George Brown, Class Clown 13 – How Do You Pee in Space?

Nancy Krulik's funny school story for 6 year olds, number thirteen in the George Brown, Class Clown series, asks the big question How Do You Pee in Space?

What happens

It starts on a school trip to the planetarium. George is trying SO hard to behave. Then the magical super burp escapes, and suddenly he's roaring like a dragon and hopping round like a hare. He even plants a big wet fish kiss on Louie Farley's cheek (Louie is not impressed).

Back at school there's exciting news. A real astronaut is visiting the school. One child from George's year will interview him on the school TV station, and the winner also gets a week at a space camp.

To win, you need three good questions and a strong score in a big fitness test. George mostly wants to beat Louie. His best mate Alex wants that space camp more than anything, and he's never once made it to the top of the climbing rope.

Then George does something a bit rotten. Alex mentions the one library book he needs for his questions, and George gets there first.

That's the heart of this one. George knows it was a crummy thing to do, and you feel every squirm while he tries to talk himself out of feeling bad. It's a very real kind of guilt, even in a book full of burps and stinky feet.

And there's plenty of silliness. The burp takes over during the sit-ups, yanks George's socks off and leaves him dangling from the basketball hoop. There's a dream about little green men, a spaceship and a laser gun that fires whipped cream. Who wouldn't want one of those?

The story of the burp is told again early on, so this works fine for a child who's new to the series.

What to read next

Want more George? Trouble Magnet is an earlier George Brown book. George is trying very hard to be good, there's a talent show coming up, and his teacher is doing the hula in the school gym.