The great and powerful, p.4
The Great and Powerful, page 4
Emily looked at us, then around the room, and back at us again. “I…guess,” she replied.
First, I placed a large sheet of newspaper on Emily’s desk.
“Put your swollen foot on the desk,” Billy said.
Emily shot him an angry look but did as he said.
“Trust me,” Billy added. “I’m a wizard!”
He pulled out my glue bottle from the bin. Billy uncapped the lid and dipped a paintbrush in it. Smiling widely, Billy smeared the air cast from top to bottom with gobs of white glue. It looked all sticky and slimy.
“Eww, gross!” Emily cried.
Billy capped the glue and wiped the brush with a paper towel.
“NEXT!” he cried.
Claire and I stood on either side of Emily’s foot. Billy passed us a small container. In it, were silver beads, sequins, rhinestones, and fake diamonds that I got at a costume and magic shop.
The two of us started to apply the accessories onto the air cast. In a couple minutes, her footwear was unrecognizable. Studded with jewels, it looked more like Dorothy’s Silver Shoe than an air cast.
“But wait, there’s more!” Billy cried, pulling out a spray can and a bottle of glitter.
“And now for the finishing touches,” I said.
Claire sprayed the cast with aerosol adhesive. Then I sprinkled glitter all over our work of art. It sparkled and shimmered in the light as if it were made of magic.
Everyone in the class oohed and aahed.
“Ta-da!” I said holding up my arms.
Miss Callisto smiled and started clapping. The rest of the class followed.
“BRAVO, children!” she said to me, Billy, and Claire. “What an excellent and creative idea!”
Emily’s frown turned upside down.
“WOW!” She exclaimed, admiring our handiwork. She stood and showed off her new footwear. “I can’t believe it! It’s so cool. You guys—”
Then Emily caught herself and stopped. She bit her lower lip and looked at the floor.
“You guys are really nice,” she whispered.
Then she looked up at me with big sad eyes. “I’m really sorry for the way I treated you, Krystal,” Emily said. “I should not have been so mean. Only a real friend would do such a nice thing. Will you be my friend?”
I was surprised by Emily’s sudden change. All the bad energy between us washed away.
“Thank you for apologizing, Emily,” I said. “You did hurt my feelings a lot…but I forgive you. Of course I will be your friend!”
Emily gave me a hug.
“I think we can all learn a lesson from Krystal,” Miss Callisto said to the class. “A small act of kindness can make a big difference! Now, we have one last rehearsal before the big night tomorrow.”
“Let’s get this show on the road,” Emily said. “We are all going to be stars!”
“And as they say in show business,” I replied, “break a leg!”
The whole class laughed at my joke, but Emily laughed the hardest.
***
Finally, it was the night of the play. All our preparation and hard work was about to pay off. Miss Callisto’s fourth grade class was in costume and standing behind the scenes.
My unruly curls were wrapped up in my lucky green scarf and piled high atop my head. That way my pointy black hat could stay on without falling off. I was wearing a floor-length black costume dress with long sleeves. Tied around my neck was a sheer black cloak that dragged on the floor behind me.
I knew I was supposed to be ugly and evil, but I felt so fabulous!
I peeked around the curtain and saw that the auditorium was packed. Every student at Nikola Tesla Elementary School was there and they had brought their friends and families. What a turnout!
Nervously, I twisted the cape in my hands. There were butterflies in my stomach and I wished they would fly away.
I closed my eyes and tried to see the future, but suddenly Miss Callisto whispered, “It’s show time!”
And before I knew it, the rest of the night was a blur.
There were some very memorable moments.
First, Claire looked fabulous as Glinda. Her curly black hair and puffy white sequined gown shined under the spotlight. The rubies on her tiara twinkled like Christmas tree lights.
Billy looked dashing in his green suit as the Wizard of Oz.
When he yelled, “I am OZ the GREAT and POWERFUL!” his voiced boomed out over the crowd. It even frightened a few of the younger children.
Also, when Emily made her entrance as Dorothy, there was a loud round of applause. She even got some laughs because the audience thought her sparkly, silver air cast was cute and funny.
Smiling proudly, Emily turned to show off all the shimmering stones and glitter. She really did look like a star after all!
The greatest highlight of the night was my big moment at the end of the play. It was the moment when Dorothy defeats the Wicked Witch of the West and saves her friends.
Emily and I exchanged our lines and Emily reached for the bucket. Inside was an even bigger batch of blue glitter and confetti.
“You wicked creature!” Emily cried. “You have no right to take my shoes from me.”
She splashed me with the glittering mixture.
Whhooossshh!
“See what you have done,” I screamed. “In a minute, I shall melt away!”
And with that, I grabbed my cape and whirled and twirled in a circle near the edge of the stage.
The glitter and confetti lifted off my dress like a sparkling rain shower. It sprinkled the people sitting the front row. They all cheered with delight.
Quickly, I dropped to the ground, laying flat on my back, and pulled the cloak over my head.
Through the fabric of the cloak, I could see the audience jump to their feet. They started clapping wildly. I had gotten a standing ovation! I couldn’t believe it.
How wonderful, I thought. They like me. They really like me!
Then the curtain fell and I got back on my feet. Before I knew it, my classmates had surrounded me. Everyone was cheering, and high-fiving, and hugging each other.
“You did it!” Miss Callisto shouted over the applause. “Bravo!!”
A few minutes later, our parents came backstage to greet us. Mom and Dad brought me a big bouquet of roses. They smelled lovely.
“Congratulations, sweetheart,” Mom said.
“I knew you could do it,” Dad added.
My heart swelled with joy. “Thank you,” I said.
Billy, Claire, and Emily came over to my family. We congratulated each other on our great performances.
Emily said, “We are the biggest hit to ever happen at our school!”
“Are you sure?” Billy asked. “Your performance on the playground was a pretty big hit, too!”
Emily playfully elbowed Billy and said, “Yes it was. And I hope there’s never an encore.”
“Thanks to you,” Claire said putting her arm around me, “we saved the play and saved the day!”
Billy added, “Let’s hear it for Krystal Ball. She knows all and sees all!”
Emily, Claire, and Billy cheered. My cheeks felt hot and I blushed. Usually I’m very shy and quiet and don’t want to be the center of attention.
But this time, I earned it.
Puffing out my chest, I linked arms with my three friends. “I am Krystal Ball...the Great and Powerful!” I said, laughing. “With a little help from my friends, of course.”
Ruby Ann Phillips
Ruby Ann Phillips is the pseudonym of a New York Times bestselling author who lives in the Big Apple, in a neighborhood much like Krystal Ball’s.
Sernur Isik
Sernur Isik lives in magical Istanbul, Turkey. As a child, she loved drawing fairies and unicorns, as well as wonderful, imaginative scenes of her home country. Since graduating from the Fine Arts Faculty-Graphic Design of Ataturk University, Sernur has worked as a professional illustrator and artist for children’s books, mascot designs, and textile brands. She likes collecting designer toys, reading books, and traveling the world.
Horoscopes by Krystal Ball!
Astrologists believe a diagram of the position of stars and planets on a person’s birthday fortells the future. This diagram is divided into twelve groups called signs. Find your sign and Krystal’s prediction for your future!
ARIES (Mar 21–Apr 19)
Krystal says: “You love helping others. Soon, someone will need your help. But they might not always ask, so make sure to offer your helping hand!”
Lucky numbers: 9, 15, 33
Taurus (Apr 20–May 20)
Krystal says: “The outdoors are calling you lately! Pack a lunch and hit the trail, or take out a magnifying glass and get to know some bugs.”
Lucky numbers: 2, 18, 49
Gemini (May 21–Jun 21)
Krystal says: “Your family and friends know you love them, but it’s nice to be reminded once in a while! Make them something to show you care.”
Lucky numbers: 1, 24, 91
Cancer (Jun 22–Jul 22)
Krystal says: “Have you been bored lately, Cancer? Try out a new hobby and then share it with a friend!”
Lucky numbers: 6, 21, 75
Leo (Jul 23–Aug 22)
Krystal says: “Leo, you’ve been feeling creative these days. Channel your creativity into a cool project, like building a bird house or writing a story.”
Lucky numbers: 12, 53, 67
Virgo (Aug 23–Sep 22)
Krystal says: “Have you been feeling rushed lately by others around you? Take a second to relax and figure out exactly what YOU need.”
Lucky numbers: 14, 36, 42
Libra (Sep 23–Oct 22)
Krystal says: “There’s a great opportunity coming your way, Libra. Get ready to run with it, whatever it is!”
Lucky numbers: 4, 27, 83
Scorpio (Oct 23–Nov 21)
Krystal says: “You are always on the go, go, go! Take an hour or two and spend some time in peace and quiet.”
Lucky numbers: 3, 31, 62
Sagittarius (Nov 22–Dec 21)
Krystal says: “Your smile is a strength, Sagittarius. You never know what will happen when you flash those pearly whites!”
Lucky numbers: 19, 25, 64
Capricorn (Dec 22–Jan 19)
Krystal says: “Feeling chatty lately? Be sure to get out there and make some new friends!”
Lucky numbers: 15, 37, 80
Aquarius (Jan 20–Feb 18)
Krystal says: “You’re way ahead of the trends, Aquarius. Pick just one to master, whether it’s fashion, art, music, or sports.”
Lucky numbers: 7, 38, 95
Pisces (Feb 19–Mar 20)
Krystal says: “You give great advice, Pisces, but sometimes all a friend needs is a listening ear, so sit back and take it in!”
Lucky numbers: 20, 41, 73
Krystal’s Fortune Game!
Krystal Ball’s favorite game predicts the future 100% of the time, although it’s not always 100% accurate!
What you'll need:
Markers, crayons, or colored pencils
A square piece of paper
One or more friends!
1. First, fold your square piece of paper diagonally in half to make a triangle. Make sure there is a crease. Then, open it up again.
2. Fold the paper diagonally the opposite way to make a second triangle. When you open the paper up again, there should be two creases in the shape of an X.
3. Next, take one corner of your paper and fold it toward the center. Repeat with each corner of the square. All the corners should meet in the center of the square.
4. Flip over the paper so that the folded side is face down.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 to make a smaller square.
6. Keep the fortune teller folded side up and write the numbers 1-8 in each of the creased triangles. There should be only one number in each triangle.
7. Open each flap and write a fortune on the inside of each triangle. You should have two fortunes written inside each flap.
8. Close the flaps back up, and flip the fortune teller over. Now color each of the four squares a different color. Once you’ve colored them in, you’re ready to predict the future!
Discover more at
www.capstonekids.com
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Krystal Ball is published by
Picture Window Books,
a Capstone imprint
1710 Roe Crest Drive
North Mankato, Minnesota 56003
www.capstoneyoungreaders.com
Copyright © 2014 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.
Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on the Library of Congress website.
ISBN: 978-1-4795-2179-1 (library hardcover)
ISBN: 978-1-4795-3153-0 (paperback)
ISBN: 978-1-4795-5976-3 (ebook)
Summary: Krystal Ball's class is performing a play based on Krystal's favorite book. Will Krystal get the leading role, or will her fortune-telling talents lead her down the wrong road?
Ruby Ann Phillips, The Great and Powerful
