Characters
Narrator
Grandma
Alice
Ben
To m m y
Dad
Setting: The living room in the family’ famil y’ss house hou se 3
Narrator: Tomorrow is a special day because becaus e it’s it’s Grandma’ Gra ndma’ss seventiet sev entieth h birthday. Grandma: I simply can’t imagine being seventy! Tommy: What would you like for your birthday, Grandma? Grandma: That’ That’ss an interesti interesting ng question. I think it will surprise su rprise you that I already know what my present is!
4
Ben: Do
you, Grandma?
Alice: Grandma
is trying to trick you into telling her what her present is. Ben: How
do you know, Grandma?
Narrator: Grandma
tries not to smile. 5
Grandma: I saw where the package is hidden. Tommy: Grandma, how did you know to search under my bed? Grandma: Ah, now I really know where the present is hidden! Alice: I told you that Grandma was trying to trick you!
6
Grandma: I’m sure s ure it’s it’s something some thing I’ll enjoy enjoy.. Ben: Of course it is. Grandma: It’s an item of clothing. Ben: No! You You haven’t ha ven’t guessed gues sed it! Grandma: Ah, so it’s not something to wear.
Well, ell, it’ it’ss not n ot clothi c lothing ng anyway a nyway.. Tommy: W
7
Alice: Tommy, Grandma is tricking you into giving her clues about her present! Ben: We want Grandma’s present to remain a surprise. Narrator: Grandma is smiling smil ing even more. Grandma: It’s not clothing. It’s something big, but it’s not huge or it wouldn’t fit under a bed. Tommy: It could be small. Grandma: No, if it was small you would have hidden it in a drawer.
8
Ben: Grandma,
we’re not telling you!
Grandma: I
think it’s something I’ll use when I wash. Alice: That
sure must be a huge bar of soap hidden under the bed! Narrator: This
makess the children make chil dren and Grandma giggle. 9
Grandma: Wait just a minute. Narrator: Grandma puts her chin in her hands to think. Grandma: Fluffy towels! That would be especially nice! Tommy: Fooled you, Grandma. It’s not towels.
Tom ommy my,, ss sshh hhh! h! Alice: T
10
Narrator: The children’s father arrives home. Dad: Hello! Is everyone having a good day? Ben: Grandma is trying to trick us. Alice: She’s trying to get us to tell her what her birthday present is. Tommy: She’ll never guess it’s— 11
Narrator: Quickly,
Alice and Ben
speak togethe togetherr. Alice and Ben: Quiet, Grandma: Ah, Dad: Y You ou
Tommy!
now I know!
al ways say always s ay that. th at.
Narrator: Dad
put his arms around
the children. Dad: I
know your grandma. She’s always playing tricks!
12
Narrator: The
next ne xt day, day, the children c hildren give Grandma her present. Grandma: Goodness
me! Look at these layers and layers of paper! Alice: We’re
the ones who tricked you, Grandma! Narrator: Finally,
Grandma finds a small box in all the paper and lifts the lid. She is very surprised. Grandma: Look
at these amazing
pearls! 13
Dad: There are seventy pearls— one for each year that you have celebrated a birthday. Grandma: They are gorgeous! I’ll put them on now. Thank you very, very much. Tommy: The present was something to wear, but you didn’t guess it was je j e we well r y, di did d y o u , G r a n dm dma a? Grandma: I didn’t. di dn’t. You You were we re the ones o nes who tricked me!
14
Think Critically children give Grandma seventy 1. Why did the children pearls?
2. Is this book fiction or nonfiction? How do you know?
3. Why do you think the author wrote the story? 4 . How can you tell this story is a play? story,, who 5. If you could be any character in this story would you be? Why? Science Wri rite te a List Pearls come from oysters. Oysters are animals that live in shells in the ocean. Make a list of other animals that live in the ocean. Then put animals that are alike on your list into groups and name each group. For example, one group might be Animals That Live in Shells .
School-Home Connec Connection tion Tell a family member about the story. Then talk about a bout how Grandma tried to trick the children into telling her what the present was.
498 8 Word Count: 49
