Billy Bob Begins Kindergarten.
A chapter from Adventures of Reedy (the cat),
Fluffy (the terrier) and Billy Bob (the fire bellied toad)
By Rhonda Adamson, © 2005
Billy Bob, the fire bellied toad, lived in the
Adamson house in a clear cage in Elizabeth's room.
One day Fluffy the terrier mixed breed walked into
Elizabeth's room and stuck her nose into Elizabeth's
trash can. "MMM, that sour sugary stuff is marvelous!"
Billy Bob, waking up from a nap in the water, said,
"Fluffy, Fluffy, quit licking that trash can! Come talk to
me. I'm so tired of staying in this cage. I want to go to
Dalzell Grade School."
"You WANT to go to school?" said Fluffy.
Billy Bob replied, "I've been there twice already for
show and tell. It's a fun place. Yes, I want to go. I
need to go. This cage is too small for me. School means
learning things and freedom to go places. Elizabeth tells
me the field trips are wonderful."
Fluffy said, "I heard that the new kindergarten teacher
has yellow rubber bands on her braces. She has pink bow
ties as barretts and she wears the yummiest smelling
perfume. Elizabeth thinks this teacher's perfume smells
like chocolate. So, the fire bellied toad from Elizabeth's
room wants to go to Dalzell Grade School! Hmm.
Maybe I should start teaching you the things every
kindergartener should know."
"What do I need to know before going to kindergarten?"
asked Billy Bob. "Elizabeth told me kindergarten is all about
meeting new friends, and recess, and snack time, and recess,
then lunch time. After lunch, there's a nap. I'm an expert
napper, you know. Then it's story time, and after that, we
ride home on our bikes."
Fluffy shook her head. "She should have told
you that school is all about learning new things. Wait
a minute, while I dig up some of Rhonda's vine petunias."
About five minutes later, Fluffy came into Elizabeth's
room, dragging some purple petunias and mud along
the blue carpet. "Today, Billy Bob, is your first day of
kindergarten prep. Let's begin learning math. Watch
closely."
Fluffy began pawing the petunias, separating the vine
into two pieces. Billy Bob began hopping up and down
in his clear cage. "I wish I could get out of this cage! I
could learn so much more if my legs could touch the flowers,"
said Billy Bob.
Fluffy said, "If I let you out of the cage, Rhonda will think
you made all this muddy mess. No, you'll have to learn
inside the cage. It really is best."
Fluffy continued pawing the petunias. Soon Fluffy had
the petunias in a straight line in front of Elizabeth's bed. "First,
you must know how to count. Watch me."
Billy Bob learns math.
Another chapter from my newest book!
By Rhonda Adamson, © 2005
Fluffy placed her paw on the midnight petunia
closest to Elizabeth's closet. "Billy Bob, watch me
count: One (then Fluffy moved her paw to the left),
Two (then Fluffy moved past another flower, toward
the window facing north) . . . "
"Skip the counting spree, Fluffy! I count crickets
every day before I eat one or two," said Billy Bob, as
he leapt to the highest mound of rocks in the clear cage.
Fluffy said, "Good! If you can count, you can add.
Tell me, Billy Bob, how many crickets do you eat each
week?"
Billy Bob said, "That's easy! I eat one cricket every
day. So I eat a cricket on Sunday, and another on Monday,
ditto for Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and
Saturday."
Fluffy said, "Pretend that Sunday's and Monday's crickets
are near one of your legs. Place Tuesday's and Wednesday's
crickets near the other front leg; then put Thursday's and Friday's
crickets on one back leg and Saturday's crickets by the other
back leg. Tell me, Billy Bob, how many crickets do you
eat each week?"
"Seven!" Billy Bob screamed. "Sunday's cricket plus
Monday's plus Tuesday's plus Wednesday's plus Thursday's
plus Friday's plus Saturday's crickets equal seven crickets."
"You are so very smart," said Fluffy. "What would
happen if Elizabeth forgot to feed you one of those crickets
next week? How many crickets would you eat?"
"Which day would she forget? I hope she wouldn't forget
Sunday's cricket. Every fire bellied toad knows that the best
meal is on Sunday!" exclaimed Billy Bob.
"Let's say Elizabeth forgets Thursday's cricket," said Fluffy.
Billy Bob said, "Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday,
Thursday, Friday and Saturday . . .If I skip Thursday, there's
only six wee crickets to eat that week."
"That's right, Billy Bob. Seven minus one equals six!"
said Fluffy. "Billy Bob, you know how to add and subtract.
I'm very proud of you. Now, I wonder what Rhonda will
do when she sees these purple petunias plus mud on her
blue carpet?
Tell me, Billy Bob, How do you spell 'mess'?"
Billy Bob Vacations in Florida
Another portion of Adventures of Reedy (the cat),
Fluffy (the terrier) and Billy Bob (the fire bellied toad)
By Rhonda Adamson, © 2005
"Billy Bob, do you see what I see? Those
green suitcases are being repacked. Steve and
Rhonda just went to Wisconsin. Now they're
packing again," said Fluffy.
"Why don't we stow away?" asked Billy Bob.
"No thanks, not me," replied Fluffy. "Airlines
make dogs travel in plastic crates in the cargo
area of the plane. That would not be fun at all."
Billy Bob said, "Well, I want to go see those
geckoes and armadillos. Just think how fun it
would be to see fireworks over the Gulf Coast!"
Fluffy said, "Let's talk to Elizabeth. Maybe
she'll pack you in her suitcase."
♥ ♥ ♥
(The rest of the story will be published soon.)
By Rhonda Adamson, © 2005)
Links for kids.
Dear Parents and Kids,
Here are some links I like. If any of these links contain
magic, graphic violence, or teach evolution as "FACT",
please email me at adamsonhome@insightbb.com.
1. www.funbrain.com has a math car racing game,
The Piano Player 
, and many more fun games!
2. www.fisherprice.com has items for preschoolers.
3. www.crayola.com has family travel games and more!
4. www.fbi.gov tells kids about the FBI. There are
downloadable FBI badges.
5. www.hotwheels.com is fun.
6. www.aviary.com teaches about birds.
7. www.hersheys.com has chocolate games.
8. www.zeeks.com is both fun and educational.
9. www.bubbletape.com tells about how bubble
gum is made, and also has games.
10. www.americangirl.com has many delights for
girls.