Eighth-Grade Superzero by Olugbemisola Rhuday Perkovich

Author:Olugbemisola Rhuday Perkovich [Rhuday-Perkovich, Olugbemisola]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780545348447
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Published: 2010-08-25T04:00:00+00:00

Joe C. makes good on his promise to come with me to Olive Branch, even though I can tell he’s freaking out as soon as we step through the doors. I don’t see George or Charlie, but Gabriella is watching TV with some of the hard-core basketball fans, and she stops what seems like a sort of friendly debate to wave at me.

After I introduce Joe C. to Wilma and a few of the residents, and Mr. James challenges him to a game of dominoes right away, a girl walks over carrying a box of books. She looks like she could be my age. I meet her halfway so that I can help with the box.

“Thanks,” she says. “There’s another box outside,” she says, looking at Joe C. He goes to get it.

“I’m Carmen,” she says. “You’re Reggie, right?”

“Yes,” I say, surprised that she knows my name. “I didn’t realize other schools were volunteering. Did you come with a group?”

“Come with what group?” she asks. “I’ve been here. I live here.”

“Oh! Great! I mean … um, what are the books for?” Nice going, Reggie.

But she doesn’t seem to mind. “I’ve been trying to get a lending library going for the last few months, and people are finally coming on board. Old Crump built some bookshelves from scrap wood, and we got a few more donated. And Dare Books just gave me a bunch of brand-new textbooks for free. I’m going to set up over there,” she says, pointing to a corner next to Wilma’s office. As Joe C. returns with the box, she looks at me again. “I heard you’ve been making things happen. Maybe you can get some other people to help me collect donations. Spread the word.” She hands me a piece of paper. “Here’s a list of places that I still need to hit up.”

“Uh, sure,” I say. “But I don’t want to be all up in your project. I mean, I’d feel kind of funny, like I was taking credit for your work.”

She rolls her eyes. “Okay, you can stand around and feel funny, or you can help me get this done.”

“Good point,” I say. I take the list.

“Thanks a lot,” she says. “I’d been kind of discouraged about this whole thing, but there’s been some new positive energy around here lately. I’m ready to make things happen.” We make plans to talk again in a couple of days, and she heads to Wilma’s office.

“She was cool,” says Joe C. “And cute. If it weren’t for Maria …”

Yeah, yeah. “So, you see what I was saying?” I ask. “Not what you were expecting.”

“Yeah,” he nods. “Even after we came in, I kept thinking about what a dump this is. But when I take a second look …” He points to the kids’ town. “Cool. Is that the town you were telling me about?”

“Yeah,” I say. “And this guy Jeff is painting a mural to go with it, and if you knew Jeff, you’d never expect him to do anything like that.

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