Level: M
DRA: 28
Genre:
Fantasy
Strategy:
Infer/Predict
Skill:
Conclusions
Word Count: 817
3.1.2
HOUGHTON MIFFLIN
Online Leveled Books
ISBN-13: 978-0-547-01911-6
ISBN-10: 0-547-01911-4
1031772
H O UG H T O N M IF F L IN
3_019116_ELL_LRSE_CVR_L02_Lauren.indd 1
2/15/10 6:56:48 PM
by David Martz
illustrated by Elizabeth Allen
Copyright © by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical,
including photocopying or recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system without the prior written
permission of Houghton Mifflin Company unless such copying is expressly permitted by federal copyright law.
Address inquiries to School Permissions, Houghton Mifflin Company, 222 Berkeley Street, Boston, MA 02116.
Printed in China
ISBN-13: 978-0-547-01911-6
ISBN-10: 0-547-01911-4
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 RRD 15 14 13 12 11 10 09 08
Lauren Otter
pool
Lauren floated in the pool at her office.
Lauren Otter was a lawyer. But Lauren wasn’t
one of those lawyers who work hard. Lauren
thought having fun was more important than
working hard.
So when Lauren’s shell phone rang one
Monday morning, she didn’t answer it. She was
swimming in her office pool.
2
The shell phone rang and rang. Finally,
Lauren got out of the pool.
“I guess even otters have to work
sometimes,” Lauren said.
Lauren answered the phone. She heard a
scared voice. It was Lauren’s friend Sammy Seal.
shell phone
Lauren talked to Sammy Seal with her shell phone.
3
“Lauren, I need your help!” Sammy said.
“I’m in the Rocky Beach Jail. The police will not
let me go!”
Lauren thought Sammy was joking. Sammy
was the most honest seal she knew. Sammy
would never do something wrong.
“I’m not joking,” said Sammy. “The police
arrested me this morning. They say I stole 100
clams from the bank!”
Sammy worked at the bank. He was very
serious about his job. So Lauren knew Sammy
wasn’t joking.
“I’ll come to the jail right now,” said Lauren.
Rocky Beach Jail
Sammy Seal
Sammy was in jail. He asked Lauren to help him!
5
the jail bars
At the jail, Sammy told Lauren his sad story. Lauren
wasn’t listening!
When Lauren got to the jail, Sammy told her
what happened. Lauren tried to listen. But then
she looked at the bars of the jail. She thought it
would be fun to swing from the bars!
6
Sammy said, “Someone gave me 100 clams
to put in the bank. I put the clams in a box and
locked the box. That’s what I always do.”
Lauren kept thinking about swinging on the
jail bars.
“Mr. Shark, who works at the bank, said I stole
the clams! He says he has photos that show it!”
Sammy said. “The police believe him! They are
convinced Mr. Shark is telling the truth.”
“Don’t worry, Sammy,” Lauren said. “Photos
can’t show you’re guilty if you didn’t take the
clams. I will find out what really happened.”
Sammy felt a little bit better.
Lauren started swinging on the jail bars.
The next day, all the sea animals went to
Sammy’s trial. A judge and a jury would decide
if Sammy was guilty.
Judge Walrus sat down. Everyone was
quiet—except Lauren Otter.
“Woo-hoo!” she shouted. Lauren went sliding
across one of the benches.
The judge told Lauren to sit down and
be quiet.
Lauren went to her seat.
At Sammy’s trial, Lauren went sliding
across the benches!
Judge Walrus
jury
bench
8
book
Mr. Shark
the witness stand
Lauren didn’t listen. She balanced a book on her nose!
The trial started. Mr. Shark sat in the witness
stand to tell the jury his story. The jury listened
carefully.
But Lauren Otter didn’t listen carefully.
“Look what I can do!” Lauren shouted.
Lauren balanced a book on her nose.
9
photo of Sammy
at the bank
clams
Mr. Shark showed a picture of Sammy taking the clams.
“Lauren Otter! Sit down!” said Judge Walrus.
Lauren sat down.
Then Mr. Shark showed the jury his photos.
“These photos show Sammy Seal taking the
100 clams,” said Mr. Shark.
The sound of a murmur came from the
animals who were watching.
10
Then it was time for Lauren Otter
to talk. But Lauren was busy. She had
three fish in her hands. She was tossing
them in the air.
“Lauren Otter! Stop that!” said the judge.
It was Lauren’s turn to talk. But
Lauren was playing with fish!
11
Lauren saw a strange bump in Mr. Shark’s jacket.
Lauren asked Sammy Seal to sit in the
witness stand.
“Tell the jury what happened,” Lauren said
to Sammy.
“I put the 100 clams in a box and locked the
box. That’s what I always do!” said Sammy.
“Ha!” said Mr. Shark.
Lauren looked at Mr. Shark. She saw a
strange bump in Mr. Shark’s jacket.
Lauren got up on the judge’s desk.
“Lauren Otter, get down from my desk!” the
judge said.
12
Lauren jumped off the judge’s desk. She did a
back flip!
“Can you do a back flip?” Lauren asked
Mr. Shark.
“I am not here to do back flips!” Mr. Shark said.
“Are you SCARED to do a back flip?” Lauren
asked Mr. Shark.
Mr. Shark got angry. He jumped up on the
judge’s desk. He did a back flip, too.
Suddenly, 100 clams fell out of Mr. Shark’s
jacket and onto the floor!
Mr. Shark did a flip, and all the clams fell
out of his jacket!
13
Everyone was happy that Sammy was not guilty!
“A-ha!” said Lauren Otter. She pointed at
Mr. Shark.
“Mr. Shark took the clams and said I did it!”
said Sammy Seal.
Mr. Shark went to jail. Everyone said that
Lauren Otter was a hero! But Lauren didn’t hear
them. She was busy doing back flips!
14
Responding
Conclusions Copy the chart below. Write three story details that show that Lauren Otter likes to have fun.
TARGET SKILL
Detail
?
Detail
?
Detail
?
Conclusion Lauren Otter likes to have fun.
Write About It
Text to Text Think of another story you know with a character who has fun while working. Do you think it is possible to do a good job and have fun, too? Write a paragraph that gives your opinion about this. Include examples from the stories to support your opinion.
15
TARGET VOCABULARY
convinced
guilty
honest
jury
murmur
pointed
stand
trial
Conclusions Use details to figure out ideas that the author doesn’t state.
TARGET SKILL
Infer/Predict Use clues to figure out more about the selection.
TARGET STRATEGY
GENRE A fantasy is a story that could not happen in real life.
16
Level: M
DRA: 28
Genre:
Fantasy
Strategy:
Infer/Predict
Skill:
Conclusions
Word Count: 817
3.1.2
HOUGHTON MIFFLIN
Online Leveled Books
ISBN-13: 978-0-547-01911-6
ISBN-10: 0-547-01911-4
1031772
H O UG H T O N M IF F L IN
3_019116_ELL_LRSE_CVR_L02_Lauren.indd 1
2/15/10 6:56:48 PM