by
JAN LIS
Jack had a very favorite T-shirt. It was blue with four big stars across the front. Jack wore his favorite shirt everywhere. Mother was forever saying, “Jack, take that shirt off so I can wash it.”
Eventually, Jack’s favorite blue star shirt became all worn and faded. His big sister Evelyn said, “Throw that smelly old shirt out. You can hardly see the stars anymore.” But Jack loved his favorite shirt as much as when it was new.
Jack lived in a comfortable home with his mother and father, his big sister Evelyn, and Mitzi. Mitzi was a little fluffy white dog that loved Jack and followed him everywhere. She slept at the foot of his bed, and sat next to his chair while he was eating. Jack’s hamster and turtles were pets, but Mitzi was one of the family.
Lately Mitzi had gotten a little fat and lazy. She followed Jack around the house a little bit slower than usual. Jack had to lift her onto his bed at night because she had gotten too fat to jump up.
One Saturday, Father said they were going to spend the day at Grandma’s. Mother said to Jack, “Don’t even think of wearing that old blue shirt today. Now take it off and put on the new shirt I just bought you.” So Jack went to his room and took off his favorite blue star shirt, dropping it on the floor in the middle of his room as he knew he was not supposed to.
He put on his new shirt, and everyone got in the car. They waved to Mitzi who was sitting at the front window wagging her tail, and drove off to Grandma’s to spend the day.
The next morning when Jack woke up, his blue star shirt was not on the floor where he had left it. He looked all over his bedroom, but he could not find it.
Jack went to the kitchen where Mother was fixing breakfast. “Have you seen my blue star shirt,” he asked. “No Dear,” his mother answered.
He ran into the den where Father was reading the Sunday paper. “Have you seen my favorite shirt?” “No, son”, father answered over his newspaper.
Jack went to Evelyn’s room, “Do you have my shirt?” “No,” answered Evelyn. “I wouldn’t touch that stinky old thing.”
Jack went back to his room and sat on the edge of his bed. “I want my shirt!” He called out in his loudest voice.
810 Words
Flesch Reading Ease 86.7
Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level 4.0
writer of children's books 