Teacher's Pet

by Judy Katschke

  “So one plus one,” Willa said, “equals double of everything I have in this basket.”

  Willa felt her head begin to spin. Why hadn’t she figured it out before she made her list? She was in way over her head.

  “Willa, take a deep breath,” Mom said gently. “You may have enough there for two tortes—”

  “I can’t take a chance of falling short,” Willa cut in. “Randy’s Razzle-Dazzle Raspberry Torte has to be perfect.”

  Gritting her teeth, Willa turned around. She then retraced her steps, doubling up on every ingredient on her list. By the time she was done, her basket was jam-packed.

  “This doesn’t even include the bowls and pans I have to lug to school on Friday.” Willa was on the brink of tears.

  “It’ll be fine,” Mom promised. “Just think of all those delicious ripe raspberries Farmer Randy will bring for you tomorrow.”

  The thought of her raspberries made Willa feel better, but it still wasn’t enough.

  “I think I’ll need that ice cream now, Mom,” Willa said. “And make it a double.”

  Chapter 9

  AT SCHOOL THE NEXT MORNING Willa sat at her desk, still tired from shopping and worrying about her how-to speech. But she wasn’t the only one. . . .

  “I am so nervous, Willa,” Sarah whispered while Ms. Denise checked the attendance. “Our double Dutch demo is today.”

  Willa turned around in her seat. Sarah, Lena, and Olivia had come to school dressed in the same outfits: red shorts and white T-shirts with the words TEAM SOL printed on the fronts.

  “What does SOL stand for?” Willa asked.

  “Sarah, Olivia, and Lena,” Sarah said. “It also means sun in French.”

  At eight forty-five on the dot, Ms. Denise stood up from her desk. “Is everybody ready for our first speeches?”

  A chorus of yesses filled the classroom.

  Ms. Denise looked at the board where she had listed the day’s presentations.

  “Jasper, you’re first today,” Ms. Denise announced.

  Jasper Langely dragged a small carpet to the front of the classroom. He had told Ms. Denise he would do a how-to speech on getting stains off a rug. What he didn’t tell anyone was that the rug would be stained with patches of green goop!

  Willa giggled at Ms. Denise’s disgusted expression. I guess Ms. Denise doesn’t have any pets!

  Fifteen minutes later Jasper was finishing up. “And remember,” he explained as he held up a spotless rug, “lemon and vinegar is great for getting out icky smells.”

  “Thank you, Jasper,” Ms. Denise said, her nose still wrinkled.

  The next student was Piper Chavez. Her speech was on making a pineapple smoothie. Piper remembered all the steps and ingredients. What she forgot was to put the lid on the blender!

  The class shrieked as a smoothie geyser gushed all over the table, floor—even on Ms. Denise’s red-raspberry-colored patent-leather flats.

  “It was an accident, Ms. Denise,” Piper wailed.

  “While the custodian comes to resolve this,” Ms. Denise said, her voice cracking, “we’ll go outside to watch Team SOL jump double Dutch.”

  “Yes,” Olivia cheered under her breath.

  Willa turned to wish Sarah luck. But Team SOL was already racing out the door with their jump ropes.

  They’re excited, but so am I, Willa thought as she followed her class to the school yard. I’m getting my raspberry delivery this afternoon!

  Once outside, Ms. Denise’s class formed a semicircle around Sarah, Lena, and Olivia.

  “Okay, Team SOL,” Ms. Denise said with a smile. “Whenever you’re ready, please start your introduction.”

  Olivia cleared her throat. She then threw back her head and said with a loud, clear voice: “Double Dutch might sound like a yummy hot chocolate drink, but did you know it’s a way to jump rope with two ropes?”

  Willa noticed Olivia’s sneaker laces had red pom-poms at the ends. Cool.

  “It’s an old way to jump rope too,” Sarah chimed in. “The game started in ancient Egypt and China. Dutch kids played the game in old New Amsterdam. That’s what New York used to be called.”

  “And speaking of big cities,” Lena piped up. “Double Dutch is super popular with city kids.”

  “So what are we waiting for Team SOL?” Olivia declared, lifting a rope in each hand. “Let’s hop to it!”

  Sarah and Lena took hold of the rope handles. After a nod from Olivia, they turned both ropes in opposite directions as they began to sing: “Red hot pepper in a pot! Who’s got more than our team’s got? Ten, twenty, forty—”

  Holding her head high, Olivia high-stepped over the spinning ropes. Sarah and Lena turned the ropes in perfect rhythm too, singing: “Dancer, dancer, turn around. Dancer, dancer, touch the ground!”

  Still jumping, Olivia began to spin. But before she could spin all the way around, a tangled jump rope sent her spilling to the ground.

  “Owwww!” Olivia cried, her hand clutching her ankle. Her foot was still tangled within the snarled jump rope.

  Concerned, Willa and her classmates stepped forward. Ms. Denise kneeled down next to Olivia, a hand on her shoulder.

  “Olivia, are you all right?” Ms. Denise asked.

  “I think I twisted my ankle,” Olivia wailed. “One of my pom-poms got stuck in the ropes. What was I thinking wearing those today?”

  Ms. Denise asked Chandra to go for the school nurse. She then turned back to Olivia and said gently, “It’s okay, Olivia. Team SOL’s how-to speech was very good. As for the jumping, not everything has to be perfect—”

  “Yes, it does, Ms. Denise,” Olivia said, her tear-filled eyes wide, “at least when it comes to double Dutch.”

  When the nurse arrived, Ms. Denise’s class filed back into school. Sarah and Lena looked miserable as they dragged the jump ropes behind them.

  “Sorry that happened,” Willa told them.

  “We’re sorry too,” Lena groaned. “I don’t want to see another jump rope until I’m in college.”

  “You’re so lucky you’re baking a pie, Willa,” Sarah said. “What could go wrong with raspberries?”

  “It’s a torte,” Willa said, for what seemed like the fiftieth time.

  “What’s the difference?” Lena asked.

  Willa flashed a smile and said, “Wait until tomorrow and you’ll see!”

  Chapter 10

  “HOW WERE THE SPEECHES TODAY, Willa?” Ben asked after he and Willa stepped off the bus.

  “Some were boring,” Willa said. She then thought of the smoothie and double Dutch disasters and frowned. “Others were not so boring.”

  When Ben stopped to say hi to New Cat, Willa spotted the Germination and Meditation truck.

  “My raspberries!” Willa sang as she hurried up the driveway. The kitchen door opened and out stepped Farmer Randy, looking as glum as could be.

  “Hi, Farmer Randy!” Willa called. “Did you bring the raspberries for my assignment?”

  The farmer shook his head slightly as he continued toward his truck. “Rain,” he mumbled. “Lots of rain this week.”

  Puzzled, Willa watched Farmer Randy climb into his truck. Why did he shake his head? And why the weather report? Everyone knew it had rained practically all week.

  As long as my raspberries are bright, red, and juicy, Willa thought as she opened the kitchen door, who cares if we have another week of rain?

  Willa stepped into the kitchen. She didn’t see Dad or Mom. Instead, she saw the broccoli, carrots, apples, and plums that Farmer Randy had dropped off. But where were the raspberries?

  Probably in the refrigerator, Willa thought.

  Willa felt a cold blast as she swung open the refrigerator door. She looked from shelf to shelf and through the crisper bin. She found all kinds of foods, but not one single raspberry.

  Just then Willa’s father came into the kitchen. “Hi, honey,” he said.

  Shutting the refrigerator door, Willa spun around. “Where are my r
aspberries, Dad?”

  Her father didn’t answer. Instead, he wrapped his arms around Willa and gave her a hug. Willa knew something was wrong.

  “Farmer Randy just broke the news,” Dad said. “All the rain we’ve had caused mold to grow on the raspberry plants.”

  Willa stared up at her dad. “What does that mean? I won’t have any raspberries for my torte?” she asked, her voice cracked.

  “No, honey,” Dad said. “I’m sorry.”

  Willa bit her lip to keep from crying. Now she knew how Olivia felt when she fell during double Dutch. Miserable!

  “What am I going to do, Dad?” Willa asked. “I bought all the ingredients—times two. And my demonstration is tomorrow.”

  “Randy dropped off a basket of apples for you, free of charge,” Mom said, coming into the kitchen. “Maybe you can bake a yummy apple torte for the class.”

  Willa stared at her parents. Apples? What were they talking about? There was no way she could learn how to thinly slice apples, not to mention arranging them perfectly, in one evening.

  “Should we come up with a fabulous apple torte recipe?” Dad asked. “What says fall more than apples?”

  Willa was too upset to think of or consider other recipes. She needed to leave the kitchen fast.

  “I’m going to check on Starbuck now,” Willa said. “Can we talk about my speech after I get back?”

  “Of course, Willa,” Dad said.

  “Whenever you’re ready,” Mom added.

  Once outside, Willa walked straight past Ben to the pasture where Starbuck was. As if things couldn’t get worse, her pony was covered head to tail with mud again.

  “Lots of rain makes lots of mud,” Willa sighed, “and no raspberries.”

  Willa led Starbuck back to the barn. Once she was in her stall, Willa began grabbing the grooming brushes one by one.

  “I may not know how to bake an apple torte,” Willa told Starbuck, “but at least I know how to clean mud off a pony.”

  Willa was about to grab the mane-and-tail brush when her hand froze in the air.

  Clean . . . mud . . . pony?

  Suddenly everything clicked. She didn’t have to bake a raspberry torte or an apple torte, either. She had a new how-to idea that would tell the class something important about her. Super important!

  “Oh my gosh, Starbuck, that’s it!” Willa exclaimed. “I’m going to show the class how to clean a dirty pony!”

  Chapter 11

  “BEN, ARE YOU DOING YOGA?” Willa asked. “You look like one of those twisted straws!”

  Ben sat cross-legged on the floor in Willa’s room, his arms crossed too.

  “You had your fingers crossed that you’ll be able to bring Starbuck to school tomorrow,” Ben explained, “so I’m crossing everything for you—even my eyes!”

  Willa giggled as Ben crossed his eyes. But as she petted New Cat, who was curled up on her bed, she felt butterflies flutter inside her stomach. Mom was on the phone with Ms. Denise. What would her teacher say about Starbuck?

  Fortunately, Willa didn’t have to wait long for an answer.

  “Your new speech has been approved!” her mother announced.

  “Woo-hoo!” Willa cheered. She jumped off the bed, bouncing off New Cat. “What did Ms. Denise say? Does she like ponies?”

  “At first she was nervous,” Mom admitted. “If Olivia could get hurt jumping rope, a horse on the school grounds seemed like asking for trouble.”

  When Willa looked worried, Mom continued. “But I told Ms. Denise how ponies were second nature for you. I also told her that Starbuck was a mare beyond compare . . . even when muddy.”

  “Thanks, Mom,” Willa said. She turned to her brother, still twisted on the floor. “You can untangle yourself now, Ben.”

  “It worked!” Ben said, grinning.

  Mom smiled at Ben, then Willa. “I’m proud of you, honey, for thinking of a new how-to speech so quickly.”

  “I should have thought of that idea in the first place,” Willa said. “The Family Farm is a big part of my life, but Starbuck is even bigger.”

  Willa shrugged her shoulders. “It’s also a natural choice for me. It makes sense to be myself and not to be too fussy and fancy just to impress the class.”

  “Excellent advice,” Mom declared.

  “Advice?” Willa asked.

  “All that redecorating made me much too nervous and stressed,” Mom explained. “I don’t know why I wanted Misty Inn to be something it isn’t.”

  “You mean no more trips to the design store?” Willa asked excitedly. “Or Danish modern? Or shabby chic?”

  “More like Chincoteague comfy.” Mom smiled. “And all pets will be welcome inside the house . . . with the exception of horses, of course.”

  “Hear that, New Cat?” Ben asked.

  “Sounds good to me,” Willa declared with a smile. Because for the first time in days, she had a lot to smile about!

  “Ponies can be fun,” Willa told her class the next morning in a field behind the school. “But as you can see, they can also be a little messy—especially when they roll in the mud.”

  As she made her introduction, Willa turned toward a dirt-encrusted Starbuck. A few feet away stood Mom, who had brought Starbuck to school that morning.

  Everyone in Willa’s class, even Ms. Denise, smiled at Starbuck. Everyone except Olivia, who had stayed home to rest her sprained ankle.

  “Grooming a muddy mare doesn’t have to be a nightmare,” Willa said, hoping they got her joke, “as long as you have the right tools.”

  Willa swept her hand over the grooming brushes lined neatly on a blanket on the ground. “Now that we have the tools, here are the rules.”

  While Willa described each brush, Starbuck stood at attention as if she knew she was the star of the speech.

  Others in the class also had ponies, but they seemed to enjoy watching and hearing about something they already knew.

  “It’s important to gently run your hand along your horse’s side so she knows where you are,” Willa said, and demonstrated. “And, most important, so she doesn’t become surprised. A surprised pony can be a skittish pony.”

  Willa picked up the first brush. After a quick demonstration on its use, she said, “Would someone like to try using the currycomb? The currycomb brushes out deep-set dirt.”

  Most hands went up. Willa smiled at Sarah and said, “Sarah has a pony. Maybe she’d like to show how it’s done.”

  Sarah smiled too as she took the brush from Willa. Starbuck snorted softly as Sarah brushed her side with a circular motion. After Sarah finished a section of her coat, Willa held up the next grooming tool, the brisk brush.

  “When dirt is loose, it’s important to dust it off like this,” Willa said as she flicked the brush lightly over Starbuck’s shoulder. “Who wants to try the brisk brush?”

  Lena’s hand shot up first. “Lena, go for it,” Willa said with a grin.

  While Lena gently used the brisk brush, Sarah groomed Starbuck’s other side. At the same time Willa demonstrated the mane-and-tail brush.

  “As you can all see,” Willa told the class after they finished, “a clean horse is a happy horse.”

  Starbuck bobbed her head, which made everyone laugh—especially Ms. Denise.

  “Does anyone have questions for Willa?” Ms. Denise asked. Almost all hands went up.

  “Is it true Starbuck is a real Chincoteague pony?”

  “Why do ponies roll in the mud?”

  “Does Starbuck ever give you a hard time when you’re trying to clean her?”

  Willa answered each question as best she could until Ms. Denise said, “Thank you, Willa. That was an excellent how-to speech.”

  “Thanks, Ms. Denise,” Willa said. She couldn’t believe how happy and accomplished she felt.

  Mom gave Willa a thumbs-up. She then took hold of Starbuck’s reins and led her out of the school yard. While the kids watched the buckskin Chincoteague leave, Sarah and Lena walked over to Wi
lla.

  “That was awesome, Willa,” Sarah said.

  “Better than our how-to speech,” Lena said. “Too bad Olivia had to miss this.”

  “I have an idea,” Willa said. “Why don’t we visit Olivia tomorrow? Maybe I’ll bake a get-well apple pie.”

  “Don’t you mean apple torte?” Sarah asked.

  Willa shook her head. “I’m keeping things simple,” she said, “at least for now.”

  As the girls walked together to their classroom, Willa was over-the-moon happy. Not only was her how-to speech a success, she finally did get to team up with her three best friends: Sarah, Lena—and Starbuck!

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  Thanks to the entire Aladdin team for bringing this book to life. Karen Nagel’s enthusiasm and humor make any project a pleasure. Thanks to her and to Fiona Simpson for trusting this lifelong city girl to imagine life on Chincoteague Island. Much thanks to Kristin Earhart for her wonderful vision of Misty Inn and its characters. Her knowledge and love of horses were incredibly helpful and inspiring. Thanks also to Serena Geddes, whose illustrations bring so much sparkle to the series, and to Laura Lyn DiSiena, for beautifully designing the series. Last but not least, a huge thanks to my family and forever friends—you’re always there to lend support and an occasional ear for my ideas, day or night.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  JUDY KATSCHKE is the author of many books for young readers, from Ready-to-Reads and chapter books, to middle-grade fiction and nonfiction. She lives in New York City.

  Marguerite Henry’s Misty Inn is inspired by the award-winning books by MARGUERITE HENRY, the beloved author of such classic horse stories as King of the Wind; Misty of Chincoteague; Justin Morgan Had a Horse; Stormy, Misty’s Foal; Misty’s Twilight; and Album of Horses, among many other titles.

  Don’t miss the next book in the MARGUERITE HENRY’S series!

  ALADDIN

  SIMON & SCHUSTER, NEW YORK

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