My Pops Is Tops!

Table of Contents

 

 

 

For Poppy Steve and Grandma G., my children’s grandparents—N.K.

 

For Andy—this Pops rocks!—J&W

GROSSET & DUNLAP
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Text copyright © 2007 by Nancy Krulik. Illustrations copyright © 2007 by John

and Wendy. All rights reserved. Published by Grosset & Dunlap, a division of
Penguin Young Readers Group, 345 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.
GROSSET & DUNLAP is a trademark of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
S.A.

Library of Congress Control Number: 2006101755

 

eISBN : 978-1-101-09863-9

“Whoa! Check out Mr. Guthrie!” George Brennan shouted.

Katie Carew swiveled around in her chair just in time to see her fourth-grade teacher running into the cafeteria. Her eyes opened wide with surprise.

Mr. G. was wearing a white sheet wrapped around him. A Christmas-type wreath was on his head, and he held a huge flashlight in one hand.

Just then a song began to blare through the cafeteria.

“Why is Mr. G. wearing a sheet?” Emma Weber wondered.

“Maybe it’s supposed to be a toga, like they wore in ancient Greece,” Jeremy Fox, one of Katie’s best friends, told Emma. “And I know that music. It’s from the Olympics.”

“Your teacher is so weird,” said Suzanne Lock, Katie’s other best friend. “Ms. Sweet would never wear anything like that.
She
has style.”

Mr. G. leaped on top of a cafeteria table and raised his flashlight even higher. When the music stopped, everyone grew quiet.

“I have come to announce the first annual Cherrydale Elementary School Family Olympics!” Mr. G. addressed the cafeteria in a loud voice. “Each class will be a different country. And this Sunday you and your parents will all be going for the gold!”

“What’s he talking about?” George asked his best friend, Kevin Camilleri.

Kevin shrugged. “I think he just said we have to come to school on Sunday.”

George frowned. “Oh, that’s bad.”

“The Olympics will take place on the back field. For every event you’re in, you’ll be teamed up with one of your parents. It’s going to be lots of fun . . . and there will be food and prizes, too!” Mr. G. added.

George smiled. “Oh, that’s
good
,” he said, changing his mind.

“After recess, you will find out what country you are representing.” Mr. G. smiled at the kids. “This is going to be a peaceful competition. Let the games begin!”

“Ooh, I hope our class gets France,” Suzanne said as she walked out to the school yard with some of the other girls. “That’s my favorite country.”

“Have you ever been there?” Miriam Chan asked her.

“Well, no,” Suzanne admitted. “But I’ve read a lot about it. I know it’s the fashion capital of the world. All the famous models work there.”

Katie had been to France on vacation with her family. “The food is very good there, too,” she told Suzanne.

Suzanne scowled. “But France is really known for fashion,” she insisted.

Katie rolled her eyes. Suzanne sure hated it when someone knew more about something than she did.

“What does fashion have to do with the Olympics?” Mandy Banks asked Suzanne. “The Olympics is about sports. I hope they have soccer. Did I tell you guys that my team came in second in the county last year?”

“Only about a million times,” Suzanne said.

Suddenly, Becky Stern took a running leap and did a flip in the air. “Maybe they’ll have a gymnastics event,” she said as she landed. “I’ll definitely bring home the gold if they do.”

Katie nodded. Becky was the best gymnast in the whole school. And Mandy was an awesome soccer player. They were both sure to do well on Sunday.

“Too bad modeling isn’t a sport,” Mandy told Suzanne.

Suzanne frowned but didn’t say anything.

Katie knew exactly how Suzanne felt. Katie wasn’t a great athlete, either. She and Suzanne were both on the school track team, but they weren’t super-fast runners or anything. When it came to sports, they were just average.

“Suzanne, maybe you can make up cheers for your team,” Katie suggested.

Right away Suzanne looked happier. “Yeah! Being a cheerleader is cooler, anyway. Better outfits.”

Mandy turned to Katie. “Maybe you’ll make a flag for our team to carry. You’re so good at art.”

Katie liked that idea.

“I bet we’ll have to do lots of research on our countries, too,” Becky said.

“We always have to learn stuff in this place,” Suzanne groaned.

“Well, it
is
school,” Katie reminded her.

Just then, Jeremy raced past the girls at top speed.

“He is so fast,” Becky gushed. “He’s the best runner in the whole fourth grade.”

Katie choked back a laugh. Becky had
such
a big crush on Jeremy.

“I’m glad he’s in our class,” Suzanne said. “He’s going to win a lot of medals.”

“We have good athletes in our class, too,” Mandy reminded her.

“Yeah,” Suzanne admitted. “But Jeremy’s the best. And we have Becky, too.”

Becky smiled. “Thank you, Suzanne,” she said, surprised.

Katie was surprised, too. Suzanne hardly ever gave anyone compliments—except herself, of course.

“Your class doesn’t stand a chance against ours,” Suzanne told Mandy, Katie, and Emma.

“Wanna bet?” Mandy argued. “We’re going to beat you guys, big time.”

Suzanne’s eyes got small and angry. “Don’t be so sure,” she warned.

Katie sighed. What was it Mr. G. had called the Olympics? A peaceful competition? It sure wasn’t starting out that way.

“Konnichi wa,”
Mr. G. said, bowing to each of the kids in class 4A as they entered the classroom.

“Konnichi
what
?” Kadeem Carter asked.

“Konnichi wa,”
Mr. G. repeated. “That’s how we say hello here in Japan.”

“Wow!” Katie exclaimed as she looked around the classroom. Paper lanterns hung from the ceiling. There was a bouquet of pink cherry-tree blossoms in a vase on the table. Japanese fans had been taped to the walls. Mr. G. must have spent all recess decorating.