Here is what has come of my Gary Frogmother story. It is now condensed to 451 words, not as few as I'd like, but 200 words shorter than I started with! I had no idea the complexity that goes into a children's book. You have to fit your story into 32 pages with pages 1-4 being taken up by title pages, publishing info and a dedication. You usually get assigned an illustrator who gets 14 illustrations that help tell your story. An illustrator that would work on my story, for example, I would hope would draw Milton doing something rotten other than putting gum in someone's hair, hiding a bone and saying mean things. The illustrator would probably draw something else to show additionally how awful Milton is.

Gary Frogmother

     Milton was a bully. He put gum in Sally’s hair, hid Griswald’s bone and told Henry he stunk at football.

     Milton was rude. He stuck his tongue out at the teacher, talked with his mouth full and never helped his mom with chores.

     Milton was selfish. He hid crayons, stole his sister Molly’s dessert and never passed the ball.

     One day, Milton’s librarian read Cinderella to Milton’s class. Milton demanded that he should have a Fairy Godmother.

     Poof! A man appeared. “Did someone call for Gary Frogmother?” he asked.

     “Gary Frogmother? I thought Milton wanted a Fairy Godmother,” Sally whispered to Betsy.

     Gary Frogmother appeared by magic so he must do magic, Milton figured. “I did,” he told Gary.

     “You must be a rotten little boy,” Gary Frogmother told Milton. “Nice boys and girls get Fairy Godmother. Meanies get me.”

     “Milton is mean!” Henry bravely said.

     Milton pushed Henry. Gary Frogmother pushed Milton. “Ow!” Milton cried. “You can’t do that!”

     “You pushed Henry. Treat others the way you want to be treated, Milton,” Gary said.

     “You’re dumb!” Milton shouted at Gary.

     “You’re dumb. Treat others the way you want to be treated,” Gary said.

     It was time for recess. Gary followed Milton outside. Milton kicked a ball at Gretchen. Gary kicked a ball at Milton. “Treat others how you want to be treated,” Gary said.

That hurt, thought Milton.

     At lunch Milton thought he would open his lunch box and find his turkey sandwich, an apple and both his and Molly’s brownies. Instead, it was empty. “Treat others the way you want to be treated,” said Gary, between bites of Milton’s brownie.

     When he got home from school, Milton wanted help with his homework, but Gary told Milton his mom didn’t have time to help him. Gary Frogmother even hid Milton’s pencils.

     At dinner, Milton belched without covering his mouth and didn’t use his fork. Gary Frogmother burped right in Milton’s face!

      "I can’t take it any more!” Milton cried. “You made fun of me, pushed me, ate my lunch and belched in my face!”

     “Isn’t that how you act every day?” asked Gary. Milton’s family nodded, even Griswald. “Treat others how you want to be treated.”

     Milton realized Gary Frogmother was right. He did hurt others, take what wasn’t his and have poor manners.

     Milton decided to treat others how he wanted to be treated. He helped his mom with the dishes and she helped him with math. The next morning he gave Molly a hug and she shared her waffle with him. At recess, he took turns shooting baskets with Henry and Milton made his first friend.

     Milton was much happier when he decided to nice instead of nasty.