Beware! Page 4

  “The time when you opened her milk carton?” Becca asked.

  I said, “Ronnie Carver called Jenny names, and Anna was nasty. No wonder she wanted to stomp them.” Then I realized something.

  Name calling, teasing, and making rude remarks were bullying too. When Jenny was five, she decided not to take it.

  She fought back.

  That’s why Jenny Pinski was the class bully. Not because she was born mean. Because people had teased her until she had to put a stop to it.

  Of course, Jenny Pinski was still mean when someone made her mad. So I still had to be careful.

  I hadn’t done anything to make Jenny mad.

  Yet.

  CHAPTER 9

  JENNY KNOWS BEST

  Wednesday: Planet Properties

  Our science projects were due on Monday. We didn’t have much time.

  Jenny and I sat together at lunch again. We compared research notes.

  “I searched the Internet,” Jenny said.

  “I did too,” I said. “I also used the library.”

  “Read this,” Jenny said. She handed me her notes. “My rock life planet is PERFECT.”

  I took Jenny’s papers. Then I handed her my notebook.

  “What’s this?” Jenny asked.

  “My outline,” I said. “Read it. In case you missed something.”

  Jenny shrugged and started reading.

  When she finished, she said, “Your outline is the same as my notes!”

  Another good thing about Jenny: Jenny Pinski is smart.

  “Good!” I exclaimed. “This is a science project. Our facts should match. We both figured out the perfect planet for rock people.”

  The Properties of Weird World:

  A Planet Where Rocks Rule

  Very close to sun

  900 degrees Fahrenheit (like Venus)

  Liquid iron oceans

  Gaseous sulfur/oxygen atmosphere

  Crystal life forms Quartz (many colors)

  Copper (green)

  Glass or fiberglass (sand, many colors)

  Oxidation of iron (rock food) = energy

  Jenny gave my outline back. “I’m glad we agree,” she said. “I already started the model.”

  Thursday: Crystal Conflict

  I went to Jenny’s house on the way home from school. She wanted me to see her progress.

  “I only have one diorama done,” Jenny said. She held up a shoebox with a rock planet scene inside. “It’s a crystal forest with rock animals. What do you think?”

  I gasped. Then I cleared my throat to cover it.

  Jenny’s little rock animals were cute. They had heads, blue rhinestone eyes, and stubby little legs. But the crystal trees were limp paper cutouts. They looked horrible.

  “What are those?” I asked, pointing to the yellow lines Jenny had painted on the rocks.

  “Crystal pathways,” Jenny said. “They’re inside the rock creatures, like veins. Rock life uses electricity instead of blood.”

  I had done a lot of research. I knew that crystals conducted electricity, so Jenny’s idea made sense. In fact, it might help us get an A. But that’s not why I was upset.

  I hated Jenny’s paper trees. They looked horrible.

  I had to say something.

  “We should make some simple crystals,” I said. “Epsom salt and borax crystals would make great trees and plants.”

  “I already have trees,” Jenny said, frowning.

  OOPS! Jenny hated being criticized.

  So I told her the diorama looked great.

  Friday: Rejected Report

  Jenny came to my house on Friday. My report was almost done. I sat on the sofa while she read the first draft.

  Jenny didn’t smile or nod or make a face. I couldn’t tell what she thought. I tapped my foot and nibbled my knuckle until she finished.

  “What do you think?” I asked.

  Jenny stood up. She dropped my notebook on the coffee table. Then she said, “It’s BORING.”

  Saturday: Weird Words

  Jenny called my house on Saturday morning. She said that the planet model was done, and she wanted me to see it.

  I said I would, but I hung up and asked myself: Why bother, Claudia?

  If I didn’t like the model, Jenny would get mad. I was pretty sure she wouldn’t stomp me. But I was positive she wouldn’t change the model. Not even if I had a better idea.

  I went to see it anyway and I was jumping-for-joy thrilled! Jenny’s model of Weird World was fantastic.

  “It’s gorgeous!” I exclaimed.

  “I know,” Jenny said.

  The gray planet had red oceans and wisps of yellow cotton clouds. There were three continents with little ridges for mountains.

  “The oceans are red because iron rusts,” Jenny explained.

  I knew that. It was in my report. Our planet had an oxygen and sulfur atmosphere.

  Oxygen breaks down iron (oxidation) = rust = red oceans

  “Sulfur is yellow,” Jenny explained. “That’s why the clouds are yellow.”

  “All this information should be on a chart,” I said.

  “I’ll do the chart later,” Jenny said. “You have to write your report again.”

  “I already rewrote it last night,” I said. “I worked on it for a long time. I’m sure it’s way more interesting now.”

  “But you didn’t use my notes,” Jenny said. She handed me some papers. “My ideas will make our report super exciting.”

  I was too chicken to argue. I read Jenny’s notes as I walked home. I felt sick when I reached my front porch.

  Jenny wanted to use her idea about space explorers touring an alien planet again. Except this time, a rock monster squashed their rocket ship.

  Jenny wanted our report to be a science fiction adventure.

  I knew that Mr. Monroe wanted a scientific report. He wouldn’t give us a good grade for turning in a story.

  I had two choices. They were both bad.

  I could settle for a B, maybe even a C. Or I could stand up to Jenny and write the report my way.

  CHAPTER 10

  A BETTER WAY

  I did not rewrite my report. Instead, I spent all day making simple crystals.

  The crystals needed time to form. And I needed advice. It was a kid problem, so I couldn’t ask my parents. I asked my older brother.

  Jimmy was in his bedroom. I knew he was playing a computer game because I could hear explosions through the closed door.

  How To Annoy Your Older Brother

  Don’t knock. He’ll lock the door and tell you to go away.

  Barge in. He can’t kick you out. Your mom will get mad.

  If he won’t talk to you, wait.

  If h
e keeps ignoring you, play with his stuff.

  I barged in without knocking. “I have to ask you something,” I told him.

  “I’m busy,” Jimmy said.

  “It’s really IMPORTANT,” I insisted.

  “Don’t care,” Jimmy said. His fingers flew over his keyboard. He didn’t stop watching his screen.

  There was a comic book on Jimmy’s bed. I picked it up. “Is this the new Micro-Marauders?” I asked innocently.

  Jimmy paused his game and turned around. “What do you want?”

  I carefully put the comic book back on the bed. Jimmy would get cranky if the corners got bent. “Did a bully ever come after you?” I asked.

  Jimmy nodded. “A big kid picked on me when I was nine,” he told me.

  “What did he do?” I asked.

  I wanted to hear details. I thought maybe the details of Jimmy’s story would help me solve my problem.

  “He said he’d punch me if I didn’t do what he wanted,” Jimmy said. “I gave him my lunch money for a month.”

  “What happened after a month?” I asked.

  “I went to Dad for advice,” Jimmy explained. “He asked me, ‘What’s the worst that can happen?’ And I said, ‘John Jones will punch my lights out.’”

  I giggled.

  Jimmy went on, “Then Dad said, ‘You’ve got to stand up for yourself. Getting punched won’t be as bad as you think.’”

  I gasped. “Our dad said that?” I asked. I was shocked.

  “Yep,” Jimmy said. “The next day I told John Jones he couldn’t have my money. And he punched me in the jaw.”

  I winced. “Did it HURT?” I asked.

  “Not as much as I thought it would,” Jimmy said. He grinned. “And after that, John Jones left me alone.”

  I didn’t feel better when I left Jimmy’s room. But I knew what to do.

  I called Jenny and asked her to come over.

  “Are you done with the new report?” Jenny asked when she walked in.

  I couldn’t put off the dreadful deed. I had to do what I thought was right even if Jenny got mad. Jimmy had taken a punch in the jaw. I could take a little STOMPING.

  I took a deep breath. “I didn’t write a new report,” I told her.

  “Why not?” Jenny asked, frowning. “Didn’t you like my notes?”

  “Mr. Monroe wants a report that explains our project facts,” I said. “Your story would make a great movie, but I don’t think it will get an A from our science teacher.”

  Jenny scrunched up her face.

  This time I had three choices.

  They were all bad.

  Fight back.

  Take it.

  Run away.

  I braced myself. I waited to see what Jenny would do.

  Jenny exhaled. “You’re right, Claudia. Mr. Monroe won’t like an EXCITING, action-packed story,” she said.

  I was shocked! I had stood up to Jenny Pinski, and I was still standing!

  She wasn’t even a little bit mad. But she looked pretty disappointed.

  “And that’s too bad,” Jenny said. She sighed. “I really wanted our project to be super special.”

  “It will be!” I exclaimed. “We’ll use your story ideas for the cards explaining the dioramas. Mr. Monroe won’t care if our display looks like an exciting adventure.”

  Jenny smiled. “That’s a great idea, Claudia!” she said.

  “I’ve got more ideas,” I said. “If you want to hear them.”

  Jenny frowned again. “Go on,” she said slowly.

  I kept talking. “I have some of my mom’s crystal pieces.” Jenny looked confused. I kept talking. “They make bell sounds when you tap them. Like rock people language,” I explained.

  “COOL!” Jenny exclaimed. “Rock people have to talk to each other. That’s brilliant.”

  “And I made some simple crystals to show you,” I added. “Follow me.” I took Jenny into the kitchen.

  The Epsom salt sheet crystals were spidery. They looked like delicate, alien shrubs. I had grown the borax crystals on pipe cleaners shaped like trees.

  “These are awesome,” Jenny said. “I should have listened to you before.”

  “Better now than never,” I joked. “These crystals are easy to make. We’ll have plenty for the dioramas. And we can use them as examples of inorganic stuff that grows!”

  “Three types of crystals will definitely get us an A,” Jenny said.

  “You know what’s better than one head?” I asked.

  “Two project partners!”

  Jenny gave me a high five.

  CHAPTER 11

  P.S.

  Jenny didn’t want to hang out with me after the project was done. She liked bowling, karate, and BMX racing. Compared to that, Becca, Monica, and I were BORING.

  Anna and Carly studied how weather conditions affect hair. They had their friends model limp, frizzy, and sun-bleached hair. The other girls weren’t happy, but the presentation was hilarious.

  Becca and Monica’s Optical Illusion Mystery was a huge hit. They explained that eyes and minds evolved to recognize things that help us survive and relate to the world. When we look at a pattern that doesn’t exist in nature, we see things that aren’t correct.

  Nick still had a Caroline problem. She stopped calling him pea-brain and kissed him! Caroline liked Nick, which was a zillion times worse for a seven-year-old boy than being pushed in a puddle.

  Oh, and Jenny and I got an A for our project. Mr. Monroe thought our scientific paper was great and everyone loved the rock-monster-squashes-a-rocket diorama.

  I realized that sometimes, Jenny scrunched up her face and looked mad because she was thinking. She also scrunched up her face and looked mad when she was mad. So I still watched what I said and did. Better safe than stomped!

  About the Author

  Diana G. Gallagher lives in Florida with her husband and five dogs, four cats, and a cranky parrot. Her hobbies are gardening, garage sales, and grandchildren. She has been an English equitation instructor, a professional folk musician, and an artist. However, she had aspirations to be a professional writer at the age of twelve. She has written dozens of books for kids and young adults.

  About the Illustrator

  Brann Garvey lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota with his wife, Keegan, their dog, Lola, and their very fat cat, Iggy. Brann graduated from Iowa State University with a bachelor of fine arts degree. He later attended the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, where he studied illustration. In his free time, Brann enjoys being with his family and friends. He brings his sketchbook everywhere he goes.

  Glossary

  announced (uh-NOUNSSD)—said publicly

  approve (uh-PROOV)—to officially accept an idea

  contraption (kuhn-TRAP-shuhn)—a strange or odd device or machine

  detector (di-TEK-tur)—a machine that reveals the presence of something

 
diorama (dye-oh-RAH-muh)—a three-dimensional model representing a scene

  exceptions (ek-SEP-shuhnz)—something that is not included in a general rule or statement

  inorganic (in-or-GAN-ik)—not coming from living things

  optical illusion (OP-tuh-kuhl i-LOO-zhuhn)—something that tricks the eyes into seeing something that isn’t there

  oral (OR-uhl)—spoken

  reigned (RAYND)—ruled as king or queen

  sarcastic (sar-KASS-tik)—if you are sarcastic, you use bitter or joking words that make fun of something

  silicon (SIL-uh-kuhn)—a chemical element found in sand and rocks

  summary (SUHM-ur-ee)—a short statement that gives the main ideas of something

  threaten (THRET-uhn)—frighten or put in danger

  Discussion Questions

  Why doesn’t Claudia want to work with Jenny? How do you think she will feel if she is paired up with Jenny on a future project? Talk about your answers.

  When Anna and Carly have the same idea for a project as Becca and Monica, their teacher asks them to come up with new project ideas. Do you think that was fair? Why or why not?