Stacey and the Mystery of Stoneybrook by Ann M. Martin

Author:Ann M. Martin [M. Martin, Ann]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Published: 2013-08-25T16:00:00+00:00

On Monday, Claud had a job sitting for the Perkins girls, Gabbie and Myriah. Gabbie’s almost three, and Myriah’s almost six. We all like them a lot. They also have a baby sister named Laura. Mrs. Perkins was taking Laura to Dr. Dellenkamp to have her cough checked out.

When Claudia arrived, Chewy — the Perkinses’ big black Labrador retriever — was running around in circles. Myriah was holding his favorite toy, a disgusting, ancient, well-chewed tennis ball. She wouldn’t throw it for him, and it was driving him nuts. He barked as he ran, begging her to throw it.

“Claudee Kishi!” yelled Gabbie. “Hi, Claudee Kishi! Toshe me up!” Gabbie always calls us by our full names, and “toshe me up” is an expression she invented and uses all the time. Basically, it means, “Pick me up and give me a big hug.” Claud was glad to oblige, since Gabbie is an extremely huggable girl.

“I have a great idea, guys,” said Claud. “How about if we go to the library for Story Hour? Today they’re going to read a couple of your favorite books. Guess which ones. Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel and The Little House. And then, after they read the books, everybody gets to help make a mural of the town in The Little House.”

Claud had found out about Story Hour from her mom. Mrs. Kishi is the head librarian, so she knows about all the stuff that goes on there. Claud had thought she’d check out Story Hour to see if it was a good way to spend some time with the kids we were sitting for.

“Yea!” yelled Gabbie. “What’s a mural?”

“It’s a big, giant picture, Gabbers,” said Myriah. “Can Chewy come, Claudia? Oh, boy, I can’t wait!”

They do love those two books. Have you ever read The Little House? It’s about this house that was once in the country, and then slowly a big city gets built up around it. I won’t spoil the ending, but trust me, it’s a great book.

Claud had another motive for going to the library. She couldn’t stop thinking about the old house being on the site of a burial ground. Maybe, she thought, she could find out more by browsing through the local history section. Claud must have been obsessed with that house: It’s not like her to do much voluntary reading (besides Nancy Drew, of course).

She piled Gabbie and Myriah into the Perkinses’ big red wagon — she’d vetoed the idea of Chewy coming along — and set off for the library. The girls were excited about going, since the library is one of their favorite places. They go every week to check out books and this would be like a bonus visit for them.

“Can we take out a book today, Claudee Kishi?” asked Gabbie.

“I want to take out five books,” said Myriah. “This many,” she added, holding up all five fingers on her right hand. “Because I’m five years old. Five and a half, really. Right, Claudia?”

“That’s right, Myriah.

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