The Case of the Groundhog's Shadow

Shivering, Julie climbed the bleachers and sat next to her friend Jason. They were at the school stadium to watch their friend Sadie play in her soccer game. It was evening, but the field was brightened by tall stadium lights.

“It’s so cold!” Jason said.

“Yeah, I can’t wait for winter to end,” said Julie.

“Not me,” said a voice behind them. It was their classmate Miles. “I love winter!”

“We might find out tomorrow how long winter will last,” said Jason. Miles looked puzzled.

“It’s Groundhog Day!” Julie said. “There’s going to be an event here.”

“I can’t wait to see Gordy the groundhog!” said Jason.

Suddenly, the crowd cheered. Sadie’s team had scored! Jason squinted at the scoreboard. “Those lights are so bright!”

“I learned on a tour that each light has 24 bulbs,” said Miles.

“I wish I had sunglasses!” said Jason. He watched the game with a hand shielding his eyes.

The next morning, Jason arrived at the stadium’s field with his family for the Groundhog Day Celebration. He found Julie and Sadie with their parents near a stage. A crowd was forming. A few people had signs that said “Think Spring” and “More Winter, Please!”

“Nice win last night,” Jason told Sadie.

“I hope we’ll have the same luck with Gordy!” Julie said.

Just then, Mayor Anderson appeared onstage, followed by a zookeeper holding a groundhog. “Welcome to the 10th annual Groundhog Day Celebration!” said the mayor. “Remember, if Gordy sees his shadow, he’s predicting six more weeks of winter. If he doesn’t, we’ll have an early spring.”

“Do you think Gordy will see his shadow?” Jason whispered.

“The sky is so cloudy—I don’t think he’ll have a shadow,” said Julie. “And that means spring is coming!”

“Oh, he’ll definitely see his shadow,” said Miles, grinning. “And more winter means more sledding and hot chocolate!”

“No offense to Gordy, but he can’t predict the weather,” said Sadie with a laugh. “Groundhog Day is a myth. I’ll know spring is here when the days get longer and the birds start singing.”

The zookeeper placed Gordy on a table. Julie closed her eyes and whispered, “No shadow.”

The mayor peered down at Gordy. “Folks, we have a prediction.” She released a banner that showed a giant snowflake. “Gordy has seen his shadow. He predicts six more weeks of winter!”

“I can’t believe there was a shadow,” said Julie outside the stadium. She pointed to the sky. “Clouds are covering the sun.”

“Yeah, and we don’t have any shadows here on the ground,” said Sadie. “How can Gordy have a shadow and not us?”

“I’m just so glad winter will be longer,” said Miles, smiling.

Jason looked back at the stadium. “Hey, Julie, remember the stadium lights last night?”

“Yeah, they were super bright,” said Julie.

 “I think there was another light source that caused the shadow,” said Jason. “And I think I know who turned it on!”