Olivia's book club

Bo Ol ok ivi a C ’s lu b illustrations

Kaká Leal

Telma Guimarães

Olivia’s Book Club

Telma Guimarães illustrations

Kaká Leal

Olivia’s Book Club

Copyright © Telma Guimarães, 2023 Copyright das ilustrações © Kaká Leal, 2023 All rights reserved to EDITORA FTD Rui Barbosa, 156 — Bela Vista — São Paulo — SP Zip Code 01326-010 — Phone (0-55-11) 3598-6000 www.ftd.com.br CONTACTS director Ricardo Tavares de Oliveira publishing manager Isabel Lopes Coelho foreign rights Tassia Oliveira foreignrights@ftd.com.br

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Abigail and her brother Antonio were new at the school.

Just after the teacher asked the children to read a book for the following class, they both complained under their breaths, “Oh, no!”, said Abigail.

“Read a book? Oh, no...”, added Antonio.

Olivia was shocked when she heard her classmates complaining. It was unimaginable, unthinkable, impossible, incomprehensible, inadmissible, indescribable, inadequate and many other words she didn’t know the meaning of.

6

“But this is not unfixable!”, she thought.

“Miss, is the book about a dragon? That’s all I like to read!”, Flavio answered out loud, not at all embarrassed about this.

“I only like stories about princesses”, said Nina, keen for her favourite kind of book to be chosen.

“I’d rather read another book from the series ‘Diary of a silly boy’. I have the whole collection!”, other student added.

7

Olivia thought about commenting on her classmate’s preferences, but she kept quiet. Her parents used to say that it wasn’t cool to read only one kind of story: “Why do you only read books about animals? Let’s try a different story, Olivia!”.

That was what they always said.

It was because of her parents’ insistence that she started reading other books. In fact, to make sure she liked different types of books, her parents would read a wide variety of themes to her before Olivia could read herself.

Over time, starting with stories about animals, Olivia’s parents began reading fairy tales, then sad stories, then happy and funny ones. They used so much imagination and even read stories with riddles in the middle of them. Therefore, when she heard someone saying they didn’t like reading, it left a big hole in her heart that needed to be filled somehow. With something creative. And quick!

8

The teacher wrote on the blackboard the titles of the books that the children could choose:

Once Upon a Time a Jaguar My F unny Diary The F lying Elephant Monday Disappearance

In addition to these books, there were another five books they could choose from.

At the end of the class, each student could take their copy from the shelf of books at the back of the classroom.

“I don’t like any of those titles!”, Flavio whispered to Nina.

“Neither do we. You agree, don’t you Antonio?”, remarked Abigail.

Olivia couldn’t believe it. How could they not like any of the books before even looking through the pages?

She suddenly had an idea.

10

At breaktime her friends were already at a table in the schoolyard. They were having their snacks when she came by.

She took out the wellwrapped sandwich, the fruit and the juice from her lunchbox.

She also carefully took out the book she had borrowed from the library. She was five minutes late for breaktime because of her visit to the library.

“I can’t believe they don’t want to know what the book is about!”, she thought. So, she left it in the middle of the table on purpose.

11

Less than two minutes later Antonio asked, “Hmm, what book is that?”

“There... there... is... is... a ghost... in... in... my house...”, Abigail read the title slowly.

“I think I would like to read a book about ghosts!”, Flavio was curious.

“Is it about people who have died?”, Nina wanted to know.

“Well, I don’t know because I have just got it from the library.

But I don’t think so. I read all kinds of books but today I wanted this one. I’ve already read the ones the teacher suggested to us, so I grabbed this one. I liked the drawings on the cover and the tittle”, Olivia explained while eating her sandwich.

Her friends carried on eating their snacks and chatting about other things.

“I think they’re losing interest in the book... I have to do something... Right now!”, Olivia thought and she blushed.

12

“We’ll have a book club at my house, in the attic. The ghost from the book will be there, too!”

And just like that, Olivia created a “book club”. The words were coming out of her mouth before she had time to think.

When she realized, she had already created a club, a place for it, a ghost, and a big trouble to sort out with her parents.

“Hmm... that sounds cool!”, said Abigail.

“Can we come?”, asked Antonio.

“Yes, sure! It will be Saturday afternoon”, Olivia explained.

Flavio and Nina announced at the same time that they also wanted to join.

“Should we wear something special?”, asked Abigail.

“A ghost outfit”, Olivia made up on the spot. “The one you make with a white sheet that has two holes to see through, got it?”

“I get it.”

“Should we have snacks?”, asked Antonio.

“What do ghosts eat?”, Nina was curious.

“Wind pastries!”, Flavio laughed.

“I can ask my mother to make something special for our book club. Take your appetite and the sheets. It will be a very spooky event!”, Olivia imitated a ghost’s voice.