The Star of the Week Read online

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Copyright Page

  This is Jack. Today Jack is feeling proud. This week, Jack was chosen as Star of the Week for Most Improved at Reading.

  As Star of the Week, Jack has been picked for a very special job.

  A famous soccer player is coming to visit Jack’s school this afternoon. His name is Tim Little.

  Jack is going to introduce Tim Little at assembly. He is so excited he feels like he might burst!

  Jack and Billie are sitting under the peppercorn tree in the playground.

  They are talking about Tim Little’s visit.

  ‘What if I trip up on stage?’ Jack worries. ‘Or mess up his name?’

  Billie giggles. ‘Imagine if you accidentally called him Little Tim,’ she says.

  Jack giggles too. ‘Or Lim Tittle!’

  The two of them squeal with laughter.

  ‘I’m so excited!’ Jack says.

  ‘Yeah. You’re so lucky,’ Billie says, smiling. ‘I wish I could meet Tim Little. He’s the best!’

  Just then the bell goes. Jack feels butterflies flutter in his tummy. There’s only a couple more hours until Tim Little is here!

  ‘I’ll meet you in the classroom,’ he tells Billie. ‘I’m just going to the bathroom.’

  Jack runs fast so he won’t be late for class. Someone is in there washing his hands. It is Aaron.

  ‘Hey, Aaron!’ Jack calls.

  Then he stops. Aaron’s eyes are red and puffy. Jack can see that he has been crying. ‘Are you OK?’ Jack asks.

  Aaron nods, but his mouth scrunches up tight.

  ‘What’s the matter?’ Jack asks.

  Aaron takes a big breath. His eyes fill with tears.

  ‘My dog died,’ he says in a whisper.

  ‘Oh no,’ says Jack. ‘That’s terrible!’

  ‘It happened last night,’ Aaron says. His bottom lip wibbles. ‘She was very old and sick. Mum says it was time for her to go. But I miss her so much.’

  Jack understands how Aaron feels. He loves his dog, Scraps.

  If Scraps died, Jack would feel awful. Poor Aaron!

  Jack puts his arm around Aaron’s shoulders. He feels all of Aaron’s sadness melt into him.

  He wishes he could think of something to cheer him up.

  ‘Would you like me to walk you back to class?’ Jack asks.

  Aaron nods. Jack is a bit worried about being late.

  But he decides this is an important thing to do. He hopes Ms Walton will understand.

  ‘Thanks, Jack,’ Aaron says. ‘I hope you won’t get into trouble for being late.’

  Jack shrugs. ‘That’s OK,’ he says. ‘I don’t mind.’

  They walk along the hallway together.

  ‘Good luck in assembly today,’ Aaron says.

  ‘You’re so lucky. I’d love to meet Tim Little. He’s awesome!’

  ‘Yeah,’ says Jack, proudly. Suddenly he has an idea. An awesome idea! He knows just what will cheer Aaron up.

  Jack pretends to look worried. ‘I’m a bit nervous,’ he says.

  ‘I like Tim Little. But I hate speaking at assembly.’

  ‘Really?’ says Aaron. ‘I don’t mind it.’

  Jack and Aaron arrive at Aaron’s classroom door.

  ‘Maybe you could do it instead of me,’ says Jack. ‘I’m sure Ms Walton won’t mind.’

  Aaron’s eyes grow very wide. A huge smile appears on his face.

  ‘Are you sure? Don’t you want to ask someone else, like Billie? Tim Little is her favourite soccer star!’

  ‘Nah,’ says Jack. ‘Billie speaks at assembly all the time. If you want to do it, then you should.’

  ‘Wow. Thanks, Jack!’ Aaron says, laughing. ‘You’re the best.’

  Jack grins. ‘I better go. Good luck at assembly this afternoon!’

  Jack runs down the corridor back to class. He feels a little sad that he won’t get to meet Tim Little after all. But he feels a lot happy that he was able to cheer up Aaron.

  It must be the worst thing in the world for your dog to die, he thinks.

  I’m sure I can meet someone famous another time.

  That afternoon, all the students gather in the hall. Everyone is very excited.

  It takes the principal, Mrs Singh, three goes to get them all to be quiet.

  Jack sits down next to Billie. She looks surprised.

  ‘Aren’t you supposed to be sitting near the stage?’ she says. ‘So you can go up to introduce Tim Little?’

  ‘Aaron is going to do it instead,’ Jack says.

  ‘You are crazy,’ Billie says. ‘It’s Tim Little! You might never get the chance to meet someone as famous as him again!’

  ‘That’s OK,’ Jack says, shrugging.

  But he feels a worm of worry wriggle in his tummy.

  Maybe Billie is right, he thinks. Maybe I shouldn’t have let Aaron do it after all…

  ‘OK, quiet down, please,’ Mrs Singh says into the microphone. ‘I know you are all excited to hear from Tim Little today.

  Aaron Peters is going to do the introduction.’

  Some kids twist around to look at Jack. They are confused. Everyone knows it was supposed to be Jack up there. He is Star of the Week, not Aaron. Jack pretends not to notice.

  Jack watches Aaron and Tim Little walk onto the stage together. Aaron has a huge grin on his face. He steps up to the microphone. Then he reads out the introduction that Jack wrote. His voice only wobbles a teensy bit.

  It is a good introduction.

  Tim Little shakes Aaron’s hand. Jack smiles.

  ‘Thanks, Aaron, for that great introduction,’ Tim Little says into the microphone.

  The whole school cheers loudly.

  ‘I am here today to talk to you about team spirit,’ Tim Little says. ‘Team spirit is about working well in a group. But it is also about being kind and generous to others.

  Before this assembly started, Aaron told me about someone who is very kind and generous.’

  Everybody in the hall starts to murmur and look around. Jack feels his cheeks get hot.

  ‘Aaron told me someone else had been chosen to introduce me today,’

  Tim Little says. ‘But Aaron’s dog died last night, so Aaron is very sad.

  This other boy knew that Aaron would feel a bit better if he got to meet me today.’ Tim Little smiles.

  ‘So this boy let Aaron do the introduction. I think this might be one of the kindest things I’ve ever heard anyone do.’

  ‘Wow!’ Billie says, smiling at Jack. She squeezes his hand. Jack feels his cheeks get even hotter.

  ‘So, I think it is only right that we have both students up on stage today, don’t you?’ Tim Little says. ‘Can everyone please put your hands together for the Star of the Week, Jack Lang!’

  Everyone in the hall cheers and claps even louder than before.

  Jack stands up. He feels his legs go wobbly.

  Everyone smiles at him as he makes his way to the front. Some kids even reach up to give him a high five as he passes.

  Jack is very careful not to fall up the steps. He is very careful not to trip over the microphone cord.

  Tim Little holds out a huge, strong hand for Jack to shake. Jack’s heart thumps loudly in his ears.

  ‘Thank you, Lim Tittle!’ Jack whispers. Then he realises his mistake. His mouth drops open in horror.

  Tim Little snorts with laughter. ‘No worries, Lack Jang.’ He winks.

  Aaron and Jack both burst into laughter too.

  Jack feels so happy. He made his friend feel better and met a famous soccer player. Being Star of the Week is the best!

  The Star of the Week

  published in 2015 by

  Hardie Grant Egmont

  Ground Floor, Building 1, 658 Church Street

  Richmond, Victoria 3121, Australia

  www.hardiegrantegmont.com.au

  This ebook is also available as a print edition in all good bookstores.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means without the prior permission of the publishers and copyright owner.

  A CiP record for this title is available from the National Library of Australia.

  eISBN 9781743583258

  Text copyright © 2015 Sally Rippin

  Illustration copyright © 2015 Stephanie Spartels

  Logo and design copyright © 2015 Hardie Grant Egmont

  Design by Stephanie Spartels

  We welcome feedback from our readers. All our ebooks are edited and proofread vigorously, but we know that mistakes sometimes get through. If you spot any errors, please email [email protected] so that we can fix them for your fellow ebook readers.

 

 

  Sally Rippin, The Star of the Week

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