“Thank you!” I say. “I know a way you can all help some more. My friend Susie and I really want to help people and puppies, so if you could bring a can of people food or dog food to the next Little Dribbler game, you would make us real happy!”
I hand the microphone back. Susie runs up to me, and we hug. Then I show her the beauty queen wave, and we both turn and wave to the crowd nice and slow, and side to side. Everyone stands up, clapping and laughing and smiling. We are all happy.
At dinner, I tell my family all about my day. Daddy smiles when I finish my story. “You’re the queen of the hoop, Kylie Jean,” he says. “You did great today.”
Momma adds, “I am so proud of you for thinking about asking the folks to bring canned goods. You are pretty inside and out. Pretty is as pretty does!” Then she kisses me on my cheek.
T.J. tells me not to get too big for my britches, but then he smiles. He says, “You’re a pretty good kid, lil’ bit.”
After dinner, I cuddle with Ugly Brother in the big, cozy living room chair.
“Can you believe it?” I ask him. “We helped so many doggies today.”
He barks, “Ruff, ruff.” That means yes! Then he gives me lots of doggie kisses, because he is so proud of me.
Momma shouts, “Kylie Jean, get that dog off the furniture. You can tell him all about being the new queen of the hoop while he’s sittin’ on the floor.”
Ugly Brother and I are too busy celebrating. I don’t want him to get down.
“Oh, never mind,” Momma says. “I guess it’s okay for just tonight.”
I’m glad she doesn’t make him get down, because Ugly Brother and I are already thinking up a new plan for me to be a real true beauty queen!
Marci Bales Peschke was born in Indiana, grew up in Florida, and now lives in Texas with her husband, two children, and a feisty black and white cat named Phoebe. She loves reading and watching movies.
When Tuesday Mourning was a little girl, she knew she wanted to be an artist when she grew up. Now, she is an illustrator who lives in South Pasadena, CA. She especially loves illustrating books for kids and teenagers. When she isn’t illustrating, Tuesday loves spending time with her husband, who is an actor, and their two sons.
basket (BASS-kit), hoop (HOOP), rim (RIM)—words for the round, metal hole from which the net hangs in a basketball game
court (KORT)—the place where a game is played
dribble (DRIH-buhl)—to bounce a basketball using one hand
food bank (FOOD BANK)—a place where people can get food for free
foul (FOWL)—an unfair move
free throw (FREE THROH)—a chance at making one point given to someone who has been fouled
locker room (LOK-ur ROOM)—the place where players change into their uniforms
net (NET)—the rope basket that hangs from the rim of the hoop
pledge (PLEJ)—promise to give money
quarter (KWAR-tur)—one section of a basketball game; there are four in each game
record (REK-urd)—highest or best score
sponsor (SPON-sur)—someone who gives money or goods to another person in exchange for advertisement
tournament (TURN-uh-muhnt)—a competition of many different people
1. In this book, many people help Kylie Jean. Who do you think helps the most? Explain your answer.
2. What was the hardest thing Kylie Jean had to do in this book?
3. What do you think happens after this story ends?
1. Kylie Jean wasn’t very good at basketball at the beginning of this book. Write about a time that you tried something you weren’t good at. What happened?
2. Who is your favorite character in this story? Draw a picture of that person. Then write a list of five things you know about them.
3. T.J. helped Kylie Jean with free throws. Write about one of your siblings. If you don’t have any, write about your best friend. What is something that person does to help you? How do you help them?
From Momma’s Kitchen
This cake was the perfect way to celebrate being the Little Dribbler Queen! Momma and I made it together. Yum-o!
Love, Kylie Jean
HOOP QUEEN CAKE
Makes: 1 cake
YOU NEED:
1 box any flavor cake mix
1 can of vanilla frosting
1 tube of chocolate frosting
2 round cake pans
1 toothpick
1 grown-up helper
1. Bake the cake as directed on the box. (Follow the directions for two 10-inch pans.)
2. Let cool.
3. While the cakes cool, mix the vanilla frosting with the food coloring.
4. Once the cakes are cool, put a little frosting on one, and then place the other cake on top of it. (The frosting helps it stay put.)
5. Cover both cakes with the orange frosting.
6. Using the chocolate frosting, draw the basketball’s dark lines on top of the orange frosting and around the outside edge of the cake.
7. Serve and enjoy! Yum-o!
www.capstonekids.com
Kylie Jean is published by Picture Window Books
A Capstone Imprint
1710 Roe Crest Drive
North Mankato, Minnesota 56003
www.capstonepub.com
Copyright © 2011 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
Peschke, M. (Marci)
Hoop queen / by Marci Peschke ; illustrated by Tuesday Mourning.
p. cm. — (Kylie Jean)
ISBN 978-1-4048-5962-3 (library binding)
ISBN 978-1-4048-6617-1 (pbk.)
ISBN 978-1-4795-6050-9 (ebook)
[1. Basketball—Fiction. 2. Contests—Fiction. 3. Texas—Fiction.] I. Mourning, Tuesday, ill. II. Title.
PZ7.P441245Ho 2011
[Fic]—dc22 2010030654
Summary: Kylie Jean is usually good at everything she tries. So how come learning to play basketball is so hard?
Creative Director: Heather Kindseth
Graphic Designer: Emily Harris
Editor: Beth Brezenoff
Production Specialist: Michelle Biedscheid
Design Element Credit:
Shutterstock/blue67design