CONTENTS
Chapter 1: Meet MAD-ILY
Chapter 2: Left Out at Lunch
Chapter 3: The Un-Friendship Bracelet
Chapter 4: Hidden Treasure!
Chapter 5: The Inside Joke
Chapter 6: Sam’s Big Ideas
Chapter 7: Time to Tell the Truth
Chapter 8: Crafty Cleanup!
Chapter 9: Sew, Paint, Build, Repeat
Chapter 10: Friends New and Old!
How to Make . . . A Friendship Bracelet
'Making the Band' Excerpt
About the Author
Chapter 1
Meet MAD-ILY
“Emily! I missed you so much!”
Maddie Wilson ran across the classroom and swept Emily Adams into a huge hug. Emily had only been away at her grandparents’ house for the weekend, but for best friends who called themselves “MAD-ILY,” two days could feel like forever.
“You too!” Emily said. She pulled back and looked Maddie up and down. “Did you get new . . . everything?” she asked.
Maddie laughed. “Nope, I just made some updates. Remember my ‘painting pants’?”
Emily nodded. She and Maddie had clothing they always wore when they were crafting.
Maddie spun in a circle. “Ta-da!”
Emily couldn’t believe it. The jeans that used to have streaks and splotches of paint all over were now bright green. And instead of the streaks and splotches, there were now patches and buttons! Maddie explained that she had bleached the jeans, dyed them green, and then sewn on all the accessories.
“So cool,” Emily replied.
Unlike Maddie, Emily was happiest in her overalls. Instead of accessories, they had a million pockets for her tools and tidbits.
Although their outfits were different, they had one thing in common: matching friendship bracelets. The girls had made them together, and they never took the bracelets off their wrists.
Just then the bell rang. Emily and Maddie scrambled to take their seats. Emily sat between Maddie and a boy named Sam Sharma. Sam was pretty quiet, but Emily knew he liked to draw. She knew because occasionally she’d peek over at his notebook. It was always filled with doodles and drawings. He drew everything from robots to giraffes to spaceships—he even created entire worlds.
Emily was about to tell Sam she loved the forest he was drawing when Ms. Gibbons, their teacher, entered the room.
With her was a girl Emily and Maddie had never seen before. The girl had short dark hair, big brown eyes, and a purple backpack that had numbers and symbols written all over it.
“Class,” said Ms. Gibbons, “I’d like you to meet Isabella Diaz. She’s a new student here at Birding Creek Elementary, and she’ll be joining our class. Let’s all do our best to make Isabella feel welcome.”
The new girl smiled shyly and then whispered something to Ms. Gibbons.
“Of course,” replied Ms. Gibbons. “Isabella just told me that she goes by Bella, so please, everyone, make Bella feel welcome. Bella, why don’t you take the seat next to Maddie? Raise your hand, Maddie.”
Maddie waved enthusiastically, and Bella went to sit down. “Cool backpack,” Emily heard Maddie whisper. “And I love your key chain.”
Emily was about to chime in when she heard Bella whisper back, “Thanks. I made it.”
“No way,” said Maddie. “Can you show me how?”
“Sure!” said Bella.
Emily looked down at her friendship bracelet and twirled it on her wrist. She knew Maddie was just being friendly and doing what Ms. Gibbons had asked. And Bella seemed nice enough.
No one could come between MAD-ILY . . . right?
Chapter 2
Left Out at Lunch
Later that morning, it was math time. “As you all know, our charity bake sale is in a couple of weeks,” said Ms. Gibbons. “Let’s polish up our math skills so we can be sure to give customers correct change. Maddie, would you be Bella’s partner for math today?”
Emily looked up, surprised. She considered reminding Ms. Gibbons that she and Maddie always worked together. But before she could raise her hand, she heard Maddie’s voice.
“Of course!”
Emily watched as Maddie and Bella pushed their desks together. It makes Maddie happy to help people, Emily reminded herself. Plus, Ms. Gibbons probably chose Maddie because she knows I’m good with numbers and can work without a partner.
Emily tried to be a good sport, but seeing Maddie and Bella whispering and laughing made her heart sink. And her stomach rumble. Thank goodness it’s almost lunchtime, thought Emily.
In the cafeteria, Emily joined the hot lunch line. Maddie and Bella had both brought lunch. They made a beeline to the tables with their lunch boxes.
“Save me a seat!” Emily called after them.
When Emily finally made it to the table, she was glad to see an empty seat. But when she slid into it, Maddie barely noticed. She was too busy telling Bella about a science experiment disaster.
“No way!” said Bella, laughing.
“It’s true!” Maddie insisted. “It just went fwoosh and sprayed everything! I was completely soaked.”
Emily was about to remind Maddie of another story when she suddenly smelled something . . . amazing.
“Wow,” Emily said. “Bella, is that your lunch?”
“Mmm-hmm,” said Bella. “It’s roasted corn salad and a vegetable quesadilla. My dad is the chef at the Mexican restaurant El Gallo,” she explained.
“You’re so lucky!” said Maddie. “My parents can’t even make a decent peanut butter sandwich!”
“Neither can mine!” said Bella. “My dad’s a great chef, but the one thing he always messes up are PB&Js. It’s like they’re too easy. So I make them myself.”
Maddie laughed. “That reminds me of the time I tried to make chocolate-chip pancakes,” she said. While Maddie elaborated, Emily finished her food silently and stood up.
She waited for a break in the conversation.
And waited.
Finally Emily announced, “I’m going to the art room.”
“The art room?” Maddie gave Emily a funny look. The girls had spent years begging their art teacher, Mrs. Lee, to use the art room after hours. And Mrs. Lee had finally told Emily and Maddie that they could use the room whenever they wanted! But the girls always went together.
Emily nodded. She was about to tell Maddie about the birdhouse she was building. But just then Maddie turned back to Bella.
