p. 1

Modupay Barbara Patricia LaRue,

Pamela Pigeon and Beauregard, too,

Live in a house about ten feet by two.

Tucked in and tiny with the city behind it.

Look very closely. Do you think you can find it?

p. 2

Beauregard Brownhound, a feisty young pup,

Fits under the bed if he doesn't stand up.

Pamela Pigeon swoops in from the street.

She gurgles and coos cuz pigeons don't tweet.

Modupay's room is a bit of a zoo.

Squished full of stuff and none of it new.

"I can snuggle in bed if I want to read.

But to do that there's one more thing that I need."

p. 3

"Is my room too tiny for one little book?

Pamela, Beauregard! Come help me look!

If we whack some nails in this old piece of wood

It's a rack for a book. It should work pretty good.

C'mon, Pam and Beau, let's run to the store!"

All three of them race out the rickety door.

pp. 4+5

Pages four and five intentionally have no text.

p. 6

"Hi!"

"I'm Modupay Barbara Patricia LaRue."

Ms. Burke smiles back, "Well, how do you do?"

"Can Beauregard stay? He wears a flea collar.

And I want a book that costs less than a dollar.

A book one inch wide or a little bit smaller

And ten inches tall but no inches taller."

"Oh, Modupay," Ms. Burke says with surprise.

Most people love books for the STORIES inside.

See that room over there? It's for you younger folks,

With picture books, fairy tales, riddles and jokes."

p. 7

"Thank you, Ms. Burke. This will be easy!"

But as she steps in, her tummy feels queasy.

Her eyes open widely. Her head begins reeling.

Books climb every wall from the floor to the ceiling.

"Did I happen to tell you? My home's very small.

If I stretch out my hands I can reach wall to wall."

p. 8

"If this is the only book you will own

And the actual story is right now unknown,

Calm down and take these. Find a comfortable spot.

Tell me some things that you like a lot.

Then we'll go through the shelves, every one, you and I

And see if we can't find you somethiing to buy."

p. 9

Modupay squats near a quiet back door

And spreads out her things all over the floor.

Beau snuggles down with his head on his paws.

Modupay thinks and she writes and she draws.

p. 10

She imagines she's riding an orange and white pony.

Do you think she should name it "Cheese Macaroni?"

She stands in the saddle to tickle the stars.

A rare spotted owl leads them toward Mars.

p. 11

She draws happy kids on stilts in the breezes.

If she had a pair would she fall when she sneezes?

"I can't do stilts! It's too much of a struggle.

I'll just sit in the grass and learn how to juggle."

p. 12

She colors sea creatures and bright purple fishes

Who live in a sink just to do dishes.

p. 13

She makes pictures of kisses and pictures of hugs

And eyeball-to-eyeball encounters with bugs.

p. 14

"Ms. Burke? Am I finished? Have I written enough?

You'll see a few drawings of freaky weird stuff.

It's hard to remember all the things that I like.

I even forgot about Betty, my bike!"

p. 15

"Come sit beside me. Let's read it right now,

Then we'll find you a book or I'll show you how."

She flips the last page and declares with a smile,

"That's the best story I've read in a while.

Of all of the books that my store has to offer

None is quite like the one you have authored.

You have found a solution that is made to perfection.

You have written the book that will be your selection."

p. 16

With cardboard, some tape, and a thick spool of thread

Ms. Burke binds it up. "Look! A book to be read!

Here's the story you wanted, right from the start.

It's the one that you found in your mind and your heart."

p. 17

For the cover Ms. Burke knows just what to do.

She writes "MODUPAY BARBARA PATRICIA LaRUE"

p. 18

Modupay leaps with her book in the air.

A friend in the mall yells "What ya got there?"

"I did it! I did it! I made me a story!

From the first page to last, it's just hunky dory!

I drew all the pictures and practiced my letters.

I really don't think I could do any better!"

p. 19

"Wow! The books that I have are equal to ... none!

Can I write my own, so I'd also have one?

I have some paper, a crayon or three.

You wrote about YOU. I'll write about ME!"

p. 20

Modupay and her friends are tucked in till morning.

It's mostly quiet but Pamela's snoring.

Modupay falls asleep with a satisfied sigh

And a grin on her lips. Do you think you know why?

Well, there on her tummy propped up by the shelf

Is her first perfect book she created herself.

She can write anything, no matter when.

She knows she can do this again and again.

The Beginning

Illustrations