On my way out of class, I put my essay in the pile on Ms. Painter’s desk. That’s when I noticed, on the corner of her desk, the limited-edition spoon from the gift shop!
“You got the spoon?!” I asked her excitedly.
“Yes,” she said with a laugh. “I love that gift shop!”
“Me too!” I said. “That’s actually what I wrote about!”
“Well, I’m really looking forward to reading your essay, Babymouse,” Ms. Painter said.
I smiled. “See you tomorrow!”
“Oh, Babymouse,” Ms. Painter said. “One more thing…”
I felt my stomach flip. Did she know the truth?
Was I going to get detention? What would my parents say? Between my cell phone and getting caught, I would be cleaning the house for the rest of my life!
I turned back around and was surprised to see her holding my poster tube.
“I found this on the bus yesterday,” she said. “I didn’t know who it belonged to, but when I looked inside, I saw your signed artworks. They’re quite good! Would you be willing to let me hang them on the hallway bulletin board?”
My stomach flipped again, but in the best possible way.
“I would love that, Ms. Painter!” I said.
I couldn’t believe it. My art was going to end up on display after all! I walked out the door with a giant smile on my face.
What’s more—it looked like I was officially in the clear!
* * *
The last day and a half had been such an emotional roller coaster. I thought back on everything that had happened. It had been more than just an adventure. It was a chance to see things and places I never even knew existed. I had grown up a lot in twenty-four hours.
Middle school sure was complicated. But at least it wasn’t boring.
(Hmm, maybe I should use that in my next auditorium monologue….)
I signed on to my computer to see that Penny was online.
We’d been planning our next trip to the city. Penny’s mom said she would take us in for a day, and we had a list of places we wanted to visit. The theater, the dumpling restaurant, and, of course, the house where Pizza Kitty lived!
* * *
About the Authors
Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm are a New York Times bestselling sister-and-brother team. They are the creators behind several popular series: Babymouse, Squish, The Evil Princess vs. the Brave Knight, and My First Comics. The Eisner Award–winning Babymouse books have introduced millions of children to graphic novels. Jennifer is also the New York Times bestselling author of The Fourteenth Goldfish and several other highly acclaimed novels, including three Newbery Honor winners: Our Only May Amelia, Penny from Heaven, and Turtle in Paradise. Matthew is also the author of Marvin and the Moths with Jonathan Follett.
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