Andy stepped up beside Evan, who remained on his knees. “Be careful,” she warned. “You’ve got to watch every step.”

Evan nodded in agreement. “At least I think I’ve stopped growing,” he called down to her.

As they reached the playground, Evan saw several kids shouting and pointing excitedly at a tall maple tree on the corner.

What’s going on? Evan wondered.

As he lumbered closer, he saw the problem. Their yellow kite had become stuck up in the tree.

“Hey—no problem!” Evan boomed.

The kids screamed and cried out in surprise as Evan stepped up to them. They all backed away, their faces tight with fear.

Evan reached up easily and tugged the kite loose from the tree limb. Then he leaned down and gently handed it to the nearest kid.

“Hey, thanks!” A grin spread across the kid’s freckled face.

The other kids all cheered. Evan took a bow.

Andy laughed. “You need a red cape and a pair of blue tights,” she shouted up to him. “It’s Super Evan!”

“Super Evan!” the kids shouted as they ran off happily with their kite.

Evan leaned down to talk to Andy. “If I stay big like this, do you think I really could get a job as a superhero?”

“I don’t think it pays very well,” Kermit chimed in. “In the comic books, you never see those guys getting paid.”

They crossed the street and headed toward the playground. Evan glanced at the redbrick school building on the corner. It’s so small, he thought.

He suddenly realized that he stood at least two stories tall. If I walk over there, I can see into the second-floor classrooms, he thought.

How will I go to school? Evan wondered. I can’t squeeze through the door. I won’t fit in Mrs. McGrady’s room anymore.

Feeling a wave of sadness roll over him, he turned away from the school building. He heard cheers and shouts. A softball game was underway on the practice diamond.

Evan recognized Billy Denver and Brian Johnson and some of the other kids. He always had to beg to play softball with them. They never wanted Evan on their team because he wasn’t a very good hitter.

He strolled over the grass to the practice diamond. Andy and Kermit ran behind him, struggling to keep up.

Brian was starting to pitch the ball. But he stopped short when he spotted Evan. The ball dropped from his hand and dribbled to the ground.

Players on both teams gasped and shouted.

Evan strode up to Brian on the pitcher’s mound. Brian’s eyes bulged in fear as Evan drew near. Brian raised his hands to shield himself. “Don’t hurt me!” he pleaded.

“Hey—it’s Evan!” Billy exclaimed. “Look, guys! It’s Evan!”

Kids from both teams gathered around, murmuring excitedly, nervously.

Brian slowly lowered his hands and stared up at the giant Evan. “Wow! It really is you! Evan—how did you do that?”

“What happened to you?” another kid cried.

“He’s been working out!” Andy told them.

The kids laughed. Very tense laughter.

Andy always has a joke for everything, Evan thought.

“Uh … want to play?” Brian asked. “You can be on my team.”

“No. My team!” Billy insisted.

“No way! He’s on my team!” Brian shouted. “We’re one man short, remember?”

“Don’t say short around Evan!” Andy joked.

Everyone laughed again.

Billy and Brian continued to fight over which team would get Evan. Evan stood back and enjoyed the argument. He picked up a wooden bat. It had always seemed so heavy before. Now it felt as light as a pencil.

Billy won the argument. “You can bat now, Evan,” he said, grinning up at him.

“How can I pitch to him? He’s a giant!” Brian complained.

“Pitch it really high,” Evan suggested.

“Evan, do your mom and dad know you grew like this?” Billy asked, walking to home plate beside Evan.

Evan swallowed hard. He hadn’t thought about his parents. They’d be getting home from work soon. They weren’t going to be happy about this. How would he break the news to them? he wondered.

And then he thought: I won’t have to break the news to them. They’ll see for themselves what has happened!

He stepped up to the plate and swung the bat onto his shoulder. “Wish we had a bigger bat,” he muttered. It was a little larger than a drinking straw.

“Get a hit!” Billy shouted from behind the backstop.

“Get a hit, Evan!” several other players called.

Brian’s first pitch sailed past Evan’s ankles.

“Higher!” Evan called out to him. “You’ll have to throw it higher.”

“I’m trying!” Brian grumbled. He pulled the softball back and tossed it again.

This time, the pitch flew past Evan’s knees.

“It’s hard to throw that high,” Brian complained. “This isn’t fair.”