Free Cam Jansen and the Valentine Baby Mystery by David A. Adler, Susanna Natti

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    First published in the United States of America by Viking,
a division of Penguin Young Readers Group, 2005
Published by Puffin Books, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group, 2006
    This edition published by Puffin Books, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group, 2011
    Text copyright © David A. Adler, 2005
Interior illustrations copyright © Susanna Natti, 2005
Logo illustration copyright © Penguin Young Readers Group, 2010
All rights reserved
    CIP DATA IS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST FROM THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
    Puffin Books ISBN 978-1-101-66162-8
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For Anne R. G.
    with thanks
    —D. A.
    To Lydia
    —S. N.

C HAPTER O NE

    “Hey, look at this,” Danny said.
    Cam Jansen and her friends Eric and Beth looked.
    Danny put a straw into his milk container. He blew milk bubbles that spilled onto the lunchroom table.
    “That’s not funny,” Eric said.
    “Well, this will be funny,” Danny said.
    His cream cheese and jelly sandwich, a large heart-shaped cookie, and an apple were on the table. Danny unwrapped the sandwich, took off the top piece of bread, and put it on his nose. It stuck.
    Cam and Eric started talking about math. Their teacher, Ms. Benson, had just taught a lesson on different kinds of triangles. Beth ate her sandwich.
    “You’re not looking. You’re not laughing,” Danny said.
    “I’m eating,” Beth told him. “That’s why I’m here.”
    Danny took the bread off his nose and put it on his chin.
    “Look now,” he said. “I have a beard. I’m Abraham Lincoln.”
    “Danny, why don’t you just eat your lunch,” Beth said. She showed Danny his heart-shaped cookie. “Look at what your mother wrote on your dessert.”
    I Love You
was written in red icing across the front of the cookie.
    “That’s because it’s Valentine’s Day,” Danny said. “She always gives me heart cookies on Valentine’s Day.”
    Beth told him, “Your mother wants you to eat your lunch.”
    “And I want to
wear
my lunch,” Danny said.
    When Danny spoke, the bread on his chin went up and down. Children at the next table laughed.
    “Don’t laugh,” Beth told them. “If you laugh when he’s silly, he gets sillier.”
    Danny did get sillier. He stood on his chair and made chicken noises.
    “Cluck! Cluck! Cluck!”

    He held up his apple and said, “I laid a red egg.” He hugged it and said, “My little baby.”
    The children at the next table didn’t laugh.
    “You’re right,” a boy said. “He did get sillier.”
    Danny looked at the children at the next