Mailbox Mania Read Online Free PDF

yelled. “What’s that mean?”
    â€œSh-h!” said Dee Dee. “Just listen.”
    â€œWe’ll decorate our mailboxes for America’s birthday,” Abby said. “With American themes. Whatever you want.”
    â€œHow about Paul Revere’s horse?” Jason stood up and trotted around.
    The kids laughed. But Dunkum pulled him back down.
    â€œSomeone can judge our mailboxes,” Abby said. “The best mailbox wins.”
    Jimmy raised his hand. “I judge! I good judge.”
    Abby smiled. “Maybe it should be a grown-up.”
    Dunkum suggested someone. “How about Mr. Tressler?”
    â€œLet’s take a vote,” Abby said. “How many want Mr. Tressler to judge the mailbox contest?”
    Hands flew up.
    â€œDouble dabble good,” Abby said. “Mr. Tressler’s the one.”
    Shawn stared at Abby. “Who willdecorate Hunter family mailbox? Four kids in Hunter family,” he said in broken English.

    â€œGood question,” Abby said. “Any ideas?”
    Eric raised his hand. “The four of you should work together. What’s so hard about that?”
    The rest of the kids agreed.
    Abby glanced around. “Every Cul-de-sac Kid except Carly, Jimmy, Shawn, and me, is an only child. So the Hunter family will work together.”
    Shawn and Jimmy clapped. “Yip-p-e-ee!”
    Carly frowned. “That’s too many kids for one mailbox. Way too many!”
    Abby hoped her sister was wrong about that. She hoped with all her heart.

THREE
    After lunch, they got started planning. Abby and Shawn, Carly and Jimmy Hunter.
    They sat in the backyard under a shade tree. They sipped on lemonade and played with Snow White, their dog.
    Abby began, “How should we decorate our mailbox?”
    None of them knew.
    â€œAny ideas?” She waited for her sister and brothers to respond.
    None of them did.
    â€œDon’t we want to win the contest?” she asked.
    Carly pouted. “You’re the president of the Cul-de-sac Kids, NOT the president of the Hunter family.”
    Now it was Abby’s turn to frown. “Why’d you say that ?”
    Shawn shook his head. “This not working.”
    â€œJust a minute!” Abby snapped. “Remember what Eric said? We have to work together.”
    â€œGood luck,” Carly muttered.
    â€œLet’s choose a theme for our mailbox,” Abby said.
    Shawn looked puzzled. “Like what?”
    Abby thought. “The Statue of Liberty?”
    â€œToo hard,” Carly said.
    â€œWe can try,” Shawn said. He smiled at Abby. “I will try.”
    Carly shook her head. “Dumb idea.”
    â€œDon’t say dumb,” Abby replied.
    â€œYou’re not the boss!” Carly stomped across the lawn. She sat on the back porch step.
    Jimmy climbed a tree. “No contest for Hunter kids,” he said.
    Snow White barked up at him.
    Shawn told Jimmy to come down. He said it in Korean. Abby could tell he was mad. “We cannot plan this way,” he said. He glared up at Jimmy.
    â€œI stay up here,” Jimmy shouted. “I not come down!”
    Abby felt like a jitterbox. She reached for her notebook and pencil. And her lemonade. Then she stood up.
    â€œWhere you go?” Shawn asked her.
    Abby brushed off her shorts. “Maybe you’re right. This won’t work.”
    â€œBut we try . . . and try,” Shawn replied.
    Abby glanced toward the house. Carly was pouting on the porch.
    Abby stared at the tree. Jimmy washanging upside down. “Looks like two against two,” she said.
    Shawn nodded. “We find a way,” he said. “You see.”
    â€œI don’t know.” Abby sighed. “Maybe they should have Mailbox Mania without us.”
    Shawn’s eyes were kind. “You say, ‘Cul-de-sac Kids stick together,’ well . . . Hunter family do, too.”
    Abby sat down in the grass. She wanted to feel