Always Great, Never Late!
The boy in this humorous narrative is ready for school but fears he’s going to be late (again) because Mum is not ready for work.
About this resource
Series: Junior Journal 48, Level 2, 2014
Colour wheel level: Gold
Reading year level: 3
Category: Fiction
Topics: motto, humour, late, relationships, family, magician
Always Great, Never Late!
Words by Bill Nagelkerke
Illustrations by Kat Chadwick
The boy, who is also the narrator, drops intriguing hints about what Mum does for a living. Readers have many opportunities to identify clues and speculate about Mum and her work and to enjoy the irony in the contrast between her motto (“Always great, never late”) and her actions. This narrative also includes snappy dialogue, jokes, and plays on words.
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More from this series
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Junior Journal 48 Level 2 2014
In this Junior Journal are three stories (Always Great, Never Late; Breakdown; Rongoā Māori), one poem (Tortoise), and two articles (Helpful Trees and Plants; Torty, the Lucky Tortoise).
1 of 6Rongoā Māori
This story has a strong theme of the value of rongoā Māori, traditional Māori medicine. It provides opportunities for students who are familiar with te reo and rongoā Māori to share their knowledge.
2 of 6Breakdown
Mum and Jake can’t go to the supermarket because Mum’s car won’t start. When the tow truck arrives, Jake takes a keen interest in everything the tow- truck driver does.
3 of 6Tortoise
I found a harmless little creature paddling in a ditch. A turtle or a tortoise? I wasn’t quite sure which.
4 of 6Helpful Trees and Plants
There are many helpful trees and plants in New Zealand. These are the ones that Nan uses in “Rongoā Māori”.
5 of 6Torty, the Lucky Tortoise
The adventures of Torty, the tortoise started in Greece during the First World War when she was rescued by Stewart, a New Zealand stretcher-bearer.
6 of 6
