When the Cousins Came
by Katie Yamasaki
Category
📚
LearningTranscript
00:00Grubhub Perks give you deals on all the foods that make you want to wiggle.
00:15Get deals you love on the food you love with Perks from Grubhub.
00:25Grub what you love.
00:30When the Cousins Came. By Katie Yamazaki.
00:35For all the cousins with love.
00:37Brendaine, Chris, Cynthia, Heather, Francie, Jessie, Jessica, Little Jimmy, Kate, Margaret, Marie, Kirsten, Mark, Big Matt, Little Matt, Moi, Naomi, Natalie, Kida, Norm, Patrick, Shanti, Garfret, Sybil, and Takei.
01:00The night before the cousins came, I couldn't sleep.
01:04I couldn't wait to paint together, ride bikes together and camp outside together.
01:10My brother Kaji was a baby, but my cousins were big kids like me.
01:15Finally, someone to play with.
01:18I thought.
01:20When the cousins came, Rosie had her hair in two puffy balls on top of her head.
01:26My hair was in two flat braids that pointed straight down.
01:30Takeo's hair was like a little shark fin.
01:33Four boys in my class have mohawks said Takeo.
01:37Oh I said.
01:39Nobody in my class had a mohawk.
01:42Rosie and Takeo helped me make my hair look like a little shark fin too.
01:47When the cousins came, I invited them to ride bikes.
01:52We brought our own wheels said Rosie.
01:56Takeo and Rosie sped off on their skateboards and I chased after them on my bike.
02:02Later, Rosie helped me balance on the board.
02:06I helped Takeo balance on the bike.
02:09When it was dinner time, we had noodles.
02:12Rosie asked for chopsticks.
02:15Here you go, said Mom.
02:18We have chopsticks.
02:20I asked.
02:22Hold them like this said Takeo.
02:24I tried.
02:26And tried.
02:27After dinner I asked the cousins if they wanted to go for a night walk.
02:32Night is scary said Rosie.
02:35We don't go outside at night said Takeo.
02:38Something might get you.
02:41It's okay I said, I promise.
02:44As we walked outside, Rosie and Takeo held hands tightly.
02:49I wished they would hold my hands too.
02:52Fireflies glowed brightly slowly turning their lightbulb bodies on and off.
02:57What is that? asked Takeo.
03:00I caught Firefly and cupped it in my hands.
03:04The Firefly bumped gently against the walls of my palms.
03:09Just look I whispered to Rosie.
03:12The next morning I took out my paints and paper, Rosie and Takeo watched me paint.
03:19We paint too said Rosie.
03:22Everything the cousins did was a little bit extra special.
03:26For the last night of the cousins visit.
03:29I wanted to do something extra special too.
03:33Tonight we are going to camp outside.
03:36I told them.
03:38No way said Takeo.
03:40Too scary said Rosie.
03:43It will be so fun I promised.
03:46Why don't you camp inside said Pop.
03:49I gathered sheets and started to build us a great tent.
03:54Takeo wanted to build his own tent.
03:57Why don't we just share one tent?
04:00I asked him.
04:02Brothers and sisters stick together he said.
04:06Koji was asleep in his crib, so I went to my tent by myself.
04:11I could hear Takeo and Rosie whispering and giggling.
04:15I could see their flashlights shining through their tent walls.
04:19My tent was silent and still.
04:22I'll just go back to my bedroom I thought.
04:26Camping alone was not what I had in mind.
04:29Just then I felt my tent walls rustling.
04:33The flashlight shone inside.
04:36Come on.
04:37Rosie whispered.
04:39Rosie had made a tunnel to connect our tents.
04:43I crawled like a silent lion on the prowl following Rosie's flashlight through the dark tunnel.
04:49The cousins had made a sign for me.
04:52It said.
04:54Firefly tent, home of our best cousin, Lila.
04:58When the cousins left, we all hugged.
05:02Once they were gone.
05:04I snuck into our tent.
05:06There was a note for me on the pillow.
05:09Dear Lila.
05:11Please come visit our apartment.
05:14Please bring these things.
05:17One your bike.
05:19Two fireflies.
05:21Three sheets for the world's biggest tent that we're going to make.
05:25Love your favorite cousins.
05:28Rosie and Takeo.
05:30The end.
05:32Applause.
05:41Music.