I was pretty sure Gabriela liked books better than me Aunt Jane scanned the pages How to Muck Stalls So you do know how Great Is there anything Gabriela can’t do Aunt Jane glanced at her watch I’m done in here She wiped a drop of sweat off her nose and plopped down on a hay bale And I’m plum tuckered out I need a vacation I let out my breath One minute twenty-three seconds A vacation I said I know where you should go 8
Aunt Jane scratched her head Hmmm let me guess She tapped her foot Could it be Costa Rica How did you know I asked Gabriela rolled her eyes Because that’s all you talk about Is not I said Is too she said I gave her my cranky eyes The rain forest is the most beautiful place on earth Aunt Jane I’ve seen toucans jaguars and anteaters There’s a Cloud Forest Reserve in Costa Rica too It rains over 100 9
inches a year And if you visit you’ll see lots of hummingbirds I saw one once said Carly It looked like a bee My brother tried to squash it Kianna crinkled her nose loves That’s mean My mama hummingbirds Carly shrugged He’s only two He’s not smart yet My mom calls him Monkey Boy Then he would love Costa Rica too I said There are monkeys everywhere 10
Tell Aunt Jane about the butterflies said Kianna Butterflies are my very most favorite thing in this world I said I glanced at her ring I bet I love them as much as you love your lucky ring Aunt Jane laughed Wow You must love butterflies to the moon and back then I flapped my arms and fluttered around the stable There are over a thousand kinds of butterflies there My favorite is the glasswing Besides a dark outline around its wings the 11
