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Musical Instrument
Story By: Andrew Frinkle
Horace needed to play an instrument, or at least that was what mom said. It
was supposed to make him well-rounded and interesting or something, but he
thought he could better be well-rounded by eating cookies. Parents said odd things
sometimes.
Anyway, he was being dragged kicking and screaming to the music store, so
he figured he ought to at least look around. His mother had promised him he could
try to choose an instrument of his own to play, so long as they both agreed.
The store was bright and large, with some old-fashioned sounding music playing, at least at the
entryway. Back along the sides of the store, he could see people testing out pianos and guitars. Okay, so
maybe this wasn’t so bad. Grinning at his mother, he immediately gravitated toward the drums. They were
loud and would irritate mother for having suggested he learn music. He would make her regret her desires, all
with the start of one great drum solo.
Smiling an evil smile, he sat down, grabbed a pair of drumsticks, and proceeded to make some noise.
Strangely, it was harder than it looked in music videos. He had no rhythm, and it was very hard to get all the
sounds going at once by using both of the foot pedals and both hands. He put the drumsticks down, sad and
dissatisfied with the effort it took to produce such mediocre results.
Next, he went to the pianos, because mom thought it was a good idea. He tapped a few ivories and
decided it was dull. The electric keyboards were cool, if only because they seemed to have a thousand
buttons. One even had silly sound effects, like animal noises. Still, it wasn’t for him.
Then they rushed past the flutes and brass instruments. He didn’t like the sounds of them or the looks.
No way was he going to get beat up for being a band geek. Violins were too girly, but an electric guitar – that
was the ticket, right? He threw the strap over his shoulder, grabbed a practice pick, let the guitar settle
naturally into his hands. Triumphantly, he raised the pick, let it fall, and then shuddered and the awful
twanging noises it produced as he clearly struck the chords incorrectly. He was awful.
Sighing, mother led him back to the final section, since flutes and other cute, unmanly instruments
were out. An older gentleman sat on a stool, running a long bow across the strings of a cello. The melody was
haunting, and the sounds were deep and rich. Instantly, Horace felt something he hadn’t expected: the desire
to play and learn.
The man showed him how to place his hands on the instrument and bow, and within moments a single
clean note resounded from the deep cavity of the burnished woodwind. It was a rewarding feel, and he fell in
love. “Mom, this is it.” He announced.
“I can live with that.” Mom declared, pleased as pie.
Horace hardly heard a word she said for the next hour. While she paid and got accessories and lined up
lessons, he listened to the old guy play, and even had a chance to tease a few more notes out of the
instrument himself. It was love at first listen.
Musical Instrument
Story By: Andrew Frinkle
Use the information in the story to answer the questions below.
1. What is Horace’s mother insisting he do?
A. clean his room
B. learn an instrument
C. get some manners
D. wear a suit and tie on Sunday
2. What instrument does Horace try to play first?
A. drums
B. guitar
C. piano
D. cello
3. Why does Horace want to try drums?
A. He thinks they’re cool.
B. They’re easy to play.
C. He wants to play a loud instrument to bother his parents.
D. They’re really expensive.
4. Which of the following instruments does Horace NOT try to play?
A. piano
B. flute
C. electric guitar
D. cello
5. What instrument did Horace finally decide on?
A. drums
B. guitar
C. piano
D. cello
Story By: Andrew Frinkle
Use the information in the story to answer the questions below.
1. What is Horace’s mother insisting he do?
A. clean his room
B. learn an instrument
C. get some manners
D. wear a suit and tie on Sunday
2. What instrument does Horace try to play first?
A. drums
B. guitar
C. piano
D. cello
3. Why does Horace want to try drums?
A. He thinks they’re cool.
B. They’re easy to play.
C. He wants to play a loud instrument to bother his parents.
D. They’re really expensive.
4. Which of the following instruments does Horace NOT try to play?
A. piano
B. flute
C. electric guitar
D. cello
5. What instrument did Horace finally decide on?
A. drums
B. guitar
C. piano
D. cello
New Grill
Story By: Andrew Frinkle
It was Memorial Day, and that meant several things. It meant
remembering soldiers that had lost their lives. It meant spending time
with family. It meant fireworks and parades. It also meant nice early
summer fun. It wouldn’t be much of a summer without cooking on a grill.
Grilled food seemed to make every weekend more fun and every
occasion more delicious. Dave’s family had bought a new grill for
Memorial Day weekend. The old one had rusted through and really didn’t
get the job done anymore. It’d been time for a new one, and Dave’s father
finally went and got one, because they were on sale for the holiday.
The new grill was a round kettle style grill. It was black and was set up on a tripod with
wheels. It had an ash catcher in the bottom for easy cleanup. It also had coated racks to
prevent rusting, and a warming rack above the main grill rack. It wasn’t the most expensive
grill, but it was nice.
Dave helped his dad put the grill together, which took about 30 minutes. They wanted
to do it right, but it wasn’t very hard. They could follow the directions easily. After that, they
set it outside on the back patio, got some charcoal and lighter fluid, and got ready to grill.
They set the charcoal briquettes in a pyramid, doused them with lighter fluid, and used
a match to start the fire. When the briquettes were burning well, they stood around and
watched until the edges began to get gray. The fire burned out a few minutes later, and they
spread the charcoal back out flat. The grill grate went back into the grill to warm up.
It was probably 15 minutes later that they finally put the food on the grill. It wasn’t good
to do it too quickly, or the food would taste like lighter fluid. They wanted the nice, smoky,
charcoal flavor – not lighter fluid flavor.
Half a dozen burgers, a few ribs, and a pack of bratwurst went on the grill. After those
got close to done, they put some buns for the burgers and sausages on the top grate to heat
up and toast a little. Mom had prepared potato salad, cole slaw, and a few desserts.
The grill worked great, and the food came out tasting so good! Memorial Day was a
great time to grill, to remember, and to spend time with family.
Story By: Andrew Frinkle
It was Memorial Day, and that meant several things. It meant
remembering soldiers that had lost their lives. It meant spending time
with family. It meant fireworks and parades. It also meant nice early
summer fun. It wouldn’t be much of a summer without cooking on a grill.
Grilled food seemed to make every weekend more fun and every
occasion more delicious. Dave’s family had bought a new grill for
Memorial Day weekend. The old one had rusted through and really didn’t
get the job done anymore. It’d been time for a new one, and Dave’s father
finally went and got one, because they were on sale for the holiday.
The new grill was a round kettle style grill. It was black and was set up on a tripod with
wheels. It had an ash catcher in the bottom for easy cleanup. It also had coated racks to
prevent rusting, and a warming rack above the main grill rack. It wasn’t the most expensive
grill, but it was nice.
Dave helped his dad put the grill together, which took about 30 minutes. They wanted
to do it right, but it wasn’t very hard. They could follow the directions easily. After that, they
set it outside on the back patio, got some charcoal and lighter fluid, and got ready to grill.
They set the charcoal briquettes in a pyramid, doused them with lighter fluid, and used
a match to start the fire. When the briquettes were burning well, they stood around and
watched until the edges began to get gray. The fire burned out a few minutes later, and they
spread the charcoal back out flat. The grill grate went back into the grill to warm up.
It was probably 15 minutes later that they finally put the food on the grill. It wasn’t good
to do it too quickly, or the food would taste like lighter fluid. They wanted the nice, smoky,
charcoal flavor – not lighter fluid flavor.
Half a dozen burgers, a few ribs, and a pack of bratwurst went on the grill. After those
got close to done, they put some buns for the burgers and sausages on the top grate to heat
up and toast a little. Mom had prepared potato salad, cole slaw, and a few desserts.
The grill worked great, and the food came out tasting so good! Memorial Day was a
great time to grill, to remember, and to spend time with family.
New Grill
Story By: Andrew Frinkle
Use the information in the story to answer the questions below.
1. What holiday does the story take place during?
A. Labor Day
B. Veteran’s Day
C. Memorial Day
D. Flag Day
2. Which of these was NOT a reason why Dave’s family got a new grill?
A. It was on sale.
B. The old one was rusty.
C. It was a great holiday to cook out.
D. Dave’s mom wanted a new one.
3. Which of these is NOT a feature of the new grill?
A. coated racks to prevent rusting
B. electric fire starter
C. tripod legs with wheels
D. ash catcher built into the bottom
4. Which of these IS one of the things being grilled on the grill?
A. hot dogs
B. pork loin
C. bratwurst
D. corn
5. TRUE OR FALSE: Dave’s family seems to enjoy time together on the holidays.
A. True
Story By: Andrew Frinkle
Use the information in the story to answer the questions below.
1. What holiday does the story take place during?
A. Labor Day
B. Veteran’s Day
C. Memorial Day
D. Flag Day
2. Which of these was NOT a reason why Dave’s family got a new grill?
A. It was on sale.
B. The old one was rusty.
C. It was a great holiday to cook out.
D. Dave’s mom wanted a new one.
3. Which of these is NOT a feature of the new grill?
A. coated racks to prevent rusting
B. electric fire starter
C. tripod legs with wheels
D. ash catcher built into the bottom
4. Which of these IS one of the things being grilled on the grill?
A. hot dogs
B. pork loin
C. bratwurst
D. corn
5. TRUE OR FALSE: Dave’s family seems to enjoy time together on the holidays.
A. True
I Don’t Want Advice
Story By: Andrew Frinkle
Jen was horribly stubborn and set in her ways. She liked to do things her way and
refused to even listen to other ideas. Her way was the way to do it, and any suggestions
about other ways of doing things were just talk that slowed her down.
The problem was, Jen wasn’t always right. This way of thinking she had would
have been great if she was always doing things the best way, but she was often making
things harder on herself. Even so, she didn’t want to listen to anyone around her.
When her father saw her doing her algebra homework the hard and slow way, he
cleared his throat and pointed out a step she could change to make things easier. “I
don’t want advice, Dad.” He shook his head and walked off, leaving her to her devices. It
took her an extra hour to do her homework, though.
When her best friend Cindy saw her talking to the wrong kind of people at the
mall, she walked over to say something. Very carefully, her friend gave her a few secret
signals to let her know not to trust these people, but Jen pointedly ignored her, saying,
“I don’t want advice.” When they ran off with her purse ten minutes later, Cindy didn’t
feel too badly about it.
Her track coach saw something in her running style that was making her slower
and making it harder on her knees. When she mentioned it to Jen – or tried to at least –
Jen waved her off irritatedly. “I don’t want advice, coach.” That night she had to ice her
knees, because they ached.
Jen was a headstrong person. Her mother understood
her very well. She knew she wouldn’t listen, but knew she
might read. She left a note on Jen’s pillow that night. “It’s not
bad to do your own thing, but sometimes it’s good to listen
to those who might know better.”
After that, Jen started to at least try to listen to others’
advice, but it was very hard to let herself change her mind
once she’d started something. So, she always asked for
advice before she began doing anything.
Story By: Andrew Frinkle
Jen was horribly stubborn and set in her ways. She liked to do things her way and
refused to even listen to other ideas. Her way was the way to do it, and any suggestions
about other ways of doing things were just talk that slowed her down.
The problem was, Jen wasn’t always right. This way of thinking she had would
have been great if she was always doing things the best way, but she was often making
things harder on herself. Even so, she didn’t want to listen to anyone around her.
When her father saw her doing her algebra homework the hard and slow way, he
cleared his throat and pointed out a step she could change to make things easier. “I
don’t want advice, Dad.” He shook his head and walked off, leaving her to her devices. It
took her an extra hour to do her homework, though.
When her best friend Cindy saw her talking to the wrong kind of people at the
mall, she walked over to say something. Very carefully, her friend gave her a few secret
signals to let her know not to trust these people, but Jen pointedly ignored her, saying,
“I don’t want advice.” When they ran off with her purse ten minutes later, Cindy didn’t
feel too badly about it.
Her track coach saw something in her running style that was making her slower
and making it harder on her knees. When she mentioned it to Jen – or tried to at least –
Jen waved her off irritatedly. “I don’t want advice, coach.” That night she had to ice her
knees, because they ached.
Jen was a headstrong person. Her mother understood
her very well. She knew she wouldn’t listen, but knew she
might read. She left a note on Jen’s pillow that night. “It’s not
bad to do your own thing, but sometimes it’s good to listen
to those who might know better.”
After that, Jen started to at least try to listen to others’
advice, but it was very hard to let herself change her mind
once she’d started something. So, she always asked for
advice before she began doing anything.
I Don’t Want Advice
Story By: Andrew Frinkle
Use the information in the story to answer the questions below.
1. Which of these words or phrases would NOT describe Jen?
A. headstrong
B. open-minded
C. stubborn
D. set in her ways
2. TRUE OR FALSE: Jen only listens to advice from her best friend.
A. True
B. False
3. Which of these is NOT a situation where Jen ignores advice?
A. how to run track
B. who to hang out with
C. what to wear
D. how to do her algebra
4. TRUE OR FALSE: Jen starts to change her ways because of her mother.
A. True
B. False
5. What method of communication does mother use to try to get to Jen?
A. text message
B. written note
C. a note in her book
D. email
The Subway
Story By: Andrew Frinkle
Janet went down the long set of stairs, surrounded by people. She held onto the rail as she
went. It made her anxious to go so deep underground, but everyone seemed to think it was normal.
Not for Janet; this was her first time going on the subway.
Next she had to go down a hall to buy a ticket. She found her
destination on the map, and then went to pay at the booth. It was
$1.60. That was cheap. With so many people riding, it didn’t have to be
expensive.
With her ticket in hand, she followed the lines of people through
the turnstiles. The machine took her ticket and she pushed through the
turnstile with her hip. It clanked loudly as it admitted her into the
subway halls. The noises made her nervous.
Now she had to follow the colored lines painted on the wall. She
needed the orange line. There were purple, blue, green, and red lines
on the walls, too, but she ignored them. She followed the orange line down an escalator, and then
another set of stairs onto a platform.
There were many benches wh
ere people waited for their subway train. Other people were
buying beverages and snacks from vending machines. A newsstand was selling magazines and
newspapers. She didn’t have money to waste, so she stood there and read the advertisement posters
while she waited.
A bell rang a couple minutes later, and a voice came over the loudspeaker, explaining that a
train was coming in, saying that they should step back and wait for its approach. She watched for the
lights of the approaching train. The lights rapidly grew closer, and then the train burst out the end of
the tunnel. Things were definitely getting interesting.
Wind pushed ahead of the train as it rushed past them, slowing to a stop at the end of the
platform. The doors slid open, and a crowd of people exited. With those people cleared out, the new
passengers filed onto the train. Janet went with them.
The doors slid shut moments later, and the friendly voice came over the loudspeaker inside the
train this time, warning them to stand back from doors and to prepare for departure. Janet grabbed
on to the nearest pole, since there were no seats for her.
She looked around the crowded train and braced herself as the train began to move along.
After a few minutes, she smiled, enjoying the ride. It was actually pretty fun after all!
Story By: Andrew Frinkle
Janet went down the long set of stairs, surrounded by people. She held onto the rail as she
went. It made her anxious to go so deep underground, but everyone seemed to think it was normal.
Not for Janet; this was her first time going on the subway.
Next she had to go down a hall to buy a ticket. She found her
destination on the map, and then went to pay at the booth. It was
$1.60. That was cheap. With so many people riding, it didn’t have to be
expensive.
With her ticket in hand, she followed the lines of people through
the turnstiles. The machine took her ticket and she pushed through the
turnstile with her hip. It clanked loudly as it admitted her into the
subway halls. The noises made her nervous.
Now she had to follow the colored lines painted on the wall. She
needed the orange line. There were purple, blue, green, and red lines
on the walls, too, but she ignored them. She followed the orange line down an escalator, and then
another set of stairs onto a platform.
There were many benches wh
ere people waited for their subway train. Other people were
buying beverages and snacks from vending machines. A newsstand was selling magazines and
newspapers. She didn’t have money to waste, so she stood there and read the advertisement posters
while she waited.
A bell rang a couple minutes later, and a voice came over the loudspeaker, explaining that a
train was coming in, saying that they should step back and wait for its approach. She watched for the
lights of the approaching train. The lights rapidly grew closer, and then the train burst out the end of
the tunnel. Things were definitely getting interesting.
Wind pushed ahead of the train as it rushed past them, slowing to a stop at the end of the
platform. The doors slid open, and a crowd of people exited. With those people cleared out, the new
passengers filed onto the train. Janet went with them.
The doors slid shut moments later, and the friendly voice came over the loudspeaker inside the
train this time, warning them to stand back from doors and to prepare for departure. Janet grabbed
on to the nearest pole, since there were no seats for her.
She looked around the crowded train and braced herself as the train began to move along.
After a few minutes, she smiled, enjoying the ride. It was actually pretty fun after all!
The Subway
Story By: Andrew Frinkle
Use the information in the story to answer the questions below.
1. What is Janet going to ride?
A. a subway train
B. a bus
C. an airplane
D. a trolley
2. How does Janet feel about riding the subway train at first?
A. curious
B. happy
C. amused
D. nervous
3. How does she know which platform to use?
A. She follows the purple line.
B. She follows the green line.
C. She follows the orange line.
D. She follows the red line.
4. How does she seem to feel about the train at the platform?
A. curious
B. happy
C. amused
D. nervous
5. How does Janet feel at the end, when she’s actually riding the train?
A. curious
B. happy
C. amused
D. nervous Skill - Reading Comprehension Name__
Story By: Andrew Frinkle
Use the information in the story to answer the questions below.
1. What is Janet going to ride?
A. a subway train
B. a bus
C. an airplane
D. a trolley
2. How does Janet feel about riding the subway train at first?
A. curious
B. happy
C. amused
D. nervous
3. How does she know which platform to use?
A. She follows the purple line.
B. She follows the green line.
C. She follows the orange line.
D. She follows the red line.
4. How does she seem to feel about the train at the platform?
A. curious
B. happy
C. amused
D. nervous
5. How does Janet feel at the end, when she’s actually riding the train?
A. curious
B. happy
C. amused
D. nervous Skill - Reading Comprehension Name__
Reselling for Profit
Story By: Andrew Frinkle
Kasey wanted to make money to buy a new phone.
Phones weren’t cheap, and she couldn’t do enough chores at
home to pay for what she wanted. She wasn’t going to stay
stuck in the digital dark ages, either, so she needed some
capital.
She racked her brains for ideas. Things like lemonade
stands and lawn service and dog-walking were preferable to
babysitting, but nothing paid well enough. She continued to
scrimp and save, but no real windfall came her way. Short of
winning the lottery, which she couldn’t even play at her age,
she wasn’t getting her phone.
Then, one day at the grocery store with her mother, she noticed that a candy bar sells
for $1.00 for just one. She walked back to the candy aisle and looked at the package price. For
a 6-pack, it was only $4.00. If she sold candy bars, she’d make $2.00 per case. She looked
more, and found that the 12-pack was an even better deal. She could get 12 for $7.00, so if
she sold that many, she’d almost double her money. An idea was definitely forming.
Kasey had her mother take her to the warehouse club, where they sold huge boxes of
stuff. She looked at the case of 24 candy bars, which was only $10.00 there. Wow, she could
more than double her money. The math was pretty easy, too.
At $1.00 per bar, buying them individually from the gum rack by the cashier at the store
was the worst deal. The 6-pack was about $0.67 each, so she could make $0.33 selling those.
The 12-pack was about $0.58 each, so her profit per bar was $0.42, which was better, but not
the best. The warehouse club sold 24 in a case, at a price of about $0.42 per candy bar, giving
her a profit of $0.58, which was excellent.
Mom looked at her weirdly when she invested $50 of her own money for 120 candy
bars. She didn’t think it was so weird when they all sold in two afternoons at the park and
Kasey had doubled her money. Mom was so thrilled that she took her daughter back to the
warehouse club to get more. Then they even tried some other candies. Soon, it was a little
business between the two girls. Even Dad was very impressed with their profits, their math,
and their entrepreneurial spirit. Kasey’s Koncessions was a huge hit.
Story By: Andrew Frinkle
Kasey wanted to make money to buy a new phone.
Phones weren’t cheap, and she couldn’t do enough chores at
home to pay for what she wanted. She wasn’t going to stay
stuck in the digital dark ages, either, so she needed some
capital.
She racked her brains for ideas. Things like lemonade
stands and lawn service and dog-walking were preferable to
babysitting, but nothing paid well enough. She continued to
scrimp and save, but no real windfall came her way. Short of
winning the lottery, which she couldn’t even play at her age,
she wasn’t getting her phone.
Then, one day at the grocery store with her mother, she noticed that a candy bar sells
for $1.00 for just one. She walked back to the candy aisle and looked at the package price. For
a 6-pack, it was only $4.00. If she sold candy bars, she’d make $2.00 per case. She looked
more, and found that the 12-pack was an even better deal. She could get 12 for $7.00, so if
she sold that many, she’d almost double her money. An idea was definitely forming.
Kasey had her mother take her to the warehouse club, where they sold huge boxes of
stuff. She looked at the case of 24 candy bars, which was only $10.00 there. Wow, she could
more than double her money. The math was pretty easy, too.
At $1.00 per bar, buying them individually from the gum rack by the cashier at the store
was the worst deal. The 6-pack was about $0.67 each, so she could make $0.33 selling those.
The 12-pack was about $0.58 each, so her profit per bar was $0.42, which was better, but not
the best. The warehouse club sold 24 in a case, at a price of about $0.42 per candy bar, giving
her a profit of $0.58, which was excellent.
Mom looked at her weirdly when she invested $50 of her own money for 120 candy
bars. She didn’t think it was so weird when they all sold in two afternoons at the park and
Kasey had doubled her money. Mom was so thrilled that she took her daughter back to the
warehouse club to get more. Then they even tried some other candies. Soon, it was a little
business between the two girls. Even Dad was very impressed with their profits, their math,
and their entrepreneurial spirit. Kasey’s Koncessions was a huge hit.
Reselling for Profit
Story By: Andrew Frinkle
Use the information in the story to answer the questions below.
1. Why does Kasey need money?
A. for a trip
B. for a dress
C. for a phone
D. for shoes
2. Which of these is NOT one of Kasey’s ideas for making money?
A. lemonade stand
B. lawn service
C. dog walking
D. delivering papers
3. Where is Kasey when she gets her big idea finally?
A. at the park
B. at the store
C. at the beach
D. at school
4. Where does Kasey find the best deal that offers her the most profit?
A. the store’s individual bars
B. the warehouse club’s case
C. the store’s multipacks
D. online
5. How do mom’s feelings about Kasey’s business change?
A. She thinks it is funny and then cute.
B. She loves it and then thinks it is too much work.
C. She thinks it is a crazy idea and then she hates it.
D. She thinks it is weird and then really great
Story By: Andrew Frinkle
Use the information in the story to answer the questions below.
1. Why does Kasey need money?
A. for a trip
B. for a dress
C. for a phone
D. for shoes
2. Which of these is NOT one of Kasey’s ideas for making money?
A. lemonade stand
B. lawn service
C. dog walking
D. delivering papers
3. Where is Kasey when she gets her big idea finally?
A. at the park
B. at the store
C. at the beach
D. at school
4. Where does Kasey find the best deal that offers her the most profit?
A. the store’s individual bars
B. the warehouse club’s case
C. the store’s multipacks
D. online
5. How do mom’s feelings about Kasey’s business change?
A. She thinks it is funny and then cute.
B. She loves it and then thinks it is too much work.
C. She thinks it is a crazy idea and then she hates it.
D. She thinks it is weird and then really great
Will-o-the-Wisps
Story By: Andrew Frinkle
Meerfus had another contract. He was a wand-making magician, and his customer had requested a
wand that made glowing orbs of light at night. It seemed like a fun wand, one that was useful, entertaining,
and a little bit spooky. Meerfus thought it reminded him of will-o-the-wisps, which were strange lights created
when swamp gases glowed at night. People thought they were spirits or ghosts, but there was a perfect
explanation for them! Well, there were other and scarier explanations, too, but that was another story.
Regardless, Meerfus had a wand to make.
He began as he always did, with planning. He decided that a glass bulb, much like a lantern fixture,
would be a great start. After that, he would fill it with a firefly and swamp gases. Additionally, a branch of a
mangrove, a common swamp tree, would make the wand itself. The finishing touches would be some feathers
from a great horned owl. Those were touches of the night that would really make the wand work well.
Meerfus sent his young assistant, Duncan, to a friend’s house. His friend was a bird keeper that
specialized in falcons, hawks, and owls. He often supplied Meerfus with feathers for wands and owed him a
few favors for a wand he’d received last autumn. While Duncan was fetching the feathers, he went and found
a glassblower who could make him a glass bulb the size he needed. He had to pay good silver for that.
Once Duncan returned with the feathers and Meerfus had the bulb, they caught a ride on the back of a
hay wagon that was headed toward the nearest swamp. It was a long and bumpy ride, but it gave Meerfus
time to quiz Duncan on his wand-making skills.
At the swamp, Meerfus, who didn’t much care to get his robes or beard wet, sent Duncan out in a
small canoe they rented for a few copper coins. Duncan paddled around collecting branches covered in tree
moss. It was good to get several, in case the first one didn’t work. Then, he filled the glass bulb with swamp air
and a single firefly, and then he capped it off with a cork.
With all the supplies, they headed straight home. As they walked, Duncan listened to Meerfus’ stories
about wand-making, learning all he could. Back at Meerfus’ workshop, all that remained was the assembly of
the wand and the magic words.
With strands of greenish-gray, stringy moss, Meerfus tied the feathers to the swamp stick he chose for
the wand. Then, he uncorked the bulb and shoved the end of the stick up into it quickly to prevent the firefly
or the gases from escaping. He stuffed more moss around the mouth of the bulb to prevent leakage.
With a few moments’ thought, he came up with the magic words:
Glowingus Orbus Makus! Magic infused the wand, forever sealing the ingredients
together. A few quick casts of the wrist sent green, blue, and yellow balls of light
floating through the air.
“Success, Duncan! We’ll have another satisfied customer to be certain.”
Duncan grinned. “Yes, sir. We’ve done it again.”
Meerfus opened his mouth to argue that it was all him, but he smiled. “Yes,
you were quite helpful. Good work, Duncan.”
Story By: Andrew Frinkle
Meerfus had another contract. He was a wand-making magician, and his customer had requested a
wand that made glowing orbs of light at night. It seemed like a fun wand, one that was useful, entertaining,
and a little bit spooky. Meerfus thought it reminded him of will-o-the-wisps, which were strange lights created
when swamp gases glowed at night. People thought they were spirits or ghosts, but there was a perfect
explanation for them! Well, there were other and scarier explanations, too, but that was another story.
Regardless, Meerfus had a wand to make.
He began as he always did, with planning. He decided that a glass bulb, much like a lantern fixture,
would be a great start. After that, he would fill it with a firefly and swamp gases. Additionally, a branch of a
mangrove, a common swamp tree, would make the wand itself. The finishing touches would be some feathers
from a great horned owl. Those were touches of the night that would really make the wand work well.
Meerfus sent his young assistant, Duncan, to a friend’s house. His friend was a bird keeper that
specialized in falcons, hawks, and owls. He often supplied Meerfus with feathers for wands and owed him a
few favors for a wand he’d received last autumn. While Duncan was fetching the feathers, he went and found
a glassblower who could make him a glass bulb the size he needed. He had to pay good silver for that.
Once Duncan returned with the feathers and Meerfus had the bulb, they caught a ride on the back of a
hay wagon that was headed toward the nearest swamp. It was a long and bumpy ride, but it gave Meerfus
time to quiz Duncan on his wand-making skills.
At the swamp, Meerfus, who didn’t much care to get his robes or beard wet, sent Duncan out in a
small canoe they rented for a few copper coins. Duncan paddled around collecting branches covered in tree
moss. It was good to get several, in case the first one didn’t work. Then, he filled the glass bulb with swamp air
and a single firefly, and then he capped it off with a cork.
With all the supplies, they headed straight home. As they walked, Duncan listened to Meerfus’ stories
about wand-making, learning all he could. Back at Meerfus’ workshop, all that remained was the assembly of
the wand and the magic words.
With strands of greenish-gray, stringy moss, Meerfus tied the feathers to the swamp stick he chose for
the wand. Then, he uncorked the bulb and shoved the end of the stick up into it quickly to prevent the firefly
or the gases from escaping. He stuffed more moss around the mouth of the bulb to prevent leakage.
With a few moments’ thought, he came up with the magic words:
Glowingus Orbus Makus! Magic infused the wand, forever sealing the ingredients
together. A few quick casts of the wrist sent green, blue, and yellow balls of light
floating through the air.
“Success, Duncan! We’ll have another satisfied customer to be certain.”
Duncan grinned. “Yes, sir. We’ve done it again.”
Meerfus opened his mouth to argue that it was all him, but he smiled. “Yes,
you were quite helpful. Good work, Duncan.”
Will-o-the-Wisps
Story By: Andrew Frinkle
Use the information in the story to answer the questions below.
1. The wand Meerfus is going to make will do what?
A. make fireworks
B. make balls of light
C. make campfires
D. make explosions
2. What does Meerfus say really causes will-o-the-wisps in swamps?
A. swamp gases
B. fireflies
C. owls
D. imaginations
3. What does Meerfus go collect while Duncan gets feathers?
A. a stick
B. moss
C. gases
D. glass bulb
4. What does Duncan have to get in the swamp?
A. a mossy stick, gases, and a lightning bug
B. a mossy stick, feathers, and a glass bulb
C. a lightning bug, gases, and a sample of water
D. feathers, a glass bulb, and a mossy stick
5. What colors of lights does the finished wand make?
A. black, purple, and green
B. yellow, green, and red
C. green, yellow, and blue
D. orange, red, and yellow
Story By: Andrew Frinkle
Use the information in the story to answer the questions below.
1. The wand Meerfus is going to make will do what?
A. make fireworks
B. make balls of light
C. make campfires
D. make explosions
2. What does Meerfus say really causes will-o-the-wisps in swamps?
A. swamp gases
B. fireflies
C. owls
D. imaginations
3. What does Meerfus go collect while Duncan gets feathers?
A. a stick
B. moss
C. gases
D. glass bulb
4. What does Duncan have to get in the swamp?
A. a mossy stick, gases, and a lightning bug
B. a mossy stick, feathers, and a glass bulb
C. a lightning bug, gases, and a sample of water
D. feathers, a glass bulb, and a mossy stick
5. What colors of lights does the finished wand make?
A. black, purple, and green
B. yellow, green, and red
C. green, yellow, and blue
D. orange, red, and yellow
Unique
Story By: Andrew Frinkle
Rhonda was staring at her reflection in the mirror. She’d decided she
didn’t like the mole to the left of her nose. “It’s so ugly.” She lamented.
Her mom, folding laundry in the hallway, overheard her and poked her
head into the room. “What’s so ugly?”
“This hideous mark on my face.” Rhonda grumped and pointed at it.
Mom came in, setting the laundry aside. She peered really close at the
mole, suddenly leaned over, and gave her daughter a kiss on the cheek. “I like
it, because it gives your face character.”
Rhonda pushed her mother away half-heartedly. “You would think that. Besides, character is a
nice way to say ugly.” She smiled though, liking her mother’s attempts to cheer her up.
“I have a couple of my own. You tend to get more as you get older.” Mother sighed and leaned
in toward the mirror. She tugged at the fine lines near the corners of her eyes, frowning.
“You still have beautiful eyes, though.” Rhonda remarked. She’d always loved her mother’s
green eyes. “Mine are boring brown, like most everyone else in the world.”
“That’s what contact lenses are for.” Mother winked. “Besides, you have warm, chocolate
brown eyes. They are like hot cocoa, and they are anything but boring.”
Rhonda scrunched up her face. “What about my nose!”
Mother snorted. “It’s not bulbous like a proboscis monkey or anything. It fits your face. Why
are you running yourself down? You have a unique, beautiful set of features. Stop agonizing over little
details and enjoy your youth and beauty already.”
“I just wish I was prettier is all. Some of my friends are so gorgeous, and I feel plain next to
them.”
“We can’t all be super models, dear. Even so, you are uniquely you – there is no one else in the
world that looks like you.”
“Thank goodness.” Rhonda joked.
Mom frowned. “You have a nice mixture of dad and me in you, and I don’t
much care for hearing you knocking your looks. You are amazing.”
“Alright, enough mushiness, mom. I won’t complain anymore, but can I dye
my hair at least? I’m tired of blonde, and I’m thinking about going brunette.”
Mother groaned and fled the room. “You finish the laundry; I’m done trying
to cheer you up!” She called over her shoulder.
Rhonda laughed and did the laundry, but she couldn’t help but think about
dyeing her hair. Red might even look good…
Story By: Andrew Frinkle
Rhonda was staring at her reflection in the mirror. She’d decided she
didn’t like the mole to the left of her nose. “It’s so ugly.” She lamented.
Her mom, folding laundry in the hallway, overheard her and poked her
head into the room. “What’s so ugly?”
“This hideous mark on my face.” Rhonda grumped and pointed at it.
Mom came in, setting the laundry aside. She peered really close at the
mole, suddenly leaned over, and gave her daughter a kiss on the cheek. “I like
it, because it gives your face character.”
Rhonda pushed her mother away half-heartedly. “You would think that. Besides, character is a
nice way to say ugly.” She smiled though, liking her mother’s attempts to cheer her up.
“I have a couple of my own. You tend to get more as you get older.” Mother sighed and leaned
in toward the mirror. She tugged at the fine lines near the corners of her eyes, frowning.
“You still have beautiful eyes, though.” Rhonda remarked. She’d always loved her mother’s
green eyes. “Mine are boring brown, like most everyone else in the world.”
“That’s what contact lenses are for.” Mother winked. “Besides, you have warm, chocolate
brown eyes. They are like hot cocoa, and they are anything but boring.”
Rhonda scrunched up her face. “What about my nose!”
Mother snorted. “It’s not bulbous like a proboscis monkey or anything. It fits your face. Why
are you running yourself down? You have a unique, beautiful set of features. Stop agonizing over little
details and enjoy your youth and beauty already.”
“I just wish I was prettier is all. Some of my friends are so gorgeous, and I feel plain next to
them.”
“We can’t all be super models, dear. Even so, you are uniquely you – there is no one else in the
world that looks like you.”
“Thank goodness.” Rhonda joked.
Mom frowned. “You have a nice mixture of dad and me in you, and I don’t
much care for hearing you knocking your looks. You are amazing.”
“Alright, enough mushiness, mom. I won’t complain anymore, but can I dye
my hair at least? I’m tired of blonde, and I’m thinking about going brunette.”
Mother groaned and fled the room. “You finish the laundry; I’m done trying
to cheer you up!” She called over her shoulder.
Rhonda laughed and did the laundry, but she couldn’t help but think about
dyeing her hair. Red might even look good…
Unique
Story By: Andrew Frinkle
Use the information in the story to answer the questions below.
1. Which of the following does Rhonda NOT complain about?
A. her nose
B. her chin
C. her eyes
D. her mole
2. Based on the story, how would you describe Rhonda’s feelings about her appearance?
A. insecure
B. happy
C. arrogant
D. depressed
3. Through the conversation, how would you BEST describe mother’s attitude?
A. calm
B. worried
C. supportive
D. mean
4. Rhonda’s biggest complaints seem to come because she is doing what?
A. having a bad hair day
B. comparing herself to her prettiest friends
C. bored and has nothing better to do
D. trying to get out of chores
5. Even at the end of the story, Rhonda still wants to make one last change to what?
A. her teeth
B. her glasses
C. her skin
D. her hair
Story By: Andrew Frinkle
Use the information in the story to answer the questions below.
1. Which of the following does Rhonda NOT complain about?
A. her nose
B. her chin
C. her eyes
D. her mole
2. Based on the story, how would you describe Rhonda’s feelings about her appearance?
A. insecure
B. happy
C. arrogant
D. depressed
3. Through the conversation, how would you BEST describe mother’s attitude?
A. calm
B. worried
C. supportive
D. mean
4. Rhonda’s biggest complaints seem to come because she is doing what?
A. having a bad hair day
B. comparing herself to her prettiest friends
C. bored and has nothing better to do
D. trying to get out of chores
5. Even at the end of the story, Rhonda still wants to make one last change to what?
A. her teeth
B. her glasses
C. her skin
D. her hair
What is Kimchi?
Story By: Andrew Frinkle
Kimchi is the national food of South Korea. It is a bit of a mystery to people who don’t live in
the area or don’t eat a lot of international foods, though. So what exactly is this food?
Kimchi is basically pickled vegetables. Already, I’m imagining noses turning up. Don’t give up
yet! I’m sure you have pickles and relish from time to time. This is a bit different. In fact, it’s more like
sauerkraut, if you know what that is. It is a German pickled cabbage in vinegar. You might have had it
on a hot dog or a sausage before. It’s tangy and bitter, but good.
Now, take that and make it spicy! Lots of people like spicy food. Some kimchi is very spicy,
some is very mild, and some is not spicy at all. The classic cabbage kimchi that everyone seems to
think of as “real kimchi” is usually somewhat spicy. It is cabbage that has been soaked in salt, hot
pepper flakes, ground garlic, ground ginger, maybe some fish sauce, and a few other things like
chopped radishes and some green onions perhaps. It is savory, sweet, spicy, and salty all at once. It’s
not a meal – it’s a side dish.
Kimchi is a way of life, really. Imagine long ago when there were no refrigerators. People
everywhere used to dry or smoke meats so they could eat in the winter, but they still needed
vegetables, right? Salt was a man’s best friend. They salted and canned vegetables, putting them in
barrels or jars to keep the vegetables from rotting. Instead of just plain salt, Korean people started
adding other seasonings to their vegetables, especially veggies like cabbages, radishes, onions,
cucumbers, and that sort. Now, they could eat them all winter long and even in the spring before the
new crops came in. Families still get together in the fall to make pots of kimchi for the winter, even if
they now have special kimchi refrigerators to keep their kimchi fresh longer.
So, if you ever go to a Korean restaurant, you might order a rice dish,
and find a dish of cabbage kimchi next to it. You might see some chopped
radishes in sweet and spicy sauce. You might find some pickled onions and
garlic, or even some sliced cucumbers pickled in a way that is similar to
what we know. These are kimchi, and there are dozens of varieties. They
even have kimchi museums!
Now you know a little about Kimchi, the national food of Korea. Go
try some! You might even find some on a shelf in a store near you.
Remember, it’s a side dish, just like the coleslaw next to your fried chicken
or the mashed potatoes next to your steak.
Story By: Andrew Frinkle
Kimchi is the national food of South Korea. It is a bit of a mystery to people who don’t live in
the area or don’t eat a lot of international foods, though. So what exactly is this food?
Kimchi is basically pickled vegetables. Already, I’m imagining noses turning up. Don’t give up
yet! I’m sure you have pickles and relish from time to time. This is a bit different. In fact, it’s more like
sauerkraut, if you know what that is. It is a German pickled cabbage in vinegar. You might have had it
on a hot dog or a sausage before. It’s tangy and bitter, but good.
Now, take that and make it spicy! Lots of people like spicy food. Some kimchi is very spicy,
some is very mild, and some is not spicy at all. The classic cabbage kimchi that everyone seems to
think of as “real kimchi” is usually somewhat spicy. It is cabbage that has been soaked in salt, hot
pepper flakes, ground garlic, ground ginger, maybe some fish sauce, and a few other things like
chopped radishes and some green onions perhaps. It is savory, sweet, spicy, and salty all at once. It’s
not a meal – it’s a side dish.
Kimchi is a way of life, really. Imagine long ago when there were no refrigerators. People
everywhere used to dry or smoke meats so they could eat in the winter, but they still needed
vegetables, right? Salt was a man’s best friend. They salted and canned vegetables, putting them in
barrels or jars to keep the vegetables from rotting. Instead of just plain salt, Korean people started
adding other seasonings to their vegetables, especially veggies like cabbages, radishes, onions,
cucumbers, and that sort. Now, they could eat them all winter long and even in the spring before the
new crops came in. Families still get together in the fall to make pots of kimchi for the winter, even if
they now have special kimchi refrigerators to keep their kimchi fresh longer.
So, if you ever go to a Korean restaurant, you might order a rice dish,
and find a dish of cabbage kimchi next to it. You might see some chopped
radishes in sweet and spicy sauce. You might find some pickled onions and
garlic, or even some sliced cucumbers pickled in a way that is similar to
what we know. These are kimchi, and there are dozens of varieties. They
even have kimchi museums!
Now you know a little about Kimchi, the national food of Korea. Go
try some! You might even find some on a shelf in a store near you.
Remember, it’s a side dish, just like the coleslaw next to your fried chicken
or the mashed potatoes next to your steak.
What is Kimchi?
Story By: Andrew Frinkle
Use the information in the story to answer the questions below.
1. What country is Kimchi from?
A. Korea
B. Japan
C. China
D. Mongolia
2. Kimchi is basically a kind of what?
A. sauce
B. pickled vegetable
C. coleslaw
D. dessert
3. What is different about Kimchi when compared to the pickles we eat?
A. It’s usually spicier.
B. It’s made from meat.
C. It’s only eaten on one day of the year.
D. It’s fresh instead of canned or put in jars.
4. TRUE OR FALSE: Kimchi is a side dish, not a main meal food?
A. TRUE
B. FALSE
5. What ingredient might you NOT find in kimchi?
A. garlic
B. radishes
C. salt
D. mustard
Story By: Andrew Frinkle
Use the information in the story to answer the questions below.
1. What country is Kimchi from?
A. Korea
B. Japan
C. China
D. Mongolia
2. Kimchi is basically a kind of what?
A. sauce
B. pickled vegetable
C. coleslaw
D. dessert
3. What is different about Kimchi when compared to the pickles we eat?
A. It’s usually spicier.
B. It’s made from meat.
C. It’s only eaten on one day of the year.
D. It’s fresh instead of canned or put in jars.
4. TRUE OR FALSE: Kimchi is a side dish, not a main meal food?
A. TRUE
B. FALSE
5. What ingredient might you NOT find in kimchi?
A. garlic
B. radishes
C. salt
D. mustard
The Princess Disease
Story By: Andrew Frinkle
Jin Hee was a young Korean girl that suffered from gong-ju-byung. It was a terrible disease. It
threatened to push away all of her friends, and her family didn’t even want to see her. It was a
horrible thing that wasted away at one’s social life and people’s tolerance. Literally, it meant: the
princess disease.
Jin Hee, you see, was a bit conceited. She thought she was a bit better looking than her friends
and generally most people that she met. It was, as far as she was concerned, a well-known fact that
she dressed better, sang better, and danced better than most people in her school, too. She was
popular, but she was also disliked, because people were jealous, right?
Call it arrogance, call it conceit, all the students around her called it the gong-ju-byung. It was a
Korean word. Gong-ju means princess, and byung means disease. It was a phrase reserved for people
who thought they were way better than everyone else, without a real reason. Certainly there are
people who are prettier, smarter, nicer, taller, and more fashionable than others, but when you
thought that this meant you and most people didn’t agree, they would say you had gong-ju-byung –
unless you were a boy, and then they’d say wang-ja-byung, which meant: the prince disease.
So was Jin Hee justified in believing that she was better than everyone else? She was cute, but
not amazingly so. Quite a few of the boys were interested in her, and several of the girls wanted to be
her. She dressed well, because her family had some money. They were well-to-do without being filthy
rich. She sang well, but not quite well enough to get a lead spot on the choir. Of course, they thought
this was because the choir coach hated her, since the choir coach had bad skin and a bad haircut, and
was jealous of her. Maybe her attitude was the real reason, right?
She was thin and athletic, but she wasn’t the strongest, fastest, or even the
best at any of their school’s events. She also didn’t join teams, because it put too
much of a restriction on her important time. She ran for class president, but came
in third. She, again, thought it was because of the ‘haters.’ After losing, she
pretended she’d just run for fun and it was no big deal, but to her it was a HUGE
deal.
Jin Hee also surrounded herself with friends that were less than her in some
way. They weren’t as pretty, as fashionable, as rich, or something like that, so that
she was in some way their superior. This allowed her to be the most important one
in their group. She never let them forget it, either.
Jin Hee definitely had the disease. The diagnosis was certain. The treatment was not easy: stop
being so mean and get a little humility. Then things would get better for her. However, once someone
caught the disease, it was hard to get rid of. Watch out so that you don’t catch it!
Story By: Andrew Frinkle
Jin Hee was a young Korean girl that suffered from gong-ju-byung. It was a terrible disease. It
threatened to push away all of her friends, and her family didn’t even want to see her. It was a
horrible thing that wasted away at one’s social life and people’s tolerance. Literally, it meant: the
princess disease.
Jin Hee, you see, was a bit conceited. She thought she was a bit better looking than her friends
and generally most people that she met. It was, as far as she was concerned, a well-known fact that
she dressed better, sang better, and danced better than most people in her school, too. She was
popular, but she was also disliked, because people were jealous, right?
Call it arrogance, call it conceit, all the students around her called it the gong-ju-byung. It was a
Korean word. Gong-ju means princess, and byung means disease. It was a phrase reserved for people
who thought they were way better than everyone else, without a real reason. Certainly there are
people who are prettier, smarter, nicer, taller, and more fashionable than others, but when you
thought that this meant you and most people didn’t agree, they would say you had gong-ju-byung –
unless you were a boy, and then they’d say wang-ja-byung, which meant: the prince disease.
So was Jin Hee justified in believing that she was better than everyone else? She was cute, but
not amazingly so. Quite a few of the boys were interested in her, and several of the girls wanted to be
her. She dressed well, because her family had some money. They were well-to-do without being filthy
rich. She sang well, but not quite well enough to get a lead spot on the choir. Of course, they thought
this was because the choir coach hated her, since the choir coach had bad skin and a bad haircut, and
was jealous of her. Maybe her attitude was the real reason, right?
She was thin and athletic, but she wasn’t the strongest, fastest, or even the
best at any of their school’s events. She also didn’t join teams, because it put too
much of a restriction on her important time. She ran for class president, but came
in third. She, again, thought it was because of the ‘haters.’ After losing, she
pretended she’d just run for fun and it was no big deal, but to her it was a HUGE
deal.
Jin Hee also surrounded herself with friends that were less than her in some
way. They weren’t as pretty, as fashionable, as rich, or something like that, so that
she was in some way their superior. This allowed her to be the most important one
in their group. She never let them forget it, either.
Jin Hee definitely had the disease. The diagnosis was certain. The treatment was not easy: stop
being so mean and get a little humility. Then things would get better for her. However, once someone
caught the disease, it was hard to get rid of. Watch out so that you don’t catch it!
The Princess Disease
Story By: Andrew Frinkle
Use the information in the story to answer the questions below.
1. What disease has Jin Hee caught?
A. gong-ja-byung
B. gong-ju-byung
C. wang-ja-byung
D. gong-wang-byung
2. TRUE OR FALSE: The disease Jin Hee has is a real one that affects her body and health.
A. True
B. False
3. Which of these is NOT one of Jin Hee’s symptoms?
A. She thinks she is better than most people around her.
B. She thinks that she isn’t the choir lead because the coach hates her.
C. She thinks her mom is jealous of her looks and steals her clothes.
D. She keeps friends around her that are less than her in some way.
4. What language is gong-ju-byung from?
A. Japanese
B. Chinese
C. English
D. Korean
5. Which of these words does NOT describe someone with the Princess Disease?
A. humble
B. conceited
C. arrogant
D. prideful
What’s on Your Pizza?
Story By: Andrew Frinkle
Robbie needed something to eat. He was at the mall, looking hungrily
at all the signs and different restaurants in the food court. He finally settled
on the Italian Eatery, reluctantly moving away from the Sandwich Shoppe,
and the Asian Buffet. The tempting smells of cheese and pepperoni led him
to the pizza, but that just compounded the problems.
Once there, he had to decide on toppings. Behind the glass there
were at least a dozen kinds of pizza, practically a rainbow of pizzas, each
with unique toppings. What would he eat? He was so hungry, but the wrong
slice wouldn’t go down quite as nicely as the right slice!
He looked first at the cheese. Basic, trusty cheese sounded alright, but he could do better. How
about pepperoni? It was nice, greasy, and a touch spicy. Still, he wanted something more, but what?
He wanted to try something more exciting.
Next, as he moved down the case, he pressed his hands to the glass and peered at a colorful
veggie pizza. The reds, greens, and yellows of the peppers and other vegetables looked delectable. It
seemed lacking in the meat department, though. Similarly, the super salty and greasy meat lover’s pie
just had too much meat without clean, juicy vegetables to balance them out.
Then next two pizzas had different sauces, and he wasn’t sure about them. He liked regular
pizza sauce, and the alfredo chicken would be creamy instead. The BBQ feast had a sweet and tangy
barbecue sauce instead of pizza sauce, so that was out, too. He moved on.
Now he was into some specialty pizzas. The first was a Hawaiian style. He liked the
combination of sweet and salty that pineapple and ham offered. He was tempted to give that a go.
Then there was a special cheese pizza that had seven different cheeses. He could smell it from where
he stood, and it really got his saliva dripping.
The final two pizzas were the best, he thought. One was a Supreme Combo pizza, which had
next to everything on it. He loved the meats, the cheeses, the veggies, and the pineapple, but he was
worried it would be doughy. Sometimes, too many toppings kept the dough from cooking right. The
last was a Classic Italiano pizza, with basil leaves, a pesto sauce, fresh mozzarella, and tomato slices. It
was different, but interesting. He ordered up the plate-sized slice of that without any hesitation.
Back at his table, with a large Coke in one hand and his slice in the other, he went to town.
He’d ordered right. He knew from the first bite that this was what he’d been waiting for. Still, window
shopping is always fun, even if it’s for pizza.
Story By: Andrew Frinkle
Robbie needed something to eat. He was at the mall, looking hungrily
at all the signs and different restaurants in the food court. He finally settled
on the Italian Eatery, reluctantly moving away from the Sandwich Shoppe,
and the Asian Buffet. The tempting smells of cheese and pepperoni led him
to the pizza, but that just compounded the problems.
Once there, he had to decide on toppings. Behind the glass there
were at least a dozen kinds of pizza, practically a rainbow of pizzas, each
with unique toppings. What would he eat? He was so hungry, but the wrong
slice wouldn’t go down quite as nicely as the right slice!
He looked first at the cheese. Basic, trusty cheese sounded alright, but he could do better. How
about pepperoni? It was nice, greasy, and a touch spicy. Still, he wanted something more, but what?
He wanted to try something more exciting.
Next, as he moved down the case, he pressed his hands to the glass and peered at a colorful
veggie pizza. The reds, greens, and yellows of the peppers and other vegetables looked delectable. It
seemed lacking in the meat department, though. Similarly, the super salty and greasy meat lover’s pie
just had too much meat without clean, juicy vegetables to balance them out.
Then next two pizzas had different sauces, and he wasn’t sure about them. He liked regular
pizza sauce, and the alfredo chicken would be creamy instead. The BBQ feast had a sweet and tangy
barbecue sauce instead of pizza sauce, so that was out, too. He moved on.
Now he was into some specialty pizzas. The first was a Hawaiian style. He liked the
combination of sweet and salty that pineapple and ham offered. He was tempted to give that a go.
Then there was a special cheese pizza that had seven different cheeses. He could smell it from where
he stood, and it really got his saliva dripping.
The final two pizzas were the best, he thought. One was a Supreme Combo pizza, which had
next to everything on it. He loved the meats, the cheeses, the veggies, and the pineapple, but he was
worried it would be doughy. Sometimes, too many toppings kept the dough from cooking right. The
last was a Classic Italiano pizza, with basil leaves, a pesto sauce, fresh mozzarella, and tomato slices. It
was different, but interesting. He ordered up the plate-sized slice of that without any hesitation.
Back at his table, with a large Coke in one hand and his slice in the other, he went to town.
He’d ordered right. He knew from the first bite that this was what he’d been waiting for. Still, window
shopping is always fun, even if it’s for pizza.
What’s on Your Pizza?
Story By: Andrew Frinkle
Use the information in the story to answer the questions below.
1. Which is NOT one of Robbie’s food choices?
A. italian
B. sandwiches
C. asian
D. tex-mex
2. What does Robbie decide on for food?
A. a sandwich
B. a burger
C. pizza
D. sushi
3. What was Robbie’s reason to pass on the cheese and pepperoni pizzas?
A. too expensive
B. too fatty
C. too salty
D. too dull
4. Why didn’t Robbie want the BBQ feast or the alfredo chicken?
A. He likes regular pizza sauce usually.
B. He didn’t like the looks of them.
C. They looked doughy.
D. They were burnt.
5. What pizza does Robbie finally get?
A. Classic Italiano
B. Hawaiian Style
C. Veggie
D. Meat Lover’s Pie
Story By: Andrew Frinkle
Use the information in the story to answer the questions below.
1. Which is NOT one of Robbie’s food choices?
A. italian
B. sandwiches
C. asian
D. tex-mex
2. What does Robbie decide on for food?
A. a sandwich
B. a burger
C. pizza
D. sushi
3. What was Robbie’s reason to pass on the cheese and pepperoni pizzas?
A. too expensive
B. too fatty
C. too salty
D. too dull
4. Why didn’t Robbie want the BBQ feast or the alfredo chicken?
A. He likes regular pizza sauce usually.
B. He didn’t like the looks of them.
C. They looked doughy.
D. They were burnt.
5. What pizza does Robbie finally get?
A. Classic Italiano
B. Hawaiian Style
C. Veggie
D. Meat Lover’s Pie
The Wonkadoodle
Story By: Andrew Frinkle
“I want a Wonkadoodle!” Jimmy screamed for the twelfth
time. This time he really wanted his dad’s attention.
His father glanced back at him impatiently. There were things
to do, and he wasn’t sure why he’d allowed himself to be talked into
this detour. This was why he avoided toy stores. They just seemed
like opportunities for his son to act like a brat. “You want a
whatzawhizzle?”
“A Wonkadoodle.” Jimmy corrected with a growl of irritation.
“What’s that?” Father favored him with a look of incomprehension.
Jimmy pointed to a toy robot alien looking thing. Father frowned, clearly unimpressed by the
toy. “That looks silly.”
“It lights up, talks, sings, dances, and learns!”
“I wish you would learn not to be interested in such goofiness.” Father lamented.
“Dad. It’s a Wonkadoodle. It’s amazing. Look at it and try to imagine how many hours I can play
with it, teaching it.”
“I imagine about an hour and a half before you’re bored with it. Besides, that’s what dogs are
for. Teach Rex a new trick instead of wasting $42 on this piece of rubber and plastic.”
“Everyone has one, and I need one desperately.”
Father shrugged. “You need to fix your thinking. I never had one, and I’m fine. In fact, when I
was little, kids played with sticks and balls and rolled old tires down the street.”
Jimmy stared aghast at his father. Sticks and balls? What sort of Stone Age punishment was
that? How awful. “You guys didn’t even have handheld video games and smart phones?”
“We had rotary phones on the wall and a computer with a screen as big as a TV set. We
survived somehow, and I came out of childhood unscathed, and a bit healthier than you. You’re
looking a bit pudgy these days. Maybe you need more exercise and less toys.”
Jimmy was about to go full meltdown. Somehow, the conversation had turned from the
Wonkadoodle toy to the golden days of father’s childhood to him getting chubby. “DAD!”
“No way. We’re done, and we’re certainly not buying that piece of junk.”
It was over; the dream was crushed. Jimmy deflated.
“Wait for your birthday.” Father mumbled as he dragged his son from the aisle.
Jimmy grinned. Maybe there was still a chance, and maybe by then, a newer version would be
out. Magazines had been talking about Wonkadoodle Alpha. Would he be the first person he knew to
own one?
Story By: Andrew Frinkle
“I want a Wonkadoodle!” Jimmy screamed for the twelfth
time. This time he really wanted his dad’s attention.
His father glanced back at him impatiently. There were things
to do, and he wasn’t sure why he’d allowed himself to be talked into
this detour. This was why he avoided toy stores. They just seemed
like opportunities for his son to act like a brat. “You want a
whatzawhizzle?”
“A Wonkadoodle.” Jimmy corrected with a growl of irritation.
“What’s that?” Father favored him with a look of incomprehension.
Jimmy pointed to a toy robot alien looking thing. Father frowned, clearly unimpressed by the
toy. “That looks silly.”
“It lights up, talks, sings, dances, and learns!”
“I wish you would learn not to be interested in such goofiness.” Father lamented.
“Dad. It’s a Wonkadoodle. It’s amazing. Look at it and try to imagine how many hours I can play
with it, teaching it.”
“I imagine about an hour and a half before you’re bored with it. Besides, that’s what dogs are
for. Teach Rex a new trick instead of wasting $42 on this piece of rubber and plastic.”
“Everyone has one, and I need one desperately.”
Father shrugged. “You need to fix your thinking. I never had one, and I’m fine. In fact, when I
was little, kids played with sticks and balls and rolled old tires down the street.”
Jimmy stared aghast at his father. Sticks and balls? What sort of Stone Age punishment was
that? How awful. “You guys didn’t even have handheld video games and smart phones?”
“We had rotary phones on the wall and a computer with a screen as big as a TV set. We
survived somehow, and I came out of childhood unscathed, and a bit healthier than you. You’re
looking a bit pudgy these days. Maybe you need more exercise and less toys.”
Jimmy was about to go full meltdown. Somehow, the conversation had turned from the
Wonkadoodle toy to the golden days of father’s childhood to him getting chubby. “DAD!”
“No way. We’re done, and we’re certainly not buying that piece of junk.”
It was over; the dream was crushed. Jimmy deflated.
“Wait for your birthday.” Father mumbled as he dragged his son from the aisle.
Jimmy grinned. Maybe there was still a chance, and maybe by then, a newer version would be
out. Magazines had been talking about Wonkadoodle Alpha. Would he be the first person he knew to
own one?
The Wonkadoodle
Story By: Andrew Frinkle
Use the information in the story to answer the questions below.
1. What does Jimmy want?
A. A Whachawizzit
B. A Wonkadoodle
C. A Wackywidget
D. A Wondergadget
2. How does father feel about the Wonkadoodle?
A. He thinks it’s cool.
B. He wants one for himself.
C. He is unimpressed.
D. He thinks it’s scary.
3. Which of these is NOT one of father’s arguments against getting the toy?
A. Jimmy is getting pudgy and doesn’t need toys.
B. Jimmy could play with the dog instead.
C. He didn’t have one growing up, so Jimmy doesn’t need one either.
D. Jimmy already has one at home.
4. Is Jimmy going to get the Wonkadoodle today?
A. Yes
B. No
C. Maybe
D. He has to ask mom first.
5. Why is Jimmy okay with waiting for his birthday to get one?
A. There might be a new version out then.
B. He can get one for a better price.
C. He can get the new color.
D. He can get two for one with a coupon.
Review the form below before you submit.
Right there- try Tagging the question and see if you can find the exact or almost exact sentence in the story.
Ex: What did Tom eat in the morning? -
T.A.G. In the morning, Tom ate ___________
Answer: Tom ate a candy bar in the morning.
Evidence: Tom got up in the morning and ate a candy bar. Later that day he went to see Mary. Mary decided to make tacos and invited Tom to eat tacos with her. Tom ate five tacos and asked for more.
Think and Search – similar to right there, the answer is basically found in the text but it is more than one place and must be put together to form the answer.
Ex: How many things did Tom eat all day?
Answer: Tom ate a candy bar and tacos all day.
Evidence: Tom got up in the morning and ate a candy bar. Later that day he went to see Mary. Mary decided to make tacos and invited Tom to eat tacos with her. Tom ate five tacos and asked for more.
Author and me—Look for clues from the author in the text and combine them with information you already have in your brain.
Ex: Does Tom like Mary’s cooking?
Answer: Tom likes Mary’s cooking very much. He liked it so much he ate 5 tacos and asked for more.
Text Evidence: Tom got up in the morning and ate a candy bar. Later that day he went to see Mary. Mary decided to make tacos and invited Tom to eat tacos with her. Tom ate five tacos and asked for more.
From my brain: I know that if you didn't like someone’s cooking you might eat a little to be polite but you wouldn’t eat 5 and ask for more. Therefore the evidence in the text infers that Tom did like Mary’s cooking very much.
On my own- This is usually your opinion on something. It can be answered without even reading the story.
Ex: Do you like tacos?
Answer: I like tacos very much. I like them so much I try to eat them at least once a week.
Evidence: Evidence directly from the story is not required to answer this question.
Yard Work
Story By: Andrew Frinkle
It seemed like the work would never end for Steven. He
was helping his brother and father in the yard. Each weekend,
there was something to do. Why they couldn’t just sit inside
and watch cartoons like all the other kids, he did not know.
With a sigh, he pulled his rake a little harder and faster,
hoping he might still get done in time for the last round of
cartoons. After all, they’d already done so much.
First, his older brother, Karl, had started cutting the grass with the lawnmower. Dad had
used the weedeater to trim up around the house and the bushes. That had left him to walk the
yard and stomp down mole trails, so the mower wouldn’t scalp the grass. Then he had to use
the blower to blow off the driveway and the sidewalks. He couldn’t complain much, because
he had the easier jobs.
Then, they’d had to do some more stuff. Karl had pulled weeds in the garden beds,
while dad had sprayed along the edges of the house for bugs. Steven had to push the
spreader, which threw grass fertilizer and ant killer crystals everywhere. He marched up and
down the hills and through the front lot. He probably had the harder job this time, but he
didn’t like pulling weeds, and dad didn’t let him play much with the sprayer.
Finally, dad got out the hedge clippers. Dad was sculpting the bushes into nice shapes,
while Karl and he both got out rakes. There were a few leaves here and there, and then there
were spots where the grass grew faster, so grass clippings piled up. That didn’t count the
hedge clippings. They gathered all of this stuff into four or five piles, one per section of the
yard, and then got a wheelbarrow. Dad was done then, so he pushed the wheelbarrow and
helped them dump the yard waste in the compost pile at the back of the yard by the property
line.
It was done! Yard work was done for a week. It was a lot of hard work, and that didn’t
even mention cleaning up the tools, sharpening the lawnmower blades, and the other jobs
that came with keeping the yard clean. Dad didn’t much like spending money on having
someone else do his yard when he had three sets of hands that knew how and could do it. In
that, Steven understood it was important to work hard and save money, even if he missed
some cartoons.
Story By: Andrew Frinkle
It seemed like the work would never end for Steven. He
was helping his brother and father in the yard. Each weekend,
there was something to do. Why they couldn’t just sit inside
and watch cartoons like all the other kids, he did not know.
With a sigh, he pulled his rake a little harder and faster,
hoping he might still get done in time for the last round of
cartoons. After all, they’d already done so much.
First, his older brother, Karl, had started cutting the grass with the lawnmower. Dad had
used the weedeater to trim up around the house and the bushes. That had left him to walk the
yard and stomp down mole trails, so the mower wouldn’t scalp the grass. Then he had to use
the blower to blow off the driveway and the sidewalks. He couldn’t complain much, because
he had the easier jobs.
Then, they’d had to do some more stuff. Karl had pulled weeds in the garden beds,
while dad had sprayed along the edges of the house for bugs. Steven had to push the
spreader, which threw grass fertilizer and ant killer crystals everywhere. He marched up and
down the hills and through the front lot. He probably had the harder job this time, but he
didn’t like pulling weeds, and dad didn’t let him play much with the sprayer.
Finally, dad got out the hedge clippers. Dad was sculpting the bushes into nice shapes,
while Karl and he both got out rakes. There were a few leaves here and there, and then there
were spots where the grass grew faster, so grass clippings piled up. That didn’t count the
hedge clippings. They gathered all of this stuff into four or five piles, one per section of the
yard, and then got a wheelbarrow. Dad was done then, so he pushed the wheelbarrow and
helped them dump the yard waste in the compost pile at the back of the yard by the property
line.
It was done! Yard work was done for a week. It was a lot of hard work, and that didn’t
even mention cleaning up the tools, sharpening the lawnmower blades, and the other jobs
that came with keeping the yard clean. Dad didn’t much like spending money on having
someone else do his yard when he had three sets of hands that knew how and could do it. In
that, Steven understood it was important to work hard and save money, even if he missed
some cartoons.
YARD WORK QUESTIONS
Use the information in the story to answer the questions below.
1. Why is Steven unhappy with yard work?
A. He is lazy.
B. He is missing cartoons.
C. He is tired.
D. His hands hurt.
2. What is Steven’s first set of jobs?
A. using the mower and the clippers
B. using the weedeater and the mower
C. stomping mole hills and using the blower
D. raking and using the wheelbarrow
3. What is Steven’s second job?
A. using the spreader
B. raking up yard waste
C. using the clippers
D. using the wheelbarrow
4. What is Steven’s last job?
A. using the spreader
B. raking up yard waste
C. using the clippers
D. using the wheelbarrow
5. Why does Steven understand his father’s need to do the yard himself?
A. It is a lot of fun for them.
B. Dad is too cheap to pay the yard man.
C. He needs exercise.
D. Hard work and saving money are important.
6. What was dad doing with the hedge clippers? (Right there)
7. What did dad use the weed eater for? (Right there)
8. What did Dad do when he was done? (Right there)
9. How did Steven, his brother Karl and his father work together to get the work done? (Think and Search)
10. Do you think yard work would be fun to do? Explain why or why not. (On my Own)
1. Why is Steven unhappy with yard work?
A. He is lazy.
B. He is missing cartoons.
C. He is tired.
D. His hands hurt.
2. What is Steven’s first set of jobs?
A. using the mower and the clippers
B. using the weedeater and the mower
C. stomping mole hills and using the blower
D. raking and using the wheelbarrow
3. What is Steven’s second job?
A. using the spreader
B. raking up yard waste
C. using the clippers
D. using the wheelbarrow
4. What is Steven’s last job?
A. using the spreader
B. raking up yard waste
C. using the clippers
D. using the wheelbarrow
5. Why does Steven understand his father’s need to do the yard himself?
A. It is a lot of fun for them.
B. Dad is too cheap to pay the yard man.
C. He needs exercise.
D. Hard work and saving money are important.
6. What was dad doing with the hedge clippers? (Right there)
7. What did dad use the weed eater for? (Right there)
8. What did Dad do when he was done? (Right there)
9. How did Steven, his brother Karl and his father work together to get the work done? (Think and Search)
10. Do you think yard work would be fun to do? Explain why or why not. (On my Own)
Wrapping Gifts
Story By: Andrew Frinkle
Georgina hated wrapping Christmas gifts. It was hard to make them look good. Her sister,
Jeannette, could make presents look like they belonged in a catalog. She could wrap that good. She
knew where to put the bows, how to make the ribbons curly, and how to really make them look
classy. It was almost a shame to open her gifts, sometimes, because of the way it
ruined the wrapping jobs.
In contrast, Georgina’s gifts usually looked lame, as if someone had sat upon
them. She couldn’t fold and cut cleanly, and the presents just looked sad under the
tree, no matter how she tried. No one complimented her wrapping, and they
certainly didn’t hesitate to tear off and throw away her wasted colorful papers.
This year, she had a plan, though. She would customize her wrapping job for each of her family
members, starting with her brother. Her brother liked UFO’s and knights. So, she took all of his gifts,
wrapped them in aluminum foil to make them shiny, and then put dragon and star stickers all over
them. They looked really nice reflecting the lights of the Christmas tree.
For her perfect sister, Jeannette, it would be hard to make things girlie enough. Jeannette was
a bit prissy and very careful about her appearance. To make fun of this, all of her gifts were wrapped
in pink and red tissue papers, tied with colorful hair ties, and then small compact mirrors hung from
them, so she could see herself opening her gifts. It was a fun idea.
Dad was goofy, so she bought tabloid papers from the store. He always laughed about the
Bigfoot stories and other crazy fake news inside the pages. Now his gifts were covered with
scandalous stories and ridiculous tales. He’d definitely laugh as he opened his gifts.
Mom was so hard-working but managed to still stay feminine. It was hard to figure out her giftwrapping.
Finally, Georgina decided to wrap all the gifts up in a bag that was actually an apron with
mom’s name on it. Then she sprayed it with perfume and put small perfume samples in the apron
pocket. She was done, and she couldn’t wait until the morning to see people’s reactions!
The next morning, everyone was shocked and pleasantly surprised
about how thoughtful and cool her wrapping job was. Even perfect
Jeannette was amazed, and very impressed. Everyone thanked her, and
they probably liked the wrapping better than the gifts inside, but they had
a wonderful time together, and that’s what really counted.
Story By: Andrew Frinkle
Georgina hated wrapping Christmas gifts. It was hard to make them look good. Her sister,
Jeannette, could make presents look like they belonged in a catalog. She could wrap that good. She
knew where to put the bows, how to make the ribbons curly, and how to really make them look
classy. It was almost a shame to open her gifts, sometimes, because of the way it
ruined the wrapping jobs.
In contrast, Georgina’s gifts usually looked lame, as if someone had sat upon
them. She couldn’t fold and cut cleanly, and the presents just looked sad under the
tree, no matter how she tried. No one complimented her wrapping, and they
certainly didn’t hesitate to tear off and throw away her wasted colorful papers.
This year, she had a plan, though. She would customize her wrapping job for each of her family
members, starting with her brother. Her brother liked UFO’s and knights. So, she took all of his gifts,
wrapped them in aluminum foil to make them shiny, and then put dragon and star stickers all over
them. They looked really nice reflecting the lights of the Christmas tree.
For her perfect sister, Jeannette, it would be hard to make things girlie enough. Jeannette was
a bit prissy and very careful about her appearance. To make fun of this, all of her gifts were wrapped
in pink and red tissue papers, tied with colorful hair ties, and then small compact mirrors hung from
them, so she could see herself opening her gifts. It was a fun idea.
Dad was goofy, so she bought tabloid papers from the store. He always laughed about the
Bigfoot stories and other crazy fake news inside the pages. Now his gifts were covered with
scandalous stories and ridiculous tales. He’d definitely laugh as he opened his gifts.
Mom was so hard-working but managed to still stay feminine. It was hard to figure out her giftwrapping.
Finally, Georgina decided to wrap all the gifts up in a bag that was actually an apron with
mom’s name on it. Then she sprayed it with perfume and put small perfume samples in the apron
pocket. She was done, and she couldn’t wait until the morning to see people’s reactions!
The next morning, everyone was shocked and pleasantly surprised
about how thoughtful and cool her wrapping job was. Even perfect
Jeannette was amazed, and very impressed. Everyone thanked her, and
they probably liked the wrapping better than the gifts inside, but they had
a wonderful time together, and that’s what really counted.
Wrapping Gifts
Story By: Andrew Frinkle
Use the information in the story to answer the questions below.
1. Who usually does the best job wrapping gifts at Georgina’s house?
A. Mom
B. Dad
C. Sister
D. Brother
2. How does Georgina wrap Mom’s gifts?
A. in foil with stickers
B. in tissue paper with hair ties and mirrors
C. in tabloid papers
D. in an apron
3. How does Georgina wrap Jeannette’s gifts?
A. in foil with stickers
B. in tissue paper with hair ties and mirrors
C. in tabloid papers
D. in an apron
4. How does Georgina wrap Dad’s gifts?
A. in foil with stickers
B. in tissue paper with hair ties and mirrors
C. in tabloid papers
D. in an apron
5. How do people react to Georgina’s wrapping jobs?
A. They don’t really care.
B. They think she wasted her time.
C. They are amazed!
D. They think they’re okay.
6. What did Georgina’s brother like? (Right There)
7. How did Georgina feel about wrapping? (Right There)
8. How did Georgina’s presents usually look? (Right There)
9. How did Georgina customize the wrapping for each of her family members? (Think and Search)
10. Do you think that a present that is wrapped really nice is better than one that isn't? Why? (On my own)
Story By: Andrew Frinkle
Use the information in the story to answer the questions below.
1. Who usually does the best job wrapping gifts at Georgina’s house?
A. Mom
B. Dad
C. Sister
D. Brother
2. How does Georgina wrap Mom’s gifts?
A. in foil with stickers
B. in tissue paper with hair ties and mirrors
C. in tabloid papers
D. in an apron
3. How does Georgina wrap Jeannette’s gifts?
A. in foil with stickers
B. in tissue paper with hair ties and mirrors
C. in tabloid papers
D. in an apron
4. How does Georgina wrap Dad’s gifts?
A. in foil with stickers
B. in tissue paper with hair ties and mirrors
C. in tabloid papers
D. in an apron
5. How do people react to Georgina’s wrapping jobs?
A. They don’t really care.
B. They think she wasted her time.
C. They are amazed!
D. They think they’re okay.
6. What did Georgina’s brother like? (Right There)
7. How did Georgina feel about wrapping? (Right There)
8. How did Georgina’s presents usually look? (Right There)
9. How did Georgina customize the wrapping for each of her family members? (Think and Search)
10. Do you think that a present that is wrapped really nice is better than one that isn't? Why? (On my own)