Miss Suzy's Birthday

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MISS SUZY'S

BIRTHDAY

STORY BY

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Miss Suzy's birthday

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PUBLIC LIBRARY FORT WAYNE AND ALLEN COUNTY, JAN

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3 1833 008 TO 3852

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MISS

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MISS SUZY'S

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STORY BY MEiaHiilM PICTURES BY

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Parents' Magazine Press/ New York

Text copyright

©

1974 by Miriam Young

Illustrations copyright

© 1974 by Arnold Lobel

All rights reserved

Printed in the United States oi America

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING IN PUBLICATION DATA Young, Miriam (Burt) Miss Su:y"s birthday.

SUMMARY;

Miss Su:y's adopted children and forest

friends trv to think of a special gift for her birthday. [1. II.

Birthdays — Fiction]

I.

Lobel, Arnold,

illus.

Title.

PZ7.Y873M1

[E]

ISBN 0-8193-0764-5

73-22187

ISBN 0-8193-0765-3

(lib.

bdg.)

U.

S lS'^^2b7

iss

Suzy was sewing. In the spring

she had adopted four

squirrels.

little

summer Miss Suzy had added one-room house high

in the

Over

the

a nursery to her

oak

tree.

Now

the

children were outside playing and Miss Suzy

sang as she lengthened the sleeves on a small jacket:

Healthy children, always growing,

Rum

turn tiddle

Keep

their

Rum tum

um

turn,

mothers busy sewing,

tiddle

um

tum.

She ended the song with a

sigh.

She wanted

the children to grow, of course. But she didn't

want them

to

grow up and leave her too soon.

Not

far

away Miss

Chipmunk, was

Suzy's best friend, Mrs.

sighing for a different reason.

She wanted to give a party

for Miss Suzy's birth-

day the next day and couldn't decide what give her.

She wanted

to give her

to

something

grand. But Miss Suzy liked simple, wholesome things, like acorns. "If

we

all

get together," said the

a few friends

who had come

chipmunk

to talk,

to

"we can

give Miss Suzy a great, big, wonderful present."

"Like an enormous cheese?" asked Mouse, his

whiskers quivering

at the

thought.

M
The chipmunk reminded him preferred seeds and nuts.

ordinary things.

Still,

these were small

They wanted

to surprise Miss

Suzy with something

"How

that squirrels

special.

about something for the house?" Mole

suggested.

He had heard

fine housekeeper.

that Miss Suzy

was a

"Her house already has everything you can think

of,"

in the

He knew because he

said Robin.

same

lived

tree.

"Something Rabbit. She

her four

"Its

for

the

children,

then?"

said

knew how much Miss Suzy loved

little

squirrels.

her birthday, not

theirs,"

Crow

objected.

"That's true," said Rabbit. "But, speaking of children,

why

They ought

not ask them what she'd

to know."

like.

—

"Yes. Let's

said

have a meeting and

invite them,"

Mouse. "You know, a meeting that

with someone calling refreshments.

it

to order

needn't be

It

Cheese and crackers

By now they were

starts

and ends with

anything fancy.

will do." all

for a lunch break," Mrs.

hungry. "We'll go

Chipmunk

home

said,

"and

meet here again in ten minutes. Robin, you find the squirrel children and

Meanwhile

The maple

four tree

"Sounds "We'll jiffy"

dash

tell

them

to attend.

think, everybody." little

squirrels

were playing tag in a

when Robin found them. like fun," said

home

Simon, the

for lunch

oldest.

and be there

in a

Miss Suzy had lunch burst

in, their

all

The

children

Stevie.

'There's

ready.

eyes shining.

"Guess what!" said going to be a party."

little

hy

o--a .o-o

.V

/

,^

"Shhhhh!" the others

hissed, scowling

shaking their heads. "I

didn t

tell

who

it

was

Miss Suzy didn't ask.

for,"

he

said.

and

A

few minutes

scurried headfirst

later

the squirrel children

down

the tree trunk. Miss

Suzy cleaned up the dishes. Then she the

hem of Serena's When

Rum

little

Rum

pinafore, singing:

ones are fully grown,

turn tiddle

They leave

let

to

go

turn tiddle

um off

um

turn,

on

their

turn.

own.

down

By the time the four

squirrels arrived, the

chipmunk's house was noisy with

had

to

knock

twice. Mrs.

and tapped the

Chipmunk

let

Simon

them

in

floor with a stick.

"The meeting your

chatter.

will

come

to order. Please state

ideas."

"Wait!" said Rabbit, taking a

from her pocket, Rabbit

"I'll

make

made shopping

She made

lists

a

pad and pencil

list."

lists

and laundry

of those she sent Christmas cards

to,

and those she

didn't

to.

She made

of her children's

thirty-six,

lists.

lists

send Christmas cards

names — all

with their favorite desserts. She had

made

a

list

already of those

the party — a

list

so long

who would

it

''Ready," she said, licking the

attend

touched the

end of the

floor.

pencil.

"My

idea of a present

with a

ribbon',' said

cheery.

And

your

one you can

is

tie

up

Robin. "Ribbon looks so

afterward you can weave

it

into

nest."

"I like

Rabbit.

"A

something you can put in a box," said

"A box

basket

"Let's get

paper," said

is

is

always useful

better," said

later."

Crow.

something you can wrap in

Mouse. "Tissue paper

is

tissue

such fun to

shred for beds and things."

"Too

fragile," said

wrapping

Mole. "I'm for plain brown

paper."

"Wait, wait!" cried Rabbit, terrible time writing

it all

who was

having a

down. "Do you

'wrapping' with a capital R?"

spell

"The wrapping's not important,"

Chipmunk Wliat are

impatiently.

we

'It's

the

gift

said Mrs.

that counts.

going to get?"

"Something

useful," said

Mole. "You

know

how practical Miss Suzy is." "No, no!" said Robin. "Practical things are for everyday.

We want

to

get

Something she wouldn't get

"How offered.

something fancy. herself."

about a fancy cheesecake?" Mouse

'^-

Chipmunk tapped

Mrs.

her

gotten to ask the children.

Simon,

Sylvester, Serena,

"Something

stick.

"We've for-

What do you

think,

and Stevie?"

to cook, she likes to cook," said

Simon.

"A sewing basket,

she likes to sew," proposed

Serena.

"A

tea

set,"

Sylvester offered. "She likes hav-

ing friends to tea."

had an idea but he was too shy

Stevie

He

speak.

munk's

ran up and whispered in the chip-

ear.

"That's just

it!"

what

she said.

we'll do.

at three o'clock

why.

It's

a surprise."

Stevie's idea

the word.

"A wonderful

You

here

about

to

tell

idea. That's

your mother to be

tomorrow. But don't say

Then

she told the others

and asked them

to spread

The next morning, little

Stevie

day

it

is,

was

over,

the party. "Guess

what

just as breakfast

remembered

Mother!" he cried.

"It's

somebody's

birthday!"

The kicks

but

others silenced

under the

when

table.

him with frowns and Miss Suzy said nothing,

they went off to play she looked at

the calendar. little

It

was her birthday. She sang a

birthday song: M}',

oh my, how time does

Rum. tum.

tiddle um. tum,.

Another year has

Rum tum

fly!

tiddle

just

um

gone

tum.

by,

She

didn't feel very gay.

she decided to cake,

though

it

make

To cheer

herself

up

the children an acorn

meant using the

of her

last

acorns.

At

two-thirty the children

came

in to get

cleaned up.

"We just felt

like

it,"

Serena said

casually.

"Oh,

by the way, Mother, Mrs. Chipmunk wants see

you about something. At three

to

o'clock."

Miss Suzy wiped her paws on her apron. "Gracious.

I

hope

Little Stevie

nothing's wrong."

burst out laughing.

he said brightly "And you for!"

"It's

can't guess

a

party','

who

it's

I

The

others pulled

him

outside, but of course

Miss Suzy had guessed. Her old friend was giv-

How

ing her a party.

posed

to know,"

nice.

"But

wasn't sup-

I

thought Miss Suzy.

'1 shall

have

to act surprised."

She went

to the mirror to practice. First she

threw her arms up in the goodness!" Next she put a saying, "For

air

paw

heaven's sake!"

and

cried,

"My

against her chest

Then

she tried

opening her eyes very wide: "Why,

I

never

dreamed..." It

was hard having

to pretend,

but

at least

she was prepared. At ten to three she put on a clean dress, fluffed out her fur

and

left.

"Come

in!

Come

vited, leading Miss

in!"

Suzy

Mrs.

Chipmunk

in-

inside.

''Surpriser shouted dozens of voices.

All the creatures of the neighborhood were there. Miss

Suzy never expected such a large

turnout. friends.

She

didn't

Her eyes

know

filled

with

Stevie ran up.

He threw

"Don't

Mother.

skirt.

cry,

you'd be surprised."

she had so

many

tears.

his It's

arms around her a party.

I

knew

"Happy Birthday," declared the chipmunk. She led Miss Suzy to the place of honor.

something for you."

Crow came up Inside

was a

first

"We have

t

with an enormous basket.

single acorn.

Rabbit came next with a box. Inside was an acorn

^"^^ijfr

U.S.

Mouse brought something wrapped

is?8;c:87

in tissue

paper — an acorn.

Robin's

gift

was

tied

with ribbon — an acorn.

Mole's, another acorn,

paper.

-w^

was wrapped

in

brown

One by one In every case

all

it

the guests brought their

gifts.

was the same. Soon the basket

brimmed with an enormous mound

of acorns.

ornament— was

the chip-

Last of all— like an

munk's

gift,

one exceptionally polished acorn.

"Thank you, thank you delighted. for

"Now I have

months

sewing.

to

come.

And you

all

I'll

said Miss Suzy,

all,"

acorns for the children

use the basket for

must come

to tea.

I'll

my

save

the acorn caps for teacups."

Everyone was pleased.

some

gift

but a

It

was

great, big,

a simple, whole-

splendid one too.

when

Later on,

Miss Suzy and her family

were back home in children teased

little

their

oak

tree,

the older

Stevie.

"You gave the whole thing away Twice! You spilled the beans." "I

did not!" Stevie protested.

away, did

I,

it

Mother?"

"Yes," said

Miss Suzy. "You did give

But by doing

Stevie.

"I didn't give

so,

you've

away,

it

made me

very

happy."

Without explaining further she took him

in

her arms, then hugged the others as well. Stevie

Suzy

realized.

bigger.

time.

was too

little

And

to

keep a

secret,

the others weren't

They would be with her

Miss

much

for a long, long

MIRIAM YOUNG is the

author oi Jellybeans for Breakfast and of

course Miss Suzy and Miss Suzy's Easter Surprise, Parents'

Magazine

Press.

all

published by

She has written more than three dozen

books

for children.

Her adult book about her

career,

Mother Wore

Tights,

was made

parents' theatrical

into a major

motion

picture.

who have three grown children, share a studio on the grounds of their home overlooking Lake KatoShe and her

artist

New York. ARNOLD LOBEL

husband,

nah.

books ever since

He

list,

tacles,

and

his graduation

has illustrated a

Press

has been writing and illustrating children's

number

including Junk

Pratt Institute in Brooklyn.

of books

on the

Day on Juniper

Parents'

Street,

Magazine

The Magic Spec-

Miss Suzy, and Miss Suzys Easter Surprise: and he wTote

illustrated

Ice-Cream Cone Coot and Other Rare Birds.

Mr. Lobel, his wife

and

from

Anita— equally

illustrator of children's

in Brooklyn.

well

books— and

known

their

as

an author

two children

live