Cover to Cover Book 10

COVER to COVER 10 BOOK

Book 10 Skills

Beginning Readers 45

Lizzy in the City

Lizzy lived in a small home with Benny. Benny liked to have his belly rubbed. On sunny days, they always went to the top of the rocky hill and sat by a tree to study. “This peaceful place makes me happy,” Lizzy said.

One day, Lizzy’s friend Salma called.

“Can you and Benny come see me in the city?”

“I don’t know,” Lizzy said. “We haven’t been to the city. Is it costly to get there?”

“I’ll send you a free pass to go on the train,” Salma said. “We’re going to have a lot of fun!”

Lizzy and Benny booked a train ride to the city.

Salma met them at the stop. “I’m so glad you made it!”

Benny stayed in his bag. Lizzy’s body shook.

“I’m happy to see you too, but it’s a very chilly day!” she said.

“Here, take this fuzzy hat,” Salma said.

Salma and Lizzy walked along the city streets while their dads talked.

“I don’t like being in such a busy place,” Lizzy said. “There are too many things to see.”

“It’s always like this where I live,” Salma said.

“It’s not this busy where I live,” Lizzy said.

Next, they passed by a sweet shop. “Let’s get some candy,” Salma said. “Which one do you want?”

“I don’t know,” said Lizzy. “There are so many to choose from. This one is lumpy, and this one is sticky.”

Salma made a silly face. “And this candy is not yummy!”

Lizzy looked at Salma. “You’re so funny.”

“Puddles!” Salma yelled. “Let’s jump in them!”

Lizzy stayed put. “I don’t know. Puddles are muddy where I live. What should I do?”

Salma tugged on Lizzy. “Follow me!”

Salma jumped in a puddle. Then Benny hopped in a small one. Lizzy chose a big puddle and made a big splash. The puddles were not muddy.

They spun and spun until they felt dizzy.

“This is the most fun I’ve had!” yelled Lizzy.

At the end of the day, Lizzy and Benny had to leave. Salma waved, and Lizzy waved back.

“Next time, I’ll come see you,” Salma said. “It’s a deal!” said Lizzy.

When they got home, Lizzy and Benny went up the rocky hill. They missed the city and their friend Salma, but they were happy to be back in their peaceful place by the tree.

Beginning Readers 46

How I Found My Sound

I had been saving each bill, penny, and dime in my bank until I could buy a brand new lute. I was so happy to get it, but I didn’t know how to play. “I’ll teach you, Jing,” Mr. Chow said.

I sat down on the couch and watched as Mr. Chow showed me how to play. I did the same thing he did. I put my left hand on the neck of the lute. Then I plucked and strummed down with the nails on my right hand.

But the sound was very bad. I couldn’t play one note of a tune in the right way.

“Let’s try again,” Mr. Chow said. “Press down on the frets with your left hand. Then pluck and strum with your right hand. The strings will make a pretty sound.”

I grabbed the neck with my left hand. I plucked and strummed the strings with my right hand again, but I played all the notes wrong. The sound was not right.

I put the lute down. ”I can’t seem to get it,” I said. “I don’t think playing the lute is for me.”

“Don’t frown, and don’t give up yet,” Mr. Chow said. “You just have to find your own sound.”

“But how do I find it?” I asked.

Mr. Chow said, “Let your hands go up and down in a smooth way. The notes will flow, and the sound will be your own.”

I breathed in and let it out. I looked down at my hands and put them in their places. I plucked the bottom string and strummed the middle ones. Then I played the top string until . . .

”I did it!” I shouted. “I made a pretty sound while I played the lute, just like you showed me. Thank you!”

“Jing, I’m so proud of you,” said Mr. Chow. “You kept going until you found your sound. Take a bow!”

I took my lute outside and sat on a bench.

I played a tune as my mom and dad watched, and they said they were proud. I was very proud of myself too. I had found my sound because I didn’t give up.

Beginning Readers 47 Star in a Jar

Carla Martin

The sun went down, and it was dark outside. The moon was shining over the park. Carla and Martin were on the path. “Wow! Do you see all of the stars?” Carla asked. Martin looked up. “Yes! I love to count them, but there are so many.”

Out of nowhere, a bug passed by Martin’s face. “Look! The bug’s body is glowing. It looks like a little star!” “I want to see it up close, but I don’t want to harm it,” Carla said. “We won’t,” said Martin. “Let’s catch it and put it in a jar. We can study it and then let it go.”

Carla found a jar and a pen in the car. “Let’s mark the lid with some dots where we can poke holes.” “You’re so smart,” Martin said. “I can start.”

Carla twisted the lid off the jar. She handed it to Martin. The bug’s body was glowing again. “We have to catch the bug now so it doesn’t go too far.”

Martin said, “If we charge at it and go too fast, it won’t go in the jar.”

“I can do this part,” said Carla. “It won’t be too hard.”

Carla crept up slowly and placed the jar over the bug. “Quick, Martin! Put the lid on.”

“Oh, it’s shining like a star,” said Martin.

Carla smiled wide. “We have a star in a jar!”

Martin and Carla took the jar all around the park. They loved to watch the little star dance in the jar. Soon, the park was full of bugs. They lit up the whole space.

“It’s like we are strolling in the stars!” said Carla.

“I think the bugs want their friend to go with them,” Martin said. “I think so too,” Carla said sadly. Martin took off the lid and let the bug go. The bug glowed on and off again as it left.

As Carla and Martin waved at the bug, they looked up and saw something zip by. Martin gasped. “What was that?”

“A shooting star!” Carla said. “We each need to make a wish.”

“What was your wish?” Martin asked.

“I wished to go up and see the real stars some day,” Carla said.

“That was my wish too,” Martin said.

Carla put her arm around Martin.

“We’ll have a party on Mars!”

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Printed in the United States Cover to Cover Book 10 Illustrated by Debasish Sarma

COVER to COVER

About this book

The Cover to Cover series by Reading Partners was created for readers of all levels with a focus on instructional practices rooted in the science of reading. The stories include a commitment to diverse and affirming characters. Book 10 is for readers continuing to learn to read and spell words, moving into more advanced phonics and spelling patterns.

About Reading Partners

Reading Partners is a national early literacy nonprofit that partners with schools, community-based organizations, local volunteers, and families to provide individualized tutoring and other evidence-based literacy support for students who are striving to read at grade level. The Reading Partners team recognizes that learning to read is a civil right, and we promote educational equity within marginalized communities by helping students develop lifelong literacy skills and confidence to actualize their limitless potential. We envision a future where every reader has the skills they need to read a book from cover to cover and then reach for another!

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