Once upon a time there was a boy named Miles who was absolutely, positively 100% sure that going grocery

shopping was the most boring thing in the entire world.

Can we please just go home?

He said, dragging his feet down the cereal aisle.

His sister, Eliora, skipped ahead.

Stop complaining, Miles, she said.

Mom said we can get ice cream up for nice.

His mom smiled and dropped a box of oatmeal into the cart. Stay close

you two. Miles tried. He really did. But somewhere between the peanut butter and the pasta,

he got distracted by a display of bouncy balls near the end of the aisle. He picked one up and

bounced it once. And then he bounced it twice,

and then three times, and when he looked up, his mom was gone. Eliora was gone, and the

cart was gone. Miles spun around. Mom? He called? No answer. He ran to the end of the aisle and looked both ways. Nothing.

Just a lady with a baby stroller and a man looking at salad dressing. He ran to the next aisle.

He saw the soups and sauces, but no mom and no Eliora. He ran to the next one. Still, nothing. Miles's heart

started pounding really fast. His hands felt sweaty. He ran to another aisle, and another,

and another. And with every turn, the store seemed to get bigger and bigger.

And his mom and sister seemed farther and farther away.

What if I never find them, he thought?

What if I'm stuck here forever?

What if they drive home without me?

He knew that was silly, but when you're lost, silly thoughts can feel very real. His eyes were

...