Still Hard to Do

"Okay, Class. Time for reading to self. We're all trying to get fifteen minutes of reading. Some of you are doing really well. Others just need to keep trying." Mrs. Taylor looked at me and winked.

I took a big breath and blew it out.

"What's the matter, Chloe?" Brayden said.

"Fifteen minutes is ... forever."

"Naw. Just do like me. Really concentrate on your book." Brayden opened his book and stared at it.

"I'll try."

We all found a spot and started to read.

When I felt like my eyes started to look around and my mouth began to open, I stuck my book up higher in front of my face. I mashed my lips together real hard. Don't talk. Don't talk. 

Finally the timer went off.

"I made it!"

Brayden patted my back. "Good job."

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Later we worked more on coins. Mrs. Taylor gave us a paper with all kinds of coins on it. The directions said to color each one a different color.

I started with the pennies, coloring them yellow.

"I think it's weird that the dime is smaller than the penny. The dime is ten cents and the penny is only one cent," Angela said.

" I know what you mean. Seems like the coin makers were trying to trick us."

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"Momma, do you want to know how you can remember how to spell arithmetic?"

"Sure."

"Mrs. Taylor taught us this sentence: A rat in the house might eat the ice cream. Did you get it?"

"Get what?"

"If you take the first letter of each word, it spells arithmetic."

"Oh, I see."

"Do you want to hear a joke?"

"All right."

"One guy asked his waiter: 'What is this fly doing in my soup?' The waiter said, 'I believe he's swimming.' Isn't that funny?"

Momma chuckled. "Yep."

"I've got another one. Why did the gum cross the road?"

"Um, I don't know."

"It was stuck to the chicken's foot." I laughed. "Here's a good one. Why do hummingbirds hum?"

"Let me see."

"Because they don't know the words. That's a good one too, right?"

"Yes, that's a good one."

"Let me find another one."

"Sweetie, why don't you put the joke book away for a little while. How about you set the table?"

"Okay, Momma. I'll read you some more later."

"Where did the joke book come from?"

"Oh, I found it at Mrs. Brooks' house. She let me borrow it."

"How nice." Momma smiled a little smile and nodded. Her voice didn't quite match her words.

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Chloe tries very hard to be quiet and keep reading for fifteen minutes. What is something you have had to try very hard to do? What did you have to do to accomplish it?

Why do you think Momma's voice didn't quite match her words when she said how nice about the joke book? Explain.

Chloe's Coloring Pages

Please go to the Chloe's Stuff tab and scroll down to find two coloring pages Chloe wants to share with you.

Have fun! Share with your friends!

I Need a Job

Momma scooped two chocolate chip pancakes onto my plate. "Chloe, I'm sorry we didn't get to go anywhere for your Spring Break. Peyton is still a bit too little to go any place. And with the hospital bills that we have to pay since he came early, we just needed to watch our money."

My mouth was full of pancake, so I just nodded. But I thought about what Momma had said. I probably needed to help out.

After breakfast I knew exactly what to do. "Momma, I'm gonna go to the Brooks' house. Okay?"

"Okay, dear."

I sprinted across the back yard, jogged onto the back porch, and knocked.

Mr. Brooks slid the door open. "Well, if it isn't our neighbor, Miss Chloe Ann. Come in."

"Thanks, Mr. Brooks. I needed to speak with you and Mrs. Brooks."

Mr. Brooks' forehead wrinkled even more than usual. "Of course. Let's go to the study."

I followed close behind him.

"Honey, Miss Chloe Ann wants to speak with us on some matter."

Mrs. Brooks patted the couch beside her. "Sit down here with me, Chloe."

I eased next to her. "I'll get right to the point. I need a job."

Mrs. Brooks' eyes widened. "A job, you say?"

"Yes. It seems that the kid was really expensive, which is why we couldn't take a trip for Spring Break. If you ask me, Momma should've thought of that before she ordered him. I wondered if you have any work for me?"

Mrs. Brooks crossed her arms over her chest and tapped her chin with one finger. "Let me see. I could use someone to dust these bookshelves." She motioned toward them. "I can train you and then offer ten dollars."

I sat up straighter. "Yes, I'll take it."

Mrs. Brooks smiled. "Then you're hired."

"I could use a good stick-picker-upper. Do you think you could handle that?" Mr. Brooks' eyebrows rose. "With the many sticks out there, I'd pay ten dollars as well."

"Oh yes. I'm a good picker-upper."

Mrs. Brooks rubbed her hands together. "It's settled." She reached her hand toward me. "Shall we shake on it?"

I grabbed her hand and gave it a firm shake.

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Why do you think Chloe felt like she needed to get a job?

Do you think Chloe will be helping the Brooks by doing the chores? Explain.