After we’re done reading, we break into the song Carly wrote called “Abigail Adams: Make Those Bullets!” At first, I’m nervous to sing in front of this many people, but when everyone starts clapping along, Carly and I both get into it and have fun. The crowd stands and applauds when we’re done. Nice!
The finale goes off without a hitch and the cast takes several bows.
After the show, Mr. Demetri pulls me aside. I assume it’s to tell me my performance was great but instead he thanks me for finding out who was behind the Minotaur graffiti.
“I’m sorry I suspected you and your friends,” the principal says. “I should’ve known you boys weren’t behind it.”
I want to say I TOLD YOU! but just nod.
“Your persistence and follow-through are what helped stop the nonsense,” he says. “Nice job, Derek.”
And just like that the case of the mysterious Minotaur is officially terminated. I guess that’s how it goes as you get older. Nice job, then move on to the next thing. Which I’m happy to do because there are food trucks outside and I’m famished.
Master Class
Matt’s brother, Jamie, drops us off at the dojo for class. He must be going through some kind of military phase because his head is shaved and he’s wearing camouflage shorts. I’ve known Jamie almost my entire life, but never noticed how much his ears stick out. With the short haircut, his ears look like two handles on the sides of a jug. But he’s still the same old Jamie, goofing around and quoting funny lines from movies.
When Sensei Takai quietly takes his place at the front of the room, I’m ready. Today he doesn’t make us balance on one foot or stand in silence. He guides us through a series of kicks and punches more difficult than any we’ve done before. Ten minutes in, most of us are drenched. I can tell everyone’s pleased—Matt especially—to be doing these elaborate moves, but I almost miss the quiet of listening. For a kid who’s been boisterous his whole life, no one’s more surprised by this than I am.
Studying with Sensei Takai has made me focus on other parts of myself too. And the time I’ve been sitting and listening and practicing silence actually might be helping in the physical world as well, because when I move this time, I kick higher than I’ve ever kicked before.
“That was awesome,” Matt says as we put our shoes on. “I felt like I was in a Hong Kong action movie.”
When I look up, Sensei Takai is still at the front of the room. He looks at me with an expression that says he’s waiting. I take off my sneakers again and walk toward our teacher.
“Good work today,” Sensei Takai says. “Keep practicing. Stay focused.”
I nod and wait for more pearls of wisdom but Sensei just bows.
Wait! I thought when he called me over, he might’ve heard about my part in nabbing the Minotaur guy and he was going to congratulate me. Or how cool it was that I was a real ninja spying from a tree. Or how my ninja practice has helped me grow up a tiny bit. Maybe even that I have all the makings of a sensei too.
But my teacher says none of that. And waiting and hoping for his approval is VERY un-ninja.
I smile at how much work I have left to do in the ninja department.
Sensei Takai smiles as if he knows what I’m thinking.
And he probably does.
All’s Well That Ends Well
One of the presents Mom got at her surprise party was a board game about different dog breeds. Turns out the gift was from Charlie and it’s pretty fun—even though my sheepdog comes in last every time.
Mom suggests a Sunday-night game night, complete with a giant chicken quesadilla and tortilla soup. Root beer floats don’t really fit the menu, but when I request them, Mom laughs and says okay.
Frank had a cyst behind his right ear earlier in the week, so now his head is bandaged where Mom had to drain it. The procedure certainly didn’t drain Frank’s energy, though; he bounces on my lap as if he wants to play the board game too. The bandage makes him look like a furry mummy, so I take several photos and send them to Matt. Bodi’s exhausted from chasing squirrels before dinner and sleeps on the woven rug my parents brought back from Mexico. It’s a quiet, lazy night, which is fine after such a busy week.
When my phone dings with a new text, I assume it’s Matt commenting on the picture but it’s an unidentified number. Dad motions to the board and tells me it’s my turn but I can’t stop staring at the new text.
Come outside.
Matt must’ve grabbed Jamie’s phone by mistake when he skateboarded over here. But when I open the back door, it’s not Matt on the steps. It’s Carly—in full ninja gear.
Her clothes are jet-black—not tie-dyed like mine—and the only things you can see behind her face-mask hood are her twinkling brown eyes.
“I’m going total ninja spy. I even used my dad’s disposable phone.” She bows deeply; I laugh and bow back.
“Now that the play’s over, I thought we could practice some moves in the yard,” she says.
“Oh, you mean you don’t want to sit around and read really old letters?”
“The only letters you’ll be reading are the get-well cards you’ll get in the hospital after I kick your butt.” I can’t see her mouth, but I know Carly’s smiling.
Dad waves me off with a grin and I race upstairs to put on my gear.
Cowabunga!
Other books by Janet Tashjian, Illustrated by Jake Tashjian
The My Life Series:
My Life as a Book
My Life as a Stuntboy
My Life as a Cartoonist
My Life as a Joke
My Life as a Gamer
The Einstein the Class Hamster Series:
Einstein the Class Hamster
Einstein the Class Hamster and the Very Real Game Show
Einstein the Class Hamster Saves the Library
The Marty Frye Private Eye Series, Illustrated by Laurie Keller
Marty Frye Private Eye: The Case of the Missing Action Figure
Marty Frye Private Eye: The Case of the Stolen Poodle
By Janet Tashjian
Sticker Girl
Fault Line
For What It’s Worth
Multiple Choice
Tru Confessions
The Larry Series:
The Gospel According to Larry
Vote for Larry
Larry and the Meaning of Life
Praise for My Life as a Book:
“Janet Tashjian, known for her young adult novels, offers a novel that’s part Diary of a Wimpy Kid, part intriguing mystery.… Give this to kids who think they don’t like reading. It might change their minds.”
—Booklist, starred review
Praise for My Life as a Stuntboy:
“Fans of the first will be utterly delighted by this sequel and anxious to see what Derek will turn up as next.”
—The Bulletin
Praise for My Life as a Cartoonist:
“Great for reluctant readers (like Derek), this also neatly twists the bullying theme, offering discussion possibilities.”
—Booklist
“This entertaining read leaves some provoking questions unanswered—usefully.”
—Kirkus Reviews
Praise for My Life as a Joke:
“At times laugh-out-loud funny … its solid lesson, wrapped in high jinks, gives kids something to think about while they giggle.”
—Booklist
About the Author
Janet Tashjian is the author of many popular and award-winning books, including the My Life series, the Einstein the Class Hamster series, the Marty Frye series, and the Sticker Girl series. Other books include The Gospel According to Larry, Vote for Larry, and Larry and the Meaning of Life as well as Fault Line, For What It’s Worth, Multiple Choice, and Tru Confessions. She lives in California. Visit her online at janettashjian.com, or sign up for email updates here.
About the Illustrator
Jake Tashjian is the illustrator of My Life as a Book, My Life as a
Stuntboy, My Life as a Cartoonist, My Life as a Joke, My Life as a Gamer, Einstein the Class Hamster, Einstein the Class Hamster and the Very Real Game Show, and Einstein the Class Hamster Saves the Library. He has been drawing pictures of his vocabulary words on index cards since he was a kid and now has a stack taller than a house. When he’s not drawing, he loves to surf, read comic books, and watch movies. You can sign up for email updates here.
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Contents
Title Page
Copyright Notice
Dedication
War Cry
My Ninja Friends
The Dojo
A School Mystery
Paint It Black
Our First Class
Another Crime
Ninja Night
Carly’s Play
Using Our Spy Skills
Umberto Saves the Day
Frank and Bodi
Saturday with Dad
You Want Us to What?
Sensei’s Lesson
Things Get Serious
Rehearsal
Ninja Stars
Rehearsing with Carly
Someone New to Spy On
My First Office Party
What to Do
Espionage in the Woods
A Rash Decision
Itchy Ninja
Dress Rehearsal
Time to Spy
You Call This Spying?
Yet Another Surprise
Lying in Wait
Trapped in a Tree
Carly’s Revolution
Master Class
All’s Well That Ends Well
Read All the Books in the My Life Series
Ad Card
Praise Sheet
About the Author
About the Illustrator
Copyright
Text Copyright © 2017 by Janet Tashjian
Illustrations Copyright © 2017 by Jake Tashjian
Henry Holt and Company
Publishers since 1866
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available.
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First hardcover edition 2017
eBook edition April 2017
eISBN 9781627798907
My Life as a Ninja Page 8