by Monica Brown
Copyright
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.
Text copyright © 2017 by Monica Brown
Interior Artwork copyright © 2017 by Angela Dominguez
Yarn by Arthur Shlain
Cover design by Marcie Lawrence. Cover art copyright © 2017 by Angela Dominguez. Cover copyright © 2017 by Hachette Book Group, Inc.
Hachette Book Group supports the right to free expression and the value of copyright. The purpose of copyright is to encourage writers and artists to produce the creative works that enrich our culture.
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First ebook edition: February 2017
ISBN 978-0-316-25852-4
E3-20170112-JV-PC
CONTENTS
Cover
Title Page
Copyright
Dedication
Dear Diario
Chapter One
Mission Kitty-Cat
Chapter Two
Frisbees and Sea Monsters
Chapter Three
The Cat Castle
Chapter Four
The Big Day
Chapter Five
The Polka-Dot Ghost
Chapter Six
Adopt a Kitty
Chapter Seven
The Last Surprise
Chapter Eight
Woof
Again, and always, to Jeff
Dear Diario,
The kitty-cat countdown starts today! School let out for the summer, so Dad says we finally have time to introduce a new pet to our family. Mom says we still have more to learn before we get our kitty, though. This Saturday, she is taking Ben and me to the library to find books about taking care of cats. I love going to the library, except when the librarians tell me to be quiet. I like to be loud. There’s one librarian who I call Ms. Red because she has the reddest hair I’ve ever seen. She’s my favorite. As long as there isn’t anyone studying in the quiet zone, I can be as loud as I want. Well, maybe not as loud as I want, because that would be pretty loud, even for Ms. Red.
Sometimes, when I’m reading, I talk to the characters in my books. When I was little, I read a book called Clara and the Curandera. Mom explained that a curandera is a very wise woman. In the book, the curandera helps grumpy Clara become less grumpy. The nicer Clara is to everyone else, the happier she becomes. I cheer for her at the end of the book because I’m also trying to be less grumpy. Especially when my soccer team, the Orange Smoothies, loses or when Alyssa Goldstein and Makayla Miller tease me at school. Luckily, it’s summer, and I don’t need to see them much.
Meow! ¡Miau!
Shalom,
Lola Levine
Chapter One
Mission Kitty-Cat
“¡Vámonos!” Mom says on Saturday morning. “Let’s go!” We are going to the library to research cats so we know what to expect. Mom is humming as we get into the car. She always hums when she’s happy. I ask Mom a question I already know the answer to.
“Mom, why do you like libraries so much?”
“Because they are filled with books and people who love them,” she says, smiling.
“You love books?” Ben asks.
“Yes,” Mom says, “and I love the two of you.”
During the summer, Mom takes us to the library on weekends, and we get lots and lots of books. Some kids check out one book at a time, but Ben and I check out as many as we can carry because morning is reading time. That’s so Dad can go to his studio in the backyard and paint. Dad’s an artist who works at home, and Mom works as a newspaper journalist. In the afternoon, it’s swimming lessons, soccer in the park, or something creative in Dad’s studio.
I wave at Ms. Red when we walk into the library, and she waves back. Mom helps us search for cat books on the computer in the children’s section, and then we find the right row of books.
“Lola,” she says, “I’m going to the adult section of the library. Can you watch your brother for ten minutes?”
“Okay,” I say, and Ben and I start looking through the books. The problem is Ben doesn’t like to do a lot of looking. Or sitting. He likes to do a lot of moving, and by that I mean jumping or dancing or kicking or climbing. His teacher told my parents that he’s one of the most active kindergartners she’s ever taught. She also said that Ben reminds her a lot of me at that age, whatever that means. After a few minutes of looking at books, I realize that Ben is gone. I can’t find him anywhere until I hear a giggle from above me.
“Ben!” I say. “I’m supposed to be watching you! Get down. You are NOT allowed to climb on bookshelves.” He ignores me until I say that I’m going to get Mom and Ms. Red.
“Okay, okay,” he says, and gets ready to jump.
“Stop!” I say. “It’s too high to jump! You’ll get hurt, and I’ll be the one to get in trouble. Do you want Mom to think we aren’t ready to take care of a pet?! Just stay there.” I walk over to the children’s desk.
“Umm, is there a ladder or a stool I could use?” I ask Ms. Red.
“Do you need help reaching a book?” she asks.
“Not exactly…” I say, and then we both hear a loud crash. She follows me over to where Ben is now sitting on the floor, crisscross applesauce, acting like nothing happened. Except that the book he’s pretending to read is upside down and he’s trying to hide the other books that fell behind his back.
“Ben,” I say, “that’s it. I’m not letting you out of my sight.” I help Ms. Red put the books back on the shelf, get my own pile of books, and sit down right next to Ben. Then I tie one of Ben’s shoelaces to one of mine so he can’t move without me. Ms. Red smiles and goes back to her desk. Ben and I look at lots of books, and we each pick out our favorite. I choose The Purrfect Guide to Cat Care, and Ben chooses a book of cat jokes, which makes me roll my eyes.
“Lola, watch out or your eyes are going to get stuck that way—Mom said so,” Ben says, sticking out his tongue. I am very happy when Mom gets back.
“Lola,” she says, frowning, “why did you tie your shoelace to Ben’s?”
“Don’t even ask,” I say. And she doesn’t.
I read The Purrfect Guide to Cat Care all afternoon, and at dinner I start to list all the things we will need for a cat.
“We’ll need a litter box, cat litter, food, bowls for food and fresh water, and best of all… we need a cat castle!” I say.
“What’s that?” asks Dad.
“You know, a scratching post, a cat tree, a cat condo, a cat playground, a cat—”
“I get it now,” says Dad. “Cats do need places to scratch and climb.”
“We can buy one at the pet store or make one ourselves,” I say, knowing which one Dad will choose.
“We’ll make one!” Dad says happily. “It will be a fun project.” Dad loves projects.
“Yes!” says Ben, who never met a
hammer he didn’t like. He helped Dad build a birdhouse last summer, which was great until he hammered one of his fingers. If people think I’m loud, they should hear Ben. It seemed like he yelled for an hour.
Luckily, there is a chapter on making your own cat castle in The Purrfect Guide to Cat Care. I make a list of the supplies we will need and give it to Dad.
Cat Castle Supplies
1. wood
2. sisal rope
3. natural carpet
4. cardboard tube
5. cat toys
6. screws, staples, and a whole bunch of different tools (note to Dad—I know you will have what we need because you have everything there ever was in your studio.)
There’s one thing on my list that confuses me, though.
“Dad,” I ask, “what’s sisal rope?” I know what rope is, but I’ve never heard of sisal rope before.
“It’s a type of rope that’s made from the agave plant in Mexico,” Dad says. “I’ll bet cats love it. You pronounce it like this: sigh-sull.”
“Mexico?” I reply. “How cool! Wait until I tell Bella.” Bella Benitez is my new super best friend, and her family is from Mexico. I bet she’s seen an actual agave plant. My other super best friend is Josh Blot, who I’ve known my whole life, or at least it seems like it. Josh loves cats, just like me.
“What does an agave plant look like?” I ask Dad. Then he draws me one. It’s pretty cool having a dad who is an artist.
Chapter Two
Frisbees and Sea Monsters
On Sunday afternoon, we go for a family bike ride. We bicycle past Josh’s house and Bella’s house because I want to leave them each a note. I like writing notes. And letters. And in my diario. When I grow up, I might be a journalist like my mom. I leave my note in Josh’s mailbox. I see his cat, Milo, sitting in the window. I love Milo. When I visit Josh, Milo comes straight to me and slides around my ankles or sits on my lap. He has the softest fur I’ve ever felt, and I love the sound of his purr. Josh’s mom, Principal Blot, says he’s really old, so we need to be gentle with him. I think she’s always a little surprised at how gentle I can be. Milo is why I want a pet cat.
Dear Josh,
Guess what?! We are getting a kitty in a few days. I’m so excited I can hardly sleep. Want to help us build a cat castle? How’s your cat, Milo? Maybe we can build one for him, too!
See you at swim lessons tomorrow!
Shalom,
Lola Levine
Then we bicycle over to Bella’s house, and I slip a letter into her mailbox.
Dear Bella,
How are you?! How is ballet? I miss you! I’m so excited that you decided to take swim lessons with me and Josh. See you tomorrow. Yeah!
Shalom,
Lola Levine
P.S. I’m getting my kitty soon!
Finally, Mom, Dad, Ben, and I bicycle to the park and play Frisbee, which is really fun, until Ben throws the Frisbee up so high, it gets caught in a tree. A really tall one.
“Don’t worry,” I say. “This is a job for someone strong. I’ll climb up the tree and get it.”
“No, I’ll get it.” Ben says, racing me to the tree. We both start to climb as Mom and Dad reach us.
“Stop!” Dad says. “It’s way too high for you to reach. Let me get it.”
“Actually,” Mom says, looking up at the tree, “I think you’ll be too heavy for those branches. I can get it.” Dad gives her a boost, and she climbs up the tree.
“Be careful, Mom!” I say, which is funny because that’s what she usually says to me.
“Wow!” says Ben. “You could be a fireman, Mom, and save cats in trees!”
“Firewoman,” says Dad. Mom climbs higher and higher, then stretches out her arms… and she reaches it! Mom grabs the Frisbee and tosses it down—I make a perfect catch, of course, because I am a goalie and that is what goalies do.
When Mom gets down from the tree, we all cheer and give her high fives! Who knew I had a mom who could climb trees?
“Is there anything you can’t do, Mom?” I ask.
“Yes,” she says, laughing. “I can’t get all these leaves out of my hair by myself. Help me, Lola.”
The next afternoon, when we get to the aquaplex, I’m wearing my new swimsuit because last year’s suit is too small. I love my suit because it makes me look like I’m a scuba diver and it’s black with orange stripes. Orange is one of my favorite colors, and it’s the color of my soccer team, the Orange Smoothies. I see Bella right away because she is wearing a bright pink swimsuit with a little skirt, also pink. I don’t like the color pink at all, but that’s one opinion I’ve learned to keep to myself. Bella even wears a pink swim cap decorated with pink flowers. I don’t wear a swim cap because my hair is short enough that it doesn’t get in my way.
“Hi, Lola!” Bella says, giving me a hug. Bella likes to give hugs. I’m not used to this because before her all my friends were boys and they weren’t big huggers. I hug her back.
“Hi, Bella!” I say. “What’s new? Did you get my letter about the cat?”
“Yes! That’s great,” she says. And then we both see Josh walking toward us.
“Hi!” says Josh. I see his mom, Principal Blot, so I wave to her. I wonder if she misses me during the summer. It sure seems like I spend a lot of time with her during the school year, mostly by accident, like when Bella and I accidentally got into an ink fight while tie-dyeing our T-shirts for Spirit Week or when I accidentally hurt Juan Gomez on the soccer field. Principal Blot must not see me, though, because she doesn’t wave back.
We are all pretty good swimmers, so we spend each lesson practicing different strokes—today we focus on the backstroke and the breaststroke. I like the breaststroke because I imagine I’m a frog swimming in a swamp looking for flies and insects to eat. I also dog-paddle in the water and ask the teacher why there isn’t a cat paddle or a cat-stroke. She doesn’t have an answer for me.
The really fun part comes after lessons when the three of us go to the water park connected to the pool. Ben meets us there. There are waterslides and fountains and a big ship to climb on—it’s so much fun! I like water. It’s so… refreshing. I like the sounds it makes when I stomp and splash and jump in like a cannonball. Luckily, Bella, Josh, and Ben do, too. We have a cannonball contest, and Bella wins! She makes the biggest splash, but her swim cap falls off, and I can see why she wears one. She has long ballerina hair that she wears in a bun to dance in.
“You look like a sea monster!” Ben says. I’m worried Bella will be upset, but she just laughs.
“I am a sea monster, and I am coming to get you, little fishy!” she says, sticking her arms out straight in front of her. That’s how we make up our new game: sea monster attack! We take turns being the sea monster and the fish. Ben’s sea monster is so crazy that the lifeguard walks over.
“Calm down, little dude,” he says. “You’re scaring the younger kids.”
“Okay, big dude,” says Ben.
That’s my brother.
Chapter Three
The Cat Castle
A couple of days later, Dad takes Ben and me into his studio.
“It’s time to lay down some plans for our cat play structure.”
“You mean our cat castle,” says Ben. “Why do the plans need to lie down?”
“I mean to say that we should put our design ideas down on paper,” Dad says.
“Oh,” Ben says, still looking confused.
I grab a piece of paper and a pencil.
“Ben,” I say, “just draw what you’d like our cat castle to look like.”
“Exactly,” says Dad, “but we might not have room for an actual castle—maybe just a cat condo.”
“Okay,” says Ben. Then we all sit around sketching. After we are done, we present our designs to Dad.
“Wow,” says Dad. “These are very creative ideas. But I’m not sure we can do all of this.” He looks at our two drawings and then starts sketching his own.
We se
e Dad’s final drawing, which includes some of Ben’s ideas and some of mine.
“I love it!” says Ben.
“Perfect!” I say.
“Great!” says Dad. “Let’s go to the hardware store and pick up some supplies.”
The rest of the week, whenever we aren’t reading or at swim lessons, we work on our cat castle. I also remember that I have to protect my goldfish, Mia, named after the amazing soccer player Mia Hamm. Dad helps me put metal mesh over the goldfish bowl so my new kitty won’t bother her.
Our cat castle turns out great! Mom even helps me sew a pillow shaped like a bird to dangle from the top. Our kitty will love it! Dad has to keep reminding Ben that the cat castle is for a ten-pound cat, not a five-year-old boy, and that no, he can’t climb on it. We finish the cat castle on Friday night, which is a good thing, because tomorrow, on Saturday, we are getting our kitty! Of course, the night before, I’m much too excited to sleep. My mind is doing jumping jacks. I decide to write in my diary.
Dear Diario,
Tomorrow is the big day! After waiting and waiting and hoping and asking, we are finally going to get a KITTY! Right after breakfast, we are going to go to the animal shelter and pick out my very first furry pet! Mom always tells me that I have lots of love to give, and I can’t wait to give it to my new pet. Last night, I took down the picture I drew of a kitty that hangs on the wall over my bed, because pretty soon I will have a real kitty to play with.
Shalom,
Lola Levine
After I finish writing in my diario, I still can’t sleep. So I start thinking of cat names. I start with A names: Albert… Abby… Ava… Addie… Adam. Then I move on to the Bs: Boris… Barney… Bee… Beth.…
