Narrator 1: Hello everyone, we are the Group 1!

For today’s short story, we will be reading a short story

entitled “Little Brother” by Bruce Holland Rogers.

Narrator 2: Peter had wanted a Little Brother for three Christmases in a row. His favorite TV commercials
showed how much fun he would have to teach little brother things he could already do. Mommy had
said that he wouldn’t be ready for a little brother. Until this year.

Narrator 1: Peter ran into the living room, there sat little brother among all the presents, babbling baby
talk and smiling his happy smile. Peter was excited and gave little brother a bug hug around the neck
and found about the button. Peter’s hand pushed against something cold on little brother’s neck.
Suddenly, little brother wasn’t moving, as lifeless as any ordinary doll.

Mommy: Peter!

Peter: I didn’t mean to!

Narrator 2: Mommy sat little brother in her lap and pressed the black button at the back of his neck.
Little brother’s face came alive and he was about to cry, but Mommy bounced him on her knee and told
him what a good boy he was then he did not cry.

Mommy: Little brother isn’t like your other toys, Peter. You have to be extra careful with him, as if he
were a real baby.

Narrator 1: She put little brother on the floor, and he took baby walks toward Peter.

Mommy: Why don’t you let him help open your other presents?

Narrator 2: Peter did and showed his little brother how to open the presents. The toys were fire engine,
some talking books, a wagon, and wooden blocks. The fire engine was the second-best present. There
weren’t as many as presents last year because little brother was expensive, Mommy explained

Peter: “Little brother is the best present ever!”

Narrator 1: That’s what he thought at first. Everything that little brother did was funny. Little brother
took the torn paper and threw it on the floor. Peter read a talking book; little brother then turned the
pages too fast.

Narrator 2: While Mommy went to make breakfast, Peter showed little brother how to build a tower out
of blocks but every time he had few blocks stacked up, little brother swatted the tower and they both
laughed.

Peter: Now watch this time. I’m going to make it really big.”

Narrator 1: Little brother didn’t watch. The tower was only a few blocks tall when he knocked it down.

Peter: No! Don’t!

Narrator 2: Little brother’s face wrinkled and was about to cry. Peter looked toward the kitchen and let
go.

Peter: Don’t cry. Look, I'm building another one! Watch me build it!
Narrator 1: He watched but he knocked it again. Peter had an idea.

Narrator 2: Mommy came into the living room while Peter built a tower taller than him.

Peter: Look!

Narrator1: Mommy didn’t even look at the tower. She picked up little brother, put him on her lap, and
pressed the button to turn him back on. As soon as he was on, he started to scream.

Peter: I didn’t mean to! He was knocking down my blocks.

Mommy: Peter! He's not like your other toys. That’s what it’s like to have a baby brother. When you turn
him off, he can't move but he can still see and hear. He can still feel. And it scares him.

Peter: He’s mine

Narrator 2: Mommy put him back on the floor and Peter let him knock down the tower. She told Peter
to clean the wrapping paper but he already did and she hadn’t said thank you or even noticed. She went
back to the kitchen.

Narrator 1: Peter wadded the paper into balls and threw them into the wagon. Little brother broke the
fire engine and Peter turned just in time to see him lift the engine over his head and let it drop.

Peter: No!

Narrator 2: The fire engine was broken. Peter hadn’t even played with his best Christmas present once.

Narrator 1: Later, Mommy came into the living room and didn’t thank Peter. Instead, she turned little
brother on again. He screeched louder than ever.

Mommy: My God! How long has he been off? It scares him! Listen to him

Peter: I hate him! Take him back!

Mommy: You are not to turn him off again. Ever!

Peter: He’s mine! I can do what I want with him! He broke my fire engine.

Mommy: He’s a baby! You are going to learn to be nice with him. .

Narrator 2: Mommy was angrier than he’d ever seen before. She put little brother down and took a step
toward Peter. She would punish him. Peter didn’t care. He was angry, too.

Peter: 'll turn him off if you don't take him back. I'll turn him off and hide him someplace dark where you
can't find him.

Mommy: You’ll do no such thing!

Narrator 1: Mommy grabbed his arm and spun him around. Instead, he felt her fingers searching for
something at the back of his neck.

THE END