Bug Girl Read online

  Although Emily and Amanda had trained together all summer, back at school it was business as usual. That is, Emily ignored Amanda or treated her like she was gum on her shoe. Sure, it made sense when Emily explained that a shift in their behavior would call attention to them and raise suspicions, but it didn’t make it hurt any less. They were partners and friends, yet Amanda had to continue to pretend otherwise. Not cool.

  Amanda said nothing to Geri (nor did anyone else, including the teacher!) and gave her undivided attention to the remainder of Vincent’s report. When the bell rang, she thought she might whisper something to Emily. But before she was close enough to speak undetected, her sensilla rang an internal alarm. Something was off. She scanned the in-crowd and noticed that Mikki Folders was missing. Come to mention it, Sadie Bimmins was absent, too, and hadn’t been to school in several days. No one else seemed to think this was unusual, but Amanda certainly did. Her bug powers were telling her that things were not right. And her instincts were pointing toward one thing: Geri.

  Bug Girl sensed danger. And she was ready. Was Emily?

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  A long time ago in an attic on a ranch far, far away, the idea for Bug Girl was hatched. The two of us met working as children’s book editors at Lucasfilm in 1999. We became fast friends and knew it would be fun to write together. We talked about the idea for Bug Girl off and on for years and finally penned the first draft in 2006. Since then, Bug Girl has gone through many changes and never would have emerged as a book without the guidance and help of many people. We’d like to extend a special thank-you to Erin Stein for letting Bug Girl fly, as well as Ellen Duda, Elissa Englund, Melinda Ackell, Nicole Otto, and everyone else at Imprint Books and Macmillan who assisted with the metamorphosis.

  We would like to thank Lucy Autrey Wilson for bringing us together all those years ago, Sue Rostoni for being fabulous, and all those who read early versions of Bug Girl and offered advice. We are grateful.

  B.H. & S.H.S.

  I’d like to thank my parents, Frances and Jeffrey Harper, for encouraging me to be a weirdo and also for helping me to hatch many a praying mantis egg case and butterfly cocoon over the years (and my father for allowing me to swipe the name “Megawoman,” a character he created in the 1970s!); Sarah Hines Stephens for being a wonderful writing partner and amazing friend; Mary-Kate Gaudet for everything; Steve Korté, Allison Harper, Josh Anderson, and Margaret Evans for reading early and very different versions of this book; Nizzles; and everyone out there who, when faced with a Madagascar hissing cockroach or a walking stick, says “awesome!” instead of “GROSS.”

  B.H.

  I want to thank Ben, of course: I’m so glad you charmed me with your sunny scowl and perfect mix tapes. I only wish we’d met in middle school! I’d also like to thank Jane Mason—another great friendship forged in that attic far, far away. Jane, thanks for being my ear, reader, and shoulder. Ian, Sarah J., Emmett, and especially Violet and Ada, you were supreme listeners ’round the campfire, on the couch, and in the car. Thanks for your feedback—you’re Bug Girl’s (and The Exterminator’s) first fans! Mom and Gary, you are my first fans. Thank you for your love, support, encouragement, and example. (And Popa, I totally forgive you for killing any spiders and insects breaching the house when I was a kid.) And finally, Nathan, my very own pencil-neck-geek-turned-hero-husband, thanks for building me up, breaking it down, and for always, and for everything.

  S.H.S.

  ABOUT THE AUTHORS

  Sarah Hines Stephens has been a children’s book reader, editor, seller, buyer, doctor, author, copyeditor, ghostwriter, and speaker for many years—and she is still most of those things. She makes her home in Oakland, California, where she lives with her husband, two kids, and two dogs. You can sign up for email updates here.

  Benjamin Harper has been involved in children’s books as both an editor and author, ever since he graduated from Warren Wilson College. Currently, he lives in Los Angeles, California, where he works on superhero stories and lives with his cat, Edith Bouvier Beale, III. You can sign up for email updates here.

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  CONTENTS

  Title Page

  Copyright Notice

  Dedication

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Epilogue

  Acknowledgments

  About the Authors

  Copyright

  Text copyright © 2017 by Sarah Hines Stephens and Benjamin Harper

  Illustrations copyright © 2017 by Imprint

  A part of Macmillan Publishing Group, LLC

  175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010

  mackids.com

  All rights reserved.

  If this book you think to steal, think again ’cause here’s the deal: Sticky fingers will be reimbursed with foul haircuts and footwear cursed. Fashion disasters will also give grief to any who choose the life of a thief!

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data.

  Names: Hines-Stephens, Sarah, author.|Harper, Benjamin, author.

  Title: Bug Girl / Sarah Hines Stephens and Benjamin Harper; illustrated by Anoosha Syed.

  Description: First edition.|New York: Imprint, 2017.|Summary: “A girl who loves bugs discovers she has some of their super-hero like abilities when an evil scientist tries to take over her hometown”—Provided by publisher.

  Identifiers: LCCN 2016014025 (print)|LCCN 2016026349 (ebook)|ISBN 9781250106612 (hardcover)|ISBN 9781250106605 (Ebook)

  Subjects:|CYAC: Insects—Fiction.|Ability—Fiction.|Monsters—Fiction.|Magic—Fiction.

  Classification: LCC PZ7.H574 Bu 2017 (print)|LCC PZ7.H574 (ebook)|DDC [Fic]—dc23

  LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016014025

  Our eBooks may be purchased in bulk for promotional, educational, or business use. Please contact the Macmillan Corporate and Premium Sales Department at (800) 221-7945 ext. 5442 or by e-mail at [email protected].

  Imprint logo designed by Amanda Spielman

  Illustrations by Anoosha Syed

  First hardcover edition 2017

  eBook edition 2017

  eISBN 9781250106605