Page 1
Mrs. Brewster placed Red, the new class snake,
in Lizzie's hands.
“Is it slimy?” Jack asked.
“No! It's cool and dry.” Lizzie said. “Do you want to feel it?”
“It's okay,” said Jack nervously.
Page 2
"Are you scared?" Hector asked. Red wrapped his tail around Hector's arm.
Page 3
"No, of course not! I'm no scaredy-cat," said Jack. But he didn't touch the snake.
Page 4
The next morning Jack arrived at school early. Instead of going to the library or to the playground, he sneaked into his dark classroom. The light behind Red's aquarium shined.
Page 5
He could not believe his good luck. He could try to
touch the snake without everyone looking at him.
But wait! Where was Red?
Page 6
He couldn't see Red.
Could Red be hiding?
Could he have changed from his red color to green
to match the tree branch and leaves?
Page 7
Slowly, Jack lifted the lid that Mrs. Brewster
warned them not to touch.
Red was nowhere to be found. Red had escaped!
Page 8
Suddenly the lights went on in the classroom.
"Jack! What are you doing?"
asked Mrs. Brewster.
Page 9
"I...I just wanted to hold Red," said Jack. His face went pale. How could he tell her that Red was missing?
Page 10
The two looked into the glass cage
and Mrs. Brewster saw the problem.
There was no snake.
"Oh dear," said Mrs. Brewster.
Page 11
At that moment the rest of the class filed into the classroom.
"Watch out!" cried Mrs. Brewster. "Red's escaped!"
Page 12
Hector searched the library book baskets. Lizzie peered under the heaters. She asked, "Jack, why are you just standing there?"
Jack said, with his tongue sticking out,
"I'm trying do to what snakes do and taste the air."
Page 13
Lizzie sighed.
"Are you sure you aren't scared?"
"I'm not, I told you!"
Jack gulped and helped his friends search for Red.
Page 14
The class searched for Red until lunchtime when Mrs. Brewster said,
"We need to eat lunch. I'm sure Red will turn up soon."
Page 15
Jack, Hector, and Lizzie sat at their desks
and opened their lunch boxes.
"Yikes!" Jack gasped.
There was Red, coiled around his water bottle!
Page 16
Red slithered off the water bottle and around Jack's arm.
Page 17
"You're right, you're not scared!"
Lizzie was surprised.
Jack grinned proudly.
No one was more surprised than him.
