The Mystery of the Glowing Garden

By Connie Handman and Nicole Agro

Take a journey back to the beginning of time with a 2-Die-4 friendship between two super humansBrave Brent and Magical Miriamand a Christian rattlesnake named Button Boy. Our story begins when these humans find a little lost rattler, half frozen in the dead of winter. The seed of love starts to grow strong and sweet as they embark on a most dangerous mission.

This is a true tale of the historical reptile legacy, according to the Rattler FamilyPapaw, Racer, Hissy, and our hero, Button Boy. You are invited to attend this gala affair. Please give serious thought to accepting a personal invitation from none other than Button Boy himself.

Special Event: The Mystery of the Glowing Garden

Theme #1: Good vs. Evil

Theme #2: Friendship

Time: The Birth of the Earth

RSVP: Take the Challenge! Be ready to answer these questions. What makes The Garden GLOW? Who wants the GLOW to GO? What happens if the GLOW GOES? Why does Button Boy Brave the Beast? What secrets does The Garden hold? What special gift do the humans bring to the story?? Who loses his legs and Why?

Experience the Written Wordand know!!

So, if youre searching for stuff like tremendous trust, tried-and-true truth, heart-filled heroes, with some Sci-Fi on the side, frightfully fun friends, silly snake jokesSTOP! Your search has ended. Satisfaction Guaranteed! See you in The Mystery of the Glowing Garden!

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Aug 30, 2017
• ISBN: 9781512765663

Connie Handman

Connie Handman—married with two super sons—is an experienced educator and reading specialist. Her passion is to guide students into the excitement of finding ways to reach their full potential. Thus, the goal is to get learners Turned On to understanding how valuable their life can be when they use their God-given gifts and abilities. She has taught preschool, elementary school, both private and public, middle school, G.E.D., and Business College. Connie holds two Master Degrees—an M.A. in Elementary Education with a Reading Endorsement and an M.A. in Counseling.

Book preview

Chapter One

Lost and Found

Wake up, sleepyhead! Get up! Get out of bed! It’s almost noon. Mom’s got our favorite breakfast, ready and waiting, Miriam kiddingly commands, as she proceeds to shake, rattle, and try to roll her brother out of his late snooze.

Her dark brown eyes, almost surrounded by her same color straight hair, keep looking for some sort of movement. But a petite body of ten has to work overtime when competing with the body of a BIG brother.

Brent, a brownish black-haired, tall, muscular boy of twelve, hears every word. But his bed feels so deliciously nice and comfy.

What day is it—Saturday or Sunday? Her soon-to-be teenage brother half-mumbles his words.

"It’s a Friday, No School, Snow Day! Miriam exclaims, feeling quite confident her announcement would light a little fire under him. And I’m chompin’ at the bit to get out in it! We can break in our new fast-as-lightning Christmas sled."

Her voice could have lit up a dark black room. Those ABC’s did the trick, or is it the treat? It’s both. Today is a….

No School, Snow Day!

Brent puts one foot, then the other, then the weight of one solid boy body on the floor as he says out loud, Move, bones. And they do begin to pick up a little speed when his smeller catches wind of salty country ham, fluffy blueberry pancakes, and baby marshmallows, melting on a sea of hot chocolate. The aroma of his Mom’s prizewinning wake-up food pulls this drowsy boy straight to his kitchen chair.

Plop! Still half asleep, he picks up the fork, and the rest is history. Miriam woofs hers down, too. And as quick as a chicken can lay an egg, they prepare for the wintry white wonderland awaiting them, fully fueled with their favorite foods and fun-filled frostbitten fantasies.

Their farm, made up of racing horses and chickens, sets up high on a roller coaster-type hill that screams snow sledding—loud and strong! It’s rather isolated with the closest people living a good ten miles away in a newly constructed subdivision close to Lexington, Kentucky.

Just six months ago, they had left New York to take on this horse farm. At first, Brent and Miriam fought the extreme city-versus-country change of living. Not to mention the hardship of leaving best friends. Pouting, crying, complaining, and begging to go back were all tools used to help them express their sad feelings of loss.

But as time passed, they grew to enjoy life on a farm. They both actually looked forward to doing their chores. Imagine that! Brent took more to the amazingly strong thoroughbreds, while Miriam preferred the clucking chickens. Finding nice school buddies to share this new adventure with just put double strawberry icing on their chocolate chunk cake. Country life had brought a breath of fresh air to the entire Bingham family.

Hey, Brent! Please come help me get this sled down. Wasn’t it advertised as a speed demon? It looks awfully heavy.

Sure, Sis. I’m coming. Hey! Have you looked out lately? It’s snowing again. I thought Kentucky didn’t get much white stuff. This kinda reminds me of the truck loads of snow we got in New York. Rad! Totally Rad! Let’s make haste and not waste any more time inside!

At last, out they go for the No School, Snow Day surprise!

      Up            Up                  Up

            and              and              and

                Down,            Down,      Down,

they rocketed over and over and over the thrilling, chilling, feel-your-heart-pounding rolling hills. How fresh and bright! What a delightful sight! They went at it with all their might. Terribly tired, soaked to the bone, and fully famished, Brent needs to call it a day.

Let’s make for the farm, Miriam. I’m all in. I need heat, food, and rest. Brent starts to climb up one final time.

Me, too! But before we go, could we leave Mother Nature a see-you-later message in her sweet cold stuff? Please! Let’s make her some angels singing in the snow. And then tomorrow, we could create some cool statues! How ‘bout it?

Brent knows how his sister loves anything to do with frozen white rain. Girls!

Oh alright, but make it fast, he answers back, already doing horizontal jumping jacks in the icy stuff to give rise to a couple of quick beings from the heavenly host.

At this moment, out of a tiny corner of his eye, Brent spots an oh-so-slight movement in the nearby woods. Brent spots little ole’ reptile……Me! Permit me to introduce myself. My name is Button Boy—hopelessly lost, alone, and dying! I am a baby rattler who has gotten off