Gooney Bird Is So Absurd
By Lois Lowry and Middy Thomas
()
About this ebook
The fourth hilarious title in Lowis Lowry's popular Gooney Bird series!
It’s a cold January at the Watertower Elementary School—the perfect weather for Gooney Bird Greene to break out her special brain-warming hat! It's a good thing she has one. Gooney Bird's brain will need to be as warm as possible this month, because Mrs. Pidgeon is teaching her class about poetry. Who knew there could be so many different ways to write a poem? Haikus, couplets, limericks—Mrs. Pidgeon’s students soon find that writing good poetry takes a lot of hard work and creative thinking. Gooney Bird and her classmates are up to the challenge. But just when things are going well, the kids get some terrible news. Gooney Bird will need all the inspiration her brain can muster to organize the most important poem the class has ever written.
Lois Lowry
Lois Lowry is the author of more than forty books for children and young adults, including the New York Times bestselling Giver Quartet and the popular Anastasia Krupnik series. She has received countless honors, among them the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award, the Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award, the California Young Reader Medal, and the Mark Twain Award. She received Newbery Medals for two of her novels, Number the Stars and The Giver.
Read more from Lois Lowry
Number the Stars: A Newbery Award Winner Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Willoughbys Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5On the Horizon Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Anastasia Krupnik Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Gossamer Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Anastasia Krupnik Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5All About Sam Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAutumn Street Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Anastasia Again! Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Silent Boy Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Anastasia, Absolutely Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Anastasia at This Address Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Anastasia on Her Own Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Willoughbys Return Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Anastasia's Chosen Career Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Anastasia Off Her Rocker Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Stay! Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Anastasia at Your Service Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Anastasia Has the Answers Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSee You Around, Sam! Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAttaboy, Sam! Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Bless This Mouse Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Related to Gooney Bird Is So Absurd
Titles in the series (5)
Gooney Bird Greene Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGooney Bird and the Room Mother Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Gooney the Fabulous Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGooney Bird Is So Absurd Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGooney Bird and All Her Charms Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Related ebooks
Gooney Bird and the Room Mother Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Gooney Bird and All Her Charms Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Gooney Bird Greene Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGooney Bird on the Map Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Gooney the Fabulous Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAnne of Green Gables Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAnastasia on Her Own Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Fine White Dust Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Opie Jones Talks to Animals Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Dog Called Homeless Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Coo Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Birthday Room Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Candy Smash Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Dear Mr. Henshaw Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Waiting for the Magic Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Freddie vs. the Family Curse Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5See You Around, Sam! Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Year of Billy Miller: A Newbery Honor Award Winner Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHello, Universe: A Newbery Award Winner Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Secrets of Shakespeare's Grave: The Shakespeare Mysteries, Book 1 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Drum of Destiny: Gabriel Cooper & the Road to Revolution Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Great Gilly Hopkins Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Peter Pan Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWalk Two Moons Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The One and Only Bob Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Sadie's Story Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Your Move, J.p.! Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Words of Stone Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Children's Humor For You
Sideways Stories from Wayside School Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Cedric The Shark Get's Toothache: Bedtime Stories For Children, #1 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Mr. Popper's Penguins Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Pete the Kitty Goes to the Doctor Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Series of Unfortunate Events #1: The Bad Beginning Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Fortunately, the Milk Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Pete the Kitty and the Unicorn's Missing Colors Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Good Egg Presents: The Great Eggscape!: An Easter And Springtime Book For Kids Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5100 Jokes for Kids Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Alice in Wonderland: Down the Rabbit Hole Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Chicken Big Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Wayside School Is Falling Down Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I Broke My Butt! Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Goodnight, Good Dog Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Chocolate Touch Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Pete the Cat's Trip to the Supermarket Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5What Will Fat Cat Sit On? Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Bad Kitty Gets a Bath Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Laugh-Out-Loud Jokes for Kids (Laugh-Out-Loud Jokes for Kids) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Series of Unfortunate Events #2: The Reptile Room Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Whale Done Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Unteachables Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Original Adventures of Hank the Cowdog Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Pete the Cat: Secret Agent Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5House of Many Ways Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Wayside School Gets a Little Stranger Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5A Series of Unfortunate Events #3: The Wide Window Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Amelia Bedelia Lost and Found Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Winnie the Pooh: The Classic Edition Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Amelia Bedelia Chapter Book #1: Amelia Bedelia Means Business Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Related categories
Reviews for Gooney Bird Is So Absurd
0 ratings0 reviews
Book preview
Gooney Bird Is So Absurd - Lois Lowry
Copyright © 2009 by Lois Lowry
Illustrations copyright © 2009 by Middy Thomas
All rights reserved. For information about permission to reproduce selections from this book, write to Permissions, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company, 215 Park Avenue South, New York, New York 10003.
www.hmhco.com
The Library of Congress has cataloged the print edition as follows:
Lowry, Lois.
Gooney Bird is so absurd / by Lois Lowry.
p. cm.
Summary: Mrs. Pidgeon’s second-grade class studies poetry and her students write haiku, couplets, free verse, and finally, a tribute to Mrs. Pidgeon’s mother organized by the irrepressible Gooney Bird Greene.
[1. Poetry—Fiction. 2. Schools—Fiction.] I. Title.
PZ7.L9673Goi 2002
[Fic]—dc22
2007047738
ISBN 978-0-547-11967-0 hardcover
ISBN 978-0-547-87559-0 paperback
eISBN 978-0-547-34853-7
v3.0415
For Emilia Jansson
1.
Mr. Leroy’s voice crackled through the intercom speaker after a fifth-grader named Henry Newmeyer had led the entire school in the Pledge of Allegiance.
This is your principal, Mr. Leroy,
he said, and Mrs. Pidgeon’s second-graders all laughed. They knew he was their principal. He didn’t need to tell them. It wasn’t like the day in October when Gooney Bird Greene had appeared in their classroom for the first time and said, I’m your new student.
She’d needed to explain that, because nobody had had a clue who she was, and she had arrived wearing pajamas and cowboy boots, which made her somewhat mysterious.
But everyone already knew who Mr. Leroy was. He was Watertower Elementary’s principal and he was the best principal, the children thought, in the whole world. He was smart and funny and he wore the most interesting neckties, except for the blue striped one. He had explained that his wife’s mother had given him the blue striped one for his birthday, so he felt that he had to wear it now and then. He really thought it was a boring necktie, but if they ever met his mother-in-law they should not tell her that he thought that.
I just want to alert you all to the weather forecast,
Mr. Leroy’s voice continued through the intercom. "I guess we shouldn’t be surprised, since it is January, but the prediction is for snow tomorrow.
Walkers? Be sure to wear warm boots and mittens,
he said.
That’s me,
Ben announced from his desk. I’m a walker! I’m wearing my L.L.Bean boots tomorrow!
Me, too,
Nicholas chimed in. I’m a walker, too.
And bus people?
Mr. Leroy went on.
Me,
Keiko said in her very quiet voice.
And me,
Chelsea announced. I get on Bus Eleven at the corner of Cherry Street.
Be sure to be extra well behaved on the bus,
Mr. Leroy reminded them, because the driving might be difficult in the snow. We want all of our drivers to pay careful attention to the slippery roads, not to children who might be noisy or wiggly.
That’s you, Malcolm!
someone called out. Malcolm grinned. It was true; he did have trouble sitting still. He was wiggling back and forth in his seat at this very moment.
Of course,
Mr. Leroy continued, "if there is a lot of snow, you know what that means!"
Snow day!
the children all called out.
Snow day! OKAY!
Tyrone shouted.
Snow day,
Mr. Leroy said, like an echo, even though he couldn’t hear Mrs. Pidgeon’s classroom from his office. "But let’s hope not. We all have lots of schoolwork to get done, don’t we?
Now,
he added, some of you have noticed that I’m wearing my reptile tie this morning.
Mrs. Pidgeon laughed. Yes, he is,
she said. I saw it when I was having coffee in the teachers’ lounge. It gives me the creeps.
I love that one,
Beanie said. It has iguanas and everything!
Komodo dragons!
Barry added.
Oh, gross,
murmured Keiko, who hated anything that might possibly be slimy.
Shhh,
Mrs. Pidgeon said, still laughing. She pointed to