Judy Moody, M.D. Read Online Free PDF Page B

Finch.
    “It’s science fiction,” said Alison S.
    “Like
Jurassic Park,
” said Rocky.
    “It’s true,” said Mr. Todd.
    “They found a mammoth frozen in ice and they might try to clone it with DNA so mammoths won’t be extinct anymore. No lie,” said Frank.
    “Thank you, Frank,” said Mr. Todd. “Very interesting. Most of us just think of cloning as science fiction.”
    The rest of the morning, Frank Pearl did not pay attention once. Judy wrote him a note, but he didn’t write back. She told him a joke, but he didn’t laugh.
    “Frank! What’s wrong?” Judy asked.
    “My project wasn’t good.”
    “Was so!” said Judy. “You’re a gene-ius.”
    “My project was cardboard.
Dead
cardboard. Nobody even believes it’s real. Yours had something real. Something alive.” He just stared at Peanut, the dwarf guinea pig.
    “Why are you staring at Peanut?” asked Judy.
    “I was just thinking how she must be lonely all by herself,” said Frank.
    “Judy, Frank, are you with us?” asked Mr. Todd.
    “Sorry, Mr. Todd,” said Judy. “Frank’s worried about Peanut. Do guinea pigs get lonely? For friends?”
    “Yes, well, guinea pigs do enjoy company.”
    “I have guinea pigs, and my guinea pig book says you’re never supposed to have just one guinea pig,” said Jessica Finch.
    “That’s why we take turns playing with her every day,” said Mr. Todd. “And we made her a fun box, remember? Now let’s keep our minds on our work, okay?”

    At morning recess, Frank found Judy and Rocky at the water fountain. “You guys have to help me get in trouble,” said Frank.
    “Are you crazy?” asked Rocky.
    “Do you
want
to go to Antarctica?” Judy asked Frank.
    “No, I just want Mr. Todd to make me stay inside for lunch recess. I need to try a science experiment. A real one. About cloning.”
    “Cool beans,” said Rocky.
    “Cool genes,” said Judy, cracking herself up. “What kind of experiment?”
    “Cloning Peanut. I’ll make another guinea pig exactly like her. Right here in Class 3T. So she’ll have a friend. Or
friends.
Real ones, not cardboard. If it works, nobody will think cloning is just science fiction.”
    “Cloning just works on aliens,” said Rocky.
    “And bones. And frozen stuff,” Judy said.
    “Nah-uh,” said Frank.
    “Well, it’s against the law to practice science on animals. Stink told me. You have to use a zucchini or something.”
    “Everybody clones vegetables. And does experiments on
zucchinis.
”
    “What’s wrong with that? Real doctors practice stitches on zucchinis. It’s way scientific.”
    “Cloning a guinea pig is way MORE scientific.”
    “Get real!” said Judy. “You can’t just be a cloner. You need equipment. Fancy stuff, like scientists have. In labs.”
    “It’s easy. All I need is DNA (a few hairs from Peanut), a petri dish like Rocky used for Lego germs, and electricity. Plus a little help from you guys.”
    “DNA means
Do Not Ask
me to experiment on animals!” said Judy. “I’ll watch, but only to make sure you don’t hurt Peanut.”
    “Let’s ask Mr. Todd if we can stay inside at recess and clean Peanut’s cage,” said Frank. “Then nobody gets in trouble.”
    “Perfect,” said Rocky.
    “Genius,” said Judy.
    “Scientific,” said Frank, tapping a finger to his head.
    When the lunch recess bell rang, Judy, Rocky, and Frank stayed inside. They lined the bottom of Peanut’s cage with clean newspaper and straw. They filled up her water bottle. They gave her a new, never-been-chewed toilet-paper tube to hide in.
    As soon as Mr. Todd left to get his lunch, Frank said, “Quick!” He got Mr. Todd’s pointy scissors. Rocky held Peanut while Frank went
snip, snip, snip.
    “Be careful,” said Judy. “I’m watching.”
    “Haircuts don’t hurt!” said Frank. He carefully placed four hairs in the petri dish. “All we need now is electricity.”
    “How about the microwave?” said Rocky. Frank put the guinea pig hairs in the