Presidential Popcorn: The Spelling Beetle #1 (HC) (2021)

Olive Hudson, fourth grader today and President of the U.S.A tomorrow, has an older sister named Gabby who, in her eyes, is good at everything. From cook- off competitions, to academic contests, to sports tournaments, Gabby's trophy case is overflowing with awards while Olive's is overflowing with nothingness - not including her 2 participation certificates, dust bunnies, and Cardigan, her stuffed Make-A-Moose. Determined to fill her trophy case with as many trophies as her sister's, Olive looks for ways that she can win a trophy. One of those ways is being the Vice President of her across-the-street neighbor's bug club.

When she is there, she is reminded of her class "special show and tell"-which happens to be the same day as her class Spelling Bee--and sees that as an opportunity to win another trophy. She wonders where she can find the world's best show and tell-a show and tell that's 1000 times better than her sworn enemy Emily's show and tell-and it doesn't take long for her to find it. Since she was the Vice President of the Club and her little brother George was President, they had the ability to watch over the club's mascot, Peanut Butter the tarantula. This makes the perfect show and tell since it is was described as a best friend spider, a spider who serves as a companion and bites your enemies. Olive even believes that it's related to the spider that gave Spider Man super powers.

The class Spelling Bee finally comes and Olive is confident that she is going to take another trophy home. However, after receiving a crazy word to spell, Olive's confidence dwindles. She gets out fast, but she still has the "special show and tell" to look forward to. Only a few seconds in does she realize that Peanut Butter the tarantula was accidently switch-a-rooed with actual peanut butter. Her classmates of course tease her, but Olive ignores them and plans on finding ways to get back into the Spelling Bee. Her plans don't work, however, an unexpected event causes her to automatically be in first place for the Spelling Bee. But after receiving another difficult word to spell, Olive loses the spelling bee again feeling totally defeated. In the end Olive learns the importance of humility and that chasing after self-glory is nothing compared to glorifying our Creator.