Herbert the Golf Cart: Beanie Books, #2

By Matt Wiedeman

Meet Herbert, the lovable golf cart with a mind of his own. Ben and his friends are back in this adventure book. 

 

On a trip to their Grandparents' farm, Ben and Beth discover Herbert, an almost human golf cart stashed in the back of the barn. Ben has big plans to use the golf cart to deliver newspapers. When he gets his paper route, he is surprised to learn that there is a Great Paperboy Race at the end of the summer. Can an old golf cart like Herbert actually compete in the race against the new golf carts? Luckily, Ben's friend Cole is a golf cart mechanic.

 

This wildly fun roller-coaster ride of a book will be hard to put down. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Matt Wiedeman
• Release date: Jan 26, 2022
• ISBN: 9798223361947

Matt Wiedeman

Hi everyone, I live in Cincinnati, OH with my family. I started writing Beanie in the Bottle as a fun side project. It ended up becoming a series. Someday I hope to meet a genie.

Book preview

8th-grade graduation

Picture this: The whole fam squeezed into the minivan, feeling like a bunch of sardines in a can, as we revved up for our eighth-grade graduation ceremony.

So, there was me, Beth, my twin sis, the 'rents, and our grandfolks who flew in from Minnesota just for the big to-do.

Let's roll, Dad yelled, as if we were off to do something important.

In my day, we didn't have a ceremony for every grade, grumbled my gramps, like he missed the good old days of walking uphill both ways to school in the snow.

Yeah, let's just not go, I said.

Ben, this is important and you're going! Mom said.

We rolled into the school lot. The event was taking place in the grand auditorium of our school, so we all headed straight over there. Beth and I casually walked up to the stage like we owned the place. It was like a fashion show there; the guys were strutting around in their stylish ties, and the girls were all dolled up in their fanciest dresses.

The school had these fancy-schmancy bleachers for us to park our behinds on. We even had assigned seats, like we were at a VIP event or something. I plopped down next to my buddies Cole Barnes, who's my neighbor, and Gloppy. Yup, you heard that right, Gloppy. His real name is Boris Gloppenstein, but he goes by Gloppy.

And let's not forget Beth, who plopped herself down next to Angie in the row ahead. Oh, Angie and I? Yeah, we had a 'blink and you'll miss it' kind of relationship that just went up in smoke. Oh, middle school drama, you never fail to entertain.

What's the deal with you and Angie? Cole whispered.

We decided to part ways, I replied.

Bummer, said Cole.

Yeah, she had this thing. Whenever we tackled math homework together, she'd be like, 'I got it,' after every problem, I complained to Cole.

So, you dumped her because of her 'I got it' habit? Gloppy asked, shaking his head.

Yep, Ben’s got a low tolerance for annoyance, added Cole with a chuckle.

Hey, have you done the woods walk to catch up with Beanie lately? inquired Gloppy.

Not for a while. Maybe we should take a trip to check on old Beanie, I suggested.

Yeah, maybe. I have other big summer plans, Cole replied.

What's on the agenda for you this summer, Cole? I inquired.

Well, I'm starting golf cart mechanics school next week. Gonna become the golf cart guru and maybe snag a gig at the golf course.

That's awesome. I would love to have a golf cart to drive around. Maybe you can help me with my dream.

That's just fantastic. I mean, who wouldn't want their very own golf cart to speed around in? You've got big dreams, pal, he teased as the ceremony kicked off.

All I'm saying is, with my own sweet ride, I could totally land a job as a caddy at Bushgrass golf course, I mused.

Yeah, sure, keep dreaming, he scoffed, just as the ceremony was about to begin.

Beth couldn't contain her excitement as she had a valedictorian speech to deliver. Principal Carlotto, with his usual flair, began his speech with a not-so-humble recount of his gangly high school days, much to the laughter of the crowd. After the suspenseful build-up, he finally announced the school's valedictorian: none other than my favorite sister,  Beth.

With her heart pounding in her chest, Beth took center stage, ready to unleash her well-rehearsed speech. Well, well, Principal Carlotto, look at us now! I want to give a big shout out to the class - we made it! Thanks, everyone, she said with a grin, basking in the moment.

When she came back, I greeted her with a big thumbs up. After the main event, we all crammed into the cafeteria to guzzle punch and gobble cookies. We sat at a table with my grandparents, who were bursting with excitement.

Hey kiddos, your oldies want you to go to their farm for a whole week, announced Dad.

Yeah, we can catch fish, milk cows, and get up to all sorts of shenanigans, chimed in Gramps.

I dunno. I had my heart set on hunkering down in the basement and gaming my summer away, I protested.

Back in my day, we would never have even considered missing a chance to bask in the great outdoors, Gramps declared.

He's just pulling your leg, my mom said, shooting me a look as if I'd just uttered sheer nonsense.

I mean, obviously, we'll go, right, Beth? I inquired.

I'll join if I won't turn into an icicle, she quipped.

It's summertime, for goodness' sake. The weather's divine this time of year, Grandma chimed in.

What other exciting plans do you have? my mother inquired.

Well, I was thinking of tackling a book a week this summer, so this trip might throw a wrench in my plans, I quipped.

Ben, you can't even read, teased Beth.

Haha, you crack me up! I retorted.

Perfect, then it's settled! declared Gramps.

Did we ever really have a choice? I joked.

Not really, Dad admitted.

We won’t get lost on the drive there, Gramps. I've got this wizardry called GPS on my phone, so we'll get right there.

Back in the good old days, we had to rely on instincts and a dusty map to find our way.

Calm down, old-timer, I teased. It's the era of Google Maps now.

The festivities finally ended, and we made a beeline for home.

Thank goodness that's done, I exclaimed, yanking off my suffocating tie.

Stop complaining, Gramps chuckled in response.

We managed to return unscathed and bid farewell to the grandparents as they set off for Minnesota.

We can't wait to have you back, Grandma chimed in as we embraced.

After waving them off, we collapsed onto the couch. Ah, at last—summer's arrived!

Beanie

Later that day I decided to check on my friend Beanie.

I’m going to the woods to see what Beanie is doing. Be back in a bit, I announced.

I’ll go with you, said Beth.

Off we trotted to the woods to pay a visit to Beanie, the retired genie. We strolled out the door and moseyed up the street.

"I still can't wrap my head