Dragon Keepers.

The Dragon in the Library.

John Shroades.

Kate Klimo.

CHAPTER ONE

A JUNKYARD DOG.

Dear Mom and Dad, We're having a heat wave. Of course, people in Tanzania would say it's a cold spell. But it is still way too hot for sheepdogs. Poor Emmy--all she wants to do is stay in the garage in the cool dark. Aunt 4.Maggie says she wants to give her a buzz cut, but Daisy and I say NO WAY!!!!! I am writing to you from the library computer. Daisy and I have special privileges here. That's because we are good about returning books on time. Plus we get extra credit for never using the Chicken Box. Bet you don't know what that is. It's this big old mailbox outside the front doors. Mr. Stenson, the librarian, painted it yellow and stuck pictures of chickens all over it. People who are too chicken to bring overdue books back to the librarian's desk drop them off in the Chicken Box and run for the hills. Pawk-pawk-pawk-pawk-pawk! Pawk-pawk-pawk-pawk-pawk!

Jesse didn't write this, but most of the books they had taken out lately were really for Emmy to read all by herself all by herself . Their pet dragon (who sometimes masked herself as a sheepdog) had taught herself how to read! Three weeks before, they had rescued a big, red leather-bound book from St. George the Dragon Slayer and hidden it in the parlor of their neighbor, Miss Alodie. The size of a giant coffee table, it was written in a language none of them could understand. Emmy hoped that if she became a good enough reader, she would be able to . Their pet dragon (who sometimes masked herself as a sheepdog) had taught herself how to read! Three weeks before, they had rescued a big, red leather-bound book from St. George the Dragon Slayer and hidden it in the parlor of their neighbor, Miss Alodie. The size of a giant coffee table, it was written in a language none of them could understand. Emmy hoped that if she became a good enough reader, she would be able to 5.decode what was written on the book's mysterious pages. So far, they hadn't been able to open the book, much less figure out what it said on the inside.

Jesse felt someone b.u.mp his back and he turned around. Daisy had a pile of books balanced beneath her chin. "All set," she said, blowing white-blond wisps of hair off her forehead.

Jesse sent the e-mail to his parents and signed off, then bounced up to put his arms through the backpack. The bag contained a light load of two water bottles and Daisy's wildflower notebook, but it was about to get a lot heavier. Jesse took half of the books from his cousin, and together they went to the librarian's desk.

As always, Mr. Stenson took a lively interest in their picks. "You guys realize you're reading way above your grade level these days?" he asked.

Daisy, three inches taller than Jesse, even though they both were ten years old, jiggled nervously on the b.a.l.l.s of her feet. "Well, what do you know about that," she said with a bright smile.

"Wow," Jesse said softly, ducking to hide beneath his mop of s.h.a.ggy brown hair.

Mr. Stenson reviewed their choices as he pa.s.sed the books under the scanner. "Looks like you're having an E. Nesbit festival. Five Children Five Children 6.and It, The Story of the Amulet , and , and Dragon Tales Dragon Tales . Next up, . Next up, The Phantom Tollbooth The Phantom Tollbooth , and--jeepers--look at this one! Howard Pyle's , and--jeepers--look at this one! Howard Pyle's Twilight Land Twilight Land . I see you're this dandy old chestnut's first readers in eight years! Next up: . I see you're this dandy old chestnut's first readers in eight years! Next up: Peter Pan Peter Pan , and, last but not least, one of my personal faves, , and, last but not least, one of my personal faves, Higglety Pigglety Pop! Higglety Pigglety Pop! , starring a spiffy little terrier. I wonder which spiffy English sheepdog made , starring a spiffy little terrier. I wonder which spiffy English sheepdog made this this pick?" pick?"

Magically masked as a sheepdog, with her nose pressed to the front door's big gla.s.s pane, Emmy pulled back and let out a loud bark.

"Look at her," said Mr. Stenson fondly. "She knows we're talking about her. I bet she's going to have a blast at the Pets Allowed Slumber Party. You kids are coming tomorrow night, aren't you?"

"Of course we are!" Jesse said.

"Wouldn't miss it," Daisy added.

"And I think I can guess which of these books you've chosen to read at the party," Mr. Stenson said with a knowing smile.

The annual slumber party was held at the library for third, fourth, and fifth graders and their pets (so long as they were certified housebroken and thoroughly well-behaved). One of the highlights of the party was before bedtime, when each guest read a chapter from a book about an animal. The only restriction Mr. Stenson had placed on the 7.selection was that it couldn't be scary. "No fair scaring the bejeepers out of the librarians," he had said. This year, for the first time, Jesse and Daisy actually had an animal to bring and not just a book about one. Meanwhile, however, something was causing that pet to bark her furry head off.

Mr. Stenson slid the stack of books toward the cousins and nodded in Emmy's direction. "She sounds plenty eager to me."

Jesse and Daisy frowned at each other. Didn't that barking sound a little less like eager and a lot more like distressed? They turned around to see what the trouble was.

A woman they didn't recognize was depositing a book in the Chicken Box. She screamed as Emmy lunged at her very small dog. The woman yanked her dog back as it strained at the leash, its eyes bulging out of its bony little skull. Emmy, whose leash was tied to one leg of the Chicken Box, pulled against it so frantically, Jesse was afraid she would tear herself loose. A small crowd of people stood on the steps of the library and watched the face-off with a mixture of amus.e.m.e.nt and fear.

Mr. Stenson lifted the telephone and punched in a number. "Nothing personal to Emmy but it's times like this I'm glad we're next door to the pound," he said.

8.Jesse's eyes went wide. "You're calling Ms. Mindy?"

"Darn tootin', I am," Mr. Stenson said cheerily, just as the growling outside exploded into all-out warfare.

Jesse and Daisy tore out the door and pulled Emmy off the little dog just as Ms. Mindy dashed over from next door, armed with a net.

Ms. Mindy eyed the canine culprits with suspicion. "Okay," she said, "which one of you furry troublemakers started this? Am I gonna have to finish it for you?"

Jesse had only one thought in his head, and that was If this lady messes with our dog, she'll turn back into a dragon If this lady messes with our dog, she'll turn back into a dragon . "No! Everything's fine now," he said, shielding Emmy in case Ms. Mindy's zapper finger got a little itchy. . "No! Everything's fine now," he said, shielding Emmy in case Ms. Mindy's zapper finger got a little itchy.

"It's just too hot to be a sheepdog," Daisy said to Ms. Mindy.

"The little yappy one started it," somebody in the crowd said, and there was a murmur of agreement.

The little yappy one's owner said, "Spencer was just trying to make nicey-nice."

"Ma'am?" the dogcatcher said to the owner. "I'm going to have to ask you and Spencer to move along now, please. Everybody," she said to the 9.others, "show's over. Get back to your lives."

Jesse went back inside to pack up their books while Daisy stayed with Emmy, holding her head and crooning in her ear. Jesse came out, bent beneath the weight on his back. They shared backpack duty, and today was his turn to carry it.

Ms. Mindy stepped in close to Jesse and Daisy and said in a low voice, "Kids, whatever you do, don't let your dog run around loose today, okay?"

Jesse and Daisy nodded.

"How come?" Jesse asked.

Ms. Mindy said, "Somebody broke into the pound last night."

"Whoa!" said Daisy.

"Let out every dog in the place," Ms. Mindy said, "when we were at maximum capacity. Which means there are now about three dozen dogs at liberty in this town."

"Who let them loose?" Daisy asked.

Ms. Mindy looked to the right and to the left, as if spies might be listening. "Not a clue. All I know is there are some mighty big dogs at large."

"How come you're not out catching them?" Jesse asked.

Ms. Mindy threw up both hands. "I've been at it since dawn. Had to come in to change. Sweated right through my uniform. I've been everywhere 10.and back again, and I haven't seen a one of them," she said.

"Holy moly!" said Daisy.

"Holy moly is right, young lady," Ms. Mindy said. "You three take care now."

Jesse and Daisy crept down the steps of the library and headed home. Technically, it was Daisy's home, but Jesse had been living there since before the summer started. His parents were doctors in Africa running a children's clinic. He had traveled all over the world with them since he was born, but now he wanted to live in America for a while. Since he had spent every summer with his cousins, Uncle Joe, and Aunt Maggie, this was his second home. Now that her much bigger brothers, Aaron and Noah, had grown up and moved away, Daisy was especially happy not to be the only kid left at home.

Neither Jesse nor Daisy said very much on the walk home. It was too hot to talk, and both wanted to keep an eye out for big dogs running around loose. They let out a sigh of relief when they stepped into the cool, damp, dark garage and closed the door behind them.

Emmy shook herself all over and unmasked into her dragon form. The cousins were startled anew at how big she had gotten in a few short 11.weeks. She was now as big as a medium-size elephant. When she drew herself up high on her haunches, the cousins had to crane their necks to meet her eye.

"Do you mind explaining what happened back there?" Jesse asked Emmy.

"Yeah," said Daisy. "Why couldn't you just make nicey-nice?"

"Because maybe I am not nicey-nice," Emmy griped.

"Yes, you are!" Daisy said. "You're a very nice dragon. Most of the time."

"Emmy, do you know what Ms. Mindy had?" Jesse told her. "A zapper thingie. She might have zapped you into a dragon in front of the whole town!"

Emmy sulked. "It wasn't my fault. I didn't do anything. That creepy little rat dog sniffed me."

"Emmy, sniffing is not a good reason to fight," said Daisy.

Emmy smoldered with indignation. "He sniffed my b.u.t.t!"

Daisy rolled her eyes.

"That's what dogs do, Emmy; you know that," Jesse said, unloading the books from the backpack and stacking them on the old picnic table next to Emmy's nest. Just as she had outgrown the sock 12.drawer, she had outgrown her other nest in the old wooden packing crate filled with rolled-up socks. A week before, they had sawed off the sides of two crates and nailed them together to make one big nest. It was a good thing their grandmother sent them each a pair of socks every week because the new crate needed an awful lot of them to make the nest as cozy as the old one.

Daisy said to Emmy, "Dogs sniff each other's b.u.t.ts all the time. It's how they say h.e.l.lo. It's time you got used to it."

"It was okay when I was a baby, but it is not okay now. Because that is not not how dragons say h.e.l.lo," Emmy said huffily. She went over to the table, picked up the first book on the pile--which happened to be how dragons say h.e.l.lo," Emmy said huffily. She went over to the table, picked up the first book on the pile--which happened to be The Book of Dragons-- The Book of Dragons-- and climbed into her nest. and climbed into her nest.

"How do do dragons say h.e.l.lo?" Daisy asked. dragons say h.e.l.lo?" Daisy asked.

With one dark green, sickle-shaped talon, Emmy carefully opened the book to the first page. "I don't know," she said primly. "Maybe Mrs. Nesbit will tell me how in this book of hers that I am going to read now, if if my bossy-pants Keepers will let me be." my bossy-pants Keepers will let me be."

The cousins watched, impressed, as Emmy's eyes ran down the first page and up to the top of the next. Not only was she a good reader, she was 13.lightning fast. Why, they wondered, was she so cranky these days?

"You're not a happy dragon, are you, Emmy?" said Jesse.

Emmy heaved a big sigh. "No, Jesse Tiger. I am not a happy dragon," she said.

"It's the heat," said Daisy.

Without looking up from her book, Emmy said evenly, "Dragons can fly into the craters of live volcanoes."

"Well, then, what is it? Is there something you need that you're not getting?" Jesse asked.

Emmy nodded.

"Then tell us what it is," said Daisy, "and we'll try really hard to get it for you."

"I need..." Emmy stared off into s.p.a.ce while the cousins waited. "Something," "Something," she said, shrugging and turning back to her book. she said, shrugging and turning back to her book.

Jesse sagged. "Okay, but what is the something something ?" he said. ?" he said.

Emmy blinked twice. "Beats me."

"Are you hungry?" said Daisy. "You didn't finish your eggsh.e.l.l omelet this morning. Maybe you're peckish."

"Maybe I am," said Emmy, sounding every bit as puzzled as they were.

"Then what would you like?" said Jesse.

14.Emmy was silent. "Something?" "Something?" she said after a bit. she said after a bit.

Jesse counted to ten very slowly.

Daisy clapped her hands. "I've got it! How about a Snowy Woods?" It was their name for cream cheese smeared on raw broccoli stalks, a frequent snack request from Emmy.

Emmy shook her head.

"A Double Swiss Delight?" Jesse suggested. This, surely, was her all-time favorite brunch food: Swiss cheese melted on crunchy leaves of Swiss chard.

Emmy got an ornery glint in her eye. "You mean Double Swiss Doo-doo Pie? I am not a baby anymore, you two."

"No, you're not," said Jesse. Out of the corner of his mouth, he said to Daisy, "What she is, is a junkyard dog."

"Junkyard dog" was what Jesse's mother called anyone who got up on the wrong side of the bed, or, in this case, crate.

Daisy was about to offer up another snack suggestion when Jesse said, "Never mind, Em. We'll fix you something really yummy and surprise you."

Grabbing the backpack, Daisy followed Jesse out of the garage. They locked the door behind them, as always.

15.Daisy banged her head softly and repeatedly against the door. "What. Exactly. Is. Her. Basic. Problem?" Problem?"

Jesse shook his head wearily. "Is it me, or has she been like this for weeks weeks ?" ?"

Daisy dug her wildflower notebook out of the pack. She had marked off a section in the back for keeping track of Emmy's size, food preferences, and moods. She counted ten frowny faces in a row and said, "A week and a half, to be exact. Ten days straight of serious att.i.tude," she said. "But it feels more like ten years years . That yummy surprise better be good." . That yummy surprise better be good."

"Well," Jesse said, "I was thinking we did have brussels sprouts for dinner last night."

Daisy perked up. "Right! A Brussels Sprouts Smoothie. Her favorite beverage! If that doesn't cheer her up, nothing will. What in the world's gotten into her?"

Jesse stopped at the foot of the back steps. "I don't know," he said, "but I sure hope it doesn't have anything to do with her getting bigger."

"You mean, like, the bigger she gets, the grumpier she gets?" Daisy shuddered. "Let's hope not."

On that rather ominous note, Jesse and Daisy walked through the mudroom into the kitchen.

16.They were surprised to find Uncle Joe sorting rocks on the table instead of in the Rock Shop, the garden shed he had converted into a geology lab. Daisy was even more surprised to find that the small portable TV was switched on in the middle of the day.