Helen Lester - Me First

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Me First Helen Lester Illustrated by LYNN MUNSINGER Houghton Mifflin Company
Boston

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To my husband, Robin H.L. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Lester, Helen.
Me first / Helen Lester ; illustrated by Lynn Munsinger.
p. cm.
Summary; Pinkerton the pig always manages to be first until he
rushes for a sandwich and it turns out to be not the edible kind.
RNF ISBN 0-395-58706-9 PAP ISBN 0-395-72022-2
[1. PigsFiction. 2. BehaviorFiction.] I.

Munsinger, Lynn,
ill. II. Title.
PZ7.L56285Me 1992 91-45808
[E]dc20 CIP
AC Text copyright 1992 by Helen Lester
Illustrations copyright 1992 by Lynn Munsinger All rights reserved. For information about permission to
reproduce selections from this book, write to Permissions,
Houghton Mifflin Company, 215 Park Avenue South,
New York, New York 10003. Printed in China SCP 30 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 Pinkerton was pink, plump, and pushy. "Me first!" he cried when he had been last in line and finished first down the slide. "Me first!" he cried at story time, settling on his round bottom with his big head right smack in front of the book. And every day in the school trough-a-teria "Me first!" rang out and there was Pinkerton. One Saturday, Pinkerton's Pig Scout troop went on a day trip to the beach. One Saturday, Pinkerton's Pig Scout troop went on a day trip to the beach.

Pinkerton was first on the bus and sat in the front row. He was first off the bus, first in the water, first out of the water, and first into the picnic basket. After lunch the Pig Scouts decided to go for a hike. Off they went, with Pinkerton leading the line, of course. As the Pig Scouts marched across the sand, they heard a faint voice far in the distance. The voice called out, "Who would care for a sandwich?" Pinkerton pricked up his pointy ears.

Care for a sandwich? Oh yes, me first! he thought, and he began to trot ahead of the others. Soon he heard the voice again, closer and louder this time. "WHO WOULD CARE FOR A SANDWICH?" "ME FIRST!" cried Pinkerton, kicking up sand and leaving the other Pig Scouts far behind. His imagination almost burst. Peanut butter! Jelly! Two tomatoes! Seven pickles! A slab of cheese! A blob of mayo! A big smear of mustard. Kerplop. He landed face to face with a small creature with a bump on her nose and fur on her toes. "Am I glad to see you!" she cackled. "I sure could hear you coming: 'Me first. "I sure could hear you coming: 'Me first.

ME FIRST! ME FIRST!' I guess you really would care for a sandwich." "Oh, yes indeed," replied Pinkerton. He jumped up and down so fast his teeth jiggled. "Good!" cackled the small creature. Pinkerton waited. One second. Two seconds.

Three seconds. "Well?" he asked. "Well what?" replied the small creature. "The sandwich," begged Pinkerton. "Where's ... Before he could say "But I ..." again, the gate to her castle closed. "All right, my pink, plump, and pushy one, now you care for me. "All right, my pink, plump, and pushy one, now you care for me.

You may have the honor of being the FIRST to powder my nose and comb my toes." Seeing no way out, Pinkerton powdered her nose and combed her toes. "Next," she crowed, "you may be the FIRST to put my
supper in a bucket and feed me with a shovel."
Pinkerton looked around. He had no choice.
He put her supper in a bucket and fed her with a shovel. Rubbing her tummy, the Sandwitch spoke on: "Finally, after you've had the privilege of being the FIRST to wash my dishes and sweep my castle
and do my laundry
and curl my hair
and tuck me in, you may be the FIRST to tell me a bedtime story." Pinkerton washed the dishes, swept the castle, did the laundry,

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