The Art Pad Puzzle

Marybelle Robey

Description

The Art Pad Puzzle is interwoven with wholesome fun, friendship, and action. The All-In Gang discover the true meaning of being a child of God.
An Art pad filled with mystery is discovered by the All-in Gang in a strange place. The journey to put the pieces together in time combines games, competitions, dares, friendship, family love, self-discovery, and God discoveries. They find out that God’s love is all around, that He helps with all their fears, and when they think they are not good enough God loves them. Salyn Norris, the leader, despite her always getting distracted, uses the talents of her three friends, Trumbly, Rog, and Gerald and Sherlock his trained lizard that goes everywhere with him to solve the mystery.

Sujets

• Religion
• Christianisme
• Religious
• Juvenilee Fiction
• Friendship
• Christian

Informations

• Publié par: WestBow Press
• Date de parution: 20 octobre 2022
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781664280809
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 2 Mo

Extrait

The Art Pad Puzzle
An All-In Gang Mystery
MARYBELLE ROBEY


Copyright © 2022 Marybelle Robey.
 
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
 
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
 
 
WestBow Press
A Division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan
1663 Liberty Drive
Bloomington, IN 47403
www.westbowpress.com
844-714-3454
 
Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.
 
Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.
Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.
 
Interior Image Credit: Terry L. Robey
 
Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.®
 
ISBN: 978-1-6642-8081-6 (sc)
ISBN: 978-1-6642-8082-3 (hc)
ISBN: 978-1-6642-8080-9 (e)
 
 
 
WestBow Press rev. date: 10/17/2022
Contents
Acknowledgments
 
Chapter 1Frozen with Fear
Chapter 2Salyn: Two Points
Chapter 3Secret Bumps Found!
Chapter 4Dancing Shadows
Chapter 5Screaming Girl Meets the Gang
Chapter 6The Hidden Paper: A Clue?
Chapter 7GracieAnn Is Missing
Chapter 8Sherlock Saves the Day
Chapter 9Tomorrow, the Big Day!
Chapter 10Zacchaeus: Worthless
Chapter 11Casting Recorder
Chapter 12God’s Love Pyramid
 
All-In Gang Chat with You
Acknowledgments
I would like to thank the following people for their contributions to this book.
Ryan, Sarah, Ande, Weston, and Bo Lynch for taking the time to read my first draft and giving me feedback that turned me in the right direction in writing this book.
Sadie, my special granddaughter, who supplied many helpful insights and ideas.
Terry Robey, my loving husband, who gave critical advice and helpful feedback, supplied the great artwork, and was always, always there, giving much-needed encouragement.
1

Frozen with Fear
Salyn Norris, in her crisp shorts outfit—pink, of course—stopped at the crosswalk to the rec complex and county park. As she took the pink band from her wrist to put her long, blond hair in a ponytail and cool off in the summer heat, she watched the people walking the hiking trails leading into and out of the trees at the county park.
Where is Trumbly? she thought. She usually beats me here.
Trumbly West, her best friend, was to meet her at the crosswalk corner, then they would head to the rec center for their classes. Trumbly, the opposite of Salyn, was very competitive, never backed down, and was always on time.
Turning left and shielding her eyes to look at the rec center three blocks away, Salyn stared at it and then let out a big sigh.
First day of summer music class. First day!
She turned toward the sound beside her and caught Trumbly punching the walk button.
“Hey, I got here first,” Salyn objected. “I’m supposed to get to punch the button.”
“You were daydreaming, so I took your place.”
“You’re late. What happened?”
“I had trouble finding my favorite multicolored short outfit,” Trumbly explained.
“You never worry about what you wear. Why today?”
Twirling in a circle, Trumbly said, “In honor of my first day at summer art class.”
“Your hair is not in a ponytail,” Salyn observed.
“I didn’t have time to put it in one. I’ll do it on the way to class.”
“Look, the light says to walk,” said Salyn. “I’ll beat you to the other side.”
Racing across, they touched the curb at the same time. Salyn suggested they play her two-sports-put-together game.
Trumbly went first and started hopping back and forth down the sidewalk while circling her hands like she was twirling a jump rope. Salyn watched her and then looked down at her arms and legs.
She looks so tan, and it’s only the start of summer, she thought. I can’t ever get a tan . Everybody else tans, but not me.
She heard a loud whistle near her and jumped. “Oops, distracted again,” she said. “Back to the game. What was that?”
“That was jumpscotch —jump rope and hopscotch. Your turn.”
Salyn clicked her heels together, closed her hazel eyes, pointed her toes, raised her arms like a ballerina, and then started loudly singing “Jesus Loves Me.” She kept the song going while sliding her feet apart, touching her heels, and then putting her long legs in a ballet pose. Then she started twirling, twirling, twirling, and twirling, ending with a wobbly, sweeping bow. Still bent over, she stared at her arm until she heard Trumbly clear her throat. Standing up tall, she stepped back onto the grass and looked down into the brown eyes that were staring up at her. She said, “That is muballet , combining the sports of music and ballet.”
Trumbly removed her wristband and used it to put her long, black hair into a ponytail. “You were getting distracted again,” she said. “Is there something wrong with your arm? You were staring at it a long time.”
Salyn replied, “Well, Miss Obvious, there is nothing wrong with my arm. It just doesn’t seem to tan. None of me does, not like your gorgeous tan color.”
Trumbly countered, “I think you have pretty pale-tan skin. Back to the game. Music is a sport?”
Salyn did an opera pose and replied, “Sure. When you sing, you exercise your voice, tongue, mouth, diaphragm, and lungs.”
“If you say so. Now, my turn.” Trumbly slowly turned and, on her sturdy, built legs, did a slow gymnastic stroll across the sidewalk. Reaching the grass on the other side, she went into a quick karate-kick spin with a yell, then a cartwheel, another karate-kick spin with yell, and finally a backflip. She landed soundly on her bottom. Bursting out laughing, she said, “That was gymkarate , combining gymnastics and karate.”
Laughing, Salyn stepped toward Trumbly to help her up when, suddenly, two boys rushed by, almost knocking her over. “Hey, watch it!” she yelled.
Salyn put both hands on her hips and glared at Rog Pattler. He may have been as much of a friend as Trumbly was, but he could also be annoying. She noticed he was wearing his green uniform for baseball practice, and she wasn’t surprised. After all, green was his favorite color, partly because he said he thought it made his deep-blue eyes look bluer.
She watched as his running companion, Gerald Baxter, another of Salyn’s best friends, kept going full steam even when his baseball hat blew off. She was not surprised to see a big grin on his face because he loved challenges, just like Rog.
The boys tapped their feet on the rec center steps at almost the same time. They turned together and stopped to pick up Gerald’s hat, which he quickly slapped sideways on his mop-like reddish brown hair.
They sprinted back with their faces filled with sorry grins. Stopping in front of Salyn, Gerald swept his front hair under his hat, turning the brim to the front and revealing more of his freckles. He looked up into her eyes and said, “Sorry, Salyn. Didn’t see you.”
Jutting her jaw out and putting her hands on her hips, Salyn replied, “Gerald Baxter, you need to be more careful. You about knocked me over. I could have been hurt.”
Trumbly assumed a karate stance with an intense look in front of Rog and looked up into his eyes, saying, “Gerald, is this another dare by this Rog Pattler?”
Even though he was sturdily built and ready to tackle any dare, Rog quickly stepped to the other side of Gerald. He timidly said, “Not this time, Trumbly. Sorry, Salyn, for almost knocking you down. We didn’t see you because we were racing while playing your combined sports game. It was hurspri , combining hurdling and sprinting.” With an ornery grin and a glint in his eyes, he added, “Want to play it?”
Quickly stepping between Trumbly and Rog, Salyn said, “No, we’re good. It’s a good thing we are all best friends.” Turning toward Gerald, she asked, “What I want to know is, how does your pet lizard, Sherlock, stay on your shoulder?”
“See this strap thing on my shoulder?” Gerald replied. “I made him a lizard harness like a dog harness. I strap him in, and he stays completely safe on my right shoulder, where he talks all the time in my good ear.”
Rubbing Sherlock’s back, Rog said, “Wow. Good job. That is a lot of words for you, buddy.” Stepping back and royally sweeping his hands apart, he continued, “You have to admit it. Sherlock looks so green and regal sitting on Gerald’s right shoulder wearing his fancy-looking harness. Plus, he never complains. He loves going everywhere Gerald goes and talks to Gerald all the time.”
Spotting a butterfly fluttering behind Rog, Salyn started following it.
“Well, there she goes again,” Trumbly said as she started rubbing Sherlock’s back. “What will he do while you are at baseball practice?” she asked Gerald.
“He will be sitting under the trees, guarding my backpack, and eating his snacks. After