Ivy and Bean: What's the Big Idea? Read Online Free Page A

cook you alive!” shrieked Katy. She yanked on the rope again, and Ivy and Bean almost fell over.
    Across the street, Sophie W. came out on her porch and saw Ivy and Bean’s tied hands. “Whatcha doing?” she called.
    â€œThese are my orphan prisoners!” hollered Katy. “Come on! You can be the other cruel matron.”
    â€œYou’re stopping scientific progress!” Ivy yelled.
    â€œRight!” yelled Bean. “This is about global warming!”
    â€œWrong!” yelled Katy. “This is about orphans!”
    Sophie W. ran around Pancake Court, and joined Katy dragging them along the sidewalk. Ivy and Bean twisted and turned their hands, but they couldn’t undo the knots in the rope.
    â€œNow let’s dump them in the orphanage basement,” Sophie said. She pointed at Katy’s front yard. “That’s the orphanage basement.”
    â€œAnd then let’s give them the rack,” suggested Katy.
    â€œHEY!” yelled Ivy and Bean together.
    â€œOh, don’t worry,” said Sophie. “We won’t hurt you for real.”
    Katy cackled. She might hurt them for real.
    She tied them tightly to her porch railing. “Let’s get another rope,” she said. “So we can stretch them.”
    â€œYeah!” said Sophie W.
    Together, they ran off, laughing.
    â€œBoy,” said Bean. “That Katy is a wacko. Let’s get out of here.”
    They wiggled their hands, trying to loosen the ropes. It was too bad that Ivy’s mom tied knots so well.
    â€œYou know,” said Ivy. “This is exactly what Dottsy must feel like.”

    Bean looked at the rope that connected them to the railing. “Isn’t this what we were trying for? We’re weak and we can’t do anything.”
    Ivy nodded.
    â€œI don’t think this is making the animals stronger,” Bean said.
    â€œNo. I guess it’s not,” said Ivy.
    Bean shook her head. “Bummer. I thought we were on to something.”
    â€œMe too,” said Ivy. “It might work if all the people in the whole world tied their hands together.”
    â€œEspecially Katy,” said Bean. “But I guess making people weaker won’t make animals stronger, unless the animals know it.”
    â€œNow we have to think of another idea,” sighed Ivy.
    They heard the slap-slap of Katy’s sandals as she zoomed along the sidewalk. “We have
two
ropes and we’re going to string you up!” she yelled. “Prepare to meet your maker!”

Rice and Bean
    MacAdam had made a battery out of a lime, a penny, and a paper clip. He showed it to the class and then he showed a picture of a car with a zillion limes attached to it. The limes made the car go.
    â€œSo MacAdam’s idea is to use limes instead of gasoline to fuel cars. Is that it, MacAdam?” said Ms. Aruba-Tate.
    MacAdam nodded.
    â€œVery good idea, MacAdam,” said Ms. Aruba-Tate. “Limes are a clean kind of energy, aren’t they? Clean energy means energy that doesn’t make pollution. Scientists all over the world are trying to find clean energy to use instead of gasoline. Can anyone think of another kind of clean energy?”
    Bean and Ivy exchanged looks. How come they hadn’t thought of limes? How come MacAdam had? “Must be something in the dirt,” whispered Bean. MacAdam liked to eat dirt.
    â€œYes, Bean? Can you think of another kind of clean energy?” Ms. Aruba-Tate said eagerly.
    What? Clean energy? She should know this! Bean panicked. “Rice!” she yelled.

    â€œRice?” Ms. Aruba-Tate looked surprised and interested. “Wow! Is that what your science fair project is about?”
    Bean didn’t know what to say. “Yes!” she yelled. “Rice energy! It’s clean!” She couldn’t stop yelling. Ivy was looking at her like she’d lost her mind. “Ivy and I have discovered rice