1. Brandy Alexander Before I Count to Three Written By: Aretha Abrams Illustrated By: Henry Robinson

3. Brandy Alexander Before I Count to Three I love my little daughter She’s 5 ½ years old. She looks like me and acts the way I used to act so I’ve been told.

4. Brandy Alexander Before I Count to Three But Brandy is a challenge when she won’t listen to what I say. The things I tell her for her own good, sometimes she just won’t obey.

6. Brandy Alexander Before I Count to Three “Brandy Alexander, you haven’t done anything I said. I told you to pick up your toys, stop playing and go to bed.”

7. Brandy Alexander Before I Count to Three “I know,” Brandy quickly replied. “But I’m having too much fun. I’ll pick up my toys and go to bed right after I’m done.”

8. Brandy Alexander Before I Count to Three “Look, little lady! Don’t you disobey me! I want to see you in that bed before I count to three!

9. Brandy Alexander Before I Count to Three “One!” Her mother shouted, but Brandy continued to play. She didn’t pay her mother any attention. She just wanted her to go away.

10. Brandy Alexander Before I Count to Three “Two!” Her mother said, as she held two fingers in the air. Brandy sat with her arms crossed, pretending not to care.

12. Brandy Alexander Before I Count to Three Then there was this morning, she wanted pancakes instead of grits. When I told her to eat her pancakes of course she had a fit.

13. Brandy Alexander Before I Count to Three “I don’t want grits!” She cried. “I want pancakes, sausage and eggs. I don’t want grits.” She said, folding her arms. “I’m going back to bed.”

15. Brandy Alexander Before I Count to Three “Watch your mouth young lady and do what you are told. Now, sit down and eat that food before your grits get cold.”

16. Brandy Alexander Before I Count to Three “One!” Her mother shouted, but Brandy stood her ground. She crossed her arms and turned her head and rolled her eyes around.

17. Brandy Alexander Before I Count to Three “Two!” Her mom said, as she held two fingers in the air. Brandy look at her mother pretending not to care.

19. Brandy Alexander Before I Count to Three I took her to the park. Of course, she wanted to run and play. She took off running toward the Jungle Gym without any delay.

21. Brandy Alexander Before I Count to Three “Momma, I know how to do this. I’m not gonna hurt myself.” “Brandy! Will you just do what I asked? I don’t want you to hurt yourself.”

22. Brandy Alexander Before I Count to Three “I’m just having fun.” Brandy replied. “Don’t talk back to me. I want to see you sitting down before I count to three.”

23. Brandy Alexander Before I Count to Three “One!” Her mother said. Brandy would not sit down. She swung even higher in the air as her mother stomped her foot on the ground.

24. Brandy Alexander Before I Count to Three “Two!” Her mother shouted, holding two fingers in the air. Brandy looked at her mother pretending not to care.

26. Brandy Alexander Before I Count to Three “See, you think you know everything but one day you’ll listen to me. You’re going to learn your lesson one day just you wait and see.”

28. Brandy Alexander Before I Count to Three But Brandy didn’t listen. The next time I looked around, she went her way and I went mine without making a sound.

29. Brandy Alexander Before I Count to Three “Momma, where are you?” “Momma, I know you didn’t leave me!” “I want to see you face to face before I count to three!”

30. Brandy Alexander Before I Count to Three “One!” She said, loudly. She put one little finger in the air. I was standing behind the center display. I guess she couldn’t see me standing there.

31. Brandy Alexander Before I Count to Three “Two!” She said, even louder. People stopped to turn around. I stood right there in my place and didn’t make a sound.

32. Brandy Alexander Before I Count to Three “Three!” She yelled, even louder. With tears running down her face. “I want my mommy!” She cried. “I’ve been looking for her all over the place.”

34. Brandy Alexander Before I Count to Three “Mommy! Mommy! Where were you? I thought you were gone.” “You know I’d never leave you even though what you did was wrong.”

37. Brandy Alexander Before I Count to Three The End