Free Horrible Harry and the Holidaze by Suzy Kline Page B

Mackle asked. “They’re fluorescent.”
    â€œYeah,” Harry replied. “But I like my old crayon stubs better.”

    Miss Mackle lowered her voice. “Are you okay, Harry?” she asked. “You seem a little out of sorts.”
    Before Harry could answer, Sidney blurted out, “Hey, can we leave our shoes off all day?”
    â€œNo,” the teacher replied firmly.
    Sid made a face as he slipped on his shoe. He didn’t bother tying the long shoelaces.
    â€œThank goodness!” Mary gasped, unplugging her nose. “I can breathe again.”
    â€œThank you for my crayons,” Song Lee said softly.
    â€œThank you, Wise Men,” ZuZu pretended.
    â€œThank you!” we all chimed in.
    â€œOkay, boys and girls,” Mr. Sanchez said. “Now it’s time for the second surprise, the crown cake!”
    Everyone watched Dexter’s father lift the lid off the cake carrier.
    â€œLook what’s on top of the snowy icing!” Mary said. “Cherries and pineapples ! They look like shimmering jewels.”
    â€œLook at the hole in the middle of the cake,” I said. “It looks like a crown.”
    â€œI bet it would fit my head perfectly.” Sid chuckled. “I think I’ll try it on.”
    â€œSidney, you don’t wear cake,” ZuZu corrected. “You eat it.”
    â€œLighten up, Zu. I was just kidding,” Sid replied.
    Dexter tapped his dad on the shoulder. “Can I tell them now? Can I?”
    â€œYes!” Mr. Sanchez said.
    â€œThere is something really special about the crown cake we eat on Three Kings’ Day. It has one surprise baked inside. Whoever finds it will have a lucky year.”
    Many of us crossed our fingers.
    But Harry? I couldn’t believe it. He made prayer hands. He really wanted that surprise.
    After everyone took a bite of the delicious creamy cake, we looked around to see who had it.
    â€œI got it! I got it!” Sidney screamed as he jumped out of his seat, tripped on his long shoelace, and tumbled to the floor.

    â€œAre you okay, Sid?” Miss Mackle asked.
    â€œOf course I am,” Sid replied as he stood tall holding the little surprise. “I’m gonna have a lucky year! I’ve got this!”
    We all stared at the tiny clay doll. “You lucky dog!” Dexter cried out.
    Harry made a fist, thumped it on his desk, and gritted his teeth. “If I had gotten that doll,” he said, “it might have changed things.”
    Miss Mackle and Mr. Sanchez looked at Harry, then at each other. I wasn’t the only one who wanted to know, What was going on with Harry?

Heads Up for Kwanzaa

    A t the end of that day, Miss Mackle called Harry up to her desk. Although I couldn’t hear what they were saying, I noticed Harry’s eyebrows. They kept sinking lower and lower as he was talking to the teacher. It made him look mad, then sad. When it was Miss Mackle’s turn to talk, Harry listened. Slowly he lifted his eyebrows higher and higher. None of us found out until later what it was all about.
    The next day, Ida was really excited because her mom was coming to school.
    At one o’clock, Miss Mackle introduced her. “Boys and girls, welcome Mrs. Burrell!”
    Everyone looked at Ida’s mom. She was holding a large basket and wearing a turban, big gold earrings, and a long dress. “Hi, boys and girls,” she said cheerfully.
    Ida popped out of her seat and proudly stood next to her mom. “Kwanzaa is a celebration of our African American heritage and our future,” Mrs. Burrell explained. “Dr. Maulana Karenga created Kwanzaa in 1966.”
    â€œThis is going to be fun,” Ida said. “Can I start now, Mom?”
    â€œYes,” her mother answered.
    Ida pulled a flag out of the basket. “This is our African American flag. The red band stands for our struggle for freedom. The black stands for the color of our people,