Annie's new backpack came with pink and blue flowers. Annie's new backpack came with a zipper. Annie's new backpack came with a monster. Annie unzipped the backpack and peeked inside. "AAAAHHH!" yelled the monster. "EEEEEEKKKK!" yelled Annie. Annie dropped the backpack and jumped across the sidewalk. She waited one, two, three minutes.

Slowly, slowly she tiptoed across the sidewalk and peeked inside again. "AAAAAHHHH!" yelled the monster. "Do you ever whisper?" asked Annie. "Do you ever knock?" asked the monster. "How can I knock on a backpack?" The monster scratched his head. "You're right," he said. "Next time, ring the doorbell." "What are you doing in my backpack?" Annie asked.

"Eating a snack," said the monster, licking peanut butter off his paws. "That's not a snack," said Annie. "That's my sandwich!" She reached into the backpack and pulled out some brown squishy things. "I saved the crusts for you," said the monster. "Yuck," said Annie. "What else did you save for me?" "I'll see," said the monster. He dove into the backpack. He threw out an empty juice box, potato-chip crumbs, and a banana peel.

Finally, he popped up with a little bag in his paw. "I don't like carrots," said the Monster. "They make me burp." Annie zipped the monster into the backpack. "I definitely don't need a burping monster." _______ THE MONSTER IN THE BACKPACK by Lisa Moser. Text copyright © 2006 by Lisa Moser. Published by Candlewick Press, Inc.

, Cambridge, MA.