The Girl Who Stole the World

by Laura Pearson

“How on earth did it get out here?!” Mrs Peabody had reached the compost heap. She was beside herself with joy. “Oh, girls!! You are our heroes!!! Isabel Donaldson, I can’t thank you enough! You are our newest Green Planet Golden Girl!”

  Led by Colonel Crunch, the five stinky, filthy friends went on a victory march through the playground and back into the school. All around them, they heard the shouts and applause of grateful Crabtree girls and their teachers.

  “It’s all over!” whispered Lottie to Isabel. “You won’t be expelled, and you can forget you ever heard of the Our Beautiful Green Planet Intergalactic Environmental Award!”

  But Isabel could not forget. Although the weight of the golden globe was no longer in her pocket, it felt like it was on her chest instead. The tummy wasps still wouldn’t go away. Why wouldn’t they go away now the award was back safely? She’d got away with stealing. Her friends had forgiven her, and she hadn’t got into trouble. She was the best naughty girl in the whole world.

  The problem was, Isabel didn’t want to be naughty any more. From now on, she was going to be the old Isabel. She was going to be the best-behaved girl at Crabtree School.

  There was another special assembly that afternoon to tell everyone who hadn’t already heard the good news: the Our Beautiful Green Planet Intergalactic Environmental Award trophy had been found by Isabel Donaldson, who had bravely searched the compost heap.

  But when Mrs Peabody called out Isabel’s name to thank her, Isabel didn’t enjoy it one bit. What would Mrs Peabody say if she knew what Isabel had done? What if some day someone told her?

  Isabel looked at Lottie, who was sitting beside her. Would Lottie remember to keep her secret? Had she written it down in her notebook? What if Lottie’s mum read her notebook one day? Mums did things like that sometimes. Would Lottie’s mum tell on Isabel?

  How about Rani? Rani was sat on Isabel’s opposite side. Isabel studied her closely. Rani was new – how well did Isabel know her really? Rani was loads of fun, but could she keep such a terrible secret forever? What if she couldn’t?

  Isabel could hardly stand to think about it.

  Isabel was sure that she could feel someone looking at her. Who was watching her? Who knew? She scanned the room madly, until she saw two huge green eyes staring straight at her.

  Lady Lovelypaws was staring at Isabel. Lady Lovelypaws knew exactly what she’d done. Isabel hadn’t got away with it, not really.

  “Lady Lovelypaws is a CAT,” said Lottie. “She’s not going to tell on you because she doesn’t speak human.”

  “But she knows what I did,” said Isabel sadly. “She was there. And all of you know, too.”

  Lottie, Isabel, Ava, Zoe and Rani were gathered round the coat hooks in the Year Three classroom again. They were getting their things together because it was nearly time to go home.

  “We’re not going to tell on you,” said Ava. “We are your friends.”

  “But if you don’t tell, then you are lying!” said Isabel, tears running down her cheeks. “I’m making my best friends tell lies!”

  “It’s not lying,” said Rani, looking behind her to make sure no one was listening. “Nobody’s asked us how we found the award, so it’s not a lie, not really.” She didn’t sound too sure of herself.

  “You’re lying by not telling the truth,” said Isabel finally. “And so am I.”

  Rani and Zoe began to discuss whether not telling something really counted as a lie, when it is really just keeping a secret. Lottie, however, was beginning to understand Isabel’s problem. Some secrets were too big to keep in your notebook, or in your heart.

  Isabel knew what she had to do.

  Mrs Peabody was delighted to have an afternoon visitor. It was the perfect time of day for a cup of tea and some biscuits. She made a big fuss over Isabel. She said over and over how grateful she was that the Our Beautiful Green Planet Intergalactic Environmental Award golden trophy had been found. Lady Lovelypaws glared at Isabel from Mrs Peabody’s paper tray.

  Isabel didn’t want any biscuits. She squirmed in her chair. She didn’t know how to say what she needed to say. She looked out of Mrs Peabody’s window and saw Ava, Zoe and Rani peeking in from outside.

  Knowing her friends were there made Isabel a bit braver.

  “I did it,” Isabel told Mrs Peabody. She spoke so quietly that Mrs Peabody could scarcely hear her.

  “Sorry, dear?” the headmistress asked. “Did you say you did it? Did what, dear?”

  “I DID IT.” Isabel repeated. “I stole the Our Beautiful Green Planet Intergalactic Environmental Award golden globe trophy.”

  Mrs Peabody looked puzzled. She put down her cup of tea and her biscuit, and went into the hallway. Lady Lovelypaws stayed where she was on the desk, watching Isabel.

  When Mrs Peabody came back she said, “I don’t understand, darling. The award is right where it should be, safe and sound. All thanks to you,” she said proudly. She picked up her tea.

  “I found it,” said Isabel. “But first, I took it. I put it in my pocket and I took it home. Then I brought it back and I threw it away.”

  Behind her teacup, Mrs Peabody’s eyes went wide. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

  “Why would you do that?” asked Mrs Peabody. The kindest headmistress in all of Great Britain was not smiling any more.

  Isabel tried to explain. She told Mrs Peabody all about Lucy Lu and recycling and not being chosen as the Our Green Planet Golden Girl. She told Mrs Peabody about colouring her hair with markers, about sneaking an ice lolly and about the daisy chains, though she left Ava out of that last bit. Then finally Isabel told Mrs Peabody how she’d picked up the Our Beautiful Green Planet Intergalactic Environmental Award trophy and decided not to put it back.

  “But that is stealing, Isabel,” said Mrs Peabody.

  “I know,” said Isabel. Tears were welling in her eyes, but she dared not let them out. Mrs Peabody could not bear to see a child cry. Isabel wondered if Mrs Peabody could hear the wasps in her tummy, and whether those would upset the headmistress too.

  Ava, Zoe and Rani had their faces smashed right up against the windowpane. They were desperate to know what would happen to their friend.

  “Am I going to be expelled?” asked Isabel fearfully. She had never seen Mrs Peabody look as stern as she did at that moment.

  “No,” said Mrs Peabody finally.

  They heard a cheer from outside the window, and one from above their heads too. Isabel and Mrs Peabody gasped as Lottie dropped down from the chandelier that hung over the headmistress’s desk. She landed on the rug in front of them.

  “Good gracious, Lottie!” shrieked Mrs Peabody. “You nearly gave me a heart attack.”

  “Thank you SO MUCH for not excluding my best friend,” said Lottie to Mrs Peabody. “Thank you, thank you, thank you—”

  “That’s quite enough, Lottie,” said the new stern Mrs Peabody. “Isabel and I need to finish our conversation. Please go and join your friends outside my window.”

  Lottie went.

  “Are you going to tell the mayor what I’ve done?” asked Isabel. “He might send me to jail.”

  “The mayor is a she,” said Mrs Peabody. “And she has lots of important things to do, so we won’t bother her with this issue.”

  “What’s going to happen to me?” asked Isabel.

  “Oh, Isabel,” sighed Mrs Peabody. “It’s terribly naughty to steal, but I think you know that now. And it was very, very brave of you to tell me the truth.”

  “Mrs Peabody, can you ever forgive me?” Isabel couldn’t bear this serious new headmistress.

  Mrs Peabody looked at Isabel. Then she looked at Lady Lovelypaws. The cat and the headmistress seemed to be thinking things over. Then after ages and ages, they both nodded a bit and turned to face Isabel.

  “Isabel Donaldson,” said Mrs Peabody. “I am very disappointed in you for taking the Our Beautiful Green Planet Intergalactic Environmental Award globe from its place. I would never
have imagined that you would do something like that.” Lady Lovelypaws shook her head from side to side.

  “But you are very sorry, aren’t you, Isabel?” asked Mrs Peabody.

  “Yes,” cried Isabel. “I’m so sorry! I feel terrible! I have these angry wasps buzzing in my tummy all the time.”

  “Then the important thing, the most important thing in all of this,” said Mrs Peabody, “is to remember that feeling. Remember those wasps. They will tell you when you’ve done something wrong, and they won’t go away until you’ve made it right.”

  “The wasps are horrible,” said Isabel. “I wish they would go away forever.”

  “No,” said Mrs Peabody firmly. “You don’t wish that. You need them. Sometimes people ignore those wasps in their tummies, a little bit here and a little bit there, and then the wasps fly away forever. Then you are left not knowing right from wrong. That’s when the trouble really starts.”

  “I won’t ignore the wasps again,” said Isabel. “I promise. I just wish I could take it all back!” Tears dripped on to Isabel’s cheeks. Mrs Peabody, who was beginning to panic at the sight of Isabel crying, gave a nod to Lady Lovelypaws. The cat leapt from the paper tray and rubbed against Isabel’s feet.

  Mrs Peabody smiled kindly, like her old self. “If this is the worst thing you ever do in your life, Isabel Donaldson, then you will be quite all right. I forgive you. But for your punishment, you will help Colonel Crunch with the composting for the rest of the term.”

  “Yes, of course,” said Isabel.

  “Then you will give the Reception class a presentation on how composting works,” said Mrs Peabody. “Perhaps Lucy Lu might want to help you.” Isabel nodded.

  “Now,” continued Mrs Peabody, “let’s get you off home, where you can have a bath. You smell like rotten mashed potatoes.” The headmistress sniffed the air again. “And bubblegum.”

  “I must say, Isabel,” Mrs Peabody added. “I do rather like this wild pink hair of yours. But not for school, you understand?”

  Isabel understood.

  Isabel asked Lottie, Ava, Zoe and Rani to come to her house after school. None of them smelled very nice, but not being expelled seemed worth celebrating.

  After a good hand-washing and a quick snack, the girls went upstairs to Isabel’s room. That’s when she noticed it: the tape had been peeled off the outside of Isabel’s bedroom door. It was crumpled in a little ball on the floor. Scarlett and Ruby were cowering in the hallway looking very guilty.

  Normally, Isabel would have screamed for their mum. But now she understood what it felt like to do something terrible and to wish you could take it back. Isabel told the Reds never to do it again. She could tell from the looks on their faces that they wouldn’t.

  Then, Isabel did something very kind. She invited the Reds in to work on the igloo with the big girls. Whilst they glued, Isabel and her friends each took turns colouring a little piece of their hair with the scented markers. Zoe went for purple, Rani chose yellow to show up in her dark hair, and Ava did green because the aliens would like it. Isabel added a red stripe to her pink hair.

  This time, the girls only coloured a small section of the underneath bit of their hair, so it wouldn’t be quite as naughty. Before they started colouring, Isabel checked in with her tummy. The wasps were quiet; they liked a bit of mischief as much as anyone.

  Later that evening as the sun went down, Isabel, Zoe, Lottie, Ava and Rani sat inside the finished igloo. With Isabel watching closely, the Reds had coloured the milk containers every shade in the rainbow. Now the light inside the igloo was green and pink and orange and yellow and red.

  Isabel thought it was the most beautiful place on the planet, and her friends agreed.

  Turn the page

  for lots more

  Crabtree School fun!

  ALL ABOUT ME

  MY FULL NAME: Isabel Elizabeth Donaldson

  WHERE I LIVE: I live at Number 62, Cherry Tree Lane

  WHAT MY ROOM LOOKS LIKE: My room is tidy and there is A LOT of craft stuff. It is white and red and pink mostly. There is also some blue and a bit of green. And purple.

  WHO IS IN MY FAMILY: My family is me, Mummy, Daddy and the Reds (real names Scarlett and Ruby).

  MY PETS: We have three bunnies called Flopsy, Mopsy and Cottontail. We had Peter but he ran away because Ruby left the bunny hutch open.

  MY BEST FRIEND(S): My best friends are Lottie, Ava, Zoe and Rani.

  WHAT I LOVE TO DO: I love to make things especially things you can play with, like conker people. I am very good at drawing and painting and sewing and sticking. I am also good at ballet.

  WHAT MAKES ME CROSS:

  WHAT I AM MOST AFRAID OF: Doing something really naughty.

  WHAT I COLLECT: Ribbons, sweetie wrappers, pencil shavings, toilet-paper tubes, empty bottles, safety pins, old birthday candles, conkers, milk containers, corks, confetti, ice-lolly sticks, photos from magazines, leaves, dried flowers, stones

  MY SECRET HIDING PLACE: A special box high on a shelf. The box has lots of glitter.

  ISABEL’S REWARD CHART FOR A HAPPY LIFE

  Sometimes star charts are for practising piano and tidying up, but this one is a little bit different! Colour in a star for each good deed you do!

  ISABEL’S TOP TIPS FOR SAVING THE PLANET

  1) Recycle. Know which bin everything goes in!

  2) If you can, walk, cycle or scoot to school instead of going in a car

  3) Make beautiful art out of old cereal boxes, ice-lolly sticks, kitchen-roll tubes, newspapers, yoghurt pots…

  4) Grow a beautiful flower, outside in the garden if you have one, or inside the house

  5) Turn off the lights when you leave a room! (Unless someone’s still in there, of course!)

  Can you think of another Top Tip for Saving the Planet? Write it here:

  ISABEL IS BUILDING AN IGLOO TO PLAY IN. WHAT KIND OF MAGICAL HIDEOUT SHOULD YOU MAKE? TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT, AND THEN LET YOUR IMAGINATION RUN WILD!

  1. Which activity sounds like the most fun?

  a. Swimming

  b. Visiting an adventure playground

  c. Going to the beach

  d. Hot-air balloon ride

  2. Which present would you like to receive?

  a. Roller skates

  b. Spy set

  c. Craft kit

  d. Story book

  3. Which magical creature would you like to meet?

  a. Mermaid

  b. Elf

  c. Unicorn

  d. Fairy

  4. What magical ability would you like to have?

  a. Invisibility

  b. Speaking to animals

  c. X-ray vision

  d. Flying

  5. What’s your favourite ice cream topping?

  a. Hundreds and thousands

  b. Chocolate flake

  c. Caramel sauce

  d. Mini marshmallows

  6. What’s your favourite time of year?

  a. Winter

  b. Autumn

  c. Summer

  d. Spring

  7. Where’s the best hiding place for your secret things?

  a. A hole in the tree at the bottom of your garden

  b. Inside the trophy you won at school

  c. You’re not telling!

  d. A special silver box at the back of your drawer

  8. What would your friends say about you?

  a. You’re always kind

  b. You’re really helpful

  c. You’re very brave

  d. You have a big imagination

  THE RESULTS

  Mostly As: Make an underwater palace in your cupboard!

  You’ll love pretending to live in a beautiful palace in the deep blue sea! You will be surrounded by all the friendly creatures of the ocean – dolphins, pretty fish and mermaids. Your palace will be made of the prettiest coral ever seen, and your bed will be a giant, cosy shell that fits you perfectly.

  Mostly Bs: Make a castle
with a cardboard box!

  You can dream up a fantastic castle, and with your imagination add secret tunnels, majestic towers with views across the land, and more rooms than you’ll ever have time to explore! You’ll be able to throw parties for everyone in the kingdom, but make sure you keep a lookout for invading little brothers and sisters.

  Mostly Cs: Make a tropical island with a blanket in the garden (or in the sitting room!)

  You can create a tropical island surrounded by palm trees, coconuts, hammocks and the lovely sea, where you’ll spend your afternoon playing games and dancing around pretend campfires on the beach. If you get too hot, go for a pretend swim.

  Mostly Ds: Make a city in the clouds with some pillows!

  Why stay on earth when you could live in the clouds? You can float away and watch the earth from your fluffy cloud pillow, which is the most comfortable place you can possibly imagine. You’ll make friends with the birds and leap from cloud to cloud to visit all your friends.

  Scholastic Children’s Books

  An imprint of Scholastic Ltd

  Euston House, 24 Eversholt Street

  London, NW1 1DB, UK

  Registered office: Westfield Road, Southam, Warwickshire, CV47 0RA

  SCHOLASTIC and associated logos are trademarks and or registered trademarks of Scholastic Inc.

  First published in the UK by Scholastic Ltd, 2015

  This electronic edition published by Scholastic Ltd, 2015

  Text copyright © Lauren Pearson, 2015

  Illustration copyright © Becka Moor, 2015

  The right of Lauren Pearson and Becka Moor to be identified as the author and illustrator of this work has been asserted by them.

  eISBN 978 1407 15521 0

  A CIP catalogue record for this work is available from the British Library.