My Brother, the PestElectronic book published by ipicturebooks.com24 W. 25th St. New York, NY 10011 www.ipicturebooks.comAll rights reserved. Copyright 1999 by The Millbrook Press, Inc.Real Kids Readers and the Real Kids Readers logo are trademarks of The Millbrook Press, Inc.No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. To Michal, the big sister: You gave me the ideas for this story. And to Naomi: Without you there would be no story at all. M. B.e-ISBN 1-58824-583-7 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication DataBernstein, Margery.My brother, the pest / Margery Bernstien ; photographs by Dorothy Handelman.p. cm. (Real kids readers. Level 2)Summary: A girl has a terrible time getting along with her little brother, who is a pest, but she comes to appreciate him when she needs a playmate to keep her company.ISBN 0-7613-2055-5 (lib. bdg.). ISBN 0-7613-2080-6 (pbk.) 1. Siblings Fiction. 2. Play Fiction. 3. Stories in rhyme. I. Handelman, Dorothy, ill. II. Title. III. Series. PZ8.3.B45854My 1999 Edc21My Brother, the PestBy Mergery BernsteinPhotographs by Dorothy HandelmanI had a big fight with my brother, the pest. He makes me so mad! Let me tell you the rest.4My life was just fine till that kid came. But heres what he did. He messed up my game.6He took my best markers. He took them all. He drew in my book. He drew on my wall!7If I did that, Mom would say it was bad. Id get a time-out, and Dad would be mad.But he has it easy because he is small. Mom only told him, “Dont draw on the wall.”8That pest always copies the things that I do. If I have some milk, then he wants some too.If I wear a red shirt when I go to bed, then he wants one too. “Red!” he yells. “Red!”12That kid is a brat. Its really not fair. He doesnt take turns, and he doesnt share.14He sits on Moms lap, and that is just fine. But when I want a turn, “No!” he yells. “Mine!”15If we get a treat from a store in the mall, I dont mind sharing. But he wants it all.16He gives me a pain. He bugs me a lot. He thinks he is cute. I think he is not.17What can I do now? I still want to play. But he messed up my game, so I put it away.I could call a friend, but Dads on the phone. Its no fun to play when youre all alone.18Oh, no! Its the pest! Who asked him in here? I want him to go. I dont want him near.I know what he wants. Its easy to see. He brings in his books and gives them to me.2021I say, “Go away!” I give him a look. But he does not go. He hands me a book.22I give a big groan. We sit on the floor. I read him the book. “More!” he says. “More!”23I read him more books, and then we play school. I am the teacher. Hey! This is cool!2425“Come on,” I tell him. “Lets play a new game. Just watch what I do. Then you do the same.”26He does what I do. We have lots of fun. We hop and we skip. We jump and we run.27I think its okay if he copies me now. I think hell take turns if I show him how.I think Id miss him if he went away. Im glad that hes here when I want to play.28You know, that kid is really not bad. He loves me a lot, and that makes me glad.Sometimes hes a pest. Sometimes hes okay. Hes always my brother. I guess he can stay.3031Phonic Guidelines Use the following guidelines to help your child read the words in My Brother, the Pest.Short Vowels When two consonants surround a vowel, the sound of the vowel is usually short. This means you pronounce a as in apple, e as in egg, i as in igloo, o as in octopus, and u as in umbrella. Short-vowel words in this story include: bad, bed, big, bugs, but, can, Dad, did, fun, get, had, has, him, his, hop, kid, lap, let, lot, mad, Mom, not, red, run, sit. Short-Vowel words with Consonant Blends When two or more different consonants are side by side, they usually blend to make a combined sound. In this story, short-vowel words with consonant blends include: asked, best, brat, brings, glad, hands, jump, just, milk, pest, rest, skip, went.Double Consonants When two identical consonants appear side by side, one of them is silent. In this story, double-consonants appear in the short-vowel words messed, miss, still, tell, till, yells, and in the all-family, the words all, call, mall, small, wall.R-Controlled Vowels When a vowel is followed by the letter r, its sound is changed by the r. In this story, words with r-controlled vowels include: more, shirt, store, turn.Long Vowel and Silent E If a word has a vowel and ends with an e, usually the vowel is long and the e is silent. Long vowels are pronounced the same way as their alphabet names. In this story, words with a long vowel and silent e include: came, cute, fine, game, life, makes, mine, same, take, time.Double Vowels When two vowels are side by side, usually the first vowel is long and the second vowel is silent. Double-v