sat down at the end of the table, moving the morning newspaper out of the way.
“Hey, what’s this?” he asked, pointing to the paper. It was opened to a page with a large photograph at the top. “Something about a shark.”
“What?” Benny said, coming over to take a closer look. The photograph showed a giant shark with a huge mouth and rows of sharp, pointed teeth.
Henry read the headline aloud: “ ‘ Great White Shark Caught.’” He read the article quickly. “It says that an adventure park in Florida just brought in a great white shark.”
“Sharks again?” asked Jessie, coming into the kitchen with Violet.
Henry handed Jessie the newspaper. She looked at the article. “It says that it’s very unusual for a great white shark to be in an aquarium.”
Just then the door opened and Grandfather came in, whistling, an envelope tucked under his arm. “Good morning,” he said. He waggled his eyebrows and smiled at the children.
“What have you been up to?” Violet said.
“I just made a little visit to the travel agent,” Mr. Alden replied. “We’re going on a trip.”
“We are?” Henry said.
“Where to?” asked Jessie.
“Here are the tickets—take a look!” Grandfather flipped the envelope onto the table.
Benny snatched up the envelope and pulled out the tickets. “F—fuh … flo …” Benny sounded out.
Jessie helped him, reading the ticket over his shoulder. “Florida?” she asked.
Grandfather nodded. “Ocean Adventure Park.”
“We were just reading about that place in the paper,” said Henry.
“I know someone who works there,” Grandfather explained. “Her name is Emily Ballard and she’s the daughter of a good friend. This morning I called and asked if you kids could spend a little time there—help out, learn about the animals. You see, I’d been wondering how to help Benny get over his fear of sharks. When I saw that article I had the answer. We leave this afternoon.”
“This afternoon?” said Jessie.
“Emily said to come as soon as possible, so you’ll get a chance to see the great white shark,” Grandfather explained. “She said they may not be able to keep it very long.”
“But do we have to go so soon?” Benny asked nervously.
“The sooner the better,” shouted Henry. “We’re going to Florida!”
Jessie, Violet, and Henry raced out of the kitchen excitedly. Only Benny remained with Grandfather. He did not look happy.
Grandfather pulled out a chair and sat down beside his grandson.
“What’s Ocean Adventure Park like?” Benny asked in a quiet voice.
Mr. Alden put his arm around his grandson. “It’s a wonderful place,” he assured him. “They have all kinds of underwater creatures—fish, penguins, manatees, dolphins. You’ll meet people who love working with all of them—even the sharks. You’ll learn all about the animals, and that you don’t need to be afraid of the water.” He paused. “Sometimes, if you’re scared of something, learning about it can be a great way to overcome your fear.”
Benny looked up at his grandfather. He didn’t seem convinced. “All right,” he said. “I guess I’ll go pack.”
“You don’t have to pack right this minute,” Grandfather said. “We’ve got a checkers match to finish.”
Benny broke into a smile. “That’s right!” he said. But as he got up to get the board, he couldn’t help seeing the newspaper lying on the table. He took one look at the gaping jaws in the photograph and shivered.
That evening, the Aldens stepped off the plane in Florida. A cheerful young woman approached them. She had long blond hair and bright blue eyes, and her skin was deeply tanned.
“I’m Emily Ballard. Are you the Aldens?” she asked with a friendly smile.
“Yes, we are,” said Grandfather. “I’m James Alden. I’ve heard so much about you from your dad. It’s nice to finally meet you.”
“I’ve heard a lot about you, too,” Emily said. Then she turned to the children.
“Hey, what’s this?” he asked, pointing to the paper. It was opened to a page with a large photograph at the top. “Something about a shark.”
“What?” Benny said, coming over to take a closer look. The photograph showed a giant shark with a huge mouth and rows of sharp, pointed teeth.
Henry read the headline aloud: “ ‘ Great White Shark Caught.’” He read the article quickly. “It says that an adventure park in Florida just brought in a great white shark.”
“Sharks again?” asked Jessie, coming into the kitchen with Violet.
Henry handed Jessie the newspaper. She looked at the article. “It says that it’s very unusual for a great white shark to be in an aquarium.”
Just then the door opened and Grandfather came in, whistling, an envelope tucked under his arm. “Good morning,” he said. He waggled his eyebrows and smiled at the children.
“What have you been up to?” Violet said.
“I just made a little visit to the travel agent,” Mr. Alden replied. “We’re going on a trip.”
“We are?” Henry said.
“Where to?” asked Jessie.
“Here are the tickets—take a look!” Grandfather flipped the envelope onto the table.
Benny snatched up the envelope and pulled out the tickets. “F—fuh … flo …” Benny sounded out.
Jessie helped him, reading the ticket over his shoulder. “Florida?” she asked.
Grandfather nodded. “Ocean Adventure Park.”
“We were just reading about that place in the paper,” said Henry.
“I know someone who works there,” Grandfather explained. “Her name is Emily Ballard and she’s the daughter of a good friend. This morning I called and asked if you kids could spend a little time there—help out, learn about the animals. You see, I’d been wondering how to help Benny get over his fear of sharks. When I saw that article I had the answer. We leave this afternoon.”
“This afternoon?” said Jessie.
“Emily said to come as soon as possible, so you’ll get a chance to see the great white shark,” Grandfather explained. “She said they may not be able to keep it very long.”
“But do we have to go so soon?” Benny asked nervously.
“The sooner the better,” shouted Henry. “We’re going to Florida!”
Jessie, Violet, and Henry raced out of the kitchen excitedly. Only Benny remained with Grandfather. He did not look happy.
Grandfather pulled out a chair and sat down beside his grandson.
“What’s Ocean Adventure Park like?” Benny asked in a quiet voice.
Mr. Alden put his arm around his grandson. “It’s a wonderful place,” he assured him. “They have all kinds of underwater creatures—fish, penguins, manatees, dolphins. You’ll meet people who love working with all of them—even the sharks. You’ll learn all about the animals, and that you don’t need to be afraid of the water.” He paused. “Sometimes, if you’re scared of something, learning about it can be a great way to overcome your fear.”
Benny looked up at his grandfather. He didn’t seem convinced. “All right,” he said. “I guess I’ll go pack.”
“You don’t have to pack right this minute,” Grandfather said. “We’ve got a checkers match to finish.”
Benny broke into a smile. “That’s right!” he said. But as he got up to get the board, he couldn’t help seeing the newspaper lying on the table. He took one look at the gaping jaws in the photograph and shivered.
That evening, the Aldens stepped off the plane in Florida. A cheerful young woman approached them. She had long blond hair and bright blue eyes, and her skin was deeply tanned.
“I’m Emily Ballard. Are you the Aldens?” she asked with a friendly smile.
“Yes, we are,” said Grandfather. “I’m James Alden. I’ve heard so much about you from your dad. It’s nice to finally meet you.”
“I’ve heard a lot about you, too,” Emily said. Then she turned to the children.
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