Chapter 1

  PINKIE PROMISE

  “Tent? Check. Field notebook? Check. Mosquito net? Check.” Jeanie Bell ticked off the items on her packing list.

  Jeanie and her family were going camping that weekend, and she couldn’t wait. There was nothing like the great outdoors. Even better, Jeanie’s best friend, Willow Davis, was coming with them!

  Actually, Willow was at Jeanie’s house at that moment.

  Although they weren’t leaving for a few more days, Jeanie had already started organizing her camping supplies. Tidy stacks of items covered the living room carpet, organized by category and season.

  She’d lined up all her nature books alphabetically and rolled her sleeping bag neatly. And she was just laying out her binoculars and magnifying glass when a small hand reached out from a “tent” made of blankets and couch cushions.

  “Touch that magnifying glass and you’ll regret it, Jake!” Jeanie warned.

  “You’re no fun, Meanie Jeanie,” Jake called from inside the tent.

  Jeanie shook her head. There was one thing she’d like to leave at home this weekend: her little brother!

  Jeanie turned to Willow. “You’re going to love camping,” she said. “We hike and sing songs and go canoeing at Big Bear Lake. And at night we tell stories around the campfire and look at the constellations.”

  “Gazing at the stars is pretty magical,” Willow said with a wink.

  As long as no one wishes on them! Jeanie thought.

  The truth was… her friend Willow didn’t just know a few things about stars. She knew a lot of things about stars and other magical subjects. Because… Willow was a genie! Or at least a genie-in-training. Willow knew which days of the month were the luckiest and she studied magic color charts. But she was still learning to control her wish-granting skills, and sometimes her magic didn’t quite work out the way she intended.

  So Jeanie planned to be extra careful this weekend. She didn’t want any wayward wishes ruining their camping trip.

  “You’ll also get to meet my best camping friends, the Berriman twins,” Jeanie added.

  “I hope we see a painted lady butterfly,” Willow said as she flipped through Jeanie’s books. She held up one with a giant spruce tree on the cover. “What are you bringing this book for?”

  “To help me identify different trees,” explained Jeanie. “I always collect bark rubbings. It’s one of my favorite parts of camping.”

  “My favorite part is making s’mores,” Jake called from inside his tent.

  “What are s’mores?” asked Willow.

  Jake’s head popped out. “You’ve never had a s’more? It’s the most awesome dessert ever!”

  Jeanie had to agree. “Roasted marshmallows and chocolate in a graham cracker sandwich. Yum!”

  “Oh,” Willow said. Then she paused. “How do you roast marshmallows?”

  Jake grinned. “You jab them onto the end of a stick and hold them over the campfire.”

  Jeanie rolled her eyes. “You’re too little for that, Jake. Mom and Dad do the roasting,” she reminded her brother.

  He shrugged. “Yeah, but I do the eating!”

  Willow still looked a little confused. “Why do they call them s’mores?”

  “Because, once you taste one, you’ll want s’more!” Jake shouted. He cackled, grabbed Jeanie’s magnifying glass, and bolted up the stairs to his room.

  “Want me to get Jake back for you?” Willow asked. “It’s only a wish away.…”

  “YES!” Jeanie blurted out. Then she took a deep breath. “I mean, no. I have this weekend all planned out, and we don’t want to get off track. In fact, let’s make a pact: While we’re camping, I won’t make any wishes and you won’t grant any. Pinkie promise?”

  Willow smiled. “Pinkie promise!”

  Chapter 2

  FLASHLIGHTS OR FLOWER CROWNS?

  On Saturday morning Willow woke up early. Very early.

  “Hello there, Mr. Sun!” she said as she bounced out of bed. “You get right to work, don’t you!”

  Willow usually liked to sleep in. But this weekend was different. She was going camping for the first time.

  All week long Willow had daydreamed about the trip, her imagination running wild. She pictured marshmallow waterfalls, forest fairies chasing rainbow-colored frogs, and a choir of squirrels and bunnies singing to the stars. Basically, the most magical trip ever!

  But Willow knew she couldn’t make any of that magic happen.

  Jeanie said no wishes, she reminded herself as her mom drove her over to the Bells’ house. And pinkie promises are unbreakable!

  Willow was sure they’d still have plenty of fun.

  She grabbed her tie-dye duffel bag and ran up the driveway, waving to Mr. and Mrs. Bell, who were busily packing the car.

  “You’re here!” Jeanie cried, opening the door before Willow even got up the steps. “What’s in there?” Jeanie had clearly spotted Willow’s overstuffed bag.

  Willow’s eyes lit up. “Oh, you know, just the essentials: my stuffed unicorn, Opal; glitter glue; ribbons to add to our flower crowns; two kaleidoscopes; friendship bracelet supplies; scented candles; and firefly jars,” she explained.

  Jeanie giggled. “Um, I think you may have packed for the wrong trip!”

  “What do you mean?” asked Willow.

  “Well, I’m not sure we’re going to be using glitter glue or scented candles,” Jeanie said, clearly trying to put it gently. “We need to make sure there’s room in your bag for some practical necessities. It’s best to be prepared. Come on,” she said, waving Willow inside.

  In the living room Jeanie put Willow’s butterfly net, strawberry-covered sun hat, and flashlight in a neat pile. Then she added sunscreen, bug spray, a compass, and an extra sleeping bag. Everything else went in another pile.

  Willow didn’t understand how anyone could think glitter glue was non-essential. But Jeanie was the camping expert.

  “Thanks,” said Willow. “I can’t wait to be ‘one with nature.’ But I’m a little nervous, too. The woods are full of creepy, crawly creatures, and it’s going to be really dark at night, and I’ve never even slept outside before and—”

  “We’re going to have a great time,” Jeanie reassured her. “You’ll see. But just in case…” She moved Opal to the essential pile.

  Willow laughed. “It’s best to be prepared!”

  Chapter 3

  TWIN-TERRUPTION

  A few hours and a lot of car-ride games later, the Bells—and Willow—arrived at the campsite.

  Then Jeanie, Willow, and Jake unloaded the car while Mr. and Mrs. Bell set up the tents.

  “I think that’s a red cedar,” Jeanie said, pointing to a tall tree a few feet away. “Let’s help get these tents up so we can start rubbing some bark!”

  “I can sketch the leaves for you,” offered Willow. “If you want.”

  “Definitely,” said Jeanie. “Then we can go for a hike or take the canoe out on the lake. But first, we have to gather some firewood.”

  The girls secured the last tent pole, dusted themselves off, and headed toward the woods to begin their hunt.

  “We need lots of small sticks, some branches, and a few big logs to make the perfect campfire,” said Jeanie. “And they all have to be super dry.”

  Willow shielded her eyes. “Mr. Sun sure is shining brightly today,” she said. “I hope I don’t burn. Red is not my color—”

  “Jeanie!” a voice interrupted Willow.

  “Over here!” a second voice chimed in.

  Jeanie spun around and spotted two identical girls with identical blond ponytails. They were wearing matching outfits and cross-body pouches. It was the Berriman twins! Jeanie hadn’t seen them since last summer.

  “Hi, Becca! Hi, Bonnie!” Jeanie greeted them. “I was just gathering some firewood.”

  “Oh, we’ve already done that,” said Becca.

  Bonnie gave her sister a high five. “Now we’re digging for earthworms so we can go fishing later,” she said.

  “Last year we caught a dozen trout at Pinecone Falls,” Becca added.

  Willow cleared her throat.

  “Oh, I’m sorry,” Jeanie said quickly. “This is my friend Willow. She’s never been camping before.”

  “Never been camping?” Becca exclaimed.

  “Ever?” Bonnie’s jaw was practically hanging open.

  Jeanie thought Willow looked a little embarrassed, so she changed the subject. “Have you guys been up to the lake yet?”

  “Yup.” Becca pulled a small notepad out of her bag. “And according to the almanac, it’s twenty-three percent choppier this year.”

  “With a breeze coming from the northeast,” added Bonnie.

  Soon Jeanie and the twins settled into a long conversation about wind speed, water temperature, and duck migrations.

  “If you want to canoe to the sandy beach on the other side of the lake, it’s going to require extra paddling at the stern,” Becca noted.

  “Did you hear that, Willow?” Jeanie asked, turning to her friend. “Looks like we might need Jake to help—”

  But Willow was gone!

  Chapter 4

  GHOSTED

  Willow dragged a twig through the dirt. She drew spirals and swirls and a little puppy, who she realized looked sort of sad.

  “I know how you feel, pup,” Willow said. She’d found a spot to sit beneath some shady trees. She glanced at Jeanie, who was still chatting with the Berriman twins. “Some days just ar en’t as magical as others,” she said.

  Becca and Bonnie Berriman were outdoor experts, just like Jeanie. But they seemed more interested in facts and figures than they did in making a new friend.

  The twins had been talking so fast about so many things Willow didn’t understand that she’d finally given up trying to follow along. And when her skin had started to feel hot from the sun, she’d slipped away to sit in the shade.

  Now, ten minutes later, Jeanie had finally noticed.

  “Willow!” she called out as she trotted over. “Why did you leave?”

  “You guys were talking a mile a minute,” Willow explained. “And I needed to get out of the sun.”

  “Is everything okay now?” Jeanie glanced back at the twins. “Because I invited Becca and Bonnie to have s’mores with us tonight. But I need to check with my mom to make sure we have enough marshmallows!”

  Willow could see how much it meant to Jeanie, so she gave her a reassuring smile. “Sure. Let’s go!”

  Back at the campsite, while Jeanie checked in with her parents, Willow tried to cheer herself up. You love making new friends, she thought. Just be your smiley, sunny self!

  Then suddenly she spotted two orange monarchs flitting around some pretty purple wildflowers as if they didn’t have a care in the world.

  “Look, Jeanie!” Willow pointed as her friend came over. “They’re dancing! I bet in a minute they’ll do the foxtrot!”

  “Huh?” Jeanie mumbled. “Oh, the butterflies? That’s nice.”

  “What did your mom say about the s’mores?” Willow asked.

  “We have to wait until tomorrow,” said Jeanie. “Mom just wants it to be our family tonight.”

  Willow felt a rush of relief. She didn’t want to be greedy, but she was kind of glad to have Jeanie all to herself.

  But Willow couldn’t help noticing that Jeanie definitely seemed a little disappointed.

  Jeanie didn’t spout any interesting facts as they collected bark rubbings for her scrapbook. Or make sure they were watching at the exact moment the sun set. Or join the shadow-puppet play Willow performed while Jeanie’s parents got dinner set up.

  As they ate, Willow tried to cheer Jeanie up with a joke. “How did the hot dog ask the ketchup to marry him? He mustard up the courage!”

  Jeanie smiled, but she clearly was only half paying attention.

  Suddenly Jake stood up in front of the fire and held a flashlight under his chin.

  “I’m going to tell the scariest story ever!” he announced.

  “Oh no,” Jeanie muttered. “First the twins couldn’t come over, and now this?”

  “Did you know,” Jake began in a quivery, shivery voice, “that this place is called Big Bear Lake because of the ghost of a giant grizzly…”

  GHOST? Willow’s eyes went wide. She was a genie, but that didn’t mean she was okay with ghosts!

  First her best friend was ignoring her, and now there might be ghosts? This camping trip was not turning out how Willow had expected… at all.

  Chapter 5

  MISSION METEOR SHOWER

  The next morning Jeanie woke up bright and early. She had lots of things on her to-do list, and nothing was going to stop her from checking off every one of them.

  First, she needed to talk to the Berriman twins. Her mom had promised they’d have plenty of extra s’mores at lunch today.

  Plus, Jeanie had read that there was going to be a meteor shower that night. Becca and Bonnie had hiked every inch of Big Bear Lake. They’d know the best spot to get a good view of the stars.

  But Jeanie didn’t want to wake Willow. She knew her friend liked to dream as long as possible. So she dressed quietly, slipped out of the tent, and hurried over to the Berrimans’ campsite.

  Becca and Bonnie were more than happy to help.

  “There’s a big open space near Pinecone Falls,” Becca told Jeanie. “We’ll be able to see the whole sky from there.”

  “I brought a telescope from home,” Bonnie added.

  As the girls chatted, Jeanie thought about how much Willow would enjoy talking about meteor showers and moon phases. Maybe she should have woken Willow up after all? But Jeanie’s thoughts were interrupted.

  “Here, Jeanie,” said Bonnie. “You and Willow can borrow these books about outer space.”

  “Thanks, guys!” said Jeanie. “I’ll see you at lunch.”

  So far, today was going exactly as Jeanie had planned. She couldn’t wait to tell Willow!

  But when she got back to the tent, Willow was brushing Opal’s mane and looking kind of glum.

  “Where were you?” she asked Jeanie.

  “With the Berrimans,” Jeanie said. “You’ll never guess what we’re doing today!”

  “Looking for butterflies?” Willow said hopefully.

  “Better!” cried Jeanie. “There’s going to be a meteor shower tonight. Look at all these books Becca and Bonnie lent us. With a little research, we’ll know exactly what to look for. Doesn’t that sound fun?”

  “I guess so,” Willow said.

  Jeanie frowned. She wished Willow seemed a little more excited. Could she… should she… wish for that? But she caught herself. There weren’t going to be any wishes on this camping trip. They had pinkie-promised.

  Chapter 6

  THE PERFECT S’MORE

  Willow and Jeanie spent the rest of the morning talking about the stars.

  Well, Jeanie spent the morning talking. She rambled on about which constellations Becca thought they’d see, whether Bonnie thought the sky would be dark enough, and how awesome their telescope was.

  Willow didn’t want to talk about the stars… or the twins. And she was still a little hurt that Jeanie had gotten up early and left without her. But she didn’t want to make Jeanie feel bad. So while Jeanie pored over the books the twins had given her, Willow daydreamed about the gooey marshmallows and melty chocolate that would be waiting for them at lunch. If s’mores were as good as Jeanie and Jake had promised, she had something seriously sweet to look forward to.

  But when lunchtime actually rolled around, Willow realized she’d forgotten one very important thing: The Berrimans were joining them.

  It wasn’t that Willow didn’t like the twins, exactly. They just seemed to be everywhere!

  As they began to make s’mores, Becca snapped up the fluffiest marshmallows. And Bonnie grabbed the last piece of milk chocolate, so Willow had to settle for dark.

  Then the twins sat on either side of Jeanie, so Willow had to sit all alone.

  Willow speared a marshmallow and shoved her stick into the fire.

  “You’re holding it too close,” Becca told Willow. “Keep your stick two inches from the flame to get the best results.”

  “Counterclockwise rotation is key!” agreed Bonnie.

  They’re so opinionated, thought Willow.

  “You’re right!” Jeanie gushed as she pulled an evenly toasted marshmallow from her stick and sandwiched it between two graham crackers. “The perfect s’more!”

  Willow stubbornly held her marshmallow in the center of the flames… until it oozed off the end and landed on a log with a slimy plop! Soon it was a black, sticky mess.

  “Looks like yours isn’t a s’more,” said Becca. “It’s a no more!”

  Everyone laughed. Everyone except Willow.

  “You should have tried it our way,” said Bonnie.

  Jeanie nodded. Then she asked the twins about their telescope, and soon they were debating ideal magnification settings and optimal stargazing angles.

 

1 2