Proud as a Peacock Brave as a Lion, by Jane Barclay, is a wonderful kid's book read aloud for preschool, kindergarten, and elementary school ages (and adults still young at heart), perfect for Veterans Day.
Parents and teachers, join me here at The Children's Storytime Bookshelf for daily read alouds in the classroom, at bedtime, or anytime!
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Parents and teachers, join me here at The Children's Storytime Bookshelf for daily read alouds in the classroom, at bedtime, or anytime!
Follow The Children's Storytime Bookshelf for a classic children's library.
#kidsbooksreadaloud #readaloud #readaloudbooksforchildren
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LearningTranscript
00:30Jane Barclay, illustrated by René Benoit.
00:36My papa was a soldier. When he was 17 years old,
00:41he lied about his age so he could join the army and fight for our country in the war.
00:46I'm on his bed studying a picture of him in his uniform.
00:50His hair is too short and his pants are too long.
00:53Papa, I ask him, why did you lie about your age?
01:02Well, he says, so many other boys were joining and I didn't want to be left behind.
01:09I couldn't wait to put on that uniform. As soon as I did, I felt as proud as a peacock.
01:15Proud as a peacock, I ask? Proud as that, he answers.
01:24He struts across the floor with his chest puffed out and his belly pulled in.
01:29He stops in front of the mirror and combs his hair and pats some shaving lotion on his cheeks.
01:35He smiles at his reflection. But beneath my papa's smile,
01:39I see the serious young man in the photograph.
01:46My papa crossed the ocean. The war was far away and he went on a long journey to get there.
01:54He said goodbye to his mom and dad and his sweetheart Betty.
01:58He promised to write them letters every week. Papa, I ask him, weren't you lonely?
02:05Sometimes I was, he says, but so was everybody else.
02:10Besides, my best friend Stuart was with me.
02:13There was always something to see or do on the ship. Most of the time, we were busy as beavers.
02:22Busy as beavers, I ask? Busy as that, he answers.
02:28He whistles through his teeth as he irons his collar.
02:32He tucks in his shirt tails and rubs a polishing cloth across his shoes until they shine like new.
02:38He reaches in the drawer for a pair of socks and I glimpse a bundle of letters tied with faded
02:44ribbon. He smiles as he touches it with his fingers. But beneath my papa's smile,
02:50I know he's missing Grandma Betty.
02:55My papa was a hero. There were guns and fire and smoke. He crawled on his belly through the
03:02noise in the mud and pulled three men to safety. The army gave him a special medal that he keeps
03:09in a leather case. Papa, I ask him, weren't you scared? When I was a lad, he says, I thought I
03:18wasn't afraid of anything. Then when something frightening did happen, I pretended to be as
03:24brave as a lion. Brave as a lion, I ask?
03:31Brave as that, he answers. I help him fasten his medal above the pocket of his blazer.
03:37Sometimes my papa's hands shake, so he needs to borrow mine.
03:42He smiles as he gives me a poppy to pin on my jacket. He looks very proud.
03:48But beneath my papa's smile, I hear the bad dream that woke him in the night.
03:53My papa marches in the parade. The crowd cheers and claps as the veterans go by.
04:03Some are young, some are old. Some sit in wheelchairs, and some walk past holding on to
04:10others. I stand at attention. The music stops, and there is a minute of silence. A cold wind
04:18sends dry leaves skittering past my feet. I am as quiet as a mouse. As quiet as that.
04:28My papa lays a wreath. He carefully places it at the base of the monument. Attached is a card
04:35that reads, In loving memory of Stuart David Adams, 1923 to 1944. My papa salutes. Then he
04:45steps back and dabs his eyes with his handkerchief. He puts his hand over his heart. I do the same,
04:52and I can almost touch the ache. Papa, I whisper. Why are you crying?
05:00I am remembering, he says. A war is something you never forget.
05:07Elephants never forget, I tell him. Then let's be elephants, he says.
05:14A soft rain falls as a bugler trumpets his notes up into the cold gray sky.
05:20We link our hands and bow our heads.
05:32I hope you enjoyed that story. If you'd like to see these books uploaded daily,
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05:42uploaded. Thank you so much for watching.