CHARLIE GOES TO SCHOOL

Charlie was a fluffy, orange and brown, striped pussycat.  He was nearly three years old and his Mummy explained to him that he was to start school very soon.  Charlie had a very good friend who came to play with him nearly every day.  Charlie’s friend was a young tiger.  He was five years old and also went to school.  His name was Tickles, everyone called him tickles because he was so ticklish, and whenever someone touched him he would jump up and down crying and laughing, "Stop, Stop!  You're tickling me!"

Tickles came over to Charlie's place one bright day early in the morning to walk Charlie to school.  It was Charlie's first day at school!  Mummy had woken Charlie up very early that morning to prepare him for his big day.  Charlie wasn't too pleased about that!  He loved sleeping in!  Charlie's Mummy packed his lunch case full of good things to eat and when 

Tickles came round she gave Charlie a fond kiss and told him to behave at school.  Charlie did not like that either!  "Oh no Mum!  Do I have to behave at school as well!"  Charlie’s Mummy laughed as she ushered the two friends out of the house.

Off they went up a winding path that lead them towards the little school on the top of Granger Hill.  On their way to school they met more animals walking towards the school.  They met Sammy squirrel, "Hello", said Sammy as he hopped about from branch to branch through the trees that lined the path they were following.  "Hello Sammy", said Tickles "I'm taking Charlie to school today, it is his first day".  Charlie walked beside Tickles not saying anything.  He was thinking.  "I would like to know what school is like if I have to behave myself, it must be pretty boring, no at all exciting and fun."  Charlie was a very sweet-natured, cuddly pussycat but he was also a bit naughty and was always up to mischief!

“Come on! Charlie!” shouted Tickles, as they approached the school gates. “Hurry up or we'll be late!” Charlie had wandered off whilst Tickles and Sammy were discussing something rather important together, Charlie had been bored and spied a butterfly near some flowers, so he had gone off chasing it!

The classroom was full of little animals when Charlie and Tickles entered. There was Sammy the squirrel;  Betty and Bobby the twin bear cubs, Lucy the duck and Gilly the gander.  Penny the piglet and Dinky the dog, and a lot more!  Charlie had never seen so many children together at one time!

Miss Hazel the schoolteacher introduced Charlie to the rest of the children, "please say hello to our newcomer Charlie Cat and please make him feel welcome, you all know what the first day of school is like."  Everyone said a big hello to Charlie, which pleased him very much!  "Now Charlie please take a seat near the window, that's right, sit down now, and we will begin the first lesson for today” Miss Hazel got out her reading glasses and started reading from the book she had on the table beside her, the children were all seated quietly listening to her story.

At first Charlie listened to the story as well, but soon enough he got bored and his eyes were drawn to the open window right near him.  He could feel and see the lovely warm sun outside!  "If only I was out there instead of in here!"  He thought to himself.  He tried concentrating very hard to what Miss Hazel was reading but his whiskers kept on twitching and his ears kept on pricking to go out!  He couldn't stay in a second longer!  With one long look at Miss Hazel, who was engrossed in the book, he jumped up on the windowsill and in a flash he was outside!  All he could think of was the freedom he felt at being outside in the warm sunshine, bounding about from tree to bench to flower beds, he saw another butterfly and chased it with such enthusiasm that he nearly caught it!  "This is better than being indoors!"

Meanwhile, in the classroom, Miss Hazel was not aware that Charlie had escaped outside although most of the children had seen him jump out, but they knew better than to tell their teacher.  When Miss Hazel stopped reading she asked the children to draw a picture of whatever scene they had like best from the story she had read, then she noticed that Charlie was missing!  "Where is Charlie?"  She demanded.  All the children looked around the classroom for Charlie, even though they knew where he was! They looked under chairs and tables and behind cupboards and even behind Miss Hazel's desk.  Finally Miss Hazel caught sight of an orange stripped cat bounding in the air outside the window.  "Charlie!" shouted Miss Hazel looking out from the window "Charlie!  Please come inside this instant!"  Charlie stopped in this tracks and turned around, he saw all the animals including Tickles and Miss Hazel watching him from the classroom window.  "Oh Oh!" said Charlie "Looks like I've done it again!"

When Charlie was back inside the classroom, Miss Hazel told him to sit down and stay put for the rest of the day.  All the other children were allowed out to play in the garden during break time but Charlie had to stay in side!

On their way home Tickles told his best friend "Charlie, you must learn to behave yourself and stop being a naughty pussycat!  Especially when you are at school!"  Charlie promised that next time he would try harder not to be naughty.  But he didn't succeed!  Poor Charlie!