For Ages
6 to 9

Bears Beware is a part of the Zigzag Kids collection.

Mitchell really doesn't want to go camping with the other kids at the Zigzag Afternoon Center. Sleeping in the woods with creepy crawly things, coyotes, and bears? Yikes! But his best friend Habib is going, and it's Mitchell's birthday that weekend. He's just got to find a way to be brave, and scare the bears away!
As the fifth book in the Zigzag Kids series—which also includes Number One Kid, Big Whopper, Flying Feet, and Star TimeBears Beware continues to delight readers with award-winning author Patricia Reilly Giff's quirky, lovable group of kids, capturing all the excitement and surprises of new friends and after-school fun.

An Excerpt fromBears Beware

CHAPTER 1

MONDAY

School was over for the day. Whew!

It was time for the Zigzag Afternoon Center.

Mitchell McCabe darted into the lunchroom. He scooped up a snack from the counter.

It was some kind of bread thing. It had green stuff inside. The green stuff crunched against his teeth.

Mitchell gave his best friend, Habib, a poke. “Weird,” he whispered.

The lunch lady must have heard. “I like to give out surprises all the time,” she said.

“Dee-lightful,” Gina said.

Mitchell and Habib grinned at each other. Dee-lightful was the music teacher’s favorite word. Gina was in love with music.

Too bad she sang like a coyote.

The lunch lady was watching. Mitchell didn’t want to hurt her feelings. He jammed the snack into his mouth.

Habib was juggling his snack. It left little green chunks on the floor. Mitchell watched him swoop down and juggle them up again.

“Come down to the auditorium, everyone,” Ellie, one of the college helpers, called. “There’s news! Great news!”

Mitchell crossed his fingers. “Maybe they’re going to shut down the school,” he said.

Habib stopped juggling. “Really?”

“I saw it on television.

Under the Cover