Isla and Buttercup

by Julie Sykes

  “Fireworks!” Rosa gasped.

  More and more fireworks shot into the air and filled the sky until a final one formed the figure of a rearing unicorn.

  Everyone clapped and cheered once more. Isla wrapped her arms around Buttercup’s neck, her heart swelling as she watched the rearing unicorn shining high above them. She’d bonded with Buttercup, she’d just graduated and she’d had the best year of her life.

  “I’m so glad you’re my unicorn,” she told Buttercup. “From now on, I’m definitely going to be more like you. I’ll believe in myself and be braver, and most of all I’m going to speak out instead of worrying that people might think I’m stupid.”

  Buttercup blew on her hair. “Well, I’m going to try to be more like you and think more before I jump in. Maybe attacking an enchanted wolf on my own wasn’t the most sensible thing to do!”

  Isla giggled and buried her face in Buttercup’s mane, breathing in her sweet unicorn smell. “We’ll work together to protect Unicorn Island,” she vowed.

  “And each other,” said Buttercup, her dark eyes shining with love.

  “Always,” said Isla, with a smile.

  COPYRIGHT

  First published in the UK in 2020 by Nosy Crow Ltd

  The Crow’s Nest, 14 Baden Place, Crosby Row

  London, SE1 1YW, UK

  Nosy Crow and associated logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Nosy Crow Ltd

  Text copyright © Julie Sykes and Linda Chapman, 2020

  Illustrations copyright © Lucy Truman, 2020

  The right of Julie Sykes, Linda Chapman and Lucy Truman to be identified as the authors and illustrator respectively of this work has been asserted by them in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

  All rights reserved

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

  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, Elcograf S.p.A.

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

  ISBN: 978 1 78800 728 3

  eISBN: 978 1 78800 778 8

  www.nosycrow.com