Bus Bunch "The Best New Neighbors Ever"

The Best Neighbors Ever A Brite Star Bus Bunch Book Copyright © 2023 by The Brite Star Foundation, Inc., a 501 (c)3 All rights reserved.

Published by The Brite Star Foundation, Inc. 11411 Southern Highlands Parkway Suite 338 Las Vegas, Nevada 89141 Vincent W. Goett, Publisher

ISBN Paperback

979-8-89750-270-7

Digital

979-8-89750-271-4

No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission of the publisher.

Miles was kicking a soccer ball around the front yard when he saw a big truck pull into the driveway next door. It was a movingtruck!

The house had been empty for a while. Miles hoped that a family with a boy his age would move into it.

Soccer wasn’t much fun to play by himself.

The sun shined bright through the windows of the CCDay Care Center while Dumaka, Tirza and Nanise played together on the rug. They were busily building a large structure with the wooden blocks while their mothers and their teacher Ms. Kathy huddled in the far corner ofthe room.

“There’s a moving truck next door.We’re getting new neighbors!” Milescried.

“Yahoo! I hope they have a girl my age. It’s been lonely since my friend movedaway,” Lily said. Miles and Lily watched out their front window to see who the new family would be.

Pretty soon their curiosity got the best of them and Miles and Lily went into the front yard to watch the truck beingunloaded. Box after box went into the house. Tables and chairs and lamps went inside.

“Bicycles!” Miles shouted. “There are bicycles and a skateboard and soccer balls! There must be kids!”

“Yes! And one of the bikes is a girl’s bike!” Lily shouted. She was too excited to sit still so she jumped up and dancedaround.

Just then a car pulled into the driveway. Miles and Lily held their breath as they waited to see if any kids were in the car.

The dad and mom got out. Then the back door opened and . . . a girl about Miles’ agegot out! Lily could hardly wait, and then . . . a boy about her age got out!

Right away Miles noticed that these kids looked different from he andLily.

“Hello, we are Mr. and Mrs. Sanchez,” saidthe father. “This is Mike, Jr. We call him Junior and this is Maria,” hesaid.

It took only a minute before Miles said, “Nice to meet you. It will be great to have kids living next door. We’ll have lots of fun.”

“Could Junior and Maria play with you while we get settled in our house?” Mr. Sanchez asked.

Of course it was okay! Miles and Lily and their new friends kicked a ball around and got to know each other. “Where are you from?”Miles asked.

“We lived in Sacramento for a little bit. But, my dad got a new job here,” explainedMaria.

“We came from Mexico a couple yearsago.”

“Where’s Mexico?” Lily asked.

“Mexico is our country’s neighbor south of the United States,” Miles said. “Mexico has great food. We love tacos!”

“Well, we love cheeseburgers,” Maria saidand everyone laughed.

The four new friends played until Miles and Lily’s mother called them in for dinner. “It was great meeting you,” Miles said to his new friends.

Junior and Maria waved goodbye and ranto their new home.

Miles and Lily told their parents about their new friends. “They came to the United States from Mexico,” Lily said. “Miles told me Mexico is our neighbor or something like that.”

“Good job, Miles,” Dad said. He got a book of maps from the bookshelf and showed Lily where Mexico waslocated.

“It’s kind of scary to meet people from another country. What if we don’t like the same things? What if we don’t have anything to talkabout?” Lily asked. She was nervous.

“We learned at school that people from other countries might look different from us,” Miles said. “Like, Junior’s and Maria’s skin is a little bit darker than ours. But, all our differences just make us special,” he said.

“Wow Miles, you must be VERYspecialthen,” Lily said, “because you look super different from everybody!” Everyone laughed . . . even Miles!

The next morning, Miles and Maria met at the bus stop.The bus driver, Mr. Emerson, welcomed Maria to the Bus Bunch. All the kids were happy to meet her. Soon everyone was talking and laughing and Maria was right in the middle of it all.

Miss Betty welcomed Maria to Brite Star School then she said, “For our lesson today we will learn about different cultures in our world.”

“What does culture mean?” Milesasked.

“Culture means the way people in a country live. It includes things like food they eat, their language. It can mean clothes they wear, or music they enjoy and even games thechildren play,” Miss Betty explained.

“Wow, that’s a lot to learn,” Miles said.

When recess time came, all the children had fun playing and laughing together. “I bet every culture loves recess!” Miles said and everyone laughed.

“Miles, do you like skateboarding?”Maria asked.

“Yes! It’s my favorite thing to do!” said Miles.

“Mine, too! Want to skateboard together after school?” Maria asked.

“Yes! For sure!” answered Miles.

When Mr. Emerson’s bus brought the boys home after school there was a brightred fire truck in theSanchez’s driveway.

“Oh no!” Miles exclaimed. “Is there a fire at your new house?”

Maria smiled but she didn’t say a word.She knew asecret!

Mr. Sanchez came out of the house then.

Junior and Lily were with him. “I thought you kids mightenjoy a ride in my company truck,” he said.

“What do you mean?” Miles asked. He was confused. He looked at Mr. Sanchez, thenat the big fire truck, then back at Mr. Sanchez.

“You know we moved here because of my job,” Mr. Sanchez said. “Well, I’m Chief Mike. The new fire chief here in Brite Star.”

“Our new neighbors aren’t so different from us at all,” thought Miles. “In fact, we have the best new neighbors ever!”

Think About It 1. What does Miles see at the house nextdoor?

2. What are Miles and Lily hoping their newneighbor family will have?

3. What do Miles and Lily notice right awayabout their new neighbors?

4. Where were Junior and Maria’s parents from?

5. What did Miles and Maria discover they both liked to do?

Let’s Work Together!

People from other cultures maybe different from you in some ways. But, if you take time to talk witheach other you will probably learn things about you that are the same– things you like to do, food you like to eat or things that make you laugh.

I will . . .

• Not be afraid to talk withpeople of other cultures.

• Be friendly to others and learn what things we have in common.

• Learn about other cultures.

Meeting people from other countries and cultures gives you a chance to learn newthings – newfoods, newgames and even a newlanguage.

Youmight find things you really enjoy. Share your culture withothers and learn about theirs.

"The Brite Star Kids” 979-8-89750-263-”Th9979-8-89750Entertaining Through Life Lessons in 263-9 the Magical World of Brite Star!"