Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2 I didn't think the morning could get worse, but it did. As I was walking to class, Nick the Tick McKelty grabbed my backpack for no reason and tossed it into the trash can. When I reached into the trash to get it out, I grabbed a rotten banana skin, which slimed all over my fingers. I'm not even going to tell you about the old baloney sandwich that was stuck to the banana. If that wasn't bad enough, Ms. Flowers surprised us with a pop science quiz on Chapter Four. It's really hard to take a test on Chapter Four when I hadn't even started

Chapter Two yet. I'm what you call a slow reader. A snail reads faster than I do. The worst part of the morning came when Ms. Flowers said we were going to the library. I have nothing against the library. In fact, when I see all those books on the shelves, I wish I could read every one. I imagine stories about wizards, pirates, and people who ride dog sleds across the Arctic and come face-to-face with polar bears. But those stories are made of words, and words are made of letters that I can't sound out. All those library books just stay on the shelf looking down at me. The one good thing about the library is Mrs. King, the librarian. She really tries hard to find books that I'd like. The last time I was there, she handed me a book about penguins in Antarctica. I tried to read it, but the pictures in it made me feel so cold, I had to put on my Mets sweatshirt. As we walked to the library, my best friend Ashley was bubbling over with ideas.

"I can't wait to check out the next Detective Duck book," she said. "They're so funny. The last one quacked me up." Despite my horrible day, I burst out laughing. "Finally, there's a smile on your face," my other best friend, Frankie, said. "You've been down in the dumps all morning, Zip." "How would you feel if your little sister got all the awards and made you feel like you could never do anything right?" "You do a lot of stuff right," Ashley said. "You're a great friend, and you can tie a cherry

stem into a knot with your tongue. I bet Emily can't do that." By then, we had reached the library. We waited in line while Mrs. King gave us instructions. "Students," she said. "Feel free to look around and pick a book to check out. Don't just stay in your favorite section. If you like mysteries, try picking a biography. Try something new." "I'm sticking with Detective Duck," Ashley whispered. "Remember to use your library voices," Mrs. King went on. "And when you take a book off the shelf, be sure to put it back where it belongs."

We went inside, and all the kids spread out to different sections. Katie Sperling went to the fantasy section in search of unicorns. Ryan Shimozato was looking for sports heroes. Luke Whitman just stood there picking his nose, as usual. "You don't want to touch a book that he's touched," Frankie whispered to me. "That finger has been places we never want to go." "Yeah, and I thought the banana peel in the trash can was slimy," I said.

"I really don't want to know why your hand was in the trash can," Frankie said. "I can explain," I answered. "Maybe later," Frankie said. "Or maybe never. Yeah, never works." Frankie wandered off to the science section. He was looking for a book about robots. I wanted to go to the kindergarten section, because all those books have more pictures than words. I was too embarrassed, so instead I pulled out a book about George Washington. I opened it up and stared at a picture of him in his white wig and fancy clothes. "Hank, I didn't know you were interested in history," a voice behind me said. It was Mr. Rock, our music teacher and all-around cool guy. "I can't put this book down," I said to him. "Really? Is it that good?" "No, but the person who read it before me must have had a peanut-butter sandwich, because the cover is stuck to my hands."