Who’s Boss of This Fort?

Starring Nora, Theo, Mom

Rain falls all Saturday, so Nora gathers every blanket in the house to build a fort. Theo crawls inside with his stuffed tiger before she has even finished. But Nora says he needs a password, and soon their argument is louder than the rain. Can they make a fort with room for both of them?

Rain tapped the windows all Saturday. Nora dragged every blanket in the house into the living room. "First, the roof," she said.

Nora stretched a blanket over the couch and two chairs. She reached for the back corner. Her little brother Theo crawled inside with his stuffed tiger.

"It's MY fort," Nora said. "You need the password." Theo clutched his tiger. His lip wobbled. He didn't know any passwords.

"I'm the boss!" Nora shouted. "No, me!" Theo shouted louder. They tugged the blanket, and the whole fort flopped over them.

Mom poked her head under the blankets. "It's hard to hold up a fort alone," she said. "Could Theo help?"

Nora lifted the roof again. "Theo, hold that corner," she said. He grabbed it with both hands and didn't let go.

Mom passed in a flashlight and a bowl of crackers. "The password is crackers. Even the tiger has to say it," Nora said. "Crackers! And crackers!" Theo said for them both, every time.

Rain kept tapping outside. Nora read by flashlight inside their fort. Theo fell asleep on her shoulder, and she turned the page.