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Glenview, Illinois Boston, Massachusetts Chandler, Arizona Upper Saddle River, New Jersey

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ISBN-13: 978-0-328-78842-2
ISBN-10:
0-328-78842-2
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 V063 17 16 15 14 13

by Vera B. Williams

52

My mother works as a waitress in the Blue Tile

Diner. After school sometimes I go to meet her there.
Then her boss, Josephine, gives me a job too.
I wash the salts and peppers and fill the ketchups.
One time I peeled all the onions for the onion soup.
When I finish, Josephine says, Good work, honey,
and pays me. And every time, I put half of my money
into the jar.

53

54

It takes a long time to fill a jar this big. Every day

when my mother comes home from work, I take down
the jar. My mama empties all her change from tips out
of her purse for me to count. Then we push all of the
coins into the jar.
Sometimes my mama is laughing when she comes
home from work. Sometimes shes so tired she falls
asleep while I count the money out into piles. Some
days she has lots of tips. Some days she has only a
little. Then she looks worried. But each evening every
single shiny coin goes into the jar.

55

56

We sit in the kitchen to count the tips. Usually

Grandma sits with us too. While we count, she likes
to hum. Often she has money in her old leather
wallet for us. Whenever she gets a good bargain on
tomatoes or bananas or something she buys, she puts
by the savings and they go into the jar.

57

58

When we cant get a single other coin into the jar,

we are going to take out all the money and go and
buy a chair.
Yes, a chair: A wonderful, beautiful, fat, soft
armchair. We will get one covered in velvet with
roses all over it. We are going to get the best chair in
the whole world.
That is because our old chairs burned up. There
was a big fire in our other house. All our chairs
burned. So did our sofa and so did everything else.
That wasnt such a long time ago.

59

60

My mother and I were coming home from buying

new shoes. I had new sandals. She had new pumps.
We were walking to our house from the bus. We were
looking at everyones tulips. She was saying she liked
red tulips and I was saying I liked yellow ones. Then
we came to our block.

61

62

Right outside our house stood two big fire engines.

I could see lots of smoke. Tall orange flames came
out of the roof. All the neighbors stood in a bunch
across the street. Mama grabbed my hand and we
ran. My uncle Sandy saw us and ran to us. Mama
yelled, Wheres Mother? I yelled, Wheres my
grandma? My aunt Ida waved and shouted, Shes
here, shes here. Shes O.K. Dont worry.
Grandma was all right. Our cat was safe too,
though it took a while to find her. But everything else
in our whole house was spoiled.

63

64

What was left of the house was turned to charcoal

and ashes.
We went to stay with my mothers sister Aunt Ida
and Uncle Sandy. Then we were able to move into
the apartment downstairs. We painted the walls
yellow. The floors were all shiny. But the rooms were
very empty.

65

The first day we moved in, the neighbors brought

pizza and cake and ice cream. And they brought a lot
of other things too.
The family across the street brought a table and
three kitchen chairs. The very old man next door
gave us a bed from when his children were little.

66

My other grandpa brought us his beautiful rug.

My mothers other sister, Sally, had made us red and
white curtains. Mamas boss, Josephine, brought me
her own stuffed bear.
Everyone clapped when my grandma made a
speech. You are all the kindest people, she said,
and we thank you very, very much. Its lucky were
young and can start all over.

67

68

That was last year, but we still have no sofa and

no big chairs. When Mama comes home, her feet
hurt. Theres no good place for me to take a load
off my feet, she says. When Grandma wants to sit
back and hum and cut up potatoes, she has to get as
comfortable as she can on a hard kitchen chair.
So that is how come Mama brought home the
biggest jar she could find at the diner and all the
coins started to go into the jar.
Now the jar is too heavy for me to lift down. Uncle
Sandy gave me a quarter. He had to boost me up so I
could put it in.

69

70

After supper Mama and Grandma and I stood in

front of the jar. Well, I never would have believed it,
but I guess its full, Mama Said.
My mother brought home little paper wrappers for
the nickels and the dimes and the quarters. I counted
them all out and wrapped them all up.
On my mothers day off, we took all the coins to
the bank. The bank exchanged them for ten-dollar
bills. Then we took the bus downtown to shop for our
chair.

71

72

We shopped through four furniture stores. We

tried out big chairs and smaller ones, high chairs
and low chairs, soft chairs and harder ones. Grandma
said she felt like Goldilocks in The Three Bears
trying out all the chairs.

73

74

Finally we found the chair we were all dreaming

of. And the money in the jar was enough to pay for
it. We called Aunt Ida and Uncle Sandy. They came
right down in their pickup truck to drive the chair
home for us. They knew we couldnt wait for it to be
delivered.

75

76

I tried out our chair in the back of the truck.

Mama wouldnt let me sit there while we drove.
But they let me sit in it while they carried it up
to the door.

77

78

We set the chair right beside the window with the

red and white curtains. Grandma and Mama and I all
sat in it while Aunt Ida took our picture.
Now Grandma sits in it and talks with people
going by in the daytime. Mama sits down and
watches the news on TV when she comes home from
her job. After supper, I sit with her and she can
reach right up and turn out the light if I fall asleep in
her lap.

79

a
n
n
a
W
I

a
n
a
u
Ig

by Karen Kaufman Orloff

illustrated by David Catrow

81

Dear Mom,
I should have
k
in
th
t
n
o
d
u
o
y
I know
a when he
n
a
u
ig
y
b
a
b
s
n
a
ig
Mikey Gull
If I dont
.
ld
u
o
h
s
I
y
h
w
s
e
moves, but her
nd Stinkys
a
y
k
n
ti
S
to
s
e
o
g
take it, he
t it.
dog, Lurch, will ea
happen,
to
t
a
th
t
n
a
w
t
n
o
You d
do you?
Signed,
Your sensitive son,
Alex

82

ex,
te, but
l
a
A
n
r
o
i
a
s
e
s
D
ompa
c
o
s
ill let
e
r
w

u
r
o
e
y
h
t
d
o
ys m
Im gla
k
n
i
t
S
cage.
t
a
s

h
t
a
t
n
b
a
I dou
the igu
o
t
n
i
t
e
Lurch g
ough.
h
t
,
y
r
t
Nice
Love,
Mom

83

Dear Mom,
Did you know that
iguanas are really quiet
and theyre cute too.
I think they are much
cuter than hamsters.
Love,
Your adorable son,
Alex

Dear A
Tarant lex,
ula
as a pe s are quiet
too
t.
than G By the way, , but I would
odzilla
t
. Just hat iguana o nt want one
though
f
Love,
t Id m Mikeys is u
ention
glier
Mom
it.

84

Dear Mom,
You would never even have to see the
iguana. Ill keep his cage in my room
on the dresser next to my soccer
trophies. Plus, hes so small, I bet
youll never even know hes there.
Love and a zillion and one kisses,
Alex

Dear Alex,
Iguanas can
grow to be o
ver six feet
You wont ha
long.
ve enough s
p
ace in your w
room, much
hole
less on your
dresser (wit
h or without
your trophie
s).
Love,
Mom

85

Dear Mom,
uana to
ig
n
a
r
o
f
s
r
ea
It takes 15 y
. Ill be
e
m
ld
o
t
y
e
Mik
get that big.
ably living
b
o
r
p
d
n
a
n
e
h
married by t
use.
in my own ho
Love,
e kid,
r
u
t
a
m
d
n
a
t
Your smar
Alex

86

Dear Alex,

rl to marry you
gi
a
t
ge
to
g
in
go
u
yo
e
ar
w
Ho
reptile?
when you own a six-foot-long
Love,
Your concerned mother

87

,
Dear Mom
girl.
Forget the
nted.
ow!
a
n
w
d
s
n
y
ie
a
r
f
lw
a
ew
her Ive
t
o
r
I need a n
b
e
h
t
a can be
n
a
u
ig
is
h
T
child,
ly
e
n
lo
r
u
o
Love, Y
Alex

88

Dear Ale
x,
You have
ab
Love,
Mom

rother.

89

Dear Mom,
I know I have a brother but hes just a baby. What fun
is that? If I had an iguana, I could teach it tricks and
things. Ethan doesnt do tricks. He just burps.
Love,
Grossed-out Alex

Dear Alex,
re
How do I know you
ready for a pet?
Remember what
u
happened when yo
ss
took home the cla
fish?
Love,
Mom

90

Dear Mom,
If I knew the fish was going to jump
into the spaghetti sauce, I never would
have taken the cover off the jar!
Love,
Your son who has learned his lesson
P.S. Iguanas dont like spaghetti.

Dear Alex,
Lets say I let you have the iguana on a trial basis.
What exactly would you do to take care of it?
Love,
Mom

91

Dear Mom,
I would feed him every day (he eats
lettuce). And I would make sure he
had enough water. And I would clean
his cage when it got messy.
Love, Responsible Alex
P.S. Whats a trial basis?

Dear Alex,
A trial basis means Dad and I see how well you take care of him
for a week or two before we decide if you can have him forever.
Remember, Stinky and Lurch are waiting!
Love,
Mom
P.S. If you clean his cage as well as you clean your room, youre
in trouble.

92

Dear M

om,

Ill reall
y, r
my room eally, really tr
y to cle
a
an
listen to nd the iguana
sc
th
with my is. Ill pay for age. Also,
th
al
can one lowance. I mea e lettuce
n
baby ig
uana ea , how much
t anywa
Love,
y?
Alex the
financia
l wizard

Are you sure you want to do

this, Alex?
Yes, Mom!
I wanna iguana. . .
Please!

93

ex,
Dear Al ur dresser.
yo
Look on
Love,
Mom

94

YESSSS!
Thank you!
Thank you!

95

MONEY
MATTERS

by Alan Katz

96

I saved all my pennies

and soon had a nickel.
I saved all my nickels
and soon had a dime.
I saved all my dimes
and soon had a quarter.
I saved all my quarters
and went to the store.

Yes, Id saved and saved for a video system,

which really was quite an expense.
But the clerk looked down and laughed in
my face . . .
I only had eighty-three cents.

97

SHARING
by Shel Silverstein

Ill share your toys, Ill share your money,

Ill share your toast, Ill share your honey,
Ill share your milk and your cookies too
The hard parts sharing mine with you.

98

Lizard Longing
by Tony Johnston
For Sam and for Tim Takeuchi
Im gonna tell Mama
I want an iguana,
all blinky and scaly
just like a piranha.
I dont want some flora,
Id rather have fauna.
Im gonna tell Mama
I want an iguana.

99

Unfair
by Shel Silverstein

They dont allow pets in this apartment.

Thats not decent, thats not fair.
They dont allow pets in this apartment.
They dont listen, they dont care.
I told them hes quiet and never does bark,
I told them hed do all his stuff in the park,
I told them hes cuddly and friendly, and yet
They wont allow pets.

100

101

Volume 1 Acknowledgments
Text
Snowshoe Hares Winter Home, reprinted by permission from Ladybug Magazine, Nov./
Dec. 2008, Vol. 19, No. 3, text 2008 by Gillian Richardson, illustrations by Guiliano
Ferri.
The House on Maple Street, by Bonnie Pryor, illustrations by Beth Peck. Text copyright
1987 by Bonnie Pryor, illustrations 1987 by Beth Peck. Used by permission of
HarperCollins Publishers and Beth Peck.
Pig, from All the Small Poems and Fourteen More, copyright 1972 by Valerie Worth.
Reprinted by permission of Henry Holt & Company, LLC. All rights reserved.
Something Told the Wild Geese, reprinted with permission of Antheneum Books for Young
Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Childrens Publishing Division from Poems by Rachel
Field. Copyright 1934 Macmillan Publishing Company; copyright renewed 1962 by
Arthur S. Pederson.
Something Told the Wild Geese, reprinted with permission of Harvard University from
Poems by Rachel Field. Copyright 1934 Macmillan Publishing Company; copyright
renewed 1962 by Arthur S. Pederson.
Fishing in the Creek, from A Humble Life: Plain Poems by Linda Oatman High and Bill
Farnsworth, illustrator. Copyright 2001. Reprinted by permission of Wm. B. Eerdmans
Publishing Co.
Subways are People, Copyright 1971 by Lee Bennett Hopkins. First appeared in Faces
& Places: Poems for You, published by Scholastic Book Services. Reprinted by permission of
Curtis Brown, Ltd.
Subways are People, reprinted with the permission of Simon & Schuster Childrens
Publishing Division from The Bill Martin Jr. Big Book of Poetry edited by Bill Martin Jr with
Michael Sampson. Illustration by Dan Yaccarino. Illustrations copyright 2008 Simon &
Schuster, Inc.
A Chair for My Mother by Vera Williams. Copyright 1982 by Vera Williams. Used by
permission of HarperCollins Publishers.
I Wanna Iguana by Karen Orloff and illustrated by David Catrow. Text copyright 2004 by
Karen Orloff. Artwork Copyright 2004 by David Catrow. Published by arrangement with
G.P. Putnams Sons, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group, a member of Penguin Group
(USA) Inc. All rights reserved.
Money Matters, from OOPS! by Alan Katz, illustrated by Edward Koren. Text copyright
2008 by Alan Katz. Illustrations copyright 1996 by Edward Koren. Reprinted by
permission of Simon & Schuster Childrens Publishing Division.
Sharing, from Falling Up by Shel Silverstein. Copyright 1996 by Shel Silverstein. Used
by permission of HarperCollins Publishers.
Lizard Longing, from Im Gonna Tell Mama I Want An Iguana by Tony Johnston. Copyright
1990 by Tony Johnston. Reprinted by permission of Writers House LLC, acting as agent for
the author.
Unfair from Falling Up by Shel Silverstein. Copyright 1996 by Shel Silverstein. Used by
permission of HarperCollins Publishers.

172

Marching with Aunt Susan by Claire Rudolf Murphy, illustrated by Stacey Schuett. Text
Copyright 2011 by Claire Murphy. Illustrations Copyright 2011 by Stacey Schuett.
Published by arrangement with Peachtree Publishers.
City Green by DyAnne DiSalvo-Ryan. Copyright 1994 by DyAnne DiSalvo-Ryan. Used by
permission of HarperCollins Publishers.
My America, from My America by Jan Spivey Gilchrist. Copyright 2007 by Jan Spivey
Gilchrist. Used by permission of HarperCollins Publishers.
Lincoln, from Child Life by Nancy Byrd Turner.
City Trees, from Second April by Edna St. Vincent Millay.
Pines, tamed by fences, From Cricket Never Does: A Collection of Haiku and Tanka by
Myra Cohn Livingston. Copyright 1997 by Myra Cohn Livingston. Used by permission of
Marian Reiner.
Wild branches, spilling, From Cricket Never Does: A Collection of Haiku and Tanka by
Myra Cohn Livingston. Copyright 1997 by Myra Cohn Livingston. Used by permission of
Marian Reiner.

Illustrations
48 Olga Domidova
99 Hector Borlasca

Photographs
Photo locators denoted as follows: Top (T), Center (C), Bottom (B), Left (L), Right (R),
Background (Bkgd)
44 WIN-Initiative/Getty Images; 46 FLPA / Alamy

173