Trevor Paul Monroe sprawled across the bed on his stomach. He chewed the end of his stubby pencil while he read the story problem in his math book. Story problems! Trevor sighed. He wished story problems had never been invented.
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Joseph Anderson Donetti felt his face grow red. “I’m never going to get this!” he exclaimed.
MacKenzie Isabelle Evans bounced on the seat of the school van. “This is so great!” she exclaimed. “I can hardly believe Miss Binney is taking us hiking! I love hiking! Can you believe we’re actually going hiking instead of sitting in school?”
Joseph Anderson Donetti carefully carried the big glass salad bowl up the steps to the fireside room. G.M. held the door open for him. A burst of warm air, good smells, and happy conversation greeted them.
He sat down on the floor and yanked his thick hiking socks over his bare feet. Then he scrambled on his hands and knees over to the bed and pulled his hiking boots out from underneath it.
MacKenzie Isabelle Evans stared at Joseph. “Why not?” she asked. “Why don’t you want to join a book club? It sounds like fun! I would love to join a book club!"
Joseph Anderson Donetti felt like shouting. Instead, he took a deep breath and began softly, “I don’t want to belong to a book club! I don’t want to give book reports in front of perfect strangers!”
Mac discovered the art aisle was just as interesting as it had been the last time she visited it. Even the ordinary things, such as the brand-new boxes of crayons filled with their own rainbows of color, were fun to look at. And then there were rubber stamps with all kinds of designs and messages to read. And there were paint-by-number kits and books of designs and fascinating mazes. And gel pens!
Hannah Maria Estevez clenched her fists. Hot tears of disappointment burned behind her eyeballs, and she blinked to keep the tears from spilling out.
