My First Read Alones
2 primary works • 4 total works
Book 34
Danny's legs are longer than any of his friends - he feels such a freak?! They're okay for seeing over tall grass, and shooting hoops at basketball, but frankly, they're no good at all when it comes to football - Danny's FAVOURITE sport. The ball just keeps shooting through his legs - and as for scoring goals, forget it! Danny's local team is being picked any day, and he's desperate to get on it, but the team captain thinks he's useless, and Danny doesn't feel hopeful. But as Danny watches a team practice he has an idea: he may not be able to kick a ball into goal, but if he practices hard enough, he could score another way - by heading the ball! Danny practices and practices and can't believe that he's actually good at heading. Does he get a place on the local team? You bet he does!
Book 35
Poor Old Cindy - she has so many arms and legs that they keep getting in her way. When Cindy tries to join in with the weekly swim in the kitchen sink, she ends up splashing everyone else,and some very unkind bugs call her 'Clumsy!'. Mortified, Cindy creeps away to be by herself, but finds herself next to the family cat! In front of the cat is a saucer of milk - and before she knows it, Cindy is over the edge and splashing away all by herself - the more she splashes, the thicker the milk gets, until, finally, the milk turns into butter. And Cindy finds herself skating - in the most unexpectedly elegant way. It isn't long before the word is out: Cindy's not clumsy any more, she's a champion skater, after all!
Wally the Woodlouse is so shy and nervy - he's too scared even to leave home sometimes. And when Wally gets scared, he rolls himself right up into a tight little ball - that way he doesn't need to be scared of what's going on around him. Some of the 'bully' bugs at school make fun of Wally, and that just makes things worse. But Wally is missing out on so much fun outside! He needs to find a way to face his fears and start joining in with his friends. So one snowy day Wally finally shows the world that he's not such a scaredy-bug, after all!
Lilly is fed up. She's a plain old blue bug - dull and ordinary - she can't help thinking that she'd have so many friends if she was just a little brighter and more interesting to look at. When Lilly's mum sends her on an errand, Lilly spots some beautiful ladybirds playing. Lilly would do anything to look like them! Back at home she makes a plan. Getting some black and red paint, and the biggest leaf she can find, Lilly paints the leaf red with black dots, and then she rolls on top of it! Bingo! Lilly is now a ladybird! Eager to present herself to the real ladybirds, Lilly hurries off to introduce herself. The ladybirds are really friendly, but then it starts to rain. Poor Lilly watches as all the paint washes away, and she's revealed as the plain blue bug she is. Lilly is convinced the ladybirds won't want her now, but guess what? They think she looks just fine the way she is! And besides, it's what's inside that counts ...