Valentine Shmellentine Read online

  Other books by Kevin Kremer:

  A Kremer Christmas Miracle

  Spaceship Over North Dakota

  Saved by Custer’s Ghost

  The Blizzard of the Millennium

  When it Snows in Sarasota

  Santa’s Our Substitute Teacher

  Are You Smarter Than A Flying Gator

  Maggie’s Christmas Miracle

  The Year Our Teacher Won the Super Bowl

  The Most Amazing Halloween Ever

  Are You Smarter Than A Flying Teddy

  Angel of the Prairie

  The Worst Day of School EVER–Do-Over

  by Kevin Kremer

  Illustrated by Students and Teachers

  Published by Snow in Sarasota Publishing

  2017

  P.O. Box 1385

  Osprey, FL 34229-1385

  KevinKremerBooks.com

  Copyright © 2017 by Kevin Kremer

  Snow in Sarasota Publishing

  P.O. Box 1385

  Osprey, FL 34229-1385

  (941) 445-5189

  Visit us on the Web! KevinKremerBooks.com

  All rights reserved.

  ePDF: 978-0-9977126-7-4

  ePUB: 978-0-9977126-8-1

  Printed in the United States of America

  by Serbin Print Marketing & Publishing, Sarasota, Florida

  10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

  First Edition

  Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

  This book is dedicated to

  Coach Ron Erhardt from Mandan!

  This book takes place at a fictitious elementary school in Mandan, North Dakota, named Ron Erhardt Elementary. Ron Erhardt was a great football coach at all levels of the sport and a wonderful human being. Among his many accomplishments, Ron was the quarterback of the Mandan Braves State Championship football teams in 1947 and 1948, then he played quarterback at this author’s alma mater, Jamestown College in Jamestown, North Dakota. Ron had a record of 45-9-2 as a high school head coach in North Dakota and an unbelievable record of 61-7-1 as head coach of the North Dakota State Bison. He won two Super Bowl rings coaching for the Super Bowl Champion New York Giants. After that, he was the offensive coordinator for this author’s favorite team, the Pittsburgh STEELERS, for four years, and he helped them get to the Super Bowl in 1996. During Ron Erhardt’s many public speaking engagements, he always talked about his education in Mandan as being second to none.

  Special thanks to Bob Miller!

  His photo—taken near Mandan, North Dakota—was used for the cover of Valentine Shmellentine! Bob is a lifelong resident of North Dakota, and through his photos, he hopes to bring everyone closer to his home and rural heritage. You can connect with Bob through his Facebook page: North Dakota Backroads Beauty.

  Special thanks to all the teachers and students

  who submitted artwork for this book. A big

  CONGRATULATIONS to the following 20 artists

  whose artwork was selected for the published book!

  1.Xochitl Agüero, Fifth Grade, Marrington Elementary, The Valentine Adventure Begins for Jana Banana, page opposite Chapter 1

  2.Daylee Woods, Second Grade, Marrington Elementary, Red Dot on the Cloud, page 4

  3.Kyra T., Third Grade, Marrington Elementary, South Carolina, Flying Red Paper Airplane, page 6

  4.Emma Monroe, Fourth Grade, Marrington Elementary, Goose Creek, SC, The Valentine Note, page 9

  5.Julia Morton, Third Grade, St. Joseph School, Mandan, ND, Yellow Bus, page 11

  6.Emma Mosbrucker, Fourth Grade, St. Joseph School, Mandan, ND, Ball Kicked on the Playground, page 17

  7.Takula Simwanza, Grade 6, Rafiki School, Mzuzu, Malawi, Africa, Red-Suited Principal, page 22

  8.Hannah Grigg, Fourth Grade, Marrington Elementary, Filming the Principal, page 24

  9.Angela Morford, Second Grade and Art Club Teacher, St. Joseph School, Mandan, ND, Lots of Red Paper, page 30

  10.Rhune Doggett, Kindergarten, Dodgeball, page 34

  11.Wyatt Hanson, First Grade, Lewis & Clark Elementary, Mandan, ND, Crazy Ball Challenge, page 39

  12.Christopher Chingola, Grade 9, Rafiki School, Mzuzu, Malawi, Africa, Jana Banana Talking to a Second Grader, page 45

  13.Dominick Heck, Second Grade, Mandan, ND, The Basketball Game, page 53

  14.Baylor Thomason, First Grade, Marrington Elementary, Goose Creek, SC, Two Girls on the Swings, page 60

  15.Sophia Warner, Fifth Grade, St. Joseph School, Mandan, ND, Sheltie for Mrs. Volk, page 73

  16.Delilah Lewis, Kindergarten, Marrington Elementary, The Sheltie and the Classroom Carpet, page 74

  17.Rylen Kautzman, Fourth Grade, St. Joseph School, Mandan, ND, Teacher Reading Valentine, page 76

  18.Sir Zaire Wyatt, Kindergarten, Marrington Elementary School, Goose Creek, SC, The Yellow Paper Airplane Descending, page 82

  19.Eves Mtika, Grade 8, Rafiki School, Mzuzu, Malawi, Africa, The Yellow Note from Heaven, page 84

  20.C. Hansen, First Grade, Goose Creek, SC, Valentine Girls, page 89

  The Valentine Adventure Begins for Jana Banana by Xochitl Agüero

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  About the Author

  Chapter 1

  “BYE, MOM!” JANA called, opening the front door of their farmhouse. “Don’t forget! I’m treating Dad and you to Ohm’s hamburgers tonight!”

  Ohm’s Restaurant was their family’s favorite place to eat. It was a small restaurant in Mandan, a town just four miles away.

  “We’ll be ready,” Mother called from the basement. “Love you, Jana Banana! Have a nice Valentine’s Day in school!”

  “Thanks, Mom! I’ll sure try! Love you!”

  Jana walked outside and closed the front door behind her. She smiled. The weather couldn’t possibly be any nicer for a Valentine’s Day in North Dakota. Jana only had to wear a light jacket over her pretty Valentine’s Day sweatshirt. If it got as warm as it was expected to, most of the remaining snow would probably melt this afternoon.

  Jana sighed. It was hard for her to believe. As a fifth grader, this was really the last official school party of her elementary school years. She was really going to miss Ron Erhardt Elementary School. She had so many great memories of her time there since kindergarten.

  Unfortunately, with their new principal, Mr. Doopinski, in charge, Jana’s last school party didn’t promise to have much to get excited about. You see, Mr. Doopinski had strict rules about school parties. They weren’t even supposed to start until there were only 45 minutes left in the school day. Besides that, this year there were no valentines allowed at the Valentine’s Day parties, and fun foods like cupcakes, cookies, candy, and pizza weren’t allowed either. Sure, Jana’s teacher, Mrs. Wolski, was a great teacher, and she would probably do everything she could to try to make Valentine’s Day fun, but—

  Jana stopped walking. Her eyes were drawn skyward toward a large white cumulus cloud that seemed to be rapidly changing shape while the rest of the sky showed almost no movement.

  “That’s amazing!” she said out loud.

  Jana watc
hed, wide-eyed, for the next 30 seconds, as the cloud continued to change form. She couldn’t believe what was happening! She watched in disbelief as the cloud took a familiar shape.

  “Wow!” Jana whispered excitedly. “A valentine in the sky on Valentine’s Day!”

  As she continued staring up at the cloud, a small red dot clearly appeared on the beautiful white cloud. During the next 30 seconds, the red dot got larger, and then it slowly moved downward, away from the cloud.

  “This is incredible!” Jana exclaimed, wishing there was someone around her that she could share this with. “I think it’s coming toward me!”

  It was. Jana had no sense of danger, but she certainly was totally amazed at what was happening. A red object was getting larger and larger, and it was headed directly toward her.

  Red Dot on the Cloud by Daylee Woods

  As she watched, mesmerized, it gradually got close enough so she could see what it was. It was a red paper airplane, slowly floating through the air.

  Eventually, the paper airplane got within 30 yards of Jana, and she started walking slowly toward it. … As it continued to slowly float through the air toward her, now within ten yards, Jana reached out with her right hand.

  Flying Red Paper Airplane by Kyra T.

  Chapter 2

  JANA’S WHOLE BODY shook with excitement as she examined the paper airplane in her hand. This had to be a dream! How could this all be happening to her on Valentine’s Day?

  Wait! Jana noticed some writing on the paper airplane. Her hands trembled as she unfolded it carefully. It was a letter—and it was written in the neatest cursive writing she had ever seen!

  Jana’s eyes got huge as she read it out loud:

  Dear Jana Banana,

  We’ve noticed what a caring, empathetic person you’ve been since you were a little girl. We would like to give you a wonderful, magical Valentine’s Day gift today! All you have to do while you are in school today is think about … or say out loud … exactly what you would like to wish for. Then just say Valentine Shmellentine—and what you wish for will come true.

  Jana, you must keep this a secret or the magic ends immediately. Otherwise, your magical gift will end when the last bell rings at the end of school today.

  Have fun, Jana Banana!

  This paper airplane will disappear in ten seconds.

  Jana stared at the letter in disbelief! Her whole body tingled with excitement as she quickly read it over again, wanting to remember exactly what it said. One second after she was done, the letter disappeared in her hands.

  “No way!” she said. After thinking for a few seconds she said, “I’ve got to test this out before I forget it.”

  She reached into her pants pocket. All she found was an old gum wrapper, all wadded up.

  Jana took it out of her pocket and said, “I wish this was a dark chocolate heart.” As she spoke, she envisioned a dark chocolate heart, the size of her hand, wrapped in red foil. Then she said, “Valentine Shmellentine.”

  The Valentine Note by Emma Monroe

  Suddenly, a chocolate heart appeared in the palm of her hand. It was exactly like the one she had envisioned, wrapped in red foil and everything.

  The bus driver honked her horn in the distance.

  “Oh, no!” Jana said, as she put the chocolate heart into her jacket pocket. “I’d better hurry or I’ll miss the bus! There’s no way I want to miss any of this Valentine’s Day in school!

  Jana ran the rest of the way to the bus stop. The bus driver opened the door to let Jana in.

  “Happy Valentine’s Day, Jana Banana!”

  “Happy Valentine’s Day, Mrs. Leingang!”

  Jana had a quick thought. She reached into her jacket pocket. “Oh, here’s a little something for you for Valentine’s Day.”

  Jana handed the chocolate heart to Mrs. Leingang.

  “Why … thanks, Jana Banana! That’s so nice of you!”

  Yellow Bus by Julia Morton

  Chapter 3

  JANA SAT IN her seat on the school bus. Her mind raced. This was so unbelievably exciting! For some reason, she had been given a magical gift beyond anything she could ever have imagined! Now, how was she going to use it?

  Jana was almost too excited to think. She took a deep breath and thought to herself: Before I get to school, I’ve got to think about ways to make this the most fun Valentine’s Day in the history of the world at our school! … But how can I possibly do that with Mr. Doopinski around? … Maybe that’s the answer! I’ll have to start with Mr. Doopinski—but what can I do? …

  Chapter 4

  AS THE SCHOOL bus pulled up to the front of Ron Erhardt Elementary School, Jana felt a tingle run up and down her spine. This definitely promised to be the most incredible day of her life!

  Jana had to force herself not to hop out of her seat and run out of the bus. She took a deep breath and waited until the other ten kids were off the bus.

  “Have a great day, Mrs. Leingang!” Jana said as she walked past the bus driver to exit the bus.

  “Have a fun Valentine’s Day, Jana Banana!” Mrs. Leingang said, with a big smile on her face. “Thanks again for the special treat!”

  “You’re welcome,” Jana replied, as she stepped off the bus and walked onto the sidewalk in front of the school.

  Jana glanced at her watch. There were still about ten minutes until the bell rang. She looked out on the playground. She immediately spotted several of her friends over near the four square area—Sarah, Hannah, Katrice, Eliana, Caleb, Crew, and Trace. She decided to go over there to join them.

  “Hi, Jana Banana!” Trace said, as Jana approached the four square area.

  “Hi, Trace!” Jana answered enthusiastically. “Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone!”

  Jana got in line behind Eliana, who was the last person waiting in line to move into the first square.

  “I’m not sure how happy it’s going to be,” said Crew.

  “Yeah, right!” added Hannah, as she hit the ball into the second square. “There’s no fun allowed at Erhardt Elementary with Doopinski—especially on party days like this.”

  “I wonder what his problem is,” said Sarah.

  “I’m guessing Cupid’s arrow missed him by a mile,” Katrice said, giggling.

  “Huh?” Crew asked, standing in the second square, looking puzzled.

  “I’ll explain later,” said Katrice.

  Jana was holding back a big smile. “I have a strong feeling this day will turn out better than we expect,” she said.

  “Jana Banana, you’re always such a positive person,” Caleb said with an admiring look.

  “Thanks, Caleb,” said Jana. “That’s actually what I like so much about all you guys. You’re all such optimistic people.”

  Crew hit the ball really hard into the corner of Hannah’s square, and it quickly rolled away on the playground’s blacktop surface.

  “I’ll get it!” Jana volunteered, running after the ball.

  Jana chased the ball more than 30 yards. She had just about run it down, when she noticed big John Skager in her path. John was the biggest, strongest kid in the school, and he was eyeing the ball as it came directly toward him.

  This was too tempting for John. As the ball approached him, he got ready to kick it as far as he could.

  “Oh, no!” Jana said, anticipating what was going to happen next. Jana figured John could kick the ball halfway to Fargo!

  “BOOM!”

  Jana was right! John Skager connected perfectly with his right foot and launched the ball into the air at an almost perfect 45 degree angle. It gained altitude, as many students on the playground watched the ball rocketing on a path that would easily carry it over the fence, into the street, then into a neighbor’s yard.

  Playground supervisor Karen Fischer saw everything that had happened from the time John had kicked the ball. She started walking toward John to reprimand him as she watched the ball approach the fence.

  Ball Kicked on the Playgrou
nd by Emma Mosbrucker

  After some quick thinking, Jana whispered, “Valentine Shmellentine.”

  Jana watched with many others on the playground as the ball easily cleared the fence by more than 10 yards. But after that, it curved abruptly to the right, then it curved back around in a path that defied all the laws of physics. The ball was actually traveling in the opposite direction it had started! Then it slowed down and flew directly back toward the four square area. It hit the ground, bounced twice, and Sarah ended up catching it, looking totally perplexed.

  John Skager looked dumbfounded. Scores of others who had witnessed at least part of the incredible flight of the ball couldn’t believe what they had seen either.

  The bell rang!

  Jana smiled. This was going to be a fun day!

  Chapter 5

  MRS. WOLSKI HAD a little trouble settling her students down when they got into the classroom. Everyone who had witnessed what had just happened out on the playground wanted to tell her about what they’d seen. Mrs. Wolski promised them that they would talk about it after they said the Pledge of Allegiance, took the lunch count, and listened to the announcements.

  Jana quickly checked in with Mrs. Wolski, then she headed down to the school’s TV studio, located just off the library. Jana ran the camera for the principal’s morning announcements each day. She was also part of the special news program that the fourth and fifth graders produced and presented every Friday morning.

  Meanwhile, down in his office, door closed, Mr. Doopinski glanced at his watch. He was dreading having to face this awful day—Valentine’s Day!

  Mr. Doopinski brushed some dandruff off the shoulders of his dark suit. He thought back to his Valentine’s Days in elementary school, having to make those stupid valentine boxes and always getting the worst valentines from the girls he really liked. And those disgusting little candy hearts with the words on them! Yuck! He disliked everything about school parties, but Valentine’s Day was the worst!