Potatoes On My Head 75l5e

Copyright © 2014 Diana Rountree.

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ISBN: 978-1-4808-1055-6 (sc) ISBN: 978-1-4808-1053-2 (hc) ISBN: 978-1-4808-1054-9 (e)

Archway Publishing rev. date: 9/10/2014

For Ashley, Amber, Tyler and Laila, who make each day extra special. For my mom and dad, who taught me to enjoy the little things in life. For my husband and sister, who have believed in me every step of the way. And for God, who has filled my life with so many blessings. I thank all of you and love you more than words can express. —D.R.

O ne day when we were eating, my mom said to me, “Laila, eat those potatoes before I count to three!”

I looked at those potatoes and what did I do instead? I poured those potatoes all over my head! My mom looked at me in disgust and said, “You get yourself up and go straight to your bed.”

I jumped from the table and with a big zoom, I ran down the hallway and into my room. When I got in my room, those potatoes began to grow and grow until they covered my room like a blanket of snow.

T he blanket said, “Hop on! We’ll go far, far away. We’ll have an adventure for the rest of the day.”

W e went out the window and searched far and wide In hopes of a crocodile to give us a ride. The crocodile we found was big and round. He gave us a ride without making a sound.

W e rode through some waters, all yucky and green. Now this was my jungle, and I was its queen!

O n the bank there were hippos, looking tired and bored. They fell fast asleep and they snored and they snored.

T here were millions of monkeys hanging high in the trees. Elephants were watching, ready to stampede. We darted behind bushes trying hard to flee, The blanket of snow, the crocodile and me.

W e came to a field that reached for miles and miles, With trees and animals of many shapes and styles. There were wildebeest running as if in a race, And a zebra with stripes from its tail to its face.

T he giraffes ate leaves from trees way up high. If those necks grew any longer, they’d soon touch the sky!

W e saw two little lion cubs all busy at play, And a flock of flamingos that went up, up and away.

I had just decided this was the place for me — A place to be wild, a place to be free!

T hen suddenly it happened. Our day turned to night. The jungle was frightening without any light! There were lots of wild creatures that we could not see. And loud, scary noises that scared even me!

I screamed at the blanket, my new found friend, “Don’t you think our adventure should come to an end?” We quickly agreed, as we looked all around, That home was much safer than this place we had found.

W e said to the crocodile, “It’s been fun, thank you, Sir. But home is the place that we both prefer.”

W e climbed on the crocodile and went on our way. Swimming through waters we had seen that day.

P icking up speed, we zoomed through the air. And before I knew it, I was back in my chair. I spooned up those potatoes as fast as fast could be. And I quickly swallowed, as my mom said, “Three!”

The End

Diana Rountree has a degree in elementary education from the University of Florida. She spent years in the classroom teaching. She has enjoyed writing and sharing stories with her friends and family. Today she lives with her husband in Green Cove Springs, Florida. She has three grown children and one granddaughter.