Excerpt
andlt;bandgt;Starring . . . Ellie!andlt;/bandgt;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;and#8220;Okay,and#8221; said Ellie, kneeling on her bed. and#8220;Hereand#8217;s what I planned for us to do tonight!and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;Her best friends, Liz, Amy, and Marion, had just arrived. Ellie was so excited. It was Friday and her turn to host their weekly sleepover.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;and#8220;First I can teach you this really cool dance I learned in tap class,and#8221; Ellie began. and#8220;And after that we can put on the play we made up at Lizand#8217;s house! Andand#8212;and#8221;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;and#8220;Ellie, hold on,and#8221; Liz said with a giggle. and#8220;We just got here!and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;and#8220;Yeah,and#8221; agreed Marion. She unrolled her sleeping bag. and#8220;All that sounds fun, but maybe we could relax and talk first?and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;Ellieand#8217;s face fell a little. Sheand#8217;d been looking forward to this sleepover for . . . well, andlt;iandgt;foreverandlt;/iandgt;. After all, she only got a turn to host every four weeks, and being the host was special. It meant planning everything and being at the center of it all!andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;and#8220;Oh!and#8221; said Amy. and#8220;We have some Critter Club stuff to talk about. Remember?and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;Ellie got excited again. and#8220;The bunnies!and#8221; she cried.andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;and#8220;Right,and#8221; said Amy. and#8220;Our first animals at The Critter Club!and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;Ellie and her friends had been working hard to get The Critter Club up and running. A few weeks ago it was an empty barn belonging to Ms. Sullivan, their new friend. Now, with the help of Amyand#8217;s mom, veterinarian Dr. Purvis, it was an animal shelter. It had all been Ms. Sullivanand#8217;s idea!andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Before The Critter Club the girls thought Ms. Sullivan was kind of mean, but theyand#8217;d been totally wrong. When Ms. Sullivanand#8217;s puppy Rufus had gone missing, the girls helped her find him. Thatand#8217;s when The Critter Club was born!andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;and#8220;You still donand#8217;t know who left the bunnies?and#8221; Marion asked Amy.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;Amy shook her head no. and#8220;There was no note,and#8221; Amy replied. and#8220;Just three baby bunnies in a cardboard box.and#8221;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;and#8220;Poor things!and#8221; said Ellie. and#8220;How could someone just leave them?and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;Amy shrugged. and#8220;Mom thinks someoneand#8217;s pet rabbit had babies, and they couldnand#8217;t take care of them all.and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;and#8220;Well, speaking of taking care of them,and#8221; said Marion, pulling out a notebook, and#8220;we should make a schedule.and#8221; Marion was super organized. She was always writing things down and making lists.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;Ellie hopped off her bed. She sat on the floor next to Marion. In her notebook Marion made a chart.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;and#8220;So weand#8217;ll take turns,and#8221; said Marion. and#8220;Each day after school two of us will go feed the bunnies and give them water. Amyand#8217;s mom and Ms. Sullivan will handle the morning shifts.and#8221;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;All the girls agreed. Liz picked up a pen. She drew three little bunnies below the chart.andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;and#8220;We have to find good homes for them,and#8221; Ellie said. and#8220;Theyand#8217;re counting on us, and we canand#8217;t let them down!and#8221; Then she jumped up. and#8220;Okay, now, on to other things . . .and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;Ellie ducked behind her hot-pink window curtains. She peeked out at her friends. and#8220;Whoand#8217;s trying out for the spring play?and#8221; she asked.andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Their school, Santa Vista Elementary, put on a play every year. This yearand#8217;s musical was called andlt;iandgt;Miss Ladybug Saves Springandlt;/iandgt;.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;and#8220;We should all try out!and#8221; Ellie cried excitedly.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;and#8220;Not me,and#8221; said Liz. and#8220;Iand#8217;m finishing my painting for that big art contest, remember?and#8221; Liz was an amazing artist. and#8220;Plus, you guys know I canand#8217;t sing!and#8221; she added with a laugh.andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Marion pulled her long brown hair into a ponytail. and#8220;Iand#8217;m way too busy too,and#8221; she said. and#8220;Homework plus piano lessons three times a week!and#8221;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Ellie sighed. and#8220;How about you, Amy?and#8221; she asked. But Ellie knew what Amy was about to say.andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;and#8220;Me? Get on stage? In front of andlt;iandgt;peopleandlt;/iandgt;? And andlt;iandgt;danceandlt;/iandgt;? No way,and#8221; Amy said, shaking her head.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;Liz smiled a little smile. and#8220;How about you, Ellie? Are andlt;iandgt;youandlt;/iandgt; going to try out?and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;and#8220;YES!!!and#8221; Ellie squealed. She jumped out from behind the curtain. and#8220;I canand#8217;t wait! Have you seen the stage? Itand#8217;s sooooo big! Do you think theyand#8217;ll have the spotlight on for auditions? Oh! What should I wear? What song should I sing? You guys have to help me decide!and#8221;