Poppy the People Pleaser
A free read-along sample.
Page 1
For every little heart that has ever tried to make everyone happy. May you always remember there's room for you, too.
Page 2
Poppy was a little monster with a great big heart. She had two bright green eyes, a flower in her hair, and three extraordinary tentacles! Those tentacles could stretch and twist, wiggle and curl. They could reach up high and down low. And Poppy knew exactly what she liked to do with them. HELP!
Page 3
One morning, Poppy visited her friend Bernadette. Bernadette was trying to brush her teeth. The tops were easy. The bottoms were tricky. And the ones way in the back? Nearly impossible! "Let me help!" said Poppy. One tentacle held the toothbrush. Another held the cup. And the third turned on the sink! Bernadette flashed her biggest, toothiest smile.
Page 4
Down the street, Mr. Munch was unloading supplies at his restaurant. Boxes were stacked high. Bags were piled higher. And Mr. Munch was buried somewhere in the middle! "Need a hand?" Poppy called. "Actually," Mr. Munch puffed, "I could use three!" Poppy giggled. Her tentacles scooped up the boxes and bags, and off they went!
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"You're amazing, Poppy!" said Mr. Munch. Poppy beamed. She loved making people happy. And she especially loved seeing them smile. On her way home, Poppy spotted Dr. Dimple painting his shutters. "Poppy! Could you reach that top corner?" "Of course!" she said. And up her tentacle stretched.
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A little farther down the road, twins Rose and Rue had lost their football in a tree. "Poppy! Can you get it?" "Sure!" She reached up and plucked it from the highest branch. "Want to play catch?" asked Rose. Poppy looked at her tentacles. They were beginning to ache. But the twins looked so excited. "Okay!" she said.
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Later, Poppy passed a little blue monster sitting on his front steps. It was Gladiolus, but everyone called him Glad. His enormous curls tumbled over his eyes. And his fluffy dog, Max, sat beside him. Max's leash had gotten tangled in Glad's curls! "Oh, Glad!" Poppy laughed. "Let me help!" But Glad noticed her drooping tentacle. "You look tired, Poppy."
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"Oh, I'm fine!" said Poppy. Glad tilted his head, sending curls over one eye. "Sometimes I say I'm fine when I'm not," he said. Poppy smiled. "Me too." Poppy decided to take a nice, quiet walk. Just a little time for herself. But she hadn't gone far when— "Poppy! I dropped my grandmother's ring down the drain!"
Page 9
"Poppy! I need help husking corn!" "Poppy! Could you change the lightbulbs in my chandelier?" Everywhere she turned, somebody needed something. And Poppy didn't want to disappoint anyone. First, she reached into the storm drain. She stretched... and stretched... and STRETCHED! Until she finally found the ring. Her tentacle ached, but her friend was smiling.
Page 10
Next, Poppy helped Farmer Bandit husk corn. She husked and husked and husked some more. By the time she finished, her tentacles felt like floppy noodles. And her tummy was rumbling. By late afternoon, Poppy's extraordinary tentacles didn't feel extraordinary at all. They drooped. They dragged. They flopped along the ground like wilted flowers. But Poppy still had one more person to help.
The end. Talk Cards for this book