10.4.25 - Part 1

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Hello, and welcome to Realized Children's Story Hour. As a reminder,
Rayli is a reading service intend for people who are
blinder of other disabilities that make it difficult to read
printed material. Today we will be reading from various books
on the character Pedro. Your reader today is Diane. Our

(00:22):
first story is Pedro for President, and it was published
by Picture Window Books, A Capstone in print. It has
the copyright year of twenty seventeen and the author is
fran Mannushkin. Chapter one, Running for President, Pedro told Miss Winkle,

(00:45):
I am running for president of our class. So am
I said Katie wu. Miss Winkle asked them what can
you do for our class? I can do magic tricks,
said Pedro. I can tap dance, said Katie. Those are fun,
said Miss Winkle. But how will you help the class?
I don't know, said Katie. I have to think, said Pedro.

(01:08):
That night, Pedro painted a poster. His brother Pauco wanted
to help. He put his messy hands all over it.
I can fix this, said Pedro. He painted Vote for Pedro.
I will give you a helping hand. Good work, said
his father. You are using your head Chapter two, speechless Pedro.

(01:30):
The next day, Miss Winkle said, before we vote tomorrow,
Katie and Pedro will each give a speech. You can
tell us why you should be president. I'm not good
at giving speeches, said Pedro. I am bragged, Katie wu
Pedro tried to write a speech. Just then, Roddy threw
a pencil at the goldfish bowl. Pedro jumped up and

(01:53):
caught the pencil. You saved our fish, cheered Berry, And
you found my favorite. Pedro tried to write a speech again,
but he saw Jojo looking said what's wrong? He asked,
I got a bad grade on my math test, said Jojo.
Don't worry, said Pedro. You can do better tomorrow. Maybe

(02:15):
I can share you up with a joke. Pedro asked,
why a six afraid of seven? Why? Asked Jojo? Because
seven eight nine, that's funny, said Jojo. I feel better.
That night, Pedro asked his dad, what should I say
in my speech tomorrow? Arf barked, Peppy, I can't say that,

(02:38):
Pedro joked, Chapter three A team player President. The next
day was the election. Katie gave a great speech. Miss
Winkle asked Pedro, is your speech ready? No? Said Pedro.
Rody yelled, I want a boy to win, and I
know what we should do? What, asked Jojo? Roddy said

(03:01):
there are more boys than girls in this class. If
all the boys vote for Pedro, he will win. That's
not fair, said Pedro. You should vote for the best person,
boy or girl. That was a wonderful speech, said miss Winkle.
I'm voting for Pedro, said Barry, me too, said Jojo.

(03:21):
Pedro is a team player. Pedro asked Katie, will we
still be friends if I win? For sure? Said Katie,
we will always be friends. They shook on it. The
class counted the votes. Guess who won? Pedro. I promised
to be a terrific president for everyone, he said, and

(03:43):
he was our next. Several stories had the character of Barcas.
The first book is called Barcas Dog Dreams and it
was published by Chronicle Books. It I'll be right, you're
twenty eighteen, and the author's Patricia mcclarklcklin. What baby found.

(04:12):
Barcas was quiet. He didn't need his food. He didn't
play with the baby. He just laid behind the couch.
Barcus looked sad, I said, Barcus looks sick, said my mother.
My father called the vet. She says, to bring baby too,
she is due for a shot. Barcus lay on the
back seat of the car. He didn't sit up and

(04:34):
make dog noise much as on the window. Baby sat
in her cat carrier, looking at Barcas. Barcus wag wagged
his tail a bit. When we got to the vet's clinic.
He liked dropping the vet. Robin sat down on the
floor next to Barcas. He didn't try to wick Robin's
face the way he always did. Robin looked in his ears.

(04:55):
I think Barcas has an ear infection, she said. He's
going to need to take some pills. Robin taught my
father how to give Barcus' pills. She put the pill
in some cheese and opened Barcas's mouth. She held his
mouth shut. After a minute, Barcus swallowed. Bring him back
next week, she said. Then rob took Baby out of

(05:18):
her carrier and gave her a shot. Baby didn't care.
She jumped out of Robin's arms and ran over to
be with Barcus. Friends, said Robin with a smile. Every day,
my father wrapped the pills and bread or cheese or
turkey or ham or peanut butter. Every day Barcus took
his pills, then went behind the couch. Then one day

(05:40):
he came out from behind the couch. Soon Barcus wagged
his tail at me. He played with baby. Barcus was better.
The pills had worked, but Baby surprised us. She bat
at Barcus's pills out from behind the couch. That's a
week of pills, said my mother. Barcus did swallow any.

(06:01):
I said it was time to take Barcas back to
the vet. Barcus sat and looked out the window, his
nose on the glass. He was happy to see Robin.
She looked at one ear and then the other. You're
all better, Barcus, she said. But he didn't take the pills,
I said. Baby found them behind the couch. Robin laughed.

(06:22):
I guess Barcas got better without them, she said. She
led them to the scale. He gained weight while he
was sick. How could that happened, she said, I know
how it happened, said my mother. Haymm a turkey and
bread and cheese and peanut butter, I said. Barcus likes
peanut butter much better than pills. He likes peanut butter

(06:43):
better than everything, said my mother. Barcus wagged his tail
and whirled around. Excited. He barked, I think, Barkus said,
peanut butter, said Robin, he did. I said, no more
peanut butter. Barcus said, Robin, you'll get fat. Barcus didn't care.
He looked Droppin's face anyway, a high note. It was

(07:07):
the town's birthday. We carried a picnic basket and a
blanket to the park. Barcus walked beside me. There were sparklers,
there were balloons. I opened the dog park gate and
Barcus ran inside. There were many dogs playing, then with
short legs, Rudy the terrier who needed brushing, Molly the

(07:27):
great per Lli with curls. A band played a peppy song.
Barcus stopped playing and listen. Barcus watched. Barcus wants to
play in the band. I said, that's one thing Barcas
can't do, said my father. Next, four girls danced on stage.
Barcus perked up his ears. He wagged his tail. Barcas

(07:51):
wants to dance, I said, too bad, said my mother.
There's another thing Barcas can't do. Catch that balloon. A
man shouted, Barcas leaped up and caught the string in
his mouth. Thank you, thank you, said the man. He
handed the balloon to a little girl. She patted Barkas.
Good catch, said the man. That's a good dog, the

(08:14):
best dog in the world. I said, that's something Barkas
can do, but we would all be surprised. There was
one more thing Barcus could do. A lady in a
fancy dress came on to the stage. The band conductor
lifted his baton. The band played. The lady sang, then
she coughed. She sneezed. Ooh oh, said my father. She'll

(08:37):
never hit the high note. At the end of the song,
the lady sang on. She coughed again, she sneezed twice,
and then came the end of the song. The lady
couldn't reach the high note, but someone could beside me.
Barkus stood his nose in the air, his mouth and
a little oh. Everyone turned to see where the high
note was coming from. It's that dog, someone called a dog.

(09:01):
Barkus held the note for so long. I finally patted him.
You can stop, Barkas, I said. Barcus stopped. Everyone clapped,
even Missus Fillmore clapped and there's another thing Barcas can do,
I told my mother and father. The next day, there
was a picture of Barcas in the newspaper. Under the
picture was written, Barcas hits a high note the very

(09:26):
long day. Knock, knock, knock. It was very early when
someone pounded on the front door. It was Gin, who
had a farm down the road. Where's your father, Nikki,
she asked in bed. I said, you're wearing pajamas. My
herd's gone, said Gin. My father came out of his bedroom.
He was wearing pajamas too. What do you mean gone,

(09:47):
he asked. Barcas paid it out from my bedroom. Baby
came too. When I got up this morning, the fence
was broken. Seven cows and two goats are gone, and
bby too. Who's bebe, asked my father her donkey, I said.
Barcas's ears perked up. Barcus liked boebe. My father got

(10:08):
his wallet and car keys. We'll be back, he said.
When your mother wakes up, tell her where we've gone.
Barcus and Baby went out the door too. They were
happy outside. I was happy to go back to bed, Nicki.
It was my mother's voice. I sat up in bed,
where's your father? He went to help Gen find her

(10:29):
lost her. Where are Barcus and Baby? I'll find them,
I said, But they weren't outside. They weren't inside, they
weren't anywhere. Suddenly we heard noises in the yard. Barcus
was there, Baby was there. And so we're seven cows,
two goats with bells around their necks, and bb there
was a white chicken tooth. My father's car screeched to

(10:52):
a halt in front of the house. My father and
Jen got out of the car. Oh, thank you all,
said Jen. We couldn't find them anywhere. It wasn't me,
said my mother. It wasn't me, I said, it was
Barcus and baby. Barcus and Baby, said my father. You
have your pajamas on, said my mother. Where did the

(11:13):
chicken come from? Asked Jen. Isn't it your chicken, asked
my mother. Nope, said Jen. But I'll take her home. Barcus,
you and Baby can herd. I said, good job. You're
the best dog and cat in the world. You are,
said Jen. But Barcus didn't hear. Baby didn't hear. They

(11:34):
were asleep. It had been a very long day trade about.
There was a new dog next door. It was miss
Daly's new dog. My sister gave me your dog because
she has to travel, said miss Day. That's how I
got Barkas, I said, from my uncle Everton Lucky, yes,
said miss Day. Does Millie have toys? I asked, a

(11:57):
few old stuff animals that smell bad. My sister socked
so Milly won't miss her. Barcus and Milly liked each
other right away. They played. They swam in the lake,
they slept in the shade. When they played inside our house.
Baby tried to play too. At first, Milly was afraid
of the little animal that wasn't a dog, but soon

(12:18):
they played together. Some days Barcas went to Milly's house,
some days Milly went to Barcas's house. At night, they
both sat in the windows of their houses and looked
across the yard at each other. One morning, Barkus came
home with Milly's sock. You stole Milly's sock, I said,
Barcus borrowed it, said my mother. I'm sure Milly will

(12:40):
come over and take it back home. But Milly didn't
take her sock back home. She took the stuffed beaver
with the flat, shiny tail. The next day, Barkus brought
home a warn stuffed rabbit with one ear borrowed. I
told my mother, back and forth, back and forth, they
went trading toys. Soon all of Milly's toys were in

(13:01):
Barcas's basket, and all of Barcas's toys were in Milly's
toy tup. It's called a trade about, said miss Daily,
A trade about. I said, maybe a little trade about again,
And I was right. That very night, when Barkus and
Nelly looked out the windows at each other. Barcas had
his feaver, Nellie had her sock, a trade about dog dreams.

(13:24):
A big storm was coming. My mother bought food and
ice and candles. Why ice and candles, I asked. The
electricitia might go off when the winds come, said my father.
That sounds scary, I said. Storms can be scary, said
my mother. But we'll be safe inside. Barcus didn't look scared,

(13:44):
I said. Barcus and baby lay in a curled up heap. No,
Barcus and baby are not scared, said my mother. It
started to rain. You should take Barcas out now before
it gets worse, said my father. He went outside to
bring the law on chairs in side. Barcus didn't love rain.
I had to push him outside. It's only rain, Barcus,

(14:07):
I said. But the rain came harder and the wind
was strong. My father chased after a chair that was
blowing across the grass. Miss Daly came out of her
house with Milly. She wore rain hat and coat and
carried an umbrella. Milly didn't love the rain either. Miss
Daly's hat blew away and her umbrella turned inside out.

(14:28):
Then some shingles from Miss Daly's porch roof blew off
above us, and a branch fell from our maple tree.
My father grabbed Miss Daly's arm. We all ran to
our house. Miss Daly looked a little scared. I was
a little scared. Miss Daly hung up her coat. I
took off my shoes. Barcus and Milly shook water all

(14:49):
over us. That made Miss Daly smile. Come sit down,
said my mother. You can stay with us until the
storm is over, said my father. That's nice of you,
said Miss Daily. There was a sudden loud clap of thunder.
The lights went out. My father lit the candles, and
my mother built a fire in the fireplace. The fire

(15:11):
was cheerful. The dogs moved closer to the fire and slept.
We ate sandwiches. As the wind shook the house, we
would hear small tree branches falling on the roof. I
wonder why baby and the dogs aren't scared, I said,
they know we will take care of them, said miss Day,
And they dream She added Milly yip yip yipped in

(15:32):
her sleep. Barcus whined in his sleep. Then he moved
his feet as if he were running. They're dreaming about
chasing each other on a sunny day, said Missus. Day.
I dreamed too, I said, mostly good dreams, sunny days
and ice cream like Barcus, and Millie, said Miss Day.
They're having dog dreams. I like dog dreams, said my mother.

(15:55):
Me too, said my father, me too, I said. As
it turned out that night, we all dreamed dog dreams.
And when we woke the next morning, the wind and
rain were gone, and there was the sun. Our next
story is titled Barcas the Most Fun and it was
published by Chronicle Books. It has a copyright year of

(16:16):
twenty twenty one and the author of our book is
Patricia mac laughlin. What Barcus knows Barcas is excited. He
knows something. Barcus always knows something. My father puts a
grill in the car. Barcus knows all about grills. Grills

(16:37):
mean hamburgers, hot dogs, sausages. My mother puts tents and
sleeping bags in the car. Barcus knows all about sleeping
bags and tents camping. There's a tent for you and
Barcus in one for your father and me, says my mother.
What about baby, I asked. Barcus's ears go up. Camping
is not for cats, says my mother. Mister Bailey will

(17:00):
take care of baby. Barcas jumps up in the way
back of the car. He likes to look out of
the back window and wag his tail when we pass cars.
Sometimes people wave at Barcas. I climb into the back
seat with my fishing pole and three books to read.
If it rains, I wave it miss daily As we
drive away. Are you all right in the back? I

(17:21):
called to Barcus. Whoof I know the sound of that
Barcus wolf? He knows something. Barcas has a secret. When
we get to our campsite, my mother opens the back
door of the car. Barcus jumps out Baby jumps down
behind him. That was Barcas's secret. Oh no, camping is
not for cats, repeats my mother. But when we put

(17:44):
up the first tent, Baby runs inside. Baby likes camping.
I say, see, I see, says my mother. But she
won't like the water. Water is not for cats. Barcus
rows in the sand, sand flies everywhere. Grain Baby runs
to the water. She jumps over little waves, shaking the

(18:05):
water from her feet. I think baby likes the water too,
I say, hmmm, says my mother. Baby will not like
nighttime when the owl screech in the trees. But the
night inside our tent, Barcus north, I watch baby. Baby
sits in the tent screen opening, listening to the calls
of owls, and she watches the moon rise over the water.

(18:27):
Then baby sleeps. The next day, I do not catch
a fish. Barcus runs with Baby, who finds something to chase.
My father grills sausages. The day goes by too quickly.
The cars packed to go home again. The drive is long.
How are things back there, asked my father, looking at
me in the rear view mirror. I answer with one

(18:49):
of my father's expressions. As expected, I called to him,
how are things back there, Barcas, I asked, Wolf is
a contented wolf. I peer through the sleeping bags and tents.
In the way back. There's Barcas. There's Baby, all curled up.
The crazy cows of spring. Barcus stands by our car. Wolf.

(19:13):
He knows that every spring we visit my grandparents farm
in the hills. When my father opens the way back
to put in suitcases, Barcas jumps right in. Smartest dog
in the whole world. My father says, Baby jumps right
in too, smartest cat too. I say. We drive past
many farms. Barcus wags his tail at the cows in

(19:36):
the meadows. He wolfs at horses. Then I see it
the road to my grandfather Jesse's farm. Grandfather Jess waves
to us from the barn door. Barcas races up to him.
Jess hugs Barcas, he hugs me. The cows come out
into the sunlight. I know them by name, Jane with

(19:57):
a star on her face, Flora Nor a door, and
Emmy the calf. Then it happens, maybe it is a
sudden sweet breeze. The cows kick up their heels, They
race around the middle. They run over to the fence
and push through, splintering the top rail. Hey yells, just stop.
Grandmother Bet runs out of the house and waves it's

(20:20):
spring Jess. She calls the cows trot onto the main road.
Barcas and I cut across the field to head them off.
Baby follows the cow slow down when they see Barcas
in front. The cows pass the small pond. Two ducks
watch the horses in the middle look up, surprised. The

(20:40):
cows go down South Street, headed to the village. Car
stops so the cows can pass. The cows pass the school,
they pass the post office. Barcas leaves them around the
library twice. Green spring grass is growing there, and the
cows are happy. Then the cows are tired. Wolf Barcas

(21:01):
walks toward the road. The cows follow Barcas back up
South Street. The cows walk over to walk over the
stone Ridge bridge. They passed the small pond. They turn
onto the farm road to their meadow. I hold the
paddic door open for them. Jess feeds them grain to
thank them for coming home. Happy Spring, just says to

(21:22):
the cows. Wolf says Barcas. Barcas is tired. He's worked hard.
But that night Mark Barcas won't come inside to sleep.
He stays out in the field. He'll keep door company,
says Jes, turning off the porch light. The next morning,
I hear barcasoof. Barcus knows something. I hear Jess go

(21:45):
out the door, baby, and I go out to see what.
Barcas knows. Door has a calf, says Jess, happily. Barcas
wolf softly, as if telling us, hush, it's a girl,
said Jess. Get that's what Barcus and I have named her.
What I ask, spring, says Jess. Wolf, says Barcas, and

(22:07):
then Barcus lies down in the spring grass and goes
to sleep. The most fun Barcus loves fall. He rows
in the neat piles of rig leeves, jumping out at Baby.
I love fall because I love the parade, Wolf, said Barcas.
Barcus knows the ambling of the Calf's parade celebrates all

(22:28):
the animals people love. There is a band and baton
twirlers and floats. Once I rode on, wondrous is a
red leaf. We can't take baby, says my father. You
have to have leashes for the animals. You take to
the parade. I bought a small cat leash for baby,
says my mother. What ask my father? My mother slips

(22:51):
the red leash around Baby's neck. She twists and escapes.
My father and I laugh. Barcas waits by the car.
Baby jumps on Barcas's back and up into the car.
Smartest dog, says my father, smartest cat, I add. The
parade begins with the horses and their lively coats. A
band goes by, children pool wagons of cage chickens, some

(23:15):
roosters with colorful red combs, and some silkies white and fluffy.
The llamas walk by with their graceful necks. One comes
over to touch noses with Barcus. Two large floats passed by,
both filled with dogs. The first has good dogs painted
on a banner. The second has a banner that says

(23:35):
sort of good dogs. Making people laugh and clap. Barcus
bark set them all wo woof. The dogs answer back
in a din of barking, and then finally comes the calves,
wearing wreaths of flowers around their necks. Barcus pulls his
leash out of my father's hand and prances next to
the band. Baby gets on Barcus's back. The crod cheers,

(24:00):
and that is how a photographer takes a picture Barcus
and Baby. The pictures in the town newspaper the next day.
Beneath the picture is written, Barcus and friends the most fun. True.
They did have fun, but I had the most fun
of all. A winter's tail. Snowflakes fall as we pack

(24:20):
to drive to our cabin. The skis and ski poles
are on the car roof. Warm sleeping bags and pillows
are in the way back. Barcus jumps right in. Smartest dog,
says my father. Baby jumps right in, smartest cat, I add.
The snow falls a little harder. As we drive, it
begins to stick to the road. The wind begins to blow.

(24:43):
There are no other cars on the road. Barcus sighs,
he is bored. He flops down and goes to sleep.
As we get closer to our cabin, the wind shakes
the car. My father has to drive around some tree
branches that have been blown down. Soon we see the
hill that leads to the cabin will be there just

(25:04):
in time. This will be a big storm, says my father.
When my father stops the car, Barcus jumps down into
a drift of snow. I carry baby tucked in my jacket.
Let's go in and start a fire, says my father.
Wolf agrees Barcas. The house's cold, no electricity, no heat
or stacks of wood by the fireplace. Wolf Barcas knows.

(25:28):
My father builds a fire. He sends light across the
walls of the cabin. We put down the sleeping bags
and pillows in front of the fire. My mother finds oil,
lamps and candles. It will be dark soon, too stormy
for skiing, says my mother. But what will we do?
I ask? You can read one or two or three

(25:49):
of your many books, says my father. We'll get out
a huge shick saw puzzle, and we'll eat delicious food,
says my mother. Wolf says Barcas. We can't grow out
out in the wind and snow, says my father. I
need lots of grilled chicken and biscuits, said my mother.
And I brought frozen corn cops from summer. We'll warm

(26:09):
them over the fire. Barcus Wolf's at the fireplace. My
father puts more wood on the fire. We will have
to finish this story the next time. This conclude our
children's story are for today. Please join us next time
as we will read more stories, fables and fairy tales.

(26:31):
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