The Infinite Questions of Dottie Bing


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Dial Books for Young Readers
 An imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, New York
 
 First published in the United States of America by Dial Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, 2023
 Text copyright © 2023 by Molly B. Burnham
 Illustrations copyright © 2023 by Fanny Liem
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 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available.
 Ebook ISBN 9780593406670
 Cover art © 2023 by Fanny Liem
 Cover design by Jessica Jenkins
 Design by Sylvia Bi and Jessica Jenkins, adapted for ebook by Michelle Quintero
 This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
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 To the amazing grandparents and to folks who act like grandparents; to Aunt Joannie, who loved Chock full o’Nuts; and most of all to Tom Greene, who could do many things, including but not limited to, taking his fake teeth out.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1. Grandpa Walter?
 The first thing Dottie saw when she opened the door was Grandpa Walter and the Chock full o’Nuts can.
 Dottie was not expecting to see Grandpa Walter, much less the Chock full o’Nuts can.
 It had been two months since she had seen either of them, and remembering that day always made her feel like she had swallowed an alligator.
 (Nothing against alligators, but swallowing one did not feel good.)
 “Mom!” Dottie shouted. “Grandpa Walter’s here.”
 “Walter? Your grandfather?” Dottie’s mom shouted back.
 “What other Walter do you know?” Grandpa Walter hollered from the doorway. He had to lean around Dottie because she hadn’t budged. It wasn’t that she wanted to block him from coming inside. It was shock that made her body stop working.
 The shock was from the disbelief that of all the days Grandpa Walter might appear, he chose today. Most Thursday afternoons were not exciting. Most Thursday afternoons were simply the day after Wednesday and the day before Friday. But this one was different. This one had a plan. An important plan. In fact, the plan was so important that Dottie could call it a mission.
 “Mission,” Dottie whispered to herself. Why hadn’t she thought of calling it a mission sooner? Sam would like that word. Now that Dottie thought about it, Ima would like that word too. And considering how important Ima was to the plan—mission—it was nice to think that she was happy.
 Dottie’s mom rushed over, slipped past Dottie, and swept Grandpa Walter into a hug. “Walter, you should have told us you were coming.”
 “I wanted to surprise you,” Grandpa Walter said.
 “Well, you did,” Dottie’s mom replied, laughing.
 This was Grandpa 
 
 
 
 2. Who Is He Talking To?
 Dottie,” her mom said. “Bring Grandpa Walter’s suitcase upstairs, will you? I’m going to call your dad.” Dottie’s dad was at the bakery where he worked.
 The alligator was still squirming around in Dottie’s neck, so she only managed to squeak and nod, which was good enough for Dottie’s mom. Before picking up the suitcase, Dottie stuck her head outside. No sign of Sam Batty. That was a relief. Dottie didn’t want to be late for the first day of her mission.
 By the time Dottie reached the stairs, Grandpa Walter was already halfway up them—a second later, though, he stumbled and tripped.
 This was not unusual for Grandpa Walter. He was a born klutz. He said so himself. He spilled food, broke glasses, fell off chairs, dropped plates, and he couldn’t catch a ball to save his life. Ima found it charming. That’s what she said every time. “Walter, you are charming.”
 And Grandpa Walter would smile a tiny, crooked smile that showed how much he loved being charming to Ima. And then he would say, “If I wasn’t a klutz, we never would have met.”
 This was true. Dottie knew the story by heart because Ima loved telling it. And every time Ima got to the part where Grandpa Walter dumped spaghetti Bolognese all over her, she would laugh so hard, she would snort. Ima loved to laugh.
 Ima always ended the story by saying, “Worst waiter, best husband.”
 Back on the stairs, Grandpa Walter let out a “Whoa!” as he grabbed the banister and then an “Uh-oh!” as the Chock full o’Nuts can flew out of his hands, and then an “Oh no!” as