Read an Excerpt
Blusher's First Christmas
By Teresa Rowland
BALBOA PRESS
Copyright © 2012 Teresa Rowland
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4525-0718-7
Chapter One
It was a cold and windy night. The moon peeked out over the silver lined powder puff clouds, while in the valley below, snow was falling gently on to the rooftop of a wooden stable. Inside a reindeer was being born. The wise old owls looked on with their large beady eyes. They knew this reindeer was an unusual one.
The baby reindeer tried to get to her feet. She was still wobbly. Her legs wouldn't hold her up. Then with a great big thump, she ended up flat on her belly.
Her mother just smiled, she would like to help but she couldn't. For in this world you must learn from the start that you have to be able to look after yourself. Finally the baby reindeer got to her feet and with head tilted to one side and ears twitching, she listened to all the different sounds around her.
The baby reindeer's mother was thinking of a name to express the beauty and daintiness of her fawn. But what?
The mother pondered. "I will watch and listen and a name will surely come."
In Snow Valley the word spread that a new reindeer had been born. Everybody just had to come and see.
"Where is she?" cried Miss Bumbling, who was the oldest reindeer in the valley.
"There!" said Boffin. "There behind her mother, look see, the biggest blue eyes just looking at me."
"Ohhh! Look what red cheeks she has," they all spoke at once.
The noise they made was so loud that the baby ducked right under her mother's belly.
"Shhh," said her mother, "don't be afraid. They will not harm you. Close your eyes, sleep now. Dream of all the fun that will come your way and friends you will make in the future."
As the wind howled the owls sang their song, Whoo hoo! Whoo hoo! The young reindeer went to sleep, safe and warm, nestled close to her mother.
Weeks went by, still she had no name but her mother heard so many asking,
"Is she blushing?"
"Does she have something wrong with her?"
"Is she too hot?"
The baby's cheeks were getting pinker and pinker – a name had been found.
"Blusher," she called softly.
The baby reindeer looked into her mother's eyes, "Is that my name?"
"Do you like it?"
"Oh yes!" she said, "Oh yes I do."
"Then Blusher is your name."
All the other reindeer were asked to come to be told the baby's name.
"Her name," said her mother proudly, "is Blusher."
"Oh!" said Miss Bumbling, "what a lovely name."
"Yes" they all cried excitedly.
I, I, like your name," said a small voice from behind. "I wish I had a name like that."
As Blusher looked around, she saw this funny, oversized reindeer with shortish legs, her ears were so long they were hanging down the side of her face, her mouth, sort of looked as if she was grinning.
Blusher knew they were going to be the best of friends.
"What's your name?" asked Blusher.
"Well, they call me Dumpee. You see, I'm really big for my age."
"Well Dumpee, I think I'm going to like being your friend."
"You want to be friends with me?" cried Dumpee, sounding surprised. "No-one wants to be friends with me. They call me all sorts of names. They play the most awful tricks, like tying my ears around the gate post while I'm asleep."
Blusher just looked at Dumpee and smiled. She turned around to go, then called back. " Are you coming to play?"
"Yes," said Dumpee, who then turned around so fast she fell over her own ears. Blusher tried not to laugh.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Blusher's First Christmas by Teresa Rowland Copyright © 2012 by Teresa Rowland. Excerpted by permission of BALBOA PRESS. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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