Morgan's Pet Plot Read online

  “Hey, Aldeen,” Ian calls as we go outside, “Bringing your horse on Saturday?”

  Big mistake. Aldeen chases Ian to the swings and flattens him. I think she’s going to try to drop him off the climbers, too, but Mrs. Ross gets there first. They get sent to the office.

  Hey, I think, serves Aldeen right for lying about getting a horse. Except I remember how it felt when I got caught telling lies. I told a few when I first came here. I wanted to hide in my own pocket when everybody laughed at me.

  Okay, okay, I tell myself, maybe I will give Ruby to Aldeen. After I win first prize at the pet show and get my name in the paper.

  9

  Prize Fright

  On Saturday morning Aldeen comes over and we get Ruby ready for the pet show. We clean out her cage. Aldeen brushes Ruby’s coat with a toothbrush. I think it’s a good idea — until I see it’s my toothbrush.

  “Hey!” I say.

  Aldeen has brought purple nail polish for Ruby’s claws. My mom says no to that. I say no to the pink ribbon she has for Ruby’s tail. Aldeen’s eyes start to go squinchy, but she doesn’t say anything.

  When we get to the community centre, it’s noisy as anything. Kids and pets are everywhere. Charlie is there with Roxy. Ian is there with his cat — and a bump on his head from when Aldeen creamed him. Kaely has her cat, too; Jordan his gerbils. Matt has a budgie; Luke a rabbit. There’s turtles, hamsters, lizards, even a stinkless skunk.

  Dave the community-centre guy gives us the entry form and tells us where to put Ruby’s cage in the gym. Dogs are barking; cats meowing. Dad and I both sneeze. My eyes start to itch. When I stop rubbing them, I see Mom has filled out the form and put it in front of Ruby’s cage. Under NAME, it says Ruby Snowdrop. Under OWNER, Mom has written my name — and Aldeen’s. Hey.

  “That’s wrong,” I say.

  Aldeen squinches.

  “We’re making Aldeen an honorary owner for today,” Dad says, “Because of all the help she’s given us.”

  Before I can say anything, there’s a commotion across the gym. Dogs bark and jump. Birds flutter. People call out. And then, out of nowhere, this big grey cat zooms up and pounces on Ruby’s cage.

  “GAAH!” We all jump. Dad sneezes. Ruby rears back, squeaks and flops over.

  “SHOO!” Mom yells at the cat.

  It leaps away. People run after it. Dad opens the cage. He lifts Ruby.

  “Oh, my gosh,” he says, “I think she’s dead. She’s been scared to death.”

  I stare. I’ve never seen a dead rat before, but Ruby looks like one, all right.

  I look at Aldeen. Her eyes have squinched up again. This time she’s crying.

  10

  A New Leaf

  Aldeen is still snuffling when we drop her off. At home, we put Ruby in a plastic bag in the freezer. Dad says we’ll bury her in the garden later. He’s still sneezing a little.

  “Don’t feel too badly, hon,” Mom says. She gives me a hug.

  I guess I look sad. I don’t feel too sad. In fact, I feel kind of bad that I don’t feel sadder. I mean, Ruby was my pet and everything, but I didn’t like having a rat that much.

  I don’t think Ruby was too crazy about me, either. She liked Aldeen better. Maybe she was right to like Aldeen better. That makes me feel really bad.

  After lunch, I get my markers and a little piece of wood from the garage. I write RUBY SNOWDROP on it in red. Then I call Aldeen and ask if she wants to come over and have a funeral.

  She says, “Get lost. I’m busy.”

  I start to say, “You have to come,” but I stop.

  I say, “Please. Ru– I mean, Snowdrop liked you better.” Then I say, “Sorry.”

  Aldeen comes over. When she gets here, though, she doesn’t want to do the funeral. She wants to take Ruby home with her instead. It’s okay with me.

  When Aldeen leaves, Dad puts the frosted-over bag with Ruby in it in her backpack.

  Monday morning, there’s someone new in our classroom. He’s a rabbit.

  “This is Bugs,” Mrs. Ross says. “I’ve heard so much talk about pets lately that I thought we might enjoy having him stay in our classroom for a while.”

  Bugs’s pen is right by my desk. He nibbles at a lettuce leaf while we do spelling. He’s not jittery at all.

  Every time I look over, Bugs is looking at me. When nobody is watching, I reach over and pet him. He snuggles closer. He doesn’t have a long pink tail.

  I volunteer to be a Bunny Helper. Aldeen doesn’t.

  “Why don’t you want to help?” I whisper.

  “I’ve already got a pet,” she says.

  “What?” I say. “But Ru– Snowdrop’s dead.”

  “Not a rat, doughnut-brain. A real pet. A cat called Muscles.”

  “How did you get a cat? Your mom said no pets.”

  Aldeen shrugs. “Easy. I thawed out Snowy and put her on the kitchen table. When my mom found her we went to the animal shelter and got Muscles.”

  Aldeen grins, like a shark. “She’s really tough. You should see her scratch. Wanta come over?”

  “I can’t today,” I say, fast. “But soon, maybe.”

  As soon as I get a suit of armour.

  More in the First Novel Series

  find even more at www.formac.ca

  Music by Morgan

  Ted Staunton

  Illustrated by Bill Slavin

  Morgan has to get creative, and sneaky, if he wants to play music instead of floor hockey. He crafts a plan to swap places with Aldeen — but how long will they pull it off before they get caught?

  Raffi’s New Friend

  Sylvain Meunier

  Illustrated by Élisabeth Eudes-Pascal

  Translated by Sarah Cummins

  Raffi and the new girl in school, Fatima, have something in common: neither of them quite fit in. They bond when they find they have something else in common: a love of birds.

  Pucker Up, Morgan

  Ted Staunton

  Illustrated by Bill Slavin

  Morgan is delighted to have the lead role in The Frog Prince even if he has to kiss Aldeen, the Godzilla of Grade Three, to turn into a prince. They both agree smooching is gross. Despite Aldeen’s threats and Morgan’s overreacting they manage to create an unexpected twist to the play. Morgan discovers that teamwork makes a better performance.

  illustrations Copyright © 2011, 2003 Bill Slavin

  Translation copyright © 2011, 2003 Sarah Cummins

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

  Formac Publishing Company Limited acknowledges the support of the Cultural Affairs Section, Nova Scotia Department of Tourism, Culture and Heritage. We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Book Fund for our publishing activities. We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts for our publishing program.

  Cataloguing in Publication data is available from Library and Archives Canada

  This digital edition first published in 2011 as 978-0-88780-187-7

  Originally published in 2003 as 978-0-88780-587-5

  Formac Publishing Company Limited

  5502 Atlantic Street

  Halifax, NS B3H 1G4

  www.formac.ca

 

 

 
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