1-2 Punch: Heatblast and Grey Matter (Ben 10) - Softcover

Stuart, Wrigley

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1524784710 ISBN 13: 9781524784713

Publisher: Cartoon Network Books, 2018

Synopsis

Two times the action, ten times the mayhem, and a billion chances for alien madness! Heatblast and Grey Matter lead the charge in two intergalactic stories from Cartoon's Network's Ben 10.

Which alien's skills pass the ultimate test: fiery Heatblast or brianiac Grey Matter? Follow along in two super-special adventures as ten-year-old Ben takes each alien out for a spin. Worlds are threatened, villains are vanquished, and Ben only bungles up a handful of times!

About this title

About the Author

Wrigley Stuart has written several licensed book titles for Cartoon Network.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Ben gazed out the window of the Rust Bucket.

Patches of snow lined the sides of the road. As they drove high up the mountain, they had not seen another car in miles. “Why are we visiting Robin Hood?” asked Ben.

“For the tenth time, we’re not visiting Robin Hood; we’re visiting Mount Hood!” said Gwen, rolling her eyes.

Ben looked at the snow-dotted trees. They had been driving up and up for miles and were now surrounded by wilderness. Ben had only one word to describe the adventure so far: “boring.”

From his driver’s seat, Grandpa Max said, “It’s exciting to see nature, Ben. Mount Hood is home to twelve glaciers, but they’re melting. Places like Mount Hood, with all of its glaciers, are becoming rare.”

“I’d rather go to a beach,” complained Ben.

Gwen shook her head and stared out the window. “Well, I think it’s beautiful. Do you think we’ll see a Gumberoo?”

“A Goober-who?” asked Ben, scratching his head.

Gwen sighed and held open the book she was reading. She showed Ben a picture of a giant, mean-looking hairless bear. “This: a Gumberoo. It has armored skin, so if you hit it with things, they will just bounce off. It’s always hungry, so you have to be careful to avoid it.”

“Cool!” said Ben, looking at the picture. This trip just became a lot more interesting.

Grandpa Max laughed. “Gwen, there’s no such thing as a Gumberoo. That’s just an old story. It’s all make-believe.”

“Really?” asked Ben. “You mean, like how aliens are make-believe?”

“I guess you have a point there, Ben,” said Grandpa Max. Then he leaned forward and looked up in the sky. “Uh-oh. This doesn’t look good.”

All Ben could see outside the Rust Bucket was snow, falling in giant sheets. The snow had come out of nowhere! The tires of the Rust Bucket slipped on the road.  “These sudden storms can be dangerous,” said Grandpa Max. “We better pull over. I can’t see a thing through the snow.”

“But we’re in the middle of a mountain range,” said Gwen. “What about the Gumberoo?”

“I’m sure we’ll be fine,” said Grandpa Max, laughing again. “I wouldn’t worry too much about Gumberoos.”

Grandpa Max pulled the Rust Bucket over to the side of the road. Ben had never seen snow fall this fast and so heavily. They were surrounded by a world of white.

“We might be here awhile,” said Grandpa Max, frowning.

“Does it always snow like this around here?” asked Gwen.

Grandpa Max shook his head. “I don’t think so. It is strange. The storm came without any warning.”

“How long do you think this storm will last?” asked Gwen.

Grandpa Max shrugged. “Beats me. But there is no way we can travel on this road. Hopefully plows will come through soon. If not, fortunately we’ve got water and food in the Rust Bucket that can last us days.”

Ben sat on his bed with his arms crossed. “Days? Are you kidding? I’m already bored.”

“We can read,” suggested Gwen. She showed Ben her book. It was called The Mysteries of Mount Hood. “We can read all about the Gumberoo.”

“I’d rather be eaten by one,” groaned Ben.

Grandpa Max stood up and stretched his legs. He grabbed his winter jacket and some gloves. “I better take a look around. Maybe I can find help.”

“Can I go with you?” asked Ben.

Grandpa Max shook his head. “It might not be safe. You guys wait here.”

“Not safe?” asked Ben. He frowned. “You do know I can turn into different aliens, right?”

Grandpa Max nodded. “Sort of hard to forget that, Ben. Still, I’d rather you kids stay here. I shouldn’t be gone long.”

Ben sighed. “I guess I can play video games.”

“Better not, Ben,” said Grandpa Max. “I don’t want to drain the Rust Bucket’s batteries. Just keep a light and the heat on, but don’t turn on any equipment we don’t need.” He opened the door to the Rust Bucket.

“Watch out for a Gumberoo!” warned Gwen.

“I’ll be fine, Gwen,” said Grandpa Max, stepping out into the swirling snowstorm. A gust of cold wind blew inside the cabin, and Ben and Gwen trembled from the frigid air until the door closed behind their grandfather.

Ben looked outside as the snow continued to fall. Gwen read her book. Ben stared at the wall. “No video games? What am I supposed to do all day?”

“Try reading,” said Gwen.

“No, thanks,” said Ben. He stared at the wall some more. “I better check on Grandpa Max.”

“Grandpa Max said to stay here,” said Gwen. “It could be dangerous outside.”

“Exactly. What if he’s in trouble? He’s been gone for a long time.”

“He’s been gone for less than five minutes,” said Gwen.

“Well, it seems like a long time to me,” said Ben.

Ben grabbed his winter coat, hat, and gloves. Gwen sighed. “I’m not staying here alone. If you’re going, I’m going.”

“Are you sure? It could be dangerous,” said Ben, but in a joking tone.

Gwen threw him a dirty look. “I can handle myself just fine, thanks—with or without your aliens.”

Fully dressed in winter gear, they opened the door to the Rust Bucket and stepped outside. Ben and Gwen were hit with cold blasts of wind. “I definitely prefer the beach,” said Ben.

He looked at the ground to follow Grandpa Max’s footprints, but they were already snowed over. Ben looked back down the road. Then he looked ahead, up the road.

“Which way?” asked Gwen.

Ben turned away from the road and walked into the woods.

“I don’t think he went that way,” insisted Gwen.

“How do you know?”

With a grunt, Gwen followed her cousin. “Why would Grandpa Max walk through a forest for help?”

“Why not?”

The snow was not as deep in the forest as it had been on the road. Trees surrounded them, and the branches kept some of the snow from hitting the ground. It was easier to walk there than it had been on the side of the road.

“We should head back,” said Gwen, shivering as a cold breeze blew against her.

“Just a little farther,” said Ben. He then stopped and pointed to the ground. “Aha! Look! ”

Footsteps led through the forest, but they weren’t from Grandpa Max. They weren’t even human. They were giant prints, the size of ten feet.

“What sort of animal is that?” asked Gwen.

“Maybe it’s a Gumberoo,” suggested Ben.

Gwen shook her head. “No, a Gumberoo has three toes. These are something else.”

“We should follow them, right?”

“Are you crazy?” asked Gwen.

“Maybe Grandpa Max is in trouble. Come on.”

Gwen followed Ben. They hurried through the woods. Up above them the snow fell, but the trees still kept much of it away. The footprints remained uncovered. After a few minutes, the forest ended, and the cousins found themselves looking down a steep cliff. The cliff was so high they couldn’t even see the ground below. The footprints ended.

“Do you think it fell?” Ben pointed down the mountainside.

Gwen shook her head. “No! I think it’s up there!”

A loud and monstrous roar shook the ground. Then a giant ball of snow, as big as Grandpa Max, flew over their heads.

Perched on top of a ridge above them was a large creature. It stood twenty feet tall with fur as white as snow and large fangs that curved out from a gigantic red mouth. The beast roared again.

“It’s a yeti!” shouted Gwen.

“No, it’s an Abominable Snowman!” shouted Ben.

“That’s the same thing,” said Gwen.

“Oh yeah. I knew that.”

The beast saw them! It tossed another gigantic snowball straight at the cousins. Ben and Gwen jumped to the side, and the mound of snow missed them, but barely. It fell down, down, down the mountainside.

The snowman picked up another mound of snow. This one was as big as a large car.

“That was no snowstorm that hit those roads,” said Ben. “It was that guy.”

“Well, he’s going to knock us off this cliff if we don’t do something fast,” said Gwen.

About this edition

• Publisher: Cartoon Network Books
• Publication date: 2018
• ISBN 10: 1524784710
• ISBN 13: 9781524784713
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 64
• Illustrator: Spaziante Patrick