Chapter 3

Back to the Backpacks

“Attention! A four-year-old boy is missing. He has black hair and is wearing a blue shirt. Please come to the front of the store if you’ve seen him.”

After the announcement, an older man came up to them.

“I saw a little boy in the backpack aisle,” he said. “He had black hair and a blue shirt.”

“¡Gracias!” Mamá said. “¡Vámonos!”

When the family reached the backpack aisle, they only saw the huge wall of backpacks. No Manuel.

Baby Mariela began to cry. Tía Carmen brushed Mariela’s cheek. “I know. It’s your nap time,” she said.

As Tía Carmen comforted the baby, Sofia thought of something.

“It’s Manuel’s nap time, too,” she said.

That’s when she saw a row of backpacks on the bottom move. Sofia pushed one aside. Manuel was underneath, fast asleep.

Tía Carmen grabbed Manuel. “You scared me!”

Everyone gathered around Manuel to hug him. He rubbed his eyes. “I want to go home,” he said.

When the family got back home, they had lunch together. Just as they finished, Sofia asked, “What about our school supplies?”

Mamá slapped her forehead. “We left everything in the shopping cart at the store!” she said.

“Can we go back?” Sofia asked.

“Mañana,” Tía Carmen said. “I’m too tired now.”

“Sí,” Mamá agreed. “Tomorrow.”

“What if the things we picked are gone?” Sofia asked.

“Por favor,” Elena said. “My butterfly notebooks were so pretty.”

“I want the shark pencil case,” Hector said.

“And I really love that backpack with the feathers on it,” Sofia said.

Everyone remembered how long it took to choose school supplies.

Mamá sighed and picked up her purse. “¡Vámonos!”

Sofia was the first one out the door. Manuel was right behind her. He was ready to go again!