Justine McKeen, Walk the Talk

Sigmund Brouwer

illustrated by
Dave Whamond

ORCA BOOK PUBLISHERS

Savannah—this one is especially for you.

Text copyright © 2012 Sigmund Brouwer
Illustrations copyright © 2012 Dave Whamond

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system now known or to be invented, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication

Brouwer, Sigmund, 1959-
Justine McKeen, walk the talk [electronic resource] / Sigmund Brouwer;
illustrated by Dave Whamond.

(Orca echoes)
Electronic monograph in
PDF
format.
Issued also in print format.
ISBN
978-1-55469-930-8

I. Whamond, Dave II. Title. III. Series: Orca echoes (Online)
PS
8553.
R
68467
J
884 2012      JC813'.54      
C
2011-907544-
X

First published in the United States, 2012
Library of Congress Control Number
: 2011942591

Summary
: Justine has plans to start a walking school bus at her school to help create a greener environment, but not everyone trusts her ideas.

Orca Book Publishers gratefully acknowledges the support for its publishing programs provided by the following agencies: the Government of Canada through the Canada Book Fund and the Canada Council for the Arts, and the Province of British Columbia through the BC Arts Council and the Book Publishing Tax Credit.

Orca Book Publishers is dedicated to preserving the environment and has printed this book
on paper certified by the Forest Stewardship Council
^®
.

Cover artwork and interior illustrations by Dave Whamond
Author photo by Reba Baskett

www.orcabook.com
Printed and bound in Canada.

15 14 13 12 • 4 3 2 1

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter One

“I wish all cars had smoke coming out of them like that,” Justine McKeen said to her friends Michael and Safdar. She pointed at an old car passing them on their way to school. A long trail of blue-black smoke followed behind it.

“What?” Safdar said. “You're the Queen of Green! An old car like that should be taken off the road!”

The three of them had almost reached the school. There were only a few minutes until the bell rang to start the day.

“Yes,” Justine said. “I am the Queen of Green. And yes, that car should be taken off the road. But look at all the cars in front of our school.”

A long line of cars idled as kids were being dropped off. There was also a lineup of buses. Kids exited the buses and ran into the school. “Do you see all the stuff coming out of those cars?”

“Those cars are a lot newer than that old one,” Michael said.

“Just because we don't see any black smoke doesn't make them better. All of these cars are sending invisible stuff called carbon dioxide into the air. Too much carbon dioxide is bad for the environment. Did you know, if nine kids walk to school all year instead of going in cars or buses, it stops over a ton of carbon dioxide from going into the air? It also saves gas. The less gas we use, the less we have to drill for oil. And that's good too. Plus walking is healthier for kids.”

“Let me guess,” Safdar said. “You have a plan. Again.”

“Of course I do,” Justine said. “I am the Queen of Green.”

“Let's hope it's a better plan than your last one,” Safdar said. “I still can't believe you talked us into helping you move all that dirt to start a roof garden at school.”

“Speaking of the garden,” Michael said, “don't look now, but the janitor is up on the roof. And he doesn't seem happy to see you, Justine.”

When someone says, “Don't look,” the first thing a person does is look. So Safdar and Justine looked up at the roof. Mr. Noble, the janitor, had climbed a ladder to get to the top. His hands were on his hips. He frowned at all three of them.

“Hi, Mr. Noble!” Justine waved. “Nice to see you!”

“It's not nice to see you,” he yelled.

“I already said I'm sorry! Can I help clean up the mess?” Justine asked.

“You stay away from me! Your help would only make it worse!”

Michael and Safdar tried pulling Justine inside the school.

“Everybody is staring at us,” Safdar said.

“It's your hat,” Michael said to Justine.

Justine wore a wide-brimmed hat with a stuffed bird perched on the side.

She smiled. “I like my hat. It goes with my dress.”

“I'm afraid to ask,” Safdar said, “but what's your plan for those cars? Plug all the exhaust pipes with bananas?”

“Good idea,” Justine said. “Or maybe a potato. We just sneak up behind each car and—”

“I was joking,” Safdar said. “Please don't try that. Something could go very wrong. Just like the garden on the school roof went wrong.”

“How would I know two days of rain would make the dirt so heavy?” Justine said. “And how many times does a person have to say sorry?”

Chapter Two

“Don't look now,” Michael said to Justine and Safdar. “There's the school bully, Jimmy Blatzo.”

Whenever someone says, “Don't look,” the first thing a person does is look. So Safdar and Justine looked. Jimmy Blatzo was beside the water fountain by their classroom.

“Hey, Blatzo,” Justine said.

“Quit calling me Blatzo,” Jimmy Blatzo said.

“I know, I know.” Justine grinned. “If I call you Blatzo, people might think I'm not scared of you.”

“You just said it again.” Jimmy Blatzo shook his head. “I have to get going. You've got the same substitute teacher my class had last week. He is a jerk. I don't want him to know I'm in the hallway.”

“How come?” Michael asked.

“Look, kid, did I give you permission to talk to me?” Blatzo asked.

“Um, no,” said Michael.

“Then don't talk to me,” said Jimmy Blatzo.

“Got it,” Michael said.

“That's still talking,” Jimmy Blatzo said.