02 Batty for Banana Peels

Batty for Banana Peels All day Saturday and all day Sunday, Judy could not think up one single creative, awardwinning Crazy Strips idea. On Monday morning, as soon as she got to the bus stop, Judy told her best friend, Rocky, about the contest. "Help me think of an idea!" "I know," said Rocky. "How about a disappearing one? You put it on your arm, only it's clear, so it's invisible."

"Rare!" said Judy. "A disappearing Crazy Strip! That's good!" "How are you going to win the contest if they can't even see it?" Stink asked. "Good point," said Judy, thinking it over. "I want the world to be able to see my Grand Prize–winning Judy Moody Crazy Strip."

At school, Judy was dying to ask Frank Pearl if he had any ideas, but the bell had already rung and she could not risk getting another white card for talking. She already had to stay after school once and clean the fish tank with Mr. Todd for getting three white cards. A person could only clean so many stinky fish tanks. So she wrote a note about the contest to pass to Frank instead. At the bottom she wrote: P. S. DON'T let Jessica Finch see this. "Science, everybody," said Mr. Todd. "Let's continue our discussion of the environment. Rain forests everywhere are being cut down. When you take medicine or bounce a ball or pop a balloon, you're using something that came from the rain forest. And right here at home, malls are replacing trees, animals are disappearing, and we're running out of places

to put all of our trash. "Today, let's come up with ways we can help save the earth. Sometimes it's good to start small. Think of ways we can help at home. In our own families. And at school. Any ideas?" "Don't leave lights on," said Hailey. "Recycle your homework," said Frank. "And cans and bottles and stuff," said Leo. "Turn garbage into dirt," said Rocky. "Yes," said Mr. Todd. "That's called composting." Judy raised her hand, knocking her note to the floor. "Plant trees!" "Don't be litterbugs," said Jessica Finch. "I wasn't littering," said Judy, picking up the note. She crossed out the Finch in Jessica's name

and changed it to Jessica Fink. Sheesh. Sometimes Jessica Fink Finch gave her the jitterbugs. "Great!" said Mr. Todd. "These are all good ideas. Look around you — at home, in school, on the playground — not just in Science class. How can we help the planet? How can we make

the world around us a better place? We can each do our part. All it takes is one person to make a difference." One person! If all it took was one person, then she, Judy Moody, could save the world! She knew just where to start. With a banana peel. On the way home from school that afternoon, Judy asked Rocky, "Hey, can you come over and eat some bananas?" "Sure," said Rocky. "What for?" "Compost," said Judy. "I'll eat two!" said Rocky. In Judy's kitchen, Judy and Rocky each ate one and a half bananas. They fed the fourth and last one to Mouse, Judy's cat. Then Judy