Just then, Olivia stuck her legs across the aisle.
“My legs are exactly the right length,†she said. “But
if I had longer hair I could wear more barrettes.
So tomorrow you can draw me with longer hair,
right down to my ankles. That would be a different
thing.â€
Stuart sighed. It was hard to have to keep saying no.
“I’m sorry. Every day the different thing that happens is
a surprise to me. I never know what it will be, and I
don’t get to choose.†He turned his head to the win-
dow. Nacho and Olivia wouldn’t want to talk to him
anymore.
Nacho tugged on his cape again. “I get it. It’s like
the ties in your cape. Each one is different.â€
Stuart hadn’t thought of this. Nacho was right.
Olivia leaned over and whacked him with her pocket-
book.
“I like surprises,†she said. “Surprises are presents.â€
Olivia was right, too.
Olivia and Nacho stood up to leave at the bus stop
before Stuart’s.
“Tomorrow is Saturday,†Nacho said. “We’ll come
over early.â€
“Right,†Olivia agreed. “So we don’t miss any-
thing.â€
When Stuart jumped off the bus, his cape streamed
around him in a gigantic grin.
praise
for
STUART’S CAPE
“A sure-fire winner.â€
—
kirkus
reviews
New York Public Library’s
100 titles for
reading and sharing
Stuart Goes to School Page 3