Princess Posey and the First Grade Play, page 1
Enjoy all of the Princess Posey books
1
PRINCESS POSEY and the FIRST GRADE PARADE
2
PRINCESS POSEY and the PERFECT PRESENT
3
PRINCESS POSEY and the NEXT-DOOR DOG
4
PRINCESS POSEY and the MONSTER STEW
5
PRINCESS POSEY and the TINY TREASURE
6
PRINCESS POSEY and the NEW FIRST GRADER
7
PRINCESS POSEY and the CHRISTMAS MAGIC
8
PRINCESS POSEY and the FIRST GRADE BOYS
9
PRINCESS POSEY and the FIRST GRADE BALLET
10
PRINCESS POSEY and the CRAZY, LAZY VACATION
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PRINCESS POSEY and the FIRST GRADE PLAY
G. P. PUTNAM’S SONS
an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC
375 Hudson Street
New York, NY 10014
Text copyright © 2017 by Stephanie Greene.
Illustrations copyright © 2017 by Stephanie Roth Sisson.
Penguin supports copyright. Copyright fuels creativity, encourages diverse voices, promotes free speech, and creates a vibrant culture.
Thank you for buying an authorized edition of this book and for complying with copyright laws by not reproducing, scanning, or distributing any part of it in any form without permission. You are supporting writers and allowing Penguin to continue to publish books for every reader.
G. P. Putnam’s Sons is a registered trademark of Penguin Random House LLC.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available upon request.
Ebook ISBN 9780698403949
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Decorative graphics by Marikka Tamura. Design by Marikka Tamura.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Jacket art © 2017 by Stephanie Roth Sisson
Cover design by Marikka Tamura
Version_1
For teachers, everywhere.
—S.G.
To Tristam Sisson, who loves the stage.
—S.R.S.
CONTENTS
Enjoy all of the Princess Posey books
Title Page
Copyright
Dedication
BEE EXPERTS
THE WIGGLE-WAGGLE DANCE
PUTTING ON A PLAY
POSEY’S HEART IS SET
JUST DANNY AND GRAMPS
THE ERASER
THE TERRIBLE MISTAKE
“I DIDN’T MEAN TO”
AN APOLOGY
KIDS ONLY
Watch for the next Princess Posey book!
BEE EXPERTS
“What else have we learned about bees?” Miss Lee asked.
Hands around the classroom shot up.
“Grace?” said Miss Lee.
“Bees die after they sting you,” Grace said.
“And why do bees sting?” Miss Lee asked. “Henry?”
“Because birds and frogs try to eat them,” Henry said. “It’s called self-defense.”
“Right. What else?” Miss Lee looked around. “Posey?”
“Bees carry pollen from flower to flower,” Posey said.
“How? With their hands?” Miss Lee asked.
Posey laughed. “Bees don’t have hands,” she said.
“It sticks to their fuzzy bodies,” said Nikki.
“I’m impressed. You have all become bee experts,” Miss Lee said.
Two girls at one table were giggling with each other.
“Caitlyn and Rashmi?” said Miss Lee. The girls looked up. “Is there something you would like to share with the class?”
“Caitlyn has a funny eraser,” Rashmi said.
“Why don’t you show the whole class, Caitlyn,” said Miss Lee.
Caitlyn held up a small yellow eraser. It was in the shape of a bee. It had black stripes and wings.
“That’s sooooo cute,” Grace whispered to Posey.
“My mother gave it to me because I know so much about bees,” Caitlyn said.
“It’s very nice, but it belongs in your cubby,” said Miss Lee. “Go and put it there now, please.”
While Caitlyn went to her cubby, Miss Lee said, “The rest of you can go and get your books. It’s silent reading time.”
Everyone rushed to get their books and claim their favorite place to read. A group of girls stood in front of Caitlyn’s cubby.
“Let me see! Lee me see!” they all said.
Posey, Ava, Nikki, and Grace joined them.
“That’s so cute,” Ava said. “Can I hold it?”
Caitlyn held the eraser against her chest. “Only my best friends can hold it.”
“Who cares about an old eraser?” Posey said as they walked away.
“I really like it,” Ava said.
“Me, too,” said Grace.
“Caitlyn gets everything she wants,” Nikki said.
Last week, Caitlyn wore green cowgirl boots to school. She said she was taking horse-riding lessons.
“Caitlyn’s spoiled,” Posey said.
“I still wish I had a bee eraser,” said Ava.
Posey wished she had one, too.
THE WIGGLE-WAGGLE DANCE
Posey went to Nikki’s house to play after school. When she got home, her mom was making dinner.
“Hi. Did you have a good time?” her mom asked.
“Nikki’s dad helped us make pizza,” said Posey. “It was so much fun.”
“You are just in time to set the table,” said her mom.
Posey took the forks out of the drawer.
“You know what, Mom?” she asked.
“What?”
“Bees can dance.”
“They can?”
“They do a wiggle-waggle dance to tell other bees where the flowers are. Like this.”
Posey wiggled her bottom from side to side.
Her mom laughed.
“You know what else?” said Posey. “There’s only one queen bee in the hive, but there are thousands of worker bees. A thousand is a lot.”
“It sure is,” her mom said.
Posey told her about Caitlyn’s eraser. “Can I get one?” she asked.
“This is Danny’s birthday week,” her mom said. “If we buy anything, it should be for him, don’t you think?”
Posey frowned.
Her mom took the chicken out of the oven. “Go wiggle-waggle and tell him it’s time for dinner.”
Danny was playing with his dump truck on the living room floor. His colored blocks were scattered everywhere.
Posey picked up a block and put it in the truck.
Danny roared.
“It’s time to clean up,” Posey told him. She picked up another block.
“Mine!” Danny shouted.
“Danny, it’s time for dinner,” Posey said.
Her mom came to the living room door. “What’s the matter?” she asked.
“Danny’s being spoiled,” said Posey.
“Oh, don’t be mean. He’s the birthday boy.” Her mom swooped Danny up and kissed him. “On Sunday, he will be two, two, two. Won’t you, Danny?”
She poked him in the stomach three times.
Danny laughed and grabbed her finger.
“I didn’t get a whole week for my birthday,” said Posey.
“Sure you did. You got to choose a different flavor ice cream cone every day of the week, remember?” said her mom.
“That was a long time ago,” Posey grumbled.
Her mom laughed. “Be a good girl and clean up the blocks while I wash Danny’s hands,” she said.
PUTTING ON A PLAY
“Hurry and sit down,” Miss Lee told the class the next morning. “I have something to tell you. I think you are going to like it.”
Posey stuffed her backpack into her cubby and went to the carpet. Grace was already there.
Miss Lee waited until everyone was seated.
“Last night, I was thinking about how much you all like bees,” she said. “So we’re going to put on a play to show the other first grade classes what you have learned.”
A play! Their class had never put on a play!
Posey and Grace squeezed hands.
“A real live play!” Posey said.
“I want to be a bee that makes honey,” said Rashmi. “I love honey!”
“I want to be a guard bee,” said Luca. He made muscles in his arms like he was strong. “Bzzz . . .”
Everyone else buzzed, too.
The room sounded like a beehive.
Miss Lee laughed. “All right, boys and girls. Calm down.”
When they were quiet again, Miss Lee told them about the play.
Some of them would be the worker bees that clean the hive or take care of the babies, she said. Others would be the guard bees that protec
Some of them would be the bees that collect pollen to make honey.
“I will let you know on Monday which bees you’re going to be,” Miss Lee said. “Everyone will get a part to play.”
Posey was so excited.
She was worried, too.
Only one person could be the queen bee.
Posey wanted that more than anything.
POSEY’S HEART IS SET
Posey told Gramps about the play on the way home.
“I hope I’m the queen bee,” she said.
“I thought a queen bee was someone who is bossy,” said Gramps.
“She’s the best one. All of the other bees take care of her.”
“What about the king bee? Who takes care of him?”
“They don’t have a king bee,” said Posey.
“No fair!” said Gramps.
When Posey got home, the kitchen was empty.
“Mom! Where are you?” she shouted.
“I’m up here!” her mom called.
Posey ran upstairs. Her mom was giving Danny a bath. He had green bubbles in his hair and on his face. Her mom had green bubbles in her hair, too. There were green streaks on her shirt.
“What happened?” Posey asked.
“Danny got into the finger paints,” said her mom. “Luckily, I caught him before he could paint the wall.”
“Guess what?” Posey said. “We’re putting on a play about bees!”
“That sounds like fun.”
“I want to be the queen bee,” Posey said.
“I’m sure a lot of other girls want to be, too,” said her mom. “Don’t get your heart set on it.”
It was too late. Posey’s heart was already set.
She had the perfect thing to wear, too.
She went into her bedroom and put on her tutu and her veil with sparkles.
She stood in front of the mirror.
“I am the queen. You have to obey me!” she commanded in her best queen voice.
It would be so much fun.
JUST DANNY AND GRAMPS
On Saturday morning, Posey was watching cartoons when Gramps arrived. She went into the kitchen.
Gramps was helping Danny put on his coat.
“Where are you going?” Posey asked.
“I’m taking Danny to see some trucks,” said Gramps. “They’re building a new wing on the hospital. There are backhoes and bulldozers everywhere.”
“Can I come?”
“This is a boys’ day out, sport,” said Gramps. “An early birthday present.”
“Just you and Danny?” said Posey. “But it’s you and me who do special things on Saturday.”
“Darn right. Our Special Saturdays. That’s not going to change,” Gramps said.
“Posey, you don’t even like trucks,” said her mom.
“I do, too,” Posey said in a small voice.
Gramps hugged her. “We’ll be back in no time,” he said.
Posey got on the living room couch when they left. She looked out the window as Gramps buckled Danny into his car seat.
Then Gramps got into his truck and backed slowly out of the driveway. The truck disappeared down the street.
Posey’s eyes stung. She blinked fast.
Danny had Gramps all to himself.
Posey wished she didn’t even have a baby brother.
She sank down on the couch and crossed her arms.
Her mom came to the door.
“Why don’t you invite a friend over?” she asked.
“I don’t feel like it,” said Posey.
“Then come and help me make Danny’s cake.”
“Why should I, when you won’t buy me a bee eraser?”
Her mom looked at Posey for a minute. “You’re being silly,” she said. “I’ll be in the kitchen if you need me.”
Posey frowned at the empty room.
She didn’t like her mom and Gramps anymore. All they cared about was Danny.
No one cared about her.
THE ERASER
On Monday morning, Miss Lee stood at the front of the room. She was holding a bag.
“I put everyone’s name on a slip of paper,” Miss Lee told them. She shook the bag. “I’m going to take them out to see which bee you’re going to play.”
How exciting! It was like a game.
“What if a boy gets the queen bee?” Ava asked.
“Then we’ll let him decide what he wants to do,” said Miss Lee. “Ready?”
“Ready!” they all cried.
“Listen carefully so you hear your name when I read it. The first group will be the bees who take care of the babies.” Miss Lee took out the first slip of paper.
She called Ava’s name. Ava clapped her hands.
Miss Lee continued to take out names for each group.
Luca and Nikki were worker bees.
Henry was in the group of bees that make honey.
Then Miss Lee picked names for the bees that tell the other bees where the flowers are. “Rashmi . . . and Grace . . . ,” she said.
Posey squeezed her eyes shut. Not me, not me, not me . . .
“. . . and Posey.”
Posey’s shoulders slumped.
Miss Lee took out the last slip of paper. “Caitlyn, you will be the queen bee.”
No fair!
Caitlyn got everything.
Everyone around Posey was talking excitedly.
Grace bounced up and down in her chair. “You and me are together!” she said. “It will be so fun!”
Posey didn’t think it sounded fun.
“Now I want to show you the hat you’re all going to make for your costumes,” said Miss Lee.
She held up the hat.
The headband was made out of yellow paper. Black and yellow pipe cleaners were twisted together to make two antennae.
The antennae stood straight up in the air. Each one had a yellow pom-pom at the tip.
“If you have anything to put away, go to your cubby now,” Miss Lee said. “Then come and get your paper and pipe cleaners.”
Posey hurried to her cubby. Caitlyn’s cubby was in the row under hers.
The bee eraser was on top of Caitlyn’s lunch box.
Posey’s mouth turned down when she saw it.
Why should Caitlyn have the eraser when she got to be queen bee, too?
Posey picked the eraser up and put it in her pack.
THE TERRIBLE MISTAKE
“Don’t you want your cookies?” Nikki said at lunch.
“I don’t feel good,” said Posey.
“Do you want me to tell Miss Lee?” Ava asked.
Posey shook her head.
When they went back to their classroom, Miss Lee was in the corner, talking to Caitlyn.
Caitlyn’s shoulders were shaking.
“Something’s wrong with Caitlyn,” Grace whispered.
“I think she’s crying,” said Ava.
Posey and Grace quietly sat at their table.
Miss Lee put her arm around Caitlyn’s shoulders and turned to the class.
“Boys and girls,” she said, “I need your help.”
Everyone stopped talking.
Caitlyn gave a loud sniff.
“Caitlyn’s bee eraser is missing,” said Miss Lee. “She put it in her cubby, but now it’s not there.”
The bad feeling in Posey’s stomach got stronger.
“Caitlyn is upset. It was her special eraser,” Miss Lee said. “She’s sad that she can’t find it.”
Everyone looked serious.
“I want you to look on the floor around your tables,” Miss Lee said. “Check your cubbies, too, in case Caitlyn put it in the wrong one.”
Posey and Grace looked on the floor. They checked their cubbies.
Posey didn’t know what to do. She wished she could put the eraser back. But what if someone saw her?
“That’s enough for now,” Miss Lee called. “We’ll hope Caitlyn’s eraser turns up tomorrow.”
