Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Foghorn Flattery and the Vanishing Rhinos
    Foghorn Flattery and the Vanishing Rhinos
    Foghorn Flattery and the Vanishing Rhinos
    Ebook131 pages1 hour

    Foghorn Flattery and the Vanishing Rhinos

    By Barbara Steiner

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    The Flattery siblings put their heads together to figure out who’s poaching rhinos in a Kenyan wildlife park

    Foghorn Flattery may be a twelve-year-old genius, but to his sister C.C., he’s just her know-it-all big brother. Foghorn can be annoying, but when they’re faced with a mystery, he is definitely someone C.C. wants on her side. Their father takes them to Kenya, where he’s doing research for an article about rhinoceros preservation, and the family discovers that a group of poachers is killing rhinos at a wildlife park. What’s worse, it appears that one of the park’s workers may be helping the criminals!

    The Flattery siblings are determined to save the park’s two new baby rhinos and catch the bad guys. With Foghorn’s big brain and C.C.’s big heart, these two make a great team. However, protecting the rhinos may put Foghorn and C.C. in more danger than they ever imagined.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherOpen Road Media
    Release dateJul 8, 2014
    ISBN9781497620070
    Foghorn Flattery and the Vanishing Rhinos
    Author

    Barbara Steiner

    Barbara Steiner (1934–2014) was an acclaimed author known for her books for children and young adults. Steiner authored over seventy titles, including picture books, early chapter books, mysteries, young adult thrillers, historical novels, and romances. In her lifetime, Steiner visited more than ninety-four countries and all seven continents, and many of her books were inspired by her travels. She lived in Boulder with her family until her death in January 2014.

    Read more from Barbara Steiner

    Related to Foghorn Flattery and the Vanishing Rhinos

    Titles in the series (2)

    View More
    View More

    Related ebooks

    Children's Animals For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      The Letterbox

      Mar 1, 2019

      Dear Cricket, I like the way everybody says “Hey, every-buggy,” but I think I just want to say “Howdy!” I started reading Cricket about a year ago, so I’m still just a bit of a beginner and I don’t know Ladybug, Cricket, or all of the other bugs in t

      7 min read

    • Article

      The Letterbox

      Mar 1, 2020

      Dear Cricket, Hello! I absolutely love the one and only Cricket magazine. My little sister gets them, and I like to read them to her. I’ve always wanted to publish a story in your magazine, but my older sister (I have six) says I’d have to be older.

      7 min read

    • Article

      The Letter box

      Jan 1, 2020

      Dear Cricket, I have read your magazine many times and I love it! It makes me happy when it comes in the mail. I am legally blind and cannot see as well as others, but that’s OK, because I am still very smart. My type of blindness is caused by albini

      7 min read

    • Article

      The Accidental Dog

      Mar 30, 2023

      LAST MONDAY SOMETHING extraordinary happened. I walked into my bedroom at about quarter to eleven (I had been drinking vermouth in the bath again) and found my girlfriend reading a book. She has made vague attempts before in the five years I’ve known

      3 min read

    • Article

      The Letterbox

      Mar 1, 2022

      Dear Everybuggy, Hello! I have been getting Cricket for a couple years now and love the stories, book recommendations, and poems especially! I think it is so great how good mags can bring so many of my kind of people together. I love reading, and my

      7 min read

    • Article

      Frog

      Jan 16, 2022

      Frog
      3 min read

    • Article

      Flight Of Fancy

      Jun 14, 2023

      Flight Of Fancy
      2 min read

    • Article

      In the Grass

      Jun 3, 2019

      In the Grass
      23 min read

    • Article

      The Red-Tailed Hawk

      Apr 4, 2023

      The spring of 1954 in the mountains of East Tennessee brought forth a renewal of life. I was 12 years old and given the responsibility of watching over a brood of newly hatched chicks. They were very important to our family. Once grown, we could eat,

      4 min read

    • Article

      All about MY FATHER

      May 13, 2019

      All about MY FATHER
      6 min read

    • Article

      The Show Boy

      Oct 9, 2019

      The Show Boy
      9 min read

    • Article

      Flights Of Fancy

      Jun 14, 2023

      Flights Of Fancy
      2 min read

    • Article

      Retirement Advice For The Self-employed Landowner

      Mar 2, 2020

      As a country person ages, there is a temptation to imagine the approach of a quiet and graceful retirement: long, dreamy summer afternoons napping in the porch swing while grandchildren romp in the yard. That might be a happy possibility for the hedg

      3 min read

    • Article

      The Letterbox

      Apr 1, 2022

      Dear Cricket, Your magazine was first given to me by an older friend of mine, and now I’ve bought a subscription for another friend’s birthday. Your magazine will now bring joy to three people through a chain of giving—wow! I just wanted to thank you

      7 min read

    • Article

      Lies I Tell My Father

      Feb 10, 2024

      “How’s your job at the newspaper?” my father asks me. He is sitting on a couch, a plush throw blanket spread across his legs. “The newspaper’s fine,” I lie. I lie because it is simple. I lie because it is quick. I lie because it is easier than trying

      10 min read

    • Article

      Princess Bari

      Apr 15, 2019

      Princess Bari
      6 min read

    • Article

      At a Grandfather’s Knee

      Mar 18, 2022

      At a Grandfather’s Knee
      6 min read

    • Article

      The Letterbox

      Sep 1, 2019

      Dear Cricket, I have been getting your magazine for a little over a year. My mom asked me if I wanted to stop getting it, and of course I said no. How could I not? It’s one of the best magazines ever! I love literature, so when I first heard about Cr

      7 min read

    • Article

      The Letterbox

      Nov 1, 2020

      Dear Cricket and Everybuggy, Hi! I’m a female boy scout and I love dancing, music, and animals. I also love this magazine. I have been getting it since I was eight! I’m the oldest of three and I have a dog named Copper, a leopard gecko named Leppy, a

      7 min read

    • Article

      Shanda

      Jan 1, 2024

      Shanda
      13 min read

    • Article

      Lessions Afield

      Sep 17, 2021

      I have many childhood memories of my father, but the ones that burn brightest are the times we spent hunting. As I look back on hunts, I’ve concluded that my father is a saint. There is no other way to paint that picture. Considering the number of da

      6 min read

    • Article

      The Letterbox

      Feb 1, 2019

      Dear Cricket, I ask for Cricket magazine every year for one of my birthday presents. I have been getting them for two years and I think they are awesome. Cricket has all sorts of stories I like! Thank you! It’s way better than the little stories I ha

      7 min read

    • Article

      ‘Toni, It’s Mum. There’s Been An Accident’

      Oct 13, 2021

      Edited extract from Lost & Found: My story of heartbreak and hope by Toni Street with Sophie Neville Like many teenage boys, Stephen loved sport and he loved hanging out with his mates. But he was happiest out on the farm with Dad. They were a tight

      11 min read

    • Article

      Happy Endings

      Sep 1, 2023

      Happy Endings
      5 min read

    • Article

      The Letterbox

      May 1, 2019

      Dear Everybuggy, Last time I wrote to you, I lived in North Carolina, but we have moved. We live in Virginia now. I love Cricket! I like space. I’m homeschooled and like to look at our map. I’ve discovered towns like Philadelphia in Mississippi! Phil

      7 min read

    • Article

      The Letter Box

      Jul 1, 2022

      Hey, Everybuggy! I absolutely love Cricket, dogs, books, and summer. To all the LOTR readers: my family loves The Lord of the Rings. I’ve read all the books and watched all the movies! Also, my eight-year-old sister is named Arwen, from LOTR! To Sabi

      7 min read

    • Article

      After “The End”

      Oct 10, 2022

      I walked down the road with a hunched back and a wet cigarette in my mouth—the fire had died a while back. My hands were tucked into the pockets of my jacket, and my hair fell over my face, limiting my sight. But I wasn’t really seeing where I was go

      10 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Foghorn Flattery and the Vanishing Rhinos

    0 ratings

    0 ratings0 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

      Book preview

      Foghorn Flattery and the Vanishing Rhinos - Barbara Steiner

      CHAPTER

      1

      Way to go, C.C.! From the sidelines Foghorn’s hoarse voice blasted across the playground. Now, come on, hurry!

      I smiled. There was no mistaking who it was that was celebrating our victory over Mrs. Pinchly’s fifth grade. My brother was living up to his nickname. I waved and made a fist, then turned it into a number one as Foghorn came toward me.

      Congratulations on being your usual patient self, Mr. Flattery. Grinning, I teased Foghorn. Actually, he was usually very patient, but today was a special day. I was as excited to get home and find Dad as Foghorn was. Untying the rope from around my waist, I jumped ten times in hot-pepper rhythm.

      I sat here and watched your game, didn’t I? Put that rope away and come on! Foghorn started jogging toward the parking lot. It was the most exercise I’d seen him get for weeks. I skipped the rope to keep up.

      You sat there and read that book on Egypt. How many batters did I fan? I put Foghorn on the spot.

      Twelve. You let two base hits, four foul balls, but two were caught for outs—

      Okay, okay. You have an eight-track mind. You read and watched, and—what else did you do?

      I learned some basic Egyptian phrases and made a list of the possibilities.

      Do you think Dad’s assignment will be Egypt?

      All the clues I’ve been able to find in the house this past week leave me with three possibilities: Egypt, Africa, or Brazil—possibly the Amazon. But since our class is studying Egypt, and since I’ve always wanted to go to Egypt—

      You’re guessing. I like animals better than dead mummies. I’d rather go to Africa. Besides, the Amazon is scary. It’s still pretty primitive.

      But you’d go there, wouldn’t you? Foghorn grinned at me. It was the only time he came close to being cute. Even if he is my own brother, I’d be the first to admit he’s not very good-looking. He keeps his curly red hair short, so dealing with it in the morning won’t take any time away from his reading. He’s getting taller every day, which makes him seem even skinnier than he really is. He’s worn glasses since kindergarten, and his green eyes, which now teased me, look huge behind them.

      I guess so. I knew so. I love to travel.

      And dead mummies is redundant. They didn’t wrap people up until they were dead.

      I didn’t take time to make a smart remark. Our old green station wagon was barreling up the street. I started to run.

      You look like a winner, C.C. Dad pulled up beside us just as we reached the school parking lot. Am I right?

      They’re the fifth-grade champions. C.C. fanned the last three batters, said Foghorn, opening the door and climbing in beside Dad.

      I was in a hurry. We’re going to beat the sixth grade, too. I looked at Foghorn, but got no reaction. He wouldn’t care if we beat his class. He wasn’t on the team. Dad, you’re feeling really pleased. You got your assignment today, didn’t you? I have this great ability to read people’s minds, but anyone would have noticed Dad was bursting with news.

      Foghorn closed his book with a snap and sat up straighter. Where are we going?

      You kids are getting much too sharp. I can’t keep anything secret from you.

      Why do you want to? You said you thought you’d hear from your editor, Mr. Stafford, today. I wiggled, sitting on the edge of my seat so I wouldn’t miss anything Dad said. Almost every time he gets a magazine or newspaper assignment, he takes Foghorn and me with him. In the last few years we’ve been all over the world.

      Buckle your seat belt, C.C. Dad pretended to be gruff. I’ll tell you when we get home. Then I can tell Mrs. Briggs at the same time. That’s more efficient, and since I know Foghorn is an efficiency expert, I wouldn’t want him disappointed in me.

      Dad, stop being mysterious! It drives me crazy. I leaned back and sighed while we headed toward home. Dad loves teasing me and Foghorn. His green eyes sparkled behind his glasses. Running his hand through his red hair, darker than mine or Foghorn’s, he smiled at me in the mirror and maneuvered the car into the garage.

      When we got into the house, Foghorn looked at me with his smug, solved-the-mystery face. Try to be patient, C.C. You know there’s no use begging Dad for information.

      I ignored him and ran up the stairs to wash for dinner. Another adventure was on the horizon. I could barely wait fifteen more minutes to hear about it.

      Texas! Foghorn roared. He nearly blasted us all away from the dinner table when Dad announced his trip plans. You’re only going to Texas?

      I’ll stay home. I looked at my plate. I didn’t want Dad to know how disappointed I was. There’s nothing wrong with Texas, except that I’ve been there several times.

      Well, thank the Lord, that’s good news. Lola Briggs, our cook, housekeeper, and surrogate mother, breathed a sigh of relief. You two children should stay here with me every time your father travels. But I can never convince him of that.

      Now, Lola, you know I believe that education outside the classroom is just as valuable as going to school every day. Foghorn and C.C. benefit by meeting people from other cultures.

      Dad, Foghorn reminded him, Texas isn’t another culture. He looked at me and grinned. Or is it?

      Y’all come back now, you hear. I forgot my disappointment and burst out laughing. My statement was the parting remark from the stewardess the last time we’d flown from Dallas.

      Dad took a big bite of his spinach lasagna, one of Mrs. Briggs’ special dishes. He watched Foghorn and me and waited. Pretty soon I realized he was teasing us again.

      What aren’t you telling us? I asked.

      Did I say Texas was the only place we were going?

      You let us assume it. Foghorn helped himself to seconds on garlic bread.

      "That’s funny. You don’t usually jump to conclusions, Foghorn. I assumed you always thought things through before taking them as fact."

      All the facts weren’t on the table.

      They still aren’t. Da-a-a-d, come on. I don’t have a lot of patience with Foghorn or my father. Standing, I tugged off my jump rope belt and started to bounce.

      C.C.! Mrs. Briggs frowned at me. Stop that. Haven’t I told you not to bring that jump rope to meals?

      I have a lot of nervous energy. I repeated what adults have been saying to me since I was three years old. But I sat back down. Mrs. Briggs could think of ways to help me burn off my energy, and I didn’t want extra chores tonight. Tell us the rest of your news, Dad.

      Dad grinned. We’re going to a ranch.

      That’s better. I took a big bite of lettuce and sprouts covered with Mrs. Briggs’ tangy French dressing. What kind of ranch? I wish we lived on a ranch.

      A rhino ranch. Dad put down his fork and waited for our questions to fly.

      A rhino ranch? I repeated. Like in rhinoceros?

      A black rhino? Foghorn liked to know small details.

      Are there all colors? I wanted to jump up and down without my rope, but I didn’t dare. I didn’t care what color the rhinos were. I half-stood by my chair, one knee in the seat, but I continued to eat. Hardly anything keeps me from eating. I’ve only seen gray.

      Both black and white rhinos are really dull gray, said Foghorn. The use of color to identify them is inaccurate. Since they like to take dust baths, they are often the color of the ground where they live.

      I looked at my dad and grinned. He winked and grinned back. It’s not easy living with a twelve-year-old genius. We both have to put up with Foghorn’s spoutings of knowledge. Dad waited patiently until the rhino lecture was over. I tried, but I had to do a lot of bouncing to be patient. I could feel my hair bouncing with me. It’s thick and curly and usually tangled, so it’s a lot of trouble.

      There are five species of rhino left in the world, Foghorn continued, "but the rarest is probably the Javan rhino. Rhinoceros sondaicus. Estimates place its number at sixty-five. The rhino is one of the oldest life forms on earth, and while the modern rhino probably evolved about ten million years ago, their ancestors date from the Eocene Epoch, when horses were the sizes of dogs. About fifty-five million years ago."

      Thank you, Professor Flattery, said Dad, smiling.

      I didn’t know horses were once the size of dogs. What kind of dogs? I always learned from Foghorn, even if, on occasion, I had to put up with his enormous ego to do so.

      Oh, probably a large Doberman. Foghorn moved a small notebook to cover the book on Egypt he’d been carrying. He probably didn’t want me to remember he’d guessed wrong.

      Land sakes, Dexter, said Mrs. Briggs. You sure know a lot of things. Mrs. Briggs insisted on calling Foghorn by his real name, Dexter Irwin. If my name was Dexter Irwin, I’d have a nickname, too. Well, I do have a nickname, but Carly Catherine is such a mouthful, it just got shortened.

      Maybe I should interview you before I bother doing any research for my article, said Dad. I knew he wasn’t entirely joking this time. Foghorn does nothing but read all day long, and he remembers everything he reads.

      "When your editor asks for documentation of your information,

      Enjoying the preview?
      Page 1 of 1