CHAPTER 1

This is my mum.

She looks normal,

but

she’s

not.

This is Mum after she’s fallen in the bin at the park.

She falls in all the time when she’s picking up empty cans.

If she fills up a big bag, she gets a from the can company.

I told you she was cheap!

When we were little, Mum even told us that the only plays his music when he’s run out of ice-cream!

Sometimes Mum finds other things in the park bins, too.

My dad and my granddad are

even weirder than my mum.

I was watching them fooling around on the monkey bars when I heard a scream!

It was my sister, Sally!

Lately Roger’s been picking up and eating things he really shouldn’t.

Like gum from my shoe.

Worms from the backyard.

And an old chip that had been under the couch since dinosaur times.

Sally’s scared of spiders, but I’m not.

‘Watch this!’ I said.

Then I jumped ^up

and landed _hard

on the other side of the

see-saw.

The spider went flying!

‘Thanks,’ said Sally. ‘That was close!’

But then all of a sudden something

I ran past Dad and Granddad on the monkey bars.

I ran past some kids playing soccer.

I ran the fastest I’d ever run before!

That was close!

So maybe I haven’t told you yet …
but I’m TERRIFIED of ladybugs.

Some people are scared of

Why? I don’t know … Maybe because

My name is WEIRDO. First name Weir, last name Do (yep, rhymes with go).

I guess with a name like that I was always going to be a bit strange!

Roger is my little brother, and he isn’t afraid of ladybugs. In fact, Roger isn’t afraid of anything!

‘Weir, come back!’ Sally called out.

‘The ladybug’s gone.’

‘Okaaaaaay,’ I said.

I love the swings. I love swinging next to Sally so we can see who can go the highest.

Granddad gave us a push to get us started.

I went really high … but Sally went higher.

So I went higher again.

And then Sally went even ^{higher than that!}

But just when I thought Sally had won, something whacked me on the bottom and gave me an enormous push!

I went flying!

I swung SO ^{HIGH …}

that I went the

whole way around!

Then I heard Blake Green call out.

I went to kick the soccer ball to him … but I completely missed and landed

I stood up and tried to kick the ball again.

But instead of sending it flying over to where Blake and his friends were waiting, the ball went right up …

into a tree

and nearly hit a bird!

The bird got such a fright …

I picked up the ball this time and ran all the way over to Blake and his friends.

‘Here you go,’ I said, handing it to them.