Tiny-Stego Stampede Page 7
“Once every other year for fifteen minutes,” Lin said.
“We can work on how often later,” I said.
“Great. We have a deal. Let’s expand and shake on it and forget this whole thing ever happened,” Lin said as she stood up. “Except for the stampede part. That part was pretty cool.”
“Well, not so fast,” I said. “There’s one more thing.”
“Oh, good gravy. What now?” Lin flopped back down on the penny.
“Vicky has to stay at your house tonight. She needs to be with one of us until she passes the IMPA test,” I said.
“Nope,” Lin said. “That’s impossible. The whole deal is off.”
“Sorry. She can’t stay at my house. Maybe ChuChu can keep her company,” I said to Lin.
“Fine,” Lin said, “but this will not be a glittery sleepover. No fingernail polish and makeup experiments.”
“Can we at least watch a movie and have some popcorn?” Vicky asked.
“Maybe. But only if it’s a scary movie,” Lin said.
“I love scary movies,” Vicky said.
Lin looked at Vicky like she didn’t believe her. “Really?” she asked.
Vicky nodded her head. “They are my favorite. Have you seen The Moth Man from Moon Island? I was afraid of butterflies for a whole week after I saw that one,” Vicky said.
“Okay. It’s settled,” I said. “Grab ChuChu; then you three stand on the penny. I’m going to hit the go button on the Expand-O-Matic. We’ll be back to normal in no time.”
As I stood and walked away, Lin asked if Vicky had The Moth Man from Moon Island movie, and I knew my plan was going to work out just fine. When I got inside the lab, I poked my head out the little window.
“Oh, and I may not be staying for the whole sleepover thing, but you bet I’m coming to watch the Moth Man movie. I’ll bring the popcorn,” I said, which made all of us smile.
“Deal,” Lin and Vicky said at the same time.
“Deal,” ChuChu said, and I pushed the go button and then sprinted out to join them on the penny.
A MESSAGE FROM PENROD
“It was nice speaking with you earlier about your situation concerning stampedes and stegosauri. I trust you were able to work things out, as usual.
“I must say that I’ve hit the Microsaur jackpot. The Utah desert area is so rich with dinosaur opportunities, both old and new, that it is truly a paleontological playground.
“We’ll be packing them up soon and sending them to you and Lin at the Microterium.
“I was glad to receive your update about the fenced-in area for the stegosauri and the natural canyon lake you crafted for Wilson. Perfectly prodigious ideas both. We’ve discovered so many new species of Microsaurs and new plants that finding inventive ways to section off areas of the Microterium will certainly come in handy. It will be easier to ensure the safety of the leaf-eating Microsaurs from South America, if we can keep the razor-clawed raptors from Utah in their own little space.
“Dr. Carlyle is beaming with excitement to explore the Microterium when we return early next week. She’s hoping to find a volunteer or two to help dig holes for her new plants. I told her I know just two to ask.
“Well, I must be off. Dr. Carlyle and I are taking a river trip into an area that hasn’t been visited by humans in thousands of years.
“Oh, and one last thing. Last time I was in the Microterium, I noticed the Expand-O-Matic’s Carbonic Expansion Particle fluid was running low. Keep an eye on it, and I will refill it the moment I return.
“We’ll meet again soon, and remember. Adventure awaits!”
FACTS ABOUT STEGOSAURI
• Stegosauri were massive, plant-eating dinosaurs from the Jurassic period, which means they lived over 150 million years ago. They have been discovered in North America, Europe, and, as Professor Penrod learned, in China. In fact, one of the first confirmed findings of a member of the stegosaurai family was Huayangosaurus, named after the town where it was found, Huayang, China.
• Stegosauri were large and heavy dinosaurs. The largest of the species could grow to more than thirty feet long and weigh ten thousand pounds.
• While they were very big, their brains were pretty small. In fact, a fully grown stegosaurus had a brain about the size and shape of a hot dog.
• One of the most recognizable traits of the stegosauridae family is the long, bony spikes. These spikes are called thagomizers. The term thagomizer started as a joke from a Far Side comic by Gary Larson, in which a group of cavemen are being taught by their caveman professor that the spikes were named after “the late Thag Simmons.” The name has since been accepted as the official anatomical term. Thanks, Gary!
• Fossils discovered in the Morrison Formation, a very important dinosaur bone site in Wyoming and Colorado, inform us that stegosauri really did travel in herds. Over eighty stegos of different ages were discovered in that site alone.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This book was a rush to write. Sometimes the ideas came by the hundreds, rushing in like … well, like a stampede, I guess. Actually, at one point, I had no idea how I was going to wrangle all the crazy thoughts and notions into just this one book. It was a madhouse, no doubt.
But, like most adventures, things go better when you have a friend or two along to share the load. This bookish adventure is no different.
I know I sound like I am on repeat here, but I couldn’t have corralled this herd of words together without the help of my wonderful editor, Holly West. Oh, and her trusty troop of book bandoleros, Liz Dresner, Emily Settle, Jean Feiwel, Heather Job, and the rest of the crew at Feiwel & Friends.
Then of course, there is my agent, Gemma, whom this book is dedicated to. Who has proven time and again that book friends are the best friends of all.
And most of all, my family. With them in mind, I have truly won the jackpot. Jodi, Tanner, Davis, Malorie, and Annie, you are my everything.
And in the end, I have to thank my readers. The Microsaur fan club is growing and opening up slots for new members of the IMPA. I hope you’re ready, Jack and Michael. I know they are ready for you.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
DUSTIN HANSEN, author of Game On! Video Game History from Pong and Pac-Man to Mario, Minecraft, and More and the Microsaurs series, was raised in rural Utah. After studying art at Snow College, he began working in the video game industry, where he has been following his passions of art and writing for more than twenty years. Dustin can often be found hiking with his family in the same canyons he grew up in, with a sketchbook in his pocket and a well-stocked backpack over his shoulders. You can sign up for email updates here.
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CONTENTS
Title Page
Copyright Notice
Dedication
Chapter 1: The Thundering Herd
Chapter 2: Fencing for Beginners
Chapter 3: Sounds Like Trouble
Chapter 4: The Anti-Bore-Itorium
Chapter 5: A Plan for Pizza Dogs
Chapter 6: Getting Down to Business
Chapter 7: Follow the Leader
Chapter 8: Follow that Zip-Zap!
Chapter 9: You’re Not Going to Believe This
Chapter 10: Welcome to the Microterium
Chapter 11: Smash and Dash!
Chapter 12: Get ’em On Up!
Chapter 13: Surprise!
Chapter 14: Sliding Home
Chapter 15: Let’s Make a Deal
A Message From Penrod
Facts About Stegosauri
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Copyright
Copy
right © 2018 by Dustin Hansen
A Feiwel and Friends Book
An imprint of Macmillan Publishing Group, LLC
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First hardcover edition 2018
eBook edition July 2018
eISBN 9781250090348