My grandmother handed me a book from the front seat.
I examined the cover. I had become quite the expert on book covers.
โThe Book of Virtues,โ I snarled from the backseat.
I was getting flashbacks of when my mother had forced me to read;
โMoney Doesnโt Grow On Treesโ Thanks a lot, Oprah
My irritation was palpable.
โThis feels like a church book,โ I replied, turning this dictionary-sized book over in my hands. It had significant heft.
We had just made an impromptu stop at โThe Teacherโs Store.
It was an oasis of endless stickers, markers, and books.
I now realized this had been a rouse to lull me into a false sense of security.
โYouโll read one chapter each week and then will talk about it,โ My grandmother offered cheerily.
Absolutely not
First, this โEncylopediaโ was not on my BOOK-IT reading list for the summer.
I had been happily oscillating between Toni Morrisonโs โThe Bluest Eye,โ โThe Babysitters Clubโ series (things were about to get good; I sensed Claudia and Stacey were about to stage a coup), and the latest Goosebump release
This would cut into my already FULL reading itinerary and impede my recent mission; SAVING THE PLANET.
I had just read about acid rain and felt imminent danger.
I knew this required something SERIOUS and official.
So, I started a club; I had already recruited three members against their will!
โVienna Center For The Earth Clubโ had just had its official swearing-in ceremony yesterday. My grandmother knew this.
Iโd have to cut this โVirtue Bookโ nonsense right off at the pass.
โGrampsie has a book by Mark Twain that makes fun of the Bible,โ I quipped from the back seat.
Even at 9, I wasnโt afraid to take anyone down with me.
My eternally stoic grandfather cleared his throat; and turned up NPR.
Apparently, this was a family trait.
I decided this was a punishment for bringing V.C. Andrews into the house.
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