The Curious Kangaroo Read online

  Lucy looked at Zoe and raised her eyebrows. “Well, that’s great news, Mr Pinch.”

  As Meep hopped on to her shoulder, Zoe smiled and hugged Bouncer tight. Everything had turned out brilliantly. She had a wonderful new animal friend, Mr Pinch’s whistle would be put to good use and Zoe had won a race! Zoe thought again that she really must be the luckiest girl in the world – and she couldn’t wait to have more fun and adventures with all her friends at the Rescue Zoo.

  “I’m so excited that it’s finally half-term!” said Zoe Parker, swinging her school bag happily. “And we get a whole week off school!”

  It was Friday afternoon and school had just broken up for the half-term holiday. Zoe was walking home with two of her friends from her class, Nicola and Jack. Their parents were walking just behind them, chatting.

  “I’m excited too!” said Nicola with a smile. “I can’t wait to have some time to play with Rex.”

  Zoe grinned at her friend – Nicola had a new dog and he was very cute and bouncy!

  “Yeah, and I’m going to help my dad finish our tree house,” Jack said. “Then you can both come over and play in it!”

  The three friends laughed as they planned their half-term adventures, but then Zoe remembered their homework. “What are you going to do for your science project?” she asked Nicola and Jack.

  That morning Zoe’s teacher, Miss Hawkins, had asked everyone in the class to do a special piece of homework over the break. They had to choose something from the natural world to observe carefully, and then write some notes about whatever they had chosen. Miss Hawkins had asked them to take photographs or draw pictures too. Then, after the break, they each had to explain to the class what they had found out. There was even going to be a prize for the best project!

  “I think I’m going to do mine about frogs. There’s a pond full of frogs and frogspawn at the bottom of my garden,” said Jack.

  “I might do mine about wildflowers,” said Nicola thoughtfully. “My granny lives near the woods and she knows lots about them. I could ask her to take me for a walk there, and help me take pictures.”

  “Cool! Those are both really good ideas,” Zoe said.

  “I bet I know what you’re going to do yours on, Zoe!” replied Jack with a grin. “One of the animals at the Rescue Zoo!”

  Zoe chuckled. Jack was right! As soon as Miss Hawkins had explained about the project, she had known immediately that she wanted to do hers about an animal. They were her favourite things in the whole world, and she knew more about them than anyone else in her class. The only question was: which animal should she write about? There were hundreds of different creatures at the Rescue Zoo – too many to choose from!

  “You’re so lucky, Zoe,” sighed Nicola as they turned the corner and the carved wooden gates of the Rescue Zoo appeared in front of them.

  Zoe smiled at Nicola. She felt lucky. She wasn’t just a visitor at the zoo – she actually lived there!

  Zoe’s Great-Uncle Horace was a famous explorer and animal expert, and had started the Rescue Zoo so that all the lost, frightened or injured animals he met on his adventures could have a safe and caring home. He was very wise and kind, and Zoe always looked forward to seeing him whenever he came back to visit – especially because he often brought a new animal back to the zoo with him!

  Copyright

  With special thanks to Siobhan Curham

  For John Arthur

  First published in the UK in 2018 by Nosy Crow Ltd

  The Crow’s Nest, 14 Baden Place

  Crosby Row, London SE1 1YW

  Nosy Crow and associated logos are trademarks and/or

  registered trademarks of Nosy Crow Ltd

  Text copyright © Hothouse Fiction, 2018

  Illustrations © Sophy Williams, 2018

  The right of Hothouse Fiction and Sophy Williams to be identified as the author and illustrator respectively of this work has been asserted by them in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

  A CIP catalogue record for this book will be available from the British Library

  All rights reserved

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  This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, hired out or otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without the prior written permission of Nosy Crow Ltd.

  Printed and bound in the UK by Clays Ltd, St Ives Plc

  Papers used by Nosy Crow are made from wood grown in sustainable forests.

  ISBN: 978 1 78800 148 9

  eISBN: 978 1 78800 149 6

  www.nosycrow.com

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Chapter One: The Noisy Whistle

  Chapter Two: A Very Important Job

  Chapter Three: The Disappearing Kangaroo

  Chapter Four: Penguin Pool Problem!

  Chapter Five: The Missing Whistle

  Chapter Six: The Whistle Hunt

  Chapter Seven: The Curious Kangaroo

  Chapter Eight: Sports Day Surprise

  Extract from ‘The Cuddly Koala’

  Copyright

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