Fran Manushkin - Pedros Monster

Pedro was dreaming. He dreamed that a creepy green dragon was chasing him. The dragon was blowing flames!

Pedro told his dad about his dream.

His dad said, Dont worry about it. Dream dragons cant hurt you.

Pedro tried to forget his dream. He raced his trucks all over the yard.

He and his brother Paco did .

Pedro told Paco, Now Ill jump over the highest hill.

Oops! Pedro went flying and landed in the mud.

Cool! he yelled.

The next night, Pedro had another bad dream. He dreamed that a long worm was creeping up his leg!

Pedros dad told him, Dream worms cannot hurt you. And I have a nice surprise. Im taking you and your friends to a .

Yay! yelled Pedro. Cool!

Pedro and Katie and JoJo painted posters for the rally.

BASH AND SMASH!

MASH AND SMASH!

CRUSH! CRUSH! CRUSH!

They were ready to cheer on the truck drivers.

The next day was the rally. The first truck did a and landed in the mud. THUD! SPLASH!

! Pedro yelled. I did that too.

A school bus crushed three cars!

Id like to drive that, shouted Katie.

JoJo smiled. You would!

The trucks were around each other.

Super awesome! yelled Pedro.

The next day at school, Pedro wrote a story about monster trucks. He could not stop thinking about them.

But Pedro kept having bad dreams. Each night before bedtime, Pedro ate cookies, hoping to have sweet dreams.

He didnt.

Each day after school, Pedro raced his trucks. He went faster and roared louder.

Go, BIG THUNDER! cheered Katie.

Thats you! shouted JoJo. BIG THUNDER!

Right! yelled Pedro. I am noisy, and I am fast! Nothing can stop me.

Pedro kept smiling. He smiled all through dinner.

That night at bedtime, Pedro told himself, I am strong! I am powerful! I am BIG THUNDER!

Pedro said it again and again until he fell asleep.

Then it happened!

Pedro had a horrible dream. That creepy green dragon began chasing him! The dragon roared and blew his scary flames!

But Pedro didnt run away. He roared backloud as thunder. Pedro chased that dragon around in circles and into the mud!

The dragons fire went out! He cried and cried, saying, You are so fierce!

Then he ran away.

Katie and JoJo cheered, Way to go, BIG THUNDER!

Pedro woke up smiling. He told his mom and dad about his dream.

You were great, Pedro! said his mom.

Way to go! said his dad.

Pedro couldnt stop smiling.

You were right, he told his dad. Dream monsters cannot hurt me.

Then Pedro gobbled up his breakfastChocolate Crunch!