Chapter 1: Bee Careful CHAPTER 1 Bee Careful Thud! The whole world seemed to be spinning around Emmett as he hit the pavement and rolled into a ditch. Ouch. That hurt! Little Emmett brushed himself off and lifted his head, which was now throbbing, and squinted as he watched a truck disappear into the distance. It all happened so fast. One minute he was squeezed into a truck packed with his mama and siblings, and the next he was tumbling down the interstate, all alone. Alone. What a terrible feeling! All his (short) life, he'd known the comfort of friends nuzzling against him and the familiar sounds of the barnyard. Now he sat trembling, nothing to keep him company but the whoosh of cars speeding past. And so there he sat, on the side of the road, waiting for someone to find him. He wasn't sure who he was waiting for or where he wanted to go--he just knew that he didn't belong here. His hooves were scuffed, his tummy was making rumbly sounds, and his mouth felt drier than sand. He was only a baby, no taller than the dandelions that surrounded him. For a long while, he sat there under those yellow petals, waiting and squealing. And waiting. And squealing. Then, just feet away, a bumblebee landed on a flower petal. Emmett leapt up to call out to her. "Help! Please, help! I was in one of those... zoomy things... and I've fallen... and... I've lost my way! I've been sitting here alone all afternoon. Can you point me in the right direction?" Stunned, the bumblebee quickly stuffed her pockets with pollen and flew toward him, landing right on the tip of his fuzzy pink snout. "Why, it'zzz a baby pig!" the bumblebee said. "A baby what ?" Emmett paused, wondering whether he'd ever heard the word "pig" before. "Hmm," he said as he looked cross-eyed at the bee with big dark eyes peeking out from under long curly eyelashes. "I'm afraid I don't know anything about a baby pig," he said. "I'm just Emmett. But can you help me?" "Oh dear," the bumblebee replied. "Thizzz izzz no place for a baby pig." Emmett wiggled his snout in confusion. The truth is that he did not know who he was or where he belonged. All he knew was that he was himself, a little guy as tall as a flower, with a rumbly belly and nowhere to go. The bee looked west toward the sun and gasped. "Oh dear! I'm afraid I have important bizzzness to attend to," she said, realizing that she was soon due back at the hive. "Little pig, bee careful!" the bumblebee shouted, and flew off with a gust of wind. "Wait! Come back! Don't leave me here!" Emmett called, but it was too late. The bee was out of sight. Sheesh, she sure was flighty, Emmett thought, and flopped against the grass, wondering if he'd be alone forever. Oh, how he hated to be alone. The sun was scorching, and he was thirsty . Getting up, Emmett tiptoed along a thin yellow line, trying to make his way toward a puddle shining in the distance. Cars zipped past, honking and blowing hot wind against his side. Emmett was scared, and if this was what it meant to be a pig, he longed to be anyone else--and anywhere else. Finally, he made it to the puddle, and as he drank, he saw in his reflection a fuzzy pink baby looking back at him. He shuddered. "I don't think I like being a baby pig at all." Screeeech! A car came to a sudden stop, and he jolted, splashing water all over himself, as the door opened wide. Emmett backed away slowly as a long shadow fell over him, blocking the sunshine. As if out of thin air, two huge hands wrapped around his tiny body, lifting him toward the sky. He couldn't believe his eyes. He was being held by a giant! Before he knew what was happening, Emmett was sitting in a box on the passenger seat, the trees zooming past his face as if he were flying through space at the speed of light. His mind was racing. Who was this giant? Where was she taking him? And most importantly... would there be snacks? Excerpted from Emmett and Jez by Hannah Shaw All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.