Free Stink: The Incredible Shrinking Kid by Megan McDonald Page B

in the morning.”
    “Seriously?”
    “Seriously. From gravity, and all the walking around we do, the pads between our bones shrink during the day. At night they soak up water and expand again.”
    “We all shrink?” asked Stink.
    “That’s what I’m saying. Everybody shrinks.”
    “Scientific!” said Stink.





 
    Stink walked tall down the hall, around the corner, and back to class 2D.
    “Stink! You won!” said Sophie of the Elves.
    “While you were gone,” said Mrs. Dempster, “we drew a name to see who would get to take Newton home this weekend. Your name was chosen.”
    “For real? Me? I get to take the newt home?”
    “You have all the luck,” said Webster.
    “Things are definitely looking up, up, UP,” said Stink, telling himself a joke and cracking himself up, up, up.
    Stink climbed on the bus. He held the Critter Keeper carefully in his lap. “Don’t worry, Newton,” said Stink. “I’ll take really good care of you. The best.”
    “What’s that?” asked Judy when she got on the bus.
    “A red-spotted newt. Like a baby salamander. His name’s Newton.”
    “Where’d you get him?”

    “He’s our class pet. We’re studying life cycles, and Mrs. D. went to New Hamster and brought him back for us. I’m taking care of him for the weekend. I get to play with him and watch him and keep a journal of stuff that happens.”
    Judy snorted. “New
Hampshire,
Stink. Not New Hamster.”
    “You mean
Newt
Hampshire!” said Judy’s friend Rocky.
    “It’s in
Newt
England,” said Judy, cracking up. Stink rolled his eyes.
    When Stink got home, he did not stop to get a snack. Not even Fig
Newtons.
He took Newton up to his room. He got out his notebook and wrote:
    Friday 3:37 Newton hiding
    Stink stared at the newt. Judy came in and peered over his shoulder.
    Friday 3:40 Newton hiding
    Friday 3:45 Newton still hiding
    “You should write BORING in your journal,” said Judy.
    “Newts are not boring,” said Stink.
    “Name one UN-boring thing about a newt,” said Judy.
    “Newts eat crickets. And worms and slugs,” said Stink.
    “BOR-ing!” said Judy.
    “Red-spotted newts are the state amphibian of New Hampshire.”
    “BOR-ing,” said Judy.
    “Okay. How about this? Newts start out as eggs. Then they hatch and swim around like tadpoles. Then they turn into red efts and live on land. Then they change color and go back to the water.”
    “Now that’s a teensy-weensy bit not-boring,” said Judy.
    “And they shed their skins,” Stink said.
    “Interesting!” said Judy. “Call me when
that
happens.”
    On Saturday, Stink wrote in his journal some more.

    “Stink, are you going to stare at that newt all weekend?” asked Judy.
    “I’m building him a raft. Out of Legos. Maybe he’ll come out and float.”
    “You know what would be really UN-boring?” asked Judy. “Put the newt in with Toady.”
    “No way!” said Stink. “Newts are like poison to toads.”
    “So that means Toady won’t eat him. C’mon, Stinker. Toady’s all lonely.” Before Stink could say Fig Newton, Judy scooped up Newton in her hands.
    “You’re supposed to wash your hands,” said Stink. “Don’t drop him.”
    “I won’t drop him.” She set him down on some moss in Toady’s tank.

    Newton sniffed at Toady and curled up his tail. “He’s scared!” said Stink.
    “Wait,” said Judy. Toady licked Newton.
    “Take him out!” yelled Stink.
    “It was just a friendly lick,” said Judy. “A newt lollipop.”
    “What if Toady gets poisoned? Get him out. Get him out!”
    “Don’t lay an egg!” Judy picked up Newton in her not-washed hand. “Stink! Something bad is wrong with Newton. His head is splitting open.”
    “Let me see!” Stink peered at the newt. Sure enough, Newton’s skin had split, starting right at his head.
    “He’s shedding his skin!” said Stink. “Put him back! Put him back!”
    They peered at Newton. “Do you think it’ll really come off?” asked Stink.

    “Sure,”