CHILDREN’S BOOK & TOY BANK

Katy is at her school. It is playtime and she is playing with her friends. A new girl has joined her class, who has just moved into the village. Katy sees her in a corner of the playground looking very unhappy. She goes over to the new girl, who is called Poppy, and asks her what is the matter.

Poppy gives a big sigh and tells Katy, “I think I must be stupid. I do not know how to do sums. What does ‘add’ and ‘subtract’ mean?”

Katy picks up three stones and gives one to Poppy. Then Katy says, “You have one stone. Here are two more. Now you have three stones. I have ‘added’ two more to the first one. That is what ‘add’ means. If I take one back you have two left. That is what ‘subtract’ means.”

A big smile spread over Poppy’s face. “So that is what ‘add’ and ‘subtract’ mean. Thank you, Katy, now I do not feel stupid anymore.”

“You see! You can do it. You just did not know how to do it,” says Katy.

Katy sees that Poppy is holding a book.

“What is your book?” asks Katy.

“Just a book I use to draw things in,” says Poppy.

“Can I see it?” asks Katy. Poppy passes the book to Katy, who opens the book and sees drawings of things that she knows. There are buttercups, a cow, the village church and many more.

“Did you do all these?” asks Katy.

“Yes,” says Poppy.

“I wish I could draw like this,” says Katy.

Poppy says that she will teach Katy to draw: and Katy says she will help Poppy with schoolwork, especially sums! They become the best of friends.