To Mom Dad and Elliott and all the memories we share together
BACKPACKS Mom always says everyone could learn a thing or two if they would just think of each other's backpacks more often I wish I would have understood what that meant sooner I mean there are a lot of people I could try to blame for what happened I could blame Dad because he made me take the ridiculous ridiculous job in the first place I could blame Elliott because he's my brother Do I need another reason I could blame my girlfriend Grace too but she was just trying to help So that leaves Nora Nora and all her mysteriousness And those googly eyes Those bulging googly eyes I could easily blame her too In the end though it was my fault Yup me Matt Sprouts Even if Nora did play a huge role in all the problems
8 MATT SPROUTS AND THE DAY NORA ATE THE SUN But it was also Nora who helped me finally understand Mom's advice Because in this story all that really matters is the day Nora ate the sun That day changed everything I thought I knew about anything So it's probably best for you to try what my mom says I'll tell the story and you pay attention and see if you can think about what some people might have in their backpack Because I certainly wasn't and I wish I would have from the start
CHAPTER 1 UNDERWEAR It was the end of sixth grade and summer had finally arrived Usually I would have a list of the things I planned to do to make the summer better than the last one However after last year anything could be better You see last year I spent all my time worrying about the Curse After breaking my neighbor Jenna's collarbone it was an accident I promise the Curse a hometown legend that haunts a kid who does something bad followed me around all year making life absolutely miserable I got trampled trampled by a llama I crashed my snowboard and I even fainted in a waterslide And each time it was the same result A broken toe But I solved it with the help of my friends and we were able to break the Curse before it caused any more damage Now I am really just happy to walk around without the fear of being chased down by grumpy poop-stained cows
