Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat by Lynne Jonell Read Free Book Online Page B

got the National Snooper. Did you know that the English royal family are really descendants of Martians? And that Elvis has been reincarnated as a hound dog?”
    Emmy grinned.
    â€œI got stock tips from the New York Drone, and I was very interested in Psychology Piffle. But my favorite was Nummi Gourmet. Those pictures of chocolate mousse— mmmm —and toast points …
    â€œSpeaking of which—” The Rat’s tone sharpened. “What was it you said about sausages?”
    â€œI’ll see what I can bring back from breakfast. But I’ve got to hurry. And you’d better keep out of sight.”
    Â 
    The Rat sat on Emmy’s dresser and licked the last bit of breakfast sausage off his paws. “Excellent flavor,” he remarked. “But a little heavy on the lint. Did you have to put them in your pocket?”
    â€œYes,” said Emmy briefly, stuffing her homework into her backpack. It hadn’t been easy, sneaking them off her plate under the watchful eye of Mrs. Brecksniff—not to mention the cat, Muffy, who had a strong liking for sausages and a very persistent meow.
    â€œWeren’t there any peanut-butter cups?”
    â€œFor breakfast ?”
    â€œWhy not?” The Rat skipped nimbly onto Emmy’s arm and ran over her shoulder. Emmy felt a littlethump and a rummaging sort of feeling inside the pack on her back. “Just drop me off outside, will you?”
    Emmy shut the bedroom door behind her. “You think you’ll have better luck with the squirrels in my yard?”
    â€œI couldn’t have worse,” the Rat said grumpily. “That squirrel yesterday was an absolute moron. And the chipmunks weren’t much better. I could barely understand them, and they certainly didn’t understand me. ” A little worry crept into the Rat’s voice. “Perhaps I haven’t been educated properly. Maybe Teacher’s Tattle was right—American schools should offer more languages.”
    Emmy started down the stairs as the Rat burst out again, fretfully. “How can I be a star, a high-achieving rat, when I’ve never even studied Rodentese?”
    Emmy shrugged. “Nobody expects you to be anything more than an ordinary rat, as far as I know.”
    The Rat gave an incredulous snort. “And are you content to be just an ordinary girl?”
    Emmy trailed her hand along the smooth wood of the banister, wishing she dared slide down it. If shewere an ordinary girl, she would. If she were an ordinary girl, she’d have parents at home and cake on her birthday.
    â€œI wouldn’t mind being ordinary,” Emmy said.
    â€œAnd that,” said the Rat darkly, “is yet another flaw in the American school system. Low expectations. Leading—yourself as a prime example—to drab, ordinary children. Oh, the shame …”
    Emmy took the last four steps in one leap and landed in the kitchen with a bounce that shook the Rat into silence.
    â€œIs this my lunch, Maggie? Are there any peanut-butter cups?”
    â€œ Peanut-butter cups? ” Miss Barmy appeared in the doorway, abruptly reaching for the bag. “I’ve told you before, I won’t have this child poisoning herself with sugar! Now, what happened to those tofu muffins?” She rummaged in the refrigerator as she spoke, pulling out bran bars. “ This is the food a growing child needs.”
    Maggie glanced pityingly at Emmy as Miss Barmy repacked the lunch bag with a great noise of crinkling paper. The Rat poked his head out to see thecommotion, uttered a distressed squeak, and fell back in again.
    Emmy felt something brush against her leg. It was the cat.
    â€œOh, go away, you,” Emmy muttered. Muffy, staring earnestly at the backpack, began to meow.
    â€œThere!” Miss Barmy held out the lunch sack. “Why, whatever is the matter with that cat? It seems to be staring at your—”
    â€œMiss Barmy!” Emmy