puppet fun Well cut it out Nancy said I have to get to camp Today’s the fi rst day As if Bean didn’t know that already Camp camp camp Nancy had been talking about it for weeks And there it was right on her T-shirt in big letters Girl Power 4-Ever For spring break Nancy was going to Girl Power 4-Ever Camp Bean was too young for Girl Power 4-Ever Camp You had to be eleven If you were seven like some people the only camp you could go to was Puppet Fun Bean would never in a million years go to Puppet Fun Nancy dropped her backpack on the kitchen table and opened one of its many pockets Nancy’s backpack was a fancy 8
zebra-striped kind There was a tiny troll doll attached to one of its zippers Bean’s backpack was dirty and orange and she had tried to draw an eagle on the front but it hadn’t turned out right It looked like a slug with wings Nancy pulled out her special folding brush and brushed her already-brushed hair Without even looking she made a ponytail and fi xed it with a sparkly scrunchie Hurry up she said to Bean Just eat it Bean took a long slow slurp I don’t see why I have to hurry she said I’m not going to your old camp You can go when you’re eleven Nancy said Bean scowled No way Camp Ha Not for me She shook her head I’ve got too much other stuff to do 9
Nancy smiled What kind of stuff Bean shook her head like she had so much to do that she couldn’t even begin to tell about it Nancy patted her shoulder sympathetically Finish your cereal You have to go with Mom to drop me off at camp Stop feeling sorry for me snapped Bean But Nancy had already left the room her ponytail swishing on her way to have secret big-kid fun that Bean wasn’t allowed to have Bean pushed out her chair and stood up I’m not a baby you know she yelled Five million girls in pink Girl Power 4-Ever shirts were squirming around outside the Youth Center waiting for camp to begin They hugged each other and squealed They showed each other their cell phones They sang 10
They danced They giggled They were all bouncy and happy and busy Bean stood beside her mother Unbouncy unhappy unbusy She watched as Nancy rushed to her friend Didi Once they had 11
