grabbed her purse, and off we went. And when we got to Dad's cubicle at the
Gazette
, Mom leaned around the corner and said, “Surprise!”
“Eve!” Dad said, standing up. Then he noticed me. “Nolan!”
“Hi, Dad!”
“Hey! I'm glad you caught me. I actually just got in from an assignment. Mr. Zilch had me chasing down some—”
“Steven,” my mom laughed, “don't you want to know why we're here?”
“Of course!” He looked at me. “You look like you have big news.”
I shrugged. “Well, no. I just changed my mind.”
“About your… ?” I could tell he was hoping it was about my project but didn't want to risk guessing.
I nodded. “About my project.”
“Well!” he said, a smile stretching across his face. He glanced at my mom, but she shook her head and said, “I had nothing to do with this, Steven, I promise. He came home from school wanting to see you.”
“So!” my dad said, smiling at me. “Am I calling the mayor? Mr. Zilch? Sarge?”
I shook my head. “I want to do my project on someone better than them.”
“Shhh!” Dad whispered, looking around for Mr. Zilch. “Uh, who do you have in mind?”
“Someone better than the mayor, or any sports hero, or the president, or even Bill Gates!”
“Someone better than… ?” His voice trailed off and he took a deep breath. “Nolan, when I said I could get you in touch with people, I meant in this community. I didn't mean the president. Or Bill Gates!”
“Da-ad!” I said, grinning. “Someone
better
than them!”
His eyes shifted from me to my mom and back again.
I laughed. “I want to do my project on you!”
He stared at me.
He stared some more.
Then his chin started quivering.
“On…me…?”
I nodded.
He gave me a hug. Even picked me off the floor a little!
“Da-ad!” I said, but it felt good.
Super good.
CHAPTER 16
Shredderman Lives!
When Bubba came back to school, he was meaner than ever.
He called us names.
He shoved.
He yelled.
He hadn't changed a bit.
What
had
changed was everyone else.
“My name's not Stupid, Alvin, it's Rodney.”
“Hey, Alvin! The back of the line's over there! Quit trying to cut.”
“No, I'm not gonna give you money. Ask yo mama to give you dough!”
Even Max and Kevin were avoiding him. “You think I want to be a dumbmunk the rest of my life? No way!”
Things
had
changed.
Things
were
better.
For me, too.
For one thing, I got my name back. Only two people called me Nerd all day, and believe me, I set them straight.
For another, I
feel
different.
Stronger.
Smarter.
Braver.
Like a superhero should.
And maybe I can't leap tall buildings in a single bound. Or stop a locomotive from steaming down the track. Maybe I can't even make it to server on the four-square court. But inside, I'm happy.
Inside, I know I
can
find ways to fight for truth and justice.
Inside, I know I
can
change the world—even if it's just my little corner of it.
Inside, Shredderman lives!
WENDELIN VAN DRAANEN
For Colton, my inspiration
BRIAN BIGGS
A truckload of thanks to Wilson, Elliot, and Jessica for keeping an eye on each
other and remembering to take me out to play. A special thank-you goes to Isabel
and Nancy for taking the chance.
Text copyright © 2004 by Wendelin Van Draanen Parsons
Illustrations copyright © 2004 by Brian Biggs
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or
by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by
any information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the publisher,
except where permitted by law. For information address Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers.
Visit us on the Web! www.randomhouse.com/kids and www.shredderman.com
Educators and librarians, for a variety of teaching tools, visit us at
www.randomhouse.com/teachers
eISBN: 978-0-307-55968-5
v3.0
Gazette
, Mom leaned around the corner and said, “Surprise!”
“Eve!” Dad said, standing up. Then he noticed me. “Nolan!”
“Hi, Dad!”
“Hey! I'm glad you caught me. I actually just got in from an assignment. Mr. Zilch had me chasing down some—”
“Steven,” my mom laughed, “don't you want to know why we're here?”
“Of course!” He looked at me. “You look like you have big news.”
I shrugged. “Well, no. I just changed my mind.”
“About your… ?” I could tell he was hoping it was about my project but didn't want to risk guessing.
I nodded. “About my project.”
“Well!” he said, a smile stretching across his face. He glanced at my mom, but she shook her head and said, “I had nothing to do with this, Steven, I promise. He came home from school wanting to see you.”
“So!” my dad said, smiling at me. “Am I calling the mayor? Mr. Zilch? Sarge?”
I shook my head. “I want to do my project on someone better than them.”
“Shhh!” Dad whispered, looking around for Mr. Zilch. “Uh, who do you have in mind?”
“Someone better than the mayor, or any sports hero, or the president, or even Bill Gates!”
“Someone better than… ?” His voice trailed off and he took a deep breath. “Nolan, when I said I could get you in touch with people, I meant in this community. I didn't mean the president. Or Bill Gates!”
“Da-ad!” I said, grinning. “Someone
better
than them!”
His eyes shifted from me to my mom and back again.
I laughed. “I want to do my project on you!”
He stared at me.
He stared some more.
Then his chin started quivering.
“On…me…?”
I nodded.
He gave me a hug. Even picked me off the floor a little!
“Da-ad!” I said, but it felt good.
Super good.
CHAPTER 16
Shredderman Lives!
When Bubba came back to school, he was meaner than ever.
He called us names.
He shoved.
He yelled.
He hadn't changed a bit.
What
had
changed was everyone else.
“My name's not Stupid, Alvin, it's Rodney.”
“Hey, Alvin! The back of the line's over there! Quit trying to cut.”
“No, I'm not gonna give you money. Ask yo mama to give you dough!”
Even Max and Kevin were avoiding him. “You think I want to be a dumbmunk the rest of my life? No way!”
Things
had
changed.
Things
were
better.
For me, too.
For one thing, I got my name back. Only two people called me Nerd all day, and believe me, I set them straight.
For another, I
feel
different.
Stronger.
Smarter.
Braver.
Like a superhero should.
And maybe I can't leap tall buildings in a single bound. Or stop a locomotive from steaming down the track. Maybe I can't even make it to server on the four-square court. But inside, I'm happy.
Inside, I know I
can
find ways to fight for truth and justice.
Inside, I know I
can
change the world—even if it's just my little corner of it.
Inside, Shredderman lives!
WENDELIN VAN DRAANEN
For Colton, my inspiration
BRIAN BIGGS
A truckload of thanks to Wilson, Elliot, and Jessica for keeping an eye on each
other and remembering to take me out to play. A special thank-you goes to Isabel
and Nancy for taking the chance.
Text copyright © 2004 by Wendelin Van Draanen Parsons
Illustrations copyright © 2004 by Brian Biggs
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or
by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by
any information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the publisher,
except where permitted by law. For information address Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers.
Visit us on the Web! www.randomhouse.com/kids and www.shredderman.com
Educators and librarians, for a variety of teaching tools, visit us at
www.randomhouse.com/teachers
eISBN: 978-0-307-55968-5
v3.0
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