Princess Posey and the Next-Door Dog by Stephanie Greene

CHAPTER TWO

    ANOTHER GREAT DAY
    â€œ G ood morning, Posey,” Miss Lee said. “You’re very cheerful this morning.”
    â€œSee my new kitty eraser?” said Posey.
    â€œIt’s very nice,” said Miss Lee. “Make sure you keep it in your cubby.”
    â€œI will.” Posey pulled a piece of paper out of her backpack. “Look what I made for you.”

    â€œAnother drawing?” Miss Lee shook her head. “I don’t know how you find time to sleep.”
    Posey laughed. She loved it when Miss Lee teased her.

    â€œIt’s a pink rainbow!” Miss Lee sounded amazed.
    â€œI used three different pinks,” Posey said.
    â€œI see that.” Miss Lee smiled. “I have never seen a rainbow like this before.”
    â€œIt’s the only one in the world,” said Posey.
    â€œIn that case, I think we need to hang it in our gallery, don’t you?” said Miss Lee.
    â€œOh, yes!”
    That was exactly what Posey had hoped Miss Lee was going to say. The Learners’ Gallery was where they hung special stories and drawings.

    Their class was called “Miss Lee’s Learners.”
    Learning was very important work.
    In first grade they learned new things all day long.
    How to spell new words. How to write stories. How to add numbers like two plus three.
    Posey was proud to be one of Miss Lee’s Learners. She was excited to have her drawing hang in the Learners’ Gallery, too.
    â€œThere. How’s that?” Miss Lee stood back to admire Posey’s picture.
    â€œBeautiful,” said Posey.
    She went to her cubby and put away her things. She looked around for Ava and Nikki. There they were, in front of the word wall! Posey saw Ava’s blond curls and Nikki’s black ones.
    â€œHi, Ava! Hi, Nikki!” Posey skipped over to them. “How do you like my new kitty eraser?”
    â€œI wish I had one,” said Nikki.
    â€œMaybe you can try mine tomorrow,” said Posey.
    â€œCan I try it, too?” Ava asked.
    â€œOkay.”
    The three friends hugged.
    It was going to be another great day in first grade.

CHAPTER THREE

    â€œWHOOSH!”
    G ramps picked up Posey after school. There was a bag of mulch in the back of his truck.
    â€œI bet today is gardening day,” Posey said.
    â€œHow did you get to be so smart?” said Gramps. “I promised your mom I would get her flower beds ready for winter.”
    â€œCan I help?” asked Posey.
    â€œI’m counting on it,” Gramps said.
    After Posey had her snack, she went to her room to put on her pink tutu. It was her favorite thing to wear.
    She never told anyone, but when she wore her pink tutu, she was Princess Posey, the Pink Princess.
    Princess Posey could go anywhere and do anything.
    Especially if she had her magic princess wand. Posey picked it up.
    She had made it herself with a stick and tinfoil.
    It had a star at the end, too.
    Posey waved it in the air as she ran outside. She was going to use it now to help the flowers grow.
    The yellow flowers were first.
    â€œWhoosh!” Princess Posey made her magic wand noise and waved it over the flowers. “I hereby command you to grow!” she said.
    â€œWhoosh!” Posey commanded the blue flowers.
    â€œWhoosh!” she told the white flowers.
    The pink roses were last. They were her favorite. She had helped Gramps plant them.
    â€œYou are the most beautifulest flowers in the whole garden,” she said. “Whoosh!”

    â€œHey!” Gramps called. He was kneeling on the grass beside a pile of mulch. “Where’s my best helper?”
    Posey ran over to him. “I was playing a game,” she said.
    â€œI figured as much.” Gramps held out his hand. “I wanted you to see this before it flew away.”
    A ladybug with four black dots was crawling in the palm of Gramps’s hand.
    â€œIt means good luck, doesn’t it?” said