J. C. Greenburg - In the Garbage

To Dan, Zack, and the real Andrew,
with a galaxy of love. To the children who read these books: I wish
you wonderful questions. Questions are
telescopes into the universe!

J.C.G.

To Cathy Goldsmith, with many thanks.

J.G.

Andrew is ten years old, but hes been inventing things since he was four. Andrews inventions usually get him in trouble, like the time he invented the Aroma-Rama. It was supposed to make homes and offices smell like flowers. Instead, it made everything smell like stinky feet!

Andrews newest invention is supposed to save the world from getting buried in garbage. But a nasty classmate could get Andrew buried in garbage!

Judy is Andrews thirteen-year-old cousin. Shes been snuffled into a dogs nose, pooped out of a whale, and had her pajamas chewed by a Tyrannosaurusall because of Andrew!

The Handy Ultra-Digital Detective. Thudd is a super-smart robot and Andrews best friend. He has helped save Andrew and Judy from the exploding sun, a giant squid, and a monster asteroid. But can he keep them from getting thrown out with the garbage?

Andrew and Judys uncle is a top-secret scientist. He invented Thudd. Uncle Al and Andrew have worked on many inventions together. Too bad Uncle Al wasnt around to help Andrew with this one. Where is Uncle Al, anyway?

Jeremy goes to school with Andrew and Judy. It wont take you long to figure out why kids call him Germy Booger!

This giant fake snake is Andrews newest invention. Goa is short for Garbage Goes Away. The Goa is supposed to keep the world from getting buried in garbage by squashing rotten vegetables, green meat, and dirty paper dishes down to microscopic size. Unfortunately for Andrew, the Goa doesnt just shrink garbage. In two minutes and one stinky burp, the Goa can shrink anythingand anyone.

Yerrrrghhh! groaned ten-year-old Andrew Dubble. He was dragging a heavy black bag through his classroom door. The bag was squirming!

No one else was in the room.

Wowzers! said Andrew. Weve finally got the place to ourselves.

Ch ch ch ch ch

Angry screams were coming from a cage behind Andrew. It was Harry and Howard, the class guinea pigs.

Andrew felt a poke inside his shirt pocket.

meep Animals afraid, Drewd, came a squeaky voice.

It was Andrews little silver robot and best friend, Thudd. Thudd was short for The Handy Ultra-Digital Detective.

Andrew looked around the room. A forest of trees reached for the ceiling. Plants with giant leaves pressed against the windows. Plastic hamster trails zigzagged through it all.

A shelf at the back held roomy cages for mice and guinea pigs. A hairy tarantula spider the size of Andrews hand lived in a sandy aquarium tank.

Dont worry, Thudd, said Andrew. Ill make sure the Goa Constrictor eats just the garbage.

Andrew checked the clock on the wall. The cafeteria ladies said they would bring the garbage at three oclock, he said. Weve got fifteen minutes to get ready.

Andrew untied the squirming black bag and pulled a small remote control from his pants pocket. He pressed the Slither Out button.

Ssssssssssss came a loud hiss from the bag. A giant brown snake head poked out. It had blinking red lights for eyes. A thin black tongue flicked from its mouth.

The huge snake slipped out of the bag. Its body was brown and yellow. It was as thick as a wastebasket and as long as a ladder.

Andrew beamed. Wowzers schnauzers! Isnt the Goa beautiful?

Yoop! Yoop! Yoop! said Thudd. But gotta be careful, Drewd. Remember Atom Sucker.

Not long ago, Andrew had invented the Atom Sucker. It shrunk things by sucking the empty space out of atoms. Andrew accidentally shrunk himself so small that he got snuffled into the nose of a dog, flushed down a toilet, and almost eaten by a nasty neighbor.

Andrew laughed. Ill never forget that, he said.

Andrew! came a voice from the hall. It was Judy, Andrews thirteen-year-old cousin.

And Judy will never let me forget it, either, said Andrew.