02 Wonderful Winter

Elton hopped off the school bus,his cheerful yellow galoshes going clump-declump, clump-declump. The season's first snow made most kids cheerful. Elton's galoshes were cheerful, but Elton was not. He clump-declumped his way home with an unhappy look on his face.

“Elton, it's snowing, ” said his mother as he entered the house.

“I know, ”Elton replied in his grumpiest voice.“Tomorrow is Saturday, and there will be nothing to do.”

Elton loved to be outside during the summer. He loved swimming, hiking, and riding his bike. When the first snow of the winter came, Elton was always sad. He couldn't swim, hike, or ride his bike until spring.

Elton's mother knew he was unhappy. She tried to make him feel better with warm cookies. It only took him a few minutes to eat them all, and then his unhappy face returned.

“Why don't you do your homework? ”she suggested.

“I finished it at school, ” he answered.

“Okay, clean your room, ” she suggested. In fifteen minutes, Elton's room was clean and he was still wearing his unhappy face.For an outside boy,winter was a terrible time of year.

Just then the doorbell rang—it was Penelope, Elton's friend and next-door neighbor. “Elton, would you like to come outside and make a snowperson with me? ”Penelope asked. Elton wrinkled his nose. He didn't like snow and he didn't like winter.

“Yes, yes, Elton would like to go, ”his mother said. She bundled him up and sent him and his unhappy face outside with Penelope. Penelope and Elton made the largest snowperson anyone had never seen. Then they made the tiniest snowperson anyone had never seen.

At dinnertime, Elton came inside and his unhappy face was almost gone. But the next morning, it was back again.

“I don't like snow, and I don't like winter, ” said Elton. Elton's mother sighed.Just then the doorbell rang again—it was Penelope.

“Elton, would you like to go snowshoeing? ”asked Penelope, holding two pairs of snowshoes. Elton wrinkled his nose but said,“Sure, I guess so.”

Elton and Penelope strapped on the snowshoes and went stomping through the trees behind the house.

At lunchtime, Elton came inside without his unhappy face. He told his mom all about the adventures he and Penelope had had in the snow. Just then the doorbell rang—it was Penelope.

“Elton, would you like to go sledding? ”she said. This time Elton didn't wrinkle his nose.Instead he grabbed his coat and yelled to his mom, “I'll be home at dinnertime, with a happy face.”

Elton decided that he loved winter. He loved making snowpeople, going snowshoeing, and sledding. For an outside boy, winter was a terrific time of year.