I started a circus We tried to teach our dog Max how to dance He wasn’t so good at that And we broke two lamps Mom said we had to do something else Something that didn’t include Max Or her lamps Yesterday we tried to do a people only circus with our friends Kate and Franklin No lamps were broken But Franklin tried to do a special jump He jumped great But he also made a hole in the wall with his head Dad said no more circuses He used his grumpy voice And that’s when Halmoni suggested we all go to the library instead Only Halmoni didn’t call it a library She called it The Temple of Secrets She said books contained secrets between their pages And when you read a book you could find all kinds of treasure 5
I’m going to get fifty books I told Connor I’m going to get a hundred Do you think Mom and Dad will remember to take us I nodded Yes I put a note on the fridge And in the bathroom And in their shoes And in their coat pockets I would have put one in their car too But Babu that’s Swahili for grandfather told me a long time ago that I wasn’t supposed to be in the car without a grown-up Are you sure they won’t forget Connor looked worried I knew because his forehead went all skiggly sqwiggly squiggly What if they don’t wake up in time I sighed Little brothers are so much work If you’re worried let’s go check 6
I’m not worried but the last time we woke them up I say we should go It shows we have I couldn’t remember the word It started with an n or maybe an i and it was a good word It shows we care I’m your big sister and that’s my decision You are not older Yes I am We’re twins I’m the older one He made a growly noise Only by ten minutes Still older I gave him my best big sister look Are you going to come with me Or are you too scared 7
Chapter Two We went quiet-like to Mom and Dad’s room Connor put his ear to the door His face went all wrinkled Dad’s snoring I think they forgot about the library Let’s wake them He did a little walk backward What a fraidy-cat But I’m a good big sister so I didn’t say anything There’s nothing to be scared of Okay I almost 8
