Excerpt
Chapter one
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In Which the Adventure Begins
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avon, a rather small snail, read a book every day. He loved to read because books told him all about the things that creatures did when they went on adventures.
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; Now, Avon had noticed that when creatures finished their adventures, and when the stories ended, the creatures were always happy. Because Avon had never had an adventure of his own, the more he read, the sadder he became. It was absolutely necessary, he decided, to have adventures for himself. Only then would he be happy.
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; He sighed. and#8220;No adventures will ever come my way.and#8221;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; A newt who was passing by overheard Avonand#8217;s words. and#8220;Nay, lad, donand#8217;t say such things.and#8221;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; and#8220;But donand#8217;t you see,and#8221; said Avon, close to tears, and#8220;the most important thing in the world is having adventures. Not only have I not had any, I donand#8217;t think I ever will. And if I donand#8217;t have adventuresand#8212;like the ones Iand#8217;ve read about in these booksand#8212;Iand#8217;m bound to be unhappy forever.and#8221;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; and#8220;Then go out and seek some adventures,and#8221; said the newt.
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; and#8220;I donand#8217;t know how,and#8221; Avon said.
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; and#8220;Remember, lad,and#8221; said the newt, and#8220;if itand#8217;s going to be tomorrow, it might as well be today. And if it is today, it could have been yesterday. If it was yesterday, then youand#8217;re over and done with it, and can write your own book. Think about that.and#8221;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; Avon thought about it for a long moment, and then he said right out loud,
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; and#8220;Yes, I will do it. Yesterday for sure!and#8221;
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Text copyright and#169; 2004 by Avi
Illustrations copyright and#169; 2004 by Tricia Tusa
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