Joanie Clarkson
My Rotten Redheaded Older Brother is written and illustrated by Patricia Polacco and read by Melissa Gilbert. Tricia can't stand her rotten redheaded older brother Richie, who can do everything better than she can. So when her grandmother tells her a wish made on a shooting star will come true, she knows exactly what to wish for-- to be able to do something, anything, better than Richie.
Transcript
Hi there. Welcome to Screen Actors Guild Foundation book paths. I am Melissa Gilbert and I am the president of Screen Actors Guild, But more importantly, I am the mother of my key and decoder and the stepmother of Sam and Lee. And one of our favorite things to do is to read. So it is going to be my pleasure to read to you today this book, my rotten, red-headed older brother, by Patricia palazzo. Here we go. My brother and her mother and I all lived with my grandparents on their farm in Union City, Michigan. Now, my Bush got my grandmother, knew lots of things. She knew just how to tell a good story. She knew how to make ordinary things magical. And she knew how to make the best chocolate cake in Michigan. After she told my brother and me a grand tale from her homeland, we'd always ask, Buddy, Is that true? She'd answer. Of course it's true, but it may not the VAP and then she'd laugh. Now, I knew that she loved me. All right. I couldn't quite understand how she could even like my older brother Richard, he had orange hair that was like a wire. He was covered in freckles and looked like a weasel with glasses. The one thing that my buddy didn't seem to know was how perfectly awful my brother really was. Mind you. He was always nice whenever she was around us. But as soon as she'd leave, he would do something terrible to me. Laugh. There were so many things that I couldn't stand about him. The worst was that he was always telling me he just about everything better than I. But I can pick more Blackberries then you can adhere to me one day. Can't count, so cannot can be whispered. Not I said louder. He whispered so low that I can hardly hear him. Not my screen back. We both picked berries for most of the afternoon. Well, he upped and did it. He not only pick more berries than I, he set a record that wasn't even challenge. Next 10 years. You make me sick, Richard Barber, I yelled at him. Smile that smile that only a rotten red-headed older brother smile. I guess. We'd have to face it. He could run the fastest, climbed the highest, lonely, sit, the longest, getting the dirtiest burden. And the farthest had no equal, certainly not me. And I'm four years older than you, always have been and always will be sneered. They did something. Some thing I could do that he couldn't plan and inspired thought, comforted me like a fresh breeze on a hot summer day. 0 Ricci ICU does I stood next to the rhubarb Bush's. Like rhubarb. Know, he said it's the SAR stuff on this planet. Now I knew at long last that I had bet I can eat more of this raw rhubarb then you can without getting the packers like challenged? I don't think so. I do. I don't he said narrowing his eyes. I do. I insisted. Don't smug do. I said curiously is I grab the first stock and started chewing it almost down to the leaf. When I couldn't get one more sour bite into my mouth. He was still eating with relish. I thought you said you don't like rhubarb. I said through pursed lips. I don't like it. I love it. Announced easy pop the last dock and knew his mouth was so mad. I couldn't even feel. My belly was starting ache. I can't stand you Richard barber, double dog, can't stay in NYC. I went into the house to be consumed by my grandma. Yeah. And I'm four years older than you to you a little tour. Always have been and always will be called after me. They laugh that rotten red-headed older brother, a laugh. That night at dinner I could hardly eat. Have you been eating angry apples again, child Bobby asked because she sliced me a huge wedge of rhubarb pie. I bake. Your favorite. Richard gave me one of his extra run misaligned green tooth grins. At bedtime. Bobby came and sat on the edge of my bed like she did every night. Look a falling star. She said, We watched it streak across the sky. Then she spit twice between your fingers and gave her chest allowed slab. Why did you do that, Bobby, I ask I was making a wish. Didn't do know that wishes on falling stars come true? I knew how I was going to get back and my brother for the longest time, I watched the dark sky until I saw a star shoot across the night. Then I split between my two fingers and slap my chest. Done. My wish was to do something anything better than my brother. I show him the next morning, all I could think about was my wish. I was thinking about it's so hard, I almost didn't notice the wagons and trucks pulling into the field down the road near four corners, a traveling carnival and my brother shouted as he ran toward me. They're setting up right here in our field. Bet I could eat more hot dogs and you can teased. He was already starting it. This time. I was going to do something so incredible. Even he would have to sit up and take notice. I had a start which I show my rotten, red-headed older brother. All right. That night, I ran straight for the merry-go-round. We must have taken 50 turns on that carousel within my brother got off ice data on. I went around and around and around. I knew I could do this longer than you. I shouted to my brother feeling proud. That just a bit dizzy, please. Yeah. I heard my Bobby call out from that thing. The last thing I remembered was stepping off from the platform. Next thing I knew, I woke up with Bobby sitting on the edge of my bed. Mom and grandpa were there too. He gave us all a fright. Mama said, How do you feel? What happened? I asked, you fell. My rotten red headed older brother announced with the biggest grin on his face. I don't know what we would have done. My Bobbi said softly, your brother carried you all the way home and then he had to run to get Dr. Lee. You add that stitches. I watched at all. He said excitedly, you fell off the merry-go-round ride into some pop bottles. My grandpa did. You even passed out my brother chert. Looks like yep. Finally did something special. It was from that exact moment that our relationship changed somehow. Thanks Ritchie. I said to him, What's a big brother for anyway? He said, blushing. We were all out in the yard on hot Michigan nights. It was my family's custom to sleep outside where it was cool. Look at those stars. Bobby sit quietly. Wishes are funny, aren't they? I said, sometimes they come true differently than you think they will. That's why you have to be very careful what you wish for. It just may come through. Bobbi said, then she squeezed both of our hands. Hang onto the grass. She whispered, light bulb, I better ask because if we don't, we might float up to the stars. Then she leaned over and kissed us both three times. I kiss your eyes and I hold both of your hearts in my good keeping. And this night, I thank God that I walked this earth with both of you. Then we all just lay on our blankets in the gentle summer night. I'll always be four years older than you though. My brother was pretty softly. They smiled. All of us held one another's hands and then drifted off the end. Well, I hope you enjoyed that as much as I enjoyed reading it to you. And thank you so much for joining me here for SAG foundation book pounds back. (As provided by SchoolTube video transcript.)
Standards Alignment
Suggested Grade Level: 2-3
The standards listed below are for the 2nd and 3rd grades but can easily be modified for other grades.
CCSS.SL.2.1, CCSS.SL.3.1, CCSS.SL.2.2, CCSS.SL.2.2, CCSS.RL.3.9, CCSS.RL.2.1, CCSS.RL.3.1, CCSS.W.2.1, CCSS.W.3.1
View the activity guide here: rottenredheadedolderbro...
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