The Great TV Turn-Off
Read The Great TV Turn-Off Online
Authors: Beverly Lewis
Beverly Lewis Books for Young Readers
P
ICTURE
B
OOKS
Annika's Secret Wish ⢠In Jesse's Shoes
Just Like Mama ⢠What Is God Like?
What Is Heaven Like?
T
HE
C
UL-DE-SAC
K
IDS
The Double Dabble Surprise
The Chicken Pox Panic
The Crazy Christmas Angel Mystery
No Grown-ups Allowed
Frog Power
The Mystery of Case D. Luc
The Stinky Sneakers Mystery
Pickle Pizza
Mailbox Mania
The Mudhole Mystery
Fiddlesticks
The Crabby Cat Caper
Tarantula Toes
Green Gravy
Backyard Bandit Mystery
Tree House Trouble
The Creepy Sleep-Over
The Great TV Turn-Off
Piggy Party
The Granny Game
Mystery Mutt
Big Bad Beans
The Upside-Down Day
The Midnight Mystery
Katie and Jake and the Haircut Mistake
© 1998 by Beverly Lewis
Published by Bethany House Publishers
11400 Hampshire Avenue South
Bloomington, Minnesota 55438
www.bethanyhouse.com
Bethany House Publishers is a division of
Baker Publishing Group, Grand Rapids, Michigan.
www.bakerpublishinggroup.com
Ebook edition created 2012
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meansâelectronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwiseâwithout the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.
ISBN 978-1-4412-6077-2
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.
Cover illustration by Paul Turnbaugh
Text illustrations by Janet Huntington
For
Amanda Hoffman,
who pulled the plug
and lived to tell about it!
And . . .
for her brother,
Jeremy,
also a BIG fan
in the Sunflower State.
(We miss you in Colorado!)
Contents
Beverly Lewis Books for Young Readers
ONE
Eric Hagel slapped the Sunday paper shut. “No TV for me for one whole week. I'm going cold turkey!” he said.
His mother's eyes fluttered. “
What
did you say?”
“You heard right, Mom. America's TV Turn-Off Week starts tomorrow.”
Eric's mom cleared off the breakfast table. “Really? My goodness, what a wonderful idea.”
“I can't wait to tell my friends,” Eric said.
His mother smiled. “Seven days is a
long time. Do you think the Cul-de-sac Kids will go for it?”
“Well, I'm gonna find out,” he said.
An emergency meeting was held at Dunkum Mifflin's house. Right after church.
Abby Hunter sat in the president's chairâa giant beanbag. “The meeting will come to order,” she said. “Any old business?”
Eric shook his head. So did Dunkum and Jason. And so did Stacy, Carly, Dee Dee, and Abby's Korean brothersâShawn and Jimmy Hunter. Nine members, counting Eric.
“OK, what about new business?” asked Abby.
Eric spoke up. “Did everyone read the morning paper? The part about America turning off the TV?”
The kids just stared at him.
“C'mon! Don't you guys read the paper?” he asked.
Abby smiled. “I saw the article.”
“So . . . are you with me?” said Eric. “Do you wanna pull the plug?”
“On the tube?” said Jason. “Are you kidding?”
“I think it's a great idea,” said Eric. “Just think of all the books you could read.”
The others looked shocked.
“Maybe we should have a vote,” suggested Abby.
“OK with me,” said Eric.
“All in favor of no TV, raise your hands,” Abby said.
Eric, Abby, and Dunkum shot their hands up. Then, very slowly, Stacy, Jimmy, and Shawn put theirs up. They were looking around, though, as they voted.
“Last chance to vote,” Eric piped up. He was saying it for Dee Dee's and Carly's
sake. They were slow-poke members.
“OK,” whispered Carly. But she wasn't smiling about it.
“All against no TV, raise your hands,” Abby said.
“Wait!” Jason's hand went up, very slowly. “I must be crazy,” he muttered.
Abby made the report. “The vote is carried. We pull the plug.
All
of us will.”
Jason groaned.
“Hey, you voted for it,” Dunkum scolded. “You can't complain now!”
Eric spoke up. “Let's do something totally cool for TV Turn-Off Week.”
Jason Birchall's eyes went crossed. “We're skipping TV for a week. Isn't that cool enough?”
“But wait. I have
another
idea,” said Eric.
“Let's hear it,” said Abby.
The kids listened.
“I think our parents should turn off the TV, too,” Eric said. “No TV for anyone.”
Dunkum was nodding his head. “It's only fair,” he said.
“What a double dabble good idea!” Abby said, smiling.
Carly raised her hand. She was Abby's sister. “What about Mr. Tressler? He's not anyone's parent. Should he do it?”
Jason couldn't sit still. He was up dancing and jiving. “Good thinking, Carly. But Mr. Tressler lives alone. He watches tons of TV, especially at night. Who's gonna get
him
to agree?”
“Maybe older folks shouldn't be in on it,” Abby suggested.
Eric thought about that. “We oughta have the whole cul-de-sac. If everyone in America is doing it, why not Blossom Hill Lane?” he said.