Soccer Shocker!: Project Droid #2

By Nancy Krulik, Amanda Burwasser and Mike Moran

When Mom tells Logan that Java is joining his soccer team, the Purple Wombats, he’s not thrilled. It’s a lot of work teaching his new robot cousin how to act like a humanand keeping him out of troubleand Logan needs a break.

Still, being programmed for success means that Java’s also great at scoring. He might just turn the Wombats into a championship team, beating Sherry and Jerry Silverspoon and their Red Polar Bears . . . if he’d just let the other kids play, too. After being replaced as the Wombats’ MVP, Logan’s had enough.

But when Java gets wet and goes on the fritz, can the whole teameven a short-circuiting Javacome together to score the winning goal?

The second in a fantastically funny new chapter book series by internationally bestselling author Nancy Krulik and her daughter, Amanda Burwasser, Soccer Shocker is destined to win tons of fans.

Sky Pony Press, with our Good Books, Racehorse and Arcade imprints, is proud to publish a broad range of books for young readerspicture books for small children, chapter books, books for middle grade readers, and novels for young adults. Our list includes bestsellers for children who love to play Minecraft; stories told with LEGO bricks; books that teach lessons about tolerance, patience, and the environment, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sky Pony
• Release date: Sep 6, 2016
• ISBN: 9781510710245

Nancy Krulik

Nancy Krulik is the New York Times bestselling author of more than 200 books for children and young adults. She is the author of the fan favorite book series Katie Kazoo, Switcheroo; George Brown, Class Clown; How I Survived Middle School; and Magic Bone. She lives in New York.

Book preview

1.

Bran-Tastic

Mom! I shouted. Where are the Sugar-Blasted Bubblegum Crispies?

We’re all out of Bubblegum Crispies, Mom called back from her lab in the garage. Just pour yourself a bowl of my Fun-with-Fiber Flakes.

Fiber is healthy for humans, my cousin, Java, said. He was sitting at the kitchen table, speed-clipping coupons for my mom.

Fiber Flakes might be healthy. But they tasted like soggy cardboard. Not that Java would know. Java doesn’t eat breakfast.

Java doesn’t eat at all.

He doesn’t need to. He’s an android.

My mom is a scientist. She likes to build things. So she built me a robot cousin.

His name is Jacob Alexander Victor Applebaum.

I just call him Java.

Sometimes it’s cool having a robot by my side. But other times it can be a real pain.

The hardest part about having Java in the family is I can’t tell anyone he isn’t human. That’s because he’s part of my mom’s secret project: Project Droid.

But keeping Java’s secret isn’t easy. Especially because he doesn’t always act like a normal kid.

I hate Fiber Flakes, I called to Mom. Isn’t there anything sweet I can have for breakfast?

Add some dried fruit, she suggested.

Dried fruit makes me have to go to the bathroom, I argued.

Logan, I’m busy, my mother called from the lab. Just add some dates and nuts to your cereal and eat.

Suddenly Java leaped up from his seat.

"I can do it!" he shouted. He picked up the scissors he’d been using to clip the coupons and began cutting up the calendar on the wall.

What are you doing? I asked him.

Getting dates for your cereal, Java said. Here’s November 17. He dropped the calendar dates into my cereal bowl.

That’s what I mean about Java not acting like a normal kid.

I looked down at the paper in my bowl. I’ll have toast, I said.

Just then, Mom walked into the kitchen. At least I think it was my mom. It was hard to tell under the helmet and safety glasses.

Better hurry, Mom said. She dropped her tool