Or a future prize-winning scientist Or a famous artist or writer And those were all on Beatrice’s list of Very Successful Careers to Consider Have you looked at this place Mom Beatrice said It’s a mess There are way way too many boxes Well Bee said her mother pushing her frizzy hair out of her eyes we only moved in this morning We’re just getting started Beatrice crossed her arms I’ve already unpacked my room Perfectly It was the first room she had all to herself The first room she didn’t have to share with her messy little sister Sophie Beatrice loved her new room It was perfect 5
Wow Really Her mother looked impressed Want to show me On the door to Beatrice’s room there was a small square sign with neat purple letters perfectly mess free zone grubby people go away Ah here’s your room said her mother smiling at the sign She looked down at her grubby hands and rubbed them on her jeans Now if I let you in you can’t touch anything warned Beatrice Nothing 6
You can’t wrinkle the bed or rumple the carpet or touch anything at all Got it I won’t even breathe Beatrice opened the door The purple quilt on the bed was perfectly smooth Not one wrinkle or ripple The pillow was perfectly plumped A square purple-and-white rug sat exactly in the center of the room The small white desk was perfectly clean All of Beatrice’s lists were stacked neatly in the top drawer Each book in the bookcase had a special place tallest to shortest The stuffed animals on the bed were lined up alphabetically from Annabelle a duck to Zeke a horse Well you’re right Bee sighed her mother It’s perfect But don’t you want it to look a little lived-in Maybe a little less perfect 7
