Free Jasper John Dooley, Star of the Week by Caroline Adderson, Ben Clanton Page B

growing in here right now.”
    â€œI bet they have extras at the hospital,” Jasper said.
    Dad told Jasper, “I remember when you were born. I got to hold you for a minute before the nurse whisked you off. I used to think that all babies were the same. But when I looked for you later in the nursery, I knew which one you were right away.”
    Jasper had heard this story before. “I was the one with lots and lots of black hair sticking out all over my head. Why didn’t you call me Licorice?”
    â€œLicorice?” they said.
    â€œWhen we get a baby, I’m going to name her Plum,” Jasper said.
    â€œWho wants dessert?” Mom asked, getting up from the table. She seemed to be changing the subject.
    â€œI do!” Dad and Jasper called.
    â€œBut it’s just too bad!” Jasper said when Mom came back with the ice cream and three bowls.
    â€œWhat?” she asked. “What’s too bad?”
    â€œThat we don’t have Plum right now. If we did, I could bring her for Show and Tell tomorrow. That would be the best Show and Tell anybody ever saw.”
    â€œI don’t know about that,” Dad said. “Yours is pretty good, too. Some of those kids won’t ever have seen belly-button lint before.”

Chapter 2

    The next morning, Jasper got out of bed the second he woke up. Usually, he fell back to sleep a few more times to watch the end of his dream, but today he didn’t want to get the lates. Today he was the Star of the Week.
    He went to the kitchen and stared at the hands on the oven clock. Seven five, ten, fifteen, twenty. Seven twenty-five. There was lots of time not to get the lates. He went to Mom and Dad’s room and, standing by their bed, spread his arms wide. “Presenting — the Star of the Week!”

    Mom sat up clutching the covers around her neck. “Ah! Jasper John!”
    â€œIt’s just me,” he told her. “The Star of the Week.”
    Dad opened one eye at the clock radio on the bedside table. “It’s five-thirty,” he said.
    â€œOops,” Jasper said. “I got the hands wrong. Again.”
    Dad rolled over and covered his head with his pillow. “Go back to bed, Jasper,” Mom said.
    â€œI don’t want to get the lates,” Jasper said.
    â€œJust go,” Mom said, making shooing motions with her hands. “We’ll make sure you don’t get the lates.”
    â€œI’m always getting the lates.”
    â€œGo!”
    â€œOkay,” Jasper said, backing out of the room, “but don’t forget — I’m the Star!”
    Jasper went back to his bed. He tried to fall asleep again, but he was too excited. Why not just go? Just go to school right now? So he got out of bed and ran the block to school. A big banner covered the front of the building. JASPER JOHN DOOLEY, STAR OF THE WEEK! All the kids in the school, not just the kids from Jasper’s class, all the kids were leaning out the windows waving little flags and chanting, “Jasper! Jasper! Jasper!” Jasper ran up the steps. He pulled and pulled on the door handle, but it wouldn’t open. Now all the kids were chanting, “Late! Late! Late!” Then Mom woke Jasper, which was a good thing because in the dream he was still wearing his pajamas.

Chapter 3

    Ms. Tosh took the star out of the top drawer of her desk. It was a fabric star with gold sparkles glued all over it. She safety-pinned it onto Jasper’s chest. “It’s yours to wear for the day,” she said.

    â€œEven lunch and recess?” the Star asked.
    â€œYes. But when the bell rings at the end of the day, give it back. It will be safer here in my drawer.”
    The first special thing the Star got to do was the calendar. When Ms. Tosh asked the month, the day of the week and the date, anybody could put up his hand to answer. But only the Star got to slide the right cards into the slots on the calendar.