Dear bear friends:
After I watched the parade, I couldn't stop thinking about Santa! Who was he? When we travel to New York City, could I meet him? The stuffing in my head creaked with so many thoughts.
"Miss Cynthia?" I asked. We were in the kitchen. Miss Cynthia was making a gingerbread house. Frosting was everywhere! I sat nearby, holding the candies that would decorate the gingerbread house. The kitchen had a wonderful smell of ginger and cinnamon and molasses.
Perry's Gingerbread House
"Hmmm?" answered Miss Cynthia, distracted. "Perry, give me your paw. Now, hold that wall up for me, right there. Just like that!" Miss Cynthia stuck two gingerbread walls together with frosting. With my help, they stayed upright!
"Miss Cynthia!" I said, more insistently.
"What, Perry?" she asked. "Now, where is that piece for the roof? There it is, by the mixer!" Miss Cynthia reached past me to find the gingerbread piece.
"Miss Cynthia!!" I shouted, "I want to ask you something!"
Miss Cynthia put her frosting-covered hands on her frosting-covered hips and looked at me sternly.
"Perry," she scolded, "there is no need to yell. Now, what do you want to ask?"
I gulped. Maybe this wasn't a very good time to ask about Santa!
Miss Cynthia smiled. "I'm sorry, Perry. I wasn't paying attention. Now, what was it you wanted to ask me?" she said, ruffling my fur--and smearing frosting on my head. She went back to spreading frosting on the gingerbread house.
"Miss Cynthia, how can I find out about Santa?" I asked, as I pushed a candy into the roof of the gingerbread house.
"Why, Perry, I'm surprised!" she answered. "You are a reporter now. Don't you know how reporters find out about things?"
"Not really, Miss Cynthia," I said. "I am only a little teddy bear, and nobody ever told me what cub reporters do!"
Miss Cynthia laughed. "Don't worry, Perry, it's very easy! Reporters ask five questions: one for every year you are old!" she said. "The questions are called 'The Five Ws': Who, What, When, Where and Why!"
"Who, What, When, Where and Why?" I asked. "How do the Five Ws help me find out about Santa?" I handed Miss Cynthia another candy for the roof.
"Simple, Perry," she said, as she piped more frosting on the walls of the house. "You ask everyone those five questions! 'Who is Santa?', 'What does Santa do?', 'When does he do it?,' 'Where does he do it?' and 'Why does he do it?' and you'll have the story!"
Miss Cynthia stood back and admired the gingerbread house. "Just one more gumdrop for the roof, right here . . ." she said.
Of course! I would ask everyone the Five Questions about Santa! When we went to New York City, I would know where to find him. I would visit Santa so I could tell all my bear friends about him.
I scratched the dried frosting off my fur and smiled. Reporter Perry is on the story!
Your bear friend,
Perry Bear Ewer
Learn more about the Reporter's Five Ws (and an H!)
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