Brain That Wouldn't Obey! Read Online Free

“… So I said, ‘Who, me? I don’t have any bananas!’ ”
    The kids doubled over with hilarious laughter. When they did, Mike glimpsed a big brown lumpy thing sitting on the teacher’s desk.
    â€œPotadio!” shrieked Mike. “He got … big!”
    It was Potadio, and he did get big. He was the size of a large watermelon now, and he had started to grow features.
    A little mouth grinned and showed rows and rows of shiny white teeth. And here and there on the potato’s skin were lots of green eyes, some of them growing out into long leafy sprouts.
    But the grossest part was the lump on top. The big pink bulge was much bigger and pinker and bulgier than before.
    â€œGross,” groaned Liz. “With a capital G.”
    â€œHey!” cried the potato, looking up. “Here’s the boy who gave me my wake-up call! Welcome to my world, Mikey boy!”
    â€œUh, sure,” Mike mumbled. He pointed to the bulge. “Is that really what I think it is?”
    â€œIf you’re thinking megahuge brain, you’d be megahuge right!” Potadio said.
    â€œYou’re controlling everybody, aren’t you?” Liz asked, stepping back. “Aren’t you?”
    The potato snorted and jiggled. “With supersonic brain waves, I control people’s thoughts, yes. With a dome like mine, it’s a cinch. But right now, I’ve got bigger things on my mind.”
    Then one of Potadio’s sprouts curled up like a hand and tapped the bulge on the top of his head. “Get it? Bigger things on my mind? Oh, I mash myself!”
    The kids cracked up again.
    â€œBut seriously,” said the potato, “how do you like the names Spudlet eighty-six and ninety-nine? Catchy, huh?”
    â€œNo way!” said Liz. “You’re not getting us!” She grabbed Mike by the arm and pulled him back.
    â€œLook into my eyes!” shrieked the potato.
    Mike looked at the vegetable. “Which eyes?”
    â€œAny of them, they all do the same thing!”
    Mike looked. Then the potato with the brain squinted his many potato eyes and gritted his many potato teeth and held his potato breath.
    His brain turned purple again.
    A moment later, all the students in the classroom went nuts. Jeff rattled off the ABC’s completely backward in a high-pitched voice.
    Holly did back flips over the desks.
    Sean began to do a dance from the sixties!
    Mike shook his head. “This is very sad.”
    Potadio’s eyes narrowed at Mike and Liz. “What’s with you two? Don’t you hear it?”
    Liz shrugged. “Like what, for instance?”
    â€œLike eeeee, for instance! Like my supersonic brain waves controlling your mind!” The vegetable’s brain bulged bigger.
    Mike listened. “Sorry, nothing. But then, I have an earwax problem.”
    Liz pulled away. “Well, that sounds yucky.”
    â€œSo!” Potadio growled angrily. “If you won’t be my spudlets, this means war!”

6
    Potatoes Can Rock and Roll!
    S uddenly— clack-clack-clack!
    Mrs. Carbonese came running in the classroom door. She looked at the potato with the brain sitting on her desk. “Oh! Are you a substitute? Well, you are not needed today. I am here, thank you.”
    â€œNot for long!” cried Potadio. His brain bulged big again and one of his leafy arms jabbed out at the students. “Get her, spudlets!”
    Jeff stopped his ZYX’s and picked up a little green box from the teacher’s desk. He opened it, and tossed bits of chalk to the other students.
    Sean and Holly turned toward Mike and Liz. Their chalk bits were drawn like swords!
    The others marched slowly toward Mrs. Carbonese.
    â€œWait,” the teacher said. “I haven’t given you the math problems yet!”
    But the students kept coming. Jeff and the others stomped up the aisle, their fingers clutching sticks of chalk no longer than an inch!
    Mrs.