Night Owl by Emily Jenkins

Author:Emily Jenkins [Emily Jenkins, Sarah Mlynowski, Lauren Myracle]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Published: 2021-03-15T00:00:00+00:00

Carrot did have a lemon. But … she was not about to part with it.

“You know,” she said as the Paste-Eaters clustered around her, “I was a gigantic help to the other UDM team.”

“That’s cool,” said Pepper. “And we’re so excited you’re giving us your lemon.”

“Not so fast.”

“Not so fast?”

“Well,” said Carrot, “do you know what the other team did to say thank you?”

“Did they say thank you?” Elliott deadpanned.

“Yes. But they also changed their team name to Friends of Carrot.” The bunny preened, stroking her whiskers. “What will you change your name to if I give you my lemon?”

Nory loved the name Paste-Eaters. It showed their togetherness, and how they all liked the same music.

Carrot tilted her head. “I see you’re hesitating,” she said. “But you and the other UDM team, plus various Fuzzies I know from around school—people have been coming in here all night, wanting my help. Carrot, do you have any heels of lettuce? Carrot, do you have any ghosts? Carrot, can we carry you around so we have a lucky rabbit’s foot?”

“Yes, but—” Pepper started.

“I have to look out for my own interests,” Carrot said. “So pay the price or I keep my lemon.”

Pepper looked at her team. “I think we should take this deal.”

“Fine,” Andres said. “Instead of the Paste-Eaters, we can be the Carrot-Eaters.”

Carrot gave him a look. “Ha-ha, and no.”

Nory decided they should change their team name. They needed that lemon. “How about Carrot’s Team?”

“Or Carrot’s Connections,” said Pepper.

The bunny looked doubtful.

“Carrot’s Kids,” tried Nory.

“Carrot Is Cool?” said Elliott.

“Change your name to … Carrot’s Number One Fans,” Carrot said. “Then you can have the lemon.”

Ugh, Nory did not like that name. But, okay, whatever. “We have less than twenty-two minutes left,” she told her teammates.

Twenty-two minutes to get the last items. To stay upbeat. To show Elliott how special Dunwiddle was. To make him remember how important friendship was so he’d forget about pineapples and Dr. Vogel. To win that secret room and win back Elliott at the same time. “So let’s do it,” Nory added. “We are now officially Carrot’s Fans.”

“Carrot’s Number One Fans,” Carrot corrected.

“Yes, fine, Carrot’s Number One Fans!” Nory cried. She scratched out Paste-Eaters on the top of the page and wrote the new name. “Can we have the lemon now?”

“Why, yes, you may,” said Carrot. “Here you go.” She tossed Nory a small, slightly bruised lemon.

It was a sad lemon. But it would do.

Nory peeled the lemon. Then she squeezed it and used a paintbrush to sign her name on a piece of blank paper. Elinor Boxwood Horace, invisible now—but not forever. Done.

“Bye, Carrot,” said Elliott, lingering at the door of the UDM classroom. “You know, I’ll miss you when I go to Sage Academy.”

“Ooh,” said Carrot. “I hear they have a skunk garden.”

“They do,” said Elliott, giving a thumbs-up. “And a greenhouse for growing vegetables, too.”

“Maybe I can come visit you and see the tomato plants,” said Carrot wistfully. “Dunwiddle’s winter tomatoes are really bland. They’re hardly tomatoes at all.

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