3 MAP OUT OF IT!

CHAPTER 3 MAP OUT OF IT! The door chimed as Alexander and his dad left the dinner. "Were those great pancakes, or what?" his dad asked. Alexander didn't answer. He was studying his paper place mat: a map of Stermont, laid out like a maze. "Hey, neat," said his dad. "Maybe we could take extras to hand out at your party." Alexander poked his nose over the map. "Party?" "Sure!" said his dad. "Your birthday party!" "But, Dad," Alexander grumbled, "I don't want a party. I don't even have a real birthday this year." "But that's the best part about a leap-year

birthday, A1," said his dad. "February twenty- ninth only comes around once every four years. So we get to choose your birthday this year. And I choose tomorrow!" Alexander frowned. "Besides," his dad continued, "I already made the party invitations." He stuffed a stack of envelopes into Alexander's backpack. "Pass 'em out to your new classmates today!"

Alexander followed his dad toward their car. Way down the street, he could make out a wiggly shape in front of a bank another dancing balloon guy. This one was purple. "Hey," said Alexander. "There's another" he looked around "wait... where's our balloon goon? It was right here when we parked..." NOW SERVING BREAKFAST!

"Hmmm?" said his dad. He was fishing around for his keys. "I dunno. Maybe someone moved it." He unlocked the car. "Hop in, A1!" Alexander tried to yank open his door, but then CRUNCH! it scraped against the curb. "Huh?" he said. The car was lower to the ground than before. "Dad! This tire's flat." "No problemo," said his dad. "We'll just pop on the spare and wait a minute! This tire's flat, too." He rubbed his chin. Alexander took a step back. "Uh, Dad. All four tires are flat." "That's strange," said his dad. "Maybe there's glass on the road...."

Alexander looked across the street: two more cars with flat tires. Something weird is going on here, he thought. His dad stood up and brushed off his pants. "Sorry, Al. I have to call a tow truck. Do you think you could walk to school?" Alexander's eyes widened. "By myself?" "Sure, kiddo!" His dad smiled. "Here pass me that place-mat maze." His dad spread out the place mat on the hood of the car and pulled a pen from his pocket. "See we're here," he said, circling the diner. "And your new school is right there."

He drew a path through the maze. "You head down Main Street and oops, dead end! Turn left and then north and then oh! We got stuck in the glue factory! Wait, wait. So you loop back oh, wow! This town has three graveyards! And then you go past that bakery. And bingo! You're at school!"