Text Leveling System

Flat Stanley and the Missing Pumpkins

RDQ:	371	Max Word/Sent	19	Total Words	703		Diff Words	319
Lex	590	Ave Word/.Sent	5	Hi Freq occurs	382	54.3%	Hi freq	129	40.4%
AR	2.4	Long Sentences	0	Low Freq occurs	21	3%	Low freq	14	4.4%

Stanley Lambchop lived
with his mother, his father,
and his little brother, Arthur.]]
Stanley was four feet tall,
about a foot wide,
and half an inch thick.
He had been flat ever since
a bulletin board fell on him.]]
Ow! Your flat elbow is so pointy!"
said Arthur.
Stanley and Arthur were squashed
backseat of the car.]]
"Sorry," Stanley said.
He folded himself up like a taco
so his elbow wouldn't poke Arthur.
"Better?" he asked.
"Better," said Arthur.]]
The boys were on their way to their cousin Billy's farm. 
"I envy you." Mrs. Lambchop said. "Two weeks of fresh air.
And the county fair."]]
"I can't wait to see Billy!"
said Arthur.
"And Aunt Sue and Uncle Bob,"
said Stanley.
Aunt Sue was always baking pies
to fatten him up.
"I'm flat, not skinny," he'd tell her.
It didn't seem to matter.]]
The Lambchops pulled up
to a big red farmhouse.
"BILLY!" yelled Arthur.
"ARTHUR!" yelled Billy.
They took off together.
"Don't get into trouble!"
Mrs. Lambchop called after them.]]
Stanley said good-bye to his parents.
Uncle Bob helped with the bags.
"Ready for some chores?"
Uncle Bob asked.
."You bet!" Stanley said.]]
Stanley loved doing farm chores.
He was good at it, too .
He could slide his flat hands
under the hens to collect their eggs. They didn't mind a bit!
Stanley could slip his flat body
between rows to get every ear of corn.
"Best picker around," said Uncle Bob.]]
And when Uncle Bob needed to unload
hay bales from his truck,
Stanley made the perfect ramp.]]
"You're mighty helpful, Stanley,"
Uncle Bob said one night at dinner.
"But you are still so thin!"
said Aunt Sue.
"Even with all my good cooking!
You MUST eat another slice of pie."]]
After dessert,
Stanley went with Uncle Bob
to fix a scarecrow
in the pumpkin patch.]]
"This scarecrow does a fine job
scaring off birds," Uncle Bob said.
,Too bad it can't scare off thieves.
Someone's been taking my pumpkins."
That's awful!" said Stanley.
And right before the county fair!]]
"Oh, I never show my pumpkins
at the fair," Uncle Bob said.
"Gosh, no! I just don't like
my pumpkins disappearing.
Hand me the nails, please?"]]
Stanley passed Uncle Bob some nails.
Uncle Bob fixed
the scarecrow's shoulder.
"I've tried standing guard at night,
but the thieves just wait
until I go home," he said.]]
Stanley looked at the scarecrow's
skinny wooden arm.
Then he looked at his own flat one.
"Uncle Bob, I have a plan."]]
That night the moon lit the sky.
Stanley stood still,
trying not to scratch.
It was hard, since his sleeves
and pants were stuffed with straw!]]
Stanley was about to give in
and scratch when he saw something.
Two flashlights bobbing in the dark!
"This way!" a voice whispered.
The lights grew closer.]]
Stanley held his breath.
Then someone bumped right into him!
"Ow! This scarecrow's elbow
is so pointy!" said the thief.]]
"Gotcha!" Stanley yelled.
Then he snatched the flashlight
and shone it in both thieves faces.]]
"WHAT on EARTH?" Stanley said.
"Arthur and Billy,
why are you stealing pumpkins?"
"It's a surprise for Uncle Bob,"
Arthur said.
"Some surprise!" said Stanley.]]
"No, really!" said Billy.
"The fair's tomorrow.
Dad's too shy to take his pumpkins,
but I know he could win a prize.
Arthur's helping me find good ones.
We're going to show them at the fair!"]]
Stanley couldn't help smiling. That really is a good surprise. How can I help?]]
Well, there's one thing you can do. said Arthur.]]
Uncle Bob found Stanley the next day.
"Did the thieves show up last night?"
"Oh, yes," said Stanley. "Come see."
"WHAT on EARTH?" Uncle Bob said.
The boys quickly explained the plan.]]
"Arthur and I will handle everything!
You can just watch," said Billy.
"What do you say, Dad?"
"Well, gosh," said Uncle Bob.
"It looks like my pumpkins
are going to the fair!"]]
That afternoon, they all celebrated Uncle Bob's first ever blue ribbon.
Uncle Bob couldn't stop grinning.
"This is so exciting. Thank you, boys!"]]
I know just the thing to do with this prizewinning pumpkin, said Aunt Sue.]]
Make a prizewinning pie! Stanley, you must eat another slice.]]

Subjective Criteria

Illustrations: Little support

Dialog: Multiple speakers

Sentences: Simple phrases

Text structure: Blend of written/oral

Features

Simple problem/solution

Topic

Mystery

Stealing

Farms

*Family & Friends

Low Frequency Words

bales	disappearing	fair's	gotcha	lambchops
picker	prizewinning	scarecrow	scarecrow's	scaring
shone	snatched	squashed	thieves