Gooney Bird and All Her Charms Read Online Free PDF Page A

earmuffs. He stretched them apart, placed them on the skull, and when the metal connector tightened, they snapped in place over the earpieces of the glasses, holding them firmly.
    They tilted the skull slightly so that Napoleon’s skull was looking at the book that he held in his lap.
    Gooney Bird frowned. “You know what? We talked about a brain-warming hat, but I don’t think he needs one. He looks very brainy just like this.”
    â€œStudious,” Mrs. Pidgeon commented.
    â€œAttentive,” said Mrs. Clancy.
    â€œAnd a good reader,” Keiko added.
    â€œSo: no hat,” Gooney Bird said. “The only things left are the signs. Tyrone? Felicia Ann? How are you doing?” Gooney Bird looked toward the computer wall. Tyrone and Felicia Ann had been hard at work on two computers.
    â€œNapoleon’s signs be almost done,”
Tyrone chanted.
“Me and Felicia Ann, we havin’ fun!”
    Mr. Pidgeon went to the printer and looked at the pages of large print that had appeared one after another.
    â€œGood job, guys!” she said. She handed the pages to the children. Mrs. Clancy found some Scotch tape in her desk.
    First they taped a sign to the door of the school library.
    Â 
    COME MEET NAPOLEON
    PLEASE BE QUIET
    Â 
    The next sign was taped to the table beside Napoleon’s chair.
    Â 
    NAPOLEON IS USING HIS BRAIN.
    IT IS INSIDE HIS SKULL.
    HIS SKULL PROTECTS IT.
    Â 
    On another nearby table they taped another sign.
    Â 
    HIS BRAIN IS FULL OF NEURONS.
    THEY SEND MESSAGES TO HIS OTHER PARTS.
    Â 
    Carefully they placed the third sign on the floor near Napoleon’s foot.
    Â 
    HE IS READING.
    HIS EYES ARE SEEING THE LETTERS
    AND SENDING THE MESSAGES TO HIS
    BRAIN.
    Â 
    â€œWhere shall I put this one?” Keiko asked, holding a sign.
    The children thought it over and decided to tape the next sign to the side of the chair. Keiko placed it there neatly.
    Â 
    HE IS WEARING EAR MUFFS
    SO THAT VIBRATIONS WON’T ENTER HIS
    BRAIN WHILE HE IS READING.
    PLEASE BE QUIET IN THE LIBRARY!
    Â 
    â€œOne more,” Gooney Bird said. “I’ll put this one here on the front of Mrs. Clancy’s desk.”
    Â 
    THE BRAIN ALSO SENDS MESSAGES
    ABOUT SMELLING AND TASTING
    AND PAIN AND DANGER AND HAPPINESS
    AND MANY OTHER THINGS!
    THE BRAIN IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT!
    BE CAREFUL NOT TO DAMAGE YOUR
    BRAIN!
    Â 
    â€œWhat does that mean?” Malcolm asked. “How can you protect your brain from getting damaged?”
    â€œYou should know that, Malcolm,” Beanie told him. “Wear a batting helmet!”
    â€œOr a bike helmet!” Nicholas added.
    â€œOr a seat belt!” Felicia Ann said. “And don’t do drugs, either. Here. I brought you one more.” She and Tyrone had turned their computers off and joined the other children. She handed the final sign to Gooney Bird.
    Gooney Bird looked at it and laughed. She tore off a piece of tape, leaned down, and attached the last sign to Napoleon’s left upper arm.
    MRS. PIDGEON’S SECOND GRADE
    FINDS THIS HUMERUS.
    Â 
    â€œGoodness,” Mrs. Pidgeon said. “It’s almost lunchtime. Have a nice stay in the library, Napoleon. We’ll be back for you in a few days!”
    The children all waved to Napoleon as they left the library. Napoleon didn’t wave back. He was very busy using his brain to read.

5
    â€œI don’t know how you can stand to eat that, Malcolm,” Gooney Bird said, looking at the pizza slice that Malcolm was folding into thirds. “It’s not even interesting.”
    It was Thursday, and the school lunch on Thursday was always pizza. Malcolm took a bite of his, and then nibbled a dangling bit of cheese into his mouth.
    â€œThat’s gross, Malcolm,” Chelsea said. “I bet you slurp spaghetti, too.”
    Malcolm grinned. He made a loud slurping noise and Chelsea rolled her eyes.
    â€œAnyway,” Malcolm said, with his mouth