{"product_id":"bears-beware-isbn-9780375859137","title":"Bears Beware","description":"Mitchell really doesn't want to go camping with the other kids at the Zigzag Afternoon Center. Sleeping in the woods with creepy crawly things, coyotes, and bears? Yikes! But his best friend Habib is going, and it's Mitchell's birthday that weekend. He's just got to find a way to be brave, and scare the bears away!\u003cbr\u003eAs the fifth book in the Zigzag Kids series—which also includes \u003ci\u003eNumber One Kid, Big Whopper, Flying Feet,\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eStar Time\u003c\/i\u003e—\u003ci\u003eBears Beware\u003c\/i\u003e continues to delight readers with award-winning author Patricia Reilly Giff's quirky, lovable group of kids, capturing all the excitement and surprises of new friends and after-school fun.PATRICIA REILLY GIFF is the author of many beloved books for children, including the Kids of the Polk Street School books. Her novels for older readers include the Newbery Honor Books \u003ci\u003eLily's Crossing\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003ePictures of Hollis Woods\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eWillow Run\u003c\/i\u003e, a companion to \u003ci\u003eLily's Crossing\u003c\/i\u003e. Her most recent books are the novels \u003ci\u003eStoryteller \u003c\/i\u003eand \u003ci\u003eWild Girl\u003c\/i\u003e, and the first three Zigzag titles, \u003ci\u003eNumber One Kid, Big Whopper,\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eFlying Feet\u003c\/i\u003e.CHAPTER 1\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMONDAY\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSchool was over for the day. Whew!\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt was time for the Zigzag Afternoon Center.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMitchell McCabe darted into the lunchroom. He scooped up a snack from the counter.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt was some kind of bread thing. It had green stuff inside. The green stuff crunched against his teeth.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMitchell gave his best friend, Habib, a poke. “Weird,” he whispered.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe lunch lady must have heard. “I like to give out surprises all the time,” she said.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Dee-lightful,” Gina said.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMitchell and Habib grinned at each other. Dee-lightful was the music teacher’s favorite word. Gina was in love with music.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eToo bad she sang like a coyote.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe lunch lady was watching. Mitchell didn’t want to hurt her feelings. He jammed the snack into his mouth.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHabib was juggling his snack. It left little green chunks on the floor. Mitchell watched him swoop down and juggle them up again.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Come down to the auditorium, everyone,” Ellie, one of the college helpers, called. “There’s news! Great news!”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMitchell crossed his fingers. “Maybe they’re going to shut down the school,” he said.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHabib stopped juggling. “Really?”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“I saw it on television. A huge snowstorm. Whoosh. No school.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“It’s not winter,” Habib said. “Not even close.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMitchell nodded. Still, this was the best time for school to shut down. His birthday was at the end of the week. He would have the whole week to celebrate.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThey passed the outside door. Mitchell looked around. Mrs. Farelli, the art teacher, would have a fit if he went out.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHe took a chance. He needed fresh air to get rid of the snack taste.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHe opened the door. A gust of air blew in. So did Popsicle sticks, an old homework paper, and--\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRain!\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEnough for a bath.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMitchell opened his mouth wide to catch a drop. Ahhhhhh!\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Shut the door!” Gina screamed behind them. “I’ll catch the worst cold of my life. My grandma Maroni says I have a weak throat.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHabib grabbed his neck. “Your throat needs muscles. Take it to the gym.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Not funny,” Gina said.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Listen,” Mitchell told her. “We’re going to hear big news in the auditorium. Who knows? The school might shut down. You could stay in bed all day.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Maybe it’s a trip to Hawaii,” Habib said. “You could go away.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMitchell slid across the floor. “Look out, waves. Here I come!”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSnap!\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThat was Mrs. Farelli. She was on her way down the hall.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eShe was a great finger snapper.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Someone is using his outside voice inside the Afternoon Center,” she said.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt was a good thing Mrs. Farelli was standing straight as a stick.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIf she looked down, she’d see that homework paper floating in a rain puddle on the floor.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMrs. Farelli turned. She went the other way.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Dee-lightful,” Habib said.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThey dashed into the auditorium. Mitchell couldn’t wait to hear the news.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHis big sister, Angel, was in the front row. She was sitting with her friend Yolanda.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEllie was standing on the stage.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMr. Oakley, the grandfather who helped out, stood next to her. He wore his best jacket, with zigzag lines.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAnd there was Mitchell’s teacher, Ms. Katz, with new purple eyeglasses.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMrs. Farelli slid into a seat at the end of Mitchell’s row. Her face was serious. And she was looking his way.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMitchell tried to look serious, too. He frowned hard. His eyebrows half covered his eyes.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEllie stepped forward. “Here’s our news,” she said.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMitchell forgot to look serious. He crossed his fingers and his toes.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“No school, please,” he said under his breath.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Dee-lightful,” Habib said.","brand":"Yearling","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46302756995301,"sku":"NP9780375859137","price":4.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780375859137.jpg?v=1767722298","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/bears-beware-isbn-9780375859137","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}