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Mark finds that he is jealous when his friend Jonas seems to learn kung fu much more quickly than he did.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review.

Little, Brown and Company

Hachette Book Group

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New York, NY 10017

Visit our website at www.HachetteBookGroup.com

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First eBook Edition: December 2009

The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

Matt Christopher^® is a registered trademark of Catherine M. Christopher.

ISBN: 978-0-316-09445-0

CHAPTER ONE

"Hey, hey! It's your birthday! Hey, hey! It's your birthday!"

Mark Goldstein heard his friends before he saw them. Xavier "X" McSweeney, Charlie Abbott, Savannah Smith, Belicia "Bizz" Juarez, and Jonas Malloy were singing at the top of their lungs as they trooped in to the kung-fu kwoon where Mark took lessons. He wasn't there for a lesson this Saturday, however. He was having his birthday party at the martial-arts school.

"Over here, guys!" Mark called. The kids greeted Mark's parents, then surrounded Mark.

"This is going to be awesome!" X said, rubbing his hands together.

"You bet it is." Sifu Eric Hale, Mark's teacher, came out of his office. He led the children to a large, open room with red mats on the floor and mirrors along one wall. He motioned for Mark to step forward.

"At our school," the teacher said, "more experienced students help out those just starting to learn kung fu. Today Mark is the one with experience and you are the beginners. All set, Mark?"

Mark got into the horse-riding stance — feet wide apart, toes pointed out, knees bent. He pulled his elbows tight into his sides, his fists turned upward.

"Four punches, left-side kick, right block, leg sweep," Sifu Hale said.

Mark's fists jabbed forward, one, two, one, two. His left leg flashed sideways. His right arm flew up to knock away an imaginary punch. He dropped to a crouch and swept his right leg around as if to trip an opponent. Then he hopped back up and returned to the horse-riding stance.

"That was totally fluid!" Jonas cried. The other kids laughed.

"Totally what?" Sifu Hale asked, smiling.

"Fluid. You know, smooth, like waves in one of those wave-machine things!" Jonas rolled his arms up and down.

As everyone laughed again, Mark glanced at his teacher. He knew Sifu Hale didn't like kids clowning around during class. Of course, this isn't class, it's a party, Mark reminded himself.