Curious McCarthy's Not-So-Perfect Pitch

By Tory Christie and Mina Price

After fourth-grade scientist Curious McCarthy observes her dad fixing their doorbell, she starts to wonder about the science of sound. Meanwhile at school, it's time for Curious to pick an instrument for band. Curious chooses the flute, but the band director says Curious's lips are all wrong for the slim woodwind. Can that be true, and if it is, can science help Curious find her perfect instrument? A sound-related science experiment will have readers putting the story into action, while a glossary and reader questions support the text.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Capstone Young Readers
• Release date: Aug 1, 2017
• ISBN: 9781515822516

Book preview

For Nancy Brown — maybe you should have encouraged me to play the flute. And for Ms. Tibble — who knew more about colds than kids.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Cover

Title Page

Dedication

The McCarthys

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

Science Stunt

Glossary

Further Inquiries

Record Your Findings

References

About the Author

About the Illustrator

Explore More

Copyright

Back Cover

THE MCCARTHYS

1

Sunday, 8:25 a.m.

The quieter you are, the more you are able to hear. At least that’s what Mom always told me. And right now, I was quiet. I heard a mysterious noise. It sounded like a doorbell. The only problem was, it wasn’t our doorbell.

DING-DONG.

I went to my bedroom door and looked down the hall.

DING-DONG.

I followed the sound down the back stairs.

DING-DONG.

I peeked into the kitchen, where I thought the noise was coming from.

DING-DONG.

There was no one in the kitchen. I walked into the living room.

There was Dad, his tools spread around him, lined up like little soldiers, ready for action.

Hi, I said.

Hi, Curious! said Dad. Do you want to help me finish putting in the new doorbell?

Why do we need a new doorbell? I asked.

The old one broke, he answered, stepping out the front door. "And I want it to