Mallory's a good sitter partly because she comes from a huge family. She has seven younger sisters and brothers! The Pikes have always been major clients of ours — Mal is actually someone we used to sit for. But she was a big help even then, and now she's grown up a lot. She knows just about everything about kids — she's seen it all!

Mal loves to read and write — in fact, she's thinking of becoming a children's book author someday. Her favorite books to read are horse stories. I think she's readMisty of Chincoteague something like seventy-six times!

Mal's main problem is being eleven. That's right, being eleven. She feels more grown-up than her parents are ready to let her be. (That's a funny way to put it, but you know what I

mean.) She wants to get contacts, instead of wearing glasses, and she hates her braces with a passion. At least her parents finally let her get her hair cut and her ears pierced. As for the rest, I guess she'll just have to be patient. That's easy to say, but I know how hard that can be.

Mallory's best friend is, guess who, Jessi Ramsey. They became best friends almost right away, when Jessi's family moved here last year. I guess Mal really needed somebody right then, and Iknow Jessi did. Her family had a hard time when they first moved to Stoneybrook. Why? Because they're black, and there are hardly any other black families in town. I know, it shouldn't make a differencewhat color someone is, but it did to a lot of people. It was so unfair! I think things are better for the Ramseys now. Jessi's little sister, Becca (short for Rebecca), has a best friend, and her baby brother, Squirt (his real name is John Philip Ramsey, Jr., but Squirt fits him much better), would be happy anywhere. Plus, the neighbors have seen that the Ramseys are simply a very nice family. By the way, guess where Jessi lives — in my old house!