Emily Jenkins - Being the Adventures of a Knowledgeable Stingray, a Toughy Little Buffalo, and Someone Called Plastic

Plastic is assigned to search the living room. It’s mainly grown-up stuff, but she finds some books that look interesting, and a potted marigold. She can’t move them, though, without arms or legs. She bounces back upstairs and asks the toy mice to help her. They do, but they’re quite crabby about it. They insist that their names go on the card if the books or the marigold get chosen to be the present.

Lumphy is in charge of the basement. There’s not a lot down there. He finds a can of creamed corn among the cardboard boxes, and carries it upstairs in his mouth. His jaw feels stiff by the time he gets back to the bedroom.

StingRay searches the closets. She almost gets squashed when a pile of sweaters falls on her head, and she bangs her flipper in a door, but she comes up with a blue T-shirt, a purse with snaps on it, and a hairbrush.

When the items are piled in the center of the shaggy rug, the toys sit all three together, thinking. “The best present is what she would love most,” says Lumphy. “Is there anything here?”

“She likes blue,” says StingRay. “The blue T-shirt is good.”

“I think it’s you that likes blue,” says Plastic, with a gentle cough.

“Everyone likes blue,” says StingRay. “It’s the best color.”

“But she already owns that shirt,” says Plastic. “She wore it yesterday.”

“She owns the books, too,” points out Lumphy. “And the purse. And the marigold.”

“And the hairbrush. And the corn!” moans Plastic. “This is terrible!” cries StingRay. “Why didn’t I think of this? She’s going to be angry. She’s going to cry because she’s got no present,

and she’ll throw the pillows at us,

and call us names,

and never invite us to any

of her parties again,

all because we couldn’t find what she

would love most,

or even a second-rate present

on her birthday.”

“I don’t know about that,” says Plastic.

“Why not?”

“Because we’re her best friends. She said so at show-and-tell.”

“So?”

“She wouldn’t throw pillows at her best friends.”

“If we’re her best friends,” says Lumphy, sadly, “we should know what she would love most.”

“You’re right,” says Plastic. “We should.”

But Plastic doesn’t know.

And StingRay doesn’t, either.

They sit there in silence for seven minutes and twenty-two seconds. Then, in a flash, Lumphy thinks he knows. His idea is such a good one that he waggles his tail stump with excitement and claps his buffalo forefeet together before scampering off in search of wrapping paper.

… …

On the morning of her birthday, the Little Girl wakes up to find two funny-shaped packages, and one perfectly round package, sitting on the windowsill of her room. Two are tied up with green ribbon, and one is tied up with blue. Neither of the grown-ups is awake yet. The Girl gets up in bare feet. “Presents!” she cries, scooping all three into her arms and setting them on the bed.

She unwraps the small, round one first. “What a beautiful, fat ball you are!” she says, hugging Plastic to her chest. Plastic wants to bounce, she is so happy, but she keeps still so the Girl won’t see how excited she is.

The bumpy package is next. “Oh, it’s you, you sweetie, sweetie buffalo!” cries the Girl as Lumphy comes out of the tissue paper. Lumphy doesn’t mind the sweetie sweetie thing, even though he is tough, because he gets several extra kisses.

Finally, the Little Girl unwraps the flat package. “You even used blue ribbon!” she laughs, squeezing StingRay hard. “My favorite!”

“I told you so,” whispers StingRay from her position on the Girl’s lap. “It’s just the best color.”

… …

The birthday party is a great success. TukTuk is invited after all. In fact, she serves as a tablecloth!

The Girl has laid out her china tea set in front of the rocking horse in the corner. There is a nosegay of flowers, and she serves real chamomile tea. There are cups and saucers enough for everyone, even all the toy mice.

In front of the Girl is a special cupcake, decorated with white frosting and a blue rose. She cuts it with a butter knife. “Happy birthday, Lumphy!” she says, serving him a slice and a cup of tea. “You know, it’s your birthday, too, today.”

Lumphy is surprised, but he chuckles to himself.

“And happy birthday, Plastic!” says the Girl.

“Am I one already?” wonders Plastic.

StingRay looks up at the Girl, expecting to be next. But the Girl is busy. She’s serving tea and cupcake to Sheep, Plastic, the rocking horse, TukTuk, and the toy mice. “Three birthdays all on the same day?” whispers StingRay. “That doesn’t seem right.”

“Who cares?” says Plastic.

“I like having a birthday,” says Lumphy.

“Is this banana cake?” Sheep sniffs at her piece.

Everyone has cake but StingRay. “I don’t think the Girl knows what she’s talking about,” whispers StingRay. “That’s all I’m saying.”

“I think it might be vanilla,” says Lumphy.

“Will there be seconds?” the sheep wonders aloud.

“It’s not like I care,” adds StingRay. “I don’t need a birthday.”

“And now,” announces the Little Girl, “a very special happy birthday to my extra-best friend, StingRay!” She cuts off the piece of cupcake with the blue frosting rose on it, and serves it onto StingRay’s plate. “Lumphy, I got you when I turned five. Then you, Plastic, when I turned six! But I’ve had StingRay since I turned four.” She reaches over and scratches where the ears would be, if StingRay had ears. “I hope you all have the best birthdays in the world.”

“Ooohhh,” cries StingRay, leaning into the scratch. “It’s my birthday, too!”

“Happy birthday,” says Lumphy.

“And she gave me the frosting rose.”

“ ’Cause it’s your birthday!” cries Plastic.

“Yes, it is,” says StingRay. “Didn’t I tell you before?”

… …

Late that night, when StingRay and the Little Girl are supposedly asleep in the big high bed, Plastic and Lumphy hear a song coming from up there.

“Sting-RAY, diddle-eye-oh,

Birth-DAY, diddle-eye-ee,

Who’s got a birthday? StingRay, StingRay!

Diddle-eye, Diddle-ee,

That means me!”

If Lumphy stands on tiptoe, he can see StingRay’s flippers waving around in a dance.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Emily Jenkins is the author of several books for children and adults, including Toys Go Out , hailed as "ideal bedtime reading" by the Wall Street Journal; Skunkdog; What Happens on Wednesdays; and That New Animal and Five Creatures , each of which received a Boston Globe–Horn Book Honor. Ms. Jenkins lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Visit her at www.emilyjenkins.com.

ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR

Paul O. Zelinsky's retelling of the classic fairy tale, Rapunzel , was awarded the 1998 Caldecott Medal. He has also received three Caldecott honors, for Hansel and Gretel, Rumpelstiltskin, and Swamp Angel . Mr. Zelinsky is the creator of two pull-tab books: The Wheels on the Bus and Knick-Knack Paddywack! , a New York Times Best Illustrated Book. His illustrations for Toys Go Out were called "charming…wonderfully detailed" by Kirkus Reviews . He lives in Brooklyn, New York.