Junie B., First Grader_ Shipwrecked - Barbara Park [7]
Sheldon was going to be the Niña!
He said he didn't even care that the Niña was the smallest ship. On account of he liked the little squiggle over the n!
“The little squiggle makes the Niña look special,” he said. “It looks like a little bird.”
Mr. Scary smiled at that comment.
Then he told us how to tape our ship pieces together. Plus he showed us how to make banners and sails.
“I'm going to color my ship banner red. ’Cause red is my favorite color,” I said.
May looked down her nose at me.
“I'm going to color my ship banner gold,” she said. “’Cause gold means you're the golden best. And the Santa María had to be the best. Or else why would Columbus choose it?”
I tapped on my chin very thinking. Then I did a little grin.
“Maybe he liked big old tubs,” I said.
After that, I laughed and laughed at my own joke.
I see nothing wrong with that.
Pretty soon, Mr. Scary went to help Lucille.
She was not working on her costume.
“My richie nanna is going to hire her sewing lady to make my costume,” she said. “Plus she's also going to buy me a crown of fake jewels.”
Mr. Scary said no. “We're all making our costumes in class, Lucille,” he said. “It's part of the project.”
After that, he got an encyclopedia from the shelf. And he found a picture of Queen Isabella.
Lucille did a loud screech.
“Eeeesh! She's not even cute!” she said. “And what is that ugly hat thing on her head? Look! It has ear flaps!”
Sheldon ran over to see the ugly hat thing.
“Maybe she just got back from snow-boarding,” he said.
Lucille started to cry.
Mr. Scary said to please calm down.
Then he brought her a fake velvet towel she could use for a robe. And he gave her gold glitter to make a paper crown.
Lucille stopped crying. “Glitter?” she said a little perkier. “I get to use glitter?”
After that, she got right to work on her golden crown.
A little glitter can turn your whole day around.
At the end of the afternoon, our costumes were almost done.
Mr. Scary let us go to the front of the room and show the other children what we made.
And what do you know?
Lucille's crown turned out very beautiful! She looked like a real alive queen in that thing.
Plus also, I liked Camille and Chenille's ocean costume. They cut roly-poly waves at the top of a long roll of blue paper. Then— when they held it near the floor—it looked like the real ocean, sort of.
Me and Sheldon and May went last.
We sailed to the front of the room in our ship costumes. And we introduced ourselves.
“I am the Pinta. And I'm the fastest ship,” I told them.
“I am the Santa María. And I am the biggest ship,” said May.
“I am the Niña. And I have a little bird on my n!” said Sheldon.
Then all of the children laughed and clapped. And me and Sheldon and May sailed back to our seats.
Only too bad for me. On account of May sailed way too speedy. And she got to her desk before I did.
She looked very smuggy at me.
“What took you so long?” she said. “Are you the poky little Pinta?”
Then she laughed and laughed at her own joke.
That is not good taste.
That weekend was the longest day of my life.
I kept on wanting to get back to school so I could work on the play some more!
That's how come on Monday morning, I ran to my desk as fast as I could. Only I couldn't even stay in my chair that good. ’Cause I had excitement in my seat, that's why!
Finally, the bell rang for school.
And then wowie wow wow!
Mr. Scary took us to the auditorium to practice on a real, actual stage! And that is a dream come true!
My heart was thumping and pumping when I walked up the steps.
Then all of us sat down on the stage floor. And Mr. Scary got us started.
“Boys and girls, we're going to begin with the very first scene, where Queen Isabella meets Columbus,” he said. “Lucille and José? Will you come here, please?”
José and Lucille hurried to the front. Then Mr. Scary stood them on separate sides of the stage. And they walked toward each other until they met in the middle.
They said their lines.
“Hello, sailor. My name is richie Queen Isabella,” said Lucille.
José did