My Mouth is a Volcano - by Julia Cook || Kids Book Read Aloud

The Story Rug presents... My Mouth is a Volcano Written by Julia Cook Illustrated by Carrie Hartman My name is Lewis. People say I erupt a lot. I don't think I do. I have a lot to say, and all of my words are very important to me. When other people talk, words just pop into my head. Then they slide down onto my tongue. My tummy starts to rumble, and then it starts to grumble. My words begin to wiggle, and then they do the jiggle. My tongue pushes all of my important words up against my teeth, and then... I erupt! Words just explode out of my mouth! My mouth is a volcano! Hey, guess what, you guys! In class, my teacher says that when we want to say something, we are supposed to look at her, raise our hand, and wait until she calls on us. I tried that. After I waited patiently for what seemed like 62 years, my important words slid down from my head onto my tongue. My tummy started to rumble, and then it started to grumble. My words began to wiggle, and then they did the jiggle. My tongue pushed all of my important words into my teeth, and my volcano erupted! Teacher, I think we should have recess all day. I'm hungry, too. Can we go to lunch now? My teacher was less than pleased. She erupted me right back. I know what you are saying is very important to you, Louis, but since it is not an emergency, you'll have to wait until I call on you. It was my volcano's fault. At daycare, we were sitting on the rug, listening to Miss Polly read us a story about planting trees. All of a sudden, I thought about the time my grandpa and I planted six trees in his front yard. My important words slid down from my head onto my tongue. My tummy started to rumble, and then it started to grumble. My words began to wiggle, and then they did the jiggle. My tongue pushed all of my important words into my teeth, and my volcano erupted! Hey guys, once I planted a zillion trees with my grandpa, and then he let me use the shovel and I got to dig my very own... I got a time out. It was my volcano's fault. During dinner, Mom and Dad were talking about paying the bills. Then I thought about my friend Bill. Bill can blow a bubble inside of a bubble when he chews two pieces of bubble gum. Now that is really important. My important words about Bill slid down from my head onto my tongue. My tummy started to rumble, and then it started to grumble. My words began to wiggle, and then they did the jiggle. My tongue pushed all of my very important words into my teeth, and my volcano erupted! Hey Mom, Bill can blow a bubble in a bubble with his gum. Lewis, my mom said, you interrupted again. If somebody else is talking and you don't have an emergency, you have to wait for your turn. But Mom! My words, they slide down from my head onto my tongue. Then my tummy starts to rumble. Lewis, you did it again. I got sent to my room. She said I was rude. It was my volcano's fault. The next day at school was my very important day. I had been waiting for about 126 weeks to be the student star of my class. This was my special moment. I got to share a poster with my class that had pictures of all my favorite things. I stood up in front of my class and began to tell them about the time I went fishing. Halfway through my story, Richard started to tell everyone about when he went deep sea fishing in Mexico. His story must have been better than mine because everyone started to look at him. He was stealing my important words! Richard, said my teacher, you just interrupted Lewis. Please wait until he is finished talking and then he might call on you. I couldn't believe how rude that was of Richard. He erupted me! That really made me angry. After talking about my fishing trip, I started to explain the x-ray of my broken arm. Just as I was getting to the good part, Courtney started to tell the class about when she broke her leg. Courtney, said my teacher, you just interrupted Lewis. Please wait until he is finished talking and then he might call on you. I couldn't believe how rude that was of Courtney. She started talking right during my 50 minutes of fame. She ruined my important words. She almost stole my moment. When I got home, I told my mom about rude Richard and rude Courtney. Now you know how we feel when you interrupt us, said my mom. I never thought about that. I just get so excited and my words, they just pop into my head. Then they slide down onto my tongue. My tummy starts to rumble and then it starts to grumble. My words begin to wiggle and then they do the jiggle. Then my tongue pushes all of my important words up against my teeth and I erupt. Words just explode out of my mouth. My mouth is a volcano. Maybe Richard and Courtney have volcanoes in their mouths too, my mom replied. I never thought about that. Well son, the next time your important words are pushed into your teeth by your tongue, bite down hard and don't let them out. Then take a deep breath and push your words out through your nose. Then when it is your turn to talk, take a deep breath and breathe them back into your mouth. Will that work? I asked. Only if you make it work, said my mom. That night at the dinner table, my sister Sylvia was in the middle of one of her long girl stories when my important words began to slide down from my head and my volcano started to do its thing. Just as my tongue started to push my words out through my teeth, I bit down really hard. Then I breathed my words out through my nose. As soon as my sister finished talking, I took a deep breath and back in went the words. I was amazed that they had just hung around outside my mouth and didn't float away. Then I told my story and nobody got mad at me for erupting. After that, I never erupted again. Well, except for the time Bill's bubble gum got stuck in my hair. That was a real emergency.