• 5 months ago
The Plant Sitter, by Gene Zion, is an engaging kid's book read aloud for preschool, kindergarten, and elementary school ages (and adults still young at heart), about taking care of plants and being responsible.

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Transcript
00:00You
00:02You
00:04You
00:27The plant sitter by Jean Zion pictures by Margaret Bloy Graham
00:35I
00:37Am a plant sitter said Tommy
00:41That's nice dear said his mother tell me about it later. I'm going shopping and I'll be back soon
00:51When Tommy's mother came home
00:54She got the surprise of her life the whole house was full of plants and Tommy was still bringing in more
01:01What's going on here she gasped I
01:05Told you answered Tommy. I'm a plant sitter
01:09I take care of plants for people who are away on vacation. All the neighbors are my customers. Oh
01:17My groaned his mother how terrible
01:23When Tommy's father came home he tripped over a plant
01:28What's this nonsense he roared
01:31Remember said Tommy you said I could do whatever I like this summer because we weren't going away on vacation
01:39Tommy's father nodded he remembered
01:42Well said Tommy. I'm a plant sitter and I get two cents a day for every plant. I take care of
01:50Tommy took good care of the plants
01:53He put those plants that needed shade on the shady side and those that needed Sun on the sunny side
02:04He watered them carefully some a lot and others just a little
02:13He was such a good plant sitter that in just a few days he was able to
02:20Water them and they grew well
02:25In just a few weeks the plants grew into a tangled jungle
02:30each night his father said this can't go on but it did and Tommy thought it was wonderful
02:42In the morning when the family had breakfast they were surrounded by plants in the kitchen
02:48it at all. Watching television in the living room was like being at an outdoor
02:57movie deep in the heart of the jungle. Tommy thought it was the greatest fun
03:03he'd ever had but his father grumbled more than ever. Even the bathroom was
03:12full of plants. Having a bath was like swimming in a little lake in the middle
03:18of a beautiful forest. But one night Tommy almost fell asleep in the tub.
03:24Plant-sitting was hard work and he was tired. You'd better go to bed dear, said
03:30his mother. You've got to get up early and water those plants.
03:37Tommy went to bed and fell asleep wondering when his customers were coming
03:43home. He began to dream. He dreamed the plants grew so thick and wild that he
03:50couldn't get into the house anymore. He had to water them through the chimney.
03:55All night he dreamed that they grew and grew.
04:01They grew so big and strong that the house came apart and the sides fell down.
04:09All the neighbors ran around shouting, where are my plants? Where are my plants?
04:19Tommy awoke with a jump. It was morning. His father was late for work and
04:25shouting, where are my pants? Where are my pants? Oh what a awful dream, thought
04:32Tommy. He didn't even finish his breakfast that morning. See you later, he
04:42called to his mother as he rushed out of the house.
04:48Tommy ran all the way to the library and looked at every book they had about
04:54plants. Finally he found just the right book.
05:02Then he ran to the plant supply store, bought some things and hurried home. When
05:12he got home he did what the book said to do. He cut and trimmed all the plants. It
05:18was just like giving them a haircut.
05:24Then he planted the cuttings in the little flower pots he bought. The book
05:29said they would grow. When the neighbors came home from vacation they paid Tommy
05:38and took their plants back. How nice they look, everyone said. How healthy they are.
05:45Tommy gave baby plants to all the children and everyone went home feeling
05:50very happy. There wasn't a single plant left in the house. Tommy thought his
05:56father would be very happy too. But after supper Tommy got a surprise. Do you know,
06:07said his father, I miss those plants. It was like being in the country when they
06:12were here. I'm not so busy now. How about a vacation after all? We all need one.
06:19Especially me, shouted Tommy. And the very next day they went to the country.
06:32I hope you enjoyed that story. If you would like to see these books uploaded
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06:41stories that are already uploaded. Thank you so much for watching.

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