Owl Diaries #1: Eva's Treetop Festival (A Branches Book) Read online

  Rebecca

  Elliott

  Eva’s Treetop Festival

  Eva’s Treetop Festival

  1

  2

  Read more

  OWL DIARIES

  books!

  TM

  Rebecca

  Elliott

  Eva’s Treetop Festival

  For Clementine. My wide-eyed

  little night owl.

  -

  R.E.

  Special thanks to Eva Montgomery.

  All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright

  Conventions. No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted,

  downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any

  information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether

  electronic or mechanical, now known or hereafter invented, without the express

  written permission of the publisher. For information regarding permission, write

  to Scholastic Inc., Attention: Permissions Department, 557 Broadway, New York,

  NY 10012.

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Elliott, Rebecca, author.

  Eva’s treetop festival / by Rebecca Elliott.

  pages cm.

  -

  (Owl diaries ; 1)

  Summary: Having a Bloomtastic Festival at school to celebrate spring is

  a great idea

  -

  but Eva Wingdale, a young owl, discovers that it is also a

  lot of work, and there is nothing wrong with asking her friends for help.

  ISBN 0-545-68362-9 (pbk.)

  -

  ISBN 0-545-68363-7 (hardcover)

  -

  ISBN 0-545-68378-5 (ebook) 1. Owls

  -

  Juvenile fiction.

  2.Festivals

  -

  Juvenile fiction. 3. Diaries

  -

  Juvenile fiction.

  4.Elementary schools

  -

  Juvenile fiction. 5. Help-seeking behavior

  -

  Juvenile

  fiction. 6. Friendship

  -

  Juvenile fiction. [1. Owls

  -

  Fiction. 2.

  Festivals

  -

  Fiction. 3. Schools

  -

  Fiction. 4. Helpfulness

  -

  Fiction.

  5. Friendship

  -

  Fiction. 6. Diaries

  -

  Fiction.] I. Title.

  PZ7.E45812Ev 2015

  [Fic]

  -

  dc23

  2013050684

  e-ISBN 978-0-545-68378-4

  Copyright © 2015 by Rebecca Elliott

  All rights reserved. Published by Scholastic Inc.

  SCHOLASTIC, BRANCHES, and associated logos are trademarks and/or

  registered trademarks of Scholastic Inc.

  First Scholastic printing, January 2015

  Book design by Marissa Asuncion

  Edited by Katie Carella

  1

  Meet Eva 1

  2

  Bored, Bored, BORED! 12

  3

  Miss Featherbottom 18

  4

  Meany McMeanerson 28

  5

  Practice Makes Perfect 36

  6

  Time Flies! 42

  7

  Too-Hoo Much to Do 46

  8

  A Helping Wing 51

  9

  An Odd Day 56

  10

  The Festival 60

  11

  Blooming Fabulous! 67

  Table of Contents

  Tuesday

  Hello Diary,

  My name is Eva Wingdale. I live at

  Treehouse 11 on Woodpine Avenue in

  Treetopolis.

  Meet Eva

  I love:

  Drawing

  YOU

  -

  my new diary!

  Colors (especially red)

  Making stuff

  The word pumpkin

  Cool clothes

  School

  Being busy

  I DO NOT love:

  My brother Humphrey’s

  stinky socks

  Cleaning my beak

  Sue Clawson

  (She is REALLY mean!)

  The word plop

  Asking for help

  Mom’s slug sandwiches

  Being bored

  Squirrels

  Oh, and I’m an owl!

  We’re awake in the nighttime.

  We’re asleep in the daytime.

  We can turn our heads

  almost all the way around.

  And we can fly!

  Owls are super cool.

  Here is my owl family:

  Mom

  Dad

  Me

  Humphrey

  Baby Mo

  AND here is my pet bat, Baxter!

  He’s so cute!

  My very BEST friend in the whole

  owliverse is Lucy Beakman.

  Lucy lives in the tree next door to

  mine. We have sleepovers all the time!

  Oh, no! I’m late for school! I’ll write

  again tomorrow, Diary.

  Lucy also sits next to me at school.

  Here is a photo of our class:

  George

  Sue

  Me

  Lucy

  Miss Featherbottom

  Macy Zac

  Carlos Jacob

  Lilly

  Zara

  Wednesday

  When I got home from school today, I

  did the same things I always do.

  I took Baxter for a fly.

  Bored, Bored, BORED!

  I ate a snack.

  I did my Winglish homework.

  I did arts and crafts.

  I made this cool

  bead bracelet!

  I tried on new outfits.

  I had a fight with Humphrey. He left his

  stinky socks in my bedroom AGAIN! He is

  such a squirrel-head!

  But after all that, I still had HOURS

  to go before sunrise. I had nothing to do!

  I called Lucy.

  Sorry! I can’t.

  Tomorrow is the first

  day of spring, so

  my mom and I are

  planting flowers.

  Flowers? Spring?!

  Lucy, you are

  a genius!

  Huh? I am?

  Okay, then!

  Gotta go!

  Bye, Eva!

  Lucy! I am SO

  bored! Can you

  come over?

  Thank goodness for Lucy! She just

  gave me the most FLAPPY-FABULOUS

  idea!! I need to brainstorm! I’ll be back!

  Okay, Diary. I’ve been thinking and

  thinking. Now I have the BEST plan

  ever! But there is no time to tell you.

  I’m off to bed. I cannot wait to tell Lucy

  (and YOU) all about it tomorrow!

  Thursday

  Hi Diary,

  I told Lucy about my big plan on our

  flight to school tonight.

  Miss Featherbottom

  I am going to organize the

  first-ever . . . Treetop Owlementary

  BLOOMTASTIC FESTIVAL!

  It’s going to be feather-flapping good!

  There will be fun conte
sts

  -

  a talent

  show, a bake-off, a fashion show, and

  an art show! And I’ll make prizes!

  Lucy really liked my idea.

  Wow, Eva, that sounds

  flap-tastic! When will you

  ask Miss Featherbottom

  about it?

  Oh, Eva! She’ll

  LOVE it! It sounds like

  a lot of work. But it is

  a great idea!

  Tonight. But I’m a bit

  scared she won’t

  like my idea.

  I went to see Miss Featherbottom,

  our teacher, as soon as I got to class.

  We always celebrate

  holidays in our classroom,

  but I was thinking . . .

  Because today is the

  first day of spring, our

  class could have a spring

  festival! And I’d like to

  organize it, if that’s okay?

  The festival would be

  called the Bloomtastic

  Festival. Because spring

  is when flowers come

  out

  -

  or, um, bloom.

  This festival would be

  ALL about flowers!

  Miss Featherbottom didn’t say

  anything. So I kept talking. I told her

  about the contests and the prizes.

  Finally, Miss Featherbottom smiled.

  A spring festival is a fabulous idea, Eva!

  What a hoot! And, yes, you may be

  in charge. But please, dear, don’t take

  on too much yourself. Share the work.

  Oh, and the festival can be

  next Thursday. We will give out

  your prizes next Friday.

  Uh-oh, Diary. Next Thursday is only

  a week away! How will I get everything

  done in time?!

  But I’m just SO very happy that

  Miss Featherbottom liked my idea!

  YAY!

  I told Lucy everything right before

  class.

  Lucy is the best friend EVER. She

  always knows what to do.

  Lucy, guess what!

  Miss Featherbottom

  loved my idea!

  But I have only

  seven days to get

  everything ready!

  Where do I start?

  That’s flaperrific, Eva!

  Make a to-do list.

  Then you’ll know

  what you need

  to get done.

  As soon as I got home, I wrote my

  to-do list:

  1.

  Paint the set for

  the talent show

  2. Set up tables for

  the bake-off

  3.

  Hang frames for

  the art show

  4. Build the runway for

  the fashion show

  5.

  Make prizes

  This is a great, long list! I know one

  thing, Diary: I won’t be bored anymore!

  YAY! I’m off to sleep now. Good day!

  The Bloomtastic

  Festival will be next

  Thursday! There will

  be four contests for

  you to enter. And

  I will be giving

  out prizes next

  Friday.

  Friday

  Tonight was NOT a good night.

  First, Miss Featherbottom told our

  class about the festival.

  Meany McMeanerson

  Then she asked me to come up front.

  I was a bit nervous as I flew up there.

  I told everyone how the festival is all

  about flowers. Then I told them where

  to sign up for the contests.

  Everything was going well.

  BUT THEN, Sue Clawson said

  something really bossy.

  Great idea,

  Eva!

  Awesome!

  My wings got all shaky. Everyone

  was looking at me. I did not like it.

  Why are YOU in charge, Eva?

  Who made you festival queen?

  I flew back to my seat.

  I’m in charge of the festival

  because . . . uh . . . it was my idea.

  And I want everyone to have fun.

  I don’t want anyone else to have to

  worry about getting things ready.

  Well, I should be in

  charge of the fashion

  show. My mom is a

  fashion designer!

  I’ve got that

  taken care of.

  But thank you, Sue.

  Sue is always sticking her beak

  into my business. And she is always

  SO mean. Her name should be Meany

  McMeanerson.

  One time Sue told me my mom makes

  stinky sandwiches. (This is true, but she

  still shouldn’t have said it.)

  Then Miss Featherbottom

  stood up.

  After I organize this amazing festival,

  I hope Miss Featherbottom will say

  something nice like that about me, too.

  Settle down, everyone.

  I’m sure Eva will ask for some

  help. And I want you all to have

  Sue’s excellent, helpful attitude!

  You’re setting a wonderful

  example, Sue. Thank you.

  Wait, Diary! My night got even worse

  after that! Sue walked over to me at

  lunch.

  Argh! Meany McMeanerson is such a

  meany!

  Good luck building the

  runway on your own, Eva.

  You’re going to need it!

  Before bed, I tried not to think about

  what Sue had said. I’m sure I can build a

  great runway. Right, Diary?

  Now I’m worrying about everything I

  have to do for the festival. This will be

  a busy weekend!

  Sleep tight, Diary!

  Saturday

  Today, I started to paint the talent

  show set.

  Lucy came over to keep me

  company

  -

  and to work on her contest

  entries. Since I am

  planning the festival,

  I won’t be entering

  the contests. So I

  wanted to help Lucy!

  Practice Makes Perfect

  I gave her my yummiest cupcake

  recipe for the bake-off.

  I promised to help her bake after

  school on Wednesday. That way, her

  cupcakes will be super- fresh for

  Thursday’s contest.

  Eva’s Scrummy Cupcakes

  1 cup birdseed

  1 cup flour

  1 cup acorns

  2 slugs

  - Mix everything together

  - Bake for 20 minutes

  - Let cupcakes cool

  - Put loads of icing on top

  - Enjoy!

  Next, I helped Lucy choose an outfit

  for the fashion show.

  Then she painted a picture of her pet

  lizard, Rex, for the art show. That was

  such a hoot!

  I drew a picture of Baxter wearing

  a bunny costume, too.

  Just before bed, I helped Lucy

  practice some dance moves for the

  talent show.

  Baxter really liked our moves!

  He is such a squirrel-head.

  I didn’t finish painting the set today.

  But I have all day tomorrow. So don’t

  worry, Diary. Anyhoot, this festival is

  going to be great!

  Humphrey did not.

  Ha! You two look like a

 
couple of crazy flamingoes

  doing the cha-cha!

  Sunday

  Hi Diary,

  I’m awake super-early!

  I haven’t finished the talent show set

  yet, but I want to start building the

  runway today. (I’ll show Sue that I can

  do this on my own!)

  Time Flies!

  I also have to make the prizes for

  the festival

  -

  they’re going to be SO

  amazing!

  Uh-oh. Mom’s calling me. I’ll be back,

  Diary.

  Eva!

  I’m back!

  Humphrey and I spent the night with

  Granny Owlberta and Grandpa Owlfred!

  It was great to see them. But it’s

  almost daytime already! I haven’t gotten

  anything done! EEK! And now the phone

  is ringing!

  Granny

  Grandpa

  Lucy called to see how I’m doing with

  my to-do list.

  Time flew this weekend!

  Sorry I can’t write more, Diary.

  But I have to make the prizes

  before bed. Gotta fly! Bye!

  Not great, Lucy! I’ve

  just been so busy!

  Thanks, Lucy,

  but I still think

  I’ll be okay.

  Feathering flaps,

  Eva! The Bloomtastic

  Festival is only four

  days away! Are you

  sure you don’t want

  any help?

  Monday

  Too-Hoo Much to Do

  The festival is only THREE DAYS

  AWAY!

  I’ve been so busy helping Lucy and

  creating the best prizes EVER that

  nothing else is ready! (But the prizes