Dan was the smallest in his family but he seemed to have the biggest coat.

It used to belong to his older brother, Pete.

Pete laughed at Dan in the coat. ‘You look silly,’ he said.

Dan didn’t like that. What made it worse was the enormous pocket his Mum had sewn on it to cover up a hole.

At first Dan didn’t want to wear the coat at all. ‘It’s too big,’ he moaned. ‘The pocket looks silly.’

But that was before Dan found out that it was a really special coat.

It wasn’t a special coat because it kept him warm.

It wasn’t a special coat because it kept him dry.

Dan’s coat was special because it had a special pocket.

Dan’s pocket held all sorts of surprising things.

Like: a scarf (which not only kept him warm but which was long enough to keep all of his family warm too.)

Like: a hat (which not only kept him dry but which was big enough to keep the whole of his friends dry too).

Dan’s pocket held all sorts of useful things. And some not-so-useful things. When he reached inside, he never knew quite what he would get.

The useful things and the not-so-useful things were so exciting that Dan decided he liked his coat after all. He liked it so much that on his first day at school in Class 1A, Dan wanted to keep it on. But Miss Mercy didn’t like that. ‘Take off your coat, Dan,’ she told him.

‘But Miss Mercy, I can’t take off my coat because of…’ And that’s when Dan reached into his pocket and pulled out…

…SIX FROGS.

Tony Tussle, the biggest boy in the class, jumped on his desk and screamed, ‘FROGS.’

Sally McNally, the cleverest girl in the class, threw paint in the air and shrieked, ‘AMPHIBIANS.’

Miss Mercy, the classroom teacher, looked very hard at the boy in the very big coat and shouted, ‘DAN.’

Dan rummaged around in his pocket and said, ‘Don’t worry, Miss Mercy, I’ve got just the thing.’

And he did.

Sort of.

Dan reached into his pocket and pulled out…

…a SWARM OF LOCUSTS.

Charlie Chuck, the sickliest boy in the class, ran to hide behind Tony Tussle who stood on a desk and covered his head and said ‘LOCUSTS.’

Freddie Phew, the fastest boy in the class, flew past Sally McNally who stood on a desk and tapped her teeth and said ‘ACRIDIDAE.’

Terance and Tina Tales, the tiniest twins in the class, hurried to the home corner and climbed onto desks near where Miss Mercy was stood saying ‘DAN.’

Dan looked at the locusts and looked at the frogs and rummaged around in his pocket. ‘Don’t worry, Miss Mercy,’ he said. ‘I’ve got just the thing.’

And he did.

Sort of.

Dan reached into his pocket and pulled out…

…A FISHING NET.

Jenny Jumper, the niftiest girl in the class, ran to stand with Charlie Chuck and Tony Tussle who both stood on a desk above the frogs and below the locusts.

Dawn Daring, the bravest girl in the class, calmly decided to walk to where Freddie Phew and Sally McNally stood on a desk above the frogs and below the locusts.

Sam Stern, the most serious boy in the class, muttered and mused as he climbed on a desk above the frogs and below the locusts with Terance and Tina Tales whilst Miss Mercy looked around.

Dan watched as the locusts flew around the heads of the children and the frogs leapt at their shoes. He dug really deep in the depths of his pocket and said, ‘Don’t worry, Miss Mercy, I’ve got just the thing.’

And he did.

Sort of.

Dan reached into his pocket and pulled out…

…A BOX OF FANS.

Tony Tussle looked at Dan.

Sally McNally looked at Dan.

Charlie Chuck looked at Dan.

Freddie Phew looked at Dan.

Terance and Tina Tales looked at Dan.

Miss Mercy looked at Dan.

Every child in Class 1A looked at Dan.

Even Dan thought about looking at himself.

‘A box of fans?’ they all asked (except Dan, but he thought it).

The locusts buzzed through the air. The frogs hopped on the floor. And in between, on desks and chairs, class 1A waited for Dan in his over-sized coat with the over-sized pocket of trouble.

‘Don’t worry, class. Don’t worry, Miss Mercy,’ Dan said, ‘I’ve got just the idea.’ And he opened the box of fans.

One by one and two by two, Dan handed each boy and girl a fan.

‘Thank you,’ said Tony, Sally and Charlie.

‘Thank you,’ said Freddie, Terance and Tina.

‘Thank you,’ said the rest of the class.

‘DAN,’ said Miss Mercy.

‘Don’t worry, Miss Mercy,’ said Dan, ‘You’ve got just the thing. When I say NOW, switch on the fans.’

Dan lifted his fan and took aim.

Class 1A lifted their fans and took aim.

‘NOW,’ he said.

All the children switched on their fans and raised a strong wind. The locusts huddled together but that made it all the easier to blow the swarm down towards the frogs.

Above the sound of the wind, above even the sound of the locusts, the frogs made a delighted croaking.

‘DINNER-TIME,’ shouted Dan.

‘DINNER-TIME,’ shouted Class 1A.

The frogs opened their mouths and stuck out their tongues and gobbled up each and every locust in the classroom.

Full and fat, the frogs stopped hopping and sat by the story-time mat.

‘Now what?’ said Miss Mercy. ‘We still have a classroom full of frogs.’

‘Don’t worry, Miss Mercy,’ said Dan, ‘I’ve got just the thing.’

Dan took up his fishing net and scooped up each and every frog as they blinked happily.

‘HOORAY,’ shouted Dan.

‘HOORAY,’ shouted Class 1A.

‘DAN,’ shouted Miss Mercy.

‘Yes, Miss Mercy?’ said Dan, sliding the fishing net full of frogs into his pocket.

‘You can keep your coat on,’ said Miss Mercy.

And with one hand sunk deep in the pocket of his big, funny coat, Dan said, ‘Thank you.’

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Illustration courtesy of, and copyright, Suzanne Henderson. Follow her on Twitter.