Dedications
To my children, Alison, Rob and Ryan, and my husband, Bob,
who lives with this disease. —MBA
To Linda, who embodies Maddy’s enthusiasm for life,
to Pam for her love of animals, to Howard and Pat for their love
and support, and to Mary for her friendship and talent. —SB
Copyright © 2015 by Mary Bilderback Abel and Stan Borg, DO, FAAFP
Illustrations by Lorraine Dey
All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form
whatsoever, including electronic, mechanical or any information storage or retrieval system, except
as may be expressly permitted in the 1976 Copyright Act or in writing from the publisher.
Requests for permission should be addressed to:
New Horizon Press
P.O. Box 669
Far Hills, NJ 07931
Mary Bilderback Abel and Stan Borg, DO, FAAFP
Maddy Patti and the Great Curiosity: Helping Children Understand Diabetes
Cover Design and Interior Illustrations: Lorraine Dey
Interior Design: Charley Nasta
Library of Congress Control Number: 2014941982
ISBN-13 (paperback): 978-0-88282-490-1
ISBN-13 (eBook): 978-0-88282-491-8
SMALL HORIZONS
A Division of New Horizon Press
19 18 17 16 15 1 2 3 4 5
Printed in the U.S.A.
Maddy Patti wanted to be a veterinarian when she grew up. She
could not see a cat or a puppy without stopping to examine it and
give it a gentle pat on the head.
She loved all creatures, including creepy-crawly bugs and even
snakes. She learned the secret of talking to the animals from her
golden retriever, Abby.
Maddy Patti, as you will see, had a great curiosity to explore,
discover and learn.
Maddy Patti’s grandfather, whom she called “Pop-Pop,” was
a retired country doctor. He lived on a farm in Tyewhoppety
County, just over the hill from Nortontown.
In the summer, Maddy Patti always spent two months with
Pop-Pop and the animals she loved on his farm.
Abby went along with Maddy Patti on her visits to the farm.
This year, Maddy Patti arrived in late June during a hotter-than-
usual summer.
“It is hot, alright,” said Pop-Pop as he took off his old straw hat
and wiped the sweat trickling down his wrinkled brow. He had
been at the Green family’s farm, helping get in the first cut of
hay for the winter supply.
Even though he no longer worked as a doctor, Pop-Pop helped
his neighbors whenever he could. It was the right thing to do,
he said.
Today Pop-Pop was excited to get home early, because Maddy
Patti would soon arrive with Abby on the evening train. He had
just enough time to clean up and get to Tyewhoppety Station
for the 7 o’clock train from the city.
Maddy Patti’s mom had come with them on the train. Now the
engine was slowing down and it was time to say goodbye, so
they gave each other a big hug and mom patted Abby.
When the train pulled into the station, the first thing Maddy
Patti saw above the crowd of people was Pop-Pop’s old straw
hat. She ran to him and gave him the biggest hug her nine-
year-old arms could. Abby also was excited to see Pop-Pop.
That night, Maddy Patti snuggled deep into her covers. This farm,
with the huge barn and all the animals, was one of her favorite
places. She could not wait to see what summer would bring.
The next morning, Gideon Green, her friend from the neighboring
farm, came by on his brown and white pony, Stony, to say hello to
Maddy Patti and Abby. He brought a dozen eggs laid by the hens
that morning and fresh baked wheat bread for Pop-Pop.
Abby moved closer to Gideon. The dog sniffed him, then trotted
over to Maddy Patti, nudging at her hand and whining. Abby had
a message about Gideon.
“What is it, Abby?” whispered Maddy Patti.
“I smell something sugary on Gideon,” barked Abby. “We dogs find
things out by smelling a person, an animal or object. Our sense of
smell is 100 times, even a million, zillion times better than yours.”
“For all we know,” shot back Maddy Patti, “he might have been
helping his mother bake cookies.”
Abby knew better and she barked, “You cannot see or touch
whatever this is, because the sugary smell is coming from
inside Gideon’s body.”
During her summer visits, Maddy Patti and Gideon, who was
one year older, often shared chores to get them done quickly
so they could explore the bank of the bubbling creek that ran
between the farms looking for curiosities.
A curiosity is something different from the ordinary that you
have to look hard to find. Curiosities can be tiny strawberries, a
flint arrowhead or a shiny creek stone.
This morning, Maddy Patti discovered one that troubled
her.