Where Is Steve's Rod? Jolly Phonics · Step 3, Unit 7: /oa/ mixed

Alex lifts up her new rod. She shows a big grin. Three sticks. Two strings. One fine rod. 'Steve!' she bellows. 'Race me to the water! The slow one is a bad fish!'

Steve looks at Alex's rod. Then he looks at his own hands. No rod at all. 'Wait,' he says. 'I need a rod too.' 'So make one, Steve!' says Alex. 'Sticks and string are all over.' She flicks her line into the water. 'I will wait. But not for long.'

Steve runs to the beach where they keep the kit. He will grab sticks and string, make a rod, and get back soon. But the pile is low. Some bits of stone. A block or two. Not one stick. 'Now where did it all go?' Steve says.

Steve looks out over the water at a far land thick with trees. So many sticks over there. But that is a long, slow swim. There must be a stick not so far off. 'I will not swim to a far land for one stick,' Steve says.

Steve tries the grass by the town next. This spot has good stuff: sticks and string. But not now. No sticks. No string. No more. Steve frowns. One was here first. One with a new fishing rod.

Then Steve spots an old stone bin set low in the hill. He leans in for a look. And a fishing rod hangs inside! It is like it waits just for him. 'Yes!' Steve yells. He grabs it.

He lifts the rod up to the sunlight. The string is worn. The stick has a crack. One tug from a fish and snap! Steve frowns. 'It is bad. But it is a rod.' He tucks it under his arm and hunts on. There must be sticks and string out here.

He looks all over. He checks the high grass. He even tugs the flowers. Not one stick. Not one bit of string. The clouds blow in. Steve needs his lunch now. That old rod starts to look like his one hope.

Then Steve spots a rod tip poking up from a hole in the dirt. A rod! He jumps down to grab it. But this one is bad as well. It has a crack right down it. 'Come on!' Steve moans. Two rods, and not one can get a fish.

The sun sinks low. Steve treks home with a cracked rod in each hand. Two bad rods. No fish. One very long day. Alex is going to mock him no end.

But Alex sees the rods and gasps. She does not mock him. Her eyes glow. 'Steve! Give them here!' She grabs them and rushes to her craft bench. 'This bit is fine. And this bit! Wow, this will do it. This will more than do it!'

Alex spins round with a new rod. The best bits from both old ones. She throws it to Steve. 'There,' she says. 'Now we are even.' Steve grins. 'Even? Alex, what a day I have had! I will win this,' he boasts. Alex grabs her own rod and runs outside. 'Biggest fish wins. Get set. Go!'