Free Be Nice to Mice by Nancy Krulik Page A

Speedy, her third-grade class’s pet hamster. Katie spent the whole morning going round and round on a hamster wheel and chewing on Speedy’s wooden chew sticks. They didn’t taste very good at all.
    But the chew sticks didn’t taste nearly as bad as the food in the school cafeteria used to taste. Katie had seen—and smelled —that up close the time the magic wind turned her into Lucille the lunch lady. That time, Katie started a food fight in the cafeteria, but it was Lucille who got fired. Luckily, Katie was able to think of a way to help Lucille get her job back—and to get healthier, tastier food in the cafeteria.
    No, Katie definitely didn’t trust wishes anymore. Especially a wish like the one Kevin had just made. After all, who would want a giant king cockroach roaming the halls of Cherrydale Elementary School?
    “Okay, all you busy bees,” Mr. G. called out, shaking Katie from her thoughts. “Everyone take a seat. I have something really interesting to tell you.”
    The kids all scrambled into their beanbags. Katie looked up excitedly. She couldn’t wait to hear what cool thing Mr. G. had come up with for them to do.
    “You all know, it’s science week at school. And this year, in addition to your science fair projects, each grade is going to do a special group project. The fourth grade project is—drum roll, please—”
    The kids smacked their hands against their legs like drums.
    “We’re going to clean up the field behind the school,” Mr. G. finished.
    The kids all stopped drumming and stared at him.
    “That doesn’t sound like fun,” George said.
    “I hate cleaning up,” Kadeem Carter added. “Just ask my mother.”
    “What does cleaning the field have to do with science?” Mandy Banks asked.
    “It’s environmental science,” Mr. G. explained. “We’re helping to protect the squirrels, chipmunks, birds, and mice who live in the field.”

    Katie would do just about anything to help animals. But even she wasn’t too happy about having to spend time picking up garbage.
    “This really stinks,” Andrew groaned.
    “It doesn’t stink as bad as that garbage is going to,” Kevin told him.
    “Can’t we do something more fun?” George asked their teacher.
    Mr. G. smiled. “I’m sure you can find a way to make this fun, George,” he said. “You always do.”
    Katie shook her head. Mr. G. probably shouldn’t have said that. Giving George permission to have fun in school could be pretty dangerous.

Chapter 3
    “Jessica and I are definitely going to win a blue ribbon for our ladybug project,” Suzanne Lock boasted as she and Katie carried their cafeteria trays over to a table at lunchtime.
    Katie frowned. Suzanne was her best friend, but sometimes Katie couldn’t stand how stuck-up she acted.
    “There are a lot of really good science projects out there,” Katie reminded her. “Emma W. and I spent all day Saturday in the Cherrydale library researching lightning bugs.”
    “Jessica and I haven’t started our research yet,” Suzanne told Katie. “But we did go to the mall to buy matching dresses with black and red polka dots. We’re going to wear them at the science fair. We’ll look like ladybugs!”
    Katie had a feeling that the science fair judges would be more interested in facts than fashion. But she didn’t tell Suzanne that. Instead, she turned her attention to her other best friend, Jeremy Fox.
    “Did Ms. Sweet tell your class about the fourth-grade project?” she asked him.
    “Yeah,” Jeremy groaned. “A whole afternoon of picking up candy wrappers, paper cups, and soda cans. Ugh.”
    “I saw an old, used baby diaper in that field once,” Manny Gonzalez said. “It stunk!”
    “Gross. Not while I’m eating,” George groaned.
    Katie rolled her eyes. Nothing anyone had said was more disgusting than what George was doing right then with his food. He had been busy mushing together hot dog pieces, mustard, chocolate pudding, and ketchup.
    “Picking up