The Secret Chicken Society Read Online Free PDF Page B

isn’t young.”
    â€œIt must have been hard for Mrs. G. to leave her home,” said Mom.
    â€œI’ll bet Mr. Grafalo is sad and worried,” said Dad.
    â€œAnd lonesome,” added Mom. “Moving a loved one into a nursing home isn’t an easy decision.” She reached out and took Dad’s hand, and he smiled.
    â€œLet’s go visit,” he said. “We can take her some of our fresh strawberries.”
    After they ate, did the dishes, and fed the animals, everyone piled into the car. Kelsey brought some oatmeal raisin cookies she’d made with Dad’s help. Emmy picked a bouquet of white daisies from the wildflower patch. Even Tyler brought his baseball card collection to show Mrs. Grafalo.
    â€œWait a minute,” said Daniel. “I know what will really cheer her up.”
    He opened the chicken run. The hens scratched for bugs. Daniel scooped up Peepers. He tucked her under his arm.
    â€œDaniel!” said Mom. “You can’t take a chicken to a nursing home!”
    â€œWhy not?” said Dad. “People take dogs. Therapy dogs. It’s good for the patients. Why not a therapy chicken?”
    Mom made a face, but she let Daniel bring Peepers.
    Mrs. Grafalo sat in a wheelchair in the big room at Willowdale Care Center. She looked thinner than Daniel remembered. Soft music played. The room smelled like boiled cabbage and cleaning stuff. Mrs. G.’s face lit up when she saw them.
    Mrs. G. liked the strawberries. “So ripe!” she said. She ate one of Kelsey’s cookies. “Delicious!” She sniffed Emmy’s slightly wilted bouquet. “I miss my garden.” She admired Tyler’s baseball cards.
    But the hit of the day was Peepers. Daniel put her in Mrs. G’s lap. She nestled right down.
Bock! Bock!
she clucked softly. All the residents came over to see her.
    When their visit was over, Ms. Benton, the director, walked the Millers to the door. “Thank you forbringing Peepers,” she said. “Our residents love animals. Many of them grew up on farms. We built this place in the country so they can have a vegetable garden and bird feeders.” She pointed to the yard. A miniature barn sat empty. “Someday we hope to have animals. A pet goat or maybe a lamb.” Ms. Benton waved good-bye as they climbed into the car. “Please come again!” she called. “And bring Peepers!”
    The next Friday was the last day of school. Daniel said good-bye to Mrs. Lopez. “Have a great summer with your chickens!” she said. She gave him his report card and a hug.
    Daniel grinned. “I will! I will!”
    Daniel’s backpack bounced on his back as he raced home from the bus stop. He paused at the Grafalos’ house. He missed Mrs. G.
    Dot and Dash raced up the sidewalk looking for trouble. Their leashes dragged behind them as usual. Miss Clay was in hot pursuit. “Come back, boys!” she yelled, waving her arms. The poodles didn’t even look back.
    That afternoon Kelsey and Daniel sat in the tree house, making plans. Emmy was too young to climb up to the tree house. She sprawled on the grassunderneath. Every now and then she flung a twig up. But she was too little to hit anything.
    They watched the hens. With Mom’s permission, Daniel left the gate open so the chickens could forage in the yard.
    â€œKeep an eye on them,” said Mom. “Don’t let them get into Mr. Grafalo’s garden again.”
    Now they lay on their stomachs in the tree house. Looking over the edge, they watched the flock below.
    â€œSummer vacation. Boy oh boy,” said Kelsey dreamily. “I’m going to teach Primrose to do tricks. We could have a traveling circus. A chicken circus.”
    â€œI’m going to start an egg business,” said Daniel. He sucked on a piece of sweet grass. “Let’s see. We have five hens, and if each hen lays one egg a day . . . seven