Kylie Jean Football Queen

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  All About Me, Kylie Jean!

  Chapter 1 - Dazzler Dynamo

  Chapter 2 - Friday Night Football

  Chapter 3 - Away Game

  Chapter 4 - Thirteen Moves

  Chapter 5 - Biggest Fan Contest

  Chapter 6 - Home Game

  Chapter 7 - Dance or Cheer?

  Chapter 8 - Mums with Momma

  Chapter 9 - A New Cheer

  Chapter 10 - Tailgate Party

  Chapter 11 - The Big Game

  Glossary

  Discussion Questions

  From Momma’s Kitchen

  The Fun Doesn’t Stop Here!

  Author and Illustrator

  Copyright

  Buy the Book

  Back Cover

  All About Me, Kylie Jean!

  My name is Kylie Jean Carter. I live in a big, sunny, yellow house on Peachtree Lane in Jacksonville, Texas with Momma, Daddy, and my two brothers, T.J. and Ugly Brother.

  T.J. is my older brother, and Ugly Brother is . . . well . . . he’s really a dog. Don’t you go telling him he is a dog. Okay? I mean it. He thinks he is a real true person.

  He is a black-and-white bulldog. His front looks like his back, all smashed in. His face is all droopy like he’s sad, but he’s not.

  His two front teeth stick out and his tongue hangs down. (Now you know why his name is Ugly Brother.)

  Everyone I love to the moon and back lives in Jacksonville. Nanny, Pa, Granny, Pappy, my aunts, my uncles, and my cousins all live here. I’m extra lucky, because I can see all of them any time I want to!

  My momma says I’m pretty. She says I have eyes as blue as the summer sky and a smile as sweet as an angel. (Momma says pretty is as pretty does. That means being nice to the old folks, taking care of little animals, and respecting my momma and daddy.)

  But I’m pretty on the outside and on the inside. My hair is long, brown, and curly.

  I wear it in a ponytail sometimes, but my absolute most favorite is when Momma pulls it back in a princess style on special days.

  I just gave you a little hint about my big dream. Ever since I was a bitty baby I have wanted to be an honest-to-goodness beauty queen. I even know the wave. It’s side to side, nice and slow, with a dazzling smile. I practice all the time, because everybody knows beauty queens need to have a perfect wave.

  I’m Kylie Jean, and I’m going to be a beauty queen. Just you wait and see!

  Chapter 1 Dazzler Dynamo

  Today still feels like summer. But as I sit in Momma's van, waiting for her to bring me to Little Dazzler camp, I look down Peachtree Lane. And what do I see but trees covered with leaves that look like cherry, lemon, and orange Jolly Rancher candies.

  The colorful leaves swirl around, tumbling across our driveway. While I wait, I count them. One, two, three . . .

  When I get to thirteen, I stop. I sure wish my momma would hurry up.

  I open the van door and holler, "Momma, we're fixin' to be late for my Little Dazzler camp. Are you comin'?"

  Momma comes out the door and locks up. "You just hold your horses, Little Miss," she says. "I'll get you to the high school on time, I promise."

  She opens the back door and tosses her purse on the backseat. Then she hops in the driver's seat. We both buckle our seat belts.

  "Ready?" she asks.

  "Yes, ma'am, I sure am!" I say. "I can't wait to be a Little Dazzler!" Every year, each girl on the high school drill team, the Dancing Dazzlers, can choose a younger girl to be their buddy at Little Dazzler Camp.

  My big cousin Lilly isn't on the team, so I had to have a different girl pick me.

  Grace Bryan chose me. Miss Clarabelle lives on one side of me, and on the other side is where Grace lives. She's a drill team girl, and I think T.J. is sweet on her. (That means he wishes she would be his girlfriend.)

  When Grace picked me, she made me happier than a twirler with two batons. I bounce around in my seat, just thinking about it.

  Momma smiles. "You seem excited," she says.

  I nod happily. After all, I've been waiting for three years to be a Little Dazzler. I'm finally old enough to get picked. I tell Momma, "Grace is the best neighbor in the whole wide world! After Miss Clarabelle, I mean."

  Momma nods. "We are very lucky to have Grace for our neighbor. You be sure to do your best today so she'll be proud she picked you."

  "I will, Momma. Doing my best is my specialty," I reply. "Do some folks do their worst?"

  The van stops at a red light and Momma turns around in her seat. She looks me straight in the eye. This means we are going to have a serious talk.

  Momma says, "Most folks do the best they can, but if they don't try at all, then that is a bad thing. We Carters are never quitters. We try our best."

  I look Momma right back in the eye. Then I nod. "Quitting is not for Carters or beauty queens," I say.

  The streetlight flashes green. Momma turns and starts driving again. Soon, we turn into the Jacksonville High School parking lot.

  Grace is waiting by her daddy's orange pickup truck. He also has an orange flag with horns on it in front of his house. Orange is his college color. He's a Texas Longhorn, and he wants Grace to be one when she goes to college, too.

  Grace sees us and smiles. She waves at me, and I wave back.

  Grace is tall and has soft brown eyes. Today, her curly red hair is pulled into a ponytail. She's wearing black shorts and a pink striped shirt.

  Momma rolls down the window as we pull up. She says, "Grace, you sure are a sweet girl to pick Kylie Jean for Little Dazzler Camp. She has so much energy. I think she'll be a Dazzler dynamo, don't you?"

  Grace replies, "Yes, ma'am, she sure will. And you know, I wouldn't want to pick anyone else. Kylie Jean has had her heart set on this for quite a while!"

  Momma laughs. "We have been talking about Little Dazzler Camp for years!"

  I hop out of the car. "I love your shirt," I tell Grace.

  Grace smiles. "Pink is my color," she says.

  I gasp. "Mine too!" I say.

  Grace reaches for my hand and we wave goodbye to Momma. After Momma drives away, Grace asks, "Before we get to the football field to practice, do you have any questions?"

  "Is there a Dazzler queen?" I ask.

  She frowns. "Hmm. Not exactly. We do have a drill team leader, though."

  "Really?" I say. "Cool!"

  We head to the field. Lots of big girls and little girls are there, standing side by side in pairs. Grace points to a woman with a whistle around her neck and says, "That's Coach Fowler."

  The coach blows her whistle and we all sit down on the grass to listen.

  She explains that the Little Dazzlers will only practice for an hour every Saturday morning. Then the big girls on the real drill team, like Grace and Maggie Lou, will have to stay for the whole morning.

  All of us little girls, like Susie and me, will learn a dance routine, and then we will get to perform at one halftime show during the football season. A few of us will get picked for each game until every Little Dazzler gets a chance to perform.

  Excitement bubbles up inside me like soda pop fizz. When the coach blows her whistle again, we all line up and watch the big girls go through their dance routine.

  They are awesome! When they're done, I shout, clap, and jump up and down. Grace laughs. "Hey, you're not at cheerleading camp, cutie!" she says. "It's time to dance!" So we do!

  Chapter 2 Friday Night Football

  My family, my town, and pretty much everyone in Texas spends the week getting ready for Friday night football. This year is especially exciting because my brother is the QB. That means quarterback.

  Oh—I better say that it's T.J., not Ugly Brother, who is playing for the undefeated Jacksonville Kings football team. Ugly Brother could really take a bite out of those players on the other teams, but it just wouldn't be fair if we got a bulldog to play for us and they didn't.

  Every day after school, T.J. has to go practice with Coach Armstrong and his team. He's number 13. Some people think that's an unlucky number, but I know it's a good number for my brother!

  Momma goes to watch and sometimes takes me along. We sit on the sidelines while Momma cheers for all the boys on the team.

  I cheer extra loud for T.J.

  In Texas, even in the fall, it is pretty hot right after school, and I feel sorry for those poor football boys running and practicing football plays under the pounding sun.

  But football makes them big stars. All over the state, TV news stations show stories about high school teams, star players, pep rallies and halftime performances.

  On Wednesday night, we are eating tacos. Daddy picked up our food from Taco Casa on his way home from work. We all gather around the table and fill our plates from the brown paper sacks.

  Mmmmm . . . smells like spicy taco heaven! I love Taco Casa!

  When everybody has their food, Daddy asks, "How's practice going, son?"

  T.J. looks at Momma and says, "I play better when Momma comes to watch."

  Momma smiles. "T.J. Carter, that is one of the sweetest things I've ever heard!" she says. She turns to Daddy and adds, "Those boys on the team are working so hard. The Kings just have to have a winning season. We're going all the way to the state championships, I just know it!"

  Daddy grins. "Well, wouldn't that be something!" he says. "The last time we went all the way to state, I was on the team."

  "But you played defen
se, right, Daddy?" I ask.

  "That's right," Daddy says.

  Then T.J. says, "I know we can get to the championship if Kylie Jean comes to all the games. She's my secret good luck charm."

  I can't believe it!

  Me? My big brother's good luck charm? My mouth drops open and I jump out of my chair, shouting, "Really, me? For real? I'm your good luck charm? Me?"

  T.J. grins. "Yup! I need all that energy cheering for me," he says. "Then I can play like an NFL pro."

  "I'm your number-one fan, big brother!" I say.

  Ugly Brother barks under the table. I can't tell if he wants to be a fan, too, or if he just wants to eat some of my taco.

  Before I can figure it out, Momma warns, "T.J. and Kylie Jean, you better quit talking and start eating! You both have homework to do."

  We both say, "Yes, ma'am."

  * * *

  That night, when I get in my big pink fluffy bed, Ugly Brother gets comfy at the end of the bed.

  First he lies down on his side, then he stretches out long, and finally he gets on his stomach. This means he's going to snore.

  He is a good brother, even if he sounds like a pig grunting when he gets to snoring loud.

  We both settle down. He gets back on his stomach. I pull the covers right up to my nose so I'm nice and warm.

  My body is as still as a statue, but my mind is racing like a horse.

  I am thinking about how lucky I am to be a Little Dazzler. I wonder who will get to dance at the homecoming game.

  Tomorrow is Thursday, which means we only have one more day until Friday night football. On Friday, they will have a big pep rally at the high school, and Lilly will cheer.

  Maybe someday I could be a cheerleader, too.

  The game is an away game, which means our team has to go to another town to play football. I can hardly wait.

  I love football! That's what makes me such an awesome fan.

  Besides, if I didn't like football, well, I just couldn't be a Texan anymore. I'd have to go live somewhere else. Good thing that'll never happen!

  Chapter 3 Away Game

  On Friday evening, Momma and I bring T.J. to the high school. There are three big yellow buses that say Jacksonville High School on the sides waiting to take the team, the cheerleaders, and the band over to Athens for the game.

  T.J. looks like a giant in his purple football pants and white jersey with a big gold 13 on the front. He has his helmet in his hand.

  Our cousin Lilly pokes her head out of a bus window and shouts, "Hey, Aunt Shelly, Kylie Jean, and T.J."

  Momma hollers, "Lilly, you better cheer extra loud tonight since it's an away game."

  Lilly gives us a thumbs up. Then I see that Grace is on the bus, too. She waves at me and I wave back, nice and slow, side to side. That's my special beauty queen wave. T.J. grabs his duffle bag, ready to get on the bus.

  Momma grabs his hand. "You're going to lead your team to victory," she says. "Just play from the heart and remember everything Coach Armstrong taught you. Don't forget to drink lots of water, too."

  T.J. smiles. "Yes, ma'am!" he says.

  "Don't worry," I tell my big brother. "I'll be cheering for you so you can win."

  He says, "Lil' Bit, I knew I could count on you. You're my good luck charm."

  T.J. gives us one last wave as he climbs onto the bus. Momma, Daddy, and I will all ride to Athens in the van. We can't leave until Daddy gets home from work.

  When we get home, Momma gets busy changing into her Kings T-shirt. I notice Ugly Brother didn't even eat a bite of the food in his dish.

  I say, "We're going to eat on the road. Probably we'll have hamburgers."

  Ugly Brother whines.

  I ask, "Are you sad because you can't eat hamburgers?"

  He barks, "Ruff."

  Two barks mean yes. One means no. So what's wrong?

  Suddenly an idea hits my brain like a tackle on a quarterback. I say, "You're sad because you're going to miss T.J.'s game! Right?"

  He barks excitedly, "Ruff, ruff."

  I come up with a plan. "Okay," I say. "Eat fast. Then I'll hide you in the van. I hope Momma and Daddy won't be too mad. I know it would break your heart to miss T.J.'s game."

  I figure we'll need his doggie leash and he'll have to have something to wear that will show his school spirit. I have just the thing! I run upstairs to grab some purple and gold hair ribbons.

  Back downstairs, I tie the ribbons in a big bow around his neck. Then we slip outside.

  Carefully, I slide open the side door to the van. Ugly Brother tries to jump up, but he's so fat he needs a boost.

  "You might need to go on a doggie diet," I tell him.

  Ugly Brother growls at me. Whispering, I warn him, "You have to be quiet for our plan to work."

  He climbs all the way into the back of the van and I throw an old blanket over him.

  Daddy pulls up in his truck just as I close the van's door. He sees me standing by the van and says, "Hey, sugar. Where's your momma? I see you're all ready to go."

  I say, "Yes, sir. I think I'll wait right here in the van. Momma's inside getting ready." As soon as he goes inside, I let out a big sigh of relief.

  Before you know it, Momma and Daddy dash out and hop into the van.

  On our way out of town, we get our burgers. Then we head on down the road on Highway 175, winding our way over the back roads. Ugly Brother does pretty good, but after a while, the smell of those burgers finally gets to him and he starts to whine.

  Momma asks, "Did you hear that?"

  I say, "Hear what?"

  Daddy looks at Momma. "I did hear something," he says. "It sounded like a dog."

  I decide I better confess. I blurt out, "Ugly Brother is back here with me. I just couldn't leave him home all alone! He was so sad that we were all going to the game without him, so I decided to help him out. Please don't be mad. Okay?"

  Daddy laughs, but Momma is not happy. I can tell because she uses all of my names. "Kylie Jean Carter, I can't believe you brought Ugly Brother and didn't ask me if it was okay first!" she says.

  "He was so sad," I say. "His heart was breaking right in two!"

  Momma still looks mad, but she says, "It's too late to take him back now, so I hope he'll be a good fan at the game."

  "He will be," I say. "I promise!"

  And from underneath his blanket, Ugly Brother barks, "Ruff, ruff!"

  When we get to the Athens High School stadium, we climb up thirteen steps to find enough room for all of us to sit.

  It takes a long time to get to a seat because everyone wants to stop us and ask about Ugly Brother. They ask us his name, if he's a Kings fan, and how long has he been coming to football games. One man says Ugly Brother is a very unusual football fan. One lady comments on his school spirit because he is wearing a purple and gold bow.

  The crowds love Ugly Brother, but they love T.J. more. We get so excited watching him play that I shout and Ugly Brother sits up and howls. I wave my purple foam finger in the air, jumping up and down.

  The game is not even close. We have a huge lead and one more chance to score in the last few minutes of the fourth quarter.

  T.J. has the ball. Daddy yells, "You got it, son! Take your time. Now pass the ball, pass the ball!"

  T.J. looks around to see who is open. He throws the ball in a long, long arc down the field and into the hands of Junior Watts, who carries it over the line.

  Another touchdown! The stands go crazy!

  We are all yelling and hugging and smiling and happy. The players from the other team line up to shake hands with our team and say congratulations. The boys on our team look real proud.

  Momma and Daddy and Ugly Brother and I push through the crowd like little fish against the tide. Everyone is leaving, but we are trying to get to T.J.

  When he sees us, he comes to the sidelines. Momma gives him a hug and Daddy shakes his hand.