Fran Manushkin - Pedro the Ninja

Pedro and Paco were watching a cartoon.

Wow! said Paco. That kick was .

I want to be in a ninja movie, said Pedro.

He yelled, Hi-YA!

Oops! Pedro kicked a chair.

Ouch! he said. Being a ninja is tricky.

I can help you, said Pedros dad. Would you like to take lessons?

For sure! said Pedro.

His dad got Pedro a robe called a . Wow! Pedro said. I look cool!

You do! said Paco. I wish I could go to class.

Maybe next year, said his dad.

JoJo and Katie were in Pedros class. Everyone bowed to the teacher, Kono.

He said, The first thing you will learn is this .

Pedro did the stance over and over.

He told JoJo, I feel like a statue.

But you look , said Katie.

At the next class, Sensei Kono showed them the side kick. It was tricky. It took and lots of practice.

Pedro loved side kicking! He showed Paco how to do it.

Peppy tried it too. He kicked over his food bowl.

Every day after school, Pedro and his friends pretended they were in a ninja movie.

Lets practice our kicks, said JoJo.

Oops! She kicked a tree and apples began falling toward Pacos head!

Hi-YA! yelled Pedro, blocking the apples.

Cool moves! said Katie.

Im almost a ninja star, said Pedro. It wont be long!

Punches were the most fun. Pedro punched beach balls and balloons.

Pop! Pop! Pop!

No more balloons.

Pedro told Paco, Ninja stars are always .

Pedro practiced being sneaky by trying to grab cookies before supper.

Hi-YA! yelled his mom. Caught you!

She was sneaky too.

Pedro and Paco played ninja in their room.

Hi-YA! Pedro yelled, jumping out of the closet.

Paco screamed and laughed.

You know, Pedro told Paco, we are having so much fun, its okay if we arent ninja movie stars.

Is that so? said their dad.

The next day, Pedros friends came over to see a new ninja movie.

This is a great one, said Pedros mom.

Ill say! His dad winked.

Surprise! The ninjas were Pedro and his friends!

Pedros dad was sneaky. While they were doing karate, he was making action videos.

We didnt look too fierce at the start, said Pedro.

Right! said Katie. But we got better and better.

We are the coolest, said Pedro.

We are ninja stars, said JoJo.

Hi-YA! they yelled.

And they all took a bow.

Fran Manushkin is the author of many popular picture books, including Happy in Our Skin; Baby, Come Out!; Latkes and Applesauce: A Hanukkah Story; The Tushy Book; Big Girl Panties; and Big Boy Underpants. Fran writes on her beloved Mac computer in New York City, without the help of her two naughty cats, Chaim and Goldy.

Tammie Lyon began her love for drawing at a young age while sitting at the kitchen table with her dad. She continued her love of art and eventually attended the Columbus College of Art and Design, where she earned a bachelors degree in fine art. After a brief career as a professional ballet dancer, she decided to devote herself full-time to illustration. Today she lives with her husband, Lee, in Cincinnati, Ohio. Her dogs, Gus and Dudley, keep her company as she works in her studio.