Stink and the Freaky Frog Freakout (Book #8) by Megan McDonald Page A

with black eyes and a white racing stripe down his side.
    “Those aren’t warts, those are —”
    “Beauty marks,” Sophie teased. “Ooh-la-la.”
    “I was going to say freckles,” said Stink.
    Everybody leaned in closer to peer at Stink’s frog.
    “Too bad about his leg,” said Judy.
    “Still, he’ll make the perfect friend for Toady,” said Stink.
    “Yeah, if your toad wants a freak of nature for a friend,” said Riley.
    “You can’t keep him,” said Judy.
    “You can’t keep him,” said Webster and Sophie.
    “You can’t keep him,” said Riley Rottenberger.
    “We’ll see,” said Stink.



Stink took one giant leap for frog kind. He let King Otto go in the Great Outdoors.
    But when he got home, the strangest thing happened. Stink had his air-breathing nose in Amazing Spider-Man comic book issue #159
: Arm-in-Arm-in-Arm-in-Arm-in-Arm-in-Arm with Doctor Octopus.
Stink went down the steps.
Okay, I’ll work with you, Octopus — but I won’t shake your hand!
Stink walked to the front door.
We get a move on, Doc — and fast! Or it’s Swiss Cheese City for both of us!
Stink started to slip on his boots.
    Cra-awk!
A little green frog leaped out of his boot, hopped down the steps, and sprang into the grass.

    Stink dropped the Amazing Spider-Man #159. He sprang after the frog. “At least you have all your legs,” said Stink. Sock-footed, he chased it through grass and mud on all fours. But the little four-footer blended into the grass. He was so fast on his little frog feet, he got away.
    “I give up,” said Stink. He went to squirt off his muddy hands, but no water came out of the hose.
    “Great,” said Stink. He picked up his comic book and raced inside. He wipe-wipe-wiped the bottoms of his socks. They were still muddy. And grassy.
    That’s the end of you, Hammerhead.
Stink peeled off his socks and tiptoed upstairs to the bathroom.
Being a superhero is no bed of roses.
Stink turned on the water in the tub to rinse his feet.
    Sproing!
Something caught his eye. Not a rubber ducky. Not a floaty boaty. A froggy woggy! A real live blinking frog!
    Stink could not believe his eyes.
    He had heard of it raining cats and dogs. But whoever heard of it raining frogs! He cast about, looking for something he could use to catch the frog.

“Don’t-go-away-don’t-go-away,” Stink urged in a soft voice. Keeping one eye on the frog, he grabbed a cup and
slammo!
He scooped up the little tree frog and raced downstairs.
    “Me! Frog! Found! Tree! Three!” Stink ran out onto the back deck, wild-eyed and out of breath.
    “Stink, honey,” said Mom. “Slow down.”
    “You sound like an alien,” said Judy.
    “What are you trying to tell us?” asked Dad.
    “It’s raining frogs!” said Stink. “Not cats. Not dogs. Frogs. I found three green tree frogs today. One at the pool, one in my boot, and one in the tub. Just now.”
    Stink lifted his hand to show the little green frog in the cup.
    “In the tub? I did notice that a frog keeps hopping out of the garden hose when I go to water the roses,” said Mom.
    “They’re in the garage, too,” said Dad. “And I’m sure I heard one in the basement.”
    “Maybe it’s all this rain we’ve been having,” said Mom.
    “Maybe it’s the first sign of spring,” said Dad.
    “Maybe Stink is like a big giant human frog magnet,” said Judy. “And all the frogs come out when he’s around.”
    “I bet they know I’m a friend to all amphibians,” said Stink. “I mean, I have a pet toad, and I had a pet newt, even though Judy let him go down the drain —”
    “I didn’t
let
him,” Judy protested.
    “And I read everything there is to know about skinks in the
S
encyclopedia. That counts. And I like the gecko ad on TV.” He leapfrogged around the deck and all the way across the yard to the back fence.
    When he got to the creek, he let the frog go in the Pond of Life.
    “Avoid big bad birds,” Stink told the little frog. “And may you live froggily