Chapter 1
It was suppertime. Joel sat at the kitchen table in Mrs. Strunk's house. He was seven.
Ricky sat at the kitchen table too. He was Joel's brother. Ricky was thirteen.
Mrs. Strunk stood in the kitchen in front of her stove.
Mrs. Strunk was a neighbor to Joel and Ricky. Mrs. Strunk was a nice old lady.
But Mrs. Strunk was a very bad cook.
"I am so glad your mother and father decided to go to a movie tonight," Mrs. Strunk said to Joel and Ricky. "I am so glad your mother and father brought you here tonight to let me cook for you."
Joel was not glad. Ricky was not glad. The food on the stove smelled bad.
"Yes," Mrs. Strunk said. "I want to make sure that you have healthy food."
The food on the stove did not smell healthy.
"Yes," Mrs. Strunk said. "I am making onion soup. Stewed beets. And fried liver. I hope you like it."
Joel did not answer.
Ricky did not answer.
They did not want to hurt Mrs. Strunk's feelings.
Mrs. Strunk was a nice old lady.
But Mrs. Strunk was a very bad cook.
"Will you eat everything?" she asked Joel and Ricky.
"Yes," Joel said.
"Yes, Ricky said.
"Good," Mrs. Strunk said. "It is nearly ready for you to eat. Onion soup and stewed beets and fried liver."
