Nikki Shannon Smith - The Scientific Life of Azaleah Lane

Im eight years old and in the third grade. My life is amazing. I live in Washington, D.C., with my family: Mama, Daddy, Nia, and Tiana. Washington, D.C., is our nations capital and the coolest place to grow up.

Mama has her very own restaurant here called Avec Amour. That means with love in French. She named it that because she adds love to everything she does.

My daddy is a lawyer. He sues bad guys for a living. The bad guys are big businesses that do things that hurt other people. But my daddy makes them pay. He makes sure theyre held responsible.

Tiana is my baby sister. Shes four years old and pretty cutemost of the time. I like her a lot, even though she comes in my room too much. I also have an older sister named Nia. Shes in middle school and is always in her room. Always.

Mamas sistermy Auntie Samtakes care of us when Mama and Daddy are busy. I love Auntie Sam. Shes never too tired to play, and she likes to do art. She also likes adventuresmy favorite!

Aside from my family, there are three main things you should know about me.

1. Im curious not nosy. (Despite what Nia says.)
2. Im good at solving mysteriesvery good.
3. I live in the White House!

OK not the real White House. (The president of the United States lives there.) But my house is big and white, plus it has a great big living room and a nice backyard. Its just as good as the real White House, if you ask me!

Its hard to believe this amazing life all belongs to me, Azaleah Lane!

I hopped out of bed Monday morning like a kangaroo. I had been waiting all weekend for today!

Monday was special announcements day at school. And todays announcements were extra special. Our principal, Ms. Li, was picking a third grader to be the for the week. Fifth graders had gotten the first turns. Then Ms. Li had picked fourth graders. The third graders had been waiting for a very long time. And guess who was a third grader? Me!

Please let Ms. Li pick me, I thought.

I washed up, got dressed, brushed my edges, and ran to the kitchen. My parents were already there. Mama had on her robe. She was staring out of the window with a cup of coffee in her hand. Daddy was at the table. He was wearing his robe too. His eyes were droopy like he was about to fall asleep.

Good morning! I said.

I sat down with Daddy. He smiled at me, but his lips were still asleep, so it was a very tiny smile.

Mama put homemade blueberry muffins, cantaloupe, and orange juice on the table. Hi, Azaleah, she said.

Guess what? I asked.

Mama took a sip of coffee. Daddy stared at his muffin. They didnt say anything.

Since my parents didnt guess, I kept talking. Today, Ms. Li is picking a third grader to be the STEM lab monitor for the whole week. On Friday we all wrote our names on a ticket and put them in Ms. Lis glitter box. Today, shes shaking the box, closing her eyes, and picking out a name.

I crossed all of my fingers and hooked my thumbs together for good luck. I held them up and showed my hands to Daddy.

He said, Mmm hmmm.

I frowned. Something wasnt right. Daddy and I were always the earliest early birds. But today he didnt have any at all.

The STEM lab monitor is very important, I explained. They take care of the STEM lab. They feed the animals and clean the cages and keep the lab clean. Sometimes they get to help Mr. Aguilar, the STEM lab teacher, set up activities.

My parents still didnt answer me. Mama sat down and stared at her coffee. Daddy took a bite of his muffin. It reminded me of the time the batteries in my robot died. It got slower and slower, and then it stopped. My parents looked like they needed new batteries.

Whats wrong? I asked.

Im just tired. I had a long night, said Mama. I fed a hundred people last night.

I knew Mama had hosted a private party at her restaurant, Avec Amour. It was for the National Museum of African American History and Culture. But I didnt know it was that big. A hundred people was a lot!

Wow, Mama, I said. Avec Amour is really famous, huh?

She nodded. Poor Mama was too tired to be excited. Owning the best restaurant in Washington, D.C., and being the best chef ever was hard work.

You need a vacation, Mama, I said.

She smiled. Im on a mini-vacation now, she said. Im not working nights this week.

Daddy, are you okay? I asked.

I stayed up too late, he said. I was reading a good book. Then your sister

Before Daddy could finish, my little sister, Tiana, came into the kitchen. Her frown looked like one of those fish with a turned-down mouth. She was holding her favorite stuffie, Greenie, and her hair was sticking up all over her head. She tried to climb into Daddys lap, but he wouldnt let her.

Sit in a chair and eat your breakfast, okay? he said.

Tiana whined and sat in a chair. But instead of eating, she started crying.

Why are you crying? I asked.

Tiana looked at me and let out a long cry.

She had a bad dream in the middle of the night, said Daddy. I had to lie in her bed with her until she fell asleep again. It took a few hours. Shes tired.

No wonder Daddy looked like a zombie.

Anyway, I said. I talked very loudly so they could hear me over Tianas whining. I hope I get to be the STEM lab monitor. Theres a guinea pig named Harry, and hes so cute and fluffy. I would get to hold him and feed him!

Tiana let out another big cry.

Tiana, thats enough, said Mama.

I could tell Mama meant business. Tiana must have known it too because she closed her mouth and hugged Greenie.

Just then, our big sister, Nia, came in. Usually, Nia was very fancy. She always had on a cute outfit. But not today. Today, Nia had on jeans and an old T-shirt that said The World Is My Stage. She hadnt picked out her Afro, so it was flat on one side.

Nia was always trying different hairstyles. Lately she had been wearing it in an Afro because she was going to be Annie in her next school musical. Nia was always in a musical. Daddy called her a triple threat. She could sing and act and dance. She would probably be famous one day. She was already famous at her middle school.

Guess what, Nia? I said. Today, Ms. Li is choosing a new STEM lab monitor! Its going to be a third grader. It might be me!

Nia frowned and covered her ears. Why is everyone being so loud? Its too early for this much noise.

My big sister was very dramatic. Thats why she was such a good actor. But sometimes she was too dramatic, like right now. Right now she was dramatic and grouchy, and I knew why.

Nia had stayed up too late practicing for her musical. She had to memorize her lines and learn a bunch of songs. Last night, she had worked on her solo. It was a song about the sun coming out tomorrow. Her singing was so good, she sang me right to sleep.