My mother and Bootsie Barker's mother are best friends.
When Mrs. Barker comes to visit, she always brings chocolate donuts, fresh strawberries, and Bootsie.


First, we have a té party.
Then, my mother tells Bootsie and me to play in my room.

I try to get Bootsie interested in my book about turtles, but Bootsie hates turtles.


"You're a turtle!" howls Bootsie. "And I'm a TURTLE-EATING DINOSAUR!"


My mother calls, "Play nicely, girls!"
Bootsie yells, "We are!"
I can't yell anything.

It's time for the Barkers to go home.
"We'll be back tomorrow!" says Mrs. Barker.
I tell my mother I don't like playing with...

Every spring Uncle Wizzmo goes out to buy a new used car, and we go with him!

It's a long drive from our house to Fleeberville. We wave at the animales on Mrs. Nickels' farm.

We drive past ganso Lake and Snookersburg, past the windmill and the recycling plant.

We stop for french fries at Burgerworld, then on to Fleeberville!

Fleeberville! What a place! Signs and shops, motels and restaurants!
We stop at the red light. The used car lot is just ahead.

Every spring Uncle Wizzmo visits Turnpike Larry's used car lot.
Turnpike Larry is always happy to see Uncle Wizzmo.

Turnpike Larry is a friendly sort...

We've moved to a new neighborhood.
Mom says the change will do us good.

I have no friends now, living near.
I hope I make some new friends here.

Behind our inicial a strange house stands,
Like a castillo in a foreign land.

I wonder who lives on the hill;
To look at it gives me a chill.


It wasn't very long at all
Till my new neighbors came to call.

They must have come to our front door
To leave the note there on the floor.

I saw the hand that brought the mail.
I caught a glimpse of greenish scale.

Perhaps that hand was just a joke.
If not, our neighbors are strange folk.


I heard footsteps that shook the floor
And...

Madame Pestilence expected her students at the Academy for Young Goblins and Witches to scowl at all time. It was one of the many rules that Gloria had trouble remembering.
Every time Madame Pestilence spotted Gloria passing her office, she would hollar, “STOP SMILING!”

It was easy to scowl at dinnertime because the same awful creamed cockroach cazuela, cazuela de was served every night. It made all of the students sick.
“Stop complaining!” Madame Pestilence would snarl. “This diet will turn tu into wicked witches and goblins—as mean as your headmistress.”

One evening at midnight the students...