Free Noodle Up Your Nose by Frieda Wishinsky, Laliberte Louise-Andree Page A

she did.
    Suddenly the girl in the next swing hopped off and Jake hopped on. Side by side they rose higher and higher. She felt like they were acrobats flying through air. She felt like they were jets criss-crossing the sky. She felt like they were birds gliding above the trees. She wished they could swing forever.
    Then the bell rang. Together they jumped off the swings.

    â€œJake,” said Kate, as they walked back to class. “I’m going to ask my mom if I can have a pirate party.”
    â€œHey. That’s neat. You could ask everyone to dress up like a pirate,” he suggested.
    â€œAnd we could bake a red and black strawberry chocolate cake,” said Kate.
    â€œAnd you could get red and black jelly beans,” said Jake.
    â€œI’ll ask my mom today,” said Kate, as they slipped into their seats.
    Kate didn’t wait long. The minute her mom picked her up after school, she said, “Can I have a pirate birthday party?”
    â€œThat’s an unusual idea for a birthday party,” said her mom.
    â€œIt will be so much fun,” said Kate. “We can make a pirate cake and blow up red and black balloons and hunt for buried treasure and play pin the fin on the shark and...”
    â€œHold on, pirate girl,” said Kate’s mom, laughing. “You’ve convinced me.”
    â€œOh, thank you! Thank you!” said Kate, hugging her mom tight. “You’re the best mom in the world. And can I borrow your red scarf to wear as a sash, please?”
    â€œWhy not?” said her mom.
    â€œYippee!” sang Kate, dancing up and down the sidewalk. “I have to tell Jake.”
    As soon as they arrived home, Kate ran to the phone.
    â€œKate M’Mate, it’s going to be great,” sang Jake.
    â€œDon’t forget, you can’t be late,” sang Kate.
    â€œMe? Late?” said Jake. “Never. Well, never for a party!”

Chapter Four
Imagine

    â€œSlow down, Kate,” said her mom the next day after school. “I can’t keep up with your ideas.”
    â€œBut imagine if we turned the basement into a pirate island. We could make the couch a pirate ship and the rug the ocean and the coffee table could be the plank the prisoners have to walk across before they fall into the ocean.”
    â€œI don’t think I want twenty kids bouncing on our couch, jumping off our table and drowning on our rug,” said Kate’s mother. “So let’s just have pirate food, pirate games and pirate decorations.”

    â€œBut, Mom. Just imagine...” Kate began. Then she saw the stern look on her mom’s face. “Okay,” she said. “No island, but we have to make pirate patches. Everyone has to get a patch to decorate.”
    â€œSounds good,” said her mom. “Let’s go shopping this weekend for birthday supplies.”
    â€œThen I’ll write up all the invitations and give them out on Monday,” said Kate.
    For the rest of that week, Kate couldn’t wait for the weekend. She couldn’t stop herself from dreaming up more ideas for the party.
    Her mom didn’t like most of them.
    â€œKate,” said her mom. “I’m afraid someone would choke if we buried treasure in the birthday cake. And no duels, especially not with broomsticks.”
    â€œWhat if we buried treasure in a bucket of sand?” asked Kate. “We have lots of sand in the sandbox. And what if we had duels with chopsticks or even Popsicle sticks? What if...”
    â€œKate, please,” said her mom. “No more ideas. We can’t do everything. It’s a three-hour party. Not a week long festival.”
    â€œI just want everyone to have fun,” said Kate.
    â€œIf we do all the things you’ve thought of, everyone will be too exhausted to have fun. Especially your parents.”

Chapter Five
The Party Store

    On Saturday morning, Kate and her mom drove to The Party Store at the