Mallory's Super Sleepover Read online

  For Adam and Becca

  Love, Mommy

  And special thanks to sleepover experts,

  Joeli, Grace, and Jordan

  —L.B.F.

  For Moira, for all of her support, advice,

  and encouragement

  —J.K .

  by Laurie Friedman

  illustrations by Jennifer Kalis

  CONTENTS

  A Word from Mallory

  A Family Meeting

  A Mallory Meeting

  Emails

  Planning Time

  Party Time

  Party Crashers

  A Little Mess

  A Big Mess

  A Bad-as-It-Gets Mess

  Nightmare on Wish Pond Road

  T-R-O-U-B-L-E!

  New Beginnings

  Birthday Magic

  Mallory’s Sleepover Checklist

  A Scrapbook

  A WORD FROM MALLORY

  My name is Mallory McDonald, like the restaurant, but no relation, and I’m turning ten. Actually, I already turned ten. But I don’t feel like I turned ten because I didn’t do any-thing to celebrate.

  You’re probably wondering why I would let such an important birthday pass wi-thout a celebration, and the answer is simple: I couldn’t decide how to celebrate.

  It wasn’t that I didn’t try to figure it out.

  My best friend, Mary Ann, and I made lists of different kinds of parties.

  We thought about a skating party, a dance party, an art party, a movie party, a costume party, a surprise party, and a games party. We even thought about a Fashion Fran party. But none of those parties seemed quite right. It wasn’t until this morning during math that we thought up the perfect party ... a sleepover party!

  Of course our teacher, Mr. Knight, wasn’t too happy that we were talking about invites vs. evites when we should have been talking about decimals and fractions.

  But as soon as we thought of having a sleepover, we knew how much fun it would be. We even came up with a name for it. Mallory’s Super Sleepover.

  I can’t wait to plan all the details. There are only two things I need to do first.

  Thing #1: Make sure it’s OK with my parents. That won’t be too hard. I think my parents will be just as excited about this sleepover as I am.

  Thing #2: Try to stay calm. But that will be close to impossible because I’m already super excited for what I know will be the most super sleepover tenth birthday celebration ever!

  A FAMILY MEETING

  “Everyone in the den,” shouts Dad. “Time for a family meeting.”

  I scoop up my cat, Cheeseburger, from my bed and follow my brother, Max, down the hall. Sometimes, actually not that often, I think my parents are mind readers, and today is one of those times.

  I was going to call a meeting myself so I could ask my parents about having a sleepover party, and now my parents have gone and called one before I even had to. I’m not sure why they want Max to be part of the meeting. I guess they sensed what I wanted to talk about and they want to make sure everyone in my family does everything they can to make my birthday celebration extra special. Just thinking about it makes me smile.

  When I walk into the den, Mom is sitting in a chair. She has a serious look on her face. Dad is standing up with his arms crossed across his chest. He has a serious look on his face too. I think I know why both of my parents look the way they do.

  Planning the perfect party is a serious business!

  I can just imagine what Dad is going to say about it.

  “Family, as you all know, Mallory never got the birthday celebration she deserved. A girl only has one tenth birthday, and we all need to pull together as a family to make this one extra special for her.”

  I sit down on the couch next to Max.

  Deciding how to celebrate your tenth birthday is a V.I.D. (that’s short for Very Important Decision), and I think I made a good one. Now that I’ve started thinking about my sleepover, I can’t stop. I pull Cheeseburger into my lap and stroke her fur. I try to look calm, but I’m so excited to hear what Dad has to say that I feel like I’m a balloon with too much air in it. If he doesn’t start talking soon, I’m going to pop.

  The good news is that I don’t have to wait for too long.

  “Max, Mallory,” Dad says in a tone that is every bit as serious as the look on his face. “Mom and I need to talk to you about something important.”

  I know what that something important is . . . MY TENTH BIRTHDAY! I send a message from my brain to my mouth not to smile. I want to look surprised and happy when Dad brings it up.

  But what Dad brings up doesn’t include the words my or tenth or birthday. It includes the words doing and your and chores.

  “Max and Mallory.” Dad says our names like he wants to make sure we are both listening. “Mom and I are upset about some of the behaviors that are going on around here. Neither of you have been doing a good job lately with your chores.”

  Dad turns his attention to my brother. “Max, your room is a mess. There are clothes all over the place, and your bed hasn’t been made. You forgot to take the trash out last night, and you still haven’t swept the garage, which I asked you to do last weekend.”

  Dad looks at me. “Mallory, your room is a mess too. You need to make your bed and straighten up your closet and your drawers. You left your breakfast dishes on the counter this morning, and Cheeseburger’s litter box needs to be changed.”

  Dad stops talking and looks at my brother and me like it’s our turn to say something.

  My brother looks at his baseball bag like he wishes he was on the field instead of in our living room. I focus on Cheeseburger. I’d much rather be looking at a cute cat than a mad dad.

  Dad nods in Max’s direction like he’s the oldest so he has to go first.

  “I’m sorry,” says Max. “When I get home from baseball practice, I promise I’ll do all of my chores, and I’ll be sure to do them from now on.”

  Dad nods like he’s satisfied with my brother’s answer.

  Even though doing chores isn’t my favorite thing, I know I have to do them too. I also know that if I want to have a sleepover party, now is not the time to argue with Mom and Dad about anything.

  I raise my right hand like I’m in a courtroom and about to take an important oath. “I, Mallory McDonald, do officially promise to do all of my chores starting immediately. I also officially apologize for not doing my chores in the past and officially swear I will spend the rest of my life doing any chores that need to be done at 17 Wish Pond Road.”

  Mom and Dad smile at each other like even though we’re having a serious talk, they thought my answer was funny.

  Max looks relieved, like he’s glad my parents are smiling. “Mom, Dad, I really am sorry about not helping out. I promise I’ll try harder. Can I go to baseball now?”

  Dad nods like Max is excused.

  Max grabs his bag and heads for the front door.

  I don’t want to be the only kid left to deal with my parents. “Can I be excused too?” I ask. “I want to start cleaning up my room, and I promise I’ll change the litter box.”

  Mom and Dad tell me I’m free to go.

  I scoop up my cat and head for my room. I’ve got a bed to make and drawers to straighten and a litter box to change. I also have a phone call to make.

  The family meeting was not at all what I expected. The word sleepover wasn’t even mentioned.

  I want to ask my parents about having a sleepover, but before I talk to them, there’s someone else I need to talk to.

  Her name starts with an M and ends with an A-R-Y-A-N-N. She’s not only my lifelong best friend, but she’s also an expert on knowing how to get p
arents to say yes.

  A MALLORY MEETING

  The family meeting that Dad called didn’t exactly go the way I was hoping it would, so I decide to call a meeting of my own.

  Actually, I didn’t decide that myself. Mary Ann helped.

  She convinced me that the only way I would get to have a sleepover is if I show my parents why having a sleepover is a good idea.

  I take the piece of paper I’ve been working on all day off my desk, fold it neatly, and slip it into my pajama pocket.

  It’s time for some before-bed show and tell.

  I go over the plan in my head that Mary Ann and I came up with.

  Step 1: When Mom and Dad are already in bed, go upstairs in my I LUV U pajamas and pink heart slippers, knock softly on their door, and ask politely if I can come in and talk to them.

  Step 2: Show them all the reasons why having a sleepover birthday party is a good idea and tell them how much I really, really, really want to have a sleepover birthday party.

  Step 3: Wait for them to say YES!

  I look in my bathroom mirror and adjust the ponytail on top of my head. “Wish me luck,” I say to Cheeseburger.

  I take a deep breath as I walk up the stairs. When I get to Mom and Dad’s room, I put Step 1 into place. I knock on their door. “May I come in please,” I ask in my super polite voice.

  “Mallory?” Mom says like it’s a surprise to hear from me at this hour but a nice one.

  I take that as a good sign.

  When I walk into their room, my parents are reading in bed.

  Time for Step 2. I plop down on their bed between them. “Mom, Dad, I have something to show you,” I say with a smile. I cross my toes inside my slippers. I hope this goes the way I want it to. I pull the piece of paper out of my pajama pocket and start reading.

  When I finish reading, I put one arm around Mom and the other around Dad. “Please, please, please,” I say. “Can I please I have a sleepover party?” I ask in my this-is-something-I-really-want-and-I-really-hope-you’ll-say-yes voice.

  I cross my toes extra hard and make a wish that Step 3 will happen like it’s supposed to.

  Mom and Dad look at each other like they’re considering my request.

  Even though they don’t say anything, I think they’re having one of those silent it’s-OK-with-me-if-it’s-OK-with-you conversations that parents have when their kids ask for something and they want to make sure they’re on the same page before they say yes.

  “Mallory, a sleepover sounds like a fun way to celebrate your birthday,” Mom says like she’s the official parent spokesperson.

  I uncross my toes and wait for Mom to say what I hope she is about to say next.

  “You may have one,” she says.

  When Mom says that, I feel happiness bubbling up inside me like water in a fountain. I squeeze both of my parents’ necks. “Thank you so, so, so much!” My voice sounds as happy as I feel.

  Mom unpeels my arm from around her neck and gives me a serious look. “Sleepovers are fun, but they have a way of getting out of hand,” she says.

  Dad nods like he agrees with Mom. “We want to keep this small. Just a nice night with a few friends.”

  Mom gives me a serious look like she means what she is about to say next. “Mallory, you have to tell us about all of your plans before you make them, and you have to promise the party will not get out of control.”

  I don’t think either of those things will be hard to do.

  I raise my right hand for the second time today. “I, Mallory McDonald, do solemnly swear to tell you about all of my plans before I make them, and I promise I won’t let my party get out of control.”

  Mom and Dad nod like they approve.

  I hug them one more time. Then I bound down the stairs. Time to put Step 4 into place. Email my best friend and tell her the good news!

  EMAILS

  Even though it’s my bedtime, I go straight from Mom and Dad’s room to the computer in the kitchen. Some things just can’t wait, and telling my best friend, Mary Ann, that my parents said yes to the sleepover is one of those things.

  Plus, Mary Ann said she wasn’t going to bed until I do.

  I flip on the light in the kitchen, sit down at the desk, click on the computer, and log in.

  Then I let my fingers do the talking.

  Subject: Mallory’s Super Sleepover!

  From: malgal

  To : chatterbox

  It worked!

  You were right. All I had to do was tell my parents why having a sleepover is a good idea, and they said yes!

  Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!

  I can’t wait! I’m so excited! I just have one question: can you come over after school tomorrow so we can start planning?

  I can’t wait! I’m so excited! (Oops! Did I already say that?) Oh well, I can’t wait (oops! sorry for saying it again) for the sleepover and for you to come over after school.

  My sleepover birthday will be fun, fun, fun (especially if you help me plan it).

  I.H.I.C.U.A.S.T. (That’s short for, “I Hope I C U After School Tomorrow!”)

  O.K. Sorry I have to say this one more time . . . I CAN’T WAIT!

  Mallory

  I click the send button and wait.

  I hope Mary Ann stayed up like she said she would. I look at the clock on the kitchen wall. I also hope I don’t have to wait too long to hear back from her. If Mom and Dad find me on the computer this late, I know I will get in trouble. The last thing I want to do is get in trouble, get punished, and not get to have my sleepover party.

  I take a cookie out of the jar on the counter and take a bite.

  I try not to look at the clock, but I can’t help it. I watch the second hand go around the face of the clock once, twice, a third time, and a fourth time.

  It starts to go around a fifth time, but before it makes it all the way, I hear the three words I’ve been waiting for: You’ve Got Mail.

  I race back to the desk, sit down, and start reading.

  Subject: YEAH! YEAH! YEAH!

  From: chatterbox

  To : malgal

  That makes two of us who can’t wait!

  Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!

  I’m just as excited as you are about this sleepover. It’s going to be so much fun. Of course I’ll come over tomorrow after school and help you plan. That is exactly the kind of thing that best friends (especially this best friend) are for.

  This is going to be the biggest, bestest (sorry, I know that’s not a word, but you know what I mean), superest (same thing here, but you get the picture) sleepover ever.

  We should both go straight to bed. We will need our planning sleep (kind of like beauty sleep but different). I’m sooooooooooooo ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo excited!

  Mary Ann

  I smile when I’m done reading and click off the computer. I’m glad Mary Ann is coming over to help me plan. I turn off the light in the kitchen and go to my room.

  I get in bed. Even though I’m really happy about getting to have the sleepover, something that Mary Ann wrote in her email is stuck in my head.

  I think about what she said about making this sleepover the biggest, bestest, superest sleepover ever. Then I think about what Mom said about making sure this party doesn’t get out of hand and what Dad said about a nice night with a few friends.

  I don’t quite know what Mary Ann has in mind when she says biggest and bestest and superest, but I have a feeling it’s not the same thing Mom and Dad have in mind.

  I rub Cheeseburger’s back. “I’ll just have a talk with Mary Ann and tell her what Mom and Dad have in mind,” I tell my cat. She purrs like she agrees.

  My eyelids are starting to feel heavy, but it’s a happy kind of heavy. I close my eyes. I’ll talk to Mary Ann tomorrow afternoon, and as soon as I do, we can start planning my sleepover and that will be almost as much fun as having it.

  PLANNING TIME

  The minute my alarm goes off, I pop out of bed.


  Not because it’s Monday morning and I can’t wait to get to school. Not because I did a great job on my science project and I can’t wait to turn it in to my teacher. And not because I have an adorable, new outfit that I can’t wait to wear and show my friends.

  I can’t wait to go to school, because the sooner school begins, the sooner it will end, and the sooner Mary Ann can come over and we can start planning my sleepover party.

  Monday afternoon, in my bedroom

  Mary Ann plops down on my bed. “I officially call our first Super Sleepover meeting to order.”

  Max sticks his head in my room. “Whatever you two are doing in here, I don’t think I like it.”

  Mary Ann rolls her eyes. “For your information, we’re planning Mallory’s sleepover party, and you are N.I., which is short for Not Invited.”

  Max laughs. “I wouldn’t want to come anyway.”

  He closes the door, and Mary Ann opens up a notebook. “The first thing on the agenda is who to invite.” She starts reading names from the list she made. “The two of us, April, Pamela, Arielle, Danielle, Hannah, Grace, Zoe, Emma . . .”

  I look over Mary Ann’s shoulder and start counting names. I stop counting halfway down. I think she’s written down every name of every girl we’ve ever known. Now is definitely the time to have the my-parents-said-I-have-to-keep-this-party-small talk with Mary Ann.

  When I’m done explaining, Mary Ann frowns. “Haven’t you heard the expression the more the merrier?” she asks.

  I nod. “I have. I’m just not sure my parents have. Why don’t we have the two of us plus Pamela and April.”

  Mary Ann wrinkles her nose like something stinks and it isn’t the scent of Max’s baseball cleats in the bathroom. “Mallory, there’s a difference between a sleepover and a super sleepover. You can’t call your party Mallory’s Super Sleepover with just four people. We should at least include Emma and Zoe.”