Marshmallow Goes to School

This story is called Marshmallow Goes to School by Madeline Walton-Hadlock. This is a LibraryCall recording. It was the first day of school. Mary sat at the table staring into her bowl of Rainbow Crinkle-Crunch cereal. Why wasn’t she hungry? Rainbow Crinkle-Crunch was her favorite! She picked up her spoon and tried to take a bite, but she was too nervous to eat. “Baa,” said a little voice on the other side of the kitchen door. Mary giggled and felt a bit better. “Sorry, Marshmallow,” Mary called. “No lambs allowed in the kitchen!” “Baa,” said Marshmallow, bumping his head against the kitchen door. “Oh, all right,” said Mary. She opened the door and Marshmallow trotted inside. He sniffed Mary’s bowl and looked at her. So, she poured out a bit of dry cereal onto the floor for him. When she heard him crunching away, she relaxed and took several bites from her own bowl. Marshmallow was Mary’s best friend. Sure, he was a sheep, but the two friends had a lot in common. They both loved to go on adventures around Mary’s family farm. When Mary pretended to be a brave warrior, Marshmallow, with his fleece as white as snow, made a convincing unicorn sidekick. Mary loved to read in cozy spots, and Marshmallow loved being her pillow. But then, a year ago, Mary’s school closed to protect everyone from a yucky virus. She had seen her friends and her teacher through the Zip app on her computer, but she no longer had any classmates to play with in person. Except for Marshmallow. He had been an excellent classmate while she was at home in virtual school. While Mary learned math, Marshmallow stood next to her and nibbled happily on her ruler. During writing, Mary’s least favorite subject, Marshmallow gently licked Mary’s hand every time she grew frustrated and threw her pencil across her bedroom. When she had big feelings, he was a good listener. Marshmallow had made a difficult year a lot easier. But Mary’s school was reopening today and she would have to leave Marshmallow at home. What would she do without her best friend by her side? Mary sighed. She finished her cereal, grabbed her backpack, and headed out the door. “Baa,” Marshmallow said. “Sorry, Marshmallow,” she said, giving her friend a pat on the head. “You can’t come with me. No lambs at school. It’s against the rules.” But Marshmallow just said “Baa” and trotted to her side. “No, Marshmallow! You have to stay home,” said Mary. But Marshmallow didn’t listen. He had spent the last year going everywhere with Mary. He wasn’t about to stop now. When the two friends arrived at the school, Mary’s classmates were delighted! Mary hadn’t been the only one feeling anxious about returning to school. Somehow, seeing a lamb frolic around the school yard helped everyone feel a little better. When the bell rang, all the children and one lamb lined up outside their classrooms. “What’s this?” asked Mrs. Ly, Mary’s new teacher. She was surprised to see a farm animal standing in line with her students. “Baa,” said Marshmallow. “I’m sorry. But only students are allowed at school. You will have to go home,” Mrs. Ly said to the lamb. The two friends spent the rest of the day apart. They both managed okay, but they missed being together. It felt different. The next morning, Mary had an idea. She dressed Marshmallow in a red checkered t-shirt, a blue cap, and her smile-emoji face mask and stood back to admire her work. “Now you look more like a student,” she remarked. “Baa,” Marshmallow agreed. “Do we have a new student today?” Mrs. Ly asked, seeing Marshmallow lined up politely with Mary and her classmates. “Baa,” said Marshmallow. “Oh, I see,” said Mrs. Ly, taking a closer look. “Marshmallow, I’m afraid we’re not set up to have lambs at school. We don’t have desks your size,” said Mrs. Ly, smiling kindly. Mrs. Ly looked at Mary. “It seems like Marshmallow has been a good friend to you, and I can understand why you want to bring him to school. When something helps us through a difficult time, it can be hard to imagine life without it. But I know you’ll find a way to do this, even if Marshmallow can’t be here with you.” The next morning before school, Mary sat with Marshmallow in the sheep pasture and thought about what her teacher had said. “I don’t know how to do this without you, Marshmallow.” “Baa,” he said. “You’re right, I guess I am pretty brave,” said Mary. “Baa,” said Marshmallow. “I did do something hard last year. But this is a big change.” “Baa,” said Marshmallow. “And I guess I’m looking forward to meeting some new friends.” Marshmallow gazed intently at Mary. “Baa.” “Well, if you believe in me, then I guess I should believe in myself.” Mary sighed and gave her friend a big hug. “Thanks for the pep talk, Marshmallow. I’ll see you when I get home!” “Baa.” “I’ll miss you, too.” Mary stood up, made sure the gate to the pasture was securely fastened, and headed off down the road. She remembered Marshmallow’s advice, and it made her feel more confident while she was in school. Marshmallow stayed in the pasture, nibbling on the grass. He was, after all, a sheep. This was Marshmallow Goes to School by Madeline Walton-Hadlock. This has been a LibraryCall recording.