Flat Stanley was so excited—he was going on a big adventure to visit the Bennett family in Montana! He packed his little paper suitcase and slipped into an envelope. Whoosh! Off he went through the mail, all the way from Pennsylvania to Big Sky Country.
When he finally reached Montana, he popped out of the envelope and waved hello to his host family. “Welcome, Flat Stanley!” they cheered. “We have so much planned for you!”
The next day, the family decided to take a road trip. “We’re headed to Seattle!” said Dad. Stanley climbed into the truck with his new friends, ready for adventure. But as they drove through Idaho, the sky turned gray, and snowflakes started to fall. “Uh-oh,” said Mom. “It’s a snowstorm!” The snow swirled and piled up on the road, making it hard to see. Stanley held on tight. “At least I don’t have to worry about being cold!” he joked.
After making it through the snowy drive, they crossed into Washington. But just as they thought the worst was over, the truck made a funny noise.
Clunk! Clank! Chug-chug…
“Oh no! The truck broke down!” said Dad, frowning. The family wasn’t sure what to do… but Flat Stanley had an idea. “Don’t worry,” he said, grabbing a wrench from the toolbox. Flat Stanley used his mechanical skills to check under the hood. He turned some bolts, tightened a few screws, and said, “Try it now!” Dad started the truck and—VROOM! It worked!
“Flat Stanley, you saved the day!” the Mom and Dad cheered.
Finally, they made it to their hotel safe and sound. Stanley was so tired that he fell asleep right on the pillow.
The next morning, the family explored Seattle, Washington. Their first stop was Pike Place Market. Stanley loved seeing all the fish being tossed in the air by the fishmongers. “Catch that fish, Stanley!” joked his host Mom. Then, something caught Stanley’s eye—it was Zoltar, the fortune teller machine!
Stanley put a coin in the machine. Zoltar’s eyes lit up, and a card slid out. It read, “Your future is full of adventure and fun!”
“Wow, that’s perfect!” said Stanley.
After that, they walked down to Pier 57 to see the big Seattle Ferris Wheel. Stanley got to ride all the way to the top, where he could see the ocean and the city below. “This is amazing!” Stanley shouted.
But the fun wasn’t over yet. The family hopped onto a catamaran and sailed through Puget Sound. Stanley felt the sea breeze on his paper face and watched seals playing in the water. In the distance, he saw the Space Needle—it was so tall and shiny!
At lunchtime, they stopped for something delicious. “Let’s eat at The Crab Pot!” said Mom. Stanley tried crab legs and corn on the cob. “This is the best seafood I’ve ever had!” he said.
Later that evening, they cheered for the Green Bay Packers at an NFL game. Stanley waved a foam finger and shouted, “Go Pack, Go!” The stadium lights were bright, and everyone had so much fun, even if it wasn’t the Pittsburgh Steelers he was cheering for.
After a fun-filled trip, it was time to drive back to Montana. But guess what? It snowed again on the way home! This time, Stanley wasn’t worried. He looked out the window and admired the beautiful snowy mountains.
Back in Montana, Stanley had even more adventures. He went swimming in a big pool and pretended to swim with native Montanan fish. Then, he joined the family’s kids at gymnastics class. Stanley tried to do a flip, but he ended up spinning like a pancake. “Nice try, Stanley!” laughed his host brother.
Finally, Stanley got to sit on Santa’s lap at the local mall. “What would you like for Christmas?” Santa asked. Stanley smiled and said, “More adventures with my friends!”
It was the best trip ever, and Flat Stanley couldn’t wait to tell his friends in Pennsylvania all about his time in Montana and Seattle.