When Julia’s little sister, Ellie, was born, her mother said to Julia, “Now you will have to share.”
As Ellie got older, Julia had to share her dolls and her toys. She had to share the conversation at the dinner table. She even had to share her room.
When Grandma came to visit, she noticed that Julia was becoming cranky and bossy and that her usual smile was missing.
When Ellie tried on Julia’s hat, Julia tore it off Ellie’s head and pulled her hair.
That evening, Grandma sat with Julia on the couch. “Sharing is not always fun, is it?” Grandma said.
Julia frowned. “No,” she said.
“Especially your clothes, your playthings, and your room,” said Grandma.
Julia made a sour face. “I wish I had a place in this house that was all mine, where nobody else could go,” she said.
“That’s a wonderful idea!” Grandma said. “Let’s go look for one.”
They looked in the living room. But that was where the whole family played games or talked or sang songs at the piano, sometimes all at once.
Julia crept under the dining-room table. The tablecloth made a nice hiding place, but that space would be good only between mealtimes.
They went down to the basement. They looked in the laundry room, but that was filled with laundry and an ironing board. And a cat.
They were about to go upstairs again when Julia noticed an empty space under the basement stairs. “Here!” Julia cried. “What about this?”
Grandma nodded. “We’ll ask your mom about it tomorrow,” she said.
The next morning, Julia asked her mom if the space under the basement stairs could be her very own castle.
“I don’t see why not,” said Mom.
The space under the stairs was like a little room. Mom hung up a sheet to make it more private. Julia said, “If you didn’t know I was in here, you would never know I was in here.”
Then Julia decided to put her favorite things in her special space. She brought in three books, two dolls, her toy stove, her box of clay, and her suitcase filled with dress-up costumes.
As Julia was arranging her things, her sister picked up the edge of the sheet and tried to walk in.
“You have to knock on the stair first and ask permission,” Julia said.
Ellie knocked.
“You can’t come in now,” said Julia. “I’m busy.” She read one of her books and made some dishes out of clay.
But after a while, Julia thought it might be nice to have company. So the next time Ellie knocked, Julia said, “Come in. I’m having a tea party.” She invited Grandma, too.
Grandma had to scrunch down to fit in Julia’s little room, but she found it quite cozy sitting on a cushion on the floor.
Then Julia poured imaginary tea for Grandma and Ellie, and also for her dolls and her teddy bear.
Ellie served everyone an imaginary cake she had made.
Grandma said the cake was delicious, and there was just the right amount of sugar in the tea.
And after that, sometimes Julia shared her room under the stairs . . . but only when she wanted to.
As Ellie got older, Julia had to share her dolls and her toys. She had to share the conversation at the dinner table. She even had to share her room.
When Grandma came to visit, she noticed that Julia was becoming cranky and bossy and that her usual smile was missing.
When Ellie tried on Julia’s hat, Julia tore it off Ellie’s head and pulled her hair.
That evening, Grandma sat with Julia on the couch. “Sharing is not always fun, is it?” Grandma said.
Julia frowned. “No,” she said.
“Especially your clothes, your playthings, and your room,” said Grandma.
Julia made a sour face. “I wish I had a place in this house that was all mine, where nobody else could go,” she said.
“That’s a wonderful idea!” Grandma said. “Let’s go look for one.”
They looked in the living room. But that was where the whole family played games or talked or sang songs at the piano, sometimes all at once.
Julia crept under the dining-room table. The tablecloth made a nice hiding place, but that space would be good only between mealtimes.
They went down to the basement. They looked in the laundry room, but that was filled with laundry and an ironing board. And a cat.
They were about to go upstairs again when Julia noticed an empty space under the basement stairs. “Here!” Julia cried. “What about this?”
Grandma nodded. “We’ll ask your mom about it tomorrow,” she said.
The next morning, Julia asked her mom if the space under the basement stairs could be her very own castle.
“I don’t see why not,” said Mom.
The space under the stairs was like a little room. Mom hung up a sheet to make it more private. Julia said, “If you didn’t know I was in here, you would never know I was in here.”
Then Julia decided to put her favorite things in her special space. She brought in three books, two dolls, her toy stove, her box of clay, and her suitcase filled with dress-up costumes.
As Julia was arranging her things, her sister picked up the edge of the sheet and tried to walk in.
“You have to knock on the stair first and ask permission,” Julia said.
Ellie knocked.
“You can’t come in now,” said Julia. “I’m busy.” She read one of her books and made some dishes out of clay.
But after a while, Julia thought it might be nice to have company. So the next time Ellie knocked, Julia said, “Come in. I’m having a tea party.” She invited Grandma, too.
Grandma had to scrunch down to fit in Julia’s little room, but she found it quite cozy sitting on a cushion on the floor.
Then Julia poured imaginary tea for Grandma and Ellie, and also for her dolls and her teddy bear.
Ellie served everyone an imaginary cake she had made.
Grandma said the cake was delicious, and there was just the right amount of sugar in the tea.
And after that, sometimes Julia shared her room under the stairs . . . but only when she wanted to.
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