Ant Attack (8 page)

“No, I mean … we're probably being watched.” Petty flicked a glance back over her shoulder. “By them …”

“Them?” said Josh.

“They have a file on me,” said Petty. “I might have been expelled from the government's secret laboratories, but they've always been watching me. The mailman, the milkman, the lady who delivers fish … any one of them could be a government spy working for Victor Crouch. He might have burnt my memory out, but he'll always have someone on the lookout, just in case. Watching and waiting. Waiting for a sign that my work goes on! He failed to steal it properly before. The he burnt out my memory before he realized his stupid mistake—that the notes he stole from me were all faked. He will always wonder if it's possible for me to start again. And just in case, he will always have someone watching.…”

“O … K,” said Josh. “Time for us to go home now. Byeeeee.”

“I tell you! They're like ants! They're everywhere!” insisted Petty, snapping the velvet boxes shut. “Be on your guard! Tell me if you see anything suspicious! Anything at all …”

“She's bonkers,” said Danny. Petty closed her front door, and they walked down the front garden path. “Every bonkers person thinks the government is spying on them.”

“Yep,” said Josh.

Across the road, the man emptying the mailbox finished filling up his sack. Then, when nobody seemed to be looking, he took out a pair of binoculars and trained them on Petty Potts's house …

Want to brush up on your bug knowledge? Here's a list of books dedicated to creepy-crawlies.

Glaser, Linda.
Not a Buzz to Be Found
. Minneapolis: Millbrook Press, 2012.

Heos, Bridget.
What to Expect When You're Expecting Larvae: A Guide for Insect Parents (and Curious Kids)
. Minneapolis: Millbrook Press, 2011.

Markle, Sandra. Insect World series. Minneapolis: Lerner Publications, 2008.

Find out more about nature and wildlife using the websites below.

http://www.biokids.umich.edu/critters/

The University of Michigan's Critter Catalog
has a ton of pictures of different kinds of bugs and information on where they live, how they behave, and their predators.

http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/kids/animals-pets-kids/bugs-kids

Go to this fun website to watch clips from National Geographic about all sorts of creepy-crawlies.

http://www.fws.gov/letsgooutside/kids.html

This website has lots of activities for when you're outside playing and looking for wildlife.

CHECK OUT ALL OF THE
TITLES

	# 1 Spider Stampede Eight-year-olds Josh and Danny discover that their neighbor Miss Potts has a secret formula that can change people into bugs. Soon enough, they find themselves with six extra legs. Can the boys survive in the world as spiders long enough to make it home in time for dinner?
	#2 Fly Frenzy Danny and Josh are avoiding their neighbor because she “accidentally” turned them into bugs. But when their mom's garden is ruined the day before a big competition, the twins turn into bluebottle houseflies to discover the culprits. Will they find who's responsible before it's too late?
	#3 Grasshopper Glitch Danny and Josh are having a normal day at school … until they turn into grasshoppers in the middle of class! Can they avoid being eaten during their whirlwind search to find the antidote? And will they be able to change back before getting a week of detention?
	#4 Ant Attack Danny and Josh are being forced to play with Tarquin, the most annoying boy in the neighborhood. But things get dangerous when the twins accidentally turn into ants and discover that Tarquin kills bugs for fun…. Can they find a safe place to hide until they turn human again?
	#5 Crane Fly Crash When Petty Potts leaves town, she puts Danny and Josh in charge of some of her S.W.I.T.C.H. spray. Unfortunately, their sister, Jenny, mistakes it for hair spray and ends up as a crane fly. Now it's up to the twins to keep Jenny from being eaten alive.
	#6 Beetle Blast Danny is forced to go with his brother, Josh, to his nature group, but neither of them thought they would turn into the nature they were studying! Both brothers become beetles just in time to learn about pond dipping … from the bug's perspective. Can they avoid getting caught by the other kids?