Carol Chapin

Scott in a Bug Carol Chapin

''a massive mack truck lunged around the curve past my frozen body. A blast of hot air whistled past my face as it blew and snorted...''Scott''s mouth fills with basketballs when he tries to talk with the kids in his school, except for his best friend, the Moogle. The summer before Scott enters eighth grade, his dad contracts for summer work high in the Rocky Mountains. Scott and his brother and parents, plus their dog Puttputt and cat, Fernandez, spend the summer in a century old log cabin without modern amenities, but with plenty of mice. They learn to cope without the basic stuff they have always taken for granted, like running water and electricity, as well as the contemporary fun stuff. Scott hikes on the mountain and find rabbits and coyotes and an occasional moose. He compares his life with life on a modern ranch with his new friend, the daughter of their rancher landlord. Fred and Scott run around green cow pies during a real ranch round-up, and almost learn to ride horseback. Forced to rely on his own strengths and smarts over the weeks of summer, through dangerous encounters with wildlife and fire and a trouble-making car, Scott discovers that he can survive without his basketball mouth. He also uncovers what it is that makes trouble-mouth Fred bearable as a brother.