Princess Posey and the Next-Door Dog Read online

  She had hurt the feelings of one her own best friends.

  Posey’s mouth got trembly again.

  “But she gave Miss Lee about fifty hundred,” she said.

  “The number doesn’t matter,” her mom said. “Look at Danny! We only have one of him and that’s plenty, don’t you think?”

  When Posey and her mom looked at him, Danny laughed.

  He had frosting all over his face. One blue sprinkle sat on the tip of his nose. He was spreading more frosting on the tray of his high chair.

  “If we had more than one Danny, the house would be a mess!” Posey said.

  “Exactly.” Her mom laughed as she stood up. “You go get changed while I clean him up,” she said. “We’ll play outside for a bit.”

  “But how will Miss Lee know I like her?” Posey said.

  “You’ll find a way to show her,” her mom said. “Your very own Posey way.”

  CHAPTER NINE

  SILLY POSEY!

  Posey put on her pink tutu. She also put on her pink veil. It always made her feel better.

  Gramps gave it to her for the first day of first grade. It was covered with stars.

  Posey went outside. The sun was warm on her face. She closed her eyes and held out her arms.

  She was Princess Posey.

  Princess Posey was lying on a soft pink cloud. The cloud was slowly drifting across the sky. A striped pink rainbow curved high above her head.

  The stars on her veil sparkled in the sun.

  Princess Posey was beautiful and kind. She wouldn’t cry if someone gave the same present. She would just think of another present.

  An even more special present.

  Of course!

  Posey opened her eyes. She stamped her foot.

  You’re a silly Posey, she told herself.

  All she had to do was think of another present.

  An after-birthday present! That was it! Miss Lee probably never got an after-birthday present before.

  What could she bring? Where could it be?

  Posey suddenly saw it.

  The tiny rose that was left on the bush had opened in the night.

  Today was the rose’s birthday, too!

  Posey crept close and saw the most amazing thing. A ladybug had crawled inside. It was nestled between the petals, fast asleep.

  “Ladybug, ladybug, don’t fly away home,” Posey whispered. “I’m taking you to school tomorrow.”

  CHAPTER TEN

  JUST THE THING FOR IT!

  Posey tiptoed down the hall to her classroom. She didn’t make a peep. The ladybug stayed fast asleep.

  “Hi, Miss Lee,” she said.

  Miss Lee spun around. “Oh, Posey!” she said. “You were so quiet that I didn’t hear you come in.”

  “I brought you an after-birthday present,” said Posey. She held out the rose. “Yesterday was its birthday, too.”

  “I’ve never gotten an after-birthday present before,” Miss Lee said. “It’s beautiful.”

  “It will bring you good luck,” said Posey.

  “It will?”

  “Look.” Posey pointed at the ladybug.

  “Oh, my.” Miss Lee sounded amazed. “I think it might be the only lucky, after-birthday rose in the world, don’t you?” “It is,” said Posey.

  “I have just the thing for it!” Miss Lee went to her closet and took out a small thin vase. “It’s called a bud vase,” she said. “It only holds one flower.”

  “Two would be crowded,” said Posey.

  “Exactly.” Miss Lee smiled. “Would you like to fill it with water for me?”

  “Okay.”

  Posey filled the vase with water. Miss Lee put in the rose.

  It was a perfect fit.

  “I feel lucky already to have a girl as thoughtful as you in my class, Posey,” Miss Lee said. “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  Posey went to her cubby and put away her pack. Ava and Nikki were sitting on the floor in the reading corner.

  “Can I play?” Posey said.

  “You were mean to me,” Nikki told her.

  “I’m sorry. I was being silly.” Posey sat down next to her. “You can use my kitty eraser today.”

  “Okay,” said Nikki.

  “Can I use it, too?” asked Ava.

  “You can share it,” Posey told her.

  “We’re playing family,” Nikki said. “We’re both mothers and our babies are asleep.”

  “I’ll be the baby that woke up,” Posey said. “Wah-wah!” She crawled onto Nikki and Ava’s laps.

  “Oh, Posey, you’re so silly,” Nikki said.

  “Wah-wah,” said Posey. “Me have wet diaper.”

  “Posey!” Ava cried.

  Nikki and Posey giggled.

  It was going to be another great day in first grade.

  POSEY’S PAGES

  Make your own magic princess wand! All you need is aluminum foil, a piece of cardboard, a pair of scissors, and a stick about the size of a pencil.

  1. Tear off a piece of foil that’s three inches wide. Wrap it around your stick.

  2. Draw a star on the piece of cardboard and cut it out.

  3. Tear off a large piece of foil. Cut it into strips that are about a half inch wide.

  4. Put the top of your stick in the middle of the star. Wrap the foil strips around the points of the star and then around the stick until the star is secure.

  5. Wrap your star in another piece of foil to cover all of the strips.

  Decorate your wand with sparkly glue, stickers, or ribbons, if you want. My wand goes WHOOSH! What sound does yours make?

  Watch for the next PRINCESS POSEY book!

  PRINCESS

  POSEY

  and the

  NEXT-DOOR

  DOG

  When Posey was little, a dog jumped on her in the park and knocked her down. She still remembers the scary feeling. But can she get over it to help a dog in trouble?