Level 11Free online reader Tap ▶ to hear each page — words light up as they are read.
The end! 🎉 There are many more books like this in the app — with quizzes, a picture dictionary, and read & record.
Summer stayed hot and dry for many long weeks. The neighborhood garden drooped like tired leaves after sun. Watering cans felt heavy on arms and backs. Juno and Kip looked over the dusty beds. Tomatoes hung small and green, waiting for rain.
Neighbors lined up at hoses, frowning at the trickle. Juno pushed up her goggles and studied the roof. Kip shook springs from his coat and said, Help. Carrying water takes forever, and my boots get tired. We need a way to catch rain.
Grandpa Odie shuffled in, beard like a white cloud. He tapped his cap and smiled at them. I know a water story from Roman times, kids. They built aqueducts, long bridges that carried water far. The trick was a gentle slope, not pumps.
Grandpa opened his sketchbook and drew strong stone arches. He marked rising hills and the slow falling line. Water followed the line, drop by drop. No engine pushed it, only gravity and patience. Juno and Kip leaned close over the page.
Juno clicked her silver clip and started a blueprint. Gutters here, old drainpipes there, big blue barrel below. The roof brings rain, the slope brings flow. Kip nodded hard and grabbed a tape measure. We are going to catch our own rain.
They looked for parts in Grandpa Odie's busy shed. Coils, screws, rope, and two bent metal gutters. Behind paint cans, a tall blue barrel waited. Neighbors brought old drainpipes and a rusty spigot. Everyone wanted the garden to shine again.
Kip climbed the ladder and fixed the first gutter. Juno held screws while Grandpa checked the slope. Cluckwork suddenly chirped and rattled like a tiny train. The ladder shook, and the gutter tipped wrong. Water from a test bucket flooded Kip's boots.
They mopped the shed floor and laughed at squishy steps. Juno redrew the slope, steeper by one finger. Attempt two began with elbows deep in pipes. Water raced through, then leaked at every joint. Cluckwork clattered off the shelf and landed on its beak.
Grandpa stroked his beard and pointed at the joints. These need sealing, like old boats at sea. Try wax, rope ties, and a careful gentle slope. Juno fetched candles from a drawer and a marble. The marble showed if the pipe sloped slowly.
They warmed wax in cans set inside hot water. Kip brushed wax around every joint and seam. Juno marked angles with chalk and a string level. Together they poured cups across the roof and watched. The water ran smooth, straight to the barrel.
They braced the pipes with rope and scrap wood. Kip tightened the spigot and polished the tap. Clouds piled up, gray and full above the street. The air smelled like rain and metal. Cluckwork clicked twice, then finally stayed quiet.
Wind pushed leaves, and the first cold drops fell. Ping, ping, ping on the gutter and roof. Water slid into the pipe like silver. Juno grinned and held Grandpa's hand tight. Kip danced around the barrel and whooped loudly.
The barrel gulped and rose, inch after inch. A floating marker popped up near the top. The waxed joints stayed dry and tight. The gentle slope carried every drop along. Soon the barrel was full to the brim.
Rain slowed and stopped, leaving a clean smell. Kip shut the tap and checked the seal. Juno labeled the barrel, Rain Catcher, with blue paint. Grandpa Odie wiped his hat and laughed softly. Tomorrow is going to bring thirsty friends, he said.
Morning sun warmed the beds and woke the bees. Leaves lifted like hands getting up from sleep. Tomatoes glowed red again along the shiny stakes. Juno touched one and smiled at its weight. The neighborhood garden looked happy and strong.
Neighbors came with buckets, bottles, and bright metal cans. Kip opened the shiny tap and filled each one. Water splashed, and children cheered for the twins. Grandma Mina watered mint and sang a watering song. Grandpa Odie bowed like a captain on deck.
Grandpa told how Romans shared fountains across busy towns. Water ran free for baths, bakeries, and thirsty travelers. People clapped and thanked Juno, Kip, and Grandpa. The twins bowed and promised more helpful inventions. The Invention Shed buzzed with new ideas already.
After cleanup, Juno drew the final neat blueprint. Kip hung a bright brass spigot on the wall. It joined springs, strings, and a shiny alarm key. This part reminds them about sealing joints. Cluckwork stood proud again on a safe shelf.
How We Built It, by Juno and Kip. Step one, plan a gentle slope from roof. Step two, gather gutters, drainpipes, barrel, rope, wax. Step three, seal every joint with warm wax. Step four, brace pipes and attach a tap.
Test, then wait for rain and share the water. Tools needed, tape measure, chalk, string level, ladder, bucket. Safety, goggles, gloves, and careful feet on ladders. New part on wall, the bright brass spigot. Our rain catcher is going to help every summer.
← About this book · More Level 11 books
