Ari smiled. The sun was shining, the weather was great, he was eating ice cream, and all his dreams were about to come true.

I'm gonna barf," I whispered to Fang,wiping my sweaty hands on my jeans. You'll be fine," he whipered back. "You always are. I'm gonna die," I moaned. You can't die," he said a hint of a smile in his voice."You're the indesructible Max.

And now I was trying to brush my hair,you know,when I thought about it,and looking at myself in mirrors,wondering if I was pretty.Pretty! A year ago,when my haair got in my eyes I hacked it off with a knife.The only thing important about my clothes was whether they were to stiff to move fast in battle. And Fang had been my best friend and an excellent fighter.

I'm not Stubborn; I'm right!

Pick a tree. I'll carve our initials into it." -Fang

The best way to get kids reading more is to give them books that they'll gobble up - and that will make them ask for another.

It's always refreshing to meet someone crazier than us," I said. "We seem so normal afterward.