Dodgeball, Drama, and Other Dilemmas

by Michele Jakubowski

  Gomez put his thumbs together and held up his pointer fingers. They made a “u” shape that looked like a goal post. Nathan put one corner of the paper triangle on the table and held it still using his finger. With his other hand, he flicked the triangle across the table and through Gomez’s hands.

  “Score!” Gomez shouted.

  “That is so cool!” I told them.

  “We’ve been having tournaments and keeping track of the winners,” Gomez said.

  He pulled out a notebook that had all the scores and winners listed in it. I can’t believe I had been missing out on all the fun for a dumb play!

  I watched as the other kids played. It was almost my turn when I saw Mrs. Dover race into our room.

  “Is Sidney Fletcher in here?” she asked Mr. Luther.

  “I’m right here,” I said.

  “Are you feeling all right?” Mrs. Dover asked.

  “Uh…I guess so,” I answered.

  “Thank goodness!” she said again. “Ben has come down with the flu and will be out for a few days. You’re going to have to take his place in the play. You are no longer the understudy. You are the lead!”

  My stomach flipped. Maybe I wasn’t feeling so well after all!

  It was the night of the play, and instead of being happy, I felt awful. Since Ben got sick, we had been practicing twice a day and after school. Sidney was doing really well, but I could tell he was nervous.

  I had been so busy practicing with Sidney that I hadn’t seen Harley and the other girls at all. I was still upset about what had happened in the hallway.

  I felt like the other girls didn’t understand how hard I was working. But I guess I didn’t have to be so mean about it. They were working really hard, too.

  My mom told me to apologize, but I wasn’t sure a simple apology would be enough. What a mess!

  I knew the rest of the cast was getting ready in the big room behind the stage. I could hear them talking and laughing.

  I was sitting in my own dressing room. I should have felt extra special, but instead I felt sad and lonely.

  I was checking my makeup in the mirror when I heard a voice behind me.

  “Knock, knock!”

  I turned around and saw Harley standing in the doorway. She was holding a bunch of flowers.

  “What are those for?” I asked.

  “To wish you good luck, silly!” Harley laughed. “I thought you knew all about the theater. My mom said it’s a tradition to give an actor flowers on opening night.”

  I knew that opening night meant the first night a play was performed. I hadn’t heard about the flowers part. I liked that tradition! It seemed so much nicer than telling someone to break a leg!

  “You are the best friend in the whole world!” I said. “I was so worried that you were mad at me.”

  “I was a little mad,” she said. “But I’m over it.”

  “I didn’t mean to be so rude to everyone,” I said. “I was just crabby and tired. I’m sorry.”

  “We were all crabby. I had no idea that being in a play was so much work!” Harley said.

  “It sure is,” I agreed. “Are the other girls still mad?”

  “A little, but nothing an apology won’t fix,” Harley said. “And maybe some ice cream after the show.”

  “That sounds perfect!” I said.

  Just then, Mrs. Dover knocked on the door. “Let’s go, girls,” she said. “It’s almost showtime!”

  Harley gave me a big hug. “Break a leg!” she said.

  “You, too,” I whispered back.

  “And remember, no matter what happens out there, I’m proud of you,” Mrs. Dover said.

  “Thanks,” I said.

  I was proud of me, too.

  The play went perfectly. Well, almost perfectly. I did forget a few lines, but it didn’t matter. The audience laughed and cried and cheered. And at the very end, they gave us a standing ovation.

  As we walked offstage at the end of the play, Sydney gave me a big hug. I don’t normally like to hug people, but I was so happy I hugged her back.

  “We did it!” she cheered.

  All of a sudden, we were surrounded by the rest of the kids from the play. We high-fived and congratulated each other.

  I saw Gomez as he walked through the crowd. When he got to me he said, “Good job! Can I get your autograph?”

  I smiled and said, “It’ll cost you five bucks.”

  “You were awesome!” Gomez said. “After I saw all the singing and dancing at the tryouts, I didn’t even want to come to this play. But it was really good! You and Sydney were great!”

  “Thanks,” I said. “I’m glad it’s over. I can’t wait to play paper football during recess.”

  Gomez shook his head and said, “We don’t play that anymore.”

  “What? Why not?” I asked.

  “It got kind of boring,” Gomez explained.

  “Oh,” I said. I was disappointed. Indoor recess had been fun while I was busy with the play. Now that I would be back in the classroom, recess was going to be boring again. Bummer.

  Gomez smiled and said, “Nathan and I talked to Mr. Luther and Mr. Panino. They said that since there are no gym classes during our recess, we could play dodgeball in the gym during indoor recess. Isn’t that cool?”

  “Excellent!” I said.

  Then I remembered something. “We have to make sure Sydney the dodgeball queen is on our team.”

  Just then, someone called my name. I turned around and saw my mom, Granny, and Grandpa heading my way.

  I could tell from halfway across the room that my mom was crying. My mom cries about the weirdest things. I even saw her cry once while watching a commercial for greeting cards. So weird!

  Granny gave me a big hug and kiss. I let her, because she’s my granny. Grandpa gave me a pat on the back and said, “Well done, son.”

  Then it was Mom’s turn. “Oh, Sidney,” she said, giving me a huge hug. “You worked so hard, and you did an amazing job! I’m so proud of you!”

  “Thanks,” I said.

  I was proud of me, too.

  I’m not sure if we’ll do another play together, but me and Sydney really do make an incredible team.

  Who knows what we’ll do together next?

  SCHOOL SUBJECT

  Sydney: Art. Definitely art. And gym, especially when we play dodgeball.

  Sidney: I guess recess. I mean lunch! Yep. I love lunch.

  SONG

  Sydney: I have so many favorite songs! Any song by Taylor Swift is awesome.

  Sidney: “We Are the Champions” by Queen. It was my dad’s favorite song, too.

  HOBBIES

  Sydney: Singing, dancing, playing soccer, and hanging out with my friends.

  Sidney: Playing basketball, playing piano (I bet you didn’t know that, huh?), and hanging out with my friends. Oh, yeah, and playing video games.

  COLOR

  Sydney: Purple, especially purple with glitter and sparkles!

  Sidney: Green. Just plain green.

  FOOD

  Sydney: Cereal and ice cream.

  Sidney: Pizza and ice cream.

  SEASON

  Sydney: Summer!

  Sidney: Summer!

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Raised in the Chicago suburb of Hoffman Estates, Michele Jakubowski has the teachers in her life to thank for her love of reading and writing. While writing has always been a passion for Michele, she believes it is the books she has read throughout the years, and the teachers who assigned them, that have made her the storyteller she is today. Michele lives in Powell, Ohio, with her husband, John, and their children, Jack and Mia.

  ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR

  Luisa Montalto followed a curved path to becoming an illustrator. She was first a dancer, then earned he
r doctorate degree in cinematography. She credits these experiences with giving her the energy and will to try harder. Finally, she went on to work with an independent comics magazine before becoming a professional illustrator in 2003.

  Sidney & Sydney is published by Picture Window Books

  A Capstone Imprint

  1710 Roe Crest Drive

  North Mankato, Minnesota 56003

  www.capstoneyoungreaders.com

  Copyright © 2015 by Picture Window Books

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission of the publisher.

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Jakubowski, Michele.

  Sidney & Sydney : dodgeball, drama, and other dilemmas / by Michele Jakubowski ; illustrated by Luisa Montalto.

  p. cm. -- (Sidney & Sydney ; bk. 2)

  Summary: Eight-year-olds Sydney (girl) and Sidney (boy) are neighbors, classmates, and usually friends, so working together on the school play should not be too difficult.

  ISBN 978-1-4048-8061-0 (library binding)

  ISBN 978-1-4795-2116-6 (paper over board)

  ISBN 978-1-4795-5652-6 (ebook)

  1. Friendship--Juvenile fiction. 2. Children’s plays--Juvenile fiction. 3. Elementary schools--Juvenile fiction. [1. Friendship--Fiction. 2. Theater--Fiction. 3. Elementary schools--Fiction. 4. Schools--Fiction.] I. Montalto, Luisa, ill. II. Title. III. Title: Sidney and Sydney. IV. Title: Dodgeball, drama, and other dilemmas.

  PZ7.J153556Shm 2013

  813.6--dc23

  2012049363

  Design: Kay Fraser