Nancy Krulik - Get a Hold of Your Elf!

Ms. Frogbottoms Field Trips

Get a Hold of your Elf!

Nancy Krulik

New York Times Bestselling Author

Also in the MS. FROGBOTTOMS FIELD TRIPS series

Book 1: I Want My Mummy!

Book 2: Long Time, No Sea Monster

Book 3: Fangs for Having Us!

For Jeff and Amy

N. K.

This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the authors imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

ALADDIN

An imprint of Simon & Schuster Childrens Publishing Division

1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10020

www.SimonandSchuster.com

First Aladdin hardcover edition September 2021

Text copyright 2021 by Nancy Krulik

Illustrations copyright 2021 by Harry Briggs

Also available in an Aladdin paperback edition.

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Jacket designed by Karin Paprocki

Interior designed by Mike Rosamilia

The illustrations for this book were rendered digitally.

Library of Congress Control Number 2021932949

ISBN 9781534454064 (hc)

ISBN 9781534454057 (pbk)

ISBN 9781534454071 (ebook)

WELCOME TO CLASS 4A.

We have a warning for you:

BEWARE OF THE MAP.

Our classroom probably looks a lot like yours. We have chairs, desks, a whiteboard, and artwork on the walls. And of course we have our teacher, Ms. Frogbottom.

Actually, our teacher is the reason why things sometimes get strange around here. Because Ms. Frogbottom is kind of different.

For starters, she carries around a backpack. It looks like any other pack, but somehow strange things always seem to be popping out of it. You dont have to worry about most of the stuff our teacher carries. But if she reaches into her pack and pulls out her giant map, beware. That map is magic. It has the power to lift us right out of our classroom and drop us in some faraway place. And somehow its always the exact same time as when we left. No matter where we go, we wind up meeting frightening creatures none of us ever believed were realand getting into all sorts of trouble.

You dont have to be too scared, though. Things always seem to turn out okay for us in the end. Or at least they have so far.

Your new pals,

Aiden, Emma, Oliver, Olivia, Sofia, and Tony

MS. FROGBOTTOMS FIELD TRIP DOS AND DONTS

• Do stay together.
• Dont take photos. You cant experience the big world through a tiny camera hole.
• Dont bring home souvenirs. We want to leave the places we visit exactly as we found them.
• Dont use the word weird. The people, places, and food we experience are just different from what you are used to.
• Do have fun!

I DONT KNOW WHY WERE having recess outside, Tony complains as our class stands together on the playground. Its so cold, my eyeballs are gonna freeze.

That cant happen, Sofia assures him. The warm blood circulating through your body keeps your eyes from freezing over.

Tony blinks twice, like hes trying to make sure shes right. He shouldnt bother. Sofias the class brain. She has a photographic memory, which means she can remember everything shes ever read.

But Tonys right too. Its really cold out here. Especially since were just standing around.

Wed feel warmer if we moved, I say. Lets play tag. Oliver, you be it.

Who made you king, Aiden? Emma demands.

What are you talking about? I ask her.

No one said we wanted to play tag, Emma begins.

You run a lot in tag, I explain. Running warms you up.

Hes right, Sofia says. When your muscles move, they generate body heat.

Emma shrugs. Fine, well play tag. But why does Aiden get to say whos it?

Do you want to be it? Oliver asks her.

No, Emma answers. Im just saying its not up to Aiden.

What if I want to be it? Oliver demands.

Do you? I ask him.

Oliver nods, covers his eyes, and starts counting backward. Ten, nine, eight

We scatter.

four, three, two, one, Oliver continues. Ready or not, here I come!

Oliver takes off, trying to tag one of us. I figure hell go straight for Sofia. Shes the slowestmostly because shes always carrying her tablet around, taking care not to drop it.

Instead Oliver takes off in my direction.

Bad move, Oliver. I may be the shortest kid in Class 4A, but Im also the fastest.

I dart up the hill. I can hear Oliver running behind me, but I dont dare turn, because that will slow me down.

Im really moving now. Fast. Faster

Aiden! Watch out! I hear Olivia shout. That icicle over your head looks like its gonna fall. Its really sharp.

I stop short and look at the oak branches. I dont see any icicles, I tell Olivia.

Tag! Oliver says as he sneaks up and tags me. Youre it!

Thats not fair! I glare angrily at Olivia. You cheated to help your brother.

I couldve sworn I saw an icicle up there. Olivia starts giggling, which lets me know shes lying.

That tag doesnt count, I insist. We have to start over.

Says who? Oliver argues.

Says me, I reply.

Aiden is acting like the boss. Emma comes running up the hill. Again.

Butt out, Emma, I tell her. This isnt your business.

Sure it is, she says. Were all playing this game.

Were not playing anything, Sofia points out as she and Tony walk over. Were just arguing.

Shes right. But thats not my fault.

See what you did? I ask Olivia. You got us all mad at each other.

I did not, Olivia says. I just said I thought I saw an icicle.

You didnt say you thought, I remind her.

Im still freezing. Tony wraps his arms around his chest. Lets ask Ms. Frogbottom if we can go inside.

Im with Tony, Sofia says.

Me too, Emma adds.

Oliver and Olivia both nod.

So much for playing tag.

Hey, Tony, Olivia says as we walk toward our teacher. Do you want to learn how to speak another language?

FROGBOTTOM FACT