Every year, Hilltop School gave a trophy to the class with the best attendance. Every year, Class 6C finished last. "We're famous," joked Arjun, "for being somewhere else."
In September, their new teacher, Ms Rivera, did not give a speech about attendance. Instead, she started each morning with a two-minute mystery. She read the first part of a puzzle story, and the class had to guess the answer before lunch. Anyone who arrived late missed the clues.
At first, only a few students cared. Then Mei solved three mysteries in a row, and Arjun refused to let her win a fourth. Soon, students were waiting outside the classroom before the door was even open.
In June, the principal announced the winner of the attendance trophy: Class 6C. The class cheered so loudly that a teacher from next door came to check. Ms Rivera only smiled. "Maybe now," she said, "you'll be famous for being here."