Ryers Readers - Memory Jars

Episode Date: September 14, 2022

Saving everything means Freda can’t enjoy anything. Freda learns that some things are best saved as memories.

Let's do this. Thank you so much for tuning into today's story. Don't forget to follow and rate so you never miss out on all the Ryer's Reader's fun. Before we get into the story, do you want to know a fun fact? Did you know, blueberries are a superfood? Blueberries are packed with so many vitamins and healthy nutrients that are really good for you. They are. are almost like magic and the perfect healthy snack. Pretty cool, huh? Okay, story time. Today, we have a super special Ryer's Reader's request from Thea. We will be reading Memory Jars by Vera Braskell.

I hope you enjoy this story, Thea. Let's do this. On a hot, sweet, sticky July day, Freda went blueberry picking with her grand. Deep among the bushes full of fat blue fruit, Freda ate as many as she picked. They tasted like sweet sunshine. They were the best right then,

and they'd never be better. She ate until her fingertips were purple, and her stomach felt like a giant blueberry. But still, there were so many left. I can't do this. I can't eat them all, moaned Freda. Calm down, French fry, said Grant. We could put them in a jar and save them.

I use them for my special jam every year. It was your grandpa's favorite recipe. Freda remembered her grandpa eating toast every morning with glossy purple jam on it, making sure it was spread all the whole. away to the crust so every last bite was sweet. Freda remembered her grandpa. So if we save the berries and jars, they'll be just as good? asked Freda. Yes, said Gran. The jars keep them preserved for a long time so we can eat blueberries in January if we'd like. Freda had an idea. She tried her

idea out on one of Grand's fresh chocolate chip cookies. It was very, very hard not to eat it. She put the cookie jar under her bed, said goodnight to Gran, and sort of slept. The next morning, she checked. And it had worked. The cookie would be warm and yummy forever. She had saved it. Freda wondered what else she could save. She was going to need a lot more jars. Freda saved all kinds of things. The warm cookie, Halloween candy, new stuffed animal, tag still on, unbroken robin's eggs, poppies, unscuffed sneakers, brand new crayons, and a rocket pop.

unmelted. Freda didn't want Jack, her best friend on the entire planet, to move to Arizona at the end of the month. Neither did he. And now he wouldn't. Mrs. Alexander's beautiful singing voice drifted over the neighborhood as it did every Saturday afternoon. Straight into one of Freda's jars where the song would live, safe, and never ending. The cloud that looked just like a unicorn would never be pushed back into a mushy nothing by the wind. The laser bright rainbow would never dim as the sun moved. The full moon, her favorite shape, would never fade away and leave the sky empty and dark, making Freda feel alone. She took the stars while she was at it. Finally, Freda's favorite things were tucked away.

in jars. Everything would be saved and safe. Just the same forever. Almost everything. Freda held out a jar towards her gran. Well, all right, French fry. Anything you'd like. The neighborhood was very quiet as Freda and Gran went home. All that saving had made Freda hungry. The toast was warm and crunchy, but it was missing something. Something sweet. She spread the jam all the way to the edges. It tasted like Freda remembered. On a cold, blustery day in December, Freda had breakfast with her gran. Whoops, we ran out of jam, said Grand. Don't worry, said Freda.

We can make more next summer. Then she took a bite. It was delicious. Just like she remembered. The... Don't forget to stick around to see if you can answer today's paying attention question.

Before you go, do you think you can answer today's paying attention question? What was the very first thing Freda tried to save in her jar. If your answer was a chocolate chip cookie, you did it! Great job! You sure were paying attention! I hope you enjoyed that story. I wonder what we're going to read next. Bye, Thea!