1 The new kid Some people race dirt bikes Some people collect snow globes Some people build boats in a bottle My mom’s hobby is baking desserts Man do I love her hobby it’s so much better than boats in a bottle My dad’s hobby also happens to be his job He’s an entomologist which is a scientist who studies bugs I don’t like his hobby as much it’s kind of weird Actually I have a pretty weird hobby myself I make lists WHY I LIKE LISTS 1 Useful for organizing thoughts 2 Fast way to give information to others 3 Easier to read than paragraphs I’ve been making lists since first grade when I first learned how to write Nobody knows why it’s a family mystery
The Fizzy Whiz Kid OTHER FAMILY MYSTERIES 1 Why does my mom always get the hiccups when she laughs 2 Why is my dad the only person on the planet who loves cockroaches 3 What is that weird smell coming from the back of the refrigerator 4 Why do people in uniforms make my mom nervous 5 Why does my mom care so much about manners 6 Why do we keep moving The family-mystery list could go on for pages But instead of that here’s a list about me FACTS ABOUT MITCHELL MATHIS Age twelve sixth grade Average height weight Pretty good student but no Einstein Pets black Labrador retriever Bandit Favorite book The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling Favorite food fried chicken Mom’s chocolate cake Favorite sports baseball football ice hockey Favorite car yellow Lamborghini 2
The New Kid Favorite animal big cats jaguars tigers lions cheetahs etc Favorite activities making lists handball skateboarding juggling magic playing with Bandit playing guitar going to the opera no lie exploring and discovering stuff Biggest fear looking like an idiot Best personal trait I’ve got guts FIVE THINGS THAT TAKE GUTS 1 Skateboarding on the highway 2 Staring down a pit bull with a pork chop tied to your neck 3 Standing in front of a 100 mph fastball with no helmet 4 Eating fifty hot chili peppers with no bread or water 5 Starting a new school after fall session has already begun Okay I haven’t done the first four things But I’ve done the fifth thing on the list many times and when this whole mess started I was going to do it again Frankly I’d prefer to eat the fifty chili peppers 3
