Five-year-old Emily lived with her father, mother, and little sister Jennifer in a light blue house with a white fence around it. She was a happy little girl. Emily's father was a policeman. Her mother stayed home to take care of Emily and her little sister. Emily's mother would walk her to school every day while she pushed Emily's sister in the stroller. They would 

smile as they passed the candy store 

on the way to school each day. Emily 

would often ask her mother if 

she could buy a piece of candy 

after school. Sometimes her 

mother would say "yes." 

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One day, when Emily's family was away from home, a fire started in their house. The neighbors called the fire department, and they came and put out the fire. The house and everything inside had burned in the fire. Emily and Jennifer were told the following day. Emily was very sad. Three-year-old Jennifer did not understand what had happened. Emily, Jennifer and 

                                           her parents stayed with

                                              relatives while they decided 

                                                what they were going to do. 

                                                Many people in Emily's town                                                 donated clothes, toys, and

                                       money to the family. 

One day, Emily's mom and dad told her that they had a big surprise for her. They were going to build a new house out in the country. She would go to a new school and ride a school bus. Emily was excited about her new home but was sad to leave her old school and her friends. Emily's mom told her that she would make new friends and that she would have a huge backyard of

                                           trees and flowers to run and

                                                  play. She even told Emily

                                                    that they would hang a 

                                                    tire swing for her to play

                                                    on. 

Emily liked her new school and her new teacher, but she missed her old friends and her mother walking her to school. The school bus was cold, and the big kids were sometimes mean. The new school seemed very large to Emily, and the children in her class already had their friends. Emily felt all alone. She wanted

                                          the kids to like her, but she was

                                                  afraid to make new friends. 

                                                       She often went off by

                                                       herself on the

                                                       playground. No one 

                                                    seemed interested in                                                            playing with her.