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    Peanut Butter and Other Stories
    Peanut Butter and Other Stories
    Peanut Butter and Other Stories
    Ebook173 pages1 hour

    Peanut Butter and Other Stories

    By Peggy Capaldo

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    Peanut Butter Jo Marie is disappointed when her parents say No pets. To Jo Maries delight, Grandma sends a pet from Africa. Peanut Butter is lots of fun, but often gets into trouble. Jo Marie is responsible for her pet, but it is difficult getting her to behave and stay in her own yard.

    Forgetful Isabella Isabella is tired of hearing Dont forget!, so she tries to find a way to help herself remember things.

    Chris and the Tadpoles Chris wants to save tadpoles from freezing. He runs into one problem after another trying to find a home for them.

    The Lonely Witch Caroline is being punished for causing an awful commotion at Mrs. Cackles Boarding School for Witches. She wants to find a friend, but its hard when everyone runs away.

    Goodbye Shadows An is running from the police when he finds an abandoned tree house in someones backyard. Turns out it belongs to a policeman!

    Meanie Sisters are nasty to each other with name calling, hair pulling, pinching. When they are sent to Miss Hannas, they find out how it is to live where someone is truly mean.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisheriUniverse
    Release dateNov 21, 2015
    ISBN9781491781371
    Peanut Butter and Other Stories
    Author

    Peggy Capaldo

    Peggy Capaldo has always enjoyed reading children’s books to others and wanted to write her own. When iUniverse suggested she combine several stories, PEANUT BUTTER AND OTHER STORIES became a reality! The stories in this book were course assignments with the Institute of Children’s Literature. Peggy resides in Zionsville, Indiana.

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      Book preview

      Peanut Butter and Other Stories - Peggy Capaldo

      Copyright © 2015 Peggy Capaldo.

      All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

      Front cover image illustrated by Lilly Dusek

      iUniverse

      1663 Liberty Drive

      Bloomington, IN 47403

      www.iuniverse.com

      1-800-Authors (1-800-288-4677)

      Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

      Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

      Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

      ISBN: 978-1-4917-8135-7 (sc)

      ISBN: 978-1-4917-8137-1 (e)

      Library of Congress Control Number: 2015917704

      iUniverse rev. date: 11/17/2015

      Contents

      Peanut Butter

      Forgetful Isabella

      Chris and the Tadpoles

      The Lonely Witch

      Goodbye Shadows

      Meanie

      Thanks

      Thanks to my granddaughter, Holly Dusek, for her editorial assistance, and her never tiring instruction and help on the computer. I could not have been able to complete this project without her.

      Thanks to my daughter, Vicki Dusek, for her advice, input, patience, support, and encouragement.

      Thanks to my granddaughters, Elizabeth Benedict, Rebecca Benedict, Lilly Dusek, and Violet Dusek for their time and artistic abilities in providing the illustrations.

      Thanks also to my friends at The Hearth at Tudor Gardens for their encouragement and support.

      This book would not be a reality

      without the help and support

      of all of you.

      PEANUT

      BUTTER

      Illustrated by Lilly Dusek

      CHAPTER 1

      As soon as the door squeaked open, Jo Marie jumped off the school bus. I hope she says yes, I hope she says yes, Jo Marie sang as she raced up the long driveway. Her thick, brown braids bounced behind her. BANG went the front door. PLUNK went the bulging Frozen backpack. Jo Marie shrugged off her too-short denim jacket and called, I’m home, Mom! Jo Marie’s untied sneaker laces click, click, clicked on the tile floor as she headed for the smell of freshly baked peanut butter cookies.

      Jo Marie ran a pink tongue over dry lips; she swallowed; she wiped sweaty palms on her baggy jeans. In a voice as soft and sweet as a fresh peach, she said, Mom, Larry’s orange tabby cat had four kittens last night. May I have one, Mom, may I please?

      No pets, Jo Marie, answered her mother firmly as she put cookies on the cooling rack.

      But, Mom, I really love animals, and I promise …

      No pets! interrupted her mother. I know you like animals. You walk the neighbors’ dogs; you feed, play, and look after their cats, dogs, birds, and fish when they are away. Isn’t that enough?

      I like doing all that, and earning money too, but I’d like a pet of my own.

      We’ve had this discussion before, Jo Marie. The answer is still no pets and that’s final.

      Jo Marie hung her head. Her brown eyes clouded with disappointment. Her smile vanished. I’ll take care … Jo Marie began, but when she saw her mother’s frown, she stopped. She knew it was useless to beg.

      Jo Marie helped herself to two peanut butter cookies and stomped out the back door.

      In the backyard she kicked a fallen branch with the scuffed toe of her sneaker. She shoved one cookie into her mouth, then the other. Down into the seat of the swing she plopped; grasped the chains on each side; pushed off; and began pumping furiously. She looked up at the patches of blue sky through the yellow and green leaves of the maple tree and sighed.

      Someday I’ll have a pet of my very own.

      CHAPTER 2

      No pets! That was always the answer. Mom told me that she and my dad had a German shepherd before I was born. Hans was a very intelligent and well-behaved dog, but he became quite sick and had to be put to sleep. Mom and Dad were very sad and decided then that there would be no more pets.

      The creaking of the swing chains was calming. This was Jo Marie’s favorite spot. Here, she could dream.

      Hi, called Emily pushing a stroller into the yard. Most days after school Emily took her brother, Timmy, for a walk. Emily’s dishwater blond hair hung limp and straight, but her greeting was warm and friendly. She pushed her glasses up on her nose and peered closely at Jo Marie. Oh, oh, I guess your mom said no to the kitten.

      Jo Marie grumbled. No pets.

      Brian ambled across the yard, camera around his neck, Indians baseball cap on backwards hiding his unruly, red curls. Why no pets? he asked.

      Mind your own business, Brian, growled Jo Marie. This is a private conversation. If you’re here for a cookie, knock at the back door and ask my mom for one. Then go away.

      Brian went to the back door and returned with four cookies from Mrs. Catalano. I brought a cookie for you and Timmy, Emily. You can have two of my goldfish, Jo Marie, Brian offered, mumbling through a mouthful of cookie.

      Jo Marie wanted to scream that she didn’t want cold, do-nothing goldfish, but she remembered her manners. Thanks, Brian, I had goldfish once. One died and I got another one. When they both died, my mom donated the aquarium, filter and everything to the school. I’d really like a warm and cuddly pet that I can hold and play with.

      Jo Marie, called her mother. It’s time to come in.

      I’ll see you on the bus tomorrow, Emily, said Jo Marie. I have to set the table for dinner. After dinner I’ll walk Chester.

      CHAPTER 3

      As Mrs. Catalano dished up the mashed potatoes, she said, I got a letter from Grandma today. She said that sleeping in a tent in the bush and hearing wild animal noises all night is quite an experience. She hates the food and the bugs; she is scared to death she’ll step on a snake or get trampled by a herd of elephants; but she is having a spectacular time. A surprise for Jo Marie should be arriving from Africa soon.

      Humph, Mr. Catalano grumbled.

      Wow! said Jo Marie with a forkful of carrots raised in the air. I wonder what it is. Grandma sends the best souvenirs. Last year she sent me a Hawaiian shirt, a grass skirt, a lei, and a ukulele from Hawaii.

      Humph, Mr. Catalano grumbled again. I hope it isn’t as large as that totem pole she sent from Alaska. It took two men to carry it into the house.

      Jo Marie giggled. That was a great gift, she said remembering how the men struggled to get the hand-carved, colorful totem pole up the stairs and into her room.

      After dinner Jo Marie helped with the dishes, then picked up Chester. She, Chester on a leash, Emily, and Timmy in a stroller, took a long walk.

      That night in bed Jo Marie wondered what her gift from Africa would be.

      A mask? A feathered headdress? A carved animal? A hand painted bracelet?

      CHAPTER 4

      On Friday after school, Jo Marie was on her way out the door with two peanut butter cookies when the doorbell rang.

      Special delivery from Africa for Jo Marie Catalano, said the truck driver. Sign here, please. She’s in the trailer.

      Jo Marie and her mother followed the deliveryman to the trailer.

      Jo Marie jumped up and down. My gift from Grandma, my gift from Grandma!

      BANG! BANG! Something was slamming against the side of the trailer. What is it? It can’t be my gift from Grandma. My gift wouldn’t be alive.

      The delivery man opened the door of the trailer. He and the other delivery man set down a ramp.

      Hold on tightly to her now, the delivery man said, handing a long rope to Jo Marie. She is probably hungry and will be a bit frisky. She’s had quite a journey."

      Jo Marie’s eyes were as big as an owl’s. Hungry? Frisky? That meant whatever was on the other end of this rope was alive! But what could it be?

      Give the rope a good pull, the deliveryman said. The other deliveryman trotted over to the sidewalk. He had one foot in the street, as though he wanted to run.

      Jo Marie held her breath. She gave the rope a good pull. Out of the trailer popped—a giraffe.

      A giraffe! A brown and white spotted giraffe! She had large ears and the longest neck Jo Marie had ever seen.

      Grandma sent me a pet, a pet giraffe! Jo Marie sang and squealed in delight.

      The giraffe spread her front legs wide and bent down. With big, brown eyes, she looked right at Jo Marie. She blinked twice and nuzzled Jo Marie’s cheek. Jo Marie winked, stroked the giraffe’s long neck, and scratched behind her ears.

      Again the giraffe winked. With her prehensile upper lip she daintily plucked the cookies from Jo Marie’s hand and quickly ate them.

      Jo Marie giggled. I’m going to name you Peanut Butter.

      Jo Marie’s mother didn’t smile; she was

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