How to Save Your Tail Read Online Free PDF Page B

really do, Brutus,” said Muffin.
    “Thanks,” said Brutus, washing his paw.
    “So, do you know any more rat stories?”
    “Nope,” said Bob, “that’s all there is.”
    “Then tell us again!” begged Muffin.
    “You’d listen to them all over again?” asked Bob.
    “Yes!” said Muffin.
    “You wouldn’t eat me halfway through?”
    “I guess not,” said Brutus.
    “Thanks!” said Bob. “You’re a pal. But I’m all storied out.”
    “Then we might as well eat you,” said Brutus.
    “Might as well,” said Bob. “Unless—”
    “Unless what?” said Muffin.
    “Unless you want me to write all the stories down. Then you could read them whenever you want.”
    “Oh yes!” said Muffin.
    “Do it,” said Brutus.
    Muffin fetched pen and paper. Brutus found some ink.
    “I can’t do it here,” said Bob.
    “Why not?” said Muffin.
    “I need quiet,” said Bob. “I need to be alone … perhaps in the library.”
    “We’re not allowed in the library,” said Muffin.
    “That’s a shame,” said Bob. “But I promise to have the stories ready by morning.”
    Brutus looked doubtful.
    “With pictures?” asked Muffin.
    “Sure,” said the rat.
    “Well, okay,” said Brutus. “And then we’ll have you for breakfast.”
    “Of course,” said Bob.
    In the morning, when Bob had written the last word of the last tale, Brutus and Muffin were still asleep on the Queen’s feather bed. Bob could hear them snoring.
    But they would wake up, and soon.
    The rat paced back and forth, thinking andthinking and thinking some more. If he tried to run away, they would catch him. If he tried to hide, they would sniff him out. There was no escape.
    He glimpsed the pink and orange sunrise through the library window. It was spellbinding.
    Spellbinding?
    Bob’s memory raced back to Twinkle’s book of spells. He could see it before him—big and fat, with a spell for every possible problem. In his mind’s eye, he flipped through the pages. And there it was!
    Then, before you could say “Bob’s your uncle,” Bob said this:
    “Blue goose, true goose
,
    skimming-through-the-sky goose
,
    find me, fly me—
    Save me from the stew, goose!”
    And before you could say “Justine’s your aunt,” Blue Sue flapped up to the window and honked.
    Bob hopped on Sue’s back, and together they flew to another library in another kingdom—where Bob read to his heart’s content and they both lived happily ever after.



ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    M ARY H ANSON is the author of several books for children, including
The Difference Between Babies & Cookies
and
The Old Man and the Flea
. A retired children’s librarian, Mary enjoys reading (sometimes to her cats), coaching high school mock trials (always with her husband), and looking forward to visits from her two children, who grew up against her wishes and went away to college. Her favorite cookies are chocolate-layered toffee crackers.



ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR
    J OHN H ENDRIX ’s illustrations have appeared in the
New Yorker
, the
New York Times
, and
Rolling Stone
, among others. He is the illustrator of one book for children, also involving rats:
The Giant Rat of Sumatra: or Pirates Galore
, by Sid Fleischman. John currently lives in Saint Louis with his wife, Andrea, and their son, Jack, and teaches illustration at Washington University. He loves shortbread cookies with icing and sprinkles.