The Beast in Ms. Rooney's Room by Patricia Reilly Giff

Author:Patricia Reilly Giff [Giff, Patricia Reilly]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Ages 6 and up
ISBN: 9780307513854
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Published: 1984-01-02T08:00:00+00:00

Chapter 6

Richard hated Thursdays.

His mother worked late and he had to walk home with his big sister, Holly.

She and her friend Joanne were always the last ones out.

Richard waited on the stone steps in front of the school.

He watched some ants come out of a little hole in the middle step. They headed for someone's leftover cookie on the bottom step.

After a few minutes there were about a hundred ants rushing back and forth.

He built a little stick bridge to help them out.

One of the ants spotted it and climbed up. After a few minutes they were all marching along on the stick.

Richard stood up and peered through the window into the hall.

Holly and Joanne were all the way down the other end. They were talking and laughing and acting as if they'd be an hour just walking down one hall.

They didn't care that he had to waste his whole afternoon waiting for them.

He went back and watched the ants.

At last Holly and Joanne opened the door. They started down the path. Richard jumped off the steps and followed them.

They went down Cole Street. Instead of crossing at the corner, they turned in at the big doors of the library.

“Got to get a book for a book report,” Holly called over her shoulder. “A book report on James K. Polk.”

Richard caught up with them. “Who?” he asked as they opened the doors.

“Polk,” Holly said again.

“Who's that?”

“He doesn't know anything,” Holly told Joanne.

“I do so.”

“It's a president,” Joanne said.

“Don't you even know the name of your school?” Holly asked.

“Polk Street,” Richard said. “That's a president's name?” He shook his head. “He's got a funny first name.”

Holly started to laugh. She leaned against Joanne. “I told you, Joanne,” she said after a minute. “He's a dummy.”

“Not Polk Street,” Joanne said. “The school is on Polk Street. They're both named for President Polk. President James K. Polk.”

“Don't try to tell him,” Holly said. “He doesn't even know George Washington.”

“I do so,” Richard said.

“Or Christopher Columbus.”

“I do so.”

“Who was he?”

Richard stopped. “A president.”

Holly and Joanne went over to one of the tables. “Dumb,” Holly said.

“I remember now,” Richard said. He felt like clipping Holly right on her frizzy brown hair. “I remember the whole thing. Christopher Columbusdiscovered America. He had three boats. I even know their names.”

But they weren't paying any attention.

He went to the back to look for his favorite book. The one with the red cover and all the pictures.

Last time he was there, he had hidden it.

He knelt down next to one of the racks. He looked on the bottom shelf.

It wasn't there.

It was gone. He wondered if he'd ever find it again.

He stood up. He bumped right into Drake Evans.

“What are you doing here?” Drake asked.

“Reading.” Richard stepped around him. He pretended to be looking for a book.

“Reading what?” Drake asked.

“Watch out,” Richard said over his shoulder. “I saw Ms. Rooney checking over her marking book yesterday.”

Drake followed him down the aisle. “You're lying, Richard,” he said.

Richard pulled a book off the shelf.

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