The Color of Sound

sound_kw

Dakota and Gary:

#13 The Leaf Pile

The sound “kw” will be the focus of this story. How is this sound spelled?

It was a cool, crisp day in autumn. Dakota and Gary put their jackets on and headed for the woods.

“We are on a quest,” said Dakota.

“What are we looking for?” asked Gary. “Quail feathers for a new pillow?”

“No,” laughed Dakota. “We are looking for the perfect tree for leaf pile jumping.”

Gary quickly looked down and got very quiet.

Dakota saw the look on his friend’s face and asked, “What’s wrong?”

“You remember what happened last year,” said Gary.

Dakota smiled as he remembered how Gary jumped from a tree and got his pants stuck on a branch. A large square patch was torn off his pants in front of their friends.

“This year we won’t jump in front of a crowd,” said Dakota.

Gary didn’t want to quarrel so he just shrugged his shoulders.

Dakota and Gary looked at many trees.

“What about this one?” asked Dakota.

“Too high,” said Gary.

Dakota moved to a different tree.

“How about this?” asked Dakota.

“Too thin,” said Gary.

Dakota walked to another tree.

“Will this do?” asked Dakota.

Gary looked at the tree. It was high but not too high. It had many branches for easy climbing.

“Okay, but I have a request,” said Gary. We have to pile the leaves very high. Higher than we have ever piled them before.”

Dakota was about to ask his friend some questions but he thought better of it. He didn’t want Gary to quit and go home.

It’s a deal,” said Dakota.

Dakota and Gary gathered leaves from all over the place. Soon the leaf pile looked like a fall quilt covering the ground.

Dakota and Gary climbed to a high branch hanging over the leaf pile. Dakota jumped. He laughed all the way down.

When he got to his feet he shouted to Gary, “Your turn.”

Gary quaked in his boots.

“You’ll feel like a bird,” said Dakota as he tried to encourage his friend.

Gary didn’t move.

“You’ll feel like a skydiver,” said Dakota.

Gary stood quite still.

“You’ll have to hurry if you don’t want Judith to jump before you,” said Dakota.

Gary looked at the path leading back to Dakota’s house. He saw Judith running toward them.

“I’m the queen of the leaf pile!” she shouted.

Gary closed his eyes and leaned out into empty space. His heart thumped fast as he fell. In a second he was buried in leaves.

“Well done,” said Dakota as he offered Gary a helping hand.

“Wow, that was a great jump,” said Judith.

Gary looked down at his feet but he smiled ear to ear.

Tags: arnold lobel, blog, chapter books, christian author, fiction, frog and toad, juvenile literature, phonics, short stories, the color of sound

sound_i

Dakota and Gary:

#11 Treasure

The sound “i” will be the focus of this story. How is this sound spelled?

     It was hot outside. Dakota and Gary went to the kitchen. Grandma and Judith were there with some fresh iced tea.

“That hits the spot,” Gary said as he drank his ice tea.

“What is that?” asked Dakota.

Grandma was looking at a picture of Grandpa. He was holding a statue with strange symbols on it.

“Grandpa  thought this statue was a clue to a great treasure he wanted to find,” said Grandma.

“Did he find it?” asked Gary.

“Not yet,” said Grandma.

“What would you do with the treasure?” asked Gary.

“I would buy tickets to my favorite places to visit,” said Grandma.

Gary was quiet for a minute.

“I would buy a weather balloon. One that would take me high into the clouds,” said Gary.

“I would buy the largest swimming pool I could find. I’d invite all my friends to come over and have a party,” said Judith.

“What about you, Dakota,” Grandma asked. “Would you like a red fire engine or maybe a mint green rocket?

Dakota thought for a minute.

“I don’t know,” he said.

Dakota and Gary finished their tea. Then they went for a walk along the creek. They saw two little mice playing.

One said to the other, “I am hungry.”

Dakota reached into his pocket. He pulled out some crackers.

“You can eat these,” he said to the children.

Dakota and Gary saw an old field mouse trying to climb up a short hill. He wanted to rest at the top.

“We can help you,” Dakota said.

They helped the old field mouse to the top of the hill. They sat with him and talked about the clouds for a little while.

Dakota and Gary said good-bye to the old mouse. They walked along the creek again.

“Help, Help!” cried a voice.

     It was a young girl mouse. She was having trouble swimming. Dakota and Gary jumped into the creek. They pulled the girl mouse safely to the bank of the creek.

“Thank you,” said the young girl mouse. She gave Dakota a kiss on the cheek. He laughed. She gave Gary a kiss on his forehead. He turned red.

Dakota and Gary started walking back home.

“Gary, I think I can imagine just what I would do with Grandpa’s treasure,” said Dakota.

Gary stopped to listen to his friend.

“I would use it to help as many people as I could,” said Dakota.

“That sounds nice, Dakota. But I think I would still like to buy a weather balloon,” said Gary.

“And we could use it to help others,” said Dakota.

“Or something like that,” said Gary as they walked toward Dakota’s front yard.

Tags: arnold lobel, blog, chapter books, christian author, fiction, frog and toad, juvenile literature, phonics, short stories, the color of sound