Illustrating: Matthew Manceau
Text: John Rickey
Snakes! Snakes! Snakes! 
When other kids played tag, he caught snakes. When other kids watched cartoons, he watched 'Snake World'. Even when other kids were fast asleep, dreaming about things like baseball, roller skating or chocolate coated ice cream, he was smiling, talking in his sleep about snakes!
All the kids thought he was weird and stayed away.
"Let's face it," they said, "snakes are yuck! . . . and Bj is double yuck! "
What made things worse, he failed at school too.
Like math, his teacher Miss Beetlebottom asked him, "If three bunnies follow six bunnies into a hole, how many bunnies are together?"
Bj squinted, trying to rev his brain. He thought, "Bunnies? Bunnies? What do I know about bunnies? Ask me what's bigger than a boa constrictor! Ask me what's deadlier than a gaboon viper! But don't ask me about bunnies!"
The bell rang. Everyone laughed, just like they always did.
But one day , the laughing stopped. Matter of fact, things got serious.
It all started during story writing when Miss Beetlebottom announced,"I want you to write a story about butterflies. Just let your imaginations go wild!
Let's have lots of flitter flutter!
Right away, everyone started writing . . . everyone but Bj!
Scratching his head, he stared at blank sheet. He could imagine a sidewinder in the desert. He could imagine a sea snake in the ocean but nothing came when he thought flitter flutter!
Miss Beetlebottom looking at Bj, shook her head.
As the bell rang for recess, Miss Beetlebottom snapped, "You're not moving till I see a butterfly story!"
Bj lowered his head. All the kids chuckled and left the room.
Entering the schoolyard though, they froze in terror! A brown mottled snake stood like a deadly cobra, ready to strike!
Miss Beetlebottom hearing the children's cries, rushed into the schoolyard.
However merely seeing the snake, she fainted to the ground...ka-plop!
Principal Bouregard, better known as 'Bulldog Bouregard', realizing something was wrong, bounded into the schoolyard.
But he just screamed and ran back to his office.
He hid under his desk shaking, then fortunately had a glimmer of courage and called the Fire Department.
The fire department arrived quickly with sirens blowing and bells clanging. They were ready for action!
Seeing the snake though, no one would get off the truck. For the snake circled, flaunting a gaping mouth of razor sharp teeth. Rising, ready to strike it hissed everyone into s-s-silent, s-s-scared, s-s-submission.
The school was in trouble. Was there anyone who could help?
Finally little Annie Sue broke the silence. With knees rattling, she whispered, "how about Bj? You know, 'The Snakeman' . Maybe he can help!"
The kids looked at each other and nodded, "yeah! How about Bj, 'The snakeman'? He knows everything about snakes!"
Miss Beetlebottom hearing the end of the conversation, pushed herself up half dazed and muttered,
"He's in the classroom," then fainted again to the ground.
Quickly a brave firefighter leaped off the truck.
Finding Bj at his desk, the firefighter explained, "son I don't know why, but everyone thinks you can help.Come on! There's a cobra outside!"
"Did you say cobra?" asked Bj with a funny sort of a smile.
"Why y-y-yes!" stuttered the firefighter.
Bj strutted confidently across the schoolyard.
He faced the cobra head on, their eyes locking into a visual death grip. Swiftly the cobra spread it's majestic head, till it became gigantic, . . .circling . . . taking aim! . . .
Then Bj with one lightning lunge, grabbed the snake with pin point accuracy and triumphantly held its limp lifeless body in the air.
"Hip, hip, hooray! Hip, hip,
hooray!" everyone cheered.
The principal emerged from under his desk and shook Bj's hand. The firefighters gave Bj a medal. The kids gave Bj a humongous hug. Even Miss Beetlebottom waking up groggy, had enough strength to wave her hanky and say, "very good Bj."
From that day on, things were different!
In math, Miss Beetlebottom asked, "Bj! If three snakes follow six snakes into a hole, how many snakes are together?"
Bj shot out the answer nine . . . The class clapped.
In story writing, Miss Beetlebottom asked the class to write about . . . not butterflies . . . but snakes.
Bj rattled off a five page story
Projects, Speeches, Art: everything was "Snakes! Snakes! Snakes!"
But the best was Show and Tell. Particularly when it was Bj's turn. Everyone thought live snakes were awesome,
Ps. The schoolyard snake was not a cobra but a harmless hognosed snake. It wouldn't hurt a fly. Although it is very good at acting, especially like a cobra and especially at playing dead!
However, that's something only a snake expert like Bj would know.
Now don't tell anyone!
Let's keep it our little secret.
Meet the author!
Meet the illustrator!
How much do you know about snakes? Try a snake quiz!
Try a jigsaw puzzle from the story!
Bj knew more about snakes than anyone.That's why people called him 'The Snakeman'. That's all he ever thought about! That's all he ever did!
When other kids played tag, he caught snakes. When other kids watched cartoons, he watched 'Snake World'. Even when other kids were fast asleep, dreaming about things like baseball, roller skating or chocolate coated ice cream, he was smiling, talking in his sleep about snakes!
All the kids thought he was weird and stayed away.
"Let's face it," they said, "snakes are yuck! . . . and Bj is double yuck! "
What made things worse, he failed at school too.
Like math, his teacher Miss Beetlebottom asked him, "If three bunnies follow six bunnies into a hole, how many bunnies are together?"
Bj squinted, trying to rev his brain. He thought, "Bunnies? Bunnies? What do I know about bunnies? Ask me what's bigger than a boa constrictor! Ask me what's deadlier than a gaboon viper! But don't ask me about bunnies!"
The bell rang. Everyone laughed, just like they always did.
But one day , the laughing stopped. Matter of fact, things got serious.
It all started during story writing when Miss Beetlebottom announced,"I want you to write a story about butterflies. Just let your imaginations go wild!
Let's have lots of flitter flutter!
Right away, everyone started writing . . . everyone but Bj!
Scratching his head, he stared at blank sheet. He could imagine a sidewinder in the desert. He could imagine a sea snake in the ocean but nothing came when he thought flitter flutter!
Miss Beetlebottom looking at Bj, shook her head.
As the bell rang for recess, Miss Beetlebottom snapped, "You're not moving till I see a butterfly story!"
Bj lowered his head. All the kids chuckled and left the room.
Entering the schoolyard though, they froze in terror! A brown mottled snake stood like a deadly cobra, ready to strike!
Miss Beetlebottom hearing the children's cries, rushed into the schoolyard.
However merely seeing the snake, she fainted to the ground...ka-plop!
Principal Bouregard, better known as 'Bulldog Bouregard', realizing something was wrong, bounded into the schoolyard.
But he just screamed and ran back to his office.
He hid under his desk shaking, then fortunately had a glimmer of courage and called the Fire Department.
The fire department arrived quickly with sirens blowing and bells clanging. They were ready for action!
Seeing the snake though, no one would get off the truck. For the snake circled, flaunting a gaping mouth of razor sharp teeth. Rising, ready to strike it hissed everyone into s-s-silent, s-s-scared, s-s-submission.
The school was in trouble. Was there anyone who could help?
Finally little Annie Sue broke the silence. With knees rattling, she whispered, "how about Bj? You know, 'The Snakeman' . Maybe he can help!"
The kids looked at each other and nodded, "yeah! How about Bj, 'The snakeman'? He knows everything about snakes!"
Miss Beetlebottom hearing the end of the conversation, pushed herself up half dazed and muttered, "He's in the classroom," then fainted again to the ground.
Quickly a brave firefighter leaped off the truck.
Finding Bj at his desk, the firefighter explained, "son I don't know why, but everyone thinks you can help.Come on! There's a cobra outside!"
"Did you say cobra?" asked Bj with a funny sort of a smile.
"Why y-y-yes!" stuttered the firefighter.
Bj strutted confidently across the schoolyard.
He faced the cobra head on, their eyes locking into a visual death grip. Swiftly the cobra spread it's majestic head, till it became gigantic, . . .circling . . . taking aim! . . .
Everyone gasped!
Then Bj with one lightning lunge, grabbed the snake with pin point accuracy and triumphantly held its limp lifeless body in the air.
"Hip, hip, hooray! Hip, hip,
hooray!" everyone cheered.
The principal emerged from under his desk and shook Bj's hand. The firefighters gave Bj a medal. The kids gave Bj a humongous hug. Even Miss Beetlebottom waking up groggy, had enough strength to wave her hanky and say, "very good Bj."
From that day on, things were different!
In math, Miss Beetlebottom asked, "Bj! If three snakes follow six snakes into a hole, how many snakes are together?"
Bj shot out the answer nine . . . The class clapped.
In story writing, Miss Beetlebottom asked the class to write about . . . not butterflies . . . but snakes.
Bj rattled off a five page story
. . . The class loved it!
Projects, Speeches, Art: everything was "Snakes! Snakes! Snakes!"
But the best was Show and Tell. Particularly when it was Bj's turn. Everyone thought live snakes were awesome,
. . . except Miss Beetlebottom!
Ps. The schoolyard snake was not a cobra but a harmless hognosed snake. It wouldn't hurt a fly. Although it is very good at acting, especially like a cobra and especially at playing dead!
However, that's something only a snake expert like Bj would know.
Now don't tell anyone!
Let's keep it our little secret.
Meet the author!
Meet the illustrator!
How much do you know about snakes? Try a snake quiz!
Try a jigsaw puzzle from the story!
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