The Griffin's Riddle by Suzanne Selfors & Dan Santat

Author:Suzanne Selfors & Dan Santat
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Juvenile Fiction / Animals / Dragons, Unicorns & Mythical, Juvenile Fiction / Fantasy & Magic, Juvenile Fiction / Action & Adventure / General, Juvenile Fiction / Mysteries & Detective Stories, Juvenile Fiction / Social Issues / Friendship
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Published: 2015-02-23T16:00:00+00:00

Ben and Pearl looked around. The first time they landed in the Imaginary World, they’d been greeted by a parched desert. The second trip had brought them to a forest of tangled vines. Today they found themselves on a narrow dirt path that was lined on each side by a row of hedges. But because this was the Imaginary World, these were no ordinary hedges—they grew as tall as trees. Tweets and chirps sounded from the uppermost branches. Globs of bird poop lined the sides of the path like polka dots.

“The sky looks stormy,” Ben noted. Gray clouds were gathering over the hedges. “I hope it doesn’t rain.” His mom wouldn’t be pleased if he ruined his new shoes.

Ben looked up the path. It continued on and on toward the horizon. Then he looked back down the path. It kept going as far as the eye could see. “Which way do we go?”

“Hey, Mr. Tabby,” Pearl said. “Which way to the palace?”

The cat ignored them and began to clean his other front paw.

“He’s not listening,” Pearl said. “Do you think he understands? Do you think he’s forgotten about Dr. Woo already?”

Ben frowned. That would be a terrible turn of events. “Mr. Tabby, we need to get the feather, remember? Everyone’s sick.”

The cat’s gaze turned upward and focused on a purple songbird that had popped its head out of the hedge. The cat’s whiskers trembled.

“I know what to do.” Ben pulled a Macker from his pocket and held it by its rubbery tail. “If you lead us to the griffin’s palace, I’ll give you this.” He dangled the treat in front of the cat’s face. The cat sniffed, rose onto his hind legs, and batted at the cracker. Ben raised his arm higher, moving the cracker just out of reach.

“Do you think he understands?” Pearl asked.

“I sure hope so.” Ben jiggled the cracker. “Take us to the griffin king, and this will be your reward.”

The cat flicked his tail, turned, and headed up the road.

“Yay!” Pearl cried. Ben smiled. Maybe this would work out after all.

With Pearl holding the leash and the cat in the lead, they walked for a very long time. Whether on four cat paws or in polished shoes, Mr. Tabby’s walk was the same. He took long, graceful steps, held his nose high, and emitted an air of superiority. He stopped occasionally to sniff the broken eggshells that lay here and there, some speckled, some striped. Some even glowed like neon lights. He darted after songbirds if they flew too low. “Cat instincts,” Pearl whispered. The sky rumbled as dark clouds continued to gather.

“This road goes on and on and on,” Pearl complained.

Indeed, there appeared to be no end. Where was this palace? Ben expected to see turrets rising in the distance, or a drawbridge and moat. But there was nothing but the dirt path and the hedges.

“At least you don’t have to walk in these shoes,” he grumbled, his toes aching beneath the stiff black leather.

The cat took a sudden right turn, darting out of view.

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