Every Monday, the children from Miss Nadia's class brought their blue library bags to school.
All except Golo.
The librarian had warned Golo that he could not borrow books till he had returned the ones he had borrowed last year. She had already sent two notes to his parents - one was a notice about the late books and the other was a refund note. But neither the books nor the money was sent to the library.
On Mondays, the children looked forward excitedly to borrowing books with lots of colourful pictures and nice stories.
All except Golo.
While his friends pointed at Elmer - the patchwork elephant, the very hungry caterpillar, and the fairies in the books, Golo simply looked on.
After they had chosen their books, the children made a neat line at the librarian's desk to have their books 'beeped' into the computer. The librarian let them cuddle the soft toys that dangled from her table.
"Can I take him home with me for one day?" asked Shanti as she held Elmer - the patchwork toy elephant.
The librarian smiled.
"Elmer goes home with me everyday" she said. "He has a little bed in my house where he likes to sleep" she added with a wink.
Golo sat on the cushions in the library and listened. How he wished he could take an Elmer book home!
He had nothing to do so he just hung his head low and waited to leave the library.
When the librarian had 'beeped' all their books, the children lined up at the door to go to their classroom. Each of them had a library bag in their hands. They were happy to take the books home to read with their parents and brothers and sisters.
All except poor Golo. He was very sad.
"I'm sorry, Golo. You cannot borrow any books this week" said the librarian as she waved goodbye to all the children.
Miss Nadia requested the librarian to send a 'strong' letter to Golo's parents. The librarian wrote a letter and put it in an important-looking envelope and gave it to Miss Nadia who put it in Golo's school bag.
The next day, Miss Nadia danced into the library and deposited some money on the librarian's desk.
"Oh, what a day! Golo brought the money to pay for his lost books!" she said breathlessly.
The librarian's eyes sparkled behind her spectacles.
"Wow... that is great news!" she exclaimed.
The next Monday, Golo proudly marched into the library with his blue library bag. He knew exactly where the Elmer books were kept. He smiled to himself as he chose two of them. Then, along with his friends, he stood in the line at the librarian's desk.
When his turn came, he put his books on the librarian's desk and waited.
The librarian smiled and said, "Golo, I am going to give you a little gift today."
She reached into one of the drawers of her table and found a bookmark.
It had the picture of Elmer - the patchwork elephant.
It said:
Return your books on time
Don't pay any fine.
The librarian gave the bookmark to Golo and reminded him to keep his library books in the blue bag after he had read them.
"Yes, I will do that" said Golo "Only thing is I have to find a way to keep them away from my Dad!"
All except Golo.
The librarian had warned Golo that he could not borrow books till he had returned the ones he had borrowed last year. She had already sent two notes to his parents - one was a notice about the late books and the other was a refund note. But neither the books nor the money was sent to the library.
On Mondays, the children looked forward excitedly to borrowing books with lots of colourful pictures and nice stories.
All except Golo.
While his friends pointed at Elmer - the patchwork elephant, the very hungry caterpillar, and the fairies in the books, Golo simply looked on.
After they had chosen their books, the children made a neat line at the librarian's desk to have their books 'beeped' into the computer. The librarian let them cuddle the soft toys that dangled from her table.
"Can I take him home with me for one day?" asked Shanti as she held Elmer - the patchwork toy elephant.
The librarian smiled.
"Elmer goes home with me everyday" she said. "He has a little bed in my house where he likes to sleep" she added with a wink.
Golo sat on the cushions in the library and listened. How he wished he could take an Elmer book home!
He had nothing to do so he just hung his head low and waited to leave the library.
When the librarian had 'beeped' all their books, the children lined up at the door to go to their classroom. Each of them had a library bag in their hands. They were happy to take the books home to read with their parents and brothers and sisters.
All except poor Golo. He was very sad.
"I'm sorry, Golo. You cannot borrow any books this week" said the librarian as she waved goodbye to all the children.
Miss Nadia requested the librarian to send a 'strong' letter to Golo's parents. The librarian wrote a letter and put it in an important-looking envelope and gave it to Miss Nadia who put it in Golo's school bag.
The next day, Miss Nadia danced into the library and deposited some money on the librarian's desk.
"Oh, what a day! Golo brought the money to pay for his lost books!" she said breathlessly.
The librarian's eyes sparkled behind her spectacles.
"Wow... that is great news!" she exclaimed.
The next Monday, Golo proudly marched into the library with his blue library bag. He knew exactly where the Elmer books were kept. He smiled to himself as he chose two of them. Then, along with his friends, he stood in the line at the librarian's desk.
When his turn came, he put his books on the librarian's desk and waited.
The librarian smiled and said, "Golo, I am going to give you a little gift today."
She reached into one of the drawers of her table and found a bookmark.
It had the picture of Elmer - the patchwork elephant.
It said:
Return your books on time
Don't pay any fine.
The librarian gave the bookmark to Golo and reminded him to keep his library books in the blue bag after he had read them.
"Yes, I will do that" said Golo "Only thing is I have to find a way to keep them away from my Dad!"
