The Upside-Down Day by Beverly Lewis Page B

new girl open the note. She gave them a creepy smile.
    Stacy smiled back. Abby didn’t know whether to smile or frown.
    Jason plopped down on Abby’s desk. “Hey, look at that. The new girl’s got red pigtails.”
    â€œSo what?” said Abby.
    â€œDon’t you see? Her hair’s too short for pigtails,” Jason joked. “They stick straight out.”
    â€œBe nice,” Abby said. “She’s new. Besides,we should treat others the way we want to be treated.”
    Jason crossed his eyes and scrunched up his face.
    Rrrinng! The last bell before school started.
    Miss Hershey’s students scrambled to their seats. She called roll. Then she asked the new girl to stand and say her name.
    â€œI’m Leslie Groff,” said the girl. She sat down real fast.
    Abby thought Leslie must surely be in the wrong class. Leslie was way too short for their grade.

    After spelling class, Ellen and her guide dog showed up.
    Miss Hershey assigned a desk to Ellen in the back of the room. Honey could stretch out there.
    Abby couldn’t help staring at Honey. Her classmates kept looking at the beautiful dog, too.
    â€œStudents, please face the front,” MissHershey said several times during math.
    When it was time for reading, Leslie Groff sat beside Abby. Halfway through the story, she whispered, “I have a secret.”
    Abby looked at her. “A secret? What is it?”
    â€œCan’t tell,” she whispered.
    â€œThen let me guess,” Abby said.
    â€œYou’ll never guess in a trillion and one years.”
    A mystery! Abby was ready for the challenge. Her mind was racing. She had to solve it . . . whatever the mystery was!
    At recess, Abby played with the other Cul-de-sac Kids. They gathered near the slide and took turns petting Honey. Abby asked, “What could Leslie’s secret be?”
    Dunkum had an idea. “Maybe she’s a cousin to Anne of Green Gables. She had red hair, too.”
    They cracked up, laughing.
    â€œLeslie looks like a second grader to me. She probably skipped a grade,” said Eric.
    â€œI think so, too!” said Abby. “That’s got to be her secret.”
    Ellen sat on the end of the slide. Honey was licking her hand. “Where’s Leslie now?” Ellen asked.
    â€œShe stayed inside with Miss Hershey,” Jason said. Then he doubled over, laughing hard. “Leslie’s short, skinny pigtails match her legs!”
    Abby didn’t think it was funny. “Jason, what about the Golden Rule?”
    â€œThat’s right,” said Dunkum. “Besides, some kids can’t help being skinny.”
    â€œAnd some kids can’t help being girls !” joked Jason.
    â€œCome on, Jason, let’s play ball,” Dunkum suggested. “The girls are gonna clobber you!”
    Eric smiled at Abby. “Jason didn’t really mean it, you know.” He ran off to join the boys.
    Ellen giggled. “Uh-oh, Abby. Eric likes you.”
    â€œWhy do you think that?” asked Abby.
    â€œI just do,” said Ellen.
    The recess bell rang.
    On the way inside, Ellen promised to show Abby and Stacy her Braille machine. “It makes little dots stick up off the paper. I can feel each dot with my fingers,” Ellen explained. “That’s how I read.”
    â€œIt’s like a secret code,” Abby said. “Which reminds me of Leslie Groff. I have to figure out her secret!”

THREE
    The next day, Abby’s father woke her. “Hurry, Abby. You overslept!”
    She sat up in bed and rubbed her eyes. “Wha-at?”
    â€œFifteen minutes before breakfast,” her father said. “Hurry, you’ll be late for school!”
    Abby tossed off the covers. She threw on a blouse and pants. She swished a toothbrush over her teeth and brushed her hair. Grabbing Mystery History , she was off to breakfast.
    But the kitchen was