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Today, we're reading the Berenstain bears and the trouble with friends. Written by Stan and Jan Berenstain.

Story Start

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Sister and brother bear who lived with their mama and Papa in the big tree house, down a sunny dirt road, deep in bear country. We're not only sister and brother. They were playmates and they got along pretty well. Most of the time. The brother was quite a lot older than sister. almost two years. And sometimes he wasn't much interested in the games she wanted to play. Especially when sister got a little bossy, which she sometimes did. Now she said one day she came out of the tree house with a big arm load of her dolls and stuffed animals. We're going to play. Tea party. You sit there and be the puppet and I'll sit here and be the mama. Oh, Jesus said, brother. I'm too old to play tea party. Y if cousin, Freddy or any of the guys saw me, I'd never hear the end of it. Why don't you find somebody your own age to play tea party with. Besides I have a date to go skateboarding with Freddy and off. He zoomed leaving sister all by her lonesome. All right for you. She shouted. Oh, dear said mama, who was watching from the tree house window. There it goes brother off to play with Freddy. Again, I do wish sister had somebody her own age to play with. What about her school, friends as Papa joining her at the window. They all live too far away side mama. As she watched lonesome sister pick up her trusty jump rope and start jumping with friendly frog soon, a butterfly joined in. She has her forest friends, the frogs and butterflies to play with said Papa. Frogs and butterflies are all very well said, mama, but they're not the same as having a cup friends, your own age. That's when mama saw the moving truck out of the corner of her eye. Oh, look, she said a new family moving into the empty tree house down the road. It certainly would be nice if they had a cup sister's age. Sister saw the truck to. And the car following it. Somebody moving into the empty tree house. She said, I wonder if they have any Cubs and off she skipped down the road to investigate. The truck stopped at the empty house and the moving bears began to unload it. The car pulled in behind the truck and the new family got out. There was a mama, Papa, and a little girl Cub, just about sisters age. Sister could hardly believe her. Good luck. Just what she needed. A little girl Cub to jump rope, play tea, party, and house and school, and have all kinds of Cub fund with. She could hardly wait to say hello. She skipped over and introduced herself. Hi, I'm sister bear. I'm six years old and I live just down the road. Hi said the new Cub I'm Lizzie Bruin. And this is my Papa and mama, Mr. And Mrs. Brewin, I'm six years old to. I mean, I try your jump rope. I can do red hot pepper. And could she ever, Lizzie Bruin was the fastest rope jumper sister had ever seen. I can jump to a thousand, said, sister. I can do 1,001 said, Lizzie, returning the rope. A thousand to snapped sister 1,003 said, Lizzie, Well, we'll just see about that. Let's have a jump off here now said sister. Let's not. And say we did said Lizzie say, isn't that a playground over there? Last one, there's a rotten egg and off, she ran with SIS doing her best to catch up. Well said, mama, who had been watching from the window. The new Cub certainly is a lively little thing. She may be just what sister needs. Sister and Lizzie had quite an afternoon. They climb to the top of the jungle gym. Rode the Seesaw And pushed each other on the swings. They played tag. Laughed and giggled. Roll down the Grassic bank. And picked wild flowers for their mamas. Y. Thank you, sister. How lovely said mama. Putting her wild flowers and water. Well, what's your new friend like her name is Lizzie. She's six years old. She's an only Cub and sister said she's a little bossy. Oh, I said, mama. Well, you certainly seem to be having fun. Oh, yes. It's sister. I had a lot of fun, a little bossy and a little braggy. The next morning, bright and early, the phone rang. It was sisters, new friend, Lizzie. Want to come over and play school as Lizzie. Okay. Since sister. Bring some of your dolls and stuffed animals added Lizzie because mine aren't unpacked yet. So sister gathered up some of her favorite dolls and stuffed animals and headed for the tree house down the road. Come on in here called Lizzie from the garage. My mom and popper is still fixing up and putting away. So we're going to play in here. Who did you bring? My best doll and stuffed animals said sister, and this is my special Teddy that I've slept with every night, since I was a baby. Lizzie had set up the garage like a school room. There were boxes for the pupils to sit on and there was another box for the teacher's desk. There was even a Blackboard and chalk for lessons. This is going to be fun. Thought sister bears. She began sitting her toys on the boxes. That's when she heard the tapping sound. It was Lizzie tapping on the desk. She had a pretend pointer in one hand and a piece of chalk and the other. Please be seated. Sister it's time for your lessons today. I'm going to teach you the alphabet. The first letter of the alphabet is now just a minute. Protested sister, Who said you were going to be teacher? When I play school, I'm the teacher. And not only that, I already know my ABC's. Sister, bear. If you don't sit down this minute, I'm going to keep you after school said, Lizzie, is that so shouted sister? Well, if you don't give me that pointer, I'm going to keep you after school. That's when sister grabbed the pointer soon, they were rolling around on the floor wrestling for the pointer, which broke into. Now look what you did. Shouted Lizzie. You broke my best pointer. I'm not going to play with you ever again. Shout at sister gathering up her toys. I'm going to take my dos and go home. Sister's mad and I'm glad shouted Lizzie, his sister marched out of the garage. Lizzie Lizzie in a tizzy sister shouted back. Back so soon asked mama when sister returned looking like a storm cloud. I'm never going to play with that. Lizzie Brewin again, shouted sister. She's much too braggy and bossy. I don't need her to play school or anything else. It's much better playing by yourself. When you played by yourself, you can do what you want when you want. Without having to worry about that. Lizzie Bruin. That's true. Said mom, in a quiet voice. Of course, there are some things you really can't do very well by yourself. Like what as sister. You'd have a pretty hard time pushing yourself on a swing, said, mama. And I'd like to see you write a Seesaw by yourself. Most games like hopscotch and jacks take at least two to play. And it certainly is nice to have someone to laugh and giggle with. May be so said sister, but Lizzie is much too braggy and bossy. Why does she have to be the teacher when we play school? It seems to me said, mama. Taking sister on her lap that Lizzie isn't the only Cub that's bragging and bossy sometimes. And of course there is one thing you can do much better by yourself. What's that mama. B lonesome. Said mama quietly. And that's when somebody knocked on the door. It was Lizzie and she was carrying sisters, Teddy. When sister took all her dolls and went home, she forgot her Teddy. She said, and well, I knew it was her special favorite that she slept with since she was a baby. And I thought she might miss it. Y. Thank you. Lizzie said, mama, that was very thoughtful of you. Thank you very much said sister, hugging your Teddy. And you can beat teacher. If you want to said Lizzie. Or said sister, we can take turns being teacher. Terrific said Lizzie. Great said sister gathering up her doll and stuffed animals. Again. Last one back to your garage is a rotten egg. And off she scooted, laughing and giggling with Lizzie scampering after her.