TABLE OF CONTENTS

  Chapter 1: FALLING FLAT

  Chapter 2: OLD CROOKED HILL

  Chapter 3: DOWNHILL DISASTER

  Chapter 4: BUSTED UP

  Chapter 5: MORNING CHORES

  Chapter 6: SHAWN’S GONE!

  Chapter 7: RACING THE RAIN

  Chapter 8: MUDDY RIDE

  Chapter 9: UPHILL BATTLE

  Chapter 10: BREAKING THE CURSE

  More About Mountain Biking

  About the Author

  About the Illustrator

  Glossary

  Discussion Questions

  Writing Prompts

  Copyright

  Back Cover

  Chapter 1

  FALLING FLAT

  Jonah stood up on his mountain bike. He pumped his legs hard, building up speed. The wind blew through his hair as he sped down the dirt road. He liked the fresh air in the country, even if it smelled like manure.

  “Hey, wait up!” his younger brother, Shawn, called.

  Shawn was riding behind Jonah. He was four years younger and four years slower.

  I’m always waiting for him, Jonah thought. He slowed down to let Shawn catch up.

  “It’s really flat out here,” Jonah said as Shawn pedaled toward him. “I guess that must be why they call this place Flatte County.”

  “It all looks the same,” Shawn said, a bit out of breath. He looked around at the endless fields of corn and soybeans. “Just farm after farm.”

  Jonah liked spending weekends at Grandpa’s farm. It was fun to help with chores and visit.

  Even so, he was glad Grandpa let them bring their mountain bikes. Out in the country, the best thing to do was spend lots of time outside.

  Gravel popped under their bike tires as they rode. A tractor’s engine rumbled in the distance. Jonah did a wheelie for a few feet before setting the front wheel back down.

  “I’d give anything for some hills,” Jonah said. “Anything.”

  Back home, there were parks with winding paved trails. Some paths led riders down steep slopes and through small woods. Out in Flatte County, Jonah could see for miles, but there was nothing to see. It was completely flat.

  “Hey, Jonah,” Shawn said, smiling his goofy smile. “Race you back!” He took off, riding as fast as he could.

  Jonah shook his head. Little brothers, he thought. He waited until Shawn was further down the road, then sped after him.

  As he rode, Jonah turned and looked at the trail of dust they left behind. It was fun to ride fast, but he wanted to ride somewhere exciting. He wanted to find a place where there were bumps, curves, and hills.

  Jonah wanted to really test out his mountain bike.

  Chapter 2

  OLD CROOKED HILL

  Grandpa was waiting for them on the front porch when Jonah and Shawn rode back. A pitcher of lemonade sat on the small table near his chair.

  With a knife, Grandpa was carving pieces off a stick. Hunks of bark lay around his dirty work boots.

  “How was the ride?” Grandpa called.

  “It was okay, I guess,” Jonah said.

  He hopped off his bike. He parked it on the kickstand and climbed up to the porch. A moment later, Shawn rolled in behind him.

  “Hmmm. That doesn’t sound so great,” Grandpa said. He set his whittling down and picked up the pitcher.

  “There’s nowhere really exciting to go,” Jonah said, taking off his helmet. He grabbed a glass and let Grandpa pour. Shawn joined them on the porch and held his glass out, too.

  Jonah took a sip of the lemonade. It was cold and sour, just the way he liked it. He looked out at the three cows in the field. They stood around, lazily chewing.

  “When I was younger . . . ,” Grandpa began.

  Here we go, Jonah thought. Another story about the olden days.

  “We used to ride down old Crooked Hill. There was a trail that led down a steep hill. At the bottom was what used to be Snake River,” Grandpa said. “It’s all dried up now. Wasn’t much of a river anyway. More like a creek.”

  “Sounds cool,” Shawn said.

  “It was,” Grandpa said. “But Crooked Hill came with a curse. Any time my friends and I rode down the hill, we’d wipe out. They called it the Crooked Hill Curse.”

  “Really?” Jonah asked. He smiled. It sounded like one of Grandpa’s old tricks.

  “Really,” Grandpa said. “We’d come home with cuts and bruises every time we tried.”

  “Where is this Crooked Hill?” Jonah asked. He looked around at the endless cornfields and flat land.

  “It’s on the far side of town, behind Jeff’s Tractor Repair,” Grandpa replied. “The trail is probably overgrown. I don’t think anyone has been down there in years.”

  Jonah drank the rest of his lemonade in one gulp. He set the glass down on the table and put his helmet back on.

  “I’m going to check it out,” Jonah said, hopping off of the porch. In no time, he was on his mountain bike. He turned toward the dirt road that led away from Grandpa’s farm.

  “Just be careful,” Grandpa said, picking up his whittling again.

  “I will,” Jonah promised.

  “I want to go too!” Shawn called.

  “You’ll just slow me down!” Jonah shouted over his shoulder. Before Shawn could respond, Jonah rode away. He was off to find Crooked Hill.

  He was going to beat that curse.

  Chapter 3

  DOWNHILL DISASTER

  Jonah coasted down the main road in town. After a few minutes, he reached Jeff’s Tractor Repair. The old building had a CLOSED sign in the front window.

  He was excited. There was nothing more fun than exploring wooded trails. Beating the curse would be fun, too.

  Jonah was sure he could ride to the bottom of Crooked Hill without crashing. How hard could it be?

  He’d ridden down tons of hills in the park at home. No Flatte County hill could be that scary.

  Behind the shop was a small forest. Just inside the woods, a small line of dirt weaved through the trees. The trail!

  “There it is,” he whispered.

  Jonah pedaled down the trail. It didn’t seem like Flatte County anymore. There were birds chirping in the trees. Squirrels skittered along the ground and raced along branches. Jonah couldn’t see any cornfields.

  “Okay, Crooked Hill,” he said. “Let’s see what you’ve got.”

  Jonah rode along the trail, keeping his eyes on the tricky turns. He avoided trees and large rocks. Overgrown branches snapped at his jeans.

  No problem, Jonah thought. His bike bumped over a dip in the trail. He felt a little disappointed. It was much more fun than riding the country roads. He just wasn’t sure it was as exciting as Grandpa had said.

  Jonah wondered if he’d found the right trail. So far nothing seemed too dangerous.

  Then he rounded a bend.

  “The hill,” Jonah whispered. The path ahead disappeared down into the woods.

  He slowed his bike down and looked around. To his left, it seemed as if the trees and everything dropped off into space. He had found the valley and the start of Crooked Hill.

  Jonah smiled. Then he took a deep breath and rode on.

  Right away, he saw just how steep the hill was. It seemed to go almost straight down. Twists and turns in the trail lay ahead, but Jonah handled them like a pro. He hit a bump and caught some air. He almost bailed, but then he landed back on the path.

  Jonah’s bike wheels were spinning like crazy as he rode on. Up ahead, he saw that the trail had a sharp right turn. It followed the slope of the hill. Anyone who missed the turn would drop off the trail and into the valley.

  He reached for his brakes, but before Jonah knew it, his tires struck something. He flew up and over the handlebars and landed hard on the trail. His bike slid along the path a few feet and fell over near a tree.

  “Ugh,” Jonah groaned. He lay there for a moment. He had the wind knocked out of him. His knee hurt like crazy. He was also sure he had scraped his elbow up pretty good.

  Once he caught his breath, Jonah sat up and looked back at the trail. There, hidden beneath some low branches, was a tree root. It made a bump in the path.

  So that’s what I hit, Jonah thought. He stood up, and his knee throbbed in pain. He limped over and picked his bike up. There was dirt all over the pedals, and the front reflector had snapped off. And his bike chain had snapped. He wouldn’t be riding his bike for a while.

  Great, Jonah thought. Just great.

  The curse of Crooked Hill was real.

  Chapter 4

  BUSTED UP

  Jonah slowly walked his bike up the trail. His knee hurt, making it hard for him to walk. The long, steep trail didn’t help either. It would be suppertime before he reached Grandpa’s farm. And then he’d have to tell Grandpa the curse was real.

  At the top of the trail, Jonah glanced back. He wondered how far down he’d gone. He couldn’t see the dried-up riverbed through all the trees.

  I know I can make it to the bottom, Jonah thought. He was just bummed it wouldn’t be today.

  Jonah found his way to the edge of the woods. He looked at the tractor repair shop, wishing it was open. He could call Grandpa to come pick him up.

  He wished Shawn was there, too. Jonah felt bad for leaving him behind at Grandpa’s. If Shawn had come, at least he’d have someone to talk to.

  But that hill is too dangerous for little kids, Jonah thought. And not-so-little kids, too, I guess.

  He took his helmet

off and hung it over the handlebars. He didn’t like wearing it, but he was glad he’d had it on. The last thing he needed was to bang his head up.

  Jonah felt strange walking through town with his bike. The broken bike chain dragged on the ground. People looked at him and frowned. He knew it was probably because they didn’t know him. Folks in small towns knew each other. That’s what Grandpa said, anyway.

  A man in an old, beat-up pickup truck pulled up next to Jonah. “Are you all right, son?” the man asked.

  Jonah nodded. “I’m fine. Just took a nasty spill,” he said.

  “Crooked Hill?” the man asked.

  “Yeah,” Jonah said. “How’d you know?”

  “I’ve wiped out plenty of times on that hill,” the man said. “Back when I was a boy, of course. You know, they say there’s a curse on that hill.”

  Jonah smiled. “That’s what I’ve heard,” he said.

  The man offered Jonah a ride back to his grandpa’s.

  “I’ll walk,” Jonah said. “But thanks anyway.” He wasn’t in any hurry to get back and admit he’d crashed. It was bad enough that he’d messed his bike up.

  “Well, be careful, kid,” the man replied. “You could really get hurt on that hill.”

  I know what you mean, Jonah thought as the man drove off.

  Chapter 5

  MORNING CHORES

  “Up and at ‘em, boys,” Grandpa said as he came into Jonah and Shawn’s room the next morning. He opened their curtains so that light streamed into the room. “Breakfast is ready, and we have plenty to do today!”

  Jonah groaned and pulled the covers over his head. He was sore from his crash and long walk back. Getting up early to do the farm chores made his muscles ache.

  Grandpa hadn’t been mad that he crashed his bike, but he said Jonah was going to have to keep doing his responsibilities.

  He heard Shawn slide out of his bed and head toward the door.

  “Are you still mad at me?” Jonah asked through his pillow.

  “Yes,” Shawn said. “I wanted to ride down the hill, too.”

  Jonah sat up, and his knee throbbed. “Be glad you didn’t,” he told his brother. “You might’ve ended up like me.”

  Shawn shrugged. “Whatever,” he said. Then he left the room.

  Jonah stood up and followed him. He was hungry, and breakfast at Grandpa’s was always amazing.

  Ever since Jonah could remember, there was always enough food at Grandpa’s breakfasts to feed an army.

  “Anything you guys don’t eat, the dog will,” Grandpa said. “Now, who wants pancakes?”

  Jonah and Shawn ate until they were full. Then they helped Grandpa clean up and got dressed.

  “I’ll meet you near the barn, boys,” Grandpa called. The screen door banged shut behind him.

  “I said I was sorry, Shawn,” Jonah said as the boys made their way outside to help Grandpa with the chores. “Are you going to stay mad all day?”

  “Maybe,” Shawn said. He wouldn’t look at Jonah.

  They met Grandpa out by the big barn. He was wearing his work overalls and his boots. He whistled as his grandsons came over.

  “You boys look tired,” Grandpa said. Jonah guessed a big smile was hidden somewhere in his beard. “The quicker we get done, the quicker we can take it easy.”

  They worked most of the morning. First, they fed the animals. Grandpa let the cows out to pasture, and together they cleaned the pens out. It was gross, smelly work but it had to be done.

  Once the pens were clean, Shawn collected eggs from the chicken coop while Jonah and Grandpa milked the cows.

  “What should we do now, Grandpa?” Jonah asked when the cows were done being milked.

  “Let’s get your bike chain fixed,” Grandpa said.

  They went into the garage. Grandpa flipped Jonah’s bike upside down and went to work. He tapped a small piece of metal into the chain, linking them together. In no time, Jonah’s bike was fixed.

  “Almost like new,” Grandpa said. He lifted the bike up and set it on its tires.

  “Awesome,” Jonah said. “I want to give Crooked Hill another try.”

  Grandpa shook his head. “Not today, Crash,” he said.

  He led Jonah out of the garage and pointed to the sky. Dark clouds gathered over to the west. The sky flashed, and there was a faraway rumble. A thunderstorm was coming.

  “Oh, great,” Jonah said. It didn’t look like he’d be riding any time soon.

  “Find Shawn, and we’ll get the animals inside,” Grandpa said.

  Jonah headed around the side of the barn to the chicken coop. Shawn wasn’t in there. As Grandpa brought the pigs to their little metal huts, Jonah ran inside the farmhouse.

  “Shawn?” Jonah called, but there was no answer. In the kitchen, he saw a basket of eggs. Shawn had finished his chore.

  Jonah went back outside and looked everywhere. There was no sign of Shawn.

  “Oh no,” Jonah whispered.

  Shawn’s mountain bike was missing, too.

  Chapter 6

  SHAWN’S GONE!

  “Grandpa!” Jonah yelled.

  Jonah ran across the yard. Grandpa was leading the cows to the barn. In the distance, the storm grew louder.

  “What’s going on?” Grandpa asked. He latched the barn door and wiped his hands on his overalls. “Where’s Shawn?”

  “I don’t know,” Jonah said. “He’s not here. His bike is gone and everything.”

  Together, Grandpa and Jonah ran along the edges of the fields. They called Shawn’s name and looked for bike tracks in the grass.

  “We’ve got to find him,” Grandpa said. “Come on. We’ll have to take my truck.”

  “He could’ve gone into town,” Jonah said as they hurried toward the driveway. “Maybe he went to buy some baseball cards.”

  “It’s worth a try,” Grandpa said. “Hop in the truck.”

  “Just a second,” Jonah said. “I need something.” He raced over to the barn. He pulled his mountain bike over to the truck. His helmet was slung over the handlebars. With a grunt, he lifted his bike into the back of the pickup.

  “Why are you bringing your bike?” Grandpa asked as Jonah hopped into the truck.

  “I can ride around town and look for him,” Jonah said. “We’ll cover more ground that way.”

  “If the storm gets worse, you’ll have to wait in a store,” Grandpa said. “It could be dangerous. You’ll have to be very careful.”

  “I know,” Jonah said. “But we have to find Shawn.”

  * * *

  Giant raindrops fell as they pulled into town. The storm was getting closer, and people were running to their cars. When Grandpa slowed to a stop, Jonah hopped out. He pulled his bike out of the back and strapped his helmet on.

  “I’ll head up the main street,” Grandpa said. “Can you ride behind some of the shops to look for him?”

  “Sure,” Jonah said. He looked up at the sky. The storm could get much worse.

  Grandpa drove off as Jonah rode through the wet streets, calling for his brother.

  People stood inside the stores, waiting for the rain to stop. Jonah’s wet T-shirt stuck to his skin.

  He turned off the street and tore through a small gap between the grocery store and the diner. The backs of the stores were cluttered with old boxes, wooden pallets, and garbage dumpsters. There was no sign of Shawn.

  In the distance, thunder boomed.

  Jonah did a hard turn and skidded around the corner. “Shawn!” he called.

  Nothing.

  Jonah returned to the main street. Grandpa’s truck was in the middle of the road. He was talking to a guy in a baseball cap and overalls.

  “Jonah, come over here!” Grandpa yelled from the truck’s window.

  With rain in his eyes, Jonah raced to the pickup.

  “Bill says he saw a kid riding that way,” Grandpa said. He pointed down the road.

  Jonah turned and looked through the rain. Down at that end of town were a few empty buildings and Jeff’s Tractor Repair.

  “Of course,” Jonah shouted. “I know where Shawn went!”

 

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