Fran Manushkin - Katie and the Haunted Museum

Katie asked JoJo, Are you ready to spend the night at the ?

Im not sure, said JoJo. Ive never slept next to dinosaurs before.

My dad says we will learn a lot, Katie told JoJo. Dont forget to pack your pjs, your sleeping bag, and your .

Wow! said Katie when she saw the museum. There are cots in every room. Where should we sleep?

Wherever you want, said her dad.

Lets sleep with the sharks, said Pedro.

No way! JoJo shivered. They might give me .

I want to sleep with the , said Katie. GRRRR! she roared.

Oooh, joked her dad. You scared me.

I cant wait to see the live animals, said Katie.

They saw an eagle and an alligator.

Wow! said Katie. They are very alive.

On the way back to their cots, Katie waved to the owls.

Hoo, hoo! she hooted.

Stop! said JoJo. You sound like a ghost.

The friends cots were cozy, and they soon fell asleep.

Suddenly Pedro woke up. Yikes! he yelled. Something is pinching my toe!

Was it an alligator?

No! It was Katie.

I cant sleep, she said. Dad says its okay to walk around some more.

JoJo jumped up. Dont leave me alone with the bears.

Katie turned on her flashlight and led the way. They saw big and small elephants walking in a line.

Lets do that too, said Katie.

Cool! Her dad smiled.

In the moose room, Pedro said, Lets be moose too!

Katie and JoJo and Pedro ran down halls, making loud moose calls.

Moooo! Mooo! Mooooo! JoJo joked, We sound like cows!

Stop! yelled JoJo. I lost one of my slippers. We have to go back and find it.

Dont , said Katie. My dad knows the way.

Where is he? asked Pedro.

They looked around. He was gone!

JoJo grabbed Katies hand, saying, Wed better run. That dinosaur is staring at us.

No way, said Katie. Hes been dead for millions of years.

Yikes! yelled Pedro, pointing at a shadow. That animal is not dead!

Right, said Katie. Now we should run!

They ran, but the animal came closer and closer and closer !

Wait! said Katie, turning around. I know that animal. Its my dad.

She hugged him, saying, Your long ears were JoJos bunny slipper.

JoJo told Katies dad, Thank you for finding my slipper.

Im so glad I did, said Katies dad. But finding all of you was the best.

Pedro said, Im glad this place isnt .

Me too, said JoJo. These grizzlies look like big teddy bears!

They do, said Katie.

Good night, grizzlies, whispered Katie.

Sleep tight, grizzlies, said Pedro.

Good night, teddy bears, said JoJo.

And they slept very well.

Fran Manushkin is the author of many popular picture books, including Happy in Our Skin; Baby, Come Out!; Latkes and Applesauce: A Hanukkah Story; The Tushy Book; Big Girl Panties; Big Boy Underpants ; and Bamboo for Me, Bamboo for You! There is a real Katie Wooshes Frans great-niecebut she never gets in half the trouble of the Katie Woo in the books. Fran writes on her beloved Mac computer in New York City, without the help of her two naughty cats, Chaim and Goldy.