The school doorway stood bright beneath a cheerful bell. Beyond it came footsteps, chatter, and scraping chairs—shuffle, clatter, swish. Pipkin gripped the backpack straps and whispered, “Maybe I can just peek.” The open door waited, wide as a question.
Pipkin took one step inside. A rolling globe bumped gently against the shoe and spun away with a wobbling whirr. The teacher caught it, smiled, and said, “Good morning, Pipkin. We’ll find your place together.” Pipkin followed past bright artwork and humming cubbies.
The first empty chair received a swooping paper airplane. The second waited beneath a tumbling stack of blocks. The friendly classmate gathered the blocks and pointed to a sunny table. “Sit here with me,” she said, while blue and red pieces clacked into a tower.
Pipkin added a blue block. Up rose the tower—higher than Pipkin, crowned with paper. “Our classroom castle!” cheered the classmate. Pipkin laughed as the crown tilted proudly. Then the teacher lifted both hands, inviting everyone to make a circle.
Pipkin carried the paper crown to the circle and placed it in the middle. A hand lifted. The teacher asked for the first color in the welcome game. Pipkin pointed to yellow and said, “Yellow!” Crayons rattled across the table as everyone leaned closer.
At day’s end, Pipkin packed the backpack and paused beside the classroom door. The room had quieted to soft chair creaks and fading sunlight. Across the room, the classmate waved from the crowned block tower. The teacher called, “See you tomorrow, Pipkin!”
Pipkin turned the doorknob and stepped fully through the doorway. Instead of peeking from the hall, Pipkin waved back. Ding! The bell gave one bright note. A yellow crayon rested safely in the backpack as Pipkin headed toward home.
The next morning, Pipkin reached the classroom before the bell. The friendly classmate arrived, and Pipkin held the door open. “Come on,” Pipkin said, stepping toward the sunny table. Blocks clacked. The paper crown waited for its next adventure.
