Tri-Li Summer Reading Website

“Exploration eh?” the Head Librarian looks at you, “I thought you seemed like the intrepid type.” He reaches into the air and suddenly there is a scroll in his hand. You really can’t see where it came from but you try to play it cool since this all just keeps getting weirder. “Take this letter of introduction to Dr. Shackleton at the International Geographical Society in midtown. She’ll instruct you from there,” then he turns his back and noiselessly glides off.

Your subway ride to the address on the scroll is comfortingly normal. There are freaks, drunks, and super models on your train but you live in New York City and hardly notice any of that anymore. Unfortunately, when you arrive at the International Geographical Society things start to get odd again.

At first you are not even sure that it is a building since there are statues everywhere on the outside. They are clustered in groups, hang off every window, and nearly cover the steps. They depict a huge range of animals, monsters, birds, people, and fish all of whom are reading and some of which seem to move, just a little, when you are not looking straight at them. When you step through the door the security guard is the biggest person you have ever seen. He looks really mean and harsh until you show him your letter whereupon he smiles and walks you to a greenhouse. He’s really sweet even though he doesn’t say a thing. It is kind of weird that when he smiles he has tusks.

Even though the greenhouse is tropically sweltering the young woman who bounds over to you is wearing a full fur Arctic exploration suit. She is smiley, really very pretty, and so ramped up with energy that you feel yourself getting exhausted just being around her. All the same, there is something about her that makes you trust her right off the bat.

“So you’re the new kid from old Greybeard. Did he do that “pull the letter out of thin air” thing? What a show off! He’s a nice guy once you get past the whole “knows all sees all” deal” she barks a short laugh which seems impossibly loud and deep for such a small young woman. “Well he seems to think you are up for some adventure and he’s only wrong about anything once a decade or so. You’re going to be going on a field trip if you work for me. I’ll give you a choice, do you want to go someplace really really hot or someplace really really cold?

• Do you like it hot?
• Prefer the cold?