Piggy Party (Cul-de-sac Kids Book #19): Book 19 by Beverly Lewis

ONE
    Carly Hunter watched the school clock. She stared hard.
    Click . . . click . . . click.
    The second hand poked along like a turtle. Three more never-ending minutes till afternoon recess.
    Carly could hardly wait.
    She turned and looked at the guinea pig cage across the room. The class pet was so cute. And he was looking back at her!
    Carly squirmed.
    She jiggled.
    Her school desk danced, too.
    Dee Dee Winters tapped Carly on the shoulder. “You’re a wiggle worm today,” she whispered.
    Dee Dee was Carly’s best friend. She sat right behind Carly at school. The perfect spot for a best friend.
    Carly said softly, “I have the flitter-flops.”
    “You’re not kidding,” said Dee Dee.
    Carly was still watching the furry pet. “I can’t believe I get to take the guinea pig home. All weekend.”
    “His name is Piggy, don’t forget,” Dee Dee reminded her.
    Carly grinned. “Who could forget a name like that?”
    Dee Dee smiled and twisted a curl.
    “Girls, please get busy,” said Miss Hartman. The teacher’s voice was kind but firm.
    Carly picked up her pencil. She printed her name neatly. She tried to do her workbook pages. But her eyes wanted to wander to Piggy’s cage!
    “Miss Hartman’s watching you,” she heard Dee Dee whisper.
    Quickly, Carly looked down at her work sheet. She would have to cover up her head. She just couldn’t keep her eyes off the guinea pig.
    Carly glanced at the clock above the door again.
    Goody!
    The recess bell would be ringing. Right . . . about . . . now.
    BRRING!
    “I call the swings,” said one of the girls. She flew past Carly and Dee Dee.
    Carly didn’t care about swinging. Not today. She had more important things in mind. Things like feeding the guinea pig. Things like changing his water dish.
    She hurried to Piggy’s cage.
    Dee Dee came, too. “Where are you gonna put Piggy at your house?” asked Dee Dee.
    “I might hide him in the secret place, behind my closet,” Carly said.
    Dee Dee’s eyes grew round as silver dollars. “He might not like it in there. It’s too dark.”
    “But he’ll be safe,” Carly insisted. “Especially from my little brother.”
    “Why? What’s Jimmy gonna do to Piggy?” Dee Dee asked.
    “Nothing, if I keep Piggy hidden.” Carly reached down into the cage. She removed the dish of water. She carried the dish to the sink and poured some fresh water.
    Dee Dee leaned over the cage. “He’s so soft and pretty.”
    “Looks like butterscotch,” said Carly.
    “Yummy,” said Dee Dee.

    Carly poked her friend. “Silly! Guinea pigs aren’t candy.”
    Dee Dee shrugged. “But Piggy is the coolest class pet we’ve had all year.”
    Carly agreed. They’d had two lizards and even a garter snake before Christmas. But Piggy was the perfect class pet. He was easy to care for. He made the cutest sounds, too. Sometimes it sounded like he was whistling.
    Carly liked that. Maybe she and Piggy would have a whistle duet this weekend. Maybe she and the guinea pig would celebrate Groundhog Day together.
    Tomorrow!
    She wondered if Piggy might see his shadow. After all, guinea pigs were related to groundhogs. Weren’t they?

TWO
    Carly and Dee Dee marched home through the snow. Carly pulled her sled with the guinea pig cage tied onto it. “I hope Piggy doesn’t catch a cold,” she said.
    The girls stopped to check on the pet. They lifted the blanket off his cage.
    “Aw, look, he’s shivering,” Carly said. She wished she’d asked her mother to pick her up at school. “We better hurry.”
    “He needs a little sweater,” Dee Dee suggested.
    “Whoever heard of a guinea pig wearing a sweater?” Carly said.
    “We should make him one this weekend,” Dee Dee said.
    “Maybe,” Carly said. She was more concerned about getting Piggy inside her warm house.
    The girls lived on Blossom Hill Lane, right across from Blossom Hill School. There were seven houses and nine kids on the cul-de-sac. All nine kids were good friends. They even had