Kids' Book Club

“Hi, Mum! I’m home!”

Ellie Macdonald ran into the empty kitchen through the back door. She shrugged her schoolbag off her shoulders and put it down carefully. After all, there was something very special inside! At the bottom, wrapped up in her school jumper, was a mysterious wooden box.

As she opened her bag, Ellie felt a flicker of excitement. She and her best friends, Summer and Jasmine, were the only ones who knew that the box was much more than an ordinary jewellery box. It had been made by the ruler of a magical land called the Secret Kingdom, where incredible creatures like fairies, mermaids, unicorns and pixies lived. It was a wonderful place, but it was in terrible trouble. 

When everyone in the land had decided they wanted kind King Merry to rule rather than his horrid sister, Queen Malice, the evil queen had sent six thunderbolts crashing into different parts of the kingdom. Each thunderbolt had the power to make trouble and bring great unhappiness.

Ellie and her friends had promised to help stop the nasty queen. Whenever one of her thunderbolts caused a problem in the Secret Kingdom, a riddle would appear in the lid of the Magic Box to tell the girls where they were needed. When they had solved it, Ellie, Summer and Jasmine would be whisked away to the kingdom to try and help. They had already had five wonderful adventures and Ellie couldn’t wait for the magic to work again! 

Ellie pulled the Magic Box out of her bag and looked hopefully at the carvings of amazing creatures that covered every side, and the glittering jewels that decorated its mirrored lid. If only the lid would start glowing, that would mean it was time for her and her friends to return to the Secret Kingdom. But all she could see was her own reflection, her red curls falling messily around her face.

Ellie sighed and carried the box to the hall carefully. She caught sight of her mum through the window, tidying up the hanging baskets in the front garden. Ellie avoided her and headed for the stairs, clutching the Magic Box.

“RARRRRR!” With a loud yell, Molly, Ellie’s little sister, jumped out from where she had been hiding beside the hall table. 

Ellie almost dropped the box in shock.

“Molly!”

Molly whooped in delight. “I made you jump, Ellie!”

She was four and looked just like Ellie had when she was little, with red curls that reached to her shoulders and mischievous green eyes. She loved to play tricks on her big sister. “What’s that?” she said curiously, spotting the box in Ellie’s arms.

“Nothing.”

“Let me see!” Molly tried to look.

“It’s just an old box, Mol,” Ellie told her hastily. The last thing she wanted was

Molly looking in the Magic Box! Inside it were six wooden compartments, and five of them were filled with the special objects Ellie and the others had collected on their adventures. There was a magic moving map of the Secret Kingdom, a tiny silver unicorn horn that let the person holding it talk to animals, a cloud crystal that could be used to control the weather, a pearl that could turn you invisible and an icy hourglass that could be used to freeze time. If Molly found those things she’d want to know where they had come from and the girls couldn’t tell anyone about the Secret Kingdom!

Ellie swooped the box over her sister’s head and put it on the table. Then, jumping forward, she started to tickle Molly to distract her.

Molly squealed and pushed her away.

“Ellie, get off!”

Ellie tickled her harder. “Nope! I’m the tickle monster and I’m coming to get you!” she teased, chasing her around the hall. Molly laughed and shrieked. 

“Get off me! Get off… hic!” A loud hiccup exploded from her and both sisters burst out laughing. 

The front door opened. Mrs Macdonald looked in. “What’s going on, girls?”

Molly could barely contain her giggles. “Ellie was tickling me, Mummy, and now

I’ve got… I’ve got… Hic!” 

“Hiccups,” Ellie finished for her with a grin. 

“Oh, Molly.” Mrs Macdonald shook her head.