A Snake Falls to Earth: Newbery Honor Award Winner

by Darcie Little Badger

In my false form, I was nearsighted and had to wear a pair of silver-framed spectacles with round glass lenses. I probably needed spectacles in my snake form too.

omg snake glasses🥹

If only riddles could be opened with a lockpicking kit or a sledgehammer.

Grandma got a pool floatie and called 9-1-1. Then she called Dad. Guess who arrived first? Dad.

Cows aren’t remotely bite-sized.

“Hold up. Fish on a boat?” Reign snorted.

Reign patted my head. It struck me as a very canid form of affection.

Sound travels more quickly in the water than in the air, so I wouldn’t be surprised if the deepest monsters in the bottomless lake heard the catfish’s enraged holler.

“Friends do nice things for friends.” “Like bite a catfish in the eye,” Risk added.

That morning, Nina had intended to solve a mystery. Instead, she gained another one. And a cat.

To be fair, I doubt any hawk can manage a chill-looking stare. They just have a high-intensity resting face.

You two must be tighter than a boa constrictor’s hug.”

From experience, when a stranger’s introduction included the words “trust me,” under no circumstances should they be trusted.

real

What followed was the slowest hustle I’d ever witnessed.

Hawks were supposed to have amazing eyesight. I couldn’t relate.

All I could do was make the most of the time I had and hope that my actions mattered.

I tried to imagine a snake-drawn wagon. The attempt didn’t pan out.

She’d known them less than twenty-four hours, and was already willing to drop everything in the middle of hurricane season just to help them save a toad.

Thank the sun that Brightest had an easier time taking off their clothes than putting them on.

there's one in every friend group LOL

“No offense to Great-Uncle, but isn’t it funny how all his best stories happen when nobody is watching?”

She threw her heavy flashlight from hand to hand, as if planning to beat up the weather.

“Says the bird who flew at a tornado.” “I never claimed to be cautious!”

You know, there are people who get into fistfights over parking spaces. I kinda get that vibe off Paul.