11 Judy Un-Moody

Judy Un-Moody It bumped down the stairs. It thumped across the living room. And with a whoosh, a push, and a smoosh, the big bright ball of yarn rolled out the front door. The Purple People Eater was going to school! At last, it was Good Mood Day #7 and she, Judy Moody, could not wait to get to school. She was in a mood. A good mood. She even forgot to put her hair in ponytails or match her clothes or put on lip gloss or finish her homework. Judy and Stink rolled the giant ball of finger knitting down the sidewalk, over tree-root bumps, past Super-Mailman Jack Frost, and

around the corner till... the big ball of yarn got away from them. "Aagh! Runaway Purple People Eater!" yelled Judy. They ran after it.

"Stop! Stop that ball." Just then, it hit a stop sign. "Phew! That was a close one," said Judy. The bus doors opened. Oomph! Judy lugged the giant ball up the steps of the bus. Kids oohed and ahhed, but Judy's friends were not on the bus. "Who's your friend?" asked the bus driver. "The Purple People Eater," said Judy. "It's for Mr. Todd's class. I'm going to surprise my teacher." "I bet he'll be surprised, all right," said the driver. When Judy got to school, she gave the Purple People Eater an extra-big push through the

front doors. Wheee! It rolled across the front lobby. A kindergartener jumped out of the way. It started down the hall. The big ball was stopped by a... foot. Not a Bigfoot foot. A grown-up foot in a low-heeled sensible shoe. The principal! "What on earth!" said Ms. Tuxedo. She looked up and saw Judy. "Judy Moody. I might have known," she teased. "What is it this time? A planet? An art project? A new game for Phys Ed?" "I'm going to surprise Mr. Todd," said Judy. "It's for math class!" She told the principal all about finger knitting and her moods and their Measure Up! unit in math. "I don't think this is going to fit in your locker or your desk, do you?"

"No way," said Judy. "Tell you what. Let's roll it into my office, and we'll hide it there until you're ready. What time is math class?" "One forty-five," said Judy. "One forty-five it is! It'll be our secret." "Rare!" said Judy. "Thanks." Judy practically skipped down the hall to class, humming the Purple People Eater song. She spotted her friends in a huddle outside Rocky's locker. She rushed up to them. "Guys! Guys! Why weren't you on the bus today?" Frank's eyes got big. Amy took a step back. Jessica pointed to the sign they were making for Rocky's locker. "Alien-Free Zone," said Rocky. She held two fingers in the air for a joke. "I come in peace!"

Her friends just stared at her. "You guys, I am NOT an alien, okay? Yes, I might like green and yes, I've been known to eat a MARS bar and watch E.T., but I'm still me. Honest! Cross my heart and hope to spy." Judy turned and headed to class. Pencils and erasers and rulers went flying out of her backpack. But she did not care. She did not stop to pick them up. All morning, Judy tried not to let a bad mood ruin GMD #7. If only it were time for math class. She watched the clock. Had it gone backward? Nine more minutes of subject-verb agreement and counting. Finally, the loudspeaker crackled. "Judy Moody to the principal's office. Judy Moody? Please come to the front office."