Froggy plays in the band 2017.02.18

Froggy Plays In The Band By Joahthan London Illustrated by Frank Remkiewicz At school one day, Froggy read a sign. It said…MARCHING BAND CONTEST BIG PRIZE! “Great!” said Froggy. “A band contest!” He flopped over to see Miss Martin, the music teacher --- flop flop flop. “What’s the big prize?” asked Froggy. “It’s a surprise!” she said. “If you and your friends start a marching band, and compete against other schools in the Apple Blossom Parade --- you can win the prize!” “What will I play?” wondered Froggy. Then he remembered his dad’s old sax. And after school, he flopped up to the attic --- flop flop flop --- and started blowing his dad’s horn --- honk! Bleep! Screeeeeech! FRROOGGYY! called his dad. “Wha-a-a-at?” “Quiet please! I’m on the phone!” “I’m on the phone, too,” cried Froggy. “The SAXophone!” --- honk! Next day, Froggy got his band together and they practiced in his yard. Max on drums --- ka-BOOM! Leah on triangle --- ting-a-ling! Emma on recorder --- tweedle-dee! And Hannah, her twin, on cymbals --- CLASH! “I want to join, too!” said Frogilina. “What do you play?” asked Froggy. “Nothing,” she said. “But I can do this.” And she twirled a baton, tossed it high into the air… and caught it behind her back! --- “Ta-da!” Every day after school, Froggy’s Ragtag Band marched around and around the playground --- Honk! Ka-BOOM! ting-a-ling! Tweedle-dee! CLASH! And every day, Miss Martin told them the rules for marching: “Don’t look left. Don’t look right. And DON’T STOP FOR ANYTHING!” “What if you have to go to the bathroom?” asked Froggy. “DON’T STOP FOR ANYTHING!” commanded Miss Martin. “Or everybody behind you will crash into you!” Three weeks left. Two weeks. One. Froggy practiced marching everywhere --- even in his sleep. At last, the big day came. The apple trees had burst into bloom, and the parade was ready to begin. Everybody was nervous --- especially Froggy. Miss Martin said, “Now remember: Don’t look left. Don’t look right. AND DON’T STOP FOR ANYTHING!” And the parade began. Behind the youngest, Froggy’s band marched in front, led by the majorette --- the one and only Frogilina. FRROOGGYY! called his father --- he was jumping up and down on the sidelines. But Froggy didn’t look. FRROOGGYY! called his mother --- she was aiming a camera. But Froggy didn’t look. Cameras flashed. Clowns threw candy. And still Froggy marched, looking straight ahead. Here came the judges’ stand. This was the big moment. Frogilina twirled her baton. She tossed it high into the air… and Froggy thought: Don’t look left. Don’t look right. And ---BONK! Her baton hit him on the head and knocked him down. “Oops!” cried Froggy, looking more red in the face than green. Oof! Clang! Crash! --- and the rest of the parade piled on. FRROOGGYY! called Miss Martin. “Wh-a-a-a-a-t?” came a muffled cry. “Are you all right?” Froggy crawled out from the bottom of the heap, and said, “DON’T STOP FOR ANYTHING!” and started to wail a wild swamp tune on his saxophone. The rest of his band joined in, and everybody danced in the street! And when the judges’ vote came in… Froggy’s Ragtag Band had won a special award: COOLEST MARCHING BAND AT THE APPLE BLOSSOM PARADE. “What’s the big prize?” asked Froggy. “This is!” said Frogilina. And she gave him a big juicy kiss smack on his cheek --- EEEEEEEEEK! Then the judges gave Froggy and his band the real prize --- a big golden trophy in the shape of a saxophone. “Yes!” cried Froggy. And Froggy’s Ragtag Band played one last time --- Honk! Ka-BOOM! ting-a-ling! Tweedle-dee! CLASH!