1 Gross Me Out

Megan McDonald illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds Stink and The World's Worst Super-Stinky Sneakers

GROSS ME OUT

Gross me out! Stink-o! Skunksville! Stink Moody was in love. In love with school, that is. It was the best day ever of second grade, the best day ever for Class 2D, and maybe possibly the best day ever in the whole world and his entire life so far. Mrs. D. was taking Stink Moody and his class on a field trip. A smell trip. To the smelliest place on earth! Class 2D was going on a special trip to the Gross-Me-Out exhibit at the science museum. And Stink had a fifth sense that it was going to be the smelliest field trip ever.

Stink carpooled with his two best not-smelly friends, Webster and Sophie of the Elves (a.k.a. Elizabeth, but nobody was allowed to call her that). "Hey, guys. Did you know one human being person can smell about ten thousand smells? Also, smelling peppermint makes you smarter." "No way, no how," said Webster. "I love peppermint ice cream!" said Sophie. "So I guess that makes me smart." "How do you know so much about smelly stuff, anyway?" asked Webster. "His name's STINK, isn't it?" said Sophie. "No, c'mon. For real," said Webster.

"Don't forget I read the whole entire S encyclopedia. Books do not lie. Especially the encyclopedia." Class 2D followed their teacher into the museum. Stink ducked as he stepped through a pair of ugly red lips and giant chomping teeth at the entrance to the wonderful world of smelly stuff. Slimy! Oozy! Stinky! Gooey! There were beeps and toots and blinking lights in every direction. Where to start? The Vomit Machine? Musical Farts? The Burp-O-Meter? Stink could not decide. "I think there's a giant nose here somewhere," he told his friends. "I saw the picture in the paper."

"Count me out," said Webster. "Where there's a giant nose, there could be—" "Giant BOOGERS!" said Sophie and Webster at the same time, shivering at the thought.