Grumplets and Pests: Zoey and Sassafras #7

PROLOGUE

These days my cat Sassafras and I are always desperately hoping we’ll hear our barn doorbell.

I know most people are excited to hear their doorbell ring. It might mean a present or package delivery, or a friend showing up to play. But our doorbell is even more exciting than that. Because it’s a magic doorbell. When it rings, it means there’s a magical animal waiting outside our barn. A magical animal who needs our help.

My mom’s been helping them basically her whole life. And now I get to help, too…

CHAPTER 1

GROWING FOOD

Blech! Pip wrinkled his froggy nose as he poked at a leaf in my garden. Humans really eat these things?

I giggled and nodded. Kale is totally delicious! My mom makes kale chips by tearing it up, adding a little salt, and baking it in the oven. They taste just like potato chips—yum!

Pip narrowed his eyes at me. Potatoes are also a weird thing to eat. Humans are so strange.

Mrrowww? Sassafras tapped a kale plant further down the row.

Oh no, not you, too! I scooted over and ruffled his fur. But he didn’t look up at me. Instead he kept poking at a kale leaf. He sniffed at the leaf’s underside and leapt backward.

Oooh, what is that? I touched what looked like a pile of tiny green dots on the bottom of my kale leaf. They moved. Whoaaa!

Sassafras started sneezing and snorting. He batted at his nose with his paws.

Oh dear. I grabbed him and plucked a single green dot off his nose. I held it up to my face and squinted. I see six legs! It must be some kind of insect?

Oooh, an insect? Pip hopped over. Finally, something delicious in your garden!

Ha, I said as I got down on my stomach to take a closer look at the kale leaf. Nooo! There are a ton of tiny holes. These bugs are eating my kale!

I tried shaking the leaf, and Sassafras tried batting at it, but the bugs stayed put.

Allow me! said Pip. He reached out, pulled off a bug, and popped it on his tongue. But then he made an O shape with his mouth and his eyes crossed. Ew! They’re so sour! He handed the wet bug back to me. Sorry, Zoey.

Um… I wiped the slobbery bug on my pants. Thanks for trying, Pip. I sat down with a big sigh. We can’t get them off—and there are so many! Apparently they’re too gross to eat. But they’re going to eat all of my kale if we don’t do something!

Pip patted my arm. I’m sure you’ll think of a plan, Zoey!

I turned to Sassafras. What do you think, Sass? Any ideas? But he wasn’t