Lulu Bell and the Birthday Unicorn Read Online Free Page B

brought you something. She wants to say happy birthday and thank you for rescuing Snowy.’
    Mrs Winters had brought in a large box from her car. It was wrapped in white paper and tied with a giant green ribbon.
    â€˜When I rang the vet hospital, the nurse told me that you were celebrating Rosie’s birthday. So I thought we should bring something along,’ explained Mrs Winters.
    â€˜Help me open it, Lulu?’ asked Rosie. ‘It’s heavy!’
    Together they undid the ribbon andtore open the paper. Inside the box was a pile of lovely books. Beautiful picture books with gorgeous illustrations. Thick chapter books with enticing covers. Adventure books and fairytales and all kinds of exciting books in between.

    Rosie shrieked with excitement.
    â€˜Serena helped me choose them,’ explained Mrs Winters. ‘I hope you like them.’
    â€˜Thank you, Mrs Winters,’ cried Lulu and Rosie together. They oohed and aahed as they flicked through the pages and read the back covers.
    â€˜We’ll have to keep these away from Gus,’ Lulu warned Rosie. Gus scowled and stuck his thumb in his mouth. ‘But I’ll read them to you, Gus, I promise.’
    A buzzer went off in the kitchen.
    â€˜Oh, the sausage rolls,’ cried Mum. ‘I nearly forgot. Would you and Serena like to stay for the mermaid feast, Mrs Winters? I’m just about to serve it.’
    Serena looked hopefully at her mother. Snowy cropped the grass, his tail swishing with contentment. His horn had slipped back over one ear.
    â€˜I’ll help you load Snowy in my trailer after the feast,’ offered Dr Bell. ‘Then I can run him home for you.’
    â€˜That would be wonderful,’ replied Mrs Winters. ‘Thank you, Mrs Bell, we’d love to stay.’
    â€˜Thanks, Mum,’ cried Serena. ‘Thanks, Mrs Bell.’

Chapter 11
The Mermaid Feast
    Lulu and Molly helped to lay the food out on the feast table. There were steaming sausage rolls and tomato sauce, tiny party pies and, of course, fish bites. A blue platter held sea-grapes, strawberries and sea-watermelon. Another held mermaid-bread topped with blue and green sprinkles.
    All the mermaids came to sit around the table. Rosie sat at the head,on a throne draped in purple velvet.

    Gus sat at the other end with his mask still covering half his face. He had two bowls right in front of him. One overflowed with crunchy chocolate crackles. The other held crispy, salty chips.
    Jessie and Asha sat on either side of him. Their heads followed the movement of Gus’s hand from bowl to mouth and back again.
    Gus stuffed two chocolate crackles in his mouth. ‘Mmmm. Dulishus.’
    â€˜Oh, no you don’t, Gussie,’ said Lulu. She rescued the bowl of chocolate crackles before they all disappeared.
    Lulu, Serena and Molly sat down next to Gus to share in the feast.
    â€˜You’re right, Gus,’ said Molly. ‘These chocolate crackles are really good.’
    Suddenly Mum jumped up and ran inside. She came back with a mysterious bulging bag.
    â€˜I nearly forgot,’ confessed Mum. Her eyes twinkled with mischief. ‘Here are your royal robes, King Neptune.’
    â€˜Oh, no,’ groaned Dad. He stepped backwards with his hands raised. ‘I’m not dressing up.’
    â€˜Come on, Dad,’ called Lulu and Rosie together.
    â€˜Please,’ Rosie added, jiggling up and down.
    Dad looked around at all the mermaids. He rolled his eyes in mock horror and sighed. ‘Well, all right.’
    â€˜Here you are, Your Highness,’ offered Mum.
    She pulled a white sheet over his shoulder and fastened it with a safety pin. Then she slipped a long blue cloak around his neck. She had made a white wig and beard from wispy cotton wool. This was topped with a gold cardboard crown.
    Last of all, Mum handed him a golden trident made from an old broomstick.
    â€˜Let the feast begin,’ thundered King Neptune. He