Billie B Brown, Collection 1

by Sally Rippin

  ‘Why don’t you want me to do your hair?’

  Billie asks.‘I can make you look beautiful.’

  ‘No, thanks,’ Jack frowns.

  ‘Why not?’ asks Billie.

  ‘I am a great hairdresser.

  I can make anyone look beautiful. Long hair, short hair, boy, girl.’

  Jack scrunches up his face. ‘I don’t want to look beautiful, Billie. I want to look cool. Can’t we play something else?’

  ‘No, I want to play hairdressers,’ Billie says crossly. ‘If you don’t want to play with me you can go home.’

  Jack stares at Billie. Billie stares at Jack. Then Jack stands up and walks out of Billie’s bedroom.

  Billie looks out her bedroom window. She sees Jack walk outside into the garden.

  There is a hole in the fence between Jack’s house and Billie’s house. Jack squeezes through the hole and runs home.

  Billie feels very annoyed. She and Jack always play together! It was Billie’s turn to choose the game so she chose hairdressers. Jack didn’t even try to let Billie do his hair!

  Billie knows Jack will be back soon. They never stay mad at each other for long.

  Anyway, Billie doesn’t have time to worry about Jack now. She is a hairdresser, and she has lots of customers!

  Billie looks at her dolls. They all have long hair.

  ‘I don’t need Jack to play hairdressers,’ she says to them. ‘I have you. OK, who is next?’

  Billie picks up a doll. ‘Claudia! Look at your hair. It’s such a mess! I will fix it for you.’

  When Billie’s doll Claudia was new, she had lovely long hair. Now it is like a yellow bush. Long hair is very difficult to look after.

  You have to brush it a lot. This can be a little bit boring.

  Billie puts some clips in Claudia’s hair. ‘Mmm, that’s better,’ Billie says. Claudia looks beautiful.

  Next it is Tomoko’s turn. Tomoko has dark hair just like Billie’s. Tomoko’s hair used to be shiny and smooth, but one day Billie accidentally dropped some glue in it.

  Now one side is smooth and one side is knotted.

  Not to worry. Billie is such a good hairdresser that she can make any hair look great. She puts a sparkly clip into Tomoko’s hair. Yes, that’s much better!

  Billie’s last doll used to be called Barbara but now everyone calls her Stinky. Stinky used to have long ginger curls but now they are just a teensy bit green.

  Billie left Stinky down in the bottom of the garden for three whole weeks.

  Stinky is still beautiful but now she is a little bit mouldy and, well, a little bit stinky.

  Stinky looks very pretty with sparkly hairclips in her hair, doesn’t she?

  The dolls are very good customers. They sit very still and they don’t talk.

  Much better than Jack , Billie thinks.

  But soon Billie starts to get bored. Billie is a very good hairdresser, but real hairdressers don’t just put clips in hair.

  They don’t just brush and comb and smooth.

  Real hairdressers cut.

  Billie looks for her purple plastic scissors in her pencil case. Billie’s scissors are very good at cutting paper. She hopes they will be good at cutting hair, too.

  Billie puts Claudia on her special hairdressing seat. She tries to cut a little bit off the bottom of Claudia’s hair. But nothing happens.

  She tries Tomoko next, and then Stinky. But it’s no good.

  Billie’s plastic scissors are good for cutting paper, but terrible for cutting hair.

  Billie frowns. How can she be a hairdresser if she can’t even cut hair?

  Then, Billie has an idea.

  Billie goes into the bathroom. She opens up the drawer and sees a shiny pair of scissors.

  Billie is not allowed to touch the kitchen scissors.

  But these scissors are different , Billie decides. They are only little scissors. Perfect for giving little haircuts.

  Billie thinks she is probably allowed to use these.

  Billie picks up the little scissors.

  She hopes they will be better than her purple plastic ones. They look very sharp. She decides to test them out.

  Billie holds up one of her pigtails and gives a little snip.

  Oh yes, they are very sharp. Billie’s pigtail falls into the sink! It lies there looking like a little furry mouse.

  Oh dear. Billie looks in the mirror. Now she only has one pigtail.

  Billie doesn’t look beautiful at all. In fact, she looks silly! She can’t walk around with just one pigtail. Everyone will laugh at her!

  So Billie snips off the other pigtail. Now both sides look the same.

  Two little pigtails lie in the sink.

  Billie is amazed at how easily they came off. She wishes she could stick them back on again. Billie liked her two pigtails. Now she has none!

  Billie looks in the mirror. Tears roll down her cheeks. She wishes she had never found those horrible sharp scissors!

  She wishes she had her two little pigtails back! She stares at her funny haircut and tries to stop crying.

  Just then, Billie sees someone else in the mirror. It’s Jack!

  ‘Billie! What have you done?’ says Jack.

  His eyes are as big as tennis balls.‘You cut off your pigtails!’

  Billie covers her hair with her hands.‘Don’t tell Mum!’ she pleads. ‘I’m going to be in so much trouble!’

  ‘But what are you going to do?’ asks Jack. ‘You can’t hide your hair forever!’

  ‘I’ll wear a hat!’ says Billie.

  ‘Until it grows back.’

  ‘Don’t be silly,’ Jack says. ‘You have to tell your mum. She’ll know what to do.’

  Billie hangs her head. She knows Jack is right. She feels very nervous. But with Jack beside her, it’s not so bad.

  They walk into the kitchen to find Billie’s mum.

  Billie’s mum is sitting at the table reading the paper. She looks up as Billie and Jack come into the room. ‘Oh, Billie!’ she gasps. ‘What have you done?’

  Billie scrunches up her face. She covers her eyes with her hands. Then she starts to cry.

  ‘I was playing hairdressers,’ she sobs.

  Billie’s mum stands up and pulls Billie into a hug. ‘My silly Billie,’ she sighs. She ruffles Billie’s funny hair.

  ‘You’re not cross?’ Billie asks. She looks up at her mum with wet eyes.

  ‘Well, yes, a little bit,’ Billie’s mum frowns. ‘You know you’re not allowed to play with scissors!’

  ‘I know,’ says Billie glumly. ‘I’m sorry.’

  But then Billie’s mum gives a small smile.‘Do you know what?’ she says.

  ‘When I was a little girl I did exactly the same thing.’ She gives Billie a squeeze.

  ‘Really?’ Billie asks, amazed. ‘You cut off your pigtails?’

  ‘Yep. Except I looked much worse than you,’ Billie’s mum laughs.

  ‘My hair was sticking up everywhere! You’ve still got plenty of hair left. But it looks like we’ll have to take you to a real hairdresser, hey?’

  ‘I miss my pigtails,’ Billie sighs.

  ‘Don’t worry,’ Billie’s mum says.

  ‘Glenda will give you a great haircut. She can make anyone look beautiful!’

  ‘Can she do cool haircuts, too?’ Jack asks.

  ‘You bet,’ says Billie’s mum.

  ‘Great!’ says Jack.

  ‘Then I’ll ask mum if I can get one, too.’

  ‘Let’s go, then,’ says Billie’s mum.

  Billie hugs her mum. Jack was right , she thinks. Mum did know what to do .

  Billie B Brown has one sun hat, one water bottle and fourteen clipboards. Do you want to know what the B in Billie B Brown stands for?

  Bossy.

  Billie B Brown can sometimes be just a teensy bit bossy. Like today, for example. Billie and her class are going on an excursion. They are going to the zoo.

  Do you know why Billie is carryi
ng so many clipboards?

  Ms Walton has asked Billie to be her extra-special helper.

  Billie is helping Ms Walton carry all the clipboards for their excursion. Usually Ella and Tracey get to be Ms Walton’s helpers, but today Ms Walton has chosen Billie.

  Billie feels very proud. She gets to sit next to Ms Walton on the bus.

  ‘You will have to help me make sure nobody gets lost today, Billie,’ Ms Walton says.‘It’s a very important job.’

  ‘Of course,’ says Billie.

  ‘OK, now, not so much noise, please!’ Ms Walton calls out to the boys at the back of the bus.

  Billie turns around to look. The boys at the back are making a lot of noise. Billie waves to Jack. Jack is Billie’s best friend. They have been best friends since they were babies.

  Usually Billie and Jack sit together.

  But today Billie is being Ms Walton’s extra-special helper, so Jack is sitting with the other boys at the back of the bus.

  The boys are laughing and Sam is singing a loud song.

  ‘Billie,’ Ms Walton says, ‘can you please go and ask the boys to keep it down a bit?’

  Billie walks to the back of the bus.

  ‘You boys are making too much noise!’ she says.

  ‘Who says?’ asks Sam.

  ‘Yeah, who says?’ asks Benny.

  Benny is Sam’s best friend.

  ‘Ms Walton,’ says Billie. ‘She told me to tell you to keep it down.’

  Benny looks at Jack. Sam looks at Jack.

  Jack shrugs.‘Sorry, Billie,’ he says.‘We’ll try to be quieter.’

  ‘Good!’ says Billie, and she marches back to the front of the bus.

  ‘Thank you, Billie,’ Ms Walton says.

  Billie beams. She likes being an extra-special helper.

  When they get to the zoo, Ms Walton tells the class to form two lines. One line is in front of Ms Walton, and the other line is in front of Billie. Ms Walton and Billie hand out the clipboards.

  ‘Now, hold on to your clipboards, please,’ says Ms Walton. ‘I want them all back at the end of the day.’

  ‘Don’t lose the clipboards,’ Billie says, handing them out to Benny, Sam and Jack.

  Jack frowns.‘I won’t!’ he says.

  ‘I’m just saying, that’s all,’ says Billie, walking down the line.

  ‘Now, everyone stay together,’ Ms Walton says. ‘I don’t want to lose anyone, OK?’

  ‘OK!’ everyone in Billie’s class shouts.

  They are all very excited. A day at the zoo is much more fun than school!

  ‘Great!’ says Ms Walton.

  ‘First we are going to look at the reptiles. I want you to put the animals you see today into two groups: warm-blooded and cold-blooded, OK?’

  Benny puts up his hand. ‘What’s warm-blooded and cold-blooded?’

  Ms Walton sighs.‘Benny, we have been learning about this all term!’

  ‘Don’t worry, Ms Walton,’ Billie says.‘I’ll help Benny.’

  Benny frowns.‘No, thanks,’ he says.‘You are already helping Ms Walton. Jack can help me.’

  ‘Sure!’ says Jack.

  Jack swings his arm over Benny’s shoulder.‘It’s easy. Look.’

  Billie watches Benny and Jack talking together. She feels a teensy bit jealous.

  Usually Jack is her partner in class. But then Ms Walton asks Billie to help her hand out pencils and Billie feels important again.

  ‘Billie, I need you to walk at the end of the line to make sure no-one gets left behind,’ says Ms Walton.

  Billie scrunches up her forehead. She doesn’t want to walk at the end of the line. She wants to walk in the middle of the line with Jack. Or up the front with Ms Walton.

  But Ms Walton has asked Billie to be her extra-special helper today, so Billie nods.

  ‘Um, OK,’ says Billie.

  ‘Thank you,’ says Ms Walton.‘It’s very important no-one gets lost. The zoo is a very big place!’

  The class walk in two lines to the reptile house. Billie walks at the end of the two lines to make sure nobody gets lost. She has a very important job to do!

  They look at the lizards and tortoises and crocodiles. Billie knows that these animals are all cold-blooded. They have studied this in class. She writes them down on her list.

  Next, they go to look at the monkeys. The monkeys are Billie’s favourite. Billie especially loves the baby chimpanzees. They are so cheeky! Billie puts monkeys under the warm-blooded heading. Too easy!

  Billie looks up from her clipboard.

  Sam, Benny and Jack are pulling silly faces at the monkeys. Billie thinks they look very funny. They look like monkeys themselves! She giggles.

  But then Ms Walton looks over.‘Come on, boys!’ she calls.‘You’re holding up the line!’

  Billie marches over to the boys. She had almost forgotten her important job. She has to make sure no-one gets left behind!

  ‘Hurry up!’ she says. ‘Come on! Everyone’s waiting!’

  ‘You are very bossy today, Billie!’ says Jack.

  Billie looks at Jack. He is not making a silly monkey face anymore. He is not even making a happy Jack face.

  He is making a very cross face. And he is making that cross face at Billie!

  Billie feels all jumbled up inside. She wants Jack to be happy with her.

  Jack is her best friend.

  But she wants Ms Walton to be happy with her, too. She is Ms Walton’s extra-special helper. Billie doesn’t want to let her down.

  Billie frowns.‘I’m not bossy. I just have to make sure no-one gets lost!’ she says.

  She walks behind the boys to the back of the line. If Jack is cross with her then she is cross with him, too!

  The class walks out of the monkey area and along the path to their next stop. They look at the lions and tigers and the long-necked giraffes.

  Then they walk through the steamy butterfly room.

  Billie writes down all the animals on her sheet of paper. She knows all the answers.

  Soon they come to the sea creatures. They go into a dark tunnel under the water.

  Billie stands in front of the glass and watches the dolphins.

  They duck and weave and chatter. Billie thinks they are wonderful.

  A baby dolphin swims next to his mother, bobbing his head up and down. Billie waves and the baby dolphin opens his mouth into a big smile.

  Hmmm , Billie wonders.

  Are dolphins warm-blooded or cold-blooded?

  Billie can’t remember. Do baby dolphins come out of eggs? She isn’t sure.

  Billie has an idea.

  She will ask Jack for help.

  Every time Billie is stuck on a question in class, Jack helps her. If Jack gets stuck,Billie helps him. That’s what best friends do.

  Billie looks around for Jack. But Jack is nowhere to be seen. In fact, the whole class has gone! Billie has been left behind!

  Billie runs out of the tunnel. She looks to the left. Nobody! She looks to the right. Nobody! Billie is lost! She feels like she is going to cry.

  Suddenly, from around the corner, a face appears. The face has freckles and a big goofy smile. Do you know who it is?

  That’s right, it’s Jack! He has come back for Billie. She has never been so happy to see him.

  ‘Come on, Billie,’ he jokes.

  ‘You’re holding everyone up!’

  Billie blushes.‘Sorry for being so bossy before,’ she says.‘Thanks for coming back.’

  ‘That’s OK,’ says Jack, holding Billie’s hand. ‘I know you were just trying to help Ms Walton.’

  ‘I was so worried about everyone else getting lost that I got lost myself!’ says Billie.

  ‘Lucky I noticed that you were gone,’ says Jack.

  Billie feels lucky to have such a good friend. Then she has an idea. ‘Hey, will you walk at the back with me?’

  ‘Sure,’ says Jack, smiling. Then suddenly, he frowns.‘Oh no!’ he says.

  ‘What?’
asks Billie. She is worried he may have changed his mind.

  Maybe he doesn’t want to walk with her anymore?

  ‘Your clipboard! Where is it?’ Jack says.

  ‘Oh, I must have left it near the dolphins!’ Billie gasps. ‘I am not a very good helper today, am I?’ she says. ‘I think I need my own extra-special helper!’

  Jack laughs. ‘Come on. Let’s go and get your clipboard before we are both lost!’he says.

  ‘You are very bossy today, Jack,’ says Billie. But she is smiling.

  They both run back into the tunnel to find the clipboard.

  Then they run as fast as they can to join the end of the line again.

  And do you know what? They are so fast that nobody even notices they were gone!

  Billie B Brown has one mixing bowl, one packet of sultanas and one sticky spoon in her hand. Do you want to know what the B in Billie B Brown is for?

  Bursting.

  Billie B Brown is bursting with excitement. Do you know why Billie is so excited? Because tomorrow is Christmas!

  Billie and Jack are making gingerbread biscuits. Jack is Billie’s best friend. He lives next door.

  Jack has come over to help Billie and her dad make the biscuits.

  The biscuits are different shapes and sizes. They are going to be Christmas presents. If Billie and Jack can stop eating them!

  Billie and Jack are so excited that they are being just a teensy bit silly.

  ‘This one’s for Grandma, and this one’s for me!’ Billie says. She pops a biscuit in her mouth.

  Jack laughs.‘This one’s for Uncle Pete, and this one’s for…’

  ‘Kids!’ says Billie’s dad. ‘Are you icing those biscuits or eating them?’ He takes another tray of biscuits out of the oven.

  ‘Both!’ giggles Billie.

  Billie’s mum walks into the kitchen. She has two big bags of shopping.