Parenting 101 (3)

The book was relatively small, but it was thicker than a normal textbook. It fit just right in Aiden's hands. The glittery blue cover and girly illustrations on the front page told Aiden that it belonged not to Liam but to a girl, probably his classmate.

Aiden raised his eyes and gave Liam a curious look. The little boy was pink in the face. He was looking down at the floor, not daring to meet Aiden's eyes. It almost seemed as if he had never seen anything more interesting than the granite floor in his life.

A self-introduction page inside contained information about the owner. The girl's name was Alicia Thornton, written in neat cursive handwriting. The following pages were filled with stories and pictures of her travels and favorite things.

She described the fun places she was at, like beaches, gardens, or theme parks in a vivid, cheerful manner. She also wrote about the exciting things she had done, such as riding a roller coaster and playing with her many friends.