Connor McKinnley ran all the way home from school. He threw open the front door and sprinted past his mother. "Has it started yet?" he asked breathlessly.

"No, Connor. You're just in time. Would you like a snack while you watch?" asked his mother.

"Sure." Connor tossed his backpack across the room and settled into his favorite chair. He grabbed the remote control and flicked on the television.

"Welcome to another exciting episode of Amazing Animal Tricks," the game show announcer said. "On today's show you will see a parrot who can roller-skate, a monkey who can tie his own shoes, and a pot-bellied pig who can ride a scooter."

Connor was riveted to the TV screen. He didn't move during the entire 30-minute show. His mother laughed as the monkey tied his two shoes together. When the show ended his mother announced, "Time for homework, Connor."

"Oh, all right," he sighed. Connor took out his books and tried to concentrate but his mind was still on the show. "Mom, are you sure I can't get a pet? Just a small one?" asked Connor.

"You know what the doctor said. You're allergic to animal fur. You would just be miserable if we got a pet."

"Maybe I could get one without fur, like a snake."

Connor's mother shook her head. "No snakes in my house and that's final."

The next day while Connor was riding in the car to school he heard an announcement on the radio that made him forget all about what he was saying to his mom. "Animal lovers, listen up!! This is your big chance. The producers of Amazing Animal Tricks will be doing a talent search at the Mid City Mall on October 15th at 10:00 a.m. Bring your amazing animal down for the auditions."

"October 15th! That's only one month away," Connor said to his mother. "I don't even have a pet yet. How am I supposed to get a pet and have him trained before the contest?"

"Connor, we've been through this before. You can't get a pet. Doctor's orders."

Connor watched the clock tick all day at school. The hands moved as slowly as an iceberg crossing the ocean. When would this day ever end? He had to get home and convince his mom to get him a pet. He just had to enter that contest. His best friend Nathan had a Golden Retriever who could climb up a ladder and slide down a slide. How was he going to top that?

All of Connor's friends were busy after school. So once he finished watching his favorite show, he went to his backyard and started playing in a dirt pile. His mom loved gardening and she had just had a load of dirt delivered for her new rose garden. She had warned him to stay out of it, but he just couldn't resist. A small brown worm inched along the top of the dirt pile. Connor studied him closely and noticed that he had rings around his body and a smooth head. Connor placed a twig in front of the worm to block his path. The worm turned around and went the other way.

"Hmmm. That gives me an idea!" said Connor.

Connor ran into the house and came back out with a shoebox and a large kitchen spoon. He lifted the lid of the shoebox and started shoveling dirt into it. He carefully picked up the worm using the end of the twig and gently laid him in the shoebox. "You will make a great pet! I bet no one's ever had a pet worm before. I'll call you Twisty."

Connor carried Twisty in the back door and snuck up to his bedroom. "I'd better not tell Mom about you. She hates snakes and I don't know how she feels about worms," he told Twisty.

Over the next two weeks, Connor played with Twisty every chance he got. It wasn't easy keeping him a secret from his mother, but he had to. The contest was only two weeks away and Connor hadn't taught Twisty a trick yet. He had lots of ideas, but none of them worked out. Twisty couldn't jump through a hoop, he couldn't catch a ball and he definitely couldn't ride a scooter. Connor was going to have to think smaller, much smaller.

"Connor McKinnley! Get up here this instant!" his mother yelled.

"Oh, Oh," said Connor. "Coming, Mom."

"What are you doing with a box of dirt in your underwear drawer? This is filthy. All of your clothes are covered with spots of dirt," she said as she peered in the shoebox.

Connor swallowed hard. He would have to tell her about Twisty. "Well, it's not just a box of dirt. It's my pet, Twisty."

His mother dropped the lid back on the shoebox and let out a scream. "Aaaaaa!!! A snake. I told you no snakes in the house!!"

"Twisty's not a snake, Mom. He's a worm. He's my pet."

"A worm? A worm is not a pet. Now, take it back outside where it belongs."

"Please, Mom. I'm training him to do tricks for the contest at the mall. I think he's going to win."

"Well, all right. I guess you can keep him as long as he doesn't get out of the box."

"I promise, Mom. Thanks."

Connor was even more excited now. His mom was going to let him keep Twisty. He had to think of a trick that a worm could do. He started experimenting. Over the next week he used twigs and rocks to block Twisty's path over and over until Twisty could roll over, spin in circles and crawl backwards. "Wow, that's amazing Twisty! I knew you could do it!"

Connor called his best friend Nathan over and showed him the amazing tricks Twisty had learned. "Yeah, that's great Connor, but watch what my dog Goldie can do."

Goldie raced up the swing set ladder in Connor's back yard and slid down the slide on her stomach. "That's pretty good," Connor had to admit. "How long did it take you to teach her that trick?"

"Oh, about an hour. She's a smart dog."

"Well, it took me a lot longer to train my worm. Worms are not as smart as dogs, you know," said Connor.

Finally the big day arrived. Connor held the shoebox tight as his mom drove him to the Mid City Mall for the competition. He was so excited he was about to burst.

All of the usual pets were at the contest, cats, dogs, hamsters, and parrots. But Connor was the only person with a pet worm. Each of the children was given a number. Connor got unlucky number 13. That meant he had to go last. He watched as all of the pets performed their tricks. Some of the tricks were incredible. One of the cats could do back flips in the air, and the hamster could walk on a tightrope.

"Number 13. Connor McKinnley." Connor walked to the stage when they called his name.

"This is my pet, Twisty. He's a garden worm. I need all of you to get closer so you can see his tricks."

All four of the judges came up on stage to watch Twisty. Twisty was on top of his game. He didn't even get stage fright. He flipped over twice, spun around and crawled backwards. Connor smiled and said, "Good boy, Twisty."

Connor fidgeted in his seat and tapped his foot on the floor as he waited for the judges to make their decisions. "Our first place winner is Sparkie, the hamster, for his amazing tightrope walking. Sparkie will get to fly to California to be on our TV show. Second place goes to Connor McKinnley's fantastic worm, Twisty!! We've never awarded a prize to a pet worm before. This is a first. Third place goes to Goldie the Golden Retriever."

Connor and Nathan stepped on stage to accept their second and third place ribbons. "Congratulations," said Nathan as he shook Connor's hand. "I can't believe you taught tricks to a worm!"

"You did it, Connor," said his mom. "We're so proud of you."

Connor peeked into Twisty's box. "I think you need a friend. We're going for first place next year. We'd better start training when we get home."

The End

Renee Kirchner writes: I have been writing for children for several years. I am married and have two children, Rachel is nine, and Nick is twelve. I live in Acworth, Georgia with my family, one dog, one cat, and one hamster. Children's books are my passion.

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