Read Online Ellray Jakes Walks the Plank by Sally Warner - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Sally Warner
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seeing the gleam in a few kids’ eyes as they are obviously thinking,
“Rat!” “Tarantula!” “Bright green snake!”
Emma raises her hand. “I nominate EllRay Jakes to buy our class’s official new fish,” she says when Ms. Sanchez calls on her.
This is really nice of Emma, considering that Annie Pat, Emma’s best friend, wants to be the marine biologist—a fish expert—when she grows up, like I said before. But Annie Pat doesn’t even look mad.
Kevin’s and Corey’s hands go up at the same time. “I second the nomination,” Corey says, after Ms. Sanchez calls his name.
“Are there any other nominations?” Ms. Sanchez asks.
Heather Patton looks at Cynthia, as if asking whether or not Cynthia wants to compete against me for this honor, but Cynthia has just aboutdisappeared, she has slumped so low in her chair.
She’s staring straight ahead—at nothing. But perfectly, of course.
I actually feel sorry for her.
“Then we’ll vote,” Ms. Sanchez says, glancing at the wall clock to see how much time we have left. “All in favor of EllRay Jakes selecting our next goldfish this weekend say ‘ AYE .’”
And a ragged chorus of “ayes” floats around the room.
“Opposed?” Ms. Sanchez asks, and I wait for the “nays” to boom out.
Only there aren’t any.
Cynthia and Heather may be
thinking
“nay,” but that doesn’t count.
“Then EllRay it is,” Ms. Sanchez says, smiling as she hands me the five dollars. “Don’t you lose that, mister,” she whispers so softly that only I can hear.
“I won’t,” I whisper back, smiling so wide that it feels like my ears might fall off. This is the first time I have ever won an election! It feels
good.
The end-of-school buzzer sounds, and, too late, Annie Pat claps her hands over her sensitive pink ears.
“Get those progress reports signed this weekend, people,” Ms. Sanchez calls out over the uproar that is us, getting ready to escape Oak Glen Primary School for a beautiful and precious weekend.
“Okay,” a couple of dutiful kids call out.
But me and my friends are already halfway out the door—and on to the next fun thing.
I
am
going to remember to get that progress report signed, though.
And I won’t lose Ms. Sanchez’s five dollars, no matter what.
And I’ll buy our class the best official new fish possible.
People are counting on me!
MEET ELLRAY JAKES, the smallest kid in Ms. Sanchez’s third grade class. But what EllRay lacks in size, he makes up for in personality. This can get him into trouble, though, which is why his report cards sometimes say, “BEHAVIOR: NEEDS IMPROVEMENT.” To help him stay on track, EllRay’s parents propose a family trip to Disneyland if he can stay out of trouble for one week. That should be easy, right? WRONG! This is the same week Jared, the biggest kid in class, declares WAR on him. There is no way EllRay is going to let Jared call him a chicken or get in the way of his going to Disneyland.
ELLRAY JAKES IS a small kid with a big problem. Everyone else in his third-grade class has something to brag about: Jared’s dad owns a brand-new car with flames painted on it, and Kevin’s dad is rich, but all EllRay’s geologist dad has is a collection of rocks. BORING! Or is it? They are from all over the world … and when EllRay brings some of the rocks into school, everyone is impressed. In fact, they’re so impressed, they keep them for themselves! Now EllRay needs a plan to rescue his dad’s rocks … before his big problem lands him in GIGANTIC trouble.
“Rat!” “Tarantula!” “Bright green snake!”
Emma raises her hand. “I nominate EllRay Jakes to buy our class’s official new fish,” she says when Ms. Sanchez calls on her.
This is really nice of Emma, considering that Annie Pat, Emma’s best friend, wants to be the marine biologist—a fish expert—when she grows up, like I said before. But Annie Pat doesn’t even look mad.
Kevin’s and Corey’s hands go up at the same time. “I second the nomination,” Corey says, after Ms. Sanchez calls his name.
“Are there any other nominations?” Ms. Sanchez asks.
Heather Patton looks at Cynthia, as if asking whether or not Cynthia wants to compete against me for this honor, but Cynthia has just aboutdisappeared, she has slumped so low in her chair.
She’s staring straight ahead—at nothing. But perfectly, of course.
I actually feel sorry for her.
“Then we’ll vote,” Ms. Sanchez says, glancing at the wall clock to see how much time we have left. “All in favor of EllRay Jakes selecting our next goldfish this weekend say ‘ AYE .’”
And a ragged chorus of “ayes” floats around the room.
“Opposed?” Ms. Sanchez asks, and I wait for the “nays” to boom out.
Only there aren’t any.
Cynthia and Heather may be
thinking
“nay,” but that doesn’t count.
“Then EllRay it is,” Ms. Sanchez says, smiling as she hands me the five dollars. “Don’t you lose that, mister,” she whispers so softly that only I can hear.
“I won’t,” I whisper back, smiling so wide that it feels like my ears might fall off. This is the first time I have ever won an election! It feels
good.
The end-of-school buzzer sounds, and, too late, Annie Pat claps her hands over her sensitive pink ears.
“Get those progress reports signed this weekend, people,” Ms. Sanchez calls out over the uproar that is us, getting ready to escape Oak Glen Primary School for a beautiful and precious weekend.
“Okay,” a couple of dutiful kids call out.
But me and my friends are already halfway out the door—and on to the next fun thing.
I
am
going to remember to get that progress report signed, though.
And I won’t lose Ms. Sanchez’s five dollars, no matter what.
And I’ll buy our class the best official new fish possible.
People are counting on me!
MEET ELLRAY JAKES, the smallest kid in Ms. Sanchez’s third grade class. But what EllRay lacks in size, he makes up for in personality. This can get him into trouble, though, which is why his report cards sometimes say, “BEHAVIOR: NEEDS IMPROVEMENT.” To help him stay on track, EllRay’s parents propose a family trip to Disneyland if he can stay out of trouble for one week. That should be easy, right? WRONG! This is the same week Jared, the biggest kid in class, declares WAR on him. There is no way EllRay is going to let Jared call him a chicken or get in the way of his going to Disneyland.
ELLRAY JAKES IS a small kid with a big problem. Everyone else in his third-grade class has something to brag about: Jared’s dad owns a brand-new car with flames painted on it, and Kevin’s dad is rich, but all EllRay’s geologist dad has is a collection of rocks. BORING! Or is it? They are from all over the world … and when EllRay brings some of the rocks into school, everyone is impressed. In fact, they’re so impressed, they keep them for themselves! Now EllRay needs a plan to rescue his dad’s rocks … before his big problem lands him in GIGANTIC trouble.
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