Introduction: Ask students how many ever thought about running away when they were little. Let a few students tell their stories.

The Runaway

I made peanut butter sandwiches.

I didn’t leave a mess.

I packed my shell collection

and my velvet party dress,

the locket Grandma gave me

and two pairs of extra socks,

my brother’s boy scout flashlight

and some magic wishing rocks.

Oh, they’ll be so sorry.

Oh, they’ll be so sad,

when they start to realize

what a nifty kid they had.

I’d really like to be here

when they wring their hands and say,

“We drove the poor child to it.

She finally ran away.”

If  I peeked through the window

I’d see them dressed in black,

and hear them sob and softly sigh,

“Come back, dear child! Come back!”

The house will be so quiet.

My room will be so clean.

And they’ll be oh so sorry

that they were oh so mean!

Poem by Bobbi Katz. Taken from The Kingfisher Book of Family Poems by Belilnda Hollyer, editor. Illustrated by Holly Swain. New York: Kingfisher, 2003, p. 60. ISBN: 0753455579.

Extension:  a) Pair this book with Noisy Nora, a picture book by Rosemary Wells. Compare and contrast the two works. (Citation: Wells, Rosemary. Noisy Nora. New York: Viking Books, 1999. ISBN: 0670887226). b) To perform Bobbi Katz’s poem, ask students to be the “chorus,” and have them read two stanzas: “Oh, they’ll be so sorry” and “The house will be so quiet.” The teacher or a student who is a strong reader will read the rest of the poem.