Read Online A Big Year for Lily by Suzanne Woods Fisher, Mary Ann Kinsinger - Free Book Online

put potato chips into my lunch box,” she said. “My apple slices are missing.”
    Lavina looked up, shocked. “They’re mine! Here are your apples.”
    Lily traded with her and went back to her desk.
    Aaron Yoder raised his hand. “I know how those chips got into Lily’s lunch box.”
    Lily’s head whipped around to face Aaron. “How?” Teacher Rhoda and Lily asked at the exact same time.
    Aaron looked at Effie. “I saw Effie do it in first recess.”
    Lily didn’t know whether to be suspicious about what Aaron said or amazed that he was sticking up for her.
    â€œEffie, what do you have to say about that?” Teacher Rhoda asked.
    Instantly, an expression of great boredom fell over Effie’s face. Lily thought she might yawn.
    That only made Teacher Rhoda angry. “Effie, you willstay in after everyone else is done eating. And I think we all owe Lily an apology for blaming her for stealing lunches.”
    It was the best recess of Lily’s life. Naturally, she didn’t gloat. But she was quite satisfied with how things had turned out. Shocked that Aaron Yoder had done her a good turn. She felt light and happy and giggly, even though her hand still hurt from writing all those lines. She hoped that Teacher Rhoda would make Effie write thousands and thousands of lines. Maybe even a million.

13 Lily Bones
    L ily stretched her toes to touch the last few leaves left on the branch above her as Joseph pushed the swing as hard as he could. Autumn was under way and soon it would be too cold to swing. They loved to play on the swing Papa had made in the big tree in front of the house. It was fun to sail through the air. Lily felt light and happy all over.
    Joseph stood to the side of the swing. “It’s my turn now.” When the swing slowed down, Lily hopped off. Joseph climbed on the swing and Lily started pushing him—higher and higher, faster and faster. They were having a contest to see who could touch the last red leaf clinging to a branch. As soon as Lily realized Joseph was about to reach it, she stopped pushing. He was close to touching it only because she was a much better swing pusher than he was. Joseph would just have to pump his legs harder.
    Something caught her eye. The curtain in the attic window ruffled in the breeze.
    She decided to take Sally, her doll, and a book up to the room to play. “I’m tired of swinging,” she said. She ran to the house.
    â€œHey!” Joseph yelled. “Not fair! Come back! I still need a few more pushes.”
    Lily ran back and gave him a few more pushes. Then she went to the house and found her doll and book. She ran up the stairs and into the little attic bedroom. Her gaze swept the empty room and she sighed. It was so lovely. Even without her furniture and purple rag rug.
    Lily changed her doll’s dress and rocked her to sleep. She lay Sally carefully on a blanket and swaddled her, the way she had seen Mama swaddle baby Paul when he was a newborn. But playing with Sally wasn’t as much fun as it used to be. Sally had become a little dull.
    Her tummy growled. She thought she might go back down to the kitchen and get a snack when she remembered the glass chimney covered with gooey marshmallows that she had hidden underneath a dresser. It had been only a week. If she were very, very careful, maybe she could scrape some leftover marshmallow off a large piece and eat it for a snack!
    She crouched down on her knees and put a hand under the dresser. She felt cobwebs and dust, then her hand touched the paper bag that held the chimney pieces. She pulled it out from under the dresser and opened the bag—then gagged. What had happened to the marshmallow? There was fuzzy, grayish-green mold covering the chimney. It smelled horrible. She tucked it back under the dresser, as far as it would go, and decided she wasn’t hungry after all.
    Lily picked up her book and soon was lost