DDIINNOOSSAAUURRSSBBEEFFOORREEDDAARRKK DDIINNOOSSAAUURRSSBBEEFFOORREEDDAARRKK DINOSAURSBEFOREDARKDDIINNOOSSAAUURRSSBBEEFFOORREEDDAARRKK DINOSAURSBEFOREDARKMary Pope OsborneMary Pope OsborneMary Pope Osborne

The MonsterThe MonsterThe MonsterThe Monster Chapter 2Chapter 2Chapter 2Chapter 2 The MonsterThe Monster

Jack crawled through a holeJack crawled through a holeJack crawled through a hole in the tree house floor.in the tree house floor.in the tree house floor. Wow! The tree house wasWow! The tree house wasWow! The tree house was filled with books. Booksfilled with books. Booksfilled with books. Books everywhere. Very oldeverywhere. Very oldeverywhere. Very old books with dusty covers. Newbooks with dusty covers. Newbooks with dusty covers. New books with shiny, brightbooks with shiny, brightbooks with shiny, bright covers.covers.covers. Jack crawled through a hole in the tree house floor. Wow! The tree house was filled with books. Books everywhere. Very old books with dusty covers. New books with shiny, bright covers.

“Look. You can see far, far away,”“Look. You can see far, far away,”“Look. You can see far, far away,” said Annie. She was peering outsaid Annie. She was peering outsaid Annie. She was peering out the tree house window.the tree house window.the tree house window. Jack looked out the window withJack looked out the window withJack looked out the window with her. Down below were the tops ofher. Down below were the tops ofher. Down below were the tops of the other trees.the other trees.the other trees. In the distance he saw the FrogIn the distance he saw the FrogIn the distance he saw the Frog Creek library.Creek library.Creek library. The elementary school.The elementary school.The elementary school. The park.The park.The park. “Look. You can see far, far away,” said Annie. She was peering out the tree house window. Jack looked out the window with her. Down below were the tops of the other trees. In the distance he saw the Frog Creek library. The elementary school. The park.

Annie pointed in the otherAnnie pointed in the otherAnnie pointed in the other direction.direction.direction. “There’s our house,” she said.“There’s our house,” she said.“There’s our house,” she said. Sure enough. There was their whiteSure enough. There was their whiteSure enough. There was their white wooden house with the greenwooden house with the greenwooden house with the green porch.porch.porch. Next door was their neighbor’sNext door was their neighbor’sNext door was their neighbor’s black dog, Henry.black dog, Henry.black dog, Henry. He looked very tiny.He looked very tiny.He looked very tiny. “Hi, Henry!” shouted Annie.“Hi, Henry!” shouted Annie.“Hi, Henry!” shouted Annie. “Shush!” said Jack. “We’re not“Shush!” said Jack. “We’re not“Shush!” said Jack. “We’re not supposed to be up here.”supposed to be up here.”supposed to be up here.” Annie pointed in the other direction. “There’s our house,” she said. Sure enough. There was their white wooden house with the green porch. Next door was their neighbor’s black dog, Henry. He looked very tiny. “Hi, Henry!” shouted Annie. “Shush!” said Jack. “We’re not supposed to be up here.”

He glanced around the tree houseHe glanced around the tree houseHe glanced around the tree house again.again.again. “I wonder who owns all these“I wonder who owns all these“I wonder who owns all these books,” he said. He noticedbooks,” he said. He noticedbooks,” he said. He noticed bookmarksbookmarksbookmarks were sticking out of many of them.were sticking out of many of them.were sticking out of many of them. “I like this one,” said Annie. She“I like this one,” said Annie. She“I like this one,” said Annie. She held up a book with a castle on theheld up a book with a castle on theheld up a book with a castle on the cover.cover.cover. “Here’s a book about“Here’s a book about“Here’s a book about Pennsylvania,” said Jack.Pennsylvania,” said Jack.Pennsylvania,” said Jack. He glanced around the tree house again. “I wonder who owns all these books,” he said. He noticed bookmarks were sticking out of many of them. “I like this one,” said Annie. She held up a book with a castle on the cover. “Here’s a book about Pennsylvania,” said Jack.

He turned to the pageHe turned to the pageHe turned to the page with the bookmark.with the bookmark.with the bookmark. “Hey, there’s a picture of Frog Creek“Hey, there’s a picture of Frog Creek“Hey, there’s a picture of Frog Creek in here,” said Jack. “It’s a picture ofin here,” said Jack. “It’s a picture ofin here,” said Jack. “It’s a picture of these woods!”these woods!”these woods!” “Oh, here’s a book for you,” said“Oh, here’s a book for you,” said“Oh, here’s a book for you,” said Annie.Annie.Annie. She held up a book aboutShe held up a book aboutShe held up a book about dinosaurs. A blue silk bookmark wasdinosaurs. A blue silk bookmark wasdinosaurs. A blue silk bookmark was sticking out of it.sticking out of it.sticking out of it. “Let me see it.” Jack set down his“Let me see it.” Jack set down his“Let me see it.” Jack set down his backpack and grabbed the bookbackpack and grabbed the bookbackpack and grabbed the book from her.from her.from her. He turned to the page with the bookmark. “Hey, there’s a picture of Frog Creek in here,” said Jack. “It’s a picture of these woods!” “Oh, here’s a book for you,” said Annie. She held up a book about dinosaurs. A blue silk bookmark was sticking out of it. “Let me see it.” Jack set down his backpack and grabbed the book from her.

“You look at that one, and I’ll look“You look at that one, and I’ll look“You look at that one, and I’ll look at the one about castles,” saidat the one about castles,” saidat the one about castles,” said Annie.Annie.Annie. “No, we better not,” said Jack.“No, we better not,” said Jack.“No, we better not,” said Jack. “We don’t know who these books“We don’t know who these books“We don’t know who these books belong to.”belong to.”belong to.” But even as he said this, JackBut even as he said this, JackBut even as he said this, Jack opened the dinosaur book toopened the dinosaur book toopened the dinosaur book to where the bookmark was. Hewhere the bookmark was. Hewhere the bookmark was. He couldn’t help himself.couldn’t help himself.couldn’t help himself. “You look at that one, and I’ll look at the one about castles,” said Annie. “No, we better not,” said Jack. “We don’t know who these books belong to.” But even as he said this, Jack opened the dinosaur book to where the bookmark was. He couldn’t help himself.

He turned to a picture of anHe turned to a picture of anHe turned to a picture of an ancient flying reptile. Aancient flying reptile. Aancient flying reptile. A Pteranodon.Pteranodon.Pteranodon. He touched the huge bat-likeHe touched the huge bat-likeHe touched the huge bat-like wings.wings.wings. “Wow,” whispered Jack. “I wish I“Wow,” whispered Jack. “I wish I“Wow,” whispered Jack. “I wish I could see a Pteranodon for real.”could see a Pteranodon for real.”could see a Pteranodon for real.” Jack studied the picture of theJack studied the picture of theJack studied the picture of the odd-looking creature soaringodd-looking creature soaringodd-looking creature soaring through the sky.through the sky.through the sky. He turned to a picture of an ancient flying reptile. A Pteranodon. He touched the huge bat-like wings. “Wow,” whispered Jack. “I wish I could see a Pteranodon for real.” Jack studied the picture of the odd-looking creature soaring through the sky.

“Ahhh!” screamed Annie.“Ahhh!” screamed Annie.“Ahhh!” screamed Annie. “What?” said Jack.“What?” said Jack.“What?” said Jack. “A monster!” Annie cried. She“A monster!” Annie cried. She“A monster!” Annie cried. She pointed to the tree house window.pointed to the tree house window.pointed to the tree house window. “Stop pretending, Annie,” said“Stop pretending, Annie,” said“Stop pretending, Annie,” said Jack.Jack.Jack. “No, really!” said Annie.“No, really!” said Annie.“No, really!” said Annie. Jack looked out the window.Jack looked out the window.Jack looked out the window. “Ahhh!” screamed Annie. “What?” said Jack. “A monster!” Annie cried. She pointed to the tree house window. “Stop pretending, Annie,” said Jack. “No, really!” said Annie. Jack looked out the window.

A giant creature was gliding aboveA giant creature was gliding aboveA giant creature was gliding above the treetops! He had a long, weirdthe treetops! He had a long, weirdthe treetops! He had a long, weird crest on the back of his head. Acrest on the back of his head. Acrest on the back of his head. A skinny beak. And huge bat-likeskinny beak. And huge bat-likeskinny beak. And huge bat-like wings!wings!wings! It was a real live Pteranodon!It was a real live Pteranodon!It was a real live Pteranodon! The creature curved through theThe creature curved through theThe creature curved through the sky. He was coming straight towardsky. He was coming straight towardsky. He was coming straight toward thethethe tree house. He looked like a glidertree house. He looked like a glidertree house. He looked like a glider plane!plane!plane! A giant creature was gliding above the treetops! He had a long, weird crest on the back of his head. A skinny beak. And huge bat-like wings! It was a real live Pteranodon! The creature curved through the sky. He was coming straight toward the tree house. He looked like a glider plane!

The wind began to blow.The wind began to blow.The wind began to blow. The leaves trembled.Suddenly theThe leaves trembled.Suddenly theThe leaves trembled.Suddenly the creature soared up. High into thecreature soared up. High into thecreature soared up. High into the sky. Jack nearly fell outsky. Jack nearly fell outsky. Jack nearly fell out the window trying to see it.the window trying to see it.the window trying to see it. The wind picked up. It wasThe wind picked up. It wasThe wind picked up. It was whistling now.The tree housewhistling now.The tree housewhistling now.The tree house started to spin.started to spin.started to spin. “What’s happening?” cried Jack.“What’s happening?” cried Jack.“What’s happening?” cried Jack. The wind began to blow. The leaves trembled.Suddenly the creature soared up. High into the sky. Jack nearly fell out the window trying to see it. The wind picked up. It was whistling now.The tree house started to spin. “What’s happening?” cried Jack.

“Get down!” shouted Annie.“Get down!” shouted Annie.“Get down!” shouted Annie. She pulled him back from theShe pulled him back from theShe pulled him back from the window.window.window. The tree house was spinning.The tree house was spinning.The tree house was spinning. Faster and faster.Faster and faster.Faster and faster. Jack squeezed his eyes shut. HeJack squeezed his eyes shut. HeJack squeezed his eyes shut. He held on to Annie.held on to Annie.held on to Annie. Then everything was still.Then everything was still.Then everything was still. Absolutely still.Absolutely still.Absolutely still. “Get down!” shouted Annie. She pulled him back from the window. The tree house was spinning. Faster and faster. Jack squeezed his eyes shut. He held on to Annie. Then everything was still. Absolutely still.

Jack opened his eyes. SunlightJack opened his eyes. SunlightJack opened his eyes. Sunlight slanted through the window.slanted through the window.slanted through the window. There was Annie. The books. HisThere was Annie. The books. HisThere was Annie. The books. His backpack.backpack.backpack. The tree house was still high up inThe tree house was still high up inThe tree house was still high up in an oak tree.an oak tree.an oak tree. But it wasn’t the same oak tree.But it wasn’t the same oak tree.But it wasn’t the same oak tree. Jack opened his eyes. Sunlight slanted through the window. There was Annie. The books. His backpack. The tree house was still high up in an oak tree. But it wasn’t the same oak tree.