Left in charge for an afternoon, Jeff never resorted to crude bullying when elaborate psychological warfare worked so much better. Convincing a trusting kindergartner that milk fuels superhero powers took weeks of patient effort, ending only at the summit of the town slide.
Later came a pilfered arm-wrestling championship belt made of construction paper, and an unbreakable household oath sworn on the word “honest.” Even as grown adults, the brothers still settled old scores late at night in the family room, dodging a mangy stuffed lion until their father came downstairs.
A short story from the acclaimed collection Guys Read: Funny Business, edited by Jon Scieszka.
Jon Scieszka is the National Ambassador for Children's Literature emeritus and the bestselling author of more than twenty-five books for kids, including The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales, Math Curse, Robot Zot!, and the Time Warp Trio series. Jon founded Guys Read to encourage a passion for reading among young boys, with the philosophy that boys love to read most when they are reading things they love. A former elementary school teacher, Jon lives in Brooklyn with his family. For more great books, more great facts, and more about your favorite authors, head over to www.guysread.com. You'll be glad you did.
Adam Rex is the author of many books, including Cold Cereal and Unlucky Charms, the first two books in the Cold Cereal Saga; the New York Times bestselling picture books The Legend of Rock Paper Scissors and Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich; the middle grade novel The True Meaning of Smekday (now a major motion picture from Dreamworks, Home); and the teen novel Fat Vampire. He lives in Arizona with his wife.