My First Novel: The Puzzled Penguin Chapter 1

When I was in elementary school, our math curriculum was called Math Expressions. Occasionally, a character named the Puzzled Penguin would appear and need help with a math problem. Oftentimes, the Puzzled Penguin would do a math problem incorrectly and ask us to properly explain how to get the right answer.

In third grade, my mom prepped my sister and her friends for National Write a Novel Month. She asked if I wanted to participate, and I said yes! My mom took us through the brainstorming process, and I decided to write a novel about the Puzzled Penguin and give him a backstory.

The book took me a year to write, but I eventually completed it. No one has read it besides my mom, and it isn't a part of The Shiver Series.

The first chapter of the book is below. Let me know if you want to read more! As always, keep shivering!

The Puzzled Penguin

Chapter 1

“Peter Penguin, are you ready for your first day at school?" Mommy penguin asked Peter. Peter’s mom pulled up in the parking lot.

Peter looked out the window and saw his new school. It was a large, one-story building with brown brick walls, cream-colored wood, and pink trim.

Peter and his mom waddled out of the car and shut the doors. Peter had gone to an all-penguin school in Antarctica. He was the smartest student, so they had to transfer him to a school in North America.

Looking at the school, Peter’s heart pounded, and his wings bounced up and down with energy.

Since Peter was the smartest at his old school, he knew he would have no problem learning at his new school.

Mommy penguin kissed Peter on the top of his head. 

“Eww, Mom, do not kiss me in public!” Peter exclaimed.  He did not want to get embarrassed on the first day of school. 

Peter walked through the hallway and felt like an alien who had come to Earth for the first time. The walls were made out of wood instead of ice. There were bulletin boards on the walls, and hundreds of different animals, not just penguins.

Finally, Peter arrived at his classroom, room 104. He stepped inside and took his seat. Once everyone sat down, Mrs. Moo took a roll call. 

“Maaarrry?” Mrs. Moo asked, stretched out.

“Here!” said Marry, an orange tabby female cat. 

“Aaaaalex?” Mrs. Moo asked.

“Yo!” Alex the Alligator exclaimed.

“Peeeterrrr?” Mrs. Moo asked. 

All the students giggled.

“Everyone knows penguins are the dumbest creatures to ever go to school!” Alex shouted.

Peter decided to say a fact so everybody would like him. “I have zero fingers on each hand and three toes on each foot!” Peter yelled proudly. 

Everyone died with laughter, just as if it came from their belly up to their mouth and crept out from the lost tooth they had.

“Class, please quiet down!  Peter, why did you say that?” Asked Mrs. Moo in a rather calm but stern voice. 

“I’m Puzzled!” Peter replied.

“He’s the Puzzled Penguin,” Alex hollered.  

The whole class started laughing and repeating, “Puzzled Penguin.”

“Well, never mind class, it’s time for math. Everyone, take out your math books now because we will first do an easy equation. What is twoo plus twoo? Raise your hand when you get the answer,” Mrs. Moo asked the class. 

Peter was puzzled by this question. Then he saw a girl monkey named Isabelle in his table group counting on her fingers. 

“Whoa, you have fingers! I don’t have fingers! Boy, you even have a thumb! Man, I wish I had a thumb!” Peter said in amazement. 

Peter started poking all her fingers with his flipper. He was so interested in her fingers. 

Peter had only gone to school with other penguins in his last school, so fingers were new to him.  

Peter wanted to get the answer right, but he was so distracted by her fingers he completely forgotten about math! 

“Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!” Isabelle Monkey yelled!

“Isabelle, are you having troubles with Peter?” Mrs. Moo asked. “Peter,” why don’t you show the class your work?” 

Peter thought about how to show the class his work.  He put both his flippers and feet in the air and tried to solve the equation 2 plus 2.  He tried counting them like Isabelle had counted her fingers, but he wasn’t used to counting flippers and feet.

Peter took a deep breath. “I got the answer of eight feet!” Peter told the class.

This made his classmates laugh so hard that Mrs. Moo had to tell them that if they laughed again, they would be staying in for recess. Nobody said another word until they were called on.

Later on, when everyone else was leaving for recess, Mrs. Moo asked Peter to stay back.

“Peter, I want you to stay in this recess. I need to talk to you.” 

Peter didn’t know why he was getting told to stay in for recess! But then Peter decided to use his mind to think of what he could be kept in for. Finally, he knew why he was going to stay in for recess. He was going to be knighted! Peter sat at his desk, watching everyone go outside.

Peter saw Marry and Isabelle whispering to each other while looking right at him. 

Peter wanted to make friends, so he lifted his wing and waved at them. 

The girls just giggled and went outside, whispering and laughing.  

Peter just sat at his desk and waited to be knighted.