Beany And the Meany

I was excited that a new girl would be in our class. I hoped she'd have short hair like me that maybe would stick out, like mine does when I sleep funny. I hoped she'd have freckles. I have lots of frecklestwenty-three to be exact. If Stacy had freckles, I wouldn't be the only one mean Kevin Gates calls dalmatian. Just then, Mr. Shanner, the principal, walked in with Stacy and introduced her. Stacy didn't look scared, the way I would if I was walking into a new classroom. She smiled and said hi to the class. She didn't have freckles. She had long brown hair in a ponytail that went way down her back. And she had lots of friendship bracelets tied around one wrist. Once Carol Ann and I made friendship bracelets for each other, but mine fell off in one day. I guess I didn't tie it right. When mine fell off, Carol Ann took hers off. Ms. Babbitt showed Stacy where to sit and gave her all the books she would need. Then she said, "Carol Ann, since you're this week's special helper, I'd like you to be Stacy's guide and official welcoming committee." Carol Ann gave a big smile. I wished I was the special helper that week. In the afternoon, as soon as we got back from recess, Kevin Gates yelled out, "What's the other earring for?" Ms. Babbitt made him raise his hand and ask again. Then she said, "Boys and girls, let's go to the reading rug for my science announcement." The reading rug is a blue shaggy rug in the corner of the room where we sit when Ms. Babbitt wants us up close in order to show us stuff or read to us. She sits in a rocking chair and we sit on the rug. When we were settled on the rug, she said, "We're going to have a science fair." Boomer Fenton's hand shot up. "What's a science fair?" he asked. "It's an event at which students present science projects, and everyone who comes learns new and interesting science facts," Ms. Babbitt explained. Everyone groaned. "I should be hearing yays, not groans, because the fair is going to be lots of fun. Each of you will pick a partner and find a science project to do. In two weeks, you'll present your projects. I won't grade them. Two judges will do that. One is Mr. Shanner and the other is Ms. Kowalski, who teaches science at the middle school. Awards will be given for the three best projects. But the grade isn't the important thing. The important thing is that all of you will be learning science." Carol Ann was sitting cross-legged behind Stacy, braiding Stacy's long ponytail the whole time Ms. Babbitt explained. When Ms. Babbitt stopped talking, Carol Ann raised her hand. "I don't know any projects," she said. "I have books here to help you," answered Ms. Babbitt. She had a stack of books on her lap. "These books are full of ideas for proving different science facts." She opened one of the books and held it up for us to see. "This page has a project to show that plants need light to grow." She flipped to the next page. "And see, here's a project showing that grass can prevent erosion." Ms. Babbitt sounded excited, but I wasn't. I hate science. Once we had to learn about the planets, and I didn't study for the planet test because I was away at a wedding for the whole weekend. On Monday Ms. Babbitt told us to name the planets and write two facts about each one. I forgot about Jupiter. After the test Carol Ann said, "How could you forget Jupiter, Beany? It's only the very biggest planet in the whole world." After she explained about the science fair, Ms. Babbitt told us to pick a partner. "Do it quickly because the bell is about to ring," she said. I got up and was heading toward Carol Ann when I saw her hugging Stacy like she had just picked her and was the happiest person on earth. I looked around at the rest of the kids. Elaine was good aWojciechowski, Susan is the author of 'Beany And the Meany ', published 2006 under ISBN 9780763629748 and ISBN 076362974X.