2 Shrink, Shrank, Shrunk

SHRINK, SHRANK, SHRUNK

When Stink woke up the next morning, his bed felt as big as a country. The ceiling was up there with the sky. And it was a long way down to the floor. When he went to brush his teeth, even the sink seemed too tall. "Yipe! I really am shrinking," said Stink, checking himself out in the mirror. Were his arms a little shorter? Was his head a little smaller? Stink got dressed. He put on up-and-down-striped pants and an up-and-down-striped shirt. "What's with the stripes?" asked Judy. "Makes me look taller," said Stink. "If you say so," said Judy.

"What?" "If you really want to look taller, here's what you do." Judy handed him a fancy shampoo-type bottle. "Put this hair gel on your hair and leave it in for ten minutes. Then you'll be able to comb your hair so it sticks straight up. Sticking-up hair will make you look taller."

Stink put the goopy goop in his hair. He left it in his hair while he made his bed. He left it in his hair while he packed up his backpack. He left it in his hair all through breakfast. "We could play baseball, and you could be shortstop," Judy told him.

"So funny I forgot to laugh," said Stink. Judy pointed to Stink's hair. "Hey, I think it's working!" she said. "Really? Do you think people will notice?" "They'll notice," said Judy. Stink ran upstairs to look in the mirror. "HEY! My HAIR! It's ORANGE!" "Don't worry," said Judy. "It'll wash out... in about a week." "I look like a carrot!" said Stink. "Carrots are tall," said Judy, and she laughed all the way to the bus stop. Stink's friend Elizabeth sat next to him in class. They were the shortest kids in Class 2D, so they

sat up front. "Hi, Elizabeth," said Stink. "I'm not Elizabeth anymore," she told Stink. "From now on, call me Sophie of the Elves." "Okay. I have a new name, too. The Incredible Shrinking Stink." "But, Stink, you look taller today," said Elizabeth. "It's just the hair," said Stink. "I'm still short." "Not to an elf. To an elf, you'd be a giant. To an elf, you would be the Elf King." "Thanks, Sophie of the Elves," said Stink.