8.23.25 - Part 1

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Hello, and welcome to Raiway's Charn's Story Hour. As a
reminder of RAI is a reading service intended for people
who are blind or have other disabilities that make it
difficult to reprint material. Today we will be reading from
various books on school. Your reader today is Diane. We
will begin with the book Back to School, Mallory. It

(00:25):
was published by Darby Creek, a division of Learner Publishing Group,
has a copyright year of two thousand and four, and
it was written by Laurie Friedman. A word from Mallory.
My name is Malory McDonald, like the restaurant, but no relation.
Age eight and almost three fourths. Until two months ago,

(00:47):
my life was perfect. Nothing awful had ever happened to
me until my parents made me move to new Town.
I had to get used to a new house, a
new room, and worst of all, a new best friend.
Was really, really, really hard. Now my parents want me
to start third grade at a new school, and guess
what they want me to bring with me? My mom.

(01:08):
When I found out she was hired to be the
new music teacher at Fernfalls Elementary, I had what Dad
calls a Mallory meltdown. It sounds like ice cream Sunday,
but trust me, it's not. Mom can't go to school
with me, I screamed. Kids take notebooks and pencils and
rulers an erasers to school, but they don't take their moms.

(01:29):
Mom looked at me calmly. Some kids do, but I
don't want to be one of them. I stamped my
feet and shook my head. It's hard enough being the
new kid. I don't want to be the new kid
who brings her mom with her. Mom just looked at
me and shook her head. Please, I baked. Can't we
at least talk about it, Mallory. Mom said, there's nothing

(01:51):
to talk about. Come Monday morning, you and I are
going to fern Falls Elementary together. And that's when I
got a feeling. A take my mom to school with
me doesn't seem like a good way to start third
grade feeling. I'm sunk, I'm doomed, I'm dead meat, and
I haven't even started school yet. A bad start. Someone

(02:14):
sits down on my bed and rubs my back. Guess
who says a voice? Even though I'm covered with covers.
I don't have to guess. I know it's Mom. She
tickles my back rise and shine, sleepyhead. Summer vacations officially over.
Then she whispers in my ear, I have a back
to school surprise for you. I'm making chocolate chip pancakes.

(02:37):
Your favorite. Mom always has surprise for me on the
first day of school. I think she thinks that's what
it takes to get me excited about going back to school.
I usually am excited, but today is different. I have
a surprise for you too, I tell Mom, I just
took my hand out of the covers. In hand her
a sheet of paper read, I say. Is quiet for

(03:00):
a minute, and then she clears her throat and starts reading.
Ten reasons why I, Mallory McDonald cannot go to school today.
Reason number one there are lots of germs at school.
I could get sick. Reason number two. The water fountain
might explode and I could get wet. Reason number three,
a big, fat, mean, ugly fifth grader might step on

(03:23):
my toe and crush it. Reason number four, I could
get food poisoning if I eat lunch in the cafeteria.
Reason number five it might snow and school would be
canceled anyway. Reason number six, MIX would like it better
if I stayed home, and so would cheeseburger. Who will
be one very very very lonely cat without me. Reason

(03:45):
number seven. Someone should be home in case we get
a delivery. Reason number eight. If I stay home, I
will break the front yard, I promise. Reason number nine.
I'm pretty smart and probably don't need to go to
third grade. Reason number ten. Even if I do, I
want to be homeschooled. Mom sighs Mallory. Going to a

(04:08):
new school is scary, and I know you're not happy
I'm going with you. But if you'll give it a chance,
I'm sure everything will work out fine. She rubs my
bike through the covers. You'll get used to the new school,
and before you know it, you'll forget all about your
old school. Drink, I make a sound like a buzzer
going off in a game show when the person on

(04:30):
stage gets the answer wrong. I'll never forget about my
old school or my old best friend, Mary Anne. She
has Missus Thompson this year. Missus Thompson is the nicest
third grade teacher on the planet. She keeps a candy
jar on her desk with a note tape to it.
Take one if you're having a bad day. Marian Anne

(04:51):
and I have been waiting since kindergarten to have her,
and now Marianne has her without me. It's not fair.
I pull my blanket in a around me. Mom tries
to pull the covers off of me. Come on, Mallory,
we both have to go to school. What do you
say we start the year off right by being on
time the first day. There's only one thing I have

(05:12):
to say. I'm not going to school today. Mom stops
pulling sweet potato. I'm sure with missus Daily as your teacher,
today will be a good day. Mom chuckles. In fact,
I think with missus daily good things will happen on
a daily basis. Get the joke, missus daily daily basis.

(05:34):
I get it and I love jokes. But lately I
haven't been in the mood. I don't move. Come on,
says mom. Joey's in your class. There's another good thing.
I'm happy Joey's in my class. We've had a lot
of fun since I moved in next door to him,
But I wish he could be in my class in
my old school, not in a news school. Mom pats

(05:54):
my covered up head. Five minutes She says in her
I mean business voice. I don't want your back to
school surprise to get cold. Okay, okay, I mumble. When
mom leaves, I tumble out of bed and head for
my bathroom. Then when I look in the mirror, I
get another surprise. This surprise is purple and glittery, and

(06:14):
it's all over my face. I rub the sleepies out
of my eyes and put my face up to the
mirror for a closer look. Do I have chicken pox? No,
I have purple glitter pocks. I feel my head to
see if I have a fever, and that's when I
see the problem. My fingernails. I polished them last night
with purple glitter polish. Marianne gave me purple glitter polishes

(06:38):
everywhere except on my nails. I must have fallen asleep
on my hands, but for my nails were dry. I
can't go to school like this. I race up the
stairs to mom's bathroom to get the polish remover. I
pull bottles and jars out of her cabinet. I find
the bottle I'm looking for, but it's empty. What am
I going to do? I try rubbing my purple glitter

(07:01):
pox off. I try scubbing my purple glitter pox off.
I even put my face in the bathroom sink and
try soaking my purple glitter pox off. Now my face
is red and blotchy and purple and glittery. I can
just see my third grade scrap book. The first picture
in it won't be pretty. Mallorie. Hurry up, Mom calls

(07:22):
from the kitchen. You don't want to be late for
your first day of school. Actually I do. I would
love to be late a whole year late. I pull
on capris and my best purple T shirt. What am
I going to do? Then? I know, I know exactly
what I'm going to do. I search through my closet
until I find my ski mask. I pull it on

(07:42):
and look in the mirror. Not bad. All you can
see are my eyes, my nose, and mouth. I will
be the mystery girl of third grade, Mallorie. I pull
my ski mask down a little further in head to
the kitchen. I sit down at the table and take
in fite of pancakes. Mmmm. My brother Mix looks at
me like someone told a joke and he's the only

(08:03):
one who didn't get it. Why are you wearing a
ski mask? It's a news style. I take another bite
a lot of third graders are doing it. Mix grabs
my mask none that I know. I try to keep
my mask on, but Mix is too fast. He stares
my face like he's just seeing two headed zebra. Mom.
Dad look at Mallory. Mom drops her fork. Dad puts

(08:27):
his newspaper down. Now I know how the monkey's at
the zoo must fill. Everyone is staring at me. We
have to go to the drug store before school starts
and buy some polished remover. Mom shakes her head. We
don't have time to go to the store before school.
I pull my ski mask back on. I can't go
to school with purple dots on my face. Mix yanks

(08:51):
it off. She can't go to school with the ski
mask on either. Mom inspects my face. It's not that bad.
You're going to school in this gee mask is staying home.
That's final. She picks up her notebook. School is waiting.
Not so fast, says Dad. He pulls a camera out
of a drawer. Time from McDonald's family Back to school picture.

(09:14):
Mike's grown. Dad, not this year for once, I agree
with Mike. Dad shakes his head. It's tradition. Mike's Mallory
over by the piano Sherry, you two, After all, you're
going back to school too. Mom puts her arms around
Mix and me. Smile, says Dad. He snaps our picture.

(09:35):
But as I follow Mom out the door, all I
can think is that I don't have much to smile about.
This day will go down as one of the worst ever.
There will even be pictures to remind me of my
horrible start to third grade. Next Door, Joey has his
dog Murphy are waiting for us in his front yard.
Joey's sister Winnie, and instead mister Winston and his grandpa

(09:59):
are there too. What happened to you? When he looks
at me like I'm contagious, you don't want to know.
I'm mumble. Joey stays my face like he's trying to
figure out a tricky problem in math. I have a
ski mask if you want to borrow it. Mike's laughs
and tells Joey I don't need a ski mask. Joey shrugs.
At least your face matches your shirt and your backpack.

(10:22):
Everyone will know what your favorite color is as soon
as they meet you. Joey's dad smiles, an excellent way
of looking at things. Mom starts down the sidewalk. We're
off to school, she says. Winnie and Mix follow mom.
Joey pats Murphy's head and falls in line. We're off
to school. I follow Joey. We're off, I mumble. But

(10:45):
there's only one thing that I'm off to a bad start,
hide and peak. There are lots of things I can't
do with my head inside my backpack, like find the
way to my classroom. Even though Joey is guiding me
through the maze of feet and stray notebooks. I have
to work hard not to trip. Joey stops. There's a

(11:06):
sign on the door. He reads out loud, Missus Daily,
Room three ten, Welcome to third grade. I can't believe
I'm starting third grade in hiding, but I can just
imagine what kids would say if they could see my face.
Check out the new kid. What's with the purple dots?
Where she's from? Jupiter? I don't want anybody to think

(11:27):
I'm from another planet. My head's in sudden my backpack,
and that's where it's staying. Good morning, class, says missus Daly.
Please find the desk where they're name tag on it
and take a seat. I move my backpack just a
little so I can find the desk with Mallory McDonald's sticker.
When I stick my name tag on my T shirt,

(11:47):
it goes on mopsided. I sit down and peek at
the girl in the chair next to me. She has
on a rainbow T shirt, matching glasses and a perfectly
straightening tag. I wish Joy was in the chair next
to me, but his desk is across the room, next
to another boy. I try to get his attention, but
he doesn't see me. He's busy talking to the boy

(12:09):
in the desk next to him. Missus Daily taps a
little green plastic frog on her desk. It croaks and
everyone stops talking. Missus Daily smiles and picks up the frog.
Class this is Chester, and when he opens his mouth,
you will know it's time to close yours. Great Marianne's
teacher keeps king on her desk. Mine has a croaking frog.

(12:31):
Missus Daily keeps smiling. The seat you're sitting in will
be yours for the year. But so I'll take him
in and introduce ourselves to our desk mates. The girl
on the rainbow T shirt knocks on my backpack. Anybody home,
Mallory McDonald like the restaurant, but no relation. My desk
mate leans over and peeks inside my backpack. Pamela brooks,

(12:53):
why are you wearing a backpack on your head on
the first day of school? I pull my head out
of my backpack, so pamlic and see my purple glitter pops.
She studies my face like she's a doctor and I'm
getting a checkup. You look better without the backpack, I
hope Pamela's right. I slide my backpack under my desk.

(13:13):
Oh clay, class, said Missus Daly. Now that we know
our desk mates, let's get to know each other. When
it's your turn, please say your name and share something
about yourself with the class. Who would like to start?
Pamela raises her hand. Missus Daly checks her seating chart.
Thank you for volunteering, Pamela. Pamela stands up. Hi, everybody,

(13:35):
my name is Pamela Brooks. I want to be a
famous journalist when I grow up. You're in the right classroom,
Missus Daly smiles. We'll be doing a lot of writing
this year. Our class is in charge of the school newspaper.
Missus Daily checks her seating chart. Mallory, you're next. I
stand up. My name is Mallory McDonald. She likes purple,

(13:57):
says the voice. There's giggling all around me. I feel
like I need to save My face is purple. The
problem is I don't want to say why it's really purple.
Marianne would say this calls for some creative sharing. I
cleared my throat this morning. I was polishing my cat's
toenails when she started jumping all over the place. I

(14:18):
moved my arms around to show what a wild jumping
cat looks like. When I tried to calm her down,
I got polished all over my face. I turned around
in the circle so everyone can see my purple dots.
I didn't want to be late on the first day
of school, so I had to leave it on. There's
more giggling. Missus daily tabs Chester's head class. That's enough.

(14:40):
Mallory moved here this summer and brought someone special to
school with her. Mallori, why don't you tell the class
who is in your family? Who in your family is
part of Fern Falls Elementary? My mother is the new
music teacher, I mumble. Missus McDonald has some wonderful plans
for music this year, says miss Daily. You'll hear more

(15:01):
when you meet Missus and Donald later this week. Everybody
stares at me. I wonder if this is how it's
going to be all year. Mallory McDonald, daughter of the
music teacher. I try to pay attention while Missus Daly
continues with the introductions. Zike likes tomato sandwiches. Anna went
to school in South Africa for a year. Sammy hates

(15:22):
being the oldest because he gets blamed for everything. Emma
collects rubber bands, glow rocks and newspaper. Grace collects shoes.
I try to remember who likes tomato sandwiches and who
collects the used paper, but my mind keeps thinking about
my face and my mom. Missus Daily calls on two
girls who are desk mates. Danielle and Ariel are virgos

(15:46):
and best friends. They're lucky, they're best friends and they
are desk mates. I wonder who mary An's mate is
this year. I wonder if they'll become best friends. Missus
Daily calls on Joey. I like skateboarding soccer, says Joey.
His death mate is Pete. I like skateboarding and soccer too,
says Pete. When Pete sits down, he and Joey high

(16:08):
five each other. Looks like Joey likes his desk mate. Nicholas, Brittany, Evan, April,
Don and Jackson introduce themselves. There are lots of names
to remember. Missus Daly spends the rest of the morning
telling us about some of the units we'll be studying.
The year bears Pilgrims the United States of America. When

(16:29):
the lunch bell rings, we line up and follow Missus
Day to the cafeteria. Someone behind me groans, I think
it's worth too old to have a line up behind
the teacher and walk to the cafeteria groom. But I'm
glad we do. I have no idea where the cafeteria
is at this school. My old school, I knew where
everything was, I knew what to do. I even knew

(16:50):
who to sit with at lunch at this school, I
have no idea. When I get inside the cafeteria, I
sit down next to Joey Boy's table. He shrugs his shoulder. Sorry,
I can't believe Joey doesn't want to eat lunch with me.
Friends are supposed to eat lunch with friends. I always
ate lunch with Mary Anne. I pick up my lunch

(17:11):
bag and go sit the table with the girls from
my class, but I feel like I should call it.
I don't have anybody to talk to because everybody is
already talking to somebody else's table. I unrap my sandwich
and take a bite, but when I do, I taste
something awful, tuna fish. Mike's always get tuna fish and
I always get peanut butter and marshmallow. Mom gave me

(17:33):
the wrong sandwich on the first day of school. Took
another bite of tuna fish and gag. I'm not sure
if it's the tuna fish or every single thing about
this day, but I'm starting to feel sick. After lunch.
Missus Daily gives us our first spelling list elbow, groans, shadows, bulldozer, coasts, loan,

(17:56):
cobra over. I wish a bulldozer would run over me.
Two hours and forty nine minutes until I'll be through
with this day class. Missus Daily says, we have a
lot to look forward to this week. Tuesdays will be
our days, so tomorrow you'll have your first hour class.
On Wednesdays, you'll have pe in on Thursday's music. This Thursday,

(18:18):
you'll meet Missus McDonald. Missus Daily says, this Thursday, you'll
meet Missus McDonald. Everyone turns around and looks at me.
I groan. I wish I could run. I wish I
could hide. I wish I could be anywhere but here
right now, even Jupiter singing the blues. I'm on a
mission a Thursday morning, make a wish before school mission.

(18:42):
I live on a street called Wish Pond Road. There's
a real wish pond on my street. I can throw
stones into it and make all the wishes I want.
When I moved to Wish Pond Road, Joey told me
that the shiny black stones are wish pebbles. He said,
if you find one, your wish will come true. The
only problem is that wish pebbles are hard to find.

(19:04):
I pick up a plain white rock and throw it
into the water. I wish everybody would like my mom
when they need her today. I wish the pond water
ripple where I threw in the stone. I think back
to Tuesday when we had art with Missus Pearl. We're
going to have so much fun in art this year,
she said. She told us that as third graders, we'll

(19:25):
be studying lots of different kinds of art. Then she
wrote the word expressionism on the board and explained what
it meant. Expressionism is a type of art where the
artist paints what he's really feeling inside, not necessarily what
things really look like in the outside world. Missus Pearl
held up a picture of some flowers. This is a

(19:46):
painting called some Flowers by a famous expressionist artist named
Vincent van Go. Missus Pearl passed out paper and showed
us how to sketch flowers. She said, we'd be talking
a lot about expressing ourselves through our artwork. Isn't missus
Pearl nice? Pamela said as we walked back to Room
three ten, I throw another rock into the water. Pamela

(20:10):
was right, Missus Pearl is nice. On Wednesday, we had
pee with Coach Kelly. When we got to the field,
Coach Kelly blew his whistle. No time like the present
to get in shape. We lined up and did stretches
and jumping jacks. You look like a bunch of professional athletes,
said Coach Kelly. Then he told us we were in
training to run the mile. We ran laps around the

(20:32):
track He high fived everybody as we passed him. Isn't
Coach Kelly cool? Joey whispered to me. I throw another
rock in the wishpond. Everybody likes missus Pearl and Coach Kelly.
I hope whenever everybody meets my mom today, they'll feel
the same way about her. Mallory, Mom calls my name
from down the street. As I walk home, I think

(20:54):
about what Mom said last night. She promised me she
would do her best to be my mom at home
and my music teacher at school. But Mike's told me
I shouldn't count on that promise. Mallori, Mom is the
music teacher. You're going to have to face the music.
He laughed like crazy. Keep the joke. I got it.
Even though Mike said he doesn't see what the big

(21:15):
deal is about Mom teaching Earth school, to me is
a very big deal till today. I'm doing everything I
can to make sure there's nothing to laugh about when
the fern falls elementary third graders meet my mom, I
may wishes at the pond. I'm wearing my four leaf
clover clover charm bracelet. I have on my lucky leopard socks,

(21:36):
even though they're making the walk to school a hot
and itchy one. Earth to Mallory, says Joey. As we
follow my mom to school. Huh, I've been down to
scratch my ankle. We're halfway to school, says Joey, and
you haven't said a word. I slowed down, so mom
came here when I'm about to say, I'm a little
worried about everyone meeting my mom. How bad can it be,

(21:58):
asked Joey. That's just it. I don't know how bad
it can be. I tried to talk to mom last
night about being nice like Missus Pearl or cool like
Coach Kelly, but I don't think she was listening. I
think about Van Go. I wonder if he ever tried
to express himself and nobody listened. I wonder if his
mother was a teacher at his school. As we walk

(22:20):
into our classroom, Missus Daly tells everyone to take a seat.
We have a busy day, she says. First we save
the Pledge of Allegiance. Then Missus Daly passes out our
vocabulary worksheets. If you don't know what any of the
words mean, you can look them up in the dictionary
in the back of the room. One of our words
is nervous. I don't need a dictionary to know what

(22:42):
nervous means. Class says Missus Daly. When we're done with
our worksheets, I'm going to walk you down to the
music room. Now you're going to meet missus McDonald. Please
show her how well behaved for and falls elementary third
graders are. Does anybody have any questions before we go?
I do? Can we learn long division instead? I can't

(23:02):
wait to meet your mom, Pamela whispers in my ear.
We walk into the music room, Mom tells everyone to
take a seat. Good morning, class, Mom smiles, Welcome to music.
I'm missus McDonald. But when Mom says missus McDonald, everyone
turns around and looks at me. I wish I could
hie my head inside of a Psalm book. We're going
to have a lot of fun of music this year,

(23:23):
Mom says. We'll be putting on a special show at
the end of October called Fall Festival. Mom pauses. I
think she's waiting for everyone to clap or cheer. They
might have clapped if she said We're going to have
a lot of fun of music this year. We're going
to a special concert for kids. It will be an
all day fild trip with pizza and ice cream. But

(23:44):
that's not what she said. I think about how things
used to be before we moved to Fern Falls. Mom
gave piano lessons at home, even though I had to
walk around with cotton balls in my ears. I wish
things were the way they used to be. We're going
to start the year off singing America, says Mom. I
want you to really think about what you're singing. Then

(24:04):
she says the words really slowly, like she's talking to
a room full of two year olds. My country tis
of the sweet, land of liberty, of thee. I sing
land where my father's died, Land of the pilgrim's pride,
from every mountain side, let free, dumb ring. She asks

(24:29):
everybody to focus on the song and repeat the words
with her. I try to focus on My country tis
of thee, But the words my mom embarrasses me. Just
keep popping into my head. We will come back to
this book next time. So this concludes our children's story.
I are for today. Please join us next time as

(24:50):
we will read more stories, fables and fairy tales. Thank
you for listening, and please stay tuned for the lexting
Herald Leader on Radio I