Text Leveling System

Junie B. Jones Toothless Wonder

RDQ:	742	Max Word/Sent	27	Total Words	3053		Diff Words	673
Lex	690	Ave Word/.Sent	6	Hi Freq occurs	2238	73.3%	Hi freq	294	43.7%
AR	3.2	Long Sentences	0.6	Low Freq occurs	82	2.7%	Low freq	48	7.1%

Prizes
Friday
Dear first grade journal,
Today we are having a speaker in room one. She is going to tell us all about recycling. Recycling is when you wash your trash. I believe. Mr Scary said to write in our journals till the speaker gets here. Only I don't even]]
feel like writing today. Because I have a loose tooth. That's why. And that thing is driving me crazy. Also every time I write in this journal I have to look up words in the dumb dictionary. Except sometimes Mr scary spells the words on the board for us. And then I have to cross out my mistakes. Plus also, I erase holes in my paper. Spelling is not a breeze. I tell you. That is all I feel like writing today. I am done with this thing. And I mean it. from Junie B first grader.]]
I put down my pencil. And I opened my
mouth. Then I reached in my finger and I
wiggled my tooth.
That thing has been loose for a very long
time. Only no matter how hard I
wiggle it, it still won't come out.
I pulled on it a teensy bit.
"Ow, that hurt! You dumb bunny
tooth!" I said.
May turned her head and looked at me.
May sits next to me in Room One.
She is not a pleasure.
"You shouldn't. say dumb bunny, Junie]]
Jones," she said. "Dumb bunny is not a
nice word."
I raised my eyebrows at her.
"Oh, really?" I said. "Well, thank you
for telling me that, dumb bunny May."
Just then, May's face got puffy and red.
"DON'T SAY THAT WORD, I TOLD
YOU!" she hollered.
My teacher stood up at his desk.
"Problem back there, girls?" he said.
"Yes, Mr. Scary!" said May. "There's
always a problem back here. And her name
is Junie Jones!"
I stamped my foot.
"B., May!" I said. "B., B., B., B., B. !
You're always forgetting my B.!"
Mr. Scary closed his eyes. "Please, girls.
Can't we just have one morning without
any spats?"]]
I looked surprised at that man.
"But I didn't even spat, Mr. Scary," I
said. "My mother doesn't let me spat. Not
even on the sidewalk."
After that, I went up to his desk. And I
smiled very cute.
"I have a loose tooth," I said. "Would
you like to see it, Mr. Scary? Huh? Would
you?"
I opened my mouth and wiggled it for
him.
"See it? See how loose it is? It is a loosey
goosey, isn't it?" I said.
He smiled. "Wow. It really is loose, Junie
B.," he said. "And it's a top tooth, too.
Losing a top tooth is the best."
I looked puzzled.
"It is? How come it's the best, Mr.
Scary?" I asked. "Is a top tooth funner than]]
a bottom tooth, do you mean? Because last
year I lost a bottom tooth. And I didn't
actually get a kick out of it."
My teacher did a chuckle. "Ah ... but
when you lose a top tooth, your smile looks
really cute, Junie B.," he said. "And when
your new tooth comes in, you'll start looking
like a big kid."
I did a gasp at that news.
"A big kid?" I said. "Really? I'm going
to look like a big kid?" .
Mr. Scary nodded. "Sure you are," he
said. "Here. I'll show you what I mean."
He looked around the room. "Class?
Does anyone in here have their big top
teeth yet? If so, please raise your hand," he
said.
All of the children looked and looked at
each other.]]
But no one raised their hand.
Mr. Scary was surprised.
"Really?" he said. "No kidding? No one
m our class has lost a top front tooth,
huh?"
He turned around and shook my hand.
"Well, congratulations, Junie B. Jones,"
he said. "It looks like you're going to be the
first person in Room One with a big top
tooth!"
I felt very thrilled. "Thank you!" I said.
Then I skipped back to my seat. And I
sat down real proud.
May did a huffy breath at me.
"Big deal. What's so special ~bout losing
a top tooth?" she said. "Everyone in our
whole room is going to lose their top teeth,
Junie Jones. It's not like you're the only one,
you know."]]
I did a huffy breath right back at her.
"Yes, May. I know I'm not the only
one," I said. "But I am the first one. And
the first one is the winner. So there. Ha ha
on you."
May crossed her arms. "Well, if you're
the winner, then where's your prize? Huh,
Junie Jones? I don't see a prize. Do you?"
I tapped my fingers kind of stumped.
Then I hurried back to my teacher's desk
again. And I patted him on the shoulder.
"Okay, here's the thing," I said. "The
children are wondering where's my prize for
being the tooth winner. And so how would
you like to handle this situation?"
Mr. Scary did not answer right away.
Finally, he shrugged. "Well, the truth is,
there aren't any prizes," he said. "I wasn't
exactly running a contest, you know."]]
"Yes, I know," I said. "But I bet you
could still come up with a little something
to make me happy."
I pointed at his desk drawer.
"I bet there's something in there,
probably," I said. "Teachers always have
good stuff in their desk drawers, right? And
so why don't we take a little look-see?"
Mr. Scary ran his fingers through his
hair.
Then at last, he opened his drawer.
"Whoa! Is that a stapler I see there?" I
said. "A stapler would be good, don't you
think? I could really pound that thing, I bet.
And so if you'll just hand It over, I will be
on my way."
Mr. Scary shook his head. "No, Junie
B.," he said. "No stapler,"
I looked some more.]]
"Hey! Hold the phone!" I said. "Is that
Tums I'm looking at?"
I leaned closer.
"Yes! Yes! It is Tums, Mr. Scary! You've
got Tums just like my grampa Miller! And
so I bet you suffer from gas and bloating.
Am I correct?"
Mr. Scary quick closed the drawer.
Then he went to the supply closet and he 
got out a piece of shiny silver paper. And he
scribbled a star.
He cut it out and pinned it on my shirt.
"There," he said. "That's your prize for
your tooth, okay? You get to wear a shiny
star for being the winner. Now please go
back to your seat."
I looked down at my star.
"Yeah, only I don't actually think this is
your best work," I said kind of quiet.]]
Mr. Scary pointed to my desk. He was
not having a good morning, I think.
I went back and sat down.
May sneaked a peek at my star.
I tried to act proud of it.
"Well, well, well. What do you
know ... a prize," I said.
May did a mad breath and quick turned
away.
I looked down at my star again.
This time it looked prettier, I think.]]
Uncle Lou
The speaker came at ten o'clock.
Her name was Miss Chris.
Miss Chris told us all about recycling.
Also, she showed us a movie.
It was called Dan, Dan the Soda Can.
It was very thrilling, I tell you. 'Cause
Dan, Dan the Soda Can lived in a soda
machine at a gas station. Then one day, a
lady bought him to drink. Only too bad for
Dan, Dan. 'Cause after the lady drank his
soda, she threw him right out her car window.
And Dan, Dan got his can all dented.]]
But hurray, hurray! A cop saw the lady
littering. And he gave her a big fat ticket!
Then a can man took Dan, Dan to a
recycling center. And the man got cash
money. Plus Dan, Dan got fixed up good as
new. And bingo! He turned into Dan, Dan
the Orange Juice Can!
It was a miracle, I tell you!
Room One clapped and clapped at that
happy ending.
Then Miss Chris passed around stickers
of Dan, Dan the Soda Can for us to stick
to our shirts. And the stickers said
RECYCLING MAKES CENTS. Ha! Get it?]]
Cents sounds like sense! And that is a good
one, I think!
After that, all of us went to lunch and
recess. And we were still in happy moods.
On the playground, Jose and Lennie and
Shirley asked to see my loose tooth. Then
pretty soon, the other children wanted to
see it, too.
And so finally, I stood them all in a row.
And I let them look real close.
After they looked, I walked down the
row. And I showed them how far I could
bend it.
Herb clapped and clapped.
Jose and Lennie whistled.
Sheldon tried to pick me up.
That is not a normal reaction, I think.
"You're going to look cool when it
finally comes out, Junie B.," said Herb.]]
"Si," said Jose. "You're going to look
really cool. Like a hockey player, I bet."
"Yeah," said Lennie. "Hockey players
almost never have any teeth."
"Neither do kick-boxers," said Shirley.
"Maybe you'll look like a kick-boxer,
Junie B."
Just then, Sheldon did a sigh. "I just
hope you don't look like my toothless uncle
Lou," he said. "My toothless uncle Lou
never brushed or flossed. And then all his
teeth fell out."
I made a sick face.
Sheldon shrugged. "Well, it's not like
he's totally toothless," he said. "He still
has one bottom tooth left. It's kind of
yellow. But it still can bite an apple."
After that, Sheldon walked away.
I watched him go.]]
Then I sat down in the grass.
And I tried and tried not to think of
toothless Uncle Lou.
After school, me and Herb rode the bus
home together.
We sit with each other every single day.
Except not on Saturdays or Sundays or
weekends.
Me and Herb talk about lots of stuff
on the bus. Only today I didn't feel like
talking, hardly. 'Cause I was still upset
about looking like Uncle you-know-who.
I slumped down in my seat very glum.
"What if I look like a weirdo?" I said.
"Huh, Herb? What if I look like toothless
Uncle Lou?"
Herbert patted me. "Don't worry. You
won't ... probably."]]
I kept on worrying.
"Yeah, only today is Friday, Herb," I
said. "And so by Monday my tooth will
already be out, I bet. And so what if I come
to school looking like toothless Uncle Lou?
And then all of Room One starts making
fun of me? And they form a circle around
me, and they laugh and skip and throw
fruit?"
Then, all of a sudden, I did a gasp.
'Cause an even worser problem popped in
my head.,
I grabbed Herb's shirt.
"Oh, no, Herb! Oh, no!" I said. "What
if I don't even look like myself on Monday!
Not even a tiny bit, I mean! And then I
get on this bus. And you don't even
recognize me. And so you pass right by
my seat. And then I have to sit by myself.]]
All alone ... and toothless."
Herb looked down at his shirt.
He said to please take my hands off of
him.
He smoothed himself out.
"Maybe you should look on the bright
side, Junie B.," he said. "Even if all of
that bad stuff happens-which it won't,
probably you'll still end up with a bunch 
of money from the tooth fairy. Right? And
that's good, isn't it?"
As soon as he said that, chill bumps
came on my skin. And my stomach got
flutterflies in it.
I quick looked out the window so Herb
couldn't see my face.
'Cause guess what?
The tooth fairy is a whole other can of
worms.]]
I  walked home from my bus stop very slow.
Walking is good for thinking, I think.
Talking is good for thinking, too.
"I just wish I wasn't the first one, that's
all," I said out loud to myself. "I wish the
other children in Room One were losing
their teeth, too. Then all of us would look
toothless together. And no one would throw
fruit."
I did a big breath at me.
"Yeah, only that is the dumbest thing
I ever heard of," I said. "'Cause you can't]]
make other children have loose teeth,
Junie B."
I rolled my eyes.
"Yeah, only I already know that, Junie
B.," I said. "But I really don't want to be
first: And so why can't my tooth just stay in
my mouth a little longer? That's what I
would like to know."
I crossed my arms at myself.
"'Cause you keep wiggling it, that's
why," I said. "Maybe if you didn't wiggle
it, it would get tight again. Did you ever
think of that? Huh? Did you?"
I walked and walked some more.
Then, all of a sudden, I did a gasp.
'Cause I did think of that! Ha!
I ran to my house speedy quick.
My grampa Frank Miller was babysitting
my fussy brother named Ollie.]]
"Grampa Miller! I know what to do
about my tooth! I know what to do about
my tooth!" I hollered real happy.
Grampa Miller was bouncing Ollie on
his lap.
Ollie was wearing his drool bib. Also, he
was slobbering and chewing on his arm.
Ollie will not be popular in school,
probably.
Mother says he is drooly and fussy
because he will be getting teeth soon.
She is kidding herself, I think.
Just then, Ollie started to cry.
Grampa Miller looked weary of that boy.
I took Ollie away from him.
"Don't worry, Grampa. I know how to
calm this baby down," I said.
After that, I patted Ollie's back very
nice.]]
Then I hummed real soft in his ear.
And I put him in the hall closet.
Grampa quick got him out of there.
He put Ollie in his playpen. And he gave
him animal crackers.
Animal crackers are crackers that make
babies stop crying.
Also, I enjoy an occasional cracker
myself.
After Ollie stopped fussing, Grampa
Miller came back in the kitchen. And he
put me on his lap.
"Okay, little girl. I'm ready to listen to
your news now," he said. "What were you
saying about your tooth? Did it get any
looser at school today?"
I clapped my hands together.
"That's what I was going to tell you
about, Grampa!" I said. '"Cause at school I]]
found out that I am the first person in
Room One to lose a top front tooth. And
so at first I felt proud about that news.
Only then I got nervous. On account of
who wants to look like toothless Uncle
Lou, that's why. And so then I had a long
talk with myself. And hurray, hurray! I
decided not to lose my tooth after all!"
My grampa raised his eyebrows at me.
"Really?" he said. "You're not going to
lose your tooth, huh? Do you really think
you can do that, honey?"
"Yes!" I said. "I know I can do it,
Grampa. 'Cause all I have to do is not
wiggle it anymore. And then it will get real
tight in my mouth again! I am sure of it!
I'm positive."
I reached in my mouth and touched my
tooth very light with my finger.]]
"Yup!" I said. "I can feel it! It's tighter
already!"
I opened my mouth and pointed. "See it,
Grampa? See how tight it's getting?"
Grampa Miller squinted his eyes. "Gee,
honey, I don't know," he said. "It still looks
pretty loose to me."
Then without even asking  he reached 
in my mouth. And he started to wiggle it.
"No!" I yelled. "No! No! No!"
I snapped my mouth shut.
"OW!" said my grampa.  
He quick pulled out his finger.
"OW!" I said right back.
'Cause I felt a pinch, that's why!
I poked all around with my tongue.
Something did not feel right in there.
My heart started to pound very fast.
I held my breath.]]
Then I opened my mouth kind of
sickish.
And I spit my tooth right into my hand.]]
Freako
I ran and ran all over the house.
"OH, NO!" I shouted. "OH, NO! OH,NO!
MY GRAMPA FRANK MILLER
KNOCKED MY TOOTH OUT! MY
GRAMPA FRANK MILLER KNOCKED
MY TOOTH OUT!"
Grampa ran after me.
"No, I didn't. Of course I didn't, Junie
B.," he said. "Your tooth came out when
you bit down on my finger."
I kept running and shouting.
"I LOOK LIKE UNCLE LOU! I LOOK]]
LIKE UNCLE LOU! HELP! HELP! HELP!
I LOOK LIKE UNCLE LOU!"
I zoomed to the front door and opened
it wide.
"911! 911! MY TOOTH'S KNOCKED
OUT! MY TOOTH'S KNOCKED OUT!"
Grampa quick picked me up and carried
me back inside.]]
Then he took me to the bathroom. And
he gave me a paper cup with water.
"Rinse and spit," he said.
I did what he said.
Only that's when the worstest thing of
all happened.
'Cause my spit water turned pink!
I did a gasp at that sight.
"BLOOD! BLOOD! THERE'S BLOOD
IN MY SPIT!" I hollered some more.
Grampa Miller covered his ears. "Please,
Junie B. Just stop the screeching."
After that, he took an aspirin. Plus also,
he ate two Tums.
I kept on rinsing and spitting.
Then finally, my spit water turned
regular.
"Whew," I said. "That was a close one.
I was almost out of blood."]]
Grampa bent down next to me and
smiled. "Well, let's have a look," he said.
I opened my mouth for him.
He looked in and did a chuckle.
Then he lifted me up to the mirror so I
could see, too .
I quick closed my mouth again. 'Cause I
was nervous to see myself, of course.
My tongue felt my tooth hole. It felt
very roomy in there.
"Well?" said Grampa Miller. "Aren't
you going to look, honey? It looks cute,
Junie B. It really does."
My heart pounded and pounded.
Then-fast as a wink-I opened my lips.
And I did a little peek at my mouth.
I quick closed my eyes again.
'Cause what do you know?
A freako.]]

Subjective Criteria

Illustrations: No support

Dialog: Multiple speakers

Dialog: Broken dialogue

Vocabulary: More decoding/definition issues

Language: Few descriptive words

Sentences: Multiple phrases

Text structure: Blend of written/oral

Table of Contents

Chapters

Features

Character traits

Clear cause/effect

Simple Plot

Topic

Teeth

Appearances

Fairies

*Human Body & Health

Recycling

Low Frequency Words

account	aspirin	bloating	boxers	congratulations
drawer	drawers	drooly	dumbest	flossed
flutterflies	freako	grampa	herb	herb's
hollered	journal	journals	lennie	littering
looser	miracle	occasional	playpen	pleasure
positive	prettier	recognize	recycling	rinse
rinsing	sheldon	shrugged	situation	slobbering
smoothed	spat	spats	squinted	stapler
stumped	teensy	toothless	tums	weary
whistled	worser	worstest