house... We are under attack! The walls are changing colour. It must be the alien. The air is getting warmer. It must be the alien. Strangers keep coming. It must be the alien. We need protection. I build a fort. Mom and Dad normally build with me, but these days I feel invisible. It must be the alien. . It mus ight t be n th e e a th f a weird noise in the middle o n. li e ar e Ih We are under attack! I am an army of one. 1 step, 2 step... 3 step, 4 step... I am the army. Ready for battle. 5 step, 6 step... Away with you, alien! 7 step, 8 step... I get closer. ...looks like me?! How can that be? Is it really an alien? 9 step, 10 step... I am by its head. Woah! I get a fright. It is tiny and it... Maybe it’s a friend. Maybe it’s my friend? 1 step, 2 step... We are now an army of two. " Fun-Early-Readers-Collection.txt,"GECKO ON THE WALL There's a gecko on my wall, I don't mind him there at all; Lying quietly watching me, he is quite good company. There's a gecko on the rock, she seems to be wearing a frock; And I think she is asking me, if I want to come to tea. There's a gecko in the pool, he really does look cool; Sipping a long cool lemonade, wearing sunglasses in the shade. There's a gecko on the roof, he is acting quite aloof; Whispering calmly to me: 'I simply must get down, since I have to go to town, I need to be there by three.' Of all the geckos that I see: The gecko on a rock in a frock; The gecko looking cool in the pool; The gecko who's aloof on the roof; I like best of all, the gecko on my wall, lying quietly, watching me. THE END Danielle Bruckert BUGS by NUMBERS there's a whole lot of creatures living with me. GECKOS One - One colourful GECKO, lying on the rock, happily. BUZZY BEES One, Two - Two BUZZY BEES flying freely by me. LADYBUGS LADY BUGs One, two, three - Three LADY BUGS playing daintily. Each ladybug has three black dots, each side of her back, can you see? LADY BUGs can you see? BUTTERFLIES One, two, three, four - Four beautiful BUTTERFLIES fluttering by me. ARMY ANTS One, two three, four, five - Five angry ARMY ANTS, marching two by three. One gecko; Two buzzy bees; Three ladybugs; Four butterflies; Five army ants. These are all the creatures living with me, down in the garden, under the tree. THE END Writing on the Wall Danielle Bruckert I wanted to write as much as I could, I wanted to write for all I was able, I wanted to write whether or not I should, I wanted to write on the chairs and the table; I wanted to write on the walls in the halls, I wanted to write on the floors and the doors, I wanted to write on the bats and the balls, I wanted to write on mine and on yours; I wanted to write on the bricks and the blocks, I wanted to write on the rug and the stairs, I wanted to write on the grandfather clocks, I wanted to write on my teddy-bears; I wanted to write up high in the sky, I wanted to write way down below; I wanted to write far away and nearby, I wanted to write on my big toe; I wanted to write on a thing I can send, I wanted to write on a thing I can bend; I wanted to write where no-one can see, I wanted to write, because I am me! Mum didn't want me to write on the walls in the halls, Mum didn't want me write on the floor or the door; Mum didn't want me to write on the chairs or the stairs, Mum didn't want me write on the blocks or the clocks; Mum wanted me to write: ONLY ON THE PAPER! I wanted to write on the walls, I really did, But I knew it would make Mum sad; I really wanted to be a good kid, I didn't want to be bad. So do you know what I did? I wrote, ONLY on the paper. THE END " How-High-Can-You-Jump.txt,"Have you ever let a balloon go way up into the sky? How high can a balloon go? How high is too high? Blue has two best friends. They‛re as close as could be. One is a hot air balloon, and the other is a sunflower with a bee. They all like to play games, one of their favorites is Jumpers. Jump as high up as you can and count all of the numbers. Sunflower always goes first, because he is better than the rest. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6! Sunflower has set a new best. Hot Air goes second, because he's scared to go third. He begins to jump into the air. 1, 2, 3......OH NO A BIRD! Finally, Blue gets his turn to jump. 1, 2, 3, 4, the rock pulls Blue down with a THUMP! ""I win again, like always."" Sunflower says with a big smile. ""One day I‛ll beat you."" Says Blue ""It just may take a little while."" ""How could you ever beat 6?"" Sunflower says with a laugh. ""I‛ll find a way to beat 6. Maybe I‛ll stand on a giraffe."" ""No matter what you do, you better do it soon."" ""Wait! I‛ve got it, I‛ll just jump to the moon!"" ""You‛ll never make it to the moon with that rock on your string."" ""Don‛t worry, Sunflower. I‛ll think of something."" Later that night, I everyone is going bed. I Blue is awake, ""How will I get to the moon like I said?"" Blue is looking at the moon. ""Wow, it seems far."" ""That‛s going to take a big jump. Maybe I should just shoot for Mars."" Blue is finally asleep, He isn't awake anymore. Blue grabs a pillow and quickly begins to snore. Blue practices jumping, all of the next day. He practices his jumping in an unusual way. First, he tries jumping from the top of a giraffe. Which just ends up with a sunflowery laugh. Next, Blue tries using a giant slingshot. Does it end up working? No, it does not. Blue tries using Hot Air to lift him all the way up. Hot Air gets scared of a cloud that looks like a coffee cup. Everything Blue tries never ever works out. Blue begins to feel himself fill up with lots of doubt. ""Alright Blue, let‛s see what you‛ve got."" Blue looks up at the sky, ""Let‛s give this a shot."" Blue jumps up to the sky with all of his might. As hard he jumps his string only gets tight. 21 Blue begins to push harder, only a little bit more. Suddenly, the string breaks and Blue begins to soar. Blue soars up through the clouds and the sky. Everything under Blue looks small because he's up so high. Blue gets scared, so he shuts his eyes. Blue keeps going up and up past all of the skies. High above the earth, Blue is flying through space. He starts to land on an unusual place. Blue slowly opens both of his eyes. He can't help but have a look of surprise. He looks all around and can‛t believe he is there. He is finally on the moon, and can‛t help but stare. Looking all around, he notices the planets and stars. I wonder how far I can go? Here I come Mars! Dedicated to everyone who has ever been told their dreams won't come true. • Anything is possible with hard work, +. but it all depends on you. " know-your-body-through-rhymes-FKB.txt,"Know Your Body Through Rhymes Inside your body there is a wonderful secret world With stories of numerous organs waiting to be unfurled Learn about lovable liver, bossy brain and the heroic heart Just turn the page and let the journey inside the body start The Bossy Brain It’s your own body and it’s important that you should know. What goes on inside, from head, all the way, down to the toe. Brain tells your body when to go to bed and when to eat. It even helps to move your crayon and keep the drawing neat. Brain helps you to look at the birds and to identify the trees. It makes you think of a jacket whenever you feel cool breeze Brain makes you jump up if you want to catch a ball. It even helps you grab on to a support in case you fall. Now you know the importance of protecting your precious brain. Make sure you wear a helmet when you. The Heroic Heart It’s your own body and it’s important that you should know. What goes on inside from head, all the way, down to the toe. Brain may think it is responsible for making us smart. But it also needs the blood that comes from the heart! The heart pumps the blood all over the body to share. The blood carries the oxygen we breathe from the air. The blood also carries all the food you daily eat. The heart makes it all possible without missing a beat. The heart pumps faster if you start jumping or running. Can you feel your heart beat and tell that. The Loyal Lungs It’s your own body and it’s important that you should know. What goes on inside from head, all the way, down to the toe. The body cannot live with just the heart- brain pair. For they will stop working if the lungs don’t bring in air. The air supplies oxygen that is extremely important for life. Oxygen burns the food inside and provides energy to survive. Burning of food also produces the toxic gas carbon dioxide. That is promptly removed by our lungs working side by side. The functioning of the lungs can be severely harmed by smoking. Make sure to remember this and follow. The Sensible Stomach It’s your own body and it’s important that you should know. What goes on inside from head, all the way, down to the toe. Lungs, heart and brain do need energy in order to function. And for that they need the stomach to aid in food digestion. Stomach is the sac where the food you eat starts collecting. It tells the body when the place is full and you need to stop eating. The stomach secretes an acid that breaks the food you chewed. The acid also kills the bacteria that sometime hide inside the food. The digested food ultimately provides the energy to walk or tumble. Next time you are hungry try to listen to. The Lovable Liver It’s your own body and it’s important that you should know. What goes on inside from head, all the way, down to the toe. Brain, Heart, Lungs and Stomach can slowly start to shut down. If Liver doesn’t tackle toxins that enter through food or pollution-in-town. Liver can re-grow itself even if we cut away a big portion. It also plays a very important role in fighting away infection. Liver processes medicines, you eat when you don’t feel well. It also supplies us with food, if you happen to miss the dinner bell. Drinking excessive alcohol can damage the liver and cause trouble inside. Make sure you take care of your body and. The Kindhearted Kidneys It’s your own body and it’s important that you should know. What goes on inside from head, all the way, down to the toe. Brain, Heart, Lungs, Stomach and Liver will all blow a fuse. If Kidneys don’t promptly remove the waste we produce. Kidneys usually come in a pair but, if needed, can exist alone. If you don’t drink enough fluids, you can get a kidney stone. Kidneys are easy to identify as they are shaped like a bean. They filter all the blood in the body and make sure it is clean. All the waste that is removed from blood comes out as the pee. Next time you run to the bathroom, make. There are more organs to discover and more rhymes to write. We will be back with more, for now let us say goodnight. " the-race-beginner-reader-FKB.txt,"The Race Four friends want to have a race with their toys. Veen has a green car. Meena has a yellow auto. Sanju has a red bus. Manju has a blue lorry. Ready 1-2-3, GO! Here comes Lucky. Ha-ha, Lucky has joined the race. Look, look! Lucky is the fastest of them all. Lucky wins the race. " childrens-book-no_20180115-4-17.txt,"Nosisi, it’s time to stop playing. Please come inside? Nosisi, we need to go to the shops. No! Look at these beautiful butterflies. Come help Mama make No! some rice. Let’s feed Shakes. Nosisi it’s bath time... No No No! No Nonononono... How about an ice cream? Oh. Not no... Yay! Yes! Yummy. Yummy. Yay! Yay! Hmmmm. Well...okay. Nosisi, will you tidy your room? " Minny-Wants-a-Ride-.txt,"Minny Wants a Ride Minny was tired of climbing walls and trees. Especially because she always got stuck on top of the poplar tree. It was quite embarrassing to whine and purr and hope people got her down safely. When she saw Grandpa Gomes, she had an idea. ""Dear, dear Grandpa Gomes, ppplease may I use Laila's chair just for one day?"" she asked Grandpa Gomes. Grandpa Gomes smiled. ""Of course little Minny, but tell me, why do you want to use a wheel-chair. You have not two, but four healthy legs?"" ""Why, Minny?"" asked Grandma Gomes who had so much pain in her knees that it brought tears to her eyes. ""Why, lazy Minny?"" asked Guppu, who had broken his leg while playing in school. ""Why, Minny dear?"" asked Jhumpa, who never tired of running errands for everyone in the village. Minny thought about it. She could not say she wanted to use the chair just for a lark. Or just because she felt tired. Or just because she was too lazy. Or just because she was getting fat. ""Oh, I really want to give Laila company when she goes to school. She gets so sad watching other children run or skip to school, you know,"" said Minny with an expression of concern. Grandpa Gomes agreed. ""Fine, Minny, so you can go to school with Laila in her wheel-chair today."" The world looked beautiful from where Minny sat on Laila's lap. The snow on faraway hills, the birds on the trees, and the shower of blossoms under the trees made Minny smile like a Cheshire cat. Minny saw Uncle Ali taking Mona piggy-back to school. Mona had hurt her toe, and could not walk easily. The wheel-chair rumbled uphill, causing Minny's back quite some strain. Then when Laila pushed the wheel-chair downhill, Minny's eyes grew wide with worry. Would they tumble down and hurt her lovely tail, she wondered. Then when the wheel-chair came to a river, Minny nearly jumped off! ""I can't get wet! I...I...I'm going right back!"" she squealed. ""Don't worry, I'll ferry you across,"" said Kinchuk, the school's top sportsperson. ""I should really build my stamina,"" thought Minny, looking at how strong and helpful Kinchuk was. The school seemed really far, far, far away. On the way, Minny saw a lot of people working. She saw old people digging the land to make roads. She saw young people cutting stones to lay paths. She realised how difficult it was for Laila to get to school. And she realised that Laila always looked so much at ease, and so happy. No wonder everyone wanted to help her! Soon Minny was full of remorse. She really was the laziest, vainest, sourest, thoughtless, selfish living being in all of Gompaguri, she thought. She whined, and she purred , and she screeched so much that she was surprised people hadn't thrown her into the Psering River till now! ""I must change,"" thought Minny. ""I must be a new cat henceforth,"" she continued to think. Minny tried her best to be a hardworking, modest, pleasant, thoughtful, unselfish living being like all the others in Gompaguri. Some days later she climbed up Grandpa Gomes' roof to see....well, she had some work. There she got stuck, and couldn't climb down. She tried several times, but decided finally that she needed help. Remember, Minny was a changed cat. She did not whine. She did not purr loudly. She did not screech. Instead she did what the lovely people of Gompaguri did when they worked. She sang. And very loudly! She sang out calling for help. All of Gompaguri heard her. They all came out to help, as they always did. ""Dear Minny, you really are a silly-billy. Do try not to get stuck like this, but if you do get stuck, promise us you'll never sing....cats MUST purr, and you purr so much better than you sing! Minny walked away gracefully with her head and tail held high , even as all the children laughed at her affectionately. " 019-BUBBLE-FUN-Free-Childrens-Book-By-Monkey-Pen.txt,"""Wow!"" Tristan said as he watched the man on the street corner make bubbles. Big bubbles, little bubbles, tiny bubbles too. Bubbles from a wand, some landing on his shoe. Bubbles in the air, bubbles on the ground, Bubbles blowing on the wind, making a popping sound. Their colors like a rainbow, their shape so round and true. Bubbles, bubbles everywhere. Look - that one is blue."" Tristan thought to himself. ""I just have to find out how to make those bubbles."" So, he walked up to the man and asked him how he did it. ""Excuse me, Sir,"" Tristan said. ""I have never seen bubbles like that and I would really like to know how to make them. They are the most beautiful things I have ever seen."" The man stopped blowing bubbles, smiled, and said: ""Why, thank you young man! When I was about your age, I saw someone blowing bubbles and, well, I asked how he made them. He told me and once I started, I just couldn’t stop. Just a minute, while I blow some more."" When he finished, he looked at Tristan, grinned, and said, ""Would you like to try blowing some?"" ""Could I?"" exclaimed Tristan. Tristan took the wand, dipped it, moved it gently through the air, and the biggest bubble he ever saw rose into the sky. He squealed with delight. The man then explained some important things to remember when blowing bubbles. ""I can remember that,"" Tristan said. ""But how do I make the solution and the wands."" ""Ah,""The man said in a whisper. ""Let me blow some more bubbles and then I’ll tell you."" He then took a wand in each hand, dipped them, extended his arms, and began spinning. Soon there was a wall of bubbles. So many bubbles that Tristan couldn’t see the man anymore. Then he heard a laugh and POP! Pop! … Pop! Pop! Pop! … Pop! Pop! … Pop! Pop! … Pop! When the bubbles were gone, so was the man and lying on the sidewalk was a piece of paper. Tristan bent down and picked it up. It was just what he needed to get started. A Bubble Scientist’s Basic Guide Pop! – Remember to experiment with the basic solution. A little more glycerin, sugar, or syrup can make a stronger bubble. Too much can ruin your solution. Pop! Pop! - If you need more just double, triple, or quadruple the ingredients. Pop! Pop! Pop! – Don’t forget what I told you earlier. If you make your own bubble solution, pretend you’re a scientist, and experiment to make the mix that you like. All solutions use Glycerin but it is expensive. Remember that you can use a light corn syrup (like karo) or even sugar. It is best to make your mix and let it rest for a day. This helps make a stronger bubble. But don’t worry. You can use it as soon as you make it. Store your mix in a tightly sealed container. Pour your solution into a shallow tray or bowl for dipping your wand. Make sure it is a little bigger than the wand you are going to use. Make sure your wand can soak up some solution for better bubbles. If you make a smooth wire wand, wrap it in cloth so it can suck up the solution. Blow or move the wand through the air gently. You can catch or bounce bubbles if you are careful. They usually pop from dust, dirt, or grease. So wear a light pair of gloves and go on a bubble hunt. Don’t shake or stir your bubble solution too much when blowing bubbles. Minerals or other additives in water can affect your solution. It is recommended to use distilled water or boil your water for several minutes and let it cool before using. (Don’t forget to have an adult boil the water). HAVE FUN! Basic Bubble Solutions Pop! Pour 1/4 cup liquid dish soap into a mixing bowl. Add 3/4 cup of water. Add 1 teaspoon of sugar into the mixture. (Glycerin or light corn syrup can be substituted). Gently stir your mixture until the sugar dissolves. Pop! Pop! Add 1/2 cup of water to your mixing bowl. Mix in 2 tablespoons of liquid dish soap. Stir in 1 tablespoons of light corn syrup. (Glycerin or sugar can be substituted). Pop! Pop! Pop! Dissolve 1/2 cup of soap powder into 1 cup of warm water. Mix in 2 tablespoons of sugar, light syrup, or Glycerin. Remember – Don’t throw out your solution if it doesn’t work with a wand. Make Bubble-Falls. Take your solution outside and using a straw blow into the solution. Have fun with the millions of bubbles. Basic Wands Be creative and use your imagination. Anything that holds the solution across it can be used as a wand. The bigger the wand – the bigger the bubble – the harder it is to blow. Try some things around the house. A slotted mixing spoon. A small strainer. Make one Bend a pipe cleaner (chenille craft stem) into any shape and attach another for the handle. Have an adult bend a coat hanger into a circle (or any shape). Cover it with cloth for best results. Take 2 straws and thread yarn through them. Make sure the knot is in one of the straws. Using the straws as handles dip the yarn into the solution. Gently remove it and move it through the air. It’s hard to do but when you get a bubble, it will be a GIANT BUBBLE. ""I can’t wait to get home,"" Tristan said as he ran down the street. " hello_english_FKB.txt,"My name is Lolo. I have many friends. Come out with me to say hello! Hello Sun, big and bright. You fill the day with your bright light. Hello Grass, soft and green. You give us all a place to play. Hello Sky, broad and blue. You fill the sky with the colour blue. Hello Moon, up in the dark. You make the night not so dark. Hello Star, big and white. You make the night so very nice. Hello Wind, strong and free. You blow things around, and make it cool. Hello Rain, pouring down. You bring water, and cool our ground. Hello Lightning, from high above. Your bright flashing light gives us a fright. Hello Thunder, roaring in the rain. You make a boom noise, so very loud. Hello Dew, drops of water. You make the ground soft and wet. Hello Tree, big and strong. You give us shade and fruit to eat. Hello Bird, flying in the sky. You fill our days with lovely songs. Hello You, reading this book. Now you’ve met my friends, please show me yours! " costume-party.txt,"Aillie is a little kitty cat Who cooks and wears a chef’s hat. What she loves most is baking. Can you guess what she’s making? She shapes dough into balls, stars, or squares. She decorates her cookies with faces or bears. Allie’s smiley face cookies are the best. They taste better than all the rest! All Allie’s neighbors love her cookie’s sweet crunch. They eat them with breakfast or dinner or lunch. Each cookie is baked with love and a smile, which makes their hearts happy for a really long while. One day, Allie got a letter she couldn’t believe. The letter read: Come to my house New Year’s Eve. Wear a costume - your favorite animal disguise. The best costume of all will win the grand prize. Sincerely, Mayor Hourse All the animals were feeling festive through and through, except Allie who was feeling blue. She thought, ""The monkey swings through trees. The giraffe is so slim, and she has such pretty knees. The sheep looks so nice with her curly white hair. But what costume will I wear?"" On the night of the New Year’s Eve party, there was a huge crowd. The animals were happy and the music was loud. Allie looked in the mirror and she let out a sigh. She knew what she should wear and wanted to give it a try. Allie looked for a seat in the very back row Next to with Mr. Elephant, Ms. Deer, and Ms.Hippo. Allie saw her beautiful friends, and turned to Ms. Deer. ""Ms. Deer, why on earth are you hiding back here?"" ""I have these ugly horns, so I can’t wear a hat,"" Ms. Deer said. ""And my trunk’s too long, "" cried a sad Mr. Elephant, shaking his head. ""I have a big mouth, which I can’t cover up,"" said Miss Hippo, in tears. Allie said, ""I used to feel that way too, but look here. Be yourselves. You have nothing to fear."" Then everyone cheered when Mayor Horse took to the stage. ""Guess the first costume!"" he said, as he read from a page. The poster showed you the first costume of the night. The crowd thought hard, and then shouted, ""Stripes! Black and white!’ Zebras! But which animals dressed up as zebras? The crowd was in shock. ""A fuzzy sheep zebra f lock!"" Everyone asked, ""Do the sheep look like zebras?"" ""No way!"" the real zebras said very fast. ""Our stripes help us blend into tall wavy grass, So our coats keep us safe and protect us from harm."" ""So do ours!"" said the sheep. ""Our curls keep us warm."" ""Who will be next?"" asked Mayor Horse with a smile. The crowd saw the poster and cried, ""The action star, Mr.Crocodile!"" Someone walked on stage in a crocodile costume pretending to have his fame. And everyone shouted, ""Are he and Mr. Crocodile the same?"" Mr. Crocodile scoffed, ""A rhinoceros? No, we are not like each other!"" ""Are you sure?""asked the rhino, ""We both have thick armor!"" ""Real crocodile have far tougher armor, ""said the croc with a groan, ""It’s not only sensitive to cold and heat, but some parts are hard as bone!"" Then Mayor Horse interrupted, ""Who is next up to dance?"" All the animals shouted, ""The model, Miss Giraffe!"" The crowd tried to see through the darkness. ""Who is it?"" they asked. ""Whose humps are those?"" ""The dizzy camel!"" they laughed. The camel, wearing fancy brown patches, got back up on her feet. She said, ""The giraffe’s body is special and stays cool in the heat. Just like me, she does not have to sweat to stay cool."" ""But I don’t have two humps!"" the real giraffe ruled. ""Who is that making faces?"" the Mayor then said. ""It looks like the comedian, Mr. Hedgehog is curled up for bed."" ""Silly Mr. Hedgehog rolls into a ball when he sleeps."" The crowd shouted, ""He is much funnier than the giraffe, rhino or sheep!"" But who dressed up as the Hedgehog, no one could see. Then the spotlight f lickered on... Spines, spines, spines... And a teeny-tiny voice squeaked, ""It is me!"" ""I s that mouse on a bicycle?"" all the animals cried. ""That costume makes no sense!"" The mouse wanted to hide and said ""Our stiff hairs are similar to the spines of yours."" The real Hedgehog spoke, ""I don’t think he should win. See, I’ve the prickliest coat, but the mouse has thin skin."" ""Mayor Horse came back up. ""What’s that chatter?""he asked. ""It must be Mr. Parrot!"" the crowd guessed. ""He’s talking so fast!"" But who could be wearing Mr. Parrot’s disguise? It was Mrs. Parrot, to everyone’s surprise. ""She’s a Parrot for sure, but does she look like a male?"" Mr. Parrot said, ""No, we’re unique from our beak to our tail. My feathers are rich green and red----not the same. As Mrs. Parrot’s red and purple. We share only our name."" Mayor Horse asked, ""Who’s singing onstage? What a lovely sound."" The crowd shouted, ""Miss Frog loves to sing!"" They all turned around. ""Guess who dressed up as Miss Frog?"" Mayor Horse asked. ""M r. Frog, who was all green, but wore a red vest. "" The green frog crooned, ""My green color help me to hide under the leaves and I think my red vest looks stunning!"" ""But my dress is not cute, it’s actually cunning. The red is a warning cause we are poisonous, too."" Miss Frog chimed in with, ""This green frog’s got no clue."" Who is next up onstage?"" Mayor Horse finally asked. The crowd answered, ""It’s Allie! She must be the last."" Who was dressed up as the chef kitty? Allie walked nimbly along Elephant’s trunk. Then, she jumped on the stage with a plonk and a plunk. The kitty chef stood onstage dressed as herself, looking proud! And threw smiley face cookies out into the crowd. ""Why do we want to copy each other to win? Our most perfect costume is our very own skin. Each animal has their own color and look. Not to mention our hobbies; I love to cook! Each cat’s coat is different to match where we live, so before you try changing, see what you’ve got to give."" The smiley-face cookies flew over the crowd. The animals caught them and started cheering out loud. They agreed with what Allie said, and they added with a smile, ""We all win the contest because we all have our own unique style!"" ""No one can copy my trunk."" The elephant smiled and lifted Allie onto his back with his trunk. ""And these are my antlers,"" the deer said with some spunk. The hippo roared, ""No one can have a huge mouth like I do."" As everyone cheered along, too. So, what’s your best costume, girls and boys? Come on! Stand up proud! And make a big noise! Put on your big smile and wear your best you. You are your best costume: You, just you! The wild cats’ coat The color and pattern of a wild cat’s coat usually matches where it lives. For example, some wild cats with spotted or patterned coats, their coats help them to blend into the forests. Some wild cats with plain and solid colored coats usually spend more time in the dry places with low-lying grass. Wild cats’ coats let them blend into their environment. This helps protect them from predators. Spiny mouse’s skin The spiny mouse’s coat is covered with stiff hairs rather like those of a hedgehog. This is where the name comes from for the spiny mouse. Some species of the African spiny mouse can escape from predators by shedding their skin. The spiny mouse will grow new skin over any wounds within several days. To my friends Wishing your year fully loaded with happiness. Happy New Year ! " 024-ARE-WE-THERE-ET-Free-Childrens-Book-By-Monkey-Pen.txt,"Jennie and Jimmy were twins and were they excited. They had just completed Kindergarten. And because they did so well, were going to the Big Zoo in the city. After they got into the family car’s back seat, mom checked their seat belts and dad said, ""If everyone is ready let the journey begin."" They were off and headed to the Big Zoo in the city. The Big Zoo in the city was a long way from home. It wasn’t long before Jennie and Jimmy were bored. They were so excited and just wanted to see the animals, even get some peanuts, popcorn, and soda. But it was taking so long. ""Are we there yet?"" asked Jimmy. ""No"" his mom replied. ""It will be a little while. Why don’t you and Jennie look out the window and count pine trees?"" Jimmy looked at Jennie and then tried to look out the window. But they were too low in the seat to see anything. Jennie grumbled, ""Dad, we can’t see out the window. Are we there yet?"" ""Yah, are we there yet,"" Jimmy sang out. ""We are getting close."" Mom chimed in. ""Why don’t you both sing a song? That will help pass the time."" ""Okay."" Jennie said. Then she leaned over to Jimmy and whispered something in his ear. They both smiled and giggled a little as they faced the front of the car and began to sing. ""Are we there yet…. Are we there yet…. Arewethereyet, Arewethereyet…. Are we, we, there, there, yet…. Are we there yet… Are we there yet……"" Their dad looked at their mom and said softly, ""I don’t know about you but I am glad we’re here."" Then in a deep voice he sang out ""Weee Haaave Ah-rived!"" Jennie and Jimmy giggled. Jimmy and Jennie had such a fun day. They visited every animal, had fun in the petting zoo, and ate hot dogs, popcorn, and peanuts. Soon it was time to leave. Mom got their seat belts on and they were headed home. ""I hope they are tired and fall asleep,"" dad whispered to mom. ""Are we there yet?"" Jennie giggled in a soft voice. " 036-DO-YOU-WONDER-HOW-THE-LADYBUG-GOT-ITS-NAME-Free-Childrens-Book-By-Monkey-Pen.txt,"Early one spring day, Sally Sue and her mommy planted a small vegetable garden. Sally Sue planted all her favorite vegetables. She planted carrots, corn, lettuce and even pumpkins. Sally Sue watered the garden every day and with her mommy’s help, removed the weeds. She was so excited to watch her vegetables grow and her mommy was so proud of her. The plants grew and grew. One day Sally Sue noticed that the plants didn’t look good. They had brown spots on their leaves and it looked like something was eating them. Sally Sue’s mommy said that it looked like there were little bugs called aphids eating her vegetable plants. Sally Sue was sad. But her mommy told her not to worry. In a few days there would be some hero bugs coming to the rescue. The next day, when Sally Sue went to the garden, she saw pretty, little beetles all over. They were red with black dots on their back. Her mommy saw that Sally Sue was afraid that these bugs would also eat her vegetable plants, so she yelled out ""The heroes are here. Three cheers for the Ladybugs."" ""Ladybugs?"" Sally Sue asked. ""You mean the heroes are girls?"" Then she asked, ""Where are the boy bugs?"" Her mommy then explained that there were both girl and boy beetles and that they were just called Ladybugs. ""Then why are they called Ladybugs?"" Sally Sue asked. Her mommy then explained that when she was little, her grandfather had told her that since they were pretty, and all little ladies are pretty, just like you Sally Sue, they became known as Ladybugs. ""Oh"" said Sally Sue. ""That’s it?"" ""I was also told that many years ago, in the middle ages, the farmers crops were being eaten by aphids and they prayed to Mother Nature for help."" ""In the next few days, these beetles came and ate the aphids, saving their crops. In respect for their prayers being answered by Mother Nature, they named them Beetle of the Lady. In time they became known as Lady Beetles and later just Ladybugs"" ""It doesn’t really matter."" said Sally Sue. ""They are pretty and helpful, and with due respect to the ""boys""… thank you ladies!"" Later that summer, Sally Sue had lots of yummy vegetables. And in early fall, the biggest pumpkins she ever saw. " The-Lost-Egg.txt,"Owl had just awakened from his noon day nap, when he heard a strange sound. It was a THUMP! ""Whooooo was that?"" he wondered. He looked around from his perch in the trees. No one was in sight! ""Whooooo, "" he asked. And then he looked with his sharp owl eyes and saw on the floor of his forest a large white egg! ""Whoooo,"" he asked again, but no one answered, so Owl flew down to take a closer look. It was indeed an egg, but where had it come from? As Owl was studying the big beautiful egg, Mole popped up from beneath the earth. ""Whose egg is this?"" asked Owl. Mole squinted his little eyes, and peered at the egg. ""Maybe it is my egg!"" he said. ""Silly Mole!"" said Owl. ""Moles don’t lay eggs!"" ""Oh,"" said Mole."" You are right, Owl. So I suppose it cannot be my egg."" ""Whose egg is this!"" Owl called again. ""Whooooo!"" Rabbit heard Owl’s call, so he stopped nibbling on the little green leaves, and hop, hop, hopped up to the egg. He wiggled his nose and gave the egg a sniff. ""This egg might belong to me, ""he said, after one more sniff. ""You know I bring pretty eggs like this one to children in the spring, and it could be mine!"" ""Rabbit,"" said Owl, ""This egg is not yours. Spring is over, now, and it is summer in the forest. This egg belongs to someone else! Whoooooo?"" Toad heard Owl’s question from his rock in the pond, and hopped over to investigate. He blinked his large toad eyes, and gazed at the egg. ""Toads lay eggs!"" he announced. ""Toads lay eggs in the pond! This egg could belong to me!"" Owl looked down at Toad with his wise owl eyes. ""Toad,"" he said, ""it is true that toads lay eggs in the pond, but this is not your egg! Toad eggs are very tiny. This egg is very large. It is NOT your egg. After further examination of the big, beautiful egg, Toad announced. ""You are right as usual, Owl. This is not my egg."" Squirrel, who had heard the commotion from his favorite tree limb, scampered down and began to jump to and fro around the egg. ""It’s mine, mine, mine!"" He chattered loudly. ""Squirrel,"" said Owl in his wisest tone, ""This egg is as big as you are! It simply cannot be your egg."" ""Right, right, right you are again, Owl! It is not my egg!"" he chattered, and he quickly scampered back up to his favorite tree limb to see just who else would come along to claim the egg. Badger was wandering through the forest, looking for his favorite dinner of eggs, when he heard Owl calling, so he crept over to investigate. ""Hmmm,"" he said. ""I love eggs! I was just looking for an egg for my dinner when I heard your question, Owl. This is MY egg, and I am going to eat it right now. ""NOOOOO!"" cried all the animals. ""This is NOT your egg!"" Suddenly there came from the egg, a tapping sound, and a tiny crack appeared. The animals were frightened and slowly backed away. Even Badger was a little afraid of the strange sound. ""I guess you are right, Owl."" said Badger. ""The eggs I like do not make any sound at all!"" The tapping continued and the cracks began to get bigger and bigger. All at once the animals heard a loud swishing sound from the forest canopy. They looked up in time to see a large eagle flying down out of the trees. She landed right by the egg, and her eagle eyes were sharp and bright. ""Don’t touch that egg!"" she cried in a shrill, sharp voice."" This is MY egg! I was searching high above the forest when I heard Owl’s call. A big wind came along and blew my egg right out of my nest! "" The mother Eagle gently placed her great wings around the egg, and the tapping became louder and louder. All at once, the egg popped open, and a baby eagle rolled out. He looked up at his mother and cried, ""Mama!"" ""My baby!"" said the Eagle, and the baby and his mama kissed each other with their beaks. All of the animals were happy that the mother Eagle had found her baby, and that the baby Eagle had found his mother. ""I must get my baby back to my nest,"" said Eagle, ""but I don’t know how I can fly and carry my baby at the same time!"" Then the wise old Owl spoke up. ""I have an idea!"" he said. ""I can wrap the baby up in my wings and climb on your back. Then you can fly the two of us up to your nest!"" ""Excellent idea, Owl!"" said the mother Eagle. ""But you must promise not to hurt my baby on the way!"" ""I promise!"" said Owl, and he wrapped the baby Eagle in his wings and hopped on the back of the mother Eagle. ""Here we go!"" said the mother Eagle, and she flapped her large, strong wings and soared high up into the trees of the forest. ""Good bye, baby Eagle!"" cried all the forest animals. ""We are glad your mother found you!"" All the animals were happy, except for the Badger. ""Humph!"" he cried. ""I almost had the most delicious dinner!"" Then he ran off into the forest, looking for something else to eat. The Lost Egg " A-House-for-a-Mouse-RW-.txt,"Deep in the dark of the house, nighttime silence woke Whiskers. He yawned. He ran down a long, lighted hallway. This house was fine for a hungry mouse. This was a house for a mouse. With his pink nose to the carpet, Whiskers smelled something wonderful. He squeezed under a dark door at the end of the long hall. Whiskers jumped up to explore. Pale yellow light made purple shadows on the floor. The house was quiet. Whiskers quickly climbed up a thick, heavy blanket. He hustled across lumpy terrain and slid down a steep, slick hill. He rolled into peanut bits, cookie crumbs and tortilla chips. Just as he was about to snack, the ground moved beneath his paws. Screams filled the room, terrifying Whiskers. Up he flew. Up into the air with chips and blanket. A bright light blinded his eyes. He jumped to the floor and ran for the door. As he escaped, a swat stung his tail. Whiskers raced back to his warm bed and hid under his sister. ""What is all the racket?"" cried Cheesepuff, a little white furry ball. Cheesepuff sniffed the air and shuddered, ""It is a human. I told you this house would be trouble. We will have to move. We need a house for a mouse."" ""But,"" said Whiskers, ""this is our home."" ""Then they will have to leave,"" Cheesepuff declared. ""No,"" said Whiskers, ""we have to live together."" ""A huge monster in the house,"" gulped Whiskers, ""as big as a mountain with a bright, shiny eye and a terrible tail-whacker."" In the morning an orange van parked in front of the house. Men in white suits put sticky traps all around the house next to Whisker and Cheesepuff’s favorite hunting sites. That night, Whiskers sniffled a delicious tray and cautiously dipped his paw into tasty goop. His paw stuck in the muck and he cried out for his sister. Cheesepuff tugged and pulled until his paw popped out of the sticky glop. Cheesepuff watched when Whiskers left their gift by the dreadful tray in the living room. His paw prints were stamped all over the bag. The mice waited many days for the traps to disappear. They were getting very hungry. Then Whiskers had an idea. ""Let’s leave the humans a present and maybe they will let us stay."" Cheesepuff did not think it was a good idea, and she hid in her bed while Whiskers carefully picked fresh herbs and petals. He pulled out a small bag from their treasure box and filled it full of fragrant lavender and pretty pink petals. In the morning, the mice heard shouts, voices and crying. Soon, all the traps were gone. When the sister and brother peeked into the kitchen that night, there was a big package where a trap had been sitting. Whiskers was suspicious. ""Don’t get too close,"" he whispered as he stared at the odd sight. ""But they have left us a pretty present,"" said Cheesepuff as she snuffled the pink, polka dot wrapping paper with her nose. 14 15 The two mice tore the paper and found a ""I’m all wet,"" she cried when she leaned very curious construction. Whiskers rolled on the water bottle. ""It’s a house!"" said into soft wood shavings on the floor and Cheesepuff. ""Our very own house. bumped a bowl filled with peanut bits, A home made just our size."" cookie crumbs and tortilla chips. He ran on a big wheel that turned round and round. Cheesepuff followed him and found a carrot in one corner. ""Our very own house,"" Whiskers repeated. ""Now, this is a house for a mouse!"" " new-pussy-cat-asb-FKB.txt,"New Pussy Cat Prosy wanted a pussy cat. Prosy's family went to visit the pussy cats. Prosy wanted this cat. It was too big for her. Tim wanted this kitten. It was too small for him. Mum wanted this kitten. It was too quick for her. Everyone liked this kitten. They took the kitten. Everyone is happy with the new pussy cat. " The-Argument.txt,"It was a cloudy, windy, sunny, mixed-up sort of day when Sara Hamilton marched out of the general store and ran smack into old Max McGregger. Old Max said, ""I see you just bought an umbrella."" Sarah nodded. ""Mama says it’s going to rain. But I think the sky’s just foolin’ us."" ""Could be,"" old Max said. ""You never can tell who’s going to win the argument."" ""Argument?"" she asked. ""Who’s arguing?"" ""Why, they’re arguing, of course,"" Max nodded toward the sky. ""You might not believe me, but my hearing used to be quite good in my younger days. And one day I heard the rain bragging to the sun because he could make the seeds sprout. And don’t get me wrong, he could. The rain came down like a velvety curtain and softened the dirt. Next thing I knew, a little seed was sprouting up."" Then the sun pushed those rain clouds out of the way. I am more powerful, he said. The sun shimmered over the ground, and the little sprout stretched into a beautiful flower. See? The sun smugly announced, I have made it grow. Then the wind chimed in, I can make one flower turn into many! The wind blew his cold breath, and seeds from the flower twirled across the field. Next thing I knew, the entire field was a garden of flowers. ""About that time, my sister Emma came out of the house. She saw the pretty field of flowers growing, ran right over, and started picking them. ""Now she never could hear as good as me, so I don’t s’pose she heard what was said after she picked all those flowers. But I did."" It was the sun who spoke up first: Look! What we have made, the little girl has taken. She must also be powerful! The rain laughed. If I can make her sprout then she is no more powerful than the flowers. The rain kissed her shoulders with soft, wet drops and Emma was tickled with joy. She started jumping up and down in the puddles. See! the rain exclaimed when he saw her rise up, Look at how she sprouts! After that it became a contest. The sun said, What you can make sprout, I can make grow. And he shined brightly down on Emma. Emma stopped jumping around and held her hands up into the air, trying to reach the rain that was no longer there. That was all the sun needed to see. He turned and gloated. See! I have made her grow tall! It certainly must have looked that way because the wind bellowed, What you can make grow, I can spread across the field. He blew his cold breath over Emma. What cold breath it was! Emma huddled down to keep herself warm, but it wasn’t long before she gave up and ran back into the house. The wind calmed, and turned to the rain. Yes! I am powerful. I made her fly across the ground. Emma came back out of the house. She had Daddy’s umbrella to protect her. But the rain never noticed this. What he did notice was that there was only one of her. He said, She has not grown into many! You need to try again. The wind blew on Emma like he had never blown before. He blew so hard that she was lifted off the ground. And there she was, floating up high under Daddy’s umbrella with the wind coming up from below pushing her higher and higher. Look at her! The wind screamed to the others. Not only can I make seeds spread across the earth, but this one I have made grow TALL! This was very upsetting to the sun. The wind wasn’t supposed to make things grow. That was the sun’s job. The rain decided that if the wind could do the sun’s job, then the rain could do the wind’s. After the wind had let go of Emma, the rain cleared his throat with a thunderous boom. It rained so hard and fast, it formed a small river that swept Emma up off her feet and carried her away. Emma was just fine with this; she sat inside Daddy’s umbrella and floated all the way to the edge of town. Wee! I could hear her hollering, Yipppee! But the argument wasn’t over yet. It was the sun’s turn to see what he could do. He looked down at Emma and shined brighter than I’ve ever seen the sun shine. It was shining so brightly, the river dried right up and Emma climbed out of the umbrella and started splashing around in the few puddles that were left. She jumped in every puddle leading back to the house. While she was still jumping, the sun softened, turned to the rain and said, Yup, she’s sprouting. Old Max said, ""That was the end of their arguing that day, but some days it seems they still haven’t gotten it figured out."" Sarah stared at Max. ""You didn’t really hear all that, did you?"" ""I most certainly did. If you don’t believe me, just listen for yourself. When you hear the wind a’howling, it usually means the rain is taunting him. Then you’d better have your umbrella ready."" Sarah started on her way home wanting to get there before the rain taunted the wind too much. It was already howling something awful. Before she had gotten to the end of the street, she heard the beating of thousands of feet running up behind her… and then the rain caught up. Sarah opened her umbrella and started skipping in the puddles. From somewhere far above she thought she heard a voice laughing: Told you I could make her sprout! The END " counting-animals.txt,"Counting Animals One elephant is going to drink water. Two giraffes are going to drink water. Three buffaloes and four birds are also going to drink water. Five antelopes and six warthogs are walking to the water. Seven zebras are running to the water. Eight frogs and nine fish are swimming in the water. One lion roars. He also wants to drink. Who is afraid of the lion? One elephant is drinking water with the lion. " 4798-am-i-alone.txt,"Am I Alone? My name is Bhola. Today, I cannot play cricket as my friends have not come to play. What can I do? I am all alone. Let me take a walk. Oh! Nature is so colourful. Pink and Yellow swaying flowers. Green trees and bushes. Green chirpy Parrots with red beak. Yellow buzzing honey bee. Blue open sky. Brown soft ground. Peach fishes with pink lips in blue water. I am feeling so fresh and happy. Let me do some reading now, under the big shady tree. Wow! Short stories and long stories to read from big books and small books, fat books and thin books. My books, let me be anyone who I want to be. It also takes me to so many places. Now, it is play time with my four legged rockstar friends. So much fun, we are making music together. Bow Bow barks Browny the dog. Meow Meow purrs Maumau the cat. Baa Baa bleats Rani the goat. Squeak Squeak squeaks Chua the rat. I go Sa Re Ga Ma.... Ha Ha Ha, there are so many nice things to do even when I am alone. I just have to look around, the whole world wants to play with me and I am no longer alone. I am so happy. " sizwes_smile-Bookdash-FKB.txt,"Sizwe’s Smile by Vianne Venter, Genevieve Terblanche & Lauren Rycroft It had been raining for days, and everyone was grumpy. Everyone except Sizwe, who woke up with a smile every morning. ""Yoh! Sizwe! That smile is magic!"" said Gogo. ""Is it for me?"" Sizwe clapped his hand over his mouth. ""But it’s MY smile, Gogo,"" he whispered. His mother laughed. ""Sizwe! A smile is something you can give away without losing it. Look!"" She lifted him up to the mirror. There was his smile, just as bright as before. It was time to go out. Mama buttoned up Sizwe’s raincoat, and off they went, through the rain, to the library. Down the street, Sizwe’s best friend Zanele stood at the window of her house, looking sadly at the rain. Sizwe felt his smile creeping, creeping up. Before he knew it, his smile LEAPT out, and flew across the garden to Zanele. Zanele held on tightly to the smile – it was far too precious to let it get away. As Sizwe walked away to the library, Zanele’s doorbell rang. It was the postman, with a letter from her favourite cousin. Zanele was so happy, that the smile bounced up, and beamed out at the postman. ""Thank you, Mister Postman!"" she said. Zanele’s smile was the brightest thing the postman had seen all morning. It kept him warm as he trudged off through the rain. He came to a big house. Inside the gate, a dog was spinning around in circles, barking, barking, barking. He was so silly, that the postman couldn’t help smiling. The smile bounced through the gate with a glitter of glee. The dog stopped barking. He pricked up his ears and wagged his tail. Then he turned and ran back to the house with the precious, warm smile. A bent old man opened the door. ""Oh, no! You can’t come inside. You’re all wet!"" he told the dog. But right away, the smile beamed up at the old man. The old man stood a little straighter. ""Eish,"" he said, ""Who cares if it’s raining? Let’s go for a walk, boy!"" And off they went, splashing in the puddles. There, at the zebra crossing, stood grumpy Mrs Makabela, the traffic cop. She looked cold, and wet, and miserable. The old man knew just what to do. ""Morning, Mrs Makabela!"" he called, and smiled his biggest, brightest smile. But Mrs Makabela… did not smile back. Standing in the rain for days can make a face sad, sad, sad. But a smile is a magical thing and, by now, the smile was so strong, and so bright, that it was very hard to keep inside. It didn’t work right away, but bit by tiny bit, it began to creep out until, at last…! A great, big smile lit up Mrs Makabela’s face! The school bell rang, and children ran to cross the road. Mrs Makabela put up her sign, and smiled, and smiled, at each and every child. The children smiled at their moms and dads, and their gogos and tatas and brothers and sisters. They smiled at the bus driver and the greengrocer, and Mme Makau, who went off to smile at her husband, who smiled at the mayor... The smiles leapt and rolled and beamed and gleamed until EVERYONE was smiling and giggling and laughing out loud in the rain. In the library, everything was quiet except for the sound of the rain. ""It’s time to go,"" said Sizwe’s mother, closing her book. ""Aw, mom!"" said Sizwe, who had run out of smiles. But as they stepped out into the street… WHAT A SIGHT! Everyone in town was there! Everyone! And they were ALL smiling! The smiles bounced around and beamed at Sizwe. They warmed him, and tickled him, and crept up, up, up from his toes… to the TOP of his head. He was so full of happiness that the smile burst out, brilliant and beaming bright. And something changed. The dark, gloomy, rainy afternoon didn’t seem so dark anymore. Could it be…? YES! The clouds parted, and the warm sun shone down on them, with the biggest, brightest, most brilliant smile of all. " tall-and-short-RTR-FKB.txt,"Tall and Short Pa is getting my hat. Pa is tall. Ma is getting my shirt. Pa is taller than Ma. My sister is getting my book. Ma is taller than my sister. My brother is getting my bag. My sister is taller than my brother. And my brother is taller than me. I’m the shortest in the family. Oh wait! There is our puppy, JoJo. Jojo is getting my slippers. Ha ha! JoJo is the shortest. Yes! JoJo is shorter than me. I’m shorter than my brother. My brother is shorter than my sister. My sister is shorter than Ma. Ma is shorter than Pa. Wow! Pa is the tallest, and JoJo is the shortest. " Greeting_Card_Making_for_Kids_FKB.txt,"Chapter 1: Introduction I have been making greeting cards ever since I can remember. They were not the best looking cards but it’s the thought that counts, right? I want you to know I am an artist but not an illustrator who can draw a person’s portrait. I can do calligraphy and doodling and simple drawing. So don’t think you won’t be able to do this. It can be easy, peasy and fun!! The other part of some greeting cards is the writing. You can write a poem or use idioms and puns. Idioms and puns are phrases that don’t really make sense. Sometimes they are just plain silly. I want you to be inspired by this book. Don’t just copy it. There are so many occasions that cards are appropriate for: birthday, thank you, get well, thinking of you… When people receive cards, it usually brightens their day. It’s an act of kindness. This world can always use more kindness! This is a birthday card for my Dad that I did when I was in elementary school. (I told you I was not good at drawing. LOL!) But I liked to write rhymes. And did some simple calligraphy. Nothing fancy. This one was done later. I did some calligraphy, doodling and rhyming. I made a logo and a company name. (Front and back of card is shown.) This is the inside. And finally this is a card that my Dad made me. I didn’t think much of it at the time. No drawings, no color. But this card means so much to me now! (Outside) This is the inside. Chapter 2: Tools Some things to have before you start: (You don’t need them all. Even if you just have a pencil and a piece of paper, that is fine. Lots of cool art is done in black and white.) Paper (new, recycled, construction, etc. Ask before you use.) Pencil Colored pencils Crayons Pens Ruler Chapter 3: Calligraphy: The meaning of calligraphy is artistic writing. When you start, you can just keep it simple. Begin with the alphabet, then progress to words. Don’t be picky, picky. Relax, have fun! Eventually, let your handwriting go wild! (That’s how new fonts can happen.) P.S. When you are writing, just know that it might not be perfect. If you require ‘perfection’ from yourself, just know it might not happen. And that’s ok. Here is a simple calligraphy example. Write your letters and add polka dots (or short lines) at the ends of the letters. Here are some examples of what can be done to an A. How to make BLOCK LETTERS. 1st write the letters in pencil. Then draw ‘boxes’ around your letters….. Erase the inner lines…. Now that you know how, you can draw block letters on construction paper or use colored writing utensils for the card. (Like colored pencils or crayons or markers.) Here’s another block letter version. How’s this for fancy shmancy?!! Block it! Color it! Polka dot it! Decorate it! You can also draw block letters for a poster. And you can create your design on recycled paper, like magazines, newspapers, old phone books…..with permission, of course. More calligraphy! Take your time. You can do this. I made up these styles. One style has lots of straight lines. You might want to use a ruler. The other is curvy. Play! Have Fun! Cursive! Different! Chapter 4: Doodling The meaning of ‘doodle’ is an aimless or casual scribble, design or sketch. That means when you start drawing a doodle, you might not know what it’s going to look like. But it can also be repeating a shape like a square or circle. Or lines that make a checkerboard. (This will make more sense as you continue to read.) On another note about doodling: just sitting down with a pen and paper and doing silly drawing can be relaxing and fun. And some of you like to use a ruler with your art. If you like that, go for it!!! Doodling examples. Easy, peasy, lemon squeezy! More doodles! Oodles of doodles! More! And some more! Doodles made into patterns. Use your imagination. Here are block letters and nautical doodle patterns. Draw some lines. Doesn’t need to be fancy. Fill in with oodles of doodles! You can color it. This can even be the front of your card. Your words can go on the inside. Another busy card front. This was fun! I did this on fabric. I did not color it. (I colored the other side…so some of the color ‘escaped.’) A Paisley is a perfect shape to doodle. Paisley: part 1 Paisley shape: part 2 Let your imagination go wild! You can be inspired by items around the house. Here’s my drawing just for fun. More inspiration! Here’s my drawing. How about this?! This is an easy design. Vine: part 1 Vine: part 2 Vine: part 3 Vine: part 4 (you could color it) Chapter 5: Drawing I told you I am not an illustrator. A lot of kids I have met can easily draw better than I can. Maybe you are like that. Doesn’t matter. If this brings you joy, use some of your spare time drawing instead of playing video games or fighting with your siblings. If drawing doesn’t float your boat, you could spend like 5 minutes a day just doodling. And then throw it away. This chapter gives you simple drawings to be inspired by. Relax and have fun. Drawing a candle is an important part of making birthday cards! Cupcake, anyone?! Here are some balloons for you! Draw a tea cup for someone who likes tea. Make a birthday card. A tea pot can go with the tea cup. Start looking for drawing inspirations. Easy, right?!! For someone who is adventurous? (Look at the drawing and break it down into shapes. Can you see the circle and the rectangle? The rest are lines and doodles.) Wild and crazy! For someone who likes to dress up? Happy Birth-Day card! Peace: always in style. Flashback to the ’s! I had lots of fun with this! Wild and wacky. If you can draw a heart, draw 2. Or 3. Who wouldn’t want a crown for their birthday?!! Easy flowers. Start by drawing 1. Then maybe a bouquet! Animals are another subject matter you might choose to explore. As I said, let your imagination go wild! This was inspired by a wall hanging I saw. Below is a base for a silly face. There are so many different things you can do! Weird but fun. Easy coloring and doodling. Chapter 6: Idioms and Puns Now it’s time to decide on what words to write on the card. Idioms and puns: love them!!! As I said earlier, they are phrases which do not really make sense. Play on words, play with words. Or you can write a poem. Or nice words. Idiom/pun examples for a birthday card: • Here’s food for thought: BIRTHDAY CAKE! or • Don’t bite off more than you can chew! (You might use the 1st one for the front and the 2nd for the inside.) And then there are just silly words: Malarkey Whippersnapper Persnickety Flabbergasted Shenanigans Nincompoop Thingamajig Whatchamacallit Gobbledygook Pumpernickel Hoopla Baloney Chapter 7: Examples Next are ideas for 2 birthday cards: Below is the front. (If the cake looks complicated to you, look closer. Break it down in layers. And the more it leans, the funnier it will be!) (And doodling on the cake is a super duper idea!) Inside you can write ""Happy Birthday!"" Another card: on the front write: Inside: draw a cake with fried eggs on it. Write: Mmm… Cake and eggs for breakfast sound yummy!!!! So there you have it: my book about you making cards. My hope is that you enjoyed some of the ideas and that you will be inspired to do some calligraphy, doodling, drawing and writing. A lot of people enjoy doing art but some are worried that their work isn’t very good. And so they won’t take a chance on it. Don’t be that person!! Relax and have Fun! Best wishes, Marian* McGlothlin THE END P.S. Chapter 8: P.S. P.S. Adults might also be inspired by this book. I shared my book with my sister and this is what she did. Yay!!! " 006-TOOTH-FAIRY-Free-Childrens-Book-By-Monkey-Pen.txt,"Deep in the New Forest where no big people ever went there was a tiny little magical village called the Ordon Gardens. Here, three little tooth fairies named Incisor, Canine and Molar were busy at work in their factory. The three tooth fairies were all named after types of teeth. Incisor was tall and skinny with short pink hair, Canine was also tall with blue hair and Molar was the short, wise one with curly, silver locks. All day long the busy little fairies cleaned and shined the children’s milk teeth they had collected during the night. The milk teeth were used to make very useful things in the Ordon Gardens like roads in the village and furniture in the homes for the little fairies. One day Incisor realised that the teeth coming into the cleaning factory were not as strong as they used be. ""Oh dear!"" said Incisor ""These teeth are fragile and brittle, with holes and black spots. They crumble as soon as I try to polish them with my cloth. Whatever are we to do?"" ""Yes.""said Canine ""I know exactly what’s wrong, The children are beginning to eat far too many sweets and are not looking after their teeth at all."" ""I know…we can fix it!"" Said Molar the wise one. She sounded quite excited by her grand idea. The three fairies looked at each other and waited while Molar explained all. As usual, it was a fabulous idea. The three of them wasted no time at all and got to work straight away. That night, it was Canine’s turn to fly off and collect all the milk teeth from under the sleeping children’s pillow. Off she flew with a bag of coins, some white berry sandwiches for her lunch and a pack of cards which the three fairies had spent all afternoon preparing. It was such a treat to leave the forest and see the city skyline but it was a dangerous place for fairies. Canine had to make sure that the big people never saw her. She flew through the starry sky and saw the wonderful city fast asleep. Her first stop was a young boy named Junior. Earlier in the night Junior and his mum had placed his milk tooth under the pillow. Mummy tucked Junior into bed and told him all about the tooth fairy who would leave some money in exchange for his tooth. She gave him a goodnight kiss and left him to fall asleep. By the time Canine arrived, Junior was fast asleep. She flew in through the top window that was ajar and glided quickly down to Junior’s pillow. She perched beside him and braced herself in preparation for the task… ""Heave…….."" she lifted the pillow and wedged herself between the pillow and the bed. She quickly grabbed the tooth and tossed it over to her backpack. She placed two coins and the fairy’s special card in exchange under the pillow and flew off into the night sky to find more milk teeth. In the morning, as soon as Junior woke up, he rummaged under the pillow to see if the tooth fairy had left any money for him. He was thrilled to find the coins but looked blankly at the card he found in his hand. Mummy didn’t mention anything about a card…he wondered. He read the card out aloud… The Tooth Fairy’s guide to healthy teeth: 1.Eat Healthy. 2.Cut down on sugary sweets & drinks. 3.Brush your teeth twice a day. 4.Use a fluoride toothpaste. 5.Visit the Dentist regularly. Back in the village of Ordon Gardens, the fairies were very happy about the new information card they were giving to the children. Soon enough the milk teeth coming into the factory were strong and healthy again. " Elephants-.txt,"Elephants Elephants are the largest land animal. They weigh up to 12,000 pounds and can be 12 feet tall! Elephants live for a long time, up to 70 years. There are two main kinds of elephants: African and Asian. Asian elephants have more hair. African elephants are bigger and they have bigger ears and tusks. Baby elephants are called calves. They weigh about 250 pounds and are two and a half feet tall when they are born. The other elephants in the group help the mother elephant take care of her baby. Female elephants travel in groups called herds. A herd is made up of females. Male elephants tend to live alone. Elephants are good swimmers, but they cannot jump or run very fast. Elephants take mud baths and cover themselves with wet mud to protect their skin from the sun and biting bugs. Elephants have huge ears. They flap their big ears on hot days, making a breeze that helps them cool off. Elephant tusks are made out of ivory. They use their tusks for many things, like digging for food. The tusks of African elephants can be over ten feet long and weigh over two hundred pounds. Elephants are herbivores, which means they eat plants. They spend 16 hours a day eating food. An adult elephant can eat from 300 to 600 pounds of food in one day! But their body uses less than half of what they eat. What do you think happens to the rest? Elephants have long trunks. They use their trunks to squirt water into their mouth and to pick up food. They can also give themselves a shower with water they suck up into their trunk. An elephant can use its trunk to smell. It sniffs the air to find food and to find other elephants. An elephant’s trunk can also tell you if they are happy or ready to fight! Getting to see elephants in the zoo is a lot of fun, but maybe someday you could get to see elephants in the wild! " auntie-bois-gift_en_BookDash-FKB.txt,"Kopano and Rea are going to town for the first time ever! ""Remember to fasten your seatbelts,"" Mama says. ""Auntie Boi has sent you girls a gift and we’re going to collect it at the big post office in town."" ""We can’t wait to see the gift Mama,"" the girls say and off they go. ""The Nelson Mandela Bridge leads us into town,"" Mama says. ""Mhhmm, Nelson Mandela Bridge,"" Kopano says. ""Look,"" Rea says to Kopano, ""so many tall buildings."" ""Mhhmm, do you think our gift is tall too Rea?"" Kopano asks. ""Look,"" Kopano says to Rea, ""so many fruits and vegetables."" ""Mhhmm, do you think our gift tastes yummy?"" Rea asks Kopano. FRUITS AND VEGETABLES ""Look,"" Rea says to Kopano, ""traditional clothes!"" OPEN ""Mhhmm, do you think Auntie Boi bought us traditional clothes?"" Kopano asks. ""Wow, it’s like one big party,"" Kopano and Rea say. ""Maybe your gift sings a loud song,"" Mama says smiling. OPEN ""Mhhmm, we love loud songs,"" the girls say. ""We are here!"" Mama says. POST OFFICE OPEN ""Do you think it’s tall like the buildings we saw?"" Rea asks. SHAKE! ""No,"" Kopano says. Rea takes the box E! SHAK and smells it. ""Do you think it tastes yummy like the fruit and veg we saw?"" ""No,"" Rea says. Kopano shakes the box again. ""It doesn’t make a loud noise like the speakers we passed."" ! SHA RATTLE ""And I don’t think it’s traditional clothes KE! either,"" Rea says. Kopano and Rea sit down right there on the floor of the post office and open the box. ""Those are Maasai dolls,"" Mama says to the girls. ""Maasai dolls from Kenya,"" Kopano says. ""We love these dolls!"" Rea says. Mama takes a picture of the girls and sends it to Auntie Boi. " Race-driver-Callum-makes-a-car.txt,"RACE DRIVER CALLUM makes a car Why is phonics important to learn? The English language seems like it is full of a lot of crazy pronunciations and spelling. While a small amount of English must be rote learned due to exceptions from rules, much of it can be decoded using phonics. When you know phonics, you are like a detective following clues to solve a mystery. In this series, we use only words that your little reader will be able to break down into standard phonemes. This will build reading confidence while strengthening their phonics foundation. Is this the right level for my little reader? If your reader can decode about 90% of the words in this book independently, this will be an appropriate platform to begin their study of phonics. By understanding a majority of the words, a reader can use context to decode new terms. If a reader breezes through, you might need to take them up another level. If this level is still a bit too tricky for them, get your reader to try some of the earlier levels first. Challenges can be good, but too much too quickly could overwhelm your reader. Take things slow and steady. Enjoy the books and the journey together! How can I be a good learning buddy for my reader? If you are helping somebody to read this book, there are plenty of ways that you can go about it. Do the initial exercises together before you begin to read so that you have both experienced the isolated sounds and discussed them. If the reader gets stuck, cover up all but the first phoneme in the word so that the sound can be isolated again. Slowly move along and reveal more phonemes. Once they can say each individual part of the word, you can focus on blending. Say the words so that they can hear them, and get them to repeat it out aloud several times. To consolidate knowledge after you finish a page, talk about what happened and what is in the picture. Then, try saying some of the words on the page and see if the reader can identify them. Get the reader doing this as well, saying words which you need to find. Above all, you should be patient. Create a safe place to make mistakes so that the reader is willing to give things a go. Special Words This book has some special words that you should take your reader through before you begin. Many special words are those that we use in day-to-day conversation. Unfortunately, a lot of their phonetic structures do not conform to rules that your reader has learned. These words can be frustrating and confusing, but they are also a part of natural reading, writing, and conversation. nobody, loses Say each word to your reader a few times so that they can get used to its sound. Get them to repeat it back to you. Afterwards, see if your reader can think of any words that rhyme with this sound in order to help lock in how to pronounce it. Finally, think of some basic sentences that use this word. For example, if the word is ‘the’ you can create basic sentences with a subject, verb, and object: ""The hat is on the table."" Callum is a cool racecar driver. He can speed by really fast. Nobody can turn as quickly as him. Nobody can zoom along the road like Callum can. He is the best. Callum can dodge this way and that. He is a wizard at the wheel. Callum races blue cars and orange cars and green cars and red cars. Whichever car Callum chooses, he wins every race. Callum wins cash and prizes. As a boy, he daydreamed about racing. Now it is real. Callum looks after his cars. He gives them oil and he shines them. He keeps them safe in a huge garage. Callum’s knack for looking after cars helps make him a good driver. Callum decides that it is time to make a car of his own. He understands a lot about cars. He understands how important a car’s body is. And he understands how important the insides are. Callum will make a very fast car. First, Callum must choose an engine. This engine must go very quickly. It must have gears and it will have lots of wires. Making a car is very difficult. Next Callum makes its body. He chooses black. It is a cool color for a car. After it is dry, Callum paints on a big lightning badge. The racecar will be named Storm. Callum takes Storm on a track and the racecar runs very well. Some other racers watch. Soon Storm will race them. People think that Storm will win. Callum’s mom and dad watch the race. Zoom! Storm leaves them all far back. Callum and Storm win! Storm is Callum’s best car yet. " 12292-hide-and-seek-early-reader-storybook.txt,"Hide and Seek Jeetu is playing with his friends. It is Jeetu’s turn to count till hundred. Jeetu has started counting. Viju hides behind a tree. Raju hides near the car. Suman hides behind a door. Aman hides under a basket. Biju hides inside a drum. Oh, no! Jeetu has stopped. Which number comes after 39? Once more he starts counting 1-2-3. His friends must hide again. " 1205-pishi-caught-in-a-storm.txt,"Pishi Caught in a Storm Pishi was feeling sad and lonely. Just a day ago, he was one of a group of manta rays. They were feasting on tonnes of fish, far from the coast of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. How they had splashed and jumped out of the waters of the beautiful Indian Ocean! When he saw a ship ahead, Pishi had taken a huge dive in the water. His friends scattered. Pishi flapped his huge cloak-like fins and tried to swim to safety. There was a huge streak of lightning and a sound of thunder next. Pishi lost his bearings. The ocean had gone dark for him. A big wave rolled up, pushing him directly under the ship. Aaah, a cut on his belly! He knew what he had to do. He had to find his friends. But first he needed his wound to be treated. He swam and glided as fast as he could towards the coast. Pishi’s heart beat fast. He wished he was not so big – 10 metres long, and weighing over 900 kilograms! He had to get to a hospital. Fast! His life depended on it. Then he saw the lighthouse on the coast. He leapt with joy! Pishi had reached the hospital, nature's hospital. A huge school of fish swam around him immediately. The same fish that he ate at other times were now his nurses. They cleaned the deep gash in his tummy. The ‘cleaner fish’ nibbled on the torn pieces of skin. Soon Pishi felt so much better. He loved the Indian Ocean with its 5,000 species of marine life! Dear Reader, The Indian Ocean is known as ‘Ratnakara’ in ancient Sanskrit literature. Ratnakara means the mine of jewels. Manta rays often visit cleaning stations. A cleaning station can be called nature’s hospital in the ocean. Here, small fish such as angelfish swim in the manta ray’s gills and over its skin. They are called cleaner fish because, they clean the manta ray by eating up parasites and dead tissue. Even though manta rays are huge, they are quite gentle. They are hunted by many animals like big sharks, whales and humans. " who-is-our-friend-Bookdash-FKB.txt,"Who Is Our Friend? Can you guess who our best friend is? He’s not like us at all. Our best friend is Bird! I am Rhino. I get covered in fleas. Bird eats them all up. I am Crocodile. I can’t brush my teeth. Bird pecks them all clean. I am Giraffe. I can’t scratch my head. Bird can reach just the right spot. I am Zebra. I can’t see things far away. Bird has great eyes, so when he’s watching I’m safe. Bird might be different, but that’s no problem… We don’t even mind when he sings! Will you be my friend? " The-Red-Raincoat.txt,"The Red Raincoat On Sunday, Manu’s parents got him a red raincoat. ""Ma, may I wear it now?"" asked Manu. ""No, my dear, the rains are near, but just now the sky is clear,"" said Ma. Monday was bright and sunny. ""WILL it rain today, Mummy?"" asked Manu. ""No Manu, not today. If you wear your raincoat, you will look quite funny!"" said Ma. On Tuesday, the sky was blue. ""Ma, WHEN will my wish come true?"" asked Manu. ""Not today, my dear, there is just one white cloud in the sky!"" said Ma. Wednesday was hot. ""Ma, WHY doesn’t it rain?"" asked Manu. ""Son, I think it will rain very soon. Maybe even before it is noon,"" said Ma. On Thursday Manu went on a picnic. ""Ma, WHAT if it rains? Shall I take the raincoat with me?"" asked Manu. ""No my dear, it will not rain today. The little white clouds are too high in the sky,"" said Ma. Friday was cloudy. ""Ma, will it rain today?"" asked Manu loudly. ""It might, my dear. There are some dark clouds low down in the sky,"" said Ma. Saturday began with a bang! Badaboom! ""Ma, is that thunder I hear? Will it rain very soon?"" asked Manu. And then at last, it started raining! ""Oh, it’s raining, it’s raining,"" sang Manu, running out. ""But Manu,"" called Ma, running after him, ""you forgot your raincoat!"" " A_beautiful_day-readonline.txt,"""What a beautiful day,"" says Mom. ""Wake up Nicholas."" ""Hello sun,"" says Nicholas. ""Good morning birds."" ""It’s a lovely day,"" says Dad. ""Let’s have a picnic by the river."" ""Can my friend Jacob come?"" asks Nicholas. ""Don’t forget me. I love picnics!"" says Donkey. ""Follow us,"" say the birds. ""And me. I want to come too!"" says Dog. ""I’ll race you to that tree,"" Nicholas says. ""I won, I won,"" says Donkey. ""Not fair,"" says Nicholas. ""You’ve got four legs."" ""Look what I can do,"" ""I bet you can’t do this,"" says Jacob. says Nicholas. ""Here’s our picnic spot,"" says Dad. ""Race you to the water!"" says Jacob. ""Come and eat, boys and girls,"" says Mom. ""Time to go home,"" says Mom. ""Say goodbye to Jacob."" " katiiti-s-song.txt,"Katiiti’s Song Katiiti lived in a village next to a forest. She loved playing in the forest. Maama told her to be careful. Every day Maama would sing their special song to call her. One day, Katiiti bumped into a gorilla. She ran and hid in a cave. Gorilla came and sang Maama’s song in a gruff voice. Gorilla ate lots of bananas to make his voice sweeter. Gorilla sang sweetishly. Gorilla went away and ate lots of honey to make his voice even sweeter. Gorilla sang as sweetly as Maama. Maama came just in time to chase away Gorilla. Katiiti and Maama sang all the way back home. " the-girl-who-could-not-stop-laughing_FKB_stories.txt,"The Girl Who Could Not Stop Laughing mmmbrrrpffftbahahahHAHAHAHAAH An explosive sound erupted across the 4 B classroom. Gundappan Sir, the maths teacher, knew exactly where the bomb had exploded. ""T. Sundari! Please leave the classroom,"" he said. The class went quiet and everyone looked at T. Sundari, who sat on the fifth bench. ""But sir! Please sir! I tried to control my laughter but it burst out of me!"" Everyone in 4 B burst out laughing too. T. Sundari laughed a lot. She laughed for nearly everything. For example, last week, a classmate told T. Sundari this joke: Q: Why does Maths Sir always look sad? A: Because he has to solve so many problems. T. Sundari had narrowed her eyes and giggled. No wonder everyone laughed when they saw Gundappan Sir now. Every joke evoked a different reaction from T. Sundari. Sometimes a guffaw AHAHA HAHA Sometimes a giggle Pehehehehhee Sometimes a polite laugh Tra la la ha ha Sometimes a Ghatotkacha* laugh MUHAHAHAHAHA Sometimes, when T. Sundari tried really hard to suppress her laughter, it would burst out of her like a bomb. mmmmmmprrrrffttrrrrrahhaahaha HAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHA *In the Indian epic, Mahabharata, Ghatotkacha is a huge and powerful rakshasa with a loud and rumbling laugh. T. Sundari was worried. Was there something wrong with her? Why couldn’t she stop laughing? She needed to do something. Stuffing a hanky in her mouth didn’t help. It just popped out of her mouth when she laughed. T. Sundari made a list of things she found funny: 3. The word bonda 2. Toilet jokes 1. Farts 5. Tickling 4. People slipping on banana peels ""I will make sure I never laugh at these again,"" decided T. Sundari. Next day, during library, P. Manigantan moved behind a bookcase and let out a delicate sound right next to T. Sundari. T. Sundari, who knew a fart when she heard one, erupted in laughter, forgetting all about her list! This was not going to work. It was time for plan B. Poot poot potrrrrrrr Skandu Anna, T. Sundari’s older brother and a scientist, was plan B. Maybe he could invent a machine that could stop her from laughing? When T. Sundari told him what was bothering her, Skandu Anna, who was usually the serious sort, burst out laughing. T. Sundari wondered if this was a family problem. Did they all have the same laughing disease? No, Skandu Anna explained. ""T. Sundari, it’s very normal for human beings to laugh when they find something funny. Some people laugh more than others and that is fine."" ""Really?"" said T. Sundari, who had always been told she laughed too much. ""Yes, in fact, laughter is good for health,"" Skandu Anna reassured her. ""It releases chemicals that bring us joy."" ""Did you know even early humans laughed?"" Anna asked her. T. Sundari imagined a man with a large beard and big club giggling like her in drawing class. ""Yes,"" said Anna, ""Human ancestors were laughing long before they had language. It was their way of telling each other that everything was okay."" ""Today, we laugh to show others that we like them or to express our happiness. Other animal species can laugh too, T. Sundari. ""Like chimpanzees, bonobos, rats, dolphins and even dogs!"" Anna told her. The thought of her pet dog Muthu laughing set T. Sundari off again. When the laughter finally subsided, Anna said, ""Do you know you just exercised, T. Sundari?"" ""How, Anna? We were talking the whole time."" ""Whenever you smile even a little, the muscles of your face get to work. So each time you giggle or laugh, it’s a complete workout for your face,"" Anna told her. ""Ooh,"" said T. Sundari, ""will my cheeks have biceps then?"" Anna smiled, ""Not biceps, no. Those are in your arms. But whenever you laugh, the zygomaticus major and minor muscles in your face help pull your expression upwards and outwards in a smile."" ""But what about the sound? That makes others laugh too,"" said T. Sundari. ""So when you breathe, air passes through your vocal cords into your lungs. But when you laugh, the air is held back, leading to those rhythmic ‘ha-ha-ha’ sounds that you can’t seem to stop,"" Anna explained. ""So, T. Sundari, you understand that laughter is perfectly natural? ""So long as you’re not hurting anyone’s feelings, there’s nothing wrong with a good laugh."" T. Sundari felt so much better. ""It’s almost tea time. Shall we have a bonda then?"" said Skandu Anna, knowing perfectly well what would happen next. T. Sundari couldn’t stop laughing. Not even after the bonda was in her belly. Can you do all these laughs? Ghatotkacha - MU HA HA HA HA Bomb Laugh - mhrrrrppppbbhtttttttAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAH Witch of Wadanapalli West - ee hee heee heee Giggle - gehehehehe Gargle - gluglgugglugglahahahah Fake Laugh - teeheehee " What-Shall-I-Wear-Today.txt,"What Shall I Wear Today? Do you get the feeling sometimes that none of your clothes are just right? I do! The shirt buttons trouble me. The pants feel too tight on me. The lehenga seems to trip me. The choli does not fit me. My salwar keeps slipping. The golden zari keeps itching. The churidaar pulls and tugs everywhere. Nothing perfect seems to be there. This frock is too bright. Brother's T-shirt? What a funny sight! Papa's kurta is rather long. Mummy's sari is wrapped all wrong. Some things are well out of my reach. Oh, it really makes me want to screech! These clothes seem to say, ‘We shall trouble you all day.’ But I have made up my mind today... ... to mix and match these clothes in a way that I have my very own style today! What Shall I Wear Today? On some days, it is so difficult to decide what to wear. The little girl in (English) this story tries on many dresses before she finds the perfect one. " creatures-of-old-Pratham-FKB.txt,"Creatures of Old The sun had just set, and the forest was in darkness. A huge lizard-like creature was hiding in the bushes. It was still as a statue, from the tip of its snout to the curve of its tail. Only its sharp eyes moved, darting left and right. Its nostrils twitched as it smelled dinner. A juicy little insect! The giant lizard got ready to pounce when . . . Suddenly, the ground rumbled and shook. Animals were running in all directions. The poor lizard-creature was almost run over. Angrily, it turned back to see what was causing all the confusion. GULP! A terrifying beast was charging down the forest path. It was taller than the tallest trees, and had skin as rough as rock. Oh no! Was the hunter about to become the prey? This is NOT a story. Such creatures actually lived on Earth a long, long time ago. A time when there were no humans or dogs or birds. Instead there were mammoths, dinosaurs, giant insects, and even ferocious fish-like creatures in the oceans. There were also strange-looking plants different from those we have today. How do we know this? Because of science. A very special branch of science called ‘Palaeontology’ (pronounced pay-lee-on- tol-oji). Palaeontology is the study of plants and animals that lived on Earth many, many years ago. And paleontologists are scientists who study this science. Just as the ruins of an old palace can tell us things about a king from the past (like how grand his throne was, or what his favourite weapon was), there are clues deep inside the earth that can tell us many things about ancient animals. The clues come in many forms—bones, footprints, eggs, and sometimes even the body of an entire animal preserved in stone! These animals lived millions and millions of years ago, long before apes or humans appeared on Earth! How did their remains not rot and decay? And how are they still preserved? Well, when these creatures died and as they rotted, they got buried under layers and layers of soil. The skin and flesh decayed and disappeared, but the hard bones and teeth remained because of the tightly packed soil. All these layers of soil, along with the bones, became hard and turned into rock. Plant and animal remains preserved as imprints in this rock are called fossils. When scientists first discovered huge bones buried under the surface of the earth, they did not know what these were. The bones were larger than any animal they had ever known. Bones as long as tree trunks, skulls the size of autorickshaws, teeth as big as ice-cream cones, and claws like knives! They kept putting the bones together in different ways to see if they could come up with an animal they recognised. Finally, it all clicked into place, like a puzzle. Paleontologists can tell a lot about an animal from its skeleton. For example, if the bones of the legs are much larger than the bones of the forelimbs, it is possible that this animal walked on two legs. Just like that gigantic creature we met earlier! That fearsome creature is called Tyrannosaurus Rex (T.rex for short). If the bones of all the legs are equal in size, there is a good chance that this animal walked on all fours–like the Diplodocus which had four stout legs and a really long neck. Fossils of their teeth give great clues about what ancient creatures liked to eat. Many skeletons had long, sharp teeth which are good for eating meat. Some skeletons had flat, broad and smooth teeth good for chewing leaves and the bark of trees. They were good for chewing leaves and the bark of trees. So we know that there were some vegetarian dinosaurs too! But scientists don’t always find entire skeletons. They discover only a few bones–a finger here, a rib there, or maybe just a couple of bones from the spine. Not all fossils are bones. Some are just marks, like footprints we leave when we walk on soft mud. Dinosaurs left footprints too, and before these prints could disappear, the soil got covered with layers of sand and rock. So the prints stayed intact for millions of years. In fact, by measuring the distance between footprints, paleontologists can guess the height of the animal. They can also tell how it stood and walked. Some of the strangest fossil marks were left by plants. Paleontologists have discovered interestingly- shaped leaves and flowers that cannot be seen anywhere today. But here’s the most fun clue of all! Any idea what this might be? Is it a football? Is it a cannonball? Is it an egg? That’s right! It’s an egg! A giant, fossilized egg. Scientists have found whole eggs that even contain the outline of an unhatched baby dinosaur inside! Perhaps they got buried in a landslide or lava from a volcano before they could hatch. In Mongolia, scientists discovered eggs along with the skeleton of an adult dinosaur in an attacking pose. They thought that the big dinosaur, fancying an omelette for breakfast, had come to eat the eggs. They named it Oviraptor, meaning ‘egg hunter’. Soon, they started discovering many fossilized eggs close to Oviraptor skeletons in different poses. They realised that it was actually the parent dinosaur protecting its own eggs, and not trying to eat them! Most unfairly, the name Oviraptor stuck. As you might have guessed, we don’t know everything about these creatures yet. There are a lot of clues that don’t really fit, and some clues were put together all wrong. Scientists are still trying to figure them out. There is a lot of digging to be done! Would you like to be a paleontologist and help solve some mysteries? What are you waiting for? Grab a shovel! Meet some other fascinating creatures from the past. Woolly Mammoth These animals were related to elephants, and had tusks that were 15 feet long! Ichthyosaurs These creatures looked like fish but they were actually reptiles that lived in the sea. The name ichthyosaur means ‘fish lizard’ in Greek. Bear dogs These animals were neither bears nor dogs, but a group of animals related to both bears and dogs. " Grandpa.txt,"The children were talking about their Grandpas. My Grandpa can build a tower to the sky, said Giraffe. Once he built a skyscraper for a king. My Grandpa can fish for anything in the sea, said Cheetah. Once he caught a whale and kept it in his bath. My Grandpa can climb to the clouds in the sky, said Mountain Goat. He climbed the tallest mountain in the world, in just four hours. My Grandpa can cook a feast, said Elephant. Once he cooked a meal for a president’s birthday party. All by himself. Well my Grandpa doesn’t build or fish or climb or cook, said Monkey. But he owns gold! He hides it in his mouth. And at night he soaks it in a glass of water. No, he doesn’t! Yes, he does! No, he doesn’t! Well, come and see if you don’t believe me, said Monkey. So the children went to see Monkey’s Grandpa. You see? said Monkey. And he can take them out. No, he can’t! cried the animals. Waaah! said Grandpa Monkey. And there are enough … … for everyone! " The-Moon-and-the-Cap-.txt,"The Moon and The Cap Written by Noni After school the next day, my mother gave me a shiny new red cap. ""The moon sent it,"" she said. Hello, my name is Sonam Sonkar. I’m in class 8 and dream of being an engineer. I enjoy kathak and also love beautiful clothes. Thank you for buying this book. My friends and I will get to read many more books in our library because you bought this book. Noni is the pen name of a writer residing in Bangalore. She works in the field of education. Angie is a graphic designer and in her spare time loves to keep busy with ceramic. Upesh is an animator who collects graphic novels and catches up with odd films in his spare time. Together they form ‘The Other Design Studio’. " 042-STOP-AND-GO-Free-Childrens-Book-By-Monkey-Pen.txt,"When you see red, STOP! When you see green, GO. But wait. What is yellow? CAUTION, you should know. Red signs, and lights, and markings on the street. Stop, and look, and listen; before you move your feet. If cars drive on the right, look left then right, you know If cars drive on the left, look right then left, that’s so. No matter what the color, be it red or green. Remember that there’s yellow. Use CAUTION in-between. Remember that there’s yellow. Use CAUTION in-between. " dive-FKB-kids-stories.txt,"DIVE! Blue skies and calm waters — a perfect day for diving! We set out in a little boat, hoping for a BIG adventure! When we reached the dive site, we carefully checked all our equipment and put on our fins and masks. As soon as we were underwater, we were greeted by a school of yellowback fusiliers. There were so many different creatures to see around this large table coral: oriental sweetlips, parrotfish, batfish, and even a beautifully-patterned nudibranch. To know more about the creatures marked out in bold lettering, turn to the back section of this book. This trumpetfish changed colour to try and blend in with a school of yellow tang, but you can pick him out easily enough, can’t you? It’s a good thing we kept a safe distance from this lionfish. The spines on his back can be quite poisonous! These clownfish carefully guarded their sea anemone home, but finally agreed to let me take a few pictures. We saw a honeycomb moray eel having its teeth cleaned by cleaner wrasses, and another pair even offered to give us a scrub! There were triggerfish and sea urchins. We even saw a coral grouper and a reef octopus playing hide-and-seek. The octopus won the game. They’re masters of disguise. Pipefish are great at disguise too. Can you spot the two ghost pipefish in this picture? We came across a couple of whitetip reef sharks resting near the bottom. They’re pretty harmless, so we swam in for a closer look. We followed this hawksbill turtle for a while as he looked around the reef for a nice sea sponge to lunch on. As we made our way back to the boat, we were thrilled to see a manta ray ‘flying’ through the water with two remora fish in tow. And just when we thought this dive couldn’t possibly get any better, we sighted a dugong grazing on some sea grass. What an incredible experience! I can’t wait to go diving again! Corals are both plants and animals. Thousands of little algae live inside corals, and give them energy to grow. They have hard outer skeletons and grow into many different shapes. Plankton is the main source of food for many sea creatures. They are a mix of algae, bacteria, tiny animals, and the eggs and larvae of larger animals that float about with the ocean currents. Feather stars may look like plants, but they’re really animals. They use their feather-like ‘arms’ to catch and eat bits of floating plankton. Parrotfish have strong teeth that form a parrot-like beak, which they use to scrape algae off hard coral. Some species don’t mind eating bits of coral as well, and they later poop out a fine sand that washes up on land to form beautiful white beaches. Clownfish and sea anemones live together and help each other. The clownfish help the anemones by cleaning their tentacles and luring other fish for the anemone to eat. The anemones, in turn, allow the clownfish to hide among their poisonous tentacles without stinging them. Cleaner wrasses are small fish that keep bigger fish clean by feeding on their parasites and dead skin. The bigger fish recognise the wrasses by their colours and the dance-like way they move. The reef octopus can hide by changing its colour and texture. It makes its home in holes in the reef, or buries itself in the sand. Ghost pipefish can be found in pairs, floating with their heads down and hidden among sea grass, corals or feather stars. Like the reef octopus, they can change colour to blend in perfectly. The whitetip reef shark has a thin body, broad head, and white tips on its dorsal and tail fin. They hunt at night, and sleep through most of the day. The hawksbill turtle has a flat body, a shell with jagged edges, and a sharp, curving mouth that looks like a hawk’s beak. Manta rays are huge fish with wing-like fins on the sides of their bodies. These large fins help them swim gracefully through the water. On some manta rays, the distance from one wing tip to the other can reach up to 23 feet! The dugong is a vegetarian marine mammal. Its favourite food is sea grass, which it is able to graze on with its specially-shaped snout. Dugongs are also called sea cows. " Little-Lion.txt,"Little Lion My name is Timba and I’m a little lion. I live in a zoo in Switzerland. This is my mom and my dad. My dad is sleeping. He gets to sleep a lot. This is my sister. She hit me on my nose — ouch! I like to play with my dad, but I think he lets me win. I like to lay on the ground and chew on stuff like this stick. I’m just learning how to climb trees. I’m not so good at it yet ... I get hungry after playing all day. I like to eat dinner with my family. My mom gives me a bath after dinner. I hate it when I have to get a bath! " animals-also-have-hobbies-Hello_English-FKB.txt,"Animals Also Have Hobbies Story Description From cats and chickens, to dogs and frogs, foxes and little things that fit in small boxes, animals have hobbies just like people do. But animals have strange and funny hobbies. Keep your eyes sharp and your attention focused, because you might catch an animal doing its favourite thing! Before Reading - Vocabulary and Phonics Hopping ​hop-ing ​The frog is known to be hopping mad. Missing ​miss-ing ​Be careful, you may be missing a pair of socks. ​ Unsuspecting ​un-suss-peck-ting ​The unsuspecting culprit is usually a mouse. Mischievous ​miss-chee-vuss ​The dog is known to be naughty and mischievous. Animals also have hobbies. We don't see it, of course, because they only engage in their hobbies when people are not around. Once the animals are left alone, they get up to all kinds of mischief, fun and games. This cat enjoys stealing expensive women's hats. The owner will be very surprised when she sees her cat wearing her hat at the horse racing, not to mention using her money to bet on a horse! Paws for a photo! This tiger loves going for a swim when he's not being filmed by news cameras or people going on a safari. He takes a long bath where he searches for items to eat, such as a fish, a flower, a butterfly, an empty cake wrapper, and a herb. He likes to think he is bathing and dining! This crocodile is always active and hunting her prey. When no other animals are around, she sits and lazes by the pond, waiting with her fishing rod to catch an unsuspecting trout swimming in the shallow waters. She quickly gobbles up the fish before the other crocodiles return, and pretends she is still hungry. How mischievous, like Davy Croc-ett! This grasshopper enjoys reading in its spare time. Nobody would know, of course, because people always see grasshoppers leaping far from one place to the next, always moving and never keeping still. But if you sneak up on one, like this grasshopper, you will see it reading about astrophysics and nuclear equations. That really bugs the other insects! This bee is usually flying around colourful flowers and taking pollen to its hive. But when nobody is watching, it likes resting on the edges of teacups, playing a game called 'tea surfing', where it tries to walk on the water's surface without falling in. If you're lucky, maybe you will see this bee's odd beehaviour. Don't fall in the cup, it's a stinger! Snakes are not frequent guests at a birthday party, but they are known to enjoy a slice of cake, and sometimes the whole cake, eating it all in one wide bite. When nobody is looking on your birthday, pay attention to the cake, and a giant, long anaconda may sneak through your garden and try to steal a slice. Thuthpiciouth! Have you ever seen an empty boat at a lake? The next time you do, watch carefully for a goat to turn up. They secretly love rowing boats from the shore to the middle and getting stuck in them. Goats are poor swimmers, so they wait for the water's flow to take them back to the shore. If you see one doing this, call the fire brigade in to help. That may cost them a few bucks. Silly billy! Fish are usually found inside a pot, boiling away and turning into your dinner, but fish secretly wonder what the other side of the pot lid is like. Fish enjoy sneaking out while they are being cooked, just to settle on the lid. When you see soup being prepared, watch the lid carefully, because a fish might just jump out and squeak at you! Foxes wear socks-es. That's a real rhyme. Foxes run away when anyone comes near them, but at night time, they are less afraid. They might sneak into your house and dive into your sock drawer, stealing a couple of pairs. In the morning, always check your drawer for missing socks. You can always blame two missing pairs on a sneaky, sly fox. Do you think mice enjoy living inside a hole in the wall? Of course not! They dream of owning their own house made of cheese. They steal cheese to make their houses in gardens. When you walk through your garden, always check the edges of the grass and the plants for a mouse building a house. Now you know who stole the cheese to build a soft cottage! Chickens don't just cluck, run around and poop eggs. They are the most artistically talented of the farmyard bird variety. If you can't find your newspaper, or you are missing toilet roll, you know a chicken somewhere has nabbed it from you; furthermore, you might see strange sketches showing up on walls in your house! Those are made by roosters! What a wake up call! Dogs and frogs, frogs and dogs. Unlikely friends, but certain buddies! Yes, when you are away from home, your dog and a local frog like to play basketball in your garden. Frogs are hopping mad, and dogs are rough players, and they like to fight together. If you come home early, you might catch your dog and a frog shooting points through the hoops! It's barking mad! After Reading What insect enjoys trying to surf on the edge of a teacup? Which animal likes wearing women's hats and going to horse races? What are the dog and the frog known to do together? Who is likely to be stealing your socks at night? Describe what mice like to do. Describe what fish like to do. Talk about an animal you like and explain what its hobby is. " Where-Are-the-Animals-.txt,"Where Are the Animals ? The zebra is on the grass. The duck is in the water. The crab is on the rock. The hippo is in the water. The lion is on the rock. The fish is in the water. The lizard is on the rock. The butterfly is on the flower. " at-least-i-m-okay-climate_change-Pratham-FKB.txt,"At Least I'm Okay! Una, the mountain goat, lived in Sakuland. Sakuland was a wonderful country. It stretched from the shores of the sea to the forests, from the valleys to the mountain. The animals loved Sakuland. There was grass for the rabbits and the deer, insects for the birds and the bears to snack on, and fish for the crocodiles and wild cats. There was clear, cool water for everyone. Una lived high above the others, on top of a mountain. The climb up and down the rocky mountain trails was long and difficult. She didn’t spend too much time with the other animals, and got used to being alone. She rather liked it – she could do whatever she wanted, whenever she wanted. Sometimes Una thought that the others were a bit silly. Why do they always have to do everything together? Can’t they go to the stream by themselves? I do, thought Una. All the animals had ways they liked to do things. But Una thought her ways were the best. Slowly, Sakuland’s climate began to change, but the animals weren’t really paying attention. One day, the whales who spent most of the year in Sakuland’s waters announced that they were going to live someplace else. ""Why?"" asked the turtles. ""It’s quite nice here."" ""The water has become a bit too warm for us,"" said the whales. ""We will have to go further north where it’s cooler."" The whales liked to live in cool waters and Sakuland’s water was now too warm. The turtles would miss the beautiful songs sung by the whales. But they didn’t think too much about it. At least I’m okay, the turtles thought. ""Picky, picky,"" muttered Una to herself. ""I don’t mind if it’s too hot or cold! They should be more like me."" Everyone soon forgot about the whales. But one day, the turtles started to pack up and leave. ""Why?"" asked the wild cats. ""You always seemed happy here."" ""There’s hardly enough sand left for us,"" said the turtles, who laid their eggs on the sandy beach. ""Where did it go?"" asked the wild cats. ""All we know is that the sand used to reach to the big rock,"" said the big, old turtle. ""But the big rock doesn’t look so big now – the water has almost covered it."" Too bad for the turtles. But at least I’m okay, thought the wild cats. Una saw the turtles leave and thought, What difference does it make to me if the sand disappears under water? The turtles should have been smart like me when deciding where to live. Una went looking for some grass to snack on and forgot about the whole matter. Then the wild cats left. They couldn’t catch nice fish anymore in the stream. It had become just a trickle. The deer thought, Oh, how terrible for the wild cats. But at least I’m okay. Una looked over at the stream where she drank. ""The wild cats are pretty tough, but they must not be as tough as me."" One day, Una noticed something strange. Every year, the snow on her mountain would melt, just like an ice cube, and fill up her stream. But now there was less snow. Una wasn’t quite certain and thought, Maybe it just looks that way today. But then strange animals began to come to Sakuland. Everyone tried to be friendly to the cows. But the newcomers didn’t take much notice – they kept munching the grass and chewing it and chewing it some more. And there were so many of them! The deer were not too happy when the grass began to disappear. Slowly, the deer had to go outside Sakuland to find enough of the grass they liked. Hmmm... they should see what I have to eat at times, thought Una. Sometimes I have to lick the lichens on rocks. Not pleasant at all. Una stayed on her mountain as long as she could, but she often found herself, without enough to eat or drink. Finally, hungry and thirsty, Una climbed down the difficult mountain path. She tasted some of the grass from the hills, but it wasn’t the kind she liked. She found a stream in a valley, but the water’s taste was not as crisp as she was used to. Now Una realised why the other animals had left – it’s very important to eat the food that suits you best and have water nearby. The animals she knew had left Sakuland when they couldn’t find their favourite food easily, or when they were too thirsty because the stream had slowed down to a muddy trickle, or when their home trees were cut down to build homes for others. Una and her friends thought at least it’s not me when changes affected someone else. As the oceans became warmer, the whales left in search for a more suitable home. The turtles, the deer, and Una couldn’t care less. But later, they had to admit now it IS me. Una had to admit that having friends nearby is a necessity. She was determined to go find the others. At least it’s not me Una and her friends who live in Sakuland are facing climate change, just like we are. Human beings are burning more and more Green Houses Gases (GHG) – there’s carbon dioxide from coal and oil. Carbon dioxide is also released when we cut trees, then methane which cows that live in farms burp out, and nitrous oxides from cars and other vehicles. These Green House Gases are added to the atmosphere and that is causing global warming and changing the climate. As more heat is trapped in the atmosphere by the GHGs, the ice in the poles is melting and sea levels are rising. All of that means that the weather is becoming more unpredictable – it’s cold in the summer and warm in the winter, and the rains don’t come on time, like they used to. And that is climate change. Because of Climate Change… When forests are cut down, they add to the carbon dioxide level in the atmosphere. Animals also lose their homes, the forest, and they have to go to far-off places in search of food. Farmers are not able to grow their crops properly because of erratic rainfall. Often, they sow the seeds but there’s no rain, and their crops fail. Imagine a world without mango or chocolate because there was no rain or too much rain and the crop failed! Unpredictable weather also affects human beings. For example, during storms, floods, or droughts, people lose their homes. The pollution in the atmosphere affects our health and we fall ill more often. " Captain-Rens-trip-to-Mars.txt,"Captain Ren’s Trip to mars Written by Bel Richardson Illustrated by Mykyta Harets Why is phonics important to learn? The English language seems like it is full of a lot of crazy pronunciations and spelling. While a small amount of English must be rote learned due to exceptions from rules, much of it can be decoded using phonics. When you know phonics, you are like a detective following clues to solve a mystery. In this series, we use only words that your little reader will be able to break down into standard phonemes. This will build reading confidence while strengthening their phonics foundation. Is this the right level for my little reader? If your reader can decode about 90% of the words in this book independently, this will be an appropriate platform to begin their study of phonics. By understanding a majority of the words, a reader can use context to decode new terms. If a reader breezes through, you might need to take them up another level. If this level is still a bit too tricky for them, get your reader to try some of the earlier levels first. Challenges can be good, but too much too quickly could overwhelm your reader. Take things slow and steady. Enjoy the books and the journey together! How can I be a good learning buddy for my reader? If you are helping somebody to read this book, there are plenty of ways that you can go about it. Do the initial exercises together before you begin to read so that you have both experienced the isolated sounds and discussed them. If the reader gets stuck, cover up all but the first phoneme in the word so that the sound can be isolated again. Slowly move along and reveal more phonemes. Once they can say each individual part of the word, you can focus on blending. Say the words so that they can hear them, and get them to repeat it out aloud several times. To consolidate knowledge after you finish a page, talk about what happened and what is in the picture. Then, try saying some of the words on the page and see if the reader can identify them. Get the reader doing this as well, saying words which you need to find. Above all, you should be patient. Create a safe place to make mistakes so that the reader is willing to give things a go. Special Words This book has some special words that you should take your reader through before you begin. Many special words are those that we use in day-to-day conversation. Unfortunately, a lot of their phonetic structures do not conform to rules that your reader has learned. These words can be frustrating and confusing, but they are also a part of natural reading, writing, and conversation. the, of, has, to, do, two, spacesuit, so, full, there, ago, Curiosity, picture, Earth, past, galaxies, done, used, ready, another Say each word to your reader a few times so that they can get used to its sound. Get them to repeat it back to you. Afterwards, see if your reader can think of any words that rhyme with this sound in order to help lock in how to pronounce it. Finally, think of some basic sentences that use this word. For example, if the word is ‘the’ you can create basic sentences with a subject, verb, and object: ""The hat is on the table."" Ren is the captain of a spaceship. He will fly the rocket to Mars. Ren has work to do on the red planet. He needs to test rocks and soil to see if there is life on the planet. Ren flies the ship around the moon. It takes a long time to get to Mars. He looks at all of the stars and thinks about the planets that orbit them. The rocket has arrived. It is in Mars’ orbit with its two moons. Ren lands the ship down on the planet’s surface. He leaves the ship with a digging tool. He is in a spacesuit. Ren cannot breathe the air, so he needs an air tank on his back. He walks far away from the ship. Mars is full of large, rocky hills. Scientists tell Ren of a good place to dig. Here are the right rocks for the test. The scientists want to see if there was life on Mars long ago. Ren collects the rocks to do tests on them. Ren checks in on the bot that lives on Mars. Its name is Curiosity. The bot digs up rocks as well. It takes a picture of Ren to send to Earth. It’s time to leave the red planet and head back home. Ren travels past all of the galaxies and stars. He must get the rocks to the scientists. Captain Ren’s job is done. He tells us all about what he saw on Mars. The scientists think that Mars used to have life. It used to be green and blue like Earth! Well done Captain Ren. Time to get ready for another trip. " hippo-wants-to-dance_english_bookdash-FKB.txt,"Sam Beckbessinger Megan Andrews Marisa Steyn Hippo wants to dance. She jumps up and down on the dusty ground. mp! Thu Thump! ""You’re getting dirt on me!"" says Shongololo, sleeping in the sand. ""Go dance somewhere else."" Hippo wants to dance. She rolls into the river and splashes her arms and legs. ! lish Sp Sp la sh ! ""You’re making me wet!"" says Kingfisher, hunting for her breakfast. ""Go dance somewhere else."" Hippo wants to dance. She twirls around and around in a field, kicking her legs up high. os h ! Swo Swoosh! ""Be careful! You nearly kicked me!"" says Meerkat, bathing his babies. ""Go dance somewhere else."" Hippo wants to dance. She flops into a puddle of mud and slides around on her nice big belly. i s h ! Squ Squ a sh ! ""Why don’t you stop dancing?"" asks Donkey, carrying his buckets. ""Why can’t you do something useful instead?"" Hippo is sad. She is too sad to dance. She sits on a rock and cries. The tears roll down her cheeks and fall on the ground. op! Pl Plo p! Grasshopper hears Hippo’s tears. He starts dancing around her feet. Hop! Hop! Hippo and Grasshopper start to dance, and the other animals come to look … " Cats_Bookbot_FKB_compressed.txt,"A cat is out in the garden. It likes the garden. It can feel the wind on its whiskers and paws. It is looking for some fun. A cat up a tree! It can keep an eye on things from up high. Cats feel safe when they can see what is going on. A black cat with long fur and gleaming, yellow Meow! eyes. We can see that the white snowflakes have clung to it. Cats love to find spots to balance. They perch on things like window sills, rails, and gates. It looks comfy. They love to play. This cat is trying to catch a toy. It has its claws out so that it can grab it. See if we can hide it! This cat is in bed. When they are sleepy, cats might walk off from humans for a while. Pets need some private time. Look! This cat can spy something. Perhaps it is an insect. The cat looks quite happy. Soon it will try to catch what it has found. This cat has found a spot to curl up for a while. Let it rest for now. It will be time to play games later on. I can see a silly fellow. Perhaps it will like a scratch on its belly? When cats enjoy a scratch, they close eyes up tight and purr. This cat is lying in the grass. It can see an insect. What will this cat do next? Will it make a grab or stay to the side? Three cats enjoy a nap. See that they do not have the same markings? Cats can have a lot of types of coats. This cat is sad. Has it had its dinner? Did we forget to feed it, or did the cat eat its food all up in no time? Hiss! A cat that looks super angry. Sometimes cats can use !! ! some room. It is not a good M O plan to go and try to pat it at B O the moment. A cat getting a hug. It is all tucked up in her comfy YOU jumper. It looks safe and content up high in her arms. A cat with green eyes that shine. How is it feeling? Is it upset? Nope. This cat looks like it can enjoy a pat. A good spot for a sit. This large, fluffy cat is under a pink and white plant. Look at how the flowers have bloomed. I think we had some things on this desk. Now we do not. Perhaps the cat swiped them off? This tree is not safe. The cat is going to attack the gold balls! They will roll all over the ground in time. This cat has had too much fun. It is time for it to curl up and go to sleep. We will let it rest. Sweet dreams, cat. " I-Like-to-read.txt,"I Like to Read I like to read. Who can I read to? My sister is asleep. Who can I read to? My mother and grandmother are busy. Who can I read to? My father and grandfather are busy. Who can I read to? I can read to myself! " Monkey-Travels.txt,"Monkey Travels Inspiring young minds Good children grow to Good adults being Good. Always be the best person you can. This was a morning like no other. Monkey was relaxing on the beach in the arms of his family. The soft sun rays were tickling his little face, as the gentle wind blew. He felt very special as he quietly whispered to the sea. He said, ""I know what I want, I can feel it and I will go and find it. "" The Sea said, ""Yes, you are very special Monkey, go and find your special gifts."" Back at home, with his pure heart, he was the best monkey he could be. Around his house and garden, he believed it was a honey colored castle, with a beautiful flowering forest. He zipped around and played and set off on his garden travels, ready for new adventures to explore. Be positive in all you do. Monkey had a small bag of cheerful clothes, funny toys and, of course, his green toothbrush to take with him. He also had his big happy face as he went to find and create new games. He was his own leader. He wanted to learn, work well and share his kindness wherever he went and most importantly, to laugh loudly on his way. Enjoy the sound of nice music. Do you know what game you and I can play? It’s the one in the sun, on magic Monkey’s holiday. First you tap your feet then you clap your hands, All in time with Monkey’s big brass band. Can you reach the sky? I’m sure that you can, Jumping up and down holding Monkey’s fluffy hand. If you wanted to, little special one, Could you hug your arms around the big golden sun? Let’s all hold hands together and give Monkey a sweet kiss. Can you blow it far? As a loving kiss will never miss. Love yourself and everyone at all times. Monkey found himself in beautiful new places in the garden, learning exciting new things. He felt like he was a gentle flower with strong roots in his mother’s flower patch. Some of the other flowers next to him were speaking different languages and were different colors. Monkey felt like he still knew them all. Monkey was lucky to know and share their cool time being together and learning some new joyful games in the natural garden. Your life is happening NOW, so have fun. A great glowing indigo colored butterfly with golden ribbons was dancing on top of the world. Monkey was watching her very closely. He felt like he was in a dream, he took a deep breath and was totally relaxed. He had so much energy looking at the butterfly tapping her pink shoes together while dancing. He loved watching her as it felt like that moment was a present to him. Giving is great. Monkey was whistling while walking through the back of his garden. He found a picnic basket of yummy fresh foods, sweet salads and games. He met some small furry friends and said ""Would you like to share my smile?"" ""Sure"", they all said. They began their happy picnic at the wonderful waterfall while spraying and playing with water in the small blue pond. After a while Monkey said: ""Where’s my smile gone? I cannot find it!"" His friends knew what to do. Tickle Monkey! That will bring his smile back. So they did, and Monkey wiggled and giggled with laughter. Who you are is always OK. There was a glittering rainbow with pretty clouds in the silver sky. ""Could it rain?"" Monkey asked his good buddy Lewis. Buddy Lewis said: ""Let’s stay outside. It could be more fun when it rains. We can put on our special coats to keep warm and dry."" They both played like raindrops splashing in the puddles of clean clear water. They were singing and dancing to ""peanut butter and jelly boots"", their funny rhyme while swinging about having a great time. They grinned at each other, sharing that special feeling. Thin gs always change so keep being happy. Monkey was learning so many brand new exciting things. It was so enjoyable, like picking and eating big fat red juicy plums. He thought about the plum tree, and how amazing, nature works. In the autumn it would gently shake off its flowers into the wind and they would fly away and come back again in the springtime, like a beautiful magic show for the world to see. Then the flowers would change into fresh fruit to eat! Yummy, yum yums. Share your love, joy and kindness. Monkey cared about all his family very much as he knew in his heart they were always close with him even when they weren’t next to him. He cared so much about them he wanted to send them an ""energy"" mail. How could he send them all that love? His feelin gs were different from any words he knew, so he wrote with his little fingers in the sparkly seashell and golden crystal sand box, ""Hi, I’m happy. Love to you all."" They will feel that in their hearts. Smile for a smile and dance a lot. I’m such a pure munchkin; shall we begin, With a happy heart and a great big grin? We can all skip tog ether and smile for a mile, We can all play together and laugh for a while. Let’s come and do a dance like a jumpy monkey, Down the garden path where it’s a little bit bumpy. Tulips are flowers that we can smell for hours, Flying through space with our super powers. Monkey’s friends could sing and dance all day long, Bouncin g and playin g to Monkey’s funny son g . Don’t give up. Monkey was given a sparkling new present by his family. It was a grand puzzle. How exciting! He unwrapped the large orange box and placed the big colorful pieces on the picnic table. Some of the pieces seemed like they didn’t fit, but he believed they must fit somehow. Monkey kept tryin g different ways to finish the puzzle. His hard work was worth it, he felt proud as he finally finished it all by himself. It was a loving golden angel with wings like a friendly white bird. She was smiling at Monkey. Every day with everything be better. Monkey was safely at home with his loving family, who were always there for him. Opening their arms wide, they gave him a big warm hug and threw him in the air cheering. Monkey you look so bright! You have brought back the light from the moon to the stars. Monkey had traveled afar only to find the journey home as sweet as the fresh squishy berries they were sharing together. Sleepy Monkey had a big stretch, while rubbing his fluffy tummy. Then he curled up under his little soft blanket and slowly drifted into dream, ready for another adventure. " Cookie-Rookie.txt,"Cookie Rookie By Amy Upshaw and Salem de Bezenac Illustrated by Agnes de Bezenac I should know what’s right and what’s wrong. I’m a big boy now! But I got into trouble today. Mom saw me feeding Freckles chocolate chip cookies. What’s wrong with that? I like chocolate chip cookies. And my dog, Freckles, likes chocolate chip cookies too. Mom’s a really good cook, and they tasted soooooo good, so we ate a lot of them. I didn’t know the cookies were for the charity sale tomorrow. I am thinking about what I did wrong. Think! Think! Think! Oh, I get it! Maybe I should have asked mom first. Then I could have tasted a chocolate chip cookie, without getting into trouble. I guess that asking before taking is the right thing to do. See, I am a big boy now. I figured it out, all on my own. The End " Zoophabet-An-Alphabet-Thats-Hungrier-Than-Most.txt,"''' ''''' An alphabet that’s hungrier than most. ''''''' ''''''' '''' Coco '''' '' Alice ''''' ''''''' Bernard ''''''' These are some of the lowercase Zoophas. Come meet the rest of them and find out what they like to eat. a '' ''''' This is Alice. After Alice eats an ant she pats her stomach and says, ""Aaaaa! Absolutely amazing!"" Alice admires (and then eats) African ants. b '''' This''''''' is Bernard. ""Boy, oh boy! Banana bread is the best! BURP!!! Now smell my banana breath!"" beams Bernard. Bernard goes bonkers for banana bread. c '' This '''' is Coco. ""It’s a cushiony, cuddly, candy confection,"" coos Coco. Coco is crazy about cotton candy. d '''' This''''' is Daisy. ""D-e-e-e-licious!"" says Daisy as she dances with delight. Daisy will do anything for a double-dipped doughnut. e ''' ' '''''' This is Eduardo. ""Enormous, but excellent!"" exclaims Eduardo. Eduardo enjoys emu eggs. f '''''' '''is Flo. This ""Fantasically fantabulous!"" fawns Flo with fizz fuzz on her face. Flo’s favorite food is a frozen farkleberry fizz. g ''' ''''''' This is Garrett. ""Good, gooey and grapey!"" grins Garrett as he gobbles the gum. Garrett goes gaga for gobs of grape gumballs. h '''' ''''' This is Holly. ""Hoooo doggy!"" hollers Holly. How happy she is! Holly is hungry for a hotdog. i ''''' '''' This is Izzy. ""It’s not icky to me. Inchworms are incredible!"" exclaims Izzy as she inhales an inchworm. Izzy is itching for inchworm ice cream. j ''''' '''''' This is Jasper. ""Juicy, jelly, joy-joy!"" shouts jumping Jasper. Jasper jumps for joy when he sees a jar of jelly beans. k '''' This'''' is Karl. ""Care for a ketchupy kiss?"" inquires Karl. '' '''''''''''''' Karl drinks lots of ketchup. (He’s kind of a kook.) l ''''''' '''' This is Lila. After about eleven little licks, Lila yells, ""Lovely! Luscious! La-la-laaaa!!! "" Lila loves to lick large lemon-lime lollipops. m ''''''' This is Mashaka. ""Mmmmm! Magnificent!"" mumbles Mashaka as she mashes another monster into her mouth. Mashaka makes and then munches on marshmallow monsters. n ''''''' This is Nicolai. ""Nice!"" says Nicolai with his nose in the nest of noodles. Nicolai nibbles on nautical noodles. (which is his fancy name for seaweed) o ' ''''' This is Olive. ""Oh, how I love olives! They’re almost the only thing I eat, "" offers Olive. Olive loves olives. (of course!) p ''' ''''''''' This is Pemberton. ""POW! Now it’s perfect!"" says Pemberton as he pokes a hole through a pepperoni. Pemberton is partial to pepperoni pizza. q ' ''''''' This is Queenie. Queenie makes each Quacker say, ""Quack-quack"" before she pops it in her mouth and cries, ""Quite quelicious!"" ''''''''''''' ''''''' '''' ''''' ''''''' '''''''''' '''' Queenie requests Quacker crackers. r '''' '''''''' This is Raimondo. ""Radiant good looks and ravishing raw taste!"" raves Raimondo. Raimondo really likes rainbow trout. s ''''' ''' This is Sid. ""Succulent, sensational, satisfying!"" says slithery Sid. Sid seeks out and slurps up super-sized spiders. t ''' ''''' This is Tippy. ""It’s a terrific, tasty, tongue-tingling treat!"" totters Tippy. Tippy told us she likes tuna on toast. u ''''' '''''' This is Ulrich. ""Um-um-ummy in my tum-tum-tummy! Un-n-n-believably ummy! You should try an ugli too!"" urges Ulrich. Ulrich utterly loves ugli fruit. v '' ''''' This is Velma. ""Vvugh! I don’t always love the taste but veggies have vital vitamins,"" says Velma. ""They give my vaults a very vigorous va-va-va-vooom!"" Velma craves vegetables. w ''''' This is Wanda. ""Wow! Wonderful! Woo hoo!"" shouts Wanda while her arms wildly wave the waffles. Wanda wants some waffles. x '''' This'''''' is Xerxes. ""Exxxxxcellent!!"" exhales Xerxes. Xerxes gets excited for earwax. y ''' ''''' This is Yoshi. ""Yay! Yip-yip-yahooey!"" yells Yoshi. ""Yogurt sure is yummy!"" ''''''' ' ' ' ' ' ' Yoshi loves yogurt. z ''''' ''' This is Zed. ""Zzzzesty!"" says Zed. ''' Zed always enjoys ziti with zuchinni. The Lowercase Zoophabet ''' ''''''' ''''' ''''''' '''' '''''' '''' ''''' ''''' '''''''' '''''' ''' '''''' '''''' ''''' ''''''' ''''' '''' Garrett ''''' '''' ''''''' '''''' '''''''' '''' '''' ''''''' ''''' '''' ''''''' ''''' ''''' ''''' ''''' '''''''''''''''' '''''''' Jasper Pemberton Queenie '''''' ''' ''' ''''''' ''''' '''''' '''' '''''''''' ''''' ''''''''' '''''' '''' '''''' ''''' ''' Now you know these a, b, c’s. Be sure to feed them what they please. Oh, wait! There’s one more thing for you to see — a food that’s loved by Zoopha a through Zoopha z. Can you guess what it is? ? Turn the page to find out… All of the Zoophas love alphabet soup! (As long as they’re eating it and not in it, of course.) " tortoise-finds-his-home_english_pdf-ebook_FKB-3-17.txt,"Maya Fowler Katrin Coetzer Damian Gibbs One day Tortoise was walking through ""Are you looking for something?"" the veld. He was searching and searching. Snail asked. He gazed into the distance and squinted ""Yes, I’m looking for my house. at the grass. Have you seen it?"" ""No, I haven’t, but I’ll help you look!"" Snail climbed onto Tortoise’s shell. Tortoise walked on with Snail on his back. They looked and looked, but there was no sign of a house. Ná ’n ruk loop hulle verby Mossie. ""Are you looking for something?"" asked Sparrow. ""Yes, we’re looking for Tortoise’s house. Have you seen it?"" ""No, I haven’t, but I’ll help you look!"" Sparrow flapped his wings and whizzed away. ""You’re going too fast!"" called Tortoise. ""Alright, then I’ll hop on too."" Tortoise walked on with Snail and Sparrow perched on his shell. They looked and looked, but there was no sign of a house. ""Are you looking for something?"" asked Ladybird. ""Yes, we’re looking for Tortoise’s house. Have you seen it?"" ""No, I haven’t, but I’ll help you look!"" Ladybird hopped onto Tortoise’s shell. Tortoise walked on with Snail and Sparrow and Ladybird sitting on his back. They looked and looked, but there was no sign of a house. A breeze started to blow. ""Are you looking for something?"" asked Mouse. ""Yes, Mouse, I’m looking for my house. Have you seen it?"" ""No, I haven’t, but I’ll help you look!"" Mouse jumped onto Tortoise’s back. They looked and looked, but there was no sign Tortoise walked on with Snail and Sparrow and of a house. Ladybird and Mouse on his back. The wind swept the leaves off the ground and swirled them around Tortoise. The wind got stronger and stronger. The sky turned dark. ""Oh, where is my house?"" Tortoise sighed. Thunder roared in the hills. Lightning flashed in the distance. Drip, drip came the rain. ""Oh, where is Tortoise’s house?"" asked Snail and Sparrow and Ladybird and Mouse. The wind whirled and whipped and blew Snail and Sparrow and Ladybird and Mouse right off Tortoise’s back. ""Eek!"" squeaked Tortoise with a fright, and he shrank back into his shell. It was warm and cosy inside. ""Oh, here is my house!"" ""Oh, here is Tortoise’s house!"" " 95649-who-stole-bhaiya-s-smile_FKB.txt,"Who Stole Bhaiya's Smile? Chiru and Bhaiya used to play all the time. They’d explore caves under the staircase and fight aliens on the mango tree in the backyard. Bhaiya always made Chiru laugh. ""Mangausura is from Mars and she is here to destroy your house! Ha ha!"" Bhaiya said. ""Aaaah! I will trap and gobble up Mangausura. Bahahahaha!"" Chiru said. But it’s been a long time since Chiru and Bhaiya have played together. Bhaiya doesn’t like playing with anyone these days! ""Why don’t you feel like playing?"" Chiru yells at Bhaiya. ""I don’t want to. I am stuck with this big monster on my back!"" Bhaiya says. Chiru names the monster Dukduk. ""Dukduk must be mean and grumpy,"" Chiru thinks. ""It feels like he has swallowed Bhaiya’s smile up!"" Since then, Dukduk is always with Bhaiya. ""Tell your monster to go away! I don’t like him at all,"" Chiru tells Bhaiya. Sometimes, Dukduk is bigger than a truck! Bhaiya gets angry about everything on those days. He even eats his food angrily! Mama thinks she knows how to make Bhaiya feel better. ""You should go out for a walk. The fresh air will do you good,"" Mama says. On other days Dukduk seems to be holding on to Bhaiya. He doesn’t even let Bhaiya get out of bed. Papa keeps asking Bhaiya about his mood and tells him how to fix it. ""What’s wrong, why aren’t you eating your food?"" Papa says. ""Eat well and your problems will go away."" There are days when Dukduk is small and floats around like a kite. Then Bhaiya gets out of bed and plays with Chiru. But he gets tired very fast. Nani and Nana tell Bhaiya what is wrong with him. ""Arre, you kids and your problems. In my day, we were tougher!"" Nani says. ""You are just too distracted,"" Nana says. ""It’s all in your head. You just have to put your mind to it and you will snap out of it,"" everyone says. ""I will try,"" Bhaiya says. ""It isn’t that easy."" Chiru tries distracting Bhaiya. ""Look at this new book, Bhaiya! Aren’t the pictures pretty?"" Chiru says. ""They are okay, Chiru."" Bhaiya says. ""Bhaiya, have you seen the new train set?"" Chiru squeals. ""Hmm, nice,"" says Bhaiya. ""Mangausura is here! Run Bhaiya!"" Chiru yells. ""Not now, Chiru. I don’t want to play,"" Bhaiya says. ""Dukduk is making him sad and angry,"" Chiru thinks. She throws a pillow at Dukduk! ""Take that, you horrible thing! Get away from Bhaiya and give back his smile."" It is Bhaiya’s birthday today. Chiru has baked a cake. ""Thank you, Chiru,"" Bhaiya smiles. Chiru frowns. ""Bhaiya’s smile is very different these days."" Chiru sits next to Bhaiya. ""Is your new friend making you unhappy?"" Bhaiya nods. ""I feel like being happy, but it’s hard work on most days,"" Bhaiya explains. ""How long do you think your friend will stay?"" Chiru asks. ""I don’t know,"" Bhaiya says. ""It’s okay,"" Chiru says. ""We can play whenever you feel like."" Bhaiya smiles his old smile. Dukduk becomes smaller. Bhaiya is even getting help from Doctor Aunty. Dukduk is still there. On some rare days, he is big. Chiru waits for those days to pass. On most days, Dukduk is small and on those days Bhaiya likes to play. Dukduk = Depression When you break your arm, or have a cough you take medicine to feel better. The brain, like any other organ, can get hurt and may need help to feel better. Sometimes we feel sad. We cry, we sulk and we get angry, but the mood passes and we feel better. It is normal to feel sad. Some people feel sadness that stays for a long time. Our brain helps us think, act and feel, so when we are sad all the time, it changes the way we behave. It makes us grumpy. We don’t feel like doing anything. It makes us feel unwanted. Some people feel like a big monster is sitting on them and making them feel bad about themselves. They even feel like the monster will never go away. This monster is called depression. When you see someone sad for no reason, talk to them. Tell them that you may not understand how it feels, but you can see it is hard and you would like to help. If you feel that way, tell your family and friends. It also helps to talk to a doctor like a psychologist or psychiatrist. " Mrs-Penguin’s-Perfect-Palace-3-18.txt,"Helen Brain • Celeste Beckerling ""I wish I had a HOUSE!"" said Mrs Penguin. ""Dear Mrs Penguin,"" said Papa Penguin. ""I don’t like living in rubbish."" ""We will build you a palace."" So the Penguin family set to work. ""I’m hungry,"" ""The sand is making me itch,"" said Gobbles. grumbled Sissie. Mrs Penguin sighed. She was doing all ""The measurements the work. are wrong,"" said Boetie. At last the castle But the tide came in and washed it away. was finished. ""We’ll try again,"" said Papa Penguin. ""Come children, we’ll build Mama a mansion So the Penguin family set to work. from stone."" ""The stones are heavy,"" ""I’m still hungry,"" said Gobbles. grumbled Sissie. ""The measurements are wrong,"" said Boetie. At last it was finished. But the wind came up and blew it over. Mrs Penguin was cross. ""I’m not doing any more work,"" she said. ""We’ll try again,"" said Papa. ""I’m hungry,"" said Gobbles. ""I can’t think of anything,"" said Sisi. ""It’s too hard."" Mrs Penguin sighed. ""We haven’t got any She was never going to get her home. cement,"" said Boetie. ""You can’t build a proper house without cement."" ""Just look at all this mess,"" she said. Then Mrs Penguin had an idea. ""Boetie, fetch wood,"" ""Gobbles, pick up plastic. she said. Papa, fetch the hammer."" All day they worked. ""Sissie, find nets."" ""I’m tired,"" said Sissie. ""I’m still hungry,"" said Gobbles. ""Keep working,"" said Mama. ""Keep working,"" said Mama. ""The measurements are wrong,"" said Boetie. ""Keep working,"" said Mama. ""It’s going to be wonderful,"" said Papa. So they worked and ""You’re doing a good job,"" said Mama. worked and worked and worked … … and at last the house was finished. ""Welcome to your palace,"" said Papa. Mrs Penguin clapped her flippers. ""Thank you,"" she said. ""It’s Mrs Penguin’s Perfect Palace."" " lara-the-yellow-ladybird.txt,"Lara the Yellow Ladybird Lara the ladybird was a special bug. Unlike all her friends, she had bright yellow wings. Everyone loved her yellow wings. Each morning, Bibi Butterfly said hello. And Manto Mantis always waved. Even Sesa, the sulky spider, was happy to see her. At school, she played with lots of friends. But Lara wanted to be like the other ladybirds. ""I wish I had red wings like you, Mama,"" she cried. So one day, to cheer her up, Lara’s mother painted her wings bright red. The next morning, nobody greeted Lara on her way to school. And when she got there, none of her friends said hello. Lara sat all alone. No one noticed her new red wings. Until Miss Miya spotted her and said: ""You’ve painted your lovely yellow wings!"" Lara’s classmates were shocked. ""Your wings are special!"" ""So unique!"" ""So rare!"" ""Lara,"" Miss Miya said, ""your yellow wings are what make you you. Like Sipho’s spot… and Sally’s legs."" Back home, Lara took a long bath and scrubbed until her golden wings gleamed. ""I’ll never paint my wings again!"" she thought. Except, maybe once or twice … To try a bit of purple … or something nice. But not for ever and just for fun. " my-inside-weather_Picturebook-emotions-FKB-Jan18-pg-4-17.txt,"Emma Beckett It’s easy to talk about the weather outside, even if it changes all the time. But it’s hard to talk about the weather inside me. Sometimes it feels like people don’t understand. Do you feel like that too? Some days my mind is full of sunshine and rainbows. I feel like I can do anything. On other days my head is full of fog and clouds. It’s hard to listen to what people are saying or to remember things. I sometimes wake up feeling like it’s windy and wild in my head. I feel tired and grumpy. And sometimes it feels like it’s raining inside me. It can be a drizzle making me feel sad, or a storm making me feel angry. Sometimes the weather inside me doesn’t match the weather outside. Sometimes my inside weather doesn’t match how I want to feel or how I think I should feel. Is that okay? Yes, of course it is. The best thing to do when we feel like our inside weather is strange is to tell someone we love, and talk about it. They’ve got inside weather too, and they’ll understand. " Terrible-Tommy-Tom-Cat.txt,"Terrible Tommy-Tom Cat I remember when I was small and visiting Benny Badger's sett in Gingers Wood one morning. Gingers Wood was visited by a very unwelcome cat, who had a very awful urge to hunt the poor mice of the Wood, but not to worry, all was well children, Benny helped to save the day again, and this is how … I was sitting in a small arm-chair, by a warm fire, in the dusty and small but comfortable sett, watching Benny pouring some blackberry tea. I often borrowed books from his library of badger history books in those days and was just about to ask if I could take a couple home with me that evening, when suddenly Tyler rushed in from under the wooden front door. ""OH NO no no no no !"" He scurried quickly back and forth and spoke with a worrying panic until Benny asked :- ""What on earth is wrong Tyler ?"" ""A CAT ! There's a cat, here in this wood."" He jumped up onto my lap and told us what had happened that morning :- ""Tommy Tumble Mouse and I were taking our morning stroll through the wood when we were suddenly dived on, he tried to catch us but we got away luckily, we stood back and watched him put Tommy's shoe that had been left behind inside his coat."" ""But there where other items there, shoes, socks, jumpers, what he has collected over time, he is a mouse hunter, and he won't leave this wood until he has found every single mouse"". ""It's alright Tyler, I will think of something, but in the meantime you wait here I am going to fetch the other mice, I will hide them in my wheelbarrow under a sheet so they are not discovered"". Benny told him. ""Be careful Benny,Tommy and I followed him and watched him through our binoculars from a distance"". ""He was sharpening his claws, standing next to a boiling pot ready to cook with, he was very frightening"". Benny then put on his little coat and headed out with his wheelbarrow, he returned soon enough however. I had never seen so many mice in one room, if my mother had been there she would have been terrified, how could anyone find them scary ? To me they where so friendly and sweet, there where baby mice and mother mice, uncle and aunt mice, brother and sister mice, and Grandfather and Grandmother mice with tiny reading glasses and walking sticks, telling their old tales of youth as the little ones listened. Benny sat quietly trying to think of a way to frighten of the nasty cat. Suddenly the front door opened and Freddy Fox entered looking rather shocked, we later found out that he had tried to ask the cat to leave but all he had got was a sharp and unfriendly ... Hhsssssssssst. ""I told him there were no mice hear but he said clearly in his hissy slow voice … You think you can fool me but you are wrong, my sense of smell is far to strong."" ""He speaks in rhyme ?"" Benny asked and Freddy nodded nervously, ""he also said … Tonight I shall be sat in a most comfortable seat, to give myself a delicious treat, a most delightful sort of meat, after all, Stranger Fox I am at my happiest when I eat."" Benny then told me of the evil mouse hunters that went back generations, they would hunt all mice and were taught to speak only in rhyme, it seems there are still these hunters around today using the old rhyme, but Gingers Wood had never seen one until that day, Benny had to find a way to get rid of him, and fast. After another 10 minutes or so, a sly scary knock came at the door and we all stood quiet until suddenly a strange voice spoke, ""I know your hear I followed your scent, and if you ask me it was time well spent."" ""What shall we do ?"" Tyler asked as the mice began to panic and shake with worry. ""I've got it"" Benny said happily ""Freddy come with me I have to see blossom bundle bumble bee."" They left through the back of the sett, as the mean cat tried to get in through the front. ""I've worked out a simple sum, it will take 50 mice to fill my empty tum, hand them over now and I won't get nasty, I may even give you one of my special home made pasties."" He said clawing the door. ""Now you may think I'm bad and sly, but I can't wait I won't tell a lie, to make myself a nice round pie."" His sharp claws where scratching at the wood, he was getting more and more desperate to get in. ""What's that sound ? Too calm to be someone's tumble, it's more like a soft sort of rumble ?"" The front door opened quickly and 100 bees flew straight at him, I think it is safe to say I have never seen a cat run as fast before or since, he ran out of the wood screeching loudly as the bee's all flew fast behind him. ""No mice, not for any rich price, your silly scare, was easy to bear, now it's our turn to scare and tease, have some moody bees, if you jolly well please."" Benny said, giving us all a cheerful laugh, as the mice danced around feeling relieved. Soon the day was over, the sun was setting and everyone began heading home, I borrowed some books of Benny first of course, I remember in those days when I took the books home to my parent's house my mother always wanted to know where I had got the strange Badger books that were very small, dusty and delicate, I always said the same thing … ""From a friend Mother."" I could never tell her just who that friend was however, she never would have believed me … The End " Puss-in-Boots-PDF.txt,"PUSS IN BOOTS Once upon a time there lived a Miller who had three sons. When the man died he left the mill to his oldest son; the middle son received his donkey while the youngest son was given his only other possession, a cat. The young man felt sad. Seeing the young man sad, the cat went over and rubbed his head against the young man’s leg and spoke. The young man was astonished. ""Yes, I can talk,"" said the cat, ""and if you will but buy me a handsome pair of boots and a large leather bag I will make you a rich and happy man. Although the young man was poor. And the few coins he had in his pocket was all he possessed. He was so astonished that his cat could talk, He went out and bought the boots and bag. Dressed in his brand new boots, the cat put bait in the bottom of his leather bag, threw it over his shoulder and set out over the fields. Using his cunning the cat caught a plump rabbit. Now, you would have thought the cat would have gone back to the young man and given him the rabbit to eat as he was hungry … but no, the cat had bigger plans. With the boldness of a lion this clever cat took his plump rabbit straight to the King and presented it as a gift from his master, the Marquis de Carrabas. As he bowed low to the King, he noticed the King’s daughter sitting beside him. She was beautiful and when she smiled the whole room brightened. He bowed to the Princess who smiled back. Every day the cat came to the King’s palace presenting gifts from his master, the Marquis de Carrabas. Every day he bowed and the Princess smiled back. The cat soon became a favourite at the King’s palace. One day he overheard the King planning a carriage ride along the river bank with his daughter. He raced home and told his master, ""Do what I say and fortune will smile kindly on us. Opportunity is knocking on our door."" The cat took the young man down to the river, ""Take off your clothes and get in the water."" As soon as the young man was in the water, the cat took his torn and tattered clothes and hid them under a big stone. Then waited for the King. As the King’s carriage approached the cat raced out waving his hands in the air and shouting to the coachmen, ""Help! Help! My master the Marquis de Carrabas is drowning."" When the King heard the name, the Marquis de Carrabas, he ordered the coach to stop and the coachman to rescue the young man from the river. The coachmen pulled the astonished young man out of the river. The young man tried to cover his nakedness. ""Where are his clothes?"" asked the King. ""Sire, he was set upon and robbed by wicked men who took all his possessions."" ""Then we must fetch suitable replacements from the palace."" Dressed in the finest of clothes tailored by the King’s personal tailor the young man was presented to the King and his daughter. He was taken by the daughter’s beauty. She, noting his fine clothes and handsome looks, fell immediately in love with him. The young man was invited to join the King and his daughter in the royal carriage. As the carriage continued on its way, Puss in Boots raced ahead. He came across some peasants working in a field. Drawing his sword Puss in Boots challenged them, ""When the King asks to whom these fields belong, declare, ‘The Marquis de Carrabas’, or it will be the worse for you."" The frightened workers agreed. The cat then came upon a village. He told the villagers, ""When the King asks whose lands are these, declare, ‘the Marquis de Carrabas’, or it will be the worst for you."" ""These fields, sire, and all the surrounding lands belong to the Marquis de Carrabas. ""I am impressed, my Lord,"" said the King The King’s daughter smiled and touched the young man’s arm. The young man was even more astonished by the cleverness and audacity of his cat. Puss in Boots came at last to a castle and knocked boldly on the door. The enormous wooden door creaked open and a large ogre presented himself, ""What d’ye want?"" The cat bowed low, ""I have heard you are fierce and cruel and that people are afraid of you."" ""What of it!"" grunted the ogre. ""I have also heard you have powers to change yourself …"" Suddenly, a ferocious lion appeared where the ogre had stood. Puss quickly scrambled and scratched his way up a nearby curtain, well out of reach of the lion’s sharp teeth. From his safe perch high upon the curtain the cat’s confidence returned, ""That’s easy,"" he chided, ""to change yourself into something so big."" But, you couldn’t change yourself into … into … say, something as small as a mouse, could you?"" With a sneer the ogre transformed himself into a mouse. Before you could say ‘Hey, diddle, diddle’ the cat had pounced on the ogre. The ogre made for a very good supper. Just then Puss heard the sound of the King’s carriage pulling into the court yard. He hurried out to greet the King and his daughter, ""Welcome to the castle of my master, the Marquis de Carrabas, your majesties."" ""So this is your home,"" the King said to the young man. The young man had stopped being astonished by anything his clever cat got up to His time was now occupied in the company of the beautiful Princess. The ogre’s servants were pleased with their new master and prepared the most wonderful banquet. After the feast, an engagement and a marriage all in the one afternoon. The young man, the Marquis de Carrabas, his wife, the Princess, and Puss in Boots, all lived, in the ogre’s castle, happily ever after. " Is-There-Anyone-Like-Me.txt,"Fred Strydom Jess Jardim-Wedepohl Stephen Wallace I wonder if there’s another me somewhere in the world. Who looks the same. And talks the same. And even has my curls. Someone with my eyes my ears. Who even has my laugh. Who can do what I can do … … and can’t do what I can’t. I’ve looked and looked everywhere to find another me. I went down to the park and looked behind the trees. I looked around, up and down … … at every single face. I couldn’t find another me in any single place. There’s only one me in the world! I’m special, oh it’s true! But not just me, don’t you see? There’s only one of you! " 014-A-TRICK-TRIKE-Free-Childrens-Book-By-Monkey-Pen.txt,"It was the first day of Spring and everyone was out riding their nice new shiny tricycles that they got for Christmas. That is everyone but Ross. Ross didn’t get a nice new shiny tricycle but he did get his sisters old trike. Ross was sad. Not only was the trike not new and shiny - it was rusty. How could he ever ride that with all the other boys? Ross looked at the boys riding their nice new shiny trikes. Then he looked at the old hand-me-down that was now his. He pushed the trike into a corner of the garage and slowly walked into the house. ""What’s wrong?"" his mommy asked. ""You should be outside riding your trike with the other boys."" Well, that almost brought poor Ross to tears. Then he explained to his mommy that the trike … wasn’t new, wasn’t shiny, wasn’t nice … and it is rusty! Right away Ross’s mommy understood what was bothering him. He was embarrassed to ride his sisters’ old trike, especially when everyone else had a new one. She looked at Ross and said. ""Let’s spend a fun day together. Follow me to the garage sport; we are going to Trick Your Trike!"" Ross didn’t know what she meant but in a matter of minutes he found out. The rest of the day Ross and his mommy were busy in the garage. They took the trike apart, piece-by-piece. They painted it bright red with orange and yellow flames on the fenders. They polished the handlebars, tires, pedals, and wheels. They painted, rubbed, scrubbed, buffed, and polished each-and-every piece. Neither one of them could wait until it was put back together. Piece-by-piece, part-by-part Ross and his Mommy put the trike back together. When they were done, they were both amazed. Right in front of them was a one-of-a-kind tricycle, a truly beautiful Trick Trike. Ross hugged his Mommy and thanked her for all her help. She smiled and told Ross she really enjoyed spending the day with him. ""Now go and ride with your friends,"" she said. As Ross road down the street, his Mommy heard the other boys saying: ""What a great trike!"" ""Where did you get that?"" ""Wow! Look at the trike Ross has!"" ""Can I get one?"" ""Want to trade?"" She knew Ross was very happy. THE END " How-Do-Aeroplanes-Fly-.txt,"How Do Aeroplanes Fly? Sarla liked to watch birds fly. One day, during science class, she looked out of the window and saw an eagle gliding in the sky. How happy the bird must be! She also liked to see planes flying. ""Here, what's your name? Should you not be looking at the board?"" asked the new teacher in Sarla's class. Sarla got up hastily and said, ""Sorry Madam, I was watching an eagle. I wish we could fly like a bird, or like an aeroplane...."" ""What is your name?"" ""Sarla."" ""Oh how nice! Do you know that Sarla was the name of the first Indian women pilot too? My name, Hamsa, means a swan. Swans are one of the largest flying birds, you know,"" said the teacher. ""You must spend some time in the library, Sarla. I'm sure there are many books about birds and flights, and machines that fly like aeroplanes."" Over the next few days, Sarla happily learnt a lot about birds, and about aeroplanes. Sarla learnt that human beings can fly too, but not like birds. We can fly to any city in the world in an aeroplane, one of mankind’s greatest inventions. With the help of this great machine, we can also experience the joy of being airborne. Birds are aerial creatures that do not need an external machine to fly. Usually, a bird's wings are bigger than the rest of its body. The wings are very light, making it possible for birds to fly. Aeroplanes are huge and very heavy. Just like birds, aeroplanes have wings on both their sides which help them to fly. The wings of the plane are shaped just like those of birds - curved on the top and flat on the bottom which helps them to fly high up in the sky. Birds flap their wings to fly, but of course we have never seen an aeroplane flapping its wings! Birds flap their wings as they use the wind to push their body upwards. Aeroplanes also fly with the help of the force of the wind. This machine uses the engine inside its body to create wind that flows below the plane. An engine is a very strong machine which acts like the brain of the plane. Just like a bird uses its mind and logic to navigate its flight, engines help planes to push them above the ground and to help them move forward. When the plane’s engines burn fuel, they release hot gases at high speeds which push on the air behind the engine, moving the plane forward. Cars and other vehicles with engines move forward too. But they cannot go up in the sky like planes. The wind flows over and under their wings which are shaped like birds’ wings and lifts the plane into the sky and keeps it there. Planes also have tails, just like birds, to keep them steady and help them change direction. ‫ٴ‬ Planes need big long roads to take off and land. These long roads are called runways and planes need to travel very fast on the runway before they can take off into the air. Planes need to gain a lot of speed to lift off in the air. Most aeroplanes can take off only if they are moving fast enough. The runway is an important part of the airport as it gives aeroplanes enough time to increase their speed and ultimately take off. Planes know where they have to go because they are steered by pilots. The pilots control the plane from a place in the front of the aeroplane called the cockpit. They keep in contact with the airport (a place from where the planes take off and land) through very accurate and modern devices. Just like there are signals and police to help us on the roads, there are air traffic controllers who tell pilots when and where to fly; and when it is safe to take off or land. A plane is actually a giant bird. It is not only shaped like a bird, it also allows us to fly, though not like birds! Sarla wants to be a pilot and fly aeroplanes when she grows up. Did You Know? India’s first aircraft was the Harlow which first flew in July 1941. The first pilot license in India was awarded to JRD Tata in February 1929 by the Aero Club of India and Burma. The fastest jet aircraft in the world is the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird which flies at a speed faster than the speed of sound. Sarla Thakral was the first Indian woman to fly an aircraft. She was also the first woman pilot to accumulate over 1000 hours of flying. Let's take off! Have fun with friends with these activities: 1. Make paper planes and see whose plane goes the farthest. Is it the paper or the way it has been made that makes a paper plane go faster? Observe what happens when each plane is launched. Is there a difference if you blow over, or into or under the plane before you shoot it off? 2. Fly-Don't fly Game: Get a group of friends to 'fly' around the room, without touching each other. The den stands in a corner and calls out the names of flying or non-flying objects. When a non-flying object (like table) is called, the 'planes' must 'land' (sit down). Whoever makes a mistake is the next den. How Do Aeroplanes Fly? Sarla wished she could fly high like an eagle or like an aeroplane. Of course you can fly, said her new teacher. Here, Sarla shares all that she (English) has learnt about flight and aeroplanes. " Kye-from-Galloway-.txt,"Hello, my name is Kye. I live in Galloway castle in the country of Faraway. The castle is very big and there are over a hundred rooms! The castle is in the middle of a small island in a big lake. A very narrow bridge connects it to the mainland. I live in the castle with King Grumpy, his wife, Queen Chatty and their daughter, Butterfly, the most beautiful princess in all of fairytale land. The King sleeps almost all day long and you should hear him snoring! It’s so loud that when the wind is silent, it can be heard throughout the whole land. Maybe even the whole world! In the country of Faraway, the King wears a beautiful royal robe, and underneath it, a dress. Yes, a real dress with a royal diamond print on it and hundreds of pleats. Underneath that he wears beautiful royal red stockings and big black royal shoes with royal buckles. On his head he wears a royal beret with a golden crown. The Queen always wears a beautiful dress which reaches all the way to the ground, though it has far less pleats than the King’s dress does, for so much fabric could easily make her trip! On her head is a very tiny beret with a very tiny crown. Not a big crown, for that would make her hair untidy and give the royal hairdressers an even bigger task to get it curled properly each morning. Princess Butterfly wears dresses smooth as silk that dance in the wind. But when it’s cold and rainy, she much prefers to wear her cool jeans with a big sweater and her boots, so that her feet stay nice and dry when she plays outside. I am the royal cat and as you’ve maybe already noticed, I wear very beautiful boots. I will tell you how I got them. On a windy, wet day, princess Butterfly took me outside to catch frogs. Brrr, it was very cold and wet! Yuck, I did not like it at all. My paws got completely wet and quickly covered in mud. After a while I even started to sneeze. ""Oh dear,"" said Butterfly, ""I hope you don’t fall ill with the cat flu, if you do we’ll all be in bed with the sneezes! Father will be so grumpy… Hurry on back inside and I’ll get you a nice warm jug of water and tuck you in. You’ll be better tomorrow and we can resume our frog hunt then."" The next morning, however, I still felt ill. I sneezed and sneezed without end. I was shivering in my basket and became worse and weaker. Butterfly went to her father for advice, but he immediately started grumbling. So she turned to her mother, but she was busy chatting with the neighbour from across the road, Baroness Silentia. The Baroness listened to what her mother had to say, but could not get a world in edgewise. Bla, bla, bla, bla… She talked and talked non-stop. After an hour Butterfly gave up. There was no other option, but to call the royal doctor herself. She took the telephone and called the doctor, who rushed over immediately. The doctor put his bicycle against the window and came into my room without speaking a word. He closed the door behind him with a loud bang. BOOM! Butterfly was left alone in the hallway. The door only reopened half an hour later and the doctor came out. He stroked his white beard and said: ""It’s nothing serious. With a little protection he’ll be back to his old self again very soon."" ""What sort of protection?"" Butterfly asked. ""Well, kitty boots of course,"" the doctor replied. ""Kitty boots?"" Butterfly asked with a surprised look. ""I’ve never heard of those before!"" ""Yes,"" said the doctor, ""if you want Kye to get better, you’ll have to buy him a pair of kitty boots to keep his paws dry. You’ll see he’ll be back to normal and playing outside again in no time."" Butterfly thanked the doctor and went to her father to tell him what the doctor had said. ""What? Kitty boots?! What sort of nonsense is that? No chance!"" said King Grumpy. And while he was grumbling he fell back to sleep. So Butterfly went to her mother again, who was still chatting with the neighbour from across the road. She tried to tell her mother what the doctor had said, but she kept on chatting. Butterfly looked very sad and just as she wanted to walk away, Baroness Silentia said to her: ""Oh, but you can buy those at the Leprechaun’s market. They have very pretty boots there, in all imaginable sizes. They are bound to have a pair to fit Kye."" A heavy silence fell. Butterfly kissed Baroness Silentia’s cheek and ran out of the castle. Fortunately the Leprechaun’s market was open that day. Butterfly walked over the market that counted hundreds of stalls. They sold all sorts of things; leprechaun’s hats to leprechaun’s pipes, leprechaun shoes and leprechaun tools. But no leprechaun’s boots that would fit me. Butterfly became tired and it was getting late. When she passed the last stall, someone tugged her sleeve. She looked down to see a small leprechaun lady. ""Are you looking for these?"" the leprechaun lady asked, and from behind her back she pulled two beautiful shiny red boots with exactly the same royal diamond as on her father’s dress. Her mouth fell open with amazement and a huge smile spread over her face, she was delighted. ""How much are they?"" Butterfly asked. ""One gold coin,"" the lady replied. ""One gold coin?"" Butterfly repeated in surprise. ""I haven’t got that much with me. I will have to ask my father."" ""Very well,"" said the leprechaun lady. ""But these are no regular boots. You will have to bring me the gold coin before noon tomorrow, or the boots will disappear forever."" Butterfly took the boots, promised to bring the coin tomorrow and hurried on home. ""Kye! Kye, I found them! Look at how beautiful they are! I’ll put them next to your basket, but you mustn’t wear them until tomorrow, when I will have paid for them. You’ll be better soon!"" Butterfly ran to her father and proudly told him that she had found the kitty boots at the Leprechaun’s market, but did not have enough money with her. ""How much are they then?"" asked her father in a surly tone. ""One gold coin."" ""ONE GOLD COIN?! Have you lost your mind?"" her father thundered. ""No, no, absolutely not. Far too expensive."" ""But father,"" said Butterfly, starting to cry, ""Kye won’t get better without them."" Big tears rolled down her cheeks as she walked to her room, where she fell asleep sobbing. The following morning Butterfly sat at the breakfast table with a sad look on her face. She stared on her little bowl of cereal, but couldn’t bear to eat one bite. ""Father, Kye is getting worse. May I please have a gold coin? I have to bring it before noon, if I don’t the boots will disappear and Kye will never get better."" Once more a big tear rolled down her small cheek. It saddened the King to see her like that. ""Well, all right. But I want to see them first,"" he grumbled. Butterfly ran down the stairs and through the long corridor to my room, grabbed the kitty boots and hurried back to her father. ""Oh,"" said King Grumpy, ""but those are very beautiful indeed. Royally beautiful even."" He carefully looked over the boots and held them next to his dress. ""Hmmm,"" he mumbled. ""The same royal diamond and so red… I have never seen boots this beautiful. These would look magnificent on me."" The King hesitated for a moment longer and then said: ""Okay, I will give you the coin. But I want you to find me a pair of boots as well. Surely the royal cat should not be wearing boots that are more beautiful than the King’s own!"" As he grumbled he took a big bite from his freshly made cheese sandwich. Butterfly grabbed her cloak and ran outside. It was nearly noon already, so she had to hurry to find the leprechaun lady. Just before noon, she saw the leprechaun lady standing on the abandoned market grounds. Butterfly ran to her and quickly gave her the gold coin. ""You know, my father really liked these boots,"" Butterfly told her. ""He liked them so much that he asked me to find a pair for him as well."" The leprechaun lady just smiled up at her, put the coin away and when the clock struck noon, she disappeared. When she returned to the castle Butterfly came to bring me the boots. ""Look Kye, you have to wear these from now on. You will never fall ill again and your sneezing will stop."" I tried the boots on and oh, they were very comfortable and lovely warm! The following morning I was already feeling much better. I ran through the long corridor to Butterfly’s room and leapt onto her bed. ""Come sleepy head! We’re going out to catch frogs, it’s raining outside!"" If you enjoyed this book, please encourage your friends to download their own copy at Smashwords.com, where they can also discover my other works. Thank you for your support. " Bed-making-Blues-R-.txt,"Mom, I don’t like making my bed. It takes me so long and it’s too difficult. Can you make it for me, please?"" ""Sure, but it will take away from the time that I would use to do other things for you. Which one of my jobs can you do for me, while I make your bed?"" ""I could serve myself breakfast,"" answered Kay. ""Well, that’s something you already do, isn’t it?"" replied Mom. ""Yes… Oh, then I don’t know. There’s nothing else for me to do,"" said Kay. ""If I make your bed, can you make my bed?"" asked Mom. ""Or, can you do the breakfast dishes or the laundry for me, while I make your bed?"" ""I’m thinking about it,"" said Kay. ""I’ve decided that I will make my bed instead. That way I can practice doing it, so that I can get better and faster at it."" ""Sounds like a good idea,"" said Mom. ""Now I can finish preparing breakfast. And we can enjoy it together, as soon as you’re done making your bed."" ""Watch out, messy bed. Here I come!"" Encouraging children " welcometolife-CC-Childrens-Book.txt,"SO HERE YOU ARE, LIVING ON A PLANET WE CALL… EVERYTHING AROUND YOU ALL THE WAY UP TO THE TOP OF THE CLOUDS IS PART OF EARTH. THAT BIG BRIGHT HOT BALL IN THE SKY DURING THE DAY IS THE OUR EARTH GOES AROUND THE SUN. EVERY TIME YOU HAVE A BIRTHDAY, THE EARTH HAS GONE ALL THE WAY AROUND THE SUN SINCE YOUR LAST BIRTHDAY! THE SUN IS A . SO ARE THE OTHER TWINKLING DOTS OF LIGHT IN THE SKY AT NIGHT. THE BIG GLOWING CIRCLE IN THE SKY AT NIGHT? THAT IS THE THE MOON IS LIKE A PLANET, BUT IT GOES AROUND THE EARTH. THE SUN SHINES ON IT TO MAKE IT BRIGHT. SOME OF US HAVE WALKED ON THE MOON! SOME OF THE BRIGHT SPOTS IN THE NIGHT SKY ARE PLANETS TOO. THEY DON’T TWINKLE, BUT THEY DO GO AROUND THE SUN THE SUN AND OTHER STARS GO AROUND THE MILKY WAY. THE MILKY WAY IS A . GALAXIES HAVE HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS OF STARS IN THEM. ON A PLANET… GOING AROUND A STAR… GOING AROUND A GALAXY… YOU CAME FROM INSIDE YOUR MOMMY. YOUR MOMMY CAME FROM INSIDE YOUR GRANDMOMMY. YOUR GRANDMOMMY CAME FROM INSIDE YOUR GREAT GRANDMOMMY. ON AND ON, BACK THROUGH TIME… 100 BA* 200 BA 1700 BA 2200 BA 3300 BA 25,000 BA …GREAT GREAT GREAT GREAT GREAT GREAT GREAT GREAT GREAT GREAT GREAT GREAT… OVER 100,000 GREAT-GRANDMOMMIES AGO TO A MOMMY WHO LOOKED SOMETHING LIKE THIS: 3,000,000 BA *BA = ""Birthdays Ago"" BUT IT DOESN’T STOP THERE! SHE CAME FROM INSIDE HER MOMMY, WHO CAME FROM INSIDE HER GRANDMOMMY, WHO CAME FROM INSIDE HER GREAT-GRANDMOMMY… ONE MOMMY LOOKED LIKE THIS… …ANOTHER MOMMY LIKE THIS… …AND ANOTHER LIKE THIS 20,000,000 BA 60,000,000 BA 210,000,000 BA ON AND ON… …BACK THROUGH TIME… …CHANGING AND CHANGING 295,000,000 BA 375,000,000 BA 480,000,000 BA GETTING MORE AND MORE SIMPLE OVER HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF YEARS 530,000,000 BA 550,000,00 BA 1,500,000,000 BA A SINGLE CELL 3,500,000,000 BA FOR 2,000,000,000 BIRTHDAYS ON EARTH, ALL LIVING THINGS WERE SINGLE CELLS. THEN SOME CELLS STARTED WORKING TOGETHER. THIS MADE THEM STRONGER THAN THE SINGLE CELLS, SO THEY MULTIPLIED SOME TEAMS OF CELLS FORMED PLANTS THAT EAT SUNLIGHT OTHERS FORMED ANIMALS, THAT EAT PLANTS. DIFFERENT THINGS WORKED FOR DIFFERENT KINDS OF LIFE. ANIMALS AND PLANTS KEPT ON CHANGING, TRYING OUT DIFFERENT THINGS. SOME ANIMALS, LIKE CRABS, WORE THEIR SKELETONS ON THE OUTSIDE. OTHER ANIMALS, LIKE FISH, WORE THEIR SKELETONS ON THE INSIDE. DIFFERENT THINGS WORKED FOR DIFFERENT KINDS OF LIFE. ALL OF THIS WAS HAPPENING IN THE EARTH’S OCEANS, WHICH WERE GETTING PRETTY CROWDED… SO SOME PLANTS AND ANIMALS GREW TO LIVE ON THE LAND. CRABS AND OTHER ANIMALS FISH AND OTHER ANIMALS WITH OUTSIDE SKELETONS WITH INSIDE SKELETONS BECAME BUGS AND INSECTS. BECAME AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES SOME LIZARDS BECAME DINOSAURS AND BIRDS AND TINY MAMMALS. SOME TINY MAMMALS BECAME ELEPHANTS, DOGS, CATS, WHALES, AND MONKEYS. SOME MONKEYS EVENTUALLY BECAME HOMO SAPIENS! A FEW HOURS LATER YOU YOU HAD A TAIL LIKE THIS WAS YOU YOUR GREW UP TO BE THIS A LIZARD ONCE! NUMBER OF BIRTHDAYS AGO (PLUS NINE MONTHS INSIDE YOUR MOMMY.) YOU HAD GILLS LIKE A FISH ONCE TOO! AND EYES ON THE SIDE OF YOU YOUR HEAD LIKE A MOUSE! GREW AND AND AND GREW GREW GREW AND AND AND GREW GREW GREW BIG BRAIN! LOTS OF TEAMS OF CELLS! OPPOSABLE THUMBS! WARM BLOODED! SKELETON ON THE INSIDE! WALKS ON TWO FEET! THERE ARE OVER 7,000,000,000 HOMO SAPIENS ON PLANET EARTH (PLUS A FEW OUT IN SPACE) AND ANOTHER FOUR ARE BORN EVERY SECOND! BUT WE ARE ALL PART OF A TEAM CALLED NEW YORK DUBAI RIO DE JANERO HONG KONG OUR CIVILIZATION ISN’T PERFECT BUT WE ARE ALWAYS WORKING TO MAKE IT BETTER EVERY BIRTHDAY WE ARE SMARTER THAN WE WERE ON THE LAST BIRTHDAY, JUST LIKE YOU GET SMARTER TOO AS YOUR GUARDIAN MY PURPOSE IS TO HELP YOU GROW UP TO BE AS GOOD AS ME AT LIFE AND CONTRIBUTING TO CIVILIZATION. HOPEFULLY THIS BOOK HAS FILLED YOU WITH QUESTIONS HERE’S SOME OF MY FAVORITE QUESTIONS • WHERE DID THE DINOSAURS GO? (HINT: LOOK UP IN THE SKY AND TREES) • WHY DOESN’T THE MOON ALWAYS LOOK ROUND? • CAN YOU FIND YOUR HOUSE ON GOOGLE EARTH? • IS THERE LIFE ON OTHER PLANETS? (HINT: SETI, EXOPLANETS) • DOES THE EARTH HAVE A BIRTHDAY? (HINT: EQUINOXES, SOLSTICES) • WHAT DOES IT MEAN THAT FOUR HOMO SAPIENS ARE BORN EVERY SECOND? (TRY COUNTING IN MULTIPLES OF FOUR) • CAN YOU FIND THE PLANETS ON GOOGLE SKY? • CAN YOU FIND AND NAME THE ANIMALS AND PLANTS IN THIS BOOK? • EVERYTHING ON EARTH IS POWERED BY THE SUN, EVEN YOU. CAN YOU FIGURE OUT HOW YOU ARE POWERED BY THE SUN? CAN YOU FIGURE OUT HOW A CAR, LIGHT BULB, OR RIVER RUNS ON THE SUN? • WHAT MAKES IT COLD IN THE WINTER AND WARM IN THE SUMMER? • ANIMALS AND PLANTS CHANGING OVER BILLIONS OF YEARS IS CALLED ""EVOLUTION,"" IS LIFE STILL EVOLVING TODAY? ARE PEOPLE EVOLVING STILL? • WHERE DID THE FIRST CELL COME FROM? " grandpa-farouks-garden-CC-picture-book.txt,"Deep in the city, surrounded by houses and bricks and tar, you’ll find Grandpa Farouk’s garden. Amir visits Grandpa once a week. He loves the leaves and flowers and trees. He helps with the compost, and works with his Grandpa all day. Amir helps to water the plants. When they finish, they feast on a harvest of fruit. One day, Grandpa didn’t eat his pear. ""What’s wrong?"" asked Amir. ""My garden is dying,"" replied Grandpa. ""Why?"" asked Amir. ""Look closely,"" said Grandpa. ""Some pests are eating the plants."" ""We need ladybirds!"" said Grandpa. ""They are the bugs that eat the pests that kill the plants. Without ladybirds, the garden will die."" ""I’ll bring you a bug or two,"" said Amir. For a whole week, Amir looked and searched and collected. He found one ladybird on the sports field. Two more at the shop. Three at the park. And four behind the TV. Next week, Amir went to visit Grandpa Farouk, and showed him his jar of ten bugs. ""You’ve done well, oh my boy, you’ve done well,"" Grandpa said, with a tear in his eye. Grandpa was very happy. The ladybirds were very hungry! The ladybirds ate the pests, and the garden blossomed. From that day on, Grandpa Farouk’s garden did what gardens should do. It grew and grew and grew. " That-Worked.txt,"That Worked! I like to play with my little sister. Our favorite game is ""Animals at Home."" We build Lego houses for our toy animals. But, my little sister always wants the same things that I have. When I reach over to get a piece of Lego, she wants it too. If I want to play with the toy puppy, she wants it as well. That really bothers me. What can we do to work this out? I know, I’ll tell Mom that my sister is bothering me. She’ll take care of it. ""Hmm,"" Mom says, ""It’s not fair to give me your problem. I’ve already got lots of problems to take care of. I think that you can come up with a solution."" But, I don’t know how to work out this problem. I can’t tell my sister what to do because she never listens to me. Hmm…, I could try pinching her. Oh no! I’ve tried that one before and it didn’t work out very well for me. I could grab the toy that I want to have. No! I think I’ve tried that too, and I didn’t like how that turned out either. Maybe I could find her something that she likes, and exchange it with her. ""Sister, would you like to play with this monkey? He can climb this tree. Look! Then, I can go with the puppy to visit your zoo."" ""Ok!"" she said, ""That sounds like fun!"" Hey, that worked out well. Maybe I should try that more often! " 6100-bath-time-for-chunnu-and-munnu-childrens-picture-book.txt,"Bath time for Chunnu and Munnu Yay! It is bath time for Chunnu and Munnu, Today, Mama sings a new rhyme for Chunnu and Munnu La la la la... It is bath time for Chunnu and Munnu, Mama washes all the dirt off Chunnu and Munnu Scrub-a-dub-a-dub… It is bath time for Chunnu and Munnu, Soap bubbles and fun for Chunnu and Munnu Thup! Thup! Thup! It is bath time for Chunnu and Munnu, Mama runs to catch naughty Chunnu and Munnu Ha ha ha ha… Bath time is over for Chunnu and Munnu, Mama hugs clean-clean Chunnu and Munnu Mmmmm… Bath time is over for Chunnu and Munnu, But tying up pyjamas is hard for Chunnu and Munnu Oh oh aah…. Bath time is over for Chunnu and Munnu, Yay! It is dinner time for Chunnu and Munnu Yum yum yum… Dinner time is over for Chunnu and Munnu, Nana and Nani are waiting to kiss Chunnu and Munnu Mwaah, Mwaah, Mwaah… Today's play time is over for Chunnu and Munnu, Sweet dreams now for Chunnu and Munnu Zzzzz… " The-Sea.txt,"On a very hot day, on a holiday day, we go to the beach. To the sea. We go to the sea, my family and me. On the edge of the sand is the water. That’s where my toes touch the sea. The waves play a game. They say yes, I say no. They run up to meet me, and I run from the sea. They say no, I say yes. I run back to the edge. I chase the waves home to the sea. They say yes, I say no. They say no, I say yes. The sea chases me, and I chase the sea. There is blue. There is sea spray. In the game, I can’t be still. A chasing wave brings me a shell. It leaves it for me on the wet sand. I find a feather in the dry sand, and I send it on a wave to the sea. Then the waves say yes, and I say yes too. I have sea and sand in my toes. Oh, I love the sea. " The-Little-Cloud.txt,"Have you ever looked up at the sky? Some clouds are smaller than others, but why? 1 One cloud named Strato, had never been very big. He was the smallest in the sky and each arm looked like a twig. Strato's brothers had always been big and strong. Strato was small and weak. Something had to be wrong. The Sun's rays are what made the clouds grow big and tall. Strato didn't get any rays. He didn't get any rays at all. Strato had been trying to get some of the Sun's rays. He was trying and trying and trying. Strato tried for days. Strato tried getting attention by making a face that was silly. Strato tried getting attention by bringing the Sun a pink lily. Strato tried getting attention by eating a pepper that was really hot. If you want to know if that worked? Well, it did not. Everything Strato tried didn't seem to work at all. Strato still could not get any rays. He was just far too small. Strato began to get angry. He started to turn dark and gray. Lightning was shooting from Strato. It went every which way. The thunder would crackle! Strato was being very loud. Strato became a very angry, little cloud. With all of the thunder and lightning, he still never got any rays. This made Strato very sad, in so many different ways. First there was 1 rain drop, followed by 2, 3, and 4. Before Strato knew it, he was crying and it started to pour. Strato was crying so much, he never even saw... ...A rainbow so beautiful, even the Sun dropped his jaw. The Sun gave Strato all of his rays and little Strato began to grow. Strato said to the Sun, ""Your rays shouldn't go to me, only."" ""I never want another cloud to feel little or lonely."" " thato-s-birthday-surprise.txt,"Thato's Birthday Surprise It is one week until Thato’s birthday. That’s seven whole days! His mama says: ""Your birthday present will be a BIG surprise!"" Thato wonders: what will it be? On Monday Thato thinks: ""Maybe I will get giant wings so I can fly high in the sky like a bird…"" On Tuesday Thato thinks: ""Maybe I will have a birthday cake as big as a house!"" On Wednesday Thato thinks: ""Maybe I will get a rocket ship to whizz up to the moon."" On Thursday Thato thinks: ""Maybe I will get fins so I can swim under the water like a fish."" On Friday Thato thinks: ""Maybe I will get magic soccer boots and score a thousand goals!"" On Saturday Thato thinks: ""Maybe I will get a key that opens a box filled with treasure!"" On Sunday it is Thato’s birthday. Mama smiles and says: ""Come and see your surprise!"" It is the best present ever. Thato’s big brother Kudzai has come to visit all the way from the big city! Thato smiles and smiles and his big brother lifts him up in the air and hugs him. Kudzai asks: ""What do you want to do for your birthday, little brother?"" And Thato knows exactly what they will do the whole day long. " Physics_Bookbot_freekidsbooks-2-14.txt,"Liquid Matter is all things that take up space, which Heat includes all liquids, solids, and gases. Energy is something that can be transferred between matter, like heat. Work happens when energy is transferred from one bit of matter to another. What is physics? The field of physics is about Do you think that light is understanding matter and matter or energy? energy and how Solid Light is a form of energy. they interact. Some of these things, like bombs, have been destructive. Other research has revealed things about our universe and It is a unit What is an of matter. helped us to improve technology. Different elements atom? have atoms with different structures. Understanding Which of these are made the structure of up of atoms: your bones, atoms has water, our atmosphere? helped us to do amazing things. All of these things are made up of atoms! By observing time, mass, and Why are distance in physics experiments, time, mass, we can calculate the work that is done, the energy that is and distance transferred, and how it important in transforms. physics? What is the difference if you lift If physics is all about the ways the first ball of Newton’s cradle a that matter interacts and how little or a lot? energy transfers between this How far you lift the first ball changes the work matter, we need ways to record that it can do and the energy that is transferred. energy transfers and If you lift the ball a little, it gently taps the others. transformations. If you lift it a lot, it sends the end ball flying. Work is all about when What are Heat and work are something is moved by heat and forms of energy transfer. force, such as bike pedals. Heat can be work in transferred to work, and work can be physics? transferred to heat. Heat is transferred from one bit of matter to another, from hot to cold, When you rub your like how you can be warmed by a hot water bottle. hands together, is heat causing work or is work causing heat? Work is transferring to heat. What are forces? They affect objects in different ways, depending on things like mass. The power of the force also changes the outcome. One very important force is gravity. We Why can some track gravity by the mass of something, how it speeds things float in up as it falls, and how this is different in water? other environments. Only things with a mass denser than water will have gravity drag it down. How do we see light and color? Physics also helps us to understand how light works, Why can’t you including how we see colors. When we see colors, our eyes are catching different wavelengths of light. touch a rainbow? The wavelengths range from short to long. Different objects absorb and reflect different wavelengths, It is made up of light reflecting off mist. and this is why we see things as different colors. The mist is matter, but the light is not. It also lets us understand how sound How do affects us, other we hear animals, and plants. sound? Just as our eyes pick up wavelengths How did Beethoven continue to of light, our ears pick up waves of sound. They start from the vibration compose music after he went deaf? of an object and are picked up by our Beethoven worked with vibrations. ears. Understanding how sound works has let us make different instruments and music. Physics has also been important as we have made computers, video games, and robots. Not only does physics explain how technology is powered, an understanding of it lets us keep improving our machines. Knowledge of energy What does physics have to transfer lets us make do with computers and machines that can do other machines? faster and more complex jobs. Why do we do physics tests on robots? We need to see how well a robot can interact in our world. What parts of Why is our gravity physics can be different to other planets explored in in the Solar System? space? The mass of a planet affects the gravity on it. Physics doesn’t just apply to our planet, but to everything in our universe. Physicists explore changes in gravity, find new planets by looking at light from stars, and even think about things that we cannot yet understand - like black holes and dark matter. There is a lot of work to do, but it is fascinating. How can Now that we are running out of fossil fuels to make physics help us electricity, physics is also with power and helping us to find new ways of making power energy? with renewables. Physics also helps us How can you get power understand how we can from the wind? turn things in our environment into energy, how things are powered, and how much energy As the wind turns turbines, it is different homes, cities, and doing work. This generates countries use or need. power that we can store. Why can Physics can also help us to understand geology, natural forms such as how our and disasters landscapes were formed and how they be explained might change with time. by physics? We can also understand natural disasters like earthquakes and How is a beach formed? tropical storms with physics by predicting how severe these A beach is made by the waves as disasters will be and they move sand, dirt, and rocks. when they might occur. Just imagine What will all of the physics do in amazing things you the future? might see in a lifetime. What is a good way to There are endless things to study in physics. From hear about what is energy efficient structures happening in physics? and engines to advances in Reading science and medical science, our understanding of physics technology news can will make new and keep you informed. wonderful things a reality. " the-lost-laugh_interior.txt,"Spotty the Hyena is very sad. He has lost his laugh. ""I c a n’ t h e a r ""Please help me find my laugh, Giraffe."" a laugh up here."" ""Please help me find my laugh, Hippo."" ""I can’t hear a laugh down here."" ""Please help me find ""I can’t hear a my laugh, Warthog."" laugh in here."" ""Please help me find my laugh, Monkey."" ""How did you lose it?"" ""When I laugh, you can see my big teeth. That makes everyone frightened,"" said Spotty. ""Then I got sad and my laugh just disappeared."" ""I can’t find it anywhere!"" ""But you were looking in the wrong place."" Monkey Then she began to tickle Spotty all over. jumped out of the tree and picked up a feather. Slowly Spotty started smiling, and then he let out a big, loud laugh. He laughed and laughed until he was rolling around on the ground. All the other animals started laughing too. ""Where did you find his laugh?"" they asked. ""His laugh was inside him all the time. I just made him happy and out it came."" ""I’ll never lose They all laughed and my laugh again,"" laughed so that their teeth showed too. said Spotty the happy Hyena. " wildlife-in-a-city-pond.txt,"Wildlife in a City Pond It was dark outside and I could not see much from my window. I had just moved that evening into a new house in the city of Pune, in India. There was a deafening cacophony emerging from the dark, as if hundreds of badly tuned radios were crackling away! It was only in the morning that the mystery began to be solved. There, below my balcony, was a small pond in an abandoned quarry. I realized it must be inhabited by many of the animals that woke up only at night! Over the next year, I watched the pond undergo incredible transformations through the seasons. In summer, the area looked like a dry, lifeless barren depression. But come monsoon and life burst out like an orchestra, waiting for the conductor to give the signal! The first raindrops on the thirsty land gave off a lovely earthy smell. But they also did what no magician could do, turning the brown earth into an oasis of green and blue. Within a few days, blades of reeds were glistening silver in the sun. Plants that had seemed forlorn and dead suddenly stood proud and tall. The chocolate brown rods of the typha plant swayed in the wind, as cottony flowers from nearby trees drifted everywhere. Other creatures too joined in nature’s dance. Brilliant blue kingfishers waited patiently on branches, suddenly swooping down to catch a fish with a splash. Baya weaver birds and scaly-breasted munias picked on the reeds to carry off nesting material. On the slopes near the pond, a pair of lapwings scurried around. Were they protecting their ‘nest’, a small depression in the ground with eggs that looked just like the earth? I think so, because every time any person came anywhere near, they would burst into noisy flight with a high pitched call of ‘did-you-do-it, did-you-do-it’. In the water, I noticed some rocks glistening in the sun. But as my binoculars focused on them, I was shocked. They were turtles! And then I saw movement under the water: more flapshell turtles, swimming with only their head sticking out. Just a week back, the ground was barren. Where did the turtles come from? I learnt from a book that they slept under the ground during the dry summer, waiting for the pond to fill up again. In their honour I started calling it the Flapshell Pond! Several birds walked around the turtles, who peacefully ignored them. The white-breasted waterhen walked with a deliberate gait, looking for food. A couple of pond herons skulked through the tall reeds, wary of possible danger from birds of prey. And as the monsoon progressed, a pair of spot-billed ducks would land on Flapshell Pond, hunt for snails and waterplants, then take off to other natural ‘restaurants’! At times the air was full of flying insects: brilliant red dragonflies, butterflies of various hues, and delicate damselflies visible only at a close distance. Insect and bird calls in the day created a different monsoon symphony than that of the night. I thought that such a small pond could not have any mammal, but was I mistaken! I would often see shy mongooses come to the edge of the water, and once an entire family with three babies! And where there were mongooses, could the snakes be far behind? Indeed I was lucky enough to see chequered keelbacks, pretty water snakes, swimming between the reeds. But what caused the deafening noise in the night? Frogs and toads in their hundreds, croaking and singing away to attract their mates! They were joined by crickets that seemed to have built-in loudspeakers, clinging to the reed blades. Listening carefully, I soon learnt to appreciate this symphony with its own rhythms. The night-time symphony had occasional guest appearances: the spotted owlet, bobbing up and down comically as I shone my torch on it, and the Indian nightjar, aptly named for its rather harsh ‘chuk-chuk-chrrrrr’ continuing almost through the night. One day I got the scare of my life! No, not from snakes, nor from herons with mean-looking beaks, but rather, from some people walking around Flapshell Pond, looking like they were surveying the area. I found out from my neighbours that they were planning to drain the wetland and make buildings on it! My heart sank. I could not let this happen. A friend and I mobilized the neighbourhood kids. We invited a couple of press reporters. The next day, the newspapers carried news of the children’s appeal. Other residents of the area also started calling up various officials to tell them to save the pond. Then a couple of environmental organizations joined in. We invited the city commissioner too. At first, he was not convinced, but when he experienced the monsoon magic, he realized it would be a shame to destroy the pond. Finally, all this did the trick. Flapshell Pond was declared off-limits to any construction! How lucky I was to have experienced monsoon’s magic! Here was a mini-sanctuary in the middle of a bustling city, with its multiple symphonies. Here, nature’s dance could continue, providing life to thousands of creatures big and small. Sometimes, magic is found in one’s own backyard! Save a Pond! Do you have a pond near your house? Have you observed the diversity of life in and around it? Is it threatened by construction or pollution? If it is, can you get together with your friends and parents and their friends, and tell everyone that you want it saved? And if people who want to build on it ask why you want it saved? A simple answer: because birds and insects and other animals also need a home to stay in! Would it not be wonderful if there were thousands of such city ponds, with wildlife of all kinds? You could join children and adults in various parts of the world, through your computer networks or even snail mail, sharing photos and stories of what you see there, and how you managed to save them! " 013-DO-YOU-WONDER-WHY-BUGS-ARE-GOOD-Free-Childrens-Book-By-Monkey-Pen.txt,"Little Betty was walking through their vegetable garden when all of a sudden she began to scream.""Bugs, ugly creepy bugs! They’re all over the place."" ""What’s all the fuss?"" her grandfather enquired. ""Yuck! There are so many nasty critters all over our vegetables. I’m afraid to pick any for dinner tonight. Let’s just start to squish them. Yikes, bad bug, bad bug, get off me."" ""Betty, wait! Don’t hurt him. That’s a praying mantis and he is a good bug,"" her grandfather said, as he gently brushed the praying mantis off her. Betty asked, ""What do you mean by ‘good bug’?"" ""Just because it’s a bug, or we don’t understand it, or like the way it looks, doesn’t make it bad,"" he said. ""There are bugs that eat or kill our vegetables. I think those are bad bugs. Then there are bugs that eat or chase away those bad bugs. I think they are good bugs. In fact, I put good bugs in my garden so I don’t have to use chemicals to chase away the bad bugs.I have an idea. Let’s go on a safari. It will help you understand."" ""A safari!"" she exclaimed. ""Let’s go!"" Betty’s grandfather then explained that she would have to use her imagination to make them very small, so that they could go on a safari into the world of the insects. In a flash, they were there. Betty was a little frightened but she knew that it was all imaginary. ""What do we do now?"" she whispered. ""Just walk slowly and observe and I will explain about all of the good bugs I put in the garden,"" he replied. ""Over there is that praying mantis that landed on you. He eats flies and some bad beetles. And because he is big, he has big pincers and can give you quite a pinch."" LadyBugs, and other similar beetles, eat little tiny aphids, mites, and other soft-bodied bugs and their eggs. Spined soldier bugs (stink bugs) feed on all sorts of garden pests. But don’t accidentally squish one of these, they really smell. There are many more but it’s getting late. We need to get back to picking vegetables for our dinner. We can go on a safari to the world of the insects again tomorrow."" ""grandpa, that was great!"" Betty shrieked with joy. ""I now understand what you meant by good bugs. And I realize that even though they are good, they can still bite or sting, so I’ll be real careful."" ""I can’t wait until we go on a safari again."" " Santa-in-the-Summer-.txt,"Did you ever wonder what Santa does in the summer? We know what he does in the winter. He brings toys to girls and boys. But what about when the weather is fine and the sun is ... HOT! Does he still wear that thick red suit? Does he still drag around that big bag? Does he still get around in a sleigh when there’s no ice and snow to ride on? Just what DOES Santa do in the summer? Maybe he goes to the beach ... and builds a snowman out of sand. Maybe he goes to the country.... and picks delicious berries! Maybe he goes sightseeing in faraway places. Mt. Rushmore Eiffel Tower Big Ben Statue of Liberty i n a Ch o f all t W r ea G When he goes on vacation, does he wear a disguise since he’s famous? Or does he catch up on his sleep because, in the winter, he’s up all night? Maybe Mrs. Claus sends Santa to day camp... ...since he’s such a BIG KID! Or maybe Santa just goes out in the back yard and... ...enjoys a big, sloppy burger fresh off the grill. Whatever he does, you can be sure Santa spends some of his summer helping others... ...because love is a gift you can give all year long. So now that you know some things Santa does in the summer. Can you find him? Turn the next page. There he is! But even if you don’t see Santa in the summer... ...don’t worry, because... You’ll see him in the winter! Merry Christmas! Things to Talk About Santa in the Summer is primarily a fun book, but there are important learnings that can be gained from reading it as well. You might want to try discussing these ques- tions with your youngsters: 1. What are some of the things Santa loves to do in the summer? What are your favorite things to do in the sum- mer? Which do you like most? Why? 2. What does Santa do in the summer that helps others? What are some things you could do to help others? 3. Santa goes sightseeing to interesting places around the world. Have you heard of any of the places he goes? Ask your parents about them or have someone help you find out about them in books or on the Internet. Also, see where they are on a world map, compared to where you are. In what ways would you travel to get there? 4. The book tells what Santa likes to do when he’s not around us. Think of your favorite cartoon characters. What do you think they are like when you don’t see them? What do they like to do? Now think of some people you know but don’t see all the time? What do you think their lives are like? " my-body.txt,"My Body I can run with it. I can jump with it. I can dance with it. I can swim with it. I can skip with it. I can kick with it. I can escape with it. But I can never fly with it. " 10730-more-or-less-need-to-guess.txt,"More or Less? Need to Guess! ""Ranju, can you get me two coconuts from that basket?"" Ranjita raced to the other side of the room. She returned in an instant with the two coconuts. Amma was pleased. ""Thank you, darling! You are such a help."" Ranjita glowed with pride. It was a BIG day today - her uncle Mahesh Chikkappa's wedding! And she had a BIG responsibility - to hand over mithai boxes to the 100 guests after lunch. But where were the mithai boxes? ""Oh no!"" cried Amma. ""The boxes are still in the room upstairs! Run and bring them down quickly, Ranju. The guests have almost finished their lunch."" ""Amma, you never ask ME for help!"" said a small, whiny voice. ""And I'm hungry."" ""You can help Akka, Vikky,"" said Amma soothingly. ""Ranju, take him with you, please?"" Ranjita frowned. Why did Amma always do this? Her little brother Vikram was SO annoying! But there was no time to argue. ""You have to listen to me and do exactly as I say, Vikky!"" she warned him, making her eyes big and stern. Vikram nodded. ""I will, Akka! Promise!"" Upstairs, in a corner, were a pile of cloth bags. Ranjita pulled open a bag. There were several small mithai boxes inside. ""It will take too long to empty all the bags and count out 100 boxes, Akka!"" Vikram was very worried. ""And I'm very hungry."" ""Shhhh!"" said Ranjita fiercely. ""Let me think!"" Ranjita thought hard. Vikram was right. It would take too long to actually count out 100 boxes. They couldn't take all the bags down either. There were too many of them. Vikram looked longingly at the mithai boxes. ""Can I open one? I'm VERY hungry."" ""NO!"" said Ranjita. Then she smiled. ""Idea! We don’t need to take EXACTLY 100 mithai boxes! We can take APPROXIMATELY 100. That will be much quicker."" ""Approximately?"" Vikram looked puzzled. ""What does that mean, Akka?"" ""It means a few MORE than, or a few LESS than, the exact number,"" said Ranjita. ""Bu-ut,"" Vikram said slowly, ""If we take less than 100, there won't be enough for everyone."" ""So we take more!"" said Ranjita. ""Ok, let’s do it!"" Vikram grabbed a few bags. ""Quick! I'm very, VERY hungry!"" ""Wait, silly! Let me tell you HOW to approximate first!"" said Ranjita. She poured out all the boxes from one bag onto the floor and counted them. ""See, Vikky,"" she said. ""There are 10 mithai boxes in this bag."" Vikram nodded. Ranjita pointed to the other bags. ""All the bags are approximately, more or less, the same size. What does that tell you?"" Vikram shrugged. ""It tells you that each bag has approximately, more or less, 10 mithai boxes!"" said Ranjita. ""Oh THAT!"" said Vikram airily. ""I knew THAT."" Ranjita hid her grin. ""Tell me this, then. How many mithai boxes in two bags?"" ""Approximately-more-or-less 20*,"" said Vikram instantly. ""And in three bags?"" ""Approximately-more-or-less 30**!"" Vikram began to smile. He was getting the hang of this. ""And in five?"" ""Approximately-more-or-less 50***!"" yelled Vikram. ""And 50 is half**** of all the mithai boxes we need!"" *(10 x 2 = 20), **(10 x 3 = 30) ***(10 x 5 = 50) **** (Half of 100 = 100 / 2 = 50) ""That's very good, Vikky!"" said Ranju admiringly. Vikram turned red with delight. He loved it when his Akka praised him. ""Now can I open a mithai..."" Ranjita glared. ""I mean,"" Vikram said quickly, ""I will take 5 bags with approximately- more-or-less 50 boxes, and you take 5. Okay?"" ""Not so fast!"" said Ranjita. ""We haven't counted the boxes in every bag. What if one or two bags have only 8 boxes? We won't have enough for everyone then."" Vikram paused. As usual, Akka was right. ""So we take 11 bags, then?"" he asked slowly. ""With approximately-more- or-less 110 mithai boxes?"" ""Exactly!"" said Ranjita. ""You take 5 bags, and I will take 6. Come on!"" The children ran down the stairs with the bags. Amma was waiting anxiously. She was very relieved to see them. ""That was quick!"" said Amma. ""Are you sure we have enough for everyone?"" ""Yes, Amma,"" said Vikky. ""I am very, very sure. AND... I'm very, very, VERY hungry."" When all the guests had left, Amma hugged Ranjita and Vikram. ""You both saved the day!"" she said. Then she narrowed her eyes. ""I've never seen you both work so well together,"" she said. ""Does that mean you finally like each other?"" Ranjita and Vikram laughed. ""Approximately-more-or-less!"" they said, as they ran to lunch. THE GUESSING GAME Ranjita and Vikram used a clever mathematical trick to get their job done quickly. They called it 'Approximately More or Less'; mathematicians call it 'Estimation'. So what is Estimation? Is it like guessing? Sort of, but estimation is 'intelligent' guessing. Why is estimation important? Estimation helps you identify wrong answers quickly. For instance, let's say you have just 30 seconds to answer this question: 1. What is 17 x 9? a. 172 b. 153 c. 186 d. 89 You know that 17 x 10 = 170 (anything into ten is the same number with a zero at the end). So 17 x 9 should be LESS than that. That means Options (a) and (c) are wrong. Option (d) seems too small to be the right answer - 17 x 9 should be closer to 170. So you pick Option (b). See how estimation has helped you pick the right option, simply by identifying the wrong ones? Estimation helps alert you to real-life errors. When the shopkeeper totals your bill, you can tell instantly if it is wrong because you have estimated approximately how much it should be. Estimation helps you calculate distances. If you know that you cover 30 cm with each step, and that you take 1800 steps to walk from home to the library, you can estimate the distance between the two (1800 x 30 cm = 54000 cms = 540 m, which is about half a kilometre). Estimation is fun. How many peas inside half a kilo of unshelled pods? How many elephants should you stand on top of each other to make the height of your flagpole? You can find out answers to all kinds of wacky questions using estimation! " the-elephant-bird-FKB-kids-stories.txt,"The Elephant Bird Munia knew that the giant, one-feathered elephant bird had not swallowed the horse. Yes, he was big enough to swallow a horse, but that didn't mean he had! The village of Adhania had only one horse-cart pulled by the two horses Vayu and Drut. And Vayu had gone missing near the lake in the jungle where the bird lived. The villagers had known about the elephant bird for generations. He was the last of his race, which was considered extinct for hundreds of years. The world did not know that the living relic of that race, who had lost all his feathers but one, still roamed the jungles of Adhania. The bird and the villagers kept a safe distance from each other. But not Munia. Although she walked with a limp, she was brave of heart. She often slipped into the jungle to watch the elephant bird. The elephant bird came near the lake in the daytime to bask in the sun or play in the lake alone splashing water. Sometimes he sat half-submerged in water. At other times there was no trace of him. Perhaps he just rested in some corner of the dense jungle. He stood as tall as a tree. He had a long strong neck, huge legs with claws and a heavy spear-like head. His long talons and nails looked scary. But Munia soon realised he was a shy herbivorous bird. He just munched on leaves by the lakeside. Munia felt she had something in common with him. The elephant bird could not fly and Munia could not run! Other village children mocked her limp and did not include her in their games. That was why she liked staying alone. Every morning Munia helped fetch three pitchers of water from the village well, and collected wood so that Amma could light the stove. And then she would be out for a long time. Amma believed she went out to play with the kids. Little did she know that Munia went into the jungle to the lake where the elephant bird lived. One day, gathering courage, Munia stepped in the open near the lake. Without turning his head the elephant bird rolled his eyes towards Munia and then closed them, uninterested by her advance. Getting no more attention than the flies buzzing over his head, Munia stomped her feet. Suddenly the elephant bird lifted one of his claws. Munia cried and fell headlong into the shallow waters of the lake. She came out drenched to see him shaking all over. He was laughing! ""That’s funny, huh?"" she asked angrily and turned to leave. Before Munia had walked away from the clearing, something hit her feet. It was a fruit that the elephant bird had thrown at her. The elephant bird wanted to play! Hesitantly, Munia threw it at him. He trotted sideways and caught the fruit in his beak. Thus, Munia’s friendship with the elephant bird had begun. And just when she had finally found a friend, Vayu had gone missing! And everyone’s suspicion had turned towards the elephant bird. After searching for Vayu high and low, the villagers gathered under the old banyan tree.Everyone agreed that there could be no thief in Adhania. They all trusted one another. The milkman swore that he had seen Vayu gallop away towards the lake. ""There is no sign of Vayu anywhere. It must be something in the jungle that got him,"" a villager addressed the headman. ""Who else can it be but the giant one-feathered elephant bird? He must be destroyed!"" said the milkman. ""For years he has been lying silent, hatching his evil plans!"" The crowd agreed. Munia watched the proceedings quietly. She wanted to speak, but was scared of being punished for speaking up. Even if she spoke, who would believe her? ""Yes, all these years of aimless living has made the giant dangerous,"" said Munia’s father. ""Today it is a horse, tomorrow it may be our children…"" The headman spoke over the villagers’ angry shouts, ""Brothers, even though we are facing a giant, we have the strength of numbers. So let us go out and finish him!"" A cheer of approval went up. ""The elephant bird did not eat the horse,"" Munia said softly but firmly, limping forward. ""I was with him when Vayu went missing!"" A heavy silence fell on the gathering. ""What does this mean?"" roared the headman. ""That the elephant bird is my friend, and he has not done this!"" ""This girl has lost her mind!"" shouted someone from the back. The other children laughed. ""He only eats leaves! How can he eat Vayu?"" Munia shouted, not moving from her place. ""You can’t even plait your hair and you are giving us advice?"" Munia’s father fumed and came towards her. ""Go play with your friends!"" ""This elephant bird is the only friend I have,"" said Munia. Her father glared at her. But she didn’t cry and stood there facing the villagers. ""Forget about the girl, we will get the elephant bird in the morning,"" said the headman and the gathering dispersed. Munia had only one night to prove the elephant bird’s innocence. ""Think, Munia, think!"" she whispered to herself. ""The milkman saw Vayu gallop away on the road that goes to the lake. But the road takes a turn before it reaches the lake and goes towards Chandesara. What if Vayu had gone that way?"" Munia’s parents were angry with her and sent her to bed without speaking a word. Once they were asleep, she got out of bed, took the hanging lamp and stepped out of the house. She crossed Adhania, and came to the jungle path leading to Chandesara, the neighbouring village. Whoooo... rang the call of an owl in the jungle air. A jackal howled from a distance. The shadows of trees moved like long dark fingers. She hesitated for a moment but then thought of the elephant bird sleeping peacefully in the jungle. If she didn't do something to solve the mystery, the elephant bird may not be alive to see the next night. She took a deep breath and limped alone on the jungle path in the dead of the night. The next morning the villagers gathered near the lake with sticks, sharp stones and long kitchen knives. The elephant bird was resting when the crowd approached him. The sun shone on his featherless back. He got up slowly and stared at the crowd. Looking at his size, the villagers stopped at some distance. After a moment’s hesitation the headman cried, ""Be ready!"" The mob roared, firming the grip on the weapons, ready to run down the giant one-feathered elephant bird. ""Stop!"" Munia’s thin voice cut through the din. She limped between the mob and the giant. ""Munia! Come back at once!"" her father ordered. ""Grab her!"" cried someone else. Munia’s father and another villager rushed towards her. The elephant bird advanced a couple of steps and they stopped. ""Okay… if this is how you want it, we’ll tackle both of you together!"" yelled a man, holding a spear. ""What’s going on?"" someone shouted from behind the crowd. A slightly hunched man with a long beard came in holding a horse’s reins. The headman asked with a surprised look, ""Saarthi, what are you doing here? And why is Vayu with you?"" ""Oh, as you know, I had sold Vayu to you some years back. Yesterday I was passing by your village early in the morning in my buggy pulled by Jhabru and Ghabru – Vayu’s brothers. I don’t know how Vayu got loose and followed us back to Chandesara! I couldn’t recognize him and didn’t know what to do with him until this morning when I saw this little girl going from hut to hut, asking about a lost horse. But what is going on?"" he asked again. The villagers did not answer Saarthi. They hung their heads in shame. Munia’s father went to her, lifted her in his arms and took her back to the village. Since that day, no child laughed at Munia’s limp. They all wanted to be friends with her. And they all wanted to be friends with the elephant bird. Munia’s tale reached many villages and the villagers in faraway hamlets whispered to each other, ""Munia knew that the giant one-feathered elephant bird had not swallowed the horse!"" This story is inspired by the real Elephant Bird (scientific name: Aepyornis maximus), the biggest bird that walked our planet. It inhabited the island of Madagascar. With more and more settlements on the island, and more forests ruined, the species became extinct around 1700 CE. " 038-THERE-IS-A-MOUSE-IN-THE-HOUSE-Free-Childrens-Book-By-Monkey-Pen.txt,"There’s a mouse in the house and I saw him today. He ran across the floor as I started to play. There’s a mouse in the house; now, how can that be?. He stood on the table right by the TV. There’s a mouse in the house and I named him Ned. Since I gave him a name, he sleeps in my bed. ""Hey mom,"" Gretchen shouted from her room. ""I just wrote a great poem."" ""Really?"" her mom replied. ""How nice. I always knew you would follow in your father’s footsteps. He was a published author before the accident and I know you miss him as much, if not more, than I. Let me read it and I’ll give you my honest opinion."" Gretchen’s mom read the poem, smiled, and in an extremely sincere voice said ""Gretchen, it is a very cute poem. The rhyme is nice, it tells a funny story, and it makes the reader want more. It is very good."" ""You’re just saying that,"" Gretchen said. ""No!"" Her mom replied. ""It is very good. In fact, why don’t you write some more?"" ""Okay,"" Gretchen said. ""After dinner I’ll add some more."" There’s a mouse in the house and I saw him today. He ran across the floor as I started to play. There’s a mouse in the house; now, how can that be?. He stood on the table, right by the TV. There’s a mouse in the house and I named him Ned. Since I gave him a name he sleeps in my bed. Now I feed him all day and he eats like a pig. He especially likes cheese and even dances a jig. He gets into the flower and into the rice. He even opens the cabinet and gets into the spice. What’s that, that I see? There’s not one but two! Ned’s on the counter and there’s another in my shoe. Gretchen took the poem to her mom and asked her to review it again. ""Excellent!"" she exclaimed. ""You are very creative. In fact keep going and maybe Mr Smythe, your father’s publisher, will give you some pointers. It couldn’t hurt to submit it to him."" The next day after school Gretchen finished her chores and went back to writing. There’s a mouse in the house and I saw him today. He ran across the floor as I started to play. There’s a mouse in the house; now, how can that be?. He stood on the table, right by the TV. There’s a mouse in the house and I named him Ned. Since I gave him a name he sleeps in my bed. Now I feed him all day and he eats like a pig. He especially likes cheese and even dances a jig. He gets into the flower and into the rice. He even opens the cabinet and gets into the spice. What’s that, that I see?There’s not one but two! Ned’s on the counter and there’s another in my shoe. There’s Ned and his friend but my, look at that. A little one, a bigger one, and one that is fat. It’s a family of mice that are living with me. A family of mice, oh how can that be? There’s five, now six, now seven and eight. Someone help me to shut the mouse gate. Gretchen again took the poem to her Mom and asked for her opinion. Her mom read it and smiled. ""It really is good,"" she said. ""Why don’t you do one more stanza?"" ""Sure,"" Gretchen said. ""It’s really fun and a famous poet has to start somewhere."" Gretchen went back to her room and read the poem several times and after a while she began to write the final stanza. There’s a mouse in the house and I saw him today. He ran across the floor as I started to play. There’s a mouse in the house; now, how can that be?. He stood on the table, right by the TV. There’s a mouse in the house and I named him Ned. Since I gave him a name he sleeps in my bed. Now I feed him all day and he eats like a pig. He especially likes cheese and even dances a jig. He gets into the flower and into the rice. He even opens the cabinet and gets into the spice. What’s that, that I see? There’s not one but two! Ned’s on the counter and there’s another in my shoe. There’s Ned and his friend but my, look at that. A little one, a bigger one, and one that is fat. It’s a family of mice that are living with me. A family of mice, oh how can that be? There’s five, now six, now seven and eight. Someone please help me to shut the mouse gate. The more that I look, the more mice that I see. They’re all over the house, oh how can that be? We have mice in our chairs and mice in our towels. We have mice everywhere and guess who they follow? That Ned all he does is look at me and smile. He brought his whole family to live with us awhile. Several days later, Gretchen and her mom met with Mr. Smythe. He was extremely pleased with her writing and told them that he couldn’t promise anything, but that he would talk to some people. Several days later Mr. Smythe visited Gretchen. He explained to her that very seldom does a new poet or author get her first work published. He watched Gretchen and the way she reacted to the news. She looked at him and thanked him for all he had done. She was sad but she understood. If she wanted to be a poet she would have to do a lot of writing and eventually, she would be published. ""Mr. Smythe,"" Gretchen said. ""I hope you understand that this is just the beginning and that you can expect me to be submitting many more poems in the future. If you will excuse me I am going to my room to do some more writing. Oh! By the way, my inspiration, Ned, is on your shoe. Come on Ned, we have work to do."" " Princess-Azzurra-and-the-Gluttonous-Dragon-R-.txt,"ONCE upon a time there WAS A little PRINCESS whose name was Azzurra and she used to live in tower. she ALWAYS PLAYED ALONE AND she always got EVERYTHING she wanted. UNFORTUNATELY OUT OF Her CASTLE THERE WAS A frightening and TERRIBLE ANGRY DRAGON! danger! very angry scary roaR O A RRR dragon! RR R bat wings smoke coming from his nostrils Then Azzurra read a book about dragons and she discovered what they Loved to eat ... ...dragons like candies! what a mess! where are all candies? come on! FInd them all! However Azurra did not the cat convinced her want to give anyone to share the bag of her candies! She wanted sweets with the dragon to keep them all! go princess! Take aim at the dragon and throw the candy! which of these three paths is the right one? The dragon was Azzurra was no very delighted of the more disappointed sweets. OF the gifts she made. princess Azzurra and the Dragon became friends ...and she did not play by herself anymore. help dragon in finding all the candies in the castle enter BEWARE for the guards! someone has mixed up the two halves of these pictures, can you recognize the right pieces? " Ghandi-marching-to-freedom-storybook-FKB.txt,"Marching to Freedom Dhani knew something exciting was being planned at the ashram, but no one would tell him anything. ""Just because I’m nine years old,"" thought Dhani glumly. ""I’m sure they think I’m stupid. I am not!"" Dhani and his parents lived in a very special place. It was Mahatma Gandhi’s Sabarmati Ashram near Ahmedabad where people from all over India came to stay. Like Gandhiji, they were all fighting for India’s freedom. During their stay at the ashram, they spent their time spinning khadi thread on charkhas, singing bhajans and listening to Gandhiji’s lectures. At Sabarmati, everyone had to work – cook and clean, wash clothes, fetch water from the well, milk the cows and goats, and grow vegetables. Even Dhani had a job – he had to take care of Binni, one of the ashram’s goats. He quite enjoyed that because Binni was his best friend and he liked talking to her. That morning, as Dhani fed Binni with fresh grass and changed the water in her bowl, he said, ""Something’s up, Binni! They all sit and talk in Gandhiji’s room. They are planning something. I know it!"" Binni chewed and nodded as if she understood. Dhani felt hungry. He headed towards the kitchen, with Binni skipping along beside him. His mother was fanning the chulha, filling up the room with smoke. ""Amma, is Gandhiji going somewhere?"" he asked. His mother coughed in the smoke and said, ""They are going on a march."" ""March? Where are they going?"" Dhani queried. ""Somewhere near the sea. Now stop asking questions and go away Dhani!"" his mother said impatiently. ""Let me finish the cooking first."" Dhani wandered off to the vegetable garden where old Binda was digging up potatoes. ""Binda chacha,"" Dhani sat beside him, ""are you going on the march too?"" Binda shook his head. Before he could say anything, Dhani eagerly asked, ""Who is marching? Where are they going? What is happening?"" Binda stopped digging and said, ""I’ll answer all your questions, but first tie up that troublesome goat. She’s chewing up my spinach."" Dhani dragged Binni away and tied her to the lemon tree nearby. Then Binda told him about the march. Gandhiji and some of the men from the ashram were going to walk through Gujarat to reach the sea at a place called Dandi. They would walk through villages and towns for a whole month. Once they reached Dandi, they would make salt. ""Salt?"" Dhani sat up and frowned. ""Why will they make salt? You can buy it in every shop!"" ""I know,"" Binda laughed. ""But Mahatmaji has a plan. You know he always marches to protest against something, right?"" ""Of course I know. He leads the Satyagraha marches to fight the British government and win freedom for India. But why is he protesting about salt? It’s silly!"" ""It’s not silly at all, Dhani! Do you know we all have to pay a tax on salt?"" ""So what?"" ""Everyone needs salt... that means, every Indian, even the poorest, has to pay this tax,"" explained Binda chacha. ""That is really unfair!"" Dhani’s eyes were hot with anger. ""Of course it’s unfair. Not only that, Indians are not allowed to make any salt either. Mahatmaji has asked the British to stop the tax, but they have refused. So he has decided to walk to Dandi and make salt from seawater."" ""Walking for a month!"" Dhani brooded worriedly. ""Gandhiji will get really tired. Why don’t they take a bus or train to Dandi instead?"" ""Because, if he goes on this long march and walks all the way to Dandi, the news will spread. There will be pictures in the papers and reports on the radio, and people all over the world will know that we are fighting for our freedom. And that will really embarrass the British."" ""Gandhiji is clever, isn’t he?"" Dhani’s eyes were shining. ""Ah, that he is!"" Binda’s eyes crinkled with laughter. ""He’s even written to the Viceroy and told him what he plans to do! The British have no idea what they are in for!"" Later in the morning, Dhani wandered up to the hut where Gandhiji was staying and peered in through a window. Inside, many of the ashram people were talking to Gandhiji. Dhani heard them planning the route along which they would walk to Dandi. He was thrilled to see his father sitting among the people. In the afternoon, when the ashram was quiet, Dhani went looking for his father. He found him under a tree, spinning on his charkha. ""Pitaji, are you and Amma going on the march to Dandi?"" Dhani got straight to the point. ""I am going. You and Amma will stay here."" ""I am coming with you."" ""Don’t be silly, Dhani. You can’t walk so much. Only the ashram’s young men will go."" ""I’m nine and I can run faster than you can!"" Dhani replied stubbornly. ""You can’t stop me from coming with you."" His father stopped spinning and explained patiently, ""Only the people who have been chosen by Mahatmaji will go."" ""Fine! I’ll talk to him then! I’m sure he’ll say yes,"" said Dhani and marched off. Gandhiji was a very busy man and it was not easy to catch him alone. But Dhani knew exactly when he would have the time to listen – early every morning when he went for a walk around the ashram. The next morning, as the sun came up, Dhani slipped out of bed and went looking for Gandhiji. He found him in the cowshed checking on all the cows. Then he strolled into the vegetable garden to inspect the peas and cabbage and have a chat with Binda. All the while, Dhani and Binni followed him. Finally, Gandhiji headed back to his hut. He sat down beside his charkha in the verandah and called out to Dhani, ""Come here, child!"" Dhani ran up, with Binni skipping along. ""What’s your name beta?"" ""Dhani, Gandhiji."" ""And this is your goat?"" ""Yes, Gandhiji! This is my friend Binni, who gives the milk you drink every morning."" Dhani smiled proudly and said, ""I take care of her."" ""Good!"" Gandhiji leaned forward. ""Now Dhani, tell me why you and Binni have been following me everywhere this morning?"" ""I wanted to ask you something,"" Dhani began nervously. ""Can I come with you to Dandi?"" Gandhiji smiled, ""You are too small, beta. Dandi is 385 kilometres away and only young men like your father will be able to walk with me."" ""But you are not young!"" Dhani said. ""Won’t you feel tired?"" ""I am a very good walker,"" Gandhiji replied. ""I am a good walker too."" Dhani was adamant. ""Ah yes,"" Gandhiji looked thoughtful. ""But there is a problem. If you go with me, who will take care of Binni? After walking for so long, I will become weak. When I come back, I’ll need to drink lots of milk to become strong again."" ""Hmm, you’re right, Gandhiji. Binni eats only when I feed her."" Dhani lovingly stroked Binni’s head, ""And only I know what she likes to eat."" ""Exactly! So will you stay in the ashram and take care of Binni for me?"" ""Yes, Gandhiji, I will,"" said Dhani. ""And Binni and I will be waiting for you."" Fun facts of History 1. In March 1930, Mahatma Gandhi led the march to Dandi to protest against the tax on salt imposed by the British. Gandhi and his followers walked through Gujarat for 24 days. All along the way, they were welcomed with flowers and songs. Newspapers across the world carried reports about the march. 2. At Dandi, Gandhi and his followers collected salt from the seashore and were arrested. The arrest sparked off the Non-cooperation Movement, and people all over India boycotted schools, colleges and offices. 3. There were 78 volunteers who accompanied Gandhi on the march. They covered a distance of 385 kilometres. 4. The march began on 12 March and ended on 5 April 1930. The youngest marcher was 16 years old. 5. The year 2005 marks the 75th anniversary of the Dandi March. " the-cottonwool-doctor_english.txt,"Once upon a time, about 200 years ago, there was a girl called Margaret Ann Bulkly. Margaret lived in a cool, green land called Ireland, in a country called Great Britain. Margaret was clever and curious. Margaret had big dreams. Margaret was brave and fought when she thought something was wrong. Margaret’s mother and father paid for her brother to be educated as a lawyer. And then they used the last of their money so that he could marry a wealthy man’s daughter. Margaret was clever and had big dreams. But there was no money left for her to study, not even as a governess or a nurse. Margaret was brave. ""I want to be a doctor!"" she said. But two hundred years ago a girl could not become a lawyer or a politician or a doctor. Margaret had an uncle who was a famous painter. His name was James Barry. One of James Barry’s friends was General Miranda from Venezuela. General Miranda had a library – it was very beautiful and very big. His library had more than 6000 books! ""I want to read this one! And this one! And this one!"" said Margaret. Margaret was clever and curious. General Miranda was impressed. When Margaret’s uncle James Barry died, he left her some money. ""It’s enough money to study to be a doctor!"" said General Miranda. ""But I can’t become a doctor,"" said Margaret. ""A boy can become a doctor,"" said General Miranda. ""And you can dress like a boy."" Margaret was brave and she fought for what she believed in. She really wanted to be a doctor. So she cut off her hair. She practiced speaking in a deep voice. She put on boy’s clothes. From then onwards, no one knew that Margaret was a girl. She became James Barry, just like her uncle. James Barry was a hard-working medical student. He took 13 subjects and worked all through the summer when the other students went on holiday. But after five years, he nearly didn’t get to write his final exam. The examiners thought he looked too young! James Barry didn’t have a beard because he wasn’t a man. Dr James Barry was brave and curious. Dr James Barry had big dreams. So he joined the army. In the army you would see the world! In 1816, the army sent Dr James Barry to Cape Town. Cape Town was a small, interesting city in South Africa. South Africa was far, far away from Ireland. Dr James Barry felt excited. Dr James Barry was short and slim. He wore platform shoes to look taller and padding under his clothes to look bigger. The people of Cape Town called Dr James Barry the kapok dokter, the cottonwool doctor. ""I would very much like to cut off your ears!"" Dr James Barry would shout at anyone who challenged him. Dr James Barry even once fought a duel with pistols! Luckily, they both missed hitting each other. Why did the doctor fight so much? Margaret was brave, but she was also frightened. She knew that if anyone found out that she was Dr James Barry she would no longer be allowed to be a doctor. Everyone had to believe Dr James Barry was a man. Dr James Barry fought when he thought something was wrong. In Cape Town, people with leprosy were banished to Robben Island. The lepers were put on the island because people believed they could catch the disease from them very easily. Dirty houses and bad food made the lepers much sicker. Dr James Barry asked the leaders in Cape Town for cleaner living conditions and healthier food for the sick people on Robben Island. Many years later Dr James Barry worked in a war hospital. Here he met Florence Nightingale, a nurse. Florence Nightingale was also known as The Lady with the Lamp, because she would check on wounded soldiers at night. She became famous during the war because she asked the army leaders for cleaner living conditions and healthier food for the soldiers. Dr James Barry had been asking for the same things for many years. Dr James Barry travelled all over the world. He worked in South Africa, St Helena, Barbados, Mauritius, Trinidad and Tobago, Malta, Corfu, Jamaica, Crimea, West Indies, Canada… 11 places in all. What exciting adventures he had! People only found out that Dr James Barry was a woman when she died in 1865. In the same year, Dr Elizabeth Garret Andersen became the first woman to become a doctor in Great Britain. Dr James Barry has shown us that girls are clever. Girls are brave. Girls have dreams. Girls can fight for what they believe in. And girls can become doctors! " 035-BUZZ-THE-BUZZARD-Free-Childrens-Book-By-Monkey-Pen.txt,"""Welcome stranger. I’m Buzz the Buzzard. You must be here for some advice. But I have to tell you- the old water hole has dried up, there’s no fast food restaurants, and the closest hotel is 100 miles due South. Now, how can I be of assistance? Ah, I understand. You’re just waiting for the Red Rock Tour Bus. Then you saw me, and decided to have a closer look. Well, while you are here, let me give you some advice. It’s free! There is nothing more important than your family. That’s it. Oh, I guess I could add that friends could be considered your family. Your family doesn’t just have to be your mom and dad, or step-parents, or brother, or sisters or cousins, aunts and uncles. Well, you get the idea. Your family is all the people who love you and all those you love. What’s that, little one? How do I know? Well, it is a long and sad story but I will make it short since I see your bus coming down the road. Not long ago, the sky around these parts was full of Buzzards. Yep, my family. One day I decided that living out here just wasn’t enough. I wanted to go to the big city. Now my family begged me to stay. They told me how much they loved me, how much they needed me, they reminded me of all the good times. But I didn’t listen. Off to the big city I went. But it wasn’t long before I knew that I had made a mistake. No one loved me in the big city. I had no family and I was all alone. But I was lucky because I could just flap my wings and head back home. Back home to my family. And that’s just what I did. I don’t know what happened but when I got home there was no one to greet me. No family, no friends, just empty space. Oh, I see your bus is here so go on, get along, but remember - there is nothing more important than your family."" The bus pulled up, came to a stop, the doors opened, and Buzz‘s family stepped out carrying souvenirs from the big city. ""We all went looking for you and are we glad you’re home,"" Betty Buzzard said with a smile. " Sharks.txt,"Sharks Sharks are a kind of fish that live in every ocean around the world. Teeth of a giant shark that lived millions of years ago. Scientists think that sharks lived million years before the dinosaurs. That is a long time ago! There are many different types of sharks. See if you can tell which shark is a hammerhead shark, which is a tiger shark and which is a great white shark. Sharks come in all different sizes. The whale shark is the biggest fish in the world. It can grow to be feet long. Other sharks can be small, like this little leopard shark. The smallest sharks are only seven inches long. Some sharks are born live but others hatch from an egg case, like the one in this picture. Can you see its head, tail and fins? Baby sharks are called pups. A mother shark doesn’t take care of her babies after they are born, they have to take care of themselves. Sharks are deadly predators, which means that they hunt and eat other animals like fish, seals and even other sharks. Great white sharks eat five hundred pounds of meat every day! Sharks catch their prey with their sharp teeth. When sharks lose teeth, new ones grow. They have at least four layers of pointy teeth. Sharks have a good sense of smell and can follow the smell of blood from up to a mile away. Sharks can see about as well as people. They hear sounds underwater from miles away. The only animals that hunt sharks are other sharks and people. People catch sharks for food like the shark steaks in this picture. The best place to see a shark is at an aquarium. You might even be able to pet one! " The-Misadventures-of-Little-Toast.txt,"This is Baby. Baby is a girl. Baby does not know her name! Baby learns to crawl. Baby sees popcorn. She wants some. Can she get it? She tries. The bowl falls down. There is popcorn everywhere. Oh well. The damage is done. So she eats some. Yumm! That is so tasty. Papa walks in. He says ""If mama sees this, you're toast!"" Baby is puzzled. ""Is my name toast?"" she wonders. Baby is curious about the trash can. She crawls to it and investigates. The trash can topples. There is trash everywhere. What fun! Baby tastes some. Papa walks in. He says ""If mama sees this, you're toast!"" Papa called me toast again. That must be my name. Hello, I am Toast. Nice to meet you. " Christmas-Time-The-Perfect-Festive-Rhyme-.txt,"Christmas Time The little boy played outside, When the sound of a jingle bell travelled to his side, He smiled and shouted, ""Sister can you hear? Christmas is near, a time for presents, Santa and reindeer."" His dad who stood in the door now moved closer to lend an ear. Christmas is about so much more…"" He heard his daughter as she skated by. ""Like what, came her brothers reply?"" ""Like going to look at all the toys in the store,"" ""Yes,"" said the boy excitedly, ""and in other countries it’s about eggnog and snow."" ""Yes and Ho, Ho, Ho, And for us it’s summer so lots of fun in the sun."" ""Especially since we have no school, Christmas break is so cool."" ""Children, but what about the tree?"" ""Please dad, the tree is just the place where the presents wait for me."" ""It’s about so much more children; come inside and then you will see."" The children sighed at the tree standing in the front room green and bare. ""Come now children let’s get to work don’t just stand there. I will straighten the branches while you look for the lights in that box."" They found the lights tangled beneath the red chimney socks. ""Ah dad, this looks bad!"" ""Why don’t I tell you a Christmas story and maybe a rhyme? Then you will have it detangled in no time."" Later their mom joined them with cookies and tea, ""Oh my but you have been busy,"" She said as she looked at the tree. ""This reminds me of a Christmas song about a jingle or a bell, or was it holly or jolly?"" ""Maybe we should put on the cd mommy?"" ""That’s a brilliant idea!"" Said their dad as he brought the tree’s décor near. He handed them red ribbons, golden bells and balls in green and blue. And that just to name a few. Then came the Christmas song. At the sound their mom started to dance around and around. It made the kids giggle, but they joined in and sang along. Their dad passed them the trimmings to be hung, And together the family filled the branches and sung. Before they knew it the tree was almost done. ""Wow dad this was so much fun."" ""Yes son and that’s the key."" The family took a step back to look at tree. ""Dad where is the star?"" They asked as the top of the tree was still bare. ""Right here,"" said their mom, as she took it out of its package with care. She reached and placed the star at the top of the tree. ""The star has five points as you can see, Each point has something it stands for, To remind us that Christmas is a time for so much more, It’s a time of peace, and love, a time to care, A time to give and a time to share, This star is a reminder for us to shine bright not just now, but throughout the year, And to cherish the ones that are dear."" The children now stood and looked at the decorated tree. ""Dad you know, I don’t think Christmas is about gifts or even this tree,"" The little boy said, yes I agree said his sister, ""It’s about spending time with loved ones like friends and family."" The End " The-Best-Christmas-Gift.txt,"Winter came and snow covered the valley home of the small fox, Bubu. All the animals hid in their houses. Bubu didn't like the winter much, but there was one day for which he was anxiously awaiting . . . Tomorrow was Christmas and Bubu was so excited that he could not fall asleep. What gift would Santa Claus have for him? A new ball? Or skates? Or maybe a bicycle? Or maybe—suddenly something flashed in the sky. What was it? A falling star? A plane? Or may be a giant bird? Whatever it was it dropped beyond the Dark Forest. Bubu jumped from the bed and put on his scarf. Brrr . . . it was really cold outside. Earlier in the day, Bubu and his father had cleared the snow from around the house, but the valley was still deeply covered in it. The road ahead would be difficult and frightful . . . He finally crossed the Dark Forest and started sniffing and looking around. Although he sniffled a bit, his nose could still smell everything—and there was a smell of something unknown. And finally he found it! It was a big red sack. Very strange, thought Bubu. How is it possible for a sack to fall from the sky? Sacks cannot fly . . . Then he opened it and everything became clear. . . This was Santa Claus’s sack! Here is the gift for the hedgehog, for the ducklings, for the squirrel—for everyone. Evidently the sack had fallen from the sled when Santa Claus flew above the valley. ""This is great!"" said Bubu. He picked up as many presents as he could and hurried up back to the valley. He first stopped at mole's house and looked through the window. It looked so nice and inviting inside: the fire was burning in the fireplace and the Christmas tree glittered. Bubu wanted to go home, but there was no way—these gifts must make it to their intended recipients—and so, he placed the gift for mole near the door and left quickly. Then went to the house of the two rabbits and left their gifts. There was a laugh and scuffle inside the house. Bubu enjoyed playing with the rabbits so very much, but this night he had an important task to do. Then he stopped by the squirrel's tree. It was already late, and a quiet snore was heard from inside. Bubu felt sleepy, so he pinched his tail, and then jumped up and hung the gift in front of the hollow. Bubu delivered gifts the whole night. It was becoming harder and harder to move forward, for a strong wind began to howl and push against him, and soon a heavy snowstorm started. It was hard to go on in this snow storm. He couldn't see anything and only his sensitive nose helped him to keep to the track. But then the snow storm become a blizzard, and Bubu, scared, frozen and weakened, hid in the sack. He wanted so much to be at home with mommy and daddy. Bubu rolled into a ball, wrapped himself with his tail and fell asleep. The wind continued to blow even stronger. The snow was covering Bubu's footprints and Santa Claus’ sack . . . Bubu stretched his legs and woke up. He was covered with a thick blanket and was toasty warm. He looked around surprised—he was at home, near the fireplace in the living room. ""Am I dreaming?"" wondered Bubu out loud. ""No, it is not a dream."" he heard a familiar voice. ""Mommy! Daddy!"" exclaimed Bubu, filled with joy. ""You scared us so much, Bubu,"" said his mommy. ""All the animals were looking for you, but there were no footprints. We were lucky that your father's big nose finally sensed your smell and, together with the moles, we dug up the sack. The important thing is that you are safe and everyone got their Christmas gifts."" ""Not everybody,"" said his father. ""When we found you, there was one gift left in the sack: your gift. Come on, open it. Let us see what Santa brought you."" Bubu smiled and said, ""I already got the best Christmas gift. This night I found out that the only thing I want for Christmas is to be home with you and Mommy. This is better than a sack full of gifts."" THE END " RoytheRatandhisSixThinkingHats.txt,"Roy is a rat. Not an ordinary rat but a clever one! He has 6 different thinking hats to help him solve all his problems. You see life is dangerous where he lives because there is Blackie the cat… Hi! I’m R oy th I stan e Rat d on a , I chan m at an ge my d Just l hat ike th at! One day while he was wandering in the kitchen, he saw a box on the kitchen table. It was a beautiful big red box. Roy’s eyes sparkled with excitement! ‘I want that box’ he thought and then he said: I’m Roy the Rat I stand , on a ma I chang t and e my ha Just lik t e that! Roy put 0n his WHITE HAT and started thinking. ‘What do I know about the box? Well not much… So I need to collect information about it. I could ask Tina the canary or Fenia the fly. Blackie could know something about it because he is always around here but I’d better not go near him’. Unfortunately neither Tina nor Fenia knew anything about the box. Tina was busy singing in her cage and Fenia was busy flying in the garden when the box appeared in the kitchen. Roy wasn’t discouraged and said: I’m Roy the R at, I stand on a m at and I change my hat Just like that ! So he put on his RED HAT. ‘I don’t care what’s in that box but I want it!’ he said to himself ‘ I love its colour and everything that is inside it. I am not afraid. I will climb the table and I will open it. The box is mine!’ he shouted out loud. At that moment, Blackie the cat appeared just round the corner. Roy didn’t lose his temper and said: I’m Ro y the R I stand at, on a m I chan at and ge my Just li h at ke tha t! Roy put on his BLACK HAT. ‘Well maybe I shouldn’t try to open that box. It’s risky’ he thought. ‘Blackie is coming and I don’t want troubles with him. He might see me climbing the table. Maybe there is something dangerous inside the box, like a super high-tech mouse trap or a poisonous snake!’ So while Roy was having second thoughts he said: I’m R oy th I stan e Rat d on a , I cha mat a nge m nd Just y hat like t hat! …and he put on his YELLOW HAT. ‘Come on Roy, think positive!’ he said to himself. ‘Such a lovely box can’t hide anything dangerous inside it. There is most probably a fresh cream cake with strawberries or a great selection of Swiss chocolates or… even better cheddar cheese! Feeling overly optimistic and full of positive energy he said: I’m Roy the Rat, I stand on a mat and I change my hat Just like that! ….and he put on his BLUE HAT. ‘Now let’s get organized’ he said to himself and started thinking about the best ways to reach the big red box. Deep in his thoughts he felt he needed some help, so he said: I’m R I sta oy the nd o Rat, nam I cha at an nge m d Just y ha like t that ! At that moment, he put on his favourite GREEN HAT! Roy was happy and cheerful again because he was able to think ‘out of the box’ and lots of creative ideas flashed into his mind. He started writing down everything. It was a long list and within a few minutes he had made a plan on how to reach the red box. He waited for a while until Blackie was out of sight. Then he ran as fast as he could and sneaked under the kitchen carpet. He crawled and crawled until he reached the leg of the table. He opened a hole to the carpet with his sharp teeth and he climbed up the table. His plan was perfect! He was over the moon when he opened the box! To his amazement the contents of the box had nothing to do with his initial thoughts… Neither fresh cream cake with strawberries nor chocolates. Neither a high-tech mouse trap nor a poisonous snake. It was simply… a hat! ‘Oh! Roy said disappointed. I don’t need an extra hat. I already have six of them, which help me think’ and with a simple move he climbed down the table. On the way back Roy said: I’m R oy th I stan e Rat d on , I cha a mat a nge m nd Just y hat like t hat! … and he put on his YELLOW HAT again. ‘Well there was nothing interesting for me in that box but at least I had a great time trying to open it! It was such fun! Oh! This yellow hat is brilliant! It always helps me look on the bright side of life!’ he said with a big smile. " Whose-Button-Is-It-FKB_CC-BY-SA.txt,"Whose button is this? Tinny Tim was sitting on the road when a button bounced his way. ""I wonder where this comes from,"" he said. He wanted to find out. It was busy on the side of the road. ""Woah!"" He nearly got squashed. He made a lucky escape. ""It’s scary out here,"" he said. ""Hey there, is this yours?"" The green man said nothing. He just turned red. ""What a rude person."" Tinny Tim carried on looking. ""Whose button is this?"" ""Woah..! ...at least he’s friendly."" ""I’ve got to get to the other side. I’m sure that’s where this comes from."" SPLASH! ""That was close."" He waited for the cars to pass before he carried on. Maybe this was who he was looking for. ""Hello, who are you?"" ""I’m Ruby Rags."" ""I think this is yours,"" he said. ""Thank you, little robot. Can we be friends?"" " Singing-in-the-Rain.txt,"Singing in the Rain Sukhiya Kaka lived in a village called Bitauna. Bitauna was famous all over Rajasthan for its singers. No celebration was complete without Sukhiya Kaka's sweet songs. Today he had been invited to village Jhalaura. Sukhiya Kaka twirled his big moustache and set off. He was singing raag Malhar. ...Come to me o rolling clouds... Suddenly, he heard, dhupp dhupp dhupp dhupp! Was someone giving a beat to his song? Dinoo, the dinosuar came running towards him. Sukhiya Kaka was so happy to see him! You don't get such a BIG listener every day! ... Come to me o rolling clouds, shower me with lovely rain! Sukhiya Kaka and Dinoo sang a duet and did a little jig to keep time. The clouds just had to listen to them! Lightning flashed and the wind danced. Dark clouds came rolling in. Sukhiya Kaka and Dinoo laughed with joy. As the rain came pouring down, Sukhiya Kaka and Dinoo shared a small umbrella. Then off they went to Jhalaura following the smell of yummy pakoras, singing ...O thank you for the lovely rain...O..la la la. Dear Reader, Have you ever seen a dinosaur? Do you think they would have sung songs? What do you like to do in the rain? What do you like to eat when it rains? " Amazing-Daisy.txt,"Amazing Daisy Once upon a time on a little farm near a little village. There lived a little chicken called Daisy. ""When I grow up, I want to fly high, high into the sky,"" Daisy said. But all the other chickens laughed at her. ""You are so weird,"" they said. ""We won't play with you anymore."" ""Daisy, we can all flap our wings but it's very difficult for chickens to fly,"" Mama told her. Daisy wouldn't give up. Every day she practised by herself, flapping her wings. Flap, flap, flap, she would flap her wings but she couldn't lift off the ground. While she practised, she imagined herself flying high into the sky and looking at the chickens below. She imagined herself flying past the sparrows and past the swallows. ""Wow!"" The birds would say. ""A chicken that can fly!"" So Flap, flap, flap, every day Daisy would flap her wings. She would lift off the ground but fall down again. ""I'm never going to fly!"" Daisy cried to Mama. ""The others are right."" ""Daisy, you are different from the other chickens. They don't want to fly but you do! You can do it, "" Mama said. The following day Daisy climbed to the top of the chicken coop and flap, flap, flap, she flapped her wings. She flew into the air and flapped her wings and flapped her wings and flapped her wings and... BAM! The other chickens laughed out loud. ""Ha ha ha! We told you! Chickens can't fly!"" But the next day Daisy climbed even higher, right up to the top of the hut. Flap, flap, flap, Daisy flapped her wings. She flew into the air and flapped her wings and flapped her wings and flapped her wings and... She kept flying! The wind beneath her wings grew stronger and she flew higher and higher! The sparrows and the swallows said, ""Amazing! A flying chicken!"" And the other chickens wanted to be just like her. They said, ""Oh Daisy, you're amazing!"" " Gecko-on-the-Wall.txt,"GECKO on the WALL There's a gecko on my wall, I don't mind him there at all; Lying quietly watching me, he is quite good company. There's a gecko on the rock, she seems to be wearing a frock; And I think she is asking me, if I want to come to tea. There's a gecko in the pool, he really does look cool; Sipping a long cool lemonade, wearing sunglasses in the shade. There's a gecko on the roof, he is acting quite aloof; Whispering calmly to me: ""I simply must get down, since I have to go to town, I need to be there by three."" Of all the geckos that I see: The gecko on a rock in a frock; The gecko looking cool in the pool; The gecko who's aloof on the roof; I like best of all, the gecko on my wall, lying quietly, watching me. THE END " Clouds.txt,"Clouds Look up at the sky. In many places you will see clouds. There are many different types of clouds. They are all different shapes and sizes. Have you ever wondered how clouds are formed? Clouds are made of evaporated water. Evaporation is when water changes from liquid to gas. Some clouds are fluffy, while others are wispy. Some are big and others are small. Some even resemble familiar shapes. Water evaporates from different sources all around you, like lakes, rivers, and the ocean. Can you guess the main source of water for clouds? The main source is the ocean. This is because the ocean makes up such a large part of the world. Seventy-one percent of our earth is covered by ocean. The kind of cloud that forms depends on the environment. Different clouds form at different heights. They change depending on the temperature, too. Water evaporates and becomes gas. This gas rises and mixes with particles in the air. It rises and rises until it cools and collects in one part of the sky. This forms a cloud. There are three major types of clouds: cirrus clouds, stratus clouds, and cumulus clouds. Each type of cloud looks different. Some are found high in the sky; others are close to the ground. This is a cirrus cloud. Cirrus clouds are the highest clouds in the sky. The higher elevation and winds cause them to be wispier. This is a cumulus cloud. Cumulus clouds are the puffiest clouds. The bottom is often flat and they can have tall peaks at the top. These are stratus clouds. Stratus clouds are low in the sky. They are flat and near the ground. Fog is a stratus cloud. One type of cumulus cloud is the cumulonimbus cloud. You may also know these as rain clouds. Rain, snow, hail, and sleet are all different forms water can take as it falls from the clouds. The word for water falling from the sky is precipitation. Snow is made when it is cold enough for the water in clouds to freeze. Freezing high in the air makes water turn into tiny crystal shapes. If they don’t melt while they fall, it snows. Precipitation occurs when too much water collects in the cloud. The cloud can no longer hold all the water and it falls to the ground. Temperatures often control the type of precipitation that forms. Hail also forms in cold temperatures. Hail looks like ice rocks. Water in clouds becomes hail because of strong winds. The wind blows the frozen water back up into the sky. It joins other ice crystals and gets bigger. This happens until it gets too heavy to be blown back up and falls to the ground. Sleet occurs when a layer of the air is warm. The water begins by falling from the cloud and freezing. It passes through a warm layer and melts. Then it freezes again as it falls. Water droplets within the cloud move and bump into each other. As they move, electricity builds up. The cloud has a negative charge. The ground has a positive charge. Negative and positive charges attract. These two charges connect and create the flash of electricity that you see. During some storms you see flashes of lightning. Lightning is an electrical current that is made during thunderstorms. Thunder occurs because of lightning. Lightning creates heat in the cloud which expands the air around it. This makes a loud boom, which is thunder. Clouds are very important. They help maintain the Earth’s climate. They reflect and absorb the sun’s rays. They regulate the amount of sunlight that hits the surface of the earth. All the water you see used to be part of a cloud and will be part of a cloud again one day. Every time you drink, you can thank a cloud! Clouds also help move water from one place to another. If there weren’t any clouds, wind, and rain, water would all drain into the ocean and stay there forever. Clouds are how water travels to the top of a mountain or the start of a river. This is called the water cycle. Clouds Clouds Review Questions! ? Art Project! Draw three types of clouds and one type 1. What are clouds made of? of precipitation. In your drawing, write the 2. What makes hail grow so big? names of each cloud and the precipitation 3. How do clouds help us? as a label. Show someone your drawing and explain why each cloud is the way it is. 4. What do you call a cloud that is near the ground? 5. What do you call a cloud that is very Clouds high? Hands on! 6. Where does the water in clouds come Is it going to rain soon? Take a jar or cup from? and leave it outside in the rain (make sure it doesn’t fall over!) When the rain is over, take a ruler and measure how many centimeters filled the cup. Now you’re a weather scientist and can measure rain! " CS-Arabella-Rose-for-Free.txt,"Arabella Rose dances on her toes And all she ever wears are dancing clothes. She dances on her bed when she gets up in the morning, Donning her clothes, which are never boring. She dances in the kitchen where she goes to eat. She dances in the living room, waking her cat from its sleep. She dances in the garden. She dances at school. She even dances underwater in the swimming pool. She dances all day until late at night. Others thought it was an extraordinary sight. Anyone could see that Arabella Rose Is a dancer from the bottom of her feet to the tip of her nose. ""But why? Why do you dance wherever you go?"" A growing crowd wants to know. Then she turns and speaks to the baffled collection, Who are keeping her under their close-eyed inspection. ""Dancing keeps me on my toes. That’s all I have to say about that,"" says Arabella Rose. But then she thinks it would be more fun If she were not the only one. ""Why not join me?"" she asks. ""What kind of dancing would you choose, If you had on dancing shoes?"" Hmmm, they think, What a most tantalizing thought. So she offers a number of suggestions, Hoping that they will make some interesting selections. ""There is toe dancing, sometimes called ballet… And slow dancing in which the dancers sway. There is square dancing, which requires a group to participate… And chair dancing in which your arms must hesitate. In this dance you never leave your seat. You’re only allowed to move your feet. Germans like their polkas and schottische And there are jigs for the Irish and Scottish. There is dancing like Zorba the Greek… And to do the limbo, the Jamaicans must not be weak. The proper English prefer tea dancing… And some at rock concerts swear by free dancing. There are dances for the bride and groom And waltzes that fill a ballroom. There are rumbas and sambas and tangos And even flamboyant fandangos. The South Americans never stop with just a few. They are always coming up with something new. You might like the cha-cha-cha Or their delightful cucaracha-cha. How about a lovely quadrille Or a simpler dance in the form of a reel? In France the ladies do the can-can. But don’t try it unless you think you can can. There are some silly dances like belly dances, Grizzly bear dances, and tarantella dances. And there are even dances for loafers called clogging… And dances for loggers on logs called logging. There is, of course, fox trotting, bunny hopping, Jitterbugging, and hip hopping. Then again you might prefer a line dance. Every cowboy considers it a fine dance. Tap dancing and the Charleston were popular long ago… So was the colorful Caribbean calypso. You might not be up to the Polish mazurka dance And would wish to join in a gentler May pole dance. Keep in mind that there are many dances with dips And many others requiring flips And still other dances that wiggle hips."" As Arabella Rose rattles on Her suggestions begin to catch on. The crowd begins to pick up their feet. They discover that dancing is indeed a treat. She calls out, ""It doesn’t matter, choose any style. Each will lead you to a smile."" As they boogie-woogie to their hearts’ delight They find that even cowgirls love dancing in the moonlight. Then they all yell, ""Thank you, Arabella Rose, For unlocking our dancing toes."" ""Now which dance would you choose, If you had on dancing shoes?"" " Out-and-About-R-.txt,"I love going out and seeing new places. ""Thanks for taking me along, Dad. This is great fun!"" ""Oh look!"" says Dad, ""There is my friend, Greg."" After Dad and Greg shook hands, then it was my turn. But I’m very shy, and don’t feel like shaking hands or saying ""Hello."" ""If you don’t want to shake hands, can I shake your foot?"" Greg asked me. That’s funny. Of course, I don’t want someone to shake my foot. ""Or, can I pinch your nose?"" asked Greg. Think, Think, Think. What should I do? Hmm, I’d better shake his hand before he asks to squeeze my cheeks, I thought. ""Hi Greg, it’s nice to meet you!"" I said, as I shook his hand. It was a lot easier than I thought it would be. On the way home, Dad said, ""Thanks for greeting my friend. I’m sure he was happy about that."" I felt happier as well. It’s important for me to treat others with kindness even when I feel shy. The next day: Ding! Dong! Ding! Dong! ""Hello Mrs. White! It’s nice to meet you"". " Lost-and-Found-.txt,"Lost and Found Not here, not there. Where have you gone? Not on the sofa. Not under the cot. Not in the box. Not under my sister's frock. Not under the pillow. Not in my bag. Sob, sob, where have you gone? I have looked in every room, l have looked under every book. I have looked under the chair, I have looked under the stool. Where have you gone? Soon granny came back from her walk. ""Look what I found in the park."" ""It can sway, it can bounce. It can spin, it can dangle. Ha-ha, hee-hee,"" said Granny with a giggle. Oh Granny! Thank you so much! You have found my dear yo-yo! ""Yo-yo? What a funny name! What a funny toy! I want to play with it, It gives me so much joy!"" Giggle, giggle, giggling away, Granny played, with my little toy. For the rest of the day! " londi-the-dreaming-girl_pdf-ebook_readonline.txt,"Londi was a dreaming girl. Up in the sky, she didn’t see clouds. Instead Londi saw flying geese, jumping fish, and fluffy sheep running home. One afternoon, Gogo came outside, looking tired. ""Londi, stop dreaming!"" she said. ""It’s time to go and fetch the water."" Londi stood up and smiled at her feet. ""Let’s go, feet! You know the way there!"" Londi started walking to the tap. She crept past Mama Neli’s house. She hopped over the rocks. She dashed down the path. ""We’ll have to wait. Let’s stay in line. No dreaming away!"" The line at the tap was long. ""Oh no!"" Londi said to her feet. Ooh! Londi thought. But what’s that shining over there? I wonder who lost their shoe? Did it belong to Or something else… a girl like me? And what’s that under there? Cheep! Cheep! And what’s that big shadow? Uh oh, it’s Gogo! ""Londi, your bucket nearly rolled away!"" ""Sorry, Gogo. I dreamed too far, again."" ""Come let’s go, my dreaming girl,"" said Gogo. They filled up the bucket together. Londi watched the big sun sink into the hills. ""Look, Gogo! There’s a pink pig in the sky!"" ""Oh Londi… It’s just a cloud,"" Gogo sighed. Londi took Gogo’s hand and they walked home together happily. " Behind-the-Lie-English-Worksheet.txt,"Behind the Lie – English Worksheet Word count 1297 words; Approximate Grade Level: Read out loud time: approximately 8 minutes. As soon as their father left for work, Ramesh swept up the broken glass while Valli made tea. Though she was only eight years old, she had already learnt how to make the strong, sweet tea that their mother liked. In between sips, Amma held the warm glass to her throbbing forehead. And to her swollen cheek. I fell. I tripped. The glass shattered when I dropped it. ""Buying bread for the third day in a row?"" asked Murugan, the owner of the neighbourhood store. There weren’t many customers at his store that morning so he chatted with Valli as he entered her purchases into his account book. ""If your Amma is still not well enough to cook, don’t you think you should take her to the doctor?"" ""It’s not that kind of illness, Murugan anna,"" Valli sighed. ""What kind of illness is it, then?"" Murugan persisted. ""Just that her arm is hurting very badly. Because she tripped on the road and fell straight on her shoulder,"" Valli repeated her mother’s lie. But her eyes told another story. And though she avoided Murugan’s eyes, he felt very uneasy. Something was not right. He discussed it with his wife, Sarasa, later that evening and was shocked to hear the truth about Valli’s mother, Meenakshi. ""It’s not tripping or falling. It’s her monster of a husband. Looks like he wouldn’t hurt a fly! But that’s just a mask. Poor Meenakshi — she puts up with all his blows and beatings to protect the children."" Murugan was very upset. ""I didn’t know this. Why didn’t you tell me earlier? We should have done something."" After all, both families had lived on the same street for years. It wasn’t right that Meenakshi and her children should suffer like this. ""You mean you’ve never noticed?"" Sarasa was surprised, ""Meenakshi’s bruises? The cut lip some weeks ago? It breaks my heart,"" she sighed. ""But what can we do? Interfering might only make things worse."" Murugan wondered how he could help without making things worse for Meenakshi and her children. He thought about it deeply before coming up with a plan. The help Murugan arranged arrived at Valli’s door some days later. It came wearing a wide smile a khaki police uniform. ""I’m Sub Inspector Jaya,"" the young policewoman introduced herself. ""My uncle, Murugan maama, asked me to visit you. I got off duty early today, so I stopped here on my way home."" Luckily for Valli and her family, Appa was travelling on work. When their father was at home, the three of them lived under a cloud of fear, always scared about doing something that could set off his violent temper. ""Don’t make Appa angry,"" Meenakshi would beg her children every day. ""No singing, Ramesh. Please! Don’t bounce that ball, Valli."" SI Jaya listened patiently when the children told her all of this. Then she and Amma spoke in low voices for a long time while the children did their homework. When it was time to leave, Jaya insisted that they note down her mobile number. ""You can call me any time. Day or night. And if I can’t come myself, I’ll have the beat policeman at your door in minutes,"" she promised. ""But I don’t have a phone,"" Amma pointed out, ""My husband refuses to let me have one."" Jaya made Amma write down her number anyway. ""This terrible situation is not your fault,"" were her parting words to them as she got onto her bike. ""This violence is not okay. And the three of you should never suffer in silence thinking it is normal. Meenakshi, you must think about what we’ve discussed and do some of the things I’ve suggested."" After she left, Valli asked Amma what Jaya meant. ""The SI wants me to write to someone in our family telling them how things are. She says we should not keep hiding our problem. That we should share our problem with people who care for us. She also said I could file a complaint at our Police Station if I wanted. But I don’t know what to do. Ramesh nodded gloomily. He was moody, and suspicious of everyone these days. More so ever since he too had become the target of Appa’s anger whenever he rushed to help Amma. ""The SI wouldn’t have given us her personal number anyway. Try calling that number,"" he challenged his mother and sister bitterly. ""I bet you a full bar of chocolate that you’ll just get a recorded message. Or no one will answer."" ""Let’s write to someone first then. Why not write to Paati?"" Valli knew Appa was a little scared of his mother. It took a few days, but Amma did finally write to Paati. Then, they all waited eagerly for a reply. A visit from Paati would be nice. She was strict with them but what fun they had when she visited, bringing tins of home-made snacks with her. She would braid Valli’s hair in a new way each day and play cricket with them in the tiny lane. Amma would join them sometimes. Paati and Ramesh would sing together at home, and though Appa would look very irritated, he would control his temper while Paati was there. But when two weeks passed with no answer from Paati, all three grew downcast. What could they do next, they wondered sadly. Appa had been travelling and when he returned, he had some news for them. ""My mother called me a few days ago,"" he said gruffly. ""She’s arriving here tomorrow. She wants to stay a few months. Months! I can’t understand why. Here…"" he flung some money on the kitchen counter. ""Pay the bill at the store and don’t forget to buy my mother’s special brand of coffee when you buy provisions for the month."" As soon as he left, slamming the door angrily behind him, the children jumped with excitement. ""Give us a little of that money to buy sweets, Amma!"" Ramesh pleaded. Amma agreed. More rare than the money she gave each of them was the half-smile on her face. On their way to school, Valli made Ramesh stop at Murugan’s store. After SI Jaya’s visit to their home, Murugan made it a point to talk to the children whenever he could. He was busy when they entered the store, so Valli prodded Ramesh to the place where the sweets were displayed. ""You had better buy me that full bar of chocolate before you spend your money on anything else,"" she demanded, ""because I am surely going to win the bet."" It took Ramesh a minute to remember the bet he had made the day SI Jaya had visited. He laughed and told his sister to hurry up. When Valli had chosen what she wanted, she went up to Murugan and asked whether she could make a call from his phone. She dialed Jaya’s number. ""Yes, Murugan maama,"" answered a familiar voice at the other end. Valli wiggled her thumb at Ramesh. So much for him thinking that the policewoman wouldn’t answer their call. ""Jaya akka, it’s me. Valli."" ""Is everything alright, Valli? Do you need help?"" Jaya sounded concerned. ""We’re fine, akka. I just called to tell you that my Paati is coming to stay with us for a few months because Amma wrote telling her about Appa. And… how bad things were."" The call over and Murugan’s many questions answered, the children started unwrapping their chocolate as they left the store. Valli’s heart felt lighter. Not just because of the chocolate they were sharing. Not even because of the whole extra bar she had won from her brother. But because, for the first time in months, she could hear Ramesh singing softly to himself as they walked to school. ELA - English Language - Reading Comprehension Questions Reading Comprehension about Behind the Lie - A story about domestic violence True/False Questions 1) Are the family's injuries from accidents like tripping or falling? 2) Does the family in the story lie about the cause of their injuries? 3) Does Murugan know about the family's problems at the beginning of the story? 4) Does the policewoman ask Meenakshi to contact a family member about her problem? 5) Does Paati help when she comes to stay? Fill in the Word and Short Answer Questions Provide a synonym and an antonym for the following words: 6) uneasy 7) angry 8) suspicious 9) insist Complete the sentences: 10) Ramesh began to copy _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _' _ lies. 11) Valli won the _ _ _ with her _ _ _ _ _ _ _. 12) SI Jaya _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ they _ _ _ _ _ down her _ _ _ _ _ _ number . 13) Paati _ _ _ _ stay with the family for a _ _ _ ______. Answer these questions about the story: 14) From the text what do we assume about why Ramesh is sweeping up the broken glass? 15) Why does the police woman suggest contacting a family member to help? 16) What does the author mean by ""living under a cloud of fear? 17) What is the main reason Valli happy at the end of the story? Writing Questions 18) If Ramesh and Valli were your friends at school, and they shared with you about their father's temper, what advice would you give them? 19) Write a short book review on Behind the Lie, including a concise summary, intended reader group, and your opinion of the content. 20) Write a paragraph about what you think can be done to help victims of domestic violence. " how-to-be-an-otter-FKB-stories.txt,"How to Be an Otter Learn to swim. Learn to swim well. Well enough to catch fish, and escape from danger. Your webbed feet and long, paddle-like tail will help you. Look after your fur coat. It is waterproof and will help keep you warm when swimming in cold waters. Know your fish. You will grow to like fishy smells and smelly fish. You’ll find small fish and large fish and fish that look like snakes, and even some with cat-like whiskers. Not all of them are easy to catch! But remember, NEVER eat dead fish. The river is your home. It is here, on the banks of the river, that you will dig a den for your family. You will live in a group, as a family. You will hunt and play together. You will also protect each other. The elders of the family will guard the pups. Listen to the elders, for they know the river well. The river is also your playground. Here, you will have sand to dig, places to hide, and rocks to nap on. Learn to share your space. You will have to share the river with large herons, shy turtles, peaceful pelicans, honking ducks and moody mugger crocodiles. The mugger crocodiles prefer to be left alone. DO NOT disturb them! The fisherman can be your friend, but watch out for his nets. Like us, the fisherman needs to catch fish to feed his family. Keep away from him, and he will keep away from you. Stay away from anything that does not belong to the river—it could be a trap. Do not be curious about shiny, metallic objects. The river will keep changing. Your favourite sandbank may disappear tomorrow, just asit may return after the rainy season. You have to learn quickly and trust your instincts. And remember, the river will always be your home. " Keeper-Nakita-and-Her-Elephants.txt,"Why is phonics important to learn? The English language seems like it is full of a lot of crazy pronunciations and spelling. While a small amount of English must be rote learned due to exceptions from rules, much of it can be decoded using phonics. When you know phonics, you are like a detective following clues to solve a mystery. In this series, we use only words that your little reader will be able to break down into standard phonemes. This will build reading confidence while strengthening their phonics foundation. Is this the right level for my little reader? If your reader can decode about 90% of the words in this book independently, this will be an appropriate platform to begin their study of phonics. By understanding a majority of the words, a reader can use context to decode new terms. If a reader breezes through, you might need to take them up another level. If this level is still a bit too tricky for them, get your reader to try some of the earlier levels first. Challenges can be good, but too much too quickly could overwhelm your reader. Take things slow and steady. Enjoy the books and the journey together! How can I be a good learning buddy for my reader? If you are helping somebody to read this book, there are plenty of ways that you can go about it. Do the initial exercises together before you begin to read so that you have both experienced the isolated sounds and discussed them. If the reader gets stuck, cover up all but the first phoneme in the word so that the sound can be isolated again. Slowly move along and reveal more phonemes. Once they can say each individual part of the word, you can focus on blending. Say the words so that they can hear them, and get them to repeat it out aloud several times. To consolidate knowledge after you finish a page, talk about what happened and what is in the picture. Then, try saying some of the words on the page and see if the reader can identify them. Get the reader doing this as well, saying words which you need to find. Above all, you should be patient. Create a safe place to make mistakes so that the reader is willing to give things a go. Special Words This book has some special words that you should take your reader through before you begin. Many special words are those that we use in day-to-day conversation. Unfortunately, a lot of their phonetic structures do not conform to rules that your reader has learned. These words can be frustrating and confusing, but they are also a part of natural reading, writing, and conversation. Nakita, she, loves, their, to, they, go, to, the, onto Say each word to your reader a few times so that they can get used to its sound. Get them to repeat it back to you. Afterwards, see if your reader can think of any words that rhyme with this sound in order to help lock in how to pronounce it. Finally, think of some basic sentences that use this word. For example, if the word is ‘the’ you can create basic sentences with a subject, verb, and object: ""The hat is on the table."" Nakita is an animal keeper and she loves her job. She looks after animals all day. Nakita likes all animals but she likes elephants best. Nakita loves seeing elephants swing their trunks, stamp in mud, and spray dirt and dust. Nakita keeps elephants for a short time to help them get better. Her elephants are hurt and need care. This elephant had a sore foot. This elephant had a skin problem. This elephant got sick. Now all three elephants are better and are happy. They can go back to the forest and be free. Nakita walks with the elephants and the elephants see a family. The old elephants and the little elephants are back together. Nakita can hear a little elephant cry out. The little elephant is hurt and Nakita will help it. Nakita follows the sounds and brings grown ups to help. The little elephant fell in a hole and hurt its leg. Nakita will look after this little elephant and make it better. The grown ups get rope. Nakita talks with the little elephant as it is sad. The grown ups get the ropes around the little elephant. The little elephant can reach its trunk for Nakita and she holds onto its trunk. The little elephant is now in a truck and Nakita sits with him. Nakita and the little elephant get to the park. A vet looks at the little elephant and sees its leg is twisted. It must stay off its leg for a week. Nakita looks after the little elephant all week. She feeds him and sings to him. Little elephant keeps its trunk around Nakita’s hand. Little elephant is all better now! He can go back to the forest. It is time to see his family. Here is the little elephant's family. Grown up elephants trumpet as they are happy to see him. The little elephant hugs Nakita, then walks away. The little elephant is safe and happy now. " the-very-shocking-report-card-pratham-FKB-CC-BY.txt,"The Very Shocking Report Card Papa took Pattu’s report card from Ms Anuradha like it was a big box of sweets –with a big smile to match. Last time, Pattu had made a paper plane out of his report card. He said he sent itflying home – it never got there. Wonder why? Maybe the sparrow in the tree could tell you what a warm nest it made. Or the peanut seller could tell you what a nice cone it made. So this time, Papa went with Pattu to get his report card from the teacher himself.Papa looked at Pattu’s report card. His smile went from a slice of papaya to the thin wedge of a lime. 3 out of 10 for Reading. Papa’s eyebrows dashed together like colliding bulls. 4 out of 10 for Recitation. He shook his head from side to side, like a tree in a storm. 2 out of 10 for Spelling. He let out a long whoosh, which sounded like a train engine. As they walked home, Papa thought, ""This report card needs to be made not into a paper plane, but into a rocket and launched far, far away. What will Pattu’s Mummy say? She always used to come first in her class."" Just then, Pattu’s friend Shambavi came running and gave Pattu a toffee. ""This is for sharing your pencils with me yesterday, when I forgot to bring one,"" said Shambavi. ""No wonder Pattu comes home with no pencils,"" thought Papa. On the way home, a bunch of dogs ran alongside them, wagging their tails happily. Pattu bent down and patted their heads. ""I. . . er. . . I give Kalu, Chintu and Bintu a few puris from my lunchbox,"" he said. ""And your mummy is so happy you are asking for extra puris,"" thought Papa, ""If only she knew where they disappeared!"" Pattu and Papa were almost home, when their neighbour Das Uncle called out from his garden, ""Hello Pattu, I don’t need medicines today."" Papa wondered, ""We don’t need medicines as well. Why is he talking about medicines?"" Das Uncle said, ""I ask your son to buy medicines from the corner shop for me. He always brings back exact change. You must be proud of him."" At home, Mummy came out and asked, ""How is Pattu’s report card?"" Papa closed his eyes, and said, ""It was a big, big shock!"" Pattu’s face was as small as a crushed grape. ""9 out of 10 for sharing,"" said Papa. ""10 out of 10 for kindness. 11 out of 10 for respect."" Pattu’s face was like an orange and Mummy’s like a watermelon – both bright and full of joy. Mummy sat down with Pattu. ""This is my real report card,"" Pattu said. Mummy smiled. ""12 out of 10 for honesty. No one could get a better report card."" " June-Peters-You-Will-Save-the-World-One-Day.txt,"As June, her family, neighbors, and friends pulled up to the park, they notice the long line of homeless men and women already waiting. ""Wow! Dad, did you do that?"" June asked while looking at the large banner that read: JUNE'S FEED THE HOMELESS DAY ""Yes June-baby I did "" ' ' ' ""Thank you, Dad, thank you. I love it."" All of June's family and friends began passing out the lunches. Everyone was pleased and very impressed that such a young girl could have a big heart. June could not stop smiling. ""Hello young lady,"" a man said, standing next in line for his lunch. June looked up and noticed that it was the man she had been giving her money to the last few mornings before school. ""Hello sir, I was waiting for you. I have a special lunch just for you."" June handed him a big bag from under the table. The man looked inside and smiled at June. ""Bless you."" ""I told you that one day you would change the world."" " chaku-s-cycle.txt,"Chaku's Cycle Chaku liked to play with his friends. He liked Lila’s tricycle. Chaku decided to make his own tricycle. Chaku looked for logs. Chaku remembered he also needed nails and hammer. Chaku went to his uncle for help. Chaku’s uncle gave him the tools. Uncle asked Chaku to be careful. Chaku thought about how to build his tricycle. Chaku started to build. What a lovely tricycle! But it was not stable. Lila saw Chaku's trouble. She decided to help. Together, they made a strong tricycle. Chaku rode his tricycle wherever he went. But his favorite time was when he and Lila cycled together. " Saschas-Train.txt,"Sasha’s Train Opa 7/17/2014 Sasha was first in the car. You must be joking! ""C’mon, Mum, hurry up! That’s not Thomas, We’re going to see Thomas."" Is it? ""Ah, there’s the station, Mum."" ""But that’s not our train,"" Monkey, Dad replied. ""But Where’s Thomas?"" ""I can’t see him anywhere!"" ""See, here he comes, Sashi."" ""He’s right on time."" I guess I better get back to Mum or I might miss the ride. ""Ummmmmmmmm!"" ""He didn’t stop, Mum."" ""It’s OK, Sashi, he’s just changing tracks."" I’d better get on board. ""Look, Mum, we’re moving."" ""Yes, Dad, I’m here with Mum, in the carriage."" ""We’re going to the left."" ""Now we’re going to the right."" ""Help"", Dad, the trees are on fire!"" ""It’s OK, Monkey, it’s just the smoke."" I see the station."" ""Over too soon!"" ""Can we do it again tomorrow?"" " I-Can-Help.txt,"I Can Help! I am a big girl. I can help other people. After school, I like to feed my brother. He loves it. When I have a holiday, I help my mother to get ready to go to the office. In the evening, I help my father in his shop. But sometimes my mother says, ""Please, do not help me!"" And sometimes my father says, ""Thank you, but please do not help me today."" Sometimes they both tell me to sit in one place. I like to read a book then! I like to help my grandmother. She tells me stories. My brother is still small. He cannot help at all. But I am a big girl. I can help other people. " What-If...-3-18.txt,"Nandi sat on the blue steps of her house. She was wondering... What if jelly beans made you jump really high? You could get to school in one big leap! What if goats and chickens could talk? Would they tell good jokes? What if houses were rocket ships? Your family could go on holidays to the moon! What if no one had to cook? What if supper just arrived on the table? (And it was always your favourite.) What if ice-lollies never melted? They could last all summer. What if the pictures in books flew around your head when Dad read to you? What if my pink gumboots were magical? I could run faster than my big brother! What if you squeezed your eyes shut and... ""Nandi, what are you doing?"" asked Nandi’s big brother. Nandi sat back on the step with a big smile on her face. ""Just wondering,"" she said. " The-Zoo-Mystery.txt,"One sunny summer day, a little girl was playing with her dog. Mama and Daddy were sitting at the table. Daddy was reading the newspaper. ""Did you hear?"" ""One of the giraffes is missing from the zoo"", Daddy said. The little girl stopped playing. ""Where did it go?"" ""Well,"" Daddy said ""this morning the Zoo Keeper noticed the missing giraffe. No one knows where it went and they’re giving a reward to whoever finds it."" ""We should go and investigate."" Mama Said After a short car ride. They were at the ""Let’s look at the animals."" ""We may find a clue,"" Mama said. ""Right!"" Daddy said. They saw an elephant A lion A rhinoceros A hippopotamus And a camel An old lady said, ""Did you hear about the missing giraffe?"" ""That’s why we came to the zoo."" Daddy said. ""Hmm,"" the little girl looked at the old lady. They kept looking at the animals. A monkey A bear A moose A kangaroo And a man riding a bike. ""Hmm,"" the little girl said looking at the man on the bike. ""Let’s keep looking at animals."" They looked at ostriches Snakes Seals A panda When suddenly a bright light blinded them Just a person taking a photo. ""Hmm,"" the little girl said again. ""Mama?"" ""Daddy?"" ""Yes!?!"" ""That lady… and man on the bike… and that photographer… ARE the giraffe!"" ""Huh?!?"" She was right. Mama, Daddy and the little girl told the Zoo Keeper… ""AH HA!"" The Zoo Keeper said. ""For finding the giraffe."" ""Thanks!"" The best part of the trip was a photograph of the giraffe. The End! " brave-rima-RtR-FKB.txt,"Brave Rima Rima went to the fair with her uncle. It was a Boishakhi fair! So many colours everywhere. Red, white, and all the others. Uncle especially loved red. There were so many shops! And so many things to buy! Rima looked at everything in wonder. Suddenly… she didn't see her uncle. Where did Uncle go? He was nowhere to be seen! Rima was upset. But she did not lose courage. I know how to find lost things, Rima thought. I will explore the fair and look for Uncle! A crowd was gathered under a tree watching the snake act. Rima called out. But Uncle was not there. Maybe he is buying a doll for me! Rima thought. She ran to the doll shop. Rima called out. But Uncle was not there. Where did Uncle go? Perhaps he has gone to the red merry-go-round, Rima thought. So she ran there. Rima called out. But Uncle was not there. Then Rima saw a man nearby. He was wearing a red panjabi like Uncle's! Rima called loudly, ""UNCLE!"" The man turned to look at Rima. ""Oh, dear. Have you lost your Uncle?"" he asked. Rima saw balloons flying above a tree. Near the tree she saw a boy. He was all alone and he was crying. ""What happened?"" Rima asked. ""Why are you crying?"" But the boy didn’t stop. ""MAAAA! BABAAAA!"" he cried. Rima knew just what to do. She took the boy to the closest microphone. ""This boy needs our help,"" she told the announcer. ""Please tell his parents he is right here!"" The boy’s parents arrived soon. They were so happy! But where was Rima’s Uncle? Wait… is that... ""UNCLE!"" They rushed towards each other. Uncle said, ""Where have you been? I looked everywhere for you."" ""I was looking for you!"" Rima answered. ""But Uncles shouldn't need children to look for them!"" " Turtle-Trouble-2-17.txt,"Mom asked me: ""Why is the floor in my room all wet?"" ""I don’t know."" I said. Mom then saw the bucket I had hidden in the bathtub. ""What’s this bucket doing here?"" she asked. ""I don’t know."" I said. Mom then picked up the turtle that I had hidden in the bathtub. ""And what’s this turtle doing here?"" she asked. ""I don’t know."" I said. ""Buckets and turtles don’t just get in my bathtub on their own."" said Mom. The truth was that I had found the turtle in the garden and was getting some water for him. Then, I spilled the water all over the floor. I don’t want any more time-outs. I don’t want Mom to be upset. So, I told Mom that I wasn’t going to put turtles in her bathtub anymore. She wasn’t upset about the turtle; but, she was unhappy because I didn’t tell her the truth. ""I would have helped to take care of the turtle."" said Mom. Think! Think! Think! Oh, I get it! Telling the truth works much better than lying! I’ll try that the next time. " The-Fascinating-Fibonaccis.txt,"The Fascinating Fibonaccis Numbers. We use them everyday. To count, measure, call friends on the phone and even to find out what something costs. But did you know you can also use numbers to create patterns - geometrical shapes, rangoli designs, and more? Did you know number patterns can be seen within patterns in nature? But first, what is a 'Number Pattern'? A Number Pattern is a sequence of numbers where each number is connected to the previous one in ONE specific way. Take this very simple number pattern: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4... How is each number in this sequence connected to the one before it? Well, every number in this sequence is the previous number with 1 ADDED to it. Here's another number pattern: 14,12,10, 8, 6... Each number in this sequence is the previous number with 2 SUBTRACTED from it. Now for a slightly more tricky pattern: 0, 1, 3, 6, 10, 15... How does this sequence work? Let's see. 0+1=1 1+2=3 3+3=6 6 + 4 = 10 10 + 5 = 15 Do you see the pattern here? What will the next number in this sequence be? Yes, 21, because 15 + 6 = 21. Now, let’s take the 'number pattern' we just discussed: 1, 3, 6, 10, 15... , and see if we can create a 'SHAPE pattern' from it. We can! We now have a 'shape pattern' of triangles that get bigger and bigger as we increase the number of dots according to our number pattern! A number pattern has become a shape pattern! If you found that interesting, it's time you were introduced to a beautiful number sequence called the Fibonacci (or Hemachandra) Sequence of numbers. The Fibonacci Sequence of numbers goes like this: 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34... Can you find the pattern that connects these numbers? Yes! Every number in the Fibonacci Sequence is the sum of the two numbers before it! Like this. 0+1 = 1 1+1 = 2 2+1 = 3 3+2 = 5 5+3 = 8 8+5 = 13 13+8 = 21 21+13 = 34 Got it? Good. Now for the REALLY interesting part - linking this number pattern to patterns in nature. The number of petals flowers have are often linked to Fibonacci numbers! Can you think of flowers with 1, 3 and 5 petals? (These are all Fibonacci numbers.) Here are some examples to help you along. 1 petal - 1. Anthurium; 2. Calla lilies 3 petals - 3. Bougainvillea; 4. Clovers 5 petals - 5. Temple tree; 6. Hibiscus; 7. Jasmine Flowers with 2 petals are not very common. The Crown of Thorns, which you see here, is one example. Flowers with 4 petals (4 is NOT a Fibonacci number) are also rare. Count the petals of flowers that you come across and see for yourself! The most interesting flower of all, where the Fibonacci sequence is concerned, is the daisy. Different daisy species have 13, 21, or 34 petals - which are all Fibonacci Numbers! There are even more complex and stunning patterns in nature that appear to be based on the Fibonacci numbers. If you are willing to do a little math, you can see it for yourself. Shall we try it out? Now, what would we get if we squared* each of the numbers in the Fibonacci sequence? Fibonacci Sequence: 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, etc. If we 'squared' each of these numbers, we would get: 1 x 1 = 1 Squared or 1 2= 1 2 x 2 = 2 Squared or 22= 4 3 x 3 = 3 Squared or 32= 9 5 x 5 = 5 Squared or 52= 25 8 x 8 = 8 Squared or 82= 64 13 x 13 = 13 Squared or 132= 169 So the Fibonacci Sequence Squared: 1 – 4 - 9 – 25 – 64 – 169 - etc. Now, just like we converted a number pattern into a shape pattern with the triangles before, let's try to convert the Fibonacci Sequence Squared into a shape pattern. Let's try to DRAW 12, 22 , 32 and so on. 12 is easy enough – it is just one square. 22 is drawn like this - 2 squares across and 2 squares down. We know that 22 = 4, and there are 4 squares in the figure (we call this figure a 'grid'). Similarly, 32 is drawn as 3 squares across and 3 squares down. Again, we know that 32 = 9, and there are 9 squares in the grid. 52 is drawn as 5 squares across and 5 squares down, making a grid with 25 squares, 82 as 8 squares across and 8 squares down, making a grid with 64 squares, 132 squared is drawn as a grid with 169 squares, and so on. Now, let's push all the grids we've drawn so far towards each other, and arrange them like in the picture. Done? Now draw a smooth curved line from one corner of the smallest grid to its opposite end, as shown in the figure. Now take the same curved line through each of the other grids, from smallest to biggest, from corner to opposite corner, ending with the 13 squared grid. What we get is a lovely spiral pattern. What is the link between this spiral pattern created by squared Fibonacci numbers, and nature? Well, the exact same Fibonacci Spiral can be found in nature! Where? Let's see, shall we? Here's the Fibonacci Spiral with one more grid - 212 - added to our original figure. See how the spiral continues? Does the spiral look familiar? Of course it does! You can see the Fibonacci spiral in seashells (although you might have to twist your head around a bit to see the exact spiral pattern of the previous page)... ... snail shells ... even eggs (see how this spiral goes the other way (anti-clockwise) as compared to the clockwise spiral on page 14?)! Even larger structures like hurricanes and even some galaxies seem to follow the Fibonacci Spiral pattern. Fascinating, isn’t it? A BRIEF HISTORY To end this exciting tale of Fibonacci Numbers, let's touch briefly upon the history of the Fibonacci Number Sequence. In the 11th century (almost 1000 years ago), a Jain scholar and monk called Hemachandra, who lived in present-day Gujarat, discovered an interesting mathematical pattern while studying poetry and music. He was looking at the number of different ways in which you could combine 'long' and 'short' sounds in music to create different rhythmic patterns. Around 100 years later, an Italian mathematician called Leonardo Fibonacci (c.1170 – c.1250) – wrote about the very same mathematical pattern in his book Liber Abaci, or 'Book of Calculation' in 1202. Fibonacci travelled extensively along the Mediterranean coast, meeting merchants from the East and finding out about how they did mathematics. It is possible that Fibonacci came across Hemachandra's sequence during his travels, but since he was the first one to introduce it to Europe, these numbers became known to the world as the Fibonacci Sequence. A word of caution: Although there are many examples in nature that seem to follow the Fibonacci pattern, there are also many examples in nature that do not – like four leaved clovers, or flowers with 4 petals. What's intriguing, though, is how often these Fibonacci Numbers do appear in nature. So far, scientists haven't figured out WHY nature seems to love Fibonacci numbers so much. Maybe YOU can find the answer when you grow up! Almost a thousand years ago, an Indian scholar called Hemachandra discovered a fascinating number sequence. A century later, the same sequence caught the attention of Italian mathematician Fibonacci, who The Fascinating Fibonaccis wrote about it. The Fibonacci sequence, as it began to be called, was straightforward enough - what made it fascinating was that this particular set of numbers was repeated many, many times in nature - in (English) flowers, seashells, eggs, seeds, stars... Find out more inside this book! " Physics_Bookbot_freekidsbooks.txt,"LITTLE BOOKS OF BIG FACTS Written by Bel Richardson Liquid Matter is all things that take up space, which Heat includes all liquids, solids, and gases. Energy is something that can be transferred between matter, like heat. Work happens when energy is transferred from one bit of matter to another. What is physics? The field of physics is about Do you think that light is understanding matter and matter or energy? energy and how Solid Light is a form of energy. they interact. Some of these things, like bombs, have been destructive. Other research has revealed things about our universe and It is a unit What is an of matter. helped us to improve technology. Different elements atom? have atoms with different structures. Understanding Which of these are made the structure of up of atoms: your bones, atoms has water, our atmosphere? helped us to do amazing things. All of these things are made up of atoms! By observing time, mass, and Why are distance in physics experiments, time, mass, we can calculate the work that is done, the energy that is and distance transferred, and how it important in transforms. physics? What is the difference if you lift If physics is all about the ways the first ball of Newton’s cradle a that matter interacts and how little or a lot? energy transfers between this How far you lift the first ball changes the work matter, we need ways to record that it can do and the energy that is transferred. energy transfers and If you lift the ball a little, it gently taps the others. transformations. If you lift it a lot, it sends the end ball flying. Work is all about when What are Heat and work are something is moved by heat and forms of energy transfer. force, such as bike pedals. Heat can be work in transferred to work, and work can be physics? transferred to heat. Heat is transferred from one bit of matter to another, from hot to cold, When you rub your like how you can be warmed by a hot water bottle. hands together, is heat causing work or is work causing heat? Work is transferring to heat. What are forces? They affect objects in different ways, depending on things like mass. The power of the force also changes the outcome. One very important force is gravity. We Why can some track gravity by the mass of something, how it speeds things float in up as it falls, and how this is different in water? other environments. Only things with a mass denser than water will have gravity drag it down. How do we see light and color? Physics also helps us to understand how light works, Why can’t you including how we see colors. When we see colors, our eyes are catching different wavelengths of light. touch a rainbow? The wavelengths range from short to long. Different objects absorb and reflect different wavelengths, It is made up of light reflecting off mist. and this is why we see things as different colors. The mist is matter, but the light is not. It also lets us understand how sound How do affects us, other we hear animals, and plants. sound? Just as our eyes pick up wavelengths How did Beethoven continue to of light, our ears pick up waves of sound. They start from the vibration compose music after he went deaf? of an object and are picked up by our Beethoven worked with vibrations. ears. Understanding how sound works has let us make different instruments and music. Physics has also been important as we have made computers, video games, and robots. Not only does physics explain how technology is powered, an understanding of it lets us keep improving our machines. Knowledge of energy What does physics have to transfer lets us make do with computers and machines that can do other machines? faster and more complex jobs. Why do we do physics tests on robots? We need to see how well a robot can interact in our world. What parts of Why is our gravity physics can be different to other planets explored in in the Solar System? space? The mass of a planet affects the gravity on it. Physics doesn’t just apply to our planet, but to everything in our universe. Physicists explore changes in gravity, find new planets by looking at light from stars, and even think about things that we cannot yet understand - like black holes and dark matter. There is a lot of work to do, but it is fascinating. How can Now that we are running out of fossil fuels to make physics help us electricity, physics is also with power and helping us to find new ways of making power energy? with renewables. Physics also helps us How can you get power understand how we can from the wind? turn things in our environment into energy, how things are powered, and how much energy As the wind turns turbines, it is different homes, cities, and doing work. This generates countries use or need. power that we can store. Why can Physics can also help us to understand geology, natural forms such as how our and disasters landscapes were formed and how they be explained might change with time. by physics? We can also understand natural disasters like earthquakes and How is a beach formed? tropical storms with physics by predicting how severe these A beach is made by the waves as disasters will be and they move sand, dirt, and rocks. when they might occur. Just imagine What will all of the physics do in amazing things you the future? might see in a lifetime. What is a good way to There are endless things to study in physics. From hear about what is energy efficient structures happening in physics? and engines to advances in Reading science and medical science, our understanding of physics technology news can will make new and keep you informed. wonderful things a reality. " Whales.txt,"Whales Whales are the biggest animals on the planet, even bigger than elephants! 1 The blue whale is the largest animal in the world. It’s about 94 feet long. That’s as long as a basketball court! 2 Whales live in all the oceans on the planet. They can live in both warm and cold water. 3 Whales are mammals just like cows or tigers or people. Whales give birth to live babies and feed their babies milk. 4 Different whales eat different things. Sperm whales eat giant squid and fish. Blue whales eat little shrimplike things called krill. 5 Whales can swim underwater for a long time but they must come up to the top to breathe air. They have blowholes on the top of their heads to help them breathe. 6 Whales sing songs to talk to one another, but they don’t use their mouths. They only make sounds with their blowholes. 7 Whales often jump out of the water. No one knows why they do this, but some people think it is a way of talking to each other. 10 Whales don’t have fins like fish do. They have flippers and a strong tail that help them swim long distances. 8 When winter comes, whales travel to where the water is warmer. They swim in big groups and can travel up to 3,000 miles. 9 Don’t be fooled by the killer whale! The name might trick you to think it’s a whale, but killer whales are a kind of dolphin. 11 It’s an amazing thing to see a whale. But I don’t think I’d want to get this close! 12 " NOAA_whale_activity_book_2010.txt,"The Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary lies within the shallow, warm waters surrounding the main Hawaiian Islands and is one of the world’s most important humpback whale habitats. Hawai‘i is the only place in the United States where humpback whales mate, calve, and nurse their young. Every year, from November to May, more than half of the North Pacific humpback whale population migrates nearly 3,000 miles to the warm protected waters of Hawai‘i. During whale season it is common to see humpback whales resting near shore or performing acrobatic displays that can be seen from miles away. In the spring and summer, humpback whales return to feed in the cool, nutrient-rich waters near Alaska and other northern areas. The sanctuary helps protect Hawai‘i’s ocean wilderness through research, education, conservation and stewardship. Explore fun games and activities and learn more about humpback whales and the sanctuary online at: Scientists identify individual humpback whales by studying their tails, which are also known as flukes. The scalloping, color patterns, and scars on the undersides of the flukes are as unique as your fingerprints. Match the numbered flukes on the left with the same flukes on the right. Whales are often seen leaping from the water (breaching) or slapping the surface of the water with their pectoral fins and flukes. These behaviors may serve a number of social functions. Whales may engage in these behaviors to communicate to other whales, to check out what is going on above the surface, or to simply play. If you are ever in a boat or swimming and see a whale exhibiting these behaviors, be sure not to get closer than 100 yards. Whales are protected by law, and we should be especially careful not to disturb them in a whale sanctuary, where they have come to give birth to their young. Find and circle the words that relate to whale behavior. Connect the dots to complete the humpback whale. North Pacific humpback whales feed in the cool, nutrient-rich waters near Alaska and other northern areas during the summer months and migrate south in winter to mate, calve and nurse their young. The exact route of approximately 3,000 miles is unknown. The open ocean poses many hazards such as collisions with vessels, entanglement in marine debris, and attacks by predators. Find a migration route from the waters off Alaska to the protected waters of Hawai‘i. Whales, dolphins, and porpoises are part of a group of mammals called cetaceans. There are about 80 different species of cetaceans in the world. Humpback whales (also known by their scientific name, Megaptera novaeangliae) are one of the more easily recognized cetaceans in Hawaiian waters. Don’t forget that Hawaiian waters also provide habitat for numerous other marine species including Hawaiian monk seals, green and hawksbill turtles, many species of fish, and coral reef inhabitants. Some of these are found nowhere else in the world. Connect the cetaceans shown below with their names to learn what other species may be found in Hawai‘i. Humpback whales display a wide variety of behaviors while in the waters off Hawai‘i. Can you identify the various humpback whale behaviors below? Tail Slap Head Slap Breach Peduncle Slap Spy Hop Pec Slap Answer the following questions with true or false. Can you explain your answers? 1. Whales are fish because they live in the ocean. T or F 2. Humpback whales live in Hawaiian waters all year long. T or F 3. Pec slapping may be a way that whales communicate. T or F 4. Humpback whales come to Hawai‘i to feed. T or F 5. The flukes of every humpback look the same. T or F 6. Whales are protected by laws. T or F 7. Humpback whales have hair follicles just like other mammals. T or F 8. Whales do not play. They are very serious animals. T or F 9. You must stay at least 100 yards away from a humpback whale. T or F 10. North Pacific humpback whales migrate over 6,000 miles T or F every year. Page 6 Answer: 1.b, 2.e, 3.a, 4.c, 5.d 1. Breach 2. Spy Hop 3. Pec Slap Page 7 4. Peduncle Slap 5. Head Slap 6. Tail Slap Answer: 1. False. Whales are mammals. 2. False. They migrate Page 8 to Hawaii in the winter. 3. True. As well as other social functions. 4. False. Most humpbacks feed in the colder waters off Alaska. 5. False. Humpback tail flukes are unique to each individual. 6. True. 7. True. 8. Whales, as well as humans engage in playful activity. 9. True. 10. True. Round trip from Alaska to Hawai‘i is approximately 6,000 miles. HAWAIIAN ISLANDS HUMPBACK WHALE NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY E-mail: hihumpbackwhale@noaa.gov Maui Headquarters Office & Sanctuary Kaua‘i Office Education Center 4370 Kukui Grove St. 726 South Kihei Rd. Suite 206 Kihei, HI 96753 Lihu‘e, HI 96766 Phone: (808) 879-2818 Phone: (808) 246-2860 Toll Free: 1-800-831-4888 Kona Office O‘ahu Office 73-4460 Queen Ka‘ahumanu Hwy. 6600 Kalaniana‘ole Hwy. Suite 112 Suite 301 Kailua-Kona, HI 96740 Honolulu, HI 96825 Phone: (808) 327-3697 Phone: (808) 397-2651 State of Hawai‘i DLNR Office Toll Free: 1-888-55-WHALE 1151 Punchbowl St. Suite 330 Honolulu, HI 96813 Phone: (808) 587-0106 Humpback Whale Activity Book 5th Edition January 2010 " 005-SUNNY-MEADOWS-WOODLAND-SCHOOL-Free-Childrens-Book-By-Monkey-Pen.txt,"The sun shone brightly over the meadow as Class 1 of Sunny Meadows Woodland School set off for their first trip to the Shadow Woods. Everyone was excited to be going on the adventure that they had been talking about for weeks. Their teacher, Miss Squirrel, had promised a trip to remember and the whole class now skipped excitedly through the meadow. Well, nearly all of the class; alone at the back of the group waddled Hank. Hank was a hedgehog who found it difficult to make friends. He always felt like the outsider. The others in the class, especially Matilda Mouse, kept away from Hank because they thought him odd. Yes, Hank was not really looking forward to the day. The journey to the Shadow Woods was longer than expected because Mr. Mole’s tunnel train was broken. Indeed Mr. Mole was there waving them off before he got back to work. This just made Miss Squirrel happier though, as she could talk to the children about all the wonderful flowers that filled Sunny Meadow. There was color everywhere. It looked as if a rainbow had crashed into the field. However, at the edge of the meadow, not everyone was looking at the flowers… Soon though, the Shadow Woods were upon them and something that looked small from far away suddenly grew very large before them. Each member of the class gave a slow gulp-Matilda Mouse, Rachel Rabbit, Wendy Weasel and Ralph Racoon. The biggest gulp came from Hank. He was nervous enough before they got to the woods and didn’t have a friend to hold on to. Matilda pretended to be brave, however, and ran on ahead compelling her friends to join her. Miss Squirrel was not happy about that and so she shouted for Matilda to come back. Then off she chased after her. Soon the whole class followed and before they knew it, they were right in the middle of the woods. Now instead of bright sunshine, only shadows scattered before them. The class stopped, their little mouths open in awe and wonder. Miss Squirrel was still chasing Matilda though and did not notice that she had left the little ones behind. Rachel Rabbit, Wendy Weasel and Ralph Racoon all held paws as they looked around them. Three very small friends.And Hank.The only noise now in the woods was silence. Suddenly, everyone got a fright as behind them Matilda mouse jumped from behind a berry-bush and shouted ""BOO!"" as loudly as she could. After they all had stopped shaking, her friends laughed.All except Hank. ""Silly Hank,"" said Matilda. ""You are just no fun!"" However, before Hank could reply, another noise made everyone turn around. This time though there was no Boo! of surprise and no laughter afterwards because there before the class was a very large and very hungry snake. His magical eyes twinkling with delight as his tongue spiked forward. ""Mmmm!! Lunchtime."" said the snake. It was at this point that the class realised that Miss Squirrel had not returned from chasing Matilda. The class was alone. Squeaks of fright squeezed out of the little animals’ mouths. Matilda and her friends all hugged each other fearing that this was the end. Suddenly though, Hank was scared no more. He found a way to save the class. He knew just what he had to do. ""Quick everyone- down this hole."" he shouted as he pointed to a hole under a hanging chestnut Tree. The animals stared at him and then jumped down the hole. Hank followed only to be stopped by Matilda who looked very angry. ""Hank, we are trapped now- you foolish hog."" But before she could add to her insult, Hank jumped up and flipped himself into a ball. Next, he rolled towards the mouth of the hole and blocked it with his pointy sharp spikes. There would be no lunch for the snake today! Later, back at school, Miss Squirrel was telling the head teacher, Mr Owl, about what had happened and how the snake had fled Hank’s pointy spikes. After the snake had slithered away, the class had quickly returned to school and each one had thanked their new friend Hank. Matilda gave him a big hug and apologised for what she had called him before. Hank was not odd, he was a hero and her new best friend. Hank, who was still unused to lots of attention, turned pink and popped into a ball as all his new friends cheered him. " SticksMasterpiece-Brothers-Whim-FKB-R.txt,"Spencer  Hanson Randy  Hanson I'm  sorry  I  can't  help  you  bird. I’m  just  the  me  you  see. I  cannot  paint  a  feast  for  you. Oh!  what  good can  I  be? Some  cotton balls for dinosaur, Just  then  she  saw  her  simple  shapes had  beauty  past  her  skill. She  did  not  ever  want  to  rest. So  much  to  do  here  still. When  morning  came  she  woke  and  saw, was  greeted  by  the  sun. Her  lines  and  shapes were  so  much  more. Her  masterpiece was  done. " 31924-telephones-bell-to-cell.txt,"Telephones - Bell to Cell When you want to make a call, what do you do? Reach out for a cell phone? Or use a landline plugged to a wall? Perhaps the one in the post office or the phone at the grocery store, where you pay the shopkeeper to use it? Whichever it is, the way you make the call remains the same: you enter the number and wait for it to ring. But it wasn’t always this simple. Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone in the 1880s. He made the first call on March 10, 1876, in his office in Boston, USA, to his assistant Thomas Watson. Bell shouted into the mouthpiece, asking Watson to come and see him. The assistant heard Bell through his earpiece and came running from the next room. At that time, the telephones did not have dials - the two phones were directly connected to each other by a wire! As more people began to get telephones, a central place called an exchange was set up. The exchange had a switchboard connected to every telephone in the area. An operator could plug in the wires on a switchboard to connect any two phones. A switchboard looked like this. And the telephones looked like this. They had a separate mouthpiece to speak into and an earpiece to listen from. They still didn’t have number dials! How did you make calls then? ""Hello! How may I help you?"" ""Operator, could you please connect me to Doctor Andrew?"" ""One moment."" First, you picked up the receiver. A telephone operator would greet you. The operator would then plug in a few wires and the doctor’s phone would start ringing. But you had to be mindful of what you said, because the telephone operator could listen to your conversation if she wanted to. As the number of telephones grew, it was not possible for an operator to know all the connections. So telephones were designed to have dials. You dialled a number instead of telling the operator to connect you. This number would get transmitted to a switchboard that could automatically connect telephones. However, operators still routed long-distance calls. In the late 1920s, the design of the phone changed. What changed? The mouthpiece and the earpiece were fused into a single handset. You could hold the handset in one hand, or cradle it between your neck and shoulder, leaving your hands free to write or wear your watch. Soon, people wanted to make calls on the move. No, they didn’t have cell phones yet. But you could stop on the street and call someone from public telephone booths. By the 1930s, many major cities across the world had such booths. In fact, this is how most people made calls. Only very rich people had telephones at home. Some years later, people wanted to use telephones while driving. So phones – complete with handsets and dials – were built into cars. But these car phones had no wires! They used radio waves to connect to other phones. In the 1970s, a few people had phones that they could carry around in their bags. This was the satellite phone. It could connect to other phones using satellites. Satphones were never popular because they needed a clear line-of-sight to a satellite in the sky. So if you lived on the second floor of a 20-storey building, you would have to go up to the terrace to make or receive calls. Cell phones began to be used at around the same time. These did not need a straight connect with a satellite. They connected to a tower nearby. So you could make calls sitting inside your house or office. The first cell phone, made in 1973, weighed more than one kilogram! Later, it got smaller and smaller until it could fit into your pocket. A cell phone is convenient in other ways too. Landline phones have to be connected with wires. This means a lot of digging to lay cables across and between towns. Since this also requires money, many villages did not have phones. But the wireless cell phone has changed that. Nearly everyone has a cell phone now. Today’s cell phones are for more than just making calls. You can chat, play games, send emails, browse the internet, listen to music, watch movies, click photos and record videos, download apps... What we call a smartphone is really a computer that can also make calls. What else could a phone of the future do? Today, you can speak out your friend’s name and your phone will call her up. Maybe one day you would be able to tell your phone, ""Find me the number of my third standard math teacher,"" and it would! The phone might be able to beam out three-dimensional images of objects. So you can look at a school bag from every side before you buy it online. On the inside too! I also imagine these phones as bendy. You can wrap them around your wrist or roll them up to fit a tiny purse. And charging! There has to be a better way to do that. Solar cells would be great – you would only have to be out in the sun to charge it. Or motion-based charging. This would use kinetic energy, which means that the phone would keep getting charged as long as it was on the move. If the battery was dying, you could take a quick run down the road. The phone would get charged and you would get some exercise. Smartphones become outdated very quickly! Most people throw away their phones in one or two years to buy newer ones. That means a lot of waste. How nice it would be if phones were earth- friendly. No harmful radiation, no toxic materials – all reusable or biodegradable parts. Now, that’s really smart technology! Now, tell me, what do you think phones will be like in the future? Inventor and Teacher Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone. Other scientists also worked on similar inventions. Bell’s parents inspired him to learn about sound and speech. His father was a professor of elocution. Alexander’s mother was almost completely deaf, but she learnt to play the piano. Alexander used to speak close to her forehead so that she could feel the vibrations and make out the words. He later started a school for the deaf in Boston. Throughout his life, Alexander kept discovering new ways to communicate. He had 18 patents to his name. His first invention, as a 16-year-old, was a machine to remove husk from wheat grains. Bell was fascinated by the way sound travels through vibrations. If you place your fingers on your throat and speak, you can feel the vibrations of your vocal chords that make the sound. When someone speaks, the vibrations reach your ears and make the eardrum vibrate. That’s how you hear things. As people move farther away, the vibrations become weaker and fade out. See the Sound! -An experiment Things you need: - 1 bowl - Plastic cling wrap - A few grains of rice - A steel plate and spoon Steps: 1. Take the bowl and stretch a plastic cling wrap tightly over it. Make sure it doesn’t sag. 2. Sprinkle a few grains of rice on the plastic film. 3. Take the steel plate and spoon, go close to the bowl with the plastic film, but don’t touch it. 4. Start hitting the plate with the spoon. But be careful not to touch the bowl! What do you see? " Busy-Bees-Flower-Friends-.txt,"Busy Bee’s Flower Friends The WILD FLOWER SOCIETY Registered Charity Number 271694 The Wild Flower Society is the only national society created specifically for amateur botanists and wild flower lovers in the UK. It aims to promote knowledge of, and enthusiasm for, the British flora and its conservation among the general public and in particular among young people. For more information, write to: The Wild Flower Society, 82A High Street, Sawston, Cambridge CB2 4HJ Busy Bee is very busy. She has to visit lots of flowers to get nectar and pollen so that she can make honey. Can you help her to find all the flowers? First, she goes to see a poppy. The poppy has four red petals. ""Hello, Poppy,"" says Busy Bee. ""Please may I have some nectar to drink, and some pollen to make into honey?"" ""Why, of course you can,"" the poppy replies. ""Thank you,"" says Busy Bee. ""Can I do anything to help you in return?"" ""Yes please,"" says the poppy. ""I need you to carry some of the pollen to another poppy flower."" ""Why is that?"" asks Busy Bee. ""Pollen is special flower dust,"" the poppy explains. ""Each flower needs pollen from another flower of the same kind so that it can make seeds."" ""I see,"" says Busy Bee. ""I shall find another poppy right away!"" And with that, Busy Bee buzzes off to find another poppy. Poppies have four red petals. Which flower is a poppy? ""Hello, poppy,"" says Busy Bee. ""I have some pollen for you."" ""Thank you very much,"" says the poppy. ""Would you like some nectar?"" ""Yes please,"" says Busy Bee, and she drinks the nectar. The poppy takes some pollen. ""Now I can make my seeds, and next year those seeds will grow into more poppy flowers."" Next, Busy Bee visits a Daisy. Daisies have more than ten white petals, and a yellow centre. ""Hello, Daisy,"" says Busy Bee. ""Please may I take some pollen and nectar?"" ""You may,"" says the daisy, ""but you must promise to take some of the pollen to another daisy. ""I promise I will,"" says Busy Bee, and with that, Busy Bee buzzes off to find another daisy. Daisies have more than ten white petals, and a yellow centre. Which flower is a daisy? ""Hello Daisy,"" says Busy Bee. ""I have some pollen for you."" ""Thank you,"" says the daisy. ""Now I can make some seeds. Would you like some of my pollen to make into honey?"" ""Yes please,"" says Busy Bee. ""Thank you very much."" Next, Busy Bee visits a daffodil. Daffodils have six yellow petals. ""Hello, Daffodil,"" says Busy Bee. ""Do you have any pollen for me to carry to another daffodil?"" ""Yes, I do,"" says the daffodil, ""and there is some spare for you to make into honey."" ""Thank you,"" says Busy Bee, and with that, Busy Bee buzzes off to find another daffodil. Daffodils have six yellow petals, Which flower is a daffodil? ""Hello daffodil,"" says Busy Bee. ""I have some pollen for you."" ""Thank you,"" says the daffodil. ""You can take some of my pollen too."" ""Thank you,"" says Busy Bee. Next, Busy Bee visits a mallow flower. Mallow flowers have five purple petals. ""Hallo, mallow,"" says Busy Bee. ""Hello, Busy Bee,"" says the mallow. ""Would you like some pollen and nectar?"" ""Yes please,"" says Busy Bee, ""and I will take some of your pollen to another mallow flower."" ""Thank you,"" says the mallow flower. ""You’re welcome,"" says Busy Bee, and with that, Busy Bee buzzes off to find another mallow flower. Mallow flowers have five purple petals. Which flower is a mallow? ""Hello mallow,"" says Busy Bee. ""I have some pollen for you."" ""Thank you very much,"" says the mallow. ""Now I can make my seeds."" Next, Busy Bee visits a bluebell. Bluebells have six blue petals, made into a bell shape. ""Hello bluebell,"" says Busy Bee. ""Do you have some pollen?"" ""Here you go,"" says the bluebell. ""Take some to another bluebell and there will be some left over to make into honey."" ""Thank you,"" says Busy Bee, and with that Busy Bee buzzes off to find another bluebell. Bluebells have six blue petals, made into a bell shape. Which flower is a bluebell? ""Hello, bluebell,"" says Busy Bee. ""I have some pollen for you."" ""Thank you,"" says the bluebell. ""You can have some of mine too."" ""Thank you very much,"" says Busy Bee. Next, Busy Bee visits a speedwell. Speedwells have four blue petals. ""Hello, speedwell,"" says Busy Bee. ""Hello, Busy Bee,"" says the speedwell. ""Have you come to collect my pollen?"" ""Yes please,"" says Busy Bee, ""and I will take some to another speedwell flower for you."" The speedwell gives Busy Bee some pollen. ""Thank you,"" says Busy Bee, and with that, Busy Bee buzzes off to find another speedwell. Speedwells have four blue petals. Which flower is a speedwell? ""Hello, speedwell,"" says Busy Bee. ""Here’s some pollen."" ""Thank you,"" says the speedwell. ""Now I can make my seeds so there will be more speedwells next year."" Next, Busy Bee visits a buttercup. Buttercups have five yellow petals. ""Hello, buttercup,"" says Busy Bee. ""Hello, Busy Bee,"" says the buttercup. ""Would you like some nectar to drink?"" ""Yes please,"" says Busy Bee. ""Would you like me to carry some pollen to another buttercup?"" ""Yes please,"" says the buttercup. ""No problem,"" says Busy Bee, and with that, Busy Bee buzzes off to find another buttercup. Buttercups have five yellow petals. Which flower is a buttercup? ""Hello, buttercup,"" says Busy Bee. ""I’m not a buttercup!"" says the flower. ""I am a primrose."" ""But you have five yellow petals,"" says Busy Bee. ""Yes,"" says the primrose, ""primroses have five petals too, but our petals are a different shape. Look, there’s a buttercup."" ""Oh, I’m sorry,"" says Busy Bee, and with that, Busy Bee buzzes off to see the buttercup. ""Hello, buttercup,"" says Busy Bee, ""I have some pollen for you. Sorry I’m late."" ""Don’t worry,"" says the buttercup. ""Thank you for coming."" Then Busy Bee sees the grass. ""Hello grass,"" says Busy Bee. ""Do you have any flowers?"" ""Yes I do,"" the grass replies, ""but they are green and brown, and very small."" ""If your flowers were bigger and brighter, I could see them more easily and visit you more often to carry your pollen,"" Busy Bee suggests. ""No thank you,"" says the grass. ""The wind carries my pollen for me."" Then Busy Bee visits a dandelion. Dandelions have more than ten yellow petals. ""Hello, Dandelion,"" says Busy Bee. ""How are you today?"" ""Very well,"" the dandelion replies. ""I have lots of pollen for you."" ""Thank you,"" says Busy Bee, ""I will take some to another dandelion,"" and with that, Busy Bee buzzes off to find another dandelion. Dandelions have more than ten yellow petals. Which flower is a dandelion? ""Hello, dandelion,"" says Busy Bee. ""Here is some pollen for you."" ""Thank you very much,"" says the dandelion. ""Now I can make my seeds. Look, that dandelion has already made seeds. Dandelion seeds make a dandelion clock."" Busy Bee goes to the dandelion clock, and blows it as hard as she can. One o’clock… Two o’clock… Three o’clock… Four o’clock… Five o’clock! Time to go home for tea. Next time you are in a field or garden, or at the park, see what flowers you can find. You might see some of Busy Bee’s flower friends. You might even see Busy Bee herself, but don’t disturb her: remember, she’s very busy! Notes for Grown-ups 1) This book. This book can initially be used for practicing numbers and colours, then hopefully later on, children will begin to learn the flowers by heart. If the story is too long for the very young, miss out different flowers each time: this also ensures that they are learning the numbers, colours and flowers, and not just the order of flowers in the book. It is better to go through a few flowers properly, reading actively, naming colours and counting petals, than to skim through the whole book. 2) Activities. The next page contains a quiz activity, and a separate activity booklet will be available soon. 3) Outside.            should be able to find some of these flowers, if only daisies and grass! It is vital, of course, to impress upon children that bees in real life do not make good playmates! A bee sting is not pleasant, and can cause a dangerous allergic reaction, but it can probably be better avoided by showing bees a healthy respect (""Don’t disturb her: remember, she’s very busy!"") than by running and screaming in terror. 4) Taking things further. Look out for children’s events organised by your local nature reserves and wildlife groups. The Wild Flower Society (details inside back cover) provides support for families, young people and adults to develop an interest in field botany. But most importantly, get a good field guide book, go outside and open your eyes! Happy flower-finding!    ’s Flower Friends to their names. Mallow Buttercup Speedwell Primrose Dandelion Daisy Grass Daffodil Poppy Bluebell " The-Day-it-Rained-Fish.txt,"The Day It Rained Fish Avanti was the zookeeper of Pitara zoo. There were many, many animals in Pitara, but Avanti's best friend was Ballu, the bear. Ballu was big, brown and strong. On his fourth birthday, Avanti organised a little party for Ballu. ""Ballu, can you blow out all the candles at once?"" Avanti asked. ""Of course!"" said Ballu. He filled his chest with air. He huffed and puffed and puffed and huffed and went ""WHOOSH!"" The blast of air blew the candles out. Then rising up, it crashed into the clouds in the sky. And all of a sudden, there was was a roar of thunder and it started to rain. ""Hey, it’s raining fish,"" Avanti shouted. Ballu looked around with wonder. Then he picked up a huge basket and ran around collecting fish as they fell from the sky. Every time the basket filled, he dropped the fish in a little pond and ran back for more. Then, as he was rushing for the tenth time to the pond, he turned back. The water level had risen and he could see that Avanti was scared. Ballu came back quickly, picked Avanti up and placed her on his shoulders. Avanti put her arms around Ballu's neck and thanked him. Soon, the clouds disappeared and the sun came out. It was bright and cheerful once again. ""I will never again ask you to blow the candles out,"" said Avanti. ""Why?""asked Ballu. ""Who knows? Next time it might start raining frogs,"" Avanti said and the two friends started laughing. " FKB-kids-stories-grandmas-glasses.txt,"Grandma’s Glasses Nani keeps losing her glasses. ""Where did I keep them?"" she always asks. Without her glasses, she cannot find her glasses. So she needs me. To be her eyes, to find her own eyes! Sometimes her spectacles are in the bathroom. Or on her bed. Or on her head. ""Nani,"" I say, ""they are on your head!"" ""Of course! How silly of me. Thank you, Richa dear,"" she says with a giggle. This time, though, I cannot find Nani’s glasses. Not yet. I have looked everywhere. In all the usual places. On her head, in the bathroom, inside her cupboard, and on the puja shelf. I have looked under her favourite chair and on the dining table. Nothing. No glasses. Where could they be ? I decided to be a good detective. I decided to find out what she had done all day. ""I did nothing much today. Except that Veena’s mother-in-law came, you know. And how much she gossips! We had many cups of tea. And she ate all the laddoos your mother had made,"" said Nani. Raju said, ""Nani was very busy today. She wrote a letter to the Chief Minister about her pension."" Amma said, ""She spoke for a long time to your Masi. She finished knitting the sweater for Raju. And then she went for a short walk."" I now had many clues. I quickly looked around new places in the house. Aha! I have found the missing glasses! The spectacles were wrapped in wool, kept next to her pen, under the phone, on her desk. And I found a half-eaten laddoo there as well. For Nani's next birthday, I will save money for an extra pair of glasses! " Professor-Archie-Makes-a-Bang.txt,"Why is phonics important to learn? The English language seems like it is full of a lot of crazy pronunciations and spelling. While a small amount of English must be rote learned due to exceptions from rules, much of it can be decoded using phonics. When you know phonics, you are like a detective following clues to solve a mystery. In this series, we use only words that your little reader will be able to break down into standard phonemes. This will build reading confidence while strengthening their phonics foundation. Is this the right level for my little reader? If your reader can decode about 90% of the words in this book independently, this will be an appropriate platform to begin their study of phonics. By understanding a majority of the words, a reader can use context to decode new terms. If a reader breezes through, you might need to take them up another level. If this level is still a bit too tricky for them, get your reader to try some of the earlier levels first. Challenges can be good, but too much too quickly could overwhelm your reader. Take things slow and steady. Enjoy the books and the journey together! How can I be a good learning buddy for my reader? If you are helping somebody to read this book, there are plenty of ways that you can go about it. Do the initial exercises together before you begin to read so that you have both experienced the isolated sounds and discussed them. If the reader gets stuck, cover up all but the first phoneme in the word so that the sound can be isolated again. Slowly move along and reveal more phonemes. Once they can say each individual part of the word, you can focus on blending. Say the words so that they can hear them, and get them to repeat it out aloud several times. To consolidate knowledge after you finish a page, talk about what happened and what is in the picture. Then, try saying some of the words on the page and see if the reader can identify them. Get the reader doing this as well, saying words which you need to find. Above all, you should be patient. Create a safe place to make mistakes so that the reader is willing to give things a go. Special Words This book has some special words that you should take your reader through before you begin. Many special words are those that we use in day-to-day conversation. Unfortunately, a lot of their phonetic structures do not conform to rules that your reader has learned. These words can be frustrating and confusing, but they are also a part of natural reading, writing, and conversation. Professor Say each word to your reader a few times so that they can get used to its sound. Get them to repeat it back to you. Afterwards, see if your reader can think of any words that rhyme with this sound in order to help lock in how to pronounce it. Finally, think of some basic sentences that use this word. For example, if the word is ‘the’ you can create basic sentences with a subject, verb, and object: ""The hat is on the table."" Professor Archie is intelligent. He loves science and he loves making new things. Archie thinks about things that have not been made yet. Archie thinks by day. Archie thinks by night. Archie thinks in bed. Archie thinks in the shower. Archie scribbles at his desk. Then it clicks, and a new thing is started. Archie made a computer that can make food. It can put bread in the toaster. It can crack eggs into a pan. It can cook meat in the oven. It can even squeeze oranges. Time to eat! Archie made a pencil that can draw on its own. If a photo is taken, Archie’s pencil gets a digital note. It starts drawing on paper. It can draw a dolphin. It can draw a spaceship. It can even draw a dolphin driving a spaceship! Archie made a bicycle that can make energy. As he rides, his feet turn the wheels. As the wheels turn, they make energy. Archie’s bicycle can charge a phone. It can even run a computer! Archie made an ambulance that can lift up over the road and fly. If the ambulance needs to get to a place quickly, it can! Archie even made it that the ambulance can land in the sea. Good work Professor Archie! At times, Archie likes to make simple things. A backpack that can tell which way to walk. A fridge that can decide which food he needs to eat. Ice cream that never melts! These things make us glad. Good job Professor Archie. What will Archie make next…? " Practice_test-Math-5th_Grade-Nebraska_2016_WA.txt,"A 2 STOP. 1 1. What is ÷3? 4 1 A. 12 3 B. 4 4 C. 3 D. 12 2. Billy jumps 4 yards. What is the length of his jump, in inches? A. 40 B. 48 C. 124 D. 144 3. What is 9,887 rounded to the nearest thousand? A. 9,000 B. 9,800 C. 9,900 D. 10,000 A 3 Go on to the next page. 4. Use the picture below to answer the question. How many edges does the right rectangular prism have? A. 6 B. 8 C. 10 D. 12 2 3 5. Which set of steps shows the sum of + in simplest form? 3 4 2 3 8 9 17 5 A. + → + → → 1 3 4 12 12 12 12 2 3 5 5 10 3 B. + → + → → 1 3 4 7 7 7 7 2 3 6 12 18 1 C. + → + → → 1 3 4 12 12 12 2 2 3 8 9 17 7 D. + → + → → 1 3 4 12 12 12 12 6. Which is true? A. 4.09 > 4.50 B. 2.31 > 2.18 C. 5.23 < 5.14 D. 6.80 < 6.29 A 4 Go on to the next page. 7. Use the graph below to answer the question. Animals at the Zoo 12 Number of Animals 10 8 6 4 2 0 elephant shark penguin giraffe Type of Animal Which conclusion is true? A. There are six more giraffes than penguins. B. There are two more elephants than giraffes. C. There are three more penguins than sharks. D. There are eight more penguins than elephants. 8. What is 4,376 ÷ 36? A. 121 B. 121R20 C. 122 D. 122R16 A 5 Go on to the next page. 9. Which figure is labeled correctly? A. B. prism sphere C. D. cone cube 10. Use the graphic below to answer the question. + What is the sum of the fractions represented by the blocks? A. 0.12 B. 1.155 C. 1.2 D. 1.65 A 6 Go on to the next page. 11. Which number does 105 represent? A. 50 B. 500 C. 10,000 D. 100,000 1 1 1 12. A recipe calls for pound of nuts, pound of candy pieces, and pound of dried fruit. What is 4 8 3 the total weight, in pounds, of nuts, candy pieces, and dried fruit the recipe calls for? 1 A. 15 3 B. 15 17 C. 24 17 D. 8 13. What is the product of 18 × 24? A. 108 B. 128 C. 432 D. 632 A 7 Go on to the next page. 14. What is the standard form of forty-five and nine tenths? A. 45.009 B. 45.09 C. 45.9 D. 45.910 15. Use the coordinate grid below to answer the question. y 7 6 5 4 P 3 2 1 x 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 What are the coordinates of point P? A. (3, 5) B. (5, 3) C. (5, 4) D. (6, 3) 16. When solving the expression 4 + 6 ÷ 2 × 5 – 3, which operation is performed first? A. 4+6 B. 6÷2 C. 2×5 D. 5–3 A 8 Go on to the next page. 3 17. Which shows as a decimal? 4 A. 0.25 B. 0.34 C. 0.43 D. 0.75 18. Use the figure below to answer the question. Key = 1 cubic unit What is the volume of the figure? A. 11 units3 B. 27 units3 C. 34 units3 D. 36 units3 19. What is 170 × 10? A. 17 B. 170 C. 1,700 D. 17,000 A 9 Go on to the next page. 20. Which set of ordered pairs could be generated by the rule y = 7x? A. (0, 7), (1, 14), (3, 28) B. (1, 7), (2, 14), (4, 28) C. (7, 0), (14, 1), (28, 3) D. (7, 1), (14, 2), (28, 4) 21. This question has two parts. Answer part A, and then answer part B. Part A Use the equation below to answer part A. 14 × 10? = 140,000 What is the missing number that makes the equation true? A. 2 B. 4 C. 6 D. 8 Part B Use the equation below to answer part B. 4,800,000 ÷ 10? = 480 What is the missing number that makes the equation true? A. 4 B. 5 C. 6 D. 7 A 10 Go on to the next page. 22. Use the graph below to answer the question. y 5 C 4 3 2 A 1 B x –5 –4 –3 –2 –1 1 2 3 4 5 –1 –2 –3 –4 –5 Select all of the statements that are true. Select all. A. Point B is located at the origin. B. Point A is located only on the x-axis. C. Point C is located only on the y-axis. D. Point A is located on both the x-axis and y-axis. E. Point B is not located on either the x-axis or y-axis. A 11 Go on to the next page. 23. Use the bar graph below to answer the question. Tabitha’s Class’ Shirts 10 9 8 Number of Students 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 black green white Color The bar graph represents the numbers of students in a class wearing black, green, and white shirts. Select all of the statements that are true. Select all. A. There is a total of 6 students in the class wearing green shirts. B. There is a total of 10 students in the class wearing white shirts. C. There is a total of 25 students in the class wearing black, green, or white shirts. D. There is a total of 15 students in the class wearing either a black shirt or a green shirt. E. There is a total of 19 students in the class wearing either a black shirt or a white shirt. A 12 STOP. NeSA-M Grade 5 Reference Sheet Shape Area Perimeter Key Rectangle A=l×w P = 2l + 2w l = length s = side length Square A=s×s P=s+s+s+s w = width Standard Units Metric Units Conversions – Length 1 foot (ft) = 12 inches (in.) 1 centimeter (cm) = 10 millimeters (mm) 1 yard (yd) = 3 feet (ft) = 36 inches (in.) 1 meter (m) = 100 centimeters (cm) 1 mile (mi) = 1,760 yards (yd) = 5,280 feet (ft) 1 meter (m) = 1,000 millimeters (mm) 1 kilometer (km) = 1,000 meters (m) Conversions – Volume 1 cup = 8 fluid ounces (fl oz) 1 liter (l) = 1,000 milliliters (ml) 1 pint (pt) = 2 cups 1 liter (l) = 1,000 cubic centimeters (cu. cm) 1 quart (qt) = 2 pints (pt) 1 gallon (gal.) = 4 quarts (qt) Conversions – Weight/Mass 1 pound (lb) = 16 ounces (oz) 1 gram (g) = 1,000 milligrams (mg) 1 ton = 2,000 pounds (lb) 1 kilogram (kg) = 1,000 grams (g) Grade 5 Mathematics Practice Test Answer Key Sequence Key Points 1 A 1 2 D 1 3 D 1 4 D 1 5 A 1 6 B 1 7 C 1 8 B 1 9 C 1 10 C 1 11 D 1 12 C 1 13 C 1 14 C 1 15 B 1 16 B 1 17 D 1 18 D 1 19 C 1 20 B 1 21 Part A: B 2 Part B: A 22 A, B, C 2 23 B, C, D 2 Grade 5 Mathematics Practice Test " Butterflies.txt,"Butterflies A butterfly is an insect. It has six legs and four wings. A butterfly’s body head has three parts. The abdomen helps a butterfly eat, breathe, and make thorax babies. The thorax is where the legs and wings are abdomen attached. A butterfly’s head has a mouth, two eyes and two antennae. Butterflies use their antennae to smell. A butterfly has a long tube for a mouth that works just like a straw. It helps the butterfly drink nectar from inside flowers. A mother butterfly lays her eggs on plants. She chooses plants that her babies can eat for food. Butterfly eggs only take a few days or weeks to hatch. Baby caterpillars are tiny when they are first born. Caterpillars do nothing but eat and grow. Some grow to full size within a week. Others can take up to a year. When the caterpillar reaches full size, it finds a safe place and attaches itself to a branch. Its skin comes off and under the old skin is a new, hard skin called a chrysalis. Inside the chrysalis, the caterpillar is turning into a butterfly. Sometimes this takes a week, but it can take up to eight months. The caterpillar has changed into a butterfly! It is ready to fly away, lay more eggs and start the cycle all over again. " behind_the_lie-domestic_violence-pratham-FKBMAD.txt,"Behind the Lie As soon as their father left for work, Ramesh swept up the broken glass while Valli made tea. Though she was only eight years old, she had already learnt how to make the strong, sweet tea that their mother liked. In between sips, Amma held the warm glass to her throbbing forehead. And to her swollen cheek. I fell. I tripped. The glass shattered when I dropped it. These were Amma’s usual excuses. And no one looked beyond what she said. Not even when the children started repeating the lies. ""Buying bread for the third day in a row?"" asked Murugan, the owner of the neighbourhood store. There weren’t many customers at his store that morning so he chatted with Valli as he entered her purchases into his account book. ""If your Amma is still not well enough to cook, don’t you think you should take her to the doctor?"" ""It’s not that kind of illness, Murugan anna,"" Valli sighed. ""What kind of illness is it, then?"" Murugan persisted. ""Just that her arm is hurting very badly. Because she tripped on the road and fell straight on her shoulder,"" Valli repeated her mother’s lie. But her eyes told another story. And though she avoided Murugan’s eyes, he felt very uneasy. Something was not right. He discussed it with his wife, Sarasa, later that evening and was shocked to hear the truth about Valli’s mother, Meenakshi. ""It’s not tripping or falling. It’s her monster of a husband. Looks like he wouldn’t hurt a fly! But that’s just a mask. Poor Meenakshi — she puts up with all his blows and beatings to protect the children."" Murugan was very upset. ""I didn’t know this. Why didn’t you tell me earlier? We should have done something."" After all, both families had lived on the same street for years. It wasn’t right that Meenakshi and her children should suffer like this. ""You mean you’ve never noticed?"" Sarasa was surprised, ""Meenakshi’s bruises? The cut lip some weeks ago? It breaks my heart,"" she sighed. ""But what can we do? Interfering might only make things worse."" Murugan wondered how he could help without making things worse for Meenakshi and her children. He thought about it deeply before coming up with a plan. The help Murugan arranged arrived at Valli’s door some days later. It came wearing a wide smile a khaki police uniform. ""I’m Sub Inspector Jaya,"" the young policewoman introduced herself. ""My uncle, Murugan maama, asked me to visit you. I got off duty early today, so I stopped here on my way home."" Luckily for Valli and her family, Appa was travelling on work. When their father was at home, the three of them lived under a cloud of fear, always scared about doing something that could set off his violent temper. ""Don’t make Appa angry,"" Meenakshi would beg her children every day. ""No singing, Ramesh. Please! Don’t bounce that ball, Valli."" SI Jaya listened patiently when the children told her all of this. Then she and Amma spoke in low voices for a long time while the children did their homework. When it was time to leave, Jaya insisted that they note down her mobile number. ""You can call me any time. Day or night. And if I can’t come myself, I’ll have the beat policeman at your door in minutes,"" she promised. ""But I don’t have a phone,"" Amma pointed out, ""My husband refuses to let me have one."" Jaya made Amma write down her number anyway. ""This terrible situation is not your fault,"" were her parting words to them as she got onto her bike. ""This violence is not okay. And the three of you should never suffer in silence thinking it is normal. Meenakshi, you must think about what we’ve discussed and do some of the things I’ve suggested."" After she left, Valli asked Amma what Jaya meant. ""The SI wants me to write to someone in our family telling them how things are. She says we should not keep hiding our problem. That we should share our problem with people who care for us. She also said I could file a complaint at our Police Station if I wanted. But I don’t know what to do. Will any of this really help us?"" Ramesh nodded gloomily. He was moody, and suspicious of everyone these days. More so ever since he too had become the target of Appa’s anger whenever he rushed to help Amma. ""The SI wouldn’t have given us her personal number anyway. Try calling that number,"" he challenged his mother and sister bitterly. ""I bet you a full bar of chocolate that you’ll just get a recorded message. Or no one will answer."" ""Let’s write to someone first then. Why not write to Paati?"" Valli knew Appa was a little scared of his mother. It took a few days, but Amma did finally write to Paati. Then, they all waited eagerly for a reply. A visit from Paati would be nice. She was strict with them but what fun they had when she visited, bringing tins of home-made snacks with her. She would braid Valli’s hair in a new way each day and play cricket with them in the tiny lane. Amma would join them sometimes. Paati and Ramesh would sing together at home, and though Appa would look very irritated, he would control his temper while Paati was there. Yes, their grandmother would tell Appa that his violence was not acceptable. But when two weeks passed with no answer from Paati, all three grew downcast. What could they do next, they wondered sadly. Appa had been travelling and when he returned, he had some news for them. ""My mother called me a few days ago,"" he said gruffly. ""She’s arriving here tomorrow. She wants to stay a few months. Months! I can’t understand why. Here…"" he flung some money on the kitchen counter. ""Pay the bill at the store and don’t forget to buy my mother’s special brand of coffee when you buy provisions for the month."" As soon as he left, slamming the door angrily behind him, the children jumped with excitement. ""Give us a little of that money to buy sweets, Amma!"" Ramesh pleaded. Amma agreed. More rare than the money she gave each of them was the half-smile on her face. On their way to school, Valli made Ramesh stop at Murugan’s store. After SI Jaya’s visit to their home, Murugan made it a point to talk to the children whenever he could. He was busy when they entered the store, so Valli prodded Ramesh to the place where the sweets were displayed. ""You had better buy me that full bar of chocolate before you spend your money on anything else,"" she demanded, ""because I am surely going to win the bet."" It took Ramesh a minute to remember the bet he had made the day SI Jaya had visited. He laughed and told his sister to hurry up. When Valli had chosen what she wanted, she went up to Murugan and asked whether she could make a call from his phone. She dialed Jaya’s number. ""Yes, Murugan maama,"" answered a familiar voice at the other end. Valli wiggled her thumb at Ramesh. So much for him thinking that the policewoman wouldn’t answer their call. ""Jaya akka, it’s me. Valli."" ""Is everything alright, Valli? Do you need help?"" Jaya sounded concerned. ""We’re fine, akka. I just called to tell you that my Paati is coming to stay with us for a few months because Amma wrote telling her about Appa. And… how bad things were."" ""That’s such good news! And now you also know how to reach me, right? You can call me any time for help."" The call over and Murugan’s many questions answered, the children started unwrapping their chocolate as they left the store. Valli’s heart felt lighter. Not just because of the chocolate they were sharing. Not even because of the whole extra bar she had won from her brother. But because, for the first time in months, she could hear Ramesh singing softly to himself as they walked to school. How children can cope with violence in the home Children who live with an abusive or violent parent often feel scared or angry or ashamed. This is only natural. If you know anyone in this situation, let them know that: No one should suffer violence in silence. All children and adults have the right to live in safety, especially within their home. The violence is never the child’s fault. The child’s actions or behaviour does not cause the violence. Violence in the home is a crime. In India, the law provides protection to children and women once the crime is reported. Those found guilty of the crime will be punished. When children cannot act on their own to report abuse, their friends and classmates can help by: Suggesting they share the problem with trusted people and following up until they do. Trusted adults could be grandparents, aunts, uncles, neighbours, school principal. Discussing the problem with their own parents and seeking their help. Calling for help on their behalf if required. Call 1098. This is CHILDLINE, the 24-hour helpline which can be dialled from any part of India by any child or adult. It provides immediate help to children seeking protection from child abuse, violence against a parent at home or any crime against children. " manners-in-the-park-spot-the-difference-pratham-FKB.txt,"Manners in the Park - Spot the Difference 1a. The children in this park are playing happily. 1b. The children in this park are not playing happily. Can you spot why? 2a. The children are playing as a team. 2b. The children are not playing as a team. Can you spot why? 3a. The people are walking in a spotless park. 3b. The people are walking in a messy park. Can you spot why? 4a. The children are having fun together. 4b. The children are not having fun at all. Can you spot why? 5a. The water in this park is clean. 5b. The water in this park is polluted. Can you spot why? SPOT THE DIFFERENCES In one park, the children are playing happily and making friends. In the other park, the children are neither kind nor considerate. Who could spot the most differences – your friends, teachers, parents or you? 1a, 1b 1. Two children are trying to get on the swing at the same time. 2. A child is pulling another child’s leg while he is on the monkey bar. 3. A child is throwing sand at anyone who tries to enter the sandbox. 4. The monkey bar is missing two rods. 5. A red swing seat has turned blue. 6. The shovel in the sand box is missing. 2a, 2b 1. A girl is arguing with the referee. 2. Two children are about to punch each other while tackling the ball. 3. A player from one team is tripping the runner from the other team. 4. All the blue checks on a white shirt become blue stripes on a white shirt. 5. A girl’s hairstyle is different. 6. The referee has a blue whistle around his neck. 3a, 3b 1. A man is seen throwing a toffee wrapper on the ground. 2. A tea seller has a clutter of plastic cups around him. 3. A child has thrown some trash into the bin and missed. 4. There is a blue plastic packet in the bushes. 5. The walls along the boundary of the park have old posters. 6. There is a pile of rubbish under the lamp. 4a, 4b 1. A girl in the green top is angry with the boy who wants to skip with them. 2. A few younger kids are seen seated with their roller skates on, the older girl is not letting them skate with her. 3. One roller skater is elbowing another. 4. One of the shoelaces on the roller skates is untied. 5. The hopscotch area has an extra box. 6. One skipping rope is blue. 5a, 5b 1. The child in a red shirt, standing next to the gardener, has plucked a flower. 2. One child is twisting a dog’s tail, the dog looks distressed. 3. A jogger is spitting into the water. 4. One of the flowers in the garden is yellow. 5. The water is foaming. 6. The goose leaving the pond has a film of black liquid on its wing. " SamSam-and-Marzipan-The-Cubby-House.txt,"Sam Sam and Marzipan Sam Sam and Marzipan is an imaginative adventure story as seen through the eyes of a four year old boy. Sam and his faithful off white and ginger cat - Marzipan, live in a magical world where Marzipan not only talks but understands Sam’s every thought and is his most loyal friend. Other objects come to life and assume characters as imaginative and creative as only a four year old boy can be. In a world where imagination has no boundaries Sam Sam, creates his own world with - his silly old cat. Sam Sam is Sam’s imaginative name - an extension of Sam, and his name when he assumes his world of imagination, which as a sole child, he seeks out regularly. As Marzipan sits on the table, Sam Sam shouts to his cubby friends. Sam’s dad built the cubby with table, kitchen chairs and a wooden stove. ‘Come on Tock! Come on Dish! Come on Spoon! Gather around and listen!’ says Sam Sam, As Tock waves his arms and joins Dish and Spoon to hear Sam Sam tell them about today’s adventure.. ‘We’re heading to sea! A big chocolate sea, with mountains made of marshmallow and ALL sorts of things!’ Sam Sam says excitedly. Everyone is excited as Sam Sam leans out the cubby window and, like the Captain of a ship, stares out over a large chocolate sea. The ship is smashing against big waves. ‘Hold on!’ Sam Sam shouts as he puts his hand out and tastes the chocolate sea. ‘Mmmmm yummy!’ he exclaims in delight. ‘What do you think Dish?’ Dish tastes the chocolate sea. ‘Pretty good, don’t you think?’ asks Sam Sam. As Tock steers the ship they pass giant vanilla icebergs that they can taste. They all eat vanilla ice-cream until it is dripping down their chins. Sam Sam knows that his mother would tell him off, but as Captain of the ship he can do whatever he likes! Sam Sam and Marzipan stare out at the chocolate sea, the vanilla icebergs, and the Marshmallow Mountains that are on top of the small island ahead. ‘Go to the island Tock!’ Sam Sam yells. The island is made of coconut and the trees are large ice cream cones filled with lollies! Sam Sam and friends were so full from eating they could hardly move! But it was getting late and time to head home. When they got home Sam’s mother yells out that it is time for dinner. Marzipan moves back onto the table in the cubby house which is filled with bags of lollies. Sam looks on, ‘Silly old cat!’ he says. " Tanias-Cycling-Adventure-.txt,"Tania's Cycling Adventure It was summer. The month of May was unbearably hot in Bombay. So every year during the worst of the sweltering hot weather, Tania and her parents left the city for a week long vacation to a hill station. This year they went to Shimla. Shimla is a hill station in the mighty Himalayan mountain range. Tania and her parents were staying in a resort with sprawling grounds. The area around the hotel was surrounded by lush green cedar and pine forests. The place was indeed very picturesque. Every morning after breakfast and every evening after a scrumptious tea, Tania and her parents went for walks in the forests. Mama pointed out pretty flowers of many different colours and sizes. Tania would sometimes spot the flowers before mama and cry out ""Mama, look there is an orange flower."" During the day there was not much for Tania to do. Her parents liked to read, laze, play cards or chat, and that was too boring for the energetic little four year old. The hotel had a children's activity room where Tania had found a pretty pink tricycle. She wanted to ride the tricycle around the hotel grounds. Mama thought it was a good idea and comfortably settled down to read a book on a shady spot on the lawn. She said ""Tania, don't wander off too far away. You may get lost. The grounds are quite big. Stay where I can see you."" Tania was merrily cycling up and down a path in front of the lawn where mama sat. She was a fairly good girl and typically listened to mama. After a few minutes Tania spotted a squirrel. Tania loved little furry animals. She started riding towards the squirrel. But as she got close the squirrel started running away. She followed as fast as she could, completely forgetting what mama had said about staying in sight. She saw that the squirrel had stopped near a large tree at a short distance. She got off the cycle and slowly approached the squirrel so as not to startle it. She pulled out a couple of almonds from her pocket and stretched out her hand offering the nuts to the squirrel. The squirrel looked at her suspiciously for a minute. Tania knew she should not get too close or the squirrel would run away again. Cautiously the squirrel started approaching her. Then it suddenly darted towards her, grabbed the nut and stepped back again. It chomped away on the nut keeping a sharp eye on Tania. Tania waited patiently holding the second nut. Slowly the squirrel began to trust her. He was less skittish when he approached her for the second nut. Tania fed the squirrel a few more nuts and made friends with it. She was happy she had the nuts in her pocket. She had put them there to snack on during the morning walk with her parents. After playing with the squirrel for sometime, Tania got up to get back on her cycle. It was only then that Tania realised that she had never seen this part of the hotel grounds before. She was so intent on following the squirrel that she did not see where she was going. ""Oh, oh!"" she thought, ""Now I am lost."" She decided to cycle along the path for a little while. May be she would see something familiar. In the mean time mama was getting worried. She had not seen Tania in a while. She started looking for her but couldn't find her. The grounds were huge and mama was feeling annoyed with Tania for wandering off. She informed the hotel staff and they sent out a few people in different directions to search for her. As Tania cycled on she came across a fountain. It had a shallow pool of water around it. It was really quaint, and Tania walked up to it for a closer look. She saw a frog in the pool. She was seized with the desire to touch the frog, so she leaned over the edge of the pool and stretched out her hand. But she slipped, lost her balance and fell in to the pool. Soaking wet and a little bruised, she started crying loudly for mama. Fortunately one of the hotel staff searching for Tania heard her cry. He picked her up and took her too mama. Mama was relieved to see Tania and she gave her a big hug. Then she noticed that Tania was soaking wet. She asked her ""What happened Tania? Where were you, and why are you wet?"". Tania told her everything that had happened. Mama scolded her for wandering off and told her that she could have been badly hurt. Tania apologised and mama hugged her again. Then she carried Tania off to the hotel room to give her a nice warm bath. " peppercarrot_episode14-original.txt,"Cayenne! Thyme! Can one of you go find me some Dragon's Tooth? In this cold?! No thanks! No problem, ^ I'll take care of it! A good set of pliers, a little body armor, and we'll have those Dragon's Teeth! Vlhoo ! I think it'll be a teeny tiny bit more complicated than I thought. 1 Carrot! ... ... Swamp dragons are famous for their docile nature! VWI? Impressed, aren't you' I haue at least a hundred Dragon's Teeth! ... but Pepper, Dragon's Tooth. " A-Dancers-Tale_-The-Story-of-Phyllis-Spira.txt,"A Dancer's Tale: The Story of Phyllis Spira Samantha Cutler English Once upon a time, in Joburg's Orange Grove, a little girl called Phyllis was born into the world. Two people in love, hugged their sweet little babe. No-one knew then, what a dancer they'd made. By the time she was four, she had learned very quick. She impressed all her teachers, with her ducky feet flicks! Before school and after, she danced everyday. Nothing pleased Phyllis, more than ballet. When the world was ready for Phyllis at fifteen, She arrived in big, old London, ready to live her dream. She said goodbye to all her friends. She was ready to start fresh. Watch out Royal Ballet School! Phyllis is here to impress. When Phyllis danced Swan Lake, it was fit to show the Queen! After years of pirouetting, she was ready to be seen. Dancing for the audience, she turned and twirled about. Look! Everyone is smiling! See how they clap and shout! From Mexico to Canada. From the USA to France. Phyllis travelled far and wide, so the world could see her dance. With the Royal Ballet Company, and her ballerina friends, she spread her love for ballet. She never wanted it to end. Phyllis always knew, that dance was in her heart. But she longed to return home again, and make a fresh new start. So she leaped and bounded, back to her beautiful land. Her ballerina roots were regrown. She was once more South African. Dancing wasn’t just for fun, as Phyllis always knew. She’d work at dancing day and night, and with hard work she grew. Always smiling, always trying, through good times and through tough, Phyllis always did her best. She couldn’t get enough. Romeo and Juliet, Swan Lake and Giselle. Phyllis danced these for the people: graceful, tireless, well. With partners Gary Burne and Eduard Greyling too, her magnificence inspired the audience. To her, flowers they threw. Reward comes easily, when you put yourself to the test. Phyllis came to realise this, once she was called ‘The Best.’ She was awarded ‘Prima Ballerina Assoluta.’ The greatest dancer of them all! Phyllis would be forever known. She wanted nothing more. Goodness! What a catch! Phyllis met her loving partner. His name was Phillip Boyd. He was another dancer. Together they were married. and together they would dance. No-one could be better matched, given half the chance! Though they had no children, Phyllis and Phillip were never sad. They two of them found another way to help other Mums and Dads. They started Dance For All, a special school for dance. So that children with no money, could also learn to prance! She left a legacy of dance, and incredible success. Her magic was passed on to others to help them become their best. Her students spread across the world, inspired by her ducky feet. They dance on while we watch, dreaming from our seats. " Mystic-Moon-Saves-the-Day-F-Meintjies.txt,"Mystic Moon Saves The Day Mystic Moon wandered the Magaliesberg hills for many days and many months. In this time, he had seen no other wolves. He had come across some lions but kept his distance. Now and again they growled at him from a distance as he moved between the age-old brown rocks and the vegetation − bushes, grass, wild flowers. At other times, careful to stay downwind, he came close to the lions, just watching them and getting to know the other animals in the area. He loved climbing to the crest in the afternoon light. Up there, he could feel the cooling air, sometimes gusting and sometimes gentle. He could see far into the distance  the grasslands far away and here and there a human dwelling. Sometimes when the wind pushed hard, it caused tears in his eyes. But he was at peace here, finding a stillness in himself. One day he noticed two young lions playing on the hillside, moving higher and higher up in the folds between the crag. His eyes drifted to some eagles circling a few miles west. He also saw a few grey clouds drifting in and wondered if rain would come. When he turned back to look at the cubs, they were perched on a narrow ledge. Below them, the valley fell away, hundreds of feet. He could see no adult lions nearby. Before the cubs the small stone walkway continued for a bit; then it ended in a sheer rock-face. Above them, the rocks perched precariously. He watched as one of them tried to walk backwards, but its paws fumbled on loose stones and the young lion froze. One jump away was a flat rock that again opened up to the bushes on the incline. Mystic Moon bounded down along a path, getting close to the pair. ""Hey kids,"" he said. The cubs dared not look up. He heard one call out: ""Hey, hello .... where are you, who are you?"" . Then the other's voice trembled: ""P..p..please help us!"". The wolf said: ""I am Mystic Moon. Don't look up. Just stay calm. I am coming to help."" Just then Mystic Moon heard a loud growl. He looked down. It was the lion he knew as Matseng. A few steps behind him was Cleo, a lioness that the wolf had seen a few times with Matseng and his brother Zukhara. ""Keep away from them,"" Matseng roared again. ""Yes you, wolf!"" In the silence of the mountain, it was like thunder in the wolf's ears. Mystic Moon looked at them. Normally he feared lions, especially since they hunted in a pack; but his concern for the cubs made him stand his ground. He walked onto a small rock nearer the edge: ""Matseng, I come in peace."" he said. ""We have had our differences. I know you are fussy about who comes into your hunting grounds. But this is no time for that. Can't you see your little ones are in trouble."" Matseng roared again. But Cleo intervened, moving to stand in front of Matseng and looking into the big lion's face. Mystic Moon waited patiently. He could feel the wind building up. One of the cubs, the darker brown one with a some black hairs on the ridge of the back, slipped and small pieces of stone went raining down and landed on a small outcrop halfway down. Mystic Moon couldn't hear what Cleo was saying to Matseng. Now and again Matseng let off a soft growl that petered out. Mystic Moon called out: ""You will never reach them in time. Let me help them"". One of the cubs whimpered and a blast of wind whistled through the grass and rocks. ""Fine,"" Matseng said, looking up at Moon and at the cubs. ""Just this once. Because you are up there. And we have nothing to lose by letting you help them."" Cleo stepped to the side and joined Matseng in looking up at the brown rocks and the three animals up there. Matseng's ears were up and directed slightly forward; his tail pointed up. He leaned forward on his forelegs. It struck Mystic Moon that Matseng was as worried as Cleo, although he tried to hide it. Mystic Moon jumped down to a spot in front of the cubs. He grabbed one at the scruff of the neck. Then, after measuring the distance with his eyes, leapt across the crevice to a flat rock across. He put the one youngster down and went back for the other one. When both cubs were on the other side, the wolf led them and said. ""Come, follow me. I know an easy way down."" He first climbed up higher to pass a spring before making a turn to a path on the other side of the gully and its sticky mud. The cubs followed him. ""I am Mystic Moon, a wolf,"" he said as he waited along the path for the cubs to catch up. ""My mother gave me that name because the moon had a strange reddish colour the night I was born"". ""Thank you, we were so scared,"" said the tawny cub. ""I wasn't,"" said the brown youngster with sprinkles of black hair on the back of his neck. Mystic Moon replied: ""If you say so, but it is no shame to feel scared,"" He noticed the young lion lifting himself higher on his forelegs and raising his tail. ""Truly, I wasn't. By the way, my name is Little Warrior,"" the cub said. Moon shepherded the cubs down the pathway. Halfway down, Moon stopped and the cubs brushed past him on the path before also coming to a stop. Moon could see Matseng pacing slowly down below. Cleo was resting on her forepaws on a small mound. But she kept her eyes focused on the hillside. Mystic Moon called out, ""Here they are, Matseng and Cleo!"" He turned and made his way back up the mountain. He heard Cleo roar. It sounded like a friendly roar. He heard the light brown cub call out: ""Thank you for helping us, mister Wolf"". He turned to glance back briefly, nodding his head. Then he continued to climb. The wind had blown many more clouds over this part of the Magaliesberg mountains; they hung low. It was going to rain for sure. Mystic Moon picked his way from stone to stone and between the bushes, heading towards his cosy den higher up. " Ranger-Forester.txt,"Why is phonics important to learn? The English language seems like it is full of a lot of crazy pronunciations and spelling. While a small amount of English must be rote learned due to exceptions from rules, much of it can be decoded using phonics. When you know phonics, you are like a detective following clues to solve a mystery. In this series, we use only words that your little reader will be able to break down into standard phonemes. This will build reading confidence while strengthening their phonics foundation. Is this the right level for my little reader? If your reader can decode about 90% of the words in this book independently, this will be an appropriate platform to begin their study of phonics. By understanding a majority of the words, a reader can use context to decode new terms. If a reader breezes through, you might need to take them up another level. If this level is still a bit too tricky for them, get your reader to try some of the earlier levels first. Challenges can be good, but too much too quickly could overwhelm your reader. Take things slow and steady. Enjoy the books and the journey together! How can I be a good learning buddy for my reader? If you are helping somebody to read this book, there are plenty of ways that you can go about it. Do the initial exercises together before you begin to read so that you have both experienced the isolated sounds and discussed them. If the reader gets stuck, cover up all but the first phoneme in the word so that the sound can be isolated again. Slowly move along and reveal more phonemes. Once they can say each individual part of the word, you can focus on blending. Say the words so that they can hear them, and get them to repeat it out aloud several times. To consolidate knowledge after you finish a page, talk about what happened and what is in the picture. Then, try saying some of the words on the page and see if the reader can identify them. Get the reader doing this as well, saying words which you need to find. Above all, you should be patient. Create a safe place to make mistakes so that the reader is willing to give things a go. Special Words This book has some special words that you should take your reader through before you begin. Many special words are those that we use in day-to-day conversation. Unfortunately, a lot of their phonetic structures do not conform to rules that your reader has learned. These words can be frustrating and confusing, but they are also a part of natural reading, writing, and conversation. Ranger, families, finds, the, watches, who Say each word to your reader a few times so that they can get used to its sound. Get them to repeat it back to you. Afterwards, see if your reader can think of any words that rhyme with this sound in order to help lock in how to pronounce it. Finally, think of some basic sentences that use this word. For example, if the word is ‘the’ you can create basic sentences with a subject, verb, and object: ""The hat is on the table."" Ranger Forester looks after a forest. He knows all animals in this forest. If an animal is missing or hurt, Ranger Forester knows. Forester keeps animal families safe. Ranger Forester is walking. Forester can see bugs. Bugs are good for forests. It means that a forest is balanced. Ranger Forester sees bees. These bees will not sting. Ranger Forester is walking. Forester can hear birdsong. Forester knows which bird it is by its song. Forester finds a feather. Forester knows a bird by its feathers. Ranger Forester sees a snake. Forester is not scared. Forester will watch the snake as it sits on a rock in sun. This snake is sleepy. It will not bite. Still, Forester knows to stay away. Ranger Forester can see spiders in webs. These spiders are eating. Spiders get insects in webs. Spiders spin silk sacs. Insects turn to drink. Forester watches spiders fix webs that bugs broke. Ranger Forester sees a kangaroo family. A little kangaroo is missing. Where is the little kangaroo? Ranger Forester will look for it. Forester looks in scrub. Forester sees tracks. The little kangaroo is stuck. Its tail is in a trap. Forester is upset. He frees the kangaroo. Forester checks its tail. It is not bad. This little kangaroo will heal. It bounces away. It finds its family. Forester keeps the trap. He will find who laid it. Forester brings the trap along to a meeting. The rangers are all upset. The rangers find who laid the traps and they get cops. The animals are safe again. " thats-not-thabi-thats-a-hippopotamus_20180115-4-18.txt,"Lucy woke up. Her sister Thabi wasn’t in her bed. ""Thabi’s in the kitchen eating breakfast."" ""Where’s Thabi?"" Lucy asked Ma. ""That’s not Thabi!"" ""That’s a hippopotamus!"" Lucy looked all over the house. ""Where’s Thabi?"" Lucy asked Pa. ""Thabi’s swimming in the pool."" ""That’s not Thabi!"" ""That’s a hippopotamus!"" Lucy kept looking around the garden. ""Where’s Thabi?"" Lucy asked the neighbour. ""Thabi’s playing in the park."" ""That’s not Thabi! That’s a hippopotamus!"" Then Lucy heard a funny noise. She gave the hippopotamus a big tickle. ""There’s Thabi!"" ""Thanks,"" said Thabi. ""It’s very boring inside a hippopotamus."" " Sunflowers.txt,"Sunflowers Have you ever eaten a sunflower seed? Did you know you are eating part of a flower? Growing a sunflower starts with seeds that are planted in the ground. The seed will begin to sprout into a little plant called a seedling. With lots of water and sunlight the seedling will grow and grow. Soon, a bud grows on the little plant. A bud is where the flower will grow. As the bud gets bigger, it’s getting ready for the flower to open. Finally, the flower opens up. This is called blooming. The middle of the flower is where the seeds start to grow. Behind each little yellow part of the flower, a sunflower seed is growing. A giant sunflower can grow to over 12 feet tall. A sunflower can have up to 2,000 seeds. How many seeds do you see in this picture? You can collect the seeds to grow more sunflowers or the seeds can be a yummy snack for you or a friend! " Animal-Homes.txt,"Animal Homes People live in houses and apartments. Where do animals live? Foxes live in holes in the ground that help them hide and keep warm. Bats live in caves. They sleep in the day hanging upside down. Bees live in hives. 50,000 bees can live in one hive. Birds live in nests so they can take care of their babies. Spiders live on webs. The webs are sticky and help spiders catch insects for food. Starfish live on coral reefs. Fish, crabs, shrimp and other animals live on the reefs too. Animals live in lots of different places. Some animals live in houses too! " How-Far-Is-Far-.txt,"How Far is Far? Today, we will climb up a ladder together. It is a rather unusual ladder. In this ladder, the distance between the rungs gets bigger and BIGGER and BIGGER as you climb up the steps, growing 10 times at each step. Sometimes we will climb one step at a time and at other times we will skip many steps at one go. The funny thing is that we are not even sure which the last step is or whether the steps go on forever. Let the exciting journey begin! Step 0: 1 metre What do a five year old boy, a cricket bat and a newborn baby elephant have in common? All of them have a height of about 1 metre (or 1m for short)! It would be awkward to say that the ceiling of a room is 3 baby elephants high. So we make the sensible choice of saying that the height of the ceiling is 3 metres. Step 1: 10 metres Now that you have a feel for the size of one metre, we are ready to climb to the next step of our ladder, at 10 metres. A three storey building or a mango tree is roughly 10 metres high. A cricket pitch is about twice that length. Can you think of other objects that are about 10 m long or high? Step 2: 100 metres Have you noticed that with every step we add a zero to the right of the number we had before and the step number matches the number of zeroes? Keep track of that as we climb along. If you have run the 100m race on school sports day, or watched sprinters do it on TV, you know exactly how far that is. Now imagine if the 100m track stood up! That would be about the height of two Gol Gumbaz*-es. *The Gol Gumbaz in Bijapur, Karnataka, is the tomb of Mohammed Adil Shah. When it was built in 1656, it had the largest dome in the world. It held the record until 1881! Step 3: 1000 metres Thousand metres has a special name - it is called 1 kilometre or 1 km. You would cover this distance if you ran the 100 metre race 10 times - phew! You would need to climb about 9 km to reach the top of Mount Everest. Step 6: 1,000,000 metres Now let's skip 2 steps and go to step 6, which has six zeroes to the right of 1. The distance from the northern tip of India in Kashmir to the southern tip at Kanyakumari is about 4 times this distance, or 4 times 1,000,000 m, or 4,000,000 m. Because 4,000,000 m is quite a mouthful, we usually say 4000 km, which is the same thing. Step 8: 100,000,000 metres How far away is the bright, beautiful moon? It is right there on the 8th step of our distance ladder at about 4 times 100,000,000 m, or 400,000 km away from the earth! Step 11: 100,000,000,000 metres Let us skip two more steps and race to the blazing hot Sun. How far away is it? It is about 100,000,000 km PLUS another 50,000,000 km. That is very, VERY far away indeed! But the far, far away sun still lights up the world and makes us sweat in summer. Amazing, isn't it? Last Step??? Is there a last step on the ladder? We don’t know yet! But with powerful telescopes, scientists have been able to see way beyond the sun. The farthest object that they have been able to spot is on the 26th step, 100,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 m away! That is SERIOUSLY FAR! Maybe when you grow up, you can discover something even further away, on the 28th or 29th step. Isn’t that an exciting thought? Fun with Measuring The following activity done in a classroom setting is a great way to give children a feel for large distances and can engage the children either in a single group, or in teams. 1. Ask the children to cut long strips (each about an inch wide) from old newspapers. 2. Ask them to stick the strips end to end with tape or glue to make longer strips, until they get a strip that is 1 metre long (they can use a measuring tape for this). 3. Now ask the children to use this 1 m long strip as a measure and make 10 similar strips and stick them end to end to make a 10 m long strip. They can lie down next to this strip, head to head and feet to feet, and see how many of them it takes to make 10 m. 4. They can then stick ten 10 m strips together to make a 100 m strip that goes round the classroom many times. 5. What about a 1 km strip? How many times does that go around the classroom? Which team was able to create a 1 km long strip fastest? Notes for Parents & Teachers: - When writing down big numbers with lots of zeroes after the 1, it is very easy for children - and adults! - to make mistakes. That is why the 'Powers of 10' notation is such a useful thing. Through this book, children can be taught how to use it - all they need to do is to count the number of zeroes to the right of the 1, and write that number as a superscript of 10. For instance, 1000, which has 3 zeroes after the 1, can be written as 103. And 10000000 (7 zeroes after the 1), can be compactly written as 10 7. Simple! - In this book, we stopped our 'How far is far?' game at the Sun. If you want to take the game further, you may want to bring in the nearest star beyond the Sun, Proxima Centauri, which is 1016 m away from the Sun. Or the distance from one end of the Milky Way to another, which is 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 (or 1021) m! - One thing you should know is that the distances that are given in the book are approximate, not exactly accurate. For example, 3984 km is given as 4000 km. This is not 'unscientific'. Rough estimates are very useful in science! Maybe you can do an activity with the kids to emphasize this. Is the length of a pencil closer to 101 cm or 102 cms? Is the weight of the schoolbus closer to 103 kgs or 104 kgs? Let the children come up with their own questions for their classmates too. " the-best-house-of-all-career_architecture_picturebook.txt,"The Best House of All I am an architect. Architects design and make buildings because they like buildings and houses. Just like I do. Which is why Ma calls me her 'little architect'. To build a house, you need space in some place. Your house could be in a full-of-trees forest place, a hot-hot-hot desert place, a really-high-up mountain place, a brrr-it’s-full-of-snow place, a splashy-sploshy rainy place, a muddy green village place or a tall-and-big-can’t-see-the-end city place. Or be a house inside a house! To build a house, you also need stuff. To find stuff, you must look around. A forest has trees. A mountain has stones. The Arctic has snow. A village has mud, big leaves for thatch, and bamboo. A city has bricks, cement, steel and glass. A house has all kinds of stuff. Before you build your house, you must know what you want it to do. Igloos made of snow keep you warm! Wood and stone houses with sloping roofs make the rain and snow run right off. Native American teepees made with poles and animal hide keep you cosy. They are easy to pack up and carry around. Houses on stilts keep you away from water… … and wild animals! Once you have space and stuff, you begin to build. Your house can be any shape and size. Round and small like a mud house with a thatched roof. Tall-enough-to-scrape-the-sky skyscraper. Upside-down-ice-cream-cone teepee. Round-like-a-cake Mongolian yurt. Ball-sliced-in-half igloo. Huge-castle-shaped … To know more about the houses marked out in bold lettering, turn to the back section. ... castle! Or a super-fancy house like mine. But the best house of all… … has family to make it a home! Some Houses Around the World Yurt: Found in Mongolia, yurts are made with a wood frame and thick mats. The parts of the yurt are light enough to be carried on horses and yaks. Teepee: Made with long poles and animal hide by the Native North American Tribes in the plains, this is another house that can be packed up and carried around! Toda dogle: A half-barrel-shaped hut of the Toda tribe, these are made with sticks, bamboo and thatch. They have a tiny entrance to crawl through. This keeps out wild animals. The Toda people live in the Nilgiri hills in South India. Igloo: Did you know that a house made of tightly-packed snow bricks can keep you warm? At least warmer than the-40 degrees centigrade outside! You can find them in the Canadian Arctic and in Thule in Greenland. Stilts: What shape is that? Like an insect? Stilts help keep the place cool and are common in South East Asia. " one-three-five-help_pratham_FKB_stories.txt,"One, Three, Five, HELP The coconut beetle loves to count. He is counting petals now. One, two, three, four – THUMP! ""Ladybug!"" he shouts. ""Can you flip me over, please?"" The ladybug pushes and huffs and puffs. But she can’t flip the coconut beetle over. ""Cicadas!"" she calls out. Three cicadas come to help. The coconut beetle counts his friends. ""One, two, three, four. Four is an even number!"" Four insects push and huff and puff. But they can’t flip the coconut beetle over. 1+3=4 ""Lily moths!"" calls the ladybug. Five lily moths come to help. The coconut beetle counts his friends. ""Nine of you to help me. Nine is an odd number!"" Nine insects push and huff and puff. But they can’t flip the coconut beetle over. 4+5=9 Seven jumping spiders come to help. TUP TUP TUP. The coconut beetle counts his friends. ""Now there are sixteen. Even number!"" Sixteen friends push and huff and PUFF. But they can’t flip the coconut beetle over. 9+7=16 ""Call the lacewings!"" shouts the ladybug. Nine lacewings come to help. ""Woohoo, that makes twenty-five,"" says the tired coconut beetle. ""Twenty-five is an..."" ""…ODD NUMBER!"" shout the twenty-five friends. 16+9=25 Twenty-five friends PUSH and HUFF and PUFF and… FLIP! At last, they flip over the coconut beetle. Even numbers end with any one of these digits 0, 2, 4, 6 or 8 Odd numbers end with any one of these digits 1, 3, 5, 7 or 9. Count the number of odd things and even things on this page. Do you get an even number or an odd number when you add them? Odd number + Even number =? Even number + Even number =? Odd number + Odd number =? " Tanias-Safari-Adventure.txt,"Tania's Safari Adventure It was late Friday afternoon. Tania and her family had just arrived at a hotel outside the Gir forest sanctuary and national park. They were spending the weekend there. Mama had arranged for a Jeep safari of the forest on Saturday afternoon. Tania was really looking forward to that. Tania loved animals. She would get to see a lion, a real live lion. And not just in a cage at the zoo, but in the wild! Just imagine that. The lion may be just a few feet from her. That would be splendid, thought Tania. The hotel was on the banks of the Hiran river. In the evening mama, papa, Tania and Sonia all went for a walk on the river bank. The river was fairly shallow so they all stepped in to it. The water was refreshingly cool and bits of moss floated around. Tania splashed around in the river with mama and papa walked up and down with baby Sonia on his shoulders. On the way back to the hotel, Tania heard a sound much like Kazoo's mewing. She was startled and asked, ""Mama, do you see a cat anywhere?"" Mama laughed and said ""No honey, look it is a peacock! They make a sound very similar to a cat."" Indeed a few feet away was a gorgeous peacock, strutting around. Tania wished it would open up it's tail feathers and dance. The next morning, during breakfast at the outdoor restaurant, Tania spotted half a dozen squirrels scampering up and down the trees. She also noticed a bird sitting absolutely still near some bushes. To her surprise the bird did not move, even when a man walked right past it. She asked ""Mama, why does that bird not move at all?"" Mama too had noticed the unusual behaviour of the bird. She said ""The bird may be injured. Poor thing."" After breakfast, papa and Tania went to take a closer look at the bird. Tania asked ""Papa what bird is this?"" Papa said ""I cant be sure, but it looks like a hawk."" The bird stayed still even though Tania and papa were peering at it up close. Tania supposed the bird really was injured, but, sadly, there was nothing she could do. After lunch the Jeep arrived to take Tania and her family on the safari. Soon they were inside the forest. They were in an open Jeep and Sonia was sitting on mama's lap. The ride was so bumpy, Tania was afraid Sonia would fall out of the Jeep. Fortunately mama had the baby carrier and she strapped Sonia in safely. The forest was dry, unlike the evergreen forests Tania had seen before at hill stations. The guide explained that colouring of the dry forest was ideal for lions to camouflage themselves. The guide went on to explain, ""The Gir forest sanctuary is the sole home of the Asiatic lion. There are only 411 of them including the babies. And the forest is huge. So it is really hard to spot a lion. We will do our best. But don't be too disappointed if you don't see one. There are plenty of other interesting animals to see too."" Before Tania had a chance to brood over the slim possibility of seeing lions, the guide pointed out a tree with a ghostly white trunk. He said it was a gum tree like the one in the song ""Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree"". Tania knew the song well and sang it out loud. The guide said every one would have to be as quiet as possible, so they did not disturb the animals. Tania nodded, and switched to talking in whispers. Soon Tania spotted some lovely birds by a watering hole. The guide said ""The big ones are storks and the little white ones are egrets."" Sometime later Tania saw a deer. She was really excited. This was the first big animal they saw on the safari. It was a beautiful spotted deer, but it was quite far away. Soon they saw more spotted deer. The guide told them that there were some 46000 spotted deer in the sanctuary. One spotted deer came quite close to the Jeep and papa got a good picture of it. A little further down the road there was an explosive sound that startled everyone. The birds nearby flew away in fright. Tania held on tight to papa and Sonia woke up from her nap. The driver had driven over a sharp piece of rock and now they had a flat tire. Oh oh! They all had to get out of the Jeep while the driver replaced the flat with the spare tire. For the first time, Tania was a little scared. What if a lion came by while they were fixing the tire? The guide tried to comfort her saying, ""The Maldhari tribal community lives here and their children roam the forest. A lion has never hurt any of them as far as I know."" Tania still looked apprehensive, but mama distracted her by pointing to a group of 3 peahens and a peacock. Tania was watching them. Suddenly the peacock spread it's tail feathers and began to dance. Tania couldn't believe her luck. She forgot all about the lions and watched the dance. Papa managed to get a nice picture. Soon the flat tire was fixed and the safari resumed. Tania's good luck continued. After about half an hour the guide spotted a lion and a lioness. The driver stopped the Jeep so everyone could take a good look. A deer came by and the lioness started moving towards it. Then she hid in the dry bushes getting ready to pounce. Tania was amazed to see that the movements of the lioness were very similar to those of Kazoo's, when she got ready to attack one of her toys. The dry bushes camouflaged the lioness so well that she was barely visible. The lioness waited patiently for the right moment to pounce. Unfortunately, Tania did not get to see what happened next because the driver said it was getting late and they had a lot of ground to cover, so they would have to move on. Tania had mixed feelings about this. The hunt was so exciting, she wanted to stay and watch it. But she would feel really bad for the deer, if he got caught. So, on the whole, she thought it was good they left. Tania got to see many more types of birds, a sambar deer and a few blue bulls. The hide of blue bulls actually had a bluish hue. The guide said ""The blue bull is the largest Asian antelope and is called nilgai in Hindi."" At this point, it was almost 6:30 pm. The light was staring to fade. The safari was over. Tania had a splendid time. She couldn't wait to tell everyone in school that she was barely 20 feet away from a lion. Now that was something to brag about. That evening Tania thanked mama for taking her on 'The most awesome holiday ever'. She meant 'The most awesome holiday to date' of course. Mama is a great holiday planner. I can't wait to hear about their next holiday, can you? " 003-DOING_MY_CHORES-Free-Childrens-Book-By-Monkey-Pen.txt,"I like doing my chores. Well, maybe not all of them but most of them. Hmm, maybe not most of them. But a lot of them. Okay, maybe not a lot of them. But a few of them. Well, maybe not a few of them but … None of them! Just fooling … I really do like doing my chores. When I do my chores, it helps my Mommy and Daddy, and as you know Mummies and Daddies sometimes need a lot of help. When I do my chores, it makes me feel important and I like to be important. Don’t you? Sometimes I get bored so I do some chores, even if they are not my chores. Sometimes I have chores that I do not like to do. When that happens I make up a silly game and that makes the chore easier. Like yesterday, I had to put my laundry away and I pretended that I was hiding it from my Mommy. It was fun and I think I remember where I put it. Just fooling … It is in my dresser where it belongs. Sometimes when all my chores are done, we go to the park or have other special time. I know if my chores weren’t done we wouldn’t be able to do that. ""So be important and have some fun. Do your chores until they are done."" " 24754-dipa-karmakar-in-perfect-balance.txt,"Dipa Karmakar - In Perfect Balance Dipa loved to jump. She loved to climb trees. And most of all, she loved to run and play with her Puja Didi. Dipa lived in Agartala, the capital of Tripura. Agartala is green and beautiful with agarwood trees and pineapple, orange and litchi orchards. Her Baba was a national weightlifting champion. On most days, she went with him to the gymnasium, where he was a coach. Ma and Baba wanted both their daughters to take up sports. So, at the age of five, Dipa started training. Gymnastics is a lot like acrobatics and aerobics. Quick movements. Tumbling and soaring. Fluid twists and turns. Breathtaking somersaults on narrow beams, vaults and uneven bars! Gymnastics needs balance, lots of mental effort, and control over muscles. One false step can mean a bad fall. Or a broken leg or an injured back! Dipa started training. But she was so scared of falling, that she wouldn’t even step onto the beams. She threw tantrums and complained a lot. Baba believed that she would get over her fear. He was right! Wheeeee! Dipa was cartwheeling. Whoooosh! She was sailing through the air. Baba and her coach Soma Nandi were so happy. When Dipa turned nine, she participated in the balancing beam event in the 2002 Northeastern Games. And guess what? Dipa won the gold medal! What a golden moment for her. This win meant a lot to her and Baba. She was no longer a reluctant gymnast. Dipa still had to work hard. She was flat-footed, which means that the soles of her feet didn’t have the usual natural curve. Flat feet affect how a gymnast runs, and how she lands on her feet during jumps. But Dipa had come so far — she decided she would not give up. Her coach Soma Nandi introduced her to Guruji, Bishweswar Nandi, who took over her training. Soon, she was doing special exercises that helped her feet develop an arch. Gymnastics has never been popular in India. It did not matter to Dipa that she did not have the best infrastructure or space to train in. Guruji created equipment with scooter parts to serve as springboards. Crash mats were piled on top of one another to become her vaulting platform, and seats from old cars became her landing space. Dipa’s days were busy! Dipa ran. She jumped. Twisted and turned. She did rolls and stands on her head. For eight hours a day. Her bones ached and her muscles were painfully sore. She was moody, hungry and very tired. Like most children, Dipa loved ice cream. But she was put on a strict diet. She sometimes had to live and train in a sports hostel, far from home. And on top of all of that, she had exams! Did she mind working so hard? No, she did not! All Dipa wanted was to win medals. And become the best. The years went by and Dipa won all the junior and national titles she competed in. However, she didn’t win anything at the 2010 Commonwealth Games. Ashish Kumar became the first Indian gymnast to win medals at that event — it was a proud moment for India. Dipa was inspired by this win. She was determined to do better. Four years later, Dipa won the bronze at the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games. And also at the 2015 Hiroshima Asian Gymnastics Championship. It was so thrilling to stand on the winners’ podium! So far, Dipa had won 77 medals, and that included 67 gold ones! But Guruji wanted her to make a mark in the international arena — she had to perfect something that hadn’t been attempted by most gymnasts. Something bold. And dangerous. Guruji trained her to do the Produnova vault. It was named after the first woman who mastered it — Yelena Sergeyevna Produnova. Only four other women in the world had landed this extremely dangerous manoeuvre. In 2016, Dipa was 23 and she was ready to show her skills to the world at the Rio Olympics. The country waited eagerly to see her win a medal. And she missed! She missed winning a medal by just 0.15 point. But her performance left everyone awestruck. As Dipa began training for the next Olympics, she also had a new plan up her sleeve. She wanted to create a new gymnastic manoeuvre. When Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci met her, she said, ""Good for India to have a role model in Dipa Karmakar… I hope kids look up to her and take up gymnastics because that is how we all started."" Dipa continues to make India proud. (Dipa with her coach Bishweswar Nandi) Dipa Karmakar was born on August 9, 1993, in Agartala. She was the first Indian female gymnast to compete in the Olympics. Dipa participated in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio and is one of only five women to successfully land the dangerous Produnova vault. She was five when her father Dulal Karmakar, a national weightlifting champion, initiated her early training. Soma Nandi was Dipa’s first coach and then her training was taken over by Bishweswar Nandi, a national gymnastic champion. Dipa has been conferred the Khel Ratna award and is a Padma Shri recipient. " Everyone-has-a-right-to-a-bath-STEM-FKB.txt,"Everyone Has a Right to a Bath Mrs Earthworm is angry. She is fed up of being covered in mud and never being able to have a proper bath. She insists that her husband install a bathtub with running water. The bathtub is easy to make. Mr Earthworm finds an old flower pot lying in the kitchen garden. He patches up the few holes and some gaps. And it’s done! The installation of running water at their home was quite another thing. The first attempt was with straws connected to the surface. But the flow was too weak and during heavy rains the mud rose obstructing the mouth of the pipes. He improved his device by connecting a garden hose directly onto a drainpipe. The flow was absolutely satisfactory. But this water was not suitable for Mrs Earthworm. She finds that it had too much residue, is not clear enough and does not smell good. There was another more important problem that dampened Mrs Earthworm's craving for a bath - the temperature. The water is too cold! Mr Earthworm got back to work and added a filter and a handmade water heater. Now it’s perfect. Mrs Earthworm can finally relax in the bath that she so wanted. " the-special-painter-RTR-FKB.txt,"The Special Painter Teo loves to draw! Teo's mom is a painter. Teo's dad is an art teacher. Teo's right hand is missing fingers, but he dreams of being a painter and wants to draw beautiful pictures. Teo's mom enrols him in a class at the children's centre. The teacher asks the class to draw a zoo. The students are excited. Na wants to paint peacocks. Ti loves drawing cats. Bin wants to draw a polar bear. Hoa is curious. ""Which one do you want to draw?"" she asks Teo. ""I want to draw all of them!"" says Teo. Ti is sharpening pencils. ""Will you use the paint brushes or the pencils?"" he asks. ""I will use both,"" says Teo. Bin takes out the colour box and asks, ""will you draw with your left hand?"" Teo is confused. ""I will try to draw with both hands."" Na blends the colours. ""Which colours will you use?"" she asks. ""I will use all of them!"" says Teo happily. But Teo cannot hold a brush in his right hand because he does not have fingers. It keeps slipping off. Teo tries to draw a chicken first. But soon, his hand is splattered with colours. Teo feels like giving up. Suddenly, he spots a funny shape on his palm. The spot on his hand looks like a chick! Teo has an idea! Teo paints his hand brown. He giggles. ""Now I will draw with my hand,"" he says. Teo places his hand on the corner of the paper. He smiles and adds a few brown spots. Look, it’s a cute puppy! Teo makes two more yellow marks with his hand and his arm. Then he adds orange dots to them. Look, a giraffe! Next, Teo paints his foot brown and steps on the paper. He draws a few lines. How cool! An adorable bear appears. Teo continues to paint his heels blue and pink, and stamps them on the page. A few lines more, and colourful birds appear on the paper. ""The train that takes us around the zoo is missing,"" says Teo. ""Does anyone want to draw it with me?"" This is the coolest class ever! Together the kids paint a wonderful picture. " FKB-kids-books-The-story-of-stories.txt,"The Story of Stories It was a beautiful summer day in the Forest-By-The-Sea in the glorious land of Somewheristan. Whales danced in the waves, singing to each other. Sea lions, their smooth brown bodies glistening in the sun, played peek-a-boo with the noisy seagulls, barking and scolding. Every creature in the Forest was happy, happy, happy. Excuse me! you say. That can’t be true. There’s NEVER a time when EVERY creature ANYwhere is happy, happy, happy. Hmmm. Maybe you’re right. Maybe not EVERY creature was happy. This journalist bear, for instance. In this picture, Bear is trying to smile, but he has a great sorrow. He simply cannot find a ‘BREAKING NEWS’ story. He even sent Bird to look - because Bird moves faster and sees better - but Bird came back with nothing. ‘BREAKING NEWS’ stories are about anger and fear and hate and greed, and there was none of that in the Forest. Everything was happy, happy, happy. A journalist bear without a ‘BREAKING NEWS’ story doesn’t deserve to be a journalist bear, thought Bear sadly to himself. He should be a Waiter Bear, or a Sweeper Bear, or a Telephone Voice Bear, saying, ‘Please check the number you have dialled’, or ‘Kindly wait - you are in a queue’. He packed his things and started walking to the bus-stop, when Singing Sardarji popped out from behind a tree. ""Arrey oh Journalist Bear!"" said Sardarji. ""Going somewhere?"" ""Don’t call me that or I will cry,"" said Bear, and told Sardarji he was leaving to become a Telephone Voice Bear. ""Don’t be such a silly bear, Bear!"" scolded Sardarji. He pulled out a guitar and began to sing. ""If Tweety birds stop tweeting, and Hooty Owls stop hooting, the world would be a sad playyyy-ce, don’t you see?"" ""Don’t you seeeeeeee?"" sang the Tweety Birds and the Hooty Owls. ""If Singing Sardarjis don’t, and Journalist Bears won’t, the world would be a bad playyyyy-ce, don’t you see?"" sang Sardarji. ""I do enjoy being a Journalist Bear,"" Bear said sadly. ""I do love finding out things, and talking to people, and writing their stories, but I also do NOT have a ‘BREAKING NEWS’ story, which means..."" ‘A-HA!’ said Singing Sardarji. ""What?"" said Bear, puzzled. ""You like finding out things! And talking to people! And writing their stories! You are a Journalist Bear, Bear, but you have the soul of a... drumroll please... Writer Bear!"" Bear beamed. Sardarji was right! He really WAS a Writer Bear. ""Tell you what, Bear,"" Sardarji went on, ""let’s travel the world, you and I. I will sing, and you, Bear, will write. Not 'BREAKING NEWS' stories - no one remembers those after three days, anyway - but real stories of real people, stories that will never grow old."" ""Hurray!"" said Bear. And that was how Writer Bear and Singing Sardarji set out to explore the world. Everywhere they went, Sardarji sang to the people, and Bear listened to them. Over time, Bear wrote many, many stories. Happy stories that made people cry, funny stories that made them think, sad stories that made them hope, and scary stories that made them laugh. And Storyweavers all over the world picked up the long, strong, shining threads of Bear's stories, and wove them into new and wonderful stories for all of us to enjoy. " Tanias-Discovery.txt,"Tania's Discovery Tania was helping mama with her gardening. Mama wanted to grow some tomatoes. She had already got the seeds and the pot. But she needed some mud. Tania offered to get her the mud. The housing society had a small little garden. Mama had talked to the society gardener, and he had told her that she could get some mud from the muddy patch near the swing. Tania went there with her bucket and spade in the evening to get some mud for mama. She met Tanisha on her way and Tanisha offered to help her. Tania and Tanisha settled down with the bucket and spade near the muddy patch but the mud was too hard and dry. There was very little loose mud. They managed to scoop a couple of spades full but that would not be enough. They wondered what to do. Tania noticed a tap at the corner of the garden. That is where the gardener would connect the hose to water the garden. Tania and Tanisha walked over to the tap and filled their bucket with water. Then they brought the water back to the muddy patch and wet it thoroughly to make the mud soft. But they realised they had nothing to dig with. Tania had only brought her spade and no fork, because she had expected the mud to be loose. Tanisha suggested they look for some sticks in the clump of trees behind the swing. The 2 girls found a couple of nice sturdy sticks. Rather pleased with themselves, they made their way back to the wet muddy patch. Tania and Tanisha started digging busily. As they dug away they chatted, gossiped and joked about this and that. Soon they had dug up a big pile of mud. Tania and Tanisha looked at the mud pile and decided they had enough to fill the bucket. They were just about to stop digging and even up the hole when Tania noticed something odd. The bottom of the hole was shinning red. Tania touched it and it felt smooth like plastic. Tanisha and Tania got curious and dug some more. What could be there? With their curiosity aroused Tania and Tanisha dug efficiently and cleared away the mud rapidly, to reveal a red plastic box. The box was a little stuck but Tania and Tanisha managed to pull it out together sweating and panting. They were amazed at what they had found and could not wait to open it. On the count of three they flipped open the cover together and pulled out the contents. What a weird collection of things they found! There were a couple of photos of some children, some candy, an audio CD of songs, a list of book titles and finally a list of 4 names with a profession noted next to each name. Tania and Tanisha carefully examined the contents. They also found a small chit of paper with 18th May 2009 printed on it. Tanisha was examining a paper and the photos. She suddenly exclaimed, ""Trisha is my older sister! That is her name there on the paper. And this is a picture from when she was about 4 years old in 2009! I wonder what this is all about."" ""We could ask her"", said Tania. They rushed over with the box to Tanisha's house. Trisha was surprised to see Tania and Tanisha so excited and she was even more surprised to see what they were holding. She recognised the red plastic box immediately, though it had been years since she had thought of it. Tania and Tanisha were bubbling with questions and Trisha tried to answer them all. She said ""The box is a time capsule. The four of us were best friends. We still are. We decided to document things that were important to us then, like our favourite candy, songs, books and what we wanted to be when we grew up. Then in 10 years we would check it out to see how much we had changed. It was buried in a box under the swing. We were supposed to open it on 18th May 2019."" She smiled nostalgically. ""Oh! I am sorry"" said Tania. ""We can bury it back."" ""No, no. Don't worry about that. Why don't you make a time capsule of your own instead and bury it in the same spot. My friends and I can take a look at this now. It will be fun. Then you can see if some nosy kids go dig up your time capsule before you intended for it to be dug up."" She winked at them and smiled. Tania and Tanisha returned to the garden. They picked up the bucket of mud to give Tania's mother. On the way up they excitedly discussed what they could put in their own time capsule. " Fat-King-Thin-Dog-.txt,"Fat King Thin Dog This is a fat king. The fat king has a thin dog. The fat king and his thin dog go for a walk. The dog sees a bird. The dog runs after the bird. The king runs after the dog. They run and run. They run and run for many days. The king catches the dog. Now the fat king is thin. " there_must_be_a_rainbow_readonline.txt,"Nestled in the Kingdom of the Zulu is a magnificent place called the Valley. A little girl called Jabulile lives here. Jabulile was always a happy child. She was also curious, and full of questions about life. Everything fascinated her. Jabulile’s father was a mielie farmer. Her mother was a teacher. They taught her to dream big dreams. Jabulile’s biggest dream was to help people. Everyone in the village was Jabulile’s friend, especially the elders. They taught her about the wise men and women who once lived in the Valley. Jabulile also wanted to be wise. One awful day, the clouds began to gather over the Valley. Everything grew dark and grey. An ugly storm swept over the land. Great gusts of wind blew the roofs off the huts. All the animals lost their homes. It was a very sad day. The village folk cried, ""What shall we do now?"" ""All the crops are ruined!"" cried the farmers. ""Our homes are gone!"" said the elders. All hope seemed lost. But Jabulile remembered something her wise father once told her. Jabulile started speaking to the villagers. ""The storm only hurts us,"" she said, ""because of the way we choose to see it. If you look up the sun is shining again. It is a new day. ""After every storm, there must be a rainbow!"" she shouted excitedly. Just then a glorious rainbow appeared in the sky. The villagers saw the rainbow and they began to smile. It stood as a promise that the storm was over. The villagers rebuilt their homes. Farmers planted new crops. The grass grew greener than ever before. Once again there was hope and happiness in the Valley. " Swift-Walker.txt,"A Continental Journey Written But Swift kept right on walking. Swift Walker walked faster than everybody. Even his little dog could barely keep up with him! His mom would say, ""Slow down, Swift!"" His dad would say, ""Son, you walk too fast!"" His sister would say, ""One day you’ll walk so fast, you won’t be able to stop!"" One sunny afternoon, Swift took Before he could blink, Swift a walk…a fast walk, of course. walked all the way to… After a few hours, Swift realized he was tired. He wanted to slow down, but his feet would not stop. They kept right on walking! Swift walked by… Africa! …the Sahara Desert, the largest desert in the world. The sun shone brightly as the dry air warmed his face. …Mt. Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa. …the Serengeti, where he saw a herd of large African elephants. …the beautiful Nile River, which runs from one end of Africa all the way to the other. ""Wow!"" he said, ""Amazing!"" But Swift’s feet kept right on walking out of Africa and straight on to… He couldn’t believe what he saw... Europe! …the Eiffel Tower looked like it reached the sky and touched the clouds. …St. Basil’s Cathedral, the most beautiful cathedral in Europe. What a masterpiece! …the North Cape in Norway with its peaceful waters. It looked like paradise. ""Wow!"" he said, ""Amazing!"" But Swift’s feet kept right on walking out of Europe and straight on to… ""Wow!"" he said, ""Amazing!"" Asia! But Swift’s feet kept right on walking out of Asia and straight on to… Swift sauntered by... …the Taj Mahal, the grandest building he had ever seen. I wonder if anyone still lives here, Swift thought. …a Siberian tiger, the largest in the cat family, only found in Central Asia. …the Yangtze River, the longest river in Asia. Australia! His eyes grew wide at the sight of... …the Kanangra Falls in Kanangra Boyd National Park where waters cascaded down the big rock wall. …Koala bears eating from a fragrant eucalyptus tree. …the Harbour Bridge and Opera House in Sydney. He could see the whole city from there! ""Wow!"" he said, ""Amazing!"" But Swift’s feet kept right on walking out of Australia and straight on to… Swift passed by... Antarctica! …the slow moving rivers of ice called valley glaciers. …a mommy seal and her pup rubbing noses. …Observation Hill where he saw the best view, clear across Antarctica. ""Wow!"" he said, ""Amazing!"" But Swift’s feet kept right on walking out of Antarctica and straight on to… South Swift’s excitement grew at the sight of... …Mount Cotopaxi in Ecuador, the world’s tallest active America! volcano. Will it erupt soon? Swift wondered. …the damp Amazon Rainforest and the towering Brazil Nut Trees. …a red poison tree frog whose colors are a warning to stay away! …the Atacama Desert in Chile with the Hand of the Desert made of cement and iron. ""Wow!"" he said ""Amazing!"" But Swift’s feet kept right on walking out of South America and straight on to... North America! Swift spotted... …the Spirit of Washington sailing down the Potomac River in Washington, DC, the nation’s capital. …Horseshoe Bend on the Colorado River. It looked like the bend was full of green and blue jelly! …an enormous whale, diving in the waters of the Auke Bay off the Alaska Shores. ""Wow!"" he said ""Amazing!"" But Swift’s feet kept right on walking until he found himself… …in his bed. When he looked down at his feet, he realized his great adventure was a dream. Swift promised himself he would slow down and pay attention to see all he could see. He understood his adventure was just beginning. What an adventure it would be! ""Wow!"" he said, ""Amazing!"" " amazing_max_disabled_kitten_FKB_stories.txt,"It was a cold Winter morning. So cold all the little kitties in the animal rescue centre were cuddled up together fast asleep. All except for one small kitten who lay shivering all on his own. This frighten little kitten had not slept a wink. He was sad, confused, and very alone. came laughed Seymour. " animal-homes-pratham-FKB.txt,"Animal Homes Animals live all around us. Birds build their homes up high. And so do bees. Spiders spin their homes. Tiny termites build tall, tall homes. Snails and tortoises grow homes on their backs. Fish live in the water. Frogs can live in water and on land. Rabbits and rats live in burrows under the ground. Monkeys and apes make trees their homes. Bears and wolves live in dens. Crocodiles live in swamps. Deer live in forests. And so do tigers! One Large Home Some animals live close to us and some live far away. But do you know what we have in common with all the animals of the world? We all build our homes in one large home: planet Earth! " here-comes-the-camel-and-other-poems-Pratham-FKB.txt,"Here Comes the Camel and Other Poems Butterfly I met a butterfly, yellow, black and brown. Hovering over flowers, flying up and down. She sits so near I touch her with no fear. At once she flies away, she sits but doesn’t stay. Thump Thump Thump Thump goes the elephant! Thump Thump the elephant comes! He lifts his trunk, he lowers it. Wading into the water, his trunk becomes a shower. Bump Bump goes the elephant! Bump Bump the elephant comes! Bananas for his big fat tum, he eats ten and counts one! Burp Burp goes the elephant! Burp Burp the elephant comes! Off to School Leaves are green and flowers red. Ready for school as you leave the bed. Left your pencil, dropped your book! Pick them up and off to school! Flying High Lovely little butterfly, yellow and blue butterfly. She looks like a petal on a flower, crossing flowerbeds afar. A wave of colour, with her wings aflutter, she looks so bright. Her quiet flight, in the morning light. Here Comes the Camel Here comes the camel rocking gently down the road! Such a tall animal! Here comes the camel! With a neck so tall, and a back so high, the camel gently goes by. His feet like the sand, carrying loads across the land, walking quietly on the sand. When he tires, he will sit. On his right or his left? That is his own SECRET! Peacock Look how the peacock dances, on dainty steps he advances. All his feathers in an arc, glowing hues light and dark. When the sky turns cloudy grey, the peacock begins to sway. Moving gently on his feet, dancing to the rainy beat! Food So Precious! How about some idli-dosa, or a nice hot samosa? Let us eat some sweet mithai, yummy rabri and malai! Would you like some poori bhaji, or fried brinjal bhaaja? Spongy fresh dhokla is nice, to gobble up in a trice. But do not hurry when you eat, careful not to spill any treat. Because FOOD is so precious, and also so DELICIOUS! Drip Drop Drip Drop raindrops! Can I touch them as they Plop? Eyes shut and face upturned, for silver beads on curling lashes. Eyes open to see what splashes! Leaves and branches dripping wet. Birds shedding little droplets! Silver sheets on roofs and walls, I see the rain as it falls! The Race A tumbling red tomato, racing green peas! Stumbling came the cauliflower, not far behind is coriander! Who will reach the finish line in this race against time? Swinging High To and fro swings the doll, pulled by the bird so small. Uncle Monkey hides a smile, in his hat of the latest style. Aunty Kitten is also here using her fat glasses to peer. She also wants to have a go to touch the sky, to and fro! Umbrella Who went to the market with Papa? His dear old umbrella! He is safe from the beating sun with his dear old umbrella! His bag in his right hand, guess what the left demands? When the rain comes pouring down, Umbrella-time all around! It gets wet but keeps Papa dry. Like a roof on his head that is not very high! Paper Boat Let us make a paper boat, in the water it will float! Away floats the paper boat running to a river unknown. Dancing on the swirling waves, a little speck as it sails away! My Pencil My pencil is so special, it jots down letters neat. In maths, it's hard to beat! Leaves and flowers, plants and pots, lions and birds, it draws in a shot! Drawing lines for a house so tall, my special pencil does it all! Chugetty Chug There goes the train, Chugetty Chug! On the tracks, Chugetty Chug! The longest whistle in the land, Chugetty Clack! Not the slow passenger train, the fastest sleekest streaking Mail! Chugetty Clack Goes the train! My Ball Bounce Bounce goes my ball! Run Run runs my ball! I like to run for my ball! Quickly hides my naughty ball! Bounce Bounce comes my ball! I'm happy when I find my ball! " zanele-sees-numbers_english_FKB_20170208.txt,"Everyone tells Zanele that numbers are all around her. But no matter how hard she tries, she can’t see them. Zanele asks Gogo to help her see some numbers. Gogo points to the jars on the shelf and counts, ""one, two, three, four."" But Zanele is unhappy. ""Those aren’t numbers. Those are jars!"" Zanele asks Mom to help her see some numbers. Mom points to the carrots in the garden and counts, ""one, two, three, four."" But Zanele is unhappy. ""Those aren’t numbers. Those are carrots!"" Zanele sees Linda counting the chickens, to see if they have all come back home. But Zanele is unhappy. ""Those aren’t numbers. Those are chickens!"" Zanele sees Auntie counting the hours until supper. But Zanele is unhappy. ""Those aren’t numbers. Those are hours!"" Zanele can’t see the numbers in the world. She goes to speak to her sister, Gugu, who is eight years old and knows everything. ""If you look at anything in the right way, you can see a number in it,"" says Gugu. Gugu gives Zanele a pair of magic glasses and tells her to go look for numbers in the world. " ann-nem-oh-nee_childrens-picture-book-en_20180329-4-18.txt,"Ann-Nem-Oh-Nee lived in the ocean. All day long she clung to the same slippery rock with her single big foot. Her tiny tentacles caught tasty treats. On days when she felt cross, her stinging tentacles kept the other creatures away. But today her rock felt lonely. ""I have no fins. I am different to every other creature."" I have no feet. ""Even that hermit crab is off having adventures!"" ""Save me! That fish wants to pluck me out of my shell!"" Ann-Nem-Oh-Nee whipped up her stinging tentacles and hid the hermit underneath them. ""Go away, you big bully!"" The big fish bared his teeth, but was afraid of being stung. He gave up and swam away with a cheeky flick of his tail. ""That was close!"" said the crab. ""Is it safe now?"" ""You can come out, Crab. What’s your name?"" ""Herman. I’m a hermit, but I think I need a bodyguard. I wish I was as brave as you!"" ""I’m Ann-Nem-Oh-Nee. I wish I had amazing adventures like you."" ""But why don’t you?"" ""I’m stuck to my rock. And I don’t have He asked. legs!"" She replied. ""Well, I don’t have stings, but I do have an idea!"" Herman took Ann-Nem-Oh-Nee by the First Ann-Nem-Oh-Nee snorted, and then tentacle and danced around her, pulling she giggled — and then she laughed so silly faces. hard she popped right off her rock. Herman gently picked her up and settled her on his shell. ""Are you ready? I feel an adventure coming on."" He said. Ann-Nem-Oh-Nee adventures all over Now she only uses her stinging tentacles the ocean, catching tasty treats. to keep the nasty fish away from Herman. And she never, ever feels lonely. " crookedmanotherr00newyiala.txt,"CROOKED MAN There was a crooked man, and he went a crooked mile, And he found a crooked six-pence against a crooked stile ; He bought a crook'ed hat, which caught a crooked mouse, And they all lived together in a little crooked house. Go to bed Tom, go to bed Tom Merry or sober, go to bed Tom. Little Tommy Grace, Had a pain in his face, So that he could not learn a letter ; When in came Dicky Long, Singing such a funny song, That Tommy laughed, and found his face much better. Shoe the horse, shoe the mare, Let the little colt go bare. A dog and a cat went out toge- ther, To see some Mends just out of town; Said the cat to the dog, ""What d'ye think of the weather ? ""I think, Ma'am, the rain will come down."" ""But dont be alarmed, for I've an umbrella That will shelter us both,"" said this amiable fellow. Oh, the ni&ty, dusty, rusty miller, I'll not change my wife for gold or siller. Jack be nimble, Jack be quick, And Jack jump over the can- dlestick. Hiccory, diccory, dock, The mouse ran up the clock ; The clock struck one, The mouse ran down, Hiccory, diccory, dock. A horse and cart Had Billy Smart, To play with when it pleased him; The cart he'd load Bythe side of the road, And be happy if no one teased him. Bow-wow-wow, Whose dog art thou ? Little Tom Tucker's dog, Bow-wow-wow Hark ! hark ! the dogs do bark, Beggars are coming to town, Some in jags, and some in rags, ""* And some in velvet gowns. " Peter-Rabbit.txt,"THE TALE OF PETER RABBIT BY BEATRIX POTTER First published 1902 This edition published by Once upon a time there were four little Rabbits, and their names were— Flopsy, Mopsy, Cotton-tail, and Peter. They lived with their Mother in a sand-bank, underneath the root of a very big fr-tree. 'Now my dears,' said old Mrs. Rabbit one morning, 'you may go into the felds or down the lane, but don't go into Mr. McGregor's garden: your Father had an accident there; he was put in a pie by Mrs. McGregor.' 'Now run along, and don't get into mischief. I am going out.' Then old Mrs. Rabbit took a basket and her umbrella, and went through the wood to the baker's. She bought a loaf of brown bread and fve currant buns. Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cotton-tail, who were good little bunnies, went down the lane to gather blackberries; But Peter, who was very naughty, ran straight away to Mr. McGregor's garden, and squeezed under the gate! First he ate some lettuces and some French beans; and then he ate some radishes; And then, feeling rather sick, he went to look for some parsley. But round the end of a cucumber frame, whom should he meet but Mr. McGregor! Mr. McGregor was on his hands and knees planting out young cabbages, but he jumped up and ran after Peter, waving a rake and calling out, 'Stop thief!' Peter was most dreadfully frightened; he rushed all over the garden, for he had forgotten the way back to the gate. He lost one of his shoes among the cabbages, and the other shoe amongst the potatoes. After losing them, he ran on four legs and went faster, so that I think he might have got away altogether if he had not unfortunately run into a gooseberry net, and got caught by the large buttons on his jacket. It was a blue jacket with brass buttons, quite new. Peter gave himself up for lost, and shed big tears; but his sobs were overheard by some friendly sparrows, who few to him in great excitement, and implored him to exert himself. Mr. McGregor came up with a sieve, which he intended to pop upon the top of Peter; but Peter wriggled out just in time, leaving his jacket behind him. And rushed into the tool-shed, and jumped into a can. It would have been a beautiful thing to hide in, if it had not had so much water in it. Mr. McGregor was quite sure that Peter was somewhere in the tool-shed, perhaps hidden underneath a fower-pot. He began to turn them over carefully, looking under each. Presently Peter sneezed—'Kertyschoo!' Mr. McGregor was after him in no time. And tried to put his foot upon Peter, who jumped out of a window, upsetting three plants. The window was too small for Mr. McGregor, and he was tired of running after Peter. He went back to his work. Peter sat down to rest; he was out of breath and trembling with fright, and he had not the least idea which way to go. Also he was very damp with sitting in that can. After a time he began to wander about, going lippity—lippity—not very fast, and looking all round. He found a door in a wall; but it was locked, and there was no room for a fat little rabbit to squeeze underneath. An old mouse was running in and out over the stone doorstep, carrying peas and beans to her family in the wood. Peter asked her the way to the gate, but she had such a large pea in her mouth that she could not answer. She only shook her head at him. Peter began to cry. Then he tried to fnd his way straight across the garden, but he became more and more puzzled. Presently, he came to a pond where Mr. McGregor flled his water-cans. A white cat was staring at some gold-fsh, she sat very, very still, but now and then the tip of her tail twitched as if it were alive. Peter thought it best to go away without speaking to her; he had heard about cats from his cousin, little Benjamin Bunny. He went back towards the tool-shed, but suddenly, quite close to him, he heard the noise of a hoe—scr-r-ritch, scratch, scratch, scritch. Peter scuttered underneath the bushes. But presently, as nothing happened, he came out, and climbed upon a wheelbarrow and peeped over. The frst thing he saw was Mr. McGregor hoeing onions. His back was turned towards Peter, and beyond him was the gate! Peter got down very quietly off the wheel- barrow; and started running as fast as he could go, along a straight walk behind some black- currant bushes. Mr. McGregor caught sight of him at the corner, but Peter did not care. He slipped underneath the gate, and was safe at last in the wood outside the garden. Mr. McGregor hung up the little jacket and the shoes for a scare-crow to frighten the blackbirds. Peter never stopped running or looked behind him till he got home to the big fr-tree. He was so tired that he fopped down upon the nice soft sand on the foor of the rabbit-hole and shut his eyes. His mother was busy cooking; she wondered what he had done with his clothes. It was the second little jacket and pair of shoes that Peter had lost in a fortnight! I am sorry to say that Peter was not very well during the evening. His mother put him to bed, and made some camomile tea; and she gave a dose of it to Peter! 'One table-spoonful to be taken at bed-time.' But Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cotton-tail had bread and milk and blackberries for supper. " The-Girl-Who-Saw-God.txt,"In the Pacific Ocean there is an island composed by two mountains. It is as if someone had placed together two big handfuls of earth and stones in the heart of the sea. The bigger one is called Sadness and the smaller one Joy. Mythology tells us that many centuries ago Joy was larger and higher than Sadness, but, due to an earthquake, part of it fell in the sea, shaping the mountain the way we find it today. No one knows if that is really the truth. The fact is that where those two geological accidents meet live a girl named Aletheia and her grandmother. Aletheia and her grandma are like the mountains: two persons who are always together. Today the girl is shorter and smaller than her grandmother; but some day, nobody knows when, Aletheia will wake and she will be taller than her grandma. Aletheia is going to grow up and I think that when this day comes, they will still be together, just like the mountains of the island. One day this girl asked: ""Grandma, who made the world?"". To what her grandmother replied, ""God"". - ""All of it?"". - ""Yes, all of it"". - ""By himself?"". - ""Yes"". Aletheia left the room with that conversation on her mind. She was not convinced. She thought about this for a few days. In order to digest her thoughts she went for a walk through the island. Alone she thought. Aloud she though and she began to share her thoughts with whatever crossed her way: leaves, trees, stones, ants, crickets, etc. Had God created the world by himself? After long discussions with stones, trees, the river and frogs of the island, Aletheia went back to her grandma saying: ""It is a lie. God did not make the world"". The old lady was surprised: ""And why do you think so, Aletheia?"". - ""Because God does not exist"", answered the girl. - ""No?"". - ""No"". - ""May I ask you how you figured that out?"". - ""I looked all around and I do not see him anywhere. Ever"". - ""Not even a clue?"". - ""Nothing"". Her grandmother thought for a while and asked: ""If you see Him, will you believe in Him?"". - ""Yes"", answered Aletheia, for children always want to believe in beautiful things, as long as they make some sense. - ""Then tomorrow I shall take you to see God"". Aletheia's face was enlightened. - ""Really?"". - ""Yes"". - ""Do you promise?"". - ""I promise"". She imagined him with many arms and many hands and hundreds of fingers, operating alone the whole world. God probably had wings to fly. Maybe He had eyes on the nape of his neck and on the palms of his hands... to keep an eye on every single creation. She wished to know how his voice was, because she wanted to make some questions and expected answers. She left her imagination wander until she fell asleep. The next morning she woke up early and her grandmother asked: ""Are you ready to see God?"". - ""Yes, I am!"". - ""Then move"", urged the grandmother, ""for we must climb the mountain"". - ""Which one?"" – inquired Aletheia, who was a little bit lazy and did not enjoy climbing mountains. - ""Sadness"". - ""Right the higher one? Why don't we climb Joy?"". - ""It is simple, because from the top of Sadness we can see the whole of Joy, but from the top of Joy we can only see one side of Sadness. Now let us go. God is waiting"". Aletheia did not understand the explanation very well, but she followed her grandmother and they both started the hiking. Right after taking their first steps, her grandmother asked, ""What color is Joy?"". Aletheia stared at the mountain. It was early in the morning, the air was cold and the mountain was covered by dense white dew; besides, as the sun was still low, the shadow of Sadness swallowed the entire Joy. So the girl answered: - ""It is white and gray"". Her grandmother agreed and they kept on climbing. They walked for some time and the dew around slowly began to fade. Joy was still overshadowed by Sadness when Aletheia's grandmother asked: ""What about now, what color is the mountain?"". In a glance, the girl saw that Joy was now blue: - ""It is blue"". Her grandmother agreed and the hiking restarted. By this time Aletheia was already tired, ""When are we going to see God?"". - ""When we get to the top. Be patient"", said the old woman. Those were words blown in the wind. Kids are impatient by nature, because it takes time to learn how to wait. The girl wanted to leave; only curiosity kept her moving. Her grandmother continued walking. Despite her age, she seemed to display much more disposition and energy than her young granddaughter did. Isn't there a saying about this? ""Will can remove mountains?"". Not youth nor strength, but will. Long was the walk until the sun leaked its rays from behind Sadness enlightening Joy. Once again her grandmother asked: ""What is the color of Joy?"" The mountain, covered by the forest, was now green, completely green. Aletheia was a little bored about those questions about colors, but answered promptly; ""Green, Grandma, the mountain is green"". Her grandmother agreed and back they went to their walking. The day was getting warmer and the hikers decided to take a break and eat their lunch. - ""Grandma, what is God doing up there?"". - ""The same he does everywhere else"". - ""If he does the same thing everywhere, how come we have to climb Sadness?"". - ""So you can see better"". - ""And why do you keep asking me the color of Joy?"". - ""To train your eyes"". Aletheia finally stopped asking and ate her food. She thought maybe God was colorful. It was early in the afternoon when they went back to their climbing. Again, the old woman asked: ""What color is Joy?"". Now, with the sun in the center of the sky, the colors were vivid. - ""It is still green"", was the answer. - ""And how many shades of green can you see?"". Aletheia stopped, paid close attention ans distinguished, with daze, a multitude of shades of green covering Joy. Light green, almost white, yellow green, orange green, blue green, green red, green green, dark green, almost black, bright green, brown green... There were so many shades her brain was confused. The girl had never noticed how the colors changed and how different they could get along the day. The grandmother and the granddaughter only reached the top late in the afternoon. There, the old woman asked about the color of Joy. It was almost dusk and Aletheia saw the mountain reddish. Her grandma agreed. Then the girl, perceiving they were all alone on the top of Sadness, asked, ""Where is God, Grandma?"". - ""Before I show you where He is, you must answer me another thing"". - ""What?"". - ""What is the true color of Joy?"". - ""I do not know"", she said, ""it depends on the time of the day"". - ""Then what is the color of the day?"". Aletheia did not know the answer, for the day did not have a color, but it also bore all the colors.. - ""God is like the color of the day"",said her grandmother, ""We cannot see it, but because of it we see everything around us, because it is everywhere, showing everything"". Aletheia understood: God was light. Not the sunlight, but the light of the soul and of the heart. The night fell and while she looked at the clear sky, Aletheia saw God in each flickering star. Her grandmother had kept her promise and she now believed the world was made by God. The next morning they climbed down Sadness and they could see all the Joy. THE END " 025-DRAGONS-Free-Childrens-Book-By-Monkey-Pen.txt,"Chinese Dragons The Chinese love dragons. They believe that the dragon is powerful and wise and brings good luck. There are many temples built to honor the dragons in China. Chinese dragons are snake-like, wingless animals with four legs and five claws on each leg. According to stories, Chinese dragons have a magic pearl which gives them the power to fly and go into heaven. The Chinese believe that dragons control water, rainfall, hurricane, and floods. Korean Dragons Korean dragons are the most kind-hearted of all the dragons. A Korean dragon is a snake-like, wingless animal with a long beard. A Korean dragon has four legs with four claws on each leg. In Korean stories, dragons are water animals, which control water and farming. Japanese Dragons Japanese dragons are large, wingless, snake-like animals with three claws on each foot. Japanese believe that dragons are water animals that control rainfall and water. According to Japanese stories, dragons were first born in Japan. Dragons are very popular in Japan and are used a lot in art, music and architecture. Indian Dragonns Indian dragons are wingless animals that are half-snake and half- human. Indian dragons are called Nagas and are said to live in an underground kingdom. In Indian stories, Nagas are found in rivers, lakes and seas and they are believed to be guardians of great treasures. Filipino Dragons The Filipino Dragon is called Bakunawa, which means ""moon-eater"". According to an ancient story in Philippines, Bakunawa is a snake-like dragon with whiskers, two pairs of wings, a red tongue, and a mouth as big as a lake. In the story, the Bakunawa lived in the sea and would rise out of the water into the sky and eat the moon. Thus, the Filipino dragons were believed to be the cause of eclipses. Welsh Dragons The flag of Wales has a red dragon in a green and white field. The flag tells the story of the red dragon which saved Wales from the icy white dragon but died after the fight. The Welsh flag was made to honor the red dragon and remember him forever. Greek Dragons The most famous Greek dragon was the Hydra, which was killed by the Greek hero, Hercules. The Hydra was a nine headed snake-like water dragon with poisonous breath and blood. It had the power of regeneration; it grew two new heads for each head that was cut off. In this Greek story, the dragon was killed by Hercules, who burnt its neck stumps to stop any new heads from growing. English Dragons In most English stories, dragons were evil animals. They lived in dark caves, guarded great treasures and fought with English knights. English dragons have four powerful legs and claws, scales on its body, huge wings and a sharp tail. They have fangs, poisonous breath and breathe fire. Russian Dragons In Russia, a dragon was believed to have three heads, which could grow back if cut off. In popular Russian stories, dragons were green, walked on two back paws, had small front paws and breathed fire. Scandinavian Dragons The most evil among all dragons is the Scandinavian dragon, Nidhogg. He is a huge, multicolored, wingless dragon who lives underground. In the Norse story, this thirty-foot, snake-like dragon keeps eating the roots of the world-tree Yggdrasil. This is dangerous for Earth because this is the tree that keeps the universe safe. Bhutanese Dragons The Druk is the ""Thunder Dragon"" of Bhutanese stories. This dragon is the national symbol of Bhutan. The Thunder Dragon is a giant snake-like, wingless animal with four legs and scales on its body. The flag of Bhutan has a Druk and the Bhutanese people call their country Druk Yul (Land of Druk). " tine-and-the-faraway-mountain-pratham-FKB.txt,"Tine and the Faraway Mountain ""I completely let go of fear. Fear of norms and fear of society. I was neither afraid of failure, nor dying. I believed in my own strengths and nurtured my natural talent. I improved my weaknesses. And above all, I always followed my heart"" —Tine Mena, mountaineer Today is a big day for Tine Mena. At the age of 25, she has become the first woman from Northeast India to climb Everest. At 8,848 metres, Everest is the highest mountain in the world. It’s as high as five thousand men (who are six feet tall) standing on top of each other! This is the story of Tine’s journey, a girl who loves to climb mountains. Whooshoo! Whooshoo! In the Mishmi hills of Arunachal Pradesh, Tine heard a wondrous call from the distant mountains. She was drawn to it, a sound only she could hear. Tine loved to climb. She climbed trees, ran through the jungle and went fishing in the river. She was as fearless and strong as Naaya, her grandmother. If Tine fell down, Naaba, her father, would tell her to get up and carry on. Tine and her younger sister Sony loved eating apples, oranges, and berries from the forest. They spent long days lying under the sun. Ah, Tine would smile, what a wonderful life! But one day, Tine’s world turned upside down. There was no school in Echali, so her family moved to the closest big town, Roing. There, the ‘Whooshoo’ became a faint whisper. All she wanted was to be in the mountains. Ten years later, Tine finished school. The mountain call was strong again - whoshooo, whoshooo. To be close to her mountains, Tine applied to be a porter for an army expedition. She could carry heavy loads and march for days, shoulder to shoulder with others. But there was one small problem—women were not allowed to be porters. But did that stop her? Of course it didn’t! Tine dressed as a boy and began working. She’d carry nearly 25 kilos every day. It took a week for everyone to realise that she was a girl disguised as a boy! Tine was scolded for breaking the rules. But she could work as much as the boys and knew the route better than anyone. So the officers agreed to let her continue working. Her act would later help lift the ban on female porters. Tine worked hard and became a coordinator, someone who plans mountain trips. That’s when she met Dr. Romeo Meitei, the leader of an expedition. ""I must say that you have all the makings of a naturally gifted climber,"" he said. ""You have the build, the strength, and the determination. Now all you need, is technique."" Dr. Meitei became her mentor and Tine began her training. But it was when Tine saw The Race for Everest, a film about the first climb of Mount Everest, that she heard about her dream mountain. The Whooshoo became a roar. Climbing Mount Everest became Tine’s dream. Finally, Tine left for Nepal. She was anxious, but determined. At the Everest base camp, it was cold and the air, thin. After her training, Tine began her climb with Cherring Sherpa*. The climb was divided into four sections so climbers could rest at different camping points and continue to the top over a few days. By the time Tine and Cherring Sherpa reached the second camp, the weather had worsened. *Sherpas are a Tibetan ethnic group living in high Himalayan regions who are known for their climbing skills. But the musical Whooooshooing was also growing louder and hypnotic! ""Do you want to go ahead?"" Cherring asked. ""I don’t think I will get another chance to do this,"" Tine said. Somehow, they reached their final camp. But the wind blew their tent and supplies away. They found another tent in which they took shelter. No walkie-talkies, no medicines, all Tine and Cherring had was a packet of noodles. ""Let’s share half of it,"" Cherring suggested. ""If we make it alive, we will eat the other half,"" Tine said with a determined smile. For every two steps they took, the wind sent them reeling back a step. The stormy winds howled, ""Go awayyyyy"". But Tine could only hear ""Whoooshoooo"". With new resolve, they fearlessly began the last push to reach the top. At 10.45 am on May 9, 2011, Tine summited the highest mountain in the world. The young girl who loved to climb trees had climbed to the top of the world. She had found her faraway mountain, and was one with the sound that had called her all her life. Whoooshoo, she dances with her beloved mountain. Tine Mena, the mountaineer Tine Mena is an adventurer who holds the distinction of being the first female Everester from Northeast India. At Dr. Romeo Meitei’s suggestion, Tine enrolled at the Manipur Mountaineering and Training Association in Imphal. She won a gold medal at the course and another for best student of the basic mountaineering course at the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute in Darjeeling. Tine turned down a well-paid job as a mountaineering instructor to chase her Everest dream. She raised private sponsorship for her expedition. Tine has inspired many youngsters in the northeast, starting with her cousin Ruby Lombo, a cycling athlete. Tine continues to be a role model for adventurous children. " Monkey-Adventures.txt,"Monkey Adventures Baby Monkey is hugging her momma. She just got up from a nap. Baby Monkey likes to ride on her momma’s back. They go for a ride. They go to look for Baby Monkey’s sisters and brothers. Baby Monkey likes looking at them playing on the rocks. Her sisters and brothers are climbing on the rocks. Baby monkey’s big sister is pulling on her brother’s tail! I don’t think he liked that so much! He’s telling her, ""Please don’t do that to me again."" Except, maybe he didn’t say please . . . Now it’s play time! That means more tail pulling and some face pushing too! Baby Monkey’s sisters and brothers like to play a lot. Mom just looks. She knows they are just playing and that they will all be ok. " Pigsley_and_rio-into_the_orchid-FKB-Online.txt,"It was morning on the farm and Pigsley the pig woke to a warm, sunny day. His very best friend, Rio the dog, stuck his head around the barn door. Now before we continue with this story, you need to know a very special secret. This is a ""Hello Pigsley,"" he woofed. ""It is time to wake up. secret most adults do not even know... Come on. Up, up, up! Where are we adventuring today?"" animals talk to each other YES, THEY REALLY DO! And that is why Pigsley understood what Rio was saying. Even though Pigsley was a pig and Rio was a dog. ""Morning Rio,"" yawned the sleepy pig. ""Hmmm, let me think, think, think, how about the orchard? The apples are falling from the trees so there will be lots of delicious ""Yes, yes, yes!"" yapped Rio, jumping up and fruit to eat. And plums and figs too. Yum, yum!"" down. ""Come on Pigsley, let us go."" You may have guessed by now that Rio was a very excitable dog, always bouncing about here, there and everywhere. He thought he was still a puppy. So off the friends walked. Past the big tree, and into the orchard where apple trees, past the cottage, where the people lived, plum trees and past the hedge, fig trees grew. across the garden, Rio ran to an apple tree, lay down under it and As you may know, a pig's nose is called a snout. started munching on the fruit that had dropped And a very strong snout it is! beneath it. Pigs spend a lot of time digging in the ground And Pigsley snuffled about with his nose in the with their snouts, sniffing out roots and grubs to ground, taking bites of the apples that had eat. fallen. And this is just what Pigsley did, making furrows all over the orchard. side view of snout front view of snout ""Hey, you two! What are you doing down there?"" shouted someone. Pigsley and Rio looked around trying to find the ""I am up here."" owner of the voice. Both friends lifted their heads and discovered a They looked under a plum tree and behind a fig creature staring down at them from the branch tree, but they did not see anyone nor anything. of an apple tree. ""Who are you?"" snorted Pigsley. ""And what are you?"" growled Rio. They had never seen an animal like that before: all furry, with a looong tail. ""My name is Sam. I am a Samango monkey."" ""What are you doing up in that tree?"" asked Pigsley. ""I was searching for food and saw these delicious apples so I have stopped to eat my breakfast."" replied Sam as he plucked an apple and took a bite. ""Monkeys spend a lot of time in trees. We move around by climbing and jumping from branch to branch. And we can see far from up here."" Sam thought for a while... he ate another apple then replied, ""Not today, thanks. I am meeting my friends on the next farm for a tree party."" ""Oh!"" exclaimed Pigsley. ""Well, my name is Pigsley and this is my friend, Rio. We live on this farm and today we are exploring the orchard. And eating apples, just like you. Do you want to come down and play with us?"" ""Goodbye!"" he howled. ""I will come back and play with you soon. And bring my friends too."" Pigsley and Rio were confused. They knew what a tea party was, because they had seen the people in the cottage having one, but what was a tree party? Scratching his head Rio asked, ""What is a tree party?"" ""We all bring food to share and have a party in the trees,"" explained the monkey. ""We play games, do tricks on the branches and have a fun time together."" With that, Sam grabbed a few more apples and jumped away through the trees. Pigsley and Rio decided to climb the apple tree. But no matter how hard they tried, they just could not get up it. Pigsley and Rio watched in amazement. This was the first time they had met a monkey and the very first time they had seen one jumping through the trees. ""Wow!"" exclaimed Rio. ""That sounds like fun. Should we join Sam and his friends for the tree party?"" The pig nodded in agreement. Eventually they realised that maybe climbing trees was something monkeys did and that pigs and dogs were not meant to. So the friends spent the rest of the day playing in the orchard. Rio dug a big hole. He was trying to catch moles. And Pigsley rolled around in it and got very dirty. They both ate a lot more apples, plums and figs until their tummies were full. As the sun began to sink behind the hill, they heard the farmer call. ""Piiiigsley!"" ""Riiiiooo!"" The pig and dog walked back home to their dinner and beds. Looking up at the trees, they wondered where Sam was eating his dinner tonight. Goodnight Pigsley. Goodnight Rio. We look forward to your next adventure. Samango monkeys eat fruit, flowers and leaves. Sometimes they eat insects. They live with other monkeys in a group called a Sam Samango troop. Sam the Samango climbing through the trees off to see his monkey friends for a party stopped for breakfast of apples and plums met Pigsley and Rio now his new chums he couldn't come down to play but will be back soon and bring his friends for the afternoon The troop live in or near a forest. We need to respect and look after nature. " Karabos-Question-Readonline.txt,"Liesl Jobson • Natalie Edwards • Marike Beyleveld My sister Kifue chases roosters that crow. My brother Katleho has a ball to throw. My cousin Kutloano plants seeds in a row. My cousin Kamohelo leans on her hoe. My aunt Keromang has a dress to sew. My uncle Khotso herds the cattle that low. Mama dries wheat when the wind does not blow. Papa rides a horse over mountains in snow. Grandpa’s slow donkey walks to and fro. Grandma sings songs till the fire burns low. You know how to say yes. You know how to say no. That’s what you do! That’s what you know! Everyone laughs when you put on a show. Your work is to play. Your work is to grow. " A_Whistling_good_idea_FKB.txt,"A Whistling Good Idea ""Nivi! Turn the cooker off after three whistles, okay?"" Ma says. Ma is going to the market to buy vegetables for dinner. Nivi makes a face. THUMP! She puts her book down. PWFFT! She sticks her tongue out at the cooker. Nivi taps her foot on the floor. She waits and waits for the whistle to blow. All of a sudden, she has an idea! Nivi picks up the rolling pin and places it close to the gas knob. She arranges a row of tomatoes and potatoes behind it. The rasam-and-dal ladle is next. Nivi keeps it carefully at the edge of the shelf above the cooker. She then makes five of Nani’s spoons stand up. These are the ones Nani uses to sip her watery khichdi. Finally, Nivi places her favourite plastic ball right above the spout of the pressure cooker. WHOOSH! The ball moves a little. WHOOSH! A little more. WHOOSH! The ball rolls down the third time. Nivi jumps, claps, and whistles herself! The ball hits the spoons. The spoons fall on the ladle. The ladle swings off the shelf. BLOOONG! The ladle hits the potatoes. The potatoes roll into the tomatoes. The tomatoes crash into the rolling pin. The rolling pin hits the knob of the stove. THAAD! The knob turns. The stove switches off. Nivi opens the pressure cooker carefully. Inside it is yummy, perfectly cooked rice. Nivi goes back to reading her book happily. Build Your Own Genius Machine Nivi builds a type of machine called the Rube Goldberg machine. This is a machine that works on the principle of cause and effect. This is what happens when you hit a coin with a striker on the carrom board and it, in turn, smashes into another, causing the second coin to land in a pocket! In a Rube Goldberg machine, a series of objects that carry out simple tasks work together to meet a common goal in a very complex way. Sure, it’s simpler to do things the easy way, but building a machine to do them is more fun. Try your hand at building your own Rube Goldberg machine to drop a teaspoon. Here’s how. You will need: 1 thin book rolled up as a cylinder, 2 smooth long sticks for a slope, 2 thick books, 2 rulers, 1 marker, 1 eraser, 1 ball, 3 notebooks, 1 light plastic jar, a bundle of string, 1 teaspoon, 1 vessel, 1 smooth beam Slide the cylinder down a slope. The cylinder hits two books, placed standing up. They fall on a ruler, which is balanced on a marker. This, in turn, tips a ball. The ball hits three notebooks. They land on the edge of the second ruler, balanced on an eraser. A jar, placed on the other end of the ruler, is attached to a piece of string. The string is looped around a smooth beam above. The free end of the string is tied to a spoon. The jar rises when the third notebook falls on the ruler. The string falls down, dropping the spoon into the vessel. " God-and-My-Chair-R-.txt,"bject lessons God and my Chair with Be-Me I sit on my c h a i r to read my Bible everyday. I stand on a chair to reach my mom and give her a kiss. I hide under a c h a i r and pretend I’m in God’s secret place. I paint my chair and remember how God colored the world for us. .. 3 . . 1 . . 2 I use my c h a i r to relax while I count my blessings. I offer my chair to an older person who needs a seat. I share my c h a i r with a friend. I lean over a chair to kneel and pray. I use two ch a i r s to make a bed and dream of Heaven. I use my chair for a tent to remind me of God’s protection. I sit on a c h a i r and thank God for my yummy food. Can you think of other things you can do with a chair ? " The-Flying-Train.txt,"The Flying Train It was such a cold night, that Timmy and Nelly were put to bed early. Teddy and Dolly also slept beside them and Puppy and Kitty slept on the floor, next to the bed. Later on, when everyone was fast asleep, Timmy was awakened by a strange sound. ""Whooooof…chuff…chuff…"" ""What’s that noise?"" Timmy murmured, still half asleep. ""It’s coming closer!"" he cried. Nelly and the others woke up at the sound of Timmy’s voice. They all looked up toward the sound and saw an amazing sight. ""It’s a flying train!!!!"" Timmy and Nelly shouted at once. ""Come on everyone!"" the train shouted. ""I will take you for a ride in the sky. All aboooooard!"" ""What?"" everyone cried. ""A ride in the sky? How wonderful! Let’s get in…let’s get in."" So, Timmy, Nelly, Puppy, Kitty, Teddy and Dolly jumped into the train. ""Here we go…"" ""Whooooooooff…whoooooooooff… chuff…chuff…"" The train went flying through the air, chuffing, whoofing, hooting and puffing smoke, all along the way. It flew away from the window. They went so high above the birds, and the birds watched the train fly by, in wonder. They dipped their wings and waved at them. Everybody waved at the birds. Timmy, Nelly and their friends were so happy. Over the clouds, under the clouds, and through the clouds, the train went. It flew, flew and flew. Everybody aboard, yelled and laughed with joy. ""Oh, it’s so cold, up in the sky,"" Dolly said, as she began to shiver. Still, the train flew up and up. It went through the misty clouds, farther and farther away. And suddenly, ""Look, look, look over there!"" Teddy shouted. ""Oh, what is that?"" said Timmy. ""That must be fairyland!"" said Puppy. ""Oh! Look, look, look over there,"" Dolly shouted. ""There are mountains of ice-cream, rivers of honey, beautiful gardens, juicy fruits…and such lovely fairies."" Timmy, Nelly and the others couldn’t quite believe their eyes. They couldn’t wait to get there. But, the train was in a big hurry. It didn’t want to stop. So, on they went, right past the wonderful place, waving to the fairies. The fairies waved back as they flew on. ""Whoooff…chuff…chuff…"" The flying train kept going. It went farther and farther, into the sky. ""There! There! Look over there,"" Timmy said. ""The stars are glittering all over the sky."" ""Yes,"" said the stars. ""That is what we do. We glitter like the sun. We are all suns, as you must know."" ""Oh, yes indeed. you are so beautiful,"" Timmy said. Timmy and the others waved at the stars, as they flew on. ""Let’s go to see the moon,"" said Teddy. ""Oh, there it is!"" cried Dolly. ""It’s so beautiful!"" ""The moon is very big, isn’t it?"" said Kitty. ""It’s so strange! When we saw the moon from the ground, it was quite small. But look, how big it is, up here!"" Dolly yelled, excitedly. ""And see, how far we are from earth and how close we are to the moon. That’s why we see it, so big."" said Tommy. The moon was reflecting the sunlight. Timmy, Nelly and their friends waved goodbye to the moon, and on they flew, in their flying train. ""Oh, be careful! Be careful!"" Nelly shouted. ""Here comes a big rain cloud!!"" But the flying train would not listen. It was not afraid of anything at all. ""There, there...don’t be scared."" As the engine turned to calm its passengers… ""Crr….aaaa…..shhhhh……!"" ""Sr…..sssssss…!"" The train crashed, right into the rain cloud. Big, water droplets splattered all around, leaving the friends wet and dripping. And a heavy downpour gushed from the smashed cloud. ""Oh, no!"" Nelly yelled. All of them were soaked to the skin. But the train would not stop flying. It zig-zagged all over the sky. Round and round the sky, it went. ""Aaaah-choooo!"" Nelly began sneezing. Soon, everyone was sneezing. ""Aaaah-choooo! Aaaah-choooooooooooooooo!"" ""Oh, if mummy could see us, we would be scolded,"" said Nelly, looking around, as if Mother was watching. The flying train flew faster and faster. What a hurry, it seemed to be in! The wind became stronger, as the train went faster, still. Soon, the earth was far below. So far, that it was nothing but a small marble. ""Oh, what is that?"" Kitty shouted pointing at a big reddish globe. ""That is a planet!"" said Nelly. ""Look, it’s going around the sun!"" Puppy was amazed. ""Yes, yes…my teacher said the planets move around the sun, just like our earth planet."" said Nelly. ""Look, look, there are some strange people on that planet,"" Teddy said, pointing at the tiny creatures they could just make out, on the planet. ""Oh, I know. It’s the planet Mars,"" Timmy explained. ""We learned about it in school. Those are the Little Grey People. And look at their flying saucers."" Everyone looked at the planet, curious to see, people from another world. ""Yes, we are the Little People of Mars. You are most welcome to visit our planet,"" said the Little People, waving at the train. Timmy, Nelly and the others would have loved to meet them. But, the train was in such a hurry. It couldn’t wait. It hurried past the planet Mars and went farther and farther out into space. ""How big the sky is!"" the passengers cried. ""Unbelievable!"" ""There’s no end!"" ""Look, look! The sun is rising. Let’s go, let’s go…let’s see the sun!"" Puppy shouted. ""Oh, look, how big the sun is! It’s very hot! The sun is glowing like a ball of fire,"" Teddy whispered, rather fearfully. ""No, no! We surely should not go any closer,"" Dolly said. ""It’s burning hot. We can’t even look at him. Mummy always says that it’s not good to look at the sun directly. He looks very wicked."" ""No, no…I’m not wicked,"" said the sun. ""I love you all. I’m the one who gives you light, warmth and so much more."" ""Yes, of course. The sun gives us a lot,"" Timmy told the others. ""We can’t live without the sun. He is very good to us."" Seeing the sun, he suddenly remembered something. ""Oh! It’s almost dawn!!! We have to get ready for school!"" ""Yes, yes, yes, we’re going to be late for school,"" Nelly cried. ""Stop! Stop! Please..."" Timmy and Nelly both shouted, at the train engine. The train went on flying, as if he didn’t hear them. It was going round and round, farther and farther all over the sky, laughing away. He was in such a hurry! ""What should we do? We are going to be late for school,"" said Nelly, nervously. ""Let’s jump! Let’s jump! Let’s jump off the train,"" Nelly exclaimed. ""Yes, yes, let’s jump off the train!"" said Puppy, too. ""Then close your eyes. One-two-three…,"" Timmy counted. Everybody jumped out of the train. ""...Thu…dddddddddd !"" ""Oh, Mummyyyyyyyyy…my leg... oh, my arm…ouch…ugh… ooooouuuuch!"" Everybody was screaming. Just then, Timmy heard his mother’s voice, as if in a dream. ""Why, why, why are you making all these noises in the middle of the night?"" ""Have you had a dream?"" mother asked, as she rushed into the room. ""Oh....!"" Timmy woke up rubbing his knees and elbows as if hurt, still shouting. Everybody else also woke up. ""Was it a dream?"" Timmy murmered looking around. ""Oh, Timmy!!"" Everybody roared in laughter together. " small-birds-big-adventure-bookdash-FKB.txt,"Wesley van Eeden ˙ Nick Mulgrew ˙ Jennifer Jacobs Small Bird was a small bird. He was very small and very birdy. Small Bird lived in a beautiful house with the Giant. Small Bird loved the Giant very much. She was a kind Giant. She gave Small Bird lots of toys. Small Bird was sad when the Giant wasn’t around. So one day Small Bird went to go find the Giant. Small Bird flew up and up until he could see the whole world. He wanted to find the Giant. Where would he land? Small Bird landed in a huge forest, filled with trees and flowers and treasure. Small Bird loved playing with the shiny jewels! But where was the Giant? Small Bird walked into a vast field of snow. The snow was white and soft. Small Bird loved rolling around on the cool ground. But where was the Giant? This time, Small Bird flew even higher into the sky. He flew among the stars and galaxies! He saw the moon! He saw a comet! But where was the Giant? From way up high, with his sharp birdy eyes, Small Bird saw something! What could it be? Small Bird dived down, down, down. Where would he land? Small Bird landed right in the Giant’s hands! He was so happy to see her. ""I love you, Giant!"" he shrieked. The Giant held Small Bird close to her. ""I love you too,"" the Giant said. " ELA_Grade2_Unit4_The_Subway-Reading-Comp.txt,"The Subway When Kim and Kurt were finished eating, Kim paid for the meal and left a tip for the waitress. Then they went out of the diner. ""We need to get on the subway and go into Manhattan,"" she said. ""Manhattan?"" Kurt said with a loud sigh. ""This job hunt will take all day!"" ""It won’t take that long. I’m just having no luck here in Brooklyn. Maybe I can find a job in Manhattan."" They walked to the subway stop. Kim got out the fare card her mom had given her. ""Which train will we take?"" Kurt asked. ""The Number 3 train."" Kim pointed to a map on the wall. She showed Kurt a red line on the map. ""We will ride from here in Brooklyn over to Manhattan and all the way up to Times Square."" Kurt pointed at the spot on the map that marked the East River. ""Will we get to see the river?"" ""No,"" said Kim. ""The subway goes under the river. That’s why it’s named a subway. Sub means under. A subway is a train that goes under things like rivers and roads. It travels underground."" Kurt and Kim waited on the platform for the subway train. Soon, Kurt could hear the sound of the train as it got closer. There was a gust of air. The train rolled up to the platform and stopped. The people inside the subway train were packed in tight. There were no seats, so Kim reached up and grabbed a strap. Kurt held on tight to Kim’s leg. The train started off with a jerk. All the people swayed from side to side. Kurt could hear the train squeaking and creaking. Soon, the train slowed down. A voice came over the speaker, ""This is Clark Street. Next stop is Wall Street."" ""Where are we?"" Kurt asked Kim. ""This is the last stop in Brooklyn,"" Kim explained. ""Next, the subway crosses over to Manhattan."" ""Then can we get off? I’m so squashed I’m having a hard time breathing."" ""Hang in there,"" Kim said. ""Some people will get off as soon as we get to Manhattan."" Kim was right. The next stop was Wall Street. Lots of people got off the train. At last, Kurt and Kim got seats on the train. ""This is much better!"" Kurt said. Name 10.4 The Subway 1. Where do Kim and Kurt need to go on the subway? _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________ 2. Will Kim and Kurt get to see the East River? Why or why not? _________________________________________________ Directions: Have students reread the story and answer the questions in complete sentences. _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________ 3. What is the meaning of the word ""sub""? _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________ 4. Why does Kurt want to get off the train? _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________ 5. What happens at the Wall Street stop? _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________ 6. Have you ever taken a subway? If so, what was it like? If not, would you like to? Why or why not? _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________ First, number the sentences in the proper order. Then rewrite the sentences in the right order. Kurt and Kim got seats on the train. _______ Kurt and Kim waited on the platform. _______ Kurt and Kim left the diner. _______ Kim grabbed a strap, and Kurt grabbed Kim’s leg. _______ Kurt and Kim looked at the subway map. _______ 1. _________________________________________________ 2. _________________________________________________ 3. _________________________________________________ 4. _________________________________________________ 5. _________________________________________________ " 033-DO-YOU-_WONDER-HOW-SNAKES-SLITHER-Free-Childrens-Book-By-Monkey-Pen.txt,"Sammy saw the snake and snuck around its side. Sally saw the snake and scampered down the path. The snake saw Sammy... and Sally... and slithered away. Did you ever wonder how snakes slither? Well, let me tell you. I am Slithers, the Snake and here is how we do it. As you noticed, we don’t have legs but still get around quite well. We actually have 4 ways of moving. And since we don’t have legs we use our tummy scales and muscles to get us around. Most of you think slithering is the only way we move. It is our most common way and you could think of it as your walking. We push off something like a bump on the ground or a rock to get going. Then we move in a wavy motion using our tummy scales and muscles to pull us along. It is called the Serpentine method but slithering is just fine. We can hold on to something with our tail portion, even the ground, and spring our front part forward. Then we drop the front part, hang on, and pull our back part along. Maybe this is like your running as we can go pretty fast. It is called the Concertina method but slithering is just fine. In the sand, mud, or on slippery rocks we move along in a funny way. It is like your hopping. It’s hard to tell you how we do it. It looks like we toss our head forward, but off to the side, not straight ahead. Then the rest of our body follows in a sideways motion. It is called Sidewinding but slithering is just fine. Sometimes you slowly crawl on your tummy. Well, so do we. When we need to be quiet and move very slowly, we use some of our wide scales on our back part to grip the ground. Then we push straight ahead with the others. It is called the Rectilinear method but slithering is just fine. People walk, run, hop, and crawl. We snakes serpentine, concertina, sidewind, and rectilinear. And we both get to where we want to go. Wow! After talking to you about the way we move, I guess it is easier just to say we SLITHER. " Bee-Not-So-Busy.txt,"All day long the Busy-Bees flew from hive to flower and back to hive, gathering pollen and nectar. Their wings beat so fast that they caused a buzz! ""Look at us! We’re humming with activity!"" they sang. Bee-Not-So-Busy was different from the other bees. ""Why don’t bees enjoy the garden like the other insects?"" she wondered. ""I’ll leave the hive and live like the beetles and the butterflies, the ants and the grasshoppers!"" she said. She saw a beetle on a leaf. Beetles are smart. Instead of gathering nectar and making honey, they eat the leaves on the plant,"" she said. After dressing up in a beetle suit, she flew down beside the beetle. Bee-Not-So-Busy took a big bite and almost vomited. ""Yuck! This leaf tastes horrible!"" She flew to a flower and sipped some nectar and felt better. ""I’ll live like a butterfly. They sip nectar but don’t work like bees."" ""They fly over flowers before choosing one. They don’t rush at all. And they don’t hum."" ""They have so much fun!"" Bee-Not-So-Busy found a bright and colorful butterfly costume. She had a nice day sipping nectar and flying among the flowers. By evening, she was tired. Like the other butterflies, she folded her wings and went to sleep under a leaf. Suddenly there was thunder and lightning. Thick drops of rain fell hard and fast. Bee-Not-So-Busy took shelter under a bunch of flowers. The flowers grew heavy with the rainwater. Bee-Not-So-Busy was scared she would drop into the puddle that had formed around the plant. The rain stopped after sometime. Bee-Not-So-Busy threw away the wet butterfly coat and rested on a stem. She saw ants rushing out of an anthill. ""Our food is all gone! Our home is all wet!"" they cried. Moths, beetles, butterflies, grasshoppers were all wet. They would have no food until the sun shone tomorrow. Bee-Not-So-Busy missed her dry, warm, and safe beehive. She was also hungry and longed for the food stored in the hive. There was honey and nectar and pollen in there. She shook herself dry and flew back to the hive. Bee-Not-So-Busy had a tasty meal. Happy to be back in her safe, warm, and dry home, she fell asleep. Early the next morning, she flew from flower to hive and back to flower. She worked all day long. Bee-Not-So-Busy had became a Busy-Bee. " The-Misadventures-of-Little-Toast-Honey-I-Love-You.txt,"This is Baby. Baby thinks her name is Toast. Baby watches mama make pancakes for breakfast. When the pancakes are ready mama calls out to papa: Honey, breakfast is ready. Come and get it. She always calls papa Honey. That must be his name. Honey. I'll remember that. The table is set for breakfast. Papa helps himself to pancakes. Then he says: Please pass the honey. I want to pour some on my pancakes. Mama passes the jar of honey to papa. Honey Baby looks at it curiously. So this is honey? That is what mama calls papa. I wonder what honey tastes like. Mama sees that baby is curious. She gives her some drops of honey to taste. I love you honey. You are so sweet and delicous. Yummm! Mmm! Tasty! This is the only way to eat honey. Hey! Just a minute. I am tasteless toast and papa is delicious honey. Hmmph! Honey Arrrgh! What have you done? Save it. I know. When mama sees this I'm Toast. Heee hee hee. Serves her right for naming me Toast. Honey is so much better. A big thankyou to you guys at Open Clipart for making these pictures freely available. " Tanias-Diwali-Celebration.txt,"Tania Celebrates Diwali Tania was really excited. The last day of school was finally over. Tania's Diwali vacation had begun. Diwali was still a few days away. But there was a lot of preparation to do. Diwali is the Indian festival of lights. It is celebrated with sweets, lights, decorations, games and firecrackers. Tania was now old enough to enjoy it all and she had been looking forward to it for a while. Mama had planned some fun activities for Tania. First on the agenda was to decorate diyas. Tania asked ""Mama, what is a diya?"" Mama said ""A diya is an oil lamp made of clay. We pour oil into the clay bowl and make a wick from cotton. When we light the oil soaked cotton, the flame lights up the area around. It is very pretty. The clay lamps are plain and brown, so we are going to paint them."" Mama and Tania sat on a large plastic mat on the living room floor and decorated the lamps with various designs. They used a lot of the flashy silver and gold colours which would shine beautifully in the lamp light. Diwali week is the time to do some house cleaning and decorating. Tania and mama spent a morning cleaning up and arranging cupboards and drawers. So in the afternoon they decided it was time for some fun. Mama told Tania they would be making a ""Rangoli"". She saw Tania's curious, puzzled expression and explained, ""A Rangoli is a design made on doorsteps as a welcome sign. We are going to use rice flour to make it."" Mama took some rice and put it in the grinder. Tania pressed the button and made rice flour. Then mama and Tania took the rice flour to the doorstep. ""Now what do we do mama?"" asked Tania. Mama said, ""Sprinkle the rice powder to make some nice design like this flower here."" Mama also used a little bit of some coloured powders she had bought. Tania and mama had an enjoyable afternoon making a lovely floral Rangoli. But enough about decorating. Diwali would not be complete without tasty Indian sweets. Mama had bought some dry- fruit sweets from the sweet shop. But mama always made gulab jamuns at home. Tania helped mama make a dough consisting of milk powder, flour, baking powder and cream. They then made little round balls of dough the size of marbles and deep fried them till they were golden brown. Mama also made a sugar syrup flavoured with rose water. Once the fried balls of dough cooled a little, mama and Tania put them in the syrup to soak. Soon it was the night before Diwali. Diwali is on the night of the new moon, so the night before Diwali is the darkest night of the month. It is believed that the ghosts and spirits prowl the earth on that night. So in some parts of India it is customary to light 14 diyas and place them all over the house to ward off the ghosts. Tania and mama lit their beautifully decorated diyas and placed them all over the house. On Diwali morning Tania woke up early. Grandma and grandpa were coming in the afternoon. Mama made a snack of ""pani- puri"" and ""dahi-puri"" for everyone. Tania helped set up the table with the puris, curd, mashed potatoes, tamarind chutney and of course the super tasty ""pani"": water flavoured with cumin, rock salt and mint coriander chutney. Grandma and grandpa arrived around 2:00. Traditionally the family spent Diwali afternoon playing cards. But to include little Tania, this Diwali they played ""Uno"". Instead of the usual betting the victor got to collect a certain amount of candy from the rest at the end of each game. Tania thoroughly enjoyed herself. She was an expert at Uno and collected a good amount of candy. Everyone chatted and ate pani-puri while playing Uno. This was Tania's first time eating pani-puri and she found it to be a messy and enjoyable experience. They also ate gulab jamuns and other sweets. The afternoon passed by quickly with everyone having such a good time. Soon the sun had set and it was time for fire crackers. This was what Tania had been looking forward to most of all. The housing society had set aside some space for the children to safely light crackers. Tania lit sparklers, fountains and a rotating ground fire cracker called a zameen-chakra. Last year mama had only let her watch. It was so much more fun to actually light the crackers. That night Tania went to bed happy and tired. It was the best, most exciting day she had ever had. " i-dont-want-to-go-to-sleep_en_FKB-4-17.txt,"n t to go to sleep t wa ! n’ I do "" "" ""Goodnight, Nandi."" ""I … don’t … want … to … go … to … slee p."" ""That’s enough now. Goodnight, Nandi."" eep !"" ’ w t anttogot osl ""I w on ant mo "" Id re supp Ano er. ther Just o boo n k! e mor e son g?"" ""Goodnight, Nandi."" ""M A M A! ... I need a glass o f wat ""I DON er. Please? ’T WAN Please T ."" TO GO L E E P ! "" TO S ""It’s time to go to sleep now. Goodnight, Nandi."" ""… yes … "" Mama sighs: ""What about an adventure? Do you want an adventure?"" ""Do you want to creep through the jungle on the trail of the fearsome hippocrocoturtleduck?"" ""Yes! Yes! Yes!"" y! e sk s t h cros t to fly a "" I wa n ar! Leap f rom star to st Fill my p with stardust!"" ockets nt a N a ndi-sized g ""I wa tur lass sub e th e c re a e s at t marin to s e h e bott e of the ocean! om a p et giant squid to And m do w ater th er e w ith e! "" ballet n gs w i fl y e r b utt r o f s ky ""I want i to build myself a pa t he o f of to t he ro rl d and zoom w o l l th e where I’ll se e a !"" it i ng in and everyth ""Look here, Nandi. Here is your very own adventure boat. It’s waiting to take you wherever you want to go. See, put your head here ... that’s right ... and I’ll just tuck you in ... there we go ... now, off you go! Adventure awaits ..."" ""Goodnight, Nandi."" Draw your dreams here. " 010-CAPTAIN-FANTASTIC-Free-Childrens-Book-By-Monkey-Pen.txt,"Princess Aura always has the best birthday parties and this year friends from all over the galaxy were heading to her planet to enjoy the celebrations. Captain Fantastic and his wonder dog Winston had picked the perfect present for their inspiring friend. However, Captain Fantastic’s arch nemesis, the evil Doctor Zob was determined that there would be no birthday cake for the pair at the end of this trip. The Rocketship stood proudly on the launch pad ready for takeoff. Captain Fantastic had just finished loading Princess Aura’s awkwardly long birthday present. ""That’s it, Winston."" he said patting his faithful dog. ""Now I just need to go and return all this wrapping paper.""and he headed towards the hanger while untangling himself from all the super sticky tape he’d used to wrap up the gift. Winston gave a happy bark and off Captain Fantastic went into the space hanger. As Winston returned to the spaceship he thought he saw someone walking away from their Rocket Ship. He looked familiar; was that Doctor Zob? Later, in the ship all systems were go. Lights blinked, screens lit up and Captain Fantastic and Winston were strapped in ready to go. ""5,4,3,2,1, Blast Off and away we go."" shouted Captain Fantastic, a big grin on his face whenever he headed back out into space. Today Winston only gave a little whimper though; what was that Doctor Zobup to? On Doctor Zob’s great black ship however, there was only laughter, the kind only an evil genius can produce; deep from the stomach and exploding from the mouth. ""Good luck Captain Fantastic, enjoy your ride."" Both ships were now busy with the sound of song: ""Roaring in our Rocket, flying really fast, Being in a spaceship is a blast blast blast!"" sang Captain Fantastic. While on the dark ship of Zob his creepy chorus rang out: ""My mean machine is in the socket. It will make the Captain Fluster. Magnetic power will route his rocket To the Crazy Comet Cluster"" ""Not long now, Winston. Princes Aura’s planet is just around the next sun."" explained Captain Fantastic. Out of the window Winston stared at the golden planets, and the shining suns flying past as they hurtled through space. ""WahWahWah"". The cool hum of the spaceship was suddenly thrown into chaos as the red warning light flashed and the ship suddenly and sharply turned around. ""Oh no!"" cried Captain Fantastic. ""We’re going the wrong way"". Winston looked at the screen and saw where they were headed: ""Oh no, indeed!"" The yellow rocket ship was now headed towards the Crazy Comet Cluster, the zaniest place in space. Hundreds of blazing red comets swarmed around a golden Yellow sun and if a spaceship got too close, they would chase and churn it for hours upon hours. Winston barked and ran to the back of the ship. ""Don’t worry, boy."" said Captain Fantastic. ""It will be ok….I hope."" as he started pressing buttons and fighting with the spaceships steering wheel. Sweat broke out on his forehead and his eyes widened into two moons of panic. Winston was not really scared, however, he was searching for whatever the mischievous Doctor Zob had hidden on their ship. Winston knew that it was the only reason they were in trouble, but what was it? Watching from behind a small green moon was the shadowy spaceship of Doctor Zob. A big smile of satisfaction grew on his face as he watched the Captain’s ship head towards the Crazy Comet Cluster. Once again his evil laugh echoed around the gleaming cockpit of his ship. ""Magnetic force, keep that rocket off course."" he whispered to himself. Winston knew they were almost out of time when he saw it; or rather he sniffed out the evil stench of where Doctor Zob had been. It was a small blinking box just underneath the main computer. That had to be it. Doctor Zob had made the yellow rocket go in the wrong direction using one of his mischief machines. Quick as a flash Winston snatched the box in his jaws and teetering along the lengthy birthday gift threw it to the Space Particle Accelerator Machine (SPAM for short).He then used his paws and sent the device back to Doctor Zob’s nearby ship. ‘Lets see how much he enjoys those crazy comets.’ thought Winston. Back on the bridge Captain Fantastic was still banging, twisting pushing and pressing everything he could, When suddenly the ship turned around and headed back to Princess Aura’s planet. Winston trotted in and gave a friendly happy bark. ""I told you not to worry Winston; as I say ‘with the Captain around a solution is found.’"" Winston gave a happy bark before picking up his favourite bone and settling back to enjoy the remainder of the journey. A short while later Captain Fantastic and Winston were getting hugs and high fives as Princess Aura opened up her birthday present.""Anti-Gravity skies! ""Cool!"" she said while up above some crazy comets were chasing a rather unhappy Doctor Zob. " RAJ-THE-RAMBLING_RADIATOR-BoodleBobsEP-01-By-JO-KEMP.txt,"RAJ THE RAMBLING RADIATOR Boodlebobs This is a story all about Raj. And yes, he’s a radiator. It didn’t matter how hot it was, it could never be too hot for Raj - so it was just as well he was a radiator. ""Bring me damp towels!"" he called from across the hall, ""Bring me wet washing and socks!"" Anything that was cold.. or damp… or just plain soaking wet.. loved Raj. And there was always room for one more on top. Timmy – his friend - had been hanging out on the line and had got frozen. ""I think..…… I think…I’m getting AH…AH… ATISHOO… …..A cold."" He sneezed. ""Come and sit on my head while I find you some honey for your cold,"" said Raj kindly. And with Timmy on his head, they went into the garden. ""I need some honey,"" he called. And Big Fat Bee came and landed beside him. ""Follow me,"" said Big Fat Bee and led Raj towards the rhododendron bush. (ROW-DOW-DEN-DRUN is how you say it.) Boodlebobs [EP-01] - RAJ THE RAMBLING RADIATOR 5 ""Wait here,"" he buzzed, ""I’ll be back as soon as I can."" Raj had just settled down to wait when two long pink sticks came and planted themselves in front of him? ""I’ve been imprisoned!"" he panicked, ""I am a prisoner!"" and shook the sticks as hard as he could. ""No you haven’t,"" said a large pink head which dropped into view, ""You’re just shaking a leg. Well, two actually – mine."" The legs stepped back and Pink Fedora came into view. ""Have you seen my egg?"" she asked. Raj didn’t quite know what to say. ""Your egg?"" he said sounding puzzled, ""No… I’m sorry I have not"". ""Oh,That’s a shame,"" said Pink Fedora sadly, ""It rolled away and if it gets cold…. ""COLD!!"" said Raj horrified, ""No, no! We cannot have that. Come, we must go quickly and find it."" Just at that moment, Big Fat Bee came back and wanted to know what all the fuss was about. ""It’s a large blue egg,"" explained Fedora, ""But please hurry because…"" ""IT CANNOT GO COLD!!"" finished Raj. Boodlebobs [EP-01] - RAJ THE RAMBLING RADIATOR 6 ""I’ll get the squad together."" said Big Fat Bee summoning his friends who were soon zig-zagging over the garden. It didn’t take them long to find the missing egg. But there was a problem. Sitting next to the egg was Ratty and the only thing on his mind was BREAKFAST and a lovely big blue egg would do nicely!! Oh no you don’t!"" shouted Raj. And - with a bit of quick thinking - he grabbed Timmy, twirled him around and…around.. FLICK!! ""Ouch!"" squealed Rat. ""Ouch!"" squealed Timmy. ""That really hurt!"" they both squealed together. But it did the trick. Ratty forgot all about BREAKFAST and decided the best thing he could do was to run for it! Tenderly, Pink Fedora nuzzled her egg, ""It’s still warm,"" she sighed with relief. ""But it needs to be warmer,"" added Raj, ""Timmy, can you help me?"" Timmy was only too happy to help. He wrapped himself gently around the egg as Raj sat them both on his warm flat head. Boodlebobs [EP-01] - RAJ THE RAMBLING RADIATOR 7 And then they waited. And they waited until a small crack appeared and out popped a baby pink flamingo. ""MAMA!"" she exclaimed in a surprisingly deep voice and wrapped her tiny wings around Raj. ""DAD!"" she chuckled as looked up and embraced the long pink legs of her mummy. ""Ohhhh!! Tea towel!"" she added and laughed as she put Timmy in her beak. And that was it really. Wherever Raj went he was followed by a baby pink flamingo called Flora holding Timmy in her beak. And wherever Flora went, pink Fedora went too. I think we are a very happy family,"" smiled Raj contentedly. And radiated. " feathered-friends_storybook_FKB.txt,"We are the oakum boys. We do everything together. Penguins don’t fly, they swim. But we’re too young to swim. So we walk. One day we went for a long walk. We walked and walked. Until we saw something new. He’s got something on his head! You’re changing! So are you! It’s not so bad! It’s not so cold! I will! But who’s going to teach us to swim? In this book you’ll meet king penguins, chinstrap penguins, and one lonely macaroni ... as seen through the eyes of the oakum boys, which are what king penguin babies are before they grow up. All of these penguin species (and a few more) are found in Antarctica, the coldest, driest, windiest place on earth. It takes some very special qualities to survive in this harsh landscape. But if you are lucky enough to visit here, you will find that no matter how alike the penguins seem, each one is different – and all of them are special. We hope that by learning about these amazing animals, future generations will want to protect them as much as we do. " TheBigRedBalloon.txt,"Over a lagoon there is a balloon It is a big balloon! It is a big red balloon It is a beautiful big red balloon It is MY beautiful big red balloon Oh NO! Now what? Where Over there! I swear! I can see your balloon your big balloon your big red balloon your beautiful big red balloon It flies like this, it flies like that It swirls in the sky with... ... a dancing bee fly! Oh NO! Now what? Where Over there! I swear! I can see your balloon your big balloon your big red balloon your beautiful big red balloon It jumps like this, it jumps like that It hops on the grass and over the road with... ... a grumpy toad! Oh NO! Now what? Where Over there! I swear! I can see your balloon your big balloon your big red balloon your beautiful big red balloon It spins like this, it spins like that It swims across the river with... ... an eager beaver! Oh NO! No w w h at? W h e re Ove r th e re ! I s w e ar! I can see your balloon your big balloon your big red balloon your beautiful big red balloon It waves like this, it waves like that It moves over the hills and plays with... ... two yellow daffodils! Oh NO! Now what? Where Over there! I swear! Look at the square and then.... I saw my balloon my big balloon my big red balloon my beautiful big red balloon having a chat with... ...a persian cat! Lesson Plan 1. Read the story once. 2. Read the story a second time and encourage students to mime the actions of the balloon. 3. Put students in pairs or in groups and draw a balloon on board. 4. Ask students to brainstorm as many words as possible to describe the balloon and create a word cloud. 5. Students put these words into categories that represent opinion, size, age, shape, colour, origin, material. If there are no words for all these categories ask students to brainstorm relevant vocabulary. 6. Draw students' attention to the fact that there is a specific word order of adjectives in English. 7. Put students in pairs or in small groups. Ask them to draw three balloons and to write short sentences using adjectives from the word cloud. 8. Students choose one balloon and they present it to the class. 9. They could also mention the places they would like to go with this balloon or whether their balloon has got any magic powers, for example it can make people laugh, swim, fly, speak with animals. 10. Display the balloons and let students decide on the most original one. " In-Open-Sea-R-.txt,"Summer came and Bubu, together with his friends Oskar the rabbit and Rico the hedgehog went to a summer camp at the seaside. They were learning to sail, digging tunnels in the sand, swimming and many other things. One day while they were building a huge sand castle Bubu noticed something glittering in the sea. ""Treasure!"" cried Bubu jumping into the water and swimming as fast as he could. When he came nearby he found that it was only a bottle. Yet he grabbed it with his teeth and swam back to the shore... Oscar and Rico pulled him out of the water and while Bubu was drying off, Oskar looked over the bottle. ""Hmm...there is something inside!"" Rico pulled up the cork with one of his thorns and pulled out a palm leaf with something written on it. The three friends started reading... Help! We shipwrecked on a lonely island. Our food and water is running out. The heat is immense. Please, send us help! The three friends exchanged glances. ""I will take food and water!"" said Rico. ""Then I will prepare the sails!"" proposed Oskar. ""And I am going for maps and a compass. Meet you on the ship in one hour!"" cried Bubu already running. In an hour the ship was ready and the anchor weighed. Oskar climbed into the crow's nest on the top of the mast, Rico was taking care of the sails and ropes, and Bubu was at the helm and following direction with the compass. There was a strong wind and the ship was sailing fast forward. All was quiet and just when Bubu intended to take a nap, Oskar cried anxiously, ""Sharks to the right!"" Bubu grabbed the telescope and looked. A school of sharks was chasing a small whale. The whale was wounded and the sharks were already very close. There was no time to lose. Bubu turned the helm sharply to the right and cried, ""Oskar! Rico! A whale in danger! Prepare for battle!"" Oskar climbed down in seconds, shaking with fear. ""Battle? With the fearful sharks? Impossible..."" Rico was also worried. ""I've heard horrible stories about the sharks. It is better to leave them alone. And we are on a rescue mission and have to hurry."" ""I know...but the whale also needs to be rescued. And if we do not help then who will?"" asked Bubu. Oskar exchanged glances with Rico and said, unsure, ""Maybe you are right, Bubu. But how are we going to fight the sharks?"" ""I don't know yet, but I will search in the hold. I will be back in a while."" Bubu quickly got into the hold and looked around. If he could find a fishing net and throw it over the sharks...or maybe a canon...or maybe some of those special whistles which scare the sharks... But there was no fishing net, or canon, or whistle. But maybe if... thought Bubu. Then he grabbed one chest and hurried up to the deck. During this time Rico hoisted all the sails and even the tablecloth and his handkerchief. Oskar was throwing into the sea everything unnecessary, to make the ship lighter and faster. The ship was advancing at high speed, but the sharks were already reaching the whale. One of the sharks opened her jaws and... ""Take cover!"" cried Bubu, lighting a match and squeezing his eyes. Oskar and Rico dove down and held their breath. Baaaam! Boooom! Baaaam! A dozen fireworks and rockets, left from the New Year celebrations, thundered into the sky. Thick smoke rose from the ship and formed into a huge sea dragon. Bubu, Oskar and Rico began screaming as loud as they could, although they were not sure how a sea dragon should sound. The sharks stopped for a moment...and swam away in panic. The whale was safe! Bubu and Rico bandaged her wounded tail and Oskar brought out the tastiest biscuits from the ship’s supplies. ""Thank you boys,"" said the whale when at last she caught her breath, ""if you were not…..."" ""A piece of cake,"" said Oskar, ""we have coped with much bigger and more fearful creatures."" ""Come with us Kittie,"" said Bubu, ""we are on ""Really? But who are you?"" asked the whale. a rescue mission and a skilled swimmer like ""I am Oskar and this is Bubu and Rico. you will be very helpful."" And what is your name?"" ""I would like to come,"" said Kittie, ""but I have ""Kittie."" to go back home. Mom and Dad are probably already worried."" ""Pity. Well...we also have to go. Bye Kittie!"" ""Bye! And good luck with the mission,"" Kittie waved her tail. The three friends lifted the anchor and set sail. They sailed for the whole day and just when Bubu began to worry if they were heading the right way, Oskar cried, ""Land!"" Bubu looked through the telescope and breathed a sigh of relief – someone on the coast was waving desperately. Soon they dropped the anchor and the happy castaways got on board. They were very hungry and thirsty and Rico prepared a real feast with biscuits and seaweed soup. Everybody wanted to go home as soon as possible and after dinner they set sail. But their homeward voyage would not be so easy. Dark clouds covered the sky and a powerful storm pounced on the ship. ""Hide in the cabin,"" cried Bubu while trying to keep the ship upright against the waves. The storm grew stronger and stronger. The waves were hitting and sweeping over the ship and Bubu left alone on the deck, shivering in the cold could hardly hold the slippery helm. Suddenly a huge wave swept over the ship. ""Hold on!"" cried Bubu clinging to the helm. The wave crashed onto the deck with terrific power, sweeping away everything in its path and threw Bubu overboard... Bubu's legs were caught by something and he hung just above the waves. ""Gotcha!"" cried Oskar above him. ""Hold on! We will pull you out."" But another big wave hit the ship. Water and sea foam filled Bubu's mouth and ears. ""The ship is sinking,"" he heard someone cry with fear...then he fell unconscious. Bubu opened his eyes, spat out a gulp of sea water and looked around. ""What happened? Where am I?"" ""The ship sank,"" said Rico desperately. ""All that is left is this piece of the mast. What will we do? We have no food, no water, in the middle of the sea..."" ""Hey, see there!"" jumped in Oskar filled with joy, ""something is coming our way! We are saved! This is a ship."" But it was not... The sharks surrounded them and started swimming in a circle rattling their teeth. ""Don't be scared,"" said Bubu trying not to shiver, ""Rico, we need swords."" Rico clenched his teeth, broke off his longest and sharpest thorns and handed them out. ""We can't stop them with this..."" said Oskar taking two thorns and shaking his head, ""we are doomed."" One of the sharks smiled cunningly and dove. ""She will attack us from below! Hold on!"" cried Bubu. The water around splashed and broke into foam. Something hit the mast with immense power and threw it away. Seems like the sea cracked and then a huge island emerged from the deep. ""What is happening? What is this?"" cried Oskar terrified. Whatever it was, it was scary for everyone – the sharks were swimming away as fast as they could. ""Hello boys!"" said a familiar voice. ""Kittie?!?"" exclaimed Bubu looking around surprised. ""But how?!? From where?!? But then..."" Bubu rubbed his eyes in unbelief. The island was not an island but a huge whale. ""Don't be scared,"" said Kittie, ""this is daddy. When the storm started yesterday I thought you could be in danger. Together with daddy we went looking for you and here we are."" ""And just in time,"" smiled Bubu and sat down exhausted, but relieved. At last they were safe. When later on they entered the harbor, everybody went out to welcome them. They had to retell their adventures at least one hundred times and everybody wanted Kittie's father to take them a short ride. In the evening Bubu, Oskar, Rico and Kittie gathered on the quay, ate biscuits and told each other stories about sea adventures. At the end it was really time to go to bed when Bubu had an idea. ""Do you want to go in search of a pirate treasure tomorrow?"" ""Great idea!"" exclaimed Oskar, Rico and Kittie as one. ""So...decided!"" said Bubu. ""Have a good sleep. Meet you on the quay at dawn..."" The End " 82-i-want-that-one.txt,"I Want That One! It was a holiday for Amma. She was reading a book. Anil had a holiday too. He wanted to do.... SOMETHING! ""Amma, I want to see what is in that blue box!"" said Anil. ""Later, Anil,"" said Amma. Anil put a stool over a chair. He climbed up to get the box down. ""No, no! Not that one! All the boxes on top of that will fall on our heads, Anil!"" said Amma. Anil was very angry. He was angry with his mother. ""Come, let’s go to the market and get you something,"" said Amma. Anil was very angry even after they went to the market. ""I want that one!"" he said, pointing at an orange. ""No, no, not that one! The fruits will all fall down!"" said the shopkeeper. ""I want that book!"" said Anil. ""No, no, not that one!"" said the shopkeeper.""Take this one."" ""I want that one!"" shouted Anil, almost pulling out a samosa from a high stack of samosas. ""No, no, not that one!"" warned the shopkeeper. ""All my samosas will fall to the ground!"" ""I want that one!"" said Anil loudly. He was now in a very, very bad mood. ""No, no, not that one!"" said the flower seller. ""Don’t touch them! They will wilt."" By now, Anil was crying loudly. Everyone was looking at Anil. ""I want that one! The black one!"" said Amma loudly. Anil stopped crying suddenly. ""Amma, no, no! Not that one!"" said Anil. ""Let’s take this brown one!"" said Anil. Then Anil gently lifted the brown puppy on top of a pile of puppies. ""Amma, I am very angry with you! All the puppies would have fallen down!"" Amma smiled. Anil was smiling too. He was not angry at all now. " Clouds-2-17.txt,"Clouds Look up at the sky. In many places you will see clouds. There are many different types of clouds. They are all different shapes and sizes. Have you ever wondered how clouds are formed? Clouds are made of evaporated water. Evaporation is when water changes from liquid to gas. Some clouds are fluffy, while others are wispy. Some are big and others are small. Some even resemble familiar shapes. Water evaporates from different sources all around you, like lakes, rivers, and the ocean. Can you guess the main source of water for clouds? The main source is the ocean. This is because the ocean makes up such a large part of the world. Seventy-one percent of our earth is covered by ocean. The kind of cloud that forms depends on the environment. Different clouds form at different heights. They change depending on the temperature, too. Water evaporates and becomes gas. This gas rises and mixes with particles in the air. It rises and rises until it cools and collects in one part of the sky. This forms a cloud. There are three major types of clouds: cirrus clouds, stratus clouds, and cumulus clouds. Each type of cloud looks different. Some are found high in the sky; others are close to the ground. This is a cirrus cloud. Cirrus clouds are the highest clouds in the sky. The higher elevation and winds cause them to be wispier. This is a cumulus cloud. Cumulus clouds are the puffiest clouds. The bottom is often flat and they can have tall peaks at the top. These are stratus clouds. Stratus clouds are low in the sky. They are flat and near the ground. Fog is a stratus cloud. One type of cumulus cloud is the cumulonimbus cloud. You may also know these as rain clouds. Rain, snow, hail, and sleet are all different forms water can take as it falls from the clouds. The word for water falling from the sky is precipitation. Snow is made when it is cold enough for the water in clouds to freeze. Freezing high in the air makes water turn into tiny crystal shapes. If they don’t melt while they fall, it snows. Precipitation occurs when too much water collects in the cloud. The cloud can no longer hold all the water and it falls to the ground. Temperatures often control the type of precipitation that forms. Hail also forms in cold temperatures. Hail looks like ice rocks. Water in clouds becomes hail because of strong winds. The wind blows the frozen water back up into the sky. It joins other ice crystals and gets bigger. This happens until it gets too heavy to be blown back up and falls to the ground. Sleet occurs when a layer of the air is warm. The water begins by falling from the cloud and freezing. It passes through a warm layer and melts. Then it freezes again as it falls. Water droplets within the cloud move and bump into each other. As they move, electricity builds up. The cloud has a negative charge. The ground has a positive charge. Negative and positive charges attract. These two charges connect and create the flash of electricity that you see. During some storms you see flashes of lightning. Lightning is an electrical current that is made during thunderstorms. Thunder occurs because of lightning. Lightning creates heat in the cloud which expands the air around it. This makes a loud boom, which is thunder. Clouds are very important. They help maintain the Earth’s climate. They reflect and absorb the sun’s rays. They regulate the amount of sunlight that hits the surface of the earth. All the water you see used to be part of a cloud and will be part of a cloud again one day. Every time you drink, you can thank a cloud! Clouds also help move water from one place to another. If there weren’t any clouds, wind, and rain, water would all drain into the ocean and stay there forever. Clouds are how water travels to the top of a mountain or the start of a river. This is called the water cycle. Clouds Clouds Review Questions! ? Art Project! Draw three types of clouds and one type 1. What are clouds made of? of precipitation. In your drawing, write the 2. What makes hail grow so big? names of each cloud and the precipitation 3. How do clouds help us? as a label. Show someone your drawing and explain why each cloud is the way it is. 4. What do you call a cloud that is near the ground? 5. What do you call a cloud that is very Clouds high? Hands on! 6. Where does the water in clouds come Is it going to rain soon? Take a jar or cup from? and leave it outside in the rain (make sure it doesn’t fall over!) When the rain is over, take a ruler and measure how many centimeters filled the cup. Now you’re a weather scientist and can measure rain! " Tania-is-a-Detective-.txt,"Tania is a detective Tania and mama were in the park. Tania wanted to sit on the merry-go-round. As usual, she had taken Anne with her. Anne was Tania's favourite doll. Mama put Tania on one of the seats of the merry-go-round and Anne on another seat. Then mama pushed it to make it go round. Tania was delighted and shouted, ""Faster mama, faster! I want it to go faster."" So mama pushed harder and soon it was going quite fast. Suddenly it started raining heavily. Mama quickly picked up Tania and took her indoors. But they had to run some distance in the rain and they were both soaked. In their rush they forgot all about Anne. Poor Anne. Mama rushed Tania home. She undressed her and dried her vigorously with a towel. Then she put her in clean dry clothes. Mama dried and changed herself too. When they finished, it was time for dinner. Tania went to get Anne so they could have dinner together. Papa was going to be back late from office. So it was just the 3 of them. Tania could not find Anne in the usual place. She asked, ""Mama, have you seen Anne? I can't find her."" ""When was the last time you saw her?"" asked mama. Tania thought for a moment and said, ""We took her to the park. She was on the merry-go- round."" ""Oh no!"" said mama, ""I suppose we left her there when we rushed back because of the rain."" Tania looked very upset. She said, ""Mama, Anne is wet in the rain and all alone. Can we go get her now?"" ""Yes of course sweetie."" said mama willing to delay dinner for such an important matter. Tania and mama walked up to the merry-go-round, but Anne was not on it. Where could she be? Tania asked, ""Mama where is Anne? How do we find her?"" Mama replied, ""Lets ask the building watchman. He may know what happened to Anne."" So they went back to the building and asked the watchman. The watchman said ""I saw the doll on the merry-go-round. I did not know who it belonged to. So I brought it in and put it on my desk here. Just a few minutes back I went to the rest-room, and when I was back the doll had disappeared. I assumed that, the person it belonged to, had come and taken it."" ""That is odd."" said mama. ""When we came out of the elevator you were not here and neither was the doll."" ""Yes, I suppose I left for the rest-room before you came out of the elevator."" ""So what now?"" asked Tania. ""Did someone kidnap Anne? Mama what will happen to her? Will she be okay? Where can we look now?"" Mama said ""Tania, lets go home and have dinner and figure out what to do next."" Mama was unlocking the door when Tania exclaimed, ""Look mama! This is the button from Anne's jacket. You sewed it on last month, remember? That means she was here mama."" ""But Tania, that button could have fallen off when we took her down to the park."" ""No. The button was on Anne's jacket when she sat on the merry-go-round. I remember that."" ""Are you sure?"" ""Yes. That means someone brought her here."" ""You are right. Someone from the building must have recognised Anne to be your doll and brought her here. The person must have been coming up on one elevator while we were going down on the other one. By the time we were down the person had already picked up Anne from the watchman's desk. But when the person got here we were not home. So he or she took Anne home to keep her safe. You are a smart little detective Tania."" ""Mama, I think it was Tanisha. She would know Anne lives here. She was supposed to come back from dance class at that time."" ""Call Tanisha and find out."" Tania rushed to the phone and dialled Tanisha's phone number with trembling fingers. She was desperately hoping her deductions were correct and that Anne was safe. Tanisha's mother answered the phone and Tania waited impatiently while she called Tanisha. Tanisha said, ""Tania don't worry. Anne is with me. She was wet on the watchman's desk and he was not there. So I picked her up and brought her to your house. But no one answered the door bell. So then I brought her home. Mama helped me dry her with a hair dryer. She is fine now. I was going to call you after dinner and let you know."" Tania heaved a sigh of relief. She said ""Thanks Tanisha for keeping her safe. I'll come right now and get her."" Tania ran up the stairs to Tanisha's house and got Anne back. She put her safely on the sofa. It was getting really late and Mama brought out the dinner. Just then the doorbell rang. Mama went to answer it grumbling, ""We will never finish dinner tonight."" Papa was at the door. He was home a little earlier than he had expected. Papa joined Tania and mama for dinner and they told him how they had cleverly solved the ""Mystery of Anne's Disappearance"". " RimeTime.txt,"The Grand Old Duke of York Went to feed his men He gave them bread & pork And marched them past Big Ben Can I speak to John He ca n’t talk right now We’ve just put his head In the back of a cow Jack & Jill ate their fill & drank a glass of water Jack the clown Larked around & Jill played with their daughter Too many cooks Spoil the soup Too many chickens Are kept in the coop The cat makes hay While the sun shines The mice in dismay Are sent down the mines One two three four five Bees fly into a hive Six seven eight nine ten They come out I don’t know when Hickery dickery dock Don’t go out in the sun The mouse applied sun block Factor fifty one Hickery dockery dick This rhyme is on the screen And with just one click Round the world is seen Can I talk to John? Hang on the line With his vest & pants In the open air drying Georgie Porgie pudding & pie Took a trip & wondered why All the liners were delayed Didn’t wait another day Hitched a lift on a mantra ray The cat’s away The cheese is free The mice will sing Do Re Me Hickery dickery duck Alarmed began to quack The hen began to cluck The farmer got the sack Little Jack Horner Got into the ring Came out of the corner And started to swing Took a punch to the jaw It finished the bout He fell to the floor They carried him out The Washing Machine Took the towels Washed them clean Cooked the fowls The Washing Machine Spun them dry And in between Scored a try Hey diddle diddle Who’s the pig in the middle? Who went into a swoon? Who is a fan Of a boys band? And who danced By the light of the moon? Can I speak to John? He’s all tied up With lots of rope From a viaduct. The cat’s away Took a trip round the lake The mice holiday By baking a cake Hickery dickery dock What will you wear with that? The mouse put on a sock A pair of shoes and a hat The Grand Old Duke of York Decided to retire Arranged his knife & fork Got into sleep attire " Seasons-Vs2-FKB-early-readers.txt,"Summer, Fall ... Winter, spring. There are four seasons The year will bring. Winter Is cold. In some places it snows. We love lighting a fre. And warming our toes. After winter is spring. Spring means all things new. Lots of pretty fowers. New born animals too. Summer follows spring. In summer it's hot. We swim and play all day. It's holidays! - School it is not. After summer is autumn. Some call it fall. Since the leaves fall down, we can jump in them all. Winter, spring... Summer, fall; Which is your favourite, Season of all? " Tina_Says_life_skills_EE-FKB.txt,"Wow Leon! You trained Caton to sit so quickly! That must feel very GRATIFYING. Good boy Caton! Tina, what does that mean? Oh, ""GRATIFYING""? When something is gratifying it means you feel happy or satisfied that you accomplished something! But I got dressed and brushed my teeth this morning and that didn’t make me feel happy. Well, gratification happens when you’ve been working really hard on something. Like Training Building a or cleaning your Caton, tree house, whole bedroom! And then when you see what you have accomplished . . . g e t i t ! G R AT I F I C AT h ! I ION! O Because I har d! ’ve been working really e el i t! I think I f That’s great Leon! That feeling is an important part of your life! It will help you keep working hard to finish the things you start! Tina, I can’t wait to feel gratification again! I think I’ll train Caton to roll over next! o n lo o ks like Le o n, Ca t Wel l p re tty l i n g he’s fee ht now ! D r i g GR ATIFIE He D ! does look GRATIFIE a! Hahah " Barnaby-Frog-The-Song-of-the-Moon-.txt,"The Moon was shining through the mist over the Paddock End ponds. All was very quiet and the water in the ponds was very still. Barnaby frog hopped onto a log that was laying in the water at the side of the pond. He saw the moon and knew it was a very special night. Barnaby began to sing ""The Song of the Moon"" that his mother had taught him. ""Rivit rivit... Rivit rivit... Rivit rivit rivit."" Suddenly a large Grandpa frog leapt out of the pond and sat on the log beside Barnaby. ""I see the Moon."" said Grandpa frog. They both started to sing to the Moon. Grandpa frog sang in a deep voice. ""Croak croak.. Croak."" Barnaby sang in a higher tone. ""Rivit rivit... Rivit rivit. The two sang a duet to the Moon. Croak rivit rivit... Croak rivit rivit... As Barnaby and Grandpa were singing Teio, one of Barnaby's brothers hopped onto the log. ""Can I join in ?"" asked Teio. With Teio there would be three, so they could now sing as a ""trio"". Teio could not form his ""R's"" properly so went ""Wivit"" instead of rivit. But they all sang happily to the moon, which is what mattered. Croak rivit wivit... Croak rivit wivit... Croak croak, rivit rivit, wivit wivit..... Grandpa, Barnaby and Teio stopped singing. Something was not sounding right some of the notes were ""missing"". Now it was very odd that they should say that! As soon as they said ""Something is missing"" .......... With a splash and a whoosh little Miss Sing landed on the end of the log. Miss Sing could sing all the very high notes that could reach the Moon. The four frogs, now a quartet, began to to sing ""The Song of the Moon"". Croak rivit wivit Ceee.... Croak rivit wivit Ceee.... Croak rivit wivit Ceee.... It sounded wonderful. Barnaby wanted to know how many frogs it took to make such a wonderful sound. So he started counting. Grandpa one, Teio two, Miss Sing three. ""That is odd."" said Barnaby. ""Last time there was three it sounded dreadful."" You forgot to count somebody."" said Miss Sing. ""You forgot Barnaby, you forgot to count yourself."" ""Oh dear."" said Barnaby. ""So I did! There are really four of us, we are a quartet."" Everybody laughed at Barnaby's mistake. Then suddenly .......... There landed on the log, in the middle of the group: That great enemy of all frogs, the Great White Ork. All the frogs were terrified. With a sudden splish, splash, and a splosh, all the frogs jumped of the log and disappeared beneath the water of the pond. ""Oh that’s a shame."" said the Ork. ""I only wanted to join in with the singing. It sounded so nice."" End " we-love-our-home-pratham-FKB.txt,"We Love Our Home Who loves splashing? The Irrawaddy Dolphin loves splashing in Chilika Lake. Who loves dust baths? The Malabar Pied Hornbill loves a dust bath in the forest in Dandeli. Who loves sitting in wet mud? The Indian Rhinoceros loves sitting in wet mud on the river banks of Kaziranga. Who loves making wide dung piles? The Nilgai loves making wide dung piles at the foothills of the Himalayas. Who loves resting in burrows? The Thick-tailed Pangolin loves resting in burrows in the dry lands of Gir Forest. Who loves jumping across treetops? The Yellow-throated Marten loves jumping across treetops in Namdapha. Who loves playing hide-and-seek in short grasslands? The Bengal Fox loves playing hide-and-seek in the short grasslands at Jaisalmer. Who loves building nests with their partners? The Spot-billed Pelican loves building nests with their partners at Atapaka. Who loves staying comfortable and snug at home? We all do! Where can we find these animals and birds in India? 1 4 1. Nilgais: Himachal Pradesh, near the Himalayan mountains 2 3 2. Bengal Fox: Jaisalmer, Rajasthan 3. Indian Rhinoceros: Kaziranga National Park, Assam 4. Yellow-Throated Marten: Namdapha National 8 Park, Arunachal Pradesh 5 6 5. Irrawady Dolphin: Chilika Lake, Orissa 6. Spot-Billed Pelican: Atapaka, Andhra Pradesh 7 7. Malabar Pied Hornbill: Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary, Karnataka 8. Pangolin: Gir Forest, Gujarat " 022-I-FOUND-A-FROG-Free-Childrens-Book-By-Monkey-Pen.txt,"Even though I have grandchildren of my own, it seems like it was only yesterday when I returned home from school to find a frog in my bedroom. My mother just chuckled when I yelled out, ""I found a frog on my bed."" Now, she knew that I would eventually find one but she let me discover a wonder of Nature that many people miss. I am glad she did. You see, a little earlier that spring, when I was 6 years old; I saw some little, black fish in a pond. Since I didn’t have any pets I went home and asked my mother if I could have one. After we talked about my catching some of the fish I saw, and the responsibility of having a pet, she agreed. She gave me a bowl, told me to go catch a few, and said that while I was out she would prepare their new home. Off I went. There were so many that they were easy to catch. I filled the bowl and ran home. When I got home, my mother had an old fish bowl filled with water sitting on the corner of my desk. She asked to see the fish, looked, and with a big smile said, ""Tadpoles. – Wow! You are in for a surprise."" I asked what she meant and she just said that I would have to wait and see, but to watch my fish carefully. After a few weeks, I noticed some were changing. ""Mom,"" I yelled with excitement. ""Come here, my fish are growing legs."" She came into my room, looked, smiled, and told me to keep watching. After several more weeks, there were more changes. ""Mom,"" I yelled with excitement. ""Come here, my fish are growing front legs and their tail is going away."" She came into my room, looked, smiled, and told me to keep watching. A week or so later when I got up, I was amazed. There were more changes. My fish didn’t have tails, their legs were bigger, and they didn’t look like the little black fish I had caught earlier in the Spring. ""Mom,"" I yelled with excitement. ""Come here, my fish are really different."" She came into my room, looked, smiled, and told me that a surprise was very close. That day, when I returned home from school, is when I yelled out, ""I found a frog on my bed."" ""Surprise,"" yelled mom. ""You watched a miracle right before your eyes. A fish changed into a frog. Now you had better catch and take him and the other almost frogs back to the pond. I don’t need 50 more surprises tomorrow morning."" Off I went. " Fish-Out-Of-Water-R-.txt,"red fish weird fish blue fish new fish fish in a boat fish can float green fish clean fish fish on a train fish in a plane yellow fish cello fish very mellow fish fish in a tree fish having tea fish for you and me THE END We hope you enjoyed all the fish! " the-pumpkin-chase.txt,"Miss Sunflower is crying. ""A thief just stole my pumpkin pie! Now what will I have for dinner?"" she sobs. ""Don’t cry Miss Sunflower. We will find your pumpkin pie,"" said Officer Zig. ""We will catch that crook!"" said Officer Zag. ""Look! There he goes!"" said Officer Zig. ""Catch that crook!"" said Officer Zag. ""I’m too fast and you’re too slow. You will never catch the pumpkin pie thief!"" cried the crook. up i l l.. . th e h They chased hi m …but the crook was too quick. ""I’m too fast and you’re too slow. You will never catch the pumpkin pie thief!"" ""I’m too fast and you’re too slow. You will never catch the pumpkin pie thief!"" They chased him down the riverbank but the crook rolled away. They chased him under the bridge ""I’m too fast and but the crook swam away. you’re too slow. You will never catch the pumpkin pie thief!"" They chased him over the fires... …but the crook jumped too high. ""I’m too fast and you’re too slow. You will never catch the pumpkin pie thief!"" They chased him around the tree ""I’m too fast and you’re too slow. but they could not catch the crook. You will never catch the pumpkin pie thief!"" Officer Zig and Officer Zag did not give up. They ran and ran and ran until… SPLAT! They chased him right into a wall! ""Hurray! We caught the crook!"" said the cops. Officer Zig and Officer Zag returned the pumpkin pie to Miss Sunflower. ""Thank you very much,"" said Miss Sunflower. Dinner time! " the-great-cake-contest_en_20181213.txt,"Lebohang Masango Nompumelelo Mdluli Amanda vd Walt Lucky loves cake. He is so happy that the Great Cake Contest is in town. ""What cake can I bake?"" he thinks. ""I know. I can make a pancake!"" shouts Lucky. He walks to Pontsho’s house to share his idea, but she already beat him to it. ""Or, what if I made a carrot cake?"" he wonders. He goes to tell Nini his plan, but she had the same idea. ""What about baking a black forest cake?"" He rushes to tell Kima what he’s come up with, but he’s too late. On the way to Nthabi’s house, he thinks: ""Let me just make a Christmas cake!"" But Nthabi already made that happen. ""What other cake can I bake?"" he asks himself. ""How about a chocolate mousse cake?"" He arrives at Linda’s house but oh no! He was too slow. Lucky gets an idea. ""I will make a roly-poly cake."" He gets to Zola’s house but she’s way ahead of him. Lucky feels sad when he gets home because he is out of ideas. He asks his family to help him think about what great cake he can bake. Mama, Papa and his big sister Musa all put their heads together to help him enter the Great Cake Contest. The cake is so big, so wide, so tall ... ... that it begins to wobble, wobble, wobble and fall! Oh no! Everyone at the Where are the contestants? Great Cake Contest is covered in cake. Where is Where are the Lucky? judges? The judges munch and chomp their way out and everyone agrees: Lucky is the winner of the Great Cake Contest! What cake would you bake? " Mauryas_Magical_Monsoon_Morning-Kanika_G-FKB.txt,"Maurya's Magical Monsoon Morning One Saturday morning, Maurya woke up when the sun shone in to his eyes through the curtains. He was excited, because he loved playing tennis with his papa on sunny mornings. But, when he opened the curtains, he was surprised to see that it was raining heavily, and the sun was shining brightly through dark gray clouds. How was that possible? He wanted to know. He ran out of the house in his pajamas. He lived on the 21st floor of a high rise building, but he was too excited to wait for the lift. So, he ran down lots and lots of stairs. Finally, he was out in the open soaking in the rain, on the lawn, in front of the building. As he looked around, he saw the most terrific rainbow. It was bigger and brighter than any rainbow he had ever seen, even in a story book. Dense clouds covered the entire sky except the sun. The rainbow looked beautiful against the gray background. Maurya ran around the lawn whooping with joy. Suddenly, he noticed something strange. There was a tree laden with bright red pomegranates right in the middle of the lawn. Maurya was sure that neither the pomegranates nor the tree had been there the previous day or ever before. Where did they come from? What was going on? Bursting with curiosity, Maurya plucked a pomegranate. It felt quite real. He had a sudden urge to taste it. But he could not open it with his bare hands. So he found a sharp rock and banged the pomegranate with it, till it broke open and the pretty red seeds spilled out. Maurya picked up a handful of the seeds and put it in his mouth. They tasted delicious, but as he chomped on the seeds, he felt very strange. His insides began to squirm and wiggle. Maurya got scared and tried to spit out the seeds, but he found that he couldn’t, and then he noticed that his mouth was turning into a beak, A BIG YELLOW BEAK. Now Maurya was really frightened. What was happening to him? Were the seeds poisonous? He looked at his hands and noticed they were becoming feathery and then he saw that claws were sticking out of his bedroom slippers. Before he could do anything about it, he had completely transformed into a giant black cuckoo bird and his pajamas lay ripped to shreds on the ground. Maurya screamed in panic, but all he could hear was a raspy ""Koo Koo"". Terrified, Maurya started flapping his arms and running around, but of course, his arms were no longer arms. They were wings! So he found himself soaring in to the air. I can fly, he thought, astonished. In fact, he was so surprised, that he stopped flapping and fell back down, plop. I can fly, I can fly Maurya thought, elated. I had always wanted to fly, and now I can. So forgetting all his worries, Maurya spread his giant wings and took to the sky. He reached up to the 46th floor where his friend Gamala lived. He went and perched on her window and looked through it. Gamala was fast asleep. Lazy girl, Maurya thought and shouted out her name. But all that came out was a loud screechy ""Koo Koo"". Gamala was startled out of her slumber and stared at the giant black bird at her window. Frightened, she started throwing her toys at it. Maurya just about managed to dodge a glass bottle of red poster color. Scared that Gamala might maim him, he flew away higher in to the sky and decided to explore the city from high above. The rain had ebbed and the rainbow had faded. But from up there, Mumbai looked like it was made of Legos. Tiny toy cars zipped up and down long gray strips. Maurya reached a part of the highway where the metro construction had just begun. Suddenly 4 lanes had to merge in to one and created a colossal traffic jam. Maurya remembered his school bus had been getting stuck at this very place for 10 minutes every day . But now he could just fly over the mess. Delighted he began to sing and filled the air with melodious koos. Maurya merrily flew over buildings and billboards. Suddenly he heard the most frightening sound. A huge scary object was heading for him at great speed. My goodness! It’s a plane, Maurya realized and veered away just in time. That was a close shave, Maurya thought trembling, and decided to steer clear of the airport and watch out for planes. The rain had completely stopped. Maurya decided to fly west. He wanted to see the open sea from high above. So he crossed Juhu beach and flew over the waves. But once all he could see was water, he was scared. He had never realized how huge the sea really was. Maurya looked for the sun so he could fly away from it, back east. He was relieved once he could see the shoreline again. All this flying had tired him out, and he really needed to rest, but he couldn’t stop until he had crossed the sea. When he reached Juhu beach, he felt thirsty and longed for some coconut water. But his beak wasn’t good for pecking through the hard outer shell of the coconut. Maurya decided to go home. As he flew back, he realized he was tired of being a bird, but what could he do about it? Perhaps his Mama would know. But would she recognize him? Maurya began to cry thinking he would be a bird forever. Just then he noticed his building and landed on the lawn in front of it. He had hoped that eating a few more pomegranate seeds would turn him back to normal. But the pomegranate seeds, had disappeared and so had the tree and the fruits. They had vanished like they never existed. Maurya walked around crying. He went to the kids play area which was his favorite part of the society grounds. Perched on the slide, he noticed something. The lawn was bone dry and so was the playground, except for a tiny puddle, even though it had rained heavily only a little while ago. The puddle too was drying fast. Maurya remembered that the strange day had begun with the sun shinning brightly through the heavy rain. He remembered the unnaturally bright rainbow. Perhaps the rain was magical, he thought. It gave him an idea. He swooped down and drank in the last few sips of the puddle just as it dried away. He smiled with relief as he saw himself being transformed back in to a little boy. The feathers were gone and he was clothed in his pajamas again. He touched his face and felt soft lips instead of a beak. When he reached back home, Mama had breakfast ready on the table. Waffles were his favorite weekend breakfast. ‘Maurya you naughty boy. Where have you been?"" Mama shouted. ""You know you are not supposed to go out until after breakfast."". ""But Mama, it was raining and there was a beautiful rainbow ..."" Maurya began. ""Oh, enough with the lies Maurya! Can't you see the sun is shinning and there is not a drop of water anywhere or a single cloud in the sky?"" Mama sounded angry, so Maurya quietly ate his waffles. After breakfast, Gamala came for their play date. ""Aunty I saw a giant cuckoo bird today, as big as a dog, and scared it away with my toys."" She recounted, proudly. ""You kids and your silly stories. Maurya says it was raining and you say you saw a cuckoo the size of a dog."" ""But it was raining when the giant cuckoo came to my window, aunty."" Gamala insisted. ""Maurya you should have seen it. It was huge. Bigger than you even, I think."" Maurya grinned and decided to keep his magical adventure story to himself. Perhaps he would soon have another one soon. In the mean time, today was the perfect sunny day for some tennis with Papa and Gamala. " password-please_FKB.txt,"Password, please? Manju was fascinated by locks and keys. The soft metallic sound of a key turning in a lock made her happy. The key bunch Mummy kept tied to her saree was Manju’s favourite toy. She loved to explore the mysterious depths of keyholes. Manju passed the village locksmith Ranjith’s shop on her way to school every day. She loved to listen to the rasping of the tools as he made new keys. One day, Mummy needed to get a new key for her almirah. Manju went with her to Ranjith’s shop. Ranjith picked up a flat piece of metal. ""What is this?"" Manju asked. ""This is a blank key,"" replied Ranjith. Then he held up Mummy’s key and said, ""See these pointy bits that look like mountains? And these curvy bits that look like valleys? Your almirah lock also has mountains and valleys inside it. The key’s mountains and valleys fit that pattern. So when you turn the key, the lock opens! I am copying the mountains and valleys from the old key to the new one. So the new key will also open the almirah."" Back home, Manju couldn’t stop talking about the locksmith. She told Munira Aunty, who lived next door. She even told her cat, who stopped licking his face for half a minute and looked bored. When her cousin Riju came to visit that evening, she told her too. Riju was studying to be an engineer. ""Do you know, Riju didi,"" Manju said, ""if you want to make a new key for a lock, you have to copy the pattern of mountains and valleys from the old key to a blank key?"" ""Really?"" said Riju. ""Then it’s a very good thing that Mummy keeps the keys safe. Otherwise anyone could copy the key and steal our things!"" ""That’s true!"" ""This is the sort of thing that I am studying,"" said Riju. ""What, making keys?"" asked Manju. ""Something similar,"" replied Riju. ""We lock up things we want to keep safe, like the sarees in our almirah, right?"" Manju nodded. ""But what if the thing you want to keep safe is information?"" ""Like what, Riju didi?"" asked Manju. ""Like how much money you have in your bank account. Or your best friend’s secret. Or the notebook of recipes passed down from our grandmother to your mother."" ""Oh yes, we need to keep those safe,"" agreed Manju. ""If we have to protect this information, we have to put it in a safe place and lock it! There are many safe places. Like my computer, where I keep my college notes,"" said Riju. She opened her laptop. ""To see my work, you have to type the password here!"" ""What’s a password?"" Manju wanted to know. ""A password is like a key. The almirah’s lock opens only when the pattern on the key fits the pattern in the lock, like a jigsaw puzzle. My computer will only open if the password I type matches the password I have set. If you tell anyone the password, they can open it too! So you have to be very careful whom you give your password to."" ""Hmmm… When I get a computer, what should I set as my password?"" Manju wondered aloud. ""Some people’s passwords are really easy to guess – their date of birth, their pet’s name, or the name of their street. A good password is difficult to guess. The longer it is, the harder it is to guess. It is better if it has letters and numbers. But a password should also be easy to remember."" Just then, Mummy called Riju, who ran off to greet her aunt. TING! went Riju’s mobile. What might that be? A new game? Riju had the best games! Manju often spent her evenings pestering her cousin to let her play. Today, she would play them by herself. Manju pressed a button on her cousin’s phone. The screen lit up. A keypad with numbers appeared. It needed a password! She pressed 1234. ""Incorrect password"" appeared on the screen. Then she tried 0000, but the phone did not unlock. She also tried Riju’s birthday, 10-10-97. ""Hoi!"" That was Riju. ""I’ve locked my phone with a password,"" she said. ""And I don’t give it to nosey little girls."" Manju stuck her tongue out. ""Now do you see why passwords are so important, Manju?"" Riju said. ""They’re like keys to the things we want to keep private."" ""Yes, didi,"" said Manju. ""I only wanted to play some games!"" ""And you only had to ask!"" Riju said, typing in her password. ""Let me show you a new game – Guess the Password!"" Play with Manju This game gives you clues to passwords. See if you can crack them. Phone passwords 1. Manju is nine years younger than her cousin. If Manju chooses her birth year as her password, what would it be? 2. If Riju’s password is her date of birth backwards, it would be... 3. Remember the first password Manju tried on Riju’s phone? What’s that in reverse order? Answers: 1. 2006 2. 790101 3. 4321 Did you solve the clues? Remember, if you did, others can too. So here are some simple dos and don’ts: 1. Don’t keep passwords that are too short (123, xyz, abcd are weak passwords). 2. Remember your password so that you do not have to write it down. If you write it down, someone might be able to find it. 3. Use both upper and lower cases (ComPUteR). 4. Don’t use words that are easy to guess (The name of your school, dog or town). Passwords are used to ‘unlock’ or open mobile phones, computers, safety vaults in banks, our accounts on websites, and many other things. Fingerprints and retina scans are also used as passwords. These are called bio-metric passwords. A password could also be a set pattern you trace on the screen. Like this: " Baby-Animals.txt,"Baby Animals Here is a baby cat. A baby cat is called a kitten. Here is a baby dog. A baby dog is called a puppy. Here is a baby duck. A baby duck is called a duckling. Here is a baby chicken. A baby chicken is called a chick. Here is a baby sheep. A baby sheep is called a lamb. Here is a baby goat. A baby goat is called a kid. Here is a baby tiger. A baby tiger is called a cub. Here is a baby bear. A baby bear is called a cub too ! " Practce_Test-Maths-5th_Grade-RSA_2013.txt,"MARKS ANNUAL NATIONAL ASSESSMENT 2013 GRADE 5 MATHEMATICS TEST MARKS: 60 TIME: 1½ hours PROVINCE_______________________________________________________________ REGION _________________________________________________________________ DISTRICT________________________________________________________________ SCHOOL NAME __________________________________________________________ EMIS NUMBER (9 digits) CLASS (e.g. 5A) __________________________________________________________ SURNAME _______________________________________________________________ NAME___________________________________________________________________ GENDER (✓) BOY GIRL DATE OF BIRTH C C Y Y M M D D This test consists of 12 pages, excluding the cover page. Instructions to the learner 1. Read all the instructions carefully. 2. Question 1 consists of 8 multiple-choice questions. Circle the letter of the correct answer. 3. Answer questions 2 to 21 in the spaces or frames provided. 4. All working must be done on the question paper and not on rough paper. 5. The test counts 60 marks. 6. The test duration is 1½ hours. 7. The teacher will lead you through the practice exercise before you start the test. 8. You may not use a calculator. Practice exercise Circle the letter of the correct answer. 8x6= A 48 B 84 C 72 D 60 You have answered correctly if you have circled A above. NOTE:  You will answer more questions like the one you have just completed.  Do your best to answer each question even if you are not sure of the answer.  Write down the answer that you think is the best and move to the next question.  When you have answered all the questions on a page, move to the next page.  Look only at your own work. The test starts on the next page. Grade 5 Mathematics Test 1 1. Circle the letter of the correct answer. 1.1 4 500 ; 4 625 ; 4 750 ; 4 875 ; ________ ; 5 125. The missing number in the above number sequence is: A 4 975 B 5 000 C 5 050 D 5 025 (1) 1.2 Which number consists of the following: 6H + 4Th + 2T + 9Tth + 5U? A 49 625 B 94 265 C 94 562 D 94 625 (1) 1.3 The above shape is called a/an … A hexagon. B pentagon. C heptagon. D octagon. (1) Grade 5 Mathematics Test 2 1.4 The third multiple of 12 is: A 24 B 36 C 48 D 12 (1) 1.5 The above object has … A only flat faces. B only curved faces. C curved and flat faces. D no faces. (1) 1.6 The distance from Johannesburg to Cape Town is 1 405 … A millimetres. B kilometres. C centimetres. D metres. (1) Grade 5 Mathematics Test 3 1.7 sugar The mass of the sugar shown on the above scale is: A 850 g B 85 g C 850 kg D 805 g (1) 1.8 Which one of the following 2-D shapes shows the front view of the above 3-D object? A B C D (1) Grade 5 Mathematics Test 4 2. Complete: 2.1 33 754 rounded off to the nearest 5 ≈ _______________ (1) 2.2 99 999 rounded off to the nearest 1 000 ≈ _______________ (1) 3. Write down the value of the underlined digit in the number 273 456. _____________________________________________ (1) 4. Replace the * by > , < or = to make the following statement true: 3 1 * ____________ (1) 8 2 5. Which factor of 18 is missing in the list 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 18? ____________ (1) 6. Balls are arranged in groups as indicated in the table below. Fill in the missing numbers on the table. Group 1 2 3 9 Number of (2) 3 5 7 51 balls 7. True or False? 7.1 51 + 22 = 22 + 51 ___________________________ (1) 7.2 24 ÷ 5 = 5 ÷ 24 ___________________________ (1) 7.3 3(5 +6) = (3 x 5) + (3 x 6) ___________________________ (1) Grade 5 Mathematics Test 5 8. Calculate the answers for questions 8.1–8.6. 8.1 11 523 + 21 275 + 7 356 8.2 69 157 - 17 239 Grade 5 Mathematics Test 6 8.3 976 x 54 (3) 8.4 737 ÷ 9 (3) Grade 5 Mathematics Test 7 1 2 8.5 67 + 27 3 1 8.6 3 -1 5 5 9. What will the next number in the number pattern be? 1 ; 3 ; 2 ; 4 ; 3 ; 5 ; ____. (1) 10. Draw the first 2 diagrams in the following diagram pattern: Grade 5 Mathematics Test 8 11. Mr Mabuzi earned R4 200 for working 60 hours. How much did he earn per hour? 12. Write an open number sentence for the following sum: The sum of four numbers is 20 500. Three of the numbers are 2 341, 578 and 10 690. What is the fourth number? _______________________________________________________________ (2) 13. Mr Abrahams bought tickets for the Justin Bieber concert for the 4 members of his family at R320 each. How much did the 4 tickets cost altogether? Grade 5 Mathematics Test 9 14. Complete the table: Object Name of Number Name the shape(s) of object of faces the faces Square-based pyramid (3) 15. Draw the reflection of the quadrilateral on the dotted line. (1) 16. 19:10 Write the time on the above digital clock face in analogue time. ____________________________________________ (1) Grade 5 Mathematics Test 10 17. Use the list of the times taken by 4 athletes in a race to answer the question that follows. Name of athlete Time taken Kayla 41:15 sec Zaheda 40:45 sec Faeeza 38:10 sec Lindi 39:40 sec What is the time difference between the runner who came first and the runner who came fourth? 18. Complete: 3 460 mℓ = _____ ℓ ______ mℓ. (2) 19. Look at the following weather chart below and answer the questions that follow. WEATHER CHART MONDAY TUESDAY Durban 170C–90C 220C–260C Cape Town 11 0C–150C 15 0C–17 0C 19.1 What was the maximum temperature in Durban on Monday? ___________________ (1) 19.2 What was the minimum temperature in Cape Town on Tuesday? ___________________ (1) Grade 5 Mathematics Test 11 20. Study the following pictograph below and then answer the questions that follow. NUMBER OF GLASSES OF JUICE SOLD Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Key: Each represents 10 glasses of juice 20.1 On which day were the most glasses of juice sold? __________________________________ (1) 20.2 Draw tally marks to show how many glasses of juice were sold on Thursday. __________________________________ (2) 20.3 How many glasses of juice were sold on Friday? __________________________________ (1) 20.4 If each glass of juice costs R2,00, how much was paid for the juice on Monday? __________________________________ (2) 21. How many rectangles in total are in this diagram? The number of rectangles = ___________ TOTAL: 60 Grade 5 Mathematics Test 12 " 6887-city-of-stories.txt,"City of Stories There was once a little girl who lived in one of the BIGGEST and BUSIEST cities in the world. She really loved stories. But everyone she knew was too busy to tell her stories. Her mother said, ""I have to finish my work."" Her father said, ""I am reading the newspaper."" Her brother said, ""Can’t you see I am playing cricket?"" Her neighbour said, ""I have to go to the market to buy things."" Her teacher said, ""First, let us do sums."" Everyone was very busy. Everyone was always behind time. Many people were always tired and irritated and certainly had no time at all for stories. One day Didi came to the little girl’s school. Didi was not a teacher, and she was not a student. She was older than the children and she was younger than the teachers. She had warm eyes and a soft smile. She was a friend of the children, and she was a friend of the teachers. The little girl wondered if Didi knew any stories. She went up to Didi shyly. ""Do you have a few minutes? Can you tell me a story?"" Didi looked at the little girl very seriously. ""Of course,"" she said. ""I can tell you a story. What kind of story would you like?"" The little girl’s eyes grew big with anticipation. ""Can you tell me a story about a lion?"" Didi sat down in the verandah of the school, and started telling the little girl a story about a small lion who was lost in the jungle. The little girl sat still and listened intently. Didi’s story was so vivid that she could feel the wind through the branches of the huge trees in the jungle, the soft swaying sounds of the tall grass, and the velvety fur of the small cub. The little girl’s friends who were playing nearby came to find out what Didi was saying. Soon, they were absorbed in the tale too. Before long, the little girl’s entire class was around them, listening and imagining, and demanding more stories. The little girl, her friends and the teachers soon found out that Didi knew lots and lots of stories. She could tell stories about monkeys and birds, about ferocious dogs and mean cats, about fish in blue rivers and deep oceans, about high mountains and green valleys, about children in big cities and children in small villages, about adventures and mysteries, about handsome kings and lovely queens, about what to do when you were scared, and what to do when you were sad, about finding lost treasures, and about knowing wonderful secrets, and much much more. Everyday the little girl and her friends sat with Didi. Children from other classes came. The teachers of the school came. Children from neighbouring schools came. Children who were not in school came. Children who had left school came. Children who were too young to go to school came. Some sat and listened. Some stood and listened. The youngest children lay down on their stomachs, cupping their faces in their hands, and listened. As they listened, they learned how to tell stories to each other. They learned how to build stories, how to spin stories, how to weave stories, how to embroider stories, how to cook stories and how to fly stories like kites in a big blue sky. They all learned how to tell them so that the listeners could not blink or move and would remain mesmerized till the story ended. Slowly, through Didi, the little girl, and the children, stories began to spread through the city. People began to tell stories and people began to listen to stories. Mothers stopped work; fathers put away newspapers and teachers put aside the arithmetic textbooks; neighbours did not go shopping. They began to tell stories. The big brothers stopped playing cricket, and the little sisters stopped skipping rope. They began to listen to stories. The bhajiwala stopped selling bhaji. The doodhwala stopped delivering milk. The paanwala put aside all the paan and supari. They all started listening to each other’s stories. The bus driver left his bus and came to listen. The conductor forgot his bag of tickets and money in the bus – he was in such a hurry to tell the passengers his stories. Trains did not run in the city, because the drivers were too busy with stories. Newspapers were not printed. Buildings could not be built, the flyovers could not be completed. No restaurants served pau-bhaji, no bhelwala made bhel-puri. No fisherman went out to fish. No one was willing to do anything but tell stories and listen to stories. The postmen did not deliver letters because they were busy with stories. The policeman sat in the middle of the busy intersection telling stories to all the drivers around him. All the televisions in the city were switched off because people were listening to stories. The entire city came to a complete halt. The Mayor of the city was worried. ""What is to be done now?"" he said to his Council of Ministers as he paced up and down the big room, in the Mayor’s mansion by the sea. ""No one is working, and nothing is happening in the city."" The Council of Ministers worked feverishly making plans and strategies. But nothing worked, no one listened. Finally, Didi and the little girl were summoned to the Mayor’s mansion by the sea. The Council of Ministers had been told that these two had flooded the city with an ocean of stories. The little girl looked very little in the large room with high ceilings and tall pillars. She held on to Didi’s hand tightly. Didi too looked small, surrounded by the fat and tall men and women of the Council of Ministers. No one smiled. Everyone looked at them with frowns and scowls. ""These stories have brought our big city to a halt. What do we do about this?"" asked the Mayor in his loud booming voice. There was complete silence in the room. All you could hear were the distant murmurs of a story that the Mayor’s gardener was telling the Mayor’s bodyguards. The little girl gripped Didi’s hand even more tightly. Didi looked straight at the Mayor. Her voice was not loud, but it was very clear. ""Let there be one story every morning and one story every evening,"" she said. ""That way everyone everywhere will have stories, but they can also go back to doing what they have to do."" ""Excellent idea!"" roared the Mayor. The Council of Ministers clapped. The fat and tall men and women began to smile. The little girl loosened her tight hold on Didi’s fingers. The whole city heaved a sigh of relief. From that day on, in the big city, one story is told in the morning, and another one before going to sleep at night. From that day on, the little girl and Didi’s big, busy city is called the City of Stories. " Frogs-Non-Fiction.txt,"Frogs Frogs are small animals that can live on land and in water. 1 Frogs lay lots of eggs in the water that hatch into tadpoles. Tadpoles look like little fish. After a few weeks, the tadpole starts to grow arms and legs. The back legs grow bigger and the tail gets smaller until the frog is fully grown. 3 Frogs use their long sticky tongues to catch food. Frogs like to eat insects, but some frogs eat other frogs! 4 Frogs call to each other by croaking. Each kind of frog has a different croaking sound. 5 Frogs are good jumpers because of their strong back legs. 6 Frogs come in lots of different colors. Some frogs use their colors to hide. Can you find a frog in this picture? 7 The next time you go outside, see what kinds of frogs you can find! 8 " The-Great-Panjandrum-Picture-Book.txt,"The Panjandrum picture book COME LASSES AND LADS Come Lasses and Lads, get leave of your Dads, And away to the May-pole hey For every he Has got him a she, with a minstrel standing by. For Willy has gotten his Jill, And Johnny has got his J one, To licror it ]\crcr if nocr it liorr it Jigg it up and down. *- c_ Watt; ""Agreed,"" 1 ""Strike up,' says says Kate, ""And I prithee, Fiddler, play;"" "" Content,"" says Hodge, and so says Madge, For this is a Holiday Then every man did put his hat off to his lass, And every girl did curchy, curchy, curchy on the grass. ""Begin,"" says Hall; ""Ay, ay,"" says Mall, ""We'll lead up Packington's pound:"" "" No, no,"" says Noll, and so says Doll, ""We'll first have Sellengfer's round. Then every man began to foot it round about, And every girl did jet it, Jet it, jet it in and out. ' You're out,"" says Dick ; "" Not I,"" says Nick. "" The Fiddler played it false ; "" 'Tis true,"" says Hugh, and so says Sue, And so says nimble Alice. The Fiddler then began to play the tune again, And every girl did trip it, Trip it, trip it to the men. Then after an hour, they went to a bower, And played for ale and cakes, And kisses too — until they were due the lasses held the stakes. The girls did then begin to quarrel with the men, And bid them take their kisses back, and give them their own again, And bid them take their kisses back and give them their own again. Now there they did stay the whole of the day, And tired the Fiddler quite, With singing and playing, without any paying, From morning until night. They told the Fiddler then, they'd pay him for his play, And each a 2-pence, 2-pence, 2-pence, gave him and went away Good-night,"" says Harry ; "" Good-night,"" says Mary; "" Good-night,"" says Dolly to John ; ""Good-night,"" says Sue, to her sweetheart Hugh, "" Good night, says everyone. Some walked and some did run, Some loitered on the way, /\nd bound themselves, by kisses twelve, To meet the next Holiday. And bound themselves, by kisses twelve. To meet the next Holiday. 22 RIDE A COCK-HORSE TO BANBURY CROSS Ride a Cock- Horse to Banbury Cross, To see a fine Lady Get on a white Horse, Mtmm w=S n\»\l With rings on her fingers, and bells on her toes, She shall have music wherever she o oes. A Farmer went trotting UPON HIS GREY MARE. A Farmkr went trotting- upon his grey Mare ; Bumpety, bumpety, bump ! With his Daughter behind him, so rosy and fair ; Lumpety, lumpety, lump U A Raven cried M Croak ! "" and they all tumbled down ; Bumpety, bumpety, bump The Mare broke her knees and the Farmer his crown ; Lumpety lumpety, lump The mischievous Raven flew laughing away Rumpety, bumpety, bump ! And vowed he would serve them the same the next day Lumpety, lumpety, lump AN ELEGY ON THE GLORY OF HER SEX MRS. MARY BLAIZE BY DR. OLIVER GOLDSMITH Good people all, with one accord. Lament for Madam Blaize, Who never wanted a good word — From those who spoke her praise. The needy seldom pass'd her door? And always found her kind ; She freely lent to all the poor— Who left s a pledge behind. She strove the neighbourhood to please With manners? wondrous winning ; And never followed wicked ways Unless when she was sinning. At church, in silks and satins new, With hoop of monstrous size, She never slumber'd in her pew — But when she shut her eyes, Her love was sought, I do aver ? By twenty beaux and more 5 The King himself has follow'd her- now, her wealth and finery fled 5 Her hangers-on cut short-all The Doctors found, when she was dead- Her last disorder mortal. Let us lament, in sorrow sore, For Kent Street well may say, That had she lived a twelvemonth more. She had not died to-day. THE GREAT PANJANDRUM HIMSELF So she went into the garden to cut a cabbage-leaf rsy* to make an apple-pie and at the same time a great she-bear, coming down the street, pops its head into the shop. What ! no soap ? So he died, and she very imprudently married the Barber : and there were present the Picmnnies, and the Joblillies, and the Garyulies, and the great Panjandrum himself,' with the little round button at top; Oils and they all fell to playing the game of catch-as-catch-can, till the gunpowder ran out at the heels of their boots. " jackjillolddameg00londiala_bw.txt,"JACK AND JILL AND OLD DAME GILL. JACK and JILL, Went xip the hill, To fetch a pail of water, Jack fell down, Andbroke his crown, And Jill came tumbling* after. Then np JACK got, And home did trot, As faflas he could caper; DAME GILL didthejoh, To plafler his not. With Vinegar andforownpaper. Then JILL came in, And_fb.e did grin, To fee JACK'S papex plafler, Hermothei? pixtlier, A fools cap on, POT laughing' atJack'sdifafteT. This made JILL pou.t, And fb e ran out , And JACK did qiiickly follow, TlievTode dog' Ball, Jill got a fall, Hovr Jack didlaxig*!! andh-ollow The DA ME came out, To know all about, Jill faid Jack made her tumble, Says Jack 111 tell, Yoiihow fbe fell, Then j ndg-e if flie needgTumbleJ DAME GILL did grin, As flie went in, And Jill was plagucTby Jack^O! Will Goat came by Andmade Jack cry, Andknock'dMia onMsl>ack,Oi NowJILL didlaxtg-li, And JACK did cry, Blithis tears didfo on abate, Then Jill did fay, That they fhoiildplay, Atfea-faw a crofs the gate. They fea-faw'dliig*li, They fe a- faw 'd low, At length tkey ID ofh. did tumble, Wetothare down, We Tp oth muft own , Let neither ofns Then the next thing*, They made a fwing-, But JILL etup abig cry, For the fwing gave way, In the midft of the play, An d threw her into the Pig'fty e . Th.e SOW come t>y, Says Jact 111 try, If I cant ride this prancer, He gave aJTunp, On olcLfcfw^s rump, Butflieledhimadroll dance Sir. S OWran an dfqual'd, While JAG X Jietawl'd, And JILL joixi'dixitlie choir, Dog Ball beirLg"" near, 1 Bit fo^rby tlie ear, And threw Jack in tlie mire. Tlio' JACK was not hurt, H was over dirt, all I wihyoTLliadbiitf*eeTi him, AiLdhow JILL did jump, Withliimto tlie pirmp, Andpump 'd onliim to cleanhim. Hearing tke xont, DAME GILL came out, With ahorfe-whip from the door, Site laid.it on J act, Andpoor Jill's ID act, TJntill they 1) oth. did r o ax, BALL held fows ear, Andboth in rear, Ran againft old DAME andhither, That flie did mn, Over fow and. Ball, Jack and Jill did twiter . And now all three, Went in to fee, To pnt the place to right all Which done they flip, Then drink a cup , Andwithyonag-oodnighta. DAMEGILL hasbeeiLto ALOIS To iDny them all Soots, You may see Ixow tliey axe p BT tHefiniles in. their looks . oii are ThisTDOokfuJl of^PicturesfhallbejoTii: reward J Alilfi .yPSFcvemtnt, MoorfieJtfs.Zfrrtfi 17. 18 c " my-dream-in-the-drawer_english_Bookdash-FKB-stories.txt,"I kept it hidden, safe and sound, In my drawer of socks. I once had a dream, so small and light, I kept it in a box. This tiny dream, I had, you see, Was mostly about me … Space Selfie ! … who I’d be, and where I’d go, And what I’d one day see. At first, it was a little dream, And so I took it out for air, Until one day it grew, To show my dream to you. And then my dream, it got so big, I had to let it out ... I took it to the playground, And watched it bounce about. Then all the kids, they saw my dream, And said, ""We want one too!"" I said to them, ""Ok, no probs."" And told them what to do. Wow!!! Awesome! What?? ""Well, first you think of what you want. Believe it with your heart. To get a dream as big as mine, This is the place to start."" ""And once it’s big enough,"" I said. ""You’ve got to let it free To fly up high across the world, For all the world to see."" And at that point, my big old dream, Which once was in a drawer … Shook and climbed, Took to the sky … And soared ... and soared … ... and soared. " Tanias-School-Picnic.txt,"Tania's School Picnic The children in Tania's class at school were chattering excitedly. The soft spoken and mild tempered Miss Gupta had to bang her desk rather violently to get their attention. She said, ""I am glad you are all so excited about the picnic at Kanheri caves. However, the picnic is next week and you can discuss it after class. Right now we need to get back to work."" Work was quite interesting and soon everyone was engrossed in it. The class was supposed to design a cover for a book. The book had been read to them in the previous story time session. The children discussed various ideas with Miss Gupta and came up with 3 that really captured the essence of the story. Miss Gupta then divided the class in to 3 groups of 5 each and had them work together to make the covers. After class Tania, Sonali and Tanisha discussed the picnic. The previous year, they were taken to the lovely park where Tania had learned to ride a bike. That was a lot of fun, but caves just sounded so much more exciting! Tania was getting impatient. The week dragged by really slowly as it always does when you are waiting. Finally the day of the picnic arrived. All 15 children had gathered together in the school courtyard. Miss Gupta carefully checked off their names on a list as they got in to the school bus. By 9:00 a.m. everyone was in the bus. Miss John the art teacher and Miss Gupta were accompanying the children. The bus ride was 45 minutes long because of traffic but the kids had a great time singing 'The wheels of the bus', ' Do Re Me' and many other cheerful songs. Finally the bus arrived at Kanheri caves. The teachers guided the children through the caves. Miss Gupta talked about its wonderful history. ""These caves were used by Buddhists for living, studying and meditating almost 2000 years ago. This was an important Buddhist settlement at that time."" said Miss Gupta. Miss John commented on the sculptures of Buddha and the beautiful paintings in some caves. All that walking made everyone hungry and they decided to have an early lunch. The children gathered in the main cave near the entrance. The kids all shared their lunches and had quite a feast. There were chicken, vegetable, egg and jam sandwiches, idlis, uttapams, aloo parathas, fried rice and noodles. For dessert there were cookies, cakes, pastries and gulab jamuns. After lunch the teachers told the children that they could explore the caves on their own and play some games. ""Stick to the 3 caves near the main entrance. Otherwise, there are some hundred odd caves here and you will get lost"" said Miss John. Tania and Tanisha exchanged delighted glances. Ever since they got there the girls thought the caves were an ideal place to play hide and seek. They announced their intention and 6 of the others joined them. Tania went to hide in a little nook she spotted. She was in a great hurry and she tripped over a stone. To steady herself she used the support of the wall. To her great surprise the wall seemed to shake a little. How was that possible? She hit against the same spot again. Yes it definitely did shake just a little bit. Then she banged the wall a little further away and it did not shake at all. It was rock solid. By this time Tanisha arrived. It was her turn to search for everyone. She looked at Tania in surprise and asked ""Why aren't you hiding? I could see you as soon as I opened my eyes."" Tania told Tanisha what she had found out about the wall. Tanisha tested it too and was amazed. The two girls closely examined the wall. Finally they saw a faint rectangular outline that separated the shaky part from the rest of the wall. They ran their fingers carefully over this part and found two handles of sorts. The handles were well camouflaged jutting out bits of the rock. They each grabbed one and pulled on it. It was hard work but together, sweating and panting, they managed to take off the rectangular piece, revealing a passage. They turned around and noticed the rest of the kids they were playing with were watching them. Tired of hiding and not being found they had come to see what was going on. What they saw made their jaws drop. One of them, Rajiv, went and called the others. Everyone now wanted to explore this exciting secret passage. However the passage was tiny so they had to crawl in one at a time. Tania was the first to enter and she emerged in to a fairly spacious room. There were some copper plates with inscriptions on the walls and some carvings and cave paintings. There was also a stone hearth with some utensils on it. There was no other obvious entry or exit from the room. After every one was in and looked around Tania asked, ""Miss Gupta, do you suppose this is a new discovery?"" Miss Gupta hesitated, so Miss John said, ""Tania this place has been thoroughly explored by professionals so I doubt it. But it is possible they missed this. I will contact the proper authorities and let them know that you found it. If it is indeed a new discovery you will surely get credit for it. But I think irrespective of that outcome this picnic has been much more exciting than we had anticipated thanks to Tania. Everyone, three cheers to Tania"" Everyone shouted ""Hip hip hooray!"" Epilogue If the readers really want to know, the discovery was not a new one. The door to the secret passage had been left closed so the contents would be stay good condition. They were not particularly valuable and best left in their ""home"". None of this however made Tania's cave adventure any less exciting. Afterword The facts about Kanheri caves are true to the best of my knowledge and mainly derived from except of course the secret passage and secret room that Tania discovers. That is entirely fictitious. " the-magic-mango-CC-picture-book.txt,"The Magic Mango One day, Tara and her little brother Arun found an old box in their grandmother’s attic. It was a beautiful wooden box, covered in thick dust and cobwebs, which opened with a tiny crack to reveal its mysteries before their curious eyes. ""It’s full of old photographs and letters!"" exclaimed Arun, passing his fingers over the small pile of yellowed paper in front of him. Tara bent over to pick up a photograph. ""That looks like our dadi when she was very young. She must have been four, five years old."" ""Look, there’s an old newspaper!"" Arun read out the date on the page, a little unsure of himself. ""26 September 1890?!"" That seems like a very long time ago."" ""It is,"" Tara chipped in, ""it is a very long time ago! Even our dadi’s dadi was not born then!"" She opened the newspaper carefully and spotted a red circle on one of the pages: ""Whoever read this newspaper before must have found this interesting! I wonder why."" ""What does it say?"" Arun asked. LATEST TELEGRAMS. -----◊----- [REUTER’S TELEGRAMS.] -----◊----- THE CASE OF THE MAGIC MANGO. LONDON, September 25. The Times publishes a paragraph stating that a little girl from London is searching for a magic mango seed. Offers of help may be communicated by telegraph to the following address... ""A magic mango seed? I wonder what that means,"" said Arun. He had seen and eaten lots of mangoes in his lifetime, but never a magic one. Not until now, at least. ""I don’t know,"" replied Tara. ""I guess we’d better ask dadi."" Downstairs, dadi had fallen into a peaceful slumber in her rocking chair. ""Dadi, dadi,"" burst out the two, ""what is a magic mango?"" ""A magic mango?! Where did you hear of such a thing?"" ""We found an old newspaper in the attic. It says that a very long time ago a little girl from London was looking for a magic mango seed."" ""Ah, that!"" Dadi’s face lit up. ""That, my dears, is an old story, which I heard many years ago from my great-grandfather. He knew that little girl."" ""He knew her? How come?"" ""Well, he helped her find a magic mango seed!"" ""One day, when great- grandfather was around five or six years old, he heard his parents discuss a most extraordinary piece of news they had just read in the newspaper."" ""The newspaper we found!"" interrupted Arun. ""Yes, that one. A little girl who lived in this big city called London had sent a letter to the newspaper asking for help to find a magic mango seed! The news agencies picked up her message and telegraphed it to all corners of the world. It was even published in the Times of India in Bombay."" ""Great-grandfather wasn’t quite sure where London was or why people in London didn’t grow their own mangoes. Nor was he quite sure how one could send messages by electric telegraph. But that evening he decided he would help that little girl to find a magic mango seed."" ""The problem,"" dadi went on, ""was that he had no idea where to find such a thing. There were plenty of mango trees around, all magical in their own right…"" ""So he decided to send the little girl a seed from his own garden. A seed from a beautiful mango tree, whose canopy used to protect the children from the scorching heat of summer. And its fruit… ah, its fruit was truly magical!"" ""The next day, great-grandfather walked to the Telegraph Office, one mango seed in hand."" ""‘I want to telegraph this seed to London,’ he told the telegraph clerk boldly, holding out his hand."" ""The man laughed loudly. ‘You cannot send a seed by electric telegraph! You have to send it by post. Of course, it will take much longer to reach London!’"" ""‘But why not?’ great-grandfather protested. He had heard his parents talking about just such a thing: a lady in Europe had gone to the post office to telegraph clothes and food to her son who was fighting a war somewhere far away."" ""‘Because that is not how the telegraph works!’ responded the clerk. Then he added quickly, as if reading his mind: ‘No food, no clothes, no mango seeds!’"" ""Great-grandfather was disappointed. He had walked all the way to the telegraph office, magic mango seed in hand, only to find out that not even the electric telegraph could send it quickly from India to London. Why then did everyone think this was the greatest technology of its time, if it couldn’t even send a mango seed to London?"" ""The clerk tried to cheer him up. ‘You can’t send a seed by telegraph, but you can do other things. You can send messages. Or music. Or play chess. The words you choose to send will be converted into electric signals, and these will travel through the telegraph wires across many lands and seas until they reach London.'"" ""Here, I’ll write your message on this piece of paper, and send it on its way with the help of this instrument. The message must be short and clear, otherwise it will be expensive."" ""I guess… I guess you are right. I will send the seed by post and send a message by telegraph to say that I have sent the seed by post."" ""‘That sounds about right,’ said the clerk, visibly relieved. Then, sitting down at his desk, he began to tap rhythmically the knob of his instrument: ‘Magic mango seed to arrive by post from India. Please confirm receipt.’"" ""The message is on its way now. From Bombay it will cross the Arabian Sea to Aden, at the tip of the Arabian Peninsula, through a submarine cable. It will then travel through Egypt, Malta and Gibraltar, and when it reaches Britain, my colleague in London will see lots of dots and dashes printed on a paper slip…"" ""Dots and dashes? But how will people understand my message then?"" ""'Hehe,' said the clerk, 'don’t you worry about that! Our telegraphists are trained to decipher even the most mysterious of messages. They know exactly how many dots and dashes are used to represent each letter of the alphabet. They can even understand the message when they hear the clicks of this instrument!'"" ""‘But what if the message gets lost on the way?’ great-grandfather insisted. This seemed like an awfully long way for his message to travel—surely, something would go wrong."" ""Well, no technology is perfect. Sometimes messages do get lost on the way. There might be an accident, if a passing ship cuts the underwater cable with its anchor. Or the cable might snap under the weight of the barnacles and corals which have grown on it. Land cables are sometimes destroyed by storms and wild animals. But our engineers try to repair them as fast as possible so that people can keep on sending their messages from one corner of the world to the other."" ""Just like the internet today,"" interrupted Arun. ""Sometimes it disconnects, and nobody knows why."" ""Yes,"" Tara quipped, ""but back then in the nineteenth century not everyone had a telegraph in their home."" ""And not everyone has a computer nowadays either. Although some people have become very attached to their mobile phones,"" dadi added with a mischievous smile. ""What happened next?"" Arun asked, eager to change the topic. ""Did the seed reach London?"" ""Yes, it did, and so did the telegram. The little girl planted the seed in her garden and waited for it to grow. She waited and waited, and waited still, but it did not grow into a tree. At least not as fast as a magic tree should have—just as she had seen it grow at a show in London. A famous magician, recently returned from his tour of India, had performed the magic mango trick for them."" ""The magic mango trick?"" ""Well, yes, that famous trick performed by street magicians since olden times. They make a mango tree grow from a seed in no time at all. I saw it myself a couple of times."" ""That explains it then!"" said Arun cheerfully. ""Yes,"" nodded Tara thoughtfully. ""It takes years to grow a tree. Even a magic mango tree."" DID YOU KNOW? In India, the electric telegraph was open to the public in 1855, while Britain and the United States were connected by a transatlantic cable in 1866. The new technology was used by the British colonial administration, merchants and the general public for various types of communications. Newspapers and news agencies like Reuters also used the telegraph regularly to transmit news from India and other parts of the world. Messages were sent with the help of pulses of electric current of two different lengths—dots and dashes. Different combinations of dots and dashes represented different letters and numbers. Telegraph operators were trained to recognize the sound or ""clicks"" of their instruments as they received these dots and dashes and could thus ""read"" messages by ear. Later, instruments also printed the dots and dashes on a long piece of paper known as ticker tape. To pass the time, telegraph operators sometimes chatted or even played chess with their colleagues thousands of miles away through the electric wires. DID YOU KNOW? In the nineteenth century, the mango trick was one of the most famous tricks performed by Indian street magicians and was often described in European accounts of travel to India. The magician planted a seed in the ground, watered it and covered it with a basket, repeating this performance a few times until the seed grew into a small tree which even had fruit on it. The mango tree also featured in riddles, like this one, which was published in a children's magazine in Britain: ""What’s the haughty tree giving command? Answer: Mango (Man, go!)"" " 008-THE-CASE-OF-THE-MISSING-SMILE.txt,"""Now this looks like a very interesting case,"" Detective Peterson said aloud, as she reviewed the huge stack of reports on her desk. ""I think I will handle this one myself."" After several minutes of searching through the official Tooth Fairy records, she found what she was looking for. A folder with the name ‘Sophia Sue Simmons’. ""Hmm,"" Detective Peterson mumbled as she studied the file. As Detective Peterson read the report, she noted that Sophia Sue always smiled. From the time she got out of bed to the time she went back to bed, she smiled. In fact, Sophia Sue never seemed to stop smiling. Then, two days ago, Sophia Sue stopped smiling. ""Why?"" Detective Peterson wondered. ""I must find out why and get Sophia Sue’s smile back,"" she said to herself. She searched through the file but couldn’t find anything that could have caused Sophia Sue to stop smiling all of a sudden. Was she happy at home? The Smile-O-Meter indicated ""yes."" Was she happy at school? The Smile-O-Meter indicated ""yes."" Was she happy with her friends? The Smile-O-Meter indicated ""yes."" Everything that Detective Peterson found indicated that Sophia Sue was happy and that she should be smiling. The Detective checked with the dentist and everything was fine. The Detective checked with Tooth Fairy Central. All of Sophia Sue’s baby teeth had fallen out, been collected as scheduled, and replaced with new, extremely pretty, permanent teeth. Detective Peterson checked everything but she couldn’t find anything that could cause Sophia Sue to stop smiling. There was only one choice left. Detective Peterson had to visit Sophia Sue and see what she could do. That night Detective Peterson flew down and visited Sophia Sue. Making sure that she didn’t wake Sophia Sue, she sprinkled magical Tooth Fairy sand into the air. ""Sophia Sue."" Detective Peterson whispered. ""What happened to your beautiful smile? You look so sad."" ""I lost all my baby teeth,"" she whispered. ""Now the Tooth Fairy doesn’t have any reason to visit me."" ""Oh! I understand,"" Detective Peterson whispered between smiling lips. ""The Tooth Fairy will always be in your heart so you can wipe that silly frown off your pretty face."" As Detective Peterson flew away from Sophia Sue’s bedside, she saw the smile return - bigger and brighter than ever before. " SticksAdventure-FKB-kids-stories-R.txt,"Spencer A Brothers Whim Storybook Workshop Production First Edition To all of us who might forget that life’s greatest moments happen along the way. Stick's adventure was here, it had come now at last. She put on her boots and hurried up fast. The comforts of home were lovely and nice, but giving up those was a fair enough price. She had places to go and people to greet, marvels to see and adventures to meet. Stick had her dreams planned. She would be a big star. Her singing would dazzle from near and from far. STICK Coming soon She would live in a villa right there on the lake, and grow beautiful flowers in a garden she’d make. She’d buy elegant hats from all over the world, adorned in bright feathers, and ribbons, and curls. She’d vacation afar on a beautiful beach, and soak in the sound of the waves on her feets. Those were her dreams. She was now on her way. She crossed canyons and forests by night and by day. Stick moved right along till a sound caught her ear. A sniffle and sob from the fence over there. ""Hello there, dear friend. Now, why are you sad? Perhaps I can help you again to feel glad."" ""One of my sheep is gone from my fold, and to me my dear sheep are more precious than gold."" ""Do not fret there, dear friend, now lift up your crook. I’ll sing us a song and together we’ll look."" Stick’s voice rang out loud, so sweet and so clear. Soon Betsy was found, there was nothing to fear. A moment of silence passed between friends, Sally took off her hat, which she knitted by hand, without the right words to express where they’d been. and placed it on Stick, where it sparkled more grand. With a wave and a hug, Stick left for her goals. She crossed valleys of amber, and mountains of gold. She skipped through and past the rivers and creeks loving the sounds of the streams on her feets. At last she arrived for her singing debut. Her audience loved her and all she could do. She bought her nice villa right there on the lake, and grew beautiful flowers in the garden she made. She bought elegant hats from all over the world, adorned in bright feathers, and ribbons, and curls. She vacationed afar to a tropical beach, and soaked in the sounds of the waves on her feets. But all of the while she missed her dear friend, and the adventures of chasing her goals to the end. She missed crossing the canyons, and rivers, and vales. She missed feeling the thrill of the wind in her sails. And of all of her hats, her old knit one was best. She wore it more often than all of the rest. Just then an epiphany struck! She need not stay here as if she were stuck! Stick’s adventure was here, it had come now at last She threw on her boots and hurried up fast. The comforts of home were lovely and nice, but giving up those was a fair enough price. She had places to go, and people to greet, marvels to see, and adventures to meet. So off on her journey she went! " Monkeystuff-FKB-low-res2.txt,"There was a cow, she had one bell. She always wore it, but then one day, well... A little monkey, Brown and cheeky, Stole that bell, ´Cos he was sneaky! There was a dog, He had two bones. Sometimes one buries What one owns. So, he dug a hole In the ground And buried his bones, That digging hound... But that same little monkey Came back around. There was a bird. Three eggs she laid. Nearby that nest She always stayed. That rascal monkey Snuck up one day, Snatched those eggs And ran away. There was a pony With four horseshoes. They were items that She could not lose. Nevertheless, One summer evening, The monkey stole them And danced while leaving! There was a baker. He baked five buns, Those light and tasty, Crispy ones. The monkey appeared And took the lot, Then ran off juggling them... They were hot! There was an ant, Six slippers she wore. They kept her feet cosy On the cold dirt floor. The monkey took them And didn’t think. He didn’t expect That they would stink! There was a princess. She wore seven pearls To make her look better Than the other girls. That monkey thief Was lurking and... Some naughtiness Was being planned. A crocodile, He loved to smile. He had eight teeth, But one night while... ...He was in bed, The monkey crept, His fingers stealing As the reptile slept. Nine apples grew Upon a tree, But someone came A-swinging through, And grabbed those apples... Can you guess who? Ten hairs were in The lion’s mane. He combed them often, 10 - He was vain! That pesky monkey Was looking on. One single snip... And those hairs were gone! There was a monkey. He had lots of stuff. But he never seemed To have enough. He had: 1 cowbell, 2 bones, 3 eggs, 5 buns, 4 horseshoes, 6 slippers, 8 teeth, 7 pearls, 9 apples and 10 hairs. Everyone had lost Something of theirs. But the monkey felt A bit bad inside. Because of him, A cow had cried. In the end, the things were returned. Mum said, ""No stealing!"" And the lesson was learned. " cube-cat-cone-cat.txt,"Cube Cat, Cone Cat Cat on a TRIANGLE roof Cat in a RECTANGLE window Ice CUBE on a shi-ver-ing cat Meoww... brrr... brrr Cat with a RHOMBUS Kite Cat on a SQUARE board Meoww... scratch... scratch A tree trunk CYLINDER for a H-A- P-P-Y cat Cat on a CIRCLE mat Cat in an OVAL mirror Meoww... slurp... slurp An ice cream CONE for a S-U-N-N-Y cat Cat near a HEXAGON honeycomb Cat on a CRESCENT moon A samosa PYRAMID for a hun-gry cat Meoww... crunch... munch 1. TRIANGLE 2. SQUARE 3. RECTANGLE 4. OVAL 5. CIRCLE 1. CUBE 2. CYLINDER 3. CONE 4. PYRAMID 5. SPHERE Can you look around and find any more SHAPES and CATS? " nomvundla-and-the-chilli-eating-contest_english_20170320-3-18.txt,"Nomvundla the hare and Soko the monkey are buddies. ""Hurry, Soko! We don’t want to be late for the Chilli-Eating Contest,"" says Nomvundla. ""Nomvundla, if you win, who will you take to the Hamba-Hamba Funfair?"" asks Soko. ""Hmm, I wonder who Nomvundla’s best friend is?"" ""That’s easy,"" says Nomvundla. ""I’ll take my best friend!"" Who do you think Nomvundla’s best friend is? Nomvundla and Soko are the last to arrive. ""Soko, you go first,"" says Nomvundla. Chilli-Eating CONTEST RULES 1. Don’t say how hot it feels 2. Finish all your chillies ""Nomvundla, I’m scared,"" says Soko. ""I’m not!"" says Nomvundla. How many chillies would you be able to eat? e ! Eee Maiw ! i i i i i . l lll Eish! H h HOT! Ei s h ! It’s Nomvundla’s turn. She has a plan. Nomvundla starts to sing: ""You say it’s HOT. Can you help I say it’s NOT!"" Nomvundla sing The judges are surprised her song? and ask her what she is saying. She carries on singing her song until her chillies are finished. Hooray! Nomvundla is the winner! ""YOU are my best friend, Soko!"" WHEEEEEEEE ! " At-The-Zoo.txt,"At The Zoo. I like to look at the zebras. I like to look at the bear. I like to look at the tiger. I like to look at the monkeys. I like to look at the crocodile. I like to look at the hippo. I like to look at the lion. I like to look at the elephants. " 004-ABE-THE-SERVICE-DOG-Free-Childrens-Book-By-Monkey-Pen.txt,"""Hi, I am Abe and I am a Service Dog. When I was a puppy, my owner told me I would be a Service Dog for a person who could not see. I didn’t know what that meant, but I knew it was something special. When I got a little older, I was sent away to school. My sister was sent to another school to learn how to help people with Autism. To be their friend and help them get around. One of my other brothers was sent to a special school so he could learn how to warn people that they were going to get sick before they did. My other brothers and sisters became good friends with people in good families. Not every dog can become a Service Dog. School was hard. I had to learn many things just like you. I had to learn to stop and look before crossing the street. And learn what a red, yellow, and green directional light meant and what I should do. I was taught how to guide a person to go left, right, to step up and down, to stop, to move forward a little, to back up, and much more. I had to learn where I was and how to get back, even in strange areas. I had to learn how to behave in a restaurant and never, ever, beg for food. That was hard. I had to learn that I could be a plain old playful dog as long as my halter was off. But once it was on… I was working. I became the eyes of my master and their safety and how they got around was up to me. After a long time in school, I graduated and my trainer introduced me to BJ. The person who would become my master. We were both excited. We trained together for several weeks and became very good friends. She was really nice and we always spent fun-time together once she took my halter off. One day the trainer said we were ready and I was off to a new home with my master and friend. We shared many years together and had many wonderful experiences. We went shopping, visited friends, ate in fine restaurants, and traveled across the country. I took care of BJ. I knew when she didn’t feel right and could tell if she was happy or unhappy, sad, grumpy, or whatever. I would always try to make things better for her. BJ took care of me. She knew when I didn’t feel right and could tell if I were happy or unhappy, sad, grumpy, or whatever. She would always try to make things better for me. A long time has passed and now I can’t help my friend any more. BJ is off to school again and training with a new Service Dog. I will meet him tomorrow and help him understand his new master. Then I become like my other brothers and sisters. I become a good friend for people in a good family. You really couldn’t ask for more. " Elly-and-Aargh-.txt,"Elly and Aargh! Four young dinosaurs were having a race. It wasn’t a running race. They were ankylosaurs, which meant that they were covered with huge plates of bony armour. The armour was so heavy that they could only waddle. All the same, they could waddle quite fast. And Elly was determined to beat her three brothers. She reached the river just ahead of them. ""I won!"" she shouted. She wagged her tail in triumph. ""Ow! Ow! OW!"" cried her three brothers behind her. Elly looked around and saw them lying in a heap. ""What happened to you?"" she asked. ""Your tail happened to us,"" groaned Lenny. ""You wagged it again,"" moaned Kenny. ""It knocked us over!"" croaked Benny. ""My tail knocked you over?"" Elly was sure her tail hadn’t done anything of the sort. She wagged it again to check. ""NO! Don’t wag your tail!"" shrieked her brothers. ""Why not?"" demanded Elly. ""What’s wrong with my tail?"" ""It’s a lovely tail,"" said Kenny. ""It’s just not the same as our tails,"" said Benny. ""It’s got a great big club on the end of it!"" said Lenny. Elly looked at her brothers’ tails. They were slender and pointed at the end, like her mother’s and her father’s tails. She twisted her head round to look at her own tail. But she couldn’t twist far enough to see it properly. ""It looks fine to me,"" she said. ""It is fine,"" said Lenny. ""It’s a very special tail."" ""It’s unique,"" groaned Kenny. ""Just don’t wag it!"" pleaded Benny. This wasn’t easy for Elly. When she was happy, she wagged her tail. And since she was a very happy dinosaur, she wagged her tail a lot. But whenever she happily wagged her tail, anything in its path went flying. Her tail bowled her brothers over. It felled small trees. It demolished the nest of rocks that her parents had built so carefully. Yet Elly usually didn’t notice. ""I don’t see the problem. Now let’s play tag!"" she said. ""Let’s not,"" said Kenny. ""Whenever you’re being chased, you wag your tail."" ""We could play kick-the-coconut!"" suggested Elly. ""No, we couldn’t,"" said Benny. ""You wag your tail each time you kick. I’m still covered in bruises from the last game."" ""Then what can we play?"" she asked. The brothers thought hard about it. ""I know!"" said Lenny. ""Hide and seek!"" So they taught Elly how to play hide and seek. It was a great success. Elly was very good at hiding. And while she was hiding, she kept perfectly still and did not wag her tail. They played hide and seek all morning. Apart from one small accident when Elly wagged her tail and Kenny ended up in a ditch, nobody got any bruises. It was Elly’s turn to hide. She found a good place amongst the trees and kept very still. She waited. And waited. But nobody came to find her. After a while, Elly poked her head out to see where her brothers were. ""Maybe they’ve gone for lunch,"" she thought. She couldn’t see them anywhere. But she could see a strange dinosaur sniffing around. Elly lumbered out of her hiding place and trotted over to greet the stranger. She had never met a dinosaur like it. It wasn’t an ankylosaurus. It was taller and thinner, with long, strong legs and big, curved claws. ""Hallo!"" said Elly. The strange dinosaur turned round and grinned a wide, toothy grin. ""Well, hallo there!"" it said. ""Have you come for lunch?"" asked Elly. ""Oh, I hope so,"" said the stranger, giving her a still wider grin. It had a great many teeth. ""Do you know my brothers?"" she asked. ""They’re around somewhere. We’ve just been playing hide and seek."" The stranger licked its lips. ""How delicious – I mean, how delightful! Let’s look for them together. Do you know where they’ll be hiding?"" ""Oh yes!"" said Elly proudly. ""I know all the best hiding places."" ""Excellent!"" said the stranger. Elly was so happy to meet this new friend that she nearly wagged her tail. She stopped herself just in time. ""What’s your name?"" she asked. The dinosaur looked puzzled. ""I don’t think I have a name."" ""Well, what do other dinosaurs call you? I’m Elly."" The dinosaur scratched its head with its claw. ""I suppose I’m called Aargh!"" it said. ""At least, that’s what everybody says when they see me."" ""All right, Aargh!"" said Elly. ""Let’s go and hunt for my brothers, and then we can have lunch!"" ""What a wonderful idea,"" said Aargh. ""I bet I know where Lenny’s hiding. Come this way!"" Elly trotted off towards the thorn bushes. She was so happy to be playing with her new friend that she nearly wagged her tail. Again, she stopped herself just in time. When they reached the thorn bushes, she could see a nose sticking out. ""Found you, Lenny!"" she shouted. Lenny sat up and stared at the strange dinosaur. ""Aargh!"" he cried. ""Oh, do you know him, then?"" said Elly. ""That’s good."" She was so pleased that this time she couldn’t help it. She wagged her tail. There was a whack and a THUD. ""Aargh’s come for lunch,"" she said. ""Aargh? Where are you?"" Aargh crawled out of the thorn bushes. He had hundreds of long, spiky thorns sticking out of his skin. ""Are you playing hide and seek in there?"" said Elly. ""It’s a bit prickly, unless you have thick skin like ours! Are you all right?"" ""Fine,"" muttered Aargh, trying to pull thorns out of his nose with his long claws. ""Let’s go and look for Kenny next,"" said Elly. ""I bet I know where he’s hiding!"" She lumbered off towards the swamp. Aargh followed her, although, for some reason, Lenny didn’t. When she reached the swamp, Elly could see an ear poking out of the reeds. ""Found you, Kenny!"" she shouted. Kenny sat up and stared at the strange dinosaur. ""Aargh!"" he screamed. ""That’s right,"" said Elly. ""Aargh’s come for lunch."" And she wagged her tail again. She just couldn’t help it. There was a whoosh and a PLOP. Suddenly Aargh was in the swamp. ""That’s not a very good hiding place, Aargh!"" called Elly. ""It’s rather muddy!"" ""You don’t say,"" gasped Aargh as he crawled out of the swamp. As well as hundreds of thorns, he was now covered in sticky black mud. ""It’s nearly lunch time,"" Elly told him. ""Oh, good,"" sighed Aargh. ""We just need to find Benny. I know exactly where he’ll be hiding! Come this way!"" She set off again. Aargh followed her, although for some reason, Kenny didn’t. Elly waddled happily to the edge of the forest, where there were dozens of huge ant hills. Sure enough, when she got there, she could see a tail poking out from behind the biggest ant hill of them all. ""Found you, Benny!"" she shouted. Benny sat up and stared at the strange dinosaur. ""AARGH!"" he yelled. ""Yes, isn’t it nice of him to play hide and seek with us?"" said Elly. She was so delighted that she couldn’t help it. She wagged her tail. There was a whop and a SPLAT. Elly looked at Aargh, who was now inside the ant hill. ""That’s quite a good hiding place,"" she said, ""but I can still see your back legs."" Aargh wriggled and squirmed, and at last managed to pull his top half out of the giant ant hill. As well as mud and thorns, he was now covered in angry ants. They scurried all over him, nipping him with sharp jaws. ""Ow!"" said Aargh. He ran to and fro, trying to shake them off. ""Are we playing tag?"" asked Elly. She began to waddle after him eagerly. As she did, she wagged her tail. THUNK went her tail against a coconut palm. A shower of coconuts fell on top of Aargh. He tried to kick them away. ""Oh, goody!"" said Elly. ""You’re playing kick-the-coconut! I love playing kick-the-coconut!"" She began to kick the coconuts at him. As she kicked, she happily wagged her tail. BIFF went the coconuts. WALLOP went her tail. WHEEE went Aargh, bouncing head over heels. ""That was clever!"" said Elly. ""Can you do it again?"" And she wagged her tail some more in admiration. ""Aargh!"" cried Aargh. Wildly waving his claws, he galloped away. ""Are we running races now?"" called Elly. She tried to race after him, but Aargh ran too fast. She couldn’t keep up. Soon Aargh had completely disappeared. Elly was now quite tired and hungry. So she gave up the chase and trotted back to look for her three brothers. ""It’s lunch time!"" she called. Her brothers crept out from behind the trees. ""Has that dreadful deinonychus gone?"" asked Kenny. ""You mean Aargh?"" said Elly. ""He is dreadful at hiding, isn’t he? But he’s quite good at running."" ""We saw you wallop him with your tail,"" said Benny. ""I wish I had a tail like that!"" ""Me too,"" said Lenny. ""You really showed that dreadful deinonychus a thing or two!"" ""I showed him lots of games,"" agreed Elly. ""It was fun."" She pulled up a mouthful of plants and began to eat. ""I think I’ll go and find him after lunch,"" she said happily. ""I bet I know where he’ll be hiding. I can’t wait to play with Aargh again!"" The End " disagreement-among-occupations-ASB-FKB.txt,"Disagreement Among Occupations In a village there was a disagreement among people of different occupations. Everyone thought their work was the most important! The teacher said that he had the most important occupation. ""Without teachers you could not go to school and learn."" The builder said that he had the most important occupation. ""Without builders you would not have schools to learn in or houses to sleep in."" The carpenter said that he had the most important occupation. ""Without carpenters you would have no furniture for your houses and schools."" The doctor claimed that he had the most important occupation. ""Without doctors and nurses you could get sick and die."" The farmer said that she had the most important occupation. ""Without farmers you would not have food to eat."" The student argued that students had the most important work. ""Without students, there would be no teachers, builders, doctors, farmers, or carpenters."" Eventually everyone agreed that all the occupations are important. We need teachers, builders, doctors, farmers, and carpenters. But everyone has to be a student first! " the-magic-powder-a-folktale-from-myanmar.txt,"The Magic Powder - A Folktale from Myanmar Once upon a time, in a little village on the banks of the Irrawaddy river, there lived a young woman called Thuza. She was very happily married to handsome young Theingi. But there was one problem that nagged Thuza – her husband believed he was an alchemist and would spend all his time dreaming about ways to turn dirt into gold. All day, and for days on end, Theingi spent his time in experiments, searching for a breakthrough. Soon, all their money was over, and young Thuza had to struggle to buy food for the two of them. She became very worried. ""You should find a job soon,"" she pleaded with her husband. ""We cannot continue like this!"" But Theingi wouldn’t listen. ""I’m on the verge of a breakthrough! Why do I have to work when we will be rich beyond our wildest dreams? We will soon be able to turn all the dirt we find into gold!"" Disheartened, Thuza approached her father, wise old Thet, for a solution. Thet was surprised when he heard that his son-in-law was an alchemist. He thought for a while and asked to see Theingi. Thuza returned home happily that day, for she knew her wise father would have a solution. The next day, Theingi arrived at his father-in-law’s house, fully prepared for a scolding. He was taken by surprise when Thet took him aside and whispered, ""When I was young like you, I was an alchemist too!"" The two of them spent the whole afternoon discussing Theingi’s work. Finally, the old man stood up and said, ""Why Theingi, you’ve done everything exactly like I did when I was your age! You are definitely on the verge of a breakthrough! Congratulations! But you seem to be lacking one very important ingredient in your experiments. You will need this when you finally turn dirt to gold. Only recently did I discover this. But I am too old for this task. It requires enormous effort…"" ""Then let me do it for you, Father!"" cried Theingi. He was really excited. All his efforts would pay off at last. ""Tell me what the ingredient is!"" ""Good, you are excited!"" said Thet. He leaned closer and whispered, ""Son, the secret ingredient is a silver powder that is found only on banana leaves. You will have to plant the bananas yourself and cast certain spells on them. Then, as the plants grow, the powder on the leaves will gain magical powers."" ""How much of this powder will we need, Father?"" asked Theingi excitedly. ""A kilo,"" replied Thet. ""A kilo!"" cried Theingi. ""That would require hundreds of banana plants!"" ""I’m afraid so, Son,"" said the old man. ""That is why I can’t complete the task myself…"" ""Don’t lose heart, Father!"" said Theingi. ""I shall!"" Later that evening, the old man taught his son-in-law the magic spells and loaned him the money to start the work. The very next day, Theingi bought a small field near his home and cleared it. Just as he had been instructed, he dug the ground himself and planted the saplings after carefully chanting the magic spells. Every day he went to the field and examined the saplings. He kept the weeds and pests away diligently. When the plants grew and bore fruit, he carefully collected the silver powder from the leaves and kept it safely in a box. There was hardly any powder on each leaf, so Theingi had to buy more land and grow more bananas. But he was determined to do what was needed. It took him several years, but at the end of it all, he had managed to collect enough of the magic powder. He rushed to his father-in-law, excited as never before. He would soon be able to make gold from mere dirt! ""Father, finally… here is the kilo of magic powder!"" he cried. The old man was filled with joy. ""Wonderful!’’ he said. ""Wonderful! You’ve done well, Theingi. I’m proud of you. Now I will show you how to turn dirt into gold. But first, let’s get Thuza. We need her help."" Theingi was a little puzzled, but without losing any time, he ran to his wife and was soon back with her. ""Thuza,"" asked the old man, ""what did you do with the bananas when your husband was collecting the powder?"" ""Why, I sold them, Father,"" replied Thuza. ""That’s how we earned a living."" ""Then you must have been able to save some money too. Theingi grew more than enough bananas…"" the old man continued. ""Yes, I did,"" replied Thuza. ""Can we see it?"" asked Thet. ""Of course, I have kept it safely at home,"" beamed Thuza. The three of them went to Theingi’s house where Thuza produced several bags from the loft where she had kept them safely. Thet opened one of the bags, peered inside, and smiled. He then emptied one of the bags on the table. Gold coins tinkled as they fell in a huge, shiny heap. Then he went to the field and came back with a handful of dirt, which he placed next to the heap of gold. ""You see, Theingi,"" he said, turning to his son-in-law, ""you have changed dirt into gold!"" Never after that day did Theingi collect any more magic powder from the leaves. But he continued to grow bananas. His ""alchemist"" father-in-law had taught him the best way to turn dirt into gold, after all. He didn’t need the magic powder any more. BANANAGIC! After Theingi’s magic powder from bananas, how about surprising your friends with some magical bananas?! Tell them about a new variety that you have just discovered – one that grows in slices! MAKE YOUR OWN MAGICAL BANANAS YOU’LL NEED: A few ripe bananas A toothpick or sewing needle HOW TO MAKE IT: 1. Push the toothpick into the banana somewhere along the seam. 2. Without taking it out, carefully rotate the toothpick left and right inside the banana. You should cut all the way through the fruit, but not through the peel, mind you. Also, try and keep the toothpick hole as small as possible – the smaller, the lesser it will be visible. 3. Remove the toothpick and repeat the above step at another spot on the banana, say after an inch. Keep making internal one-inch slices until you have at least five or six. Do these two steps with all the bananas you have. That’s it – your magic bananas are ready to eat. Offer the ""new variety"" to your friends while telling them a big story about how you discovered them in the field nearby. When your friends peel the banana, imagine the look on their faces when they find that it is already sliced? While inside the skin! Isn’t that some yummy banana magic? 13 " little-goat_FKB_Bookdash-4-17.txt,"The sky was blue above. But she did not look up. Little Goat went to find the sweetest grass. The river gurgled below. But Little Goat did not listen to its song. But Little Goat didn’t answer. A bird called to her, saying, ""How do you do?"" Story spread 4 She just walked along looking for the sweetest grass. As she walked along, Little Goat moved further and further away from Mother Goat. Little Goat found the sweetest grass. She ate and ate. She had walked far from Mother Goat. Mother Goat wondered where Little Goat had gone. She looked in the mealie patch, but Little Goat was not there. Mother Goat ran to the river. But Little Goat was not there. ""Where are you, Little Goat,"" bleated Mother Goat. A bird called to Mother Goat. ""Little Goat is asleep in the sweet grass across the bridge."" Mother Goat crossed the bridge, to the sweet grass. There she found Little Goat fast asleep. ""Wake up, Little Goat,"" said Mother Goat gently. ""You were lost!"" ""I wasn’t lost… I have been here all the time!"" said Little Goat. " FKB-kids-stories-how-about-you-pdf.txt,"Who are you? Is that goo? Eeuw! I want some too. We are two. How old are you? Six hundred and thirty two? I choose two shoes. I like blue. Which do Do you too? you choose? Horseshoes!? I make toys with boys. We eurgghhh... make Whaaa! aargh! lots of noise. I take a nap on Gogo’s back. I don’t nap! I stay upright all through the night. The ball goes THWOCK! Buddy, you ROCK! That’s what we do. How about you? " welcome-to-the-forest-Pratham-FKB.txt,"Welcome to the Forest Tulsa wishes she could visit a forest. Her teacher reads stories about tigers to the class. She loves to hear about forests and animals. One day, her wish comes true! Khare Chacha, a senior forest official, invites Tulsa and her friends to visit a forest called Kanha Tiger Reserve. Tulsa and her friends can’t stop grinning. They will go to the forest for a whole day and a whole night! It takes four hours by bus from the school to the forest. As soon as Tulsa getsdown from the bus, a strong hand shakes her hand and then ruffles her hair. ""Welcome to Kanha!"" It is Khare Chacha. Tulsa and her friends Rani, Mithu, and Dipti stay close to one another. ""Sniff the air. It smells of trees and leaves!"" says Mithu. ""The air is clean like it has been washed with soap!"" adds Rani. It's almost sunset now. Khare Chacha and other forest officials tell them aboutthe forest they will visit tomorrow. They play the sounds of animals and birds for the girls to hear and recognise. PIAON! PIAON! ""It’s a peacock!"" OOW! OOW! ""I know! It’s a barking deer."" KEEE! KEE! ""That is the sound of crickets!"" Next day, Tulsa wakes up at five in the morning. Brrr! It’s cold! Everyone bundles up in warm clothes. One by one, they get into the bus. ""All around us there is tall grass covered in a thick blanket of fog,"" Ranveer Uncle, the forest guide, tells them. Tulsa can feel the cold and pure air in her mouth. It tastes like mint leaves. ""Shhh!"" Ranveer Uncle whispers. ""There are two jackals right next to our bus."" Everyone listens carefully. They hear the rustling sound of the tall grass. Dried leaves crush under their feet, as the jackals run lightly into the dense forest. Ranveer Uncle whispers again. ""A big deer called sambar is standing on the left side of the road. The deer is brown and has big stem-like horns called antlers on its head."" Everyone focuses to their left. HAUNNNNK! HAUNNNK! The sambar runs off. ""Sounds like a very big horn!"" says Tulsa. All the girls laugh. Soon, the air becomes even cooler. ""We are near a river now,"" Ranveer Uncle says.Tulsa can hear the gurgling of the water. So many birds are calling from the trees. FHWEEE! FHWEEE! ""That one is whistling!"" says Rashmi. ""Yes Rashmi, that is the call of a thrush,"" says Ranveer Uncle. KEEECH! KEECH! ""And that screeching you hear is the call of the jungle babbler."" Soft leaves fall from above. Baby monkeys are showering them with leaves! Tulsa picks up a leaf that falls on her. It smells fresh and pure, just like the forest. The bus starts moving uphill. ""Hold this creeper. See how it feels like a strong rope? T he leaves are like cotton!"" Everyone takes turns to hold the creeper. ""This is the mahul,"" says Ranveer Uncle. ""The leaves are used to make small bowls."" PIAONN! PIAONN! ""Peacock to your right!"" Ranveer Uncle is excited. ""Is he dancing?"" asks Tulsa. ""Yes!"" Uncle says. ""His feathers are shining in the winter sun and are sparking like gemstones."" ""Beautiful,"" says Tulsa. By now everyone is very hungry. They stop at the forest camp for breakfast. There, KhareChacha announces a surprise. ""Some of our camp elephants are here. They won’t mind if you touchthem gently."" Everyone starts squealing in delight. Soon Tulsa is led to the elephant, Tara. The guide places her hand on Tara’s prickly stomach. Whoomp! Tulsa hears the sound of Tara’s feet moving. Tulsa can feel the powerful muscles under her hand. Trumpeting softly, Tara places her trunk in Tulsa’s hand, looking for food. Tulsa can’t stop smiling, as she feels the wet trunk. It's time to go back. On the way, they pass a gaur. ""The gaur is chewing grass. The body is black but the bottoms of the legs are white. It looks like the gaur is wearing socks,"" says Ranveer Uncle. Everyone laughs. Suddenly, the air is split by a call, deep and loud. AUHN! The call comes again. ""The tiger is very far,"" explains Ranveer Uncle. ""But he has probably seen you and wants you to know that."" Sighing with happiness, Tulsa and her friends head out of the park. There are so many ways to experience the forest ! They can't wait to come back to Kanha Tiger Reserve. " busy-ant-story-book-worksheet-picture-stories-reading-comprehension-exercises_119912.txt,"Name: __________________ Class: ____________ Date: ____________ 1. I’m the fourth in _____. 2. Left, ______, left _____. 3. I’m going to get a set of ______ to go _______. 4. Ours is a language of _______. 5. Follow me this way for a _____. 6. _______, do not go there! 7. I may look small, but I am very 8. Hundreds of us live happily in a _______. _________. " 5982-how-do-you-feel.txt,"How do you feel? Happy? Giggly? Lonely? Angry? Irritated? Sad? Worried? Greedy? Curious? How are you feeling today? Note for teachers and parents Children can sometimes have a hard time expressing how they feel. You can use this book to help them identify different emotions, talk about situations where they felt a particular way and to also name other emotions or feelings that are not included in this book. You can also encourage children to talk about how they deal with emotions like anger and hurt (When do you get angry? What do you do when you feel sad? Who do you talk to when you are upset?) Created by Shyam anand (5 years old) , with the help of Menaka. Shyam supplied the different emotions and chose the pictures he thought best suited them! " 043-THE-HOMELESS-MONKEY-v2.txt,"Once upon a time, there lived a monkey who had no home of his own. They called him ‘Springs’, for he always walked with a bounce in his steps. He had sold everything he owned, and with that money, he had started traveling the world. He wanted to see the world’s smallest and biggest wonders. He traveled from village to village, town to town, and offered his services- to do work in exchange for food and shelter. He was a happy monkey and he loved helping people. One day, he passed through the village of Zver, where twenty animals lived. He saw an old beaver. so he walked towards him and said ""Hello, Mr. beaver. If I was to do some garden work for you today, would you be so kind as to give me something to eat."" The old beaver agreed and asked Springs to do some gardening and fix up a few things around the house. It was a long and tiring day for Springs but enjoyed his day. When springs returned to the house in the evening, the whole village had gathered there. There was a lot of food put out on the large wooden table and everybody was celebrating as though a hero had come to their small village. They all had a great time that night; it was like a big party. There was dancing and lots food and Springs really enjoyed his evening. The following morning when Springs was ready to leave, the old beaver approached Springs with tears in his eyes and said, ""Thank you for joining us for dinner. Please come back whenever you have time. I have two boys around your age who I have not seen in 10 years. Spending time with you reminded me of my boys."" Springs did not know what to say so he just hugged the Beaver, just like he would his father, and set off on his way with a promise to return one day. Springs had been walking for some time and was tired. He saw two highway robbers who pushed him down and took his bag away. When the robbers looked in his bag they only found a rope, some tools, and some bread. They threw his bag on the ground and ran away. Springs picked up his backpack and continued on his journey. He started to think about all the good and bad in the world. The road was long and winding and finally led him to a dark forest. The only way he could continue his journey was to walk through the forest. Springs walked for more than an hour and then he realised he was lost. He decided to climb up a tree to relax and eat some of the bread the villagers had given him. Suddenly Springs heard some voices shouting for help. He climbed down from the tree and ran in the direction the voices were coming from. Springs reached the place the voices were coming from. Springs reached the place the voices were coming from. He saw that the two robbers who had pushed him earlier that day were trapped inside a deep hole in the ground. They were both trapped and couldn’t get out, and were yelling for help. Springs quickly reached into his backpack and grabbed the rope that was inside. He tied one end of the rope to a tree and threw the other end inside the hole. The robbers both quickly climbed up the rope to safety. The robbers were amazed that Springs had saved them. One robber asked ""Why did you help us? We pushed you and tried to rob you earlier!"". Springs replied ""There are good people and bad people in this world. The good people do good things and bad people do bad things. I have decided to be one of the good people."" The two robbers were amazed by Springs’ reply. Springs told the robbers, ""I have traveled far and wide, seen happiness as well as sorrow. I have met all kinds of people; good, bad, old, and young. I have experienced all sorts of bad things, but I have always tried to do only good things."" As Springs was leaving, he gave the two robbers some bread with a smile and said, ""I hope what I have said today will help you realize that there is always a way to live without causing harm to others."" " Under-the-Sea_Learn-Sight-Words-FKB-Free.txt,"I see a big shark! Can you see? Come and look with me. I see a stingray! He's grey and flat. Can you see? Come and look with me. I see a starfish, she's pointed like a star! Can you see? I see a clown fish, he is funny! Come and look with me. I see a jelly fish, he goes wiggle wobble, like jelly. Can you see? Say wiggle wobble with me! I see an angel fish, she is shaped like an angel. Can you see? Come and look with me. I see a dolphin, swimming and smiling. Can you see? Come and look with me. By the sea, What do you see? Come and look with me! I see a seal, lying on the beach. Can you see? Come and look with me. In the sea, what do you see- Can you read with me? Shark Stingray Starfish Clown fish In the sea, what do you see- Can you read with me? Jellyfish Angel fish Dolphin Seal SIGHT WORDS IN THIS BOOK: come look she see with she's an by he and a he's the I goes in what do me you on is like can read SEA CREATURE NOUNS IN THIS BOOK: shark stingray star fish clown fish jelly fish angel fish dolphin seal OTHER WORDS smiling under lying big swimming flat wiggle grey wobble shaped funny pointed EXERCISES FROM THIS BOOK: Hint: You can find the words on the previous (or next) page. A shark is _ _ _ . A stingray is _ _ _ _ and _ _ _ _ . A star fish is _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . A clown fish is _ _ _ _ _ . A jelly fish goes _ _ _ _ _ _ and _ _ _ _ _ _ . An angel fish is shaped like an _ _ _ _ _ . A dolphin is _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ and _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . A seal is _ _ _ _ _ on the _ _ _ _ _ . EXERCISES FROM THIS BOOK: Hint: You can find the words on the previous page. I can see a _ _ _ _ _ , he is big. I can see a _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ , he goes wiggle wobble. I can see a _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ , he is pointed. I can see a _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ , he is flat and grey. I see a _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ , he is funny. I see an _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ , she is shaped like an angel. I can see a _ _ _ _ _ _ _ , he is swimming and smiling. I can see a _ _ _ _ , he is lying on the beach. " why-is-nita-upside-down_FKB_Pratham.txt,"Why is Nita Upside Down? Nita's hanging upside down, her long hair tickling at the ground. The trees, the grass, the everything is all the wrong way round. Her feet, they poke into the sky. Little Navi is walking by. He says, 'I've seen you here before. You're upside down again! What for?' Her feet swim lightly in the air. She tries to hide behind her hair. 'It's h-h-h-hard to t-t-talk', she says to him. 'I'm not the same. I don't fit in.' Navi takes her by the hand. He wants to help her understand. They climb to Navi's look-out spot. From up here they can see a lot. They perch and have a quiet stare at children playing here and there. Those kids are not the same at all. Abe's round. Chi's freckled. Lala's extra tall. BamBam's wild and must run free, while Lulu reads quietly. Look at Freya's crazy hair. And Tim wears glasses everywhere. And me, I am just skin and bone. And you are you. You're not alone. Each human's sort of strange, you see. That makes you just the same, like me. This world is really one big game. To play, we can’t all be the same. Nita feels the right way round, thanks to the new friend she’s found. Upside down was never fun. Now she plays with everyone. " 047-THE_LUNKER-Free-Childrens-Book-By-Monkey-Pen.txt,"On Monday, I went fishing with my dad. He caught a big one, I was sad. On Tuesday, we fished a different spot. He caught another and I did not. On Wednesday, we fished a different lake. The fish were there for him to take. Thursday came and we hit the river. He caught five, I got a sliver. On Friday I told him, I needed a rest. He said, ""Let’s go, and give it your best."" Saturday came and he caught more. I tried so hard, my arms were sore. Sunday morning we were there very fast. I baited my hook and made a cast. A tug on my line, my reel was screaming. I caught a fish, my eyes were gleaming. When I got it to the boat. We were amazed to see. The biggest fish in the lake was caught by me! " The-Little-Narcissist.txt,"The Little Narcissist Mama got a new tablet. It had front and rear facing cameras. Mama could use it for video chats, as well as to make home videos. Mama was using it to chat with Tania's aunt Poonam. Poonam stayed in Baltimore in America and Tania stayed in Bombay. So they did not often get to see each other. Mama thought video chats would be an excellent way for them to keep in touch. This way Poonam could see Tania growing up and interact with her. Tania liked seeing and talking to her aunt but she was even more intrigued by the little video of herself that appeared on the screen. Mama saw her interest and asked her ""Tania, would you like me to make a video of you?"" ""Yes mama!"", said Tania excited. Mama said ""Tania, why don't you recite one of your nursery rhymes and do all the actions for it. I'll record it on this. Then you can see the video."" Tania recited 'Humpty-Dumpty' and 'Little Jack Horner' making the appropriate hand gestures. Mama then played the video and Tania and mama watched it together. Mama thought it was really cute and Tania was fascinated. She begged mama to take some more videos. Mama saw her fascination with the new toy and obliged. They made 4 videos of Tania that night. The next afternoon Tania asked, ""Mama, will you make a video of me eating lunch? I want to see it."" ""Tania, that is silly. Why do you want a video of yourself eating lunch?"" ""Please mama, I want it. Please, please!"" ""Oh, all right but this is getting really silly Tania. This is the last video I am making of you."" ""Thanks mama"" said Tania sweetly, ignoring the part about it being the last video. Tania asked to see the video and watched mama intently. She learned how to operate the tablet to play the video. After lunch mama had some work to do on her laptop. Tania usually spent Saturday afternoon doing some drawing or colouring. So mama set her up with her art supplies on a big plastic mat on the living room floor and went to work in the bedroom. An hour later when mama came to see how Tania's art was progressing, she was surprised to see Tania absorbed in doing something on the tablet. At closer inspection she saw that Tania was watching videos of herself. Her art supplies lay on the mat untouched. She asked ""Tania, what have you been doing?"" ""Hmm.."" said Tania hardly hearing her. ""Tania!"", said mama loudly snapping her fingers to attract Tania's attention. Tania paused the video and said, ""Yes mama. What happened?"" ""Tania, you haven't done any of your art work. Have you been watching videos this whole hour?"" ""Yes mama."" ""But sweetie, you are supposed to practice your art on Saturday afternoons."" ""I wanted to see the videos mama. I'll do my art later."" Mama was feeling annoyed. She was reminded of Narcissus from Greek mythology. She wondered what she should do so Tania would not get addicted to watching videos of herself. She said ""Tania, I have an idea. Why don't you draw a nice picture now? If it comes out really nice, I'll take a photograph of it and make it the wall paper on the tablet."" ""You will make my drawing the wall paper on your tablet?"" ""Yes, if you do a good job."""" Tania was thrilled with the idea and worked hard on her art for the rest of the afternoon. Temporarily she forgot all about videos. She did a marvellous job of colouring a beautiful landscape, and mama made it the wall paper on the tablet as promised. Tania glowed with pride. Over the next few days every time Tania remembered the tablet and asked mama to make a video of her, mama distracted her and asked her to do some interesting activity and promised to take a picture of the results. Once they made objects from whole wheat dough and decorated them with permanent markers. Another time they made a sock doll. They made lanterns, kites, jams and many more interesting things. Each time mama took a picture. Soon Tania forgot all about making videos of herself. She was trying to come up with interesting projects to do. At the end of a month mama printed out all the pictures she had taken of Tania's creative endeavours and suggested they make a scrap book. Tania felt proud to see all that she had achieved in a month. She realised it was much more satisfying to see what she had created rather than watch videos of herself. She rarely asked mama to make videos of her any more. But she could not resist watching the video of herself when she chatted with aunt Poonam. Oh well, neither could aunt Poonam. Tania was adorable after all. " Why-birds-sing-at-dawn_3-17.txt,"A long time ago, in the forest of Happy-Land, birds and trees could talk to each other. There was a bird family with three children: Blue, Pink and Yellow. They all lived on a big wise tree called Mamango. Mama Birdie’s voice was beautiful! She would wake up early to sing her song. But drought set in on the land. Rivers dried up and leaves fell off. Mamango thought long and hard. ""Maybe we should get the magic worm that brings rain. But who can go?"" ""I will go. I am not afraid,"" Mama Birdie said. Everyone missed Mama Birdie, and her song. Would she ever find her way back home? ""What if we sing Mama’s song?"" ""But I don’t know how to sing!"" Yellow asked. cried Pink. ""Mama said if we sing her song, she will find her way back."" ""Have you tried singing?"" Mamango asked. ""I have tried singing,"" said Yellow. ""I can teach you."" Early the next morning, Yellow sang Mama’s song: ""It’s a beautiful morning! We wake up and shine!"" And rain started falling. Eventually, all the birds joined Yellow in song. Mama Birdie found her way back to Happy-Land. And from then on, birds sang at dawn. " Ammas-Birthday-.txt,"It’s Amma’s birthday, tomorrow Nikini was a little girl. She lived with her mother and father, in a house near the woods. She was very friendly with the animals in the woods. One evening, Nikini’s father came home with a big gift box. ""What’s that, Thatha?"" Nikini asked her father. ""It’s your mother’s birthday tomorrow,"" her father said. ""Oh!"" Nikini was very upset. ""How could I forget my Amma’s birthday? She would never forget mine. So I should give her a wonderful gift,"" Nikini thought. ""But what shall I give her?"" She went into her bedroom and thought. She loved her mother so much that she couldn’t think of anything good enough for a gift for her. She thought and thought until nightfall, but she couldn’t think of anything. Then a firefly, seeing Nikini by the window, flew to her. ""Nikini, what are you doing in the dark?"" the firefly asked. ""Firefly, it’s my Amma’s birthday tomorrow. She loves me very much. She makes me very happy on my birthdays. So I want to make her happy on her birthday. I want to give her the ‘greatest’ gift of all. But I can’t think of anything as great as my Amma,"" said Nikini, sadly. ""I think you should give her the ‘biggest’ gift. Something like the sky, or the ocean,"" said the firefly. Nikini thought for a moment. ""Dear firefly, the biggest thing in the world is my Amma’s love. So, I would like to find a gift as big as her love. But how can I find it?"" said Nikini. ""You are a very good daughter who tries to give the biggest gift to her mother. So, I will help you. Let’s go out and find it,"" the firefly said. Nikini went out in the dark with the firefly. The firefly showed her the way. They went to the woods. They searched and searched, but they couldn’t find anything as big as her mother’s love. On the way, a mynah bird who was about to go to sleep, saw Nikini. ""Nikini, where are you going in the dark?"" the mynah bird asked. ""Mynah bird, it’s my Amma’s birthday tomorrow. She loves me very much. She cooks and cleans and works hard with no rest. Her love is the biggest thing in the world for me. So, I should give her the ‘biggest’ gift. But I still couldn’t find anything as big as my Amma’s love,"" Nikini said sadly. ""No, I think you should give her the ‘most beautiful’ gift, something like beautiful flowers, beautiful pearls,"" the bluebird said. Nikini thought for a moment. ""Dear mynah bird, the most beautiful thing in the world is my Amma. So, I would like to find a flower or a pearl as beautiful as my Amma. But where can I find it?"" asked Nikini. ""You are a very good daughter. So I will help you,"" said the mynah bird and away they went. They went on and on but couldn’t find anything as beautiful as her mother. They went on until Nikini stumbled upon a rabbit who was fast asleep. ""Oh, Nikini, where are you going in the dark?"" asked the rabbit, rubbing his eyes. ""Rabbit, it’s my Amma’s birthday tomorrow. She loves me very much. She feeds me, cuddles me and holds me close until I fall asleep. She is the most beautiful thing in the world. So I should give her the ‘most beautiful’ gift. But I still couldn’t find anything as beautiful as my Amma,"" said Nikini sadly. ""No, I think you should give her the ‘most precious’ gift in the world, something as precious as the moon and the stars,"" said the rabbit. Nikini thought for a moment. ""Dear rabbit, the most precious thing in the world is my Amma. Even if I hang the moon on a necklace, even if I make stars into earrings, they are not as precious as she is. I want to find something as precious as my Amma. But how can I find it?"" asked Nikini sadly. ""You are a very good daughter. I will help you find it."" The rabbit went along with the firefly, the mynah bird and Nikini. They went on and on, but they couldn’t find anything as precious as her mother. On their way, she got entangled in a huge cobweb. Then the spider, who was having a sweet dream in the middle of the night, got up. ""Oh, Nikini, where are you going in the dark?"" the spider asked. ""Spider, it’s my Amma’s birthday tomorrow. She loves me very much. When I am sick she cries and looks after me without sleep until I get well. She is the most precious thing in the world for me. So I should give her the ‘most precious’ gift. But I can’t find anything as precious as my Amma,"" Nikini said sadly. ""No, I think you should give her the gift that would make her ‘the happiest’,"" said the spider. ""Oh, what would make her happiest?"" Nikini thought and thought. ""Something like a delicious cake, a lovely birthday card, a nice pair of shoes, a colorful dress…?"" Nikini thought for a while. ""Oh, a beautiful sari!! I think she would like a beautiful sari most. I want to give her the most beautiful sari in the world. I want to find the most beautiful sari for her. And I want to give it to her as she wakes up in the morning and say, ""Happy birthday!"" But how can I find it? There’s only a little time left, until morning,"" Nikini said, impatiently. ""Nikini, you are a great daughter who thinks so much about her mother. Some children don’t even care about their mother’s birthday. They remember about their own birthdays and gifts only. So I will weave a very beautiful sari for you,"" said the spider and she started weaving a beautiful sari. Nikini was very tired after walking all over the woods and not sleeping the whole night. But she was so happy that she didn’t feel sleepy at all. She helped the spider weave the most beautiful sari for her mother. The firefly flew far away and brought back beautiful flowers to decorate it. The rabbit ran around the woods and brought beautiful colors from flowers, to paint the sari with. The mynah bird shook the branches of trees and they shed dewdrops on it. Finally, they had made the most beautiful sari in the world. The flowers looked lovely on it, the colors were the prettiest shades, and the dewdrops glittered like gems and pearls. ""This is very beautiful…the most beautiful sari I have ever seen. Amma would surely love this,"" Nikini yelled with excitement. They were all happy. ""Let’s go…let’s give this to Amma and wish her a happy birthday,"" said Nikini. She hurried towards home with her friends. As they got halfway, a strong wind blew across the woods and it started to rain heavily. They tried their best to protect the sari from the rain and the wind. But they failed. The sari was torn into pieces. ""Oh, noooooooo!"" Nikini screamed. She was so sad that she cried and cried, while getting soaked in the rain. The dawn arrived, and the sun rose. She heard a voice calling out. ""Nikini…Nikini!"" someone was shouting. It was Nikini’s mother, who was searching for her missing daughter. Just then, she saw Nikini crying under a tree. She came running to Nikini. ""Oh, my darling, where have you been? Why are you crying?"" she asked. ""Amma, I went searching for a birthday gift for you. I searched for the greatest gift for you, but I couldn’t find it. I searched for the biggest gift for you, but I couldn’t find it. I searched for the most beautiful gift for you, but I couldn’t find it. I searched for the most precious gift for you, but I couldn’t find it. So finally, my friends made me a gift which you would like most. It was a very beautiful sari. But it got caught by the wind and was torn into pieces. I’m so sad that I couldn’t give it to you and make you happy,"" Nikini said, still sobbing. ""My darling, do you know what is the most beautiful, most precious and the greatest thing to me? That is my little daughter. What I like most is her love. The love I felt from you today is the greatest, biggest, most precious and the most beautiful gift I’ve ever had in my life,"" said her mother and she hugged her. Nikini was very happy and so were her friends. All of them went home with her, to celebrate the birthday. " Tania-Loses-a-Tooth.txt,"Tania Loses A Tooth Tania had just woken up. She was in the bathroom, groggily brushing her teeth. Suddenly something frightened her. Her front tooth was shaking. Was it real? Or was it a bad dream? She pinched herself. Ouch! She was definitely awake. That pinch really hurt. Then why was the tooth shaking? Tania quickly rinsed her mouth and ran out of the bathroom screaming in fright. Mama was making breakfast in the kitchen; scrambled eggs with black olives and tomatoes. Papa was toasting brown bread. Mama and papa were both startled to hear Tania shouting ""Mama, papa, my tooth is shaking. Help! I think it is going to come out. What do I do?"" ""Oh that!"" said papa a little annoyed, picking up a toast he had dropped. Mama said ""Don't worry Tania. It is perfectly normal. The teeth you have now are baby teeth. They usually start falling out at age 5 or 6 years."" ""Oh! said Tania still looking scared. ""What happens then? Does it hurt when it falls out?"" ""Not really."" said mama casually. ""The tooth will shake for sometime and then when it becomes very loose it will fall out. Don't worry about it honey. It is all quite normal. We can talk more about teeth this afternoon when you are back from school."" Mama's calm attitude comforted Tania and she left for school. In the school bus Tania was absent-mindedly pushing at the lose tooth with her tongue . Tanisha asked ""Tania, why are you making weird faces?"" Tania then realised what she was doing and told Tanisha about her lose tooth. Tanisha said ""Oh yeah! Trisha lost one of her back teeth last year. I guess I'll lose one soon too. Does it hurt?"" ""No. Look I can waggle it with my tongue and it doesn't hurt at all."" Tania was the first in her class to have a lose tooth. She enjoyed waggling it and showing it to her friends. It looked so scary but it did not hurt at all. What fun! In the afternoon mama was ready with pictures to explain to Tania what was going on with her teeth. She said ""Your first tooth came out when you were 9 months old. By the time you were 3 years old you had all your baby teeth."" ""It took more than 2 years to grow all my teeth! That is a long time."" ""Yes honey. The first tooth to grow is usually one of these 4 front teeth. They are called the central incisors. The first tooth you had was this front one on the bottom. Seems like it is going to be the first to fall off too."" Mama smiled and continued. ""These 4 teeth right next to the front 4 are called lateral incisors. Lateral means to the side. All the incisors are used to bite. They are the teeth you use to bite in to an apple for example."" The pointed teeth on the sides of your mouth, right next to the incisors are the canines. Tania felt her canines with her fingers and said, ""Aren't those the huge teeth that Kazoo has?"" ""Yes, that is correct! Kazoo does have huge canines. Most carnivorous animals like cats, tigers and lions have large canines. Large canines are useful to tear flesh and meat."" ""The last two teeth behind your canines are your molars. They are for chewing and grinding your food."" Tania was making a very weird face so mama asked ""Tania what are you doing? You look weird"" ""Oh! I am just using my tongue to count my teeth, mama. Every type of tooth you mentioned is there, and the correct number of them too. Yet when I count them all, there are only 20. I thought humans have 32 teeth. I am confused."" ""Wow Tania! You are well informed. Yes adult humans do have 32 teeth. After your molars fall off they will be replaced by teeth called premolars. Then 3 more molars will grow behind the premolars. You will get those molars later when you grow up and your mouth is large enough to accommodate them. The last molar right at the back of the mouth is called a wisdom tooth, because you are supposed to be wise by the time you have it. The 4 wisdom teeth appear much later, usually after the age of 17. Many people get only a few of the wisdom teeth. So most adults have between 28 and 32 teeth. The next day was Saturday and Tania was visiting her grandparents in the evening. Tania showed grandma and grandpa her shaking tooth. Grandpa said, ""Tania, we can tie one end of a thread to that lose tooth and the other end to the door knob. Then we can slam the door shut and your tooth will come off. Then it wont bother you any more."" Tania looked at the door in horror and pleaded, ""Grandpa, please don't do that. The tooth doesn't bother me. Mama said it would eventually get quite loose and fall off."" Grandpa did not mean to frighten Tania. He said, ""Don't worry. We don't have to do it unless you want to. We can wait for it to fall off. There is no rush. But it really doesn't hurt much. That is how I took off my first shaking tooth."" Tania looked at grandpa in awe. He really must be very brave she thought. Grandpa saw how unhappy Tania was with the idea. So he changed the subject. He asked, ""Tania, do you know about the tooth fairy."" ""No"", said Tania. ""Who is the tooth fairy?"" Grandpa said ""Didn't mama tell you? The tooth fairy collects fallen baby teeth. Nobody knows what she needs them for, but she pays well for them. So when that tooth of yours falls out, you should put it under your pillow. Then while you are asleep the tooth fairy will take the tooth and give you a little gift in return."" ""Oh! Is she like a Santa Claus who collects teeth?"" asked Tania excited. ""Yes I suppose she is."" said grandpa. Just then grandma announced dinner. The delicious aroma of chana masala was wafting through the air. Tania forgot all about her tooth. She enjoyed her meal of rice, chana masala and palak paneer with great relish. After dinner grandpa offered Tania a toffee. He always gave her a sweet treat after dinner and Tania always looked forward to it. Tania took the toffee and sucked it for some time. Then she bit into it and while chewing it she felt something hard in the toffee. She took it out of her mouth to take a look and to her great surprise, she found her own tooth stuck in the toffee! Tania smiled. She had been so worried about having to tug out the tooth when grandpa told her about threads and doorknobs. But the tooth came off so painlessly that Tania did not even realise it was out. Grandpa helped Tania clean the sticky toffee off the tooth. He then wrapped it up in some cotton and gave it to Tania. Mama, papa and Sonia came to pick up Tania soon after. She told them the amazing story of how her tooth came out. On the ride back home she asked mama about the tooth fairy. Mama said ""Yes Tania. There is a tooth fairy. You should put your tooth under your pillow tonight and see what she gives you."" The next morning Tania found a brand new box of water colours under her pillow. Awesome! Now, she cant wait for her next tooth to fall. The tooth fairy is a generous soul, don't you think? " Busy-Ants.txt,"Busy Ants Hello, I am the fourth one in the line. Can you see me? Left, right, left, right. We walk silently in a line. I just got an idea. I am going to get a set of WHEELS to move faster! We are not noisy like other animals. Ours is a language of smells. One kind of smell says, ""Follow me this way for a feast."" Another smell says, ""Danger! Do not go there."" I love cakes and all kinds of sweets, just like you. Want to see my muscles at work? I may look very tiny to you, but I am very strong. Never mind if the door is shut. I can slip through the smallest crack. Believe it or not, hundreds of us live happily in a colony. LET US LEARN SOME NEW WORDS. Small - Big Slow - Fast Short - Tall Thin - Fat Hard - Soft Noisy - Quiet Here are some words with their opposites. Can you make a sentence for each pair of opposite words? For example, ‘An ant is small; an elephant is big’. ""As busy as an ant"" is a nice way to describe someone who is very hard working. " 009-HOMEWORK-YUCK-Free-Childrens-Book-By-Monkey-Pen.txt,"When Jamal opened the door, his mother could tell something was wrong. He looked like he was going to cry. ""Jamal, what is the matter?"" his mother asked. ""HOMEWORK!"" he shouted. ""Homework ! Yuck! I will not do any more homework."" Now, Jamal’s mother was quite concerned. She had never heard Jamal talk like that and she had no idea that he didn’t like doing his homework. In fact, each time she asked Jamal if he had done his homework, he would always answer ""yes"". ""My teacher wants to meet with you,"" Jamal said. ""That’s fine,"" his mother said. ""But I would like to talk to you before we meet with your teacher. I think now is the perfect time,"" Jamal and his mother talked for a long time and all the while his mother was writing things down. Jamal chuckled to himself as she wrote. It was as if she was doing homework, and do you know what? She was. Then his mother said, ""Jamal, now that we are done, I want you to do the best you can on your homework tonight. Tomorrow morning we will go to school together."" Jamal agreed and his mother continued with her homework. The next day Jamal, his mother, and his teacher met before school started. Jamal was frightened. He didn’t know what to expect and it was all his fault for not doing his homework. ""Homework! Yuck!"" he mumbled to himself. ""I heard that,"" his teacher said. Then his mother spoke, ""Jamal and I discussed the situation last night and I assure you he will be doing his homework in the future. I also think you need to listen to his reasons. They are reasons, and not excuses. Please let Jamal explain to you as he did to me."" Well, Jamal was really frightened now. He had to talk to the teacher and tell her why he didn’t do his homework. Jamal thought for a moment, took a deep breath, and began talking. ""I need time to have some fun. I spend all day in school and then my teachers want me to spend the rest of the day doing homework."" ""I like to spend time with my mother, brother, and sister. I also have to do my chores and help my mom since my dad doesn’t live with us."" ""When I really try to do my homework, it takes too long and I can’t help my mom. I know this makes her sad and sometimes angry."" ""Sometimes I get so much homework I have to copy some of it from my friends. I know that is cheating, but I want to turn something in."" ""When I have done my homework it takes so long to get it back that I can’t learn from it. Meanwhile, you are teaching something else. I just get lost."" Jamal’s teacher thought for a moment and then said: ""I never realized you were so smart. You have made some very good points and I need to consider them. In fact, all the teachers need to hear them. I will consider your comments before I assign homework in the future. I would like you to talk to all the teachers. Will you do that?"" Jamal agreed and he spoke to all the teachers, parents, and students at the school’s next Open House. He was frightened but he made excellent points. In fact, the school changed the way they assigned homework. It was easier on the students and they were able to complete it and learn. They also had some time to play and spend time with their families. Now, Jamal does his homework and actually looks forward to doing it. Now his mother doesn’t have to ask if it is done. " Tania-at-School-.txt,"Tania At School It was over a year since Tania's 4th birthday. Tania was 5 years old and in the second year of Kindergarten. She loved going to school. It was a small preschool with 15 children in the class. The school had a very smart and cute uniform. The girls wore a navy blue skirt and a white blouse with a navy blue collar. Tania and her friends Tanisha and Sonali were all in the same class. The shiny yellow school bus picked them up at the gate to the housing society at 8:15 a.m. School started at sharp 9:00 a.m. every weekday morning. A pleasant sounding bell announced the beginning of the first class. The first class was creative thinking, followed by reading and writing. Then there was a break for a mid morning snack. After that there was singing, followed by art. Then after another short break the children gathered together for story time before leaving for home. Tania enjoyed all her classes and art was her favourite. Occasionally the teacher gave them a fun homework assignment. Tania was very conscientious about doing her best at all the homework assignments. Mama was very proud of her and her teachers were very fond of her. They admired her dedication. There was just one thing about Tania that irked her teachers. She was very talkative in class. Sometimes she would miss out what the teacher said. But being very bright she was usually able to fill in the gaps herself. One Wednesday morning, Tania was waiting with Tanisha and Sonali for the school bus to arrive. Sonali said, ""I really enjoyed doing the homework assignment. Usually we only get art homework. It was nice to have a creative thinking assignment for a change."" ""Homework assignment! What assignment? Is it due today?"" said Tania sounding panicked. ""Yes. Miss Gupta gave us an assignment 2 days ago. It is due today."" said Tanisha. ""Didn't you know?"" The school bus arrived and the girls got in. ""No!"" said Tania. ""What is the assignment? Tell me."" Tanisha replied, ""We have to come up with 5 unusual uses of an umbrella. I think you were chatting with Karishma at the end of the class and did not hear Miss Gupta give us the assignment."" ""Tanisha please let me copy your assignment"" begged Tania. ""What!"" said Tanisha shocked. ""I can't believe you are saying that."" ""That is wrong Tania, and you know it"" said Sonali. ""Yes I do. I promise I wont ever ask you to do this again. But please just this once..."" said Tania crying. Tanisha and Sonali looked at each other and finally decided to help out Tania just this once. Just then the bus reached school and the girls stepped out. It was only 8:30 am, and there was still half an hour before class started. Tania took out a clean sheet of paper and a beautifully sharpened pencil. She carefully copied all of Tanisha's homework. Tanisha had made a neat list of the 5 entries. Tania finished copying just a few minutes before class started. She wrote her name at the back of the sheet of paper and turned it in. The next day Miss Gupta asked Tania and Tanisha to come and talk to her during the break. Tania felt worried and guilty. The two girls walked to the teacher's office together. Miss Gupta said ""Obviously one of you has copied the other's homework. Otherwise they would not be identical. Are you going to tell me who and why?"" The guilt weighed Tania down and she confessed. She said ""Miss Gupta, I copied Tanisha's homework. I am so sorry."" ""But why dear? You usually do such a good job with your homework."" Tania turned red with embarrassment as she said, ""I did not hear you assign the homework Miss Gupta. I was talking to Karishma at the time. Sonali was talking about the assignment at the bus stop yesterday morning. That is when I found out about it. It was too late to do the assignment myself and I really wanted to submit my homework on time. So I copied Tanisha's. She protested but I pleaded with her and she gave in. This is not her fault at all."" ""I see"", said Miss Gupta. ""Tanisha why don't you go back to your break? I need to talk to Tania."" Tanisha heaved a sigh of relief and sprinted away. Miss Gupta continued ""Tania the whole point of the homework was to get you to think creatively. Turning it in on time is good but worthless if you just copied it. I would have been disappointed that you did not get it done on time, but when you mess up you should be brave enough to face the consequences. That is what makes you a strong and good person."" ""Yes Miss Gupta"" said Tania meekly. ""I see your point and I promise I wont do it again. I am really very sorry."" ""Yes I can see you are truly sorry. Tania, I hope you also learned that it is not a good idea to be distracted and talking in class. That way you miss important things."" ""Yes Miss Gupta"" said Tania looking very ashamed and glum. ""We all make mistakes Tania. But as long as you learn from them you will do fine. Now cheer up and move on. It is time for your next class."" She smiled at Tania and Tania trotted off to her next class. " Tania-the-Spy-.txt,"Tania Is A Spy Tania's 5th birthday was on 2nd March 2015. Her family and friends knew about the reading club called ""Bookworm Babies"", that she had started. So, she obviously got a lot of books as birthday gifts. A few people gave her art supplies and board games. Tania was very happy with the gifts but she wondered what aunt Poonam would send her. A couple of days later, a package arrived for Tania by courier. She was intrigued. It was the first time she received anything by courier. She inspected the package carefully and saw it was from aunt Poonam. She opened it up. Inside was a note: Happy birthday my darling little Tania. I think you are now old enough to receive packages in your own name. Hope you have lots of adventures with this gift. Lots of love, Aunt Poonam. The gift was a lovely pair of pink binoculars. They looked really cute and sophisticated at the same time. Tania asked ""Mama what is this?"" Mama said, ""These are binoculars sweetie. You use them to look at far away objects. Here, come to the window. Now look. Can you see that lady walking there?"" ""Yes I do."" ""Now look at her through the binoculars, like this. Does it look different?"" ""Yes, mama. I can see her much more clearly now. I can even count the number of bangles she is wearing. But what do people use this for?"" ""People take it to soccer matches so they can see the game clearly from the far away seats in the stadium."" ""Ah, okay. But what do I do with it?"" ""You'll think of something."" Tania could not think of anything right away so she put away the binoculars. A month and a half went by and Tania'a summer vacation started. With school closed Tania was reading the books she got as birthday gifts at a great rate. She loved reading the Enid Blyton books in particular. She read about little kids solving mysteries and shadowing people and the whole thing sounded too exciting for words. Tania wanted to shadow people too and make notes about their suspicious behaviour in a notebook. But she knew mama would never allow that. Then she had an idea. She would climb up the very tall, leafy tree in the housing society and spy on people walking around with her binoculars. Excited, she ran to ask mama if that was okay. It seemed like harmless fun and Tania looked so eager, so mama approved. She said, ""You can do that Tania. But don't look into people's houses through their windows, because that is not nice."" Tania talked to Tanisha about it and they planned their spying expedition for the next day. They decided to start after lunch at 1:30 p.m. Afternoon seemed like the perfect time to catch people partaking in suspicious activity. They also decided to carry some snacks. Kids in the Enid Blyton books always had tasty stuff to eat. The next day Tania packed her binoculars, notebook, pencil a sandwich and some cookies in her backpack. Just as she was leaving mama put her cell phone in Tania's backpack. She said, ""I want you to have my cell phone just in case I need to talk to you or need you back home. It is hard to contact you when you are up a tree."" Tania arrived at the tree to find Tanisha already waiting there with her purse full of snacks, notebook and pencil. The girls climbed the tree. They made themselves comfortable on one of the sturdy upper branches where they were well hidden by the leaves. There was no point spying on people if they could see you doing it. Tania and Tanisha took turns at scanning the place with the binoculars, but no one suspicious seemed to be around. Tania complained, ""This is the problem with living in a respectable neighbourhood. Nothing interesting happens here."" How wrong Tania was! Just minutes after she said this things began to heat up. Tanisha was admiring Karishma's dad's new Bentley parked down below. It was a lovely sleek black car. Soon somebody came by the car. Tania assumed it was the driver. Tanisha was looking through the binoculars and she saw that it wasn't. The man was acting rather suspicious. Tania and Tanisha made notes of his appearance in their notebooks. Bald, goatee, medium height and weight and crooked eye brows. He looked around to see if anyone was there. Of course he did not notice the girls up on the tree, well hidden by the leaves. Then he started fiddling with the door. Tania and Tanisha were wondering what he was doing. Tania said ""I have my mother's cell phone. Let's pretend he is stealing the car and make a video to give the police."" ""Yes"" said Tanisha. ""That is a great idea."" Tania had learned quite well how to make videos at a time when she was obsessed with watching videos of herself. So together the girls made a clear video recording of the man's activities and they even zoomed in to get a clear picture of him. As they were filming they saw the man get in to the car and drive off. ""Do you think he really did steal the car?"" asked Tanisha excited. ""I doubt it. He is probably a substitute driver"" said Tania. ""I have never heard of cars being stolen here. Have you?"" ""I suppose not"" said Tanisha disappointed. The girls spent some more time looking around while they chatted and ate their snacks. But nothing else remotely interesting happened and they went home. That evening when Tania and Tanisha were playing outside they heard a few people talking about a stolen black Bentley. The police had no idea who stole it. The security guard had assumed the driver was taking it out to fill petrol or something. The girls looked at each other in excitement. They ran up to Tania's house. Mama was home. They told her about the video and about people discussing the stolen Bentley. Mama promptly called Karishma's house and told her father everything the girls had told her. He was relieved. He took the video to the police station. It turned out that the thief had been recently employed as a driver by someone in the housing society. He was a member of a gang of successful car thieves operating in the city. They posed as drivers in respectable neighbourhoods. They stole cars belonging to someone other than the person who employed them, so they were usually not suspected. And to think the thief would have got away with the stolen car if it had not been for the video. The girls were ecstatic with the outcome of their spying expedition. Tania told aunt Poonam all about her amazing adventure during their next video chat and thanked her for the binoculars. Whatever will Tania do next? I can't wait to find out. Can you? " Fungus.txt,"Fungus Plants and animals live on the Earth. So does fungus. Fungus is the name for mushrooms and living things like them. There are a lot of different types of fungus. One way that fungi are different from plants is that most of their bodies live underground. Fungi can seem like plants but they are very different. Because their bodies are so different, scientists put them in their own group. The group is called a kingdom. Plants and animals are also kingdoms. Mushrooms are like the flowers of a fungus. They are the part we see most often. Mushrooms can be found in many places. Sometimes they are colorful and sometimes they are plain or ugly. Fungi like to grow in areas with some rain and a lot of dead plants. There are a lot of fungi in a forest, but not many in a desert. Fungi grow near their food. Dead plants, animals, and dirt are food for fungi. Fungi don’t need light like plants. This is why you find them in dark, smelly places. You can see mushrooms growing on dead trees. When the plant dies, the fungus uses it for food. Fungi don’t get sick from eating rotten food. They love it! As fungi use the old bodies of plants and animals, fungus cleans them up and makes space for new plants. Without fungi (and bacteria), dead plants would break down slowly. Forests would be full of dead trees. It is good that fungi clean up the dead plants. Baby plants like this can use the new space to grow. There is a juice in your stomach called acid that helps break down food. Fungi use a similar juice to break down its food. Here is a fungus eating fruit. This fungus is called mold. Mold doesn’t grow mushrooms. Fungi, though, do not have stomachs. Fungi take the broken-down food right into their bodies. This fungus is eating dead leaves. As the threads grow into a dead plant, they break it apart. The threads also let out a juice. This juice breaks down the plant. Some fungi are made up of small threads. These threads grow through the soil and into dead plants. When two threads run into each other they can make a fruiting body. Mushrooms are one type of fruiting body. These threads collect food and make new fungus. A new fungus is made in a special way. Spores are so small that they look like dust without a microscope. The wind can carry them very far. The fruiting body holds spores. Spores make new fungi like seeds make new plants. Fungi stay mostly under ground. They send a fruiting body up when they want to reproduce. Sending the spores up high helps them get to new places. Mushrooms stick above ground to help send spores far away. The wind carries them to make new fungi in new places. If you look under the top of a mushroom it looks like it has gills. This is where the spores come from. The spores of a mushroom form and fall out of these gills. Wind carries the spores and new fungi grow where they fall. You should only eat mushrooms chosen by an adult or expert. Eating new mushrooms can be dangerous! More mushrooms can mean more food! Some mushrooms are good for you to eat. Some mushrooms are bad to eat. Some mushrooms are poisonous and will make you very sick. " sam-s-christmas-present-pratham-FKB.txt,"Sam's Christmas Present Sam was a very curious boy. And what he was curious about was his Christmas present! ""Mummy, where is my Christmas present?"" asked Sam. She smiled and said, ""It is hidden in a secret place, Sam."" Sam stuck his tongue out and went in search of his father. ""Daddy, where is my Christmas present?"" asked Sam. ""It is hidden in a secret place, Sam,"" his father replied smiling. ""I know what to do!"" Sam said. ""I will go gift hunting!"" He looked behind his father’s desk. And he found... a gift box wrapped in red paper. ""But this is for aunt Juju,"" said Sam reading the tag. So, he slipped into his parents' room. And he found... a gift box wrapped in gold paper. ""For uncle Alfie,"" Sam read aloud from the tag. Then he opened his mother’s cupboard. And he found... a gift box wrapped in purple paper. ‘For our daughter Sophie’ was written on the tag. Sam went back to his room and sat on the floor feeling very sad. He had badly wanted to find his present! And then he saw a gift box wrapped in silver paper under his bed! ""This is for me!"" he shouted, reading the tag. Sam shook the box. He turned it around in his hands. What was inside? Oh, what could it be? Did he open it or leave it in the secret place? Are you curious to know what curious Sam did with his gift? He put it back under the bed and decided to wait for Christmas. " 212-the-tree.txt,"The Tree Here is a tree. The tree is on the ground. And green grass grows all around. And green grass grows all around. Here is a tree. The tree is on the ground. Its roots are in the soil. And green grass grows all around. And green grass grows all around. Here is a tree. The tree is on the ground. Its roots are in the soil. Soil covers the roots. And green grass grows all around. And green grass grows all around. Here is a tree. The tree is on the ground. Its roots are in the soil. Soil covers the roots. The trunk stands above. And green grass grows all around. And green grass grows all around. Here is a tree. The tree is on the ground. Its roots are in the soil. Soil covers the roots. The trunk stands above. And branches spread from the trunk. And green grass grows all around. And green grass grows all around. Here is a tree. The tree is on the ground. Its roots are in the soil. Soil covers the roots. The trunk stands above. Branches spread from the trunk, and leaves sprout from the branches, and green grass grows all around. And green grass grows all around. Here is a tree. The tree is on the ground. Its roots are in the soil. Soil covers the roots. The trunk stands above. Branches spread from the trunk. Leaves sprout from the branches. And flowers bloom by the leaves, and green grass grows all around. And green grass grows all around. Here is a tree. The tree is on the ground. Its roots are in the soil. Soil covers the roots. The trunk stands above. Branches spread from the trunk. Leaves sprout from the branches. Flowers bloom by the leaves. And fruits grow from flowers, and green grass grows all around. And green grass grows all around. Here is a tree. The tree is on the ground. Its roots are in the soil. Soil covers the roots. The trunk stands above. Branches spread from the trunk. Leaves sprout from the branches. Flowers bloom by the leaves. Fruits grow from flowers. And inside the fruit is a seed. And green grass grows all around. And green grass grows all around. Soon... A tiny little plant will come from the seed. One day it will be a tree. And green grass will grow all around. And green grass will grow all around. " making-friends-with-snakes-but-from-a-distance-FKB.txt,"Making Friends with Snakes (But from a Distance) Come on, Anna. Get her out! Here comes Bhuvaneshwar’s yorker. And here comes Mitali’s straight drive! I’ll get it... Snaaaaake! Thangachi, get me your bat! Where is it? Right next to our ball. ANNA, STOP! Before you hit us, please listen to our story. I’m Naagin, and I’m Dhaman, and we’re here to BUT from a a venomous a non-venomous make friends distance. Spectacled Cobra... Ratsnake... with you. You know, snakes are Yeah. In so just like people. many ways. We’re beautiful. We’re colourful. We love to dress up. (Indian Rock Python) (Malabar Pit Viper) ​(Ornate Flying Snake) Yeah. Dhaman and I don’t really enjoy each other’s company. Just like some people We’ve just come together prefer to sit alone with for this book. a book, we like to be left alone too. Sigh. The things we do for you! But there are some differences. And that’s Unlike most people, But our sharp tongues and the what makes us snakes! we’re unable to hear Jacobson’s organ on the roof of our sounds. mouths give us a keen sense of smell. But we LOVE or drink milk. our food! We can’t digest UGH! ten idlis... Checkered Keelbacks love fish and frogs. Shieldtails love earthworms. Most of us love rats and mice. We eat all the pests that destroy SLURRRRPPP! your crops. Vinesnakes and King Cobras eat other snakes. Most snakes found in India are Remember, snakes down here on the ground are very non-venomous and harmless to Yeah, but Dhaman frightened of humans, even children, towering over people. Like ME! can inflict a really them. The only time we bite is in defence. stinky odour. Hey, that’s just my defence mechanism! including Right. They’re responsible for But there are four YOU! 50,000 human deaths from common venomous snakebites in India every year. snake species— Most bites are accidents that can be So let’s meet the Big Four venomous easily avoided, if you get to snakes! Sorry, I’m using four grass know us better. strands because I don’t have fingers. THE BIG FOUR 1. Spectacled Cobra I can easily be identified by my hood I am a great swimmer and love and characteristic markings. to hang out around water. My appetite for rats brings me to fields, houses, messy kitchens and granaries. When I’m threatened, my first response is NOT to bite. I do everything I can to warn you to stay away: raise my hood, hiss, and even make false strikes with my mouth closed. It’s only when none of this works or if someone steps on me, grabs me or injures me, that I am forced to bite. My venom can prove lethal. False strike (with Raised hood: the mouth closed): you Actual strike: you stay away. need to back need an ambulance! off right now. 2. Saw-scaled Viper Most people think I’m harmless because I’m tiny. Yep. But my venom is very potent Really tiny. and I can strike with lighting speed! I hang out in dry, open areas. I am But don’t you difficult to spot because of my worry; I’m not camouflage. So if you’re playing in that difficult to these fields, you need to be identify! watchful for me. You can tell I'm a Saw-scaled Viper by the zigzag patterns on my back. I too warn before I bite. I coil up like a jalebi and hiss, with my scales rubbing against each other making a saw-like sound. (Yes, that’s where I get my name!) Hissss: this means ""This isn’t a jalebi you would want to touch"" Strike: Told you so! 3. Common Krait Namaste! I’m among the most docile of snakes... and yet lethal! That’s because my venom is the most potent of any Indian snake! You can identify me by the thin white bands on my black hide. Other non-venomous species like this Wolf Snake may resemble me, but best to keep away from us ALL. In my search for other snakes, rodents and lizards to eat, I crawl close to people sleeping outdoors without a mosquito net or on the floor. When they move or roll over in their sleep, I bite in self-defence. Wow. You’re the worst alarm clock ever invented, Krait! I’m the grumpiest of the big four. I If disturbed, I can like my personal space. A lot. get REALLY cranky! 4. Russell’s Viper I’m often mistaken for non-venomous Boas and Pythons, and handled, and that’s a fatal mistake. Remember, if you see a chain-like pattern of markings on a snake’s back, it’s me. This is an Indian Rock Python. This is a Common Sand Boa. Keep away. Keep away. This is me. Turn around and go home. I sit hidden in bushes, camouflaged in leaf litter, waiting for my prey to come to me. This can be dangerous for people walking in the dark without a torch. Avoiding this guy should be easy, right? You kids don’t like to hang around grumpy old uncles anyway! You snakes aren’t as bad as we thought! You Avoiding us is easy. You seem like a fun bunch, if just need to we keep our distance... take these simple But how exactly do we keep a safe precautions. distance from snakes? 1. When working in open fields or playing in open areas, watch where you 2. Always use a torch at night place your hands and feet. Probing with when you walk outdoors, a long stick can easily detect our even near your home. presence. 3. If your regular path is 4. Clean your homes, littered with leaves, clear kitchens and storehouses the litter with a rake. regularly to keep them rat-free. 5. When sleeping outdoors or on the floor, create a physical barrier around you with the help of a well tucked-in mosquito net. Four rewards: no mosquito bites, no scorpion stings, no krait bites, and you get to snore away happily until morning! Rarely, snakebite accidents can happen despite taking the best precautions. You need to remember to take these steps. Do not take the victim to a tantrik or a snake Immobilise the affected limb charmer for treatment Do not suck the wound Do not cut the wound open Rush the victim to the nearest hospital that can deliver Anti-Snake Venom and Do not tie ligatures emergency care around the wound Do not burn the wound Do not apply herbal pastes over the wound I hope it never comes to that because I think you creatures are quite beautiful. And play an important role in nature and our lives! Aww, thank you! I’ll remember to help my mother I’ll remember to tell my parents clean the kitchen after every meal, to buy a torch immediately so so that rats don’t visit my house that they return safely from for scraps. the fields every evening. And I’ll remember to tell Uncle That’s the to use the mosquito net. He spirit, kids! loves to sleep outdoors and wake the whole village up with his snoring! While you’re at it, don’t forget to thank us for all the rats we eat, each time you burp Hahahaha! after a bowl of curd rice! Madras Crocodile Bank Have you ever been to the Madras Crocodile Bank? It’s a reptile zoo in Chennai, which works for the conservation of reptiles. Its project ‘Snake Conservation and Snakebite Mitigation’ teaches people about the importance of identifying which snakes are venomous, how to avoid them, and using antivenom serum. Get more information about snakebites and the Croc Bank at " 28270-anna-s-extraordinary-experiments-with-weather.txt,"Anna's Extraordinary Experiments with Weather ""Foooo! Foooo!"" Anna Mani blew out all eight candles on her birthday cake. ""Happy Birthday, Anna!"" shouted her brothers and sisters. Anna had a big family and a big house on a hill. But on her birthday, she had only one small wish. Anna tore open her birthday gift and peered in. There was something sparkling inside. ""Diamond earrings? Aiyye!"" She did not want diamond earrings. They were expensive and useless! Do you know what Anna really wished for? Books, books and more books! ""We have books at home!"" said her brother. But Anna had already read those. ""There are more in the library!"" pointed out her grandfather. But Anna had read those too! She marched into her room. ""Hmmph!"" Later that day, there was a knock on Anna’s door. But there was nobody outside! Instead, there lay a big box at her doorstep. ""This better not be more jewellery!"" she said loudly. It wasn’t. It was a brand new set of Encyclopaedia books! ""So many books. Hurray!"" Anna ran around her house, hugging everyone. Many years later, and many, many, many books later, Anna found a job in the laboratory of a famous scientist. ""What should I do here?"" asked Anna. The scientist pointed to a box. What do you think she found inside? ""Diamonds? Aiyyyye!"" said Anna. But this time, the diamonds were not to be worn. They were for experiments. The scientist wanted Anna to find out what makes diamonds shine. So she read books about diamonds. Books, books and more books! Being a scientist was the best! She could study anything she wanted. Anna did like things that shine. And what shines brighter than diamonds? The sun! So Anna read books about the sun, sunlight and the weather. Books, books and more books! Anna did hundreds of experiments. She built many gadgets that could measure the weather of a place. How sunny is it in Bombay? Anna built a gadget to measure that. How windy is it in Madras? Anna built a gadget for that too. Her favourite gadget took many months to build. It is a special balloon called an ozonesonde. It has a small machine fixed to it. The machine can measure a gas found in air called ozone. It can fly really high. Look, there goes Anna’s ozonesonde! Guess how many gadgets Anna Mani built in all? Nearly one hundred weather gadgets! She even had her own factory where these were made. It was as if she could build anything! Anna Mani became one of the wisest weather scientists in India. Even as she grew older and more well known, her best friends remained the same. Books, books and more books! Life & Times of Anna: A Timeline 23 August, 1918 - Anna Mani is born in Peermedu in Kerala. 1940 - She gets a scholarship to work at CV Raman’s laboratory in Bangalore. 1945 - She leaves for England to study Meteorology. 1948 - She returns and joins the Indian Meteorological Department in Pune. 1962 - She starts work on the ozonesonde project. 1976 - She retires as Deputy Director General of the Indian Meteorological department. In the 1980s (exact year unknown) - She starts her own company to manufacture her gadgets. 16 August, 2001 - Anna Mani passes away in Kerala. Wonderful Weather Words Meteorologist (say it like this: ‘meet-your-all-o- jist’): A meteorologist is a scientist who studies the weather and climate of a region. Anna Mani was one of the best meteorologists there ever was! Ozonesonde (say it like this: ‘oh-zone-sond’): Ozonesondes are balloons which fly high up into the sky. The balloons have gadgets fixed to them which measure the amount of ozone present in the air. Ozone is important because it blocks out harmful light coming from the sun. Too little ozone high up in in the sky means we are in trouble! If you could be a scientist, what would you want to study? " What-will-today-bring.txt,"What will today bring? Something is burning my eyelids. I open my eyes and look around. Where am I? Sea, sun and hot sand. A beach? What is all that noise? How did I get here? Where are Mummy and Daddy? Where is Hope? The noise is getting louder and louder. I want to go home. I close my eyes and imagine. It all came back to me. Broken houses. Broken people. Trying to swim, in the water, clinging on… a piece of wood. Mummy, Daddy? Hope? What happened next? I can't remember. Who are these people? Why do I not understand them? A little girl gives me her teddy. I am holding on to teddy. With both hands. I am looking around. And around. Where is my Mummy? Daddy? Hope? My eyes fill up, like the sea. They become the sea. Where are we going? I am in a room with pictures. Happy pictures. Mountains of toys. Clothes. Food. Girls and boys with sad eyes. Where are Mummy and Daddy? Hope? I still feel their warmth. But they are not here. I run out of the room. I keep running and running. No familiar faces. None. People are crying, others laughing. ""We made it,"" they shout. I hold on to teddy. I hold on and look around. It is just me. Nobody I know. Nobody. Suddenly a familiar voice reached my ear... I turned around. My eyes lit up. I run. With teddy. It was Hope. My heart started beating again. She squeezes me hard and doesn't let go. We look out to the sea. Hope shows me a picture. We just sit there. In silence. With teddy. It got dark and then light again. ""What will today bring?"" I ask Hope… " The-Engineers-Where-does-Metal-come-from_FKB.txt,"Tappet Bigend Hub Cam was singing a little rhyme he was making up to remind himself what things were made of. I'm knocking on wood That comes from the trees That grow in the forest That comes from the rock That's found in the hills I'm knocking on stone I'm knocking on bricks That are made from clay That is dug from the fields That comes from err ???? Cam did not know what metal came from. I'm knocking on metal It comes from holes in the ground, Cam went to ask Uncle Bearing said Uncle Bearing about where metal came from Holes that go a long way down If it comes from Not quite, said uncle Bearing, holes lets dig a big hole. it must be stone or its got to be clay said Cam. As Cam was carrying the rocks Uncle Bearing was digging out he Have you found any metal yet. began humming to himself a little song about metal. Digging and digging What have we found Looking for metal Deep in the ground, Pink rocks, blue rocks, Yellow rocks, Green Metal's the only thing We have not seen. Cam looked at the stack of rocks he had. Not ordinary rocks, said Uncle Bearing That is what we call Ore. That is not metal that's a pile of rocks. But now we have to heat up the rocks Let us go and find a fire That is called a furnace, said Uncle Bearing. That is a big fire, Said Cam. Inside there the rocks get much hotter than red hot, they get.... The metal is locked inside the rocks and the heat of the fire melts the metal inside the rock. When that happens the metal turns liquid and forms a pool at the bottom of the Furnace. Stand back, said Uncle Bearing, I'm going to pull the plug out from the side of the furnace and let the liquid metal come out. The hot metal poured out of the furnace and ran into channels made in the sand in the floor at the side of the furnace. That is hot, said Cam, it is a good job we were a long way away. The next day Cam went to Uncle Bearing to Just one thing, said Cam, the furnace. When it is cold like it is now, he said, we have the raw metal which can be turned into you car, knives, forks even tin cans. The words do not match I will A joiner works wood have to make up a new rhyme. A mason works stone A builder likes bricks But the foundry man Works Iron. " the-lion-who-wouldnt-try_english_FKB.txt,"It was a sunny day in the jungle. All the animals were out playing. ""Come play with me, Lion,"" said Cheetah. ""Catch me if you can!"" zoom-zoom! went Cheetah. ""Come play with me, Lion,"" said Elephant. ""We can throw rocks!"" ka-pow! ka-pow! went Elephant. ""Come play with us, Lion!"" said the monkeys. ""Who can eat the most bananas?"" pop! pop! pop! went the monkeys. ""Come play with me, Lion,"" said Springbok. ""Let’s jump high!"" zoop! zoop! zoop! went Springbok. ""Come play with me, Lion,"" said Crocodile. ""It’s a swimming competition!"" splash! splash! went Crocodile. Crocodile was quicker than Elephant, but each time Crocodile got ahead, Elephant tickled him! tee-hee-hee! went Elephant and Crocodile. Elephant and Crocodile had the swimming competition without Lion. Lion sat sadly by himself, watching Crocodile and Elephant swim. ""Why are you sad, Lion?"" asked Mouse. ""Because I don't want to play,"" said Lion. ""I'll lose."" Lion slipped on a banana peel! wheeeeee! went Lion. ""That looks like fun!"" said all the other animals. Lion played, and he was happy. " are-you-a-fish-marine-robots-introduction-elementary-school-FKB.txt,"Are You a Fish? There are strange new fish swimming in the sea. They look and behave like ordinary fish. But they are made of metal and foam, cloth and plastic. PAWP paa RoboTuna swims far and fast like other tuna fish. It is also a policeman underwater. It chases smugglers and pirates at sea. shhhhrrrrrrr shhhhrrrrrrr shhhhrrrrrrr SoFi is a soft robot with fins and a tail. It takes videos of life deep inside the ocean. The fish are not afraid. They swim with SoFi. Jellyfish Robot is made of gel. It catches fish with its soft, transparent tentacles. It swims around without being seen. Robot Eel has a long, black body and red eyes. One day, it might live on the sea floor. It might fix broken pipes and machines underwater. OctoBot looks like a small octopus. One day, it could search for people lost at sea. It might even kill germs in the water. One day, these strange new fish will swim far and deep. They will show us the secrets of the sea. A bot is a computer program or little machine that can perform simple, repetitive tasks. RoboTuna SoFi Jellyfish Robot Robot Eel OctoBot " 123-With-Lilly.txt,"""Forest Fairy I need your help. I can’t count I’ve tried, but when I see a number I want to hide."" ""Now, now Lilly it can’t be that bad,"" said the fairy as she landed by her side. ""All you need is some practise. I’ll take you to the forest you will find a lot of numbers there. So let us not give up yet, first let’s see how we fare."" She took out her wand and with a swish magical dust appeared, Lilly became smaller as it glittered around her and then disappeared. The fairy lifted her wings, took Lilly by the hand and began to fly. And together they lifted to the sky. Woof, Woof! The bark made the fairy look to the ground. ""It’s my dog fairy I have only 1. He likes to run and wag his tail for fun."" ""There look how easy that was Lilly, you counted 1."" And so there counting journey begun. One Dog A cackle and quack made Lilly look back, her dog chased a pair of ducks now, Lilly counted 2, they ran and flapped their wings with all their might, then jumped into the air and took flight. Two Ducks The Forest Fairy picked up her pace and glided over big trees, from the thick branches arose an ooh, ooh, ah, ah sound. ""Look Forest Fairy I see a monkey, no wait I see 3,"" said Lilly excitedly. Three Monkeys Now a zoom, zoom, zoom from above they could hear, Lilly looked up and saw 4 ladybugs flying near. Four Ladybugs ""Look out Forest Fairy,"" Lilly saw blue birds straight ahead. The fairy took a dive and flew passed the flock of 5. Five Birds The fairy glided down and Lilly saw 6 horses on the ground, Their hooves echoed a clipity clop sound. Six Horses They landed in a meadow where Lilly saw 7 bees, She wanted a closer look, but the flowers made her sneeze. Seven Bees Colourful butterflies surrounded her now she twirled and counted 8. ""Come on Lilly I don’t want to get you home to late."" Eight Butterflies They lifted from the ground and over the meadow they flew. They passed rows of wooden logs, On one Lilly saw 9 green, sleeping frogs. Nine Frogs They flew over a stream now, golden sparkles appeared, ""Wow, look at all the fish in the stream Forest Fairy?"" ""How much do you see Lilly? She pointed her finger and counted aloud, ""1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10."" ""That’s right Lilly do you want to practise again. And Lilly counted all the way home from 1 to 10. Ten Fish Once they landed Lilly said, ""Yay! I counted all my numbers today and it was such fun."" The Forest Fairy replied, ""You see Lilly with some practise anything can be done."" THE END " The-Mountains-Monster.txt,"Up above the scary mountain. Where the spooky noises shriek. Lives a creature of many faces. That only at night appears. No one’s seen this monster. Yet some claim that in their dreams. It’s a creature with big claws. And that everyone should fear Too many of these stories. Have caused me trouble indeed. For people lie and amplify. So I ventured to its peak. It was a scary dark night. When I decided to do this. And the winds blew very hard. And the rain drops were thick. As I climbed the great mountain. I heard the sounds of the night. The noises of my nightmares. The monster’s lullabies. The ground was very muddy. That a few times I slid. Back down a few meters. Making it impossible to begin. And my body shook all over. I was very terrified. The branches whistled softly. And in them I saw white eyes. Yet I continued my slow trek. All the way up to the top. Neither the cold, the wind or the rain. Could’ve never made me stop. Wet and shivering I wandered. Until the monster’s cave showed. Between the trees and out of nowhere. Something inside it glowed. And out the dark the biggest eyes. That I had ever seen. And not once they showed fear. And not once they dared to blink. And out the dark the biggest eyes. Stared directly at me. And not once they showed fear. And not once they dared to blink. But you see I had expected this. For no monster in their right mind. Would permit a stranger in their house. No monster would be so kind. But as the eyes grew closer and bigger. So did my surprise. For this was no monster at all. This was a cute cub with big eyes. He was friendly I might add. And said the mountain was his home. Said he’d seen no monsters there. Under the trees or the stones. We talked the whole night. About the way he lived up there. He lived a peaceful life. And he never got scared. I told him about the stories. That went around the town. And he laughed so hard at them. That I felt like a clown. Through the night and till the morning. We talked and drank tea. As it turned out the little monster. Had better manners than me. In the morning as I was leaving. He said ""it’s been a pleasure to meet. Tell the people there’s no monster"". But I couldn’t guarantee…. He asked why…. And I told him it’s a whole other story. And that the people believe. What they can’t understand is bad. And so finally we agreed. To keep the legend as it was. And not bother to tell a soul. That the scary mountain was the house. Of the monster with big claws. " 007-HAMMY-THE-HAMSTER-Free-Childrens-Book-By-Monkey-Pen.txt,"I am Hammy the Hamster. I live with my mother Henrietta, my father Harry, my sister Hachi, and my brother Hal. We live in South America and you can’t miss our home. It is the burrow under the trees that look like the letter H. When we are out during the day, we are very careful so we aren’t caught. We might get trapped and become someone’s pet. So we are mostly out after dark. We like to eat seeds and fruit and can carry it back home in our pouches. Our cheeks have built in shopping bags. Just like you, we like to play and have fun. We have fun running into the light and chasing our shadows on the leaves. Last night Hachi and I found this thing. When you pushed a button, it lit up like the sun. We like to climb things and explore. Our cousins Lester, Larry, and Lorain live in the city. They are someone’s pet. They sent us this picture and said they had a lot of fun but missed playing with us. Lester said he liked people. He always had food and water and lots of toys to play with. He even likes to take a ride in the pocket of his people friend, Billy. I might be your pet some day. If I ever become your pet, I hope you take good care of me because I will do all I can to be your friend. Adios Amigos. " 034-MARTY-MONGOOSE-Free-Childrens-Book-By-Monkey-Pen.txt,"In the rainforest, next to a wide river, there grew a great banyan tree. This tree was ancient and provided a home for the many animals living in the area. Henrietta Heron had a beautiful nest, high atop the banyan tree. Carl Crayfish lived in tangled roots that entered the river at the water’s edge. Sam the Black Snake had made his home under the great trunk of the tree. Marty Mongoose lived nearby. His home wasn’t actually in the banyan tree but close enough. The tree offered a cooling shade during the hot days and protection from the heavy rains that fell every afternoon. Now you must realize that not all animals in the rainforest are friends. They depend on one another for different things, many times for food. To better understand this, let me explain how Henrietta, Carl, Sam, and Marty live within the great banyan tree. Henrietta Heron had built her nest by the river so she that would be close to the food she usually ate. Her diet consisted of fish, frogs, crayfish, and even snails. She had a great home. Now Carl Crayfish lived within the rocks and roots of the tree. Carl was really a scavenger. He would eat the pieces of food dropped by other animals and his home offered him protection from animals that might snack on him. Sam, the snake had made his home under the great banyan tree as it was close to many things he liked to eat. Sam preferred bird eggs but didn’t hesitate to eat anything that he could catch, except maybe whole crayfish as they were very hard to swallow. Can you guess what Marty Mongoose liked to eat? Well if you said snakes, then you are absolutely correct. Marty liked to eat snakes of all types and sizes. One day, Henrietta was out looking for food. When she returned to her nest, she found that two of her eggs were gone. Oh, how sad she was! Something had gotten into her nest and eaten two of her precious eggs. She flew back down to the river so no other birds would see her crying. Then she saw Marty and said to him, ""Sam must have slithered into my nest and eat- en two of my eggs."" ""That is a shame,"" Marty replied in a sad voice. ""Oh, what can I do?"" Henrietta asked. Now Marty knew that Henrietta, and the other herons, liked to eat crayfish and, if there were an easy meal to be had, he was very interested. ""So, you would like to get rid of that bothersome snake?"" he asked Henrietta. ""Oh, yes!"" Henrietta sighed. ""I wish something would eat him."" ""Henrietta, I can help you,"" Marty said excitedly. ""You and your heron friends need to catch all the fish and crayfish in the area. Break them into pieces and leave a trail of food from Sam’s den to my home. He will be busy eating the food and he will not realize that he is close to me. He will be an easy meal for me and you will be rid of his egg stealing ways."" Henrietta thought for a minute, smiled, and then flew off to talk with the other herons. Soon the herons had captured all the fish, crayfish (even poor Carl) and made the trail of food between the snake’s den and the home of the mongoose. Then they returned to their nests to watch. As Sam slithered out of his den, he was surprised to see all the fresh snacks just lying on the ground. ""Yummy! Yummy!"" he thought to himself as he began eating. It wasn’t long before Sam had eaten his way to Marty’s home. As Sam opened his mouth to eat the last snack, Marty jumped out of from the bushes. Well, I don’t have to tell you what happened because you already know. But in case you don’t, there was a big B-U-R-P and Marty returned home. ""Did you see that?"" Henrietta asked the other herons. ""Now our eggs are safe."" Several days passed. Marty was hungry but there were no snakes in the area. The other snakes saw how Sam had been tricked, so they left to find a safer home. Marty looked into the river and realized that the herons had taken everything from it to set the trap. Then, he looked into the great banyan tree and saw Henrietta. The other herons saw Marty climbing the tree but it was too late to warn Henrietta. All they could do was leave their nests and, like the snakes, find a safer home. Now Marty was alone. There was no food in the area, and no reason for him to stay in his nice home, protected by the great banyan tree. The great banyan tree is now empty of all life. But there is a circle-of- life in the rainforest and it won’t be long before new animals arrive at the banyan tree, and call it ""home"". " Domino-Goes-to-the-Beach-.txt,"Domino is a Boston Terrier. She likes to play with her toys and enjoys her family. Domino sat one Tuesday, looking so sad. She wanted something exciting to do, but it was too cold outside. We asked Domino if she would like to go to the beach to visit Alex. She was so excited! Alex was Domino's human brother who moved far away to a beautiful town on the coast of New Jersey. We traveled many hours in the car. Domino was very good and sat patiently in her seat. We made frequent stops at doggie friendly areas. On the way to the hotel, we stopped and surprised Alex. He had no idea that Domino was coming to visit him. When we arrived at the hotel, Domino was a little nervous, but happy to be out of the car so she could stretch her legs. The sand was soft on Domino's paws and there were so many new scents. The waves came up and got her feet wet. She didn't like that very much and made certain to not get too close the the ocean. Domino saw lots of things that she had never seen before. The gulls were quite odd to Domino. The noise they made sounded like laughter. What funny birds. Nothing like the small birds at home. Afterward, Domino needed a nap as she was so tired from her busy day. The next day Domino went sight-seeing at a nearby town. It was a nice walk through the streets lined with quaint shops. Domino went on the boardwalk. Dogs usually aren't allowed on the boardwalk, but since it was the off-season there were only a few people so no one minded that she was there. She stopped so some little girls could visit with her. Domino had a few bites of peanut butter frozen custard, yum!!! Domino saw some huge concrete beach balls. They wouldn't roll or bounce so they weren't too much fun for dogs to play with. We went metal detecting on the beach. I bet domino hoped that we would findsome dog bones buried in the sand, but we only found a few old metal bottle caps. We threw them in the trash because we want to make sure the beaches are clean and free of trash that can cut our feet or paws. She took a nap with Alex. I bet Domino had sweet dreams of the birds laughing as the cool waves covered her paws or the sweet taste of frozen custard or how nice it was to visit with him. We left for the long ride back home with fond memories of all of the fun adventures that we shared. We look forward for another vacation adventure with our furry family member, Domino. Good bye, Jersey Shore. We hope to come back soon! Woof, woof! Here are some tips if you want to take your pet on vacation: Make reservations at a pet friendly hotel a head of time. Sometimes there are special rules and extra charges for pets. Never leave your pet in a car alone where they might become over heated or afraid. It is your responsibility to clean up after your pet. Make sure that you have everything that you need to make your pet feel at home while traveling. Make frequent stops so your dog can stretch. Have water that your pet can sip on. Have your pet vaccinations and license up to date and available. Choose a location where your pet won't spending the whole trip in the hotel room. That won't be a fun vacation for them at all. Keep your pet on a leash to avoid accidents or confrontations with people that may not care for animals. Talk to your veterinarian before your trip. Look on the internet for ideas on things to do and local regulations for pets. " turtle-dove.txt,"Turtle Dove ll Children Reading Cambodia Turtle Dove can fly. Turtle Dove cannot swim. Turtle Dove can eat food. Turtle Dove cannot chew the food. Turtle Dove can walk. Turtle Dove cannot crawl. Turtle Dove can sit on tree branch. Turtle Dove cannot hold on to tree branch. " Spike-and-Pod-Something-Very-Sticky.txt,"Something very Sticky ""Ahh..."" shouted Pod ""I'm stuck on something!"" ""Let me see."" said Spike Sticking his paw in the substance. ""That really is nasty stuff."" said Spike As the sticky stuff stuck to his paw. Spike made the mistake of trying to sniff at the substance. He got his nose stuck to it as well as his paw. Pod and Spike were wondering what to do when Dab arrived. ""You're stuck in the gum aren't you."" said Dab. ""What is this stuff."" ask Pod ""That's chewing gum."" said Dab. ""Horrible stuff made from slugs vomit and ground up toenails, with just a hint of mint."" ""What is it for."" ask Spike. ""People chew it."" said Dab. ""But it's so nasty they spit it out all over the streets, its very odd."" ""Are we stuck here forever."" ask Spike. ""No I think I have an idea how to help."" said Dab Dab ran off to a small sandwich shop he knew, that was not far away. Dab was lucky the top of the ice-cream fridge had been left slightly open, just enough for a small mouse to get in. Spike found he could balance on his nose in the sticky stuff. Pod was worried Spike would overbalance and squash him. Dab arrived back pulling a large ice lollipop. ""That's nice of you."" said Spike. ""But really I am not hungry."" ""It's not to eat."" said Dab. Dab rubbed the ice lollipop on the gum, it slowly went hard and less sticky. Spike pulled his nose then his paw out. Pod with a quick jump hopped off. Spike, Pod and Dab decided they needed something to eat so went off to the sandwich shop to find some leftovers. They made quite sure however that they did not step on any more chewing gum. End " 31966-let-s-make-some-lime-juice.txt,"Let's Make Some Lime Juice! After school, we play under the peepal tree. Langri-taang, poshampa, ankh-micholi, stapu, oonch-neech, pithoo, eye-spy and more. Near the tree is Raju Uncle’s chai shop. When it is very hot, he leaves a jug of lime juice and glasses for us. How do we divide the lime juice equally among the eight of us? Aman has a piece of string in his pocket. We cut it so it is the same length as the drink inside the jug. We fold the string into two. Then we fold the doubled string two more times. Now we have eight equal parts. We keep the folded string against the jug and mark equal sections on the jug. Manu and Sara lift the jug together and pour the lime juice carefully into glasses. It is delicious, and we want some more. ""You can make some,"" Raju Uncle says. ""The recipe is on the board."" Lime Juice Recipe lemon juice 2/10 sugar syrup 7/10 cold water Stir well and serve. We have water, sugar syrup and lime juice, but we don’t know how to measure things out of ten. Guria says, ""We have eight sections marked. Let’s mark two more and we will have ten sections."" Alok pours the lime juice till the first mark. I pour two portions of sugar syrup so that the mixture goes up to the third mark. Manu pours the cold water till the 10th mark. We pour out eight glasses of lime juice. We have some juice left. We pour it into a big glass for Raju Uncle. ""Shabash!"" says Raju Uncle. ""This is the best lime juice I have tasted. But it will taste even better with some hot pakoras."" ""Hooray! Thank you, Raju Uncle!"" Activity Quarter. Half. Three-fourths. Full. Do you use these words sometimes? Take one whole lemon and get an adult to cut it into 8 equal parts. Do be careful with the knife. Each piece makes up one part of the whole. Each piece is also called a fraction. Now try to put the pieces back so that you get half a lemon. How many pieces do you get? Give your friend three-fourths of a lemon. How many pieces does she get? Let us say your brother wants half a lemon. How many pieces make a half? One part of eight = 1/8 " zandi-and-birdy-monster_en_20180508.txt,"This is Zandi. She has a friend that no one else can see. Some call him her imaginary friend, but Birdy Monster is very real to Zandi. Sometimes they mix up magic potions that will make you small or tall, or run very fast. Zandi and Birdy Monster play together everyday. Sometimes they are pirates... ...or superheroes. Sometimes they climb trees to spy over the garden fence. Sometimes they blow bubbles in the bath like hippos. Birdy Monster comes from the other side of the moon, where it is always night time. When Zandi goes to bed, he glows in the dark so that she doesn’t get scared. Birdy Monster has travelled everywhere, even to Port Elizabeth to visit Zandi’s Gogo Adeline. Gogo and Birdy Monster like to play cards together. Gogo also likes to cheat. When Birdy Monster goes travelling, he always comes back with the best stories. Zandi likes to play with her other friends, too. They can’t see Birdy Monster, but he doesn’t mind. ""Come on, Birdy Monster!"" shouts Zandi. ""Why is he called Birdy Monster?"" ""Because that is his name,"" says Zandi. Robyn asks. " Blake-and-the-Turtles.txt,"Are you scared of snakes? So am I. This story is about a different snake 1 who is nice and sometimes shy. He was always happy, and never had a frown. He would never ever make 2 anyone else feel down. One sunny day, he came across a small blue lake. This was an unusual place to find Blake the snake. Blake began to explore and slither around. Until very suddenly, he heard a strange sound. • • He moved in closer and peeked around a bright colored tree. There he saw a turtle, and then it was two, then three. These were animals he had never seen before! Being very curious, he had to see more. Suddenly they spoke. ""Who could you be?"" ""You don‛t look like any of us three."" ""You have no legs and you' re too thin and long."" ""You have no shell either. You look all wrong."" He told them, ""I am Blake, that is my name."" ""I am a snake, and I am very tame."" They quickly replied, ""Turtles we are, and we don‛t like you."" ""Snakes are ALL scary, it‛s just what you do."" Turtle #1 said angrily, ""You should just go."" Blake slowly slid away. He was feeling very low. As he was leaving, zig-zagging through the trees. He bumped his head on something. It was covered in leaves. "" ""It's just a box."" He thought. ""But maybe it could be a shell."" ""I think it just needs a few changes, as far as I can tell."" He worked all day and he worked all night. He worked until he got that box just right. Blake heard some noise. It was heading his way. ""Let‛s check over here."" He heard a turtle voice say. The three mean turtles appeared from behind a big rock. ""Why does your shell look like a boxy square block?"" Blake said, ""It's not square, I'm a turtle just like you."" Turtle #1 replied, ""You are not a turtle from our point of view."" ""I...I am Blake, that is my name."" ""I...I am a turtle, and I am very ta-ta-tame."" Turtle #3 laughed, ""You being a turtle couldn't be true."" ""We can see that your shell doesn‛t even fit you."" Turtle number #1 stepped closer and began to talk. ""You don‛t have feet. Can you even walk?"" The turtles all shouted, ""Blake, go away!"" ""None of us turtles want you to stay."" Blake became very sad, and began to go. Once again, he was feeling oh-so low. ""Why don‛t they like me? Why am I a snake?"" ""I'm not like any others. I am just Blake."" Something caught Blake's eye. He couldn‛t help but stare. One turtle had a secret that they forgot to share. It was a painted shell, that wasn't quite done. Why would anyone paint a shell? Why turtle #1? Blake turned and asked, with a very big smile. ""You've only been a turtle, for just a little while?"" Turtle #1 turned around, with great big eyes. He stared right at Blake, with a look of surprise. ""I...I am Luke, that is my name."" ""I...I am a lizard, and I am very ta-ta-tame."" ""I am very sorry, for not being true."" ""Lizards are all mean, it's just what we do."" The other two turtles just smiled and shouted. ""You were always nice to us. You were never doubted!"" ""We do not all need to be the same."" ""Just as long as we can all be friendly and tame."" They all began to smile, just as big as could be. Blake shouted, ""We can all be one happy family!"" Blake and Luke, along with turtles #2 and #3. Looked like a family at the lake, with nothing different to see. " FKB_Learn-Sight-Words-Print_friendly-How_to_be_Happy.txt,"Gerty Goat says: Worry Less; Dance More! Colin Cow says: Take Less; Give More! Patty Penguin says: Consume Less; Create More. Leo Lion says: Frown less; Smile more! Zenna Zebra says: Talk Less; Listen more! Wally Walrus says: Fear Less; Try More! Harry Hippo says: Judge Less; Accept more! Carly Cat says: Watch less; Do more! Baba Bear says: Complain less; Appreciate more! Not everyone has fsh. And Peter Panda says: Always be Nice! Words in this book less more says and worry dance take give consume create frown smile talk listen fear try judge accept watch do complain appreciate always be nice SHARING AND CARING ACTIVITIES Ask children to come up with ideas for each page on how they can follow through with the concepts suggested, and why it makes a difference: Worry less; Dance more! Take less; Give more! Consume less; Create more! Frown less, Smile more! Talk less; Listen more! Fear less; Try more! Judge less; Accept more! Watch less; Do more! Complain less; Appreciate more! Always be nice. Appreciate more: Talk about what it means to appreciate, and have children write a list of all the things they appreciate in life. Consume Less: Discuss sustainability and reduce, reuse, recycle concepts, ask the children to write down ideas to reduce waste, have a green day where children don't produce any waste. Give more: Research some child welfare charities and discuss ideas of how to contribute, for example a fund rasising day or project at school. Give More! SHARING AND CARING ACTIVITIES from Book 1 – ALAYS BE NICE Ask children to come up with ideas for each page on how they can follow through with the actions: Always be nice. Be kind to others. Don't let others feel left out. Think about others feelings. Don't be mean, Use kind words. Help out when you can. Sharing is Caring Always say ""Please"". Don't forget ""Thank-you"". Have a star chart and give children stars whenever another child or sibling notices their caring and sharing behaviour. Ask children to think about how their behaviour makes others feel when they don't follow these rules. Ask children if they can think of a time when they didn't follow these rules. How could they change their behaviour to make the situation better. Alwaye be nice! " The-Elephant-In-The-Room-3-18.txt,"One morning, Lindi found an elephant in her room. ""Look!"" she called. ""There’s an elephant in my room!"" ""No there isn’t,"" her mother called back. ""Elephants don’t live in houses. Everybody knows that."" The elephant yawned. At breakfast, Lindi’s dad asked her to pass the milk. ""I can’t,"" said Lindi. ""The elephant drank it all."" ""There isn’t an elephant,"" said her dad. ""Elephants don’t live in the city. Everybody knows that."" The elephant burped. At school, the teacher grumbled, ""What’s wrong with this chalkboard? It’s all wrinkly!"" ""That’s not the chalkboard. That’s my elephant!"" said Lindi. ""There are no elephants at school,"" said the teacher. ""Everybody knows that."" The elephant ate the teacher’s sandwiches. At break-time, the elephant followed Lindi to the playground. He knocked over the swings by mistake. ""Go away!"" said Lindi. ""You’re not real and you shouldn’t be here! Everybody knows that!"" The elephant drooped. He walked away, wiping his eyes with his trunk. After school, Lindi couldn’t see the elephant anywhere. ""Elephant!"" she called. ""Where are you?"" Lindi went home without him. She felt lonely. So she went outside, and sat on the steps, and waited. And waited. And waited. And then … she saw a trunk. And tusks. And ears. The elephant was coming down the road! She ran up and hugged him. ""I’m sorry,"" she said. ""I didn’t mean it! I know you’re real. You’re my elephant."" The elephant lifted her up and put her on his back, and she rode down the street. She waved to her neighbours. ""Hello, Mr Green! Hello, Mrs Green!"" ""Look at Lindi!"" said Mr Green. ""How did she get up there? Maybe she grew!"" ""Don’t be silly,"" said Mrs Green. ""Little girls don’t grow that high. Everybody knows that."" The elephant took Lindi to the lake, and she slid down his trunk like it was a slide. ""Wheeeee!"" she shrieked. They played all afternoon, laughing and splashing and spraying each other with water. That night, the elephant tucked her into bed. ""Good night, Elephant,"" said Lindi. ""Thank you for a lovely day."" He patted her head, and curled up to sleep outside her window. ""Elephants are the best friends in the world,"" Lindi said to herself. ""Nobody knows that, except for me and my elephant."" " 3-2-1-blast-off_STEM_FKB.txt,"3... 2... 1... Blast-off! 12 dreamy ​constellations ​floating in space A CONSTELLATION is a group of stars that forms a pattern in the sky. It sometimes looks like a mythological character or an animal if you have a good imagination. Cygnus, Lacerta, Triangulum, Cepheus, the Little Dipper, Lynx, Draco, Hercules, the Big Dipper, Scutum and Orion are names of the constellations on page 2. 11 shiny ​satellites up in the sky A SATELLITE is an object that goes around a planet or a star. Earth has a natural satellite -- the moon. Artificial satellites are launched into space for communications, astronomy, and weather studies. 10 busy ​engineers ​working on a rocket Mechanical ENGINEERS, electrical ENGINEERS, and electronics ENGINEERS work together to assemble a rocket. 9 expert scientists calculating the ​orbit SCIENTISTS figure out what path the satellite will take when it is in space. The path was called orbit. 8 stable ​planets ​going around the sun Four rocky inner PLANETS -- Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars -- and four gassy outer PLANETS -- Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune -- make up the eight major PLANETS of our solar system. Pluto used to be the ninth planet but in 2006, International Astronomical Union (IAU) decided that Pluto was a dwarf planet. 7 icy ​comets ​passing through COMETS are large chunks of ice, rock and gas. They orbit the Sun, but are usually far from Earth. As they pass, they leave a trail that looks like a tail. Some famous comets are Hale-Bopp, Halley, Hyakutake and Shoemaker-Levy. 6 curious people looking through ​telescopes TELESCOPES help us see objects that are far, far away like the comets, stars, planets, and moons. 5 small ​dwarf planets​ hanging around DWARF PLANETS are like planets but they are much smaller and they do not yet have a clear path around the Sun. This means that objects like asteroids and comets litter their path. Pluto, Ceres, Eris, Makemake and Haumea make up the five recognized dwarf planets of our solar system. 4 careful workers ​fueling the rocket Just like cars need petrol to run, rockets need FUEL to take off and do their job. Rockets can use both liquid fuel and solid fuel. 3 skilled astronauts in their spacesuits SPACESUITS protect astronauts in space. Suits have oxygen supplies for astronauts to breathe, and also water to drink. They prevent astronauts from getting too hot or too cold, and keep them safe from space dust. 2 eager kids at the mission control centre... MISSION CONTROL CENTRE is a room where team leaders get together and make sure the launch goes smoothly and everything works as designed till the mission is complete. 1 roaring ​rocket ​ready to soar! A ROCKET is a self-propelled vehicle that can shoot into space. It is used to launch man-made satellites into space. Blast-off! India created a world record in 2017 when it launched 104 satellites from a single rocket, PSLV-C37. Scientists at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) launched the rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. " Helping-Hand.txt,"A Helping Hand Dear… well, you know who you are. And it’s not like you’re ever going to see this letter. Miss told me that I had to be your mentor and show you around because you are a new student. I didn’t know what a ‘mentor’ is, so I looked it up in the dictionary. Anyway, she didn’t tell me anything about that. Ali and Gaurav and Sumi and Rani, they kept asking me about it when we were going home from school. I told them that I didn’t know what they were talking about, but that’s not true. How can I not know? See, you made me lie to my friends. Yours sincerely, Me Hi again, Ma says that it is not good to stare at people, but I can see that everyone stares at you. They stare at me too because I have to hang around with you and be your ‘mentor’. Why did you come to our school? Why couldn’t you continue going to whatever school you went to earlier? Do you know what happened yesterday? Gaurav, Ali and two of their friends from Class VII cornered me after school to ask about you-know-what. They took my bag and wouldn’t give it back. Then they threw it into the thicket by the side of the road and I had to scramble down into the mountainside to get it. I tore my shirt and Ma was angry with me. This is all your fault. Me Hello, I keep telling them that they can ask you whatever they want to know. What’s the point of asking me? How am I supposed to know why you have that thing or how it works? To be really honest, I can’t say I’m not curious myself or that I don’t have the same questions the others are asking me. Yes, I noticed it the first day when you came into the classroom. I saw how you did everything with one hand and how your left hand never moved. At first I couldn’t tell what the problem was. Then, when I came closer, I saw that something wasn’t quite right. It looked weird, like it was covered in plastic or something. Then I thought it was a toy hand. It took me some time to understand. Also, I saw what happened at lunch. See you, Me Hello, My oldest sister, the one who’s studying engineering in Delhi, called today. I told her, ""There’s a girl in my class and she has a fake hand,"" and she said that the term is ""prosthetic hand"". Listen, I have some advice for you. You may be new and all, but if you want people to stop staring at you and talking about you, you have to stop standing in the corner all the time. Why don’t you play with us? Why don’t you come on the swing? Everyone loves the swing. It’s been two weeks, and you can jolly well come by yourself. I am not going to be your minder for ever. Sometimes I don’t know what to say to you. Me Hi again, After the lunch incident that day, I’ve been watching you. I’m just curious. Is it weird to have one hand? Is it only your hand or is your entire arm fake, sorry, prosthetic? Today, Sumi, Gaurav and I walked to school together. They were playing a game they made up called One-Hand Challenge. The rule is, you have to do things with one hand. Like, packing your bag or buttoning your shirt. Sumi couldn’t tie her shoelaces and she forgot about it and tripped and fell. She got a cut on her chin. Miss saw it and, even though she put some antiseptic cream on it, she scolded Sumi for being careless. ""You can’t run around in the mountains with your shoelaces untied. What will happen if you fall while going home or something?"" I think adults worry too much. Yours truly, Me Hi, Do you know what a coincidence is? It’s like when you talk about something and the same thing happens sometime later in a completely unrelated way. In my last letter, I was telling you about Sumi and the shoelaces, and then, today, I saw you tying your shoelaces. Wow, that was awesome! I think you did it faster than I can do it with two hands. If you were my friend, I would challenge you to a shoelace-tying race. Or no, maybe I would ask you to teach me how to do it with one hand. I have to confess, I did try to tie my shoelace with one hand when I got home. But it’s impossible. How do you do it? Maybe I’ll ask you tomorrow. Curious, Me Hi, So, after what you said, I’ve tried to do a lot of things with only one hand, but it’s so difficult! I still don’t get how you do it, like having a bath, wearing your clothes, packing your bag. Since that day at lunch, I did realize that you have to do some things differently, but it’s not like you don’t do almost everything the rest of us do. Listen, I’m sorry about what I said earlier... about playing with us. I guess you were just feeling shy. And also about coming on the swing. I tried and it’s hard to get your balance if you don’t hold it with two hands. But you’re great in the jungle gym, even if you don’t hang from the bars, and you can run really fast, even faster than Ali, who won the first prize at Sports Day. Bye, Me Hello! That movie was really funny, no? I laughed so much that my stomach hurt and it was like I was crying. I always like it when they show movies in school. It means no classes. Last time, before you came to our school, they showed this movie about a tiger cub who got lost. It was quite scary, mostly because it was a true story. Later someone found it and managed to get it back to its family. True stories like that are called documentaries, did you know that? Tiger cubs are cute, no? Last year, there was a puppy near our house. It was very cute too, but it grew up and then it wasn’t so cute any more. Got to go now! Me Hello, hello! Did you know? I was so surprised when I saw you on the bus. I had no idea my father worked in the same place as yours! But I’m so happy you came for the office picnic, because last year when they took us, there were no other children my age and I got really bored. Okay, I’m really tired, so I’m going now. See you in school tomorrow. Me Hi, I think I should warn you, Principal Sir becomes slightly insane whenever Annual Day comes along. He might yell at you — he yells at everyone — so don’t take it personally. My ma says that he’s under a lot of pressure because our Annual Day performance reflects on him. I’m not sure what that means, but he does look stressed out. Did you see his hair? It was like he touched a loose wire and got an electric shock! Though I think it was very mean of Rani to put a frog in his chair. Okay, I’m going now before he catches me writing this letter! Me Hey, Your new hand is so cool! No offence, but the old one was a bit boring. It was just… there. The new one is like magic, and you can move the fingers and grip with it! I hope you didn’t mind that I asked to shake hands. I just said it before I could think. Maybe tomorrow we can do some experiments to find out if you can lift stuff with it. Oh! I just realized, the last couple of letters I wrote to you, I didn’t mention your prosthetic hand at all. It’s like I forgot all about it and wanted to tell you so many other things. The funny thing is, I’m not that curious about your hand any more. I don’t know why. Your friend, Me THE FRIEND-O-METER QUIZ How good are you at helping people fit in? Take our Friend-o-Meter quiz to find out! 1. Your teacher asks you to show the new student in school around. What do you feel? a. Fantastic! A new friend! b. Why can’t they figure things out themselves? c. Uh oh… 2. A girl in your class walks with a limp. The others laugh at her. What do you do? a. Nothing – it’s none of your business. b. Tell her to ignore them – they’re mean. c. Ask your classmates to imagine if they were different. 3. Your new classmate is having trouble with his lessons. What can you do? a. Tell the brainiest student in class to lend him her notes. b. Tell the teacher – it’s her job to help him. c. Ask him if you could help him with his work. 4. The new girl in class is rather shy. She doesn’t play with anyone. What can you do? a. Let her be – she’ll join in when she’s ready. b. Call her over and make her join in the games. c. Go and sit next to her – maybe she’ll start a conversation. Get your score: Q1. a - 1; b - 2 ; c - 3 Q2. a - 2; b - 1 ; c - 3 Q3. a - 3; b - 2; c - 1 Q4. a - 2; b - 1; c - 3 Now add it up. If you've scored... 4-6 points:You are a born friend, always ready to lend a hand. You don’t wait for people to ask for help – you’re already there, waiting to give it to them.7-9 points:You are an independent person and feel that people should be too. But that doesn’t mean you don’t care – you just don’t want to force anyone. 10-12 points:You might be a little shy, but you are kind-hearted too. You’ll do whatever you can indirectly to help others and make them feel at ease. " Inside-the-Internet-.txt,"Inside the World Wide Web Have you heard of the World Wide Web? No? Never mind. Now, have you heard of the Internet? Yes? Great! But what IS the Internet? Did you say ""I am not quite sure, but I know it has something to do with computers""? You’re right – it does. But that’s not the whole answer. What’s the WHOLE answer then? Hmmm. We need an EXPERT to answer that. And guess what - I know JUST the person! She’s usually to be found near a computer, so let’s go straight to the computer now. Hi Nettikutti! Here is a group of kids to meet you! Come on out, come on out, wherever you are! THERE you are! Go on, kids, say hello! And don’t be fooled by her cuteness and her size – she holds a LOT of information in her little head! So Nettikutti, here’s what everyone wants to know - What IS the Internet? Ooooh. BIG question. Let’s see how I can put it simply. The Internet (short for ‘INTERconnected NETworks’) is a large, large, LARGE collection of computers from all over the world that are connected to each other. The computers could be gigantic computers (the kind research laboratories or governments own), desktop computers (the kind you see in banks and computer centres), laptops (the kind people sling across their shoulders and carry with them), cellphones (the kind that ring so loudly and annoyingly in movie halls), and even the little music players with the itty-bitty headphones that seem to grow out of people's ears. All these computers are connected with each other either by real wires and cables - cables that run above the ground, underground, even under the sea (big computers) - OR by wireless signals (laptops, cellphones, music players). So you see, you don’t have to be sitting in one place and have your computer plugged into an electric socket to be on the Internet – you can even be connected to the world while you are on the move! That’s it? We thought the Internet was about talking to friends and downloading film songs and booking movie tickets and looking for information for school projects and finding the telephone number of a hospital! But that's not the Internet. All THAT is part of something truly magical, something called… wait for it…. the World Wide Web! This World Wide Web - let’s call it W3 for short – is a large, large, LARGE collection of what are called PAGES (there are some 40 BILLION public pages on the W3 now!). A page could contain information in the form of words, numbers, photographs, songs, video clips, and more. This collection of pages (or the W3) ‘sits’ on the Internet, in those millions of computers and cell phones and music players. The Internet is a network of networks made up of computers, laptops, tablets and mobile phones. W3 is a collection of connected pages, that is on the Internet. So the W3 is NOT the Internet itself, but one PART of it, the coolest part. If you think of the Internet as a restaurant, then the W3 is the most popular dish on the menu. And the spoon that helps you dig into this dish and get to your favourite bits of it is called a ‘Web Browser’. Oooooh! Now you’ve made us hungry, Nettikutti! But do tell us more about what makes the W3 so popular. Sure! The W3 is super-exciting because it includes: Email – which allows you to send letters to anyone anywhere in the world – and have them receive it in under a minute! The same letter – if you were sending it to someone in America, say, would have taken 15 days to reach him if you had mailed it through a post office. And it would have cost you a lot of money too. But email is free! Search – which helps you find useful – and useless! – information on a million different subjects. You may want to know which states the River Ganga flows through, or see what the Statue of Liberty looks like. You may want to hear the latest film song of your favourite actor, or watch an episode of a serial that you missed. You may want to find out the score in the T20 World Cup, or see if there are tickets available on the Mumbai-Pune train tomorrow. If someone whose computer is connected to the Internet, somewhere in the world, has decided to share this information with the world and put it on the W3, you will be able to find it - instantly! And for free! But Nettikutti, HOW do you find the page that you want, out of all those billions of pages? Easy! Each page also has a unique ‘address’ which helps your Web Browser find it, just like your home address helps the postman to find your house. So if you know the page’s address, you can go to it immediately. What if you don’t know the page’s address? No problem! You can use a wonderful service called a ‘Search Engine’, which also sits on the W3, to help you. Sharing – which helps you share ANYTHING you want – a song you love, your dog’s picture, a clever way to solve a difficult maths problem, your big idea for keeping our streets free of litter – with everyone in the world! No single person owns the Internet or the W3, and no government has authority over it*, so you don’t need to ask ANYONE for permission before you share. Think about how cool that is! Until now, you had books and movies and television and newspapers giving you information, ‘talking’ to you, but YOU couldn’t talk back to THEM. With the W3, everything has changed – you can listen, and YOU CAN HAVE YOUR SAY too. And you don’t have to be an important person or a grown-up to do this. THIS is what makes the W3 so fantastic – it is a truly free and open AND democratic system – it gives EVERYONE who is connected to the Internet a VOICE. *Governments do 'control' the internet in their own countries, however. Governments can even 'switch off' the internet, so that their citizens cannot access it, and some have actually done so for short or long periods. Wow! That’s great, Nettikutti! Now, on a completely different tack – we understand why the first two Ws in W3 stand for World Wide, but why is it called a Web? Isn’t it the INTERNET that is actually a web? Good question! You’re right about the Internet being a web (because of all those computers being connected to each other), but SO IS THE W3. Let me explain. Remember those billions of pages that the W3 is made of? THEY are all connected, or ‘hyperlinked’, to each other as well! That means you can go from one page to another almost endlessly! Do you see now how the W3 is ALSO a web, a HU-MUN-GOUS web of knowledge and information and entertainment for all humankind to enjoy and use? We do, we do! Now we have to have to have to know - who was the superbrain who came up with such a wonderful idea? I thought you’d never ask! For the answer to that question, we have to go back in time some 20 years, to a nuclear research laboratory called CERN in Switzerland. Many scientists there, and across other labs in Europe, were working on projects together, but there was no way to share their work with each other quickly and easily. They would have to actually travel to each others' labs, or use the post office and courier services, to let their teams know how far they had progressed. One of the scientists at CERN, Tim Berners-Lee, was getting a little fed up of this, so he decided to figure out a way to share information better and faster. He came up with a big idea called ‘hypertext’ – a way of linking information on computers together – to do this. The idea worked really well for CERN, and everyone was really happy. And THEN - Tim Berners- Lee had his SECOND big idea. He felt his invention would benefit other people as well, and that it would be selfish to limit it to CERN. He talked to the authorities at CERN, and persuaded them to let him share the idea of hypertext with other scientists all over the world, for free. They agreed! Berners-Lee shared his idea, and urged everyone he shared it with to improve it or add to it as they wished. The idea of being able to access and share information from anywhere on earth instantly was SO powerful and SO attractive that a LOT of people began to use hypertext. Since anyone could use their own ideas to make it better, people all over the world felt they 'owned' the internet, that it was THEIRS. Which was a wonderful thing. By 1993, the W3 had EXPLODED, with millions of people beginning to use it. Today, more than TWO BILLION people use the W3 in some way – that is almost one-third of all the human beings on the planet! Hmmmm. Life would be very different today if Tim Berners-Lee had decided not to be so generous, right? Absolutely! So don’t you think we should cheer both him and the W3 with a big Hip, Hip Hurray? We should! We should, Nettikutti! Here we go. To Berners-Lee and the W3 - Hip Hip... ... HURRAYYYYYY! " Fading-Flowers-R-.txt,"On the way home from school, we picked some beautiful yellow dandelions. I made sure to put them in water right away, so that they wouldn’t wilt too quickly. They looked beautiful on our table during lunchtime. But, they looked a little wilted at dinnertime. Then, when bedtime came along: ""Oh no! My flowers are dead! What can I do?"" I guess that kind of flower doesn’t last very long. The next morning at breakfast, to my surprise: ""The flowers are alive again!"" I guess they weren’t dead after all, but were only sad or sleeping. Ha! Ha! That night, I felt upset because I didn’t have time to play before bed. ""Oh no!"" said Mom. ""It looks like my little flower is fading."" ""Is she talking about me? Am I like a flower too?"" It was sad to see the flowers wilt. Do I look like that when I get upset? Think, think, think! Oh, I get it now. When I put a smile on my face, I look like a cheery, lively flower! But when I am grumpy, I start to look droopy and sad, just like a wilting dandelion. I want to keep my smile going forever and ever. " All-Types-of-Aircraft.txt,"An aircraft is a craft that flies through the air. There are many different types of aircraft. An aeroplane is a type of aircraft, that has fixed wings for lift, and a means of propulsion. Means of Propulsion is a fancy way to say a way to move on it’s own. There are big aeroplanes, and small aeroplanes, There are VERY big aeroplanes, and very small aeroplanes, Some aeroplanes have jet engines, and some have propellers. A glider is an aircraft which flies without a motor, it uses air currents for lift. A glider needs to be launched, by towing or by a winch, A motor glider uses a motor to launch, then stows the motor after takeoff A helicopter is an aircraft that uses rotating blades like wings to create lift. A helicopter can also have a piston engine, or a jet engine. A hot air balloon is an aircraft which is lighter that air. It’s just like a party helium balloon, floating into the air when you let go. And, just like a party helium balloon, They come in all sorts of different shapes and sizes The balloon pilot lets the gas cool to come down, and heats it up to rise. Airships are like balloons, filled with gasses lighter than air. This enables the airship to float into the air like a balloon. But, unlike a balloon, they also have a means of steering and propulsion. Airships are also sometimes called ’zeppelins’ or ’blimps’ Because of their complex design, and a poor accident history during their early years, there are only a few airships still in operation today. Some aircraft are built to do a special job. Aerobatic aircraft Like aerobatic aeroplanes, are built for doing aerobatic flying, for displays, competitions, or joy rides. Military aircraft, work to defend the people and the country they belong to. Agricultural aircraft help farmers with their job. There are aircraft that help to save peoples lives; Working as firefighters, air ambulances, and search and rescue. Which aircraft do you want to fly? Draw a picture of your favourite aircraft here. Write about your favourite aircraft here. " Little-Sock-R.txt,"Lili Probart Jon Keevy Chani Coetzee It’s wash day for the Socks. OH ""I have to get home,"" NO! says Little Sock. Little Sock falls out! ""Do you know the way home?"" asks Little Sock. ""No, but take this,"" says the Robot. ""Do you know the way home?"" asks Little Sock. ""No, but take this,"" says the Mouse. ""Do you know the way home?"" asks Little Sock. "" No, but take… OOPS!!!"" ""Maybe the marble knows the way home,"" says Little Sock. ""It does!"" says Little Sock. Little Sock is happy. MAKE YOUR OWN LITTLE SOCK Different socks have different personalities, so pick your favourite. YOU WILL NEED: INSTRUCTIONS • a sock Ask your grown-up to sew the buttons • two buttons onto the sock. • a needle and thread • a grown-up to help " A-Calming-Manatee.txt,"I'm a manatee. I'm the most calming creature in the sea. I've also been called the ugliest creature in the sea.* *Rudyard Kipling – The White Seal But that depends... On who you talk to. I like the way I look just fne! And it's far more important how I feel about myself; And how others feel about themselves; Than how others feel about me! I know I'm a bit chubby. But I always have a true smile. And that makes me cute. I know I am calm and caring. And that's more important... Everyone has an opinion. Make sure yours counts! Next time before you say something unkind about someone else; Think about me, and say something kind instead. I'm a calming Manatee, And I'm here, to help you see, that you can be, as kind as me. ...And it's free! THE END " Danny-the-Dragon-.txt,"Danny The Dragon Danny the Dragon blew fire everywhere, Which hissed through the other dragons, right through their hair. But Danny the Dragon – oh, he didn’t care! And the other dragons thought it wasn’t fair. If Danny could blow fire, why couldn’t they? But try as they might, they couldn’t find a way. No fire whooshed out of their nostrils or their mouths, So they’d have to figure another way out. Instead of blowing fire, why couldn’t Danny just burp? Those other dragons – they had a plan that just might work. When Danny came along, burning things away, Those other dragons, they plotted to lead him astray. To a forest they took him, a surprise promised. Where Danny had a meal he very much relished. A meal of mangoes, a most delicious fruit, Tasty to humans, but to dragons – a brute! All of it gone, not a single bit left, The mango juice had done what it did best. Danny could no longer blow fire and burn things. His fire was gone, his best things were now wings. Danny the Dragon cried sadly, ""Why did they do this to me?"" Now all he could do was burp all day, With everyone else laughing away. He flew over and sat in a field of red grass. ""Why are you so sad?"" a voice asked. A head popped up, it was the Chilly Monster. And Danny realized he had been sitting on Chilly’s fur. ""Those other dragons stole my fire,"" Danny said. ""Oh no,"" said Chilly Monster shaking his head. ""That’s not nice of them, why did they do that?"" Danny replied, ""I burnt their fur and hats."" ""I really want my fire back,"" Danny said. ""Eat some chillies, ones that are red."" The monster smiled, picking out some. And Danny ate them, still quite glum. Suddenly, his throat fired up to red-hot. The fire was back! Danny felt better. A lot! Danny blew the Chilly Monster a fiery thanks and flew off. For, no longer did he burp or cough. So the other dragons couldn’t tease him, He had the fire. Once again, he was King! " Why-dont-birds-comb-their-hair_FKB.txt,"Why Don't Birds Comb Their Hair? Why don’t Bulbuls comb their hair? It looks like a little wave. If I had a Bulbul’s hair, I would wear clips. Why don’t Hoopoes comb their hair? It looks like a frilly fan. If I had a Hoopoe's hair, I would push it back with a band. Why don't Spoonbills comb their hair? It looks like an old paintbrush. If I had a Spoonbill's hair, I would plait it all together. Why don’t Monals comb their hair? It looks like a tiny broom. If I had a Monal’s hair, I would tie it up with ribbons. Why don't Fish-Owls comb their hair? It looks like two furry worms. If I had a Fish-Owl’s hair, I would make two ponytails. Why don't Drongos comb their hair? It looks like a messy mop. If I had a Drongo’s hair, I would rub oil and brush it down. Why don’t Hornbills have hair to comb? They look like they are wearing helmets. If I had a Hornbill’s helmet, I would ride around all day. Why don’t Vultures have any hair? They look so bald. If I had a Vulture’s head, I would never have to comb my hair! Himalayan Monal Meet The Birds That Have Funny Hair Eurasian Spoonbill Common Hoopoe Indian Grey Vulture Red-whiskered Bulbul Racket-tailed Drongo Great Indian Hornbill Brown Fish Owl Do birds really have hair? Crests are useful in many ways.They make Some birds look like they have hair on birds look attractive. Some birds can open their heads. But their hair is not like and fold their crests to send signals to ours. Instead, each hair is just a very other birds. Some open their crests when thin feather. A group of such feathers they want to frighten away other birds and is called a crest. animals. The furry worms on the owl’s head are called ear-tufts. They are not really ears, just bits of skin covered with feathers. These help owls hide more easily, making them look like they are part of a tree. The ear-tufts also help them look attractive (to other owls) or scary (to other birds and animals). The hornbill’s helmet is called a casque (rhymes with mask). Like ear-tufts and crests, casques make hornbills look good. This helps them find mates. A hornbill’s casque also makes its beak stronger. With a strong beak, hornbills can pick and eat fruits more easily. " tania-costume-party-.txt,"Tania's Costume Party Tania had just received an invitation. It was for her friend Karishma's birthday party. But this wasn't just any ordinary party. It was a costume party! Tania asked ""Mama, what is a costume party?"" Mama replied ""You have to wear a costume to a costume party. You can dress up as a fictional character like Noddy. Or you can dress up as person belonging to a certain profession, like a doctor or a fireman. Or you can go as a fruit or vegetable like a banana, or as an animal like a cat. You can choose whatever you like, as long as you can make yourself look like it."" ""Oh! So what should I dress up as?"" ""You should think about what you want to go as. Let me know once you decide, and we will figure out how to make the costume together."" ""I can dress up as whatever I feel like?"" asked Tania. ""Yes. I will try my best to figure out a way to make the costume. You can help me. It will be fun."" The next day Tania was at the playground with her friends Tanisha and Sonali. They were discussing the costume party. Sonali said ""I am going to go as a doctor. My papa is a doctor, and I want to be a doctor when I grow up. Papa said I can carry a real stethoscope. He has an extra one. I promised to be very careful with it."" Tanisha said, ""My mama said I should go as a bookworm. I love o read, so she thinks it is a cute idea. She is making the costume for me."" Sonali asked ""Tania what are you going as?"" Tania said ""I have not decided yet. Mama said I can go as anything I like. I love animals, but I can't decide which one I want to go as. Eagles are so majestic, and they fly. So I feel like going as an eagle. But a lion is the king of the forest, and it belongs to the cat family like Kazoo. I can't decide between an eagle and a lion."" That night at dinner Tania told mama of her predicament. She asked mama what she thought would be a better idea: an eagle or a lion? Mama said ""I can help you with either costume, but you have to decide which one you want."" Tania kept oscillating between the two choices. Meanwhile, Tanisha's mother was making great progress with her costume. She made a worm by stuffing a sock with paper. She drew bespectacled eyes, a nose and a mouth with permanent markers. Spectacles are a must have accessory for a book worm. She attached the sock worm to a hair-band so Tanisha could wear it on her head. Tanisha showed it to Tania. Tanisha's mother was also stringing together a garland of books, pamphlets and magazines for her to wear around her neck. Tania thought to herself, ""I better hurry up and decide what I want to go as."" The next day mama gave Tania a book about legendary mythical creatures. Mama hoped the book would help Tania decide what costume she should wear. Tania curiously opened the book and started reading. There were lovely pictures of dragons, mermaids, unicorns, griffins and sphinxes. There was also a brief description of each creature and some information about the origin of the myth. Tania was soon absorbed in the book. By dinner time she had finished reading it. At dinner, Tania said ""Mama, I know why you gave me the book. I know what costume I want to wear. I want to go as a griffin. That way I get to be an eagle and a lion at the same time. Is it a difficult costume to make?"" Mama grinned. ""You are very sharp Tania. We can make the costume. You can wear your brown corduroy pants and white t-shirt. We can make a lions tail with long strands of wool and hang it from the back belt loop of your pants. We can draw paws on chart paper and stick them with tape over your shoes. I can make you an eagle mask and some cardboard eagle wings. How does that sound?"" ""That sounds awesome mama. You are the best. I love you. Thank you for the book. I really liked it. I love animals, but these mythical creatures are really amazing. A griffin is so regal. Can we learn more about griffins tonight? I want to know more about what I am going as. The book also gave me lots of costume ideas for future parties. Next time I can be a mermaid."" Having figured out what costume to wear, Tania skipped off to play with Kazoo. Mama groaned, ""Oh no! Maybe giving Tania that book wasn't one of my better ideas. Most of those costumes are a lot of work. I hope she doesn't get invited to too many costume parties."" " HelloSeal-sightwords-Dec16-.txt,"Hel lo Seal– youl ook so cut e. Wi llyoupl ay wi thme t oday? Hel lof riendl y seal – youl ook so f riendl y. Wi llyoupl ay wi thme t oday? Hel lo el ephantseal , Yournose i sso bi g,can yousmel lwel l? Woul d youl ike t o pl ay wi thme t oday? Hel lo baby seal– you l ook so young and new. Wi llyourMum l etyou pl ay wi thme? Hel lo cur iousseal , Youl ook so cur ious. Whatdo youwantt o ask? And,woul d youl ike t o pl ay t oday? Hel lo spot ty seal– you l ook so spot ty. Wi llyoupl ay wi thme t oday? Hel lor ude seal– youl ook si ll y wi thyourt ongue out . Wi llmy Mum l etme pl ay wi thyout oday? Hel lo fluf fy seal– you l ook so fluf fy! Wi llyoupl ay wi thme t oday? Hel lo shar k, – youl ook fier ce! Idon' tthi nk Ishoul d pl ay wi thyout oday? Hel lo sl eepy seal– you l ook so sl eepy! Shoul d we pl ay,orshoul d we sl eep? I t' sti me f orme t o go t o bed. Goodbye seal s! Ihope we can pl ay agai n t omor row. Mum,can It ake t hissealwi th me t o bed? SIGHT WORDS IN THIS BOOK: will up your you let what play this want with to my me can out look I don't would could should like we go so and for some let again ADJECTIVES IN THIS BOOK: cute new fluffy friendly big fierce sleepy sleep well curious rude sleek silly fierce spotty COMMON VERBS AND NOUNS play today think wake take hope nose baby tomorrow fish young hello elephant ask goodbye bed tongue smell time " CloudsOutMyWindow-NOAA-FKB.txt,"The Clouds Outside My Window The Clouds Outside My Window Whether I’m outdoors or just looking outside, I like to observe the clouds. Each cloud is different and has a different story to tell. In this book, I’ll explain some of the basic cloud types and show you some of the clouds I’ve observed outside my window at the National Weather Service Office in Gray, Maine. I hope this book will encourage you to observe the sky. You may want to take pictures outside your home or school and make a book of your own. If you do, let me know, so I can see the clouds outside your window. -- John Jensenius Meteorologist A Look Out My Window Here’s a look out my window. My office is located across the street from the Pineland Farms Equestrian Center which you’ll see in many of the cloud pictures. (The black silhouette of the hawk keeps birds from flying into my reflective windows) What are clouds made of ? High in the atmosphere where temperatures are very, very cold, most clouds are made of tiny ice crystals. Closer to the ground, the clouds that we see are made of tiny water droplets. How do clouds form? In general, there are two ways clouds form. In both cases, though, the clouds form because the air is cooling. In the atmosphere, rising air cools and sinking air warms. In most cases, the clouds that you see are caused by rising air. How do clouds form? Clouds can also form when the air gets colder for other reasons. This can happen overnight when the air is cooling, or when warm air moves over a cold lake or a snow- covered surface. How are clouds named? Clouds are classified based on how high they are in the sky, whether they are made up of tiny water droplets or ice crystals, their general appearance, and whether they are producing precipitation. On the next few pages, I’ll explain some of the basic terminology used to classify clouds. 7 How are clouds named? Puffy clouds are called cumulus or have the prefix ""cumulo."" Clouds that form a layer are called stratus or have the prefix ""strato."" Clouds that are made up of ice crystals are called cirrus or have the prefix ""cirro."" Clouds that produce precipitation are called nimbus or have the prefix ""nimbo."" How are clouds named? We often need to combine the various cloud terms to accurately describe the clouds we see. For example, puffy clouds are called cumulus; however, if the cumulus clouds form a layer, they are called stratocumulus. If those puffy cumulus clouds grow upward high into the sky and produce rain, they are called cumulonimbus clouds. Types of Low Clouds Stratocumulus LOW Cumulus Stratus Types of Low Clouds Stratus Stratus clouds often form a blanket of low clouds near the ground. They give the sky a dull, gray appearance. Types of Low Clouds Stratus - Fog When stratus clouds form at the ground, we call it fog. If you’ve ever been in fog, you’ve been inside a stratus cloud. Types of Low Clouds Nimbostratus These stratus clouds are producing rain. When rain falls from stratus clouds, the clouds are called nimbostratus clouds. Types of Low Clouds Stratus – Ground Fog Sometimes on clear nights, a thin layer of fog forms in the air just above the ground. We call this ground fog. If you can look over the top of the fog, you’re above a cloud. Types of Low Clouds Cumulus These puffy, low clouds are cumulus clouds. More specifically, they are called cumulus humulus clouds. They have distinct bottoms and edges and often form on sunny days as air rises in the atmosphere. Types of Low Clouds Cumulus These low clouds are also cumulus clouds. In this case, they are called cumulus fractus and have rough edges, look darker, and usually form on sunny, windy days. Types of Low Clouds Stratocumulus When cumulus clouds form a layer, we call them stratocumulus clouds. Because there are breaks between the clouds, we would say this is a broken layer of stratocumulus. Types of Middle Clouds MIDDLE Altocumulus Altostratus Types of Middle Clouds Altocumulus These puffy clouds are also cumulus clouds. However, because they are at mid-levels in the sky, we call them altocumulus clouds. Types of Middle Clouds Altocumulus Altocumulus clouds early on a summer morning could be a clue that there might be thunderstorms later in the day. Types of Middle Clouds Altostratus These mid-level clouds are forming a layer across the sky and are called altostratus clouds. Often, you can see the dim sunshine through altostratus clouds. Types of High Clouds Cirrus HIGH Cirrostratus Cirrocumulus Types of High Clouds Cirrus These wispy, high clouds are cirrus clouds. Cirrus clouds are made up of tiny ice crystals. They sometimes resemble the tails of horses. Types of High Clouds Cirrus Cirrus clouds are caused by moisture high up in the atmosphere. Their stretched appearance is due to the strong winds at those levels. High Clouds – Cirrostratus Cirrus clouds that have formed a layer are called cirrostratus clouds. Sometimes cirrostratus clouds cause a halo around the sun or moon, which can be an indication of an approaching storm. High Clouds – Cirrocumulus Sometimes puffy cumulus clouds form high in the atmosphere. These are called cirrocumulus clouds and are often most visible at sunrise and sunset. High Clouds – Contrails Jets can also cause cirrus clouds to form. The exhaust from the jet engines adds moisture to the air and, under certain conditions, that moisture will form streaks of ice crystals that we call contrails. Vertically-Developed Clouds HIGH MIDDLE LOW ////////////////////// ////////////////////// ////////////////////// ////////////////////// ////////////////////// ////////////////////// ////////////////////// ///////////////////// /////////////// /////////////// Vertically-Developed Clouds Cumulonimbus When cumulus clouds grow high into the atmosphere, they can produce, lightning, thunder and heavy rain. We call thunderstorm clouds cumulonimbus clouds. Colors In The Sky Colors In The Sky Sunlight is made up of all different colors of light. Some particles in the atmosphere, such as raindrops and ice crystals, act as prisms and separate the sun’s light into the various colors. Other particles cause certain colored light to be scattered in many different directions. Why is the sky blue? When sunlight strikes tiny particles high in the sky, the blue portion of the sun’s light is scattered in all directions. Because we see the blue light that is scattered toward us from all over the sky, the sky looks blue. Sunrise Colors Sunrises and sunsets are red, orange, and yellow for the same reason that the sky is blue. Because the sun’s light must travel through more atmosphere at sunrise and sunset, the violet, blue, and green light gets scattered in other directions by particles in the atmosphere, leaving only the red, orange and yellow light. Sunrise Colors Sometimes, high- and mid-level clouds reflect the yellow, orange, and red light from the sun at sunrise or sunset. Sunset Colors Clouds at sunset are colored for the same reason as they are at sunrise. Beautiful sunsets often occur when the sky to the west is clearing. In this case, there were clouds overhead and rain (and a rainbow) just to the east. Rainbows Rainbows are caused when raindrops act like little prisms and separate the sun’s light into the various colors that we see as a rainbow. For the main rainbow, the red is on the outside, followed by orange, yellow, green, and blue, indigo, and violet (if visible). Rainbows In some cases, the raindrops can cause a secondary rainbow. In this case, the secondary rainbow is barely visible. The colors are reversed for secondary rainbows, and the sky between rainbows is darker than either side. Sundogs Ice crystals can also act as prisms to separate the sun’s light. In this case, ice crystals have created a sundog in the sky. Sundogs can occur on one or both sides of the sun when the sun is near sunrise or sunset. Sundogs If we take a closer look, we see that the red light is closest to the sun followed by orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. Iridescence Thin clouds composed of tiny water droplets or ice crystals can also cause iridescence. This typically occurs near the sun and is often difficult to see. Now It’s Your Turn ! So, that’s a quick look at some of the clouds and colorful skies outside my window during this past year. I’d like to see the clouds outside your window. If you make a book of the clouds outside your window and post it on the web, please let me know and send me a link! If you have any comments or suggestions, please email: John.Jensenius@noaa.gov More Information NWS Jetstream Online School for Weather (Clouds) NOAA/NASA Cloud Chart The GLOBE Program – Clouds Story Book Students' Cloud Observations On-Line (S'COOL) Template to create your own book: The Clouds Outside My Window The End " kali-wants-to-dance.txt,"Kali Wants to Dance In the fishing village of Kovalam, Kali Veerapathiran is a hero. Not because he is an actor. Not because he has fought off villains. He’s a hero because he learnt to dance. It's the year 2000 and Kali is eight years old. Like many boys, he goes to school, plays with his friends, watches TV. Unlike many boys, Kali also dances. Kali loves to watch Padmini dance on TV. She is a famous actor and a fantastic dancer. He pretends to wear a salangai (ankle bells) and dances Bharatanatyam, just like her. Thari thana jonnu thimi Thaka thari kita thaka Thathinginathom Thathinginathom Thathinginathom . Kali becomes such a good dancer that his teachers ask him to perform at school programmes. Soon, he is known in the little fishing village as a Bharatanatyam dancer. One day, Sarah Chanda, who manages a hospital in Chennai, sees him perform on stage.Ditheiyum tha thaa thei, Ditheiyum tha thaa thei She's astonished to see such a talented boy, and is moved that he’s gotten so far by himself. ""Would you like to learn Bharatanatyam in Kalakshetra?"" she asks him after the performance. Kali laughs at first. Dance? The Dalit community rarely had the opportunity to learn, let alone master, Bharatanatyam. In Kali’s family, there is never enough money to spare for dance classes. And who has heard of boys dancing for a living? But Sarah is serious. ""You must learn Bharatanatyam in a proper school, Kali,"" she says. ""I will pay your fees."" Sarah arranges for Kali to visit Kalakshetra, one of the best dance schools in the country. It is a beautiful place in Chennai with lots of trees. Leela Samson, the head of Kalakshetra who is also a renowned Bharatanatyam dancer, tells Kali to perform for them. Kali ties a saree crookedly over his trousers and dances to a film song. The teachers think he has the makings of a classical dancer. But Kali can’t decide what he wants to be when he grows up. Should he be an actor, a Collector, a teacher, a biotechnologist, or a dancer? His friends and family don’t really help. ""Who has ever learnt dance and made any money afterwards? It’s a waste of time!"" growls Kali’s maama. ""Only girls dance! You’ll become girlish,"" his friends tease him. Amma asks Kali what his heart wants. ""Do you love dancing? Does it make you feel good? Is that what you want to do always?"" ""Yes! Dance is all that and more for me, Amma,"" he replies. ""Then don’t listen to anyone. If it makes you happy, learn dancing."" As usual, Amma has all the answers. So after his final school exams, Kali begins to learn three kinds of folk dances at DakshinaChitra. Oyilaatam Dimtha nakadi naka dhina dhina Dimtha nakadi naka dhina dhina Thapattam Tha kukuku tha kukuku tha kukuku thaa tha Tha kukuku tha kukuku tha kukuku thaa tha Karagattam Datta daguna, daguna Datta daguna, daguna Next month, Kali begins learning Bharatanatyam at Kalakshetra. The first few days in school arescary and quiet. When the work gets too much, and his legs hurt, he cries to Amma. ""Do you want to herd buffaloes?"" Amma asks him sternly. ""No!"" ""Then go back and do your best."" Kali begins to adjust to this new world. He makes friends. When language is a problem – not all his classmates know Tamil – Kali speaks using mudras. ""Did you go home for the holidays?"" ""Have you eaten?"" At Kalakshetra, he becomes a skilful dancer. He becomes lean and fit and full of energy. He can now dance for hours. He learns Carnatic music as well. He makes many friends among the students who have come from all over the country and the world. They share their hopes, dreams, and even the food they bring from their homes! Kali starts getting invitations to perform all across India and the world. He travels by bus, train and aeroplane to many places. His akkas tease him. ""Do you remember you could not even sit in a bus without throwing up?"" Kali laughs as well. It is true. As a child, he would carry a lemon and a plastic bag with him on bus rides. As the years pass, Kali wins awards for his performances. He starts a dance school called Koothambalam in Kovalam. Now, Kali is ready for another performance. He puts on his make-up carefully. He wears his costume with ease. The velvet curtain goes up. Kali begins to dance. Kali the dancer At the age of 25, Kali Veerapathiran is perhaps the only male dancer who has mastered the classical dance form Bharatanatyam, as well as three ancient Tamil folk dance forms, according to The People’s Archive of Rural India. Born in Kovalam, a struggling fishing village not far from Chennai in Tamil Nadu, Kali lost his father very young. It was his mother Ellamalli Veerapathiran, a construction labourer, who worked doubly hard to raise him and his many siblings. Sarah Chanda who is a member of the managing committee of Gremaltes Hospital in Chennai, sponsored his education at Kalakshetra, India’s premier dance school. He has also studied at DakshinaChitra under Kannan Kumar. Having completed his PG Diploma in dance, Kali has started Koothambalam, a dance school in Kovalam. Kali was featured in a documentary film by the People’s Archive of Rural India; many newspapers and TV channels have carried his interviews. He’s won awards for his dance, including the Music Academy’s ‘Spirit of Youth’ award. About The People’s Archive of Rural India (PARI) The People’s Archive of Rural India is a living journal on, and an archive of, the world’s mostcomplex countryside. The Founder-Editor P. Sainath and his team, including an army of volunteers, hope to document the stories of 833 million people speaking well over 700 languages. PARI is also writing the textbooks of the future. That’s happening with the numerous stories, photos, videos and audio material going up on the site " my-best-friend_FKB.txt,"My Best Friend I have a friend. She lives in my house. When I am happy, so is she. When I cry, she cries too. But I cannot hear her voice. My friend lives inside the mirror. ""Come out,"" I tell her, ""we will play."" She does not come out. I am not happy. I go to sleep. She comes out of the mirror in my sleep! And we have fun. We play, we run, we shout and scream together. When I talk to her, she also talks to me. In the morning, my friend will go back into the mirror. But I don't mind at all. We will play again in my dreams! " Bees-Like-Flowers-.txt,"Bees LIKE Flowers Rebecca Bielawski MUMMY NATURE SERIES Nurturing children's curiosity by Rebecca Bielawski Each book in the series is one mini nature lesson wrapped up in colour and rhyme. These books are intended for very young children including toddlers and will give them just a glimpse into some of the wonders of the natural world around them. Illustrated for maximum vibrancy and visual impact, using rhyme to engage young minds and encourage participation. Bees like Flowers Rebecca Bielawski Meet Bacteria! ©2014 Rebecca Bielawski All rights reserved Bees like flowers, Look! A buzzy bee! Sometimes they sting people, But they never sting me. You see, she's got a fluffy body, But, don't touch her cos she might... Get you with her stinger, Cos you've given her a fright. I don't bother them – they're working, I just watch them do their thing. They walk around on flowers, And stick their little faces in. Bees like flowers, That are growing in the ground. Bright colours bring them closer, And keep them buzzing round. Bees like flowers, And the nectar that's so sweet. But, when they fly away, Something sticks on to their feet. It's pollen and it's yellow, Look, it's sticking to the bee. She takes it to another flower, Or the blossoms of a tree. So, flowers like bees too, ""Thank you bees,"" they say. They help to spread the pollen, And make new flowers far away. This is called a beehive, The bees call it their home. The queen lays her eggs in there, Inside the honeycomb. Bees use the nectar, To make honey in the hive, They feed it to the babies, When they finally arrive. Yummy, runny honey, made by our friends the bees, They might give you a little bit... If you would just say, ""please"". So, that's why bees like flowers, And that's why... The End Insect Bodies Insects have 6 legs. Count my legs. Insects have 3 parts to their bodies. Count my body parts. Am I an insect? Flower Names Sunflower Poppy Daisy Can you find them in the story? The first book of Mummy Nature " Pepper_and_Carrot_Comic_Episode_02-2_FKB.txt,"Pepper and Carrot's home. Pepper is cooking something up. Carrot is curious. Pepper is putting away the potions. (Someone else is still watching). Ohhh, Ahhh.....Colours... A -rainbow- dream! Mi - ooww – don't be caught....don't be caught... Phew! Got it!! Hey guys, look - magic potion!!! Yay!! Rainbow dream team coming up... Smells bad, but it'll be so worth it, bottoms up team! Phooeeeyy, splaaah, - Dogs br*&th... ...What the.... – c**n*p! ... La, la-la, la. I so love my rainbow bubble potions. -THE END - " Learn_Music_1_Beats_and_tone.txt,"Music is all about beat and tone. 1 and 2 and... Beats are as simple as counting. C, F, E, D, A, D, C, F 1 and 2 and Tone can be learned like ABCs. C, F, E, D, A, D, C, F 1 and 2 and Let's start with learning beats or rhythm. In music a 4/4 bar has four quarter beats. Or it can have 8 eighth beats. Or it can have 16 sixteenth beats. It also has 2 half beats. How many whole beats? Yes, a whole beat is 4 counts in 4/4. Can you see the pattern? Eighth notes quarter notes half notes whole notes Let's recap 4/4: whole is four counts Half is two counts, Quarter is one count, Eighth is half count And so on. A rest is a pause, where there is no beat. Whenever there is no beat there must be a rest! Dotted notes add half a note again and tied notes link. Extension: Sometimes these notes are called Semi Breve - whole Minum – ½ - half Crotchet – ¼ - quater Quaver – 1/8 eighth Semi quaver – 1/16 - sixteenth Different rhythms have different numbers of notes in a bar. Can you clap these rhythms in 4/4? Here are some tricky rhythms to clap. Can you see the pattern? (Hint – the bottom number is the type of beat) C, F, E, D, A, D, C, F 1 and 2 and Lets learn about tone. The natural notes are named like the alphabet. A, B, C, D, E, F G, only 7, then we start at A. On a piano the natural notes ( ) are the white keys. The other notes are called sharps (#) or fats ( ). On a piano the sharps and fats are the black keys. Sharps and fats relate to the natural C# = D That is, sharps and fats have two names C# = D The jump from A to A again is called an Octave. An octave contains all the notes we have. For traditional music that's 12 notes all together! 7 naturals 5 accidentals (sharp or fat) Each octave repeats at higher or lower pitches. How many octaves can you count here? STAVE / STAFF TREBLE BASS CLEF CLEF To write down music we use clefs and staves. Each line on the staff is one natural note. The sharp and fat notes are you guessed it # or . Can you see why sometimes a # or can be better? b C D E F G A B C tone tone ½ tone tone tone tone ½ tone A scale is a series of tones or half tones in an octave. C D E F G A B C A scale with all 12 notes is a chromatic scale. C D E F G A B C Chromatic scales have only half tones. C Major A minor Other scales can be major or minor. C Major b C D E F G A B C tone tone ½ tone tone tone tone ½ tone Major keys are happy sounding. A minor tone ½tone tone tone ½tone tone tone Minor keys are sad sounding. C Major A minor The easiest scales are C major and A minor. C major and A minor don't have any sharps of fats. Finger: 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 Try to play these scales on a keyboard (real or online). Can you hum along? Note the different sound Now try this tune, do you recognise it? C, F, E, D, A, D, C, F 1 and 2 and Congratulations, now you can play music! Glossary Scale Clef Note Sharp Flat Natural Accidental Tone Beat Quarter note Eighth note Half Note Whole note Time signature Major Minor Octave Bar C, F, E, D, A, D, C, F 1 and 2 and Resources and Activities Check out The Captain Uke's Glockenspiel Book, you should be able to play all the tunes in the book now: The Kaptain Uke Glockenspiel Book - Simple tunes for all ages Try writing your own music with MuseScore: A free program, and really easy to use: The piano or keyboard is a great starting point for music, and can be easily learn try some simple tunes using two hands next. Once you know rhythm and how to read music, you can try any instrument out, contact a local music school or business to see if you can hire an instrument you might like to learn. " God-and-my-Pencil-.txt,"God and my Pencil bject lessons with Be-Me With a pencil I draw a picture of a heart. It reminds me to show love. With my pencil I draw many things that I’m thankful for. I pretend my pe n c i l is a microphone and I sing a song about Jesus. With my pencil I write a letter to Mom and Dad to show them appreciation. I use my pencil to make invitation cards for a Praise Party. With my pencil I write the things that I want to remember to pray for. When I have a problem and I don’t know what to do, I use my pencil to write to tell God about it. I line up all my pencils to spell out the word ""GOD"". I use my pencil to tell others about God’s love. With my pencil I make Christmas cards to remind others that it’s Jesus’ birthday. I can use my pencils to make finger puppets and tell a Bible story. Can you think of more things to do with a pencil ? j En eo y bject lessons withBe-Me m o r God and my Pencil God and my Car God and my Hat God and my Flower God and my Shoe God and my Cake God and my Balloon God and my Flashlight " the-three-doof-doofs_english_20170320-bedtime-story.txt,"What is that?! What is that doof-doof-doof noise? A cat? A mouse? A visitor in the house? No, it’s something even furrier than a cat, even cuter than a mouse, and much tinier than you and me. It’s the three Doof-Doofs. These sweet creatures have only one foot each to hop on. And each hop makes a thumping doof-doof on the floor. a h hhh uhh Here is Solly Doof, the smart one, who is always thinking looooong and loud. He uhhs and ahhs and doof-doofs all night long. He reads daytime stories to the other Doof-Doofs, because unlike you and me, that is when they sleep. Thinky, stinky Solly Doof prefers reading over bathing any time. And here is Sally Doof, the smallest and sweetest Doof-Doof of the three. In a little quiet voice she sings doobee-doobee Doof-Doof songs, when it gets a bit too quiet in the night. She likes finding shiny things and cuddles. Snuggly, huggly Sally Doof who loves to sing. clink clank clu nk Don’t forget Silly Doof, the funniest Doof-Doof Wiggly, giggly Silly Doof will make you laugh in the house. He is always joking. until your tummy hurts. He cheers up the other Doof-Doofs whenever they feel sad. hahaha hah a! He loves to dance on his big silly foot, to the songs that Sally Doof sings. So, if at night you ever hear a strange doof-doof noise again, remember, it’s just the three Doof-Doofs, reading, singing and dancing on their one doof-doof foot. So sleep well, little one. Or keep one eye open... Because maybe, just maybe, you’ll see three cute little creatures hopping past on one foot, going doof-doof-doof. " avani-and-the-pea-plant-pratham-fkb.txt,"Avani and the Pea Plant One day, Avani was sitting at the kitchen table, watching her mother cook. Amma got the cooker ready. ""Avani, please give me the peas,"" Amma said. Avani took a bowl of dried peas from the kitchen table and gave it to Amma. One pea fell out of the bowl. Avani and Amma did not see it! The pea bounced on the table, onto the floor... ... and rolled under the table. Chikki the cat found it. She pushed it. She pawed at it. She tried to lick it. The pea rolled to the kitchen door. Chikki pushed it again. It rolled out... ... into the garden. A mynah saw the pea. She pecked at it with her beak. But it was too hard. She pecked at it again. With a jump, the pea landed on the soil, near a tomato plant. An earthworm popped out of the ground. It looked at the pea, but did not find it interesting. It popped back into the ground. Now there was a hole in the ground! The pea slipped into the hole, and got covered by loose mud. It rested in the cool, dark mud. The days passed. The rains came. The pea got wet. It swelled, and it swelled a little more. It grew a tail... ... and a crown. The crown shot out of the ground, and tried to reach for the sun. It grew taller... and taller... and taller! Avani saw it when she was playing in the garden. ""Amma! Look here!"" she said. ""A pea plant!"" said Amma. Both of them looked at the pea plant. They were surprised. ""Did you plant it?"" Amma asked Avani. ""No Amma, did you not sow it?"" asked Avani. ""Then, who did it?"" they wondered. ""Who planted it?"" You and I know, don’t we? Try it yourself! 1. Plant a seed in a small pot and water it every day. 2. Does it grow if you keep the pot in a dark and cool place? 3. Many sprouted seeds and grains are very good for our health. Which sprouts do you like to eat? " 020-HECTOR-THE-HERMIT-CRAB-Free-Childrens-Book-By-Monkey-Pen.txt,"As Hector the Hermit Crab crawled along the sandy shallows of the lagoon, he noticed a strange shadow form across the small hills and valleys of the sand. It got bigger, and bigger ... and bigger! ""What a great catch!"" Larry yelled to the others in the boat. ""We now have over 100 hermit crabs, 50 starfish, and who knows how many snails to sell to the pet shop. Let’s go and deliver our precious cargo."" About one week later, Tammy and Jimmy were shopping with their mom at a new plaza that had just opened in their town. It was a nice plaza and built just across the street from a small beach, a lagoon, and the big, blue, beautiful ocean. They liked to shop with their mom, but today was different. All of the stores were new and their mom was shopping for a special gift and had told them that they couldn’t buy anything. They weren’t bored, but they were definitely not happy. Jimmy mumbled as they walked ... ""another shoe store, oh look – more dresses, pots and pans, just what I need."" ""Jimmy,"" Tammy said. ""It’s hard enough as it is without listening to you complain. I don’t like being here any more than you, but you don’t hear me grumbling."" ""What are you doing now?"" Jimmy asked. Their mom smiled and just kept on walking through the maze of stores. ""We’re almost there,"" she said. ""Almost where?"" asked Tammy. ""Almost at another shoe store."" blurted Jimmy. ""Actually,"" their mom said. ""I was thinking of the new pet shop. It’s supposed to be the best in the area. It has a giant aquarium with all kinds of fish, even a shark. There are birds, dogs, cats, lizards and more. It’s almost like a zoo. I thought you two could spend some time there while I got that special gift."" Well, this changed everything. Tammy and Jimmy were now excited and couldn’t wait to get to the pet shop. As they went around the next corner - there it was. A huge door with a giant sign … ""The Amazing Animal Emporium"". As they walked through the door, they couldn’t believe their eyes. There, right in the middle of the store, was an aquarium that was bigger than any swimming pool they had ever seen. They walked around and peered into the water and saw all sorts of creatures. ""Look at all the clown fish,"" Tammy said. ""Well, they better swim fast. Look at that shark!"" Jimmy replied. Oh, they were amazed!!! There seemed to be every type of fish and sea creature right in the middle of the store. This truly was an amazing pet shop. ""Let’s see what else is here,"" yelled Jimmy as he walked off to explore. They were amazed at the animals that were for sale and each type of animal had its own room. The door with the sign ""Slithers"" had all sorts of snakes. ""The Pond"" had frogs, toads, and giant dragonflies. ""Arachnoland"" had spiders and ""Chirps"" had hundreds of different birds. There were rooms for cats, dogs, hogs, and more. ""I wonder what’s in ‘Little Critters’."" Tammy said. ""There’s only one way to find out."" Jimmy replied as they walked in together. As they looked at all the small and sometimes unusual animals. They were amazed that people had these as pets. There were mice, chipmunks, moles, starfish, snails, clams, beetles, and all things small. ""Look at this,"" squealed Tammy. ""A hermit crab."" ""Cool!"" replied Jimmy. Although the crab didn’t do much, they watched with fascination as it crawled over the sand and rocks. Once in a while, it would start to come out of its shell and then quickly pop back in and cover its face with its giant claw. ""He’s looking for a new and bigger shell for his home,"" said their mom. ""I’m glad I was able to find you two, this place is big."" Tammy looked at the crab and said ""Bye, Hector. We’ll miss you."" Jimmy waved to him and turned to walk away. As the three were leaving, they heard a tapping on the glass. ""I don’t believe this,"" said their mom. ""That crab is saying good-bye to you two. I guess we’ll just have to buy him and have a new pet."" Now the fun began. They had the sales-person get Hector (since Tammy already named him) and put him into a box. Then they bought him a new cage, hermit crab bedding, several shells, a swimming pool, water dish, special food, some rocks, and everything Hector needed to be at home – in their home. Tammy and Jimmy took excellent care of Hector and their mom was happy to see that they were so responsible with their little friend. But as time passed, Hector seemed to be less and less happy. After all, no matter how nice his human friends were, he didn’t have any friends of his own kind. Hector missed his family and the open spaces of the lagoon that he was accustomed to. One morning, Jimmy and Tammy decided that although Hector was a good pet, he deserved things they couldn’t give him. ""Mom,"" Tammy asked from across the room. ""Can we let Hector go?"" ""Don’t you like him any more?"" she inquired. ""Of course we do,"" said Jimmy. ""But he isn’t happy here and setting him free would be the best for him."" ""Hmm,"" their mom thought. ""Tammy and Jimmy are very unselfish and very smart. I am so proud of them."" Later that day, their mom took Tammy, Jimmy, Hector, and all of Hectors’ things to the lagoon across from the plaza. Tammy carefully took Hector from his cage and placed him in the sand next to the shallows. Jimmy put his swimming pool and rocks in the sand and their mom placed his food dish securely between two rocks. As they left with the empty cage, they thought they heard a faint tapping on a rock. They turned to see Hector and several other hermit crabs slowly crawling into the shallows. A true act of love is ensuring that everyone is happy. " Tigers.txt,"Tigers Tigers are big cats that live in the wild. Have you seen a tiger at the zoo? What do you know about tigers? Baby tigers are called cubs. When cubs are born, they are blind and helpless. Cubs grow quickly and spend lots of time play fighting with their brothers and sisters. The mother takes care of her cubs and teaches them how to hunt. The cubs leave home when they are around two years old. Tigers are carnivores, which means they eat meat. A full grown tiger eats thirty to forty pounds of meat a day. Tigers are the heaviest cats found in the wild. They can weigh up to 660 pounds. Tigers have large, sharp teeth that help them hunt and eat. They hunt at night when it’s easier to sneak up on their prey. Tigers live in the jungle or the forest so they can hide in the plants and trees and sneak up on their prey. Tigers always live close to water. Most cats don’t like to swim, but tigers do. They can swim up to four miles. Tigers cool off by laying in a pool of water. Most tigers have over 100 stripes. The stripes help the tiger hide in the jungle and forest. Tigers can be orange, white or golden. White and golden tigers are rare and are found mostly in zoos. Next time you go to the zoo, visit the tigers and watch them eat, sleep and play! " where-do-my-thoughts-go-FKB.txt,"Where Do My Thoughts Go? Where do my thoughts go? Do they plip-plop or do they thump-thump when they walk? Do they spin and spin and spin with the fan and get di-diz-dizzy? Do they ride on a paper plane to go play with the clouds? Do they sleep like Raasu all day long when they eat too much? Do they hide inside Mumma’s bag and secretly go to work with her? Do they tiptoe around the house looking for a treat? Do they grow up to be tomatoes if Papa plants them in the soil? Do they glow when the stars come out? But wait, I can’t find my thoughts! Did they hide under my bed because they are scared of the dark? ""Be brave!"" I think. ""It's okay. It's just a little dark."" I go to bed. They come out and curl up in my head. My thoughts go zzzzzzzzz with me. " 028-THE-WAY-OF-THE-WOODS-Free-Childrens-Book-By-Monkey-Pen.txt,"Many years ago, deep in the North Woods, lived a great bear named Paw-Paw. He was the strongest and bravest bear alive and respected by all the forest creatures. One day, all the animals gathered together to discuss some changes in the woods. A new animal that walked on two legs and was covered in strange fur was making its home nearby. They needed a leader and could think of no one better than Paw-Paw. They all marched to Paw-Paws’ cave and asked if he would be the king of the forest. Paw-Paw was thrilled and even though he didn’t know what being a king was all about, he gladly accepted. Paw-Paw then said ""I will need some helpers and I want Crowly Crow and Willard Weasel to be my advisors."" Well, Crowly and Willard were honored, and both agreed to work with King Paw-Paw. One day, Slither, the snake visited King Paw-Paw and told him of a strange animal he saw close by. Paw-Paw asked, ""Where did you see this animal?"" Slither replied. ""It lives with the strange, two- legged creature at the edge of our woods."" Paw-Paw thought for a moment and said. ""Willard and Crowly - go to the edge of the woods and see what this animal is."" Within moments, his two helpers were on their way. Some time later, Willard and Crowly returned and excitedly told King Paw-Paw that there was indeed a strange animal at the edge of the woods. It was small, maybe the size of Bobby Beaver, and it had a strange, barking voice instead of a yelp or a howl. All three sat for a long time thinking about the strange newcomer that lived so close to their woods. Finally, King Paw-Paw said, ""We must go and meet this animal."" All three got up and left King Paw-Paws’ cave. In a short while, they were at the edge of the woods watching the strange animal. King Paw-Paw said, ""Willard, go to the animal and ask what he is and why there is a rope tied around his neck."" Without hesitation, Willard scampered across the field and hid behind some piled wood close to the strange animal. ""Psst!"" said Willard. The strange animal looked around. ""Psst! I am over here behind the woodpile,"" Willard said in a louder voice. The strange animal stretched the rope as far as it would go but not being able to see who was speaking said, ""Please come out so that I can see you. My master isn’t around."" Willard came out slowly from behind the woodpile and cautiously approached the strange animal. ""What type of an animal are you?"" asked Willard. ""I am a dog. And my name is Dillard."" He replied. ""And what are you?"" he then asked. ""Me … I am Willard, the Weasel representing King Paw-Paw, ruler of the forest."" ""Why are you bound to that stake in the ground?"" asked Willard. ""My master keeps me tied so I cannot go into the woods,"" replied Dillard. ""No animal should be tied,"" Willard shouted. ""I shall bite through the rope to set you free. You can then come into the woods and live with me."" In one mighty bite, Willard set Dillard free. Then the two of them ran across the field and into the woods. After Willard introduced Dillard to King Paw-Paw and Crowly, they all left. When they got to the center of the woods, King Paw-Paw introduced Dillard to all the other forest creatures. Dillard especially liked meeting Wayne Wolf and Carl Coyote who seemed to be his cousins. As the summer passed, King Paw-Paw fattened himself on berries and salmon, Dillard and Willard became good friends. One day, Willard sniffed the air. Oh, what a marvelous smell was being carried on the breeze. ""Chicken eggs … Fresh chicken eggs,"" Willard thought to himself. ""I must find them and have a snack."" In seconds, he was off running through the woods and following his nose to his favorite treat. His nose lead him to the strange creature’s house, where he had first met Dillard. He looked around … All was clear. He followed the wonderful smell of eggs into a strange cave. He looked around and couldn’t believe his eyes. There were chicken eggs, hundreds of chicken eggs all around him. As he reached for an egg, a chicken saw him and sounded the alarm. Soon all the chickens were clucking, squawking, and making a fuss. Then he heard something behind him. As he turned, he saw the strange creature that lived there. The one that Dillard called master. There was no escape and Willard was terrified. The strange creature looked at Willard and said, ""You varmint! You are the weasel that set Dillard free. Why I ought to …"" But before he could finish Willard yelled out. ""Wait! Don’t do anything to me."" ""I can return Dillard to you. Just let me pass and Dillard will be back in a very short time."" The strange creature stepped aside and let Willard free. When Willard returned to the woods, he ran to his friend. ""Dillard! Quick follow me. I need your help."" Well, Dillard didn’t hesitate to help his friend and off they ran- with Willard in the lead. As they crossed the field, Dillard stopped. ""What’s wrong?"" asked Willard. ""My master lives there and I am afraid to go any further."" Dillard replied. ""Don’t worry,"" said Willard. ""Your master is not there."" Again, Dillard followed Willard right into the cave with all the chickens. In a flash, the master had a rope around Dillard’s neck. He then looked at the weasel, tossed him an egg, and said ""Thank you for returning my dog."" Willard left for the woods without saying a word. Dillard remained with the farmer, making sure no weasel or any other varmint ever bothered his livestock. " 046-UP-AND-DOWN-AND-ALL-AROUND-Free-Childrens-Book-By-Monkey-Pen.txt,"I am Freddie and I just learned something. No matter where you are: Look up. Look down. Look all around. You never know what you may see. And it helps us be safe, yep-you and me. There I was, just walking down the street. Not paying attention and staring at my feet. Step one, step two, step three, and four. I walked into an open door. I did not look up, and now I am sad. Free Ice Cream - read the sign - For Any Lad. Step five, step six, step seven, and eight. Where am I at, I went through the wrong gate. I did not look right. But if I had. I would have seen Sally flying a kite with her dad. Who looks left? What is there to see? Only a Circus Parade and a monkey in a tree. I turned around and took one step. Into a puddle, and now I am wet. Look up. Look down. Look all around. You will not miss a thing and be safe and sound. " 7-colours-of-a-rainbow-African-Storybook.txt,"7 Colours of a Rainbow What are the 7 colours of a rainbow? 1. Red He wears a red shirt. 2. Orange What is orange in this picture? 3. Yellow What is yellow in this picture? 4. Green What is green in this picture? 5. Blue What is blue in this picture? 6. Indigo What is indigo in this picture? 7. Violet Violet is the best colour! What colour do you like? What are the 7 colours of a rainbow? " Collection_3-12_single_page_stories-Blank_space_for_a_boys_name-ClarkNess-FKB.txt,"This Story Astronaut Bear Cat Lover Dog Lover ""I want to be an Blair went for a walk and Blair is a cat lover. Blair is a dog lover. astronaut,"" said Blair. met a happy bear. She loves cats. She loves dogs. ""I want to go out in The bear wore boots, mittens, and a stocking She loves big cats. She loves big dogs. space."" She loves little cats. She loves little dogs. hat. ""It would be neat to go ""It must be a cold day,"" She loves pretty cats. She loves pretty dogs. to the Moon."" said Blair. She loves ugly cats. She loves ugly dogs. ""It would neat to go to ""Yes, it is,"" said the Mars."" Blair loves all cats. Blair loves all dogs. bear. " Everything-Looks-New.txt,"Everything looks new! Today is Vasant Panchami. My parents say it is the first day of spring. Spring is the season between winter and summer. It is called Vasant Ritu in Sanskrit. In many parts of India, people pray to the goddess of learning, music and art on this day. Many birds are sitting on the tree near my house. I think they are singing to me. The leaves on the tree are new and shiny. Just like my new frock. Amma is also wearing a yellow sari ― such a pretty colour ‘basanti’, and such a pretty name! Grandpa wants me to plant a tree. ""But why?"" I ask. ""So that you will have a friend to grow up with, Meenu,"" he says. ""Spring is a good season to start something new."" We go to the garden. Grandpa and I dig a hole in the ground and plant a sapling. ""How tall will it grow?"" I ask him. ""Wait and watch, dear Meenu!"" he says. The squirrels are chasing each other. Tingu, the cat, chases a squirrel. And I want to chase Tingu. The garden is full of flowers. I like the yellow roses the best and Grandpa likes the white jasmine.There is a carpet of leaves under some trees. Many trees have flowers. I like spring! Everything looks so pretty in spring! Tomorrow is Holi. School is closed for two days. We have made a huge Holika with twigs, and pieces of wood. Some of us went to the forest and brought tesu flowers. Manu put the flowers in a tank of water. The water has turned a bright orange! Tomorrow we will play Holi with the orange water. We will get gujia and puris to eat. Spring is such a happy season. It is not cold, it is not hot, and it is not wet. I can play all the time! " tell-me-now-good-for-you-pratham-FKB.txt,"Tell me now! - 'Good For You' Why should I go to school every day? It is good for you. Why should I have a bath every day? It is good for you. Why should I not play in the sun? It is not good for you. Why should I not stay up late? It is not good for you. Why should I sleep every day? Your body needs rest. Why should I listen to you? You know why. " Bullying-advice-from-Supercow.txt,"Bullying Guidance for Kids Bullying happens when someone hurts someone else on purpose. Bullying can affect anyone, anytime or place. ALL bullying is wrong!! Other People's Feelings It's not nice to make other people feel bad, just the same way we don't want someone to make us feel bad. DO: Play nicely, treat others nicely, share, compliment, make others happy. DON'T: Hurt other kids, call names, whisper, tease, hit/kick/pinch, hurt others feelings, or ignore others by not asking them to join in activities. We're all the Same, in that, We're all Different! NO BETTER, NO WORSE! Just DIFFERENT. Just because someone is different doesn't mean that they are better or worse than the rest of us – it's differences that make us more interesting! We all have special talents, all of us, and no one should be picked on because they seem different or not as good at something, or because they have special needs. And, remember also, we're all the same in that no one wants to be hurt, no one wants to feel bad, left out, or picked on. Support Your Friends If a child in your school is being bullied, tell someone, a friend, parent, or teacher. And be nice to them, make sure you and your friends support them and they feel welcome. Set an example, don't hurt others, be kind to others. Don't support a bully or anyone who hurts others, make it clear to them it's NOT okay. Being Bullied Bullies are looking for your response; whenever you can, ignore the bully: – walk away, don't say anything, don't let them get to you. Find other friends: Remember, you're perfect the way you are, and there are always plenty of good people that will accept and love you, just as you are. Tell a friend, teacher, or parent straight away, don't be afraid, because bullying is wrong, no matter what, and must be stopped. Being a Bully Sometimes we feel hurt by others, or we may feel not as good as someone else, and this makes us want to hurt someone else to make us feel better. This is the worst thing that we can do to ourselves and for those around us. Making others feel bad is not a way to make ourselves look better or feel better. Hurting someone because we are being hurt is equally wrong, if we're being hurt by someone we need to tell someone about it. Finding a friend and someone to support us the way we are is the best way to feel better about ourselves, and the best way to find a friend is to be a friend! Free Kids Books Advice on Bullying DON'T BE A BULLY Kids that bully hurt other kids on purpose. Bullying is very bad. Bullying can hurt people with: ✗ Words, teasing, calling them names, saying unkind things about them; ✗ Or by actions, hitting, pushing, kicking, pinching, throwing objects; ✗ Or by ignoring them and leaving them out of activities. ✗ BULLYING Dos and Don'ts Do be nice Don't hurt What Cool Kids Do What Cool Kids Don't ●Cool Kids are nice to others ●Cool Kids don't bully! by caring, sharing, helping, ●Cool Kids don't hurt other and putting others first; kids on purpose; ●Cool kids support all types ●Cool Kids don't judge of kids no matter what their others; differences or abilities; ●Cool kids don't let others ●Cool kids think about other bully or be bullied; people's feelings; ●Cool kids aren't mean to ●Cool kids support kids who others. are being bullied. Make the bullying pledge: ""I promise never to bully or be with someone who bullies others. If I see someone being bullied, I will help them by telling an adult. I promise never to hit, push, or say unkind words to hurt someone on purpose."" ________________________________________________ Name Date Signed Bullying Guidance for Parents Bullying is best defined as discrimination by a stronger entity against a weaker entity. Although usually involving children, bullying has no limits of age, creed, or race, and can affect anyone. Recognition Generally, a child will not not tell anyone they are being bullied, often until it is too late, especially not an adult, unless there has been a prior relationship of trust built up. Some incidents of bullying in teenage years have resulted in death and suicide, and yet the child was still too afraid to speak out. Many teenagers and middle-graders will have mood swings, but it is really important as a parent, caregiver or concerned adult friend, that you monitor any out of character mood changes, or behavior changes and speak to the child concerned as soon as possible. Being available, being observant, and being a friend, can be your biggest methods of support for a child in difficulty. Confidence A confident child will shrug off or counteract bullying, and the bully will usually loose interest soon enough. It's no fun bullying someone that doesn't bite. Ensuring a child is sure of themselves, secure in their own self image, accepting of their abilities and disabilities, will mean they are less likely to be a victim of bullying, or if they are, they have the ability to deflect the attack and turn the situation to their advantage. Support If a child comes to you for support, it is vital that the situation is handled correctly. Incorrect handling can result in more subtle and more vicious bullying, which could be much more emotionally damaging than straight physical attacks. If it is the first time you have dealt with the issues seek advice and research the subject carefully. Both generically and personally, don't jump in feet first, especially if you are emotionally involved. Time taken to search a solution usually will result in a better solution for all. Prevention Start early by instilling confidence and trust with your child. Ensure they have a high self worth, and a high level of trust in you to share problems without fear of repercussions. This is harder than it sounds, but much easier than it is for a child to put up with bullying silently. If you start early and keep practicing, it will have rewards. Links to Bullying Support Sites " Smile-Please.txt,"Smile Please! A fawn was racing in the forest. He was ahead of the rabbit. He was ahead of the elephant. He leapt and cleared the stream. He ran past the crumbling wall. There was a large boulder on the grassy plain. He stumbled and fell down. He burst into tears. The monkey massaged his leg. Tears flowed from the fawn's eyes. Brother Bear picked him up. The fawn didn't stop crying. His mother came. She said, ""Look, we’ll beat up this bad boulder!"" The fawn said, ""Oh, don’t do that or he will also start crying."" His mother laughed. So did the fawn. " Bugs-by-Numbers-.txt,"BUGS by NUMBERS there's a whole lot of creatures living with me. GECKOS One - One colourful GECKO, lying on the rock, happily. 1 BUZZY BEES One, Two - Two BUZZY BEES flying freely by me. 2 1 LADYBUGS LADY BUGs One, two, three - Three LADY BUGS playing daintily. Each ladybug has three black dots each side of their back, can you see? LADY BUGs 1 can you see? 2 3 BUTTERFLIES One, two, three, four - Four beautiful BUTTERFLIES fluttering by me. 4 3 1 2 ARMY ANTS One, two three, four, five - Five angry ARMY ANTS, marching two by three. c 3 4 5 1 2 One gecko; Two buzzy bees; Three ladybugs; Four butterflies; Five army ants. c These are all the creatures living with me, down in the garden, under the tree. THE END " talking-in-twos.txt,"Talking in Twos When Siphar says ‘Enter’ to Gia, she understands. That is because the meaning of the word is stored in her brain. When Siphar presses ‘Enter’ on the computer, the computer understands. That is because the meaning of the word is stored in its brain. The instruction ‘Enter’ is stored in the brain of the computer in Binary. Binary is the language we use to communicate with computers. If you saw words or instructions in Binary, you would be confused. That is because Binary uses only a series of 1s and 0s. Each 1 and each 0 is important. Each 1 and each 0 gives the computer an important message. The computer is made up of millions of circuits which allow electricity to pass. Or not. When electricity passes, it is ON and is written as 1. When it doesn’t pass, it is OFF and is written as 0. That is why the language is called Binary. It comes from bini, which is Latin for ""two together"". In this language, there are only two letters. The letters are called bits. Eight bits make a byte. Using just 1 and 0, you can communicate many things to the computer. The letter A is stored as the byte 01000001. The letter B is stored as the byte 01000010. The word ‘Hello’ is stored as 01001000 01100101 01101100 01101100 01101111. ‘Enter’, too, is stored as a string of 1s and 0s. ‘Enter’ is an instruction. If this instruction is given to you, you may choose to enter or not to enter. If this instruction is given to the computer, it will follow the instruction. Even a picture in a computer is stored as 1s and 0s. A picture is made of tiny points of colour called pixels. Each pixel corresponds to a string of 1s and 0s. They tell the computer how bright the green is or how dark the blue is for an individual pixel. Music too is stored in Binary. Each note of each instrument stands for a number called a frequency. This is translated into 1s and 0s. In Binary, if it is NOT 1, it IS 0. If it is NOT 0, it IS 1. Binary is for machines. You are NOT a machine. So if you are NOT a one at something, it doesn’t mean you are a zero. If you are NOT good at something, it doesn’t mean you are bad at that thing. As human beings, we are lucky. We can choose to be any value in between. The 3,000-year-old Chinese book I Ching or Book of Changes uses diagrams based entirely on two symbols. Some 2,500 years later, this book inspired the German mathematician and philosopher Leibniz to invent the new binary arithmetic. The Indian mathematician Pingala also used two symbols, sometime in the 2nd century BCE, in Chandahsastra. He used laghu (light) and guru (heavy) for long and short syllables in poetry. " my-red-ball.txt,"My Red Ball Ball. My ball. My red ball. My big red ball. I kick. I kick my ball. I kick my red ball. I kick my red ball hard! Where? Where is my ball? Where is my ball now? Where is my red ball now? It is up. It is high up. It is high up in the sky. It is high up in the sky. It is over the moon. It is gone! " 001-HIDE-AND-SEEK-Free-Childrens-Book-By-Monkey-Pen.txt,"James, his sister Sally, and Mark, their BFF (Best Friend Forever) were bored. They had played all day but now that it was dark and difficult to see, they had nothing to do. They couldn’t play soccer because they couldn’t see the ball. They didn’t want to go inside and play a game because it was a beautiful springtime night and they liked being outside, especially after having to play inside all winter long. They just didn’t know what to do and it was a little too early for them to go home. ""I guess I’ll just go home,"" Mark said in a sad voice. ""Aww come on,"" replied James. ""We still have time for another game of – of something."" Then Sally said, ""I have an idea! Let’s play Hide-and Seek."" ""I was just going to say that,"" James said. ""Yah, I’ll bet,"" replied his sister. ""You always say you were thinking of whatever I think of,"" she snapped. ""Do not!"" James said in a loud voice. ""Do too,"" yelled Sally. Mark just looked down at the ground and shook his head from side to side. ""They are at it again,"" he mumbled to himself. Then he yelled, ""Okay, let’s play Hide-and-Seek I’ll be the seeker!"" He turned, faced a big tree, closed his eyes, and started counting out loud. ""100 – 99 – 98 – 97 ….."" Sally and Mark stopped arguing, looked at each other, and ran off in different directions to find a hiding place. In the distance they could still hear Mark counting ""4 – 3 – 2 – 1. Ready or not, here I come!"" Then he turned and began looking for places where they could be hiding. Finding Sally was easy. She always ran off and then circled back so she would be close to ""base,"" the safe place to get to before being tagged. Mark looked for the biggest tree and ran towards it. But she wasn’t there. ""I’ll bet she’s behind that big bush,"" he said to himself. So he ran to it and was ready to tag her, but she wasn’t there either. As he turned around, he saw James running towards ""base"" and darted after him. Just before he touched James’ shoulder, James tagged the ""base"" and yelled out ""SAFE!"" ""Did you get Sally yet?"" James asked. ""No,"" said Mark. ""I haven’t been able to find her and it’s getting late and we need to be heading home."" So both boys yelled out ""Come on out Sally, it’s late."" But there was no reply. Not even a little snicker from somewhere in the darkness. They yelled again. ""Come on out Sally, it’s late."" Still there was no reply from Sally. They began to worry and started searching for her. As they walked around the area they called out ""Sally, come on, we give up; you’re safe."" But no matter where they looked, or how much they called out, Sally didn’t answer. It was as if she disappeared. Sally was wondering what had happened. All she could remember was crawling under the big trunk of a fallen tree to hide. Now, as she looked up, she saw several stars through a small hole above her head. She had fallen into a hole when she crawled under the tree trunk. ""Help!"" she yelled and heard her voice echo throughout what must have been a cave. ""HELP! Help, help, help!"" ""Did you hear that, James?"" Mark said excitedly. ""Sally just yelled for help."" ""Keep yelling Sally,"" James screamed. ""That way we can find you."" Sally heard her brother and kept screaming. After a short while the boys were standing next to the big tree trunk. ""Hey! Are you stuck under this tree?"" asked James. ""Kind of,"" Sally yelled. ""When I crawled under it to hide, I fell into a cave. Please help me, I’m scared. It’s dark and I can’t get out."" Mark said, ""James you stay with Sally and I will go get my dad."" Then he dashed off into the darkness. ""Don’t be scared,"" James said. ""I am right here with you."" ""No, you’re not,"" Sally sobbed. ""You’re up there and I’m down here."" As Sally turned in the darkness of the cave, she bumped into something, screamed, and began to cry. ""What’s wrong?"" James yelled. ""There’s something down here with me,"" Sally replied in a shaky voice. Just then, Mark and his dad came running through the woods. Mark’s father knelt down and asked Sally if she was okay. He could hear her crying and sobbing. ""Sally, are you hurt?"" he asked. ""No,"" she said. ""But I’m scared and there is something down here with me."" ""Stand back Sally. I am lowering a rope and will be down with you in a second."" Mark’s dad tied the rope to the tree, found the hole under the tree trunk, wiggled a bit, and lowered himself into the cave. Sally could see him coming down the rope and stopped crying. Not only was he there but the cave became brighter from the beam of his flashlight as it danced across the cave’s floor and walls. As he reached the floor of the cave, he shone the light on Sally and gave her a big hug. ""Don’t be frightened,"" he said. ""I’ll have you out of here in no time."" Then he shone the light around and saw that she had fallen into a small cave. And very close to her, in the middle of the cave, was something wrapped in layers of old blankets. ""Mark, James, there’s something down here. I am going to tie it to the rope and I want you to pull it out."" ""Okay,"" they replied. The boys pulled out the object, untied it, and let the loose end of the rope fall back into the cave. The cave wasn’t deep and Marks’ dad boosted Sally over his head so she could crawl out. He then grabbed the rope and with a little jump, was able to grab the opening and pull himself out. ""Let’s go back to my house for a cup of hot tea. I’ll call your parents so they aren’t worried, and we’ll see what treasure Sally found."" He said. When they got to Mark’s house, they sipped their tea and began unwrapping the treasure. They carefully peeled off layers of old blankets and cloth to reveal a wooden box. They slowly opened it and stared in amazement. ""Oh my,"" Sally said in disbelief. ""I don’t believe what I am seeing."" The boys and Mark’s father just stared. Inside the box were jewels of every color you could imagine. There were diamonds,rubies, sapphires, and emeralds of all shapes and sizes.Intermixed they could see several gold coins and strands of pearls.""We’re rich,"" the boys screamed. ""Not quite,"" interrupted Mark’s father. ""Someone could have lost this and I don’t think you should plan on spending any of it until we find out a little more. Besides, Sally found it."" ""I’ll share it,"" Sally said happily. ""That’s nice Sally,"" replied Marks dad. But the right thing to do is contact the authorities."" The next day, the four of them and Sally’s mother drove to the police station, explained what had happened, and gave the treasure to the police to hold while they conducted their investigation. They left the police station sadly and even the double dipped ice cream cones Mark’s father bought for them didn’t make them smile.They drove back in silence. Several weeks passed with no word from the police. Then, one evening, Mark’s father called James, Sally, and their parents. ""The police just called and I think you should come over right now,"" he said. ""I’m afraid there is some bad news about the treasure. The police are on their way and will explain everything when you get here."" Sally and James didn’t say much during the ride to Mark’s house. Sally thought that since it was ""bad news"" the treasure belonged to someone else, even though they probably lost it. ""Whatever happened to ‘finders-keepers’?"" she mumbled. ""What did you say Sally?"" her mother asked. ""Oh, nothing."" Sally replied. Then she let out a long, sad sigh that echoed through the car. When they arrived at Mark’s house, the police were there with the treasure box. As Sally entered, the captain introduced himself and said, ""Sally, this is yours. Your parents need to sign some papers but the box and its contents are yours."" Sally, Mark, and James shrieked with joy and danced around the room. Then Sally said, ""What is the bad news?"" The captain smiled and said. ""The treasure is worth more money than you can imagine and with your new found wealth comes great responsibility."" Sally didn’t quite understand what the captain was talking about and right now it really didn’t matter. Mark asked, ""Are you going to share?"" ""Of course,"" Sally said. ""If you and James didn’t help me I might still be there."" Several days later Sally asked everyone over to her house. ""I have decided what to do with the money from the treasure after it is sold,"" she said. ""I am giving 1/6 to our Mom and Dad, 1/6 to Mark’s Mom and Dad, 1/6 to Mark, 1/6 to James, and 1/6 for me."" ""There is an extra 1/6,"" Mark proudly stated. He loved math and was right on top of Sally’s calculations. ""No there’s not,"" Sally said. ""Is too,"" James said. ""Is not,"" Sally said in an angered voice. Just as Mark was going to say, ""They are at it again,"" Sally said, ""This is why there isn’t an extra 1/6! I am giving it to the local charity, so it can be given to those less fortunate and in need."" Her mother and father said it was a caring and responsible thing to do. They were very proud of her and knew that she understood what the captain meant when he had turned the treasure over to her just days before. " the-tino-the-rhear-and-the-biger-pratham-FKB.txt,"The Tino, the Rhear and the Biger Tingu Tiger is not happy with his skin. ""It’s furry and orange with black stripes. I wish my skin was rough and grey,"" says Tingu. Tingu Tiger likes Ranga Rhino’s skin very much. ""Will you change skins with me, Ranga?"" asks Tingu. ""What fun!"" says Ranga. ""Let’s do that!"" Tingu gives Ranga his furry skin. Ranga gives Tingu her rough skin. ""Thank you, Ranga Rhino! I really love my new skin."" ""No, no, I am Ranga Rhiger now. And you are not a tiger anymore."" ""Right, I am a tino now!"" says Tingu. Tingu Tino jumps, dances, swims, runs, and marches happily in his new grey skin. After a while, the skin becomes itchy, scratchy and boring. ""I think I will get my old skin back. It was softer, smoother and more fun,"" thinks Tingu. ""Ranga Rhiger! Where are you?"" ""Ah, there you are Ranga Rhiger!"" Tingu calls out. ""No, no! I am not a rhiger now,"" says Ranga. ""I changed skins with Bubbloo Bear. I am now Ranga Rhear!"" ""I want my nice old skin back,"" sighs Tingu. ""Where is Bubbloo Bear?"" ""There by the pond,"" Ranga Rhear points. ""But Bubbloo is now a biger!"" Bubbloo Biger says ""No!"" to Tingu. ""I don’t want that rough, grey skin and be a bino!"" Bubbloo says angrily. ""But I don’t want to remain a tino!"" cries poor Tingu. Bubbloo Biger has a great idea. ""Let’s ask Rani Simmy what to do."" Rani Simmy roars and growls at them. ""What nonsense, you silly animals! Change back to your skins right now."" ""Ranga, give that skin back to Bubbloo! Bubbloo, give that skin back to Tingu!Tingu, give that skin back to Ranga!"" The rhear, the biger and the tino do as they are told. They are back to being a rhino, a bear and a tiger. When Tingu, Ranga and Bubbloo go away, Rani Simmy grins to herself. ""That was fun! Hey, Crocodile, let’s become a locodile and a crion!"" " 041-THE-FLOWER-GARDEN-Free-Childrens-Book-By-Monkey-Pen.txt,"""I’m Rose."" ""I’m Violet."" ""And we are identical twins."" They said at the same time. ""We look the same,"" said Rose. ""We sound the same,"" said Violet. ""We even dress the same,"" they said together as they giggled. ""It’s my birthday,"" said Rose. ""No, it’s my birthday,"" said Violet. And both the girls laughed as they yelled, ""It’s our birthday."" Yes, Violet and Rose were identical. They looked the same, dressed the same, talked the same, acted the same, made the same face when they were happy, did the same frown when they were sad, and they even got the same grades in school. Oh! What’s that? They don’t get the same grades in school? I wonder why. ""I can tell you why,"" their mom said. ""Rose is a little more responsible and pays attention to fine details. Violet is a little less responsible and sometimes doesn’t pay attention to things she doesn’t like doing."" ""Come on in, girls,"" their mom yelled out the door. ""It’s time to open your presents and your dad and I want to see how you like them."" Oh! They were excited. They ran up to the house, up the stairs, through the door, and into the hall where they saw two big boxes. Their excitement grew as they wondered what was inside. Then they smiled at one another as they each dashed for a box. ""I want this one,"" yelled Rose. ""No! I want that one,"" yelled Violet. ""Girls!"" Their mom said. ""You know it doesn’t make any difference, they are both the same."" Rose and Violet laughed when they realized how silly they had acted. Of course, the presents would be identical, just like them. They each got a box unwrapped, opened, and then looked inside. Rose happily yelled, ""Stuff to make a flower garden. This is great, something I always wanted to do. I can grow my own flower garden."" Violet said, ""I like flowers, and a garden would be nice. But there’s a lot of stuff in this box and it seems like it would be a lot of work."" Violet was right. There was a lot of stuff in the box. It contained everything they needed to make a flower garden, everything except water, sunshine, and love. Both girls thanked their mom and dad for the great present and they dragged their heavy boxes outside to start their gardens. They each selected a patch of ground to call her own, took the ""How To Garden"" book from the box, and began to read. Rose said, ""Violet, you were right. This is going to be a lot of work."" They carefully removed the grass, loosened up the ground, added and mixed in the special flower soil, and planted their flower seeds. Violet found some nice sticks and pretty ribbon to make a fence around her garden. She gave the seeds their first watering and said, ""Rose, I am going inside to watch television."" Rose asked her Dad to help her make a stone fence around her garden. ""A very special garden needs a very special fence,"" she said to him as they gathered and placed the stones. After some time the fence was completed and Rose gave the seeds their first watering. ""Well, maybe later. Right now I want to eat breakfast, and then I think I’ll play a game."" Violet said. Every morning Rose tended her garden and every morning Violet had something else to do. Every morning Rose would remind Violet to water her garden and Violet would reply, ""Let Mother Nature take care of it."" One morning Rose checked on her garden and she couldn’t believe what she saw. Her garden was covered with little flower plants. She was so excited she danced with joy. Then she looked at Violets garden. It didn’t have many plants, but there were some. Rose opened her ""How To Garden"" book to see what she should do next. ""Hmm,"" she said to herself. ""I must thin the plants. I need to take some out to make room for the others to grow."" Rose felt bad. She loved her flowers and now had to pull some out of the ground. Then she had an idea. I’ll plant the ones I pull from my garden into Violets. And that is exactly what she did. Rose then gave both gardens a big drink of water. She loved her garden and there was no reason she shouldn’t love her sister’s equally. Their mom watched from the kitchen window. She was very proud of the way Rose was helping her sister. Rose was looking at her garden when she heard Violet coming out the door. ""Wow!"" Violet said when she saw her garden. ""Look at all those plants Rose. I have just as many as you. Our gardens are really growing."" ""Violet,"" Rose said. ""Do you know that I …"" And she stopped talking for a second, as she was angry. She continued. ""Do you know that I think our gardens are growing equally?"" ""I think so too,"" Violet replied. ""And from now on I’m going to tend my garden every day, just like you."" Over the next several weeks they watered their gardens, pulled the unwanted weeds and grass, fed the plants, and even got some worms to put in their gardens to keep the soil loose. Just like the ""How To Garden"" book recommended. They were pleased. The plants were growing and many had buds that we re ready to open. Oh! It wouldn’t be long now. It wouldn’t be long before there were two beautiful flower gardens. The girls were so excited. They just couldn’t wait to see all the colorful flowers. The next morning they got dressed and hurried outside to tend their gardens. To their surprise, they were in full bloom. They shrieked with excitement, held hands, and danced in circles. The flowers were so beautiful. Every color in the rainbow was in their gardens. They couldn’t wait to tell their mom and dad. They ran to the house and through the door. ""Mom, dad,"" they shouted. ""Come outside and see our gardens. They are beautiful, come-on, come-on, and hurry!"" Rose grabbed her mom’s hand and Violet grabbed her dad’s hand, as they both pulled them out the door, and into their gardens. ""You girls have done a great job,"" said their dad. ""Oh! The colors are beautiful and the plants are so healthy,"" their mom added. As they looked at the flowers, their mom said. ""We have a surprise for you! You are going to have a baby brother soon. And your dad and I know you will take care of him as well as you take care of your gardens. Aren’t you girls excited?"" Rose and Violet just stood there. They didn’t know what to say. All these years they were a family of four, and now there was going to be a strange fifth member. Another member that would need his parent’s love. Love that should be theirs, and they did not know if they wanted to share. ""What’s wrong, girls?"" their dad asked. ""Your mom and I thought you would be happy and excited. Let’s have a glass of milk and maybe a cookie or two. Then you can tell us why the frowns."" As all four were licking the center from their cream filled cookie, Violet spoke up. ""You are going to love me less because you are going to have to give him love."" ""I feel the same way,"" said Rose. ""I don’t want you to love me less."" ""My goodness,"" their mom said. ""We could never love either of you less. Where did you get that idea?"" ""It’s not an idea,"" Rose said. ""There are two of us and two pieces of love, one from you, and one from dad. When there are three of us, you’re both going to take some of that love away from us, and give it to him."" ""Oh, girls."" Their dad said. ""Love isn’t shared. Love is magical and it grows. Why each day your mom and I love you more than the day before, and tomorrow we will love you more than we do today."" ""Rose, do you remember the morning you went out to your garden to thin the plants?"" she asked. ""And how you saw that Violets garden had just a few?"" ""And do you remember what you did?"" Rose thought for a minute then said. ""Yes, I remember taking my flower plants and putting them in Violet’s garden so she would think her garden was doing as well as mine."" Violet just looked at her sister. Her mom then asked. ""Why did you do that?"" ""Well,"" said Rose. ""I love the plants and I love my sister so I thought I would share the plants with her."" ""Ah,"" said her mom. ""Share the plants. That must mean that you loved your plants less because you gave some to Violet."" Rose thought about what her mom had said, then replied. ""No, I didn’t love my plants any less."" ""I loved them the same and I loved the ones in Violet’s garden, and I loved doing something nice for her, and I loved watching both gardens grow, and I love the flowers in both gardens, and I love you. Now I understand how magical love is, and how it grows."" ""Me too,"" said Violet. ""Let’s go out and smell the flowers."" ""I’d love to,"" said Rose. " Sindi-and-the-Moon-reading-comprehension.txt,"Sindi and the Moon Sindi was a very lively little girl who loved to sing and dance. She lived on a farm with her parents and her Gogo. Sindi enjoyed following Gogo around and feeding the animals. One evening while Sindi and her family were having dinner, Sindi’s mother had something to tell her. ""Sindi,"" she said, ""after the long Christmas holidays, you are going to go to school. ""Sindi was so excited. She was happy that she would finally get to learn how to read and write. When Sindi was happy, she danced. Her joy spread to the farm animals. The dogs barked more loudly. The cows mooed more beautifully. The butterflies flapped their wings and landed in her hair. When Sindi danced, she swayed from left to right, as if she were pushed and pulled by the wind. She sang along with its soft, slow music. As the holidays were ending after Christmas, Sindi started to wonder what school would really be like. She did not want her mother to know that she was nervous, so she asked Gogo what school would be like. ""School is very serious,"" Gogo said. ""There is no more time for song and dance, only learning."" This did not make Sindi happy at all. The night before school started was very hot. Sindi just could not sleep! She tiptoed outside and sat on the stoep, looking up at the dark sky. The moon was big and bright and beautiful and the stars were twinkling. Sindi spoke to the beautiful moon. ""Dear moon so bright,"" she said, ""are you afraid of the dark? Is that why you ask the stars to keep you company?"" ""I am going to school tomorrow, what will it be like?"" ""Will they let me sing? Will they let me dance?"" Sindi started to sing. What she saw next made her rub her eyes in disbelief. Was she dreaming? The moon was smiling! And the stars were dancing to her song! A gentle voice spoke to her. ""Dear little Sindi,"" the voice said. ""School is a wonderful place. You will learn many things: to read and write, to sing and dance and to make many friends."" ""But for now, Sindi, you must rest. Tomorrow will be beautiful."" Sindi had never seen anything this amazing. She wanted to wake everyone up and show them the talking moon and dancing stars. But the moon stopped her. ""Shhhh, Sindi,""it said. ""This is our little secret."" The moon winked. Sindi returned to bed, comforted by the moon’s wise words, and slept peacefully. The time came for school. Mama held Sindi’s hand as they approached the school. She was confident that the day would be beautiful, because the moon had told her so. Children were arriving with their mothers and fathers. They all looked excited. Sindi could not wait to make friends. everything about school. ""I wish the moon could see me now,"" she said to herself. ""Now I will learn to read. I will learn to write. By lunch time, Sindi loved everything about school. But also I will sing and dance!"" And all of Sindi’s new friends danced with her, just like the animals had done. They clapped their hands and sang to her tune. Reading Comprehension and Writing Sindi and the Moon Answer true or false to the following questions: 1. Sindi loved to sing and dance. 2. At first Sindi was happy about going to school. 3. Sindi was not nervous about school. 4. Sindi's Gogo gave her correct advice about school. 5. Sindi enjoyed her first day at school. Fill in the gap: 6. Sindi wanted to _ _ _ _ everyone up to show them the _ _ _ _ _ and _ _ _ _. 7. Mama held Sindi's _ _ _ _ as they approached the _ _ _ _ _ _. 8. Sindi loved to _ _ _ _ and _ _ _ _ _, and she wanted to learn to _ _ _ _ and to _ _ _ _ _. Write an answer: 9. Describe your feelings before your first day of school or kindergarten. 10. Describe your feelings after your first day of school or kindergarten. " Can-You-Imagine-.txt,"I want to tell you a story... a story about perky possums and flip-flop frogs. It’s a story about slippery slidey snails, tall tall trees and willy wagtails. It’s a story about absolutely everything. It’s a story about stripey skins on zig-zag zebras, about big-eyed hooty owls at night and dazzling daisies by day. Oh, and it’s about people too, you and me. It might be a true story or it might be just pretend. Maybe I heard it somewhere or maybe I just dreamed it up one night. Anyway, this is how the story goes, trip trap, chit chat... Once upon a time, a very, very, very long time ago, there were no kangaroos, no ducks, no rivers, no mountains, no trees. Can you just imagine that? There was just NOTHING, absolutely nothing... well, that’s how the story goes. There were no lions and elephants, no beaches with sand to play in, no people, no you and me, no buses and trains to ride, no birds to sing us awake in the morning. There was just NOTHING, not one single thing nothing, that is... except... a big fat Dream Now that old Dream just floated around in a big shiny bubble, sleeping and snoring away, pushing up lots of ZZZZZZZZZZs. On and on it slept and dreamed. So really, the story begins like this... Once upon a time, there was only the Dream. That’s all there was! Zit, zilch, nothing else, just the Dream. Just the Dream being it’s big shiny bubble self, floating around and snoring. It might be a true story or it might be just pretend. Anyway, this is how the story goes... One day, or was it one night, or one morning?... Well anyway, the Dream woke up...and it was tired of being a bubble. So it started to think of THINGS. It dreamed up things like spots and stripes and creatures to wear them. Yes! It dreamed of sunshiney mornings and bees buzzing in daisies. Bzzzzzzzzzzzz. And it dreamed of cup cakes with cherries and people to eat them. Yum! It dreamed of hooty owls in a starry night sky. Hooo-hooo. And it dreamed of aeroplanes zooming up into a sunny blue day. Rmmmmmm. Oh the big fat Dream was dreaming up so many THINGS. In fact, it dreamed up so many things that it started to be curious. What would it be like to BE a sparkle of sunlight on the water? Zing! And what would it be like to BE a rock in a stream and feel the water splish-splashing over it? What would it be like to BE a big pink fish snip-snapping at a dragonfly? Oh the big fat Dream was wondering what it would be like to be all these REAL things and not just a big fat Dream. OOOhhhhhh! And so the big fat Dream began to have wishes, so many wishes! The Dream imagined that it could BE a caterpillar gobbling up a leaf. Crunch, crunch, munch, munch, lunch, lunch. And it wished for that caterpillar to turn itself into a gorgeous creature flying on coloured wings. How cool would that be! The big fat Dream started to wish for BIG FAT THINGS with the biggest fattest wishing it could do. To tell you the truth it went a bit wild. It dreamed up a big fat donut with a wonderful song coming out of it. Uh-oh... Guess what happened then? KABOOM! Suddenly there was a mighty explosion. It was so loud that the Dream really woke up this time. Little balls of every colour whirled and swirled into a donut. Well, as you can just imagine, the big fat Dream became very excited. ""I’m a donut. I’m a donut, a REAL live donut!"" Out of the donut came a big fat satisfied sigh on one big long aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh. ""I’m singing. I’m a big fat dream and I’m a big fat donut, and I am singing!"" Now this is a strange story and so strange things happen. Well just at that very second the sound began to hummmmmmmmmm. The little coloured balls jiggled and wriggled with joy. What happened then? Oh well, it just kept on humming. hummmmmmmmm NO! SOMEthing must have happened. Oh well these things take a long time... Anyway, as the story goes, the Dream was having a chat to itself. ""What about all those THINGS I used to Dream of being? What about some roaring lions and growly tigers and long necks on giraffes? ""What about stripes and spots, and creatures to wear them? And maybe some fish to swim in the sea? I’d like to be a fish."" ""And what about those sunshiney suns and twinkly stars, and moonshiney moons?"" Suddenly the hum became a song. Before you could say ""By gosh, gee whillikers!"", the big fat Dream was singing about giraffes and zebras, butterflies and kangaroos, crabs and stars, whales and moons, suns and rainbows. That Dream was bopping along, singing a song about absolutely everything. And then what happened? Well, then there was magic. That donut just went crazy and made itself gi-normous. The little coloured balls burst out into space everywhere. A little red ball exploded into a bright firey sun...kavooosh! Just like that. A little green ball grew into a glowing moon. A little yellow ball sparkled into a twinkling star. Yes! Just like that. Every ball of every colour filled the sky with stars and planets and suns and moons, just as the Dream had wished them. And so it was for a very very very long time...until... ""Hmmm,"" thought the Dream. ""I’m STILL not a willy-wagtail, or a walrus, or a kangaroo. I’m STILL not a zebra or a buzzy bee."" ""I’m STILL not a doggie running on the beach. I’m STILL not a whale whacking my tail. I’m still not a plane or a train. I’m not a river or the rain."" And then... At that very moment, a lovely blue ball came floating by. ""Oh my, oh my, what is this I spy? At the very sight of the blue ball, music filled up inside the Dream and came pouring out in a beautiful sweet song about everything that the Dream wished to BE. The whirling blue ball twirled and danced with the song of the Dream. All that happiness made things happen. Some fluffy clouds appeared from nowhere and then big fat drops of rain began to plip-plop-splatter. Before you could say ""Sploshes, galoshes!"", there was water, water everywhere. KPOW! Up out of the water popped the land, with grass and rocks and trees, and sandy beaches all along. Of course, it really took a lot, lot longer to do all that, but we like to make the story exciting. Anyway, suddenly there were THINGS, and the things were REAL. There were zippy zebras wearing stripey coats, whopping great walruses lolling on rocks, and kangaroos bounding through the bush. And that’s not all. There were scowling owls hooting to the stars. Toowhit, toowhooo. There were slidey snails making silent trails. And yes, there were cup cakes with cherries. Scrummy yum yum. There were aeroplanes zooming across the sky. And there were people like you and me, dancing and singing and working and laughing. There were caterpillars and flutterby butterflies... and the bioggest fattest rainbow ever. There was simply everything that the big fat Dream had ever wished it could BE. ""I’m anything that I dream I can be... I’m a frog and a skink and a tweedle-de-de."" The Dream was so happy that it decided to dream up wonderful things forever. So that’s the story of the big fat Dream. Maybe, just maybe, you might have some dreams too... and wish for a good thing and have it come true. Can you just imagine that? The (Never) End. With thanks for our wonderful world. " Baby-Harp-Seal-Learns-to-Swim.txt,"Baby Harp Seal lies on the ice. WOOAAAH!!! A big wave came. Baby Harp Seal can you swim?? - What is Baby Harp Seal to Do!! - Shuffe Baby Harp Seal, Shuffe as fast as you can! Papa Harp Seal Yells to Warn- ""ARF ARF – EEK EEK – ARF ARF!"" Mama Harp Seal swims to help. Baby Harp Seal is safe now. This calls for a group hug: How cool! Now, Baby Harp Seal, PLEASE; Stay away from the sea, - until you can swim. And that brings us to the end of this tale.... Oh no, wait this is NOT the end! A She learnt to swim. Now that is THE END. THE END " FKB_Learn-Sight-Words-Print_friendly-Always_Be_Nice.txt,"Gerty Goat says: Always be nice! Colin Cow says: Be kind to others. Patty Penguin says: Don't let others feel left out. Zenna Zebra says: Think about others feelings. Wally Walrus says: Don't be mean. Harry Hippo says: Use kind words. Carly Cat says: Help out when you can. Baba Bear says: Sharing is caring. Even your last fsh. Peter Panda says: Always say ""Please"". And Leo Lion says: Don't forget ""Thank-you"". Words in this book says say be is you always nice please thank-you kind don't forget help others feelings feel left out let use when can words sharing caring mean think about SHARING AND CARING ACTIVITIES Ask children to come up with ideas for each page on how they can follow through with the actions: Always be nice. Be kind to others. Don't let others feel left out. Think about others feelings. Don't be mean, Use kind words. Help out when you can. Sharing is Caring Always say ""Please"". Don't forget ""Thank-you"". Have a star chart and give children stars whenever another child or sibling notices their caring and sharing behaviour. Ask children to think about how their behaviour makes others feel when they don't follow these rules. Ask children if they can think of a time when they didn't follow these rules. How could they change their behaviour to make the situation better. Alwaye be nice! " The-cat-in-the-ghat_adventure_FKB.txt,"The Cat in the Ghat! This story is about an uncle named Sandy, Who likes his camera so much, he always keeps it handy. Let's rewind to when Uncle Sandy was a little boy, Unlike his friends, he never dreamt of a fancy toy. Lost in books that spoke of magical creatures, Even in class, he never listened to his teachers. As time passed by, Uncle Sandy became a wildlife photographer, While his friends became doctors, engineers and dance choreographers. Uncle Sandy didn't want to work in big offices, He wanted to take pictures of snakes, crocodiles and tortoises. So he decided to leave his family and friends behind, And took off to the jungles with freedom in mind. On his first expedition to the Western Ghats, He had his first encounter with a mysterious cat. Uncle Sandy has been on its trail ever since, Hoping to click a picture of it, for evidence. So he decided to revisit the Western Ghats, Through its spiraling path in search of the cat. The cat in the ghat! The plan was to speak to animals along the way, To get clues about this cat whose colour he knew was grey. He began his journey at the foothills of the Ghats, With the summer sun so hot, Uncle Sandy needed a hat. ""Let’s look for waterholes,"" he said to himself, He knew that’s where the animals would tread. And guess who he got to meet, The top cat himself, Mr. Tiger to greet. ""Oh mighty tiger,"" he said, ""would you have seen a cat? It is tall, swift and the colour of my hat."" The tiger didn’t have much to say, He roared and looked the other way. Phew! That was close, he thought, Just as he was drenched by giant rain drops. Along with the shower came a swarm of termites, Who were sadly eaten by ants, at first sight. Rains in the Western Ghats come down as waterfalls, Waterfalls become rivers and that's how there's water for all. So, if we need water to drink, Protecting the Western Ghats is the link. What Uncle Sandy saw next filled him with glee, A family of elephants bathing in a pond, yippee! They were making the most of the pre-monsoon showers, Some were kicking grass, others showing off their powers. ""Excuse me you all,"" said Uncle Sandy, waving his hat,""Would you have seen a big grey cat?"" ""No, no, no,"" they all went in chorus, ""We haven’t seen him around here, we promise."" Uncle Sandy found himself in the rainforest soon, ""The second level of the Western Ghats,"" he crooned. ""Bark!"" came a reply through the forest dense. ""Oh that’s a Barking Deer I hear, it means no offence."" Up in the trees chomping through a jackfruit, He saw a lion-faced monkey, brute. A Lion-tailed Macaque is what it is, he knew, He’d looked through an encyclopedia of animals, woohoo! ""Help me find a grey cat, will you?"" said Uncle Sandy.""Okay,"" said the feasting monkey. ""Walk straight through the tall green trees Till you find one with a giant hive of bees."" ""Under that tree lives a frog so rare It lives underground, hiding from the sun’s glare."" ""He’s a clever frog I’m told, Knows the whole jungle inside out and two-fold."" Uncle Sandy was so eager to look for the froggy He left without saying thank you to the monkey. Left, right, left, right, Uncle Sandy marched, Walking through a row of trees that were arched. Then he saw a tree very tall With a big beehive that was just about to fall. ""Ribbit ribbit,"" said a frog, But Uncle Sandy could not see it through the fog. ""Oh you’re the man who comes in search of a cat, I heard about you from a clever little bat."" Said Uncle Sandy,""Please will you tell me where he is? I’ll give you an exotic flower, an Iris."" The frog was purple in colour, He’s the only one of his kind in India, Nasika batracus. The frog told him that he’d meet a tribesman, Who’d know where the cat lived, and would guide him. Uncle Sandy nodded, still in shock, He had just seen the most extraordinary frog. As he went further into the forests so thick, He saw that the trees were getting fewer very quick. ""People cut trees,"" he said, ""to make products very cheap, And the poor animals, they have no place to sleep."" ""These jungles are their homes you see, just like our houses back in the city."" Sad and disheartened by the state of affairs, Uncle Sandy decided to say a silent prayer. ""Protect these forests, oh dear God, please, Save them so the animals can live in peace."" Saying so he carried on, the high altitude grasslands waiting, And that’s where he’d find the cat from its hiding. The remotest of places in the whole of the Western Ghats, The grasslands so green, Uncle Sandy just sat. Staring at the miracle of creation and the beauty of this place, This, he felt, was really his land of fairy tales. Pat came a tap on his back, He turned to see a face painted black. ""Who are you, Sir?"" Uncle Sandy questioned ""I am a tribesman who lives here unquestioned."" ""Oh but sir, will you be as kind To answer one question I have on my mind? ""Where can I find the special cat I’m looking for? I’ve seen it only once before."" ""Are you talking about Pogeyan?"" he said. Uncle Sandy wasn’t sure what he meant. ""The cat that comes and goes as the mist, Are you referring to that elusive cat that exists?"" ""Yes Sir, that’s the one,"" Uncle Sandy affirmed. He was so happy he could’ve drummed and hummed. ""Aha!"" said the tribesman, pointing to the mountains higher up,""I’ve seen the cat over there, all of three times in close-up."" Uncle Sandy was feeling extremely blessed. He did a somersault that left the tribesman perplexed. Uncle Sandy was whistling to himself, and climbing When he saw two male Nilgiri Tahrs head-butting. Looking at how well they'd adapted to the terrain, Uncle Sandy wished he too was born on the mountains. Sure he’d find his cat somewhere around here, Uncle Sandy decided to put camera traps all over. Then he slept a good night’s sleep Under an open twinkling sky, on a hillock steep. When he woke up, he ran to his camera traps and checked. Yes, yes, yes, there were images of his cat!! The cat in the ghat! The cat looked the same as it did ten years ago, Uncle Sandy was happy, ho, ho, ho! That’s when he felt a tiny snake crawling over his feet. He was startled, and realised he’d been dreaming in his sleep. Uncle Sandy prayed his dream would come trueHope he finds his grey cat soon, don’t you? The Cat in the Ghat is a whimsical tale of Uncle Sandy going in search of a mysterious cat in the Western Ghats. It has been inspired by the real-life expedition by Sandesh Kadur, a National Geographic Emerging Explorer, wildlife filmmaker and conservation photographer. His goal is to inspire people to protect and appreciate what remains of our wilderness. He is still looking for the Pogeyan! " Same-same-or-different-Pratham-FKB.txt,"Same-same or Different? Mamma put Sparrow's lunchbox into her schoolbag and folded her wings around her. ""Have a good day, darling,"" she said. ""Pay attention, be polite..."" ""Uff Mamma!"" laughed Sparrow. ""You say the same thing every day!"" ""And remember,"" said Mamma. ""Stay away from Snake - he's different."" Sparrow wished Mamma hadn't said that. Snake was her best friend. But Mamma didn't approve of Snake. ""His people eat our people!"" she always said. ""Sparrows and snakes can never be friends."" On the other side of town, Snake's Pappa was packing his lunchbox with birds' eggs. ""Today's special, son!"" he said proudly. ""But I hate eggs, Pappa,"" groaned Snake. ""We've always eaten them in this family!"" said Pappa sternly. ""Now off you go. And remember, stay away from Sparrow!"" Snake slithered away, feeling angry. ""Sparrows are different,"" Pappa called after him. ""You can't be friends with your food!"" When Snake met Sparrow at school, they knew. ""Your Mamma said...?"" asked Snake. Sparrow nodded. ""Your Pappa too?"" Snake nodded. ""Our parents are wrong, Sparrow,"" said Snake. ""Let's show them that we are more same-same than different."" ""Great idea!"" said Sparrow. ""Let's!"" She pulled out a sheet of paper and drew two circles on it - like this. ""In the yellow part of the left circle,"" said Sparrow, ""we put down 'Just Sparrow' things. In the blue part of the right circle, 'Just Snake' things. These are all ways in which Snake and Sparrow are DIFFERENT."" Snake was puzzled. ""I thought we wanted to think of ways in which we are SAME!"" ""That's what the green part in the middle is for,"" smiled Sparrow. ""First, let's think about how we look,"" said Sparrow. ""Same-same or different?"" ""VERY different,"" sighed Snake. ""I'm long, hairless and thin. You're small, plump and soft."" ""You're right,"" said Sparrow. ""I look like a powder puff,"" she drew a powder puff in the yellow crescent, ""and you look like a rope-so-rough."" She drew a rope in the blue crescent. ""Now,"" she said. ""How do we move?"" ""VERY differently,"" Snake said, looking even sadder. ""You fly through the air, flap-flapping. I slither along the ground, zig-zagging."" ""In other words,"" said Sparrow. ""I move like a plane, and you move like a train."" Snake sighed. ""Cheer up, Snake,"" said Sparrow briskly. ""Let's see now, what do we eat?"" ""VERY different things,"" Snake's eyes filled with tears. ""But I don't eat birds' eggs."" ""I know,"" said Sparrow soothingly. But now she looked glum too. ""Seeds and grass,"" she muttered, as she drew them in the yellow crescent. ""Frogs and rats,"" she sputtered, and drew them in the blue crescent. ""Harrrrrumph!"" Snake and Sparrow jumped. It was Headmaster Elephant. ""Why the long faces, kids?"" he asked kindly. ""Oh sir,"" sobbed Snake. ""My Pappa and Sparrow's Mamma say we can't be friends because we are different."" ""We wanted to show them we were more same-same than different, sir,"" said Sparrow. ""But it isn't working."" Headmaster Elephant looked at the circles a long time. Then he began to laugh. Snake and Sparrow stared at him. What was so funny? ""Don't you see, kids?"" he said finally, wiping his tears. ""You are doing this all wrong! Let me help you."" Headmaster Elephant settled down on a bench. ""Now then, Snake,"" he said, ""what do you like doing best?"" ""Playing and chatting, Sir,"" said Snake. ""ESPECIALLY with Sparrow."" ""And you, Sparrow?"" ""Chatting and playing, Sir,"" said Sparrow. ""ESPECIALLY with Snake."" ""Right,"" said Headmaster Elephant, ""you like doing the SAME things."" And he drew something - in the green part. ""Next,"" said Headmaster Elephant, ""what makes you happy, kids?"" ""When Miss lets me sit next to a friend, Sir,"" Snake began to smile. ""Same-same, Sir,"" clapped Sparrow. ""A-ha!"" said Headmaster Elephant. ""You both have the SAME happy place. Green!"" ""All right, what makes you sad, Snake and Sparrow?"" ""That Pappa says I should stay away from Sparrow, sir,"" sighed Snake. ""That Mamma says I should stay away from Snake, sir,"" sighed Sparrow. Headmaster Elephant frowned. ""You are both sad,"" he said, ""for the SAME reason - your parents don't let you choose your friends. Green again!"" ""Now then,"" said Headmaster Elephant, ""who do you think is the best kind of friend?"" ""Someone who loves you..."" began Snake. ""... even though you are different!"" finished Sparrow. ""So you both agree,"" said Headmaster Elephant, ""that a true friend loves you no matter what. That makes FOUR 'same-sames' and only THREE 'differents'. Same-sames win!"" ""Hurray!"" said Snake and Sparrow. ""Thank you, Headmaster Elephant!"" ""Harrrumph!"" said Headmaster Elephant. ""One last thing..."" ""Yes, sir?"" ""Tell your parents I want to see them in my office. First thing tomorrow morning!"" And Headmaster Elephant marched away, looking very fierce indeed. SORT IT OUT! Sorting and grouping are important skills in mathematics. To sort things, you have to ask yourself 'logic' questions like: 1. What things are same? What things are different? 2. How are the same things same? How are different things different? 3. Can the same things be sorted and grouped in more than one way? Think about the many ways in which you can sort and group these toy animals. You can sort them: - According to their colour - blue animals in one circle, yellow in another. - According to their size - small animals in one circle, big ones in another. - According to how they move - animals that walk and animals that fly. Would the groups be different each time? Try it and see! " Beatrix-Potter-Jemima-Puddle-Duck_FKB.txt,"A farmyard tale for Ralph and Betsy What a funny sight it is to see a brood of ducklings with a hen! The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck This tale, is the story of Jemima Puddle-Duck, who was annoyed because the farmer's wife would not let her hatch her own eggs. Her sister-in-law, Mrs. Rebeccah Puddle-Duck, was perfectly willing to leave the hatching to someone else ""I have not the patience to sit on a nest for twenty-eight days; and no more have you, Jemima. You would let them go cold; you know you would!"" ""I wish to hatch my own eggs; I will hatch them all by myself,"" quacked Jemima Puddle-Duck. The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck She tried to hide her eggs; but they were always found and carried off. Jemima Puddle-Duck became quite desperate. She determined to make a nest, right away from the farm. She set off on a fine spring afternoon along the cart-road that leads over the hill. She was wearing a shawl and a poke bonnet. When she reached the top of the hill, she saw a wood in the distance. She thought it looked a safe quiet spot. Jemima Puddle-Duck was not much in the habit of flying. She ran downhill a few yards flapping her shawl, and then she jumped off into the air. The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck She flew beautifully, once she had got a good start. She skimmed along over the tree-tops until she saw an open space in the middle of the wood, where the trees and brushwood had been cleared. The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck Jemima alighted rather heavily, and began to waddle about in search of a convenient dry nesting place. She rather fancied a tree-stump amongst some tall fox-gloves. But, seated upon the stump, she was startled to find, an elegantly dressed gentleman reading a newspaper He had black prick ears and sandy coloured whiskers. ""Quack?"" said Jemima Puddle-Duck, with her head and her bonnet on one side, ""Quack?"" The gentleman raised his eyes above his newspaper and looked curiously at Jemima. The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck ""Madam, have you lost your way?"" said he. He had a long bushy tail which he was sitting upon, as the stump was somewhat damp. The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck Jemima thought him mighty civil and handsome. She explained that she had not lost her way, but that she was trying to find a convenient dry nesting-place. The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck ""Ah! is that so? indeed!"" said the gentleman with sandy whiskers, looking curiously at Jemima. He folded up the newspaper, and put it in his coat-tail pocket. The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck Jemima complained of the superfluous hen. ""Indeed! how interesting! I wish I could meet with that fowl. I would teach it to mind its own business!"" The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck ""But as to a nest, there is no difficulty: I have a sack full of feathers in my woodshed. No, my dear madam, you will be in nobody's way. You may sit there as long as you like,"" said the bushy, long-tailed gentleman. The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck He led the way to a very retired, dismal-looking house amongst the fox-gloves. It was built of faggots and turf, and there were two broken pails, one on top of another, by way of a chimney. The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck ""This is my summer residence; you would not find my earth, my winter house, so convenient,"" said the hospitable gentleman. The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck There was a tumble-down shed at the back of the house, made of old soap-boxes. The gentleman opened the door, and showed Jemima in. The shed was almost quite full of feathers, it was almost suffocating; but it was comfortable and very soft. The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck Jemima Puddle-Duck was rather surprised to find such a vast quantity of feathers. But it was very comfortable; and she made a nest without any trouble at all. The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck When she came out, the sandy whiskered gentleman was sitting on a log reading the newspaper, at least, he had it spread out, but he was looking over the top of it. He was so polite, that he seemed almost sorry to let Jemima go home for the night. He promised to take great care of her nest until she came back again next day. He said he loved eggs and ducklings; he should be proud to see a fine nest-full in his wood-shed. Jemima Puddle-Duck came every afternoon; she laid nine eggs in the nest. They were greeny white and very large. The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck The foxy gentleman admired them immensely. He used to turn them over and count them when Jemima was not there. The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck At last Jemima told him that she intended to begin to sit next day, ""and I will bring a bag of corn with me, so that I need never leave my nest until the eggs are hatched. They might catch cold,"" said the conscientious Jemima. ""Madam, I beg you not to trouble yourself with a bag; I will provide oats. But before you commence your tedious sitting, I intend to give you a treat. Let us have a dinner-party, all to ourselves! The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck May I ask you to bring up some herbs from the farm-garden to make a savoury omelette? Sage and thyme, and mint, two onions, and some parsley. I will provide lard for the stuff— lard for the omelette,"" said the hospitable gentleman with sandy whiskers. The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck Jemima Puddle-Duck was a simpleton: not even the mention of sage and onions made her suspicious. She went round the farm-garden, nibbling off snippets of all the different sorts of herbs used for stuffing roast duck. And she waddled into the kitchen, and got two onions out of a basket. The collie-dog Kep met her coming out. The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck ""What are you doing with those onions? Where do you go every afternoon by yourself, Jemima Puddle-Duck?"" Jemima was rather in awe of the collie; she told him the whole story. The collie listened, with his wise head on one side; he grinned when she described the polite gentleman with sandy whiskers. He asked several questions about the wood, and about the exact position of the house and shed. The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck Then he went out, and trotted down the village. He went to look for two fox-hound puppies who were out at walk with the butcher. The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck Jemima Puddle-Duck went up the cart-road for the last time, on a sunny afternoon. She was rather burdened with bunches of herbs and two onions in a bag. The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck She flew over the wood, and alighted opposite the house of the bushy long-tailed gentleman. He was sitting on a log; he sniffed the air, and kept glancing uneasily round the wood. When Jemima alighted he quite jumped. The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck ""Come into the house as soon as you have looked at your eggs. Give me the herbs for the omelette. Be sharp!"" The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck He was rather abrupt. Jemima Puddle-Duck had never heard him speak like that. She felt surprised, and uncomfortable. The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck While she was inside she heard a pattering of feet, come round the back of the shed. The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck Someone, with a black nose, sniffed at the bottom of the door, and then locked it. Jemima became much alarmed. The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck A moment afterwards there were the most awful noises … barking, baying, growls and howls, squealing and groans. And nothing more was ever seen of that foxy-whiskered gentleman. The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck Presently Kep opened the door of the shed, and let out Jemima Puddle-Duck. He had a bite on his ear and both of the puppies were limping. Unfortunately the puppies rushed in and gobbled up all the eggs before he could stop them. Jemima Puddle-Duck was escorted home in tears on account of those eggs. The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck She laid some more eggs in June, and she was permitted to keep them herself: but only four of them hatched. Jemima Puddle-Duck said it was because of her nerves; but she had always been a bad sitter. " What-is-Christmas-.txt,"What is Christmas all about? Is Christmas all about presents? Or is Christmas all about giving? Is Christmas all about cookies? Or is Christmas all about love? Is Christmas all about chocolate? Or is Christmas all about sharing? Is Christmas all about toys? Or is Christmas all about having fun? Is Christmas all about trees? Or is Christmas all about growth? Is Christmas all about snow? Does it snow where you live at Christmas? Or is Christmas all about family? What does Christmas mean to you? Words in this book all about or is what does you it at giving sharing having love fun mean growth toys presents chocolate cookies trees snow Christmas MAKE A SNOWMAN You will need: old white socks, old fabric or pillow stuffing, buttons and or beads, thread and needle. Cut the tip off the sock, to keep for a hat. Turn the sock inside our and tie the bottom of the sock, then turn right side around again, (so the base sits flat). Fill with stuffing. Use a different colour sock or scrap of fabric to tie around the neck to make the scarf and head. Tie the top of the the sock, Decorate with buttons. Put the hat on top. You now have a snowman of your very own! ( -: Give him a name :-) Christmas Cookie Recipe 3/4 cup soft butter or margarine, 2/3rds of a cup sugar, 1 cup plain flour, 1 egg yolk Optional, add a small quantity of some of your favourite flavours: a pinch of salt, 2tsp vanilla extract, the juice and zest of 1 lemon or orange, chopped dry fruit, chocolate chips, Sprinkles, eg. hundreds and thousands, chopped nuts, mini marshmallows, work on different combinations! Cream the butter and sugar together Add the egg yolk and mix well. Then add all dry ingredients. (if too moist add flour, if too dry add water) Roll and shape the dough as needed, Preheat the oven to 180C (375F). spread a baking sheet, spaced quite far apart. Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes, then leave to cool. Icing Mix together butter and icing sugar until you have the right consistency and taste, add water if the icing needs to be more flowing, add food coloring for different colours. Christmas Crafts Try making some cards or gifts of your own, for example: 1) paper art card or create your own craft cards 2) knitted christmas socks or scarfs 3)hand made christmas decorations 4) decorate your christmas treats " Houses.txt,"Houses Mzi lives in a thatched house. Thulani lives in a square house. This house is a rectangle. The roof of this house is a triangle. This man is building his own house. This house is new. This house is old. I wish I lived in this house. " EVA-THE_ENERGETIC_EGG_TIMER-Boodlebobs-EP-03-By-JO-KEMP.txt,"EVA THE ENERGETIC EGG TIMER This is a story all about Eva and yes, she’s an egg timer. Because timing eggs only takes minutes, Eva had a lot of time on her hands. It gave her time to think so she thought a lot about chocolate. Bars of chocolate, boxes of chocolates, chocolate biscuits, chocolate cake – anything so long as it was chocolate. But there had to be more to life than chocolate? Just then, Freddie scratched his nose and this gave Eva an idea. ""I wonder how many times he does that in a minute?"" ""In fact, I wonder who does what, how often and when…?"" So she started timing everyone and everyone got very fed up. Boodlebobs [EP-03] - EVA THE ENERGETIC EGG TIMER 5 ""STOP!!!"" ""STOP!!!"" said Ivy putting her hands over her ears. ""Everyone is tired of being timed and told about it..."" ""PLEASE go back to timing eggs!"" ""In fact, why don’t you go and find out how long it takes to LAY an egg?"" Eva thought this was a BRILLIANT idea. In no time at all, she arrived at the henhouse where two lovely soft hens were chattering about what hens always chatter about… …eggs. They laughed when they saw Eva. ""Oh my word and glory be! Now’s there’s a funny thing to see in a henhouse!"" ""Can I time how long it takes you to lay an egg?"" asked Eva. ""Yes, but we can’t be hurried,"" they clucked. ""You can’t hurry an egg, Oh dearie me no!"" Boodlebobs [EP-03] - EVA THE ENERGETIC EGG TIMER 6 So Eva set her timer and settled down but then suddenly something TERRIBLE happened! A black shiny nose poked into the Henhouse. And under that nose were BIG sharp teeth! It was Ferdinand THE FOX!!! ""Good afternoon ladies,"" he said slyly, ""I’ve come FOR MY TEA!."" And he slavered and licked his lips. ""OH CLUCK!!!"" It’s f.. f…f…f….fox!"" flapped Henrietta. And in a flash of foxy red fur, Ferdinand pounced into the henhouse but much to his surprise, there was Eva. ""Oh no you don’t!"" she said angrily just as her alarm went off. ""BRINGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!"" ""What the f..f…f…flipping heck was that?!"" exclaimed Ferdinand. And he tripped over his tail and landed at the feet of Cornelius, a large and magnificent cockerel who gave him a well placed PECK! ""YE-OWW!"" squealed Ferdinand as he high-tailed it out of the Henhouse. Boodlebobs [EP-03] - EVA THE ENERGETIC EGG TIMER 7 ""AND WHOM, MAY I ASK, ARE YOU?"" Cornelius enquired, looking down at Eva. Eva was TERRIFIED. Never before had she seen such a huge magnificent cockerel. ""You leave her be!"" said Henrietta, ""Eva just saved us from being eaten by that wicked old fox!"" ""I’m an egg timer,"" Eva whispered. ""A FOX SCARER more like!"" Boomed Cornelius, lowering his magnificent head. ""How would you like to come here more often?"" ""I’d like that very much,"" whispered Eva. Boodlebobs [EP-03] - EVA THE ENERGETIC EGG TIMER 8 Back in the kitchen, Eva told Ivy all about her adventure. ""Well I never!"" she said just as Cor- nelius strutted in and it was Ivy’s turn to tremble. Ivy had seen many cockerels in her time but never one as big and magnificent as Cornelius. ""This is to say thank you,"" he said gently and presented Eva with a large brown egg. It was a most beautiful large brown egg. It was the most beautiful egg she’d ever seen because as Eva was soon to find out… …it was an egg made entirely of CHOCOLATE! " 17482-moo-moo-brown-cow-have-you-any-milk.txt,"Moo Moo Brown Cow, Have You Any Milk? Raju lived in the city. But in the summer, when school was out, Raju headed straight for his Ajja’s house in the village. Every summer, he learnt something new at Ajja’s house. This time, he was to learn that in the village, milk does not come out of plastic sachets! The evening he arrived, Ajji took him to the cowshed behind the house. Four gentle brown cows were munching on the hay Ajji had collected for them. A couple of frisky young calves jumped around playfully. Raju enjoyed watching them. He thought they were very sweet. ""Raju, remember the glass of milk you just had? This is the cow that the milk came from!"" said Ajji. ""The milk I drank came from a cow?"" asked Raju, very surprised. ""You mean you just milked her and there was my glass of milk, ready to drink?"" ""Yes, Raju,"" smiled Ajji. ""Come and meet my cows. This is Kaveri, whose milk you just drank, this is Kapila, this one is Ganga, and there at the far corner is Gowri."" Raju stood where he was, looking at the cows doubtfully. ""Come, Raju,"" coaxed Ajji. ""Come and touch them. They won’t hurt you."" As Raju moved among them, the calves moved closer to their mothers and mooed, wondering if they could trust this stranger. Their mothers licked them, letting them know Raju was a friend. Raju picked up courage and reached up to touch Gowri’s neck. It felt all soft and wrinkly, somewhat like Ajji’s neck. Gowri mooed at Raju’s touch, wanting to be friends. ""Do you know how milk comes out of the cow, Raju?"" asked Ajji. ""No, Ajji,"" said Raju, feeling a little silly. ""All I know is that in the city, our milk comes to our door in plastic sachets."" ""Come, let me show you,"" said Ajji. Taking him by the hand, she led him to Kapila. Kapila’s calf was close by. Ajji first allowed the calf to suckle, and drink as much milk as she needed. Then she washed Kapila’s udders with water and cleaned them. Sitting on her haunches, she began to milk the cow, pressing the udders gently between finger and thumb. As Raju watched, milk spurted from the udders into the vessel below. The vessel began to fill up slowly and the milk began to turn frothy at the top. Raju was surprised and pleased to see the frothy milk. ""Ajji,"" he said excitedly, ""see how the bubbles are forming at the top!"" ""Yes, Raju,"" said Ajji, smiling at his excitement. ""When I pull on the udders, powerful jets of milk come out. They hit the surface of the milk in the vessel with great force, mixing with the air and forming bubbles. That is what makes fresh milk taste so different from milk that comes out of a packet!"" ""Wow! I had no idea!"" said Raju. Ajji boiled the fresh frothy milk in the kitchen, and poured out a glass for Raju. It tasted so good that Raju finished it in a few quick gulps. ""Ajji, when I go back to the city, I shall tell all my friends where milk comes from,"" said Raju. ""I shall tell them how good fresh milk tastes at my Ajji's house."" Ajji laughed happily. ""Do that, my little Raju,"" she said. ""Then everyone will know who is the cleverest boy in the class !"" Use your imagination and colour this picture any way YOU like. " I-can-Climb.txt,"I Can Climb! I am a big boy now. I can climb up the steps. But I cannot climb down again. I can climb on a chair. But I cannot climb down again. I climb on to the chair, and then on the table! But I cannot climb down again. ""Papa! Papa!"" I shout. Papa laughs. ""Sonu, learn to climb down!"" he says. I am afraid. But I do not cry. Slowly, I get down from the table, and down from the chair. At last, I have learnt to climb down too! " the-other-way-opposites-Pratham-FKB.txt,"Tall like a tree Short like grass Up in the sky is a cloud Down in the soil is an earthworm Light like a petal Heavy like a rock Over the leaf is a caterpillar Under the leaf is a dragonfly Quick as a squirrel Slow as a snail Birds before sunrise Bats after sunset Above the tree is the moon Below the tree is you! " Maths-at-the-mela-FKB-Pratham.txt,"Maths at the Mela Leelu is at the mela with the students of Standard 4. All 36 of them! Sir says, ""Those who want to go on the toy train raise your hands."" Everyone shouts, ""Me, sir... me!"" Sir starts counting the hands. Before he can get to 36, the toy train gets full. It gives a loud toot of the whistle and takes off. Standard 4 has to wait for the next round. Next, it is time to go on the giant wheel. Each swinging box of the wheel has two seats. Leelu sees that a single ticket is for two people. Before Sir starts counting one by one, Leelu quickly counts her class in twos: ""2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14... 36."" The ticket collector asks, ""How many tickets?"" Leelu answers, ""18."" At the merry-go-round, each horse has three seats. Bittu wants to show the class how clever he is. So he begins counting in threes. ""3, 6, 9... 36!"" Sir asks, ""How many horses do we need?"" Bittu proudly says, ""12."" It is the end of the day. They are all tired. Sir wants to make sure all 36 children are safely back in the bus. This time, Didu wants to count. She notices that each row in the bus has four seats. So she counts loudly in fours. ""4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, 32... "" She stops just before saying '36'. ""Sir, two kids seem to be missing and are not in the bus!"" she gasps. The bus driver, Didu and Sir count the sleeping class again. Who could be missing? ""Aaaah! Come, see... here is one missing fellow,"" the driver says from the back of the bus. On the last row is Montu, fast asleep and snoring! But that only adds up to 35 children. Just as Sir steps out to search for the missing child, Didu shouts, ""Sir, come back please... we found her!"" ""Who is this naughty girl?"" Sir asks. Didu points at herself. ""Me, Sir. I had forgotten to count myself!"" Number fun You don't have to go to a mela to count in twos, threes or fours. All around us are chances to count in sets. Count the number of feet in your classroom, by counting in twos! " jadav-and-the-tree-place.txt,"Jadav and the Tree-Place This is Jadav, a tree-planter. He loves tree-places because they are full of life. No-tree-places make him terribly sad, because they are full of dead things. Years ago, Jadav was walking along the banks of the great Brahmaputra River when he arrived at a big, empty no- tree-place. It was dry and hot. The sand was powdery and striped. Striped sand? How odd. Jadav went closer to take a better look. Oh, but they weren't stripes at all! The ground was covered in snakes! Last night’s floods must have washed them ashore, Jadav thought. These snakes weren't slinking and slithering and swaying about like regular, healthy snakes. When Jadav walked among them, they didn't hiss or run away or try to bite him. They just lay about like old ropes, tired and still. ""Poor snakes! They're dying from the heat! If only they had some shade to lie in! If only this no-tree-place had some trees in it!"" Jadav couldn't bear to watch the snakes die. It made him so terribly sad that he sat down and began to cry. But he quickly came to his senses. ""No more crying. From now on: only trying!"" He jumped up, ran back to his village and began collecting all the bamboo shoots he could carry in his bag. ""Regular plants won't grow in the hot sand, but bamboo will. Bamboo is strong!"" Jadav brought the shoots to the no-tree-place and started planting them everywhere. It was hard, hot work, and it took years. The river grew thin one summer and flooded the next, sometimes bringing more sand and sometimes taking it away. Heavy rains came and went. But Jadav kept on planting. In time, the bamboo took root and began to grow. As it grew, it brought shade, and the shade brought insects. The insects burrowed into the ground, and the earth below the bamboo trees began to change. The dry and white became rich and brown, and the dead sand became living soil. Jadav was no longer sad. But he wasn't happy either. He looked around his bamboo grove and thought, ""A few-trees-place is nice, I know. But how wonderful it would be if this were a many-trees-place!"" The idea thrilled him. So Jadav went back to his village and began collecting many more seeds and saplings. He filled three big bags with Arjun and ejar and gulmohar and koroi and moj and himolu. ""Now that our few-trees-place has lovely brown soil, we can plant all these and more!"" Jadav brought his new saplings and seeds to the few-trees-place and planted them all around. It was hard work, his back hurt, and it took many years. The orange and blue skies turned purple and pink, and villages became towns. The wind grew laden with dust, and the river became grey. But Jadav's insect friends helped to till the soil, and his tall bamboos gave him shade and cooled the air. And Jadav kept on planting. Soon, his Arjun, ejar and gulmohar, his koroi, moj and himolu, and all his many other plants dug in, took root and started growing. As they grew, they spread new seeds, and the new seeds, in turn, took root. Shoots became trunks, trunks grew branches, and the branches reached for the sky. The few-trees-place that was once a no-tree-place now became a wonderful, green many-trees-place. But what's a many-trees-place without many tree-creatures? When one came, the others followed. First, came the birds. They flocked and flew in from near and far, to make their nests in Jadav's tree-place. There were vultures and pelicans and storks and ducks. And warblers and thrushes and wagtails and chats. Next, came the animals. They skipped and swung and sauntered in, to make their homes in the many-trees-place. There were buffaloes and deer and rabbits and gibbons. And elephants and tigers and rhinos. Finally, there came the snakes. They slithered and swayed and sashayed in, to cool themselves in the shade of Jadav's trees. When Jadav saw the snakes, he sat down and cried happy tears. He was so happy that he wasn't even afraid of getting bitten. Jadav's tree-place had filled with feathers and beaks and wings, with claws and tails and fangs. There were spots and splashes, stripes and flashes, and green, green, everywhere. The tree-place was a forest, at last. And Jadav was a happy man. Then Jadav had another thought. ""Many trees in one place is good, I know. But how wonderful it'd be if there were many trees in every place!"" So he grabbed his bags of seeds and started walking across the world. And as he walked, Jadav started planting the seeds in all the no-tree-places he saw. And he planted. And planted. And planted. But there are so many no-tree-places in the world. There are more no-tree-places than tree-places now. This is terribly sad, but Jadav does not sit down and cry this time. Jadav plants. And plants. And plants some more. It’s going to be hard work, bringing all the old forests back. The seas have begun rising, and the winds grow cold. Towns have become cities, and Jadav is growing old. But he keeps on planting. And planting. And planting. Jadav will keep on planting until the whole world is a happy, lovely lots-of-trees- place. Jadav in Real Life Jadav ‘Mulai’ Payeng is a conservationist and recipient of the Padmashree, one of the highest civilian honours awarded by the Indian government. Jadav lives in Majuli, Assam. At the age of 16, distressed by the sight of dying snakes that had washed up on a sandbar banking the Brahmaputra, Jadav decided to plant some trees in the spot. He started small, with bamboos, and grew an entire forest, plant by painstaking plant. This was back in 1979. Over the next three decades, Jadav and his tree- planting have managed to change the soil in the barren area. The 550-hectare sandbar is now a lush, dense forest and home to a variety of flora and fauna, including elephants, tigers, apes, deer and many species of local and migratory birds. Jadav continues to visit and nurture his forest every day, planting wherever he finds empty patches. Growing Up With a Mango Tree: a Tree-Planting Activity Just ate a mango? Loved it? Want another? You can go to a shop and buy one, of course. But it's a lot more fun (and free!) to use the seed of the mango you just ate and make a few fruits of your own. All you need is time and patience. First, find a nice patch of empty land near your house. Get a friend, sibling or grown-up to help you plant the seed you saved in that patch. Make sure the soil is loose and there's plenty of sun. It may take several weeks of waiting, watering and watching before your seed turns into a plant, so don't worry and definitely don't hurry. Once your seed germinates and grows into a healthy mango plant, get ready for a lot more waiting, watering and watching. Take care that your plant doesn't get eaten up by insects or animals, or get stepped on by someone. If all this waiting is making you feel bored, read a few books, sing some songs, and plant some more plants! After a few years, as you grow taller, your mango plant will grow tall with you, until it becomes a big tree that you can climb and picnic under. This is when the real fun begins. By now, your tree will have started making its own mangoes, which you and your friends can eat. Even better, those mangoes will soon start attracting other mango- loving creatures to your tree: birds, ants, squirrels, bats, monkeys, spiders and lots more. Some of these creatures will come to eat the fruit, some will come to feed on the tree's sap, some to drink nectar from its flowers, and some creatures will even come to eat some of the other creatures hanging around the tree. But it's not all about eating. Some creatures may come just to rest in your tree's shade, or to take a nap in its branches. Your tree has many different uses for every different creature! Spend some time every day watching who visits your mango tree, at which time of the day they come, and what they do. Write down what you see in your notebook. Also draw pictures of what you see. See how much you've done and learned with just one mango seed? Isn't tree-planting fun? Now imagine how much fun Jadav must have had planting his entire forest full of trees! " Where-am-i-Pratham-FKB_stories.txt,"Where Am I? I am happiest among the big trees of a forest. Flying snakes scare me – they might gobble me up! I am a flying lizard. Where am I? I am shy and quick-footed. Guess what? I eat my own potty! I am a black-naped hare. Where am I? I have a very small body and really long legs. My tail looks like it’s split down the middle. I am a two-tailed spider. Where am I? I am hidden among leaf litter. My wings have a special pattern! I am a moth. Where am I? I spend all my life on trees in gardens. When tiny insects come near me, I leap forward and eat them up! I am a bark gecko. Where am I? I love eating juicy, green leaves. Watch out for an odd-shaped leaf – that might just be me! I am a grasshopper. Where am I? I have eight legs but I don't spin webs. The flower I live in is the same colour as me! I am a crab spider. Where am I? I can sit still for hours on end. Listen for my chirps, mostly during dawn or dusk! I am a nightjar. Where am I? I hold up my front legs in a fold, like I am praying. Look for a swaying movement and you will know it's me. I am a praying mantis. Where am I? I spend a lot of time near water. When you hear us call ""drong drowng"", you know the monsoon has arrived! I am a bullfrog. Where am I? " Inspirational_Quotes_For_Kids_2020-FKB.txt,"""There will always be storms, it is how you weather them that counts."" - variation of Epictetus ""No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted."" -Aesop ""Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life"" - Confucius Does it matter more whether the glass is half empty or half full, or what is inside? learn to think outside the box ""All the good things in life are free. It's important to never loose sight of that. So look around you, wherever you see friendship, loyalty, laughter, and love....there's your treasure."" - Neale Donald Walsh "" If you see someone without a smile, give them one of yours!"" - Dolly Parton (Imagination Library) ""Failure is NOT the opposite of success, it is a PART of it."" - Arianna Huffington ""Never, never, never give up."" – Winston Churchhill ""No one can make you feel inferior without your consent."" - Eleanor Roosevelt ""Beneath the rule of men entirely great, The pen is mightier than the sword"" Edward George Bulwer-Ltton In the written word we have the power to change the world, literally, while with the sword we have only the power to break down and kill, and even then only the mortal body, not the spirit. ""UNLESS someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not."" - The Lorax, Dr. Seuss ""Never let the odds keep you from doing what you know in your heart you were meant to do."" - H. Jackson Brown, Jr. ""My philosophy is: It’s none of my business what people say of me and think of me. I AM what I AM and I do what I do. I expect nothing and accept everything. And it makes life so much easier."" - Sir Antony Hopkins ""The only man who never makes a mistake is the man who never does anything."" - Theodore Roosevelt ""Never look down on anybody unless you're helping them up."" - Jessie Jackson ""Why fit in when you were born to stand out?"" -Dr. Suess The Starfish Parable you can One day, an old man was walking along a beach that was littered with thousands of starfish that make a had been washed ashore by the high tide. As he walked he came upon a young boy who was eagerly throwing the starfish back into the ocean, difference, one by one. Puzzled, the man looked at the boy and asked what he was doing. Without looking up from his if you task, the boy simply replied, ""I'm saving these starfish, Sir."" try! The old man chuckled aloud, ""Son, there are thousands of starfish and only one of you. What difference can you make?"" The boy picked up a starfish, gently tossed it into the water and turning to the man, said, ""It made a difference to that one Sir."" - Loren Eiseley ""Be kind whenever possible. - It is always possible."" - The Dalai Lama ""Be the change you want to see in the world."" - Mahatma Gandhi ""Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."" - Mark Twain Why settle with ordinary when you can write your own fairytale? - Danielle Bruckert - the end - " goat-dog-and-cow-FKB.txt,"Goat, Dog and Cow Goat, Dog and Cow were great friends. One day they went on a journey in a taxi. They reached the end of their journey. The driver asked them to pay their fares. Cow paid her fare. Dog paid extra, because he did not have the correct money. The driver was about to give Dog his change. Suddenly Goat ran away without paying. The driver was very annoyed. He drove away without giving Dog his change. That is why, even today, Dog runs towards a car to peep inside. He is looking for the driver who owes him change. Goat runs away from the sound of a car. She is afraid she will be arrested for not paying her fare. Cow is not bothered by cars. Cow takes her time crossing the road. She knows she paid her fare in full. " the-tale-of-the-toilet.txt,"The Tale of the Toilet It’s a big job, it’s number one priority and number two is pretty important too, because you can never ignore nature’s call. So when you gotta go, you gotta go! Some people can do this business inside their houses, some have to go outside. Some pour water after it’s done, others need not. It’s different in different parts of the world, just as it was different at different times in history. Toilets of the past A very long time ago, more than 3,000 years ago, the people of Indus Valley had beautiful houses with toilets built inside them. People could finish their business in privacy and pour a bucket of water which would flush the waste down a drain. This way, they managed to keep their houses and streets clean. The Indus Valley, situated in present day Pakistan and India, is one of the three oldest civilizations that we know of, the other two being Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. From what we can see of the ruins today, the people of Indus Valley had great building skills, were good at making metal and ceramic products, and planned their city-wide drainage systems very elaborately. Around the same time, similar toilet arrangements were present in other parts of the world. Homes in Egypt and Babylonia had toilets built in, and the ruins in Skara Brae in Scotland and the Minoan Crete in the Mediterranean show plenty of pipes leading out of what definitely seems like a toilet inside a house. A little later, about 2,000 years ago in Rome, people used public toilets. A long slab of stone had keyhole-shaped cuts at intervals. People would sit on these openings and do their toilet business while having a friendly chat with the person next to them. I told you it was a ""public"" toilet! How did they clean themselves, do you wonder? After I tell you, you might wish you had never wondered. They took a long stick that had a sponge attached to one end and dipped the sponge into water, and then used it to wipe their backsides. After they felt clean, they simply handed the stick over to their neighbour, who dipped it in water and used it again. Let me give you a friendly tip here – if you ever find yourself in this place, make sure you pick the very first seat! Not everyone had to poop in public in Rome. If you were super-rich, you would have a chamber pot at home into which you would do your business. Once done, you would simply empty the contents onto the street outside. And if someone happened to walk by at the time, well, too bad for them! About 500 years ago, Queen Elizabeth of England had a toilet constructed inside her house. It had a pipe leading out into a sewage pit outside. But she never used it much because the stench from the sewer filled the toilet and she could not even breathe. So back to the chamber pot she went. Toilets of the present Toilets these days don’t stink. How did they achieve that? In 1775, the English inventor Alexander Cumming figured out a way. Instead of using a straight pipe to connect the toilet to the sewage line, he made it S-shaped. This made sure that while poop and pee and water can go down the drain, no smell can come back up. Have you noticed that a little water always stays in the toilet even after flushing? This is what creates the ""seal"" and prevents the foul smell from entering the room through the drain. Just like olden times, different parts of the world today have different kinds of toilets. Some places don’t have toilets at all. Some toilets are made for sitting, some are made for squatting. Some have a bucket with water for flushing, others have a tank filled with water and a handle that releases the water. Some toilets have paper to wipe the backside, some have a tap or a bucket of water to wash up. There are some toilets that don’t use water at all. Like the ones on a plane. With all the turbulence, you certainly don’t want any water in the toilet bowl! The waste is removed by a powerful vacuum and stored in a tank below. After the plane lands, the waste is disposed of. There are also waterless toilets on the ground. They were designed and built for places without easy access to water, such as remote villages in Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra. They have been working well, so wouldn’t it be a good idea to have such toilets everywhere? Because the less water we use, and the less sewage we create, the better for the planet, right? Toilets of the future How do you make a waterless toilet? The first step is to make sure that you don’t let the urine and the faeces mix. No it’s not as gross as it sounds – it just needs the pot to be designed in a clever way. Like having a sloping bamboo mat act as a sieve that will allow the waste water to pass through, but can hold the poop and send it to a different pit. Since urine by itself is not harmful (it’s only the bacteria that collect on open urine that cause the smell and the hazard), it can be safely let into the ground or put to use. Here’s how: Hydrogen can be separated from the urine and used to fuel a generator. Urine also has nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium that are great ingredients for fertilizers. Now that urine is taken care of, what do we do with the solid waste? Well, if it is properly mixed with ash and grass, and allowed to rest in a pit, millions of bacteria will break it down into perfectly useful compost for agriculture. These toilets will help us build a world where there is no ""waste."" Instead it is turned into something of use. If all houses in a city have such toilets, no sewage comes out of them, no expensive sewage treatment plants are necessary and no sewage will flow through the drains into lakes and rivers! What a great future for everyone! On pg 18 is a board game. You’ll need a few friends to play with and a die. Below are instructions on what to do if you land here: At 3 Queen’s chamber pot: Illegal use of Queen’s chamber pot. Punishment: Banished into her toilet for 2 turns. At 6 Roman toilet first seat: Good for you! First use of sponge! Move ahead 7 spaces. At 9 Stuck in the toilet queue! Move only if you roll a 2 or a 4. At 12 Roman toilet last seat: Yuck. Don’t want to use that sponge? Okay, we'll let you kill the time. Lose a turn. At 15 Mohenjo-daro: Congratulations! You have entered one of the best toilets of all time! So you get to roll the die again. If you roll 2,4,6 move that many spaces forward. If you roll 1,3,5 you can pick any pawn on the board (other than yours) and move it that many spaces back. At 19 Oops. Left the toilet dirty. Move back 3 spaces. At 21 Waterless toilet: Congratulations! You just used a waterless toilet! Take the short-cut! At 23 Flying waste! Oh dear! You got hit by flying waste! Move only if you roll a 1 or 6. " 11166-a-cloud-of-trash.txt,"A Cloud of Trash Cheekoo was the unhappiest girl among her friends. She was certainly the unhappiest girl in her entire class. She was perhaps the unhappiest girl in the world. Friends? Cheekoo had no friends anymore. No one wanted to play with Cheekoo. Because she had a cloud hanging over her head. A cloud of TRASH. Orange peels and biscuit packets, Broken toys and pencil shavings, Twisted plastic bottles and colourful plastic bags, All surrounded by a swarm of buzzing flies. No one wanted to play with a girl who had a cloud of trash hanging over her. What if a rotten banana peel fell on your head? YUCK! Cheekoo couldn’t even play hide- and-seek anymore. The cloud would always give her away. ""Let’s walk to school together,"" she said to Sona. Sona ran off in the opposite direction. ""May I borrow your pencil sharpener?"" she asked Sweety. Sweety made a face and changed her seat to go sit with Asha. Cheekoo even had to eat her lunch alone. Cheekoo knew that she should have listened to her Amma. Amma always told her not to litter. ""Don’t throw the banana peel on the road!"" ""Throw the empty biscuit packet in the dustbin."" But Cheekoo never listened. She only laughed and kept littering. Then one day, Amma became very angry. ""Soon, all this trash will start following you!"" she said. Cheekoo just laughed. The next morning, Cheekoo woke up to a foul smell and the sound of buzzing flies. The cloud of trash was hanging over her head. Amma’s words had come true! And then, Cheekoo was unable to laugh. Cheekoo tried to run away. But the trash cloud followed her everywhere. Cheekoo took a broom to sweep the cloud down. But the trash could not be swept away. Cheekoo tried EVERYTHING. She screamed and asked the cloud to leave her alone. She even tried throwing the cloud into the dustbin. But the cloud of trash just wouldn’t go. So Cheekoo became very unhappy. Then something happened! Cheekoo saw Bala throwing a banana peel on the road. Cheekoo was annoyed. Could he not see the cloud over her head? ""Oye silly boy!"" she yelled. ""Don’t throw the peel on the road. Someone will slip!"" Bala, scared of the trash cloud, threw the peel in the dustbin. The next day, the trash cloud had become smaller! ""How did that happen?"" Cheekoo wondered. Then, Cheekoo saw Reema Aunty throwing away plastic bags. ""Aunty!"" Cheekoo said. ""Please pick up these bags and reuse them."" Reema Aunty picked up the bags and left. The next day when Cheekoo woke up, the cloud was much smaller. Cheekoo smiled. She knew what she had to do. When someone threw away a biscuit packet or pencil shavings, Cheekoo stopped them. She picked up every twisted plastic bottle and put it in the dustbin. The village became cleaner and cleaner. And Cheekoo’s cloud became smaller and smaller. Until one day, it was gone. COMPLETELY gone. Cheekoo was now perhaps the happiest girl in the world. Cheekoo never littered again. Secretly, she liked living in a clean village. But she was also scared that the trash cloud would come back, some day. Who knew! Let’s Talk About Trash Ever wondered what happens to trash once you throw it away? No, it doesn’t become a cloud on your head. The trash ends up in a big garbage bin near your home. When you litter, the trash collects by the side of the road. Some of it goes into the drains that carry waste water from your house. This clogs the drains and attracts flies which spread nasty diseases! UGH! Nobody likes living in a dirty environment. Ask Cheekoo. Here’s how NOT to make a cloud of trash - We can start by not littering our surroundings. - Always, always throw waste into a dustbin – look around for the nearest one. - After you eat a banana, don’t throw it on the road. Put the peel in a small bag until you find a dustbin. - There are many things that you may think are useless, like the paper bag into which you put the peel. But not everything is waste. So don’t throw the bag with the peel! Take it home and reuse it. - Cover dustbins so that flies can’t get inside. " Learn-Sight-Words-Easter-Eggs.txt,"One chocolate easter egg. Two easter egg people. Three easter egg bunnies. Four painted easter eggs. Five easter eggs in egg cups. Six colourful easter eggs. Seven smarties easter eggs. Eight purple easter eggs. Nine small, medium and large, easter eggs. Ten mini easter eggs. Lots of yummy easter eggs. THE END " the-great-tidy-up_3-17.txt,"‘We are going to have so much fun while Gogo is having a nap,’ says big sister Khwezi. ‘Ooh yes!’ says little brother Mzamo. ‘What will we do?’ ‘We will clean the house for Papa and Mama while they are out.’ ‘That’s no fun,’ says Mzamo. ‘Uh uh, no. Not me. I don’t want to clean up!’ ‘But Papa and Mama will be so proud. Let me show you how much fun we will have!’ says Khwezi. ‘First we will put the toys away!’ ‘Now we will sweep the stoep!’ ‘Now we will wash the dishes!’ ‘Now we will wash the windows!’ z z ‘Now we will z polish the floor!’ ‘Now we will wash the clothes!’ ‘Now we will hang the clothes up!’ ""SURPRISE!"" ‘I have been watching them the whole time and they have been little angels!’ says Gogo. " The-Witches-Daughter.txt,"The Witch’s Daughter Once upon a time, there lived a witch who was very mean and ugly. She was as ugly as a burnt plum pudding. She had only one daughter, who was named Broccolina, and she was no nicer than her mother. The witch wanted to train her daughter in witch-craft, to follow in her footsteps. But, no matter how much the mother tried, Broccolina was not the least bit interested. She never wanted to be bothered with witchcraft or housework, either. She was only interested in becoming beautiful. Broccolina was very worried about her ugly looks and she spent most of her time in front of the mirror, putting on make-up. She painted her face in colors and polished her claw-like nails until they shone. She did her hair up, every morning, evening and night, in every style she could think of. She wanted to look as pretty as possible, but she never realized that all she did only made her look worse. One day, her mother had to go on a journey to a far-off land. She ordered Broccolina to keep stirring a magic potion, which was on the fire, until she returned. ""Why should I have to do it?"" Broccolina complained. ""You know how much I hate to stir potions. The big spoon spoils my nail polish, and the steam makes my make-up run."" ""It has to be done!"" said her mother, heading out the door. ""I’ll be back as soon as I can. In the meantime, keep stirring that pot!"" ""It’s not fair!"" Broccolina muttered. She picked up the big spoon and started to stir. After a while, she heard an unfamiliar sound. It was like a swarm of bees droning, overhead. She looked up to see what it was. ""Oh!"" she cried. It was a lovely angel, flying above her. Broccolina’s eyes widened at the sight. ""What a beautiful creature! If I could just be as beautiful as that!"" she said to herself enviously, gazing at the angel. ""How did she become so beautiful? There may be some secret to it,"" she thought. ""If I could catch her, maybe I could get the secret out of her. Yes, I must hurry up and catch her."" She left the pot boiling on the fire, and ran into the house to get the magic carpet. But her mother had already gone away on it. ""Oh, no!"" she muttered. She was very disappointed that she would not be able to catch the angel. She sat in front of the cauldron, sulking. ""Oh, how can I ever become as pretty as that?"" She thought and thought and thought, but nothing came to her mind. Suddenly, she got an idea. ""Maybe my mother has a formula in her magic books, to make me pretty, like an angel. Surely, she must have one."" Then she ran back into the house, and straight to her mother’s closet. She rummaged about in the closet, looking for a recipe, turning over all of her mother’s magic recipe books, one by one. But she couldn’t find any recipe to become pretty, like an angel. She was very disappointed. She couldn’t stop thinking about the pretty angel. She paced up and down angrily, not wanting to give up. ""Well,"" she thought, ""I’ll just have to come up with a recipe of my own, to make me beautiful."" She went back to the simmering cauldron and went on stirring it, still trying to think up a recipe. She became nervous and angry, because she couldn’t think of anything. ""What ingredients should I use to make that magic portion?"" she asked herself. She thought and thought, but she just couldn’t think of anything that would make her beautiful. After a while, Broccolina felt something rubbing against her ankle. It was her mother’s grey cat. ""Get away,"" she said. The cat wrapped herself around Broccolina’s leg, mewing. It seemed to be lonely. Broccolina, who was already angry, became even angrier at that. ""I said get away!"" she yelled. When the cat didn’t leave, Broccolina grabbed it by the tail and flung it out of the door. ‘Yeow!’ The poor cat howled and ran away with her tail in the air. Just then, a long tail popped out from Broccolina’s back. But, she was so absorbed in thoughts of becoming as beautiful as an angel, that she didn’t feel it. She stirred the potion faster, thinking of the ingredients she should put in. Then her mother’s black crow saw something strange hanging from Broccolina’s back and flew to her. Thinking it was a snake, he pecked at it and pulled on it. Broccolina was angry about being disturbed again. She hit the crow with the stirring spoon. The crow’s scrawny leg was scratched by the spoon and some of the potion spilled on the ground, as well. The poor crow shrieked in pain and quickly limped away. Broccolina was so mean, she didn’t care that she had wounded the poor crow. She didn’t even feel sorry for him. She continued to stir the potion in the cauldron. Soon, small sores popped out all over her body. But, she was so absorbed in thoughts of becoming beautiful, that she didn’t notice them. The goat, her mother had brought home to slaughter for dinner, smelled the potion that had been spilt on the ground. He got up from his bed of hay and came to lick it up, because he was so thirsty. This angered Broccolina even more and she kicked the goat. The poor, thirsty goat staggered away, in fear and pain. And, in no time, she got a grey beard just like that of the goat, sprouted from her chin and her hair became coarse and stiff, like hay. But Broccolina didn’t notice it, because she was too busy, thinking about the ingredients she should put in her beauty potion. The cow in the barn, saw Broccolina’s new beard and bristly hair. She was very hungry and thought that it was a stack of hay, so came to eat it. Broccolina, without realizing why the cow came to her, angrily threw a stick of firewood at her. It hit her on the horns and the poor hungry cow ran away, mooing in fear. Within seconds, two bumps emerged from the sides of Broccolina’s head and grew into two big horns. But, still she didn’t notice! When her mother’s watchdog saw this strange creature, he didn’t know it was Broccolina. He sprang at her, barking and growling. Broccolina was very annoyed at him for barking at her and hit the dog with the cauldron’s lid. It hit the dog on the mouth and the poor, stricken dog ran away, howling. Suddenly, half of Broccolina’s teeth fell into the cauldron, as she stirred the potion. But Broccolina didn’t notice it, because she was too deep in thoughts of how to become pretty, like an angel. Then her mother’s little parrot woke up, hearing the clamour. When he saw Broccolina, he became frightened and flew about in his cage. ""Oh! Broccolina,"" the parrot cried, ""what happened to you? You’ve become uglier than ever. You are the ugliest being I’ve ever seen,"" the little parrot screeched, in terror. Broccolina was furious. She shook his cage and shouted ugly words at him. As she shouted, her voice cracked and became hoarse, more like a croak, than a voice. ""Oh! What’s wrong?"" Broccolina was very confused and felt that something was not right. She ran to the mirror. When she saw herself in the mirror she was horrified. ""Oh, no! No, nooooooooo..."" she screamed. ""Oh no, I wanted to be pretty like an angel."" She ran out of the house, screaming wildly. She was angrier than ever. She howled madly and crawled on the ground, cursing the angel. Hearing Broccolina’s howling, the angel, who was on her way back to heaven, came to see what was wrong. When Broccolina saw the angel, she boiled with anger and jealousy. ""You horrible angel! You horrible angel!"" Broccolina shouted indignantly, throwing up her hands. ""All this happened to me, because of you,"" she shouted. ""Why did you fly above me? Ever since then, I wanted to become an angel like you."" The angel listened quietly. Broccolina went on complaining. ""See, what has happened to me? I’ve ended up looking horrible. You’re responsible for all of this. Now, you must tell me, the secret of how to be pretty, like an angel. Otherwise I’ll teach you a lesson when I get my hands on you,"" Broccolina shouted angrily. The angel listened to her calmly and spoke to her with kindness. ""Broccolina, no magic potion can make anyone pretty like an angel. It’s not a secret. If you love and care for others, be kind and patient and do only good deeds, then you will look pretty, like an angel. The love in your heart for others is what really makes you beautiful."" Mouth agape, Broccolina listened intently to the angel. ""A little while ago, you treated those poor creatures with meanness. That’s how you became ugly. The more your heart is filled with cruelty and anger, the uglier you become,"" said the angel. ""Broccolina, now you must go to those you harmed, and care for them, until they get well. You should love them and talk to them with affection. You should never use harsh words on anyone. Then your voice will be sweeter."" The angel went away, fluttering her golden wings. Broccolina ran around in a panic, looking for the cat, the crow, the goat, cow, dog and parrot. They were all hiding from her, behind the barn, bruised and stricken with fear and pain. When they saw her, they became even more scared. But when she talked to them sweetly, they were so surprised, they forgot how frightened and hurt they had felt. Broccolina treated them lovingly and cared for their injuries with kindness. They were all very happy and amazed to hear kind words from her. Little by little, as she spoke to them nicely, her voice became sweeter and sweeter. As she treated the animals’ wounds with tenderness, her skin cleared and began to glow. When she nursed them with affection, her hair became soft and lustrous. When she looked at them with love in her eyes, her eyes became brighter and clearer. Little by little, she became pretty, just like the angel. Eventually, two little bumps appeared on her back and turned into lovely wings. ""Oh!"" She cried, as happy as she could be. She rose up into the air, fluttering her wings. Broccolina finally became an angel and flew to heaven. After that she was never unkind to anyone and was loved by all. " 22064-did-you-hear_FKB.txt,"Did You Hear? Birds talk. And they talk a lot! WAAAAHHHH! The Brahminy kite wails like a hungry baby. WAAAAHHHH! FHWEE! FHWEE! The Malabar whistling thrush whistles like a happy child. FHWEE! FHWEE! HU HU HU HU! HU HU HU HU! The laughing dove laughs as if it's being tickled. HU HU HU HU! HU HU HU HU! PUK! PUK! PUK! The coppersmith barbet sounds like a hammer striking metal. PUK! PUK! PUK! WAAAAHHHH! FHWEE! HU HU! PUK! Who is that? That is the racket-tailed drongo who can copy other birds! WAAAAHHHH! FHWEE! HU HU! PUK! We may not know what birds are saying, But we know who is talking. " 044-SAMATHA-THE-GIRL-SCIENTIST-Free-Childrens-Book-By-Monkey-Pen.txt,"""Hi! My name is Samantha and I want to be a scientist. You may be wondering why and my answer is simple. I am amazed at all the wonderful things like television, cellular phones, men on the Moon, space exploration, and the list goes on. But those are big things and I just don’t understand everything about them yet. I also wonder about smaller things like-why do my doll’s eyes close when I lay her down and open when I pick her up. Or how are cartoons made? Hmm – I know it has something to do with Science. My brother Samuel wants to be a scientist too, but he likes things that I don’t, like-why Stalactites grow. But even though we don’t like the same things it’s still Science so we get along just fine. In fact, our teachers help us better understand Math, technology, current events and trends - all of which are important. We even help each other and have lots of fun. I like to experiment or take things apart to see how they work. No matter what I do, I tell my mom or dad what I am going to be doing and sometimes even ask for their help. I would never just do something. I could get hurt. Sometimes it’s best to start small, and that’s just what I did. I remember my first experiment in detail and it was a lot of fun to do. I had to do an optical illusion. You may be wondering why that is important and all I can say is that it’s the basis for making cartoons - and here is why. Our brains fill in the gaps for whatever our eyes aren’t processing. So two different pictures can actually become one or still images can appear to be moving. Try this experiment, it’s lots of fun and there is nothing dangerous about it. Here is what you need: • 2 small pieces of white cardboard or index cards. • Tape • A pencil to be used as a shaft • Crayons, colored pencils or whatever you want to draw with The Experiment Preparation: • Draw a large birdcage on one piece of cardboard. You are the scientist so make it look like you want. Just make it pretty big. • On the other piece of cardboard draw a bird. Maybe a Budgie or a Toucan. Just make sure it is smaller than the birdcage. • Tape the pictures, back-to-back, onto the pencil shaft. The Expected Result: • What do you think is going to happen if you spin the pencil? I can’t tell you because I did it and this is your discovery. The Experiment: • Hold the pencil between the palms of your hands. • Rub your hands to make the picture spin around. • Of course, you have to look at the picture while it’s spinning. The Experiment Result: • You should have seen the two pictures appear as one. If you didn’t see the bird in the cage, keep trying until you do. That is Science! Have some fun and try different pictures. (I even put Samuel in jail once). Hey, do you want to do a little magic and make a spot on a piece of paper disappear? It’s different for each person but it does disappear. Yes, it’s Science too but let’s get to the experiment and I’ll explain the Science later. It’s simple to set-up. Just draw a square about ¼ inch to one side of a white piece of paper and color it in. Draw a circle about 3 to 4 inches to the right that’s about the same size as the square and color it in. This is the dot you are going to make disappear. Actually you can draw two small pictures, or letters, or numbers, or whatever you want. One of them will disappear. • After you draw them hold the paper at arm’s length. • Close your left eye and focus on the square with your right eye. • Slowly move the paper towards you. • At some point the dot will disappear. • Try it again and make the square disappear. Close your right eye and focus on the dot with your left eye. Move the paper towards you until the square disappears. It’s magic! Well, actually it is Science. You see, the spot where your optic nerve connects to your eye doesn’t have any photoreceptors. That means it is a blind spot and we all have them. You never notice this blind spot because your two eyes work together to cover it up. Just like in the first experiment your brain fills in for the blind spot with the background. I have a question for you. What do you think will happen if you use a colored piece of paper like red? If you don’t know, do another experiment and see for yourself. Science is fun and I am glad I am going to be a scientist. Maybe you’ll decide to be one too."" " All-Sorts-Of-Cars-FKB-Kids-Story.txt,"This book has all sorts of cars in it. blue cars purple cars green cars yellow cars Green toy car Red toy car yellow toy car Silver and blue toy car classic cars (that means they're really old!) racing cars FUNKY AND COLOURFUL CAR That's not a car.... It's a bus! More racing cars. This car goes really fast! These cars are long! These cars are short! more classic cars.... (remember, classic means they're really old!) These are vintage cars. (Vintage cars are really, really old!) Interesting cars. (These vintage and classic cars are all a bit different!) Ride on cars MY Ride CAR ! on cars We hope you enjoyed all the cars. " Beatrix-Potter-Mrs-Tittlemouse-FKB.txt,"Once upon a time there was a wood-mouse, and her name was Mrs. Tittlemouse. She lived in a bank under a hedge. The Tale of Mrs Tittlemouse Such a funny house! There were yards and yards of sandy passages, leading to storerooms and nut-cellars and seed-cellars, all amongst the roots of the hedge. There was a kitchen, a parlour, a pantry, and a larder. Also, there was Mrs. Tittlemouse's bedroom, where she slept in a little box bed! The Tale of Mrs Tittlemouse Mrs. Tittlemouse was a most terribly tidy particular little mouse, always sweeping and dusting the soft sandy floors. Sometimes a beetle lost its way in the passages. ""Shuh! shuh! little dirty feet!"" said Mrs. Tittlemouse, clattering her dust-pan. The Tale of Mrs Tittlemouse And one day a little old woman ran up and down in a red spotty cloak. ""Your house is on fire, Mother Ladybird! Fly away home to your children!"" Another day, a big fat spider came in to shelter from the rain. ""Beg pardon, is this not Miss Muffet's?"" ""Go away, you bold bad spider! Leaving ends of cobweb all over my nice clean house!"" She bundled the spider out at a window. He let himself down the hedge with a long thin bit of string. Mrs. Tittlemouse went on her way to a distant storeroom, to fetch cherry-stones and thistle-down seed for dinner. The Tale of Mrs Tittlemouse All along the passage she sniffed, and looked at the floor. ""I smell a smell of honey; is it the cowslips outside, in the hedge? I am sure I can see the marks of little dirty feet."" Suddenly round a corner, she met Babbitty Bumble Zizz, Bizz, Bizzz!"" said the bumble bee. Mrs. Tittlemouse looked at her severely. She wished that she had a broom. The Tale of Mrs Tittlemouse ""Good-day, Babbitty Bumble; I should be glad to buy some beeswax. But what are you doing down here? Why do you always come in at a window, and say, ‘Zizz, Bizz, Bizzz’?"" Mrs. Tittlemouse began to get cross. The Tale of Mrs Tittlemouse ""Zizz, Wizz, Wizzz!"" replied Babbitty Bumble in a peevish squeak. She sidled down a passage, and disappeared into a storeroom which had been used for acorns. Mrs. Tittlemouse had eaten the acorns before Christmas; the storeroom ought to have been empty. But it was full of untidy dry moss. Mrs. Tittlemouse began to pull out the moss. Three or four other bees put their heads out, and buzzed fiercely. ""I am not in the habit of letting lodgings; This is an intrusion!"" said Mrs. Tittlemouse. ""I will have them turned out."" ""Buzz! Buzz! Buzzz!"" ""I wonder who would help me?"" ""Bizz, Wizz, Wizzz!"" ""I will not have Mr. Jackson; he never wipes his feet."" Mrs. Tittlemouse decided to leave the bees till after dinner. The Tale of Mrs Tittlemouse When she got back to the parlour, she heard some one coughing in a fat voice; And there sat Mr. Jackson himself! He was sitting all over a small rocking-chair, twiddling his thumbs and smiling, with his feet on the fender. He lived in a drain below the hedge, in a very dirty wet ditch. ""How do you do, Mr. Jackson? Deary me, you have got very wet!"" ""Thank you, thank you, thank you, Mrs. Tittlemouse! I'll sit awhile and dry myself,"" said Mr. Jackson. He sat and smiled, and the water dripped off his coat tails. Mrs. Tittlemouse went round with a mop. He sat such a while that he had to be asked if he would take some dinner? He opened his mouth most unnecessarily wide; He certainly had not a tooth in his head. The Tale of Mrs Tittlemouse Then she offered him thistle-down seed. ""Tiddly, widdly, widdly! Pouff, pouff, puff!"" said Mr. Jackson. He blew the thistle-down all over the room. The Tale of Mrs Tittlemouse ""Thank you, thank you, thank you, Mrs. Tittlemouse! Now what I really, really, should like, would be a little dish of honey!"" ""I am afraid I have not got any, Mr. Jackson,"" said Mrs. Tittlemouse. ""Tiddly, widdly, widdly, Mrs. Tittlemouse!"" said the smiling Mr. Jackson, ""I can … smell … it; that is why I came to call."" Mr. Jackson rose ponderously from the table, and began to look into the cupboards. Mrs. Tittlemouse followed him with a dish-cloth, to wipe his large wet footmarks off the parlour floor. When he had convinced himself that there was no honey in the cupboards, he began to walk down the passage. ""Indeed, indeed, you will stick fast, Mr. Jackson!"" ""Tiddly, widdly, widdly, Mrs. Tittlemouse!"" First he squeezed into the pantry. ""Tiddly, widdly, widdly? no honey? no honey, Mrs. Tittlemouse?"" There were three creepy-crawly people hiding in the plate-rack. Two of them got away; but the littlest one he caught. Then he squeezed into the larder. Miss Butterfly was tasting the sugar; but she flew away out of the window. ""Tiddly, widdly, widdly, Mrs. Tittlemouse; you seem to have plenty of visitors!"" ""And without any invitation!"" said Mrs. Thomasina Tittlemouse. They went along the sandy passage. ""Tiddly widdly …"" ""Buzz! Wizz! Wizz!"" He met Babbitty round a corner, and snapped her up. The Tale of Mrs Tittlemouse Then put her down again. ""I do not like bumble bees. They are all over bristles,"" said Mr. Jackson, wiping his mouth with his coat-sleeve. ""Get out, you nasty old toad!"" shrieked Babbitty Bumble. ""I shall go distracted!"" scolded Mrs. Tittlemouse. She shut herself up in the nut-cellar while Mr. Jackson pulled out the bees-nest. He seemed to have no objection to stings. When Mrs. Tittlemouse ventured to come out, everybody had gone away. But the untidiness was something dreadful ""Never did I see such a mess: smears of honey; and moss, and thistledown, and marks of big and little dirty feet, all over my nice clean house!"" She gathered up the moss and the remains of the beeswax. Then she went out and fetched some twigs, to partly close up the front door. ""I will make it too small for Mr. Jackson!"" The Tale of Mrs Tittlemouse She fetched soft soap, and flannel, and a new scrubbing brush from the storeroom. But she was too tired to do any more. First she fell asleep in her chair, Then she went to bed. ""Will my house ever be tidy again?"" said poor Mrs. Tittlemouse. Next morning she got up very early. She began a spring cleaning which lasted a fortnight. She swept, and scrubbed, and dusted; and she rubbed up the furniture with beeswax, and polished her little tin spoons. When it was all beautifully neat and clean, she gave a party to five other little mice, without Mr. Jackson … But he smelt the party and came up the bank, but he could not squeeze in at the door. The Tale of Mrs Tittlemouse So they handed him out acorn-cupfuls of honey-dew through the window, and he was not at all offended. He sat outside in the sun, and said, ""Tiddly, widdly, widdly! Your very good health, Mrs. Tittlemouse!"" " reba-wants-ice-cream-FKB.txt,"Reba Wants Ice Cream ""Ice cream! Ice cream!"" The shopkeeper called. Reba ran to her mother. ""Ma! Ma! I want ice cream!"" ""Finish your homework first,"" said Ma. Reba looked unhappy. Ma asked, ""Are you done with your homework yet?"" ""Mmm…No. But my notebook is full! I need to buy another one."" Ma gave Reba 50 taka*. ""Go buy a notebook. We also need a bar of soap."" *Taka is the name of currency used in Bangladesh. Reba went to the shop. The shopkeeper gave Reba a notebook and a bar of soap. ""How much?"" asked Reba. ""The notebook is 20 taka, and the soap is 20 taka,"" said the shopkeeper. ""That means the total cost is 40 taka. Here’s your change."" When Reba came back home, she calculated her change.Reba gave the shopkeeper 50 taka. The notebook was 20 taka, and the soap was 20 taka. ""I should only get 10 taka back,"" thought Reba. ""Why did the shopkeeper give me 20 taka back?"" ""That's great!"" thought Reba. ""I can buy ice cream with this extra money!"" But Reba was ashamed of herself. ""I should go back and give the shopkeeper the correct change."" Reba rushed back to the shop. There were so many kinds of ice creams that she wanted! ""Oh, if only I could have an ice-cream!"" she thought. When Reba got to the shop, she saw another girl who had just bought ice cream. She was about to go home. The shopkeeper stopped her. ""Wait!"" he said. ""You've given me too much money. Come back, take the change."" The shopkeeper gave the girl her change. Reba stepped forward. ""You gave me 10 extra taka. Please take your money back."" ""You’re such an honest girl!"" The shopkeeper was so happy with Reba’s honesty that he gave her an ice cream for free! Reba happily licked her ice cream all the way home. " 4407-let-s-go-seed-collecting.txt,"Let's Go Seed Collecting! Tooka and Poi love collecting things. Smooth pebbles from the riverside, twirly and tickly fern leaves, bright red buttons that have fallen from a school uniform — Tooka and Poi pick them all up. Every day, they meet after school, near the bendy coconut tree by the river, and wait for their best friend. At five o’ clock on the dot, Inji arrives, huffing and puffing like an old school bus. Inji is a friendly dog with eyes the colour of chocolate and a tail that never stops wagging. Together, Tooka, Poi, and Inji walk, heads bent, scanning the gleaming road, the tufts of grass, and moss-covered rocks for interesting things to collect. Their favourite thing to collect are seeds! Tooka and Poi collect shiny red seeds that look like ladybirds, spiky burrs that stick to their clothes, and the giant bean- shaped pods of the copper pod tree. The pods make a delightful tshh-tsh-tshh sound when Tooka and Poi shake it about. Poi loves to make up funny songs to go with the seed music. ""Inji is the best of dogs, She likes big flowers and little frogs, And birds and seeds and ants and snails, But best of all, she loves her tail!"" Over and over she sings these songs, making Tooka laugh and Inji bark happily. Tooka, Poi, and Inji are sitting by the tamarind tree. Tooka’s favourite seeds are the pudgy pods from around this tree. He loves to suck on its sour flesh until he gets to the shiny brown seeds inside. It makes Tooka’s face scrunch up in funny ways and the hair on the back of his neck stands up. Suddenly they hear a small squeaky voice say ""Hellllooooo."" Tooka and Poi look at each other, puzzled. They can’t see anybody. ""Up here! Up here!"" they hear the voice say again. Tooka and Poi look up and down, and all around, but there isn’t a person in sight. ""It’s me, Pacha. I’m the tamarind tree."" Inji barks loudly and wags her tail faster than normal. Phat- phat-phat it goes, back and forth. ""Why hello Inji,"" Pacha the Tree says. ""I haven’t seen you in days!"" Tooka and Poi become still as statues. Their eyes widen and their mouths freeze in big 'O' shapes. Finally, Poi smiles shyly and says, ""Hello Pacha the Tamarind Tree. It’s nice to meet you. I’m Poi!"" Then she gives the tree a big hug. Pacha giggles, ""I’ve never been hugged by a little girl before! It feels tickly!"" ""And we’ve never met a talking tree before!"" Tooka says, cheerfully, ""So this is an adventure for all of us."" Hearing this, Pacha laughs loudly, making the leaves on his branches glow a brighter green. ""What are you two up to today?"" Pacha asks. ""We’re collecting things!"" Tooka and Poi say! Tooka and Poi show Pacha the Tree their bag of flowers, pebbles, and sticky tamarind. ""How lovely that you’re collecting seeds!"" Pacha says. ""Do you know I came from one of those little tamarind seeds? And look at me now, all grown up with so many branches and a big family of sparrows and squirrels and crows living with me."" ""What do you mean?"" Tooka asks. Inji barks enthusiastically. Bow! Bow! Bow! Inji said but Tooka is sure it sounds like ""How? How? How?"" ""Those seeds you’re collecting,"" Pacha explains, ""They’re all tree babies."" ""They are?"" Poi asks, her eyebrows scrunched into squiggly black lines. ""Do all seeds grow into tamarind trees?"" Poi asks, trying to remember how many seeds she has at home. ""Oh no!"" Pacha replies. ""Seeds grow into all sorts of things."" ""Do you have any fruit in your bag?"" Pacha asks. Tooka nods and pulls out a small, red apple and a soggy banana. ""There you go!"" Pacha says, excitedly. ""Now bite into the apple until you reach the centre. You’ll see little brown seeds sitting there."" ""They’re like shiny little bugs!"" says Poi. ""Aren’t they pretty?"" Pacha asks. ""Those little seeds grow into apple trees"" ""Now break the banana in half and see what you find,"" Pacha instructs. ""I see the seeds!"" Tooka says excitedly. ""They look like a sleeping millipede!"" ""Seeds come in all shapes and sizes"", Pacha says while Inji gobbles the last of the apple. ""Are they all tree babies?"" Poi asks. ""Yes!"" says Pacha. ""And they all have a little plant inside, waiting to come out and see the world."" As Tooka, Poi, and Inji walk home that evening, they look closely at all the trees along the road. How pretty the leaves of the coconut tree look as they dance in the wind. How beautiful the red gulmohar flowers are against the bright blue sky. How nice and rough the bark of the mango tree feels under their palms. And how wonderful that something as big and important as a tree starts out as a teeny, weeny little seed. Tooka, Poi, and Inji still meet every evening after school. But now, Tooka and Poi collect things in which they can plant the seeds they collect. Old shoes, empty coconut shells, even used plastic bottles — everything can be turned into pots. And every once in a while, they stop by for a chat with Pacha the Tree. Pacha’s Super Seed Guide Hello! I’m Pacha, the tamarind tree, but I go by all sorts of names. I’m called imli in Hindi, puli in Tamil, and tentul in Bengali. Scientists call me Tamarindus indica. Let me introduce you to some of my seed friends. You may have seen them on your dinner plate. Molagu Common name: Red chilli Scientists call me: Capsicum annum Chillies come in all shapes, sizes, and colours, and are grown all over the world. Its seeds are small, circular, and flat, and add spice to dal and bhaji. Careful when you touch them, they'll make your fingers burn! Kaapi Common name: Coffee Scientists call me: Coffeea Arabica You know the coffee your parents drink every morning? That comes from coffee berries. The seeds from the berries are dried, roasted, and then powdered. Coffee bushes grow best in hilly regions of South India. Chakka Common name: Jackfruit Scientists call me: Artocarpus heterophyllus Berries, apples, bananas, watermelon, and jackfruit — all fruits have seeds in them. Some seeds we cannot eat, like that of the mango. Others, like the jackfruit, are used to make curries after they are soaked in water. Thenga Common name: Coconut Scientists call me: Cocos Nucifera Nearly every part of the hard, brown coconut is useful to us. The hairy, hard outside part is used to make rope, the fleshy inside is used in food, and the coconut water is a delicious drink, especially when it’s hot outside. And the oil that you put in your hair? That comes from the coconut too. Kappalandi Common name: Peanut Scientists call me: Arachis hypogaea All plants love soil, but peanuts love the earth so much that they grow underground. And that’s why some people call them groundnuts. These little seeds are packed with goodness and are delicious when eaten raw, steamed, or roasted. Choru Common name: Rice Scientists call me: Oryza sativa Rice is one of the most popular grains! It’s eaten in more homes in India than any other seed I know. On the plant, rice actually has a rough, brown cover, like a jacket, which keeps the seed inside safe and sound. Chocolate Common name: Chocolate Scientists call me: Theobroma cacao (which means food of the gods) Rice might be the most popular seed, but cacao is definitely the most loved seed of all — especially by Tooka and Poi. The cacao seed is where chocolate comes from. Each cacao fruit has about 30-50 seeds that are roasted and then mixed with sugar and milk to make bars of delightful chocolate. " The-Night-Before.txt,"It was one night ago (just the night before) I heard someone outside knocking on my door. I looked through the window and what did I see... ? A green scaly dragon looking back at me ! He had found me again, but how I can’t say. He always does even though I run away. But I couldn’t let him touch me, not one hair from my head, so like any boy would ... I h id under my bed ! ... Trembling I crouched resembling live bait, tortured with fear regretting the wait. Then suddenly I heard it-- the sound rang out true... ...Of the door crashing down and the dragon coming through ! He checked several rooms. He could have checked more, but instead he stopped outside my bedroom door. I could hear his scales rubbing as the dragon passed through and smelled his breath stinking like a burnt rubber shoe. He was close and I knew it, but where could I go? ...With the bed up above and the floor down below ? I kept really still and I held my breath tight, wondering what my fate held that night. He knew that he had me, I just know that he did, as he checked all the places he thought I had hid. He looked in the closet behind my old coats. He checked all my shelves and underneath my toy boats. He wouldn’t stop looking and I quivered with dread, as the dragon came close and stopped at my bed. h a t could I do W with the dragon so near? Anticipating the moment his head would appear. Then something peeked under, but it was only his toe and the dragon sat down knowing I was below. It was quiet for a moment, but that didn’t last, my bed started squeaking and shaking really fast. I wondered what was happening, so I stuck out my head and was surprised to see the dragon jumping on my bed. He jumped up and down ‘till it started to break. Then sure enough, he jumped with one final hard take. The mattress snapped in half when he landed on my bed. And he giggled with delight as it landed on my head. I felt sure I was trapped when I first looked around, crushed beneath my mattress and dust bunnies on the ground. But no crying just yet, though I had no place to go. Instead of lying still, I wiggled to and fro. I was finding more room and soon able to crawl, the dragon never noticed ‘till he felt the mattress fall. He was mad and I knew it, as he saw me run away, breathing purple smoke puffs in a vicious sort of way. So I dashed through the kitchen heading for the door... the dragon’s hot breath getting hard to ignore. Just then I made it. I opened the door wide, heading out doors leaving the dragon inside. But since he thought he could make it, he let out a roar. Then the dragon charged forward crushing his nose in the door. I know I should have ran and found a new place to hide, though the dragon started wailing loudly as he cried. But how could I run while holding my ears... or leave the poor dragon drowning in tears ? That’s why I stopped, just to help the dragon out. I thought I could help and wrap his wounded snout. But did I get a ""Thank-you!"" or did he say ""How sweet!"" Or did he just stare at me like something good to eat ? Oh, he smiled at me as best as he could: Like no respectable dragon ever should. With one hand, he reached out and touched me on my side. With the other, he wiped the fake tears that he cried. The moment it happened, I threw the biggest fit! I screamed myself hoarse when the dragon yelled... " Can-You-Smile-When-You-Snore_.txt,"Can you smile when you snore? Beena's friends were all sleeping. They were making a lot of noise. Hoiinnnnkkkkhoinnnkkk, snored the pigs. Keekkkeek, snored the mice. Ssssssss snored the hens. Do your friends snore, dear reader? ""We could not sleep all night,"" said Minti Uncle. ""We could not sleep a wink,"" said Kajal Aunty. ""I could not sleep at all,"" said Big Bird. ""What can I do if my friends snore?"" wailed Beena. What would you do, dear reader? ""Hmmm. Haa. Uh-hmmm,"" said the village head. ""People should climb this tree to bring down the fruits. People should sit and talk to each other under this tree. People should play under this tree after they have finished their work."" ""But why?"" asked Beena. Why do you think, dear reader? The Moon knew why. So she smiled. She smiled at the tree. She smiled at the village head. She smiled at the sleeping animals. Do you think the moon REALLY smiles, dear reader? Kuttu, the pup, wanted to help Beena. ""Beena is not happy. It seems we all snore very loudly. The villagers are angry with her. Can you help in any way?"" he asked Jenna, the bee. ""Why do sounds make people unhappy? The sound of my buzzing makes my friends sleep well!"" Kuttu spoke to Beena. Beena walked up to Big Bird and siad, ""Big bird, may I ask our friend Jenna to sing a lullaby for you?"" ""Grrrr!"" growled Big Bird, still in a very bad mood. Are you ever in a bad mood, dear reader? Kuttu went to Madam Ola next. ""Why do people get angry when they cannot sleep well? You look so nice and happy even though you have not slept all night,"" said Kuttu. ""Hmmm. That is because I am up on this tree. I fly. I hunt. I work. I stretch. And when I catch a rat, I'm happy and content."" The Moon's smile became wide...a bit more...more...wider! And her eyes grew.... Dear reader, what happens to your eyes when you smile wider and wider and wider? And can you smile when you snore? Or snore when you smile? Beena and Kuttu met under the tree. Why did the village head want people to come to the tree? Because, because, because.......do you know why, gentle reader? Beena's friends came to the tree, one by one. Soon, they were laughing and dancing under the tree. Beena looked at them and......aha! She knew the WHY! When people work with each other, they smile a lot. When they play with each other, they smile a lot. And then, when they sleep, they sleep happily and really do not mind if any one snores. Sometimes they smile in their sleep. And snore in their sleep too. The pig can go hoinkkkkkhoinkkkk with a smile. The mice can go Keeeekkk eekkkk. And you can go...zzzzzzzzzzzzzz. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Goodnight, dear reader... goodnight...goodnight....nighttt. " The-bubble-mystery-room-to-read-FKB.txt,"The Bubble Mystery Toot-Toot was very happy. She was going to the pond for the first time. Bath time! At first, Toot-Toot was scared of the water. But when she saw all the other goats splashing around, she jumped in! Everyone laughed. Everyone splashed. Everyone played and played! Toot-Toot soon found bubbles all around her. They were going blop blop blop! She was a little afraid. But she soon got over it. Toot-Toot began to jump, dance and twirl through the bubbles. After that fun day, Toot-Toot began to wonder, ""How are bubbles made?"" She asked her Baba. Baba said he didn't know. Toot-Toot asked her Ma. Ma said she didn't know, either. So Toot-Toot decided to solve the bubble mystery all by herself. She flapped her tail in the water... She blew into the water with all her might... But she didn't make a bubble! One day, Toot-Toot's tummy was hurting. She wondered what to do. She decided to bathe in the pond's cool water. There was a deep rumbling in her tummy. Suddenly, gas escaped from Toot-Toot! Pssshhhhhtttt! As the gas shot through the water, bubbles popped up to the water’s surface. Blop blop blop! Finally, Toot-Toot had solved the bubble mystery! Now, whenever it's bath day, Toot-Toot makes the most magnificent bubbles of all. After her first bath day, Toot-Toot's sister asked her how bubbles were made. And what did Toot-Toot say? Why, she told her sister she didn't know! " where-is-lulu_en.txt,"Clyde Beech Mohale Mashigo Nkosingiphile Mazibuko ""Oh, no!"" ""Lulu! It’s time to go,"" calls Ma. Where is Lulu? Is she under the sofa? Is she behind the curtain? Where is Lulu? Is she next to the stove? Is she in the cupboard? ""Lulu! It’s time to go. Where are you?"" calls Ma. ""There you are!"" ""I don’t want to gooo!"" ""We have to go,"" says Ma. ""But I really like this one!"" ""I really like this one!"" ""And this one."" ""And this one."" ""And this one."" ""See? You return books and borrow more."" ""YAY!"" Where is Lulu now? " 011-DYLAN-THE-DRAGON-Free-Childrens-Book-By-Monkey-Pen.txt,"Dylan the young, blue dragon lived deep in the Rockstone Mountains of Scotland. Everyday the playful, young dragon woke up early in the morning and flew all around the mountains and valleys looking for something to do. When he was hungry he would go home to his cave where Mummy dragon would have hot soup ready for his dinner. ""Wash your wings and get ready for tea. I’ve made your favourite today, darling… pea and toad soup"" said mummy dragon. Dylan sighed, ""Ehhh…Thank you mum."" he said sadly. ""Whatever is the matter, son? Everyday you come back home happily for your tea but today you look so sad."" inquired mummy dragon. ""I’m lonely, mum. I can’t find anyone to play with. In all the lakes, mountains and valleys in Rockstone, there isn’t a single dragon for me to play with."" he grumbled ""Well, how about this for an idea? Why don’t you fly down to the village playground and see if the children there want to play with you?"" Dylan woke up bright and early the next day. He was very excited that he would soon have friends to play with everyday. He put on his baseball cap and school tie and flew past the valleys and mountains until he reached the little village of Falkrik. He glided down to a passer-by to ask for directions to the children’s playground. ""That.. that.. that way."" pointed the quivering man. ""Oh! He must be cold."" thought Dylan. After all human’s don’t breath fire like dragons… so they must find it very difficult to keep warm. Not long after, Dylan the dragon came in for a swift landing in the centre of the playground. The playground was filled with smart young children in bright red and grey uniforms with their school ties. Dylan tugged at his tie and cleared his throat, He felt very well dressed for the occasion. He was about to open his mouth to introduce himself when he suddenly heard… ""AAARRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!! ruuuunnnnnnnnn It’s a dragon, he’s going to burn us ALIVE!!!!!!!"" yelled one of the young boys. All the children ran frantically towards the exits and disappeared in no time. Dylan sighed sadly. All he wanted was some friends to play with but clearly humans were very scared of dragons. He flew home with his head hung low to see what mummy dragon had made for tea. The next day Dylan decided to try and make friends with the children in the playground again. He tucked his white handkerchief in his left gill and scooped up a large branch lying on the floor. He made it into a white surrender flag… He crossed his claws and hoped the children would give him a another chance. Down he flew again into the centre of the playground with his white surrender flag clenched in his jaw. ""I just want to play and be friends."" he said softly. ""But how will you play with us?"" shouted one of the girls. ""Your’re too big for our swings and slides. You won’t fit in our roundabout."" ""Well, why don’t I take you all for a ride to the valleys and the mountains of Rockstone?"" ""Yay!!"" squealed all the children at once. They climbed onto Dylan’s back and off the children went on a very exciting flight. From that day Dylan and the playground children were friends and every day Dylan, the dragon would take the children on the best playground ride ever. " 167_LTTC-Grammar-Sample-G3.txt,"LTTC - English Grammar Proficiency Test Grade 3 A. Short Comprehension The candidate is expected to demonstrate the ability to understand the passage (around 70 words) and answer the questions. B. Usage The candidate is expected to demonstrate the ability to understand and use the following grammar areas: 1. Simple present or present continuous tense – She always eats a banana in the morning; She is having a banana at the moment. 2. Simple past tense of ‘be’ – I / he / she was ; you / we / they were 3. Simple past tense (regular verbs) – arrive, borrow, collect, etc. 4. Countable and Uncountable nouns – furniture, cheese, juice, paper, etc. 5. Irregular plural nouns – man, men; foot, feet; child, children; etc. 6. Usage of ‘any’ – Is there any juice in the cup? There isn’t any water in the jar. 7. Determiners ‘many & much’ – We have too much food for dinner. 8. Gerunds – She loves dancing and singing; He likes reading and writing. 9. Subject & Object Pronouns – I want to play with them. 10. Adverbs of frequency – always, sometimes, often, usually, never, etc. 11. Prepositions of place – between, behind, below, before, beside, etc. 12. Coordinating conjunctions – and, so, but, or C. Lexis The candidate is expected to demonstrate the ability to understand and use the vocabulary related to: 1. Injuries – cut her finger, twisted his ankle, got a bruise, bleeding, etc. 2. Shops – bakery, café, convenience store, supermarket, pharmacy, etc. 3. Sports – badminton, golf, volleyball, cricket, etc. 4. School facilities – computer room, canteen, art room, etc. 5. Shapes – a circle, round; a rectangle, rectangular; a point, pointed; etc. 6. Domestic appliances – microwave, refrigerator, air conditioning, etc. 7. Food items – sausage, soup, salad, sandwich, pizza, pancake, etc. 8. Colours - beige, grey, turquoise, etc. 9. Compound nouns – ice cream, post office, tin opener, etc. 10. Phrasal verbs – afraid of, throw away, take off, pick up Total Marks: 100 Time allowed: 1 hour Attainment Bands: Excellent (100 - 90), Distinction (89 - 80), Merit (79 - 70), Pass (69 - 50), Unsuccessful (≤49) LTTC Grammar Proficiency Test Grade 3 English Grammar Proficiency Test Grade Three Student’s name: ________ Date: Time allowed: 1 hour Total 100 marks Marks: Attainment Bands: Excellent (100 - 90), Distinction (89 - 80), Merit (79 - 70), Pass (69 - 50), Unsuccessful (≤49) LTTC English Grammar Proficiency Test Grade 3 – Sample Paper -1- 1. Short Comprehension Dave has some bad habits Dave has some bad habits. He is often late for classes. He seldom helps his mother to clean their house. He loves watching TV and playing computer games before he finishes his homework. He loves soccer very much. He always plays soccer in the playground with his friends. Sometimes he even plays soccer in the living-room and breaks the household ornaments. His mother is angry with him for his bad habits. She tries to change his bad habits, but he doesn’t listen to her. Therefore, they sometimes quarrel with each other. Choose the correct answers and fill in the brackets (3%) 1. Dave is often late for ( ). A. classes B. meetings C. movies D. soccer 2. He loves ( ). A. watching TV B. playing computer games C. helping his mother to clean their house D. watching TV, playing computer games and playing soccer 3. He always plays soccer with his ( ). A. mother B. friends C. father D. brother LTTC English Grammar Proficiency Test Grade 3 – Sample Paper -2- Answer the following questions in complete sentences (10%) 1. What does Dave like best? _ _ 2. What makes Dave’s mother angry with him? _ 3. Why do Dave and his mother sometimes quarrel with each other? 4. Use three adjectives to describe Dave. LTTC English Grammar Proficiency Test Grade 3 – Sample Paper -3- 2. Fill in the blanks using the following words (5%) many any much some 1. How ______________ apples do we have in the basket? We have nine apples. 2. How _________________ are the flowers? $35 They are thirty-five dollars. 3. Do you have any money in your wallet? Yes, I have _________________ money in my wallet. 4. How much cheese do we have in the refrigerator? We don’t have _________________ cheese. 5. Is there _________________ soup left? Yes, there is. LTTC English Grammar Proficiency Test Grade 3 – Sample Paper -4- 3. Write the correct answers on the lines (10%) Example: Is an elephant small? No, an elephant is big. A. long B. big C. hungry 1. Is the bucket full? No, the bucket is ______________. A. hungry B. empty C. small 2. Is his shirt dirty? No, his shirt is ______________. A. new B. ugly C. clean 3. Is the ruler long? No, the ruler is ______________. A. short B. thin C. tall 4. Is your brother hardworking? No, my brother is ______________. A. beautiful B. soft C. lazy 5. Is Mrs. Hui thin? No, she is ______________. A. fast B. fat C. funny LTTC English Grammar Proficiency Test Grade 3 – Sample Paper -5- 4. Circle the correct answers (10%) 1. Jessica likes ( playing / play ) the piano. 2. I don’t want ( walking / to walk ) into town. 3. Miss Lam loves ( listen / listening ) to soft music. 4. Tiffany enjoys ( collecting / collects ) stamps. 5. Peter always talks about ( going / went ) to Australia. 6. ( Travelled / Travelling ) by taxi is more expensive than travelling by bus. 7. My father likes ( take / taking ) photos of different people. 8. The children hate ( are doing / doing ) housework. 9. I want to ( flying / fly ) kites in the park next Sunday. 10. ( Smoking / To smoke ) costs a lot of money. LTTC English Grammar Proficiency Test Grade 3 – Sample Paper -6- 5. Complete Jo’s diary with the verbs in the simple past tense (12%) Monday – I __________ (arrive) late at school and __________ (miss) the first lesson. Tuesday – My cousin in Canada __________ (call) and we __________ (talk) for an hour on the phone. Wednesday – Mum __________ (borrow) three interesting story books for me from the library. Thursday – I __________ (be) ill in bed and __________ (stay) at home all day. Friday – My best friend __________ (visit) me in the afternoon. Saturday – It __________ (be) a sunny day and we __________ (play) in the garden. Sunday – My sister and I __________ (help) our father to wash his car. We __________ (be) very tired when we finished. LTTC English Grammar Proficiency Test Grade 3 – Sample Paper -7- 6. Fill in the blanks with the following words (13%) but at for and 1. Janice gets up seven o’clock every day. She has ham eggs breakfast. She likes apple juice she doesn’t like orange juice. at behind in with 2. Janice and Andy are school. Janice is playing badminton Andy the playground. They are class 3A. Janice sits _ Andy. on to after from 3. After school, Janice goes home foot. She watches television dinner. She always watches 8 o’clock 9 o’clock. LTTC English Grammar Proficiency Test Grade 3 – Sample Paper -8- 7. Write the correct answers on the lines (10%) 1. I want to _______________ around the world. A. travel to B. travel C. travelling 2. Are you _______________ spiders? A. afraid with B. afraid to C. afraid of 3. Don't _______________ your tickets _______________! A. throw … away B. throw … down C. throw … back 4. He _______________ his jacket and put it in the laundry. A. took off B. took over C. took away 5. My mother often _______________ after school. A. picks me up B. picks me in C. picks me out 6. Who will _______________ your children when you go to work? A. look for B. look after C. look out 7. The Chans _______________ a new house last week. A. moved down B. moved at C. moved to 8. The children are _______________ the films they saw last weekend. A. talking to B. talking with C. talking about 9. Firemen help to _______________ fires and rescue people from danger. A. put out B. put up C. put in 10. When I _______________, I want to be a fireman. A. grow in B. grow on C. grow up LTTC English Grammar Proficiency Test Grade 3 – Sample Paper -9- 8. Look at the table. Fill in the blanks with the given adverbs. (12%) MON TUE WED THUR FRI SAT SUN √ √ √ √ √ √ √ Sally √ Amy David √ √ Alan √ √ √ √ Lucas √ √ √ √ √ Jenny always usually often sometimes never 1. Alan plays football. 2. Sally watches TV in the afternoon. 3. David goes swimming after school 4. Jenny cooks at home. 5. Amy goes cycling in the afternoon. 6. Lucas reads story books. LTTC English Grammar Proficiency Test Grade 3 – Sample Paper - 10 - 9. Fill in the blanks with the following words (5%) my our your her its their his 1. I iron own clothes. 2. The little boy is flying model plane in the park. 3. Betty and Tony are staying with grandparents. 4. Mrs. Lee and husband live on Hong Kong Island. 5. Shirley and I are doing class work at the moment. 10. Write one word on each line to complete the sentences (10%) 1. is the month between January and March. 2. Ice-cream must be put in the . 3. My school has a big where we can do exercises and play basketball. 4. Cindy cut her finger. It is ___________________. 5. Would you mind turning the up a little bit? I feel really hot in this room. - End - LTTC English Grammar Proficiency Test Grade 3 – Sample Paper - 11 - " Insects-.txt,"Insects Insects even live on water. Insects live in trees. Insects live in dirt. Insects can live in your house! The body of an insect has three main parts: a head, a thorax, and an abdomen. Can you see the parts on this wasp? There are more than 2 million types of insects. They all have some things in common. On the head are the eyes and mouth. Insects also have antennae. Antennae help them feel. The thorax is in the middle. It is where the wings and legs are. All insects have six legs. Most insects have four wings. The abdomen is at the back. It holds the stomach and the heart. Sometimes the three main parts are hard to see. Can you guess where they are on this insect? Some insects are small. This is a bed bug. Some insects are big. This insect is as big as a hand! Some insects are helpful. Bees spread pollen. Pollen helps make new plants. Some insects are cute. Some insects are scary. This is a water bug. It has a strong bite! Some insects are pretty. This is a shiny insect. Some insects are smelly. This is a stinkbug. Many insects are hard to see. This stick insect looks like a stick. A leaf insect looks like a leaf. This insect looks like part of a flower. This insect looks like sand. Hiding helps them survive. Many animals like to eat insects. Insects can eat each other. Even some plants eat insects. People eat insects too! Insects have a lot to hide from. Insects are all over. There are many kinds of insects. They feed animals and help make new plants. Some can hurt us, but many help us. Insects Attributions Review Questions! 1. How many legs do insects have? ? Contributing Authors, Organizations, and Photographers Words & Layout ichael A. Jones 2. What are the three main parts of an Editing and Layout: Michael A. Jones Co-editor: Stéphane De Greef insect? Photography 3. What part are the legs attached to? " Counting-Cars-is-Fun-.txt,"What can you see, driving on the road carefully; Can you count with me? One, two, three, four! One blue car driving on the road carefully. ONE CAR! Two cars, driving on the road carefully. One is pink, and one is blue. One plus one is two! + = 1 + 1 = 2 Three cars, driving on the road carefully. One is pink, one is blue, and one is yellow. Two plus one is three! Can you count with me? ~ + = 2 + 1 = 3 Four cars, driving on the road carefully. One is pink, one is blue, one is yellow , and one is red. Three plus one is four! + = 3 + 1 = 4 One car stps at the petol staton – how many cars are there now, can you count with me? Three cars, driving on the road carefully. Four minus one is three! - = 4 - 1 = 3 Another car stps at the petol staton – how many cars are there now, can you count with me? Two cars, driving on the road carefully. Three minus one is two! - = 3 - 1 = 2 Another car stps at the petol staton – how many cars are there now, can you count with me? One car, driving on the road carefully. Two minus one is one! - = 2 - 1 = 1 Another car stps at the petol staton – how many cars are there now, can you count with me? Now there are no cars driving on the road! One minus one is zero! - = 1 - 1 = 0 All the cars are gone, and now we must also finish our stry, And say Goodbye! THE END " stage-fright-pratham-FKB.txt,"Stage Fright Champa loves singing more than anything else in the whole wide world. She sings in the bathroom. And on the roof. She sings to the hills. And to the moon. She sings like a lion. And like a bee. She sings through rain. And through heat. When Champa sings, she is filled with the most marvellous feeling in the world. One day, when Champa sings, Basant’s eyes light up. ""I have an amazing idea!"" he says. Basant is Champa’s best friend and he is always bursting with ideas. Some are terrific. And some are terrible. ""You should sing on Annual Day!"" ""Why not! You love to sing."" says Basant. Champa hasn’t told Basant ""What a terrible idea!"" says Champa. about the only time she got on stage and nearly fainted with fear. ""I...I can’t sing in front of so many people. I don’t even sing in front of Ma and Pa!"" ""You do sing around me! All you need is a little practice, Champa."" ""Should I?"" ""YES! YES! YES!"" ""What if Mahi and Paras laugh at me?"" ""If they do, it just makes them silly and mean. You’re an amazing singer."" The very thought of singing in front of a crowd fills her stomach with butterflies. Champa is excited and terrified at the same time. But she loves singing so much! She decides to give it a try. . Champa practises long and hard. She rolls out of bed with a soft hum. She sings while multiplying and dividing. She makes her voice go up and down and down and up while taking the goats out to graze. She sings through her mouth. She sings through her nose. She even sings upside down! Everyone at home is excited about Champa’s big day. They give her advice. ""Take looooong ""Give the audience ""Throw a broken plate and deep breaths your widest smile. at the door and eat 12 before you sing."" Just be yourself."" grapes. For luck!"" The day before her performance, Champa holds a special rehearsal. It is a roaring success! Finally, it’s Annual Day. Champa is wearing the sweater that her grandfather knit specially for the show. When it’s her turn to sing, her tongue feels rubbery. The stage is too big! The lights are too bright! There are too many people in the audience! Champa’s throat tightens and her hands are clammy. She remembers to smile at the audience. When she begins to sing, out comes a whisper. It is as if someone has swallowed her voice! Champa takes a long and deep breath and tries again... ...and out comes a SQUEAK! There is a loud gasp from the audience. Champa’s heart pounds loudly. Thud! Thud! Thud! Her head starts to spin. That’s when she sees Basant, waving wildly at her. She is so glad to see him. So she tries again. At first, the song comes softly. Although her voice is shaky, it sounds somewhat right. Then slowly, the music flows out of her, smooth and strong and melodic. It does not matter that the stage is too big. Or that the lights are too bright. Or even that the audience has a LOT of people. Champa lets her voice go wild and free. And as she does, she is filled with the most marvellous feeling in the world. " Earthshaker-.txt,"EARTHSHAKER Chapter One BOOM…BOOM…BOOM… The earth shuddered. Trees shook, dropping leaves on the tidy nest below. The nest belonged to an iguanodon. As the eggs rolled around, their mother Brenda steadied them with a claw. ""What on earth?"" she wondered. BOOM…BOOM… Then, through the trees, appeared the biggest dinosaur she had ever seen. It was like a grey mountain on legs. It had a long, long, neck and a long, long tail. ""Who are you?"" asked Brenda. The long neck snaked towards her. Weak eyes in a little head gazed at her. ""I’m Seismosaurus,"" said the enormous dinosaur, in a voice so tiny she could hardly hear it. ""I’ve come to live here."" ""Sei – Seis – "" tried Brenda. ""It means Earthshaker,"" said the dinosaur. ""Call me Sizo if it’s easier."" ""Well, Sizo, could you please tiptoe?"" ""All right,"" whispered the dinosaur. He took two more steps. BOOM…BOOM… Pteranodons fell out of the trees. A group of hadrosaurs began trumpeting in alarm. George, the old triceratops, came to see what was going on. ""I can’t sleep for the noise,"" he grumbled. ""It’s Sizo here,"" said Brenda. ""He’s a little bit, um, heavy- footed."" ""Can’t you tiptoe?"" demanded George. ""I am tiptoeing,"" said Sizo in his tiny voice. ""Hmph!"" snorted George. ""What a racket! I hope he’s not staying."" ""Oh, please let me stay,"" begged Sizo. ""I’ve been alone for ages. I want to live with other dinosaurs."" ""Give him a chance, George,"" said Brenda kindly. ""You can see he’s a plant-eater. He’s not going to eat us, are you, Sizo?"" Sizo shook his head. ""I’ll only eat the highest leaves,"" he whispered, ""the ones you can’t reach."" ""Hmph! All right,"" grunted George. ""But only if you remember to tiptoe!"" Chapter Two So Sizo settled into his new home. He liked the other dinosaurs. But he wasn’t really happy. He worried about making too much noise. Although he walked as quietly as he could, his footsteps made the earth tremble. The other dinosaurs blocked their ears and grumbled. ""Tiptoe!"" George would bellow. Sizo tiptoed, but that wasn’t any quieter. In the end, it was easier not to walk at all. He just stood in one place for most of the day, eating whatever he could reach. And life was peaceful, for a while. Until – BOOM…BOOM...BOOM… The ground shuddered. Brenda’s baby iguanodons tumbled over and began to cry. The hadrosaurs wailed in protest. George came storming out of the forest. ""Oy, Sizo!"" he roared. ""I told you to tiptoe!"" ""But it’s not me,"" protested Sizo. ""It’s true,"" said Brenda. ""Sizo isn’t moving."" The dinosaurs stared at Sizo. He stood quite still; yet they could hear thuds and crashes. ""It must be another big dinosaur,"" said George uneasily. ""Another Sizo."" ""Oh, no!"" said Brenda. ""Come with me, children. You don’t want to get trampled on!"" All the dinosaurs hurried away into the forest – all except Sizo. ""Another Seismosaurus!"" he thought excitedly. ""Another Earthshaker! I wonder if it will be my friend?"" So he set off joyfully towards the noises to find out. As he walked, the earth shook harder. The crashes grew louder. He could smell a strange, fierce, burning smell. ""Funny dinosaur, this,"" thought Sizo. He came round a bend, and stopped. Ahead of him a hump rose out of the forest. ""That’s a huge dinosaur!"" he thought. The ground beneath him trembled. ""It’s an Earthshaker all right,"" said Sizo. Then he saw that smoke was billowing from the hump. Down its side ran a glowing river of red. ""It’s bleeding!"" he whispered. The thick red river flowed past a tree. It ripped it up, and threw it down with a crash. Sizo blinked at the river with his small, weak eyes. It wasn’t blood. It smelt of rock, and it was smoking. ""I don’t think that’s a dinosaur at all!"" he said. The smoking river hissed and sizzled. Two more trees thudded to the ground, and burst into flames. The river did not stop. It kept on flowing through the forest. ""Oh, no! It’s heading for our home!"" gasped Sizo. ""I’d better warn the others!"" He plodded back as fast as he could. There was no-one around. Sizo cleared his throat, and shouted. ""Danger!"" It was a tiny shout. He tried again. ""DANGER!"" Still nobody heard him. ""Help!"" thought Sizo. ""Whatever can I do?"" Chapter Three Nobody could hear Sizo’s voice. But he knew that everyone could hear his feet. So he began to dance. He started with big, slow steps. Then he danced higher and higher, faster and faster. Trees dropped their branches. The ground began to crack. And Sizo kept dancing. All the other dinosaurs rushed up to stop him. ""I said TIPTOE!"" yelled George. ""Sizo, what do you think you’re doing?"" cried the dinosaurs. ""I’m dancing,"" whispered Sizo. ""Dancing?"" said George. ""That’s it! You’re banned!"" ""But there’s danger coming!"" ""Danger?"" said Brenda. ""Where?"" ""There’s a river of fire coming towards us,"" whispered Sizo. ""It’s flowing out of a hill and burning everything up!"" ""What?"" cried Brenda. ""That’s a volcano! We must get out of the way."" The dinosaurs didn’t wait to hear any more. Together, they thundered through the trees. A cloud of smoke followed them. Behind them, burning branches crackled and crashed to the ground. ""Where are we going?"" wailed George. ""We need to get to higher ground,"" said Brenda. But her babies began to squeal. Hot ash was falling like rain. ""It’s burning us, Mum!"" they cried. ""Quick!"" said Sizo. ""Come and shelter under me."" The baby iguanodons crept beneath Sizo. His huge bulk kept the hot ash off them while they walked. ""You’ll stand on them!"" protested George. ""No, I won’t,"" said Sizo. He had had so much practice at tiptoeing that he never once trod on a baby’s tail. The dinosaurs climbed to the top of a hill and left the smoke and ash behind. At last they stopped. Brenda’s babies peered out from under Sizo. ""Is it safe yet?"" panted George. ""I can’t see."" ""Let me look."" Sizo craned his long neck over the treetops. ""Yes, we’re safe here,"" he said. ""Thanks to you!"" said Brenda, gathering her children round her. ""Sizo, you’re a real friend."" ""Am I?"" ""The best. From now on, you can thump all you like. We won’t complain."" ""Yes, we will!"" said George. The other dinosaurs glared at George. He coughed. ""Er, sorry. Thump away, Sizo. You can even dance if you want."" ""All right!"" whispered Sizo happily. ""But I promise that I’ll only dance on tiptoe!"" The End " Sea-Stars.txt,"Sea Stars There are many kinds of sea stars. Sea stars live in oceans all over the world. Some live in very deep water. Some live near the beach. Sea stars live in the sea. Sea stars don’t live in lakes or rivers. Sea stars can grow bigger than your head. Some are as heavy as a large jug of water. Sea stars can live for as long as 35 years. Sea stars come in many colors. Some sea stars are orange. Other sea stars are blue. Look at this blue sea star in the water! If you cut a sea star in half, both sides will be the same. This is called symmetry. A sea star’s color can help scare away danger. Most sea stars have five arms. Some sea stars have a lot more. There are sea stars with as many as 40 arms! Sometimes other animals eat sea stars. Sometimes sea stars eat each other. Sea stars have an eye on every arm. They can tell if it is light or dark. This helps them hide and find food. Sea stars can lose their arms. Sometimes other animals eat the arms. They can even drop an arm on purpose to escape! Sea stars can grow new arms. Their feet let them walk on land. Their feet let them climb on rocks. Sea stars have a lot of feet. These feet look like small tubes under their arms. Their feet help also them eat. Feet move food to the mouth. Can you see the mouth on the bottom of this sea star? Their feet let them walk under water too. They crawl along the sea floor looking for food. Sea stars eat with their stomachs inside out! Once the shell is open they drop their stomach inside to eat. Sea stars love to eat mussels. They wrap their arms around the shell and pull. The shell opens. Then they eat the animal inside the hard shell. Most sea stars have tough skin on the outside of their bodies. The skin protects them. Some sea stars have sharp spines to protect them. Other sea stars can make animals sick. Sea Stars Review Questions! 1. Where do sea stars live? ? 2. How many arms do most sea stars have? 3. What happens if a sea star loses an arm? 4. What do sea stars love to eat? 5. How do sea stars stay safe from danger? Sea Stars Art Project! Draw a sea star! Think about where your sea star lives. How many arms can it have? Sea stars can be beautiful. Some What is symmetry? people keep sea stars as pets. Would you like a sea star? " Tigers_Delicious_Treats-Roomtoread-Picturebook-FKB.txt,"Tiger's Delicious Treats Tiger lives in a forest. He loves to bake. One day, he bakes a delicious batch of green bean pies. He loads them on a cart and goes to the stream to sell them. The wind carries the aroma of pies through the air. The scent reaches Deer, but he doesn’t dare to follow the scent. He’s scared of Tiger! It’s noon, but Tiger still hasn’t sold a thing. He returns home with his cart, disappointed. Tiger eats all the green bean pies that night. His tummy is so full! The next day, Tiger bakes a delicious batch of banana pies. He goes to sell them under an ancient tree. The steam from Tiger's cart carries the aroma of the pies up, up, up… ...straight into Monkey’s nose! Monkey wants to taste the pies, but doesn't dare climb down. He's scared of Tiger. It’s noon, and Tiger hasn't sold anything. He returns home with his cart, discouraged. He eats all the banana pies that night. His tummy is so, so full! On the third day, Tiger bakes delicious sweet potato pies and goes to the meadow at the edge of the forest to sell them. Sweet potato aroma spreads across the meadow. It reaches Pig. Pig starts feeling hungry. But Pig is afraid of Tiger! It’s noon, but Tiger still hasn’t sold anything. He returns home with his cart, sadder than ever. He eats all the sweet potato pies that night. His tummy is now as big as a balloon! On the fourth day, Tiger doesn't bake anything. He is determined to find out why nobody is buying his delicious pies. He sees Deer, Monkey, and Pig sitting on a grassy knoll*. *small hill He hears them talking. Monkey says, ""Tiger’s pies smelled so delicious!"" Pig says, ""I’m dying to eat one!"" Deer says, ""But we are all afraid of Tiger."" Tiger has an idea! On the fifth day, Tiger makes three sets of pies: green bean, banana, and sweet potato. He stuffs them into his biggest cart. He rolls around in white flour. He cuts off his claws. He puts on a pair of long ears. Now Tiger looks like a Bunny! He eagerly rolls his cart to the grassy knoll. After some time, someone calls out, ""We want to buy some pies!"" Tiger looks around and is very surprised. He sees three tigers coming to buy his pies! One has a big nose and big ears. One has a pair of antlers. One has long arms. Tiger recognises Pig, Deer and Monkey immediately. The other three also recognise Tiger. The four of them burst out laughing. Nobody is afraid of Tiger anymore. They all become friends. His bakery becomes the most popular place in the entire forest. Every day Tiger sells out of pies before noon! " just-like-me_online.txt,"Mary-Anne Hampton o Hani du Toit o Christian Jaggers It’s Rahah’s birthday next week. She’s excited about inviting her new friends to her party. ""Who will you invite?"" asks Mum. ""You’ve only been at school a few months. The kids all seem so very different, don’t they?"" ""No, Mum. I have lots of new friends,"" says Rahah. ""I want to invite Zerina. She wants to be a ballerina, just like me!"" ""Oh lovely,"" says Mum. ""Let’s play some dance music then."" ""I hope that Sikelele can come too. He sings in the school choir, just like me."" ""Oh that’s good - we’ll all have fun singing too."" ""Can we invite Susheela? She’s got fluffy kittens, just like me."" ""Yes, let’s. She’ll have fun playing with our kittens too."" ""And we must invite Yongnam. She loves pink cupcakes even more than I do."" ""It’s lucky I’m making cupcakes then,"" says Mum. ""She can have the pink ones."" ""Ah thanks, Mum! I can’t wait."" ""Oh Rahah! I’m so excited to meet all your friends. They sound so special - just like you!"" ""But what about you? You love books, don’t you… just like me! Would you like to come to my party too?"" " the-dream-pillow_Bedtime_Story_FKB-4-18.txt,"When the stars are out and the moon swings in the sky, and the light in my room is low, things are different. The pirate puppet waves his sword. The mango tree bends its branches. Even my teddy becomes a different sort of bear. I keep very still in my cave of blankets or I call, ""Maaamaaa! Daaaddyyy!"" or I jump into their bed. I tell Mama about Pirate and Tree and Bear. ""You had a really bad dream."" ""What’s a dream?"" ""When we sleep we think about our day, but everything gets mixed up. It feels real, but it’s not real."" ""It is real!"" ""You know when we read a story together, it’s made up, but we laugh, or get scared or excited? A dream is the same."" ""You mean a dream is a story?"" ""Yes! But it happens at night. You put your head on the pillow, you fall asleep and then the story happens."" ""So a dream is a story you find in your pillow?"" ""Yes!"" ""Can I put the stories in my pillow?"" ""You can."" ""How?"" ""Let’s write down all your best stories, fold up the paper and tuck it inside the pillow."" When the stars are out and the moon swings in the sky, and the light in my room is low, things are different. " Alif-blows-Bubbles-FKB-kids_book.txt,"Alfi was in the garden blowing bubbles. The bubbles were big round and had all the colours of the rainbow in them. Some of the bubbles flew high in the air over the tree tops. Some stayed close to the ground and bumped around the flowers. Alfi blew a stream of bubbles over the daises. Some of these bumped together and popped showering little shower drops of water onto the flowers. Now sitting in one of the flowers, minding there own business, gathering nectar and pollen, were two large black and yellow bees. The bees were being showered every now and then with sudden bursts of soapy rain. Just when they had gathered an armful of pollen, splosh they were hit in the face with a sudsy drop of water, this made them drop all their pollen over the flower. The two bees were getting cross. Alfi was still running round the garden enjoying himself, blowing the bubbles, as the two bees looked over the edge of the flower to see what was going on. "" Now that."" said the first bee. "" Is the problem."" The answer to the problem they both thought was to remove the bubbles. Together the bees decided to burst all the bubbles with there their little pointy sting. Zooming out from the flower the bees rushed around the garden, bursting as many bubbles as they could find. It was hard work. Alfi, far from being sad at seeing his bubbled being burst, thought that it was fun and started blowing more bubbles. The bees were buzzing around like wild things, while Alfi was blowing more and more bubbles. The buzzy bees got so out of breath they had to go back to a large daisy for a rest and a cup of nectar. Alfi was getting excited and was blowing bigger and bigger bubbles. One bubble was so big it would not let go of the bubble stick. As Alfi would not let go of the bubble stick either, the bubble slowly lifted Alfi into the air. The bees looked over the edge of the sunflower where they were sitting. They saw Alfi rising into the air. "" Now he thinks he's a bee."" said the first bee. "" We can't have that, he's after our honey."" said the second bee. The bees flew over to where Alfi was hovering just above the Pansies. "" Look here."" said the first bee flying just in front of Alfi. "" We are not having you flying round pinching our honey. Up here is for bees, little boys belong down on the ground."" "" I know."" said Alfi. "" But I'm being kidnapped by this big bubble."" "" That is serious."" said the second bee. "" Shall we pop the bubble."" said the first bee to Alfi. "" No no."" shouted Alfi "" I will fall. "" "" We could sit on top of the bubble."" said the second bee. "" The extra weight of us may push Alfi down back to the ground."" "" Good idea. "" said the first bee so they both flew to the top of the bubble and sat down. The two bees looked around, it was nice on top of the bubble, the sun was shinning and there was quite a good view. They could see their hive in the next field where they lived. Far from making the bubble go down however, the warmth of the sun was making the bubble rise higher up into the air. The bees flew down again to where Alfi was hanging on to the bubble stick and told him about the sun warming the bubble. "" What we need. "" said Alfi. "" Is a friendly little black cloud to cover up the sun. "" "" Not much chance of that. "" said the first bee. "" There is not a cloud in the sky. "" "" Not in the sky maybe. "" said the second bee. "" But I know where I can find one. "" Saying that, the second bee flew off at top speed. "" What is he talking about. "" said Alfi to the first bee. "" I have not got the faintest idea. "" said the first bee. In the distance there was a large buzzing sound, the sound got louder and louder. Suddenly over the hedge there came a large black cloud, the cloud was buzzing and buzzing. "" One black cloud. "" said the second bee, who was leading the black buzzing cloud. The cloud, of course, was made up of hundreds and hundreds of bees. The second bee had flown back to the hive and brought everyone back with him to help Alfi. The bees circled round above Alfi and the bubble, stopping the sunlight. As expected when the sun stopped shinning on the bubble the air inside of the big bubble cooled down and the bubble got heavier. Slowly Alfi and the bubble sank down until they were just touching the tops of some big yellow flowers. Suddenly the bubble burst and Alfi was dropped into the middle of the flowers. The flowers were full of pollen and a large cloud of this pollen rose into the air. Alfi gave a big sneeze. All the bees zoomed down to collect up the pollen and take it back to the hive. When all the bees had gone Alfi found himself left on his own sitting in the middle of the flowers clutching his bubble stick. "" Now that. "" said Alfi. ""Was an adventure. END " ghum-ghum-gharial-s-glorious-adventure-pratham-fkb.txt,"Ghum-Ghum Gharial's Glorious Adventure Ghum-Ghum was excited. She was going for her first swim. ""BBRRRAAAP! GHRRUMB!"" said her family, who were excited too. Ghum-Ghum’s snout touched the water and… WHOOOSH! The river rushed all around her. Ghum-Ghum paddled her feet and swished her tail. ""Look, Papa! I’m swimming! Look…!"" ""… Papa?"" Ghum-Ghum looked in front and looked behind. She looked to the right, and then to the left. ""Papa?"" She was alone. Her family had swum off without her. An otter floated past. ""Have you seen my family, Mr. Otter?"" asked Ghum-Ghum. ""No, but I’ve seen a lot of stars,"" said the otter. ""Would you like to see some?"" ""Maybe next time. Thanks!"" said Ghum-Ghum. Just then – ""BRROFFTT! RRRAAPP!"" It was her family! Ghum-Ghum giggled happily, and swam towards the sound. Suddenly, a dolphin leapt up in front of her. ""Do you know where my family is, Miss Dolphin?"" asked Ghum-Ghum. ""No, but I do know where the yummiest fish are,"" said the dolphin. ""Would you like to eat one?"" ""Maybe next time. Thanks!"" said Ghum-Ghum. Just then – ""DRRUPHH! GHRAAAP!"" It was her family! Ghum-Ghum giggled happily, and swam towards the sound. A snail lay on a rock by the river bank. ""Can you help me find my family, Sister Snail?"" asked Ghum-Ghum. ""I can help you find a nice flat rock to sit on, if you want,"" said the snail. ""Maybe next time. Thanks!"" said Ghum-Ghum. Just then – ""PHBTHRR! FFRAFFFT!"" It was her family! Ghum-Ghum giggled happily, and swam towards the sound. Ghum-Ghum saw a big old gharial. Many little gharials swam around him. ""Have you seen my family, Grandpa Gharial?"" Ghum-Ghum asked. ""Is your name Ghum-Ghum?"" asked the old gharial. ""Yes, I’m Ghum-Ghum,"" she said. ""Then I HAVE seen your family! They’ve been looking everywhere for you, little one. Listen! There, down the river! Can you hear them?"" Ghum-Ghum listened. All the other little gharials listened too. Just then, from up the river – ""GHRAPP! GHUM! BRRAFFTT! GHUM! GHUUUM! GHOOOOOOM!"" It was her family, and they weren’t very far off! Ghum-Ghum giggled, and swam towards the sound. Soon, Ghum-Ghum reached a sand bank. She crawled onto it, tired from all her swimming. ""Ghum-Ghum?"" said a voice. ""Papa?"" A large, dark shape came towards her. ""Papa!"" Papa bent down and lovingly nudged Ghum- Ghum. ""Welcome home, Ghum-Ghum!"" said Papa. ""Where did you go off to?"" ""I went on a glorious adventure!"" said Ghum- Ghum, giggling. ""And tomorrow, I want to go again!"" Ghum-Ghum lives by the great river Ganga with her big, noisy family of gharials. She goes swimming every day, to catch insects and fish for her lunch. Ghum-Ghum meets all kinds of creatures on her daily swims: dolphins, otters, snails, water birds, fishermen in boats, buffaloes, snakes, and many others. How many of Ghum- Ghum's river friends can you spot in this page and the next? " walking-together_FKB-stories.txt,"Louwrisa Blaauw Bianca de Jong Jade Mathieson When we go walking and the road is long, we’ll walk together singing a song. I am with you and you are with me. A journey is fun with our family. I’ll keep you cosy like a mother hen. She keeps her chicks warm under her wing. If the rain starts to fall down from the sky, like that good hat I’ll keep your face dry. If storm clouds get angry and grumble and moan, be brave, why cry? You’re not alone. We’re walking together so we never get bored. Look up! Look around! See where we’ve explored! If you see something that’s funny to see, I don’t want to miss it. Please share it with me! If your feet start to hurt from the distance we’ve passed, don’t worry, we’ve made it! Here’s the clinic at last. We all need to check our throat, lungs and ears. Get strong as you grow, it’s no reason for tears. Do you think it’s scary? Here, hold my hand. She’ll check your blood pressure with this clever armband. They give us our medicine, tell us what we should know, to keep us all healthy. Now back home we go. It’s okay to be tired, there’s so much we’ve seen. Now it’s your bedtime. Sleep well and sweet dreams. " Pumpkins-mustardseed-FKB.txt,"Pumpkins What is a big, round, orange fruit? A pumpkin! A pumpkin is a fruit that grows at the end of the summer. Baby pumpkins start to grow on a long stem called a vine. Some pumpkins are tiny, but some can grow to be huge! One of the best things about pumpkins is getting to eat them. Pumpkin pie! People like to eat pumpkins and so do animals. You can visit a pumpkin patch and pick your own pumpkin to eat or decorate. Halloween is the best time to make scary pumpkin jack-o-lanterns. " Samiras-Awful-Lunch.txt,"Samira's Awful Lunch Samira made a face when she opened her tiffin box and thought, ‘Who wants to eat parathas and brinjal curry? Not I.’ Last week Amma had given her noodles with capsicum and carrots. ""The noodles are squiggly and they look like worms,"" she said when she went back home. ""I don’t like noodles."" The next day, Amma made upma with peanuts and peas, but Samira ate only the peanuts in it and took the rest back home. ""It was like wet sand,"" she said when Amma asked her why she hadn’t eaten it. ""Shall I give you idlis?"" asked Amma. ""Oh, yes ! They would be lovely to play with. I can toss and catch them. But I will not eat them—idlis taste like mud."" So now there were parathas and brinjal curry. Ugh, ugh, ugh! Shutting her tiffin box with a bang, Samira went to the school courtyard. A row of ants crawling along the wall said, ""Samira, why aren’t you eating your lunch like all the other children?"" Samira said, ""I don’t like parathas. I don’t like vegetables. I don’t want any lunch."" ""Of course, one cannot eat vegetables,"" the ants agreed. They offered her the wing of a cockroach that they were carefully carrying and said, ""Now try this, it is really delicious."" ""Oh no! I don’t want any horrible cockroaches,"" said Samira and ran away to the garden. Colourful flowers were blooming in the garden and butterflies were flitting from one to the other. An orange butterfly with black checks and stripes said, ""Hello Samira! Why aren’t you eating your lunch like all the other children?"" Samira said, ""I don’t like parathas. I don’t like vegetables. I don’t want any lunch."" ""Of course, one cannot eat vegetables,"" the butterfly agreed. ""Why don’t you drink some nectar from the flowers like us? It is really delicious."" Samira put her tongue into the centre of a flower but could find nothing! ""I don’t want any nectar. And I think you are fooling me,"" she cried. She ran to the big pipal tree in the lawn. A crow cawing above called, ""Hello Samira! Why aren’t you eating your lunch like all the other children?"" Samira said, ""I don’t like parathas. I don’t like vegetables. I don’t want any lunch."" ""Of course, one cannot eat vegetables,"" the crow agreed, ""Here, I’ll give you something nice,"" and it dropped a half- eaten mouse for Samira. ""Oh no! What a terrible thing! Keep your mouse for yourself,"" screamed Samira and ran away to stand near the wall. Some sparrows were chirruping on the ledge of the wall and called out, ""Hello Samira! Why aren’t you eating your lunch like all the other children?"" Samira said, ""I don’t like parathas. I don’t like vegetables. I don’t want any lunch."" ""Of course, one cannot eat vegetables,"" the sparrows agreed. ""Here are some crunchy grains of barley — they are really nutritious."" Samira chewed one and made a face. ""This is like eating pebbles. Even upma is better."" A kind sparrow at once asked her, ""Would you like some soft, juicy worms instead? Just a minute…"" Just before it flew off to get her a worm, Samira said, ""Worms indeed. No, thank you! I would much rather eat noodles,"" and ran to the gate of the school. A cow was lazily chewing cud just outside and mooed when it saw Samira. ""Hello!"" it called, ""Why aren’t you eating your lunch like all the other children?"" Samira said, ""I don’t like parathas. I don’t like vegetables, especially brinjals. I don’t want any lunch."" ""Of course, cooked brinjals aren’t nice at all,"" the cow agreed. ""Let me bite off some of this grass for you — it is particularly sweet after the rains. You should eat it with the hibiscus bush next to you. You are so lucky. I wish I could get inside this gate."" Samira was disgusted. She said, ""I don’t want to eat any grass. Nor any bushes. Even idlis would taste better than grass. And I am glad the gate is closed because the hibiscus has pretty flowers and I don’t want you to eat them."" Samira ran back to her classroom and opened her lunch box. ‘How nice my parathas and brinjal curry are,’ she thought and quickly ate them up. " a-book-for-puchku-childrens-story.txt,"A Book for Puchku ""Puchku! Have a bath!"" ""Puchku! Eat your food!"" ""Puchku! Go to class!"" ""Puchku! Get on the bus!"" ""Puchku! Do your homework!"" ""Where is Puchku?"" Puchku is busy. She has a book to read. Puchku reads all the time — at home, in school, in the park, in bed. Page after page, book after book, one by one, she has read them all. ""Why are you always reading Puchku?"" asks Boltu. ""Come, watch a cartoon instead!"" says Dodla. ""Books are so much more fun!"" says Puchku. ""Look! You see a circle? And this straight line? Push it in, pull that out, and it becomes a letter. Line up the letters, and you have a word! Words can be wise, words can be funny, words can be sad and words can be sunny. When you put words together, they make sentences. And sentences become stories. Read it and WHOOSH! You are in another world! "" But today, Puchku is in a fix. She has run out of books to read! All the books that she could reach in the library, she’s read from Chapter One to The End. ""What will I do? No more books to read!"" wails Puchku. Wait! What’s that over there? Puchku looks up and sees not one, not two, but three more shelves, FULL of books. ""More books!"" Puchku whispers in delight. There is still one problem though. She is too short. And the bookshelf is too tall. How can Puchku get up there? Maybe she can use a washing line? Or Ma’s sari to climb? How about the chairs and tables in the room? It would really be helpful, thinks Puchku, to have a giraffe at hand. Even a monkey. Or both! Puchku has a plan. She calls Boltu and Dodla for help. As quiet as they can, they climb on top of each other. ""Boltu, you’re heavy!"" Dodla complains. ""Told you not to eat that last rasgulla."" ""It’s not me,"" Boltu hisses. ""It’s Puchku!"" ""Shh! Almost there,"" says Puchku. Just then, it all goes wrong. AHHHHHHHH! ""What is happening here?"" It is the Very Tall Librarian! She puts Puchku down. Boltu and Dodla run away! Puchku looks up sadly at the book she almost had in her hand. ""Can I help?"" asks the Very Tall Librarian. ""I was trying to climb the bookshelf. I have run out of books to read,"" says Puchku, sadly. ""Why didn’t you say so?"" says the Very Tall Librarian. ""As long as I am around, you do not have to climb a bookshelf. May I pick you up?"" Puchku nods. ""I will take this, and this, and this one too!"" says Puchku happily. ""Thank you!"" ""Take this one too,"" says the Very Tall Librarian. ""When I was small, I loved this book."" ""You were small once?"" Puchku asks. ""Oh yes, even smaller than you,"" says the Very Tall Librarian. ""But then I grew, and so will you. Until then, all you need to do is ask for a book and I will be here to give it to you."" But is Puchku listening? No she is not! She is inside her book, through a circle and a line And a letter and another. Then a word! And another, A sentence. And another. And now a story. Because Puchku has a new book. " Hero-of-the-Mountain.txt,"The little fox Bubu was very excited. The big contest ""Hero of the Mountain"" was going to take place the next day. The bravest and most powerful animals and people were going to take part in it. Bubu wanted to see the contest and meet the most famous heroes in the world. He carefully studied the map. The contest would take place high on the mountain, on the grounds of the owl- magician, Boran. Bubu was going to have a long trip the next day . . . That evening, Bubu could not fall asleep till late at night. He was looking at the distant peak, dreaming about the contest. He was eager for the morning to come. In the morning he woke up early, brushed his teeth and ate his breakfast quickly. He had a long way to go, so he had a good meal. The breakfast, prepared by his mom, was very delicious. Bubu promised his mom he would be careful and come back before dark, and then he hurried to the mountain. He passed the meadows, walked around the rocky hills, and suddenly, while crossing the river, he heard someone screaming for help . . . Bubu looked around and saw a beetle, who had fallen into the river. The slope of the bank was too steep for the little beetle—he couldn’t get out of the river!—and he was waving its legs and antennae in panic. Bubu looked around for a float or a stick, but he could not find anything useful. As time was pressing, Bubu sank his tail into the icy water and cried out to the beetle to grab it. In a little while the beetle was lying on the grass, drying off in the sun—exhausted but very happy for being rescued. Bubu was tired as well, but he had no time for rest. He squeezed his tail, which had become heavy with water, and hurried on to the contest. Soon he saw ahead a little bunny, crying sadly. It had lost one of its gloves and did not know how to find it. Bubu was in a hurry to get to the contest, but he decided to help the bunny. He lowered his big sensitive nose to the ground and began sniffing, searching for the bunny’s glove. The bunny followed him with hope. In a little while Bubu found the glove, fallen aside the path. Nothing can hide from a fox’s nose. The bunny was very happy and, grinning widely, hopped home with its gloves on. Bubu hurried to the mountain. While climbing the steep mountain path, Bubu met three firemen-ants carrying a new door for the ants’ observation post located high on the mountain—the ants looked for forest fires from there. The door was too heavy and the three ants gasped for breath. Bubu decided to help them, though he was already late for the contest. He took the heavy door and, together with the ants, carried it up the mountain. Finally they reached the observation post of the firemen-ants and managed, together, to fix the door in its right place. The ants sat on the ground, tired and satisfied. Bubu was also tired, but there was no time for rest; he continued up the path, climbing the peak. When he climbed the peak at last, the contest was over. Broken arrows, targets, and swords were spread all over the peak meadow . . . but all the heroes had gone. Bubu sat sadly on the ground. He so much wanted to see the contest and meet the greatest heroes in the world, but he had missed everything. Suddenly he heard a flap of wings. He looked up and saw the owl-magician, Boran, alight before him. ""Don’t be sad, Bubu. You did not miss anything so interesting actually. Look, I have something special for you"" and the owl gave Bubu a crystal. On it was inscribed: HERO OF THE MOUNTAIN""—it was the highest-honor award one could receive for the contest! ""But . . . why?"" asked a very surprised Bubu. ""I have not done any great heroic deed."" ""Is there a greater heroic deed than all the small deeds you have done today?"" smiled Boran. ""You missed the contest you so much wanted to see, to help the beetle, the bunny, and the ants. You are the real hero of the mountain."" Bubu managed to make it back home before dinner and told his parents what had happened. Everybody at home was pleased and very proud of him. After dinner, Bubu went to bed tired and satisfied. He needed a good night’s sleep—may be tomorrow new great deeds and adventures were waiting for him. THE END " Emmas-Crazy-Day.txt,"Emma gets a big, square present. Emma tears the wrapping off. It is a box. It is a very big box. It is Emma’s birthday. Emma picks off tape. Emma gets a present. It is a scooter! A new scooter! A big kid scooter! Best of all, it is a pink scooter. Emma looks at its wheels. Emma looks at its handles. It is an excellent scooter. Emma gets a present. It is a little present. Emma tugs the wrapping off. It is stickers! Stickers for a scooter! Emma puts stickers all over her new scooter. Emma gets a present. It is not big. It is not little. It is in-between. Emma rips off the wrapping. It is a helmet. It is a pink helmet. A helmet keeps you safe. Emma takes her scooter up a hill. Emma puts on her pink helmet. No cars are driving by. Emma steps on. Emma grabs the handles. Emma kicks off. Now it is time for a ride. A crazy, pink, scooter girl turns around a corner. A crazy pink scooter girl hits a bump. This crazy, pink, scooter girl did A crazy, pink, scooter girl a jump! zooms down a hill. Back up a hill. Check helmet. Check for cars. Zoom, turn, bump, jump! Emma screams for joy. This pink scooter is her best present ever. The sun is nearly down. Time for home. No crazy scooting if it is dark. Emma eats dinner. Emma sleeps until morning. Then, a crazy, pink, scooter girl will ride again! " What-are-you-Doing-.txt,"""What are you doing?"" Nina Or Orange ange English I am singing. She is waving. I am clapping. She is stretching. He is calling. I am answering. She is listening. What are you doing? I am swimming. I am skipping. ""What are you doing?"" " the-punctuation-marks-journey-roomtoread-FKB.txt,"This is Exclamation Mark, Full Stop, Question Mark and Comma. They are punctuation marks who need a job in this book, but they aren't sure where to go. Letters and words are zooming about, trying to form sentences. Where do the punctuation marks fit in? What should they do? ""Well, I know where I belong,"" says Full Stop. ""I always stand at the end of a sentence."" ""No, I go at the end of a sentence!"" says Question Mark. ""No way!"" yells Exclamation Mark. ""I'm the one who belongs at the end of a sentence!"" Nobody can agree, and the letters and words just keep zooming around in confusion. ""What will we do?"" asks Comma. Comma stands in the middle of bickering punctuation marks and tries to separate them. ""There is room for all of us among these words and letters,"" says Comma. ""Let me show you."" ""You're right, Comma,"" everyone says, ""we're tired of arguing. Show us what to do!"" Comma shows the other punctuation marks how he does his job. Comma organises all the words into a list, and stands between each word, separating them to make the list easier to read. What do you see in Comma's list? Now that Comma has found where he belongs, can Question Mark, Exclamation Mark and Full Stop figure out what kind of sentences they should make? The full stop is placed at the end of declarative sentences, like this one. The exclamation mark is used to express emotions, like happiness, anger or excitement! And do you know what kind of sentence ends with a question mark? Don't forget: the word that comes after Question Mark, Exclamation Mark and Full Stop should start with a capital letter, because it will be the beginning of a new sentence. While the punctuation marks were talking, they remembered the letters and words zooming around in confusion. ""We have an important job,"" the punctuation marks say. ""Look how confused the letters and words are without us!"" Now the punctuation marks know what they need to do. " yes-you_en.txt,"Hi! I’m a warrior and I’m fighting a monster, and I need you to help me. Yes, you! Come with me! You see those ninja monkeys up there? I need you to shake this book so they fall out of the trees! Shake shake shake shake shake Oh, no! Bats! I need you to blow them away! One, two, three – blooo ooow! knock! kn o c k ! knock! That got rid of them! This is the door to the monster’s cave. Knock to open it! A spik y pit! again! down back Turn the book get upside down so right way around so I can that I can walk Thank you. Now turn it the across the roof! Hyenas are chasing me! We need to go faster! Quick! Skip ahead two pages! Don’t look at the next page – just jump ahead! Oh, no! I got eaten! Now you have to start the book again from the beginning! Phew! That was close! The hyenas almost got me! The monster is just past this yeti. Tickle the yeti to distract him, so I can sneak past! Tickle tickle tickle tickle! It’s the monster! We’ve got to fight it! Show it we’re not scared! Say you’re a smelly monster! Say it out loud! Say it now! It didn’t work! I need you to make your scariest face to chase it away! Are you ready? One, two, three... Yaaa aaaargh! We did it! We scared it away! High f i ve ! That was fun! Let’s go back to the start and do it all over again! Almost at the back cover! What are these pages for, anyway? " 12758-my-brother-and-me.txt,"My Brother and Me This is Samir. He is in class four. This is me. I am in class one. Every morning we get ready for school . I can button my -----. Samir helps me put on my -----. Samir takes me on his -----. I ring the bell . Samir reads big -----. He writes with a pen. I have a small ---. Inside it are two pencils . After school Samir plays -------. His three friends join him. Samir hits a six. I help him find the ----. He buys me an --- -----. It is five o'clock . It is time to go ----. 1. Shirt 2. Shoes 3. Cycle 4. Books 5. Bag 6. Cricket 7. Ball 8. Ice-cream 9. Home " Snail-Carpenter-childrens-story-red.txt,"The Snail-Carpenter With a big enough heart, and a strong will, even the smallest of snails can become a great carpenter. In this story, The Snail-Carpenter will teach you how you can succeed at everything you do. The Beginning Whenever somebody says ""that’s impossible"", I remember a story that my Grandpa loved to tell me. Grandpa was a carpenter, and the story was about a snail, the smallest and most fascinating carpenter in the world My Grandpa’s story went like this… In the green meadow under the old branches lived a tiny snail. Curled up in his grubby little home he thought about all kinds of things. Most of them were very unusual things for a snail to think about. He thought about how much he wanted to carve the old worn-out looking tree stump and make its surface gentle and nice. He thought of it during the days and dreamed of it at night, how he could carve the wood. Oh, the snail had such a great wish to be a carpenter. First Attempt O ne sunny morning as he cleaned his little home with the morning dew, the snail decided to try to work as a carpenter. He didn’t know how to start. He was afraid of ruining a beautiful piece of wood with his clumsiness, so he decided to decorate his own home first of all. If he could decorate the house he carried on his back beautifully, it would prove to his friends and to himself that he could be a successful carpenter. Slowly but surely the tiny snail crawled to the old tree stump. He decided to start work. He began to rub his shell against the tree stump to shape it just as he wanted. The other animals of the forest gathered to watch the snail who was rubbing up and down against the old wooden stump. What a very unusual sight for them! In the beginning, the other animals watched with interest to see what he was doing, but they turned to sneering - a snail couldn’t ever be a carpenter. The tiny snail paid no attention to the reactions of the other animals. Instead, with a great deal of dedication, he carried on working and rubbing and scrubbing, decorating his little home. A Great Effort The snail made slow progress with his work. He realised that the wood wasn’t sharp enough to engrave his little home. The tree helped him to get soft and gentle lines but he needed something harder. He made his way over to a rock and started to rub his shell against it. The hard and sharp rock was just the right tool for a carpenter to make precise cuts. Now the snail had to be twice as careful not to damage his home. Time passed and the snail gained experience. He learned how and when he needed to rub the shell against the rock, on the ground or the wood. He used differing levels of pressure depending on what he wanted to achieve. Time continued to pass and the snail’s little home gradually became more beautiful. Little by little the animals of the forest came to admire the slow but self- confident handy-man at work. The snail carried on, working tirelessly. Success Winter came and went. One morning the tiny snail was bathing in the drops of dew. Sitting in the sun, he was admiring the nature all around. He was happy. He had decorated his house in the best way that he could and he was pleased with his work. Suddenly, out of the clear blue sky, a woodpecker swooped down beside him. Woodpeckers are known as the best carpenters in the forest. The bird had heard the story about the snail-carpenter and he wanted to be see the snail’s craftsmanship with his own eyes. The woodpecker inspected the snail’s little home from all sides and then flew into the air. He circled the house a few times, examining each side thoroughly. When he had finished, he again landed down beside the tiny snail. The woodpecker looked the snail in the eyes, paused for a moment and bowed his head. This was a great honour for the tiny snail because woodpeckers only bowed to master carpenters. Glory Full of happiness and joy that the recognition of his work had brought him, the little snail went over to the old wooden stump and asked its permission to decorate it. He worked on it with unbroken dedication. After a long time of non-stop work, he had made the stump the most beautiful piece of wood in the whole forest. From that time onwards, there was always plenty of work for the little snail-carpenter. He was asked to decorate the shells of the other snails and the homes of many different animals. He was even asked to build bridges and dams. Teacher The tiny snail-carpenter decided to share his knowledge with his you want. Try hard, be dedicated and seek knowledge. Through your friends. With a thirst for knowledge, the other snails gathered efforts everything is possible."" The snail-carpenter continued to speak around him. The snail-carpenter addressed them ""Dear Friends, and the group of snails swallowed his words with interest. Those you want to become carpenters. If you want to fulfil your dreams, snails became master carpenters too. you should bear the following in mind: you can achieve whatever T hese days it is rare to see any snail decorating wood, because today, as a rule, every snail decorates its shell in the best way it can. Indeed, whenever you walk through the woods or meadow, try to find a snail. Look at it carefully. You’ll see what a pretty and unusual little home it has on its back. Even little creatures like snails can do so much if they try hard with enough effort. Just think what humans could achieve! Did you know... The Snail - Carpenter by Ognjen Livada There are many different kinds of snails. Some of them live in the soil, some in rivers and lakes and some in the sea. All land snails carry their own little homes. It is well-known that even the slug has one. It is too small for the slug to go inside, but it is still a home! Some sea snails breathe through their lungs, just like people, and have to come up from the water for air, while others breathe through gills like fish. Did you know that Peter’s Ear and clams on the rocks are not shells but are in fact snails? Interesting, isn’t it? Nature really is miraculous. " Alphabet-Book-Editable-Version.txt,"THE Aa Bb Cc BOOK Aa Aeroplane Bb Ball Cc Cow Dd Dog Ee Elephant Ff Fish Gg Giraffe Hh Horse i I Icecream Jj Jug Kk Koala Ll Lion Mm Monkey Nn Nuts Oo Owl Pp Pig Qq Queen Rr Ring Ss Shark Ss Sheep Tt Train Uu Umbrella Vv Vase Ww Worm Xx X-ray Yy Yacht Zz Zebra " tiger-tiger-where-are-you-pratham-fkb.txt,"Tiger, Tiger, Where Are You? I was just here. Didn’t you see my watery trail by the lake? I took a nap in the cool water. I was just here. Didn’t you see my footprints on the soft soil? Look hard, I could be coming or going! I was just here. Didn’t you see my scratch marks on the tree? I was sharpening my claws. I was just here. Didn’t you smell my scent on the rock? The spray helps a tigress find me! I was just here. Didn’t you see what I ate yesterday? The hair and nails should give you a clue. I was just here. Didn’t you hear that loudmouth langur’s warning? He told the entire forest that I was on the move! I was just here. Didn’t you hear my growl? I want other tigers to know that this part of the forest is mine. I was just here. Didn’t you see my false eyes? I tricked you. Here I am. You found me. " The_Kaptain_Uke_Glockenspiel_Book_FKB.txt,"20 easy songs to play Welcome to the Kaptain Uke Glockenspiel Book. In this book I have chosen songs ideal for the 25 note chromatic glockenspiel. These are the kind you find in schools and at home. Some of the songs I have transposed to make sure the range of notes matches the instrument. If you go my website you will able to find MP3s of each of the songs. To keep things simple I have only used sharps (#) as opposed to flats (b) and have labelled each note clearly. I don’t care if the rain comes down, I’m gonna dance all day. I don’t care if the rain comes down, I’m gonna dance all day. Hey, hey, carry me away. I’m gonna dance all day. Hey, hey, carry me away. I’m gonna dance all day. I don’t care if the sun comes out, I’m gonna dance all day. I don’t care if it’s cloudy now, I’m gonna dance all day. I don’t care if the wind blows hard, I’m gonna dance all day. I don’t care if it snows or hails, I’m gonna dance all day. I don’t care if a rainbow comes, I’m gonna dance all day. Mary had a little lamb, little lamb, little lamb. Mary had a little lamb, whose fleece was white as snow. And everywhere that Mary went, Mary went, Mary went. And everywhere that Mary went, the lamb was sure to go. It followed her to school one day, school one day, school one day. It followed her to school one day, which was against the rules. It made the children laugh and play, laugh and play, laugh and play. It made the children laugh and play, to see a lamb at school. And so the teacher turned it out, turned it out, turned it out. And so the teacher turned it out, but still it lingered near. And waited patiently about, lee about, lee about. And waited patiently about, till Mary did appear. ""Why does the lamb love Mary so? Mary so? Mary so?"" ""Why does the lamb love Mary so?"" the eager children cry. ""Why, Mary loves the lamb, you know, lamb, you know, lamb, you know."" Why, Mary loves the lamb, you know,"" the teacher did reply. She'll Be Comin' Round The Mountain She'll be coming round the mountain when she comes She'll be coming round the mountain when she comes Coming round the mountain, she'll be coming round the mountain Coming round the mountain when she comes Chorus Singing ay, ay, yippee, yippee ay Singing ay, ay, yippee, yippee ay Singing ay, ay, yippee, ay, ay, yippee Singing ay, ay, yippee, yippee ay She'll be driving six white horses when she comes She'll be driving six white horses when she comes She'll be driving six white horses, she'll be driving six white horses Driving six white horses when she comes Chorus And we'll all go out to meet her when she comes Yes we'll all go out to meet her when she comes We'll all go out to greet her, yes we will all go out to meet her We'll all go out to meet her when she comes Chorus She'll be wearing red pajamas when she comes She'll be wearing red pajamas when she comes Wearing red pajamas, why is she wearing red pajamas Don't know why but she'll be wearing red pajamas when she comes Chorus She'll be coming round the mountain when she comes She'll be coming round the mountain when she comes Coming round the mountain, she'll be coming round the mountain Coming round the mountain when she comes " friends-asb-FKB.txt,"Friends My name is Simo. I have four friends. Their names are Zizo, Lele, Sisa and Ayanda. My friend Zizo likes to play soccer. My friend Lele likes to swim. My friend Sisa likes to play hide-and- seek. My friend Ayanda likes to read. Me? I like to do the things they like to do. I play soccer with Zizo. I swim with Lele. I play hide-and-seek with Sisa. Come, friend, what do you like? Come, play soccer with us. Come, swim with us. Come, play hide- and-seek with us. Come, read with us! " foxy-joxy-plays-a-trick_english.txt,"Watermelons for sale! Foxy Joxy was a sly fox. He sold big, fresh 500 watermelons. ""You are asking too much,"" said Gia Giraffe. ""Your price is too high,"" said Rabbit Jabbit. Foxy Joxy had a clever idea. He slit open a big watermelon, scooped out the fruit, and gobbled it up. Then he filled it with water! He took a needle and thread and sewed the watermelon back together. He sold his watermelons for a cheap price. Many animals bought from Foxy Joxy. ""This watermelon has only water in it,"" complained Funky Monkey. ""Well, you got what you paid for,"" said Foxy Joxy. ""We need to teach Foxy Joxy a lesson,"" said Ellie Elephant. The animals gathered around and came up with a plan. ""I have an idea,"" said Oliver Owl. They took an empty watermelon, stuffed Foxy Joxy into it and played a game of football with it. Foxy Joxy was dizzy! He learnt his lesson and never cheated again. " Singing-the-Truth-3-19-FKB-Kids-stories.txt,"A long time ago, in the vast city of Johannesburg, a baby girl was born. That baby was me. My mom called me Miriam. Miriam Makeba. Mom was a sangoma, but she also worked to make other people’s homes neat and clean. It was hard for my mom to earn enough for both of us. She started selling homemade beer to bring in more money. The laws of the land said that selling homemade beer was wrong. The police sent my mom to jail for six long months. I was only 18 days old, and needed my mom. So even though I was just a baby, I went to jail too. As a little girl I loved to sing. When I was older, I helped my mom clean houses. Singing songs as I worked made the chores go faster and the days seem brighter. Singing made me happier than I can explain. I sang in my church, and this made others happy too. Music has the power to bring people together. When we were singing we felt brave and strong. People said my voice was a gift and my songs were special. I sang with other musicians and our music was heard all over the world. My home was Sophiatown, a place of culture and music. Sophiatown, a place where South Africans could make music in harmony and dance together. But the people who ruled the land at the time did not like this togetherness. Those rulers didn’t want black and white people to be friends. I knew it was wrong to treat people differently because of their skin colour. I did not hide my beliefs, and so those people in charge wanted me out of the country. When I was singing in America, I was told I could never return home. People all over the world heard my story. My songs and my story helped many to see how there was no fairness in South Africa for those with black skin. I decided to go on singing and telling the truth about my country, no matter what. The world loved my music and I was welcomed in many countries. I won awards and sang for important people all over the globe. My life was good, but something was missing. I could not sing in my home country, and people there were not free. Then a wonderful day dawned when Nelson Mandela became president of South Africa. New people were in charge and the unfair laws belonged to the past. I finally went home with new hope in my heart. After that I could sing in a free, fair country. People of different skin colours could enjoy music together. I helped make this happen because I was brave and strong. I sang the truth in all of my songs. Learn about the amazing life of a little girl who grew up to use her gift of singing to help bring freedom to South Africa. Louwrisa Blaauw Bianca de Jong Jade Mathieson " FKB_Learn-Sight-Words-Print_friendly-Save_the_Planet.txt,"SAVE THE PLANET! From the Learn Sight Words Series Go Green! Danielle Bruckert Zehnya Bruckert Learn Sight Words Save the Planet! Learn Sight Words Series Published by Red Sky Ventures Compiled by Danielle Bruckert © Dec 2016 This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike43.0 License. This text is free for distribution and use, please share! Any use of this material must be shared in the same or similar manner. Any use of this material must be attributed to: Free Kids Books – Contact the CREATOR/COMPILOR: danielle@redskyventures.org More books like this one are available at This book is part of the FKB Make a Difference project Colin Cow says: Reduce! Reuse! Recycle! Gerty Goat says: Always put your trash in a bin! Patty Penguin says: Save water and electricity. Wally Walrus says: Reduce your carbon footprint! Use a bicycle, public transport, or walk. Peter Panda says: Use renewable energy. Harry Hippo says: Buy products that can be recycled. Leo Lion says: Plant an indigenous tree! *""indigenous"" means native, these types will grow better in their natural environment. Baba Bear says: Support sustainable practices! Make sure we all still have fsh. Carly Cat says: Don't waste natural Resources. And Zenna Zebra says: Save the Planet! We only have ONE. Words in this book put in and the your an only have one don't can be use buy that reduce reuse recycle always trash bin save water electricity reduce carbon footprint renewable energy products recycled. plant indigenous tree support sustainable practices waste natural resources. save planet ABOUT SAVNG THE PLANET Ask children to come up with ideas for each page on how they can follow through with the concepts suggested, and why it makes a difference: Reduce! Reuse! Recycle! Always put your trash in a bin. Save water and electricity. Reduce your carbon footprint. Use renewable energy. Buy products that can be recycled. Plant an indigenous tree Support sustainable practices. Don't waste natural resources. Save the planet! We only have one. Talk about some of the ways which these ""green"" practices can be achieved in your own lives (eg: using public transport, buying recyclable products, installing solar). Project: Go with your parents/carers to the grocery shop and make a list of all the items that are sustainable or recyclable or that support ""green"" practices. Create green awareness posters to put up at your school and local notice boards. Create a fundrasier for supporting GoGreen, for example solar or wind at your school or community. Go Green! ABOUT ANTI-BULLYING and ANTI-DISCRIMINATION Book 3 – DON'T BE A BULLY Ask children to come up with ideas for each page on how they can follow through with the concepts suggested, and why it makes a difference: Don't be a bully. Be fair to everyone no matter what. Treat everyone the way you want to be treated. Don't judge people for their beliefs or abilities. Support and help others. Never put someone down. Hate hurts; Love heals. Sharing is caring. Be honest, but be kind. Don't discriminate. Talk about what discrimation means, and what types of discrimination can be present, for example: Discrimination because of gender, disability, race, or religion. Talk about being all-inclusive, and what it means. Look at ways people can be insensitive about race, disability, religion, or gender without thinking. Comment on the following and what is wrong with them: ""Cars are for boys."" ""Pink is for girls."" ""God only loves Christians."" Bullies are horrible! SHARING AND CARING ACTIVITIES – from Book 2 HOW TO BE HAPPY Ask children to come up with ideas for each page on how they can follow through with the concepts suggested, and why it makes a difference: Worry less; Dance more! Take less; Give more! Consume less; Create more! Frown less, Smile more! Talk less; Listen more! Fear less; Try more! Judge less; Accept more! Watch less; Do more! Complain less; Appreciate more! Always be nice. Appreciate more: Talk about what it means to appreciate, and have children write a list of all the things they appreciate in life. Consume Less: Discuss sustainability and reduce, reuse, recycle concepts, ask the children to write down ideas to reduce waste, have a green day where children don't produce any waste. Give more: Research some child welfare charities and discuss ideas of how to contribute, for example a fund rasising day or project at school. Give More! SHARING AND CARING ACTIVITIES from Book 1 – ALAYS BE NICE Ask children to come up with ideas for each page on how they can follow through with the actions: Always be nice. Be kind to others. Don't let others feel left out. Think about others feelings. Don't be mean, Use kind words. Help out when you can. Sharing is Caring Always say ""Please"". Don't forget ""Thank-you"". Have a star chart and give children stars whenever another child or sibling notices their caring and sharing behaviour. Ask children to think about how their behaviour makes others feel when they don't follow these rules. Ask children if they can think of a time when they didn't follow these rules. How could they change their behaviour to make the situation better. Alwaye be nice! " FKB_-Kids_Jokes_2-Zehnya_Bruckert.txt," What do you call a bear with no teeth? A gummy bear! What animal is always at a baseball game? A bat. What do you call a dog magician? A labracadabrador. What do you call a fish without an eye? A fsh. Why do you never see elephants hiding in trees? Because they are really good at it. Two fish are in a tank. One says to the other, ""Do you know how to drive this thing?"" Thieves broke into the police station last night and stole all the toilets. A police spokesman said the police have nothing to go on. Why do you go to bed every night? Because the bed won't come to you! What did the traffic light say to the car? Don’t look. I’m about to change. What do you call a deer with no eyes? No idea (No eye deer). What did the seal with the broken arm say to the shark Do not consume if seal is broken What did the one snowman say to the other snowman? Do you smell carrots? Why did the dolphin blush? Because it saw the ocean's bottom. How does Darth Vader like his toast? On the dark side. How does a train eat? It goes chew chew. What do you call a fly with no wings? a walk. " ELA_Grade2_Unit4_Brooklyn-Reading-Comp.txt,"Name 3.2 Brooklyn Kim took Kurt by the hand and the two of them set off so that Kim could look for a job. It was a summer morning in Brooklyn. There were lots of cars on the streets. There were people walking here and there. A man was sweeping the street outside his shop. Kim and Kurt walked until they got to Prospect Park. Kurt looked into the park as they went past. He saw people playing frisbee. He saw people on bikes. He saw a man playing fetch with his dog. He saw soccer players on their way to a game. He saw runners on their way to the gym. ""Can we stop and play?"" asked Kurt. ""No,"" Kim said. ""I have to get a job."" Kurt slumped a bit to let Kim see that he was sad, but he kept walking. ""Kim,"" he said after a bit, ""will having a job make you a grownup?"" ""Well, sort of,"" said Kim. ""I’m in college. I think that makes me part kid and part grownup."" ""Will you still have time to play with me?"" ""Yes!"" Kim said, rubbing Kurt’s arm. ""We will have lots of time to play. I’ll get a part-time job, one that is not too hard. That way, I will not be too tired when I get home. Then we can play."" Unit 4 11 © 2013 Core Knowledge Foundation ""You should get a job at the Bronx Zoo!"" Kurt said. ""Then you can play with the snakes and tigers."" Kim said. ""I don’t think so. I don’t like snakes. But we can visit the zoo later this summer. After I get a job, I will have cash to do fun things like that."" Just then Kim saw two old pals waving at her. ""Lynn!"" she yelled. ""Sheryl! What’s up?"" Lynn and Sheryl crossed the street. ""Hi, Kim!"" said Lynn. ""Are you home from college for the summer?"" ""Yes,"" said Kim. ""It’s good to be back here in Brooklyn!"" Kim slapped hands with her pals. Then she said, ""You two have met Kurt, haven’t you?"" Lynn and Sheryl nodded. Lynn stooped down to look at Kurt and said, ""Hi, big man! Would you like to come with us? We are going over to Drummer’s Grove to see the drummers."" ""Drummer’s Grove?"" Kurt said. ""Can we go, Kim? Can we? Can we? Can we?"" Kim was not sure what to say. She needed to get started on her job hunt. But she wanted Kurt to have fun, too. If she dragged him off without seeing the drummers, there was a chance he would get mad and fuss all day. That would not be much fun. ""Okay,"" she said at last. ""But just for a bit. I need to get started with my job hunt."" 12 Unit 4 © 2013 Core Knowledge Foundation Name 3.3 Brooklyn 1. Where are Kim and Kurt? Kim and Kurt are in _______. A. Manhattan B. Brooklyn Family Member Directions: Ask your child to reread the story and circle the answers to the questions. C. Bronx D. Queens 2. When Kim and Kurt get to Prospect Park, what does Kurt want to do? Kurt wants to _________. A. eat ice cream B. go to the gym C. look for a job D. stop and play 3. Why is Kurt sad? Kurt is sad because _________. A. Kim says he cannot get ice cream B. Kim says Kurt must look for a job C. Kim says that they cannot stop and play D. Kim says Kurt must go home Unit 4 13 © 2013 Core Knowledge Foundation 4. Why is Kim looking for a part-time job? Kim wants to have time to _________. A. read books for college B. play and do fun things with Kurt C. sleep late each morning D. exercise at the gym 5. Where do Lynn and Sheryl invite Kim and Kurt to go? They invite Kim and Kurt to go with them to _________. A. the Bronx Zoo B. Brooklyn C. Queens D. Drummer’s Grove Circle the name of the character who made the statement. Sentence Character ""I think that makes me part kid Kurt Lynn Kim Sheryl and part grownup."" ""You should get a job at the Kurt Lynn Kim Sheryl Bronx Zoo!"" ""Hi, big man! Would you like to Kurt Lynn Kim Sheryl come with us?"" 14 Unit 4 © 2013 Core Knowledge Foundation " lets-have-an-inside-day_en.txt,"Let’s have an inside day… A pancake, syrup and berries day. A jump on the bed and twirling day. A dress up like dad and pictures day. Let’s have an inside games day. We’ll hide and seek… And run and scream. But whisper when we pass Mama’s room. Let’s have a dancing and singing day… A tickle tummies and eat gummies day. Let’s get snuggly and tell stories. Fall asleep and get snoring... Because an inside day is a busy day. " Buttered-Toast-.txt,"This is Baby. Baby thinks her name is Toast. Baby joins her family for breakfast. Baby likes to eat bits of food from mama's plate. Mama says: Papa, please pass me the butter. I love butter on toast. Baby is puzzled. Did she say Toast? That is my name, isn't it? What is she talking about? Baby looks curiously at the food. Mama sees that baby is curious. She says: ""This is an egg."" ""This is butter"" ""And this is toast"" Whoa! Wait! Did you say this is toast? This is what you named me after? How rude! The woman has no imagination, whatsoever. But she does mean well. And she loves me. Okay I can live with Toast for a name. I love you mama. Oh no! I know that look. What are you going to do now? Do? Do? What should I do? Oh I know.... Mama said she loves butter on toast. So I'll cover myself with butter. Mama will be so happy. I am such an angel. " Teacher-Owls-Class-Apr-2018-F-Meintjies.txt,"Teacher Owl's Class Frank Meintjies They were all gathered in the classroom. The learners sat on two logs under a blue sky with flecks of white cloud. It was not far from a stream. Teacher Owl looked at the class. Snail looked left and right on her log. She was just trying to see what Miss Owl saw. There was Hare, Leguaan, the Honeyguide and Daliso the cat. ""Learners"", said Teacher Owl, to the class, ""Settle down. I know it's nearly the end of the school day. I want to give you your homework for tomorrow. It's about knowing where you and your family come from."" Teacher Owl explained what they needed to do. She usually tried to make sure the learners understood everything. She wanted to tell them one more time, so they would remember. But some of the learners were already sliding off the logs to go home. ""Goodbye,"" Teacher Owl said. ""Have a safe journey home"". Snail was still on the log. She wondered if anyone even heard Teacher Owl say goodbye. *** The next day, in the morning, the learners gathered in the class. Daliso the cat arrived just as everyone was saying: ""Good morning teacher"". Then they sang one of their favourite songs: ""We are the learners from the valley We like to learn We are the learners It's our turn"" ""We the learners of the valley do 'words' and 'sums' for us learning and passing is so much fun."" Snail was the last to arrive. The learners had finished singing the song when snail arrived. She was sweating. ""This morning is hotter than usual. I left early; but because of the heat I could not walk as fast as I usually do,"" Snail said. Hare laughed. ""Did you say you normally walk fast. Surely you mean ... 'less slow' "". Teacher Owl said: ""Be nice to snail. Walking all the way to school is harder work for her. She is smaller than you and she does it all on one foot."" Everyone took their seats on the logs. Some went to their favourite spots. The two logs were side by side so the learners rubbed shoulders with each other. The far end of the logs were pulled inward, so those sitting on the end could also hear what Teacher Owl said. ""Did you do your homework?"", Teacher Owl asked. Hare said: ""I raced towards home, but along the way I got tired and fell asleep"". Leguaan said that on its way home it smelt some crocodile's eggs. The big strong lizard spoke in a soft voice. ""It was at the sandy part near the large pond. I could not see the crocodile anywhere. So I thought I would dig in the ground for some crocodile eggs."" Teacher Owl went to stand near Leguaan, to hear better. ""I then got home too late to do my homework,"" Leguaan said. Honeyguide said she also had a problem. She was flying home when she saw a bee hive. She then flew off to find Raccoon who lived in another part of the valley. She needed Raccoon to open the hive for her. She told the class: ""Yesterday was hot and we worked hard in class. I needed some honey."" Honeyguide explained how the she and Raccoon set off to the bees' home. When they got there, they spent a while with the honey and the wax. Raccoon enjoyed the honey. Honeyguide enjoyed the beeswax. ""I got home too late to do the homework,"" said Honeyguide. ""I was also covered in wax. I had to try to tidy my feathers before I went to bed. It was far too late to start thinking of homework"", she said. Daliso the cat blinked his eyes. ""I am sorry teacher. On my way home, I found a ball of wool. I stopped to play with it. It was such fun. Very soon I was covered in threads. At last I decided to go home. But it took me some time to untangle myself. When I got home, I asked my mother to help me with the homework. But she said: ""It's late. Have some milk and go to bed"". ""And, Snail, did you do your homework?"" teacher Owl asked. Snail cleared her throat. Snail was always a bit nervous. She looked this way and that way. Then she nodded. ""Teacher, It took me a long while to get home. Along the way, I passed Hare sleeping. At one point I saw Raccoon and Honeyguide crossing the pathway in front me. They seemed to be in a hurry."" But, yes, I did get home in time to do my homework,"" Snail said. Teacher Owl stepped closer to the group. ""I am glad to hear that one of you made sure they did their homework . Good. Snail, come forward and present your homework."" Snail went to the front. She was not used to standing in the front of the class and speaking to everyone. She looked just above everyone's heads. Maybe if she pretended to talk to the trees and grass behind the learners, she would not be so nervous. She coughed and then started: ""My ... my homework: where I come from."" ""I asked my mother and she told me this story. My grandmother and grandfather used to live in a rainforest somewhere in the middle of Africa. They felt there were too many snails there so they decided to journey south. They crossed the Zambezi river by getting on to a piece of wood, just before the river water rose. On this side of the big river, they found a nice place to live. It was under a small tree. It was a place with lots of rain. That is where my mother met my father. I was born in this valley."" The teacher asked questions. Snail replied: ""I heard the story for the first time yesterday. I think my grandparents were brave. I am happy to know where I come from -- it makes me proud."" ""That is a very good story. Well done."" said teacher Owl. She turned to speak to the other students: ""We can learn from Snail."" ""It is important to have a story. It is good to know where you come from."" ---- " What-is-Love.txt,"What is love, do you know? My dad says that it’s reading a bedtime story … ... and reading it twenty-three times over and over again. What is love, do you know? My mom says that it’s cooking three meals a day … … even if she’s tired or not feeling so well. What is love, do you know? My older brother says that it’s playing ball with me … … even when he’d rather play with cars. What is love, do you know? My little sister says that it’s when someone … ... plays dollies and tea set with her. What is love, do I know? Think, think, think! Oh, yes, I sure do! Love happens when we do things to make others happy. That is a part of love and I love my whole family. " I-Can-Make-Things.txt,"I Can Make Things! I am a big boy now. I can draw and I can make things. I draw my mother, she sits still. I draw my sister, she does not sit still. I draw many things. But I am told not to draw on the wall. I can make things. I make a drawing of a cat, she is fat. I make a fish. It is small. I make paper boats, birds and planes. I make houses and trains. My sister makes a mess! I can make many things. But my sister cannot! " 21618-wild-cat-wild-cat-picturebook.txt,"Wild Cat! Wild Cat! Some wild cats have stripes. Like the tiger! Some wild cats have manes. Like the lion! Some wild cats have spots. Like the leopard and the leopard cat! Some wild cats are the best climbers. Like the clouded leopard and the marbled cat! Some wild cats live high up in the mountains. Like the snow leopard and the Pallas's cat! Some wild cats live in the desert. Like the desert cat! Some wild cats have hairy ears. Like the caracal and the lynx! Some wild cats love to fish. Like the fishing cat! Some wild cats are the smallest wild cats in the world. Like the rusty-spotted cat! Some wild cats look like house cats. Like the jungle cat and the golden cat! But they are all wild cats! " Dolphin_Facts-FKB-Zehnya_Bruckert.txt,"The most common dolphin is the oceanic dolphin. The oceanic dolphin's scientifc name is Delphinidae. This is where the name Dolphin comes from. Most people think pink dolphins don't exist but they do. They live in the Amazon and Orinoco rivers and they eat pirañas. If you ever go swimming there and see one they are very friendly (but watch out for the pirañas!) Dolphin are very smart and marine parks often teach dolphins to do tricks and perform in shows. Killer whales are also part of the dolphin family, but dolphins don't eat seals, killer whales do. Killer whales are very cute but don't go to close to them! Dolphin breathe through a hole close to the dorsal fn. It is said that if you rub a dolphins tail and make a wish it will come true. Bottle nosed dolphins are called bottle nosed because their nose is shaped like a bottle. They can swim up to 260m below the surface of the ocean. There's nearly 40 species of dolphin swimming the waters of the world. Wow! Dolphins are part of the family of toothed whales that includes orcas and pilot whale. A 260 pound dolphin eats about 33 pounds of fsh a day. Dolphins eat through their mouths and breathe through their blowholes. This prevents the dolphin from sucking up water into the lungs when hunting, reducing the risk of drowning. Dolphins are very social, living in groups that hunt and even play together. Large pods of dolphins can have 1,000 members or more. " Big-Mac-and-Little-Dipper-The-Stair-Case-.txt,"BIG MAC AND LITTLE DIPPER The Stair Case Volume 1 Mac was a very big dog. Mac lived in a house with a very small kitchen, where Mac loved to sleep on the cool floor. This caused lots of problems. Mrs Smith would come into the kitchen and ask, ""Why have I got such a large dog in the middle of my very small kitchen?"" Mac would see he wasn't wanted, and slink away to the hall where the floor was almost as cool, but the smells weren't as nice. Just when Mac had begun to settle down Baby Katia came crawling along the floor of the hall. She bumped into Mac, and let out a small squeal, ""EEEIKK.-"". Mrs Smith looked over and threw her hands up in the air again, saying, ""Why have I got such a big dog in my small passage way?"" Picking up the baby she chased Mac out of the hall. Mac looked up with droopy Mac eyes, and saw he was not wanted there either, and decided to slink away to the bathroom. In the shower the floor was always cool, sometimes a little damp, but always perfectly shaded for snoozing. Mac didn't like the soap smell, but he thought maybe at least I'll be safe here out of the way for a while. Right at that moment, Katia's big brother Tyron, who hated getting up too early in the morning, choose to get up and wandered down stairs to have a shower. When Tyron saw Mac in the shower he said to him, ""Mac, I am happy for you to have a shower with me, but I don't think you are going to like it."" Mac looked up at Tyron with his big droopy Mac eyes, and rumbled a Mac rumble, ""GRMMRMRL."" Mac tried to decide if Tyron wanted him to go or stay. He paused in thought, half standing up and half lying down in the shower. Tyron said: ""Mac if you don't believe me I can show you."" He turned the tap on very softly to let Mac know what might be coming. Mac suddenly felt something cold and wet, he looked at Tyron a bit startled. Then he realized Tyron was just warning him there was more coming and he wouldn't much like it, and perhaps he better go. So he ambled back to the hall – looked around to see if the 'coast was clear', and sunk down into his favorite snooze position. The coast was not clear for long, Mr Smith came back from reading his paper and saw Mac. ""Mac, old boy, why do you, such a big dog, choose to sit in such a small passage?"" he asked. ""You know you shouldn't be here, Mrs Smith will find you and you don't want that do you?"" Mac looked up with his big droopy Mac eyes, and rumbled softer this time.... ""Grmmgrl."" Mac didn't know what to do now, it was hot outside, and the new puppy would be out there and want to play. Mac didn't want to play now, he wanted to sleep. The only place Mac could go for really good shade was on the balcony, but he was afraid of climbing up the stairs. The stairs were so BIG and STEEP and SCARY looking. He tried to slink back to the kitchen, but Mrs Smith spied him creeping in, ""Mac, why do I have such a big dog trying to creep into my small kitchen again?"" She threw her hands up again, for the third time that morning. ""Mac what will I do with you? - Outside now!"" It was getting closer to midday, and it was getting hotter by the second. Mac wished he didn't have a fur coat. There were lots of trees to lie under, but the ground was all prickly and Mac didn't like it. He looked at the stairs, he wanted to go up and lie under the table on the cool balcony floor, but they were terrifying. They were so big and steep, he didn't know how he would come down. Maybe he would get stuck up there, and if no one found him he might miss his dinner. Or maybe his legs would fall through the gaps and he would be trapped, Then the Cat would taunt and tease him until someone came to the rescue. While thinking of all the terrible things that might happen if he tried, he slowly ambled over to his least hated tree where he lay down in the prickly grass. Soon after he lay down to snooze, the new puppy came bounding up to him. ""Whatchya doing Mac? Watchya doing?"" ""GrrrrrrMm"". Said Mac. ""Whatchya doing Mac? Watchya doing?!"" ""GRRMMMLL"" Said Mac, this time in a more menacing Growly voice. The puppy should know what that meant, he thought. But noooo... The puppy was young and very eager but not yet very bright, ""Mac – watcha doing, don't ya wanna come and play with me?"" She said, still waiting expectantly for a reply. Mac tried to ignore the puppy and rolled over to face the tree. ""Mac,I'm gonna go chase the Cat – I saw him just now. Mac don't you wanna chase the Cat with me?"" Mac put his paws over his head and pretended not to see or hear. She just ran up the stairs on to the balcony, if you wanna come with me, I think she's trapped up there."" Mac was going to roll over again when his ears pricked up as he caught the word 'Balcony'. ""Little Dipper"", he said slowly in a bit of a mumble- grumble, not wanting to sound too interested, ""Do you know how to get on to the balcony?"" Little Dipper didn't quite understand what he said because he was mumbling, but was so surprised and glad that Big Mac was talking to her she was eager to give a good answer. ""Sure I do"", she replied. ""So how do you?"" asked Mac. ""How do you what?"" replied Little Dipper ""How do you get onto the balcony?"" asked Mac. ""Well by the stairs of course"", replied Little Dipper. Mac shuddered a bit at the thought of the stairs, but tried not to let Dipper see. ""Well I know by the stairs, but how?"" Mac asked. ""Those stairs are awfully big, and you are so very small. And what if you can't get down again?"" Mac inquired further. ""But I normally always get down – why shouldn't I?"" replied Dipper. ""You always get down OK?"" said Mac. ""Yep always"", said Dipper. ""But how?"" asked Mac. Dipper looked at Mac, she was only one and a half, turning two years old soon, but she had been climbing stairs ever since she could remember. She tried to think how she did it, but couldn't remember – she just did, and she found it difficult to understand why Mac was asking so many questions. Then she thought, maybe it's because he's never climbed the stairs. Dipper thought very hard, and very long, until she decided for sure she had never seen Mac climb the stairs. ""Mac"", she said, ""do you want me to show you how I climb the stairs?"" Mac, coughed a little, and mumbled, "" ""Grmmbl, er, well I would. But just to make sure you don't hurt yourself or get stuck."" Then he added, ""You better show me a few times, to make really sure."" Dipper agreed, and they walked off together for the first time since she could remember. Mac, pleased that Dipper would show him the stairs, and Dipper, pleased that Mac wanted to play with her at last. At the top of the stairs they settled down under the table on the cool balcony floor. The Cat was gone, but Mac and Dipper had both forgotten. They lounged down in their favourite snooze positions and dreamed of pleasant doggy things. The End " arya-in-the-cockpit.txt,"Arya in the Cockpit Arya always wanted to fly. When she was four years old, she wanted to be Rosamma. Arya saw her at the circus. Rosamma was a trapeze artist. Arya wanted to fly in the air from swing to swing. Her clothes would glitter like Rosamma’s. Hundreds of people would clap for her. She would eat cotton candy every day. Her best friend would be a clown. Trapeze artists climb a tall ladder, stand on a narrow board, hold the fly bar, and swing! Another trapeze artist is usually waiting to catch them on the other side. When Arya was eight years old she wanted to be Kalpana Chawla. She made herself an orange space suit. She wore it day and night. ""Arya, aren’t you feeling hot in that suit?"" ""Astronauts have to get used to the suit, Amma. Space is not as safe as Earth is. My suit will protect me."" Kalpana Chawla grew up in Haryana, India. As an astronaut, Kalpana flew around the earth 252 times! Kalpana died doing her job when the spacecraft she was inside broke apart while returning to Earth. When Arya was twelve years old, she wanted to be Amelia Earhart. She built a model plane for her school project. It couldn’t fly, but she still got the second prize. Arya even got a haircut like Amelia! Amelia was the first woman to fly across the Atlantic Ocean alone. Amelia’s dream was to fly around the world along the equator. She took off on her dream flight but went missing somewhere above the Pacific. Soon, Arya heard of Angulia Bai, Kumudammal and Sarla Thakral, the first Indian women to fly a plane. Angulia Bai was just sixteen years old! ""I can’t wait till I’m a teenager!"" ""So you can drive?"" ""No."" ""So you can vote?"" ""No."" ""Then what?"" ""So I can fly."" On 30 May, 1935, nineteen-year-old Kummudammal and sixteen-year-old Angulia Bai became the first women to obtain the ‘A’ pilot licence in India. They trained at the Madras Flying Club. When Arya was eighteen years old, she wanted to become a fighter pilot. ""Who are they, Chechi?"" asked her little brother Raju, seeing a poster on her wall. ""They are Bhawana, Avani and Mohana, the first women to fly fighter planes in India."" ""Are they your friends?"" Arya laughed. ""Maybe some day, Raju…"" Mohana, Bhawana and Avani are fighter pilots. Before them, only men were allowed to become fighter pilots in India. They protect the country’s borders from high up in the air. During disasters like floods and earthquakes, they take part in rescue missions. Arya saved up money to attend flying school. She spent years studying. She sat along with pilots to learn from them. She worked hard and ate a lot of carrots! Amma always said carrots are great for the eyes. Finally, she is ready to sit at the cockpit herself. Today is a special day for Arya. That’s her in the cockpit. She’s very excited because there are two special passengers on her plane this morning. ""Ladies and gentlemen, this is your Captain, Arya. Welcome aboard!"" ""Chechi!"" ""That’s my daughter!"" " mama-antelopes-house_en_3-17.txt,"Long ago, all the animals lived in a village. Mama Antelope had a big house. One day, Hare wanted to play a trick. He thought and thought and thought… He crept into Mama Antelope’s house. He closed the door and made a lot of noise. PIN G! Mama Antelope came home. ""Who is in my house?"" she cried. ""Hyena, please help! K ! Someone is in my house."" CL IN Knock, knock, knock! ""Open the door!"" howled Hyena. But the door did not open. CRASH! SNAP ! G ! S M A S H ! Hyena called Giraffe. BA N ""Open the door!"" shouted Giraffe. But the door did not open. Giraffe called Zebra. ""Open the door!"" yelled Zebra. But the door did not open. H ! B AS BOO M! Zebra called Elephant. BOO M! He was big and strong. ""Open the door!"" commanded Elephant. BOO But the door M! BOO M did not open. ! Mama Antelope was sad. All the animals were sad. Who was in Mama Antelope’s house? The birds sang. The butterflies flapped. The bees buzzed. ""Open the door!"" they all cried. Baby Antelope came home. ""Who is in our house?"" ""Please open the door,"" she asked sweetly. The door opened. It was Hare! Hare was smiling. He loved tricks. Hurrah! Hurrah! Mama Antelope and Baby Antelope are happy. The animals are happy. Mama Antelope’s house is open at last. " Dr-Freckles-Frog-.txt,"Dr Freckles Frog. Dr Freckles sat quietly and nervously one sweet summer morning in amongst the long grass, he checked his old tiny pocket watch once, then once again shortly after. ""1 o'clock, I must be there at 1 o'clock"". Seeing it was only 11:30, he relaxed slightly when he realised he had time to gobble down his tasty dinner of wriggle worm pie, then he would have to hop off to be part of the biggest day of his life … his wedding day. He had spent no less than one whole week drying out his wet slippery skin so his suit would fit perfectly and would not become drenched, at last he was dressed and ready. ""Oh, it doesn't matter if I'm early."" He said cheerfully before getting up and making his way around the outskirts of the lake towards the waterfall church, suddenly … He let out a cry as a little reed warbler flew quickly out from behind the tall reeds causing him to jump back with shock, then … SPLASH ! He tumbled down the steep little bank and landed back first into the merky water, First he felt silly, … then he felt angry, and he soon began to yell and cry out … ""Oh RERP IT ! … Rerp it, Rerp it all !"" He said slapping the shallow water with his small clenched fists. ""Aren't you supposed to be getting ready for your wedding and not splashing about in the lake using that language ?"" Dr Freckles looked up onto the bank and saw Hector Hedgehog staring down at him. He then lifted him out of the water. ""I was ready and now my suit is ruined, I'll never make it now !"" ""Come on we'll go to mine, I have a warm fire, we'll get those cloths dry in no time."" Once in Hector's home he made himself comfortable in a arm chair after he had wrapped himself in a spider's silk towel, and Hector Hedgehog put his clothes carefully on the fire grate to dry. ""MY HAT !"" Dr Freckles suddenly shouted, frightening poor Hector. ""I've left my hat behind, I can't get married without it, it's been in my families weddings for generations, it is our tradition to play a pipe and dance around it after the wedding, … how do I get it back ?"" Just then a knock came at the door and hector left the room to answer it, it was Ruby Red Squirrel, Hector told her about Dr Freckles and as always she was more than happy to help. She headed straight away down to the lake and soon enough she spotted it on the head of a great crested grebe, he was clearly quite fond of his new hat and Ruby knew right away that it would be difficult to get him to part with it. Knowing that grebes are not the smartest of creatures she decided to make up a story to scare him off the hat, she approached him on the bank. ""Good day sir !"" ""Oh hello miss."" He said slapping his long beak as he spoke. ""Oh I see you have the dreaded cursed hat sir"" ""The what did you say ?"" He asked becoming quite concerned. ""The cursed hat."" ""Good Lord, cursed you say ? … how ?"" ""It is said that whoever wears that hat for more than a day becomes terribly allergic to water."" The grebe quickly tilted his head forward and the hat fell to the ground in front of them. ""Allergic to water ! Oh good Lord, well I never."" ""Shall I get rid of it for you sir ?"" ""Yes please do dear, what a most dreadful thing."" ""Good day then sir !"" Ruby picked up the hat and headed quickly back, Dr Freckles then had his hat, and was so very grateful, his cloths had dried nicely so the wedding went on as planned behind the small waterfall. Dr Freckles loved Lily Lou in her beautiful water lily dress and spider silk veil. After the celebrations he performed his ancestor's dance around the family hat. The following summer they had new additions to their family Terry, Thomas and Toby, three baby tadpoles. They grew into small frogs soon enough of course, and now every Saturday morning Susie Spider delivers a silk bundle of blue bottle flies for them. And Dr Freckles goes out to collect a few fresh worms. They then head out onto the middle of the lake for their weekly lily pad picnic, I have not as yet encountered a frog family so wonderfully happy or jolly, I often wave to them as they sit together munching the blue bottles as I pass the lake on warm Sunday evenings, they are never bad tempered or rude, they are only ever pleasant and kind, just a perfect example of a comforting love filled family. The End. " Mikolay-and-Julia-Meet-the-Fairies.txt,"Mikolay and Julia live in the same neighbourhood and go to the same school every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Every other weekend they attend Magical Weekend School for children of magical creatures. Julia really likes school and she is one of the top students. But Mikolay wouldn’t mind if there weren’t as many Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays as they are. He doesn’t mind the weekend school because he is allowed to do lots of magic, which he really likes and is very good at. When Mikolay and Julia are not at school, they usually go exploring and adventuring. Mikolay’s and Julia’s mummies are both witches and are in charge of fixing things. Mikolay and Julia don’t quite know what the job involves but it must be hard because both mummies don’t spend much time at home, which gives Mikolay and Julia plenty of opportunities to explore. ""I want to show you something"" said Mikolay when Julia walked through the door. ""Does it mean trouble again?"" asked Julia watchfully, while following him around the corner. ""I’m still not allowed to eat sweets after the last trouble we got into."" Mikolay pointed to the mouse size hole in the wall and said, ""This is where we are going to go."" ""But we are way too big,"" replied Julia. ""I know that. That is why we are going to use a bit of magic,"" said Mikolay smiling while pulling a wand out of his left sock. ""If you use magic outside the school, we are going to get into more trouble than ever. They will lock us up and there will be no sweets and no adventuring ever again,"" protested Julia. ""We have to practise, don’t we? Besides, we’re at home so nobody will ever see us doing magic,"" said Mikolay. But Julia wasn’t convinced. ""Come on Julia, it’s going to be fun and there’ll be loads of new books for you to read,"" carried on Mikolay. He touched the wall with his wand while saying ""Eis Roto Onac"" three times and grabbed Julia’s hand. Within seconds they were both transported through a very narrow tunnel to an amazing room. The room was full of magical objects, animals, photographs, paintings, strange looking plants and many flying books. ""This place is fantastic,"" gasped Julia in delight. ""I only found this room a few days ago and it seems that it keeps changing every time I come,"" said Mikolay. But Julia didn’t hear Mikolay. She was already exploring a huge bookshelf. When Mikolay noticed that Julia was gone he wandered off too. However he didn’t get very far when he heard singing voices coming from somewhere in the room. Because he couldn’t see anything, he kept on walking following the voices. ""Quickly, come over here,"" Mikolay called, looking at the huge wardrobe. ""I’m way too busy at the moment,"" replied Julia reading a huge book on oriental plants. ""Come on, this is a real adventure I have here,"" screamed Mikolay again, this time more impatiently. Julia put her book down reluctantly and went to find Mikolay. ""But this is just a wardrobe,"" said Julia quite surprised that Mikolay even bothered her. ""Look how big and old it is. I think someone is singing inside the wardrobe. Can you hear that? Let’s open it,"" suggested Mikolay and without much thinking he pulled his wand out, touch the wardrobe’s door and said ""Eis Izras"" three times. Slowly the wardrobe’s door opened. ""I love fairies so much. I would so love to touch one,"" whispered Julia in excitement when she saw that inside the wardrobe that lots of fairies were hiding. ""You can touch me. But please do not touch my wings, they are very fragile,"" replied one fairy. ""I’m Farina, the fairy queen,"" she introduced herself. Julia heard from her mummy that fairies were gentle creatures with singing voices just like the mermaids. Farina’s voice sounded just like a song. ""What are you all doing in the wardrobe?"" asked Mikolay. ""Me and my fellow fairies are running away from a huge monster that keeps destroying our home land,"" sobbed Farina. ""What kind of monster?"" Mikolay wanted to know. ""I don’t know what that monster is but it’s terribly scary, has huge jaws, creates clouds of smoke and makes loads of noise everywhere it goes. The worst part is that he is destroying everything on his way: animals, fairies, flowers, dwarves,"" continued Farina. ""Where do you live Farina?"" asked Mikolay. ""We live in the fairy forest of huge trees which is on the other side of the lake,"" said Farina. ""Mikolay, we must do something to help them!"" screamed Julia. ""We need to get to the other side of the lake if you want to help the fairies,"" said Mikolay. ""Ok. We can do it. I don’t have to eat sweets like everyday, do I?"" whispered Julia to herself. ""But how can we get to the other side of the lake without telling mummy?"" wondered Mikolay. ""We could use my crystal ball for transportation,"" suggested Julia pulling out a small crystal ball out of her pocket. ""Hold on to my hand Farina!"" shouted Mikolay while being sucked into the crystal ball together with Julia. The three of them landed with their faces right in the mud in the fairy forest in a trice. They stood up and looked around. Many trees were pulled out of the ground with their roots crying for water. The lake was all polluted with thick layers of grease, the grass and flowers were squashed, many animals were walking around aimlessly looking for food and crying loudly. ""Total elocological destruction,"" said Mikolay trying to use one of the funny long words Julia was always using. ""Ecological"" Julia corrected him whilst trying to help one of the unicorns to stand up. Mikolay didn’t say anything more, only looked and looked, trying to find some traces of the huge monster. Finally he said, ""These are not monsters Farina. These are people and building machines. It seems that the humans are building something in your forest."" ""But our forest is sacred and magical with many unusual creatures and plants living here. We don’t want people to destroy everything!"" said Farina. ""We need to stop the humans Mikolay, like right now!"" shouted Julia while pulling Mikolay’s hand. ""I think we need to ask mummy for help. We can’t do it on our own Julia,"" suggested Mikolay. ""If we tell your mummy or my mummy, I won’t be able to eat sweets like forever and there will be no more adventuring for you. They will lock us up and never let us out again,"" said Julia. ""Oh, you might be right,"" said Mikolay thoughtfully."" If we are not going to ask for help from grown ups, we will have to use a very powerful spell."" ""Are you allowed to use magic?"" asked Farina. ""Technically speaking, I’m not allowed to use advanced magic such as charms and hexes"", admitted Mikolay. ""But in this situation we have no other choice Farina"" said Julia. ""If we don’t want to get grown-ups involved and if we want to save your forest. The quicker we use magic, the quicker you all will be able to come back home. And you have to promise not ever tell anyone that Mikolay used advanced magic."" ""I promise I won’t,"" said Farina and crossed her heart three times. ""Julia, do you think we should try a deactivating hex?"" asked Mikolay ""I’ve heard mummy use it once in a very similar situation."" ""It is powerful enough to turn the machines into dust and create a magnetic field for future protection. The question is if you can do it?"" asked Julia. ""Julia, Mikolay, look."" screamed Farina pointing her finger towards the lake from where a group of people with huge dogs emerged. ""I have no choice, I have to try. Fingers crossed."" replied Mikolay. He took his wand out of his front pocket and hastily said ""Eis Nasem Mocurcium"" three times touching the surfers of the lake, the fallen tree and the muddy earth. The humans were just about to catch Mikolay when Julia activated the crystal ball grabbed Mikolay’s hand and transported the three of them safely back home. Several days went by before Mikolay and Julia found out that the fairies returned to their forest and none of the building works were ever going to be carried out in the forest of tall trees again. However the damage the humans had caused to the forest will need a long time to repair. " sailing-ships-and-sinking-spoons_kids_ebook_storyweaver_fkb.txt,"Sailing Ships and Sinking Spoons Tenzin and Tashi were two young Tibetan monks. They lived in a small monastery on a beautiful green hill. Here, it was lovely when it rained. When Tashi looked out of the window late one morning, the rain was coming down hard. Rivulets were forming where the water had made paths on the muddy road. Tashi couldn’t think of a better way to spend the afternoon than sailing paper boats. Tashi and Tenzin set about making many paper boats. As soon as it stopped raining, the boys ran outside. They sailed the paper boats they had made – some big, some small. The boats floated nicely along the path. The two young monks were happy. As they trotted back home, they saw Gen Lobsang. Genla lived in the monastery and told the children the most wonderful stories. ""Genla,"" shouted Tenzin. ""Can you tell us a story about why boats float?"" Gen Lobsang thought for a minute and said, ""I don’t know why boats – or ships, for that matter – float. But I am curious to find out."" Genla: A polite way of addressing the teacher in Tibetan Genla and the children decided to go and ask Miss Sonam, the science teacher, if she knew why boats float. Tenzin and Tashi gently pulled Gen Lobsang from his chair. They held his hands to help him walk. When they reached her room, Miss Sonam was reading a book. ""Tashi delek,"" said Genla, Tashi and Tenzin. ""Tashi delek,"" she replied. ""We have a question for you,"" said Genla. Tashi delek: A common Tibetan greeting; tashi means ‘good fortune’ and delek means ‘well being’. ""Yes, can you tell us what makes boats float on water, Miss?"" Tenzin asked. ""I can,"" said Miss Sonam. ""Or maybe we can find out together?"" Before they knew it, Miss Sonam was giving instructions. ""Tenzin, please bring a plastic basin from the kitchen."" ""Tashi, please fetch a small bucket of water."" ""Genla, hold this apple. Please don’t eat it."" Miss Sonam asked Tashi to fill the tub to the brim. ""Now, Genla,"" she said, ""dip the apple in the tub, please. Enough to cover it completely in water."" Genla gently dropped the fruit into the tub and pushed it down with his little finger. Some water spilled. Tashi and Tenzin shrieked, ""The water is overflowing!"" Genla let go of the apple, and it rose up. Miss Sonam was smiling. ""What happened here?"" she asked. ""Genla pushed the apple into the water,"" said Tenzin. ""Water spilled,"" said Tashi. ""The apple’s floating,"" said Genla. ""Correct answers, all of you!"" said Miss Sonam. ""Now, can you tell me how much water spilled, Tenzin? Was it about half a cup? One cup?"" Tenzin looked at the water on the table and on the floor. He said, ""Maybe one cup."" ""That sounds right,"" said Miss Sonam. Genla and Tashi nodded in agreement. ""Now, take the apple out. Tashi, fill up the tub again. Here, Tenzin. Will you drop this spoon into the water?"" Tenzin did. The spoon sank to the bottom. ""Too heavy,"" said Genla. ""Not as heavy as a ship in the sea,"" said Tenzin. ""Very little water spilled this time, not even a quarter of a cup!"" said Tashi, a little sad. ""Again, you’re all correct,"" said Miss Sonam. Then she asked: ""Do you see? After Genla dropped the apple into the water, the apple pushed some water away before it could float."" ""Is that the water that spilled?"" asked Tenzin. ""Yes. So the apple could float because it pushed away more water than its own weight. That means, the apple is lighter than the water it pushed away."" ""What about the spoon then?"" Genla said. ""Well, the spoon also pushed some water away. But much less. Certainly less than its own weight. So it sank."" ""What about large ships in the sea, on which there are many people?"" asked Tenzin. ""...and many spoons that sink?"" added Tashi. ""The spoons won’t make a ship sink, Tashi. The ship is big enough to push away a lot of water. Again, like the apple, more water than its own weight. You don’t notice it because in the ocean, there is so much water. The ship is still lighter than the amount of water that it pushes away."" They were all quiet for a bit. ""I think I understand,"" said Tenzin, slowly. ""Can we sail some boats now?"" asked Tashi. ""It’s time for my tea,"" said Genla. Miss Sonam smiled. ""Yes, enjoy yourselves!"" she said, and gave the boys colour paper to make boats. Tenzin and Tashi made more colourful boats and set them down in the water. ""I don’t see any water spilling now,"" said Tashi. ""No, silly. The water doesn’t always spill. It just gets pushed away,"" replied Tenzin. ""I think the boats just make some space for themselves in the stream,"" said Genla. They watched the blue and yellow boats, red and green boats, and white boats sailing. Like prayer flags floating in the stream. What is Gravity? What would happen if Tenzin dropped a football from the top of a tree? Would it fall to the ground or rise towards the sky? That’s right, it would fall because of a force called gravity. Did you know that everything gets pulled towards the earth by that force? What is Buoyancy? What would happen if Tashi dropped a football into a bucket of water? Would gravity pull the football to the bottom of the bucket? Yes, but in water, there is an upward force that opposes gravity. It is called buoyancy. As gravity tries to pull the football down, buoyancy tries to push it up. In the case of the football, buoyancy is stronger than gravity. So it floats. What would happen if he drops a brick into the bucket? Why? What is Displacement? When you drop an object into water, it tries to make space for itself by pushing some water aside. In other words, the object displaces water to make space for itself. Bigger objects, like a basketball, displace more water than smaller ones, like a cricket ball. A long time ago, a Greek scientist named Archimedes discovered that when the weight of the water displaced by an object is more than the weight of the object, it floats. That is why apples float in water. Can you guess why other objects sink? What is Density? Every object around us is made of tiny particles that can’t be seen with the naked eye. Density is how closely these particles are packed in an object. The weight of Tashi’s small glass marble may be the same as Miss Sonam’s apple. But why is the apple bigger? Because there is more space between the particles in the apple. In the marble, the particles are much closer to each other. An apple is less dense than a marble. Generally, dense objects sink in water. Here’s a game you can play with your friends: Pick four or five objects. Guess which ones will float and which will sink. Then drop them into a bucket or tub of water to check. Have fun! " the-drawing-game_CC-BY-SA-FKB.txt,"The Drawing Game Jeenu is spending her summer holidays at her grandma’s house. She has no friends here. She is bored. ""Play with me, Ajji!"" she says. Ajji says, ""Go get a piece of chalk. Let’s play a game."" Jeenu is excited. What game will Ajji play? Ajji draws a shape. ""Can you guess what this is?"" she asks. ""It is a circle."" Jeenu makes a face. She does not like this silly game. ""Yes, but it is also something more,"" says Ajji. Jeenu thinks, then she smiles. ""It is a smiley face!"" she says. Ajji claps. ""You understood the game!"" ""Look at what I have drawn!"" says Jeenu. Activity: What can you draw with three circles? Ajji draws another shape. ""A triangle!"" Jeenu shouts. Then she laughs. ""Look what I have made!"" ""Well done, Jeenu!"" says Ajji. ""Look who has come to play with us!"" Activity: What can you draw with three circles and four triangles? Ajji draws a shape with four sides. ""Is it a rectangle?"" Jeenu asks. ""Look carefully. All the sides are the same length."" ""It is a square! Hmmm...see Ajji, I have drawn a window."" ""Do you want a tree near your window?"" asks Ajji. ""Yes Ajji, thank you!"" says Jeenu. She looks at all the chalk drawings. Can she paint them now? Activity: What can you draw with a triangle and a rectangle? Soon, Jeenu holds up her painting. ""Ah, so many circles and triangles and squares!"" says Ajji. ""Yes, but it is also something more, Ajji! It is a bird flying to its home in a tree. And guess who is coming to lunch? Her best friend, Mr. Giraffe!"" ""That’s so clever, Jeenu!"" Ajji exclaims. Jeenu wants to draw some more. What do she and Ajji draw next? Activity: What would you draw using circles, triangles and squares? " circles_en_FKB_childrens_story_about_death.txt,"On a cliff there lived a young vulture with his mother. When he was old enough to fly, his mother They saw an old took him high into the air and they circled gemsbok staggering together, watching the ground below. through the heat. ""Look there. That gemsbok ""I want to show you something beautiful,"" won’t last long."" she told her son. The two vultures flew down. ""This isn’t beautiful,"" said the young vulture to his mother. ""This is horrible!"" Sure enough, the buck collapsed right there and died. ""I know,"" said his mother. ""Death is very ""Just wait,"" she said. ""We will come back difficult, and very sad. But it is also here soon and you will see."" beautiful."" ""No ways,"" said the young vulture. ""Yuck."" The next week, they visited the dead buck. Its skeleton was clean and white, and tiny plants had started to grow between the bones. The week after that, the shoots had grown tall and blossomed. A butterfly sipped at the flowers and a songololo rested in their shade. A week later, a pair of weavers was picking the leaves to build a nest. Bees were collecting pollen from the blossoms. And a spider had made her home between the buck’s horns. And the week after that, they saw a young gemsbok nibbling the tasty shoots. ""Well?"" said the vulture’s mother. ""Look at the life one buck has given. He has given a spider a home and weavers a nest, fed bees and butterflies, sheltered a songololo, and helped the next generation of buck grow strong."" The young vulture smiled. The two of them flew back to their nest high up on the cliff. ""It is not just our bodies we leave behind when we die,"" said the mother vulture. ""We also leave our lessons and our love and our memories."" ""Where do we leave ""We leave them in our children and in our all those things?"" family and friends. You are already my asked the little green patch on earth, Little Vulture. And vulture. you will be, forever."" " 9009-why-is-nita-upside-down.txt,"Why is Nita Upside Down? Nita's hanging upside down, her long hair tickling at the ground. The trees, the grass, the everything is all the wrong way round. Her feet, they poke into the sky. Little Navi's walking by. He says 'I've seen you here before. You're upside down again! What for?' His feet swim lightly in the air. She tries to hide behind her hair. 'It's h-h-h-hard to t-t-talk', she says to him. 'I'm not the same. I don't fit in.' Navi takes her by the hand. He wants to help her understand. They climb to Navi's look-out spot. From up here they can see a lot. They perch and have a quiet stare at children playing here and there. Those kids are not the same at all. Abe's round. Chi's freckled. Lala's extra tall. BamBam's wild and must run free, while Lulu's reading quietly. Look at Freya's crazy hair. And Tim wears glasses everywhere. And me, I am just skin and bone. And you are you. You're not alone. Each human’s sort of strange, you see. That makes you just the same, like me. This world is really one big game. To play, we can’t all be the same. Nita feels the right way round, thanks to the new friend she’s found. Upside down was never fun. Now she plays with everyone. " Little-Ants-Big-Plan.txt,"Candice Dingwall Steven McKimmie Telri Stoop Little Ant loved to read. Little Ant was often teased. ""Ants don’t read. Ants must feed. Ants collect the food they need."" Little Ant would read all day, he’d read and read the day away. The other ants took what they found to store for winter underground. His mum and dad got really mad, and Little Ant felt really bad. In autumn when the leaves fall down, the ants must keep food underground. The Queen wants food to fill the store, so all the ants must work some more. Little Ant begins to shout about a place he read about. ""A restaurant is what we need, a place where people go to feed. It says so in the books I read."" The ants go marching one by one. They march into the setting sun. And Little Ant said ""Hey, there’s one!"" The ants go marching one by one, carrying a burger, carrying a bun. When they return the Queen is glad. The stores are full. They cheer like mad. Ant gets hugs from mum and dad. His baby sister takes his hand ""Now I think I understand."" ""The way you love to read a book … Makes me want to take a look."" " laundry-day_FKB.txt,"Laundry Day My name is Mary. This is where I live. Today is a new day. That means it’s time to do the washing. Everyone’s arms are covered in bubbles. Soapy puddles make rainbows in the streets. Grace Aunty washes her uniform. Tomorrow she will wear it to her clinic. Jauna Aunty hangs up the blanket her grandmother wove in her village. The yarn is dyed the colours of Jauna Aunty’s home. Fatima Aunty’s line is draped with scarves. They will smell sweet when she wraps them around her head. Zakir Chacha’s autowalla uniform hangs outside his house. He sews a missing button onto the clean shirt. At Geetha Aunty’s house, cotton saris sway in the breeze. They sound like birds flapping their wings. Joseph Uncle’s line is covered with socks. They keep his feet warm during his shift as a security guard. My brother, David, and I start washing our school uniforms. We scrub away the ink stains on the pockets and the chalk dust on the sleeves. Tomorrow, our clothes will get dirty again. But right now, everything is clean. " rhino-charge-pratham-FKB.txt,"Rhino Charge In the grasslands of a National Park called Kaziranga, there lived a baby rhinoceros called Ringo. He was as strong as a baby rhino could be and lived with his mother and father. His brownish-grey hairless skin was knobby. He was very proud of his single horn made up of matted hair. Ringo was very shy and loved to wallow in the wet mud on the banks of the Brahmaputra which flows through the sanctuary. One hot afternoon, Ringo came to the river to drink water. This was the place where most animals came to drink water. There he saw gathered on the banks, a group of animals. There was Gajaraj, the elephant, Natkhat, the langur, Hemu, the swamp deer, Kalia, the crow, Nelu, the Indian Bison, Harini, the black necked stork along with Bhanu and Hari, the two frogs. Gajaraj, the elephant was the first to spot Ringo. ""HELLO!"" He trumpeted. ""I am Gajaraj the elephant and these are my friends."" Ringo very shyly looked at them all. ""What is your name?"" Natkhat, the langur asked. Ringo looked around and took a step back. ""I am R-H-I-N…Rhin…"" Just then a fly sat on his nose and Ringo sneezed. Natkhat giggled and jumped on to the branch of the tree which had spread itself above the water. ""He, he, he…Rhin…Rhin."" They all thought that he was just ""Rhin."" Hemu, the deer looked at Ringo, turned up her nose and bent down to drink water. Bhanu and Hari swam deep down into the water and bobbed up and down every few minutes. And Harini did not look at Ringo. Kalia cawed loudly. ""So, you are Rhin. What a strange name."" Ringo looked at them. He snorted. ""Rhin, Rhin…Hehehe…"" Natkhat chattered. Ringo, the rhino stepped back and charged. His head bent, he snorted and charged. His short, strong legs ran so fast that he did not stop. He was very angry. How could he be so silly and shy that he could not tell them his name? He ran and ran through the tall grass along the bank. He passed herds of deer grazing on tender grass. The field mice, the wild rabbit and the eagle… he ran past all of them. Suddenly he found himself on the main highway which ran close to the National Park. He stood in the middle of the highway. ""How could I be so shy and not be able to say my name? I must practice hard."" He snorted and grunted and started... ""RHIN, RHIN, RHIN..."" He got stuck again. ""This will not do...,"" he said to himself. Suddenly, there was honking. The buses, cars and trucks stopped. What was this rhino doing in the middle of the highway? ""Honk... honk..."" Ringo felt scared. He turned and charged back again down the slope, across the open land. He charged... as fast as his legs took him. He ran and ran till he reached the tall grass and he said to himself, ""Rhino… Rhino… Rhino…Rhino…"" The eagle had flown high up in the sky and with his sharp, beady eyes, he spotted Ringo practicing very hard to say his name, loud and clear. The field mice also watched and so did the rabbit. They did not make fun. ""Rhino… Ring… Rhinos… RHINOCEROS… I am Ringo, the RHINOCEROS… RINGO, the RHINOCEROS."" At last, Ringo did not feel shy… he looked at the field mice and said, ""I am Ringo, the Rhinoceros."" He went back to the same place where all the animals came to drink the cool water from the Brahmaputra. Soon, Gajaraj came followed by Neelu, Hemu, Natkhat, Kalia, and Harini. Bhanu and Hari were already there. The field mice, wild rabbit and the eagle joined them. Ringo looked at them. Slowly and surely he said loud and clear, ""I am RINGO, the RHINOCEROS."" He could not imagine that he could say his name so clearly. Gajaraj said, ""Hello RINGO… Rhinoceros."" The eagle said, ""He has worked hard to say his name. We must not make fun of others."" Gajaraj looked at Natkhat. ""No making fun."" Natkhat said, ""Let’s be friends, Ringo Rhinoceros."" ""This National Park is for all animals."" Gajaraj trumpeted loudly. ""We must live in harmony and not make fun of others."" All the other animals said ""Hello, Ringo… Rhinoceros."" Ringo was very happy. He had learnt to say his name and was no longer shy and had made so many new friends. " Thats-Funny.txt,"That's funny! There's a big bunny drinking tea with honey. That's neat! Rudy can balance one carrot and one beet On top of each of her feet. Whew! Did you see that, too? A toad just jumped into my shoe! Ouch! This kangaroo on the couch Has a thorn stuck in her pouch. That's crazy! That caterpillar is so lazy. For two days he just lay on a daisy. That’s cool! When Luis left for school, He was followed by his mule. That's scary! Something big, dark, and hairy Is eating my last blueberry. That’s wild! Grandma’s phone number was dialed By a two-and-a-half-year-old child. That's loud! There's a whole crowd Playing horns where they're not allowed. That's smelly! This skunk has on his belly Steamed asparagus with garlic jelly. Did you hear rustling in the tall grass? I think a deer just ran past. That was fast! Billy put pizza in his chili. OK, now really, That's just silly! Alright. It’s time to turn out the light. Have a good night! " 049-CLARICE-THE-CAT-Free-Childrens-Book-By-Monkey-Pen.txt,"Meow!! I mean: Hello, I am Clarice the Cat. I know I don’t look like a regular cat. It’s not because I’m skinny, and not because I’m fat. It is because my owner makes me a pretty cat. From dressing me in costumes and flowery hats to painting my nails. Can you imagine that! She always treats me tenderly, and feeds me twice a day. Miss Molly is never too busy to sit by me and play. She makes my pretty costumes from old dolls’ clothes and such. I never know what I’ll be wearing, but I know it will cause a fuss. Miss Molly is my favorite person, and as she grows and grows, I hope she will always be my friend, and make me all my clothes. Purr! I mean. ""Good Night!"" " the-pig-with-the-runaway-tail-Pratham-FKB.txt,"The Pig With The Runaway Tail Pongal the pig loves sleeping. Sometimes she sleeps all day! No wonder her tail gets bored easily. One day, when Pongal wakes up from her afternoon nap, her tail is nowhere to be found. It has gone on an adventure without her! The pig feels silly without a tail. So, she decides to go look for it. SCRRRUNCH! ""This forest is much too untidy!"" Pongal says. EEEK! She trips over a log. DHADAAAM! She falls into a bush. ""Why don’t you try a mushroom tail instead?"" Langur replies. ""HUMPH!"" Pongal says. ""But I want my own tail back!"" She goes to look for it somewhere else. OOOOF! ""This city is much too noisy!"" Pongal says. BEEP-BEEP! She dodges a zigzagging auto ricksha. DRRING-DRRING! She tries to crawl under a bicycle. ""Why don’t you try a balloon tail instead?"" Crow replies. ""GAAAH!"" Pongal says. ""But I want my own tail back!"" She goes to look for it somewhere else. GRRRUMPH! ""This cave is much too dark!"" Pongal says. CLICK-CLACK! She carefully steps forward on the stone floor. KHADAAAK! She tumbles into a pile of rocks . ""Why don’t you try a stalactite tail instead?"" Bat replies. ""UFFFF!"" Pongal says. ""But I want my own tail back!"" She goes to look for it somewhere else. SPLISH-SPLOSH! ""It’s much too wet under the ocean!"" Pongal says. DHUM-DHUM! Some colourful fish want to dance with Pongal. WHOOSH! She hides behind some coral. ""Why don’t you try a seaweed tail instead?"" Turtle replies. ""UGGGGH!"" Pongal says. ""But I want my own tail back!"" She goes to look for it somewhere else. PLONK! ""This desert is much too hot!"" Pongal says. FOOOSSH! She doesn’t realise she is sitting at the edge of a dune. WHUMP! She rolls all the way down to the bottom. ""Why don’t you try a cactus tail instead?"" Camel replies. ""AAAOOON!"" Pongal squeals. ""But I want my own tail back!"" She goes to look for it somewhere else. BRRRRRR! ""The top of a mountain is much too cold!"" Pongal says. AYIEEEE! The rest of the world is a long way below. THUMMMP-THUMMMP! She steps back before she feels too dizzy. ""Has anybody seen my tail?"" Pongal asks. ""Why don’t you try a sock tail instead?"" Yak replies. Pongal stares at her newest tail. ""This is very pretty,"" Pongal says. She remembers all the other tails she tried on. HARRRUMPH! ""I’m certainly not going to wear a cactus ever again!"" But having so many different tails is actually quite fun. Everybody else has the same one forever, she realises. Pongal comes to a decision. The tail can travel the world and have its adventures. The pig will stay back home and have her own. " Fairy-Circles-Truly-a-Fairy-Tale.txt,"FAIRY CIRCLES - truly a fairy tale On the South West coast of Africa there is a magical place called Namibia. My family and I are travelling there for our vacation. Namibia is like a land that time has forgotten. The land has been untouched for so long, many people believe it has turned magical. PAGE 1 Or the wonderful colours of the desert, which change with the changing light of the day. Some of the highest dunes in the world are there. The desert itself is one of the oldest, which is why it is such a deep red in places. PAGE 3 There are the Tsaris mountains, that seem to show the many layers of the earth's crust. There is a place where the Swakop River carved spectacular moonscapes in the granite rock around 450 million years ago. PAGE 4 Scientists think these circles may be created by termites, ...or perhaps by fungi. (a fungi is a little bit like a mushroom, or, that is to say a mushroom is a type of fungi) But they don't know for sure. PAGE 6 I think they are created by fairies. After all, why else would they be called ""Fairy Circles?"" PAGE 7 Do you think they dance in the day or night? I bet they choose to dance on the plains of the desert in the small hours of the morning. Or perhaps they dance during the day time when no one is looking. Wherever and whenever they dance, they leave the perfectly formed fairy circles. Where nothing grows inside, only around the edge. PAGE 9 Perhaps the big ones are made by big fairies, and the small ones are made by small fairies. Perhaps the big giant ones, like this one, are made by a Giant Queen Mother fairy, who is the biggest fairy of them all. Perhaps she has many minion fairies with her to help with the dances. PAGE 11 The first ever symposium about Fairy Circles was held in 2015. (A symposium is a big meeting where lots of experts get together). They held it in the Namib Desert – of course! I bet they had lots of fun and learnt a lot. ….But.... they all agreed, they are still not sure what causes Fairy Circles. PAGE 12 What do you think causes Fairy Circles? I still think it is fairies, and I really hope I will see some, so then I can tell you for sure. PAGE 14 If you liked this book, please leave a review here: Many more books like this are THE END available here: Support NaDEET here: More about fairy circles here: Acknowledgements Thanks to all those who have made their photos available in Creative Commons. Thanks to NaDEET for their partnership on this project. Thanks to friends and family for all the assistance with early drafts and especially those who helped with editing advice. Creative Commons contributors: Thorsten Becker, Feenkreise, Hans Stieglitz. Editing Contributions: Brenda Whittaker, Anita Redding, Kanika G. Thanks to The Namibian, for permission to feature a quote from their article on Fairy Circles: full article can be found here: Danielle Bruckert FUN FACTS Fairy Circles Fairy Circles are mysterious in nature and appearance. No one knows what causes Fairy Circles, although there has been a lot of research completed on the topic by scientists. The most common theories are: ● sand termites; ● algae or fungi beneath the surface; ● residual plant toxins (residual poisons remaining after the death of certain plants); ●competing vegetation ecosystems; ● fairies (or perhaps dragons, or gods, but mostly fairies;-). Fairy Circles occur only in the Namib Desert. They are mainly found on the eastern border where the rain fall is highest. Fairy Circles range from around 1 metre up to 30 metres. Really big Fairy Circles are sometimes used by local tribes as a kraal for livestock. Albi Bruckner, organiser of the 2015 Fairy Circle Symposium, and NamibRand founder, comments""I'm glad they didn't fnd the cause, as it makes such a great story.""We fully agree! There are not many magical things left in this world, this is one of them. The only permanent rivers in the country form the Northern and Southern borders. Its neighbouring countries are Angola, Botswana, and South Africa. The tip of the Caprivi Strip extends towards Victoria falls, where four countries, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Namibia meet. Namibia is one of the least populated countries in the world. At the time of writing it is second only to Mongolia. There are approximately 2.2 million people in 825,000 square km. The offcial language is English, but there are twelve different languages spoken in Namibia, including nine tribal languages. The Damara and Nama languages utilise 'clicks' similar to that of the Kalahari bushmen. There are many amazing natural wonders within the country: - The Fish River Canyon is the largest canyon in Africa, and takes fve days to walk through. - The Ovahimba tribe in the North, despite being one of the wealthiest tribes in the country, still live the same way they have for hundreds of years. - The Welwitschia plant is called a 'living fossil', as some plants have been alive for over 1000 years. - The Skeleton Coast is famous for its large number of ship wrecks, victims of the coastal fog and unforgiving waters of the Atlantic Ocean. - The quaint and picturesque coastal town of Swakopmund provides details of Namibia's German colonial heritage, and lots of fun for tourists. The Namib Desert The Namib Desert is where Namibia derives its name from. It stretches the length of Namibia's West coast, and includes the infamous stretch of coastline known as the Skeleton Coast. It spreads inland from the coast up to the sharp rise of the escarpment, with the Tsaris and Naukluft mountains prominent border features. The Namib is one of the most diverse deserts in the world, and may be one of the oldest. It has one of the largest number of endemic species of any desert in the world. With the annual rainfall between 2mm and 200mm, depending on the area, it is Southern Africa's only true desert. An increase in eco-tourism has seen many livestock farms in the Namib converted into wildlife sanctuaries, allowing the endemic species to thrive. Animals found in the Namib include the majestic oryx (or gamsbok), Namibia's national animal, large numbers of fur seal, the endangered desert rhino and desert elephant, and many more. The Namib hosts some of the highest permanent dunes in the world. Dune 7 is approximately 1250ft high. The stunning Sossusvlei Valley provides opportunity to climb some of these dunes, with Big Daddy being the most popular for ascent, and a very close second in height to Dune 7 at approximately 1150ft. QUESTIONS What causes Fairy Circles? A. fungi B. termites C. fairies D. no one really knows Where do they occur? A. Namib Desert, B. Sahara Desert, C. Kalahari Desert D. on my dessert; Where is Namibia? A. Africa, B. Asia, C. America, D. Atlantis What is a Welwitschia? A. plant, B. animal, C. fossil, D. insurance ACTIVITIES Here are some ideas for a project about Namibia: 1. Research one of the topics in this book and create a story board or article with pictures and information about what you have found. 2. Draw a painting of one of the plants or areas in this book. 3. Apply to join one of the young researcher's camps in the Namib Desert. When travelling to Namibia: 4. Create a travel journal when you are visiting the Namib Desert, including pictures and interesting information about where you have been. 5. Collect some samples of rock, sand, plants, feathers, and other items that can be found in the desert (ensure not to disturb the natural habitat). About this Project All proceeds from sale of the book will go directly to NaDEET for the beneft of nature conservation and desert research and education in Namibia. This book is available for free for distribution, attribution must be provided to and . Any proceeds from this book must be donated to NaDEET. No derivatives. About NaDEET The Namib Desert Environmental Education Trust (NaDEET) is a non-proft, Namibian trust established in 2003. The NaDEET Centre is located 100 km south of Sesriem/Sossusvlei on the NamibRand Nature Reserve, and the head offce is located in the coastal city of Swakopmund. NaDEET believes environmental education must not only increase awareness and knowledge but also eco-friendly attitudes and skills in Namibia's youth and educators to promote participation. To contact NaDEET write to admin@nadeet.org More information about NaDEET is available at: About the Author Danielle Bruckert Danielle's heart was taken by Namibia when she frst arrived. People always ask her how she could leave the country some call God Zone, hopefully this book will help explain. She spent many years fying over the beautiful Namib Desert, as a charter pilot, and when asked about the strange dotted landscape she loved explaining to passengers ""They're made by fairies, of course, why else would they have such a name?"". With a passion for children's books, and a desire to promote literacy, Danielle created the website 'Free Kids Books' to share free children's books and literacy material, where many of her own books can be found. To contact the author write to danielle@redskyventures.org More books like this one are available at: Fairy Circles -truly a fairy tale On a visit to the Namib Desert, the mysterious phenomenon of Fairy Circles is discovered. Are they really caused by fairies? A fun look at fairy circles and the Namib Desert with a creative mix of fact and imagination. " Searching-for-the-Spirit-of-Spring.txt,"The Winter cold had passed. Spring was coming to Nkanyezi’s village. Soon the villagers would gather to celebrate the new season. Nkanyezi looked forward to the Spring festival more than any other day in the year. One warm morning, Nkanyezi overheard two village elders talking about the festival. ""The people of Ndlovu have lost their spirit of celebration,"" one sighed. ""How can we have a Spring festival in a village that has forgotten how to celebrate?"" asked another. Nkanyezi was worried. ""How will the sun shine again unless we sing to wake it from its winter slumber?"" she asked herself. Nkanyezi thought for a long time. ""I must find what we have lost,"" she decided. ""I must go in search of things that will bring back the spirit of celebration to my village."" The elders gave Nkanyezi their blessing for the journey. They gave her a bag to carry the things she would find. Nkanyezi was afraid, but she believed she would succeed. Nkanyezi walked all day. She hiked up a hill, and down into a valley. She sailed across the great river, and climbed between sharp rocks. She marched across the plains until she reached the shadow of the red mountains. As night was closing in, Nkanyezi arrived at a village of patterns and colours as she had never seen before. She told the village elders about her journey to bring back the spirit of celebration to her people. The mother of this tribe gave Nkanyezi a gift. She told the girl, ""With love we give to you this paint to restore colour to a village that has gone dull."" Nkanyezi thanked the elders and put the paint in her bag. Early the next morning she went on her way again, excited with this gift of colour. Nkanyezi walked all day, through a vast forest of giant trees. As the sky became too dark for her to see, she heard the sound of beating drums. She hurried towards the drumming, feeling the spirit of dance coming to her tired feet. Nkanyezi found herself in the village of the Bhubezi. People were sitting around a fire, drumming and singing. She had never before heard such wonderful music. She told the village elders about her journey to bring back the spirit of celebration to her people. The Bhubezi invited her to rest and stay the night. In the morning the chief called on Nkanyezi. ""My child,"" he said, ""here is a special drum. It plays a new song every time you beat it."" Nkanyezi thanked the elders and put the drum in her bag. She went on her way again, delighted with this gift of music and dance. On the third day of her journey, as she passed a field of fat cows, her nose started to tingle. An aroma tickled her taste buds and her mouth started to water. She followed the scent, and arrived in a village to find people standing over steaming pots of stew. This tribe was famous for its feasts and Nkanyezi had never before tasted such flavours. After she had eaten her fill, she told the village elders about her journey to bring back the spirit of celebration to her people. The next day, the council of cooks gave her a secret spice blend. ""Our daughter,"" they said, ""with these spices, happy tummies are guaranteed! We give you the gift of good food."" Nkanyezi thanked the elders and put the spices in her bag. She knew she had everything she needed.With new energy she started the long journey back to the village of Ndlovu. When she arrived home the villagers gathered around her to hear of her adventures. She told them the tales of what she had seen, heard, and eaten. Then she opened her bag to share the gifts given. The people rejoiced to receive these treasures. Through the generosity of others and the courage of Nkanyezi, the villagers again found the colour, song and dance in their lives. And so the spirit of celebration was restored to the village of Ndlovu. " Little-Red-Riding-Hood.txt,"Little Red Riding Hood Once upon a time there lived in a certain village a little country girl, the prettiest creature who was ever seen. Her mother was excessively fond of her; and her grandmother doted on her still more. This good woman had a little red riding hood made for her. It suited the girl so extremely well that everybody called her Little Red Riding Hood. One day her mother, having made some cakes, said to her, ""Go, my dear, and see how your grandmother is doing, for I hear she has been very ill. Take her a cake, and this little pot of butter."" Little Red Riding Hood set out immediately to go to her grandmother, who lived in another village. As she was going through the wood, she met with a wolf, who had a very great mind to eat her up, but he dared not, because of some woodcutters working nearby in the forest. He asked her where she was going. The poor child, who did not know that it was dangerous to stay and talk to a wolf, said to him, ""I am going to see my grandmother and carry her a cake and a little pot of butter from my mother."" ""Does she live far off?"" said the wolf ""Oh I say,"" answered Little Red Riding Hood; ""it is beyond that mill you see there, at the frst house in the village."" ""Well,"" said the wolf, ""and I'll go and see her too. I'll go this way and go you that, and we shall see who will be there frst."" The wolf ran as fast as he could, taking the shortest path, and the little girl took a roundabout way, entertaining herself by gathering nuts, running after butterfies, and gathering bouquets of little fowers. It was not long before the wolf arrived at the old woman's house. He knocked at the door: tap, tap. ""Who's there?"" ""Your grandchild, Little Red Riding Hood,"" replied the wolf, counterfeiting her voice; ""who has brought you a cake and a little pot of butter sent you by mother."" The good grandmother, who was in bed, because she was somewhat ill, cried out, ""Pull the bobbin, and the latch will go up."" The wolf pulled the bobbin, and the door opened, and then he immediately fell upon the good woman and ate her up in a moment, for it been more than three days since he had eaten. He then shut the door and got into the grandmother's bed, expecting Little Red Riding Hood, who came some time afterwards and knocked at the door: tap, tap. ""Who's there?"" Little Red Riding Hood, hearing the big voice of the wolf, was at frst afraid; but believing her grandmother had a cold and was hoarse, answered, ""It is your grandchild Little Red Riding Hood, who has brought you a cake and a little pot of butter mother sends you."" The wolf cried out to her, softening his voice as much as he could, ""Pull the bobbin, and the latch will go up."" Little Red Riding Hood pulled the bobbin, and the door opened. The wolf, seeing her come in, said to her, hiding himself under the bedclothes, ""Put the cake and the little pot of butter upon the stool, and come get into bed with me."" Little Red Riding Hood took off her clothes and got into bed. She was greatly amazed to see how her grandmother looked in her nightclothes, and said to her, ""Grandmother, what big arms you have!"" ""All the better to hug you with, my dear."" ""Grandmother, what big legs you have!"" ""All the better to run with, my child."" ""Grandmother, what big ears you have!"" ""All the better to hear with, my child."" ""Grandmother, what big eyes you have!"" ""All the better to see with, my child."" ""Grandmother, what big teeth you have got!"" ""All the better to eat you up with."" And, saying these words, this wicked wolf fell upon Little Red Riding Hood, and ate her all up. Moral: Children should never talk to strangers, for if they should do so, they may well provide dinner for a wolf. I say ""wolf,"" but there are various kinds of wolves. There are also those who are charming, quiet, polite, unassuming, complacent, and sweet, who pursue young children at home and in the streets. And unfortunately, it is these gentle strangers and sometimes friends who are the most dangerous ones of all. If you should ever see someone you are scared of tell an adult you trust straight away. " a-stitch-in-time_FKB.txt,"A Stitch in Time Khrrrrrrr... ""Oh no,"" wails Shyam. The seams of his favourite shirt have come apart. ""I can’t wear this shirt anymore, Thatha!"" ""Of course you can, silly,"" his grandfather says. ""We can repair it!"" Thatha takes a needle and a spool of blue thread. He shows Shyam how to stitch the seams together. Shyam’s friend Shrisha has come home. ""Let’s go cycling,"" she says. ""In a minute,"" says Shyam. ""Let me iron my shirt first."" He switches on the iron box. But the light doesn’t glow, and the iron remains cold. ""Ufff! I’ll just wear the crumpled shirt,"" grumbles Shyam. ""I was at the Repair Mela last week,"" says Shrisha. ""George Uncle, who teaches chemistry in my brother’s college, was repairing an iron box. I watched what he was doing very closely. Let’s try to set it right! Do you have a screwdriver?"" Shyam hunts in the cupboard and gets a screwdriver. Shrisha unscrews the back of the iron. ""See this wire? When you switch on the power, electric current passes through it and heats up the iron plate. This process is called conduction,"" says Shrisha. ""And this small thing is the thermostat. It makes sure that the iron doesn’t get too hot. If the heat goes way up, it just cuts off the power. The red light goes out. When the iron cools down, the current flows again and the light comes on."" ""Other heating devices must work the same way, right? Geysers, kettles, ovens?"" But Shrisha is not listening. She’s peering into the iron. ""What’s wrong?"" asks Shyam. ""I don’t think I can repair it."" ""Oh no! Appa and Amma will scold us when they see what we have done to the iron box!"" ""We’ll take it to the Repair Mela! They’ll help us."" Before Shyam's parents can ask them about the iron box, he and Shrisha take it and sneak out on their cycles to the Repair Mela. ""Aunty, can you help us repair this iron box?"" Shrisha asks Anupama Aunty. ""What’s wrong with it?"" ""It won’t switch on!"" says Shrisha. Anupama Aunty takes out a little box with wires and knobs. ""This is a multimeter,"" she says. ""It checks if all parts of the iron are allowing electric current to flow. Let’s start with the plug."" Next, she tests all the other parts, until she comes to a small wire. ""See this wire next to the plug? It’s broken, even though it doesn’t look damaged—there’s your problem!"" She cuts out the old wire and plug, and fixes a new wire and plug to the iron box. ""Let’s test it."" She switches it on, and the light glows. After helping out at the Mela and observing repairs for a while, they decide to head home. ""Oh no, the rear tyre has a puncture. Let’s take it to Manigandan Anna!"" says Shrisha. ""Puncture? No problem,"" says Manigandan Anna, who has a small cycle repair shop in the neighbourhood. He has been invited to the Repair Mela. He turns the cycle upside down. He takes a pair of tyre levers andpries the tyre away from the metal rim. Soon the inner tube is out. ""Can you see a hole anywhere?"" Anna asks the children. They can’t. ""Then how do you tell where the puncture is?"" he asks. The children look at him cluelessly. He immerses the tube, part by part, in a tub half-filled with water. At one point, they see small bubbles rising. ""See? That’s where the hole is!"" He cuts a small piece of rubber from an old tube. After rubbing the surface of the tube around the hole with sandpaper, he applies a rubber adhesive to the tube and the piece of rubber. ""Come, seal this,"" he says. Shyam puts the piece of rubber on the hole and presses it down. ""If not for professionals who fix cycles, umbrellas, footwear and other things, we would have mountains of waste all over!"" says Shyam. The tyre is fixed, the iron is fixed and Shrisha and Shyam ride back home. It is a day well spent! Don’t throw it. Fix it There is an urgent need to decrease the amount of non- biodegradable waste that humans generate. Repair encourages a more efficient use of resources than the take, make and waste culture that is replacing our traditional way of make, preserve and reuse. Raw materials used in products often need a lot of energy to be mined and processed to make them usable by manufacturers. The process of repair helps conserve these resources and extends the life of the product. Only when something cannot be repaired should you think of recycling it. The tradition of recycling In India, we have a strong tradition of recycling, whether it is organic waste like food or inorganic waste like clothes. While their numbers have reduced greatly, we still find kabadiwalas who collect old newspaper and recyclable household metal and plastic waste, and street peddlers who take in your old clothes in return for new steel utensils. Repair Café This story is inspired by Repair Café Bengaluru that conducts free workshops where people from different generations come together and keep alive the culture of repairing things. At a Repair Café, you’ll find tools and materials to help you make any repairs you need. Repair enthusiasts and professionals like cobblers, umbrella repairers, alteration tailors and watch repairers work with visitors at these workshops. After any natural calamity, repair professionals are in high demand. In less than three years, Repair Café Bengaluru has prevented over 2,000 kg of items from going to the waste heap. Repair Cafés around the world jointly saved 3,00,000 objects from the waste mountain in 2017. Have you used any of these tools? If not, get someone to teach you to use them. This is a very useful skill to have. " What-makes-you-special-FKB.txt,"WHAT MAKES YOU SPECIAL Who are you? I am a turtle. What’s makes you special? I have the shiniest shell, of all the turtles in the world! North, South, East, West, Of all the turtles, I’m the best! Who are you? I am a cheetah. What makes you special? I run the fastest, of all the cheetahs in the world! North, South, East, West, Of all the cheetahs, I’m the best! Who are you? I am a whale. What makes you special? I have the biggest tummy, of all the whales in the world! North, South, East, West, Of all the whales, I’m the best! Who are you? I am a canary. What makes you special? I have the sweetest voice, of all the canaries in the world! North, South, East, West, Of all the canaries, I’m the best! Who are you? I am an elephant. What makes you special? I have the brightest memory, of all the elephants in the world! North, South, East, West, Of all the elephants, I’m the best! Who are you? I am a frog. What makes you special? I hop the highest, of all the frogs in the world! North, South, East, West, Of all the frogs, I’m the best! Who are you? I am a bee. What makes you special? I make the yummiest honey, of all the bees in the world! North, South, East, West, Of all the bees, I’m the best! Who are you? I am a dinosaur. What makes you special? I have the sharpest spikes, of all the dinosaurs in the world! North, South, East, West, Of all the dinosaurs I’m the best! Who are you? I am a boy. What makes you special? I am ME. There is only one ME in the world! North, South, East, West, I DON'T have to be better than the rest! " Harolds-Headboard-Mice-.txt,"Harold's Headboard Mice. In the spring of 1943, in the time of the second world war, when everyone wanted cheerful news instead of the bad, there, in a small Welsh village, in a cosy cottage among many others, lived an old man called Harold. He was a cheerful man who always wore a flat cap, glasses, had thick grey hair and always, no matter what, had a friendly smile for everyone. Everyone who knew him loved him very much, Harold may have seemed happy to everyone but inside his home he had no one and was rather lonely, he had never been lucky enough to have a wife but was very much in love with Miss Susie Stevens from down the road who had also never had a husband, she was also secretly in love with Harold. They had felt that way since primary school but because of their terrible shyness they never had the courage to be honest and tell each other. Harold thought he lived alone but he had four very small and very secretive admirers, they lived in the hollow base of Harold's bed, and got in and out through a small hole behind the headboard, they where mice. Poppin and Poppy who were husband and wife, and Polker and Penny who were also husband and wife. Their natural home was the woodland just outside the village of course, but they had moved to Harold's home a year ago when he kept visiting the wood one summer for blackberries, they loved the stranger who looked so friendly, so much that they leapt into his bag one morning and were carried off to his cottage to make a new home. They were quiet and clean, Harold never minded, he did know they were there, but he never saw them. He left biscuits out in the night and when they were gone in the morning he knew that his headboard mice had taken them. Sometimes late at night he could swear he smelt the smell of sweet, hot, freshly cooked apple pies rising up through the bed, but of course each time he simply shrugged his large shoulders and fell back to sleep assuming it was just his mind playing tricks on his old nose. Life was great and cheerful for the mice until one evening, before heading off to bed Polker sneaked quietly past the living room to join the others in the bed, but as he did he heard Harold sniffling to himself. ""I wish I had someone … everyone needs company … and I have no one!"" He watched him wiping his eyes with a hanky as he sat alone by the fire. ""Poor Harold."" He squeeked quietly then rushed of quickly up the stairs and into the base of the bed. ""We must find Harold a wife!"" ""Find Harold a wife?"" Penny repeated, ""Yes as soon as possible."" ""Don't you think he would have found one himself if he wanted one?"" ""No Penny that's just it, he's to shy, I just watched him crying because he's so lonely."" ""Really?"" ""Yes he's to kind for us to watch him suffer we have to help him in anyway we can."" ""All right but who?"" Polker scratched his head, ""Susie … that woman Susie, we have all talked about how red his face gets when he talks to her."" ""Ok so what do we do, how do we get her attention?"" ""Mmmm … I don't know let's think about it."" Now mice have very small brains and something a human could think up in half an hour would take a mouse at least a couple of weeks, even months , I remember my dear friend Tommy Tumble mouse took a whole year looking for his shoes, until one morning he suddenly thought to check his feet and there they were exactly where he put them a year ago, the left shoe on the left foot and the right shoe on the right foot. I'm afraid all mice get confused with some things, unfortunately their brains are just too small to deal with such big problems and this was a very big problem indeed! Harold's mice sat for months twiddling their whiskers and trying to think of ... ""How on earth can we get them together?"" The confusion of hard thinking went on for two long years, until one day, Polker sat up in his chair and said loudly as the others sat playing cards and nibbling a chocolate biscuit. ""A LETTER !"" ""What was that ?"" Penny asked as her round ears pricked with interest, as she sat knitting a long cosy tail warmer for Polker. ""A letter, we shall send her a letter."" ""How? we cant write."" ""No but one of the attic rats can. I remember meeting him and he told me about it, we will go and see the attic rats."" ""All right then Polker if you insist."" ""Bring one of the biscuits, rats don't do something for nothing, he will expect paying"". Later when they stood in front of Roller Rolling rat as he scratched his ear, they told him what he would have to write but he wasn't to happy about the idea. ""I mean, what have the humans ever done for us old boy, apart from frightening us and hating us at every chance they get"". ""Yes but Harold is not like the others, he's very kind he would never hurt anything he cares too much for life to dis-respect it in such ways"". Roller thought about it then he picked up a pen from behind him and started to scribble on a piece of paper ... Dear Susie, I would very much appreciate it, if you could find time to join me tomorrow for a delicious Christmas dinner, I look forward to seeing you. Harold. They then put it in an envelope and sealed it before heading out into the night and leaving it on her doorstep, then they all quietly sneaked back to bed for a relaxing and peaceful sleep. The next day, as they sat watching him in the garden, there was a shy knock at the door, when Harold opened it, there was Susie holding the note, before she could say anything, Harold asked, ""Would you like to come in?"" She entered the house and sat down, Harold then made some tea, she didn't have to mention the note, soon enough she put it in her cardigan pocket and forgot about it. They didn't speak very much at all for the first half an hour. The mice worried it was going badly until suddenly Harold turned to her and said quickly ... ""Would you marry me ? … I'm sorry I've been needing to ask you for years but I was always to nervous."" ""Yes!"" She answered with a smile. ""You will ?"" ""Yes Harold I've needed you to ask me for years."" The mice danced around on the window sill with joy, then later watched them both sit down to enjoy a wonderful Christmas dinner. Five months later on the 8th May 1945 they were married in the local church and the whole village turned up to show their happiness for them. The headboard mice watched the celebration from afar with their little bundles of belongings, they had decided to go back home to their families, parents, brothers and sisters who had not seen them for the last 3 years. They wiped their tiny happy tears from their sweet little cheeks and scurried off towards the wood. As they left the village they realised it was a double celebration because all through the village the people where cheering and repeating the sentence … ""The War is over!"" The end. " FKB-BD-i-will-help-you_pdf.txt,"I Will Help You When Mama Heron needs help, Lungile comes to her rescue. ""Ouch!"" Mama Heron hurts her wing and leg on barbed wire. ""I am hurt. I can’t get home to my children."" ""Please help me."" ""Why are you crying Mama Heron?"" ""I can’t get home to my children."" ""I will help you,"" says Lungile. ""Thank you, Lungile!"" The next day, Gogo sends Lung- ile to the shop to buy bread. On the way, he stops to play with his friends in the river. Eish! The money is gone. ""Don’t come home until you find that money!"" ""Why are you crying, Lungile?"" ""I lost the money Gogo gave me to buy bread. We have no supper now."" ""I will help you."" Mama Heron’s sharp eyes see the coins shining in the water. ""Thank you, Mama Heron."" " Off-to-see-spiders_biology.txt,"Off to See Spiders! We are off to see spiders, Some large as a plate, some small as a pin. We will see so many spiders, Our heads will spin, spin, spin! ""Is that an ant or a spider?"" asks Kaveri. It looks like an ant, but it has eight legs. ""Uff, ants are insects. All insects have six legs, not eight. But you are right, this does look like an ant!"" says Shivi. ""Full marks,"" says Shama. ""It is an ant-mimic spider."" Kaveri and Shivi love being with Shama. She is studying to be a wildlife biologist, and is full of fun facts and stories about different animals and plants. Just then, Kaveri spots the sac spider. It's neatly rolled up inside a leaf! ""How did you find it?"" asks Shivi. ""Ah! When you get to know the different signs that spiders make, you start finding them everywhere,"" Shama says, with a wink. We are off to see spiders, Some fat, some thin, some hairy. They have eight legs and eight eyes, But don’t worry! They are not scary! ""Ummm, that looks like a crab!"" says Shivi, squinting at a yellow flower. ""Ha!"" Shama says. ""It’s the crab spider. And look! It has caught a poor bee that was visiting the flower for nectar."" ""Ah, no wonder the bee didn’t see the spider. It’s almost the same colour as the flower,"" says Kaveri. ""Look, look,"" yells Shivi, pointing towards the leaves on the damp ground. A female wolf spider is carrying her egg sac. ""And there is another one! Ooh! There are hundreds of tiny baby spiders on her back!"" Shama whispers in awe. We are off to see spiders, Oh where, oh where, oh where? On grass, on leaves, on flowers, Here, there and everywhere! Shivi is leaning on a tree trunk when suddenly he jumps in fright! Something scuttled by at lightning speed. ""There you are!"" Shama says, moving closer. ""See how well the two-tailed spider blends with the tree bark?"" ""Here’s a spider that looks like it has only four legs,"" Kaveri says excitedly, pointing towards a bush. The spider has spun a wheel-shaped web between two plants. ""What a beautiful zigzag pattern! This has to be the cross spider,"" Shama exclaims. We are off to see spiders, So far we have had quite a catch! Hey! Someone’s spinning lovely webs, On this grassy patch. Kaveri, Shivi and Shama stumble upon a sheet-and-tunnel web spider. ""So many webs,"" Kaveri exclaims. ""They look like delicate sheets!"" ""This juicy grasshopper stuck in the web will become spider food soon. Slurp!"" says Shivi. ""Right! It’s time to go home now,"" says Shama, looking at her watch. ""I have to study for my class tomorrow."" Kaveri and Shivi’s faces fall. ""Oh don't worry, there’s plenty to see at home as well,"" says Shama. Back home, Shama spies the common house spider. ""Oh! There’s the daddy-long-legs spider."" ""They are funny,"" says Kaveri. ""They dangle upside down and have long, long legs."" We saw so many wondrous spiders, On grass, trees and flower heads. Let’s crawl and look for more of them, Will we find some under our beds? Spider Guide Meet the spiders that Kaveri, Shivi and Shama see on their walk. Two-tailed spiders These spiders get their name because of their long spinning organs that look like a tail! With a flat body, these spiders blend in very well on tree trunks and walls. Ant-mimic spiders They behave just like ants and look like them too! These spiders in disguise trick animals and birds that like to eat spiders. Crab spiders With a much longer and stronger pair of front legs, these spiders often extend their legs while waiting to catch their food. This pose makes them look very much like a crab! Wolf spiders You will often find wolf spiders scuttling on the ground, especially where there are leaves and shrubs. A female wolf spider carries egg sacs attached to her spinning organs. When the sac opens, hundreds of baby spiders climb onto her back and stay there for several days. Sac spiders These spiders rest inside silken sacs that they make within rolled leaves and blades of grass. They come out of their silken retreats when they have to hunt for food. Sheet-and-tunnel web spiders These spiders make beautiful and delicate sheet- like webs. A tunnel at the end of the sheet web is the perfect hiding place for them. They dart out when an insect gets caught in the web. Daddy-long-legs spiders These common house spiders are found on the ceiling, in corners of houses and sheds. Their cobwebs may look untidy, but they catch a lot of flying insect pests. Cross spiders When cross spiders are on their wheel-shaped webs, they look like they’re making an X-shape! They are also called signature spiders because of the zigzag pattern they make on their webs. " searching-for-the-spirit-of-spring.txt,"Searching for the Spirit of Spring The Winter cold had passed. Spring was coming to Nkanyezi’s village. Soon the villagers would gather to celebrate the new season. Nkanyezi looked forward to the Spring festival more than any other day in the year. One warm morning, Nkanyezi overheard two village elders talking about the festival. ""The people of Ndlovu have lost their spirit of celebration,"" one sighed. ""How can we have a Spring festival in a village that has forgotten how to celebrate?"" asked another. Nkanyezi was worried. ""How will the sun shine again unless we sing to wake it from its winter slumber?"" she asked herself. Nkanyezi thought for a long time. ""I must find what we have lost,"" she decided. ""I must go in search of things that will bring back the spirit of celebration to my village."" The elders gave Nkanyezi their blessing for the journey. They gave her a bag to carry the things she would find. Nkanyezi was afraid, but she believed she would succeed. Nkanyezi walked all day. She hiked up a hill, and down into a valley. She sailed across the great river, and climbed between sharp rocks. She marched across the plains until she reached the shadow of the red mountains. As night was closing in, Nkanyezi arrived at a village of patterns and colours as she had never seen before. She told the village elders about her journey to bring back the spirit of celebration to her people. The mother of this tribe gave Nkanyezi a gift. She told the girl, ""With love we give to you this paint to restore colour to a village that has gone dull."" Nkanyezi thanked the elders and put the paint in her bag. Early the next morning she went on her way again, excited with this gift of colour. Nkanyezi walked all day, through a vast forest of giant trees. As the sky became too dark for her to see, she heard the sound of beating drums. She hurried towards the drumming, feeling the spirit of dance coming to her tired feet Nkanyezi found herself in the village of the Bhubezi. People were sitting around a fire, drumming and singing. She had never before heard such wonderful music. She told the village elders about her journey to bring back the spirit of celebration to her people. The Bhubezi invited her to rest and stay the night. In the morning the chief called on Nkanyezi. ""My child,"" he said, ""here is a special drum. It plays a new song every time you beat it."" Nkanyezi thanked the elders and put the drum in her bag. She went on her way again, delighted with this gift of music and dance. On the third day of her journey, as she passed a field of fat cows, her nose started to tingle. An aroma tickled her taste buds and her mouth started to water. She followed the scent, and arrived in a village to find people standing over steaming pots of stew. This tribe was famous for its feasts and Nkanyezi had never before tasted such flavours. After she had eaten her fill, she told the village elders about her journey to bring back the spirit of celebration to her people. The next day, the council of cooks gave her a secret spice blend. ""Our daughter,"" they said, ""with these spices, happy tummies are guaranteed! We give you the gift of good food."" Nkanyezi thanked the elders and put the spices in her bag. She knew she had everything she needed.With new energy she started the long journey back to the village of Ndlovu. When she arrived home the villagers gathered around her to hear of her adventures. She told them the tales of what she had seen, heard, and eaten. Then she opened her bag to share the gifts given. The people rejoiced to receive these treasures. Through the generosity of others and the courage of Nkanyezi, the villagers again found the colour, song and dance in their lives. And so the spirit of celebration was restored to the village of Ndlovu. " Hazels-Secret-Life-.txt,"Hi, my name is Tina. This is my dog Hazel. Hazel is very fat. Why is my dog so fat? I really wanted to know. So this morning I thought, ""I know! I'll go ask my mom."" ""Mom, why is my dog so fat?"" ""Hazel's not fat dear,"" Mom said. ""She is just half cow."" ""But Mom… Hazel can't moo!"" ""Of course she can't moo,"" Mom said. ""Then can Hazel make cheese?"" ""No,"" Mom sighed. ""I'm very busy right now dear. I know! Why don't you go ask Dad. I bet he'll know why Hazel is so fat."" Mom can be strange sometimes. ""Dad, why is Hazel so fat?"" ""She better not be eating my snacks for the big game,"" Dad said. ""But Dad I thought this was the big game."" ""Remember what I always say..."" ""…THEY’RE ALL BIG GAMES!"" we yelled. ""That's a good girl,"" Dad said patting me on the head. Then he yelled at the TV and threw his popcorn. ""Maybe you should go upstairs and ask your sister,"" Dad said. ""I need to do my special cheer."" ""The one where you stomp around and call the football people names? Can I help!?"" Dad said ""no,"" he can be pretty strange sometimes. ""What are you doing?"" ""Reading a book for school,"" my sister said. ""Is it any good?"" ""It's about that icky romantic stuff. I don't think you'd like it,"" my sister said sticking out her tongue. ""E Mushy stuff, your teacher is mean!"" ""Do you know why Hazel is so fat?"" ""Maybe Hazel is a queen,"" my sister said, ""and her brave knights bring her all the cupcakes in the land."" ""Ha! Ha! Ha! That's crazy!"" I said laughing on the floor. Hazel licked me in the face, ""Eww! Biscuit breath! Yuck!"" ""If I’m so crazy why don't you ask your brother?"" ""Fine I will!"" My sister can be strange sometimes. I asked my brother, ""why is Hazel so fat?"" ""That's because at night Hazel turns into a giant monster and attacks the city with her doggy death breath! Then she eats everything in her path,"" my brother said. He picked me up and put me on his shoulders. Then he stomped around the room and roared like a T-rex. ""AGAIN! AGAIN!"" ""I can’t right now kid,"" my brother said. ""I have to do my homework. Why don't you go play with Cousin Ben?"" ""Not cousin Ben!"" My brother can be pretty strange sometimes, but Cousin Ben… … is the strangest one of all. ""Hazel be fat because she’s a fearsome pirate, robbing the land lovers of all their foodstuffs! Yarr!"" said Cousin Ben. ""Oh really?"" ""Yarr, it be true! Just last week she ate me parrot with all the fixins. Twas tasty stuffing, Yarr!"" ""HA! I win!"" I yelled knocking the stick from Cousin Ben’s hand. ""Uh-Oh! Looks like the fearless pirate needs a potty break!"" said Cousin Ben, and he ran screaming all the way back into the house. ""AHHHHHHHH!"" I told you he was the strangest one of all. Hmm. I guess I'll never know why my dog is so fat. There is no way Hazel could be a snack thief, pirate, half cow, monster, princess … Right? ""I need a detective. Are you a detective Hazel?"" Hazel just looked at me funny and dropped her tennis ball at my feet. It was her way of saying, ""Play with me!"" ""Okay Hazel, just a quick game."" Wait! Where is Hazel going? I better follow that sneaky dog! I thought I smelled biscuit breath! Hazel has a second family! She's sneaking extra snacks! ""Bad dog Hazel! The sad puppy eyes won't work on me this time!"" ""No more snacks for you! You're going on a diet!"" Tina has a problem! Her dog is too fat, and she doesn't know why! Can her family help her solve the mystery? " A-Tiny-Seed-The-Story-of-Wangari-Maathai-4-18_FKb.txt,"In a village on the slopes of Mount Kenya in East Africa, a little girl worked in the fields with her mother. Her name was Wangari. Wangari loved being outside. In her family’s food garden she broke up the soil with her machete. She pressed tiny seeds into the warm earth. Her favourite time of day was just after sunset. When it got too dark to see the plants, Wangari knew it was time to go home. She would follow the narrow paths through the fields, crossing rivers as she went. Wangari was a clever child and couldn’t wait to go to school. But her mother and father wanted her to stay and help them at home. When she was seven years old, her big brother persuaded her parents to let her go to school. She liked to learn! Wangari learnt more and more with every book she read. She did so well at school that she was invited to study in the United States of America. Wangari was excited! She wanted to know more about the world. At the American university Wangari learnt many new things. She studied plants and how they grow. And she remembered how she grew: playing games with her brothers in the shade of the trees in the beautiful Kenyan forests. The more she learnt, the more she realised that she loved the people of Kenya. She wanted them to be happy and free. The more she learnt, the more she remembered her African home. When she had finished her studies, she returned to Kenya. But her country had changed. Huge farms stretched across the land. Women had no wood to make cooking fires. The people were poor and the children were hungry. Wangari knew what to do. She taught the women how to plant trees from seeds. The women sold the trees and used the money to look after their families. The women were very happy. Wangari had helped them to feel powerful and strong. As time passed, the new trees grew into forests, and the rivers started flowing again. Wangari’s message spread across Africa. Today, millions of trees have grown from Wangari’s seeds. Wangari had worked hard. People all over the world took notice, and gave her a famous prize. It is called the Nobel Peace Prize, and she was the first African woman ever to receive it. Wangari died in 2011, but we can think of her every time we see a beautiful tree. " Tania-Plays-a-Trick-.txt,"Tania Plays A Trick Tania and Tanisha were on their way up to Tanisha's house. Mama had given them a book to give Tanisha's mother. The book had a recipe for a fruit cake that Tanisha had enjoyed eating in Tania's house. The girls were talking about the delicious fruit cake as they waited for the elevator on the 3rd floor in front of Tania's house. The elevator finally arrived. Tanisha's house was on the 10th floor. The girls entered the elevator and pressed the button labeled ""10"". What they did not notice, while they were chatting with each other, was that for some reason the button labeled ""8"" was pressed too. Someone had probably pressed it by mistake when the elevator was on its way down before. When the elevator stopped on the 8th floor the girls exited assuming it was the 10th floor. Tanisha's house was the first apartment on the left coming out of the elevator. So they rang the door bell of the first apartment on the left. But as soon as they rang the bell they realised something was wrong! The door looked quite different from Tanisha's door. As they looked around, for the first time they noticed the big ""8"" painted on the wall in between the two elevators indicating they were on the 8th floor. They realised they had rung Mrs. Wadia's doorbell by mistake. Oh, oh! Mrs. Wadia was a crochety old lady the children were terrified of. Tania and Tanisha panicked and hid in the stairwell. As they peeked from their hiding place, they saw Mrs. Wadia answer the door. She saw no one there. She called out saying ""Hello, hello, who rang the bell?"", and then she mumbled something and returned assuming she had imagined the doorbell ringing. Tania and Tanisha found the whole thing quite funny from the sanctuary of their hiding place. They giggled as they took the stairs up for the remaining two floors. Somehow they were quite sure their mothers would not find their story funny so they decided to keep it to themselves. Now that would have been the end of the story but the girls were too thrilled with the success of their unintentional trick. So the next time she yelled at them for playing in the building lobby, they decided it was time to trick her again. Their trick worked well the second time too and they enjoyed how harassed Mrs. Wadia looked answering the door only to find nobody there. Tania and Tanisha should have known that the secret to a good trick is to know when to stop using it. If you repeat it too often, you will get caught. The next time they used the trick Mrs. Wadia was in a very bad mood. She also began to smell a rat. She rushed out with her walking stick and searched the place. It did not take her long to find the two culprits in the stairwell. She was very angry. She asked Tania and Tanisha for their phone numbers. They blubbered out their phone numbers in fright. She promptly called the parents of both girls and told them that the girls had been harassing her for a few days. Mama was shocked. Tania was rarely so inconsiderate. Tania came home looking scared. Mama looked very disappointed. She asked, ""Tania why did you play the nasty trick on Mrs. Wadia?"" Tania told her the whole story from the beginning when they rang Mrs. Wadia's bell by mistake. Then Tania added ""Mama, she is such a mean old lady. She is always shouting at us and waving her scary stick. She shouts at us for playing in the building lobby even when it is raining, or if the ball rolls out of the children's play area, or if we occasionally pluck a flower or any little thing. So we wanted to trouble her too."" Mama said ""Tania, when Mrs. Wadia was younger she had an accident and her leg was hurt. That is why she needs to use a walking stick. Although the doctors could fix it so she can walk, her leg still hurts. It has been hurting her all day everyday for the last 10 years. Don't you think that it is a good enough reason to make anyone a grumpy person? It is very mean to make her walk to the door for nothing when her leg hurts so much."" Tania looked very troubled. She said ""Mama, I did not know she was in so much pain. I thought she carried the walking stick to frighten us."" Mama's lips twitched a little but she listened as Tania continued, ""I will call her and apologise again and the next time I get a chocolate I'll go give it to her to make it up to her for my mean trick."" Mama said ""That is the baby I know and love. I'll buy you 2 chocolates tomorrow and you can take one to Mrs. Wadia. And Tania please think very carefully before you do something mean again. We are all tempted to do mean things once in a while but it is almost never a good idea."" " ma-is-that-you-FKB.txt,"Ma, Is That You? Bibi, Azeem, Juzer and Thei Thei are having a meeting in their secret meeting place. They hear a voice at their door. ""Hello beta, it’s Ma! I brought snacks for you and your friends. Please open the door."" ""You don’t sound like Ma,"" says Thei Thei. ""What’s the secret knock?"" BAMBAMBAM ""That’s not the right knock. Sorry, we can’t let you in!"" says Azeem. ROOOAAAR ""I will get in one day!"" shouts the monster from behind the door. A few moments later… ""Hello beta, I bought a new game for your secret club! Please let me in!"" ""What’s the secret knock?"" asks Juzer. ""That’s the correct knock!"" says Bibi. ""It is?"" gasps the monster, ""I mean, of course it is. Now let me in!"" ""First show us your secret club card,"" says Azeem. The monster slips a card under the door. ""Sorry, wrong card!"" The monster bangs on the door. ""I’ll get in soon!"" she cries. A while later, there’s another knock at the door. ""I found a puppy for you,"" says the monster. ""Please open the door!"" ""What’s the secret knock?"" asks Bibi. ""That’s correct!"" says Bibi. ""Why wouldn’t it be? ""First show us your Now let me in!"" cries secret club card,"" the monster. says Azeem. The monster slips a card under the door. ""That’s the right card,"" says Thei Thei. ""Now show us your handprint. Place your hand against the window pane."" THUMP! A large, furry paw with long, sharp nails appears on the glass. ""That’s not Ma’s hand. Go away!"" say the four children. ""ARRRRRR!"" replies the monster, shaking her fist. ""I would have gobbled you up if it wasn’t for your passwords!"" A few minutes later, there is one more knock at the door… It’s the right knock. A piece of paper slips under the door. It’s the correct secret club card. Then—THUMP!—a hand print appears against the glass of the window. ""That’s Ma’s hand!"" Thei Thei swings open the door. It’s Ma, holding a tray full of mithai! How do Thei Thei, Bibi, Juzer and Azeem keep their clubhouse safe? Thei Thei, Bibi, Juzer and Azeem use three ways of checking to make sure that their visitor is actually Mummy. This method of making sure that a person is who they claim to be is called authentication. It is often used in security systems so that the wrong person cannot get hold of important information that does not belong to them. Since the four children use three steps to confirm the identity of their visitor, their method is known as multi-factor authentication (MFA). MFA ensures that there is more than one level of security to protect important information like emails, social media profiles, bank accounts, etc. So although the monster passes the first two tests by cheating, the third test still stops her from getting into the clubhouse. " Tania-Attends-a-Wedding.txt,"Tania Attends A Wedding Tania's family had just arrived at the house where Aunt Poonams's parents lived in Bangalore. It was an actual house, 2 storeys high with 6 bedrooms and a backyard. Tania was awestruck. She had only ever seen apartments before. Never a house with a staircase on the inside. So cool! Aunt Poonam was back from Baltimore for a few weeks. She was getting married. She was thrilled to see Tania and her baby sister Sonia. She had never seen Sonia before and Sonia was almost a year old! Aunt Poonam was Papa's cousin and Tania called her ""Poonty"". Aunt Poonam had visited Tania a few years ago in Bombay. Tania was only a year and a half and had a hard time saying Poonam Aunty. So she shortened it to Poonty and that stuck. The wedding was not till the next evening but there was a lot going on. Poonty's mother, who Mama and Papa called ""Chachi"", was getting Poonty's trousseau ready. There were beautiful sarees, salwar kameezes, jewellery and crockery sets. Mama contributed a cute Japanese tea set. All of it had to be gift wrapped. Tania helped Chachi by handing her pieces of tape and ribbon. Tania was not usually shy. But there were almost 20 people in the house, most of whom Tania had never met. All of them except Tania and Sonia were adults. So Tania stuck to her parents and Poonty. After lunch Poonty told Tania there would be a Sangeet ceremony in the evening. Tania looked puzzled, so Poonty explained ""Sangeet is the Hindi word for music. A Sangeet ceremony is done before the wedding. The bride gets together with her family and friends and they all sing and dance. It is a fun and relaxed celebration."" In the evening everyone got together in the large living room. Tania was dressed an an adorable ghaghra-choli Mama had bought her for the occasion. Chachi had arranged for some snacks and drinks. Everyone was munching, chatting and drinking. The atmosphere was festive. Tania went to find Poonty. She found her sitting in a corner and there was a lady drawing some pretty designs on her hand with a brown paste. The paste was being squeezed out of the tip of a plastic cone, like the icing cones used to decorate cakes. Tania asked ""Poonty what are you doing?"" Poonty said ""Oh this is mehendi. It is a paste made from the extract of a plant. This nice lady can make lovely designs. I have to let the paste dry. After that it will crumble and fall off but an orange print of the design will stay. Tomorrow it will become dark brown. It is a tradition for brides to wear mehendi designs on their hands."" Twenty minutes later Poonty's mehendi was done and it was gorgeous. Mama and Papa got mehendi designs on their hands too. The sun had set and people were moving in to the backyard. Poonty's father, 'Chacha', had the back yard decorated with pretty, colourful, twinkling lights. Chacha had arranged for a DJ. The DJ played peppy Hindi songs from old and new movies and a few Abba songs as well, including Tania's favourite 'Super Trouper'. Although Tania loved to dance, she was feeling a little intimidated by all the adults there. Papa noticed and asked, ""Tania, will you dance with me?"" Thrilled, Tania joined in. Papa danced with Tania for a long time and her ghaghra flared out beautifully when she twirled. Later Mama and Poonty danced with Tania too. Tania enjoyed the evening immensely. Next morning Chacha and Chachi were getting ready for the haldi ceremony. Tania said, ""Mama, I thought haldi was that yellow thing you put in food. So what is a haldi ceremony?"" Mama replied ""Haldi, called turmeric in English, is indeed the yellow powder we put in Indian food. But turmeric is also supposed to be very good for the skin. It helps to clean the skin and make it soft and bright. So during the haldi ceremony we will put a paste made of turmeric powder, sandal wood powder and milk on Poonty to make her super pretty."" Poonty came in to the room and sat on a small wooden stool. Chachi placed a bowl of haldi paste in front of her. Everyone took some paste and applied it on Poonty's hands and face. Tania took a lot of paste in her hands and rubbed it all over Poonty's face and said, ""This is so much fun Mama. It's like haldi Holi!"" Chacha had arranged for a big car to take everyone to the wedding hall in batches. Chachi, Poonty and Poonty's best friend Rashmi got there early. When Tania arrived there with her parents and Sonia, Poonty was fully dressed and looking so amazing in her gorgeous red saree and gold and diamond jewellery. Mama said, ""It is tradition for the bride to wear a red saree with gold thread work."" Tania looked around the hall. There was a podium decorated with flowers. That is where the wedding ceremony would take place. Rashmi and another couple of girls who were Poonty's cousins approached Tania. Rashmi said ""Tania, we need to steal Aditya's shoes. Can you help us?"" Aditya was the groom. Tania was shocked. ""What!"" she exclaimed. ""No! Of course not. Stealing is wrong."" Mama heard them and intervened. She said ""Tania, what they mean is they want to hide Aditya's shoes. It is a wedding game. Aditya is supposed to take off his shoes before he goes to the podium and it is a tradition for the bride's friends and relatives to hide the groom's shoes. There will be someone there to guard the shoes. So it won't be easy. "" ""Oh a game!"" said Tania excited. ""That sounds like fun."" Relieved that the ethical issues were resolved, Rashmi said, ""Yes and we think it's a good idea for you to do the hiding because you are small and won't be noticed so much. They will be watching out for us."" Tania agreed and was quite excited about her mission. Everyone gathered together to receive the groom at the entrance to the hall. Aditya was on horseback in the midst of a band playing. His face covered with a curtain of flowers and decorations. Aditya's family and friends were dancing and bursting fire crackers. It was quite a sight. Soon after Aditya entered he took off his shoes and climbed on to the podium. Members of the two families were greeting each other and everyone was busy. Tania decided this was the best time to take his shoes. But then she realised that there was a man guarding them. She wondered what to do and came up with an idea. She went to find Sonia and told her something. Aditya's 20 year old brother Arnav was all alone, guarding the shoes dutifully, on his father's instructions. Suddenly he found little baby Sonia tugging his pants, bawling loudly asking him to find her mother. Quite unfamiliar with babies Arnav was at a complete loss. He tried to calm her with soothing words but that only resulted in shriller screams. Flustered Arnav picked up Sonia and dashed off to find Mama. In the 3 minutes that Arnav was gone, Tania easily grabbed Aditya's shoes and triumphantly handed them to Rashmi. Poor Arnav returned to find the shoes missing. Tania told mama and Rashmi about her devious plan and they giggled. Tania was allowed to sit behind Poonty on the podium during the wedding and got to watch the proceedings up close. Poonty and Aditiya had to put some mixture of food items in to the fire and walk around it 7 times and repeat some Sanskrit words the priest told them to. The ceremony was quite interesting. Rashmi gave Tania one of the boxes of chocolates that Aditya had given Rashmi and Poonty's cousins to get his shoes back. After the ceremony everyone had dinner and then Poonty and Aditya left for Aditya's house in a decorated car. Tania and her family returned to Bombay the next day. What a wonderful time Tania had at the wedding! " dipa-karmakar-in-perfect-balance.txt,"Dipa Karmakar - In Perfect Balance Dipa loved to jump. She loved to climb trees. And most of all, she loved to run and play with her Puja Didi. Dipa lived in Agartala, the capital of Tripura. Agartala is green and beautiful with agarwood trees and pineapple, orange and litchi orchards. Her Baba was a national weightlifting champion. On most days, she went with him to the gymnasium, where he was a coach. Ma and Baba wanted both their daughters to take up sports. So, at the age of five, Dipa started training. Gymnastics is a lot like acrobatics and aerobics. Quick movements. Tumbling and soaring. Fluid twists and turns. Breathtaking somersaults on narrow beams, vaults and uneven bars! Gymnastics needs balance, lots of mental effort, and control over muscles. One false step can mean a bad fall. Or a broken leg or an injured back! Dipa started training. But she was so scared of falling, that she wouldn’t even step onto the beams. She threw tantrums and complained a lot. Baba believed that she would get over her fear. He was right! Wheeeee! Dipa was cartwheeling. Whoooosh! She was sailing through the air. Baba and her coach Soma Nandi were so happy. When Dipa turned nine, she participated in the balancing beam event in the 2002 Northeastern Games. And guess what? Dipa won the gold medal! What a golden moment for her. This win meant a lot to her and Baba. She was no longer a reluctant gymnast. Dipa still had to work hard. She was flat-footed, which means that the soles of her feet didn’t have the usual natural curve. Flat feet affect how a gymnast runs, and how she lands on her feet during jumps. But Dipa had come so far — she decided she would not give up. Her coach Soma Nandi introduced her to Guruji, Bishweswar Nandi, who took over her training. Soon, she was doing special exercises that helped her feet develop an arch. Gymnastics has never been popular in India. It did not matter to Dipa that she did not have the best infrastructure or space to train in. Guruji created equipment with scooter parts to serve as springboards. Crash mats were piled on top of one another to become her vaulting platform, and seats from old cars became her landing space. Dipa’s days were busy! Dipa ran. She jumped. Twisted and turned. She did rolls and stands on her head. For eight hours a day. Her bones ached and her muscles were painfully sore. She was moody, hungry and very tired. Like most children, Dipa loved ice cream. But she was put on a strict diet. She sometimes had to live and train in a sports hostel, far from home. And on top of all of that, she had exams! Did she mind working so hard? No, she did not! All Dipa wanted was to win medals. And become the best. The years went by and Dipa won all the junior and national titles she competed in. However, she didn’t win anything at the 2010 Commonwealth Games. Ashish Kumar became the first Indian gymnast to win medals at that event — it was a proud moment for India. Dipa was inspired by this win. She was determined to do better. Four years later, Dipa won the bronze at the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games. And also at the 2015 Hiroshima Asian Gymnastics Championship. It was so thrilling to stand on the winners’ podium! So far, Dipa had won 77 medals, and that included 67 gold ones! But Guruji wanted her to make a mark in the international arena — she had to perfect something that hadn’t been attempted by most gymnasts. Something bold. And dangerous. Guruji trained her to do the Produnova vault. It was named after the first woman who mastered it — Yelena Sergeyevna Produnova. Only four other women in the world had landed this extremely dangerous manoeuvre. In 2016, Dipa was 23 and she was ready to show her skills to the world at the Rio Olympics. The country waited eagerly to see her win a medal. And she missed! She missed winning a medal by just 0.15 point. But her performance left everyone awestruck. As Dipa began training for the next Olympics, she also had a new plan up her sleeve. She wanted to create a new gymnastic manoeuvre. When Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci met her, she said, ""Good for India to have a role model in Dipa Karmakar… I hope kids look up to her and take up gymnastics because that is how we all started."" Dipa continues to make India proud. (Dipa with her coach Bishweswar Nandi) Dipa Karmakar was born on August 9, 1993, in Agartala. She was the first Indian female gymnast to compete in the Olympics. Dipa participated in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio and is one of only five women to successfully land the dangerous Produnova vault. She was five when her father Dulal Karmakar, a national weightlifting champion, initiated her early training. Soma Nandi was Dipa’s first coach and then her training was taken over by Bishweswar Nandi, a national gymnastic champion. Dipa has been conferred the Khel Ratna award and is a Padma Shri recipient. " FKB-Jokes-Book-1-by-Zehn-CC-NC-BY.txt,"Why did the teddy bear say no to dessert? Because she was stuffed. Why did the student eat his homework? Because the teacher told him it was a piece of cake! Why was 6 afraid of 7? Because 7, 8 (ate), 9 What is a witch’s favorite subject in school? Spelling! What kind of tree fits in your hand? A palm tree! Why was the baby strawberry crying? Because her mom and dad were in a jam. Where would you find an elephant? The same place you lost her! How do we know that the ocean is friendly? It waves! What’s worse than finding a worm in your apple? Finding half a worm. What was the first animal in space? The cow that jumped over the moon Https:// What did the banana say to the dog? Nothing. Bananas can’t talk. Https:// " 026-THE-HIKE-Free-Childrens-Book-By-Monkey-Pen.txt,"Mandy was lucky as she and her mother lived with her grandparents and she liked nothing better than to spend time with her grandfather. You see, he was always making something and she enjoyed watching, learning, and sometimes even helping him finish whatever he was doing. ""Grandfather, what are you building in your workshop today?"" Mandy asked. She giggled as she said, ""It looks like you’re playing with two long sticks."" ""Well Mandy,"" he said. ""I am going to make two walking sticks with your help, one for you, and one for me. Then I have a surprise."" ""Alright!"" Mandy shrieked. ""Where do I start?"" After some time, Mandy (with her grandfather’s help) finished the walking sticks. they were two of the most beautiful walking sticks she had ever seen. With the bark removed, they were sandedsmoothand eachhad a funny looking face carved in them.""Theseare really nice,"" Mandy said. ""But just what dowe do with them?"" ""Ah, that is the surprisegranddaughter,"" he replied. ""Tomorrowmorning we are going on a hike in the woods andthese walking sticks will help make the hike easier.So now it’s time to clean up andgo to sleep so we are well rested for the hike."" The next morning, Mandy did not need an alarm to wake her. She was up, dressed, and ready to go as the sun rose and the day began. She went to the kitchen and saw that her grandfather was busy packing sandwiches, water, snacks, and other items into their backpacks. ""It looks like we are going to be hiking for a long time,"" Mandy said. ""It will be an all day hike,"" He replied. ""I think we have everything so grab your walking stick and let’s go."" ""What about breakfast?"" Mandy asked. ""Oh, did I forget to mention that we are going to stop and have breakfast at a diner?"" he said with a smile. Their journey began. After a great breakfast and a long drive, they arrived at the base of a mountain and the beginning of the trail. ""This is beautiful,"" Mandy said. ""Just where are we hiking?"" ""To the very top of the mountain where we will have lunch, rest, maybe take a swim, and then hike back down,"" he replied. ""Swim!"" Mandy said excitedly. ""Is there a lake on the top of the mountain?"" ""Yes,"" her Grandfather replied. ""There is a pond surrounded by big flat rocks. It was carved from the mountain during the last Ice Age and is filled with clear, cold water."" ""Wow!"" was all Mandy could say. As they hiked up the mountain, Mandy asked many, many questions. What kind of tree is that? How high are we? Are there bears around here? Are there any other people up here? What do we do if we get lost? Are there snakes? And of course: Are we there yet? Her grandfather answered all her questions the best he could and explained that they were in a very natural area. Not many people, all sorts of wild life, even bears. He helped her understand and respect the natural beauty around them, particularly the animals. He taught her how to use a compass, and things to help them be safer while they hiked. Like before stepping over a log put your walking stick on the other side to let any animal, like a snake, know you are there. Whistle a song or make some noise to let the bigger animals know you are in their area. In a soft voice, her grandfather said. ""Mandy, there are a few things to remember when you are hiking or anywhere for that matter. The Earth is our mother take care of her. All life is sacred; treat all life with respect. Take from the Earth what is needed and nothing more. Enjoy your journey but leave no tracks."" As they hiked a little farther, the forest opened and Mandy saw the pond surrounded by large flat rocks. They had arrived, and it was almost like being in a different world. Mandy picked a large rock that extended out into the water for them to rest on. It had been warmed by the sun and was the perfect place for lunch. As her grandfather unpacked their food, she leaned over and wiggled her fingers in the cold water. Immediately several small fish came by and nibbled at her fingers. She shrieked in surprise and then, realizing the fish were just curious, placed her hand back into the water and watched as the fish darted around her fingers. She laughed and played with the fish until she heard her grandfather say ""Time for lunch."" After lunch and a resting period, they took a swim. The water was deep and Mandy couldn’t reach the bottom no matter how hard she tried. She giggled each time a curious fish nibbled at her body and watched a deer come down to have a drink. It was a wonderful day and she was saddened when she heard her grandfather say, ""Mandy, it’s time to dry off and begin the hike down to the car."" After making sure everything was just like it was when they arrived, they began their hike down the mountain. After a short time Mandy asked, ""grandfather, can we take a different trail down the mountain?"" ""I don’t see why not,"" he replied. After a short time, the trail began blending into the surrounding brush and then disappeared. ""I’m scared,"" Mandy said. ""I think we are lost."" ""No, we’re not lost,"" her grandfather, said. ""But we aren’t on a trail so we will have to continue hiking down the mountain in the direction of the car. Just enjoy the surroundings and being together on our first hiking adventure."" As they continued down Mandy said. ""Grandfather, I have a problem at school and I don’t know who to talk to,"" ""Talk to me,"" he said. ""I’d like to but you are my grandfather and you may get angry because you are family and not, well, like a friend."" Now Mandy’s grandfather had to do some serious thinking. After all, she was right that as her grandfather, he may get angry or his feelings hurt but she needed a big person as a friend. ""Mandy,"" he said in a serious tone. ""If I were to promise that anything we talked about would stay between us, and that I would not get angry or talk to you as your grandfather, but rather as an old friend; would you talk with me?"" ""Is that a promise?"" she asked. ""Yes,"" he said softly. ""And you know I have never broken a promise to you."" She gave him a big hug, and began to talk. Soon they were at the bottom of the mountain and packing the car. Before leaving, her grandfather thought for a minute and said. ""Granddaughter, anytime you need me as your friend, and not your grandfather, pick up your walking stick and ask to go on a hike. It will be our secret code."" ""This was the best day ever,"" Mandy said. ""I was with my grandfather, my new best friend, and I have a talking/walking stick."" " 021-DO-YOU-WONDER-ABOUT-RAIN-SNOW-SLEET-AND-HAIL-Free-Childrens-Book-By-Monkey-Pen.txt,"Hi, I am Professor Mois Ture and I will be telling you about water. You can call it RAIN. You can call it SNOW. You can call it SLEET. You can call it HAIL. But it’s WATER all the same. Did you ever wonder how old water is or where it comes from? The answers may surprise you. The next time you see a pond or even a glass of water, think about how old that water might be. Do you really want to know ? I thought you did. Did you brush your teeth this morning? Well, some of the water that you used could have fallen from the sky yesterday, or a week, or month ago. It’s pretty new. But, some part of that water is very old and was around during the time of the dinosaurs, or even longer. Or maybe it’s a little newer; like from the time when the Pharaohs were building pyramids. You see there is only a limited amount of water and it gets recycled. Yep! It keeps going round and round. We call it the ""Water Cycle."" Yes – You have a question? No – It’s not like a jet-ski or a bicycle for water. It is nothing you can ride. It is how water keeps going round and round. Let me explain First, I would like to say that water is very important. Imagine an empty lake. The fish would be very unhappy. Imagine an empty ocean. Your day at the beach would be like going to a desert. And since you are mostly made up of water - let’s just say you would be a lot lighter. The Water Cycle has 4 parts. Evaporation, Condensation Precipitation, Collection Evaporation When the water in an ocean, a lake, a pond, a river, or a stream is heated by the sun, it turns into vapor or steam. It then floats into the air. Of course, when you are out on a hot day, or you exercise, you sweat. Well, guess what! That evaporates too. What about those drops of dew on leaves, or the grass? Yes - They too evaporate and become a part of the Water Cycle. Condensation As the water vapor gets cooled, it changes back into a liquid and turns into clouds. Precipitation When the air in the clouds cannot hold any more liquid, it falls back to the ground. It returns in different ways, depending on the temperature and where it comes down. It can fall as rain. Or, it can fall as snow. (Did you know that no two snowflakes are the same?) It can return as sleet, which is like rain that has almost frozen. Or it can come as hail. Those frozen balls of rain that can actually break windows and dent cars. Collection No matter how it comes down, it is collected and stored. It can fall into the ocean, lake, pond, river, or stream. If it lands on the ground, it may roll into a river or be sucked up by the soil. It may even pass through the ground to an underground lake or river to be used later. Now, what happens tomorrow when the sun comes out? That’s right. The Water Cycle starts over again. Oops,!…the sun is out! But don’t worry, Professor Mois Ture will return. After all, I am a part of the Water Cycle. Evaporation - Condensation- Precipitation - Collection " baby-babble_FKB-3-17.txt,"Which shoes? You choose! Please, please! More peas! Num-num? Yum-yum! All gone! Full tum. Sore, sore . . . Teeth are sore. Nice, nice! Ice is nice. Who’s there? Teddy bear! Where’s dum-dum? Baby sad. There’s dum-dum! Baby glad. Splish, splosh! Time to wash. Night night, sleep tight! " Joe-and-the-Real-Yellow-Wellingtons-.txt,"Joe looked out of the window. It was raining. Snozel was fast asleep in his basket. Come on, said Joe. Lets go for a walk in the rain. Snozel looked out of the window. He did not want to go out in the rain. Snozel pretended to be asleep. That never works thought Snozel as Joe put Snozels lead on and pulled him out of his nice warm basket. Snozel then pretended to Outside it was raining. go lame in the hall. Everything was wet wet wet. That did not work either. Soon Snozel became very wet. Snozel looked at Joe. As they walked down the street Joe was dry. past the post box Snozel thought Joe was wearing a big yellow about his cold wet feet.... hat, a big red coat and big yellow wellington boots. Real yellow wellingtons Why can't I have real yellow wellingtons Stand upon there own, thought Snozel, he started thinking They astound you Dumbfound you, about yellow wellingtons They throw themselves At you, They display An array, Of tempestuous Abandon, And show out There owner, To be of Good taste, So never despair Rush out for A pair, And show The whole world, You're A swell. Half way down the street they met Hello Sprag, said Joe Sprags feet walking towards them. They could not see the rest of Sprag as he was covered by a big umbrella. Sprag lifted up the umbrella. Hello Joe, said Sprag then pulled the umbrella down again and carried on walking up the street. Joe and Snozel arrived outside Banners Snozels ears pricked up. cake shop. He looked with new interest They looked in through the window. at the cakes in the window. Now what cakes shall we have for tea, said Joe. They went into the shop. There were all sorts of cakes, chocolate eclairs, cream buns, coffee cake, angel cake, jam roll and Snozels favourite, big sticky jam doughnuts. Four cream buns, said Joe to the Four ! Thought Snozel, Four ! He shop assistant. is not buying any for me. He looks a Joe with big round eyes and gave a small whimper. Joe put the cakes in a bag to carry Joe looked up. And one big sticky home. jam doughnut, said Joe. Snozel slowly and very sadly Snozel felt very happy. turned to go out the shop door. Snozel was carrying a bag with his Who minds a little rain, thought big sticky jam doughnut bun in it. Snozel, when there is a big sticky As they splashed through the jam doughnut for tea. puddles Snozel realised it was still raining. " handmade-in-india-FKB-stories.txt,"Handmade in India If you travel around India from NORTH to SOUTH and from EAST to WEST,you will see people making things everywhere - in the fields, beside the road, in open doorways, and on verandahs. They make things to eat, to wear, to sell and to help build India and its people. And it’s all there for everyone to see... * Map of India on next page not to scale Here are two Himachali women I met when I was walking in the Himalayan Mountains in Himachal Pradesh in the NORTH. Do you know what these women are doing? I have painted them with sheep because they are using SHEEP’S WOOL for what they are making. One woman SPINS the wool to make it into an even thread. The other is KNITTING a multi-coloured, woolly jumper. Wool can be dyed all the colours of the rainbow. But I rather like the woman who is wearing a natural coloured outfit-it’s the same colour as the brown sheep. This is a sight you see all over India : Women collecting water from a well to drink and cook with. These women are from Haryana in the NORTH. Well water is usually the cleanest and safest water to drink as it comes straight from deep under the ground, far from all the pollution that can seep into surface water. These women are wearing the typical North Indian dress- the Salwar Kameez. Look at how well they balance two pots of water on their heads. Could you do that? I saw this man at work sitting outside his workshop in Karnataka in the SOUTH. He is a sculptor and he is using a hammer and a chisel to make an image of a god out of stone. Can you guess which one?* I have painted all the tools he uses for his work. I think they make interesting shapes all lined up together. Surrounding him are other sculptures he has made - of animals and people. Do you recognize any of them? *Ganesh On the edge of a forest in KARNATAKA I came across these women collecting FIREWOOD. They are wandering gypsies from a tribe called the BANJARA tribe. Look at the heavy jewellery they wear. But even HEAVIER must be these huge bundles of sticks they are carrying. Can you see how they have wound up pieces of cloth into a tight circle and placed it on their heads to help them balance the load? This also protects them from any thorns or spikes the sticks may have. Can you guess what fruit is growing on the trees? These women are also from KARNATAKA and they are helping MAKE one of the most important things to eat in India - RICE. Rice grows in flooded fields called PADDY FIELDS . Here the women are ankledeep in the paddies replanting the RICE SAPLINGS at regular intervals so that the rice will grow strong and healthy. Can you see how the women have tied up their sarees so that their clothes don’t get wet in the water? I think their backs must ache by the end of the day, don’t you? I saw these men mending a railway track in Goa on the SOUTH-WEST coast of India. Can you see all the different tools they use? I like the fact that the workers’ uniforms use the colours of the Indian flag: orange, white and green. Can you see the man who is in charge of all the workers? I made the railway into the shape of a clock as trains have to be on time. I visited a village in Odisha in the EAST entirely made up of craftspeople. Everybody was sitting outside their houses and workshops MAKING things. This lady is a papier- mache painter. She has painted, amongst other things, some brightly coloured images of JAGANNATH. Do you know who he is? He is Krishna by another name. Look at all the different patterns and the different colours the painter uses. She hopes to sell her wares to tourists and pilgrims. I like her elephant masks best, do you? Beside a dusty village road in Bengal in the EAST, I came upon this man - called a ‘thathera’* - beating tin strips into a bucket shape. First he decorated the tin by puncturing holes in its surface with a pin to make interesting patterns. Then he rolled the metal into a cylinder (as he is doing here) and making a great racket, he bashed the two ends together with small pins. Finally he attached the base of the bucket in the same way. They look very pretty, don’t you think? *This is the word in Hindi These people are making BRICKS. I like the way the name stamped on the brick is GOLD, as if they were nuggets of gold instead of bricks made out of baked earth. Here the women are taking some specially prepared BRICK CLAY and are shaping it in the rectangular wooden moulds. They slice off any excess clay with a strip of metal. Bricks are baked in a special oven called a KILN and the entire process of making a brick takes 25 DAYS. These ovens have tall, thin, tower-like chimneys. You can see these CHIMNEYS all over India, dotting the countryside. I saw these brickmakers in BENGAL. Travelling through BENGAL, I passed a lot of small, round ponds called Pukurs. There I saw these FISHERWOMEN carrying their round NETS with the day’s catch in the little BASKETS which they strap to their heads. I watched them catch fish. A group of women stood up to their waists in WATER, forming a row in the pond. They each splashed the water vigorously holding the bamboo rim of their nets. Then, altogether, they would dip their nets lower into the water, and, altogether, scoop up any fish. I have painted the fish their actual size. People like to eat them fried and crispy. Would you? I went to a wedding in RAJASTHAN in the WEST and I watched a huge wedding feast being prepared. These women were MAKING CHAPATIS. They sat in a circle, each person helping with one stage of the chapati making. So the first lady sieved the flour through a metal sheet with lots of holes in it. Another, adding water, kneaded it into dough with her fist. The next separated the dough into little balls, ready for the final rolling out into a chapati shape. A large plate of ready rolled chapatis was then whisked off into the kitchen to be cooked for the wedding feast. These women are ROAD BUILDERS. I saw them flattening out some rocky ground in RAJASTHAN. They used their picks and shovels to help clear a pathway through the desert. Later, a proper road for cars and trucks will be laid down. These women come from the RABARI tribe in Rajasthan. I was particularly struck by the colourful clothes they wore and the strength these women had to do this very hard work. Which lady is wearing the most bangles? And can you spot a tiffin box? " Tanias-New-Bicycle.txt,"Tania's New Bicycle Tania was now quite adept at riding her tricycle. She was getting a little too big for it. Mama and papa thought it was time for her to graduate to a bicycle now. On Sunday mama and papa took Tania to the cycle store. It was a huge store, with a large selection of cycles. There were big cycles and small cycles of many different colours. Some had bells, and some had pretty bicycle baskets attached. Tania and her parents looked around the store for a while. Tania tried out a few different cycles. They all finally agreed on a very cute, blue, small children's bicycle. It was perfectly suited for Tania. Mama also bought some training wheels and a helmet so Tania could use the bike safely. When they got back from the store Tania helped papa attach the training wheels to the cycle with a screwdriver. Then she put on her helmet and got on the bike. With the training wheels on, the bicycle was no harder to ride than the tricycle she had before. Tania had a wonderful time riding around the housing society. The bike had a bell that would make a loud RRRINNG! sound and Tania enjoyed using it before turning a corner. After about a week Tania seemed quite comfortable with the new bike and mama thought it was time to take off the training wheels. When Tania got on the bike without any training wheels it wobbled a lot. Mama assured her she would hold on behind. But once Tania seemed to have got her balance mama let go. Unfortunately it was a big step, and as soon as Tania realised mama was not holding, she got scared and lost her balance and fell off. The area in the housing society, where she was riding was a hard paved surface. Tania bruised her arms and knees quite badly. But worse than the pain from the wounds was the fright and shock. Tania cried miserably and felt betrayed by mama and the cycle she had grown so fond of. Mama took her upstairs, cleaned her wounds and put band-aids on them. The wounds healed over the next week but Tania would not touch her bike again. Mama realised she had pushed Tania too hard and felt really bad about it. She wondered what she should do. She gave it some thought and came up with an idea. But first she let a week pass by to give Tania some time to recover. Then one day Mama took Tania to a nearby park for a picnic. It was a lovely park with beautiful trees and wide expanse of grass for Tania to run around on. Mama played a lot of ball and frisbee with Tania and Tania had a great time running around on the grass. She fell down a few times but she barely noticed. They spread out a table cloth on the grass and enjoyed a tasty snack-lunch. During lunch mama said ""Tania, I am proud of you. You fell down a few times today and dint cry."" ""I know mama. The grass is so soft and springy. I dint get hurt. I had a lot of fun. Thanks for bringing me. The lunch is delicious too."" Mama said tentatively, ""Tania, you think you could try riding your bike on the grass. It wont hurt if you fall. And this time I promise I wont let go without telling you. It was wrong of me to do that. I am really sorry baby."" Tania looked doubtful. But a part of her really wanted to learn to ride that lovely blue bicycle. She said, ""You promise not to let go till I say it is okay?"" ""Yes honey. I promise. What do you say? Should we give it a shot?"" A couple of days later mama took Tania to the park again and Tania got on her bicycle. After a few minutes she gathered the courage to ask mama to let go. Mama did. Tania fell again but she did not hurt herself much and she had braced herself for it so it was not a nasty surprise. She got back on the bike. On the third attempt she was able to go a few meters without falling. It gave her a sense of achievement. Now she was eager to keep trying till she got reasonably good at it. In about an hour Tania could ride quite well. Mama brought her back to the park for the next couple of days. By day three Tania was confident and ready to try the paved trail in the park. She rode beautifully. Mama was so proud of her. Tania now felt ready to ride with her friends in the housing society. Good going Tania! " 23451-coding-is-everywhere.txt,"Coding Is Everywhere Everyone is talking about coding! So, what is it? Coding is like a super secret language... ... but you don't have to be a superhero or a secret agent to use it. Anyone can code! Everyone can code! Code is written on a computer. It helps make amazing things all around us. Coding is used to create many of your favorite movies and video games. It helps design buildings, bridges, and amusement park rides. Coding is even used to make flying robots, self- driving cars, and machines that help doctors save lives! Want to know the real secret about coding? It isn’t a secret at all! All you need to start coding is a computer and your curiosity! What will you code? Get started coding: " how-does-the-toothpaste-get-into-the-tube.txt,"How Does the Toothpaste Get into the Tube? The year was 1870. New London, Connecticut, United States. 7 am. Kids were tumbling out of bed, their mothers hurrying them to clean their teeth, handing them tooth sticks and jars of toothpaste. What? Did I just say – ""Toothsticks""? That’s right. They used toothsticks to clean their teeth back in 1870. A toothstick was simply a twig with a frayed end. Some lucky kids had twigs with boar hair tied to one end for that extra shine. And what was that other thing I said? ""Jars of toothpaste""? That’s right. Toothpaste tubes were not invented yet. They only had jars. And every bleary eyed kid started her day by dipping a toothstick into a porcelain jar filled with toothpaste. Actually, into the same porcelain jar that every other member of the family dipped their toothstick into. Including that visiting grand aunt with yellow and black teeth, whose toothstick matched her teeth. One morning, a disgusted cry went up in a dentist’s house. ""E It was Dr. Sheffield’s son Lucius, who refused to dip into the jar anymore and decided to use tooth powder henceforth. But a thought remained in his mind – there must be a better way to use toothpaste. A few years later, Lucius went to Paris to study the science of dentistry. There, he saw artists squeezing paint from metal tubes on to their paintbrushes. Why couldn't the same type of tube be used to hold toothpaste?! He rushed back home and shared this idea with his father, who thought that it was just totally awesome. There was just that little matter of figuring out how to get the toothpaste from a jar into the tube through that little opening. How do you think Lucius could fill toothpaste into an empty tube? Have you had a bad morning when you squeezed way too much paste in your half asleep state? And you see that there’s toothpaste all over the sink and your mother is reminding you that the school bus will be at the doorstep in twenty minutes, and the last thing you want is for her to flip when she sees the mess you’ve made? How would you go about putting the toothpaste back into the tube? Now, what do you think Lucius and his father used to fill a tube with toothpaste? A ear bud? Or a really tiny spoon? A toothpick? It was not as messy as you’d expect, because the way Dr. Sheffield and his team did it was without opening the cap! That’s right, they kept the cap screwed on tight, and opened up the other end! It’s definitely easier to fill a tube from the larger end, especially if you have something to pump the paste with, like a syringe. After that, all you have to do is seal the end tight so that the paste will not leak. Today, toothpaste tubes are filled using machines. All the empty tubes are lined up on a conveyer belt with their caps downwards and the unsealed end pointing up. A big container filled with toothpaste is fixed above the conveyor belt. From a nozzle at the bottom of the container, the toothpaste is let into each of these tubes as they move along the conveyor belt. But the paste is not filled all the way to the brim. About half an inch is left so that it can be sealed. Now the tube is ready to be squeezed! Ancient Indian wisdom for good teeth Many people in India use datun, the twig of a neem or babool tree, instead of a factory-made brush. Datun keeps teeth and gums healthy. But do you know which the best brush in the world is? Your fingers, say dentists! Great for the teeth and gums. Have you tried tooth powder? What are the different smells that you can detect in it? Herbs and spices that are good for teeth include mint, clove, cinnamon, black pepper and tulsi. Eating fibrous fruits and vegetables, like apples and carrots, is good for cleaning teeth. Fun with toothpaste caps " who-takes-the-train_en_FKB.txt,"Ntembiso Velemane Mabel Mnensa Carla Latsky Today is Beach Day! Naledi is going on the train for the first time. ""Who takes the train?"" Naledi asks. ""Let’s wait and see,"" Mom says. ""Look, Mom!"" Naledi whispers. ""Hello little girl, do you want to say hi?"" Naledi looks at Mom. Mom nods. ""Yes please!"" says Naledi. ""Chocolates! Chocolates!"" ""Please can I get one?"" Naledi asks. ""We need to leave space in your tummy for the ice-cream at the beach,"" Mom says. ""Why are you wearing pyjamas?"" Naledi asks. ""We do karate."" Kapow! ""Like this!"" ""Oh, look! A soldier."" ""No,"" Mom says, ""that is a sailor. She is from the navy."" ""Mom! Drummers!"" ""Listen, Naledi,"" Mom says. ""The drums beat to the sound of the train."" ""Do you want to dance with us?"" the drummer asks. ""We are getting off at the next stop,"" Mom tells Naledi who is now tired. ""So, what kind of people take the train?"" Mom asks. ""The best kind,"" Naledi says. " FKB_Learn-Sight-Words-Print_friendly-Dont_Be_a_Bully.txt,"Don't Be A Bully :-) From the Learn Sight Words Series Bullies are horrible! Danielle Bruckert Zehnya Bruckert Learn Sight Words Don't Be A Bully Learn Sight Words Series Published by Red Sky Ventures Compiled by Danielle Bruckert © Dec 2016 This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike43.0 License. This text is free for distribution and use, please share! Any use of this material must be shared in the same or similar manner. Any use of this material must be attributed to: Free Kids Books – Contact the CREATOR/COMPILOR: danielle@redskyventures.org More books like this one are available at This book is part of the FKB Make a Difference project Gerty Goat says: Don't Be a Bully! Colin Cow says: Be fair to everyone, no matter what! Patty Penguin says: Treat every person the way you want to be treated. Leo Lion says: Don't judge people for their beliefs or abilities. Wally Walrus says: Support and help others! Peter Panda says: Be honest, but, be kind! Harry Hippo says: Never put someone down! Baba Bear says: Sharing is caring! Not everyone has fsh. Carly Cat says: Hate hurts; Love heals! And Zenna Zebra says: Don't Discriminate*! *""disriminate"" means putting someone down ot treating them unfairly for their differences. Words in this book be a to the you for and is don't no or but what want way their put down bully fair everyone matter treat everyone Treated judge people beliefs abilities support help others never someone down hate hurts love heals sharing caring honest kind Discriminate ABOUT ANTI-BULLYING and ANTI-DISCRIMINATION Ask children to come up with ideas for each page on how they can follow through with the concepts suggested, and why it makes a difference: Don't be a bully. Be fair to everyone no matter what. Treat everyone the way you want to be treated. Don't judge people for their beliefs or abilities. Support and help others. Never put someone down. Hate hurts; Love heals. Sharing is caring. Be honest, but be kind. Don't discriminate. Talk about what discrimation means, and what types of discrimination can be present, for example: Discrimination because of gender, disability, race, or religion. Talk about being all-inclusive, and what it means. Look at ways people can be insensitive about race, disability, religion, or gender without thinking. Comment on the following and what is wrong with them: ""Cars are for boys."" ""Pink is for girls."" ""God only loves Christians."" Bullies are horrible! SHARING AND CARING ACTIVITIES – from Book 2 HOW TO BE HAPPY Ask children to come up with ideas for each page on how they can follow through with the concepts suggested, and why it makes a difference: Worry less; Dance more! Take less; Give more! Consume less; Create more! Frown less, Smile more! Talk less; Listen more! Fear less; Try more! Judge less; Accept more! Watch less; Do more! Complain less; Appreciate more! Always be nice. Appreciate more: Talk about what it means to appreciate, and have children write a list of all the things they appreciate in life. Consume Less: Discuss sustainability and reduce, reuse, recycle concepts, ask the children to write down ideas to reduce waste, have a green day where children don't produce any waste. Give more: Research some child welfare charities and discuss ideas of how to contribute, for example a fund rasising day or project at school. Give More! SHARING AND CARING ACTIVITIES from Book 1 – ALAYS BE NICE Ask children to come up with ideas for each page on how they can follow through with the actions: Always be nice. Be kind to others. Don't let others feel left out. Think about others feelings. Don't be mean, Use kind words. Help out when you can. Sharing is Caring Always say ""Please"". Don't forget ""Thank-you"". Have a star chart and give children stars whenever another child or sibling notices their caring and sharing behaviour. Ask children to think about how their behaviour makes others feel when they don't follow these rules. Ask children if they can think of a time when they didn't follow these rules. How could they change their behaviour to make the situation better. Alwaye be nice! " The-Best-Thing-Ever-3-18.txt,"Muzi loves to build things. He dreams of building the best thing ever. Once he built a shelter for his toys. But it wasn’t the best thing ever. Yesterday he built a bridge It was a good thing. for his animals. But not the best… Today Muzi is going to visit uGogo. He is sad. Without his toys, how can he build the best thing ever? At the bus stop, Muzi is amazed. He sees red things and blue things. Small things and big things. New things and old things. Muzi has a new idea for building the best thing ever. On the road to uGogo’s, Muzi finds many things. Long things and short things. Round things and square things. By the riverside, Muzi finds more things. Soft things and pointy things. Green things and brown things. Look, Muzi! We are here. While uGogo bakes for the hungry travellers… Muzi builds. Look Gogo, a new house for you. Oh, Muzi, laughs Gogo. This is the best thing ever! Gogo, Gogo! says Muzi. The world is full of toys. Look what I can build. " Animals-in-the-City.txt,"Animals in the City It’s easy to see animals in the zoo. But if you look around in the city, animals are everywhere! Pigeons are everywhere in the city, picking up food on the streets. Raccoons live in the city too. Sometimes they look for food in the trash. This moose walked all the way from the forest into someone’s front yard ! This swan is crossing the street to get back to the lake. In some cities, horses help the police keep people safe. In other cities, elephants give people rides on the streets. There are lots of animals in the city. What animal will you see next? " Lumberjack-Mack-.txt,"Not so long ago, in a village very close to here. Was a forest filled with birds, raccoon, and deer. Now the hero of our story is Lumberjack Mack A burly woodsman who piles firewood by the stack. Now old man winter blew in, it was a very cold breeze. ""If I don’t do something,"" Mack declared ""I swear I’ll Freeze!"" So he grabbed his axe. ONE swing, TWO swings, and Three! Down fell one mighty tree! ""Excellent!"" Mack cried ""Oh yes, very good!"" ""This winter I will not run out of firewood!"" The next day came and brought a terrible icy storm, But Mack stayed in bed all snuggled and warm. The wind was fierce. It blew in his roof and huffed down his door, ""I don’t have enough wood to fix this! I’ll have to cut some more."" Axe in hand, Mack took ONE swing, TWO swings, THREE swings the same. And down, down, two more mighty trees came. The next spring came; it was time for the village feast. ""I need wood to build tables and chairs, but I’m down to my last piece!"" Trusty axe in tow, Mack took swing after swing, day after day. But not before long, ALL the trees had been cleared away!! ""YOU FOOL!"" all the forest animals mocked and jeered. ""You should have planted new trees to replace the ones you’ve cleared."" ""I know what to do!"" Mack shouted as he ran into town. There he bought saplings to plant in the ground. The animals jeers turned to happy cheers, as the forest grew and grew. And Lumberjack Mack was thrilled he did the right thing too. So today in the village that is very near to here, There’s still a forest filled with birds, raccoons, and deer. I know what you’re thinking; Yes, Mack still uses firewood by the stack. But now he plants new trees, so the forest always grows back. The End " Up-World-Down-World.txt,"Up World, Down World Fatima loved Sunday afternoons. After a lunch of beans and kofta, Maa would read the newspaper on her favourite chair and Baba would sneak away to take a nap. Fatima could patter away with her book into the lively green forest near her house. The forest creatures would be sleeping, so it would be just her, curled up in the quiet hug of the forest trees. Fatima would sit down in the shade of the Arjuna tree and gaze into the leafy Up World. Maa had warned her not to climb the tree’s branches. It was safe down below. Fatima didn’t know what was in the scary Up World. But that day, Fatima was in for a surprise. As she turned a page, Fatima felt a dull THUMP! on her head. ""Ouch!"" she yelled, rubbing her sore head. It was a tiny book, barely the size of a pea. Fatima looked up and saw a furry animal trying to hide behind a bough of leaves. ""Hello! Is this book yours?"" she asked, peering into the Up World. But she got no answer. The pea-sized book belonged to Gopa, a young dormouse who lived in the Up World. Gopa’s little house, made of soft dry leaves and twigs, was in the Arjuna tree as well. The dormouse had often seen Fatima reading, and loved the yellow ribbons in her hair. But Gopa’s Amma had warned her about the terrors of the Down World. All the animals were fearful of Fatima and other human beings and tried to remain invisible to the Down World. That Sunday, Gopa had been swinging on her green, leafy hammock and reading. She was about to turn the last page when a strong breeze blew the book out of her small, furry paws. Down it went! It bounced on the branches and floated away. The book fell THWACK! and hit Fatima on her head. Gopa’s tail quivered and ears twitched. The Up and Down World should never meet, she thought and bolted home. Fatima didn’t climb the tree but kept squinting and trying to read the book. The letters were too small! Finally, she decided to return the book to the shadowy, furry creature. Fatima was really clever – next Sunday she tied five shiny, red balloons around her waist and suddenly, she was floating up. To the Up World! Up, Up, and Up went Fatima, until she reached the tree tops. Gopa was brushing her bushy tail when she spotted five, shiny red balloons! ""Oh, balloons! Maybe it is someone’s birthday,"" she thought excitedly. But what was this? There was the girl with the yellow ribbons attached to the shiny, red balloons. ""Run, run away!"" squeaked Gopa, ""The Down World humans are here!"" But Fatima was faster. Fatima offered Gopa the book and asked, ""Is this yours?"" Gopa grabbed the book quickly and smiled. Fatima giggled. She caught Gopa staring at her ribbons and tied one in a neat bow around her tail. Fatima and Gopa held hands and went off exploring! Fatima and Gopa ran and skipped over the gaps in the trees of the canopy forest. They bugged Baankey the fruit bat, who was sleeping upside down. Baankey did not like being poked. He grunted grumpily, and flapped away to the next branch. ""These kids will never let me rest,"" he thought. Soon he was away in Dreamsville, where he was hanging out in a fig tree, biting into the fleshy, sweet fruits. Gopa helped Fatima hop over the long lines of weaver ants who were too busy to even stop and say hello. With long spindly legs and bubble-shaped bodies, the weaver ants scampered all over the tree. These ants love teams! They work together to stitch large leaves into cozy nests. Next, they bumped into Firki the canopy frog. ""He looks like a rainbow,"" thought Fatima. ""Yellow feet, red eyes, and a blue body!"" Firki was so surprised to see a human in his canopy that he almost let go of his strong grip on the branch! He croaked a weak hello and turned to pounce on his lunch – a grasshopper! ""I thought only the Down World had frogs,"" said Fatima, who loved chasing frogs around her house pond. Hari the Hornbill was watching them from a distance. He really wanted to be friends with them! Hari was a friendly bird but he made very loud noises, which is why some animals kept him at a distance. But Gopa and Fatima didn’t mind at all. ""The Up World isn’t so scary after all,"" thought Fatima. ""How silly I was."" ""The people from the Down World are pretty cool,"" thought Gopa. ""I am not frightened anymore."" ""Sob! Sniff."" ""Uh, oh, I think Vaidya is crying,"" said Gopa. Her sharp ears picked up sounds easily. The two friends hurried towards Vaidya, a green vine snake, who was very shy. ""What is wrong, Vaidya?"" asked Gopa. Vaidya sobbed, looking greener than usual. ""They cut down the tree that was my home. Now I don’t know where to go,"" he cried. Baankey, Dipu and other animals also popped out of their homes. Vaidya was homeless. ""A new, concrete road is going to be built and humans cut down my tree,"" wailed Vaidya. Cutting down their home! The Up World was alarmed and upset. ""We must help Vaidya,"" said Gopa. Fatima, Gopa and their new friends formed a search party. They searched and searched and found a snug tree-hole home for Vaidya. Fatima layered the home with soft leaves and orange flowers, Vaidya’s favourite colour. Vaidya loved his new home. ""I can’t believe I have so many friends! We need to have a party,"" he said. And what a party it was. Everyone got their favourite food. Gopa got nuts, Hari got fruits, Baankey was too sleepy to get anything, the ants brought home-stitched, leafy cushions to sit on! Nobody wanted Firki’s grasshoppers. As for Fatima, she had to get the balloons. For the first time ever, the Up World and the Down World were just One World. Meet Fatima’s Friends in the Up World Gopa and her friends live in the vast forest canopies of India. That means they don’t live in the Down World, like us human beings. Instead they live in the Up World, in the swinging branches and swaying leaves of trees. Many creatures that live in forest canopies are now used to living in tree tops. If you’re lucky you will spot some of them, but most of these animals know how to hide themselves cleverly. So you have to be patient! When scientists go to learn about these canopies, they have to use ropes or ladders, because the trees are very tall. Some even use very large hot-air balloons to get up there. You can imagine just how Up Fatima had to go with her balloons. Here are some of the animals who living in forest canopies: Malabar spiny dormouse: This bushy-tailed animal likes to live in trees in quiet, undisturbed forests. It loves to eat fruits and nibbles on pepper sometimes. This dormouse sleeps like a hedgehog, curled up with its tail protruding OUT. Hornbill: These birds are vividly coloured with long and strong beaks. These sociable birds love to eat fruits, insects and even small animals. They make nests in holes in trees and when they have babies, they make a mud wall to cover up the hole, much like making a house! Green vine snake: A bright green, slender tree snake that hides in the leaves of a canopy. It moves very slowly. You can find them not only in India but also Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Burma, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. Tree frog: There are several kinds of tree frogs and they come in various colours. They can have white lips or red or yellow eyes and brown feet. They are usually very small, half the size of your palm, because they have to jump around delicate branches. They spend most of their lives up in the trees. Fruit bat (aka Megabat): They hang upside down. Try to imagine what the world looks like to them! They love to eat fruits and being busy in the trees. They can be super noisy too. You can hear them from a long way off. They have keen senses of sight and smell and are very helpful to us because they pollinate the flowers and fruits we love. " My-Fish.txt,"""My fish!"" ""No, my fish!"" Kicchu woke up early one morning.""It is time to catch some fish,"" he said yawning. He met Choru on the way to the pond. They were best friends who played all day long. Munia saw them marching with their fishing rods. ""We are going to the pond to catch fish. Come along Munia, if you wish."" Little Munia thought for sometime. ""Please don’t do that,"" she said, ""without water, the fish will die."" They did not listen to what Munia had to say. They headed to the pond straight away. Kicchu and Choru sat waiting by the pond. Two fish swam across, one thin and another round. Then came the third fish, the biggest one they had seen. Munia said laughing, ""It is bigger than Appa’s feet!"" Kicchu and Choru held on tight to their rods. Kicchu screamed, ""MY FISH!"" Choru also screamed, ""NO... MY FISH!"" Kicchu pulled hard... Choru pulled harder... PHAAATTT! Both the rods broke. THUDDD! Kicchu fell to the ground. SSSPPLAASH! Choru fell into the water. What had happened? What do you think? The fish had tied up both the strings! " 21616-who-ate-all-that-up.txt,"Who Ate All That Up? Nothing goes to waste in a forest. Nothing at all! Everything gets cleaned up. Absolutely everything! When leopards don’t finish their food, Who eats the rest? The vultures and the hyenas! And the hungry wild boar. GRUNT! GRUNT! When the vultures and the hyenas waste their food, Who gobbles it up? The flies and the maggots! And the hungry wild boar. GRUNT! GRUNT! When elephants poop in the forest, Who snacks on that? The dung beetles! And the hungry wild boar. GRUNT! GRUNT! When branches, leaves, and rain fall on the ground, Who feasts on it all? The termites and the fungi! And the hungry wild boar. GRUNT! GRUNT! When the air gets dirty with smoke, Who sucks it all in? The trees! Ummm, but not the hungry wild boar. GRUNT! GRUNT! " Yes-Thats-My-Mother-FKB-Jan-2019-cprssd.txt,"YES, THAT’S MY MOTHER! Here she goes again, I thought. That was Saturday. You’d think it would be safe to stand in line for movie tickets. But no such luck. My mother just HAD to INTERVIEW the whole family in front of us while we waited. By the time she finished she knew that they had relatives in Brazil, a dog named Fish (I’m NOT making this up!), and that they had already seen the movie twice. I was wishing for a place to hide, as usual. Also as usual, someone--this time it was the boy behind us--asked, ""Is that your mother?"" ""Yes, that’s my mother,"" I replied, rolling my eyes. Now, don’t get me wrong--I love my mother. But she’s just so INTERESTED in everything. It’s embarrassing. And then there are all the things that other people don’t even NOTICE but really get HER going. I can give you a perfect example--grocery shopping. What could be simpler? You write out your list, go up and down the aisles filling your cart with stuff you need, pay, and leave. Ha! Not with MY mother. We went to the supermarket Tuesday just before dinner. We didn’t even have a list––we only needed a dozen large eggs, a quart of skim milk, and a cantaloupe. We got the milk first. No problem. I was getting hopeful that this would be just an ordinary shopping event, like the ones that happen in other families. Next the eggs. There was an old woman taking 2 dozen small eggs for 69 cents a dozen when the 1½ dozen carton of large eggs was $1.19. Oh, no! Trouble! I thought. You see, my mother worries about old people wasting money in the supermarket. She thinks it’s her job to help them get the best value. The embarrassing part is––and it happens every time––my mother just stands there and explains the best price to the shoppers! Sometimes I think they don’t even believe her. They just take the better buy so she’ll leave them alone. Mom tells me, ""Many older people are on a tight budget. They have to get the most nutrition for the least money. It is my civic duty to help."" Yikes!! In the meantime, I try to look like I’m with someone else. It never works. Anyway, the lady Tuesday was pretty nice. She listened patiently and followed Mom’s advice to buy the 1½ dozen carton of large eggs for $1.19. Then she thanked Mom and turned to me. ""Is that your mother?"" she asked. ""Yes, that’s my mother,"" I sighed. I crossed my fingers on the way to the cantaloupes, hoping, hoping, hoping we’d just grab one and go home. My heart sank when I saw the hand-written "".99¢ "" sign above the cantaloupe display. This is it! I thought, frantic about what my mother would do. I can feel it! She’s going to make them sell it to us for the posted price! When I heard my mother politely ask to speak with the manager, I tried to tuck myself into the potato bin. I didn’t fit. Next I heard Mom telling the manager, ""I know you think it doesn’t matter what you write on the signs, that people know what you mean. But people bring CHILDREN in here, and I can’t have children believing this truly means ‘99 cents’ just because they saw it in the supermarket. How will they ever learn how to write decimals and amounts of money correctly?"" The manager just stared at Mom. Mom stared back. ""I spoke to you about this problem last week when the same sign was on the head lettuce. I told you that if you keep putting up signs with these BARGAIN PRICES, one day, instead of begging you to fix the sign, I’d just buy the item at the posted price--and suggest that other shoppers do the same!"" Well, Tuesday was the day. Mom took a cantaloupe and off we went to the checkout line. The clerk put in the code for the cantaloupe. The register showed $ .99. Mom said, ""I’m sorry, but your store policy says that if an unmarked item scans at a price greater than the shelf price, the item is free. The sign says the price of the cantaloupe is ninety- nine HUNDREDTHS cents, NOT 99 cents. You’ll have to give it to me for free. And I hope everyone else in the store gets a free cantaloupe, too."" Other people in our line were looking impatient. Fortunately, most of them couldn’t hear what was going on. But the man right behind us COULD hear. He scrunched his face and asked, ""Is that your mother?"" ""Yes, that’s my mother,"" I mumbled. ""I’m a reporter for the Sentinel,"" he announced, in a loud voice. ""This woman is absolutely right--we should all buy cantaloupe! I’m going to write about this for my paper. Maybe then we can get the store to write prices correctly."" Shoppers darted back to the produce aisle for their free cantaloupe. The store manager ripped up the "" .99¢ "" sign. The reporter really did write an article--all about consumers’ rights and how stores shouldn’t be so careless about the prices they post. It was in today’s paper. When I got to school, Ms. Mathis said, ""Girls and boys––I found an interesting story in the Sentinel this morning. We’re going to use it to help us learn about writing amounts of money correctly. By the way, I see that the hero in the story has the same last name as you, Caroline. Is that your mother?"" I answered proudly, ""Yes! That’s my mother!"" " Big-B-and-Little-B-Happy-face-Alphabet-Series.txt,"Big B and Little b wanted to buy a big bunch of bananas. BigB dreamt of the beautiful bunch of bananas. Little b went to buy a pair of binoculars to help find the bananas. Look– a big boat! It's heading to Barbados, perhaps there'll be bananas there. Big B and Little b found the beautiful bunch of bananas in Barbados! Bravo! " Supercow_Vol3-The_Reader-Oct2018.txt,"Once upon a time, a little lost girl sat by the stump of a tree crying. Why was she crying? We Don't know. ….But what we do know is that she was clutching a large book in her arms. Supercow was sitting, chilling, in a feld of daisies. ""It's very important to stop and smell the fowers"" Supercow says. - ""But don't pick too many! - Leave them for other people to enjoy too."" Wait, what is that??? Supercow hears a call for help. ""Why are you crying little girl?"" Said Supercow, kindly and in a non-threatening way. The little girl's name was Mia. (mya). People called her 'meea' sometimes; it made her mad but she didn't say anything – that would be rude. Supercow looked at the little girl clutching the book so tight - It must be something to do with reading, he thought to himself. Why would anyone cry over a book??? He thought to himself. Supercow asked the little girl, ""Do you want someone to read that book to you?"" The little girl looked like no one had ever offered to read her a book before. Supercow was VERY worried. How could it be that nobody had ever wanted to read a book to her?? It was a crime or NOT??? ""Little girl,"" said Supercow, ""would you like me to read you that book?"" ""Would I???"" Mia clasped her hands in delight. So Supercow few away to save another day. All was well with the world, and, Cow went back to his stroll in the Park. THE END " 029-JIMMYS-FIRST-DAY-OF-SCHOOL-Free-Childrens-Book-By-Monkey-Pen.txt,"Jimmy had just turned 5 and was starting school. He was frightened. He had never been to school before. Jimmy did not know what to expect and he did not want to leave home by himself. Jimmy's Mom told him not to be afraid as she walked him to his bus stop. She told him he would make new friends and have lots of fun. Jimmy was being brave as he got on the bus and sat down. He waved to his Mom as the bus drove away. " The-Fish-and-Chip-Shop.txt,"The Fish and chip shop Written by Bel Richardson Illustrated by Balarupa Why is phonics important to learn? The English language seems like it is full of a lot of crazy pronunciations and spelling. While a small amount of English must be rote learned due to exceptions from rules, much of it can be decoded using phonics. When you know phonics, you are like a detective following clues to solve a mystery. In this series, we use only words that your little reader will be able to break down into standard phonemes. This will build reading confidence while strengthening their phonics foundation. Is this the right level for my little reader? If your reader can decode about 90% of the words in this book independently, this will be an appropriate platform to begin their study of phonics. By understanding a majority of the words, a reader can use context to decode new terms. If a reader breezes through, you might need to take them up another level. If this level is still a bit too tricky for them, get your reader to try some of the earlier levels first. Challenges can be good, but too much too quickly could overwhelm your reader. Take things slow and steady. Enjoy the books and the journey together! How can I be a good learning buddy for my reader? If you are helping somebody to read this book, there are plenty of ways that you can go about it. Do the initial exercises together before you begin to read so that you have both experienced the isolated sounds and discussed them. If the reader gets stuck, cover up all but the first phoneme in the word so that the sound can be isolated again. Slowly move along and reveal more phonemes. Once they can say each individual part of the word, you can focus on blending. Say the words so that they can hear them, and get them to repeat it out aloud several times. To consolidate knowledge after you finish a page, talk about what happened and what is in the picture. Then, try saying some of the words on the page and see if the reader can identify them. Get the reader doing this as well, saying words which you need to find. Above all, you should be patient. Create a safe place to make mistakes so that the reader is willing to give things a go. Special Words This book has some special words that you should take your reader through before you begin. Many special words are those that we use in day-to-day conversation. Unfortunately, a lot of their phonetic structures do not conform to rules that your reader has learned. These words can be frustrating and confusing, but they are also a part of natural reading, writing, and conversation. to, the, there, go, has, what, order, do, you, want, me, put, tastes, two, sure, waste Say each word to your reader a few times so that they can get used to its sound. Get them to repeat it back to you. Afterwards, see if your reader can think of any words that rhyme with this sound in order to help lock in how to pronounce it. Finally, think of some basic sentences that use this word. For example, if the word is ‘the’ you can create basic sentences with a subject, verb, and object: ""The hat is on the table."" It is time to eat! I am starved. I think that I will try the fish and chip shop. I have not been there yet. Here it is. Let’s go inside. It is very clean. It has been around for a long time. It must be good. Smell that! What terrific fish and chips! I cannot wait to try it. I will go and make an order for us all. Do you want to try the fish? Do you want to try the chips? I see a fish burger as well! We can try it all! I tell the man that we will order fish, chips, and a burger. He is very happy to help. A good shop must have good staff. The man tells me that there are different burgers. I think that I will have the cod burger. It looks very yummy. I will order a lot of chips. They look crunchy and fresh. Crunchy chips are the best. I will get him to put chicken salt on the chips. I will pay. This lunch is on me. I tell the man where we are sitting. He says that he will bring our food over to us soon! Yum! We can share all of this food. I will take a bite out of the burger first. It tastes just as good as it looks! We have eaten almost everything. Two little bits of fish to finish up. We need to make sure that we do not waste food. It says to put the trash in the bin. Cleaning up helps the staff. The man says thank you. I say thank you for the food! " watch-out-the-tiger-is-here-pratham-FKB-CC.txt,"Watch Out! The Tiger is Here! It's not easy being a tiger. Yes, tigers are beautiful and fierce. But tigers are also big and heavy. This makes it difficult for them to hunt for food. Out of every twenty times a tiger hunts, it eats only once. When a tiger moves through the forest, KHAU! KHAU! KHAK! The langur calls, just like an old man coughing! KHAU! KHAU! KHAK! AWOOOO! HAWOOOO! The barking deer calls, like a scared dog! AWOOOO! HAWOOOO! 6/8 OOW! OOW! OOW! The spotted deer calls, like a little bird! OOW! OOW! OOW! 7/8 The whole forest knows the tiger is here! AHUUUN? AHUUUN? The tiger wonders, where has everyone gone? 8/8 " Who_is_it-early_reader-picture_book_FKB.txt,"Who is it? Priya hears a sound.Srrr... Srrr... Who is it? Priya runs out. She sees the cow chewing grass. No, it is not the cow that is making the sound. Is it the monkey in the tree? No, it is not the monkey. Is it the frog hopping in the grass? No, it is not the frog. Is it the deer jumping along? No, it is not the deer. Is it the fish in the pond? No, it is not the fish. Then Priya sees the elephant! The elephant is rubbing its back against a tree. Now Priya has her answer! Srrr... Srrr... " a-very-busy-day_en_3-17.txt,"Today is a very busy day! Mama and I have lots of things to do and see. We walk to the station and find people in a queue. Old people and young people, loud people and quiet people, all going to town. Through the minibus window, I see cars driving by. Fast cars and slow cars, big cars and small cars. There are so many buildings in town! Tall ones and short ones, glass ones and brick ones, everywhere I look. Mama and I walk in and out of shops. Shops for clothes and shops for books, shops for bags and all sorts of things. Mama tries on some shoes. Red shoes and green shoes, high shoes and low shoes. Ola! Bonjour! Jambo! Hello! In a big store, we fill a trolley with food. Boxes of cereal, and sacks of fruit. Bags of flour and bottles of juice. Mama shows me the toys and asks me to choose! There are soft toys and round toys, loud toys and fast toys. Today we’ve bought lots of things! Bags of food and bags of clothes. A pair of shoes and even some treats. Back at home, in our quiet house, I take out the special gift that Mama bought just for me! " Pell-G-eric_poem_set-LS.txt,"Two snow people on a fluffy snow bed The look around curiously One wears blue and They sing a merry song the other wears red Shining in the moonlight, just where they belong. Out in the cold, Late in the night, they snuggle and they cuddle when everyone's in bed, But they can't have a fire, ""Let's take tour of the town"", or they'll melt in to a puddle whispers Blue to Red Eric the caterpillar wandered around, I am so drowsy, on the dark brown I need to sleep muddy ground I think I'll sleep, for a couple of weeks He searched for more food, but he could see none The butterfly sang He had eaten all the leaves, ""Dear Eric you'll see, every single one in a couple of weeks, you'll fly just like me."" He had become a big, fat, slow chap Oh, how he longed, for a nice long nap Just then, a peppy butterfly, singing a merry song, whizzed by Eric called out, ""Hello Butterfly!"" ""How do you manage, to fly so high?"" A pirate, a zombie, a demon, a bat A monster, a witch, or a frightening cat On Halloween it's okay to be scary and bad It's okay to be nasty and evil and mad On this one day you don't have to behave It's okay to shriek and to howl and to rise from a grave Halloween is a chance to explore your naughty side to flaunt it and indulge it before it must go back to hide. Through an open meadow, runs a little brook It gurgles and chuckles merrily, while I look On the other side, are the prettiest flowers I've seen To go over and sniff them, I am so very keen So I skip across a bridge, brown and made of stone, to the fragrant flower patch where I can be all alone Far away from people, houses, shops and cars, I roll upon the grass, enjoying the smell of flowers Eight Thumbs the octopus This is Mr. Wobbly is swimming in the sea He doesn't have a spine With his friends all around I am not being rude he's as happy as can be For a jelly fish, that's fine Mr. Sea Horse looks fat Here comes a dolphin Did I hear him right? She's funny and cute Cause a pregnant man, She's friendly and playful, is an amazing sight! and also astute Here's my best friend Under the sea She is a star! is a nice place to be I'm telling the truth, in fact, It never gets boring all star fishes are. in such diverse company Said Mr. P to Mrs. P ""Wife my dear, have no fear, ""Come dear, dance with me"" I'll wash every dish, Said Mrs. P to Mr. P, if you take the time to dance with me, ""I'm busy, can't you see?"" and let you skirt go swish"" Said Mr. P to Mrs. P, ""So when you're back to your chores, ""But my lovely girl, in a little while let's take this moment for ourselves You can look back on this moment, and swirl and whirl and twirl."" delight in it and smile"" ""Let's waltz and jive and tango Finally, Mrs. P gave in Let's cha-cha and foxtrot She twirled and waltzed and swished For just a brief moment And later on Mr. P, let your troubles be forgot"" did the dishes as promised. Asked Mrs. P, indignantly, ""But what of all my chores? Who will cook and do the dishes? Who will mop the floors?"" By a quaint little hut, Separated by time in a far away place Separated by space I feel the warmth of a fire But in the night sky and the wind on my face Stars all find a place Not a thing I hear, They differ in properties, except what I think complex and simple And I think many things, But to our eyes, as the stars, at me, wink all of them twinkle. Each star, that dazzles the darkness so vast, represents a point of time, in the past " 12433-angry-akku-childrens-story-about-emotions.txt,"Angry Akku When the last school bell rang, all the children laughed and screamed with joy. All, except Akku. Akku was ANGRY! ""Akku! Akku! Look at the pretty sunflowers!"" said Appa, as they rode through a field. ""GRRMPH! They’re TOO YELLOW! They’re making my eyes hurt!"" said Akku. ""Akku! Akku! Look! Look at all the monkeys!"" said Appa, pointing at the roof of their house. ""CHEEE!"" said Akku. ""SHOOO! Go AWAY! SHOOO!"" ""Here, drink some buttermilk,"" said Appa. ""It’ll cool you down."" ""HRRRM!"" said Akku. ""I DON’T WANT ANY!"" ""Try a sip, at least?"" ""OKAY! FINE!"" said Akku, and tried a sip. It wasn’t all that bad. She had another sip. And another. In no time, the glass was empty. ""Would you like a vada?"" asked Appa. ""FFEHH!"" said Akku. ""Just one little bite?"" ""Okay, FINE!"" said Akku, and took a bite. It was quite good. She took another bite. And another. In no time, the plate was empty. ""Good girl,"" said Appa. ""Now will you tell me why you’re so angry?"" ""NO!"" said Akku. ""Was it something I did?"" ""NO!"" ""Was it something Amma did?"" ""NO!"" ""Did something bad happen in school today?"" ""MAYBE!"" ""Oho."" ""Would you like to draw it?"" asked Appa. ""Here’s a nice sheet of paper and some crayons."" ""Okay, FINE!"" said Akku. Akku drew a brick… ""This is the STUPID BRICK that I tripped over this morning,"" said Akku. ""You’re right. That IS a VERY STUPID brick!"" said Appa. And Akku drew a boy… ""This is Bikku, a VERY BAD BOY! He laughed when I fell down!"" said Akku. ""You’re right,"" said Appa. ""He shouldn’t have laughed at you."" And Akku drew an idli… ""This is my idli,"" said Akku. ""It fell out of my lunch box when I tripped over the STUPID BRICK!"" And Akku drew a crow… ""This is the VERY BAD CROW that flew off with my idli,"" said Akku. ""The crow must have been very hungry,"" said Appa. And Akku drew her teacher… ""This is my teacher, Amala Miss,"" said Akku.""She helped me up when I fell down. And then she hugged me."" ""That’s nice of her,"" said Appa. ""And then she pinched my cheeks. I DON’T LIKE IT when my cheeks are pinched."" ""Oho! That must have HURT, no?"" ""A little bit. But I’m okay now."" ""That’s good."" ""See how well you draw, Akku?"" said Appa. ""You’re a real artist! Will you draw something for Amma too?"" ""OH-kay!"" said Akku, and started drawing some more. ""This is a little white mouse… and this is a boat… and this is a coconut tree…"" ""And this is a sunflower… and this is your cycle, Appa… and this is a dog… and this is a frog…"" In no time, Akku had forgotten all about the STUPID BRICK that made her trip and fall. And about the BAD BOY who laughed at her. And about the IDLI-STEALING CROW. And Akku even forgot about being ANGRY. 10 Things to Do If You Feel ANGRY like Akku: 1. Laugh loudly and jump around with your arms in the air! 2. Slowly – very, very slowly – breathe in, and breathe out! 3. Drink some water! Or buttermilk! 4. Eat a piece of fruit! Or a vada! 5. Tell a grown-up about how you’re feeling! 6. Write about how you’re feeling! 7. Draw it out! Paint it! 8. Play with a pile of clay! 9. Make up a song about your anger! Sing it aloud! 10. Dance like a monkey! " Learn_Sight_Words-Print_Friendly-DOGS_for_toddlers-FKB.txt,"Big dog Small dog. Two dogs. Sad dog. Happy dog. Dog and cat. Cute dog. Cold dog. Very cold dog. Sled dog. Sleepy dog. Warm dog. Hungry dog. Working dog. Which dog do you want? Words in this book big cat cold cute dog dogs happy hungry sad sled sleepy small two very warm working " sister-sister-where-does-the-sun-go-at-night-storybook.txt,"Sister, Sister, Where Does the Sun Go at Night? Sister, sister, I wonder... What do you wonder, little brother, What do you wonder? I wonder, I wonder, Where the sun goes at night. Where do you think, little brother, Where do you think? I think, I think... Tell me, little brother, What do you think? I think That maybe, a demon. The terrible black demon Of Darkness Eats up the sun each night For dinner. See how the blue sky, at sunset, Is stained red with his blood? But the sun The glorious brave shining golden sun He fights the Darkness demon All night, every night And by morning, He’s whole again and back to rule. That’s where I think the sun goes at night. Into the mouth of a monster After a terrible fight. I’m clever, aren’t I, sister? Oh yes you are, little brother, oh yes you are And maybe you are right, too... But in the books that I have read That is not what they said. Then what did they say, sister, What did they say? What do you think, little brother, What do you think? I think, I think... Tell me, little brother, what do you think? I think That maybe, while it is night Here on earth, It is a glorious day in The ocean's darkest depths. And the mermaids come dancing out Of their undersea caves To frolic with the sharks. We have seen it ourselves When we went to Mumbai last summer. Remember How the sun lets go of the sky Each evening at dusk And slides soundlessly into the sea? That’s were I think the sun goes at night To flood the underwater With golden light. I’m clever, aren’t I sister? Of course you are, little brother, Of course you are And maybe you are right, too... But in the books that I have read That is not what they said. Then what did they say, sister, What did they say? What do you think, little brother, What do you think? I think, I think... Tell me, little brother, what do you think? I think That maybe there is no mystery. That maybe the sun is just like Father. He goes home tired each night After a long day At work. And his wife, like Mother, Fusses over him, shushes the kids, Covers him with a night-dark blanket of stars, And hopes his snoring will not keep her awake all night. And every morning, the sun Shrugs off his star-blanket, Paints the dawn sky red with his sleepy eyes And gets back to work. That’s where I think the sun goes at night. Home to bed until it is light. I’m clever, aren’t I, sister? I know you are, little brother, I know you are, And maybe you’re right, too... But in the books that I have read That is not what they said. Then what did they say, sister, What did they say? Come here, little brother, I’ll tell you what they said. They said, they said... Tell me, sister, what did they say? They said That the earth is like a ball That the ball goes around the sun Spinning like the red top Mother got you from the Saturday market, But slower. And they said Every spin of the earth Is as long as a day And a night. I asked about the sun, sister, I asked about the sun. I am coming to that, little brother, Be patient now. They said When our part of the earth The half where we live Is turned towards the sun We have day. And when the other half Is turned towards the sun And ours Is turned away We have night. They said That’s where the sun goes at night To bathe the other half in glorious light. Can it be true, sister, can it be true? I can’t say, little brother, I can’t say. But in all the books that I have read That is what they said. FIND OUT MORE! Where does the sun go at night? The earth is a sphere that revolves around the sun, along with the seven other planets of the solar system. One revolution of the earth around the sun takes one calendar year. While it is going around the sun, the earth also spins on its own axis. Each ‘spin’ takes 24 hours, that is, a day and a night. Whichever part of the earth is facing the sun has day. At the same time, the other half of the earth (the part turned away from the sun) has night. Then the earth slowly spins around and the half that was in darkness (that is, the half that was turned away from the sun) now faces the sun. So this half has day, and the other half, which turned away from the sun has night. So, in reality, the sun does not really go anywhere at night! Try this experiment! To understand how the earth’s rotation causes day and night, try this simple exercise. You need: A small rubber ball A big torch Some felt pens A friend What to do: Imagine that the rubber ball is the earth. Using the felt pens, draw the map of the world on the rubber ball. Now, imagine that the torch is the sun. Ask your friend to switch on the torch. Place the ball (the earth) directly in the path of the torch beam (sunlight), so that India is facing the sun. Turn the ball around slowly. What do you see? When India is facing the sun, the Americas are in darkness. As India begins to turn away from the sun, Europe and Africa come into the ‘sunlight’. Then, as the ‘earth’ continues to turn, the Americas come into the light and India becomes dark. Keep turning the ball till India faces the sun again. This is what happens every time the earth turns around on its axis. During each rotation, India (and every other place on earth) has one day and one night. " 002-GINGER-THE-GIRAFFE-Free-Childrens-Book-By-Monkey-Pen.txt,"Once upon a time, there was a giraffe named Ginger. Ginger lived in Kenya, a country in Africa. Like all giraffes, Ginger had a long neck and long legs. Because she was so tall, she was able to eat food from the very tops of the trees in the savannah. The savannah in Africa is an area with lots of grass and some trees. Sometimes, a savannah is called grasslands. The other animals like zebras and antelopes could not reach where Ginger could reach. But Ginger always found food. She loved the leaves and the new buds of the trees. One day, Ginger was busy eating her favorite leaves along with some other giraffes. It was a bright sunny day and there was not a cloud in the sky. It had not rained for a long time, so the grass was very dry. She heard a noise down at the bottom of her extra long legs: it was her friend, Mickey the Monkey. Mickey was trying to say something, but Ginger couldn’t understand what he was saying. He looked very tired. ""What’s wrong?"" asked Ginger. Ginger was a very kind giraffe and wanted to help everyone. Just then Mickey fell over! Ginger was also a smart giraffe. She knew what was wrong. Mickey couldn’t find anything to eat and he was very hungry. Ginger nibbled some fresh, tender leaves and buds from the top of the tree where she was eating. She dropped some of the leaves and buds to the ground near where Mickey was. Then she nudged him a little with the hoof at the bottom of one of her very long legs. ""Wake up, Mickey!"" said Ginger. ""I’ve found something for you to eat."" Slowly Mickey sat up and ate a little. After a while, when Mickey was feeling better, Ginger asked him, ""What’s happened, Mickey? Why are you so hungry? Why can’t you find anything to eat?"" Mickey said, ""It hasn’t rained for so long and now there’s no more food."" ""That’s not good,"" said Ginger. ""What’s happening with the other animals?"" ""No one knows what to do,"" answered Mickey. ""All the zebras and the antelopes and the elephants are getting worried about the dry grass. Some of them are thinking about leaving the savannah and trying to reach the jungle."" ""That’s a long trip,"" said Ginger. ""Are you going to go with them?"" ""I don’t know,"" answered Mickey. ""What do you think we should do?"" Ginger thought for a while and then suddenly, she had a good idea. ""We should go talk to Leo the Lion. He is the smartest animal in the savannah!"" Mickey was too tired to walk, so Ginger invited him to ride on her back. ""Hold on tight to my neck,"" said Ginger. ""There’s a lot to hold on to,"" joked Mickey. Ginger laughed. ""You’re right. I’ve got the longest neck in Africa!"" So they started their journey across to the other side of the savannah to look for Leo. Ginger and Mickey were in luck! Leo was sitting up on a rock and he was really easy to see as they walked through the grass. ""Hi, Leo!"" they both shouted. Leo had been napping and was a little grumpy when they woke him up. But he was polite and said, ""Hello Ginger and Mickey. Why did you walk the whole way across the savannah? Just to wake me up?"" But he was joking; he had a smile on his face. ""Mickey says that there is no food left on the savannah because it’s been so dry,"" said Ginger. ""Do you have any ideas?"" Leo thought for a while. He said, ""There’s nothing we can do about the rain. It will come soon, but we can’t be sure when it will arrive. When the rain comes, all the plants will grow again and there will be lots of food for everybody."" He thought a little longer. ""The only thing I can think of is for everyone to move closer to the forest,"" he continued. ""There will be more things to eat there, but I know it’s a long trip and it will not be very easy. It might take days to get there."" Ginger and Mickey looked at each other and then looked back at Leo. ""Thank you, Leo,"" said Ginger. ""It’s probably best if they all try to get closer to the jungle."" They said goodbye and then walked back across the savannah. Now they needed to gather all of the animals together to start the long journey. Ginger didn’t need to go along because she had plenty of food in her high trees. But she was a good friend and wanted to help as much as she could. They walked towards her favorite trees and guess what she and Mickey saw? All of the animals were already gathered there and waiting for Ginger and Mickey! ""Why are you all here?"" asked Ginger. ""Eddie the Eagle told us that you’re taking us to the edge of the jungle,"" said one of the zebras. ""How did he know?"" asked Mickey. ""He heard you talking with Leo,"" said one of the antelopes. ""So you’ve all decided to try to walk together to the jungle?"" asked Ginger. ""Yes,"" they all answered. ""If you’ll help us to get there,"" added one of the elephants. ""Of course, I’ll help,"" said Ginger. ""I’m your friend."" So they started on their big journey across the savannah to the jungle. The sun was so hot and there was no food and no place to get a drink of water. And then they heard it. It was thunder! ""Thunder!"" they all shouted. Thunder was very scary to the animals of the savannah. Can you guess why? Fire! Sometimes the lightning hits the dry grass and the whole savannah catches fire. Then everyone has to run. And that is exactly what happened. ""Fire!"" they shouted. They could smell it. And now they could see it. The fire was coming towards them! Ginger had to think fast. Because she was so tall she could see farther than any of the other animals. She stretched her long neck up as far as she could. Now she could see a place where there was no fire. ""Quick!"" she said. ""Everyone run this way."" All of the animals followed her and ran as fast as they could. Soon, they were out of danger. They stopped and gathered together one more time. ""Is everyone here?"" Ginger asked. She wanted to make sure they were all safe. All the animals looked around; they were all there. And then the most wonderful thing happened. ""I felt a drop,"" said a zebra. ""Me too,"" said an antelope. It was rain! Finally! Everyone was very happy. It started to rain a little more and then a little more. The rain put out the fire so they didn’t have to run. And the rain filled their watering holes and made the plants grow again, so they didn’t have to make that long trip to the edge of the jungle. Everyone would soon have enough food and water. So Ginger, the Giraffe went back to her favorite tree and continued to munch on the leaves and buds. " Wheres-My-Sandwich-FKB-edition.txt,"I am very excited today. Archie and I are going to the nature reserve for a picnic. We love the nature reserve. There are many animals to see and a pretty river and open spaces to run and play. I have packed fruit, lemonade, a cake and best of all - sandwiches. Archie loves my sandwiches. When we arrived at the nature reserve I started to set up the picnic while Archie chased some birds. When everything was ready I called to Archie and sat down to eat...But my sandwich was missing! ""Where’s my sandwich?"" I said as I looked around. Then I saw it. Crumbs. A crumb trail. Interesting! I decided to follow the trail to see where it leads. Maybe I will find my sandwich...or the one who took it. The crumb trail stopped at the foot of a tree. Looking up I saw a Koala. ""Koala, where’s my sandwich?"" I asked. ""Sorry Nellie, I don’t eat sandwiches. I eat eucalyptus leaves, but whoever took it sure is fast. They zoomed by here not that long ago"". Looking around I found another crumb trail. I followed the trail to the river. When I reached the riverbank I stopped and looked around. The crumbs were bobbing along the top of the water and stopped on the other side. I swam across the river where I found two ducks fighting over a fish. ""Ducks, where’s my sandwich?"" I asked. ""Sorry Nellie, we do not eat sandwiches, we eat fish, but whoever took it sure is fast. They zoomed by here not that long ago"". Looking along the bank I found another crumb trail. Following the trail, I came to the bush. Following the trail through the bush, I came across a Kangaroo. ""Kangaroo, where’s my sandwich?"" I asked. ""Sorry Nellie, I don’t eat sandwiches, I prefer this delicious scrub, but whoever took it sure is fast. They zoomed by here not that long ago."" Looking around I found another crumb trail. I followed the trail until it stopped in front of a wombat’s burrow. ""Wombat, where’s my sandwich?"" I asked, waking him from his nap. ""Sorry Nellie, I don’t eat sandwiches, I eat grass, but whoever took it sure is fast. They zoomed by here not that long ago"". Looking around I found another crumb trail. This crumb trail was following the walkway through the bush. It appeared to be leading back to the picnic area. Back at the picnic area I found a very guilty looking puppy. ""Archie, where’s my sandwich?"" ""I’m sorry Nellie, I ate it all up. You know I love your sandwiches,"" said Archie. ""Well, thank you for being honest. Now show me how fast you are. Race you home."" With that said, I took off running. " Practice_test-Math-5th_Grade-Nebraska.txt,"Grade 5 Mathematics Practice Test Nebraska Department of Education 2010 Directions: On the following pages are multiple-choice questions for the Grade 5 Practice Test, a practice opportunity for the Nebraska State Accountability–Mathematics (NeSA–M). Each question will ask you to select an answer from among four choices. For all questions: • Read each question carefully and choose the best answer. • You may use scratch paper to solve the problems. • The Mathematics Reference Sheet is provided in the back of the test booklet. You may refer to this page any time during the test. • You may not use a calculator on this test. • Be sure to answer ALL the questions. Remember only one of the answers provided is the correct response. NEG5MathPTPaper 2 STOP. 1. Evan wants to measure the length of his room. Which unit of measure is appropriate to measure the length of his room? A. centimeter B. foot C. inch D. millimeter 3 2. What is in simplest form? 9 1 A. 3 1 B. 2 3 C. 6 6 D. 18 3. Mrs. Perkins makes study guides for her class of 21 students. She uses 252 sheets of paper. How many sheets of paper are in each study guide? A. 12 sheets B. 231 sheets C. 273 sheets D. 5,292 sheets NEG5MathPTPaper 3 Go on to the next page. 4. Use the rectangle below to answer the question. 5 meters 17 meters What is the area of the rectangle? A. 12 square meters B. 22 square meters C. 44 square meters D. 85 square meters 5. Which equation shows how to multiply 6 × 5 × 3 using the associative property? A. 6 × 5 × 3=3 × 5 × 6 B. (6 × 3) + 5 = 6 × (3 + 5) C. (6 × 5) × 3 = 6 × (5 × 3) D. (6 × 5) + (6 × 3) = (6 × 3) + (6 × 5) NEG5MathPTPaper 4 Go on to the next page. 6. Which picture shows 180° of a circle? A. B. C. D. 7. Each time John goes to the movies he spends $7.00. Which expression shows how much he spends after going to the movies t times? A. t + $7.00 B. t – $7.00 C. $7.00 × t D. $7.00 – t NEG5MathPTPaper 5 Go on to the next page. 8. What is 92.53 ÷ 10? A. 0.9253 B. 9.253 C. 92.53 D. 925.3 9. In the expression 15 ⫺ n, which value of n results in the greatest difference? A. n=0 B. n=5 C. n = 10 D. n = 15 10. What is the value of w in the equation 116 ⫺ w = 95? A. w = 19 B. w = 21 C. w = 210 D. w = 211 NEG5MathPTPaper 6 Go on to the next page. 11. What is the standard form of twenty-one and six hundred thirty-four thousandths? A. 21.60034 B. 21.6034 C. 21.634 D. 2,160,034 12. Use the coordinate grid below to answer the question. y 13 A 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 x 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 What are the coordinates of Point A? A. (11, 6) B. (12, 7) C. (6, 11) D. (7, 12) NEG5MathPTPaper 7 Go on to the next page. 13. Use the spinner below to answer the question. yellow red red blue green red What are all the possible outcomes for the spinner? A. red, blue, red, green B. yellow, red, blue, red C. red, blue, yellow, green D. yellow, red, blue, yellow 14. Which is the correct sum? 2.34 + 1.7 A. 2.51 B. 3.04 C. 3.14 D. 4.04 NEG5MathPTPaper 8 Go on to the next page. 15. Use the table below to answer the question. Ashley’s Grocery List toothpaste $3.99 bread $2.45 milk $2.69 apples $3.10 cereal $4.89 Ashley goes to the grocery store to buy each of the items on her list. Ashley rounds the cost of each item to the nearest dollar. What is the estimated total cost of these items? A. $15.00 B. $16.00 C. $17.00 D. $18.00 16. 1 Which percent equals ? 4 A. 14% B. 25% C. 41% D. 52% NEG5MathPTPaper 9 Go on to the next page. 17. Use the expression below to answer the question. 53 × 24 How can the distributive property be used to solve this expression? A. (50 + 20) × (3 + 4) B. (5 × 2) + (3 × 4) C. (53 + 4) × (53 + 2) D. (53 × 20) + (53 × 4) 18. Which list is in order from least to greatest? A. 1,000; 1,010; 1,009 B. 1,010; 1,011; 1,100 C. 1,100; 1,010; 1,001 D. 1,010; 1,100; 1,001 NEG5MathPTPaper 10 Go on to the next page. 19. Which is a composite number? A. 5 B. 7 C. 19 D. 21 20. What is 3.8 × 10? A. 0.38 B. 3.80 C. 38 D. 380 NEG5MathPTPaper 11 Go on to the next page. 21. Use the graph below to answer the question. Activities in a Day 10 Time (hours) 8 6 4 2 0 school TV playing sleeping eating Activity Which circle graph could represent the information in the bar graph? A. Activities in a Day B. Activities in a Day eating school school TV sleeping eating TV playing playing sleeping C. Activities in a Day D. Activities in a Day school TV playing sleeping school TV sleeping eating playing eating NEG5MathPTPaper 12 Go on to the next page. 22. Use the picture below to answer the question. How many faces does the prism have? A. 3 faces B. 4 faces C. 5 faces D. 6 faces 23. Use the bar graph below to answer the question. Favorite Fifth Grade Activities 30 Number of Students 25 20 15 10 5 0 video soccer baseball dance cheerleading games Activity A teacher asked the fifth graders about their favorite activities. What is the total number of fifth graders represented on the graph? A. 10 B. 25 C. 65 D. 80 NEG5MathPTPaper 13 Go on to the next page. 24. What is the value of 12 ⫺ (3 + 5)? A. 4 B. 10 C. 14 D. 20 NEG5MathPTPaper 14 STOP. NeSA-M Grade 5 Reference Sheet Shape Area Perimeter Key Rectangle A=l×w P = 2l + 2w l = length s = side length Square A=s×s P=s+s+s+s w = width Standard Units Metric Units Conversions – Length 1 foot (ft) = 12 inches (in.) 1 centimeter (cm) = 10 millimeters (mm) 1 yard (yd) = 3 feet (ft) = 36 inches (in.) 1 meter (m) = 100 centimeters (cm) 1 mile (mi) = 1,760 yards (yd) = 5,280 feet (ft) 1 meter (m) = 1,000 millimeters (mm) 1 kilometer (km) = 1,000 meters (m) Conversions – Volume 1 cup = 8 fluid ounces (fl oz) 1 liter (l) = 1,000 milliliters (ml) 1 pint (pt) = 2 cups 1 liter (l) = 1,000 cubic centimeters (cu. cm) 1 quart (qt) = 2 pints (pt) 1 gallon (gal.) = 4 quarts (qt) Conversions – Weight/Mass 1 pound (lb) = 16 ounces (oz) 1 gram (g) = 1,000 milligrams (mg) 1 ton = 2,000 pounds (lb) 1 kilogram (kg) = 1,000 grams (g) Grade 5 Practice Test Answer Key Number Key 1 B 2 A 3 A 4 D 5 C 6 B 7 C 8 B 9 A 10 B 11 C 12 D 13 C 14 D 15 C 16 B 17 D 18 B 19 D 20 C 21 A 22 C 23 D 24 A " fire-fire_Pratham-FKB.txt,"Fire! Fire! When Ana moved from her hometown in Goa to Mumbai, she was very excited. But she was also sorry to leave her uncle, her grandmother, her friends and most of all… Mando. Mando was a serious dog who slept peacefully all day. But whenever there was a wedding in the neighbourhood, he howled woefully, until Ana’s uncle stopped playing his violin! Ana loved Mando. She knew he would always protect her from strangers and dangers. And from her uncle’s noisy violin! Mumbai was a noisy city. Ana missed the sounds of the birds, the church bells and the village music. The only thing she didn’t miss was her uncle’s violin! Sometimes, after school, Ana would go with her father as he delivered letters and parcels. Ana would wait eagerly for her ride up in the lift. One day, she sneakily pressed all the buttons. The lift opened on every floor! Every floor had a red speaker box on the wall. Each floor also had a strange-looking shower- head on the ceiling. ‘Who would want to take a bath here?’ she wondered. Ana tried to figure things out. The red speaker box never played any music. And the shower? Not a drop of water ever dripped from it. It did not even have a tap! One afternoon, while Ana and her father were on the fifth floor at Manju Aaji’s door, they heard the most horrible wailing. ""Papa, what’s that terrible noise?"" ""I think that’s the fire alarm, Ana. Come, we must get to the fire escape floor immediately."" Ana looked at all the people who had rushed to the safety point. ""Don’t worry Ana, it’s a very small fire on the second floor. Do you hear that siren? That’s the fire engine - it’s here to help us."" Suddenly, the strange shower began to spray water all around. Oh, and who was that in the corner? Manju Aaji’s kitten! She was terrified of the fire and the water. The sight of the helpless little kitten made Ana feel brave. She dashed to its rescue. Now that she had gathered some courage, she asked, ""How did the shower come on, Papa?"" ""These are fire sprinklers, Ana. When there is a fire, they turn on automatically,"" her father said. ""But where is the tap, Papa?"" she asked again. Ana’s father looked at the sprinkler. He wasn’t sure. ""There is no tap, Ana,"" said Manju Aaji. ""That red pipe is always full of water and is plugged tight with a bulb. When there’s a fire nearby, the bulb heats up and bursts. So the water comes rushing out."" ""Ah,"" said Papa, who had just learnt something. BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP... A large white ladder rose up right in front of them. ""Families with children and the elderly, please,"" a fireman announced into his horn. As they climbed onto the fire lift, Manju Aaji clutched Ana’s hand, and shut her eyes tight. But Ana kept her eyes wide open. ""You were a brave girl today, Ana,"" her father said proudly. ""Did the fire alarm scare you?"" Ana hugged him and nodded. ""The fire alarm saved us all today, you know? It’s a good thing,"" he said softly. ""It’s a bit like Mando, Papa,"" Ana whispered back. Her father looked puzzled. ""The fire alarm is quiet every day. It only makes noise to save us from trouble."" Technology helps us in many ways. During a fire, the automatic fire systems in schools, cinema halls and other buildings save our lives. Here are some things we should do when we hear a fire alarm: 1. Get up calmly and walk towards the nearest fire exit at a steady pace. Do not take the lift as lifts are usually disabled during a fire. 2. Running will make you inhale more smoke or may cause an accident or stampede. So do not run; walk fast. If possible, cover your face with a wet towel. 3. Do not throw any water at the fire as this could make the fire spread or cause electrocution. 4. Ask a grown-up to switch off the electrical main switch. Do not touch any electrical appliances or switches. 5. If the exit way is filled with smoke it is better to crawl or creep out so that you inhale less smoke. 6. Once out of the building, walk towards the nearest fire assembly point or safe open area. 7. Wait in one place until your family member or caretaker hasfound you. 8. If you are injured, request the nearest grown-up for help. " an-umbrella-for-druvi-pratham-FKB.txt,"An Umbrella for Druvi Druvi the dragonfly has just learnt to fly. She flies near the pond with her friends. They tease the frogs and eat mosquitoes for lunch. In the evening, Druvi flies to the jungle nearby. She looks at the bird nests and spider webs. She does not see the clouds gather in the sky. Plop! A raindrop falls on Druvi’s head. Druvi wants to go back home. But she does not want her wings to get wet. ""I need an umbrella,"" thinks Druvi. She flies to the Gulmohar tree. It looks like a strong, red umbrella. The leaves are too tiny. ""Too small to even cover an ant,"" thinks Druvi. ""I need something bigger."" Druvi sees big, star-shaped leaves. ""The Papaya tree leaves would make a lovely umbrella,"" thinks Druvi. ""Oh no, it is letting all the rain in."" The wind blows strong but Druvi has still not found her umbrella. She perches under a plant but the thin leaves fold up! ""How unkind you are,"" Druvi says to the Touch-Me-Not plant. Druvi is upset. The jungle is full of leaves. There are thin leaves and fat ones, big ones and small ones. But none are umbrella leaves. Suddenly Druvi sees a Banyan tree. It does not have star-shaped leaves or prickly leaves. The leaves are not too heavy or too small. Druvi flies towards the Banyan tree. She perches under the leaf. She has found her umbrella! More about dragonflies Dragonflies are great travellers! Some dragonflies – like the Wandering Glider that we find in our fields and gardens – travel across the open seas from India to Africa. They travel more than 16,000 kilometres to cross the Indian Ocean. They start their journey from India in October and reach countries like Tanzania in January. On the way, they stop at islands like the Maldives and Seychelles. Dragonflies cannot fly if they are too hot or too cold. In the morning, they spread their wings to get heat from the sun. In the afternoon, some dragonflies perch with their body raised and their stomach pointing to the sun, to stay cool. " 048-MY-NEW-MATH-TRICK-Free-Childrens-Book-By-Monkey-Pen.txt,"Hi! My name is Mathew. That’s Math_ _ as is mathematics and _ _ _ _ ew as in you are going to learn some multiplication tricks. Before I share the new tricks let’s just review some other things to remember when multiplying. Remember 0 times anything is always equal to 0. 2X0=0 Now it’s your turn, quick! What is 4 X 0? That’s right it’s 0, good job Remember 1 times anything is always equal to the ""anything."" 1X6=6 Now it’s your turn, quick! What is 1 X 9? Great work, you are correct it’s 9. And of course you remember that 10 times anything is the ""anything"" with a 0 added at the end. 10 X 3 = 30 What is 10 X 5? That’s right. It is 50. Now here is a trick you can use to help you with the Times 9 multiplication table for 9 x 0 through 9 x 10. First write down the table: 9X0= 9X1= 9X2= 9X3= 9X4= 9X5= 9X6= 9X7= 9X8= 9X9= 10 X 9 = Next complete the table with the easy answers for Times 0, 1, and 10. 9 X 0 = 0 (0 times anything always equals 0). 9 X 1 = 9 (1 times anything always equals the anything). 9X2= 9X3= 9X4= 9X5= 9X6= 9X7= 9X8= 9X9= 10 X 9 = 90 (10 times anything equals the anything with 0 added to the end). Simple enough, right? Next, pretend you don’t know the answers to 9 X 2 through 9 X 9 and starting at the top (9 X 2) write the numbers 1 through 8 next to each. 9X0=0 9X1=9 9X2=1 9X3=2 9X4=3 9X5=4 9X6=5 9X7=6 9X8=7 9X9=8 10 X 9 = 90 That was easy. Now do the same thing but start at the bottom (9 x 9). 9X0=0 9X1=9 9 X 2 = 18 9 X 3 = 27 9 X 4 = 36 9 X 5 = 45 9 X 6 = 54 9 X 7 = 63 9 X 8 = 72 9 X 9 = 81 10 X 9 = 90 Success! You can easily write down the Times 9 multiplication table for 0 through 10. Times 11 everybody. Yes, that is what I said. TIMES 11, it’s SCARY! Or is it? First, look at 1-digit numbers multiplied by 11. It is much like multiplying by 1 except there are two places in the answer. (One times anything is anything – or in this case anything-anything). 11 X 0 = 0 (Remember, 0 times anything is always 0). 11 X 1 = 11 11 X 2 = 22 11 X 3 = 33 11 X 4 = 44 11 X 5 = 55 11 X 6 = 66 11 X 7 = 77 11 X 8 = 88 11 X 9 = 99 Wow! That was easy. But can you easily multiply 2-digit numbers by 11? Yes – And here is the trick! These are big numbers but don’t get scared. Let’s look at 11 X 15. Take the number you want to multiply by 11 (in this case 15) and imagine a space between the 2-digits. 1_5 Now add the two numbers together. 1+5=6 If the answer is a single-digit (1, 2, 3, etc.) put the sum in the space to get your answer. 165 So … 11 X 15 = 165 Go ahead and try a few. 11 X 12 = The answer equals 1 (1+2) 2 or 132. 11 X 26 = The answer equals 2 (2+6) 6 or 286. 11 X 81 = The answer equals 8 (8+1) 1 or 891. You didn’t know you were so smart, did you. Oh-oh … What do you do if the numbers in the space add up to a two-digit number like 10 or 17? Well it’s a little tricky … But not hard. Let’s take a look at 11 X 77. Imagine that space between the 7 and 7. 7_7 Add the two numbers together (7+7=14) Put the second number into the space (in this case it is 4) 747 Then add the number 1 to the first number. (7+1)47 … or Let’s do a little more practice. The challenge: 11 X 29 =? 2_9 2 (2+9) 9 2 (11) 9 Keep the second space number in the space and add 1 to the first number. (2+1)19 319 So … 11 X 29 = 319 Let’s do another great big one just for fun. 11 X 98 =? 9_8 9 (9+8) 8 9(17)8 Keep the second space number in the space and add 1 to the first number. (9+1)78 1078 So … 11 X 98 = 1078 Wow! You catch on fast. With a little practice, you will be able to multiply 2-digit numbers by 11 in your head. Practice and challenge your friends (or maybe your teacher) to a 2-digit times 11 contest. " We-are-Aussies-.txt,"AUSSIES For a long time you would only find us out west working on farms and ranches. Our history is a little blurry. No one is quite sure how we turned out looking like we do. Someone noticed how adorable we were and the rest is history. ""This and this Kode, my mouth a t is my n big pl aym ."" ew to ate .. y in h . is Some Aussies lay like this. We call it 'frog-legs'. Looks crazy, right? You should try it. It is really comfortable. Most of us actually grin. I know what you are thinking, a dog can't grin. Well, we really do! Some might think we are growling because we show our teeth, but it is just the we smile. Did you know that very few animals really smile? We have a good sense of humor and are always ready for fun. Some of us are just down right silly. Steven and Sydney We can be quite the pranksters. We are great diggers and we love to work in the garden. Kode dug out the roses and planted them on the other side of the yard. Did you know that roses belong in the rose garden? Who knew? See, Kode is smiling again! Kode is always in trouble. Aussies come in sixteen different color combinations. That is alot of color choices. 1. Black. 2. Black and copper. 3. Black and white. (Bi-black) 4. Black with white and copper. (Tri-black) Tri-black Rules! 5. Blue merle. 6. Blue merle and copper. 7. Blue merle and white. 8. Blue merle with white and copper. Kode is #8. 9. Red. 10. Red and copper. 11. Red and white. (Bi-red) 12. Red with white and copper. (Tri-red) The Reds 13. Red merle. 14. Red merle and copper. 15. Red merle and white. 16. Red merle with white and copper. The Reds Merles We can have eyes with two different colors. Our eyes can be golden, amber, light brown, dark brown, green, blue, orange, or marble. Hey... where is my tail? No worries, I was born without a tail. It is called a natural dock. Some of us have their tails docked when pups. OUCH! Aussies can also have beautiful fluffy tails. We hope this look gets popular. It might be fun to have a tail. Most Aussies like their ears down and floppy. This is a funny picture of me with one ear up and one ear floppy. I look so confused! I decided I looked better with mine up. Kala 7 months Some of us work for a living. My cousin is the mascot for the Milwaukee Courier Company. He loves his job. They pay him with bones. What a sweet deal! Ranchers and farmers love us. We have a lot of energy and can work all day. Kode was born on a farm. We may be happy to share the couch with you. But remember ... we are not couch potatoes! My Cousin 4 months Aussies love to play. We always have a stock pile of balls, sticks, and frisbees. Some of us are high fliers. We can really jump! Being herding dogs, we love to chase anything! We play to win. But wait - you want to know about me? As I remember, it was just another day ... One minute I am outside playing with my dad. The next minute I am in a car with a guy name Joe. That's right, I finally get my own home. Wow! I became so excited, I got sick all over the car seat. Sounds like a fairy""tail"", right? Joe said I needed to go to the doctor and get my checkup. My tests didn't look too good. The place I was born didn't take very good care of us. She had too many puppies. My doctor said Joe rescued me just in time. I was scared Joe wouldn't want me because I was so sick. I did what any little pup would do - I got sick all over the exam table. I started to shake. 3 months old Joe picked me up and said ""no worries, we are family now"". I got all my shots. I took all my medicine, even the stuff that tasted really bad. I worked really hard at getting better. One day I got nervous while Joe was away. Ichewed a huge hole in the rug under the bed. Joe got really mad. I though ""This is it. It's back to the puppy farm for me."" Next thing I know, my house is filled with bones. Turns out bones taste better than rugs. Who knew? I did get stronger but it took a long time. I ended up with a twitchy leg from being so sick. My leg shakes even now when I get excited or nervous. Joe says that's OK. Kala Teething I still think about my dog family. I hope they all found someone like Joe to love them. Floppy ears, straight ears, green eyes, blue eyes, with tail, or no tail. WE ARE PERFECT just the way we are. We are all different and unique. This is what makes us all so special. " When-I-Grow-Up.txt,"What do I want to be when I grow up? When I grow up, I want to be a dancer and dance on a stage. When I grow up, I want to be a firefighter and put out big fires. When I grow up, I want to be a nurse and make sick people better. When I grow up, I want to be a musician and play in a band. When I grow up, I want to be a mechanic and fix cars and tractors. When I grow up, I want to be a teacher and teach children to read and write. When I grow up, I want to be a soccer player and score the winning goal. When I grow up, I want to be an astronaut and fly to the moon. When I grow up, I want to be a chef and make food for my family and friends. When I grow up, I can choose whatever I want to be! What do you want to be when you grow up? " 027-PIRATES-COVE-Free-Childrens-Book-By-Monkey-Pen.txt,"Arrgh, me hearties, I has a story for ye, a story of untold riches and a young lad who found ‘em. And who am I, ye ask? Well - I be the spirit of Sand-dollar, a pirate and buccaneer, Captain of the Seahorse, the finest ship to ever sail the seven seas. Ah, she was a fine vessel. Three masts and ten sails made her fast, and her sleek hull let her cut through the waves with ease. Me crew was the finest bunch of sailors to ever set sail on the open seas. They came from all over the world, to serve on the Seahorse, and share in the riches. I remember we just hid the treasure and I found a safe place to hide me treasure map. A familiar place, a place, where as a young lad, before the sea called me to service, was me home. As we finished burying the treasure, we saw a storm approaching from the East. It was a bad one. The wind was a howling, rain soaked us to our very bones, thunder roared, and the lightening frightened the bravest of me crew. We were in the longboat, just about to board the Seahorse, when it happened. The bottom of the sea opened and the waters began draining. The waters started going round and round. Slowly at first, and then picking up speed until we were in a whirlpool. It didn’t take long for the swirling waters to suck the Seahorse to the bottom of the sea. As for us in the longboat, we watched her go down as we spiraled around that whirlpool before getting sucked down with her. Arrgh! It makes me heart happy to see that lad growing like he is. They call him Sandy, after me. Ya see I’m his Great-Great-Great-Grandpa."" ""Sandy,"" called his mom from the house. ""You forgot you chores for the day. Remember you were going to clean the attic."" ""Oh,"" grumbled Sandy as he slowly walked to the house. ""I don’t mind chores, but cleaning the attic! There hasn’t been anyone up there in years."" ""It must be dark, dirty, and full of spiders and other creepy things. There is probably even a ghost or two living up there with the spiders."" ""I unlocked the door to the attic,"" his mom said. ""Be careful, it’s a little dark and there is a lot of stuff just lying around or stacked in piles."" The spirit of Sand-dollar thought to himself as he watched Sandy. ""Arrgh, I must have looked the same on that stormy night when I hid me treasure map in that very room. I wonder if it will be finally found."" ""This isn’t so bad,"" Sandy said to himself. ""There’s a lot of neat stuff up here. I’ll clean as I move and organize all these different things."" ""Arrgh,"" Sand-dollar thought to himself. ""That lad be a hard worker. I’d have him on me crew if I could. He’s only been up here a few hours and he’s almost done."" ""One last thing to clean and move,"" Sandy said aloud. (Even though he knew, no one was there to hear him). ""I’ll just wipe down this old trunk and slide it over there in the corner. Wow! This thing is heavy; I think I’ll have to empty it before I can get it to move."" ""Arrgh,"" Sand-dollar thought to himself. ""The lad be getting close to me map. He has emptied a lot of things from the trunk."" ""Oh, wow!"" Sandy said. ""Look at this old book. I’ll just open it up and …… a map! Here’s an old map. A treasure map! I don’t believe it! I’ve got to show mom."" ""Arrgh, the lad found me map. At last, someone can find me treasure and be rich beyond belief."" Sand-dollar said. ""Where did you find it?"" his dad asked. ""It was in this old book. I couldn’t move this old trunk in the attic so I started taking things out when I saw the book. When I opened the book, the map fell out."" Sandy replied. Sandy’s mom added. ""It’s certainly old and it’s definitely a treasure map. And look here, whatever it leads to is buried on our property."" ""Look at this note on the side,"" his dad, said. ""It says the finder will have untold wealth and be rich beyond belief. It’s signed by someone named Sand-dollar."" ""Let’s study the map. Tomorrow morning we are going on a treasure hunt,"" his dad said. ""Yippee!"" Sandy exclaimed. ""Arrgh, it appears me treasure is close to being found."" Sand-dollar said. ""Sandy, you take the shovel, mom can read the map, and I’ll use the compass,"" his dad said as they walked into the yard to begin their treasure hunt. ""Arrgh, look at em go. They be pretty good at following me map. That’s it! 22 paces due West from the well, Turn to the North East and take 6 paces, then 11 paces to the South ….. They be at me treasure."" Sand-dollar said. ""If we followed the map correctly, and there really is a treasure, we are standing on top of it,"" Sandy’s dad said. ""I get to dig,"" Sandy said excitedly as he removed the first scoop of many from the sandy soil. ""Arrgh, that lad be a chip-off-the-old-block. Look at him dig. You are almost there lad. Don’t give up!"" Sand-dollar said. ""I hit something,"" screamed Sandy. ""It’s a box. It’s the treasure! We found the treasure! Let me get it out and hand it to you dad."" ""An old Book?"" Sandy said with disappointment. "" I was expecting to find diamonds, rubies, and gold coins. Not an old book."" ""Arrgh, me lad. Don’t ye give up now. Ye has to look into the old Book lad."" Sand-dollar said. Sandy said. ""Mom, let me see the Book. For some strange reasonI want to look through it."" ""This is really interesting,"" Sandy said. ""And look at this. Different words are circled in the first page. Wow! There is a family tree and a letter written in the back."" ""Let me see,"" his mom said. ""Oh my! Look at this. Here is a branch labeled ‘Sandy’ and above it is written ‘Sand-dollar’ with a 1 circled."" Sandy’s dad asked, ""Could I see the Book? When I was a little boy, younger than you Sandy,my father told me we had a pirate in the family. Let me have a few minutes to study this.""""After reading everything, here is whatI figured out."" Sandy’s dad saidin a soft voice. ""Sand-dollar was a pirate. He was also yourGreat-Great-Great-Grandfather. He left for adventures on the high seas,became a pirate, and, well, the familyjust forgot about him. He wrote his story in this Book and hid it as atreasure. ""This Book taught him, how to hide the treasure. As instructed in the book, he took all the treasure the gold, silver,the jewels, and buried them. He asks that whoever finds this othertreasure share it, do good, and do whatthe Book says. ""Wow,"" said Sandy.""Quite a story,"" Sandy’s mom said. ""There’s more,"" Sandy’s dad said. ""And Sandy – You may want to get the shovel. When I looked at the 1 with a circle around it, I remembered what Sandy said about words being circled on the first page. It is a code to another treasure. Sand-dollar was his pirate name. Ten letters and ten words circled on the first page. Here is the key to the treasure. Start A New Dig – Dig Out Lots Lower And Receive There’s more treasure, buried deeper in the hole that we dug."" ""Arrgh, it does me heart good to seeme family helping me,"" Sand-dollar said. ""I am digging as fast as I can, mom.""Sandy said. I hit something big!"" ""Arrgh, that’s it lad. Dig outthat chest. Come on! You and your dad can get it out of thehole. Come on lad, put ye back into it. Push! That’s it, now pry it open."" Sand-dollar said. ""Oh my goodness,"" Sandy’s mom said indisbelief. ""Look at that. A real treasure."" ""Arrgh, and now lad it’s up to ye to do the right thing."" Sand-dollar said. ""It’s up to you son,"" his dad said. ""It’s your treasure."" Sandy simply said. ""I want two things. The Book, so I can learn whatmy Great-Great-Great- Grandfatherlearned, and that gold sand dollar to help me rememberhim. Mom should have that jeweled necklace.It would look nice on her. Dad, you need to take some of the gold and sell it tohelp pay some of the bills."" ""I think we should give the rest to the local charity. They know who the needy are,and I think it will help many people for a long, long time."" ""I think you are making a wise decision Sandy,"" his mom said. ""What dad?"" Sandy asked. ""I didn’t say anything, Sandy,"" his dad replied. Sandy then said, ""I thought I heard you say‘I thank ye lad’."" " sindiwe-and-the-fireflies.txt,"Sindiwe and the Fireflies One day a very clever baby was born in Gungululu in the Eastern Cape. Her name was Sindiwe Magona. She was the oldest of eight children. At night, her grandmother told magical stories about ogres and giants, animals of the forests, great beasts, and little creatures of the veld. It was Sindiwe’s favourite time. Sindiwe loved school and she dreamed about being a teacher. When Sindiwe became a teenager, her family organised a feast to celebrate. She was given special things to wear and a wise old man sang a praise song to her. (Blessings, long life! May your ancestors guard you!) Sindiwe trained to be a teacher. She was very excited to teach at her first school. But there weren’t enough schools for black children and they had no desks or books to write in. This made Sindiwe feel scared. How could she be a good teacher when the children had nowhere to sit? She left the school to work as a cleaner. She worked in four different houses. Sometimes the people there treated her badly and Sindiwe became very unhappy. All this time Sindiwe studied. Her hard work paid off! She won a scholarship to study at a university in New York. She and her three small children packed their bags and flew across the sea to the United States of America. In New York, Sindiwe studied to become a social worker. She wanted to help families make their lives better. When she finished studying, the United Nations gave Sindiwe a job. Most of the countries in the world meet at the United Nations to talk about their problems. Sindiwe told the world about South Africa, and how hard it was for black people living there. The people at the United Nations loved to listen to Sindiwe’s stories. They wanted to learn more and more about South Africans. Perhaps, together, they could help to change things in South Africa. She worked at the United Nations for twenty years while her children grew into adults. But Sindiwe missed the country where she was born. She wanted to tell her stories to the people at home. So she packed her luggage, got on a plane and flew back over the sea to Cape Town. Sindiwe’s love for books and stories have helped her write piles and piles of books. And children and grown-ups love to read her stories. Many people call her Nomabali because she’s always writing, telling and reading stories. " 017-UP-IN-THE-AIR-Free-Childrens-Book-By-Monkey-Pen.txt,"When you stand at your window And look down and around. You will see great, many things Moving on the ground. Bugs, bullfrogs, babies, Buses, cars, cats and a silly clown. Everywhere you look you’ll see Something rushing up and down. But if you are bored of looking down, Lift your head and look around. You will find up in the air, As many things are to be found. There are things that glide. There are things that fly. There are things that hover. And things that zoom by. Birds of all shapes and sizes Flap their way across the sky. Eagles, crows, sparrows, robins And the mountain black-eye. Beware of flying things that sting Like mosquitoes and honeybees. Enjoy the moths and butterflies, That float by softly like the breeze. Scrunch your eyes and look really close When you see something above hover. If it’s super tiny, it’s a hummingbird If it’s noisy and huge - a helicopter. If you feel left out of all that fun Don’t cry and don’t complain. Just grow up to be a pilot And you can fly an airplane. You can zoom around the world Whenever, wherever you want to. And just in case you feel lonesome Take your folks along too. But if you want to go up Much higher than that, You could become an astronaut And get into the spacecraft. You could go to the moon, To Jupiter, Venus and Mars. And someday in a space rocket You could reach for the stars. But if you want to fly up high Right now and right here. Try airships or hot air balloons To float from here to there. But wait, there’s so much more If you want to be up in the air. Gliding and parasailing Are sports for those who dare. And when you are tired and dizzy From all the zooming around. You could still be up in the air From right here on the ground. Get your kite, get your balloon And fly it into the sky. Watch it bob and dive and dance Against the clouds that float by. So when you stand at your window, Look up and down and all around. There are many, many things up in the air Just as there are on the ground. " Baby-Jaguar-Gets-A-Bath.txt,"Baby Jaguar Gets a Bath This is baby jaguar. He lives in a zoo. Baby Jaguar likes to play with his mom. Mother Jaguar says, ""If you lick me, I’ll give you a bath!"" Baby Jaguar goes away. He does not want a bath! He lays down on a big rock, but the rock is too hard. He lays down on a stump, but it is too hard as well. He lays down on the grass. Now he needs a bath! And Mother Jaguar is all set to help! " the-magic-letter-pratham-FKB.txt,"The Magic Letter Ijas lives in Haryana and Vikram lives in Andhra Pradesh. Even though they live so far away from each other, they are best friends. Not long ago, Ijas and Vikram had been neighbours. The two boys had loved playing cricket, solving riddles, and eating biryani. They had celebrated everything together, from birthdays to festivals. Ijas had been sad when his best friend moved away, but Vikram’s letters always cheered him up. He LOVED solving the puzzles that Vikram sent. On the day of Eid, an envelope from Vikram arrives. Ijas opens it and pulls out a card. Eid Mubarak, Ijas! A surprise awaits you. Read the letter. As Ijas opens the letter, he wonders what Vikram has sent him. The last time, it had been a number puzzle. BUT WAIT. The paper is BLANK! Is this a mistake? Is he supposed to turn the piece of paper into something? Ijas tries to fold it. Nothing happens. Ijas holds the paper to the light. He rolls it and looks through it. He runs his fingers over the surface of the paper. Nothing happens. Ijas looks at the card again. That’s when he notices the orange and yellow flame on the card. Had Vikram coloured it? But wait, Vikram does not like to colour! Ijas rushes to the kitchen. ""Ammi, I need something hot!"" Ammi wipes her hand on a towel. ""The biryani isn’t ready, Ijas. You’ll have to wait."" ""I don’t want to eat biryani!"" Ijas explains that he wants to heat the letter. Ammi helps him light a candle with the flame from the stove. Ijas takes the paper close to the candle. ""If you hold the paper too close to the flame, it will burn,"" Ammi warns. He holds the paper a safe distance from the candle and taps his foot impatiently. What will happen? A few moments later, brown lines appear on the paper, as if by magic. ""WOW! Look at these words, Ammi!"" shouts Ijas. Ammi reads the words out loud along with Ijas. ""Where we play with marbles."" Ammi is confused by the message, but Ijas jumps with excitement. ""I know where to go,"" yells Ijas. He runs down two flights of stairs, past a parking area and stops in front of a bench. But there is nothing there. Ijas is sad. He was sure that there would be another clue waiting for him. He turns around and gasps. ""VIKRAM! What are you doing here?"" Ijas can’t believe his eyes. This is the best surprise ever! ""Can’t you guess?"" says Vikram, beaming. ""I came because I was missing your Ammi’s biryani."" Ijas laughs and hugs him. At that exact moment, Ammi calls out to Ijas. ""BIRYANI IS READY!"" Top Secret To create your own secret letter, you will need the following: Lemon Water A bowl A blank paper A paintbrush Method: 1. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon into a bowl. 2. Add a few drops of water. Stir well. 3. Dip the paintbrush into the lemon juice mix and write your message on the sheet of paper. 4. Allow the invisible ink to dry. 5. Share your secret message with a friend! The message will be revealed only when the paper is heated with a candle or a warm light bulb. Have fun! " 10118-ammachi-s-amazing-machines.txt,"Ammachi's Amazing Machines ""Ammachi! Ammachi! Could we make coconut barfi today?"" Sooraj asked his grandmother. ""PLEEEEEAASE?"" ""Hee hee hee! Only if you help me make it, eh?"" replied Ammachi. ""YAY!"" ""Ready?"" shouted Sooraj. ""Ready!"" said Ammachi. ""We’ll only pick the ripe ones, okay? The ones that are brown all over... Watch out! Here they come!"" WHOOOSH... WHUMP! ""Now to get the husk off…"" POTCH! CRAANKK! Sooraj’s stomach went: ""GRRRRRR!"" Ammachi giggled. ""Then we crACK the shell… like THIS!"" KHATAK! ""And grrrrrraaaaate the frrrrrrrruuuit!"" ""Toss it into the pan with all the other ingredients…"" ""It smells SO good, Ammachi!"" ""Then we pour it all out on to a tray… Wait for it to cool, baba!"" ""Now cut it into neat little slices…"" SQUEAK SQUEAK ""YIPPEE! Our coconut barfi is ready to be eaten!"" ""YUM YUM YUM!"" Ammachi's barfi was made using SIMPLE MACHINES! Simple machines make it easier to do work. There are six kinds of simple machines: 1. Inclined plane 2. Lever 3. Wheel and Axle 4. Wedge 5. Pulley 6. Screw Can you identify the simple machines that Sooraj and Ammachi used in the process of making coconut barfi? " 023-A-DOG-ON-A-LOG-Free-Childrens-Book-By-Monkey-Pen.txt,"On a beach by a tree, sat my family and me. Then shouted a hog, ""There's a Dog On A Log!!"" A Dog On A Log? Well, how can that be? He must be saving that big, frightening flea. Now why would a dog be saving a flea? Especially in the water on the branch of a tree. I couldn't believe what I saw happen next. Even that Dog On A Log was perplexed. The flea pulled on a rope and up came a boat. I'll bet you can't guess what happened next. A flea family ran from the dog's little toe. They got into the boat and began to row. Once on the shore, they ran through the sand. Over a cookie in my left hand. Right to the hog, that's where they went. They found a new home with an unpleasant scent. As for the Dog, he's still riding that log. As for me-Ouch-I think I have a flea. " 037-THE-NAUGHTY-MONKEY-Free-Childrens-Book-By-Monkey-Pen.txt,"Ashley ,the Rabbit has three new friends! They are Sophie, Josh and Tom. Today she is playing with Sophie in the garden behind Sophie’s house. ""Are you dry today, Ashley?"" asks Sophie. She is making a joke about the day Ashley fell in the pond in the park. ""Yes, I am dry today,"" smiles Ashley. ""Thank you for helping me to get out of the pond."" Sophie and Ashley are sitting under a big tree at the back of the garden. Plop! Something falls down from the tree. ""What was that?"" asks Ashley. ""I don’t know,"" answers Sophie. Plop! Plop! It happens again two times! ""Look at this,"" says Sophie. Ashley moves closer to Sophie. Sophie is pointing at something. Ashley looks at it. It’s a banana peel! They look around the ground. They find two more banana peels. Plop! It’s another banana peel. But this time it drops down right on top of Sophie’s head. Yuk! Sophie and Ashley hear someone laughing. They look up into the tree and what do they see? It’s a monkey. It’s a very naughty monkey. It’s Baba, the Monkey! ""Hey, you, up there!"" says Sophie. ""What are you doing?"" But Baba does not answer; he only laughs. Plop! He drops another banana peel. This time it drops on Ashley’s head! Sophie and Ashley are not happy. This is a very naughty monkey. Why is he dropping banana peels down to the ground? Why is he dropping banana peels on top of their heads? ""You come down here right now!"" says Ashley. ""Yes,"" says Sophie. ""You must help us clean up this mess."" But Baba just laughs. Now he starts to swing from branch to branch. Oops! He misses a branch. He falls to the ground. Plop! But this time it’s not a banana peel. This time it’s a naughty monkey. He’s not moving. Oh, no! Is Baba hurt? Sophie and Ashley are scared They are not happy about the banana peels. But they don’t want Baba to be hurt They run over to see if Baba is okay He is on his back. They look down at him. He jumps up and laughs and runs around in circles. He is not hurt He was just pretending to be hurt He runs and jumps and does cartwheels and somersaults. Sophie and Ashley laugh at Baba. He is a naughty monkey, but he is also a very funny monkey. ""My name is Baba!"" he says as he runs around. ""I’m Sophie and this is Ashley,"" says Sophie. Sophie and Ashley start to run around with Baba. Now they try to chase him, but he is too fast. He runs around the tree and they follow him. He looks behind him and does not see the banana peel on the ground. Baba slips on the banana peel. His feet go way up into the air. Plop! He lands on his back again. This time Sophie and Ashley sit on top of Baba. He can’t move now! Why are you sitting on top of me? shouts Baba. Let me go! Let me go! We can’t let you go until you answer a question. says Ashley. Yes, says Sophie. Why do you drop banana peels? ""I don’t know,"" laughs Baba. ""I don’t know what to do with the peels after I eat the bananas."" ""But this is not good,"" says Sophie. ""We don’t want banana peels in our garden."" ""You’re right,"" says Baba. ""I’m sorry. I made a mess and now I must clean it up."" So Baba starts to pick up banana peels. There are many banana peels, so Sophie and Ashley help Baba. Now the garden is clean. ""Thank you for helping to pick up banana peels,"" says Sophie. ""Let’s have a snack. What do you want to eat?"" ""How about a banana split?"" says Baba. " Explorer-Ellas-Magic-Forest.txt,"Why is phonics important to learn? The English language seems like it is full of a lot of crazy pronunciations and spelling. While a small amount of English must be rote learned due to exceptions from rules, much of it can be decoded using phonics. When you know phonics, you are like a detective following clues to solve a mystery. In this series, we use only words that your little reader will be able to break down into standard phonemes. This will build reading confidence while strengthening their phonics foundation. Is this the right level for my little reader? If your reader can decode about 90% of the words in this book independently, this will be an appropriate platform to begin their study of phonics. By understanding a majority of the words, a reader can use context to decode new terms. If a reader breezes through, you might need to take them up another level. If this level is still a bit too tricky for them, get your reader to try some of the earlier levels first. Challenges can be good, but too much too quickly could overwhelm your reader. Take things slow and steady. Enjoy the books and the journey together! How can I be a good learning buddy for my reader? If you are helping somebody to read this book, there are plenty of ways that you can go about it. Do the initial exercises together before you begin to read so that you have both experienced the isolated sounds and discussed them. If the reader gets stuck, cover up all but the first phoneme in the word so that the sound can be isolated again. Slowly move along and reveal more phonemes. Once they can say each individual part of the word, you can focus on blending. Say the words so that they can hear them, and get them to repeat it out aloud several times. To consolidate knowledge after you finish a page, talk about what happened and what is in the picture. Then, try saying some of the words on the page and see if the reader can identify them. Get the reader doing this as well, saying words which you need to find. Above all, you should be patient. Create a safe place to make mistakes so that the reader is willing to give things a go. Special Words This book has some special words that you should take your reader through before you begin. Many special words are those that we use in day-to-day conversation. Unfortunately, a lot of their phonetic structures do not conform to rules that your reader has learned. These words can be frustrating and confusing, but they are also a part of natural reading, writing, and conversation. explore, she, really, finding, the, no, there, to, before, into, could, words, of, so, they, unicorn Say each word to your reader a few times so that they can get used to its sound. Get them to repeat it back to you. Afterwards, see if your reader can think of any words that rhyme with this sound in order to help lock in how to pronounce it. Finally, think of some basic sentences that use this word. For example, if the word is ‘the’ you can create basic sentences with a subject, verb, and object: ""The hat is on the table."" Ella looked at a map. The map showed no forest. But there was a huge forest next to Ella. Ella likes exploring. She really likes No explorers had found this huge reading maps and forest before. Ella decided that finding new places. it grew by magic. She walked into the magic forest. At first, Ella saw no animals in the magic forest. She saw trees with leaves and bark that had sparkles. Ella saw flowers that floated. Then, Ella saw magic bugs. The bugs had wings with lights. The magic bugs could spell with words of light. Ella could read the words in the magic bug lights. The bugs told Ella to walk deeper into the magic forest. Ella saw magic birds. The magic birds sang magic songs that had no notes. The songs were made with art - the magic birds painted in the air. Ella could see long arrows so she followed the arrows. Ella saw magic deer and magic rabbits playing in the flowers that float. Then Ella saw tracks. They were hoof tracks. She looked at the deer hoofs but they were not the same. These were not deer tracks. Ella went deeper and deeper in the magic forest. She followed the hoof tracks and walked with care. Ella saw an end to the hoof tracks and found herself next to a sleeping horse. This horse had a long horn and rainbow hair. Hang on! It was not a horse. It was a unicorn! The unicorn got up and let Ella get on its back. Ella and the unicorn walked around the magic forest with the animals. Ella and the unicorn are pals. Ella and her unicorn had found a magic land. " DOROTHY-THE-DANCING-DOUGHNUT-Boodlebobs-EP-02-By-JO-KEMP.txt,"DOROTHY THE DANCING DOUGHNUT This is a story all about Dorothy and yes, she’s a doughnut. Dorothy loved dancing. She knew the names of all the dances – the waltz, the tango, the foxtrot. She even knew the monster mash and the jive. But she was a TERRIBLE dancer. It was because of her shape – and her shoes – and she couldn’t change her shape (and she certainly wasn’t going to change her shoes). ""OOOOH OOOH… I love to dance!"" she sang as she tripped and crashed around. ""I think you should give up dancing,"" said Ivy, ""You’re such a TERRIBLE dancer!"" Everyone gasped. Everyone knew that Dorothy was a terrible dancer but it wasn’t right to tell her… …to hurt her feelings like that.""Maybe you should have a few lessons just now"", said Tina quickly, ""You know, polish up your act."" ""Ohhhh! That would be wonderful!"" beamed Dorothy and did a sort of pirouette. Boodlebobs [EP-02] - DOROTHY THE DANCING DOUGHNUT 5 The next morning, there was a large notice pinned to the door. Free Dancing Lessons Quick Step Inside Dorothy burst in excitedly to see all her class-mates identical in their tu-tu’s and their shoes. ""We’re the House Mites,"" they chorused and tittered. ""And I’m a doughnut!"" replied Dorothy. ""A dancing doughnut! Look!"" She bounced and kicked then started to jive. She swerved and tripped, sprang and skipped until she was completely exhausted. Flushed with excitement, she waited for the thunderous applause… But there was none. Just a terrible silence until everyone started to cry. Everyone had been squashed, bashed, bruised or broken by Dorothy’s dreadful dancing. ""We came here to dance!"" they chorused. ""Not be flattened… …by an elephant!"" Boodlebobs [EP-02] - DOROTHY THE DANCING DOUGHNUT 6 ""I am not an elephant!"" said Dorothy indignantly, ""I’m a dancer. I’m a dancing doughnut…"" ""…a clumsy dancing doughnut!"" piped up a squeaky House Mite Now that was a horrid, unkind thing to say. Poor Dorothy was so upset. With a heavy (very heavy) heart, she turned and looked at her reflection in Tina’s teapot. It didn’t help that it made her look even wider than she was. About three times wider and three times shorter! ""You’re right,"" said Dorothy, ""I’m just a big clumsy doughnut and I’ll never be able to dance…."" ""How about a nice cup of tea, just now"" said Tina putting her arms around Dorothy (well that is, as far as she could reach). Dorothy shook her head. ""I just want to dance,"" she said, ""But they’re right. I make such a mess of it."" ""What you need is a dancing partner,"" said Tina. ""But who would want to dance with me?"" replied Dorothy. Boodlebobs [EP-02] - DOROTHY THE DANCING DOUGHNUT 7 ""How about me?"" said Roger sidling into the kitchen. In his quest for the limelight, he’d look such a STAR next to Dorothy! m e?"" He twirled his moustache and set both eyebrows jiving. Dorothy ou t couldn’t resist. ab ""You?"" she said going weak at the knees. w ""Ho YOU-HOO!"" she quickly recovered and grabbed him. Poor Roger. From somewhere the music started, or was it just in her head? And in a cloud of sugar dust, she whirled and swirled and glided. They danced the Waltz.. The Tango.. Then the Foxtrot.. And into the Time Warp, To finally the Moonwalk just as the moon came up. Boodlebobs [EP-02] - DOROTHY THE DANCING DOUGHNUT 8 Roger got squashed and bashed and bruised. He got pushed and shoved and elbowed. ""I could dance forever!"" exclaimed Dorothy going into a spin. Faster and faster she pirouetted until finally she had lift-off. ""Meet me on Cloud Nine,"" she flirted as she spiralled out of the window. ""No chance,"" muttered Roger feeling his bruises. ""You can keep the limelight!"" he called after her as he vamoosed up the path… In completely the other direction! The end Boodlebobs [EP-02] - DOROTHY THE DANCING DOUGHNUT 9 CUT OUT and stick on! COLOUR ME IN CRANKWORTH THE knowledgeable MOLE " Fruit-.txt,"Fruit Literacy for Anywhere Fruit grows on plants all over the world. Different fruits come from different countries. These are apricots from Armenia. Fruit Level 2 Fruits and vegetables are different. Fruits have seeds but vegetables don’t. Some seeds are very big, like in a peach. Some seeds are tiny, like in a kiwi. Fruits have seeds to make new plants. When animals eat fruit they carry the seeds far away. This lets plants grow in new places. Fruits grow in different ways. Some grow together in groups. Others grow alone. Some fruits grow high up in the trees. Others grow close to the ground. Squash grows near the ground. People cook squash like a vegetable. It is a fruit because it has seeds. Fruits can look very different. They can be small like a lychee. They can be large like a melon. A watermelon is a very large fruit. Different fruits have different skin. Peaches feel soft and furry. Apples feel smooth and shiny. Lemons feel rough and hard. Sometimes the skin of a fruit is good to eat. Apples have skin you can eat. Sometimes the skin of fruit is not good to eat. Longan skin is not good to eat. People take the skin off and eat the white part inside. Some fruits look the same outside but different inside. This is a dragon fruit. Sometimes they are white on the inside. Sometimes they are purple. Some fruits have many varieties. There are over 1,000 different types of banana. Bananas grow in over 100 different countries. These are red bananas from Tanzania. Some countries can grow more fruit than others. Countries that are warm can grow many fruits. Mangoes grow well in warm countries. Fruit is good to eat. It is good for our bodies. Fruits have vitamins that make us healthy. These are Oranges. They have a lot of vitamin C. For some people, fruit is their job. They plant it, pick it, and sell it to make money. This woman sells fruit in Mexico. Farmers plant seeds in the ground to grow fruit to sell. Grapes are grown on farms to make wine. These farms are called vineyards. There are many vineyards in France. Some countries are cold. It is difficult for them to grow fruit. Fruits are sent all over the world for people to buy. These are bananas. They grow in warm places but are sold almost everywhere. Some fruits are expensive. Only some people can buy them. These are durians. They grow in Malaysia. They can be very expensive. In France, people eat fruit with bread. In Martinique, people eat fruit with their dinner. Some people eat fruit for dessert. This is mango and sticky rice. It is a dessert from Thailand. We eat fruit as a food, but we can make it a drink too. When we drink fruit, we call it juice. This is mango juice. Fruit can be made into jam. Jam is made from fruit and sugar. Jam lasts a long time. This is strawberry jam in jars. Fruit is sometimes used to make art. Paintings use pictures of fruit. Some people even carve fruit. This is a watermelon carved to look like a flower. Sometimes fruit can make a mess. In some countries there is a special party where people throw tomatoes at each other. It is called Tomatina. Fruit is an important part of the world. Fruit allows plants to make new plants. Fruit gives us food to eat. It is an important way that animals and plants work together. " BORIS-THE-BRAINY-BOOK-Boodlebobs-EP-04-By-JO-KEMP.txt,"BORIS THE BRAINY BOOK This is a story all about Boris and yes, he’s a book. ""You can ask Boris about anything,"" said Felix ""He can tell you why custard is yellow, why frogs are green and why milk shakes. Boris knew the name of everything, the size of everything, where it was from – where it was going to – and how to say it in Latin. He also knew the best jokes. ""What do you get if you cross a kangaroo with an octopus, a sheep and a zebra?"" ""A striped woolly jumper with eight sleeves!"" he laughed. ""His jokes drive me up the wall!"" said Benny just as an envelope landed on the mat. ""Hello bill,"" he laughed. It was addressed to Boris and inside it had a question from his brother Bart who lived in Ontario. The question was, ‘How long is a piece of string?’ ""Hmmm…"" thought Boris, ""I can’t say I know the answer to that one?"" Benny had no idea either but he thought Elsie might know. Boodlebobs [EP-04] - BORIS THE BRAINY BOOK 49 He found Elsie swinging in the apple tree, ""Do you know how long a piece of string is?"" Benny sat patiently while Elsie thought about it but then suddenly the air was filled with a terrible noise as a big black shadow swept over him. ""CAWWW!!"" With it’s sharp talons and horrid black beak Crow had spotted Benny from high up in the tree-tops. ""CAWW!! A lovely fat worm for my hungry chicks!"" ""HELP HELP!"" cried Benny as he was carried higher and higher. Fedora, holding a big red balloon, was on her way to a party when she heard the commotion. ""Oh poor Benny!"" she gasped, ""He’s about to become lunch!"" Boodlebobs [EP-04] - BORIS THE BRAINY BOOK 50 Crow deposited Benny in front of three hungry chicks then flew off to find two more juicy worms. The greedy chicks with their yellow beady eyes looked hungrily. ""He’s mine, he’s mine, no he’s mine!"" squabbled the chicks giving Benny just enough time to clamber out of the nest and onto a rather thin branch which sagged under his weight. ""Talk about being out on a limb,"" he thought. Benny looked down and wobbled. Then he looked back at the three wide-open beaks. ""Between a rock and a hard place."" He thought. Fedora, Elsie and Boris looked up. ""If only I could fly,"" said Fedora wistfully. ""If only my trunk was longer,"" said Elsie. ""If only I’d known the answer,"" said Boris but then had an idea. He took hold of Fedora’s big red balloon. ""Grab hold of the string when I let it go!"" he called up to Benny, ""Got it!"" shouted Benny grasping it with both hands and started floating down to the ground but then… ""CAWW! CAWW!"" Boodlebobs [EP-04] - BORIS THE BRAINY BOOK 51 Crow came back carrying another fat worm and was so surprised to see Benny floating away she dropped it. Lucky fat worm. The lucky fat worm reached out and grabbed Benny in passing. But the crow had no intention of either – or both – escaping. POP! She burst the balloon with her horrid black beak and both Benny and Lucky Fat Worm hurtled headlong. Seconds before they hit the ground, Elsie’s long grey truck reached out and sucked them up. ""Are you alright in there?"" asked Fedora peering down Elsie’s trunk. ""Yes, we’re fine,"" grinned Benny emerging. ""What an adventure!"" Boodlebobs [EP-04] - BORIS THE BRAINY BOOK 52 Boris was so pleased to have his friend back – and a new friend besides – and so pleased too that he was able to answer his brother’s question. ""A piece of string is long enough to save two worms,"" he said happily. ""I shall let my brother Bart in Ontario know that."" The end " 016-MIX-IT-UP-Free-Childrens-Book-By-Monkey-Pen.txt,"""Hi! My name is Sally and I live in New York City, in The United States of America. It’s a chilly, cloudy fall day, and the rain is turning into an icy snowy mixture. I am bored! Last week the weather was beautiful when I had to go to school, but it gets dark early now so I cannot play outside. Now, when I don’t have to go to school, there is an early winter storm brewing. I am bored! My big brother, Josh is watching his favorite TV program and, as usual, he won’t let me watch anything I like, or even something we both like. Josh doesn’t like to share. I am bored! I don’t have any new books to read. I am bored! My Mom is listening to the news on the radio and they are talking about the low temperatures and the surprise winter storm that is moving in. I can’t even listen to music. I am bored … bored …… bored! I said aloud. ‘Sally,’ my Mom called out. ‘If you are so bored why don’t you draw a picture or color?’ ""I can’t,"" I said. ""I am out of paper."" Sally was obviously bored. She moped around the apartment for a while, tried to find something to do, but there just wasn’t anything that interested her. She walked slowly to the window, pressed her nose against the cold glass, and watched the big snowflakes fall from the sky. She looked down and saw that they were already starting to cover the street and sidewalk. ""Oh what a terrible day. I am so bored,"" she said with a sigh. She stayed close to the window and watched some birds land on the telephone wires below her apartment. ""They look bored too,"" she said to herself. She watched the cars go up and down the street as they left their tire tracks in the pure, white snow. Across the street, a dog slipped on an icy spot as it chased a cat. She thought she saw the cat turn around and smile, or maybe laugh at the dog as it tried to stop spinning in circles. She giggled as the dog started running but couldn’t go anywhere. Its legs were moving, but on the ice, its feet just kept on sliding over the same spot. ""Josh, you have to see this,"" she called out. But there was no reply. The snow was coming down faster and faster. Soon it was really deep. She saw people with shovels trying to clean the sidewalk or an area next to the street so they could park their car. Some people were walking with open umbrellas that looked like they were made of thick, white cotton candy. She licked her lips as she imagined how good a cotton candy umbrella would taste. Again, she saw the cat and dog slipping and sliding on the slippery sidewalk. She thought for a second and tried to say ""slipping and sliding on the slippery sidewalk"" three times very fast without making a mistake. ""Wow! That is hard,"" she thought to herself. Farther up the street, she saw a man with two little boys starting to roll little balls of snow into big ones. ""What are they doing?"" she mumbled to herself. She watched them for several more minutes as they stacked the balls of snow on top of one another. She pressed her nose against the window for a closer look. ""A snowman,"" she shrieked with joy. ""They are building a snowman."" ""Mom, can I go out and play?"" Sally yelled out to her mother. ""Dress warm,"" her mother replied. ""Be sure to stay close and come in before dark."" In under a minute, Sally was outside playing with her friends and having a lot of fun. Oh! She wasn’t bored anymore either. The afternoon passed and Sally’s mother knew she would be coming in soon. She also knew that she would probably be chilly and would appreciate a hot cup of cocoa. Her mother thought for a second as she looked out the window to check on Sally. All of a sudden, Josh heard his mother laughing. ""Josh, you have to come and see this,"" she chuckled. He did and they both laughed at the dog chasing the cat and slipping, and sliding, on the slippery sidewalk. ""Josh, I am going to make some hot cocoa for your sister when she comes in. Would you like a cup?"" ""You bet,"" replied Josh. His mother always made the best hot cocoa. ""Hmm, now let me see. Which special recipe should I use from my Pick & Sip Hot Cocoa Recipes?"" their mother thought as she looked over their favorites. Pick & Sip Hot Cocoa Basic Hot Cocoa – Ingredients (Makes about 2 large or 3 medium sized Servings) 1/8 cup cocoa powder 1/4 cup sugar 1/8 teaspoon salt 3 tablespoons water 2 cups milk 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract Hot Cocoa – Directions In a medium size pot mix together the cocoa powder, sugar, and salt. Stir in water. Cook over medium heat and stir it constantly until it starts to boil. Continue stirring mixture for another 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Add milk and stir constantly until hot but do not boil. Remove from heat, add the vanilla, and whisk until foamy. Pour into your favorite mugs, serve, and enjoy. Pick & Sip Variations Add the following ingredients when you mix in the Vanilla Extract. Pirates Pleasure – 1 splash of ground Cinnamon and 1 splash Nutmeg. (What’s a ""splash""? About 1/2 of a 1/8 teaspoon). Loco Mocha Cocoa - 1 teaspoon instant coffee. Southern Belle – 1/4 teaspoon Mint Extract. Fruit Frenzy – 1/4 teaspoon of your favorite fruit extract. Like Orange or Cherry. North Woods – 1/4 teaspoon Maple Syrup. Busy Bee – 1/4 teaspoon Honey. Hot Cocoa – Toppers Whipped Cream Marshmallows Whipped Cream or Marshmallows sprinkled with sugar or candy bits. Softened Ice Cream. Hot Cocoa – Stirrers Cinnamon Stick Candy Cane (Peppermint Stick) Licorice Whip ""I think I’ll make the Southern Belle hot cocoa, topped with vanilla ice cream, and use a candy cane stirrer."" She said to herself. Just as she finished cooking, the door opened and a red-cheeked Sally came in and took off her gloves, coat, hat, scarf, and boots. ""What’s that wonderful smell?"" Sally said with a smile. ""I hope it’s what I think it is."" All three sat and sipped the hot cocoa while Sally told them about her adventures outside.Sally giggled and said, ""And I thought I was bored."" " 60744-whoop-goes-the-pufferfish.txt,"Whoop, Goes the Pufferfish It’s a beautiful and sunny morning at a rocky shore in Mumbai. At low tide, all seems peaceful at a tide pool. A pink Porcelain Crab is looking for food. An orange Starfish is moving s-l-o-w-l-y with its tube feet. But wait. Is it really peaceful? Oh no! A baby Pufferfish is stuck in the tide pool. The Pufferfish swims to the left and bumps into a rock. It swims to the right and bumps into a rock. It swims here and there and everywhere, but there seems no way out. ""HELP! I am stuck!"" cries the Pufferfish. WHOOP! It puffs up to protect itself from danger.It swims around in circles. ""Don’t panic, little fish,"" says the Porcelain Crab. ""The tide will come back in,"" says the Starfish. But the Pufferfish is too frightened to listen. Round and round it goes. ""WHO IS MAKING ALL THIS NOISE?"" A majestic Octopus swims into the pool from under a rock. The Pufferfish stares in awe. 8/12 ""You feel trapped because the tide is low,"" says the Octopus. ""When the tide is high, the water will cover all these rocks. And you will be able to swim back home to the sea."" The Pufferfish is relieved. It waits. In time, water flows under the Porcelain Crab’s rock. It flows over the Starfish. It flows into the tidepools. The water rises. The Pufferfish rises with it. Finally, the baby Pufferfish can swim over the rocks. It is overjoyed. ""Thank you, everyone!"" it calls out and swims away into the sea. ""Goodbye, little one. Swim safe."" What is a tide pool? Tide pools are shallow pools of seawater on rocky shores. You find these at low tide when the rest of the water has flowed back into the sea. Tidepools are in the intertidal zone, the part of the beach only seen at low tide. Low Tide, High Tide Low tide is when the water flows back far High tide is when the water covers into the sea. most of the shore. Tides are caused by the gravitational pull of the Moon on the Earth. " Sleep-time-With-Lilly-Bed-Time-Rhyme-Childrens-Story.txt,"The sky was dark and draped in sparkles of light, Day has passed and turned to night. Lilly’s mom was getting her ready for bed. ""Now that the book is all done and read. It’s time to say good night,"" she said and kissed Lilly on the head. ""But mom I am not done with this day, Maybe another story we could read or a game we could play?"" ""No buts Lilly… when you see the moon You know it is time for bed soon."" ""Listen closely, even the night crickets make it clear. Their chirping is a cue that it is time for sleep my dear."" She left the room and put on the night light. Lilly sat up as soon as her mom was out of sight. ""With this day I am not done. Sleep is for babies and I am not one."" She sniffed and wiped away a tear. ""I know…I will call upon the Forest Fairy she will take me from here."" Moments later the Forest Fairy appeared. ""Forest Fairy, take me on a night adventure please?"" ""Oh no Lilly,"" the fairy says with a yawn, An adventure will have to wait till dawn."" ""And I bet that you are tired after the long day, There was school, homework, chores and play."" ""But I don’t want to go sleep it is so boring. Nothing happens when you sleep Forest Fairy."" ""Many things happen when we sleep. As we sleep, we dream and rest And tomorrow we will be at our best."" ""And if you want to be strong and grow, Sleep is the key you know."" Lilly frowned in disbelief. ""Think of the flowerbed in the meadow Lilly."" ""Which one Forest Fairy?"" ""The Tulips, my dear Lilly."" ""Oh, that is such a beautiful flower bed, so colourful and bright."" ""And do you know why because they sleep at night."" ""At sunrise the tulips open its petals to meet the day, To welcome the bees and butterflies that come their way."" ""And bees make pollen into honey."" ""That’s right Lilly."" ""Mmmm yummy, honey so golden and runny."" Lilly stretches and rests against the pillows with a yawn. ""When the sun disappear for the day and the moon is in sight, The tulips know it’s time to close its petals tight, And rest up during the night."" ""So like the tulip let us close our eyes and drift off to sleep,"" ""To go to a dreamland with magic, wonder and white woolly sheep, Tomorrow is another day for adventure and play, And with a good night’s rest the better the next day."" Lilly was fast asleep at the end of the tale. The Forest Fairy lifted her wand and magical dust came into sight. She closed Lilly with some blankets and whispered, ""Sleep well my friend and good night."" The End " Supercow-Volume-II-The-Bully.txt,"One fine ordinary day, Cow was taking a stroll in the park. Today there was no crime to fight; all the bad men were locked up. And there were no lives to save; the life guard was on duty at the beach,, and the neighbourhood watch was on patrol in the streets. But, Cow could hear a call for help! Who could it be? It was a young boy. He was being bullied by some older kids. The children were being very mean to him. Quick as a flash, Supercow was there! The biggest bully was so surprised, he lost his balance, and fell on his bottom. Supercow hung the big bully by his shirt collar to a tree, to give him a time out, asking him to think about what he had done wrong. After a short time, the big bully realised his mistakes, and he said ""Sorry"". All the kids now realised how wrong they had been. They felt very ashamed of what they had done. Seeing him so upset, one girl went to comfort the little boy being bullied, and gave him a big cuddle. The big bully realised how wrong he had been, and promised to never be mean to anyone ever again; Supercow let the big bully down. Seeing all his work was done, Supercow flew away to save another day. And Cow went back to what was just, an ORDINARY day. THE END " Penguins.txt,"Penguins Penguins are a strange type of bird. They are very different than most birds because they do not fly. Penguins swim. They are birds of the water. Penguins are great at living in the ocean. Instead of wings, penguins have flippers. They use these flippers to push themselves through the water. Their feet are webbed like a duck’s and they use them to kick and steer. In order to be light enough to fly, most birds have hollow bones. The bones of a penguin are solid. This makes it easier for them to dive deep into the water. Penguins have dark backs and white bellies. This is a form of camouflage. Camouflage helps animals hide. Penguin camouflage is called countershading. Countershading is very useful in the ocean. It provides cover from predators above and below. From above, penguins will blend in with the dark depths of the ocean. From below, penguins will blend in with the light sky. The thick feathers of a penguin are built for cold waters. They are very closely spaced and are also waterproof. Underneath is a layer of soft down feathers. This keeps a warm layer of air near the skin. Penguins form long-lasting families. They mate with the same partner each year. Each has a unique mating song. Penguins use this to identify each other. Once the female lays the egg, both the male and female help raise their young. Penguins waterproof their feathers by coating them with oil. Penguins have a gland that lets out oil near their tail. By touching their beak to the gland they can spread the oil to their other feathers. Penguins need healthy feathers to survive. When Penguins take care of their feathers it is called preening. They use their beaks to clean their feathers and keep them healthy. While penguins are molting, they are unable to hunt. Their soft down feathers are exposed and these are not waterproof. Because of this, penguins eat a lot before they molt. Penguin’s feathers go through a large amount of wear and tear. To prevent them from wearing out, most penguins molt once a year. The old feathers fall out as new feathers grow to replace them. When they are young, the thicker outer layer of feathers has not grown in yet. This means their parents have to provide food for them. They do this by regurgitating their food. The parent hunts and catches food. They then throw it back up into the chick’s beak. Penguins eat seafood. They hunt squid, shellfish, and other fish. Being good swimmers helps them hunt and have food to eat. The tallest of them is the emperor penguin in Antarctica. Female emperor penguins lay one egg at a time. After the female penguin lays the egg, she passes it over to the male penguin to hatch. She must pass the egg very carefully. It’s important not to let the egg be in the cold for too long or it will freeze. There are 18 different kinds of penguins. They are different in size and color. They live all over the southern half of the world. This is called the southern hemisphere. Penguins lay eggs like other birds, but not all penguins make a nest. Instead, the male emperor penguin carries it between his feet. He protects it from the cold with a flap of belly skin. Not all penguins live in the snow. African penguins are the only penguins from Africa. They build nests under bushes and rocks to avoid the hot sun. Little penguins are the smallest penguins. They are known by many names. They can be called blue penguins or fairy penguins. Erect-crested penguins only come to shore to breed and raise their chick. The females lay two eggs. The second egg is often two times bigger than the first one. The bigger one is more likely to reach adulthood. Chinstrap Penguins have a thin black line that wraps around their chins. They are known as the most aggressive type of penguin. Penguins in warmer climates cool off in many ways. Their feathers can be used to keep them cool as well as warm. By puffing their feathers up, it allows cooler air to reach their skin. They also pant. Panting causes the throat and mouth to cool down. Holding out their flippers to the air also releases heat. Penguins Penguins are an endangered species. This means that they are at risk of disappearing. Review Questions! ? 1. How are penguins different from other Pollution, climate change, and taking too many fish make it hard for penguins to survive. birds? How are they the same? We should be careful to help all 18 types of 2. What do emperor penguins do instead of penguins survive in the future. building a nest? 3. What are some names for the smallest penguins? 4. Why do penguins need to be great swimmers? Penguins Art Project! Draw a penguin swimming. Think about the body parts that help it swim and make sure to show them in your picture. Remember the special coloring too; your penguin needs to be safe from predators! " A-FRACTIONATED-FAIRY-TALE-freekidsbooks.txt,"A FRACTIONATED FAIRY TALE Once upon a time a young girl named Katharine lived in a snug cottage not far from the castle, where her mother stitched the royal quilts. Katharine’s mother brought home scraps of fabric for Katharine, who made beautiful miniature quilts. Quilt-making was easy and fun for Katharine but she longed for something more challenging to put her mind to. If only I could get an education, Katharine thought, I’d be able to find my true calling. Every night, Katharine’s mother reported on life at the castle. The favorite topic was the unseemly behavior of Prince Henry, just the same age as Katharine and the only child of the King and Queen. Katharine loved listening to stories about Henry. Most of the royal staff described Henry as ""bossy"" and ""demanding"" and ""downright unpleasant."" Henry’s parents were always too busy for him. They solved every problem by hiring a Royal Somebody-Or-Other to fix it. He had tutors for everything from art to zoology, even for activities like swimming and chess. Katharine thought Henry was just plain lonely. She felt sorry for him. One day, Katharine’s mother told her that Prince Henry proclaimed he would eat only peanut butter and grape jelly sandwiches on perfectly square white bread and that each sandwich must be cut into two equal-sized pieces. The Royal Sandwich Chef cut Prince Henry’s sandwich the only ways he knew: into two long rectangles, or two right triangles. When his parents took no notice of him, Prince Henry marched down to the Royal Kitchen and announced, ""Every sandwich must be cut into two equal-sized pieces in a DIFFERENT way--or I will not eat."" The Royal Sandwich Chef told the King and Queen. They went straight to Prince Henry’s chamber. ""What is this nonsense about your sandwiches?"" asked the King. ""The Royal Sandwich Chef knows only two ways to cut your sandwiches. If you won’t eat them you will starve!"" said the Queen, flitting around Henry like a mother hen rounding up a stray chick. ""Then I shall starve,"" said Henry. ""My sandwich must look different every time, or I refuse to eat."" ""Well,"" said the Queen, ""we need a Royal Sandwich Designer. But where will we find one?"" ""Let’s hold a Royal Sandwich Designing Contest,"" suggested Henry. ""Good idea!"" said the King. ""We must work out the rules,"" said the Queen. So the three of them put their heads together. Prince Henry’s parents had not spent this much time with him in years. He bit his lip to keep from smiling. The Royal Guards posted the rules all about the kingdom. When Katharine saw the contest rules, she leaped around the cottage and then bounded up to her loft to draw some sandwich designs before bedtime. The next morning Katharine waited near the end of the line. She was the only child in the contest. At exactly nine o’clock, the Royal Herald announced the start. The first entry was a square cut into two equal-sized rectangles. ""Oh, dear! Oh, dear!"" the Royal Mathematician muttered under his breath. ""The Royal Chef knows this design already. But the rules do not exclude it. Oh, my! We must pay one gold coin."" The contestant received a coin and departed. The Royal Mathematician turned the paper around for all to see. About half the contestants saw that it matched their only design, so they left. The next contestant’s design was two right triangles. The Royal Mathematician grumbled again, then awarded a gold coin. The remaining contestants groaned when they saw the triangles. All but three people stepped out of the line! The first, a young man, handed a paper to the Royal Mathematician. He studied it, then shook his head sadly. He showed the design to the crowd, saying, ""These two pieces are NOT equal in size. No coin."" The next contestant was Katharine. She handed a design to the Royal Mathematician. ""Good job!"" he said, as a grin spread across his face. ""We finally have a NEW design-- and a very INTERESTING one, I must say."" He showed Katharine’s design: Then the Royal Mathematician sent it to the Royal Chef so the prince could be served breakfast at once. While the throng cheered, Katharine collected her gold coin and returned to the line. Suddenly, trumpets blared. Prince Henry came outside to watch the contest. He was eating his newly cut sandwich. The other contestant gave her drawing to the Royal Mathematician. ""Excellent! Two equal-sized trapezoids,"" he said. He handed her a gold coin. The people applauded as he displayed the design. A hush fell over the spectators as the woman walked away. Katharine was alone in line. The Royal Mathematician said, ""Young lady, with one more new design, you will become the Royal Sandwich Designer. But I hope you have MANY ways to cut sandwiches into halves, or our prince will starve."" Katharine showed another pattern to the Royal Mathematician. He quickly gave her a gold coin, then held up the new design and declared, ""Katharine is indeed our Royal Sandwich Designer!"" The crowd roared their approval. ""I have a lot more,"" she said, handing the Royal Mathematician a stack of papers. ""I use my quilting squares and triangles to make my designs, and grid paper to record them. See?"" Then she took her quilting pieces from her bag and spread them out on the Royal Mathematician’s table. Henry ran over to have a look and started making his own designs while Katharine explained her methods. At that moment the King and Queen came out of the castle. They watched Katharine and Henry. They had never seen Henry look so happy. The King said, ""Katharine will be paid three gold coins a day as the Royal Sandwich Designer."" ""We are so grateful to Katharine for saving our son’s life,"" said the Queen. ""She shall be an Honorary Princess. She is welcome to go wherever she wishes in the castle."" Everyone cheered. ""Katharine, do you have anything to say?"" asked the King. ""Yes,"" said Katharine. ""I want to thank my mother for making it possible for me to win this contest."" Katharine’s mother nodded proudly from the front row. ""And I want to thank Prince Henry for coming up with this splendid sandwich-cutting problem,"" Katharine continued. ""I have been looking for a challenging problem to put my mind to. Prince Henry is surely the most talented problem poser in the kingdom."" Prince Henry beamed. ""With your permission,"" she looked toward the King and Queen, ""I would like to study at the castle with Prince Henry and the royal tutors. May I?"" ""Pleeeeeease say yes,"" begged Prince Henry. ""Of course!"" said the King and Queen. So Katharine visited the castle every day and studied with Henry. They became good friends. Katharine and Henry planned sandwich parties for the village children. The King and Queen attended every one, without fail. And they all lived happily ever after. The End " and-also_imagination_story-FKB.txt,"Thabo pretends that his bed is a raft on the sea! His little sister Keitu says, ""Yes! And also! There are sharks."" ""No!"" says Thabo. Thabo pretends that their taxi is a spaceship! His little sister Keitu says, ""Yes! And also! Watch out for shooting stars!"" ""No,"" says Thabo. Thabo pretends the playground is a jungle! ""No,"" says Thabo. His little sister Keitu says, ""Yes! And also! We are lions."" ""Oh!"" says Thabo, ""Wait! Wow! Yes! That’s a great idea!"" ""I know!"" says Keitu. Thabo pretends to be a lion! Keitu also pretends to be a lion! Keitu says, ""Yes! And also! Thabo pretends the other kids are a We can jump on this log river of crocodiles! to float away."" ""Yes! And also!"" Thabo says, ""We can Keitu says, ""Yes! slide down the rainbow!"" And also! Watch out for the dinosaurs!"" Thabo says,""I had the Keitu says, ""And also! best day playing We should play again tomorrow!"" pretend with you."" " 11144-sniffles-childrens-story.txt,"Sniffles Sniffle sniffle. Uh-oh! Divya has the sniffles. Divya can’t have the sniffles today! She has to PLAY! It’s the finals of the Famous Football Cup! They’ve WON! THEY’VE WON THE FAMOUS FOOTBALL CUP! ""High five, Rustam!"" ""Good game, Gurmeet!"" ""Well done, Mohit!"" ""You did it, Pooja!"" ""Congratulations, everyone!"" A-A-A-AAACHOOOO! No more football for Divya until she gets better. She misses all her friends. A week later… No more sniffles! Divya can’t wait to see all her friends! Uh-oh! What’s this? It looks like Rustam has the sniffles now… And Gurmeet... ... And Mohit... ... And Pooja too! OH NO! EVERYONE has the sniffles! Colds are caused by tiny particles called viruses. They can float around in the air that we breathe, and sit on things we touch. When these viruses get into your nose and throat, they give you a sore throat, or a headache, or a clogged nose -- or even all three at the same time! A cold can move very quickly from you to your friends. If you touch your friends when you have a cold, or sneeze or cough near them, they too will fall sick. Did you know that a single cough or sneeze can shoot your nose and throat viruses 12 feet through the air? How terrible! This is how you can avoid catching a cold: Stay far away from anyone who has a bad cold. If you meet or shake hands with someone who has a cold, wash your hands well. Otherwise, the virus will travel from your hands to your nose. Do not share drinking glasses, eating utensils or clothes with someone who has a cold. Eat lots of vegetables and fruits, drink plenty of water, exercise, keep warm and stay healthy! " The-Mixed-Up-Pet-Shop.txt,"Today my Mum and I went to the pet shop to buy a new puppy. When we got there everything was mixed up. The kitten was in the mouse house. The mouse was in the fish bowl. The fish was in the puppy box. The puppy was in the bird cage. The bird was behind the counter. The shop keeper ran to the door, crying, ""Help me""! So we did. We put all the animals back where they belonged and then we bought our new puppy. At home we played outside with our new puppy and guess what he said... ""Cheep! Cheep!"" " Magozwe-Finds-a-Home.txt,"Magozwe Finds a Home In a certain city, there lived street boys. The youngest of them was called Magozwe. When Magozwe was five years old, his parents died. He went to live with Uncle Bunu. Uncle Bunu was a bad man. Magozwe ran away and lived on the streets. Life on the street was difficult. The boys begged from people. One day, Magozwe found a storybook from the rubbish container. The book had pictures of a pilot. Magozwe wanted to be the best pilot ever. One day Magozwe met Thomas. Thomas took Magozwe and his friends to get food. Thomas asked Magozwe to read. Magozwe replied, ""I do not know how to read."" Magozwe also said to Thomas, ""I ran away from Uncle Bunu's home. He was a bad man."" Thomas asked Magozwe, ""Do you want to learn to read?"" He gave Magozwe a new storybook. Magozwe thought about going to school. He remembered what Uncle Bunu said. ""You are stupid. You do not know anything."" Magozwe was afraid. Thomas said, ""Do not be afraid. You will be fine."" Thomas took Magozwe and the other boys to a home for children. They were all very happy. Magozwe went to school. He liked being in school. He worked very hard. One day Magozwe told Thomas, ""I will be the best pilot ever!"" " Brushing-is-No-Fun-.txt,"Brushing is No Fun! When Rohan woke up, he began to play with Jimmy, his dog. ""There’s something you should do first!"" said Riya, his big sister. ""BRUSH YOUR TEETH!"" ""I don’t want to brush my teeth! Jimmy doesn’t brush his teeth!"" ""Animals take care of their teeth too, but in other ways! We must brush our teeth to keep germs away!"" ""Germs?"" ""Germs are very tiny creatures that you cannot see. If you don’t brush properly, they stay in your mouth and hurt you!"" ""Ouch!"" ""YES! That’s why we must take good care of our teeth by brushing twice a day - morning and night!"" ""But brushing is no fun!"" ""I’ll tell you a secret, Rohan! Psst…"" Rohan smiled. Mummy called out, ""It’s breakfast time!"" ""There’s something we should do first!"" said Riya. ""WASH OUR HANDS!"" ""But Jimmy never washes his hands!"" Riya laughed, ""He doesn’t use his hands or paws to eat like we do! We must wash our hands with soap to get rid of germs."" ""Are germs on our hands too?"" ""Germs are EVERYWHERE!"" ""Aaaah-chhhooo!"" Riya covered her mouth with her hands as she sneezed. ""Don't do that! My teacher says that we should sneeze into our sleeve, not our hands!"" said Rohan. ""Why?"" ""Because when we sneeze into our hands, germs stick to them. If we don’t wash our hands, we spread germs and make others sick!"" ""Here comes Germy!"" Riya shouted, chasing Rohan and waving her dirty hands. ""EEEEEEEK!"" Later Riya showed Rohan the proper way to wash hands. ""Wet your hands and turn off the tap. Then rub in some soap on the palms, the back of the hands and between the fingers. Scrub hands for twenty seconds! Now, it’s time to rinse off and dry!"" ""But that’s a long time!"" ""Remember my secret?"" Rohan smiled. When they came back home after playing, Riya nudged Rohan, ""There’s something we should do first!"" Mummy teased, ""Play some more?"" ""TAKE A BATH!"" ""Mummy, don’t you know that germs are everywhere? We can’t see them, but they stick to our skin and clothes!"" ""That’s why we must bathe every day…"" ""…to get rid of them!"" ""Start by getting yourself wet,"" said Mummy. ""Then apply soap all over!"" Riya and Rohan giggled as Mummy’s ticklish fingers soaped them up. ""Then it’s time to rinse off!"" ""And dry with a clean towel!"" ""SUPERCLEAN!"" ""It’s Jimmy’s turn next!"" ""Do you want to listen to a story?"" asked Papa. ""There’s something we should do first!"" reminded Riya. ""Tidy UP!"" Rohan yawned. ""Do we have to?"" ""Remember you couldn’t find your ball the other day? Putting things away in the proper place makes it easy to find them later!"" ""And keeps our house neat!"" ""You both are so smart!"" said Papa proudly. ""Bedtime!"" ""Papa! There’s something we should do first!"" said Riya, pulling Rohan along. ""Make the germs disappear with our magic secret!"" Rohan nodded. A few minutes later, Mummy and Papa heard a familiar tune. ""So that’s your secret!"" said Papa. ""Humming a song to make brushing fun!"" ""And while washing our hands too!"" ""That’s a great idea!"" said Mummy. Rohan and Riya enjoy taking care of themselves. Do you? They make up a game with the germs and guess who wins? Germs say, yucky, mucky and dirty is FUN! I say, I brush and wash and I know I have won! Germs say, never bathe, it’s a waste of time! I say, smelling nice with soap is so fine. Naughty germ says don’t pick up your things, The house looks better that way. I say, I tidy up because I like my things That is a good way to end my day! And I feel better in every way I feel better in every way! I FEEL BETTER IN EVERY WAY!!!!! Now make up your secret song and hum it when you have to do boring things! " CAMERON-THE-COURAGEOUS-CABINET-Boodlebobs-EP-05-By-JO-KEMP.txt,"CAMERON THE COURAGEOUS CABINET Boodlebobs This is a story all about Cameron and yes, he’s a cabinet. Cameron had seen better days; better days than the days he now spent in the box room. It was like a box and full of boxes. ""See this scratch,"" he said and Malcolm the moth looked up from his lunch - a large blue cardigan. ""I got it in Burma…. Or was it Bermuda?"" ""Bermuda?"" said Malcolm brightly, ""You mean like the shorts?"" Malcolm was only interested in clothing. Cameron liked to boast he’d been everywhere and had fought lions, tigers and elephants. Malcolm knew all the tall stories and believed none of them. ""I’ve been around you know…"" he continued. ""..I’ve seen the world."" ""I haven’t."" piped up a tiny voice,"" I’ve never been anywhere except this room."" ""Nor have we!"" chorused his friends, ""We’re just House Mites and that’s where we stay…. …around the house!"" Boodlebobs [EP-05] - CAMERON THE COURAGEOUS CABINET 59 And it occurred to Malcolm that he’d never been anywhere either. The only thing he’d been around was a light bulb. ""We need a holiday!"" he exclaimed, ""And Cameron… …you could take us….. ……to the SEASIDE!"" ""To the seaside!"" sang all the House Mites, ""Hello sea… with you and me we make eighty three!"" Boodlebobs [EP-05] - CAMERON THE COURAGEOUS CABINET 60 ""Now hang on a moment,"" protested Cameron, ""Fighting in the jungle is one thing but the seaside…no, I don’t think so."" ""Why not?"" said Malcolm. ""Ummm… because I don’t know the way!"" he answered quickly. Malcolm felt so disappointed, as too did the House Mites. ""It’s not that simple!"" protested Cameron. ""Oh go back to fighting in the jungle,"" muttered Malcolm. You see, Cameron’s stories were one thing but they weren’t actually altogether… …true. But he couldn’t tell them that! Then he thought about it, ""Well…"" he smiled. ""I suppose we could ASK someone the way to the seaside!"" ""YEAH!!!!!!!!"" cheered all the House Mites. Boodlebobs [EP-05] - CAMERON THE COURAGEOUS CABINET 61 The next morning, everyone awoke very early. ""All aboard!"" said Cameron counting the House Mites into his drawer while Malcolm fluttered down onto his shoulder as they trundled out of the door. But which way to the seaside? Before they could decide, or even take a guess, Mole (who knows everything) surfaced from deep underground. ""It’s that way,"" he said twitching his nose. ""Everyone knows you just follow your nose"". So they did and in no time at all they arrived at the seaside. ""We’re at the seaside!!"" squealed the House Mites in delight as they buried into the sand making sandcastles. Malcolm gazed out to sea, ""Oh! Look at the boats!"" he pointed and this gave Cameron another idea. ""This morning I was a cabinet and now I’ll be a boat!"" he laughed. ""All aboard!"" he called for the second time that day as he flung himself into the waves. SPLASH! Boodlebobs [EP-05] - CAMERON THE COURAGEOUS CABINET 62 ""Now all we need is a sail."" So he rummaged around and pulled out an old, not-yet-moth-eaten jumper. They found some coat hangers and soon they’d made a rather good sail. Malcolm wasn’t happy – he rather fancied having the jumper for lunch – but he soon changed his mind as the wind took them. They went so fast!! So there they were. One old cabinet that was now a boat. One old cardigan that was now a sail. Eighty-one House Mites having the time of their life and a moth happy to have the wind in his wings. ""Can you see what I can see?"" said a seagull watching from the beach. ""No,"" replied the seagull’s friend. "" What I THINK I can see is too silly for words…"" ""So I think it’s best to say nothing."" " Saw-Blank_space_for_a_girls_name-ClarkNess-FKB.txt,"Fiction Cat ________ saw a cat. It was a big cat. ""I saw a cat,"" said ________. ""It was a big cat,"" she said. Bat ________ saw a bat. It was a big bat. ""I saw a bat,"" said ________. ""It was a big bat,"" she said. Rat ________ saw a rat. It was a big rat. ""I saw a rat,"" said ________. ""It was a big rat,"" she said. Ant ________ saw an ant. It was a big ant. ""I saw an ant,"" said ________. ""It was a big ant,"" she said. Bee ________ saw a bee. It was a big bee. ""I saw a bee,"" said ________. ""It was a big bee,"" she said. Hen ________ saw a hen. It was a big hen. ""I saw a hen,"" said ________. ""It was a big hen,"" she said. Elk ________ saw an elk. It was a big elk. ""I saw an elk,"" said ________. ""It was a big elk,"" she said. Pig ________ saw a pig. It was a big pig. ""I saw a pig,"" said ________. ""It was a big pig,"" she said. Dog ________ saw a dog. It was a big dog. ""I saw a dog,"" said ________. ""It was a big dog,"" she said. Cod ________ saw a cod. It was a big cod. ""I saw a cod,"" said ________. ""It was a big cod,"" she said. Fox ________ saw a fox. It was a big fox. ""I saw a fox,"" said ________. ""It was a big fox,"" she said. Cow ________ saw a cow. It was a big cow. ""I saw a cow,"" said ________. ""It was a big cow,"" she said. Owl ________ saw an owl. It was a big owl. ""I saw an owl,"" said ________. ""It was a big owl,"" she said. Bug ________ saw a bug. It was a big bug. ""I saw a bug,"" said ________. ""It was a big bug,"" she said. Pup ________ saw a pup. It was a big pup. ""I saw a pup,"" said ________. ""It was a big pup,"" she said. Fly ________ saw a fly. It was a big fly. ""I saw a fly,"" said ________. ""It was a big fly,"" she said. " Bheema-the-Sleepy-Head-.txt,"Bheema, the Sleepyhead Bheema loves to sleep and just cannot get up early. Ramu, the washerman, scolds Bheema often. One day, Gauri, the cow, asked him, ""Bheema, why are you so sad?"" Bheema said, ""I cannot get up early and Ramu shouts at me every day. Will you wake me up every morning, please?"" ""Yes, I will,"" said Gauri. Early next morning, Gauri mooed loudly, but Bheema did not wake up. Coming back from the river in the evening, Bheema met Moti, the dog. ""I can never get up in the morning on time. Will you wake me up?"" Bheema asked Moti. ""Yes, I will,"" said Moti and the next morning he barked and barked but did Bheema wake up? No Sir! That evening Bheema met Cheenu, the rooster. He said to Cheenu, ""You crow in the morning and everybody wakes up. Will you wake me up too?"" Cheenu agreed. The next morning, Cheenu crowed long and loud, but Bheema did not wake up. The next evening, Bheema saw Kalu, the crow, cawing away happily. ""Kalu, will you wake me up in the morning, please?"" he asked. Kalu said, ""Why not? I will caw and wake you up."" The next morning Kalu cawed all he could but Bheema did not wake up. Bheema was sad. The next morning, a fly came and sat on his nose. ""Aaah…chhoooo… ahchhoo!"" Bheema got up with a big sneeze. ""Wow! I woke up. How did I wake up?"" he asked in wonder. ""I woke you up,"" said the fly.""Will you wake me up like this early every morning?"" ""Sure,"" said the fly. Bheema was happy. Now he would have no problem getting up early every morning! " shongololo-s-shoes_readonline.txt,"Shongololo's Shoes Where are all my shoes? I know I left them here! I haven’t seen your shoes. Go ask Snail! No shoes here. Go ask Giraffe. I’m in a hurry – go ask Frog. Shoes? How many? Go ask Flamingo. Seen your shoes? No, not me. Will I ever find my shoes? Shoes, eh? You should ask the Monkeys. Hello hello? We’re busy. Go ask Owl, she knows everything! Hmm. I have an idea. Why don’t you ask Lion? These are yours? I’ll give them all back if you come to my party! " 015-KROAKER-THE-BULLFROG-Free-Childrens-Book-By-Monkey-Pen.txt,"Not long ago, in a crystal-clear river, near a small town lived two very big fish. In fact, they were so big that they were not afraid of anything. They swam anywhere they wanted. They tangled the lines of children fishing in their river. They ate when they were hungry and splashed anyone sitting on the bank. They were the big, brave rulers of the crystal-clear river. One day, a large bullfrog and his family moved into the area. The bullfrog saw the two big, brave fish in the crystal-clear river and wanted to talk to them. But he was afraid. He didn’t know a lot about the crystal-clear river,or the big brave fish that lived there, and was afraid of being eaten. For a long time he watched the big, brave fish, the crystal-clear river, and everything around him to make sure it was safe. The bullfrog was very smart and used his common sense to guide him. Then, with a mighty hop, he jumped into the crystal-clear river to introduce himself. ""I’m Kroaker, the biggest and smartest bullfrog in the world."" he said. ""Is that so?"" replied one of the fish. ""We are the biggest and bravest fish in the crystal-clear river."" The other fish looked at Kroaker and said. ""If you are nice we may let you share our water."" The three talked and over time, the two big, brave fish and Kroaker became friends. Every day the three of them would meet at the same spot in the crystal-clear river to eat, talk, and play. Late one evening, as the three were talking, two fishermen passed by. Kroaker saw them, and common sense told him to hop into the water and hide under the bank. The two big, brave fish slowly swam in circles so the fishermen could see just how big they were. One of the fishermen saw them and said, ""This crystal-clear river has some really big fish. Let’s come back tomorrow morning and catch them."" As the fishermen turned and walked away, they discussed what type of bait might work best to catch big, brave fish. ""Worms."" said one. ""No,sausages."" said the other, and they continued their discussion as they walked the twisty path along the crystal-clear river’s edge. The two big, brave fish and the Kroaker overheard the fishermen. ""My friends,"" said Kroaker. ""Did you hear what they said? You should swim away and hide. I am afraid they may catch and eat me, so I will take my family to a nearby pond to be safe."" The two big, brave fish bubbled out laughs as they jumped in and out of the water. One said, ""My dear bullfrog friend, don’t be frightened of their mere talk."" Kroaker looked at the two brave fish and said, ""I would rather be safe than sorry."" ""From what I heard they might come back so I will leave with my family to the safety of the pond."" Kroaker left and the two big, brave fish swam to the bottom of the crystal-clear river. The next morning, just after sunrise, the two fishermen returned to the crystal-clear river where the day before they had seen the two big, brave fish. They walked slowly and quietly so as not to disturb them. ""Look,"" whispered one of the fishermen, ""there they are."" The fishermen gently cast their bait and let it slowly drift in the current to attract the big, brave fish. It worked! In moments, each had hooked one of the big, brave fish. Then the battle between the fishermen and the fish began. The big, brave fish used all their tricks to free themselves. They dived deep, swam fast, and leaped from the water, thrashing their tail and head in an attempt to get free. The battle raged for over ten minutes but in the end, the big, brave fish were no match for the fishermen. They were caught! Kroaker watched from the safety of the tall grass that separated the pond from the bank of the crystal-clear river. Oh, the anglers were excited! Each had caught a big brave fish on their first cast of the day. What a story they had to tell when they returned home! Kroaker carefully hopped back to the pond and told his family what he had seen. ""Both my big, brave fish friends were very talented, and still they were caught. But I, with only common sense, saved my family. I will miss them."" ""We have to learn a lesson from this,"" said Kroaker to his family. ""At the first sign of danger, use common sense and act quickly to save yourself."" " Writing-on-Walls.txt,"WRITING on the WALL I wanted to write as much as I could, I wanted to write for all I was able, I wanted to write whether or not I should, I wanted to write on the chairs and the table; I wanted to write on the walls in the halls, I wanted to write on the floors and the doors, I wanted to write on the bats and the balls, I wanted to write on mine and on yours; I wanted to write on the bricks and the blocks, I wanted to write on the rug and the stairs, I wanted to write on the grandfather clocks, I wanted to write on my teddy-bears; I wanted to write up high in the sky, I wanted to write way down below, I wanted to write far away and nearby, I wanted to write on my big toe; I wanted to write on a thing I can send, I wanted to write on a thing I can bend, I wanted to write where no-one can see, I wanted to write, because I am me! Mum didn't want me to write on the walls in the halls, Mum didn't want me write on the floor or the door, Mum didn't want me to write on the chairs or the stairs, Mum didn't want me write on the blocks or the clocks; She wanted me to write, only on the paper! I wanted to write on the walls, I really did; But I knew it would make Mum sad. I really wanted to be a good kid; I didn't want to be bad. So do you know what I did? I wrote ONLY on the paper. THE END " 3565-inhabitants-of-the-sea.txt,"Inhabitants of the Sea This is a Seahorse. It is mostly found in shallow tropical and temperate waters throughout the world. This is an Octopus. Octopuses inhabit diverse regions of the ocean, including coral reefs and the ocean floor. This is a Clown Fish. Clown Fish are native to warmer waters and live at the bottom of shallow seas in sheltered reefs or in shallow lagoons. These are Dolphins. They are found across the world with most species of Dolphins preferring the warmer waters of the tropical zones. A few species however prefer colder climates. This is a Sea Turtle (also known as Marine Turtle) Sea turtles can be found in all oceans except for the polar regions. This big fish here is a Manta Ray. Mantas are found in temperate, subtropical and tropical waters. This is a Starfish (also known as Sea Stars). Starfishes are found in salt waters all over the world, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Indian Ocean and beyond. " Why-Cant-We-Glow-Like-Fireflies.txt,"Why Can't We Glow Like Fireflies? Fireflies are small winged insects that glow in the dark but why do they shine and what creates this spark within them? They’re bright and twinkling like little stars! I wish I could have glowed like them but I can’t! Can anyone tell me why? Imagine a dark, moonless night when you have gone camping with your classmates and you lose your way. What would you do? Will you not try contacting your friends by flashing your torchlight? Well, fireflies or ‘lightning bugs’ as they are sometimes called do the same, except that they have an unlimited supply of light within themselves! That is why fireflies never worry about fused light bulbs or electricity tariffs. They seem immensely happy just flying around and glowing- this is their signal to say, ""Hey, look! I’m here!"" The glow of the firefly is produced by a protein called luciferase and a pigment called luciferin. Proteins are special food used by our bodies to create muscles, bones and skin while pigments are natural colouring substances found in plants and animals. When these two meet inside the tiny belly of the firefly, they react with the oxygen already found in there. A celebration takes place, a soft firework display, so to say and bright light is produced which is the ‘glow’ of the firefly! Fireflies therefore are bio- luminescent but they are not the only ones. Different types of fish and marine creatures in the sea also produce their own lights! The glow of the firefly functions like a light switch and is periodically turned on and off by the insect. It does this by sending a special ‘message’ from its brain to the ‘light organ’ inside its body that is its abdomen and soon the chemical reaction begins and the glow is produced! The grown up fireflies use their ‘glow’ to call out to their mates. In fact, female fireflies prefer ‘flashy males’ that can blink the longest or at a faster pace. Once they see this special glow, the females respond to it by switching on their own lights. The firefly-mates soon meet and baby fireflies get created! The younger fireflies or the larvae, unlike their parents, use their glow mainly to chase predators away. The chemicals within their bodies are toxic and have a horrible taste so creatures that come to feast on them get put off and go hunting elsewhere for tastier munchies! Fireflies are never actually alone! There are more than 2,000 species of fireflies on this earth. During springtime, especially on dark nights, you may spot a few of them flitting around brightly! Fireflies maybe tiny, smaller than your fingers perhaps, but grouped together, these glowing insects can light up an entire garden and all for free! Sounds incredible, doesn’t it? Amazing facts about fireflies 1. Fireflies are not flies but beetles! They are often called ‘lightning bugs’ but they aren’t bugs either. 2. Different species of fireflies glow in different colors that range from yellow to green. Fireflies that flit around in the dark emit a greenish glow while those found outdoors during twilight give out a yellowish light. 3. There are a few non-vegetarian fireflies that feed on mites and other fireflies! 4. Adult fireflies aren’t the only ones that glow, their eggs and larvae glow as well! If you tap a firefly’s egg, it flashes in response to your touch. 5. Fireflies live in all continents except Antarctica. They love tropical climate but also thrive in temperate zones. They flit around forests, meadows and gardens during summer everywhere except in Antarctica that is much too cold for them. Do It Yourself 1. Find out what else glows in the dark. Both, living and non-living. 2. While playing in a group, imagine yourselves as fireflies. Carry a small torch in your hand and make different formations like fireflies. 3. Make a firefly with trash. For example, with a plastic bottle and glow stick. You can also try your own special ideas. " 032-GABBY-ABBY-Free-Childrens-Book-By-Monkey-Pen.txt,"""Hi! My name is Abigail and I just love to talk. That is how I got the nickname ‘Gabby Abby’. Talk, talk, talk, and … talk. If I am not talking, I am asking questions. I only stop talking when I am listening to the answer. Other than that: Talk, talk, talk, and … talk! Unless I have to stop to eat, have a drink, or go to sleep. Other than that: Talk, talk, talk, and … talk! Oh! I just love to talk. I learn so many new things and then I can then share the information with my friends. Did you know that spiders have 8 legs? I trip a lot and I only have 2! When a snake closes its eyes, it sees through its eyelids. How do they ever sleep? Flamingoes at with their heads upside down. I tried it and it is hard to do (and a bit messy). If you shave the fur off a tiger, it has striped skin. I wonder who did that! I will never wear lipstick. It is made with fish scales. Yuk! The original name for ‘butterfly’ was ‘flutterby’. I think flutterby is better because that is what they do! How do I know? I asked. And because I talk, talk, talk, and … talk! You know it too. Can a fish swim backwards? Why is the sun yellow? Does a hummingbird hum or can it sing like other birds? Maybe it forgot the words. When Abby reached school, she was ready to ask some questions. But Miss Pinkerton, her teacher, had other plans. ""Today we are going to have a test on multiplication tables."" Miss Pinkerton said. Abby and several other students slunk down in their seats. Miss Pinkerton asked, ""Are there any questions?"" Now Abby knew that sometimes her questions did not relate to the subject Miss Pinkerton was teaching the class. But she just could not resist asking. Abby raised her hand. ""Yes Abby,"" Miss Pinkerton said. ""Is a Zebra black with white stripes or white with black stripes?"" asked Abby. The class burst out laughing but Miss Pinkerton quickly quieted them by putting her fingers to her lips and pretending to zip her mouth closed. ""Actually Abby,"" Miss Pinkerton said. ""A Zebra is white with black stripes."" ""I thought so,"" said Abby. ""Who would like to start us off with the times 1 table from zero to ten?"" Miss Pinkerton asked. Abby raised her hand excitedly. This one was easy. One times anything equals anything. ""Tristan, would you please come to the board and write the times 1 table for the class?"" Miss Pinkerton said. Tristan proudly walked to the board and wrote the times 1 table. 1 x 0=0 1x 1=1 1 x 2=2 1x 3=3 1 x 4=4 1x 5=5 1 x 6=6 1x 7=7 1 x 8=8 1x 9=9 1 x 10 = 10 ""Excellent,"" said Miss Pinkerton. ""McKenzie, would you please do the times 2 table for us."" This continued through the times 8 table and the students did a wonderful job. They had obviously studied hard. Now Abby was worried. She knew that the times 10 table was easy; all you had to do was to put a zero after the first number. But the times 9 table! That was hard. What would she do if Miss Pinkerton called on her? ""Abby,"" said Miss Pinkerton. ""I would like you to show the class the times 9 table."" Abby didn’t want to. She knew she had not studied but she had to go to the front of the class and do the best she could. She approached the board and wrote the table. 0x9= 1x9= 2x9= 3x9= 4x9= 5x9= 6x9= 7x9= 8x9= 9x9= 10 x 9 = Abby looked at what she had written and said to herself. ""I know some of the answers like 10 x 9 is 90, 1 x 9 is 9, and 0 x 9 is 0. I will write them down in their equations. She was starting to feel better since she had some correct answers written down. 0x9=0 1x9=9 2x9= 3x9= 4x9= 5x9= 6x9= 7x9 = 8x9= 9 x 9 = 10 x 9 = 90 Abby thought for a second and decided to count the parts she did not know. ""Let’s see,"" she said to herself. ""The first one I don’t know is 2 x 9, so I’ll put a 1 next to it. The second one I don’t know is 3 x 9, so I’ll put a 2 next to it. Oh! I think I am in trouble."" She realized that she did not know too many answers. As she thought about each, she wrote the numbers next to the equations she did not know. The times 9 table looked like this. 0x9=0 1x9=9 2x9=1 (First one Abby didn’t know) 3x9=2 (Second one Abby didn’t know) 4x9=3 . 5x9=4 . 6x9=5 . 7x9=6 . 8x9=7 . 9x9=8 (Eighth one Abby didn’t know) 10 x 9 = 90 There were many snickers and chuckles from the class but Miss Pinkerton said, ""Class-quiet down and let Abby finish. Remember that it is not nice to bully a person by laughing or making fun of them."" Well, Abby was almost in tears. She was just about to give up when she had an idea. Maybe, just maybe, if she checked her table, from the bottom up, she could get some more answers correct. She was not going to give up! Abby thought to herself. ""9 x 9 well that’s the first one I don’t know,"" and marked the table as she did before. She then thought ""8 x 9 … Oh! I don’t know that one either."" So, she marked the table and it looked like this. 0x9=0 1x9=9 2x9=1 3x9=2 4x9=3 5x9=4 6 x 9 = 5 7 x 9 = 6 8 x 9 = 72 (Second one Abby didn’t know) 9 x 9 = 81 (First one Abby didn’t know) 10 x 9 = 90 Abby was really nervous but she continued with the rest. She looked at the equation, realized she did not know the answer, and marked it. When she was done, she had completed the table. 0 x 9 = 0 1x9=9 2 x 9 = 18 3 x 9 = 27 4 x 9 = 36 5 x 9 = 45 6 x 9 = 54 7 x 9 = 63 8 x 9 = 72 9 x 9 = 81 10 x 9 = 90 ""Excellent work Abby,"" Miss Pinkerton said. ""Aren’t you glad you asked me how you could remember the Times 9 Table?"" Abby had a big smile but knew she had to give up some talk … talk … talk for some study … study … study. She remembered Miss Pinkerton telling her that not everything had an easy trick to help you get through the problem. Before taking her seat, Abby asked. ""Miss Pinkerton, can an elephant jump?"" Miss Pinkerton just smiled and said ""No."" " whats-in-the-pot_english_20170320-3-18.txt,""" ""What’s for supper?"" ""It’s a surprise"", asked Sam. said Mama, putting a big pot on the stove. She added a jug of water. Sam was worried. ""Are we having water for supper?"" he wailed. ""It’s a surprise. Wait and see."" replied Mama. ""You are still a bit short,"" said Mama. ""The pot might fall over. But you can help me by fetching things."" ""Can I help?"" asked Sam. ""I could stir."" ""Can you bring me an onion, please."" ""They will taste nice once ""This doesn’t smell very nice."" they are cooked."" ""Now I need some tomatoes. No, that is an apple. The tomatoes are also round and red, but you will find them in the fridge."" ""Can you bring me potatoes. They are round and brown."" ""Is supper ready yet?"" ""If you are hungry you can ""What about these?"" eat the apple while you wait."" ""No, we won’t need biscuits. We can save those for after supper."" ""What’s in the pot?"" ""It’s a surprise. Wait and see."" ""What about this?"" ""That is a watermelon. It will be too big for the pot."" ""See if you can find some spinach. It is also green."" ""Please get some bread. No, it won’t go into the pot but on the table."" Mama carried the pot to the table and started to dish up. ""What’s in the pot?"" asked Sam. ""Soup!"" My favourite! " catch-a-ride-on-raindrops-pratham-FKB_stories.txt,"Catch a Ride on Raindrops Splash in the puddles, Jump in the rain, Catch a ride on raindrops, Falling from the sky. Rain hits the ground, And seeps far below, Down where the worms live, Past where the termites dig, Snakes slide and ants creep, Down the rain seeps. Trickle between rocks, Squeeze into cracks, Moisture moves, out of sight, Deep underground. Spring from the earth, Rush with the streams, Race with the fishes, Far across the land. Warmed by the sun, Up the water floats, Into skies, far above, Vapour turns to cloud. Thundering in the sky, They bulge and rumble and grow, Till water bursts, in pouring rain, Down to the earth again. How to Ride the Water Cycle Water travels far and takes many forms over the course of the water cycle. It comes to the earth as rain from the sky. It fills rivers and soaks into the ground to join the water table. The water table, like a river underground, emerges into open air in the form of springs and lakes. Water travels up into the sky as vapour when it's warmed by the sun, and comes together as wispy clouds. When clouds grow dark and heavy with water, they open with pouring rain, bringing water back to earth once more. " Grandma-like-to-juggle.txt,"Our Grandma was a juggler. She juggled anything with swiftness. Kitchen, market, office Grandma juggled everywhere. Flying spectacles, mango umberalla Grandma's juggling annoyed everyone. One day Grandpa brought for her colourfull juggling balls Grandma was very happy. Grandpa was happy and could sleep peacefully While Grandma juggled the colourful balls. " Chunu-and-Munu-Read.txt,"Chunu and Munu Read Chunu and Munu are reading in a library. ""Chunu, look at this boy spinning around. This picture is so nice!"" ""Munu, look at these red blossoming flowers."" ""Chunu, look at these beautiful butterflies with different colored wings."" In the library, there are books with wonderful pictures here, there, and everywhere! ""Chunu, read this. It is a book filled with songs."" ""Munu, please tell me a story."" ""Please tell me a story that touches the heart."" ""Come Chunu, let’s sit together. You take one book, and I will take another one. Let us read together."" ""Oh, what is this? A dog and a rabbit going to school!"" ""Look at this bear sitting on a chair! He has warm eyes."" ""I will tell you a story. Which one do you want to listen to? A story about a rabbit or a dog?"" ""Tell me a story with lots of art and pictures."" ""I’m so happy to be at the library. I will come here everyday to read books."" ""Chunu, let’s take some books home where we can also enjoy reading them. Books can be our friends. Let’s read books, let’s love books! " Finbo-.txt,"Finbo Far away in the deep blue ocean, there lived a little blue whale named Finbo. Even though he was called little, he was not little by any means. The baby Finbo was very much bigger than all of his friends. His favourite pastime was playing ""hide and seek"" with his friends in and around the rocky areas. But there was one thing which disappointed him all the time. That was, whenever they played hide and seek, Finbo ended up being on the losing end. No matter how hard he tried to hide, his friends would find him in no time. Since Finbo was so big, it was very easy for his friends to find him, because he stuck out from behind wherever he was trying to hide. And when his turn came Finbo could never find his tiny friends. They were so tiny that they could hide anywhere. Sometimes they hid behind Finbo’s own tail! But, Finbo could never see them, until they came out and showed themselves. Therefore Finbo had to spend the whole day searching for them. This happened almost all the time. When Finbo got tired of searching, he gave up the game and went to his mother, whimpering. ""Uh…uh…uh….I can’t do this all the time. I can’t stand it any more….."" Finbo complained. ""Why, my darling, what’s wrong?"" his mother asked. ""Mama, whenever I hide, they find me right away. But when ever they hide, I can’t find them even if I search all day long. Why, Mama? Why am I so big?? Why can’t I be tiny, like my friends?"" Finbo asked, sadly. ""But, darling, you are a whale. You are different from all the fish in the sea. We are the biggest animals on earth. And don’t forget, you’ll be even bigger when you grow up,"" said his mother. ""Even bigger? Oh no, I don’t want to be any bigger. I’m tired of being big,"" Finbo said crossly. ""No Finbo, you must be proud of it."" said his mother. ""Proud of what? Being big?"" Finbo asked. His mother started explaining. ""Finbo, listen to me carefully. We have many things to be proud of. First of all, we are not fish. We are mammals who live in the water. We don’t lay eggs like other fish. You were born like a baby and not hatched from an egg. Baby whales drink milk from their mothers, just like the children on land do.... ..... And we have hair on our bodies, too. We are the loudest animals on earth. No one else has a fountain on top of their head like we do. We have no enemies, and all the others are frightened of us. You need not shrink away with fear from anyone and....."" His mother tried to convince him. But it was hard for him to understand. ""But… but mama…but...even if all that is true, I still can’t play hide and seek. I don’t want to be big and different any more."" Finbo started whimpering again. ""Uh…uh…uh…"" ""Finbo, everyone should be happy about who he is and what he has. You’ll see one day, what would it bring you, being who you are…"" said mother blue whale. On the following day, Finbo and his friends went to the rocky area to play hide and seek. ""Finbo, shall we go far out there, beyond the rocky area?"" asked one tiny friend. ""Far away? Oh no, I won’t go too far,"" said Finbo. ""Finbo, are you scared?"" they asked. ""No, I’m not sacred. But I’m not going, because my mother told me not to. It’s very dangerous out there,"" said Finbo calmly. ""Hey, Big Finbo is scared it seems. Let’s go there and show him how brave we are,"" said all his tiny friends, laughing at Finbo. ""My little friends, as my mother says, being brave doesn’t mean that you go looking for danger. And I’m obedient to my mum,"" said Finbo. ""Oh, Finbo, what’s the use of being big…"" Finbo’s friends laughed at him and swam away. Finbo felt very lonely. No one to talk to, no one to play with. He wandered around sadly. But, a little later…. He heard shrieking voices coming through the water. It sounded very familiar to him. He swam towards the sound, quickly. It was his tiny little friends, darting through the water, crying out with fear, as if someone was chasing them. They rushed forward and hid behind Finbo’s tail. The next moment, a big shark raced toward them, with his mouth wide open. The moment he saw Finbo infront of him, his eyes bulged out and his mouth dropped. Finbo grunted once. The big, bad shark took one sharp look at Finbo from the corner of his eyes, and vanished at once, in fear. Finbo’s friends, who were peeping from behind his tail, couldn’t believe their eyes. They were amazed to see how the big bad shark ran away as he saw their friend, Finbo. They were very proud of him. All of them came to him and thanked him over and over. They apologized to Finbo for teasing him. Finbo welcomed all the thanks humbly. ""My friends,"" said one of the little fishes. ""Finbo is wise. He told us not to go into danger. Of course, being brave does not mean running towards danger. We learnt that today. From now on, we should not go so far away to play."" All of them agreed. ""Yes, yes, Finbo is a very good friend. Even though we teased him, he came forward to help us at once, without being angry with us."" they said. ""My friends, you need not go anywhere to play. I’ll take you to show things you have never seen. It would be much more interesting than swimming far away,"" said Finbo. He swam up, close to the surface of the sea, with his friends. And then he asked his friends to sit on his head one by one. And when spurted his fountain, they were shot out of the water into the beautiful world above. They saw the sky, birds, sun, clouds, ships and far away lands. They cheered with joy. It was an amazing sight to the little fish who had never seen anything other than the things under the sea. ""Finbo, you are such a wonder. And such a good friend too. We love you very much."" They circled around him and hugged him. Finbo was very happy that he was big and different, because he could be of great use to his friends. " mr-earthworm-wants-a-bath-early-stem-FKB.txt,"Mr Earthworm Wants a Bath - Early STEM Mr Earthworm is very angry. He likes looking pretty, and is fed up of being covered in mud and never being able to have a proper bath. So he asks his wife, who is very handy with tools, to install a bathtub with running water. The bathtub is easy to make. First Mrs Earthworm finds an old flower pot lying in the kitchen garden. She patches up the few holes and some gaps. And it’s done! The installation of running water at their home was quite another thing. The first attempt was with straws connected to the surface. But the flow was too weak and during heavy rains the mud rose obstructing the mouth of the pipes. She improved the device by connecting a garden hose directly onto a drainpipe. However, the flow was not quite satisfactory. Mrs Earthworm thought hard. Then she found another bowl to collect the water. She made a knot to act as a tap. Now the water supply was perfect. The next problem was that this water was not suitable for Mr Earthworm. It had too much residue, is not clear enough, and it does not smell good. Mrs Earthworm had listened carefully in Science class, and so she knew how to make a filter using sand, seeds, and stones. Mrs Earthworm was really proud of her work. But when she presented it to Mr Earthworm, there was a small problem. There was something else that dampened Mr Earthworm's craving for a bath - the temperature. The water is too cold! Mrs Earthworm got back to work and added a handmade water heater, all they needed to do was light the fire to warm the water in the pipe. Now it’s perfect! Mr Earthworm can finally relax in the bath that he so wanted so much. - THE END - " Bears.txt,"Bears There are lots of different kinds of bears. Bears can be big or small and they come in many colors. Bears live in the mountains, in the forest and even in the snow. Most bears are omnivores which means they eat plants and meat or fish. Panda bears only eat bamboo, and they eat for up to fifteen hours every day! Left: Baby black bear, 1 day old Top: Two baby panda bears, 1 day old Baby bears are very small when they are born. Baby bears stay with their mothers until they are a year and a half old. Bears are good swimmers and they can climb trees too. Bears can stand up on their back legs to look around if they hear or smell something. Most people only see a bear if they go to the zoo. But if you go camping or hiking in the woods, you might see a bear. Then you hope the bear doesn’t see you! " Tanias-Treasure-Hunt.txt,"I'm a little _____ short and stout, I'll be happy, to help you out. Pussy cat pussy cat where have you been? I've been to London to look at the Queen. Pussy cat pussy cat what did you there? I frightened the little mouse __________ There was an old woman who lived in a ______ Look in there to find your next clue. This clue is the last one: Old Mother Hubbard Went to the ______ To give the poor dog a bone; When she came there, The cupboard was bare, And so the poor dog had none. " what-is-it_english_bookdash-FKB-3-18.txt,"What is it? What is it? It hasn’t got a trunk. It’s not like me. What is it? It hasn’t got a tail. It’s not like me. What is it? Ugh! Where are its feathers? It’s not like me. What is it? Look at those tiny feet. It’s not like us. Do you think it’s dangerous? Do you think it wants to eat us? Achoo! Achoo! Aargh! Eek! Ru n ! It’s chasing us! Be careful. Come back. What is it? It’s a baby just like me! " eureka-R-.txt,"Eureka! It was a lovely sunny morning in September. Ganesh Chaturthi meant it was a holiday from school. Tania and her friends were at Karishma's house celebrating the festival of the elephant headed God Ganesh. There was an idol of Ganesh decorated with flowers and surrounded by lamps. Karishma's mother was distributing modaks. Modaks are dumplings made of rice flour stuffed with jaggery and grated coconut. They are supposed to be Ganesh's favourite food and was Tania's favourite part of the celebration. Karishma's mother also served puranpolis and some other Maharashtrian delicacies. Replete with tasty wholesome food, Tania, Tanisha, Sonali, Rajiv and Nikhil decided to go outside and play to make the most of a rare sunny day in the midst of the Bombay monsoon. Tanisha announced that her sister Trisha had taught her a new game called 'The Queen of Sheba'. She said, ""One of us has to be the queen of Sheba and ask everyone to get something from the surroundings and the person bringing the best sample wins."" Tapping her wrist watch she added, ""Of course there is a time limit. "" ""Sounds like fun"", said Nikhil. ""Tanisha since the game was your idea you should be queen."" Tania, Sonali and Rajiv agreed. Tanisha was thrilled. She said ""Let us do a trial round so I can explain better."" Then in her most haughty voice, ""The queen of Sheba wants a feather. The person bringing the longest feather wins. You have 1 and a half minutes. Your time starts now."" Tania, Sonali, Nikhil and Rajiv shot off in different directions in search of feathers. Nikhil was the first to return with a feather closely followed by Sonali and then Tania. Rajiv arrived last just as the time was up but he was empty handed. Poor Rajiv had not found a single feather. Nikhil, Sonali and Tania placed their feathers next to each other to compare their lengths. Sonali's was the longest so she won. With a clearer idea of the game they all waited eagerly for the next round. The next time Tanisha asked them to get individual blades of grass and the one getting the largest number of individual blades would win. Nikhil, who managed to get 33 blades won this round. The game was quite enjoyable. Tanisha was inventive with her orders and fair in her judgements and made a great queen, until .... It was round 5 and Tanisha had asked for a rock and said the person bringing the biggest rock would win. The rocks Sonali and Nikhil brought were clearly smaller than the other two. But Tanisha simply could not tell whether the rock Tania had brought was bigger or smaller than the one Rajiv had brought. They had very different shapes and it was very difficult to compare. Tania and Rajiv started fighting and Tanisha looked really harassed. Then Tanisha spotted Tania's papa sitting on a bench nearby reading a book. She said loudly so that she could be heard over the din, ""Okay, stop! I see Tania's papa there. We should ask him. He may know how to decide which one is bigger."" Every one agreed this was a good idea. They all approached Tania's papa. Tanisha explained their problem and asked if he could help. Papa nodded and said ""Over 2000 years ago the king of Syracuse had a similar problem. The king had given a goldsmith a block of pure gold to make a crown for him. The goldsmith though talented was also known to be dishonest. He presented the king with a beautifully crafted crown. "" ""But the king suspected that the goldsmith had substituted some of the pure gold with silver and kept the gold for himself. The king wanted to know if he had been duped. Desperate to know the truth, the king approached the scientist Archimedes. Archimedes promised to do his best."" ""Archimedes knew that if a gold and silver bar are of the same weight the silver one is bigger because silver is lighter. So if silver was mixed in then the crown would be bigger than a block of pure gold of the same weight as the crown."" ""So the problem was to figure out if the crown was bigger than a block of gold of the same weight or not. It was so hard to tell because of the funny shape of the crown . So the problem was essentially the same as the one you have."" ""So then what did Archimedes do papa?"" asked Tania. ""Did he figure it out?"" ""Patience, Tania. I am coming to that. Archimedes was still thinking about the problem when he went for a bath. The water level in the bath tub went up when Archimedes stepped in. That triggered an idea and Archimedes got so excited that he ran out of the bathroom, forgetting even his clothes, shouting eureka! eureka!"" ""What is eureka?"" interrupted Rajiv puzzled. ""Eureka is the Greek word for 'I got it!'"", said papa. ""So he did figure it out then. But how? I don't understand."" said Tania. ""Okay let me explain with an example. Suppose you have a glass with a little water in it. You mark the water level."" ""Now say you put a lemon in that glass. Then what happens?"" ""The water level goes up, just like in the story of the thirsty crow"" said Tania. Papa prompted ""The bigger the lemon..."" ""The higher the water level rises"" finished Nikhil. ""So now you can imagine what Archimedes did. He took a glass container and filled it with some water and marked the water level. Then he put the block of pure gold of the same weight as the crown in and marked the new water level. Next he replaced the block with the crown. The water level rose higher than it had for the gold block. That meant that the crown was bigger than the gold block. So it was not made of pure gold."" Then papa turned to Tanisha and said, ""So now do you know how to solve your problem queen of Sheba?"" ""Yes!"" exclaimed Tanisha. ""Look Rajiv, your brother is washing his new motorbike there. We can ask him to lend us the bucket."" The kids filled the bucket with some water and marked the water level. Then they put Tania's rock in and marked the new level. Next they replaced Tania's rock with Rajiv's rock. This time the water level rose higher than it did for Tania's rock. That meant Rajiv's rock was bigger making him the winner. That evening, at dinner, Tania looked very thoughtful. She asked, ""Papa we could not have used that idea to compare the size of two objects if one of them floated right, like a piece of wood I mean? ""I am really impressed you thought of that. It is good to know the limitations of any scientific method. But it is also important to see if you can come up with a simple work-around. Can you think of a way to work around that problem Tania?"" Tania thought for a moment and said ""You could push the wooden piece in so it is submerged in the water"". She sounded very sceptical that the solution could be that simple. To her surprise papa said ""That is correct Tania, but you need to push it just a little below the surface so your finger does not get submerged too pushing the water further up."" ""The real problem would be to compare the size of 2 things if one of them was spongy like a sponge or a pillow. Then the sponge would soak up the water and the water level would not rise much. In that case you would have to look for a different solution."" Papa added ""Tania I think this was a great way to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi."" ""What do you mean?"" asked Tania puzzled. ""Well Ganesh doesn't only eat modaks you know. He is also a patron of arts and sciences and the God of intellect and wisdom."" said Papa grinning. " why-is-there-a-hole-in-the-wall_english_Bookdash-FKB.txt,"Lungisa lived in a village called esiKhaleni Some people also called it Hole-in-the-Wall. or Place of Noise. ""Why is there a hole in the wall?"" Lungisa asked his mother. ""Because one of the sea-people used a giant fish head to break through the wall so that he could get to the woman he loved."" ""Why is there a hole in the wall?"" Lungisa asked his teacher. ""Because waves crashed against the rock for millions of years, and made a hole in the sandstone,"" said his teacher. ""Why is there a hole in the wall?"" Lungisa asked his granny. ""So that our ancestors will have a gateway to us."" ""Why is there a hole in the wall?"" Lungisa asked his auntie. ""It is a window to God."" ""Why is there a hole in the wall?"" Lungisa asked his friend. ""Because a ship crashed into the wall."" ""Why is there a hole in the wall?"" Lungisa asked his little sister. ""So that my brother will keep on asking questions,"" she said. And Lungisa laughed. But he kept on asking. " Monkeys-Mustardseed-early-reader-FKB.txt,"Monkeys The monkey is sitting on a rope. The monkey is in a cage. The monkey is licking a stick. The monkeys are playing in the snow. The monkey is resting on a log. The monkeys are sitting on a rock. The monkeys are playing with a ball. The monkey is walking on the rope. And she has a baby! " 018-HEY-MOM-WHAT-IS-DIVERSITY-Free-Childrens-Book-By-Monkey-Pen.txt,"""How was school?"" Sally’s mom asked. ""It was fine,"" she said with a big smile. ""But my teacher, Ms. Talbert, started talking about something I didn’t understand. She called it DIVERSITY."" ""Hey mom! What is DIVERSITY?"" ""Sally, let me get you a snack and I will explain what it really means."" ""I have red hair, you have strawberry-blond hair, and your Dad has … NO HAIR."" Sally laughed at the way her mother said no hair. ""Everyone’s hair is different. Different colors, styles, lengths. It can be straight, curly or in between. And sometimes it’s not even there."" ""You are a girl and your little brother is a boy. You are both human but different. I am old and you are young. We are different ages."" ""Your friend Jaylynn lives with her sister and father, and her mother lives in another state. They are a family just like us, but there are differences."" ""You have a brother and she has a sister. You both have a father and mother at home, she only has a father."" ""We live in a house and Jaylynn lives in an apartment."" ""They are both places to live but they are different."" ""You like the color purple and your brother likes the color red.You both have a special color but the colors are different. You like soccer and your brother likes baseball. You both like sports but the sports are different."" ""Hey mom! I understand!"" Sally shouted. ""Even though things are the same, they are different and that is DIVERSITY. I like being different. I can’t imagine everyone and everything being the same."" " 031-TERRANCE-TURTLES-NEW-HOME-v2.txt,"On a huge mountain, in a big forest, there was a medium sized meadow and a small pond. in this small pond lived Terrance, the turtle and his two best buddies, Sam and Sally swan. Oh, you may think it odd that a turtle and swans were buddies, really true friends, but I assure you – they were. Every day the three of them would search the pond for food, swim together and play games, and tell stories on the shore. When it got dark, Sam and Sally would return to their nest under a large tree and Terrance to his den on the shore, by their tree. One year there was very little rain and the pond began to dry up. The three friends were concerned and talked about what they should do. ""We should stay here"" said Terrence. ""The rain always comes and the pond has been our home since we were born."" ""I don’t think the pond will last."" said Sally. ""I think we need to find a new home."" said Sam. Then Sam flew away in search of a new pond. After several days, Sam returned to find the pond almost dry and his friends not doing well at all. ""Sam!"" Terrance shouted excitedly. ""We are so glad to see you! The pond is almost dry. Sally is hungry and scared, and my shell is starting to crack. Did you find a new home?""""Yes,"" said Sam. ""It is beautiful but very far away and I don’t know how you WILL get there."" The three talked for a long time. Then Terrance said, ""I will stay here and dig deep into my den and the two of you, my true friends, fly to your new home."" ""No!"" shouted Sally. ""We will all go."" ""There has to be a way."" said Sam. The three sat under the bright sun in silence, thinking of a way to get to the far-away pond. ""I know how to do it!"" shouted Terrance. ""See that stick?"" He said to Sam. ""Sally and you WILL each take an end in your bill and I will bite it in the middle. Then, you can fly to our new home while I hang onto the stick. We can all be together."" Again, the three sat in silence thinking about Terrance’s idea. ""It will work."" said Sally. ""I agree."" said Terrance. ""Maybe."" said Sam. Sam looked at Terrance and Sally for a few minutes and said, ""Yes, I think it will work but none of us can talk or open our mouths, no matter what! Does everyone understand? Does very one agree?"" ""Yes."" said Sally. ""I agree too."" said Terrance. ""Terrance,"" Sam firmly said. ""It is most important that you DO NOT talk or open your mouth. Remember, you can’t fly!"" ""I understand."" said Terrance. WITHIN MINUTES, Sally and Sam each had the stick firmly held in their bills. Sam opened his mouth and bit down on the stick. They were off. Sally swan and Sam swan flew side-by-side, separated by a stick, with Terrance turtle hanging in the middle. It was a very strange but funny sight. As they flew, climbing higher and higher, no one dared talk or open their mouth. Faster and faster, higher and higher, Sally and Sam flew. Terrance was terrified! As they passed over a town, they could hear the people talking and laughing. ""Look up in the sky!"" shouted one boy. ""What is it?"" asked another. As the people looked up, they began to laugh at the strange sight. They laughed, whistled, hooted, and hollered at the silly swans carrying a turtle on a stick. Terrance heard all the noise but couldn’t look down to see what was going on. Ignoring the advice THAT Sam had given HIM, he opened his mouth to ask him what was happening. Before he could say a word, he was falling and looking up at his flying friends. Oh, don’t worry. Terrance didn’t get hurt. You see they were close enough to their new home so Terrance fell into THE big, deep pond. But not listening to his true friend could have ended IT differently FOR HIM. " Bookworm-Babies-.txt,"Bookworm Babies Over the last year Tania had grown very fond of reading. Knowing her fondness for animals mama got her a hardbound copy of the Aesop's fables with fantastic illustrations. This book really captured Tania's imagination. Initially mama would read it to her. Tania loved the stories since they usually featured various animal characters. Her favourite story was the ""Thirsty Crow"", also known as ""The Crow and the Pitcher"". The crow in this story was so smart and resourceful. Tania really admired it. In time she learnt to read by herself. Tania was also very fond of Noddy books and the bedtime stories by Enid Blyton. One Sunday morning mama took Tania to a children's library. It had 2 large rooms, one for little children and the other for young adults. Mama took Tania to the room with books for little children. The walls were lined with shelves filled with colourful children's books. There were some comfortable little stools and mats to sit on. Tania loved the place as soon as she saw it. She browsed the shelves, selected 3 or 4 books and made herself comfortable on a mat. Soon she was engrossed in reading. Mama realised Tania was not going to need her, so she went to the next room and picked out a book to read. When mama came back a couple of hours later Tania had her nose buried in a short story book. She was surrounded by 6 more books, 3 of which she had already finished. One was a book of rhymes, another was a short book about animals and the third was a short story from the Noddy series. Mama waited till Tania finished the story that she was reading and then told her they had to go home, since it was almost lunch time. Tania was very reluctant to leave the library. On the way home she asked ""Mama can we come back to the library tomorrow?"" Mama said ""Baby you have school tomorrow morning."" ""Okay, then in the afternoon after school?"" Mama said, ""Tania, this library is quite far away from home and because of traffic it takes a long time to get here. I am glad you had such a good time and I can bring you here once a month but not more often than that. Unfortunately, there is no children's library near where we live ."" Tania looked disappointed. Mama said ""Tania I always buy you the books you want. Why are you so sad?"" Tania replied ""This place is so lovely. As soon as I entered I felt like reading and reading and never leaving. There are so many books to choose from. It is nice to just browse the books and then decide which to read, and it is so cosy."" That evening during dinner Tania said ""Mama, I have an idea. What do you think about me starting a reading club?"" ""A reading club? Where would you do that? How would it work?"" ""Here in the society club house. I'll make a flyer and post it on the notice board to spread the word. Every one will have to bring some books. That way each of us will get to choose from a large collection of books. We can do this every Saturday and Sunday afternoon for a couple of hours."" ""That sounds like a great idea Tania. Why don't you talk to Tanisha and see if you can get it to work."" The next day Tania discussed the idea with Tanisha. Tanisha loved reading, so she thought it was an awesome idea. They were trying to think of a catchy name for the club when Tania remembered the bookworm costume Tanisha wore to Karishma's costume party. They played around with the idea and came up with the name ""Bookworm Babies"". Tania got her art supplies out and they made the flyer together. Mama talked to the society chairman and got permission to post the flyers on the noticeboards. Throughout the week Tania got calls from mothers and kids living in the society. Mama found an old book case that Tania could use. She also gave her a rug and a stool. Tanisha's mother also contributed a bookcase. There was a storage closet in the clubhouse where they stored the book cases, stools, chairs and rugs, so they could easily take them out when the reading club was in session. Saturday finally arrived. Tania was excited. She helped mama make cookies for the inaugural meeting of the Bookworm Babies. Mama packed some lemonade with the cookies. Mama knew reading would be even more fun if there was something to munch and sip. At about half past one Tania skipped off to the clubhouse with a back pack full of books. Mama had already dropped of the lemonade and cookies. Tanisha arrived soon carrying books and a stack of plastic cups for the lemonade. The watchman helped them get the bookcases out of storage and they arranged the 25 odd books they had between them on the shelves. Soon Karishma, Sonali, Nikhil and Rajiv arrived. They now had about 70 odd books. It was a good thing there was a second book case. Nikhil's mother had sent a rug with him and Rajiv's mother had sent a chair. Karishma and Sonali had helped the boys bring them in. The clubhouse also had a few plastic chairs. The kids all picked out some books and made themselves comfortable on one or the other of the available seats. There was still room to seat a couple more people. They also helped themselves to some lemonade and cookies. They really enjoyed themselves reading, munching and sipping. Nikhil was reading a book that Tania brought in and they stopped for a while to talk about how funny something in the Noddy story was. Vivek joined them at 3:00. He was on his way back from piano classes. He had brought some Asterix comics with him. Tanisha pounced on them. She loved reading those and he had some that she had not read before. The 7 of them had a delightful afternoon with so many books to choose from. They were looking forward to the next session. Tania got back home and told mama all about the wonderful time she had. She said, ""Mama, it was just like the Secret Seven in the Enid Blyton stories, except that we read about mysteries instead of solving them."" Mama smiled. She felt proud that Tania was reading enough to make references to fictional characters in conversation. " 039-MY-FIRST-PET-Free-Childrens-Book-By-Monkey-Pen.txt,"My name is Allie Kay and I would like to tell you about my first pet. However, before I can, you have to understand that I am a little older than you are and have a family of my own. Oh! Don’t worry. I am not going to talk to you like a big person. I am going to let my imagination take me back in time to when I was 7 years old. The best part is that I don’t have to try to remember everything. All I have to do is open my journal and read. If you are a girl, or a boy, and don’t have a journal to write down all the special things, get one. As you grow you can read it and your imagination will magically send you back in time. Ah! There is the entry - My First Pet. Dear Journal: This morning I asked my Mom if I could have a pet and she said no. She said that pets make a mess and are a big responsibility. Then she said I wasn’t old enough, or responsible enough, to take care of a pet. Well, I know I would take good care of a pet. I am so sad. I really, really, really want a pet of my own and I can’t have one. After reading her journal entry, the magic happened. Allie Kay was transported back in time and was seven years old. Imagination and memories are the best time machine. I just got home from school and put my books down when my Mom said, ""Allie Kay, if you have any homework you had better get it done now. Your brother is spending the night at a friend’s house so I have decided to take you to the carnival."" I shrieked in excitement and couldn’t help doing my Happy Dance. They were always different. Sometimes I put my hands under my arms, like little wings, and strut like a chicken. Other times I spin around like a great ballerina. Today, for some reason, I put my hands in front of my ears, wiggled them, puffed up my cheeks, and moved around like a fish. ""I will do my homework right now, mom."" I said. Oh! I just couldn’t wait. ""I’m goin’ to the carnival, I’m goin’ to the carnival, I’m goin’ to the carnival,"" I sang as I did my Happy Dance. Mom asked me what I wanted to do first. Without hesitating I said, ""Cotton Candy. Let’s get Cotton Candy."" Mom didn’t get any but I got the jumbo size, rainbow colored, fluffy, sticky, D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S spun sugar blob on a stick. It was wonderful. Mmm! I can still taste it. ""Mom, let’s ride the ferris wheel,"" I said excitedly. After a short time in line, it was our turn. We stepped up a few stairs, took our seat, and a man buckled us in. We were off. I shrieked with excitement as we started going around, higher, and higher. I screamed when we got to the top. It was really high. When we started going down I got a tickle in my stomach. It made me laugh. It was G-R-E-A-T! ""Let’s play a game, mom,"" I said. ""There, that one where all the kids are throwing balls."" As I walked up to the game I saw fishbowls and each one had a fish in it. I really got excited. ""Mister, Mister,"" I said to the man behind the counter. ""How does the game work?"" The nice man said, ""You get 1 ball for 25 cents. If you can get it in a bowl, you win a pet fish."" He said the magic word. PET! ""Allie Kay, let’s go to another game,"" Mom said. ""I told you, you can’t have a pet."" ""Oh, please mom, please,"" I said in my saddest voice. Then the nice man looked at my mom and said. ""Lady, it is really hard to win so I don’t think you have to worry."" ""Oh, please mom, please,"" I said again. Then a strange thing happened. My mom said, ""Okay Allie Kay, if you can get the ball in the bowl, in one try, you can have a PET FISH."" I didn’t know what to say. Mom said I could have a PET FISH. As I looked at all the fish, and watched others tossing balls at the bowls, I spotted the prettiest goldfish I had ever seen. I just had to have him. I took aim, gently tossed the ball at the bowl, and then tightly closed my eyes. I just could not look. ""We have a winner,"" I heard the nice man say. When I opened my eyes, he was holding out the fishbowl and the prettiest goldfish for me to take. ""I am going to name you Moebus,"" I said to the fish. (I think I saw him smile). Then I looked at Mom. I didn’t know her face could look so funny. As we were leaving the game, the nice man said. ""Remember, don’t feed him too much."" I had MY FIRST PET! When we got home, I told mom not to worry. I would be responsible and take very good care of Moebus. Every day I would feed Moebus and talk to him. I even tried to get him to do tricks. But that didn’t work. After several days, Moebus didn’t look too good. I asked mom what I should do but she didn’t know. She said she never had a pet and that I had said I would be responsible for Moebus. I was sad and scared. I didn’t want anything bad to happen to Moebus. ""Allie Kay,"" mom said. ""The man down the street has a fishpond, maybe he can help Moebus."" I picked up the bowl and headed to my neighbor’s house as fast as I could. Mom was right behind me. I had seen the man many times and knew that his children were grown and had children of their own. But I had never talked to him. I was nervous and a little scared. But I rang his doorbell. ""Hi,"" I said in a bubbly voice. ""My name is Allie Kay and I live down the street."" ""Nice to meet you,"" he said. ""I am Ted but my Grandchildren call me Pop Pop, and you can too. Oh, I see you have a very pretty goldfish. What’s his name?"" ""Moebus,"" I replied. Pop Pop continued. ""Moebus looks like he needs his water changed, come on out back to my fishpond and we will refresh him."" Pop Pop said. ""Allie Kay, you are a very responsible young person. You recognized that Moebus was a little under the weather and got him some help. Others may have just let him live in dirty water, getting sicker, and sicker. You must really love Moebus."" ""Oh! I do,"" I said. ""Moebus is my first pet. Will he be alright?"" At that, Pop Pop put Moebus in the fishpond with all the other fish. I started to say something and Pop Pop said. ""Don’t worry. Let’s get Moebus a bigger bowl (I’ll trade you this small one for a big one)."" How could I refuse? Pop Pop then gave me a big bowl and said go get some gravel, wash it, put it in the bowl, and fill the bowl with water. I did and by the time I was done, Pop Pop had Moebus in a net and ready for his new home. My mom and I thanked Pop Pop and as we were leaving, he said two things. To me - ""Remember to change his water every three days and if you need help please ask."" To my mom – ""You must be proud to have such a responsible and caring pet owner as your daughter."" As mom and I stood by the table and watched Moebus swimming in his new home, she gave me a hug and said, ""I am glad you got your first pet."" " ELA_Grade2_Unit4_The-Gym-writtenQ-reading-comp.txt,"Name 8.3 The Gym After leaving Dwight’s Lights, Kim stopped for a moment to think about where she should try next to find a job. ""Mom’s pals, Tom and Beth, run a gym that is nearby, I might have a chance getting a job at their gym, so let’s go!"" On the way to the gym, Kim explained to Kurt that a gym is a place where people go to exercise and get in shape. She explained that people pay to be members of a gym. Kurt had never visited a gym. The gym seemed odd to him. He stood staring at a man who was jogging in place. ""He keeps running,"" said Kurt, ""but he is still in the same place!"" ""It’s kind of like the wheel that rat of yours likes to run on,"" said Kim. ""It lets him run in place."" ""He’s not a rat,"" said Kurt. ""He’s a hamster!"" Kurt kept on looking at the man jogging in place. ""Why not just run in the park?"" he asked. ""Some people think the gym is fun, just like you think the park is fun,"" Kim said. ""All the people here are working hard,"" Kurt said. ""Why do they pay to work so hard?"" ""It makes them feel good and strong after they have finished,"" Kim said. Just then Tom and Beth came over to see them. ""Hi, Kim! Hi, Kurt!"" said Beth. ""It’s good to see you. What brings you here?"" Unit 4 39 © 2013 Core Knowledge Foundation Kim said, ""I’m looking for a summer job. I stopped to see if you need help. Are you hiring?"" ""We just hired someone for a job in the snack bar,"" Beth said, pointing over to the counter. ""People like to have a cool drink and a snack when they finish in the gym."" ""That looks like a good job,"" said Kim. ""I wish I had gotten here sooner."" ""Bad timing,"" said Beth. ""We don’t need more help right now. But you will find a job somewhere else."" Tom took Kurt and Kim to see the rest of the gym. Kurt pointed at a man who was doing curls. ""What’s he doing?"" Kurt asked. ""He’s doing curls,"" Tom explained. ""Would you like to do some curls?"" Kurt nodded. ""Here,"" Tom said. ""Use this one. Lift it up. That will strengthen your biceps—the tops of your arms. Then let it down. That will strengthen your triceps—the backs of your arms."" Kurt did five or six curls. Then he clenched his arm and yelled, ""I am the man of steel!"" Kim just smiled at Kurt. Kim spoke to Beth and Tom. ""Well, I suppose we should go,"" she said. ""Thank you for meeting with me."" ""No problem,"" said Tom. ""Good luck with the job hunt,"" said Beth. ""We will send word to you if we need help here."" ""Why don’t you go see Alberto at the corner market?"" added Tom. ""He may have a job for you. Plus, he’s one of the nicest men I have ever met."" 40 Unit 4 © 2013 Core Knowledge Foundation Name 8.4 The Gym 1. What is a gym? _________________________________________________ Family Member Directions: Have your child reread the story and answer the questions in complete sentences. _________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ 2. Why do people pay to join a gym? _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ 3. Who are Tom and Beth? _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Unit 4 41 © 2013 Core Knowledge Foundation 4. Why don’t Tom and Beth hire Kim? _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________ 5. What advice does Tom give Kim? _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________ 6. What do you do to exercise? _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ 7. Would you rather run outside or run inside a gym? Why? _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ 42 Unit 4 © 2013 Core Knowledge Foundation " tumi-goes-to-the-park_english_20170316-3-18.txt,"It’s Tumi’s first trip to the park. ""Mama, what’s that? "" ""It’s a slide,"" says Mama. ""May I go on it?"" asks Tumi. ""Of course!"" says Mama. ""Wheeeee!"" ""Look Mama, I swing like a monkey."" ""I just went past you ""Clever girl! says Mama. ten times, ""You know how to count!"" Mama!"" says Tumi. ""Do you want to play?"" asks Tumi. ""Yes!"" says the boy. ""I’m Tumi."" ""I’m Zakhe."" Tumi sees the sandpit. ""Let’s build a sandcastle!"" says Tumi. ""I’m taking a photo for Gogo,"" says Mama. ""It’s time to go home now, Tumi,"" says Mama. ""Bye, Tumi!"" says Zakhe. ""Bye, Zakhe!"" ""See you next time!"" waves Tumi. ""Mama, thank you for bringing me to the park,"" says Tumi. " How-Old-is-Muttajji-.txt,"How Old is Muttajji? Putta and Putti jumped out of bed. It was Muttajji's birthday and they had a train to catch! Muttajji, who was the twins' mother's mother's mother, lived in Mysore with Ajji, who was the twins' mother's mother. No one actually knew when Muttajji's birthday was; but Ajji had always celebrated it on the Makara Sankranthi holiday. ""Amma, will there be a cake?"" asked Putti. ""A big, spongy cake with pink icing and a rose on top?"" ""Naah,"" said Putta. ""Old people don't have birthday cakes. And 200 candles won't fit on any cake."" ""Muttajji isn't 200 years old, silly,"" said Putti. ""How old is Muttajji, Amma?"" Amma smiled. ""Why don't you ask her when we get there?"" The moment they reached the old green house in Mysore, the twins burst into Muttajji's room. ""Happy birthday, Muttajji! How old are you today?"" Muttajji hugged the twins. ""How old am I? Who knows? How does it matter?"" ""But it does!"" cried Putta and Putti together. Muttajji smiled. ""Well,"" she said, ""I know that around five years before I was born, our Maharaja went to a grand party for Indian Maharajas and Maharanis in Delhi. A British king and queen had come to visit, and our Maharaja got a gold medal."" ""Oooh! A party! There must have been lots of cake!"" said Putti. ""Who was this king, Muttajji? If you know, we can find out which year he visited. if we add five years to that, we will know when YOU were born!"" Muttajji shrugged. ""I've forgotten, Putta."" Putta's face fell. ""Wait,"" said Muttajji. ""Let me see if I can remember something else. Aaaan! When I was about your age - nine or ten - my uncle from Bombay visited us and told us about clean trains."" ""Clean trains?"" ""Yes!"" Muttajji was excited. ""They had started running in Bombay that year. You never got dirty travelling in them. No black dust on your clothes and face, no grime, nothing!"" The twins stared at her. Why would anyone get dirty travelling by train? ""Some years later,"" continued Muttajji, ""I got married. The law was that a girl should be at least 15 before she was married, and my father would never break the law, so I must have been 16 then. Very soon after my marriage, your Muttajja got a job in Bombay, and we left Mysore."" ""Did anything important happen the year you got married, Muttajji?"" asked Putta. ""Yes,"" said Muttajji sadly. ""Our Maharaja inaugurated our big dam, and the beautiful gardens next to it, during the Dasara festival that year. But I missed it; I was in Bombay. "" ""A big dam?"" Putta sat up. ""Is it still there?"" Muttajji hooted with laughter. ""Of course! Rock-solid too. It was the dam that tamed the Kaveri. No more floods in the monsoon, and enough water for the fields in the summer."" Ajji put her head around the door. ""Are you talking about KRS, Amma?"" ""Aaaan, KRS,"" Muttajji said, looking fondly at Ajji. ""Your Ajji was my fifth child, the youngest, but always the smartest. Do you know, twins, my children came like clockwork, one every two monsoons. The day your Ajji decided to come out, your Muttajja could not be found. Later, he told us that he had gone to see Gandhiji give a speech at the Gowalia Tank Maidan. He was so excited. 'Quit India!' he kept shouting the whole day, silly man, disturbing the baby.' ""Quit India!"" Putti's eyes grew round with excitement. ""We studied it in history, Putta! The movement started in 1942! That means 1942 was the year that... "" ""...Ajji was born,"" pouted Putta. ""Not Muttajji."" ""That's a start!"" said Putti. ""Which year were you born, Ajji?"" ""I will be 74 this year,"" said Ajji. ""So I was born in?"" Putti quickly did the calculations. ""1942!*"" she said. Ajji nodded. *(2016 - 74 = 1942) ""Now, Ajji is Muttajji's fifth child and all her kids were two years apart!"" said Putta. ""So if Ajji was born in 1942..."" ""...Muttajji's fourth child was born in 1942 - 2 = 1940, the third in 1940 - 2 = 1938, the second in 1938 - 2 = 1936, and the first in 1936 - 2 = 1934."" ""So Muttajji was married in 1932!"" cried Putti. ""Not necessarily,"" said Putta. ""Muttajji didn't say her first child was born two years after her marriage. She only said a dam was built in Mysore the year she got married."" ""Maybe this will help, twins,"" said Ajji, bringing in bowls of vermicelli payasa, Muttajji's favourite sweet dish. ""KRS is the Krishnarajasagar Dam. The Brindavan Gardens are the gardens attached to it. We went there last year to see the musical fountains, remember?"" The twins nodded. ""Mmmm,"" said Putti. ""Your payasa is the BEST, Ajji!"" ""When was KRS built, do you know, Ajji?"" Ajji shook her head. ""I'm not sure. But you can go with Ajja to the central library after lunch and find out there."" In the library, Putti found a book on the history of Mysore. ""Here it is!"" she whispered. ""Two of Mysore's most visited tourist spots, the KRS Dam and the adjacent Brindavan Gardens, were opened to the public in 1932.'"" The twins grinned - that meant Muttajji had indeed married in 1932, 84* years ago! *(2016 - 1932 = 84) ""Muttajji thinks she was 16 when she got married,"" said Putti, ""but she could have been 15 or 17 or 18."" ""She also said she was about 9 or 10 when her Bombay uncle told her about the 'clean' train,"" said Putta. ""Ajja may know what that means."" Ajja was in the reading room. ""Ajja,"" whispered Putti, ""in the olden days, did people get dirty travelling by train?"" Ajja nodded. ""There were steam engines then, which ran on coal, not electricity,"" he said. ""Black coal dust used to fly out of the chimney and land on everyone and everything. Terrible!"" ""That's it, Putti!"" hissed Putta.""Electric trains were the 'clean' trains!"" He pulled out a book on the Indian Railways. ""It says here,"" he pointed, ""that India's first electric train came to Bombay in 1925!"" ""And Muttajji says she was about 9 then,"" said Putta. ""If she is right, then Muttajji was born in 1916*. "" ""But she could be wrong, you know,"" frowned Putti. ""Only one way to make sure,"" said Putta. ""We have to find out if that big party for kings and queens in Delhi, which Muttajji said happened five years before she was born, happened in 1911**."" They ran back to Ajja. *(1925-9 = 1916); **(1916 -5 = 1911) ""Ajja, was there a grand party for a foreign king who visited India around 1911?"" Ajja frowned. ""1911? Why is that date so familiar? Aaan yes. It was the year the Gateway of India was built in Bombay. And yes, it was built to welcome the British Emperor of India, George V! There must have been several grand parties, not one."" Ajja tapped his forehead, looking very pleased with himself. ""Not bad for an old brain, eh?"" ""Not bad at all!"" cried the twins. ""Thanks, Ajja!"" They knew exactly how old Muttajji was! Five minutes later, the twins were racing homewards. ""Muttajji, "" they panted, rushing straight to her room, ""did the Mysore Maharaja get his gold medal from King George V?"" ""Aaaaaan!"" Muttajji said happily. ""That's it! George! What clever children you are!"" ""That means, Muttajji, that you were born in 1916! You are exactly 100* years old today!"" *(2016 - 1916 = 100) ""That's great detective work, twins!"" smiled Amma. ""I think you - and Muttajji - deserve a special treat. A big, spongy one, with pink icing, and a rose on top."" ""Hurrayyyyyy!"" cheered the twins. The Grand Maharaja-Maharani Party (and other fun stuff from Indian history) Remember all the important historical events Muttajji talked about in the story? They all really happened! Here is a little more information about them. The Grand Maharaja-Maharani Party (1911) - When the British Emperor George V and his wife Queen Mary visited India for the first time, they hosted a grand party for over 400 Indian kings and queens. It was called the Delhi Durbar. To feed 200,000 guests, bakeries put out 20000 loaves of bread a day, and over 1000 cattle and sheep were slaughtered for every meal! Many Indian rulers received gold medals from the Emperor, including the Maharaja of Mysore, Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV. The Clean Trains (1925) - On Feb 3, 1925, India's first electric train left Bombay's Victoria Terminus for Kurla station. With that, India became the 3rd country in Asia and only the 24th in the world to introduce railway electrification. The Dam That Tamed The Kaveri (1932) - The Kaveri river runs through southern Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The river was always a blessing, keeping Mysore fertile, but, like every other river, it used to flood in the monsoons and run dry in the summer. All that changed when a dam was built across the river and the Krishna Raja Sagara (KRS) reservoir created. The reservoir still provides most of the drinking water for Bangalore city. Gandhiji's Big Speech (1942) - The 'Quit India Speech' was a speech made by Gandhiji on 8 August 1942, at the Gowalia Tank Maidan in Bombay. Gandhiji asked people to fight against British rule not by using violence, but by disobeying their laws. Five years later, on August 15, 1947, the non-violent war got the results Gandhiji wanted - the British left, and India became independent. Today, the Gowalia Tank Maidan is called the August Kranti Maidan in memory of that peaceful revolution. " sindi-and-the-moon-online.txt,"Wesley van Eeden Sindi was a very lively little girl who loved to sing and dance. She lived on a farm with her parents and her Gogo. Sindi enjoyed following Gogo around and feeding the animals. One evening while Sindi and her family were having dinner, Sindi’s mother had something to tell her. ""Sindi,"" she said, ""after the long Christmas holidays, you are going to go to school."" Sindi was so excited. She was happy that she would finally get to learn how to read and write. When Sindi was happy, she danced. Her joy spread to the farm animals. The dogs barked more loudly. The cows mooed more beautifully. The butterflies flapped their wings and landed in her hair. When Sindi danced, she swayed from left to right, as if she were pushed and pulled by the wind. She sang along with its soft, slow music. As the holidays were ending after Christmas, Sindi started to wonder what school would really be like. She did not want her mother to know that she was nervous, so she asked Gogo what school would be like. ""School is very serious,"" Gogo said. ""There is no more time for song and dance, only learning."" This did not make Sindi happy at all. The night before school started was very hot. Sindi just could not sleep! She tiptoed outside and sat on the stoep, looking up at the dark sky. The moon was big and bright and beautiful and the stars were twinkling. Sindi spoke to the beautiful moon. ""Dear moon so bright,"" she said, ""are you afraid of the dark? Is that why you ask the stars to keep you company?"" ""I am going to school tomorrow, what will it be like?"" ""Will they let me sing? Will they let me dance?"" Sindi started to sing. What she saw next made her rub her eyes in disbelief. Was she dreaming? The moon was smiling! And the stars were dancing to her song! Agentle voice spoke to her. ""Dear little Sindi,"" the voice said. ""School is a wonderful place. You will learn many things: to read and write, to sing and dance and to make many friends."" ""But for now, Sindi, you must rest. Tomorrow will be beautiful."" Sindi had never seen anything this amazing. She wanted to wake everyone up and show them the talking moon and dancing stars. But the moon stopped her. ""Shhhh, Sindi,""it said. ""This is our little secret."" The moon winked. Sindi returned to bed, comforted by the moon’s wise words, and slept peacefully. The time came for school. Mama held Sindi’s hand as they approached the school. She was confident that the day would be beautiful, because the moon had told her so. Children were arriving with their mothers and fathers. They all looked excited. Sindi could not wait to make friends. By lunch time, Sindi loved everything about school. ""I wish the moon could see me now,"" she said to herself. ""Now I will learn to read. I will learn to write. But also I will sing and dance!"" And all of Sindi’s new friends danced with her, just like the animals had done. They clapped their hands and sang to her tune. "