Earth Schools Are Easy

By Rowena Zahnrei

MG, 200 Words

WINNER!

Kids’ Choice Kidlit Writing Contest, 2023

Middle Grade, 2nd Place

“Marsha-Ann Rouge. Sit.”

Principal Yates jabbed her finger at the chair in front of her desk. I obligingly sat in it.

“Do you know why I called you here?” Yates demanded.

I considered, twisting my green-streaked hair around my glitter pen. “Not specifically. No.”

The principal sighed. “I’ve had this sit-down with nearly everyone in your class, and I’ve yet to find the culprit.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Culprit?”

“It started Monday,” Yates explained. “Several students found pennies glued to the cafeteria floor. Tuesday, it was sardines in the gym lockers. Wednesday, Mr. Tidswell’s #2 pencils wouldn’t write. They’d been dipped in clear nail polish! Thursday, Miss Anselmo’s lab demonstration stank up the school because—”

“Someone mislabeled her chemicals?” I suggested.

“And today,” Yates said. “Mrs. Peterson brought me your social studies tests. Every student got a perfect score.”

“That’s bad?” I asked.

“It’s extremely unusual.”

I straightened, letting my green antennae unfold from my hair. “You can’t suspect me. I’ve barely been here a month!”

Yates stared. I stared back until she blinked, bewildered. Then, I lowered my antennae.

“Marsha-Ann? Shouldn’t you be in class?”

I smiled and smoothed my hair. Messing with Earthlings – it’s almost too easy!