by Annie Bryant
Scott scratched his head. “I thought you came over here for my chocolate dipped bananas recipe.”
Elena Maria made a gagging noise. “Ew, no! I hate bananas.”
Scott shook his head and started to say, “But Avery told me…” just as Elena Maria was explaining, “But Isabel told me…”
“Uh-oh!” Charlotte felt a giggle escape from her mouth. “I mean, uh, you guys…want to see my project?”
Avery and Isabel glanced at each other, nodded, and took a giant step back. They didn’t walk over to Charlotte’s booth—they ran, leaving Scott and Elena alone to untangle Avery and Isabel’s little white lies.
“You two are officially the world’s worst matchmakers,” Charlotte declared.
Isabel and Avery looked at each other and burst out laughing. “That’s it. I’m retiring from matchmaking forever,” Avery vowed.
“Me, too,” agreed Isabel. “Although…” She tilted her head towards Avery’s booth, where Scott and Elena Maria were sitting side by side on the pair of stools and merrily chatting away. “Somehow I think we just might have pulled it off.”
“What is it about science fairs that makes people get together?” Charlotte wondered out loud.
“What do you mean?” Isabel asked.
Charlotte pointed to Katani’s booth. “Call me crazy, but those two ‘sworn enemies’ are looking awfully friendly…”
The girls looked over and saw Reggie, who had shed his over-sized hoodie to reveal khakis and a sweater vest, standing at Katani’s booth. “What happened to those ridiculous baggy pants he’s been wearing for the past month?” Charlotte asked.
Isabel giggled and shook her head. “I don’t know, but I’m glad they’re gone!” Then the girls watched, open-mouthed, as the newly clean-cut Reggie presented Katani with a yellow long-stemmed rose. Avery threw her arms in the air. “I swear I had nothing to do with that!”
Katani, standing stiffly behind her booth, was even more shocked than Avery. “What’s this supposed to be?” she demanded.
Reggie looked serious. “Um, it’s…you know…a rose.” For once he had stopped using that stupid fake voice and just sounded like regular old Reggie DeWitt.
“I know it’s a rose…,” Katani replied, sounding slightly irritated. “But what does it mean?” Maeve might have been okay with wildly romantic gestures, but they made Katani downright uncomfortable.
Reggie quickly assured her, “Yellow roses are symbolic for friendship. I read it in this horticulture book I have,” he added shyly, then went on, “and after what you did today, I figured I could call you a friend.”
“What did I do?” Katani asked innocently.
Reggie reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of lined paper. “I got an anonymous tip today. Apparently my go-cart equations were off. Whoever wrote this totally saved my life…or at least my reputation. And there’s only one person at this school who knows math like I do.”
“Who’s that?” Katani squeaked.
Reggie looked her straight in the eye. “Well, that’s you, Katani.” He placed the flower on her table. “And now I feel like a total idiot. I spent all this time wearing these stupid pants that were constantly about to fall down and talking funny and spending time with your dad to impress you, when I should have just been focused on the math. I mean, let’s face it, I’m not cool. I’m just Math Boy. Anyway, I hope you don’t hate me,” he mumbled, and started walking away.
Katani stared at the back of his head for a second, too shocked to speak. He had been wearing all that crazy hip-hop gear and hanging out with her dad…to impress her? What did that mean? Finally she found her voice and called out, “Hey, Reggie!”
He turned around slowly. “Yeah?”
“Um…thanks for the rose.” She picked it up and smiled. “Actually, I like Math Boy a lot better than Rap Boy.”
Reggie just grinned at her and walked away, leaving Katani’s heart beating a mile a minute. She tried to focus on the lovely friendship rose, and not that other pesky, annoying thought…the one about what a more-than-friendship rose might be like.
Katani, feeling very unlike her normal self, wandered over to the one person who could possibly bring her back to earth.
“I saw that!” Maeve squealed as Katani approached. “I know what you’re going to say—yellow rose means friendship and blah blah blah, but come on, Katani! It’s soooo obvious that Reggie DeWitt is totally into you.”
“I’ve landed.” Katani sighed. “Maeve, you know, there is such a thing as a guy and a girl being just friends. Besides, Reggie DeWitt is totally not my type. He’s way too into schoolwork, he thinks he’s the smartest person in the world, and he always has to be the best.”
Maeve smirked. “Hmmm, who does that sound like?…You!”
Katani opened her mouth to protest and then began to laugh. “Okay, okay, fine. But how about this? If Reggie and I are the same, then there’s no way he could like me. Isn’t it true that opposites attract?”
“I used to think that…,” Maeve glanced dreamily at Matt and Bailey, who were checking out the displays like kids in a candy store. It was hard to tell who was more excited about the AAJH Science Fair. “But now I think that a lot of times, people get together because they like to do the same things.”
Matt and Bailey waltzed over to Maeve’s booth with their arms intertwined. “Wow, Maeve! Thanks for inviting us. These experiments are wonderful. Of course, I think yours takes the cake,” Bailey said with a wink.
“I couldn’t agree more,” said a voice behind her. Maeve turned around to see Mr. Moore. She was completely surprised. Did she just get a compliment on her work from a teacher…a science teacher? “Your display is well-presented, Maeve, and your research appears very solid. I’m pleased that you added to your excellent research by reaching out to an expert.” He nodded at Bailey. “I can tell you put a lot of effort into this, Maeve.”
“She did, sir,” Matt jumped in. He gave Maeve a little secret thumbs-up as Mr. Moore looked over at the plants again. Maeve felt a grin cover her face from ear to ear. She had never felt so proud of a school project in her whole life.
“Keep up the good work,” Mr. Moore told her, smiling and moving onto the next booth.
“Congrats, Mix-Master-Curl!” Matt cried, giving Maeve a high five. “Sounds like you just got an A.”
Bailey put an arm around Matt’s waist. “You deserve it, Maeve,” she agreed.
Seeing Matt and Bailey so happy together put Maeve’s whole dream-crush situation in perspective. Maeve knew that someday she’d meet a guy who’d turn her perfect dream-crush into reality. And you just couldn’t rush that kind of perfect.
“Bad news, bubba,” said Bailey, tugging on Matt’s sleeve. “We gotta run or we’ll be late for the movie. My club, Students for Environmental Action, is showing an awesome documentary on global warming,” she explained.
“But I don’t want to leave,” Matt whined jokingly.
“Me neither, but as president of SEA I have to be present at all club events.” Bailey and Matt waved good-bye to Katani and Maeve and slowly made their way out the door.
Maeve looked smugly at Katani. “Still think opposites attract?”
Katani knew she’d been beaten and smiled. “Maybe not.”
Maeve grabbed Katani’s hand. “But just in case you still have any doubt…follow me.” She dragged Katani to a huge crowd that had gathered in one corner of the gym. Chelsea, Charlotte, and Nick Montoya were giving a live demonstration of their project—a green campsite. They had managed to borrow equipment from all sorts of hiking stores. They had solar-powered grills and showers, tents made of 100 percent recycled products, organic food, and bug repellent. Charlotte had made a diagram demonstrating how portable solar panels could be used to power an entire campsite.
People were so pumped by their demonstration that they were signing up for a solar camping trip to be led by Charlotte, Nick, Chelsea, Mr. Ramsey, Mr. Moore, Ms. R…and the Crow! Katani no
ticed that even though all three kids were having a great time leading the group, Charlotte and Nick had a special connection—they always had—due to their mutual love of travel and exploration. Katani made a note to tell Maeve that common interests might be the basis of true romance.
“Attention,” called Mrs. Fields as Mr. Moore wheeled a huge monitor onto the stage. “Attention, everyone. We have a very special surprise for you all.” She turned on the TV and a face familiar to the BSG appeared on the screen. It was Sally Ride, the world famous astronaut, congratulating the school for taking the time to learn about the environment and proving that science can be fun.
Katani and Maeve squeezed their way over to Isabel and Avery. “How is Reggie DeWitt?” Avery whispered to Katani in a sing-songy voice.
Maeve put her finger over Avery’s lips and pointed to the screen. “This is supposed to about science, Avery. Have some respect!”
Katani gave her a grateful look, and Maeve knew that her mother was right…she was growing up.
Green Algae and Bubble Gum Wars
BOOK EXTRAS
Trivialicious Trivia
Book Club Buzz
Charlotte’s Word Nerd Dictionary
green algae and bubble gum wars trivialicious trivia
What is Matt’s nickname for Maeve? A. Maevester
B. Maevey-Baby
C. Mix-Master-Curl
D. Little Red
Who offers to watch Sam at the Sally Ride Science Festival? A. Matt
B. Bailey
C. Charlotte
D. Maeve
Who is Sally Ride? A. The new AAJH science teacher
B. An MIT professor
C. Matt’s girlfriend
D. The first American female astronaut to go into space
Bailey uses her special fertilizer to grow what kind of plant? A. Sunflowers
B. Peonies
C. Green beans
D. Roses
Which celebrity is endorsing Tru Blu Gum? A. Audrey Hepburn
B. Madonna
C. Jake Axle
D. Caleb Tucker
Who does Charlotte ask for help with her science project? A. Mrs. Fields
B. Mr. Ramsey
C. Matt
D. Miss Pierce
What is the name of the group that makes snacks for Jimmy’s lacrosse team? A. The Snackers
B. The Snack Club
C. Snack Attack
D. The Food Group
What can’t Avery’s gum do? A. Stick to things
B. Taste good
C. Contain sugar
D. Create bubbles
What is wrong with Reggie’s science project? A. One of the calculations is wrong
B. It has nothing to do with the environment
C. He left it at home
D. Nothing
What color is the rose that Reggie gives Katani? A. red
B. white
C. yellow
D. pink
ANSWERS: 1. C. Mix-Master-Curl 2. C. Charlotte 3. D. The first American female astronaut to go into space 4. B. Peonies 5. C. Jake Axle 6. D. Miss Pierce 7. B. The Snack Club 8. D. Create bubbles 9. A. One of the calculations is wrong 10. C. yellow
10 QUESTIONS FOR YOU AND YOUR FRIENDS TO CHAT ABOUT
Have you ever done a science fair project? If so, what did you do? What’s the most fun science project you can think of?
Reggie’s new wardrobe and attitude annoy Katani. Why do you think Reggie changed the way he dressed and acted? Have you ever changed the way you dressed or acted in order to seem cooler or fit in?
Maeve is unsure about wearing a bra, and at first she feels like she doesn’t have anyone to talk to about it. Who can you talk to about growing up? What are some questions that you have?
Isabel and Avery play matchmaker by getting Elena Maria and Scott together. Do you think it was a good idea for them to do that? What do you think could have happened if their plan backfired?
Kiki Underwood’s dad gets a pop star to endorse Tru Blu Gum. Do you think celebrities make products like foods or clothing cooler? Do you think celebrities make good role models? If your favorite celebrity chewed Tru Blu Gum, would you buy it and chew it, even if it was bad for you or you didn’t like the taste?
Maeve decides that Matt and Bailey are a good match when she realizes how much they have in common. How important is it to share common interests with someone you care about? Do you think a relationship can work out even if the people in it are very different from each other?
What are some things can you do to help the environment? How can you learn more about environmental issues?
Maeve tells Matt that “girls like me and science do not mix,” and Anna and Joline tell the BSG that the Sally Ride Science Festival is for dweebs only. How do you feel about those statements? What do you like or dislike about science?
Even though Katani is annoyed with Reggie, she still helps him by telling him about the errors in his calculations. What would you have done and why?
Maeve idolizes Audrey Hepburn, and Charlotte admires Sally Ride. Whom do you look up to and why?
Charlotte Ramsey
Charlotte’s Word Nerd Dictionary
BSG Words
Wicked adjective—awesome; really cool
Ri-donc-ulous: adjective—ridiculous, outlandish
Yummiliciousness noun—tastiness that is even yummier than delicious
Yuuugly adjective—beyond ugly
Dream-crush noun—a guy who is like someone you might want as a boyfriend someday
Glam-tastic adjective—glamorous to the max
Other Cool Words…
Luxuriate verb—to indulge in luxury
Chided verb—scolded
Bohemian: noun—creative person who lives and acts without regard for conventional rules
Subtle: adjective—something that’s almost hidden, that isn’t obvious
Spearheaded verb—acted as the leader
Handiwork noun—a particular person’s work
Mischievously adverb—teasingly
Infamous adjective—having a bad reputation
Minions noun—followers or sidekicks
Atrocious adjective—really bad; hideous
Dubiously adverb—doubtfully or hesitantly
Sabotage verb—to try to prevent someone from achieving a goal
Notes from the Green Machine
* * *
Dear BSG fans:
We hope you enjoyed reading our latest book, Green Algae and Bubble Gum Wars. If learning more about the environment is your cup of green tea, we hope you will check out the BSG Green Machine club at beaconstreetgirls.com. Going Green is the way to go!
BSG forever,
Avery,
Charlotte,
Maeve,
Katani,
Isabel
* * *
Five ways you can be part of the BSG Green Machine today!
Going shopping? Bring a tote bag from home and reduce paper and plastic waste.
Why not give fashion recycling a try? You can find trendy treasures in second hand stores. It takes energy to manufacture clothes—re-wearing saves resources.
Walk or bike to your next destination. You’ll save energy, reduce pollution, and get fit, too.
Reduce your average shower time from ten minutes to five minutes and you could save more than four thousand gallons of water a year! Wow!
Make a commitment to learn how you can help protect the environment!
* * *
Hey Girls:
Rise to the top of the Green class! Visit sallyridescience.com to check out two book series, Our Changing Climate and Earth’s Precious Resources. Each series has four books about our planet’s changes, and what we can do.
* * *
* * *
Reminder from Charlotte:
If you are visiting the Boston area, don’t forget to stop by my favorite museum—the Museum of Science in Boston, Massachusetts: www.mos.org
> * * *
We think these resources are really cool, too.
epa.gov/kids/ : The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s fun kids club includes games, pictures and lots of great info about the environment.
epa.gov/climatechange/kids/index.html : Fun animation about climate change rocks this site!
nrdc.org/reference/kids.asp : Meet the Green Squad and more at the Natural Resources Defense Council’s website.
