Ryers Readers - Pencil

Episode Date: November 29, 2023

Jackson and Pencil loved having fun together, until Tablet showed up! Can Pencil find a way to win Jackson back?!

Let's do this! Thank you so much for tuning into today's story. Don't forget to rate and follow, so you never miss out on all the Ryer's Reader's fun. And if you're looking for even more fun, come join me on the Ryer's Reader's Patreon page, where you can find ad-free episodes, bonus content,

and even become a Ryer's Reader's celebrity. Before we get into the story, Do you want to know a fun fact? Did you know that sticky notes or post-its were originally invented to be reusable bookmarks? The scientists that worked on the weak glue then realized it would work great as a way to stick notes to other papers. Post-its started out yellow because yellow happened to be the only color in the lab at the time. Pretty cool, huh? Okay, story time.

Today, we are going to read Pencil, A Story with a Point by Anne Ingalls. Pencil and Jackson were best friends. They went everywhere together. They scribbled and sketched. They played mustache, airplane, and parade. They had loads of fun, until Tablet moved in.

Jackson was captivated by Tablet. Can you make movies? Tablet asked Pencil. Can you draw in color? Can you message Grandma in South Dakota? Hmm, it had been number one. Now he felt like number two. One day, when Jackson was playing with Tablet,

He dropped pencil on the floor. Bernie the dog picked him up and nearly chewed him to bits. Pencil was covered with teeth marks and drool, and then it happened. The final disgrace. Jackson tossed pencil into the junk drawer. It looked like pencil would live his life out with a jumble of junk. and forgotten. Everything in that drawer was blunt or broken.

Pencil couldn't see any point in going on. Move over, sniffed scissors. You don't measure up, said ruler. Pencil nearly lost his grip. Every time someone opened the drawer, Pencil pushed his way to the top, hoping to be chosen. Then, one day, it happened. Jasmine opened the drawer.

I wonder if there's any rubber bands in here. Oh, hey, I could use that old pencil. Cancell was free at last. Pencil traveled everywhere on Jasmine's head. Once in a while, Pencil and Jasmine sat with tablet. Just get along? Asked Pencil. Get lost.

You're not my type, said Tablet. The very next day. Smash! Bernie knocked the tablet on the floor! More game! A tear rolled down Jackson's cheek. Pencil was stumped. What can I do? He went back to the junk drawer for help. He tried on pencil-toppers with fuzzy hair, with glitz, with springs, with googly eyes. Nothing worked. A pencil with an eraser on each end is just pointless. But Pencil was sharp.

Pencil showed Jackson all the other cool things he could do. He could be a bookmark. He could be a backscratcher. He could be a tent pole for a really small tent. None of this worked either. Then Pencil had a new idea. He went back to the junk drawer to see if sticky notes would help. Pencil sketched his idea.

He'll get a real charge out of that, said Battery. I'd be delighted to help, said Flashlight. Before long, everyone pitched in. Pencil and his friends began to create a fancy flip book. Happy to hold things together, said paperclip and tape. Jackson picked up pencil and began to draw. You're a cut above the rest, said scissors. Our friendship is permanent, said Marker.

What would I do without all of you? asked Pencil. We stick together, said glue. I'll be drawing on your friendship, said Pencil. And after all, that really is the point. The end. 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?

Tablet on the floor. If your answer was, Bernie the dog, 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.