Zoe in Wonderland Read Online Free PDF

were gone, and he asked—”
    â€œAsked about buying this property again?”
    I was about to say no, but Daddy started ranting loudly. “If any more land developers come in here asking one more time to buy this property so they can build town houses or apartments or condominiums, you tell them I said I’m not selling! You hear me, Zoe? Tell them I’m not selling now. In fact . . . tell them I’m not selling . . . ever!”
    â€œBut . . .”
    â€œIs that all, Zoe? Because I’ve got all these bills to take care of.” He frowned and waved one at me. Lately he seemed worried about money, and more andmore, I’d heard him and Mom arguing about the bills. “G’night, Zoe.”
    He’ll be in a better mood tomorrow, I figured. Then I’ll talk to him about baobab trees and tell him what I’ve found out. I snuggled his shoulder, said, “G’night, Daddy,” and trudged to my room.
    Disappointed and feeling a little gloomy, I started thinking. This whole Zoe-saves-the-baobabs idea was ridiculous. I was more than likely never going to do anything special or be anyone special.
    But the next thought that climbed into my mind changed me from a teeny sad sack to an enormous elephant-size worrywart.
    I remembered Quincy telling me that the reason his parents got a divorce, or “went
splitsville
,” as he calls it, was because there never seemed to be enough money and they were always fighting about it. Suddenly, I got terrified. More than anything, I didn’t want my mom and daddy to ever go
splitsville
.
    Then another worry plopped on top of that one. What if Daddy changed his mind and sold the Wonderland? I didn’t want to live anywhere but here.
    These two worries brought every spark of happiness that had been dancing around inside me to a slow stop.
    The moon lit my room through the half-open slatsof my window’s shutters. Outside, an army of crickets chirped.
    This had been a day of strange happenings—the astronomer from Madagascar and baobab trees. The beautiful picture of the row of baobabs flashed in my mind. I wanted to see one of the huge trees in person, but I doubted that would ever happen. Madagascar was a long way away.
    I peeked out at the globe in the dark sky and for a few seconds wondered whether the tall man had a special name for the moon too. I climbed into bed, thinking about baobabs and the moon.
    But it was the two worries that kept me staring at the ceiling, unable to fall asleep.

10
    Now Open on Sunday
    T he following day, Daddy didn’t go to church with us. Instead, he opened the Wonderland. For as long as I could remember, the Wonderland had always been closed on Sundays.
    â€œIt’s because of all the bills, huh?” I asked Mom as we drove.
    Mom stared straight ahead. “I may be going back to school to get my teaching credentials. With another degree I’d make more money.”
    She’d been talking about going back to school for years, but so far that’s all it’s been—talk.
    â€œWe could sell it,” Jade said.
    â€œSell what?” Mom asked.
    â€œThe Weirdland. I mean, if it’s not making enough money, what’s the point? It’s a stupid place to live, anyway. If we sell it, we can live somewhere normal,” Jade answered.
    â€œIt’s not called the Weirdland,” I reminded her again.
    â€œI’ll call it whatever I want to call it!” Jade informed me in her snippy way.
    Mom spoke up. “We are not selling the Wonderland. It’s your daddy’s life.”
    Jade kept yapping, “I’m just saying . . .”
    Mom frowned. “Not another word, Miss.”
    Miss
was code for “if you have good sense, you’ll shut up now.” And Jade did.
    When we got home, I found Daddy trimming his bonsai trees and plants. He was whistling a tune the way he sometimes does when he’s