Later, we have a classroom party and everyone signs each other’s sweatshirts so we will never, ever forget this day.
Friends forever, Beth writes; Best mate in the world, Willow adds; Stay cool, Murphy scrawls. Ethan just writes Sorry, and I decide that, actually, it’s not his fault he is the most annoying boy in the universe. Probably.
Miss Moon shuts down the music and everyone is quiet. ‘This is our last day together, Class Six,’ she says. ‘You’ll soon be moving on, taking up new challenges. I’ve loved being your teacher this year – I will never forget any of you.’
A fat tear rolls down my cheek. Miss Moon has brought out the best in all of us. She has given Star of the Week awards to my classmates, picking out the things that make them shine.
‘You’re a wonderful class,’ she says proudly. ‘Each and every one of you has gained my respect and admiration this year – for your hard work, your talents, your kindness. Those Star of the Week awards have been well earned.’
I swallow. I have never been singled out for one of those awards – am I the only one in the whole class not to have gained Miss Moon’s respect and admiration?
‘There is one pupil, however, who has stood out from all the rest,’ Miss Moon is saying. ‘This pupil is bright, brave, determined, imaginative … and always thinking of others. I could have given her the Star of the Week award over and over again …’
I look around me. Could it be Beth? Willow? Sheena, perhaps?
‘I have created an extra-special award for this very special person,’ Miss Moon announces. ‘Congratulations, Daizy Star – our very own STAR OF THE YEAR!’
An explosion of whoops and cheers erupts around me, and my heart thumps so hard I think it might burst right out of my chest.
‘Go on,’ Murphy nudges me, and Beth and Willow push me forward to collect my certificate. It is printed on thick white card and edged with gold, and it is the most totally perfect thing I have ever seen in my life. I will treasure it forever.
‘Thank you, Miss!’ I whisper. ‘Thank you so, so much!’
‘You are a stand-out pupil, Daizy Star,’ Miss Moon smiles. ‘Your classmates agree with me on that. You’ve earned this award – for designing the new infant school play park, for thinking up the idea of the sponsored swim …’
‘For conquering your fears and learning to swim,’ Willow says.
‘Raising money for Malawi at the Battle of the Bands,’ Murphy chips in.
‘Helping me when I was upset about my gran last term,’ Beth adds. ‘And the old people’s home. And there was the way you rescued Picasso and helped Pierre to achieve his dream …’
‘There are too many things to mention,’ Miss Moon says. ‘But we want you to know that we appreciate you, Daizy – you have a very starry future ahead of you!’
Just when I think it can’t get any better, Miss Moon produces a huge chocolate cake covered in sparklers. ‘Trust me, Class Six,’ she grins. ‘You are going to love Brightford Academy. And remember … life is sweet!’
Later, back home, I show Mum, Dad, Becca and Pixie my Star of the Year award. ‘I’m going to frame it and keep it forever,’ I sigh. ‘This is officially the best day of my whole life!’
‘You deserve it,’ Pixie says. ‘You are a very good big sister.’
‘You’re an OK little sister too,’ Becca agrees.
‘Dad and I have always been very proud of you, Daizy,’ Mum adds. ‘But it’s lovely to see that your teacher and your classmates appreciate you as well. And you’re right – today really is a special day. Your dad has some good news for you all too!’
We look at Dad, who is looking very happy and unusually smart in a suit and tie.
‘No way … you’ve ditched the squirrel costume?’ Becca guesses.
‘That’s certainly a part of it,’ Dad grins.
I narrow my eyes, looking out of the window. ‘You’ve sold the van!’ I say. ‘Finally!’
‘Right again,’ Dad says. ‘I’ve handed in my notice at the Squirrel & Lentil Wholefood Café, and, yes, they’ve taken the van off my hands. And that’s not all of it. I have had the most wonderful year, following my dreams … but now I am ready to go back to work full time. Not as a red squirrel, but as a teacher!’
‘Yessss!’ Pixie yells. ‘No more squirrel tail! No more stinky van!’
‘Yess!’ Becca says. ‘You’ve got your old job back, finally!’
‘Better than that,’ Dad explains. ‘It’s a new job – a promotion. And it’s not at Green Lane Community School, either. Just wait till you hear. Trust me, girls, you will LOVE this …’
My smile freezes. I have a bad feeling about this, a very bad feeling. My dad, formerly a giant red squirrel, has landed himself a new job. That’s fine. That’s good. There’s no need to panic. Is there?
‘You are looking at the new Head of Geography at Brightford Academy,’ Dad announces proudly. ‘Won’t that be great?’
I look at Becca, and she looks at me. Our faces struggle to hide the horror, but the more I try the harder it gets and a wild, slightly frantic laugh escapes. Pretty soon Becca is laughing too, snorting and sniggering in a very unladylike way.
There is only one thing worse than a dad who dresses in a squirrel suit, and that is a dad who teaches geography at your new secondary school.
I swallow back my giggles. According to Beth and Willow, embarrassing parents are all part of growing up. If so, I will be getting VERY grown-up, any day now.
Well, I guess that, whatever happens, Beth, Willow and Murphy will help me to cope – that’s what friends are for. Besides, I also know how important it is to follow your dreams, and it looks like teaching might be Dad’s dream after all.
‘Great,’ I say. ‘Brilliant, Dad … brilliant.’
And I put my arms round him and hug him tightly.
Random Acts of Kindness
Copy cool Sam Taylor from GingerSnaps and try a random act of kindness every day. Here are a few to start you off …
Wash up without being asked
Hug a friend!
Talk to someone who’s feeling lonely or left out
Compliment a classmate on his/her appearance
Send a card to your BFF for no reason at all
Carry shopping for an elderly neighbour
Play with your little bruv/sister – it’s fun!
Smile – it’s free, and it makes everyone feel good. Especially you!
And why not show your BFFs how much you care by organizing something that you ould do together? The most important thing is spending time with each other and having fun!
Throw a mini party for your best friends – you could all watch a DVD together, or make your own dream flags to hang in your room. Or maybe you could bake your own Angel Cakes!
Hold a cake sale – once you’ve baked your yummy cakes, why not set up a stall to sell them? Maybe you could raise money for a charity that really means something to you.
Invite your friends to a clothes- swapping party – you might not be in love with that sparkly top any more, but maybe one of your friends would look great in it. And you save money by not having to buy new clothes! Why not make it into a pamper party and spoil each other with some new hair looks?
For more ideas go to www.cathycassidy.com
How can you make your WISHES and DREAMS come TRUE?
WISHES and DREAMS are just other words for positive thinking, and that’s something that can be very powerful! Get together with friends and create some beautiful dream flags to start the magic …
You will need:
A3 white or coloured paper
Coloured crayons, felt pens, oil pastels, water-based paints, brushes, scissors, glue, glitter, sequins, yarn, foil streamers, tinsel, stickers, stars, tissue paper, ribbon, gold/silver pens, assorted collage materials
A long length of string/coloured cord/ribbon
IMAGINATION!!!
How to make your DREAM FLAG:
Take your piece of A3 paper
and cut it in half lengthways. Then fold each piece in half so you have two long thin strips of paper. This will give you 2 flags.
Use paints, pens, crayons, pastels or a combination to pattern/colour the paper. Or collage your flag with ribbon, foil, stars and paper.
Write your dream on to the flag shape. If you’d rather keep the dream secret, just decorate the flag with your own patterns and symbols, but think about your dream while you are doing this.
Use both sides of the flag, or get your friend to use the other side so you can share the dream flag!
Fold your flag over the string/cord and staple or glue your flag into place … then hang the dream flags along a wall or classroom!
How to make your very own friendship bracelets
Friendship bracelets are great fun to make, and even better to make with and for your best friend! There are lots of colours and patterns you can use to create a unique and special bracelet for your friend.
Method 1: The easiest way to make a friendship bracelet is by plaiting.
1. Choose 3 colours of thread that you like.
2. Take 2 strands of each colour.
3. Tie a knot in the end of the 6 strands and separate the different colours from each other.
4. Get your friend to hold the knotted end of the bracelet and start plaiting the 3 colours together.
5. Once the bracelet is long enough to go around your wrist, tie a knot in the other end.
6. Snip off any straggly ends and you’re done!
Method 2: This is more difficult but you’ll end up with a cool pattern.
1. Take 6 strands of thread – choose any colours you like.
2. Each strand represents a letter in the word FRIEND.
3. Tie a knot in the end of the 6 strands.
10 With each row the string on the left is worked over the string on the right.
11. Once the bracelet is long enough to go around your wrist, tie a knot in the other end.
12. Snip off any straggly ends and you’re done.
www.cathycassidy.com
Why should your eyes have all the fun?
Give your ears a treat and hear your favourite classics come to life!
Go to the Puffin Podcast on the all-new puffin.co.uk now!
Celebrity podcasters include Eoin Colfer, Meg Rosoff, Darren Shan and Garth Nix.
Hear Captain Hook in action, listen to Long John Silver, enjoy the sound of the Psammead and much, much more!
www.puffin.co.uk
PUFFIN
Published by the Penguin Group
Penguin Books Ltd, 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England
Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014, USA
Penguin Group (Canada), 90 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 700, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M4P 2Y3 (a division of Pearson Penguin Canada Inc.)
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Penguin Group (NZ), 67 Apollo Drive, Rosedale, North Shore 0632, New Zealand (a division of Pearson New Zealand Ltd)
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Penguin Books Ltd, Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England
www.puffinbooks.com
First published 2012
Text and illustrations copyright © Cathy Cassidy, 2012
All rights reserved
The moral right of the author/illustrator has been asserted
ISBN: 978-0-14-133744-9
It all started with a Scarecrow.
Puffin is seventy years old.
Sounds ancient, doesn’t it? But Puffin has never been so lively. We’re always on the lookout for the next big idea, which is how it began all those years ago.
Penguin Books was a big idea from the mind of a man called Allen Lane, who in 1935 invented the quality paperback and changed the world. And from great Penguins, great Puffins grew, changing the face of children’s books forever.
The first four Puffin Picture Books were hatched in 1940 and the first Puffin story book featured a man with broomstick arms called Worzel Gummidge. In 1967 Kaye Webb, Puffin Editor, started the Puffin Club, promising to ‘make children into readers’. She kept that promise and over 200,000 children became devoted Puffineers through their quarterly instalments of Puffin Post, which is now back for a new generation.
Many years from now, we hope you’ll look back and remember Puffin with a smile. No matter what your age or what you’re into, there’s a Puffin for everyone. The possibilities are endless, but one thing is for sure: whether it’s a picture book or a paperback, a sticker book or a hardback, if it’s got that little Puffin on it - it’s bound to be good.
Daizy Star, Ooh La La! Page 8
