Beneath the Crust

Reading sets the soul on fire.

Grab a book and float into life.

 Read the fist part of the story about Joe Nathan’s family. While reading think about what may happen next. Then read the rest of the story and see if you are right.

Joe Nathan Eats Peanut Brittles

Joe Nathan and his family were all in the den except daddy.   

Joe Nathan was putting letters on a baseball cap; Tammy was re-rereading Smoky Robinson’s biography. Mama was doing a cross word puzzle and Annette and the twins were playing. 

Daddy stuck his face in the den and took it out real fast. Then he slid into the room like a cat burglar. He was hunched over and clutching his shirt to his body.

“Joe.” Mama said with concern.

“Shhhhh.” Daddy said opening his shirt very fast and closing it back just as fast. Showing mama some peanut brittle he had under there.

“Yesssssssss.” Mama said softly as daddy slunk over to the sofa.

Daddy sat down all hunched over. He was looking around at the kids very fast.

“Joe.” Mama said elbowing daddy. “You’ll make the

 kids suspicious the way you are acting. 

“Oh yeah, that’s right.” Daddy said strengthening up. 

Daddy gave mama a piece of candy.

Mama put the candy in her mouth and sucked on it softly. 

Daddy put the candy in his mouth.

“Crunch crunch crunch.” Daddy chewed as he sneaked a look at the kids. 

What daddy?” Annette asked standing up.

Joe Nathan and Tammy stood up too.

“What? What? What?” Daddy asked looking around at the children.

“Aint nobody got no peanut brittle.” Daddy said.

The children and daddy playfully wrestled.

The kids were all happy. 

 What happened next is all the kids ate peanut brittle.

When you think about what may happen next in a story, you are making a prediction.  In this case, making a prediction is a way of using clues from a story to guess what might happen next. Look for clues in the title of the story and in the story itself. If there are pictures, they may give clues also.

Dear Bell,

            While I was visiting my Uncle Bud on his farm they moved many cows from one place to the next.  Many roads were closed so the cows could pass.

Before we say any cows we heard a lot of mooing and we saw a cloud of dust. As soon as we saw all the cows, my little sister Annette started crying. We waited for a long, long time while all the cows passed.

            No cows passed for a few minuets so we got ready to cross the road. Suddenly we heard a lot of mooing and we saw a cloud of dust.

There was a crab.     

The crab was flab.

The crab with flab wanted to go to the lab.

The crab with flab needed a cab to go to the lab.

The crab with flab that needed a cab to go to the lab will have to grab.

The crab with flab that needed a cab to go to the lab and had to grab will blab and gab.

Jack will pack a snack.

Jack will pack a snack that he will stack.

Jack will pack a snack that he will stack at this shack.

Jack tripped on a crack that was on the track.

Jack tripped on a crack that was on the track and dropped his backpack.

Jack tripped on a crack that was on the track and dropped his backpack that fell to the ground with a smack.

Jack tripped on a crack that was on the track and dropped his backpack that fell to the ground with a smack, right on a ducks back.

Jack tripped on a crack that was on the track and dropped his backpack that fell to the ground with a smack, right on a ducks back.

Jack tripped on a crack that was on the track and dropped his backpack that fell to the ground with a smack, right on a ducks back and the duck went quack.