Free The Case of the Library Monster by Dori Hillestad Butler, Jeremy Tugeau, Dan Crisp Page B

Reptile Guy,” she says. “I’m Mrs. Christie.”
    What’s a reptile guy? I wonder.
    I walk all around him, sniffing him up and down. I thought that monster smelled strange. This guy, and the stuff he’s carrying, smells even stranger. Like sand, sticks, water, hot light bulbs, and something else. Something alive . There’s something alive in both of his cases.
    The man sets one of the cases on the floor and shakes Mrs. Christie’s hand. “Yes, I’m Bob,” he says. He offers his hand to Mrs. Argus, too, and she shakes it, but I can tell she doesn’t want to.
    “We’re so happy to have you here,” Mrs. Christie says. “Let me introduce you to Mrs. Warner and she can show you where to set up.” She leads me and the reptile guy back to the storytime area.
    “Uh ... what about the monster?” I ask. We don’t want a strange monster running around loose in the library, do we?
    Of course, I also want to know what’s inside those cases. They smell so ... interesting!
    I sniff the case on the floor. I hear a soft “sssss” sound inside. What is that?
    Sniff ... sniff ... Is there a snake in that case? I’ve smelled snakes before, but I’ve never actually met one. They always slither away before I can meet them. I hope I can meet this one!
    “I have quite a bit more to carry in,” Bob says. “Why don’t I go get everything else out of my van and then you can introduce me to Mrs. Warner.”
    Mrs. Warner is talking to a group of kids over by the computers, but she hurries over before Bob can leave.
    “I’m Mrs. Warner,” she says, holding out her hand. “You must be Bob. Thank you for coming today.”
    Bob shakes her hand. “My pleasure,” he says.
    “Mrs. Christie, would you help Mrs. Argus’s class find some books?” Mrs. Warner asks. “I’ll take Bob to the office to meet Mrs. Keene.” She turns to Bob. “While we’re there, we’ll page Mr. Poe. He can help you bring your things in.”
    “Okay,” Bob nods.
    “Do you want to take Buddy to the office with you?” Mrs. Christie asks.
    “Sure.” Mrs. Warner reaches for my leash.
    I groan. I don’t want to go back to the office. I want to meet the snake. I want to meet whoever’s inside the other case. And I still have to find the monster that’s hiding in the bookshelves. I don’t think Mrs. Warner even knows there’s a monster loose in her library.
    “Come on, Buddy,” Mrs. Warner says. “No pulling on the leash.”
    “But ... but,” I say. But it’s no use. Mrs. Warner and the reptile guy walk me to the office.

3
Who Ever Heard of a Blue-Tongued Skink?
    I sit on my pillow and watch long lines of kids troop past the office. I smell excitement in the air. Those kids must be going someplace fun.
    “Stay here, Buddy,” Mom says from her desk. “Lie back down on your pillow.”
    I sigh and lie down. I bet those kids are going to the library. I bet they’re going to meet Bob, the Reptile Guy, his snake, and whatever else he brought. Maybe they’ll even see the monster.
    I hate that there are interesting things going on in this school without me.
    If I listen hard, I can hear kids laughing and clapping and oohing and aahing in the distance. I wish I knew what they were laughing and clapping and oohing and aahing about.
    After ten or twenty hours, Mom stands up. She grabs my leash. Oh, boy! I wag my tail. We’re going somewhere!
    “Ellie?” Mom says to the lady in the main office outside Mom’s office. “I’m going to the library. I’d like to catch the end of the reptile presentation.”
    Oh, boy! The library! I’ll get to meet that snake after all.
    “Okay,” Ellie says. “Do you want to leave Buddy here with me while you go?”
    What? NO!
    “You don’t mind?” Mom asks.
    “Not at all,” Ellie replies. “Buddy and I are good friends. Would you like a treat, Buddy?”
    Treat? I swivel around so I’m facing Ellie. She tosses me a liver treat and I catch it in my mouth. I LOVE liver treats. They’re my favorite