Decodable Reader 14 The Chess Club Written by Robert Stirim Illustrated by Beth Fraulini Phonics Skill Suffixes -ly, -ful, -ness, -less illness rapidly careful proudly cheerful kindness suddenly hopeless skillful finally It had not been the best week for Travis. He had been stuck in bed for six days with a sore throat. Now it was time to try out for the soccer team, but Travis was weak from his illness, and his dad wouldn’t let him play. Travis went outside and kicked and stamped his feet. His summer plans seemed hopeless. 106 “Be careful. You might land on the ground!” Travis spun around. A boy in a wheelchair was sitting in the next yard. He gave Travis a cheerful smile. “Why are you so upset?” the boy asked. Travis was startled. He looked at the boy and scowled. He explained his problem. 107 Suddenly Travis felt bad. The boy in the chair would never be able to play soccer. “My name’s Travis,” he said. “I’m Mike,” the boy replied. “Want to play chess?” Travis stopped. Chess was for brains. “Come on, I’ll teach you,” said Mike. 108 That’s how Travis started playing chess. Each day he and Mike played outside in Mike’s yard. Mike was very skillful at chess and beat Travis every time. But Travis rapidly got better and made Mike play hard. “I must be a brain,” Travis admitted one day. “I really like this game.” 109 Other kids stopped to watch Travis and Mike play. Mike had five chess sets, so his mom set up more tables. “Come and play,” she told them. “Now I’ve got a chess team,” Mike boasted proudly. Travis smiled. “This is not the team I expected to be on,” he thought. 110 Each day that summer, the chess club met in Mike’s yard. Then one day Mike told Travis that he had to move to Boston to be near his new doctor. “He’ll help me get well,” Mike said. “Keep on playing chess.” “I will,” Travis replied sadly. 111 The day Mike left, his mom went to Travis and gave him her hand. “Thanks for your kindness to Mike,” she said. “He had a wonderful summer.” Travis

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