Nate the Great and the Mushy Valentine Read online

  SLUDGE MORE THAN FUDGE.

  Then he added B and H to the A

  you had signed. ABH stands for

  Annie’s Brother Harry. Then he

  took the valentine to Sludge’s

  doghouse and stuck it there.”

  “But why didn’t he just throw away

  the valentine instead of doing all

  of that?” Annie ask.

  “For the same reason Rosamond

  could not throw away the liver,”

  I said. “Remember when she told us

  it was too good to throw away,

  so she changed it into something

  different? Harry did not want to

  throw away something good either:

  the valentine you made for him.

  So he changed it into something

  different … a valentine for Sludge.”

  “But why Sludge?” Annie asked.

  “Look how much Sludge likes it,”

  I said. “Harry had a very good idea.”

  “I will never make another valentine

  for Harry,” Annie said.

  “Harry will be glad to hear that,”

  I said. I turned to go.

  I had solved Annie’s case.

  I had solved Sludge’s case.

  They were the same case.

  Sludge and I walked home.

  I saw something

  stuck to my front door.

  It was a big red paper heart.

  I had gotten a valentine after all!

  I knew who it was from.

  I knew what I did not want

  to know.

  I was Rosamond’s secret person.

  I walked up to the door.

  I, Nate the Great,

  was about to read that

  Rosamond loves me.

  I was not ready for that.

  I would never be ready for that.

  But I had to face it.

  I read I LOVE YOU NATE

  BECAUSE YOU’RE GREAT.

  I had to take this valentine

  off my door!

  But if I touched it,

  it would be mine.

  Perhaps the valentine would fall off

  by itself.

  Or blow away.

  Rot.

  Die.

  I, Nate the Great, could wait.

  I stepped backward.

  I knew another house

  where I could wait.

  Sludge was very glad to have me.

  Nate’s Notes: Valentine’s Day

  Check Your Valentine Smarts

  Valentine Riddles

  How to Make Love Bugs

  Annie’s Chocolate Dip Recipe

  More Valentine Riddles

  Jell-O Hearts Recipe

  Still More Valentine Riddles

  How to Make a Puppy Love Pendant

  How to Make a Grass Heart

  Mailing a Valentine

  How Valentines Travel

  Are you as smart as Nate? Prove it by answering these Valentine questions. It’s okay to look for the answers in a book. Or check the Web.

  1. When is Valentine’s Day celebrated?

  a. the first Tuesday in February

  b. February 14

  c. February 15

  2. Who gets the most Valentines?

  a. math teachers

  b. moms and dads

  c. dogs named Fang

  d. space aliens

  3. Which of the following is not a popular Valentine’s gift?

  a. liver

  b. chocolate

  c. flowers

  4. Which flower is popular on Valentine’s Day?

  a. red rose

  b. purple lily

  c. cactus flower

  5. What does the letter X mean at the bottom of a valentine?

  a. buried treasure

  b. a kiss

  c. the mark of Zorro

  6. Who was Valentine?

  a. an outfielder for the Yankees

  b. a man who helped Romans get married

  c. a singer

  7. When do people buy the most candy?

  a. Valentine’s Day

  b. Halloween

  c. Thanksgiving

  8. You shouldn’t give chocolate to a dog. Why?

  a. It hurts the dog’s kidneys and heart.

  b. The cats will get jealous.

  c. Dogs prefer jelly beans.

  9. In what country do people eat the most chocolate?

  a. The United States

  b. Switzerland

  c. Australia

  10. Where is the biggest chocolate factory in the world?

  a. London

  b. Mexico City

  c. Hershey, Pennsylvania

  Answers: 1. b; 2. b; 3. a; 4. a; 5. b; 6. b; 7. b; 8. a; 9. b; 10. c.

  What did the elephant

  say to his valentine?

  I love you a ton.

  What did the pickle say

  to her valentine?

  You mean a great dill to me.

  What did the octopus say

  to his valentine?

  I want to hold your hand,

  hand, hand, hand, hand,

  hand, hand, hand.

  What did the farmer

  give his valentine?

  Hogs and kisses.

  Valentines aren’t all hearts and flowers. These look like bugs!

  GET TOGETHER:

  • plastic spoons

  • newspaper

  • ready-to-use plaster of Paris*

  • a butter knife

  • small magnets*

  • Q-tips or paintbrushes

  • paint

  • glue

  • wiggle eyes *

  * You can buy these things in a crafts store.

  HOW TO MAKE YOUR LOVE BUG VALENTINES:

  1. Lay the spoons out on the newspaper.

  2. Fill each spoon with plaster of Paris. Level with the butter knife.

  3. Wait about 2 minutes. Press a small magnet into each spoonful of plaster of Paris.

  4. Let dry completely.

  5. Push on the edges of the spoons to pop out the plaster “bugs.” Smooth the edges with the butter knife.

  6. Using Q-tips or paintbrushes, paint the bugs red and black like real ladybugs. Or use other colors to invent new bugs.

  7. Let the paint dry.

  8. Glue on wiggle eyes.

  Making dip helps Annie get into the Valentine’s Day spirit. (Nate prefers pancakes.)

  GET TOGETHER:

  • a cookie sheet

  • waxed paper

  • a small (6-ounce) package of chocolate chips

  • a glass bowl

  • strawberries, apple slices, banana slices, grapes

  • a rubber spatula

  HOW TO MAKE YOUR DIP:

  1. Cover the cookie sheet with waxed paper.

  2. Pour the chocolate chips into the glass bowl.

  3. Microwave on high for 30 seconds.

  4. Using oven mitts, remove the bowl from the microwave. Stir the chips with the rubber spatula.

  5. Microwave on high for another 30 seconds. Remove. Stir.

  6. Repeat until the chocolate just BEGINS to melt. Be careful not to let it get too hot.

  7. Stir until the lumps disappear. If you need to, microwave for a few more seconds. Let the chocolate cool for a minute.

  8. Dip the fruit into the cooled melted chocolate. Place on the waxed paper.

  9. Set aside for about 2 hours, until the chocolate gets hard.

  10. Eat!

  What did the stamp say to the envelope?

  Stick with me and we’ll go places.

  What travels around the world but stays in one corner?

  A stamp.

  What does an envelope say when you lick it?

  It shuts up.

  Knock knock.

  Who’s there?

  Olive.

  Olive who?

&nbs
p; Olive you!

  Jell-O hearts are a nice snack to have while making valentines.

  GET TOGETHER:

  • 2 large boxes of strawberry or cherry Jell-O

  • 2½ cups of boiling water

  • unflavored cooking spray

  • a large rectangular pan

  • a spatula

  • a heart-shaped cookie cutter

  HOW TO MAKE YOUR JELL-O HEARTS:

  1. Pour the Jell-O powder into a bowl.

  2. Add the boiling water.

  3. Stir until the Jell-O dissolves completely.

  4. Spray the pan lightly with the cooking spray.

  5. Pour the Jell-O into the pan.

  6. Chill the pan in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours.

  7. Cut out Jell-O hearts with the cookie cutter.

  8. Lift the hearts from the pan with the spatula. Place on a pretty plate and serve to your valentine.

  Knock knock.

  Who’s there?

  Justin.

  Justin who?

  Just in time! Here’s your valentine.

  Knock knock.

  Who’s there?

  Arthur.

  Arthur who?

  Arthur any chocolates left for me?

  Knock knock.

  Who’s there?

  Oscar.

  Oscar who?

  Oscar if she likes me!

  Sludge liked his valentine. Maybe your pet would like one, too. Here’s an easy one to make.

  GET TOGETHER:

  • cardboard

  • scissors

  • a hole punch

  • colored markers

  • clear Con-Tact paper*

  • a small metal ring*

  * You can find these things in a hardware or crafts store.

  HOW TO MAKE YOUR PENDANT:

  1. Cut a heart shape out of your cardboard.

  2. Punch a hole in the top.

  3. Use markers to decorate the heart. Write your pet’s name. Or try “Poodle Power” or “Cats Rule.”

  4. Cover the heart on both sides with the clear Con-Tact paper.

  5. Trim the Con-Tact paper to the same size as your heart.

  6. Clip the heart onto your dog or cat’s collar with the small metal ring.

  Here’s another valentine you can make.

  GET TOGETHER:

  • a pen

  • a heart-shaped cookie cutter

  • a new sponge

  • scissors

  • grass seed

  • a clean spray bottle

  • water

  • plastic wrap

  • a red plastic plate

  HOW TO MAKE YOUR GRASS HEART:

  1. Use the pen and the cookie cutter to trace a heart shape onto the sponge. Cut out the shape.

  2. Rinse the sponge. Let dry.

  3. Put the sponge inside the cookie cutter. Place on a plastic plate.

  4. Sprinkle grass seed on the sponge. Spray the seed lightly with water. Cover with plastic wrap.

  5. When shoots appear, remove the plastic wrap.

  6. Remind your valentine to spray with water every day. Your valentine can also “mow” his or her heart with scissors.

  Almost a billion valentines are mailed each year! How do all those cards get where they’re going? Read on to find out.

  STEP ONE: You mail a valentine by dropping it in a collection box.

  STEP TWO: A postal employee picks up all the letters in the box. He or she delivers them to the local post office.

  STEP THREE: Sacks of mail from all over the area are dumped onto a moving belt.

  STEP FOUR: A machine prints lines on the stamps so they can’t be used again. Each piece of mail gets a postmark. A postmark shows the date and the place where the letter was mailed.

  STEP FIVE: Using the zip codes, machines and postal workers sort the mail.

  STEP SIX: Letters going to different areas are trucked to the nearest airport. They take a plane ride to get where they’re going.

  STEP SEVEN: Mail carriers sort the mail for their routes.

  STEP EIGHT: Mail carriers deliver the mail on foot or in a car or truck. Your valentine picks up his or her mail—and gets a special message. Happy Valentine’s Day!

  Nate the Great: Meet Nate, the great detective, and join him as he uses incredible sleuthing skills to solve his first big case.

  Nate the Great Goes Undercover: Who—or what—is raiding Oliver’s trash every night? Nate bravely hides out in his friend’s garbage can to catch the smelly crook.

  Nate the Great and the Lost List: Nate loves pancakes, but who ever heard of cats eating them? Is a strange recipe at the heart of this mystery?

  Nate the Great and the Phony Clue: Against ferocious cats, hostile adversaries, and a sly phony clue, Nate struggles to prove that he’s still the greatest detective.

  Nate the Great and the Sticky Case: Nate is stuck with his stickiest case yet as he hunts for his friend Claude’s valuable stegosaurus stamp.

  Nate the Great and the Missing Key: Nate isn’t afraid to look anywhere—even under the nose of his friend’s ferocious dog, Fang—to solve the case of the missing key.

  Nate the Great and the Snowy Trail: Nate has his work cut out for him when his friend Rosamond loses the birthday present she was going to give him. How can he find the present when Rosamond won’t even tell him what it is?

  Nate the Great and the Fishy Prize: The trophy for the Smartest Pet Contest has disappeared! Will Sludge, Nate’s clue-sniffing dog, help solve the case and prove he’s worthy of the prize?

  Nate the Great Stalks Stupidweed: When his friend Oliver loses his special plant, Nate searches high and low. Who knew a little weed could be so tricky?

  Nate the Great and the Boring Beach Bag: It’s no relaxing day at the beach for Nate and his trusty dog, Sludge, as they search through sand and surf for signs of a missing beach bag.

  Nate the Great Goes Down in the Dumps: Nate discovers that the only way to clean up this case is to visit the town dump. Detective work can sure get dirty!

  Nate the Great and the Halloween Hunt: It’s Halloween, but Nate isn’t trick-or-treating for candy. Can any of the witches, pirates, and robots he meets help him find a missing cat?

  Nate the Great and the Musical Note: Nate is used to looking for clues, not listening for them! When he gets caught in the middle of a musical riddle, can he hear his way out?

  Nate the Great and the Stolen Base: It’s not easy to track down a stolen base, and Nate’s hunt leads him to some strange places before he finds himself at bat once more.

  Nate the Great and the Pillowcase: When a pillowcase goes missing, Nate must venture into the dead of night to search for clues. Everyone sleeps easier knowing Nate the Great is on the case!

  Nate the Great and the Mushy Valentine: Nate hates mushy stuff. But when someone leaves a big heart taped to Sludge’s doghouse, Nate must help his favorite pooch discover his secret admirer.

  Nate the Great and the Tardy Tortoise: Where did the mysterious green tortoise in Nate’s yard come from? Nate needs all his patience to follow this slow … slow … clue.

  Nate the Great and the Crunchy Christmas: It’s Christmas, and Fang, Annie’s scary dog, is not feeling jolly. Can Nate find Fang’s crunchy Christmas mail before Fang crunches on him?

  Nate the Great Saves the King of Sweden: Can Nate solve his first-ever international case without leaving his own neighborhood?

  Nate the Great and Me: The Case of the Fleeing Fang: A surprise Happy Detective Day party is great fun for Nate until his friend’s dog disappears! Help Nate track down the missing pooch, and learn all the tricks of the trade in a special fun section for aspiring detectives.

  Nate the Great and the Monster Mess: Nate loves his mother’s deliciously spooky Monster Cookies, but the recipe has vanished! This is one case Nate and his growling stomach can’t afford to lose.

  Nate the Great, San Francisco Detective: Nate visits his cousin Olivia Sharp in t
he big city, but it’s no vacation. Can he find a lost joke book in time to save the world?

  Nate the Great and the Big Sniff: Nate depends on his dog, Sludge, to help him solve all his cases. But Nate is on his own this time, because Sludge has disappeared! Can Nate solve the case and recover his canine buddy?

  Nate the Great on the Owl Express: Nate boards a train to guard Hoot, his cousin Olivia Sharp’s pet owl. Then Hoot vanishes! Can Nate find out whooo took the feathered creature?

  Nate the Great Talks Turkey: There’s a turkey on the loose, with Nate, his cousin Olivia Sharp, Sludge, and Claude in hot pursuit. Who will find the runaway bird first?

  Nate the Great and the Hungry Book Club: Rosamond has started a book club. Nate and his dog, Sludge, attend a meeting as undercover detectives. The case: find out what “monster” has an appetite for ripping book pages and making others go missing.

  MARJORIE WEINMAN SHARMAT has written more than 130 books for children and young adults, as well as movie and TV novelizations. Her books have been translated into nineteen languages. The award-winning Nate the Great series, hailed in Booklist as “groundbreaking,” has resulted in Nate’s real-world appearances in a New York Times crossword puzzle, sporting a milk mustache in magazines and posters, and on more than 28 million boxes of Cheerios. Marjorie Weinman Sharmat and her husband, Mitchell Sharmat, have also coauthored many books, including titles in both the Nate the Great and the Olivia Sharp series. The Sharmats live in Tucson, Arizona.

  MARC SIMONT won the Caldecott Medal for his artwork in A Tree Is Nice by Janice May Udry, as well as a Caldecott Honor for his own book, The Stray Dog. He illustrated the first twenty books in the Nate the Great series. Marc Simont lives in West Cornwall, Connecticut.