Isabella

“It’s funny when you smile,” she said. “It’s like a rainbow on a cloudy day.”
― Maureen Johnson, The Vanishing Stair

“Fun fact," Stevie said, trying to lighten the mood in the vast, gloomy space. "This fireplace? Henry the Eighth had one just like it, in Hampton Court. Albert Ellingham had an exact copy made."
"Fun fact," Nate replied, "Henry the Eighth killed two of his wives. Who wants a murderer's fireplace?"
"I'm not sure, but that's the name of my new game show.”
― Maureen Johnson, The Hand on the Wall

“Her attention was drawn to a movement in the woods in the direction of the river. The trees were slowly coming back into bud, but they were still bare enough that she could make out a shape.
"Moose," she said, almost in a whisper. "Moose. Moose."
She tugged Nate's sleeve.
"Moose," she repeated.
The object moved away, out of sight. Stevie blinked. It had just been there, the massive antlers moving through the trees.
"My moose," she said in a low voice. "I finally got it. The universe paid me in moose."
With one backward glance at the magical spot, Stevie Bell resumed walking toward her class. Anatomy was still ahead of her. Lots of things were ahead of her, but this one was the closest.

"That wasn't a moose, was it?" Janelle said when Stevie was out of earshot. "That's a branch, right? It moved in the wind?"
"It's a branch," Nate replied.
"Like, that's obviously a branch," Vi said. "Should we tell her? She seems really invested in this."
"Definitely not," Nate said as Stevie vanished in the direction of the classroom buildings, earbuds already in her ears. "Let her have her moose.”
― Maureen Johnson, The Hand on the Wall

“My moose,” she said in a low voice. “I finally got it. The universe paid me in moose.”
― Maureen Johnson, The Hand on the Wall