Introducing Billy
Spanish
By Delber Blickenstaff 

On my next birthday I will be six years old. That will be great! My birthday comes at a bad time, though. December 28 – between Christmas and New Year. Everyone is excited about Christmas presents and parties, and my birthday doesn’t get much attention. June 28 would be much better. Dad and Mom always buy me a nice present though. Also our family goes somewhere for dinner and this time I get to choose where we go. I haven’t decided yet where I want us to go, but I hope I pick a place where the birthday boy gets a cake with candles on it. 

Know what? I can write my name now: BILLY. Doesn’t that look nice? It won’t be long until I can write my last name too. Maybe next year I can start writing my own stories. 

Our kindergarten teacher taught us a new word: Hola. She explained that it is a Spanish word and we don’t pronounce the first letter, H. So it sounds like ola and it means Hi. She wanted us to learn it because there are two Mexican kids in our class. Their names are Carlos and Ana, but I don’t know what their last names are. Our teacher wants us to be able to say Hi to them by saying Hola. It’s easy to say and it makes them feel welcome. 

I think there are words in the English language where we don’t pronounce all the letters, but I can’t think of any right now. Later when I learn how to read I’ll explain what I mean. 

I wonder if I’ll get a new bike for my birthday. 

Billy