Gooney the Fabulous by Lois Lowry

Author:Lois Lowry
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Walking back to the classroom after lunch, Nicholas trudged slowly, dragging his feet. The other children hurried ahead, all but Gooney Bird. She walked beside Nicholas. Mrs. Pidgeon, walking slowly too, took his hand.

"Nicholas," Mrs. Pidgeon said softly, "do you want to tell Gooney Bird and me what is wrong?"

Nicholas shook his head. But now they could see that there were tears on his cheeks.

Mrs. Pidgeon called to the rest of the children. "Go on into the classroom," she said, "and start studying your spelling words! I'll be there in a minute."

She knelt beside Nicholas. "You know," Mrs. Pidgeon said, "every single person has something that they feel upset about. It's one of the reasons that we read fables. They teach us about things."

Nicholas sniffled. He looked at the floor.

"For example, I know there are some children in my second grade who think they don't like school, and it isn't important.

"But Tyrone's fable about the T. rex had a moral, remember?"

Nicholas didn't look up. But he was listening. He shook his head.

"Gooney Bird? Do it with me?" Mrs. Pidgeon asked. Then she and Gooney Bird chanted together,"Big mean nuthin' if you don't do school!"

They could see Nicholas smile just a tiny bit.

"And," Mrs. Pidgeon went on, "let's see. Beanie's fable about the bear taught us that being the smallest doesn't make you less of a hero. Remember how the little cub saved his brother?"

Nicholas nodded.

"And Felicia Ann's taught us how to be proud of your color, didn't it?"

Nicholas nodded again. "Even your legth," he said, imitating Felicia Ann.

Mrs. Pidgeon chuckled. "Even your legth," she agreed.

Gooney Bird said, "And Malcolm. He's upset about those triplets. Maybe we could figure out a fable that would help Malcolm with that. Do you have your fable done yet, Nicholas?"

"No."

"Neither do I," said Gooney Bird. "I'm going last. But we could do one together, Nicholas! Would you like that?"

But surprisingly, Nicholas began to cry loudly. "I can't!" he sobbed.

"Why not?" asked Gooney Bird.

"Why not, sweetie?" asked Mrs. Pidgeon, patting his back.

Choking back the sobs, Nicholas told them the reason. "I don't have an animal!" he wailed.

"My goodness," Mrs. Pidgeon said. "That shouldn't be a problem!"

"It has to be an N!" Nicholas wept. "I thought and thought every day, and at night! I tried and tried, but there isn't one! I'm the only one who doesn't have an animal!"

"But what about a—" Then Mrs. Pidgeon hesitated for a long time, thinking, with a puzzled look on her face. "Oh, dear," she said at last. "It is a problem. Gooney Bird, what do you think? Can you come up with one?"

Gooney Bird, who felt that taking deep breaths was always helpful in problem-solving, took several deep breaths. She closed her eyes tightly, something she often did while thinking deeply.

Then she opened her eyes and grinned. "YES!" she said. "Got it!"

"What's the answer?" Mrs. Pidgeon asked.

Gooney Bird took Nicholas's hand. She tapped her foot the way Tyrone always did."You and me, me and you,"she chanted."Gonna be a secret

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