by
JAN LIS
Christopher had an idea. He was always filled with wonderful ideas, but this was absolutely the most colossally wonderful idea he ever had. He could hardly wait to run and tell his friends. “Come on Riley,” Christopher said to the German shepherd dog who was his very best friend in all the world. “Let’s go find everybody.” So Christopher and Riley ran all over the neighborhood until they found the gang at Chad’s house.
Christopher ran into Chad’s room where his friends were busy watching a video. “Listen up,” he said. “I’ve just had the most super colossally wonderful idea I have ever had in my whole entire life. You’re going to love it.”
The kids looked up from the movie and said, “What is it this time Christopher? Are we going to build another Chorebot-The-Robot like the one you tried to make out of your father’s old lawn mower.” “Well, it almost worked,” Christopher said. “Oh yeah,” said Chad, “I heard that instead of cleaning up your bedroom it shredded all your clothes lying on the floor.” “Look, all it needed was a few more minor adjustments,” Christopher said defensively.
The kids all laughed and returned to their film. “I mean it this time. I really have had the best idea ever,” Christopher 
pleaded. “We are going to put on a Christmas Pageant at Church this Christmas Eve.” The kids turned off the video, and Angelo asked, “What is a Christmas Pageant?”
Christopher could hardly contain himself. “It’s a kind of play telling the story of when Baby Jesus was born in Bethlehem. We learned about it in our Sunday School, remember? We’re going to make the sets, and props, and costumes, and write a script. We’ll learn our lines and put on the play for the whole town on Christmas Eve. Everyone will come and see Baby Jesus in the manger, and learn about the first Christmas.”
The gang looked at each other with puzzled expressions on their faces. Christopher had gotten them into many projects before but never anything as important as this. “ Are you sure we can we do it?” Becky asked. “It seems like such a big job.”
“Sure we can,” said Christopher excitedly. “We can do whatever we put our minds to. This isn’t too difficult. We can borrow stuff to make the props, and we can paint the scenery. We can get material from our moms to make the costumes, and we’ll all put our heads together and write a script so we will know what to say. We can do it, really we can.”
The kids thought it over. The more they thought about the Pageant the more excited they became until everyone finally agreed. “You’re right Chris, this is your best idea yet,” they all said.
Riley was so happy he began racing around the room jumping, and barking, and wagging his tail. It was as if he could hardly wait to get started.
Christopher noticed Alice standing in the corner looking sad. She was the only one in the room who was not excited about the Pageant. So Christopher asked, “You haven’t told us what you think, Alice. Don’t you like the idea of us kids putting on a Christmas Pageant?”
Alice said, “Oh, Christopher, I think it is a supremely superb idea, but you know I’m not very good with memorizing lines and things. If we have a 
play at school I always forget what to say.”
“Remember the Thanksgiving Play where we were Pilgrims and Indians, and I was the singing Pumpkin that forgot my pumpkin song. I was so embarrassed, I cried and the orange paint ran off my face. What am I going to do? I don’t want to be left out. I feel terrible.”
Alice’s face began to pucker up and a giant tear formed in the corner of one eye. “Don’t cry, don’t cry, Alice,” said Christopher. “We’ll think of something.”
The children sat down and thought and thought. Finally Christopher had another one of his wonderful ideas. He said, “Alice, you can be the Technical Assistance Coordinator, and see that all the work on the costumes and props, and script is finished on time.”
“Oh Christopher, that’s a great idea,” Alice said as she wiped her tear smudged face and smiled a big smile. “Now I can be a part of the Pageant. And I have an idea too. I have something very special for you to use in the Pageant.” The kids all looked at each other wondering what it could be.
Riley sat listening carefully as Alice said, “I’ll let you use my Lamby in the Pageant.” Ernest scratched his head and said, “Lamby? What’s a Lamby?” “Here,” said Alice with a big grin as she held up the stuffed lamb she carried with her everywhere she went. Before the kids could laugh at Alice’s idea, Christopher jumped to his feet and said, “Good thinking Alice. Just the kind of stuff we need for props.”
3000 Words
Flesch Reading Ease 81.9
Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level 4
writer of children's books 