They have the same interests (plus Jessi is a talented ballet dancer), they both think their parents treat them like babies, and they both come from really great families, although Jessi's is much smaller than Mal's. Apart from Jessi and her parents, there are just her eight-year-old sister Becca (short for Rebecca) and her baby brother Squirt, whose real name is John Philip Ramsey, Jr. Here's the one big difference between Mal and Jessi. Mal is white and Jessi is black. That hasn't mattered to either of them, but being black in Stoneybrook can be difficult. Let's just say that some people here didn't exactly make the Ramseys feel welcome at first, but things are improving. Jessi is adjusting - and she's a great addition to our club!

So. These complicated people are the "little friends" Charlie mentioned. The more I thought about them, the more I looked forward to seeing them. I always look forward to club meetings.

When Charlie pulled into Claudia Kishi's

driveway (our meetings are always held in Claud's room) I leaped out of the car. I couldn't wait to get things started.

" 'Bye, Charlie!" I called to him. "Thanks'. See you in half an hour!"

" 'Bye, kiddo. Have fun!"

Have fun? No problem! We always do.

Chapter 2.

"Claud? Is that you?" I asked.

Claudia's grandmother Mimi had let me in and told me to go up to Claudia's room. So I had - and now all I could see was a pair of legs sticking out from behind an armchair.

"Yeah, it's me," said a muffled voice.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"Looking for my Cheese Doodles. I know they're around here somewhere . . . but not under this chair, I guess. Look what I did find, though."

Claudia's legs disappeared. A hand clutched the back of the chair. Then she stood up. She was holding a paintbrush. "I've been looking for this. I wonder how it got under the chair. But where are the Cheese Doodles?"