After that, I got down on my knees. And I swimmed him all around.

“I wish you were my fish, Sparkle. If you were my fish, I would take you to school for Show and Tell. And you would be the star of the show.”

Just then, I got goosebumps on my skin.

’Cause that was the bestest idea I ever heard of!

“Sparkle! Hey, Sparkle! Maybe you can come to Pet Day with me! ’Cause you are way better than my pet jar!”

After that, I lifted that big guy right out of the water.

Only too bad for me. ’Cause Sparkle fell on the floor.

“Oh dear,” I said. “You are a chubby one, Sparkle. And so how will I even get you to school? That’s what I would like to know.”

Just then, I saw Tickle’s dog leash.

It was hanging over the chair.

I danced all around the kitchen.

“A leash, Sparkle! A leash is the answer to our problem!”

After that, I quick grabbed the leash. And I put it over Sparkle’s head. And I pulled him all around the floor!

He slided as easy as pie!

Just then, the back door opened.

“JUNIE B. JONES! WHAT IN THE WORLD DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?”

It was Mother.

She was back from the truck, apparently.

“I think I am sliding Sparkle,” I said kind of nervous. “We are practicing for Pet Day.”

Mother shook her head real fast.

“Oh no. No way, missy. You are not taking that fish to Pet Day,” she said.

“Yes, Mother! Yes way! I have to! I have to take Sparkle! I love this slippery guy! Please, Mother? Please? Please?”

Mother did some deep breathing.

Then she sat down next to me. And she made her voice not yell.

“Okay. I want you to listen to me very closely,” she said. “I know you like this fish. And I know you would like to take him to school for Pet Day. But Pet Day is for live pets, Junie B. And maybe you don’t realize this…but the thing is, honey…Sparkle is dead.“

I nodded my head.

“Not a problem,” I said.

Mother did a frown.

“Not a problem? What do you mean ‘not a problem’? Of course it’s a problem. You can’t take a dead fish to school.”

I raised my eyebrows at her.

“How come? Is it in the rules?” I asked.

“No. Of course it’s not in the rules,” said Mother.

I smiled.

“Good. Then I can take him,” I said.

After that, Mother stared at me a real long time.

Then she closed her eyes.

And she put her head on her place mat.

And she didn’t eat her stew.

⁷/_{Sneaky Grandma Miller}

Grandma Miller stoled Sparkle!

She waited till I took my bath.

Then she sneaked into the kitchen.

And she took Sparkle home with her!

I runned all around in a tizzy.

“SHE STOLED HIM! GRANDMA MILLER STOLED SPARKLE! AND NOBODY EVEN STOPPED THAT WOMAN!”