Whenever I stand in the corner, I close my eyes and see myself sitting on a throne in a long white gown with a giant ruby crown on my head. I’m telling all the people who serve me to polish the silver and scrub the floors clean for the royal party.

Queen Rosseau

My name is Marie Queen Rousseau. I live in a castle on 33rd Street right across the street from the John Howard Housing Project. My father named me Queen because he wanted everyone to know that his only daughter was special. I have three brothers in college; they make a big deal out of me. They are always sending me letters with special crown stickers.

I am not the most popular girl in my class, but, hey, I can’t help it if I am cuter and smarter than other kids my age. My teacher Mrs. McBride doesn’t like me either. She never calls on me even when I know the answers. The other day she ignored me when I told her how to spell superstitious.

Last Saturday my friend Carmen came over to my house. I was wearing my special royal gown with a crown to match my dress. She actually acted insulted when I suggested that she would make a good slave. She even went home and told her parents who talked to my parents, and now I am in big trouble. Carmen can be so mean!

Now, there’s a new kid in our class at school named Leroy. He lives across the street at the housing project, and he smells bad. He’s making up all sorts of stories about how he’s a prince from Africa. He came over to my house, and my parents were so nice to him. It’s just so unfair. I’ve got to prove that he’s lying.

You see, it’s all part of my quest to find my knight in shining armor. Sometimes knights show up in unexpected places. Could Leroy, the broken bike boy, be my hero after all?

Other books you might like….

• The Road to Paris by Nikki Grimes
• Brand-New School, Brave New Ruby by Derrick Barnes
• My New Best Friend by Julie Bowe
• Lunch Money by Andrew Clements