Mallory's favorite author lives in Stoneybrook!

I stared at the name happily. How unbelievably great!

My eyes traveled over to the address - and I nearly fell to the floor. Henrietta Hayes lived on Morgan Road, in Stoneybrook! Morgan Road is off Burnt Hill Road. Dawn's and Mary Anne's house is on Burnt Hill Road. Logan lives on Burnt Hill Road, too.

All this time Logan, Dawn, and Mary Anne had been Henrietta Hayes's neighbors and they didn't even know it!

The important thing was that I'd found her. With the phone book in my arms, I went back upstairs to my room. By flashlight, I wrote Henrietta Hayes a third letter.

Dear Ms. Hayes, I've just finished reading Alice Anderson's Big Break. It is the funniest book I've ever read. I'm sad that there is only one more Alice book left for me to read. I really hope you are working on more. Since I've discovered your work, I've become your number one fan. You may already know all this because I've written you before. my problem is that this time, I need you to write me back a real letter. It's important because my class project, which counts for almost my whole grade for this marking period, depends on it.

I went on to tell her about the project. I told her every detail, about how Mr. Williams hadn't liked it until I added the part about comparing and contrasting my experience as an author with her own. (I wanted her to know she was a big part of this.) I mentioned that we were neighbors and that I had friends who lived close to her on Burnt Hill Road. (I thought that might appeal to her sense of neighborliness.) By the time the letter was finished, it was three pages long. For a finishing touch, I wrote out an envelope with my name and address on it. P.S., I added to the bottom of my letter. This self-addressed stamped envelope is enclosed for you convenience. I hope you can write back soon since time is running out.

Mallory Pike, #1 Fan
Published by Scholastic Inc. 1996
ISBN: 0590482246