Wonderful Winter

Wonderful Winter

Elton hopped off the school bus, his cheerful yellow galoshes going clump-declump, clump-declump. The season's first snow made most kids cheerful. Elton's galoshes were cheerful, but Elton was not. He clump-declumped his way home with an unhappy look on his face.

" Elton, it's snowing, " said his mother as he entered the house. " I know, " Elton replied in his grumpiest voice. “ Tomorrow is Saturday, and there will be nothing to do. " Elton loved to be outside during the summer. He loved swimming, hiking, and riding his bike. When the first snow of the winter came, Elton was always sad. He couldn't swim, hike, or ride his bike until spring.

Elton's mother knew he was unhappy. She tried to make him feel better with warm cookies. It only took him a few minutes to eat them all, and then his unhappy face returned.

“ Why don't you do your homework?" she suggested. " I finished it at school, " he answered. " Okay, clean your room, " she suggested. In fifteen minutes, Elton's room was clean and he was still wearing his unhappy face. For an outside boy, winter was a terrible time of year.

Just then the doorbell rang--it was Penelope, Elton's friend and next-door neighbor. “ Elton, would you like to come outside and make a snowperson with me?" Penelope asked. Elton wrinkled his nose. He didn't like snow, and he didn't like winter.