When Mr. Simmons, Arnold's teacher, announces that next weekend is the annual Parents Day Tournament Weekend, all of the fourth-grade kids are excited. Everyone except Arnold, that is. He doesn't have parents, and even though Grandma and Grandpa are ready to compete in the tournament with him, Arnold feels too sad to compete. What's more, Arnold doesn't know what really happened to his mom and dad. Will Grandpa tell Arnold the real story of what happened to his parents? Find out in this heartwarming story.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Chapter 1
"'Take my hand, we'll have to jump!'" Grandpa yelled, waving his arms and crouching down as if pretending to jump himself. "The poison-tipped arrows rained around your mom and dad as they looked down from the top of the three-hundred-foot waterfall!" Grandpa jumped from Arnold's bed to the floor. "Together, they took a flying leap into the churning foam below! Fortunately, they were both expert divers and swimmers, so surviving the jump was a piece of cake."
Arnold, sitting up in his bed, nodded and smiled. "And then they made it to their plane, and took off...."
"And that's how your parents escaped the forbidden jungle with the rare orchid serum, and saved the remote village from the horrible sleeping sickness," Grandpa finished.
Arnold settled back into his pillow. "That's my favorite part of the story -- when they get out just in time."
"To be continued tomorrow night," Grandpa said as he tucked him in. "Same time, same place."
Arnold smiled. "Aww, just one more story."
"Nope -- always leave 'em askin' for more, Short Man. Now go to sleep, you got school tomorrow."
The next day at school, Mr. Simmons stood at the front of the fourth-grade class with an exasperated look on his face. "Attention, boys and girls. Listening ears! Attention! This is really important to me!"
Everyone finally looked his way. "Now, I'm passing out another flyer to remind you about Parents Tournament Weekend. That's this weekend." Mr. Simmons held up one of the flyers. "Come one, come all. Games, food, and prizes."
"What prizes?" Stinky asked.
Mr. Simmons pretended not to hear the question. "Parents Tournament Weekend will be a heartfelt celebration of your parents -- those special people, your moms and dads -- who take the responsibility to raise you, to teach and protect you, and to prepare you for that big, wonderfully complicated world out there."
"Cut to the chase, Simmons." Helga scowled. "What are the prizes?"
Mr. Simmons reached under his desk and pulled up a large, gleaming, golden trophy cup. "The team with the highest score will win this handsome trophy! And the second and third place winners will receive these attractive ribbons."
The room buzzed with excitement. Stinky leaned over to Arnold.
"Are you competin' too, Arnold? I mean, by bringin' your grandma and grandpa as parents? Since you don't got no -- "
Gerald quickly jabbed Stinky in the side.
"OWW! What'd ya poke me for, Gerald?"
"Stink-yyy!" Gerald rolled his eyes in the direction of Arnold, who looked down at his flyer, embarrassed.
The bell rang. "So tell your parents you need a good night's sleep, boys and girls!" Mr. Simmons exclaimed. "The festivities start first thing tomorrow morning!"
The kids all rushed for the door. Arnold got up and wadded his flyer into a ball.
"Ready to go, Arnold?" Gerald was waiting for him in the hall.
"Yeah, I'm coming," Arnold said sadly as he tossed his crumpled flyer into a garbage can and followed Gerald down the hall.
Copyright © 2001 by Viacom International Inc.
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