by Kathy Sattem Rygg –
Max was so excited he was finally in kindergarten. He couldn’t wait to play with his friends at recess, eat lunch at school, and meet his new teacher.
“Good morning, class. My name is Miss Rosencrantz,” his teacher said.
Max scratched his head. That was a really long name. How was he going to remember it?
A little while later, Max had a question during class. He raised his hand.
“Yes, Max?” his teacher said.
“Miss Teacher, would you help me with this word?” he asked.
His teacher smiled sweetly. “Max, please don’t call me ‘Miss Teacher.’ I would like you to use my real name.”
Max’s stomach flip-flopped. He couldn’t remember her name! Was it Miss Rose plant? Miss Rain dance? Miss Frozen ants?
“I, uh, I forgot your name.” Max stared at his Spider-Man light-up shoes.
“I understand, Max. My name is Miss Rosencrantz. I’m sure you’ll remember it next time.”
The following day Max had another question for his teacher. He was about to raise his hand when he realized he had forgotten her name—again! He didn’t want her to know, so he didn’t ask his question. He wasn’t able to finish his counting sheet, either.
Max decided to ask his friends at recess. “What’s our teacher’s name?” he said. “I keep forgetting it.” Max and his friends stood at the top of the tornado slide.
Sam shrugged. “Beats me.”
“I just call her Miss R,” said Gabe.
Max’s shoulders drooped. Now what was he going to do?
After school Max went to Sam’s house to play. Later, as he walked home he saw his teacher in front of a pale yellow house. She was picking flowers in a rainbow of colors—pink, red, orange and lavender. Max stopped and waved to her.
“Hello, Max! Would you like to help me?”
Max nodded and jogged over. “You have so many flowers in your garden!” He knelt down beside his teacher next to a leafy green bush full of hot pink roses. Max inhaled the sweet scent surrounding him.
Suddenly, Max saw something leap out of the rose bush and run by him in a blur.
“What was that?” Max sprang to his feet. He saw the tiny creature jump onto his teacher’s lap. Then it hopped down her pants!
“Eeeeek!” His teacher wobbled, wiggled, jerked and jiggled. She twirled in a circle and waved her arms in the air. Finally, the animal jumped back out. Max tiptoed up to it.
“CROAK!”
It was a frog!
“Miss Rosencrantz, you had a frog in your pants!” Max giggled.
“Max, you remembered my name.” Miss Rosencrantz smiled.
Now Max had a way to remember his teacher’s name.
The next day Max told all his friends about the frog. During play time he told Emma. “Miss Rosencrantz had a frog in her pants!”
During lunch he told Sam. “Miss Rosencrantz had a frog in her pants!”
Then during reading time Max’s friend Gabe raised his hand.
“Yes, Gabe?” said Miss Rosencrantz.
“I heard you had a frog in your pants!” Gabe blurted. The entire class snickered. Miss Rosencrantz did not smile.
“Who told you that?” she said.
“Max did.”
Max slumped in his chair.
“I’m sorry, but that’s not true,” said Miss Rosencrantz. “I didn’t have a frog in my pants.”
Max’s mouth fell open. He was sure Miss Rosencrantz had a frog in her pants!
Miss Rosencrantz reached into the drawer of her large, metal desk and pulled out a brown shoe box. Everyone gathered around her. She carefully opened the lid.
“CROAK!”
The girls screamed and the boys cheered.
“Look! Miss Rosencrantz has a frog!” said Sam.
Max knew it was the frog from her rose garden. “But Miss Rosencrantz, you said you didn’t have a frog in your pants,” he said quietly.
“That’s because this isn’t a frog. Frogs are small, smooth and thin. See how this has brown spots and dry, rough skin? This is a toad. So you see, I didn’t have a frog in my pants.”
Max reached into the shoe box and gently scooped the toad into the palm of his hand. Its soft, plump body tickled his palm.
Max looked up at his teacher and grinned. “That’s right! Miss Rosencrantz had a toad in her pants!” he said. The entire class giggled, including Miss Rosencrantz.
the end.
Question time:
1. What did Max first call Miss Rosencrantz?
2. What was Max helping her with when the frog jumped down Miss Rosencrantz’s pants?
3. The next day at school, what did Max do?
4. What did Miss Rosencrantz bring in the shoebox?
