by Conor McIntyre

illustrated by Dee Texidor

Copyright © by Harcourt, Inc.

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Printed in Mexico

ISBN 10: 0-15-350646-6

ISBN 13: 978-0-15-350646-8

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ISBN 10: 0-15-350599-0 (Grade 2 On-Level Collection)
ISBN 13: 978-0-15-350599-7 (Grade 2 On-Level Collection)
ISBN 10: 0-15-357827-0 (package of 5)
ISBN 13: 978-0-15-357827-4 (package of 5)

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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 050 15 14 13 12 11 10 09 08 07 06
 It was the day before the class
play. The young woman from
the costume store brought all the
costumes to school. There were
rabbits, mice, badgers, and owls.
Mr. Orlowski told the children,
“Please leave your costumes at
school. If you take them home, they
might get damaged.”
3

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 Joseph was excited about his
rabbit suit. He wanted to take it
home to show his little brother, Dan.

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 At home, Joseph showed Dan
the rabbit suit. “Look,” said
Joseph, “I even have huge, furry
rabbit shoes to wear.”
Joseph lifted the suit above
his head. He pulled it on over his
clothes. Then he hopped all around
the room.
5

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 Dan laughed, “I’m going to
catch the rabbit!”
Joseph hopped as fast as he
could. Dan ran after him. He
grabbed the rabbit ears. Suddenly,
there was a ripping noise.
“Oh, no!” said Joseph. “The ear
ripped off my rabbit suit.”

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 Dad came into the room. “What’s
going on?” he asked.
Joseph told him what had
happened. “I was supposed to leave
the suit at school,” he said. Then he
started to cry.
Dan looked worried.
7

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 “It’s all right,” said Dad. “I can
mend the ear. Then I’ll wash the
suit, and it will be good as new.”
“Thanks, Dad,” said Joseph.
“I’m sorry.”
“Next time, listen to your
teacher,” said Dad.
“I will,” said Joseph.

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 The next night at the class play,
Joseph hopped around the stage.
His floppy rabbit ears waved back
and forth.
9

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 When the play ended, Joseph
hopped off the stage.
“What a fantastic rabbit you
were!” said Mr. Orlowski.

10

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 The audience thought Joseph
was great, too. When he came
back on stage to take a bow, they
clapped and clapped.
11

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 Think Critically
1. What happened when Dan grabbed the ear of the
rabbit suit?

2. How did Dan feel when he ripped the rabbit ear?

3. How did Dad fix the problem with the rabbit suit?
4. Did Joseph make a good choice when he took the
rabbit suit home? What else could he have done?

5. How can you tell that this is a fiction book?

Social Studies
Write a Paragraph The costumes in the story came from a
costume store. Think about how a costume store makes money.
Write a paragraph with your ideas.

School-Home Connection Tell a family member

about what happened to Joseph in The Rabbit Suit
Rescue. Talk about a time when a family member fixed something
of yours that was broken.

Word Count: 362

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