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Chapters (65)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
  7. 5
  8. 6
  9. 7
  10. 8
  11. 9
  12. 10
  13. 11
  14. 12
  15. 13
  16. 14
  17. 15
  18. 16
  19. 17
  20. 18
  21. 19
  22. 20
  23. 21
  24. 22
  25. 23
  26. 24
  27. 25
  28. 26
  29. 27
  30. 28
  31. 29
  32. 30
  33. 31
  34. 32
  35. 33
  36. 34
  37. 35
  38. 36
  39. 37
  40. 38
  41. 39
  42. 40
  43. 41
  44. 42
  45. 43
  46. 44
  47. 45
  48. 46
  49. 47
  50. 48
  51. 49
  52. 50
  53. 51
  54. 52
  55. 53
  56. 54
  57. 55
  58. 56
  59. 57
  60. 58
  61. Acknowledgments
  62. About the Author
  63. Books by Bobbie Pyron
  64. Back Ads
  65. About the Publisher

Karina’s mom, Mrs. Bailey, explains all about the eleven new badges that can be earned for really cool stuff like building robots and designing computer apps and websites.

“I’m going to build a robot to do my homework,” Sapphire announces.

Daria raises her hand and says, “I’m going to design a computer program to help people without a home find one.”

I wonder if any of the girls in my Cyprus Point troop would have thought of something like that. Probably not. They would never be able to understand how people, and even families, can end up like this.

Next, we come to my favorite subject: brownie sales! Did I mention selling gourmet brownies is my superpower?

“This year,” Karina says, “the troop in our city that sells the most brownies gets to go to Camp Cloudmont this summer for free.”

“Everybody in the troop?” Luz asks in disbelief.

Karina nods. “Everybody. For free.”

“We’ve never sold the most, though,” Carmen points out.

Sapphire tosses her a look. “There’s a first time for everything.”

“I don’t want to go up in those mountains anyway,” Angel says. “Too cold. Too many bugs.”

For the first time in the whole meeting, everybody starts talking at once. But I don’t listen. All I can hear is that beautiful word: mountains. I feel determination swell up inside me: I will sell enough brownies to go to Camp Cloudmont or my name’s not Piper Elizabeth Trudeau.

At the end of the meeting, we gather in a circle.

Karina’s voice rings out strong and true, “We are Firefly Girls!”

“We are Firefly Girls!” we all say.

“We are family!” she says.

“We are family!”

“We are somebody!” Sapphire hollers.

My heart fills with light. “We are somebody!”

“And we,” Karina says with pure certainty, “will make a difference.”

After the meeting’s over, I ask Mama, “Can I run over to the park real quick and check on Baby?” I’ve told Mama all about him.

Mama’s in as good a mood as I am after the meeting. She hands me her phone. “Twenty minutes, Piper, that’s all. Call as soon as you get there and as soon as you leave to come back.”

I can’t wait to see Baby and tell him all about my new Firefly troop!

23

The Girl

Baby watches the girl walk across the park

past the swings and the empty pond

where he and Duke barked at ducks

when the weather was warm.

Yesterday, when the girl came,

her feet dragged through the dead leaves,

her head down

shoulders hunched.

But today

he can feel excitement and happiness

in her steps.

Always, she smiles for him.

Always, she has food in her pockets

to share.

He can feel her heart lift,

he can sense this burden she carries

grow lighter and lighter

as he licks the crumbs from her fingers.

Sometimes, they sit together,

her arms holding him close,