Read Jasper John Dooley, Star of the Week for Free Online

Star.”

    After school, Jasper went to the sickroom to get Earl. He was lying on the cot with the blanket pulled up to his purple chin. “Wakie, wakie,” Jasper told him.
    They went outside to meet Mom and Ori. “Jasper!” Mom called. “I just found out from Ori that his mother had the baby! Why didn’t you tell me?”
    â€œI did. I said I wanted one, too. A purple one. But I don’t anymore. I’m completely happy with the brother I already have. Well, not
completely
.”
    Ori said, “Jasper had to go to the principal’s office today.”
    â€œBecause of Earl,” Jasper said. “Earl got me in trouble.”
    â€œEarl was bad,” Ori said.
    On the walk home, Jasper told Mom how Earl had terrified the girls and how he had to stay in the sickroom for the rest of the day. “He’s not allowed back. He’s not registered at our school,” Jasper said.
    â€œOh, dear,” Mom said. “It’s not very nice to have to go to the principal’s office during the week that you’re the Star.”
    â€œNobody can take my star away, Mom. Not even Mrs. Kinoshita. Even if I bring a Show and Tell that nobody understands. Even if I have a Family Stick instead of a Family Tree. Even if I forget to do a Science Experiment.”
    Mom stopped walking. “Jasper! We forgot the Science Experiment!”
    â€œI’m still the Star.”
    Ori said, “Ms. Tosh said he really was one.
Really
a Star.”
    â€œI’m so sorry about your Science Experiment,” Mom said. “I feel terrible.”
    â€œI feel great!” Jasper said. “I’m over the hump!”
    â€œOver the hump” was something his Nan always said. It meant you had finished the hard part, and the easy part was coming up. The hard part about being the Star of the Week was the Show and Tell, the Family Tree and the Science Experiment. Sharing his Talent and Bringing a Special Snack for everybody to eat while they were writing Compliments to him — a piece of cake!
    Ori asked Jasper, “You’re not too busy today, are you? Can I please, please, please come over?”
    â€œSure!” Jasper said. “I’m over the hump!”
    When they got in the house, Mom phoned Ori’s mom to say he had come over to play and to congratulate her on the baby. Ori and Jasper went into Jasper’s room. Jasper asked, “What do you want to do?”
    Ori lay down on the bed and closed his eyes.
    â€œI know,” Jasper said. “Let’s jump over some humps!”
    Jasper gathered his stuffed toys and scattered them around the floor. He made Ori get off the bed so he could take the bedspread off and cover the stuffed animals with it. Under the bedspread they looked like humps. “Okay,” Jasper said, “let’s start jumping.”

    He and Ori jumped. After a few minutes Ori asked if he could be a hump instead. He crawled under the bedspread and Jasper jumped over him. “You’re the best hump!” Jasper told him.
    When Jasper finally got tired of jumping over the humps, he went down to the basement to check the dryer screen. He came back up and read a book backward to see if the story turned out differently. Then it was suppertime.
    â€œWell?” Dad asked when they were all sitting at the table. “What did they think of Earl?”
    â€œThey liked him a lot,” Jasper said.
    â€œGuess what?” Mom said. “Ori’s mom had the baby. A little girl. She doesn’t have a name yet.”
    â€œYes, she does,” Jasper said. “It’s Wa-wa-wa-wa.”
    â€œWonderful news,” Dad said. “I’m glad it wasn’t us!”
    â€œAnd guess what else? We forgot Jasper’s Science Experiment.”
    â€œNot so wonderful,” Dad said.
    â€œIt was Earl’s fault,” Jasper said.
    Mom got up from the table and went to the fridge to check the Star of the Week