by Brenda Woods
Daddy took it from my hand and studied the can and the seedling. “It’s a sign,” he said. “It has to be a sign.”
34
Reindeer in Hawaii
Immediately after the fire, like vultures circling a dead thing, the land developers arrived, each one offering more and more money for Doc Reindeer’s Exotic Plant Wonderland. I don’t know how much it got sold for, but I’d overheard Mom say it was enough for us to buy another house with money to spare.
In no time flat, the Wonderland had been bulldozed and cleared.
It was a very sad day seeing it that way, like it suddenly wasn’t wearing any clothes.
Other things changed fast too. Mrs. Warner, because she had no family and nowhere else to live, had finally wound up in an old-people orphanage. We’d visited her there one day. It was pretty nice and she seemed sort of happy. At least she wasn’t alone anymore. She didn’t say anything about the fire. I supposed she didn’t remember. Mom said it was just as well. Mrs. Warner had enough bad memories in her life.
Ultimately, I’d confessed to Daddy about that first fire at her house, expecting him to be mad, but Daddy had just shrugged and said, “It’s not your fault, Zoe. What’s past is past.”
Everyone had different ideas about where we should move to, but Daddy claimed the sign—the only living thing left after the fire, the baobab growing inside the Hawaiian Coffee can—had made it as clear as glass. It had pointed him toward the path we were supposed to take: the path that led to a flower farm on the island of Kauai in Hawaii.
Now I understood what he meant by a sign.
And no matter how many times Jade yelled, “My life is ruined! I hate you,” there was nothing she could do to change his mind.
The entire Reindeer family, including Nana and Grandpa, was moving thousands of miles across the Pacific Ocean.
The flower farm was even more acres than the Wonderland, plus this house had an attached apartment called an ’ohana unit for Nana and Grandpa. Nearby, there was a botanical garden.
Every time Quincy called on his mom’s or dad’s cell, all he seemed to talk about was coming to Hawaii to visit during the summer. Kendra had thousands of frequent flier miles. But the summer seemed a long way away. Maybe I’d make at least one new friend before then, I hoped.
In February, on my last day of school in Pasadena, I stood outside with Adam. “Bye,” I told him. It was pretty hard saying that word to him, but nowhere near as hard as when Quincy had left.
He took my hand and squeezed it tight. “Bye, Zoe. It’ll be an adventure.”
“My first,” I told him.
“Yes, and maybe I’ll get to come to Hawaii someday and visit you. It’s on my list of places to go,” Adam said.
“You have a list?”
He nodded. “Not exactly a list, but a map of the world. I have a bunch of yellow pushpins stuck in all the places I want to go to, and once I go there, I stick in a red pushpin. You should get a map and put it on your wall.”
“That’s a good idea . . . I will. Plus maybe we’ll come back to California to visit. I’ll send you an e-mail when we get there.”
“Bye,” we said at the same time.
And later that day, when Daddy answered the door at the apartment where the insurance company had paid for us to live after the fire, Ben Rakotomalala was standing there.
“How did you find us?” I asked.
“The man who bought the Wonderland told me,” he replied. “I came to express my sorrow and to replace these.” He handed me copies of the two books he’d given me. “I assumed they were lost in the fire.”
I took them from his hand. “They were . . . Thank you.”
Daddy got tears in his eyes. “You’re a kind man, Ben.”
“We’re moving to Kauai in Hawaii. Our plane leaves tomorrow. We bought a flower farm,” I blurted.
“The Garden Isle, they call that one. I was there years ago when I worked on the Big Island at the University of Hawaii Institute for Astronomy. If you ever get to the Big Island, you’ll have to make sure you visit the Mauna Kea Observatories. By 2022, the island will be home to the world’s biggest telescope, allowing scientists to see thirteen billion light-years away.”
“Wow!” Harper exclaimed from behind me. Until then, I hadn’t known he was even in the room. “Wow!” he repeated. “I cannot wait to see that.”
“Well, it’s time for me to say my good-byes,” the tall man said. His words had a little sadness sprinkled on them.
Daddy glanced at the books I was holding, said, “Thanks again,” and shook his hand.
“Bye, and thank you for the books,” I told him.
He said good-bye one last time and turned to leave, heading toward the elevator.
Suddenly, I glanced at the baobab seedling in the Kona coffee can that was sitting on the table.
“Daddy? I know it was supposed to be your present, but we can always grow some more, and this time I’ll follow the instructions.” I picked up the baobab. “Can I give this one to Ben? Please? I promised him.”
“Ben!” Daddy called out. “Hold up! My Zoe has a gift for you.”
I flew down the hallway to Ben Rakotomalala. “It’s a baobab. For you.”
He took the can from my hand. “Thank you, Zoe!”
“Don’t water it too much or it might die,” I warned him.
The elevator came and he waved at my daddy. “Thank you again, Zoe.”
“You’re welcome . . . I won’t forget you,” I said as he stepped inside the elevator.
“Nor I you, Zoe Reindeer,” he replied.
The elevator door was closing when he stopped it with his hand and it reopened. Ben stared into my eyes. “One more thing, Zoe. Promise you’ll put that wonderful imagination of yours to good use.”
“I promise.”
The elevator door closed and the tall man from Madagascar disappeared from sight.
Back inside the apartment, I plopped on the sofa beside Harper and together we flipped open the book by Carl Sagan, Cosmos.
Just like before, Ben had written on the first page:
To My Friend Zoe Reindeer—May your life be an amazing adventure.
Ben Rakotomalala
35
Zoe G. Reindeer’s First Adventure
The next morning, Jade had to practically be dragged to the airport. “It’s all your fault, plant girl! You and your seeds!” she hollered at me for what seemed like the hundredth time.
“That’s enough, Jade!” Daddy told her. “It’s not Zoe’s fault.”
It kind of is, I thought. I remembered the things that were definitely my fault and the things that weren’t and how, when you combine some of those things, they’re what brought the Reindeer family to Hawaii. Like if I had never bought the seeds, we probably wouldn’t be moving to Hawaii. But everyone except Jade seemed really happy about it, including Harper.
“It’s an adventure,” I said, hoping Jade might start to see it the way I did.
But Jade was too full of anger, and she growled at me like she was part animal.
I supposed anger keeps you from seeing through another person’s eyes, like when I was so mad at Harper. But finally there’d been an end to the Harper-Zoe battle, and I wondered if sometime soon there’d be an end to the Jade-Zoe war and we’d have some peace too. I hoped so.
On the ride and while we waited inside the airport terminal, she completely stopped talking. But I couldn’t feel too sorry for her, because I knew that as soon as we landed, she’d start collecting friends again like they were refrigerator magnets.
We boarded, and the minute I sat down, I buckled my seat belt. I’d really been looking forward to doing that. I, Zoe G. Reindeer, was on my first plane ride. The captain welcomed us over the speaker. It was just the way I’d always imagined it would be. Only this was real and re
al was a million times better.
The plane took off and I stared back at California, wondering if I’d migrate back there someday—maybe, maybe not.
The ocean was blue beneath us, but soon we were above the clouds and I couldn’t see it anymore. Yet the star of day was up there, shining bright as could be. I had promised myself to stay awake for the entire ride. I really didn’t want to miss a thing, but I’d hardly slept last night because I was extremely excited, so after I ate a sandwich, sleep finally got me.
“Wake up, Zoe.” Nana, who was sitting beside me, poked me gently awake.
“Huh?” I said sleepily.
“We’re almost there, getting ready to land. You don’t want to miss this. Hawaii is about to get something slightly unusual.”
“What?” I asked.
Nana grinned. “Reindeer . . . a whole family of them.”
“You’re silly, Nana,” I said, nudging her playfully with my shoulder.
I stared out the window at a very green island, a greener place than I’d ever seen. I smiled at Nana. Before I knew it, the plane had landed and come to a stop. I wanted to be the first one off, nevertheless I had to wait like almost everyone else. But waiting didn’t bother me. It was my first adventure and I wanted to remember every minute of it.
36
A New Wonderland
On the drive to our new Wonderland, there were beaches with clear blue water and green forests lining both sides of the highway. It was as beautiful as anything Imaginary Zoe ever experienced.
Finally we reached our farm. I recognized the black wrought-iron gate with the lotus flower design from the pictures I’d seen. I glanced back at Jade and was happy to see that even she was smiling.
As soon as we were out of the car, everyone except for me headed inside to check out the house. But there was something else I needed to do first. Weeks ago, I’d sent away for more baobab seeds. I patted the seed packet I’d put in my jeans pocket and took off to explore.
According to Daddy, Hawaii, being a tropical island, might be a good place for the baobabs to grow. And from what I’d read online, I’d learned he was right, because Hawaii already had a few. I knew I needed to start them in small pots before I transferred them outside, and now that I’d actually read the directions, this time it wasn’t going to take forever for them to sprout. But what I was looking for was the perfect spot to grow them, and before long, I found it. The grass was high and green and the red earth was moist. It reminded me of the land in the picture of the baobabs in Madagascar. Only one thing was different: the sky was so much bluer. This was the place, I decided, where I would grow them. The baobabs would certainly like it here. I patted the seeds again. Today, I’d soak them in water, and tomorrow, I’d find some pots and plant them. I couldn’t wait to tell Quincy. He and Kendra were planning to visit this coming summer, and I hoped the baobabs would be big enough by that time for him to help me transplant them to their special place.
Walking back toward the house, I thought about being like a seed and how some, like the baobab seeds, took longer than usual to germinate and sprout. It felt like I’d finally sprouted too.
Now not just my feet and bones were growing—in other ways that seemed to be invisible, I was changing day by day. I wasn’t so shy anymore, and because of Adam and Mrs. Warner, I knew I wasn’t ugly and that I was even nice. I was actually looking forward to making friends. And I was happy that Harper and I were getting close again and, because of Ben Rakotomalala, I was getting more interested in all kinds of science stuff—not just plants but outer space too.
And like a baobab, I am slightly unusual. I’m a Reindeer in Hawaii. My name finally made sense— a slightly unusual name for a slightly unusual girl. “Zoe G. Reindeer,” I said out loud, then put my lips together to try and whistle. For the first time, a sound came out. I couldn’t believe it. I pursed my lips and blew again. As sweetly as birdsong, a whistle flew out of me. I was more than surprised. I was astonished.
Later that night, I stood outside alone on the outdoor patio that wraps around the house, called the lanai. I gazed out toward the ocean where the light from the Moon glistened and thought about the promise I’d made to Ben to make good use of my imagination. I didn’t know exactly how, but deep inside I knew that I would keep that promise.
But for right now, real seemed like it was more than a million times better than anything my imagination could come up with.
Right now, real was amazing.
Inside, I heard the whole Reindeer family laughing loudly about something, even Jade.
Zoe G. Reindeer headed in to join them, whistling a tune.
Acknowledgments
Some of the inspiration for this book came from George Washington Carver, a premier American botanist, and a JPL plasma physicist, Dr. Claudia Alexander—both gone on to a peaceful pasture but never to be forgotten.
A thousand and one thanks to Nancy Paulsen for her expertly deft editorial hand. Additional thanks to Sara LaFleur, Frank Morrison for his wonderful jacket, the copy editor, and all of the people at Penguin Random House who worked behind the scenes to bring Zoe G. Reindeer from where she began as a spark in my mind into the hands of readers.
As always, I give thanks to the Spirit. As a species, our capacity for compassion remains great.
Also by Brenda Woods
The Blossoming Universe of Violet Diamond
CCBC Choice
Kirkus Best Book
“Violet’s a bright, engaging biracial preteen. . . . Infused with humor, hope and cleareyed compassion—a fresh take on an old paradigm.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review
“Endearing. . . . Admirably touches upon profound issues related to identity and race and tenderly conveys intergenerational bonds.” —School Library Journal, starred review
“Deftly raises complex issues of race and identity and leaves them open for discussion: whether race matters, what makes a family, how it feels to be different, and what it means to be biracial.” —Publishers Weekly
“Violet is a winning protagonist, full of questions and full of hope. She’s believably complex . . . a sometimes shy, sometimes sparkly and strong person to whom many readers will relate.” —The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
Saint Louis Armstrong Beach
Chicago Public Library’s Best of the Best Reading List
ALAN (Assembly on Literature for Adolescents) Pick
“Gripping. . . . Woods’s marvelous characterizations of Saint and Miz Moran more than stand up to the vivid backdrop of the flooded, chaotic city. . . . A small gem that sparkles with hope, resilience and the Crescent City’s unique, jazz-infused spirit.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review
“With his engaging voice, readers will quickly take a shine to Saint. . . . Woods skillfully provides a sense of the growing tension. . . . While the tragedy of the event is not glossed over, the overall theme is one of hope.” —School Library Journal, starred review
“The characters are well-developed, and readers truly will care about their fates.” —Library Media Connection, starred review
“Moving. . . . Vividly portrays the force of the storm, and the authentic New Orleans setting works as a powerful character, adding an extra dimension to this compelling Katrina story.” —The Horn Book
My Name Is Sally Little Song
Book Sense Pick
Book Links Best Books for the Classroom
“True to the child’s voice, the terse, first-person narrative . . . brings close the backbreaking labor and cruelty of plantation life, then the flight to freedom, the sadness, and the hope. The action is fast, the journey fraught with danger; the details bring it home. . . . The searing historical fiction shows that there can be no sunny ending.” —Booklist, starred review
“A believable, horrifying portrayal of life as a captive. . . . Involving and bitter
sweet.” —Publishers Weekly
“Provides readers with an alternative view of the realities of slavery. . . . Deftly teases out both the light and the dark moments of the experience. . . . This accessible tale will prove a rich resource for study and discussion.” —School Library Journal
The Red Rose Box
Coretta Scott King Honor
PEN Center USA Literary Award Finalist
FOCAL Award
Judy Lopez Memorial Award
IRA Notable Books for a Global Society List
“Beautifully and accurately evokes a particularly painful and hopeful time through an insider’s eyes, and yet it is also a timeless, universal tale of a young girl’s road to maturity. An impressive debut.” —Kirkus Reviews
“Well-realized, believable characters. Ruth is the embodiment of a sassy eight-year-old and the adults are genuine, loving, and supportive. . . . Ends on a hopeful note and will appeal to readers.” —School Library Journal
“Moving. . . . [Woods] creates some memorable characters . . . and probes historical events in a personal context that may open many readers’ eyes.” —Publishers Weekly
“Language made musical with southern phrases . . . shapes the era and characters with both well-chosen particulars and universal emotions. . . . Young readers will connect with Leah and feel her difficult pull between freedom, comfort, and her deeply felt roots.” —Booklist
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