Karen's Prize

  Wow! I was headline news:

  STONEYBROOK ACADEMY STUDENT TO ENTER FAIRFIELD COUNTY SPELLING BEE.

  There was an article about the spelling bee inside. And my picture was right next to it!

  “Look at this! I’m in the newspaper!” I called to everyone.

  Ms. Colman gave our class time to read the article. Everyone was happy for me. Especially Hannie and Nancy. After all, we are the Three Musketeers. “One for all and all for one!” That is our motto.

  But guess who acted like she didn’t care. Pamela Harding.

  “Show-off!” she said.

  “That isn’t fair,” said Nancy. “The school reporter came to Karen. Karen didn’t go to her.”

  “That’s right,” I said. “I didn’t ask to be made a world-famous star.”

  Pamela would not even pick up the paper. Neither would Leslie or Jannie, or the rest of the kids who wanted to be Pamela’s best friend.

  But Ricky Torres was still my friend. He read the whole article.

  “Congratulations, Karen,” he said. Then he whispered, “But maybe you shouldn’t shout so much about it.”

  “I think this calls for a celebration, class,” said Ms. Colman. “It’s not every day that one of your classmates makes front-page news. On Friday afternoon, we will have a party in Karen’s honor.”

  I saw Pamela roll her eyes. And I heard a few groans. But who cared? There was going to be a party in my honor!

  A Party for Karen

  Work, lunch, recess, work … party!

  That is how Friday went. Ms. Colman brought cookies and punch to school. And we were allowed to play board games.

  Since the party was for me, I decided I should be the hostess. I tried out my new television walk.

  “As you know, we are having this party because I am the best junior speller in Stoneybrook,” I told a group of kids. I did not want them to forget why we were having the party in the first place. But I noticed that no one seemed to be listening to me.

  “In fact,” I said loud enough for Pamela to hear, “I may be the best junior speller in the whole country. Maybe even in the whole world!”

  “If you were the best speller in the world, Miss Smarty-pants, you would have to know how to spell in French and Spanish and German and every single language there is,” Pamela said.

  “Ah, yes. You would be zee very good speller, ma chérie,” Ricky said, trying to sound French. At least he was still being nice to me. But he was the only one.

  Even Hannie and Nancy were ignoring me. They were playing Spill and Spell with Leslie and Jannie. They did not ask me to join them — and it is a spelling game!

  I hated to admit it, but I was not having a good time at my own party. I wandered around the room. I ate some cookies and drank some punch. I tried talking to a few kids about the spelling bee. But I could tell they did not want to hear. I was sort of glad when the party was over.

  When everyone was leaving, Ms. Colman asked if she could talk to me.

  “I am very, very proud of how well you have been doing in these spelling bees, Karen,” she said. “You have been studying hard and learning your words. But I think you need to learn another thing — what it means to be a good winner. A good winner does not boast and act more important than other people, Karen. A good winner shows humility and graciousness. Do you know those words, Karen?

  “Humility? Sure! H-U-M-I-L-I-T-Y. Humility!” I said. “And I know graciousness, too. G-R-A-C-I-O-U-S-N-E-S-S. Graciousness!” I spelled both words in about ten seconds.

  I heard Ms. Colman give a little sigh.

  “You may go now, Karen,” she said.

  “See you Monday!” I replied. And I ran out the door.

  The Fight

  It was a going-to-Daddy’s Friday! When we pulled into the big-house driveway, Mommy called, “See you later, alligators!”

  Daddy was waiting for us at the door.

  “Look, Daddy!” I said, waving a copy of the Stoneybrook Academy News in front of him. “I’m on the front page!”

  “Karen says she’s an S-T-A-R, Daddy,” Andrew said.

  “I’m teaching Andrew how to spell. That’s so he can follow in my famous footsteps,” I said.

  “Karen, hi!” called Kristy. “I want to see the paper, too,” she said. Even though Kristy is thirteen and really busy with her Babysitters Club, she always asks about things that happen to me. She is the greatest.

  Everyone at the big house wanted to see the paper. While they were looking, I recited the article. I knew it by heart:

  “ ‘Karen Brewer entered and won last week’s district’ — that’s D-I-S-T-R-I-C-T — ’junior spelling competition.

  “ ‘She now qualifies’ — that’s Q-U-A-L-I-F-I-E-S — ’to enter the Fairfield County Spelling Bee.’ ”

  I wanted to make sure everyone was listening. So I said, “Of course Karen Brewer, the world-famous superstar, will win that spelling bee, too. She will probably win every spelling bee she ever enters!”

  “You’re making that up!” said David Michael. “It doesn’t say anything like that in there.”

  After dinner, Andrew, David Michael, and I played a game of Go Fish. Then Kristy read Moosie and me a chapter from my new book, The Phantom Tollbooth.

  On Saturday morning, I popped out of bed. I got dressed and had breakfast. Hannie was coming over early to play.

  Ding-dong! Ding-dong! There she was! It was raining, so we went upstairs to my room to play.

  “Want to make paper dolls? I brought pretty construction paper,” said Hannie.

  “Wow! Construction. What a neat word. I might be asked to spell it at the state contest. C-O-N-S-T-R-U-C-T-I-O-N. Construction. Did I get it right?”

  “I guess so,” said Hannie. “Do you want to make dolls or not?”

  “Sure,” I said. I got out my crayons.

  “Pass the red crayon, please,” said Hannie.

  “How about this one! Magenta. M-A-G-E-N-T-A. Magenta,” I spelled. “Or maybe you want sepia. S-E-P-I-A. Sepia.”

  “Cut it out, Karen,” said Hannie. “I’m tired of listening to you spell words all the time.”

  “Cut it out?” I said. “Wait just a minute and I’ll get my scissors. Get it? Cut? Scissors? S-C-I-S-S-O-R-S. Scissors.”

  I thought my joke was pretty funny. But Hannie did not. I changed the subject.

  “I am definitely going to win the two-hundred-and-fifty-dollar grand prize at the state contest. What do you think I should do with it?” I asked.

  “I think you should give me half of it for listening to you spell all day,” said Hannie.

  “Maybe I’ll take a long trip around the world,” I said. “I’ll send you postcards from all the exotic — that’s E-X —.”

  “Karen, stop,” said Hannie.

  I did not really feel like making dolls. I wanted to pick out what I would wear to the state contest. After all, I was going to be on TV! I tried on my blue corduroy jumper.

  “What do you think of this?” I asked Hannie.

  “It’s fine,” she said.

  I tried on my green sweater with the pink bows on it.

  “Is this better?” I asked Hannie.

  “It’s fine, too,” she said. But she didn’t even look up.

  I tried a few more outfits.

  “Do you like this?” I asked. “Will it look good on TV?”

  “I don’t care, Karen Brewer! You don’t want to play with me. All you want to do is talk about the silly spelling contests. I’m leaving!” said Hannie.

  She left in a huff. She even slammed the door.

  I was sorry she was mad. But I had important things to do.

  The Two Musketeers

  Something was wrong. When I got to school Monday morning, Hannie and Nancy were talking with Pamela, Jannie, and Leslie.

  They were all laughing together. You would think they were the Five Musketeers or something.

  I went through the whole morning without saying a word to anyone, not ev
en Ricky. And he sits right next to me.

  By recess, I was about to burst. I ran out with my hopscotch stone, ready for a game with Hannie and Nancy. Even if they had been mad at me this morning, I figured they would be over it by now.

  They weren’t. They were hanging around with Pamela again.

  “Want to play hopscotch?” I asked. I was asking Hannie and Nancy. Not Pamela.

  “How come you’re not spelling everything this morning?” asked Hannie. “I thought that’s what bee queens do.”

  “It’s Queen Bee,” I said. “And you are being a toad.”

  “You haven’t played hopscotch with us in days. All you do is walk around like you’re a television star,” said Nancy.

  “Some friends you are,” I said. “I thought we were the Three Musketeers. One for all and all for one.”

  “We were the Three Musketeers,” said Nancy. “Now we’re the Two Musketeers — me and Hannie. Unless Pamela wants to join us. Then we’ll be three again.”

  Pamela was smiling a lot. I could see she was really enjoying this. That made me so mad.

  “You’re all just jealous,” I said. “But you’ll be sorry when I win my two hundred and fifty dollars. If I had good friends, I’d do nice things for them with my money. First I’d take them to a fancy restaurant. They could order anything they wanted. Then we’d go to the movies. I’d buy the tickets. And I’d buy the popcorn and soda, too.”

  “Big deal,” said Nancy. “You can’t buy friends, you know. You have to make them — and keep them.”

  “That’s right,” said Hannie. “Friends play with each other. They don’t act like big shots all the time, spelling dumb words and trying on clothes.”

  “I’ll go to the movies with you,” said Ricky. “But don’t you think you should win the spelling bee first?”

  “Don’t worry. I’ll win,” I said. “But when I do, I’m not buying anything for anybody!”

  I stomped off to play hopscotch by myself. It had not been a good day.

  The County Contest

  It was Friday night. I was in my room in the little house. I was all ready for the County Contest.

  “Wish me luck, Emily Junior. You, too, Goosie,” I said.

  Sniff. Sniff. I knew that was rat talk for good luck.

  I made Goosie give me a big kiss. “Thanks, Goosie,” I said.

  Mommy and Seth and Andrew and I drove to the Stamford Assembly Hall. That is where the contest was going to be held. My big-house family was going to be there, too.

  The Assembly Hall is giant. I could have asked Hannie and Nancy to come to the contest. But I did not. Not after they had been so mean to me.

  “Are you feeling all right, Karen?” asked Mommy.

  “Yes,” I said. But I was feeling very nervous. My stomach was jumping all over the place. And even though I was mad at them, I missed Hannie and Nancy. I would have felt better if I had known that they would be at the Assembly Hall to cheer me on.

  “Couldn’t Hannie or Nancy come tonight?” asked Seth.

  “No,” I said. I did not feel like telling anyone that they were mad at me. And that they probably did not even care if I won or lost tonight. That was the worst part of all.

  * * *

  When we reached the Assembly Hall, Ms. Colman called me backstage. She introduced me to Ms. Matthews. Ms. Matthews said the rules were the same as before.

  The kids that were backstage with me were the best spellers in their districts. I was getting more and more nervous. What if I did not win? I had to win.

  All I had to do was concentrate.

  Ms. Matthews stepped up to the front of the stage. “Good evening, ladies and gentlemen,” she said. “Welcome to the county spelling contest. As you know, tonight’s winner will go on to the state contest. May the best speller win!”

  It was time for us to walk onto the stage.

  The spelling bee began.

  “Martin, please spell gypsy,” said Ms. Matthews.

  “Gypsy. G-Y-P-S-Y. Gypsy,” said Martin.

  “That is correct,” said Ms. Matthews.

  What a relief! If I had been given that word I would have gotten it wrong! I would have spelled it G-I-P-S-Y.

  The words were hard. And these spellers were good. By the time Ms. Matthews got to me, I was really scared.

  “Karen, please spell anticipate,” said Ms. Matthews.

  I knew this word. All I had to do was concentrate.

  “Anticipate,” I said. “A-N-T — ”

  Wah! Wah! Wah! I would know that sound anywhere! It was Emily Michelle crying. I looked up and saw Charlie rushing her out of the auditorium. Oh, no!

  “Please begin again,” said Ms. Matthews.

  I took a deep breath and started over.

  “Anticipate. A-N-T-I-C-I-P-A-T-E. Anticipate,” I said.

  “That is correct,” said Ms. Matthews.

  The spelling bee seemed to go on forever. I was getting tired. I was having trouble concentrating. But so were the other kids. They were making a lot of mistakes. Before I knew it, only three of us were left. After that, the end went fast.

  A girl named McKenzie spelled dictionary wrong. Then I heard Ms. Matthews saying, “I’m sorry, Martin. That is not correct. Karen, please spell dictionary.”

  This is my chance, I thought. If I spell this right, I get to be in the state contest. I have got to do it!

  “Dictionary. D-I-C-T-I-O-N-A-R-Y. Dictionary,” I said.

  “Karen, that is correct. Congratulations! You are the winner of the county spelling bee,” said Ms. Matthews. “Now you will go on to the state contest!”

  Hurray! I got another $100 savings bond. And a real reporter from a real newspaper interviewed me.

  “We’d like to get your picture, too, if you don’t mind,” said a photographer.

  I smiled for the camera. “Thanks,” said the reporter. “You will be able to read the story in several county papers, including the Stoneybrook News.”

  I raced to the auditorium. My big-house and little-house families were together, all hugging me at once.

  “Yea!” cried Emily Michelle.

  Emily Michelle was being pretty cute. And nice. But I was tired. And I was a little mad at her.

  “You almost ruined everything!” I said. “You almost made me lose the contest.”

  Emily began to cry.

  Contests

  By the time I got to school on Monday, I was feeling better.

  “Karen, we are proud of you for winning the county spelling contest,” said Ms. Colman.

  “Thank you,” I said. I tried not to make too big a deal out of it. I did not jump up and down like before. I did not even say anything about my picture being in the paper again.

  “Let’s give Karen a round of applause,” Ms. Colman said.

  Ricky clapped for me loudly. “Way to go!” he said. I guess he had forgotten that I had even been a little mean to him.

  I turned around to see if Nancy and Hannie were clapping, too. Guess what! They were! Not a lot. But it was still a good sign. I guess they did care, even though they were mad at me.

  At recess, I grabbed my hopscotch stone. On my way to the playground I said to myself over and over, I will not say a single word about spelling. I will not say a single word about spelling. I will not say —

  “Here comes the ex-Musketeer,” Hannie whispered to Nancy.

  I made believe I did not hear her.

  “Hi. Want to play hopscotch with me?” I asked.

  Hannie and Nancy did not answer right away. They turned their backs and started whispering again.

  When they turned around, Nancy said, “We’ll only play with you if you promise not to start spelling everything, Miss Bee Queen.”

  “I promise!” I said.

  We sang Eeny meeny miny mo to see who went first. Nancy won. That was okay with me. I was just happy to be playing.

  “I’ve got an idea! Let’s have a hopscotch contest,” I said.

  “Oh, brother! N
ot every game is a contest,” said Nancy.

  “That’s right,” said Hannie. “I’ve changed my mind. I don’t want to play with you after all.”

  “Me, neither,” said Nancy.

  I must have said the wrong thing. They were mad at me all over again. I knew they would not listen to me now. No matter what.

  So I went to the library. I took down the dictionary. I was going to study some big words. But there were two easy words I wanted to look up first. One was contest.

  contest: 1. A struggle for victory between competitors. 2. Any competition, especially one rated by judges.

  The other word was win.

  win: 1. To achieve victory over others in a competition. 2. To achieve success in an effort or venture.

  That is what I was going to do in the spelling contest. Win! I still wanted to be the best junior speller in the state of Connecticut. I wanted that badly.

  I had a lot of studying to do.

  The Big State Contest

  I could not believe it! It was Friday. The night of the big state contest! I was going to be on TV!

  I was glad it was a big-house weekend. That meant Kristy could help me get ready.

  Mommy had bought me a brand-new dress just for the contest. It was blue with white trim and gold buttons.

  I put it on and Kristy helped me button it. Of course, I had to wear my good luck birthday hair ribbon. Kristy helped me tie it just right.

  “You look great,” said Kristy. She paused. Then she said, “You know, I haven’t heard you say anything about Hannie and Nancy. Aren’t they coming?”

  I did not want to talk about the Two Musketeers. But I do not like keeping secrets from Kristy.

  “No. They’re not coming. They’re mad at me. They think I talk too much about contests,” I said.

  “I’m sorry,” said Kristy. “But I’m sure you three will make up soon. Listen, I’ve got to get dressed now. Call if you need me.”

  After Kristy left, I twirled around in front of the mirror.

  “How do I look, Moosie?” I asked. “Do you think I look like a spelling-bee winner? Really? And a TV star, too? Thanks!”