#louissachar

[theblerdbox]

“My dear, I am afraid you come from a long line of mothers who fear their daughters.”

Wicked Games: Desperado Book #2 (Wattpad |AO3)

@ocfairygodmother

[livingintheinkworld-blog]

BFT Book Photo Challenge | Day 4: Goofy 🤪 • One of my teachers read this to us in elementary school, and I remember finding it hilarious! Louis Sachar was one of my favourite authors when I was younger 😊 • • • #bftchallenge #bpcforthoughts #booksforthoughts #louissachar #waysideschool #bookstagram #booksofinstagram #instabooks #bookphotography #books #bookish #booknerd #bookworm #bibliophile

[theblerdbox]

Plainville, Texas - 2013

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The bus ride from Austin to New Orleans was about 7 hours overnight. Chloe spent three of those hours trying to sleep, another three pretending to sleep, and one hour actually sleeping while her Auntie Ree blabbed to whoever would listen. Every time Chloe opened her eyes, her great-aunt was on a new subject with a new listener. She was the type of person you'd have to pry yourself from to end a conversation. When she called the Yelnats' residence at the usual time, on Sundays, the family of five took turns holding the phone, responding with "Wow", or "Mhm", and "Really?"' wherever necessary.

With her eyes squeezed shut and one cheek pressed against the cold Greyhound bus window, Chloe replayed the night before in her head. There was one decision that could have spared her summer plans -

I should have gone with him. Why didn't I go with him?

Chloe wasn't always an outsider. According to her mom and Auntie Ree, Hoodoo was "grown folks business", something that would find Chloe when she was old enough to handle it.

"For now," her mother said, "Just watch and learn."

But when Ellie was born, everything changed. Elya Elizabeth Yelnats was the perfect baby girl. So perfect, that their parents bothered to give her a middle name. Baby Chloe fussed endlessly, but baby Elya hummed melodies in her sleep. Chloe didn't speak until she was two years old, while Elya said her first words before her first Christmas. Chloe was born the night of the historic April Fool's Day Texas Blizzard. Yet, Elya, also born in April, arrived on a perfect spring afternoon.

"Not a cloud in the sky," their father recounted.

Naturally, daisies blossomed when Elya graced them, only to wilt upon Chloe's glare. Ellie could blow bubbles out of thin air, bring her stuffed animals to life, conjure rainstorms to get out of gym class and compel her teachers to reconsider that pop quiz they were planning for fifth period. When Chloe recited incantations from the Zeroni family grimoire, nothing happened. They were just words, coming from Chloe, nothing magical about them. But, somehow, Ellie was able to conjure her first spell before she could read, leaving their mother and great aunt, seasoned rootworkers, both impressed and disturbed. Rather than words, all Ellie needed was intent.

"A natural," said Auntie Ree.

"Don't worry, baby," their mom pinched Chloe's dimpled chin and raised it high, "I didn't conjure my first spell until my first period."

As far as Chloe knew, this was true for all of the Zeroni women before her. Nonetheless, when she turned 12, Chloe's first period came and went without magic insight. To boost her spirits, Uncle Hector took her to Build-A-Bear Workshop. She fell in love with googly-eyed moose, which they overstuffed, dressed in a polka-dot tie, and named Mr. Moose.

She lay on her bed, staring at Mr. Moose, whispering, "Move, please move."

"If it makes you feel any better," Uncle Hector casually leaned against her bedroom door, biting into an apple. His loud chewing interrupted her concentration, "I can't conjure either."

"You're a boy," Chloe sighed, "It's different for you."

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[jakidoodles]

Tonight's Reading Task 'She said his life would be like walking upstream in a rushing river. The secret was to take small steps and just keep moving forward. If he tried to take too big a step, the current would knock him off his feet and carry him back downstairs.' - Louis Sachar #currentlyreading📖 #bookstagram #readingchallenge2022 #louissachar #smallsteps #inspiringwords #bookpile (at Mandaue City) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cg4S0A7pkoy/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=