Megan McDonald - Judy Moody: Around the World in 8 ½ Days

The girl had a notebook and a clipboard. The girl wore a blue plaid skirt like a school uniform, and not one but TWO watches. The girl had a pencil behind her ear. The girl looked very noticeable in her blue-green glasses.

The girl came over to Judy Moodys lunch table and plopped herself down right beside Judys friends Rocky and Frank.

She, NOT Judy Moody, looked like she was in a reporter mood.

Who was this important-looking, glasses-wearing girl, anyway? Judy wondered.

Amy Namey, Girl Reporter, said the girl. Whats the scoop?

Um... Screamin Mimis chocolate mud? asked Judy.

Not the ice-cream kind of scoop, said the girl. The story kind of scoop. Im a reporter, she said. Like Nellie Bly, Daredevil Reporter.

She, Judy Moody, could not believe her ears.

Frank asked, Is that like Elizabeth Blackwell, First Woman Doctor?

Judy leaned in closer.

Check! said the girl. She wrote something on her clipboard. Im from Ms. Valentines class, 3V. Can I ask you a few questions? For my newspaper?

You have your own paper? asked Frank Pearl.

Sure! said the girl. Just then, Super-Important Girl Reporter held out a ketchup-bottle microphone.

Whats your favorite school lunch? she asked. Quesadilla pizza, popcorn chicken, or French toast sticks?

French toast is breakfast, said Judy.

Pizza! screamed Rocky and Frank at the same time.

Check! said the girl. She checked the paper on her clipboard.

I pack my lunch, said Judy.

How many times a week should the cafeteria have pizza? she asked.

Three, said Frank.

Five! said Rocky. Every day! With extra cheese!

Check! said the girl.

Who was this list-checking, clipboard-carrying Pizza Reporter, anyway? And why were Rocky and Frank, Judys best-ever friends, talking to her?

You cant really get us pizza every day for lunch, said Judy.

Why not? asked the girl. My mom knows the lunch ladies. Besides, its a free country.

Hey! Thats what you always say! Frank said to Judy.

Do not!

Do too! said Rocky and Frank at the same time.

Question Number Three, said the girl. What else would you like to change about Virginia Dare School?

Candy machines! said Frank.

A swimming pool! said Rocky.

A skate park! said Frank.

No School Picture Day! said Rocky. Girl Reporter was writing as fast as they could talk.

No Pizza Reporters bugging us at lunchtime, said Judy. The girl stopped writing. The girl did not say Check!

In spite of herself, Judy got caught up in the moment. Okay. I have an idea! For real! said Judy. Chew gum in school!

Yep, said Rocky.

Yes! said Frank.

Check! said the girl.

I could work on my ABC gum collection at school, said Judy. Start one under my desk. Not just at home on the lamp by my bed.

Girl Reporter was writing again.

ABC stands for Already Been Chewed, said Judy.

I know that, said the girl. I collect gum too. Ive been to the worlds best-ever collection of ABC gum. The biggest in the world.

Huh? asked Judy.

Sure! said the girl. Bubblegum Alley. Its in California.

I went to Boston, said Judy.

I saw it on summer vacation. You walk down this alley between two buildings and theres a Wall of Gum on each side. Chewed-up gum that people stuck there. Some even made pictures and stuff out of gum. I chewed five black gumballs from the machine they have there and added it to the wall.

No way! said Rocky.

Way! said the girl. Its like a Gum Hall of Fame. Or a Gum Wall of Fame. The girl cracked herself up.

Double cool! said Frank.

I sent away for a Make-Your-Own-Gum Kit, said Judy. Nobody said a word.

Id sure like to see a Wall of Gum! said Frank.

I have a picture of me standing in front of it, said the girl. It was in my last issue of the paper. See? She pulled out a page from the back of the clipboard.

Whoa! said Rocky. Weird. Look at all that chewed-up gum!

Wow, said Frank. You really were there!

I had my picture in the real newspaper once, said Judy.

Yeah, your elbow, said Rocky. Frank and Rocky cracked up.

Thanks for your ideas, said the girl. Ive got to go talk to Mr. Todd.

Mr. Todd? Thats our teacher, said Judy.

I know. He has a big scoop for me.

We already know that hes getting married, said Judy.

She tries to predict the future, Rocky explained.

And one time she predicted Mr. Todd was getting married. And he is! Frank announced.

Wow! said the girl. Thats a good scoop! Judy sat up taller.

Do real reporters wear pencils in their ears? asked Frank.

Check! said the girl. She looked at both of her watches. Later, alligators! she called, tucking the pencil behind her ear.

Wow! said Frank. That girl is just like you, Judy!

Nah-uh, said Judy.

Yah-huh! said Rocky and Frank together.

Youre like twins or something, said Frank.

Two of a kind, said Rocky.

Name one thing the same, said Judy.

Amy Namey. Judy Moody. Her name rhymes. Your name rhymes. Same-same! said Frank.

So? She has long, not-messy hair and dimples. And she wears glasses, said Judy. I dont wear glasses.

She dresses up like Some Lady, First Woman Reporter, said Rocky.

I only dressed up like Elizabeth Blackwell, First Woman Doctor, once.

And she collects ABC gum and likes getting her picture in the paper, said Frank.

And dont forget she gets scoops, said Rocky, which is like trying to predict the future.

She probably likes Band-Aids and pizza tables, too, said Frank. We should ask her.

And she says weird stuff, like check, all the time, Rocky added.

I do not say weird stuff all the time, Judy protested.

Its like they took a machine and made a copy, said Rocky.