8.23.25 - Part 2

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Hello, and welcome to radiis turn Story Hour. As a reminder,
RADI is a reading service intended for people who are
blind or who have other disabilities that make it difficult
to read printed material. Today we will be reading from
various books on school. Your reader today is Diane. We
will continue with the book from Last Time Back to School, Mallory.

(00:26):
It was published by Darby Creek, a division of Learner
Publishing Group. It has a copyright year of two thousand
and four and the author of the book is Laurie B. Freedman.
Street Friends past the fruity pops, says Mom, Mix and
I look at each other. Mom never eats fruity pops.

(00:47):
Dad slides the box across the breakfast table. You've only
been at school for a week, and you're already eating
like a kid, he says. Mom laughs. But I don't
mom my be eating like a kid. But she's definitely
not acting like one. This week at school, she did
a lot of things kids would never do. In the

(01:07):
girl's bathroom, she reminded everybody to wash their hands, and
in the cafeteria she told the girls to be sure
and eat their healthies first. Kids never do either of those. Things.
It's no fun to be the kid whose mother reminds
other kids to do that kind of stuff. I have
good news, said mom. We're having dinner at the Winstons tonight.

(01:28):
That is good news. And I know someone else who
will think so too. Lucky Mix, I make a kissy
face he gets to see whenny Mix tries to hit
me on the head with a cereal box. But the
phone rings and I grab it before Mix can get
to me. Hey hey, hey, says a voice on the
other end. It's Mary Anne. Hey hey hey. I sit

(01:50):
on top of the desk and cross my legs. This
is a great way to start my Saturday. How school,
asks Marianne. Marianne tells me about Miss Thompson in her
candy jar. She says third grade is awesome. She says
school is the same as last year, only better. How
school for you, Marianne asked, Nothing is the same for me.

(02:12):
Different school, different friends, different teachers, and Mom is one
of them. I tell Marianne about fern Falls Elementary and
Pamela and missus Daily. Then I cover the phone with
my hand. Guess what Mom is a music teacher at
my school, I say, Marianne, giggles into the phone. What's

(02:32):
it like having your mom as a teacher. I can't
really talk now, I whispered to the phone. But so
far not so good. Gotcha, says Marianne. I can't really
talk now either. Emily, Ellen and Beck are coming over.
We have to make a reptile collage for school. I
feel like my fruity pops are doing forward rows in

(02:53):
my stomach. If I still live there, I'd be making
a reptile collage at Marianne's house too, But only kind
of collage I make is a no friend's clause, have fun.
I try to sound cheery as I tell Mary and goodbye,
but when I hang up the phone, I make an
I don't feel cheery face. Dad walks over to the desk. Mallory,

(03:15):
what's the matter. It's a beautiful Saturday morning and you
don't see your usual sonny self. I'm not my usual self,
I say. My usual self would be at Marianne's house
working on a project with all of my friends. But
I'm stuck here with no friends. Why don't you call Joey,
says Dad. He's your friend. Joey has soccer practice. How

(03:37):
about one of the other kids in your class. Mom says,
what about your desk mate, Pamela. Why don't you call
her and see if she wants to come over. I
shake my head. I hardly know Pamela. Mom sits down
in front of me. If you call her, you'll get
to know her. I groan. Mom can be so predictable.

(03:59):
I should have known. She says something like that. Why
don't we spend the day together. I say to mom,
we can do mother daughter things like paint our nails
and go out for lunch. Mom smiles. I would love to,
but I have less some plans to do, and I
have to work on Fall festival. It's right around the corner.
Mom pats my head. You understand, don't you. I understand.

(04:22):
I understand that now that mom has two hundred students,
she doesn't have time for her own two kids. I
go into my room and close the door. Cheeseburger, it's
just you and me to day. I rubbed the fur
behind her ears. I think about what Dad said about
not being my sonny self. I pick up cheeseburger and
stand in front of the mirror in my bathroom. Cheeseburger,

(04:45):
I say out loud, I proclaim today let's try our
hardest to be sunny day. We sit on the bed
and paint my toenails. Then I get out the scrap
books Marianne and I had made. We always worked on
our scrap books on the weekends. I think about Joey.
I can't see him doing scrap books. He's too busy
playing soccer and skateboarding. Even though we like to do

(05:08):
some things together, we don't like to doing everything together
the way Marianne and I did. I flipped through the
pages of the second grade scrap book Mary and Anne
and I made. A lot has changed since last year?
Has in it? I stated, she's burger, but when I
look at her, her eyes are closed. I think trying

(05:29):
to be sunny made her sleepy. After lunch, I read
and watch TV until Mom says it's time to get
ready to go over to the Winston's house. When we
get to their house, Joey opens the door before we
even ring the doorbell. What took you so long, he asked,
I've got something to show you. Max and I followed
Joey into the kitchen. When he is at the kitchen

(05:51):
table surrounded by piles of playing cards, she's feeding them
into a little machine. What's that? I ask? Whennie rose
her eyes like she's I'm not surprised that I don't
know what it is. It's an automatic card shuffler, says Joey.
You put the cards in and the machine does all
the shuffling. Dad ordered it for us on the internet. Cool,

(06:13):
says Mix. Very cool, says Joey. Do you guys want
to play Crazy Eights? I don't know how, I tell him,
but I can play GoFish? Can we play that instead?
Joey nods, It's not my favorite, but we can play
it if you want. Winnie rolls her eyes again, but
she and Joey and Mix and I play GoFish until

(06:33):
mister Winston says it's time for dinner. We eat Peace
and make her own Sundays. During dessert, Joey's grandpa asked
about school. So it's the school. You're off to a
good start for you youngsters, He asked, it's okay. Joey
shrugs his shoulders. I like summer better. It's great, Whennie
smiles at her grandfather. Now that we're in fifth grade,

(06:56):
Mix and I get our own lockers and we get
to change classes. Mix is in my math class. Don't
you think missus Mansburg is the world's best math teacher?
When he asked Max, maxwallows a spoonful of strawberry ice
cream in Nods's head. The best, he says, someone must
have squirted whipped cream in my ears. I'm definitely hearing things.

(07:18):
All Mix ever says, is that missus Mansburg is the
worst teacher in the school. I think Whennie could say
fried eggs taste good on ice cream, and Mix would
agree with her. After dessert, we say good night and
go home. Mom tells Mix and me to brush our
teeth and get ready for bed. I put on my
pan to bear pajamas and go into the bathroom to

(07:39):
brush my teeth. Mix is already at the sink. I
squeezed some toothpaste onto my toothbrush. World's best night. Huh,
Mike spits, I guess so, I guess so. I can't
believe you didn't think it was super Whinnie was so friendly.
I bat my eyes. Maybe she likes you as much
as you like missus Mansburg. Mike's wipe his mouth with

(08:04):
a towel for your information. She does like me on
the street and when no one else is around at school.
She acts like she doesn't even know I'm in her
math class. He tosses the town in the hamper. That's
what you call a street friend. I turn off the tap.
I've never heard of a street friend learning something new.

(08:24):
Every day I think about Joey, he says to the
boys table in the cafeteria. He goes to soccer practice
on the weekends. On Thursday, when Missus Daly had us
pick partners for a science project, Joey picked Pete. The
only time he really plays with me is when we're
together on our street. And when we're on our street

(08:45):
he's really nice. Like tonight, he even played the card
game I wanted to play. You don't think Joey is
my street friend, do you, Mike shrugs like sister, like brother.
If you ask me, you ask me. Making new friends
isn't easy. I hope mix is wrong about Joey. I
go into my room and get into bed. I can't sleep,

(09:05):
so I try counting sheep, but I end up counting
friends instead. And the trouble is I don't get very
far stars everywhere. Class take your scenes, please, says mom.
I have some exciting news. I grown one of the
cool parts about having your mom as a teacher is

(09:26):
you know what she's going to say before everybody else does.
One of the not school not so cool parts is
that you know what she's going to say, something that
nobody will think is cool. Today is one of those days.
As many of you know, Mom says, the third grade
at fern Fall's Elementary always puts on Fall Festival. This

(09:47):
year's show is Down on the Farm. I hear giggles
from the back of a classroom. Someone whispers, missus McDonald
had a farm. I knew it. The show is way
too babyish. Dinner last night, I tried to tell Mom
that Down on the Farm is too babyish for third graders.
Mike's laughed and said third graders are babyish. Mom said

(10:08):
it would be a great show. She waits for the
giggling to stop before she continues, Fall Festival will be
bigger and better than ever. We're going to put together
committees to work on costumes, sets, lighting, and makeup. Heete
raises his hand. When is the show at the end
of October? Says Mom, So we have a lot to

(10:29):
do to get ready. Danielle and Iri l raise their hands.
Can we be in charge of makeup. I'll keep you
two in mind, Mom says. Pamela raises her hand. I
think Fall Festival will be a lot of fun. I
can't wait to work on sets and costumes. Mom smiles
at Pamela. I'm glad you're excited. All teachers, including my

(10:51):
own mother, spend a lot of time smiling at Pamela.
Mom takes the cowboy hot out of the closet and says,
Down on the farm is the farmer Brown and his wife.
They grow fruits and vegetables on their farm. Farmer Brown
tries selling his fruits and vegetables to the townspeople, but
no one wants to buy them. They would rather eat

(11:12):
pizza and hamburgers. Mom continues. Farmer Brown is upset. He
doesn't know what to do. Missus Brown comes up with
the plan. She invites everyone in town to a giant
feast made from the fruits and vegetables they grow on
the farm. The food tastes so delicious the townspeople start
buying everything, and Farmer Brown is happy. Mom holds the

(11:35):
cowboy hat in the air. Now we're going to draw
to see who will have which rows. Line up, Mom says,
and remember This is about working together to make a
great show. All of the rolls are important, even though
I think this show is kind of stupid. I hope
I get a good row. Joey picks first. He waves

(11:55):
a little piece of paper in the air. I'm farmer Brown.
Never thought of Joey as an actor, but he looks
happy about his row. Ariel and Danielle pick next. They
both get to be rain fairies. I don't know how
they always get to do everything together. Everyone draws slips
of paper out of the hat. There are lots of

(12:16):
good parts farm hands and townspeople. There are lots of
not so good parts too, fruits and vegetables. When it's
my turn to pick, I cross my toes and make
a wish. Please let me be missus Brown. I stook
my hand in the hat and pull out a piece
of crumbled up paper. I uncrumple it. I'm not missus Brown.

(12:37):
I am an egg plant. I don't want to be
an egg plant. I would rather be an apple or potato.
An ag plant has to be the worst row in
the show. Pamela picks next Missus Brown. She yells, I
get to be Farmer Brown's wife. It's not fair. Family
is missus Brown and I'm an egg plant. I sit down,

(12:58):
unroll the silver paper in my hand, and read it again.
Brittany looks over my shoulder. You're an egg plant. I'm
a bowl of cherries. It's the pits, isn't it. Britney
doesn't laugh. It's going to be really fun making our
costumes in all that other stuff. Your mom said, who
cares what role you have? I do? I take my

(13:20):
paper over to mom and tap her on the shoulder.
A mom, I mean missus McDonald. I'm not even sure
what to call my own mom. I need to redraw,
I whisper in her ear. I don't want to be
an egg plant. You'll make a fine egg plant, mom says.
She tells me to sit down, then she asks everyone

(13:41):
to take their seats. I can't believe it. My own
mom won't let me. Will you draw? I'm her daughter
and she's treating me like just another kid. This is
so unfair. Pamela passes a note foting into neat square
to me. I open it up, Mallorie, I'm so excited.
I can't believe it to be the farmer's wife. Are

(14:02):
you a so excited about your part, be going to
work on the costume committee. C. Feeling like this is
going to be the best Fall Festival ever. I'm all three, Pamela.
I consider pameless note for about two seconds. I know
Pamela is A B and C, but I'm d none
of the above. I don't want any part of this show.

(14:24):
I shove Pamela's note in my pocket. I think about
what Mom said about giving Pamela a chance. I'm trying,
but that's hard to do when she does things that
annoy me, like writing this silly note. Marian Anne and
I used to pass notes, but that was different because
she used to pass notes. I liked reading. When the
bell rings, Mom waves us as we leave her classroom.

(14:47):
We'll start learning the songs of the show next week,
she says, and remember, you're all stars. But I don't
feel like a star. I feel like an egg plant.
On the way home from school, Joey can't stop talking
about Fall Festival. It will be so great, he says.
We can practice our parts together. I won't need to practice.

(15:08):
I tell Joey, all egg plant does is lay in
a bowl. Joey shrugs. You don't know what you'll have
to do yet. I don't know what I'll have to do,
but I'm pretty sure I won't want to do it.
At dinner, I tell Mom, I don't want to be
an egg plant. Don't you think as the daughter of
the music teacher, I should get to be the farmer's
wife or the rain fairy. Mom puts a piece of

(15:31):
chicken on my plate. Mallory, we drew out of a hat.
It's the perfect row for you, says Mix. You kind
of look like an egg plant. I try to ignore Mix.
I watch Mom spoon mashed potatoes onto my plate. Fall
Festival will be fun, she says. It's about working together
with your classmates. I'm sure you'll enjoy it. I shake

(15:53):
my head. Mom puts her arm around me. You'll make
a very cute egg plant, she says. Why don't you
write now and invite her to come see you in
the Fall Festival. The last thing I want is for
Marianne to see me dressed up like a plant. I
cross my arms. Come on, sweet potato, says dad. Where's
the good old Mallory spirit. It used to be just

(16:14):
Mom who call me sweet potato, But now Dad does
it too. I look inside my milk glass and underneath
my placement. I can't find it anywhere, I tell Dad,
so you might as well change my name from sweet
Potato to unhappy egg plant. The Daily News calling I'll calumnist.
Missus Daily taps chester on the head. Would anyone here

(16:38):
like to be in the newspaper? Business hand? Shoot up everywhere. Class.
We're going to publish a newspaper for the whole school
to read, said, missus Daily will publish one issue per month.
Does anyone know the main function of a newspaper? Pameless?
Hand is high. Missus Daily points to her to give

(16:58):
information to people. Pamela says, excellent, Pama, I love. Missus
Daily writes the word information on the chalkboard. What kind
of information do you think we should include in our newspaper?
Sports scores? Peat shouts, horoscopes, Danielle and Ariel say together,
Comics says Zach, news suggest Adam, advice says Emma. Missusus

(17:25):
Daily writes sports scores, horoscopes, comics, news and advice on
the chalkboard. I think we should include all of this
information on our paper, she says. Then she writes something
else on the board, profile a description of someone's abilities
personality or career class. We're going to learn how to

(17:45):
write profiles. We'll be picking one teacher at fern Fallse
Elementary to write about for each issue of our paper.
We'll call that our teacher of the month column. I
raise my hand, Missus Daly, how will we decide which
teachers to write about? Good question? Mallory will pick firm
false elementary teachers who are doing special things that other

(18:08):
students might find interesting. Pamela leans over to my side
of the desk. I'm going to tell Missus Daily we
should pick her for the first issue. Students will find
it interesting that we're writing a newspaper. I'm not sure
other students will think that's interesting, but I'm sure Missus
Daily will like the idea. It bugs me that Pamela

(18:29):
always says things that Missus Daly likes hearing. I rub
my forehead with my pinkies. Marian Ann and I used
to do what we were trying to think of something
good to say. Right now, I want to think of
something to say that Missus Daily will like hearing. Now,
said Missus Daly, we need to pick a name for

(18:49):
our paper. Any ideas Everyone starts whispering. I keep rubbing.
Then I remember something Mom said. Maybe we should call
it the Daily News. I whispered to Pamela. Get it,
missus daily Daily News. Do you think Missus Daily will
like it? Pamela hands fly up in the air. How

(19:11):
about the daily News, She blurts out. She doesn't even
wait for Missus Daily to call on her. Hmm, Missus
Daily rubs her chin. It's catchy. Let's see a show
of hands. Who likes the name the Daily News for
a newspaper? Hands shoot up everywhere where it's settled. Then
Missus Daily writes the Daily News and big bow letters

(19:33):
on the chalkboard. Our newspaper would be called the Daily News.
Let's all thank Pamela for that wonderful suggestion. Everyone claps
everyone but me. Pamela stole my idea. I thought of
something Missus Daily would like hearing, and Pamela took the
words right out of my mouth. Everyone is busy talking
about the Daily News, but not me. I'm busy trying

(19:56):
to figure out what I want to say to Pamela,
and the answer is not much. I don't care if
I ever speak to Pamela again. Settle down, Missus Daly
tabs Chester. Everyone in this class will be part of
the paper. I want each of you to give me
some thought of what you'd like to write. What I
like to write is a want at wanted new Deskimate

(20:19):
kind and friendly thieves don't apply. Contact Mallory McDonald, Firm Falls, Elementary,
Room three ten, Row two, Seat six. I tried giving
Pamela a chance, but if you ask me, it was
a flop. I can't believe she stole my idea. Always
told Mary and my good ideas and she never took them.

(20:39):
I don't know if Jess makes can officially not speak
to each other, but I'm officially not speaking to Pamela now,
says Missus Daly. Unless someone can think of something else
we should include in our newspaper. Let's open our math books.
Joey raises his hand. I can think of something else
we should include. How about announcements, missus daily smiles. What

(21:01):
kind of announcements do you have in mind? You know,
stuff that's going on in school, like the day of
the Fall festival. Joey, that's a wonderful idea, the daily
News announcement Calm. I like it, I don't. I don't
want to announce Fall Festival to the host school. Maybe
Joey wants everyone to see him he's farmer Brown, But
I don't want anyone to see me. This is Daily

(21:23):
taps Chester on the head and the classroom gets quiet.
The newspaper will be lots of fun. We'll start working
on the next week. Class Please open your math textbooks
to page sixty two. Open mind to page sixty two.
Word problems, long, complicated word problems. Fill the page from
top to bottom. I sigh, page sixty two and I

(21:46):
have a lot in common. We're both full of problems.
Letter writing. I'm being held prisoner by my mother. She says.
I have a lot of writing to do, and I
can't go outside until I do it. I have to
write my article for the Daily News, and I have
to write to Mary In and invite her to the
Fall Festival. I know why I have to write the

(22:06):
article for the Daily News. It's due Monday, but I
don't know why I have to write to Mary Inn.
Mom says there's nothing more exciting than getting imitation in
the mill. I told her I can think of a
lot of things that are more exciting. But Mom says
she's been asking me to write this letter for over
two weeks, and I'm stuck in my room and toil.
The letter and the article are written. I pull out

(22:28):
a sheet of paper. I'm going to write my article first.
On Friday, Pamela told me she'd been working on what
she's writing for the newspaper all weekend. Doesn't that sound
like fun, she asked me. Fun, fun, fun, I mumbled,
But being stuck in my room writing doesn't sound like
fun fun fun to me. I pick up Cheeseburger and
put her on top of my desk. Cheeseburger purrs and

(22:51):
closes her eyes. But I open mind. Cheeseburger just gave
me a great idea. I start writing my article. Doesn't
take long at all. When I fit, I take out
another sheet of paper so I can start on my letter.
That getting started isn't easy. I want to see Mary Inn,
but I don't want Marian to see me dressed up

(23:11):
as an egg plant. I rub my forehead for a
long time, and then I begin. Dear Maryanne, do you
remember I told you that my mom is the new
music teacher at my school. Well, she is making the
third graders do a show called Fall Festival. It is
about a farmer and the vegetables on this farm. I
am an egg plant in the show is a silly

(23:33):
and baby as show. Mom told me to write you
a letter and invite you and your mom to come
and see the show. You definitely do not have to come.
I want you to come and visit, but another time
will be much better. If you have to sit through
the show, you will be bored, bored, bored, bored, So
probably best if you don't come for Fall Festival. After

(23:53):
you read this letter, rip it up and forget I
even sent it. Okay, that's it. I hope you're reading
lots candy out of missus Thompson's sharp. If I were
in her class, That's what I would be doing. G
two G gotta go. Hugs and kisses, Mallory. I reread
my letter. I really don't want Marian to come to
Fall Festival. I think back to the last practice. I

(24:16):
didn't even do anything until the end of the show
when I sang a song with a bunch of other vegetables.
I don't know what the big deal is about seeing
me do that. I reread my letter. Then I lick
the envelope shut and still it with a kiss and
I'm sure hope this works and Maryann won't come to
the Fall Festival. Kiss. We will come back to this

(24:41):
book next time. So this concludes our children's story I
have heard today. Please join us next time as we
will read more stories, fables and fairy tales. Thank you
for listening and please take June for the Lexton Harold
Leader on RADIOI