The Ghost of P.S. 42

by Frank Asch; John Kanzler

• ISBN13: 9780689846533
• ISBN10: 0689846533
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2002-09-01
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

Summary

Molly and her brother Jake are two mice in search of the perfect home when they enter P.S. #42, but they soon discover that the school has as many dangers as wonders--including the ghost of a class pet.

Author Biography

Frank Asch has written and illustrated nearly sixty children's books, including picture books, poetry, and novels. He is perhaps best known as the creator of the Moonbear series. He perfoms puppet shows for home-schooled children in his hometown of Middletown Springs, Vermont. You can visit the author's Web site at www.frankasch.com. Want to read about the Class Pets fo P.S. 42? Visit www.classpets.com

Excerpts

Chapter 2

In the rear of the vacant lot stood a tall wooden fence. Molly slipped under with ease, but Jake had to search around for a knothole large enough for him to squeeze through. On the other side they found themselves standing on blacktop beside a swing set. Next to the swing set was a slide and a set of monkey bars.

"What kind of weird stuff is this?" wondered Jake out loud.

Molly sniffed the base of the monkey bars. "Smells like kid sweat." She sniffed again. "Kid sweat, chewing gum, and soda pop."

"And what's that?" Jake pointed toward an old brick building with large windows and white trim.

"Kind of big to be a house," said Molly. "Maybe it's a store?"

The letters and numbers above the front door read: P.S. 42.

"Can you read that?" asked Jake.

Molly had taught herself how to read a few labels by watching Deli Dan unpack cartons of food in the basement.

"All I see is a P and an S," she replied after some careful thought. "The P could mean pickles, pork, or popcorn. And the S could stand for soup, sauerkraut, or sandwiches. But I have no idea what those numbers are all about."

"I love popcorn," said Jake. "I say we go inside and check this place out."

At the corner of P.S. 42 Molly found a crack in the cement block foundation. The crack was just a little larger than her head.

"Never go where your whiskers aren't welcome," said Jake, quoting their poppa.

"My whiskers fit fine," replied Molly. "It's the rest of me I'm worried about."

"Here, let me give you a push," said Jake, and he shoved his sister through the crack.

Once inside, Molly called out, "It's nice and warm in here. I think I'm in some kind of kitchen."

"Smells good to me!" squeaked Jake. "How's the rat situation?"

Molly sniffed and sniffed again.

"No scent of rats whatsoever!" she reported.

"Good, I'll be right there!" said Jake, and he stuck his nose into the crack.

Molly waited for a full minute before she grew impatient. "What's taking so long?" she called through the crack. "I want to go exploring."

"I can't fit," confessed Jake after his third try.

"Do you want me to come out?" offered Molly.

"No, don't bother," grumbled Jake. "I'll find some other way in and meet you on the inside."

"Oh, Jake, do be careful," warned Molly.

"That goes double for you, Sis," replied Jake.

Text copyright © 2002 by Frank Asch
Illustrations copyright © 2002 by John Kanzler