There was no other word for it. It wasn’t exotic in the way that she imagined the Far East would be. It wasn’t idyllic like a Caribbean island. In fact, it was just as dank and gray as she’d been promised. And yet, expansive, colorless, and understated as London seemed, it was, to Abby, completely alive. She was living her Let’s Go. Or Fodor’s. Either way, it was cool as all hell. She half expected a Beefeater to come marching by.
“Are you ready, then?” Zoe slid down off of the lion and gave a final shake of her butt toward the pigeons, who responded by exploding into a frenzy of flapping wings.
“Yeah, um, will you just take my picture? In front of the lions?” Abby asked, handing her digital camera over. “You just have to press that button.”
“Sure thing, sister. Closer to the right. Not that close,” Zoe commanded, waving. “Cool. I want to get some pigeons into the frame.”
“You scared them all away with your disco trip,” Abby pointed out.
“Well, sure, if you’re going to be all nitpicky about it. Okay, this is it. You look bee-yoo-ti-ful. Smile.”
She put the camera down and placed her hand on her hip in frustration. “Excuse me, but do you have some form of clinical depression? Seasonal Affective Disorder, or something? Because where I come from, that’s not a smile, that’s indigestion.”
Abby burst out laughing.
“Yes, much better.” Zoe raised the camera again. “Now say . . .” A smile of her own spreading across her face. “Say ‘Westminster’ Abby!”
“Westminster Abby!”
There was no other word for it. It wasn’t exotic in the way that she imagined the Far East would be. It wasn’t idyllic like a Caribbean island. In fact, it was just as dank and gray as she’d been promised. And yet, expansive, colorless, and understated as London seemed, it was, to Abby, completely alive. She was living her Let’s Go. Or Fodor’s. Either way, it was cool as all hell. She half expected a Beefeater to come marching by.
“Are you ready, then?” Zoe slid down off of the lion and gave a final shake of her butt toward the pigeons, who responded by exploding into a frenzy of flapping wings.
“Yeah, um, will you just take my picture? In front of the lions?” Abby asked, handing her digital camera over. “You just have to press that button.”
“Sure thing, sister. Closer to the right. Not that close,” Zoe commanded, waving. “Cool. I want to get some pigeons into the frame.”
“You scared them all away with your disco trip,” Abby pointed out.
“Well, sure, if you’re going to be all nitpicky about it. Okay, this is it. You look bee-yoo-ti-ful. Smile.”
She put the camera down and placed her hand on her hip in frustration. “Excuse me, but do you have some form of clinical depression? Seasonal Affective Disorder, or something? Because where I come from, that’s not a smile, that’s indigestion.”
Abby burst out laughing.
“Yes, much better.” Zoe raised the camera again. “Now say . . .” A smile of her own spreading across her face. “Say ‘Westminster’ Abby!”
“Westminster Abby!”
For National Depression Education and Awareness Month in October, we are sharing a collection of titles that educates and informs on depression, including personal stories from those who have experienced depression and topics that range from causes and symptoms of depression to how to develop coping mechanisms to battle depression.
In celebration of the Halloween season, we are sharing horror books that are aligned with the themes of the holiday: the sometimes unknown and scary creatures and witches. From classic ghost stories and popular novels that are celebrated today, in literature courses and beyond, to contemporary stories about the monsters that hide in the dark, our list
For LGBTQIA+ History Month in October, we’re celebrating the shared history of individuals within the community and the importance of the activists who have fought for their rights and the rights of others. We acknowledge the varying and diverse experiences within the LGBTQIA+ community that have shaped history and have led the way for those
Penguin Random House Education is proud to celebrate Hispanic & Latine Heritage Month, which runs annually from September 15th through October 15th. We are highlighting the works of our authors from the Hispanic and Latine community. Find a full collection of titles here.
