It's Not About the Turkey

It's Not About the Turkey

It's Not About the Turkey
Reading Level

	edHelper's suggested reading level:	grades 4 to 5
	Flesch-Kincaid grade level:	4.45

Vocabulary

	challenging words:		appreciative, basting, breadcrumb, commentator, decibel, defect, drawn-out, hider, jerking, testing, warm-hearted, spills, buffet, array, crowd, prayer
	content words:		Aunt Marie, Aunt Alice, Grandma Dorothy, Uncle Harvey

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It's Not About the Turkey
By Brenda B. Covert

¹     A noisy crowd had descended upon Kevin's Grandparents' house. Every other Thanksgiving was like a family reunion, complete with aunts, uncles, cousins, and a few friends of the family who weren't even related! Grandma's bed was piled high with coats, jackets, and purses. There was a line to the only bathroom in the house. The kitchen was packed wall-to-wall with women cooking, stirring, arranging, and talking. The buffet held an array of salads - gelatin, fruit, pasta, and green; vegetables - potatoes, sweet potatoes with marshmallows, green beans, baked beans, carrots, and corn; several baskets of rolls; and meats such as ham and chicken. Aunt Marie was basting the turkey, Aunt Alice was testing the homemade breadcrumb dressing, and Grandma Dorothy was filling glasses with ice. The others were laying out silverware, napkins, and plates or mopping up spills.

²     Most of the men were in the living room watching football on TV, but they were being so boisterous that no one could hear the sports commentator. Grandpa was trying to hurry the kids out of the bathroom, telling them to run outside to play.

³     "But don't get dirty!" he called after them, "or your Grandma will tan my hide!"

⁴     Kevin would have liked to go outside with his other cousins, but Rocky had been hanging all over him, giggling and talking. Kevin needed to stay inside with Rocky.

⁵     Rocky's real name was Rodney. He was eight years old, but he acted like he was four. He had been born with a birth defect that made him different from other children his age. That didn't matter to Kevin, though. Rocky was a happy boy who lavished love and attention on his favorite cousin.

⁶     "Hide and seek! Hide and seek!" Rocky chanted, jerking Kevin's arm.

⁷     "Okay, we'll play hide and seek," Kevin said. "You hide, and I'll count to ten."

⁸     Giggling, Rocky ran for the bedroom. He was going to hide under the bed. How did Kevin know? He knew, because that was the only place that Rocky ever hid!

⁹     "Ready or not, here I come!" Kevin called. Then he headed for the bathroom. "Is he in the bathtub? No, he's not in the bathtub! Is he in the potty? No, he's not in the potty! Where could Rocky be?" Kevin loudly asked. He could hear laughter coming from the bedroom.

Paragraphs 10 to 20:
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