Level: M

DRA: 28
Genre:
Realistic Fiction
Strategy:
Analyze/Evaluate
Skill:
Understanding Characters
Word Count: 966

3.1.3

HOUGHTON MIFFLIN
Online Leveled Books

ISBN-13: 978-0-547-01898-0
ISBN-10: 0-547-01898-3

1031764

H O UG H T O N M IF F L IN
 by Jane Bingley
illustrated by David Sheldon

Copyright © by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

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ISBN-13: 978-0-547-01898-0
ISBN-10: 0-547-01898-3
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 Molly

the Bears soccer team

The Bears had won, but Molly was thinking.

The soccer game was over. Molly’s

team was very happy. The team was called
the Bears. The Bears had just won the most
important game of the year.
2
 The Bears players jumped and screamed and
hugged. But Molly did not jump and scream.
Molly was thinking about something else.
The Bears were now the best soccer team in
their town. They had won every game.
Now they could play one more important
game. The game was the state championship
game in San Diego. The team that won that
game would be the best team in California!
Molly was happy, but she also knew there
was a problem. Ms. Mendez was the Bears’
coach. Ms. Mendez said the Bears might not
be able to afford to go on the trip. The Bears
needed money to pay for the trip to San Diego.
“We have to get the money,” Molly said to
herself. Molly started thinking about a plan to
raise, or get, the money.


 After the game, Molly went home in her
friend Ruthie’s car. Ruthie’s father was driving.
“I know what you are thinking about,” said
Ruthie. “You are trying to figure out how we can
get money to go to San Diego. How can children
like us earn money?”
“We need to ask people to help us,” said
Molly. “Have the team come to my house
tomorrow. We will make a plan.”

Ruthie

Molly talked to Ruthie

in the car.
4
 Molly’s mother
and father

The Bears went to Molly’s house to make a plan.

The next day, all the players on the Bears went

to Molly’s house. They sat in Molly’s backyard.
Molly’s mother and father gave everyone cold
drinks. They all talked about how to raise money
for the trip. They decided to ask sports stores in
their town to give them money.
5
 Molly and Ruthie went to Soccer Locker.
Molly’s mother went, too. Soccer Locker was a
store on their block, or street.
“Soccer players are good customers. They buy
their soccer shoes here,” said the man who owned
the store. “I want to give money to the Bears.”
“Great!” shouted Molly and Ruthie.
“BUT we already gave money to other people
for a big running race,” the man said. “I can’t help
you. I’m sorry!”

storeowner

The storeowner said he could not give money to the Bears.

6
 newspaper

telephone

Molly wanted to call people at the newspaper on

the telephone.

The other players couldn’t find stores to give

them money. All the stores in town were giving
money to the runners in the race.
“We can contact people at the newspaper,”
Molly said to her father. “They can write a story
about our team. Someone might read the story
and help us.”
“That’s a good idea,” said Dad.
7
 Molly picked up the telephone. She called a
writer at the newspaper. Her father talked to the
writer, too. The writer said she would write a story
about the Bears.
That afternoon, the writer came to Molly’s
house to talk to Molly and Ruthie. A man came
with a camera, too. He took a photograph of
Molly and Ruthie.

the writer

man with a camera

8
 Alyson

scissors

newspaper story

Alyson from the motorcycle store called Molly.

A few days later, the story about the Bears was

in the newspaper. Molly cut out the story with
scissors. Then the telephone rang.
“Hello, Molly,” said the person on the phone.
“My name is Alyson. I own the motorcycle store
here in town.”
“Hi, Alyson,” Molly said. “I know that store.
It’s called Alyson’s Motorcycles.”
“Yes. I just read the story about the Bears in
the newspaper. My store wants to help your team
go to San Diego!”
9
 Molly was excited. “You want to help us?”
she asked Alyson.
“Yes,” said Alyson. “I like your team! I have
an idea about how to help you.”
“What is your idea?” Molly asked.
“The workers in my store are working on a
big surprise for the team,” said Alyson. “I would
like you and your team to come to the store
tomorrow to see the surprise.”
“I don’t know if I can wait to see it!” said
Molly. “Thank you, Alyson!”

The next day, Coach Mendez and the team

went to the motorcycle store. Their mothers
and fathers went with them. They all saw
the surprise. The workers in the store were
painting a bus. They were painting the bus to
look like the Bears’ team shirts!

10
 bus

Alyson

Nick

Molly thought it was nice to meet Nick.

A woman with red hair came over and said

hello to Molly and the team.
“Molly, I’m Alyson,” she said. “Come meet the
people who work with me.”
“It’s very nice to meet you,” Molly said to one
of the workers. He was a big man with a beard on
his face. He said his name was Nick.
11
 “Do you like the bus?” Nick asked Molly.
“Yes!” said Molly. “Thank you, Nick. And
thank you, Alyson!”
Molly felt a smile spreading across her face.
The bus looked wonderful!

Seeing the wonderful bus made Molly smile.

12
 The Bears’ bus

motorcycles

Alyson and her workers rode their motorcycles while the

Bears rode in the bus.

The next Saturday, the Bears players got on

the bus. Then Coach Mendez started driving the
bus to San Diego. Many people from town waved
good-bye to them. Alyson, Nick, and the other
workers from the store rode their motorcycles.

13
 Molly and Ruthie were happy to ride to San Diego
in the special bus.

Molly could not stop smiling on the bus.

Ruthie was smiling, too.
The team did it. They figured out a way to
go to the big game in San Diego.
The Bears were riding in their own bus!
14
 Responding
TARGET SKILL Understanding
Characters What kind of person is Alyson?
Copy the chart below. Fill in story details
and your ideas about what Alyson is like.

Details My What I Think

About Alyson Experience
Alyson calls ? ?
Molly to offer
her help. ? ?
?
? ? ?

Write About It
Text to Self Many people helped Molly
solve her problem. Write a personal
narrative paragraph about a time when
people helped you solve a problem. Don’t
forget to describe your thoughts and
your feelings.

15
 TARGET VOCABULARY

afford earn
block figure
contacted raise
customers spreading

TARGET SKILL Understanding Characters

Tell why characters act as they do.

TARGET STRATEGY Analyze/Evaluate Think

about what you read. Then form an opinion
about it.

GENRE Realistic fiction is a story with events

that could happen in real life.

16
Level: M
DRA: 28
Genre:
Realistic Fiction
Strategy:
Analyze/Evaluate
Skill:
Understanding Characters
Word Count: 966

3.1.3

HOUGHTON MIFFLIN
Online Leveled Books

ISBN-13: 978-0-547-01898-0
ISBN-10: 0-547-01898-3

1031764

H O UG H T O N M IF F L IN