Category: Young Adult/Teen Publisher: Dabs & Company
ISBN-10: 0615282911
Pages: 244
Copyright: June 3, 2013
ISBN-13: 9780615282916
Malcolm Bakersfield meets the mysterious Nia Stellar who changes his world forever with the touch of a magic pencil!
a powerful novel for youth, is the story of Malcolm Bakersfield and the star of his latest and greatest dream, Nia Stellar. Nia is "the new girl" at Gillespie School. Malcolm quickly notices she's definitely different from all of the other kids he knows. Malcolm becomes as mystified as Nia is mysterious. Many wonderful things continue to happen with Nia on the scene. She challenges Malc to be better than his best and he soon discovers amazing things about himself and the world! We join Malcolm in his quest to discover the secret to the power of the pencil! And we'll uncover hidden powers within ourselves, along the way.
Excerpt
PROLOGUE
Today is my brotha’s birthday. I’m gettin ready to look for him when my mother calls my name. “Yeah, Mom?”
“I want you to call Martin and tell him I made his favorite cake. Ask him what time he plans to be here so I’ll know if he’s coming for dinner.”
“I’m just bout to go find him. He’s probly up an out by now.” It’s one o’clock in the p.m. I figure he’ll be at one hangout or another.
“Well, I guess you know better than I. If you can’t find him at a halfway decent location--don’t go looking for him anywhere else-- all right?”
“OK. I’ll be back after a while. Oh, yeah. Is Jam gonna be home in time?”
“He plans to be. He’s rehearsing til about five. Depends on the time Martin wants to come.”
“Ah’ight, Ma.”
“Bye-bye brover. I lub you!”
I pick up my lil sista, kiss her an put her back down on the floor. She grabs at my keys cuz she wantstuh see my plastic good luck star. I let her jangle it against the keys an say: “Bye-bye to you too Jamilah Kibibi Hayes, and I love you!” Satisfied, she waddles back to our mother.
I get my bike from the basement an leave out on my way to Ole Jess Moon’s house. That’s usely the best place to find Martin. He’s practicly livin there now. I ride for bout ten minutes an turn a corner. There he is--standin like a prizefighter--lettin the sun hit his face. “Hey,” I say to him an Jess while bumpin fists together, “what up?”
“Hey, lil bro. Not too much. Jus chillin.”
I see they been workin on a car in the garage.
“Malc, you ain tryin to grow now is you?” Ole Jess smiles.
I am gettin a lil taller. It feels good to hear it. “Tryin to do as much as I can, my man!”
“The way you growin you might git taller’n Martin!”
“Ah’ight now. Whatchu doin lookin for me?” Martin’s dark eyes are tryin to pick my brain.
“Yeah, as if you don’t know. Mom wanna know if you comin for dinner.”
“She bake a cake?”
He’s studyin me now like he’s givin me a physical. “Ya know she did. Hey, you got a real mustache man!”
“Yeah. I’m growin too.”
He scratches his head. I notice he’s been to the barbershop.
“Tell Ma I’ll come roun six. My man Jam gon be there?”
“Yeah, he’s sposed to be. Aw, man, that reminds me! I had a dream that was off the chain last night! You know how I’m likely to fly an stuff in my dreams? Well, in this one I stay on the ground, an it happened round the time I started gettin straight A’s at ole Gillespie Elementary. I hadtuh grab a notebook an write the main parts a it down while it was still fresh. Everybody was in it! It seemed so real--but magical too! Martin, I was wantin you to stay in school an stuff, man!”
“You must’ve been dreamin! But I have thought bout takin a course in computer design or somethin. Jus thinkin now cuz you know I always an--all ways--got some bidness goin on! Why you laughin Ole Jess? Everybody ain gon work out they garage forever for a penny an a pint!”
“Man--I was laughin witchu--not atchu. Nothin but the best for you, Martin. You too Malcolm!”
“Well,” Martin chuckles, “c’mon Malc, out wit it. Tell us all bout this dream a yours. Seems it must be kinda special.”
I’m glad my brotha always takes time to listen to me.
“Whatchu say bout it, Jess?”
“I’m all ears.” Ole Jess grins.
“That’s cuz you a ole elephant!” Martin snorts.
“An I gon member you said that too!” Ole Jess laughs an winks at me.
“OK, OK!” I break in, “I’m ready to tell y’all my dream! Like I said, mosta it took place at Gillespie. I remember how crazy we was over pencils.
Maaaaan . . .
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