Hide and Geek - Hardcover

Jagger, T. P.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0593377931 ISBN 13: 9780593377932

Verlag: Random House Books for Young Readers, 2022

Inhaltsangabe

Four friends know that being a geek is a superpower -- and they're about to prove it as they solve a puzzlemaker's last clue and uncover a long lost treasure!

The GEEKs:
Gina, Edgar, Elena, and Kevin have been best friends for as long as they can remember. So when their arch-nemesis points out that their initials make them literally GEEKs, they decide to go with it.

The problem:
The GEEKs’ hometown of Elmwood was once the headquarters of the famous toymaker Maxine Van Houten. Her popular puzzle sphere, the Bamboozler, put the town on the map. But Maxine passed away long ago. Now the toy factory is shutting down, and Elena’s mom and Kevin’s dad are losing their jobs. They might have to move—and that would mean splitting up the GEEKs!

The quest:
Maxine left one final puzzle, a treasure hunt that could save the town and keep the friends together. But only those who know and love Elmwood best will be able to solve it. GEEKs to the rescue!

Über diesen Titel

Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

T. P. JAGGER is an author, editor, and teacher. He has over 25 years of teaching experience, doing everything from teaching elementary students how to write to teaching teachers how to teach writing. He helps writers write and teachers teach through his 3-Minute Writing Teacher series of how-to creative writing videos and his free readers' theater scripts for elementary and middle school classrooms.

Auszug. © Genehmigter Nachdruck. Alle Rechte vorbehalten.

1

I may not be a math genius like my friend Kevin, but I can count. And because I’m a journalist, it’s important for me to record things accurately, which is why I always keep a pencil tucked into my bun and carry my scuffed-up leather notebook (it’s vintage--a birthday gift from Mom last year). So when Kevin popped from his lunchroom seat like a jack-in-the-box, I knew it was the twenty-seventh time he’d done that in only eight minutes. 

“Kevin Robinson for president! Be sure to vote!” Kevin blurted. He snatched a kevin for sixth-grade class president flyer from the massive stack in the middle of our lunch table and thrust it toward Gunner Bradley, who nearly dropped his lunch tray in surprise. “Scientific calculators for every student and new science-lab equipment! More funding for the debate team and educational field trips! Help me help you make Elmwood Middle School a better place to learn!” 

Instead of the outstretched flyer, Gunner snatched a chicken nugget from Kevin’s lunch and said, “Thanks, dude. Chicken nuggets rule!” 

As Gunner hustled away, I glanced across the lunch table at my other two best friends--Edgar Feingarten and Elena Hernández. Elena and I shared an eye roll. Kevin had been class president in third grade, in fourth grade, and in fifth. Of course he’d be class president again in sixth grade. Nobody else ever bothered to run against him. Plus, he was the one who’d started the school’s peer-tutoring program, raised money for new sports equipment with a car wash, and got the cafeteria to turn the smelly lunch scraps into compost for the school garden. He had good ideas, and everyone knew it. 

Kevin sat down and smoothed the flyer on the edge of the table. He rubbed at the collar of his polo shirt. “Do you think I need a tie? To look more presidential?” 

“Mmm,” Edgar grunted, his round face buried in some new play script. As he read, he unconsciously played with his hair, twisting and untwisting one of his loopy red curls. 

Elena took a slug of chocolate milk. “What you need, Kev, is a classier look. Like mine.” Elena ran her hands down her wrinkled T-shirt, which had a picture of Albert Einstein on the front. Einstein’s hair shot out in all directions, in contrast to Elena’s, which her abuela braided nice and tight and neat every morning before school. 

Kevin shook his head. “I’m serious, Elena. Class president is an important position. I’d be able to make this school better for everyone. I could help improve our educational outcomes and experiences. I can’t just--” 

“He can’t just slap up a few posters and call it a campaign.” An all-too-unwelcome voice cut in. Silver bracelets jangled on Sophina Burkhart’s wrist as she reached over Kevin’s shoulder and plucked up a flyer. Glittery polish flashed on her perfectly manicured nails as she brushed back a strand of her shoulder-length, straight blond hair. Sophina’s trailing pack of minions--Kyesha Killman, Bella Ronelli-Compelli, and Mandy Sykes--all peered over her shoulder. “This year, Kevin will actually have to earn his votes.” 

“I--I can get votes,” Kevin spluttered. “I have ideas. Experience.” 

“Sure you do,” Sophina said. She studied Kevin’s flyer before casually tossing it back onto the table. Her green eyes sparkled. “But why would anyone vote for you . . . when they can vote for me?” 

Kevin’s dark eyes widened. “I--what--you?” he stammered. He tugged at the collar of his shirt. If Sophina was being serious, this was not good. Like Kevin, Sophina was smart. Unlike Kevin, she was also popular. 

Without turning around, Sophina held a hand over one shoulder. Mandy Sykes passed her a sheet of paper. “See for yourself,” Sophina said, dropping the paper on top of Kevin’s flyers. 

Kevin stared, speechless. The paper said vote sophina at the top, followed by a list of campaign promises. 

“Don’t worry, Kevin,” Sophina said. “I’m sure Gina, Edgar, and Elena will still vote for--” She stopped and stifled a giggle. “You know what? I just realized something. Gina, Edgar, Elena, Kevin. G-E-E-K. Together, you are--literally--GEEKs.” 

Sophina’s minions laughed. My cheeks grew hot. I couldn’t believe none of us had ever noticed our initials before. 

Sophina gave a satisfied grin before sticking her chin in the air and spinning away. “See you later . . . GEEKs.” 

Elena made a little growling noise. “She’ll be sorry.”

“Don’t do it, Elena,” I said. “Whatever you’re thinking--don’t do it.” 

Elena batted her eyelashes innocently. “Who, me? Why, I wasn’t thinking anything. Maybe just a tiny, harmless prank is in her future, that’s all.” 

“Yeah right, Elena,” Edgar said. “Everybody knows there’s nothing tiny about your pranks. They tend to be of the epic variety.” The time she’d somehow filled the locker room with bath bubbles sprang to mind. And there’d been an unfortunate incident involving exploding ketchup bottles and Principal Gawkmeyer’s favorite sweater. “Come on,” Edgar continued. “The science thing, remember?” 

Elena had been accepted into an amazing weeklong science program over winter break, but her dad would only let her go if she stayed out of trouble until then. Her jaw clenched and her nostrils flared. But she took a slow, deep breath. “Particle-accelerator tour,” she chanted to herself. “Personalized lab coats.” 

Sophina and her minions pranced away, handing out campaign flyers and calling, “Vote for Sophina Burkhart! Sophina for sixth-grade class president!” 

“Also, be sure to enjoy a free cake pop after school!” Sophina added. “Courtesy of Burkhart Bakery!” 

Shouts and cheers erupted around the lunchroom.

Kevin drooped in his seat. He ran a hand nervously across the tight black curls of his high-top fade. “I’m totally doomed. . . .” 

“Come on, Kevin,” Edgar said. “It’s not that bad.” 

“Not that bad? Look at this!” He shook Sophina’s campaign flyer. “High-gloss, premium heavyweight paper. Color laser printing. Campaign promises I’ll never be able to compete against!” 

“Hmm,” I said. I tapped my pencil against the flyer. “Her ‘no homework’ promise does seem newsworthy. . . .” 

“This is serious, Gina!” Kevin wailed. “Who’s going to vote for me when Sophina’s promising a schoolwide no-homework policy, plus being allowed to text in class? There’s no way she could deliver those things, but all she needs is for enough kids to believe she can.” 

“Jeez, Kev,” Elena said. She swiped a chicken nugget through the pool of ketchup on her lunch tray, then pointed it toward Kevin. “Edge is the actor, but you’re the one with all the drama.” 

“And anyway,” I said, “Sophina may have cake pops, but the fact is, nobody has more experience than you do. You’ve got a proven track record.” 

Kevin started shaking his head before I’d even finished talking. “Maybe. But here’s another fact--Sophina’s popular, while I’m just a ....

Details zur Ausgabe

• Verlag: Random House Books for Young Readers
• Erscheinungsdatum: 2022
• Sprache: Englisch
• ISBN 10: 0593377931
• ISBN 13: 9780593377932
• Einband: Gebundene Ausgabe
• Anzahl der Seiten: 320
• Kontakt zum Hersteller: Nicht verfügbar
• Verantwortliche Person: Purmerul LTD; https://strengholt.nl/en/; ; 22 Liuleburgaz Str., floor 4, app. 9; Plovdiv; Bulgarien