(upbeat music) - Welcome my dear sweet, beautiful, brilliant Rise and Shiners.

I am Stacy McAdoo, your forever 2019 Arkansas Teacher of the Year, and it is story time!

Today we're reading a book entitled, "Carlie Rae and Crew, First Day of School" by Letia Wyatt and illustrated by Fauzia Najm.

Carlie Rae always knew she was a special little girl.

Mama would tell her how beautiful and smart she was.

So it just stuck with her.

She had such an adventurous kind of mind.

One that took her to mystical and magical places whenever she closed her eyes.

Her mama told her that's called having an "imagination".

Carlie's bright smile and imagination were the things she liked best about herself.

Soon she would have a chance to learn and explore even more once she began her first day of kindergarten.

The next day Carlie woke up with a huge smile on her face!

"Mama, mama!"

she screamed.

"Yes, Carlie Rae.

What is it?".

"Mama, it's the first day of school and I get to wear my pretty blue dress with the big yellow flower on it!"

Carlie Rae loved yellow!

She thought that it shined bright like the sun and made her feel warm and fuzzy inside.

"Yep!

It is!"

her mama said.

"Are you excited?"

"Yes, ma'am, I am!"

Carlie Rae said with an even wider grin.

Today Carlie Rae was really excited to go to school.

She had met Mrs. Tenney her new teacher, when her and her mother went to visit the school a few weeks ago.

She had promised the class lots of fun, games, and reading.

This was sure to be the best first day of school ever.

Mrs. Tenney was a tall lady with red hair and small blue-framed glasses.

Her favorite dress to wear was a white dress with black polka dots and bright red shoes.

Carlie Rae loved Mrs. Tenney because her class was like a new adventure waiting to happen.

When Mama walked Carlie to her classroom, she gave her a kiss and hug and then went to put her backpack in her cube and waited for the day to start.

This was her first day; Carlie had a chance to meet all of her new classmates which she found to be quite exciting.

Anya was Carlie Rae's table mate.

She had just turned six years old and wore her hair in two long French braids.

"Hi, my name is Anya!

What's yours?"

she said with a booming voice.

"I'm Carlie Rae."

Carlie said.

"Nice to meet you."

Anya said.

All the girls began to chatter about what their favorite ice cream was and the top color of the day.

Mrs. Tenney entered the classroom.

Mrs. Tenney had a wonderful way of showing off who she was.

Carlie loved the polka dot dress she wore and her blue-framed glasses.

"Good morning class!

As you all know, my name is Mrs. Tenney, and I will be your kindergarten teacher for the year.

Welcome."

"Hello, Mrs.Tenney," the class said in unison.

"Hello to you all.

Our first assignment will be to introduce something very important to you that begins with the same letter," said Mrs.Tenney, "Does everyone understand?"

Carlie could feel a sea of blue, green and brown eyes beaming straight from Mrs. Tenney.

She didn't know what the word "describe" meant, so she was sure her classmates did not.

"Mrs. Tenney, what does the word "describe" mean?"

Carlie said in a shy voice.

"Sure, Carlie.

The word "describe" means to say out loud or write down what a person, place, or thing may look like, how it feels, what it sounds like."

Carlie had to think of three words that began with the letter M and use them in a sentence.

Carlie thought.

"Mama, milk and Millie" Millie was Carlie's cat and often the one who went on brave adventures with her during her playtime.

Carlie could write about those words because she practiced with Mama.

"Mama, would you please give Millie some milk?"

Carlie could tell that she would absolutely love Mrs. Tenney's class.

All of her classmates were so much fun to be around.

With the day coming to a close, Carlie could see her Mama through the window as she arrived to pick her up.

As she walked to the car with her mother, Carlie skipped and sang aloud: Carlie Rae, the adventurous one.

Carlie Rae is loads of fun!

Carlie Rae is the age of six.

Carlie Rae loves magic tricks!

(upbeat music)