The Paris Project

by Donna Gephart

  Mom squeezed in next to Georgia and looked at the screen.

  Dad ran a hand through his hair. “Well, this is great news, George.”

  But I could tell by Dad’s eyes that he was a little sad. This meant Georgia would be leaving us in about three months.

  I felt it in my gut too, but I knew how much this meant to my sister. “Yeah,” I said. “Great news, George!”

  She shook her head and let out a laugh that might have been a cry. “No. No, it’s not.”

  “What? Why not?” Mom asked.

  My sister shook her head.

  “George?” Mom prodded.

  “I can’t go.” Tears spilled down my sister’s cheeks. “I spent almost all my money on our trip.”

  “Didn’t you get scholarships?” Dad asked. “Mom told me you were applying for lots of them.”

  “Yes. The school part is almost entirely paid for, but I don’t have the money to fly up there or buy books or for the fees or anything else. I spent the bulk of it on our vacation.” Then my sister started laughing, really laughing, but not in a funny way. In a way that scared me. “I actually got in and now I can’t go.”

  I looked at Mom and Dad, hoping they’d have a solution, some money they’d secretly stashed away somewhere, a long-lost relative who’d died and left us loads of cash. But my parents didn’t have answers; they had worry lines on their foreheads.

  It took me about two seconds to make up my mind. “You’re going!”

  “Cleveland?” Mom said cautiously.

  “Wait here.”

  I ran the whole way, past the pool and car-wash station, until I could see the trailer plastered in bumper stickers with the three chairs out front.

  Dec opened the door while I was still knocking. “What’s up, Scout?”

  “I need the tin.”

  “Huh?”

  “The Eiffel Tower tin, Dec. I need it right now.”

  “Is everything okay?”

  I looked at my best friend. At his red hair and matching freckles. At his pointy ears. At his kind, concerned eyes. “Yes, Declan. Everything will be okay once you give me the tin.”

  He hurried to his room and came back with it.

  “Thanks. I promise I’ll explain everything soon.”

  “Okay, Scout.”

  I ran all the way home, thinking about how much cash there was inside the metal box clutched to my chest. Earning ninety dollars a week added up fast, especially over all those months. I’d saved $3,280, plus Dad had paid me back $250 so far.

  Miss Genevieve licked my ankle when I came in, but I didn’t have time to pet him.

  Mom and Dad were sitting opposite Georgia at the kitchen table now. I could tell she’d still been crying.

  “I want you… to have it.” I bent forward, gasping for air, holding out the tin to her. “All of it, except… I need about three hundred dollars… to buy Declan a KitchenAid mixer… he’s been wanting… forever. But the rest… is yours.”

  Georgia smiled. “That’s real nice, Cleveland.”

  I put the Eiffel Tower tin into my sister’s hands.

  “But I can’t take your Paris money.”

  I squeezed in next to my sister, our legs pressed up against each other’s. “Oh, yes you can. I don’t need Paris. You gave me Paris in Los Altos. That was the best time I’ve ever had in my life.” I looked at Mom and Dad, who were holding hands on the table. I glanced at Miss Genevieve, snorfling away in his favorite sleeping position on the floor. I thought of Valerie. I thought of Declan and Todd. “I have everything I need right here. Paris will be there when I’m older. I want you to take the money. There’s enough to fly you up there, buy a bunch of books, pay fees, plus more. I want you to have it, George. I want you to go to Vermont… even though I’m going to miss you like nobody’s business.”

  “Oh, Cleve.” Georgia turned and hugged me so hard that I reached up to keep my beret from falling off, completely forgetting that I’d stopped wearing it again after our trip.

  Georgia held the tin tightly and kissed me on the cheek. “You’ll visit me in Vermont.”

  “You know it.”

  Mom sniffed.

  Dad smiled.

  Miss Genevieve did what he did best—let out a startling snore.

  We all laughed.

  Then Georgia messed up my hair and leaned her head against mine. “Cleveland Rosebud Potts, you’re the best sister.”

  I shrugged. “Tell me something I don’t know.”

  C’est la vie!

  The Paris Project

  By Cleveland Rosebud Potts

  1. Take ballet lessons at Miss Delilah’s School of Dance and Fine Pottery (to acquire some culture).

  Ballet is not the answer… no matter what the question is!

  2. Learn to cook at least one French dish and eat at a French restaurant (to be prepared for the real thing). Crepes—savory and sweet! Délicieuses!

  My favorite part of the French restaurant was the cute server who was totally flirting with Georgia the whole time.

  3. Take in paintings by the French impressionists, like Claude Monet’s Water-Lily Pond, at an art museum so I can experience what good French art is (more culture!).

  4. Continue learning to speak French (will come in handy when moving to France and needing to find important places, like la salle de bains, so I can go oui oui—ha-ha!—French bathroom humor).

  5. Apply to the American School of Paris (must earn full scholarship to attend for eighth grade. You can do this, Cleveland!).

  6. Move to France! (Fini!)

  Good riddance, Sassafras, Florida!

  Paris can wait!

  Acknowledgments

  Public libraries are our treasure troves of thought, wisdom, information, and imagination. Libraries open doors, open minds, and offer access to the wider world no matter who you are or where you live. Librarians hold the sacred task of guiding their patrons’ travels and providing passports to those wider worlds. I’m filled with gratitude for the public libraries and librarians who have saved me and shaped me, beginning with the Northeast Regional branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia. Libraries, to me, always feel like home.

  Investing in public education and our children means investing in our future. I’m brimming with gratitude for educators who teach young people to embrace the wider world and think critically. Special thanks to those who share their passion for reading and writing to give young people tools for a better life and a way to share their experiences, feelings, and voices. You’re creating ripples that impact the universe.

  I’d like to thank my agent, Tina Dubois, who holds my career in her capable hands with a wise head and kind heart.

  My editor, Krista Vitola, renewed my zest and passion for this work I love with her energy and dedication.

  Because every book is a collaborative effort, I appreciate the talented team of dedicated individuals at Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers for working tirelessly to create great books to share with the world. It’s a delight to be part of this grand team!

  My family and friends have lifted me up and continue to fill me with gratitude and grace every day of this wild and wonderful ride.

  Always and forever, my deepest and abiding love to Andrew, Jake, and Dan—my heartbeats.

  French Words and Phrases Used in This Book

  absolument—absolutely

  bonjour—hello

  café au lait—coffee with milk

  Ce n’était pas bon.—This was not good.

  Ce n’était pas juste.—This wasn’t fair.

  C’est la vie.—That’s life.

  cordialement—cordially

  délicieuses—delicious

  difficile—difficult

  enchanté—enchanted

  fini—finished

  formidable—wonderful

  gros problème—big problem

  humiliant—humiliating

  imbécile—idiot

  incroyable—incredible

&nbs
p; J’ai des problèmes.—I have problems.

  Je suis irritée.—I am irritated. (if it’s a girl speaking)

  la salle de bains—the bathroom

  l’espoir—hope

  magnifique—magnificent

  merveilleux—wonderful

  mes amours—my loves

  Mieux vaut prévenir que guérir.—Better safe than sorry.

  mon ami—my friend (a male friend)

  mon amie—my friend (a female friend)

  oh, beau chien—oh, beautiful dog

  Oh la la la la!—Oh no no no no!

  oui—yes

  parfait—perfect

  pas du tout—not at all

  pas question—no way

  tellement gros—so big

  terrible—terrible

  très—very

  très bien—very good

  très cher—very expensive

  très chic—very stylish

  très gênant—very embarrassing

  très importants—very important

  un étreinte—a hug

  un millier de fois—a thousand times

  zut—heck

  Recipe for Declan’s Limeade Spritzer

  You will need:

  1 tablespoon agave (or another sweetener)

  juice from half a lime (or 1 tablespoon bottled lime juice)

  4 ounces cold water

  4 ounces seltzer

  a few mint leaves (optional)

  Instructions:

  In a tall glass, pour in agave (or other sweetener). Add the lime juice. Add cold water and seltzer. Stir. Top with mint leaves if you like. Enjoy!

  Information/Statistics about Parental Incarceration in the United States of America

  Ten million children across the USA have had a parent incarcerated at some point in their lives.1

  More than 2.7 million children have a parent behind bars.2

  One in nine black children have a parent in prison.3

  One in twenty-eight Latinx children have a parent in prison.4

  One in fifty-seven white children have a parent in prison.5

  Eighty percent of women in jail are mothers.6

  Visits and phone calls are an economic burden shouldered by the family, as is the hardship of traveling far from home to visit a loved one.7

  One in fourteen children in the USA have experienced the incarceration of a loved one.8

  Loved ones of the incarcerated are routinely ignored, neglected, stigmatized, and endangered.9

  1. National Resource Center on Children and Families of the Incarcerated, Children and Families of the Incarcerated Fact Sheet (Camden, New Jersey: Rutgers University, 2014), https://nrccfi.camden.rutgers.edu/files/nrccfi-fact-sheet-2014.pdf.

  2. National Resource Center on Children and Families of the Incarcerated.

  3. National Resource Center on Children and Families of the Incarcerated.

  4. National Resource Center on Children and Families of the Incarcerated.

  5. National Resource Center on Children and Families of the Incarcerated.

  6. Elizabeth Swavola, Kristine Riley, and Ram Subramanian, Overlooked: Women and Jails in an Era of Reform (New York: Vera Institute of Justice, 2016), https://www.vera.org/publications/overlooked-women-and-jails-report.

  7. Stacey M. Bouchet, Children and Families with Incarcerated Parents: Exploring development in the field and opportunities for growth (Baltimore, MD: Annie E. Casey Foundation, January 2008), http://www.aecf.org/m/resourcedoc/AECF-ChildrenandFamilieswithIncarceratedParents-2008.pdf#page=4.

  8. Nash Jenkins, “1 in 14 U.S. Children Has Had a Parent in Prison, Says New Study,” Time, October 27, 2015, http://time.com/4088385/child-trends-incarceration-study/.

  9. POPS the Club (website), accessed June 11, 2019, https://popsclubs.org.

  Children of Incarcerated Parents Bill of Rights (www.sfcipp.org)

  I have the right…

  1. to be kept safe and informed at the time of my parent’s arrest.

  2. to be heard when decisions are made about me.

  3. to be considered when decisions are made about my parent.

  4. to be well cared for in my parent’s absence.

  5. to speak with, see, and touch my parent.

  6. to receive support as I face my parent’s incarceration.

  7. not to be judged, blamed, or labeled.

  8. to have a lifelong relationship with my parent.

  About the Author

  Donna Gephart’s award-winning middle grade novels include Lily and Dunkin, Death by Toilet Paper, and How to Survive Middle School. She’s a popular speaker at schools, conferences, and book festivals. Donna lives in the Philadelphia area with her family. Visit her online at donnagephart.com.

  Visit us at simonandschuster.com/teen

  www.SimonandSchuster.com/Authors/Donna-Gephart

  Simon Pulse/Beyond Words

  Simon & Schuster, New York

  Also by Donna Gephart

  In Your Shoes

  Lily and Dunkin

  Death by Toilet Paper

  How to Survive Middle School

  Olivia Bean, Trivia Queen

  As If Being 12¾ Isn’t Bad Enough,

  My Mother Is Running for President!

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  This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Text copyright © 2019 by Donna Gephart

  Jacket illustrations copyright © 2019 by Bijou Karman

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  Jacket design by Lizzy Bromley

  Interior design by Hilary Zarycky

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Names: Gephart, Donna, author.

  Title: The Paris Project / Donna Gephart.

  Description: First edition. | New York : Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, [2019] | Summary: Cleveland Rosebud Potts yearns to leave Sassafras, Florida for a rich and cultured life at The American School of Paris, but problems with family, friends, and finances stand in her way.

  Identifiers: LCCN 2018055764 | ISBN 9781534440869 (hardcover : alk. paper) | ISBN 9781534440883 (ebook)

  Subjects: | CYAC: Self-actualization—Fiction. | Family life—Florida—Fiction. | Prisoners’ families—Fiction. | Friendship—Fiction. | Florida—Fiction.

  Classification: LCC PZ7.G293463 Par 2019 | DDC [Fic]—dc23

  LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018055764