Written bySam X Renick

Illustrated byJuan Alvarado

Sammy'sBig Dream!

This book belongs to:

A Note from the AuthorGreetings Readers and Champions of Big Dreams!

It is important to have great habits, especially if you want tomake big dreams come true. Reading, saving money, and learning are great habits. So are choosing the right influences and heroes.My dad, mom, and grandma taught me that.

I want to introduce you to two of Sammy Rabbit and my heroes – Maynard Webb and will.i.am! They are not just any heroes. Theyare what Sammy and I call a YOU CAN HERO. A YOU CAN HERO is a human source of inspiration for big dreams.

So, what makes Maynard and will.i.am YOU CAN HEROES?One, they each believe and invest themselves in teaching kids to dream big. Two, read their stories and you will discover they both overcame extraordinary challenges and humble beginnings to achieve big dreams. Three, they still have big dreams they wantto accomplish.

How did they accomplish their big dreams? What can we learnfrom their stories to help us accomplish our big dreams? They dreamed big. Others had high expectations for them too. They worked ferociously. They made tough choices. They had a laserfocus on learning and improving. Their families and communities encouraged their big dreams.

You can read more about Maynard and will.i.am on their websites www.webbfamilyfoundation.org and www.iamangelfoundation.org.

Who are your influences and heroes? Who inspires your big dreams? What are your big dreams? I hope Sammy Rabbit stories and songs will be one of your sources of inspiration to dream big and develop great habits. Sammy and I hope you make lots of big dreams come true. And, we hope you inspire lots of other people to make big dreams come true. We know YOU CAN! Enjoy Sammy's Big Dream!

Sam X RenickAuthor, Entrepreneur, Championof Great Money and Reading Habits

A Note from Sammy,The Get in the Habit Rabbit!

Copyright © 2003 The It’s A Habit! Company, Inc.All rights reserved. No part of this publication covered by the copyright hereon may be reproduced or

copied in any form or by any means—graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, taping,or informational storage or retrieval systems—without permission of The It’s A Habit! Company, Inc.

For more information, e-mail Sam X Renick at sammy@itsahabit.com or visit our website at www.sammysongclub.com. ISBN: 0-9713664-4-6Revised Edition 2014

Hi!

My name is Sammy! I hope we will be friends. Feel free tocall me Sammy or any of my nicknames: Sammy the Saver, Sammy Rabbit, the Saminator, etc. Or you can call me by my favorite nickname, the Get in the Habit Rabbit! I like it the best because choosing the right habits is smart. Choosing the right habits makes us powerful. It makes us STRONG–SUPER- DUPER STRONG! Think about it. Most habits have predictable outcomes. That means by choosing the right habits today, we can create the futures we want. We can make dreams and goals come true! Also, by choosing the right habits, we set a good example that helps us and others, especially our families and friends.It is a great way to LEAD and be a LEADER.

I like accepting challenges and going on missions. What about you? I especially like challenges that help kids and familiesachieve their goals and reach their dreams. My first missionis to encourage kids and their families to “Get in the Habit”of saving money. I chose saving money as my first mission because it is a gigantic global problem and a difficult challengefor families. It is a challenge I think kids can solve. Somepeople think saving money is hard. But I think saving moneyis easy, IF you make it a habit! Tell your family and friends; that’s the secret. By getting in the habit of saving and making smart money choices, together we can take the lead andSHOW FAMILIES THE WAY! We can help everyone, including ourselves, make many, many, many big dreams come true! Remember, you can do it!

Your friend,

Sammy'sBig Dream!

Written bySam X Renick

Illustrated byJuan Alvarado

• Los Angeles, California

Changing Children's Lives One Habit at a Time!

Predict the Chapter TitlesA strategic, fun, and unique feature of this book is that readers get to predict chapter titles. Successful readers use strategies like predicting. Predicting helps readers to think seriously about what they are reading and to improve their comprehension.

The total number of words in each chapter title is locatedin parentheses below. Clues are contained in each chapterto guide you toward the choice the author has made for eachchapter title. If you can find the main idea of each chapter,you will probably correctly predict the chapter title. Just incase you need them, the answers can be found on the lastpage of each chapter. Good luck!

News(Clue: two words)

and Three– (Clue: five words)

Is a !(Clue: five words)

Do Not !(Clue: four words)

Did !(Clue: three words)

the Coaster(Clue: four words)

ContentChapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

3

6

9

14

21

24

Chapter OneNews

It all began the day after holiday vacation ended.

“Boys and girls, I have fantastic news!” said our teacher, Mrs. Gold. “We won the space science essay contest.”

“All right!” we cheered.

“The prize is that we all get a chance to ride the world’s first space coaster,” she said.

3

I began to daydream about the fantastic news and opportunity to make a big dream come true.

“Calm down, kids. There are two conditions,” said Mrs. Gold. “You will need permission to go from your parents, and you will also need three-hundred dollars each.”

4

The news was so fantastic that I didnot stop daydreaming to think aboutwhere I would get three-hundred dollars.

5Were you able to predict the title of chapter one?

Fantastic News

As soon as the bell rang, I ran home as fast as I could.

“Mama! Papa!” I yelled.

“They’re not home,” said my brother, Garbanzo.

“Guess who is going to ride the world’s first space coaster?” I bragged.

6

“Huh?” said Garbanzo.

“I just need permission to go and three-hundred dollars,” I said.

“Not a chance,” laughed Garbanzo. “Mama and Papa will never give you permission and three-hundred dollars.”

Chapter Two and Three–

Just then, my parents came home.

“Mama! Papa!” I began.“My class won the space science essay contest. We get to ride the world’s first space coaster. May I go? The whole trip only costs three-hundred dollars. May I go?”

“Three-hundred dollars!” gasped Papa.

“Pleeeeease, Papa?” I begged. “It would be a dream come true.”

7

“You cannot give him three-hundred dollars,” said Garbanzo.

That was when I jumped on Garbanzo and tackled him.

“Sammy, get off your brother!” said Mama.

“Let Papa and me talk this over.”

8Were you able to predict the title of chapter two?

Permission and Three–Hundred Dollars

That night, Papa said, “Sammy, I know this is one of your big dreams.” “Yes, Papa, it is,” I said.

“Mama and I have decided to give you half the money for the trip from our savings account, if you can earn and save the other half. Can you do it?”

9

Chapter ThreeIs a !

10

I remembered the secret Auntie Squirly had taught me: Saving is a great habit!

“I can do it!” I said.

The announcement startled Garbanzo. “You must be kidding, right, Sammy? You will never be able to save one-hundred-fifty dollars in time for the trip.”

“I only need to save one-hundred dollars,” I said. “I already have fifty dollars in my savings account.”

11

12

“You will not be able to save one-hundred dollars either,” said Garbanzo.

“Maybe Sammy can save the money,” said my sisters, Dyme and Penny.

“No, he can’t.”

“Yes, he can!”

“Cannot!”

“Can too!”

13

I left them arguing and ran down the hall to my room. I had to make a plan. I counted the days on my calendar. It was exactly one-hundred days to blast off. If I earn and save one dollar a day, I can go, I thought.

“Saving is a great habit!” I said to my dog, Nickel. “Saving is a great habit. I can do this.”

“Woof !” replied Nickel. (I took that as a yes.)

Were you able to predict the title of chapter three? Saving Is a Great Habit!

14I worked and saved every day for weeks. I did not stop even to play with my friends.

Chapter FourDo Not !

15

Everything was all right until some of the kids in my class lined up early one morning to buy their tickets for the space coaster.

“Sammy,” they asked. “When are you going to buy your ticket?”

“I am not sure,” I said. “I have to earn and save some more money first. How did you earn and save your money so fast?”

“We did not need to,” they replied. “Our parents just gave us the money.”

16

Snap! I broke the pencil I was holding.

“That is not fair,” I growled.

“Take it easy, Sammy,” said my friend, Jammer. “Breaking your pencil will not help. But we could work and save together. That might help.”

“We could try, I guess.” I sighed.

When I got home, Mama knew something was wrong.

“Sammy, you look sad. What is wrong?”

“Other kids are already buying their tickets for the space trip,” I said. “I will never be able to save enough money in time to go.”

17

“Things are not always easy, Sammy,” said Mama. “But you can do anything you want to if you work hard and do not give up.”

“Your mama is right, Sammy,” said Auntie Squirly. “Do not give up! Keep working toward your goal. You will make it.”

“All right.” I grinned. “I’ll keep trying.”18

19

That night, I dreamed about the space coaster. I was racing through space, past moons, meteors, and stars.

20

But suddenly the dream turned into a nightmare.

“You won’t be able to save one-hundred dollars,” teased Garbanzo.

That is it! I thought. I will save more than one-hundred dollars, no matter what.

Were you able to predict the title of chapter four?Do Not Give Up!

21

Chapter Five Did !

In order to save more, I decided to say NO to buying some of my favoritethings, like ice cream, candy, and baseball caps. Keep saving! I told myself.I was more determined than ever to ride the world’s first space coaster.

Finally, the last day to buy a ticket had arrived.

“I do not think I have saved enough money,” I said to Nickel. I held my breath as the teller counted my money.

“Ten, twenty, thirty, fifty, one-hundred, one-hundred-fifty, two-hundred dollars.”

“I did it!” I shouted. “Nickel, I did it!”

22

I raced home with Nickel barking and chasing me.

“Mama! Papa!” I yelled. “I did it! I did it! I earned and saved an extra one-hundred-fifty dollars! I have two-hundred dollars in all! With the one-

hundred-fifty you gave me,I have fifty dollars morethan I need. I can go!”

Thump!

Everyone looked around. Garbanzo had fainted.

23

Were you able to predict the title of chapter five?

I Did It!

Just then, the phone rang.

“Sammy, I have bad news,” said Jammer. “I cannot go. I still need twenty-five dollars more.”

“Hold on, Jammer,” I said. “Mama, may I give Jammer twenty-five dollars so he can ride the space coaster too?”

“Sammy, it’s your money. You earned and saved it,” said Mama. “You may give it to Jammer if you want to.”

“Jammer, you can go!” I said. “I have twenty-five dollars I can give you.”

“No way!” said Jammer. “Really?”

“Yes, really,” I said. “It would not be fun riding the space coaster without you.”

Chapter Six the Coaster

24

25

Jammer spent the night at my house.

“Can you believe it?” I asked. “Tomorrow we will be riding in the world’s first space coaster!”

“I can hardly wait!” said Jammer.

“Me either,” I said.

Just like in my dream, we went flying past stars, meteors, and the moons of planets far from Earth.

“Yahoo!” I yelled.

26

“Ahhhhhhhhh. I think I am getting sick,” said Jammer.

“Hold on,” I said to my friend. “The ride is almost over. I cannot wait to tell Garbanzo about it. He will probably faint again.”

27

28

As we rode home, I pointed out the window. “Jammer, I want to go there next.”

Jammer grinned and said, “You will make that big dream come true sooner than you think, Sammy, if you just keep remembering what Auntie Squirly says.”

“Right!” I laughed. “You remember it too. Saving is a great habit!”

Were you able to predict the title of chapter six?Riding the Space Coaster

28

Review each chapter title. Can you locate word clues fromeach chapter that might have helped the author decide onthe title for each chapter?

Which pictures in each chapter helped you find clues tothe chapter titles?

How many times are the words from the chapter title used in the chapter?

If you were the author, would you change any chapter title? If so, which one(s) and why?

If you were the author, would you change the story? If so, how?

How did making saving a habit help Sammy? How didplanning and setting a goal help Sammy?

Do you think it’s important to save, to make plans, andto set goals? Why? How do you think saving, planning, and setting goals made Sammy feel?

How do you think making a big dream come true made Sammy feel?

What are some of your big dreams? Do you have written plans and strategies to help make them come true? Doyour plans include getting in the habit of saving money?

Did you know people who go to college and make life long learning a priority usually earn more money throughout their lives?

Discussion QuestionsPredicting Chapter Titles — Reading Comprehension

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2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

Juan Alvarado (aka The Honduran Express) has been illustrating since theage of six. He is a graduate of Pasadena Art Center College of Design. You candiscover more about him and his passion for art at: www.junduras.com.

The It’s A Habit! Company, Inc. develops resources and strategiesto assist adults in teaching children ages 5 and up great money habits.

Our mantra: Changing Children’s Lives One Habit at a Time!

...This is a land of dreamers, doers, and entrepreneurs Where big dreams can come true

For everyone that means me and that means you...

I got a big ol’ dream, it’s a beautiful thing Inspiring, I feel I can do anything...

Lyrics from the song “Big Ol' Dream”

Sam X RenickThe Author

Juan AlvaradoThe Illustrator

Executing the Mission!

Message to Kids from Team Sammy!

Sam X Renick (a.k.a. Sam, Sam, the Money Man) is CEO and Founder of The It’sA Habit! Company, Inc. and primary author of Sammy's Big Dream! He isa native of Los Angeles and a graduate of Loyola Marymount University.

Sammy's 12 Steps To MakeBig Dreams Come True!

“Big dreams take time, but they are worth waiting and working for.”- Sammy

1. Dream Big2. Set Goals

3. Have a Written Plan4. Make Your Choices Count

5. S-A-V-E6. Always Be Learning

7. Take Small Steps Regularly8. Measure Your Progress9. Adjust When Necessary

10. Give Your All Enthusiastically11. Don't Quit

12. Remember - You Can Do It!

Visit Sammy's Dream Big Center forFREE resources and activities at www.sammysongclub.com

What isYour

Big Dream?