The Magic Book series, book 1 Read Online Free

If only she
knew!
    Their mother
watched with interest on the walk home as they talked quietly but
animatedly with each other, as if sharing a secret. No quarrelling,
no back chat as she asked them to take off their shoes. They
practically flew upstairs when asked to get changed out of their
uniforms, with not the slightest sign of their usual irritation.
Sophie was clutching her book bag to her like it was her most
treasured possession.
    “Why don’t you
leave it down here?” Their mother took hold of a corner of the bag,
“I’ll check to see if there are any letters in it for me from the
school.”
    “No!” squealed
the girls in unison.
    “Hey, don’t
snatch!” Their mother scolded as Sophie pulled against her in an
effort to maintain her grip. “What’ve you got in there?” she
probed, her suspicions aroused. The girls anxiously looked at one
another as if trying to think of an excuse.
    “Come on, let’s
see it.” Their mother held out her hand, now deeply suspicious of
its contents. They had no choice but to hand it over. Their faces
couldn’t have looked more guilt-ridden as she lifted out the old
book.
    “Gosh, no
wonder your book bag was so heavy. Is it from the school library?”
she enquired whilst flicking through its pages.
    “It’s, it’s….”
stammered Sophie.
    “It’s not a
library book is it? There’s hardly any writing. Who does it belong
to? It’s not one of yours is it?” she asked – now quite sure this
was the reason for the secrecy earlier.
    “Well, we tried
to give it back to Mrs Vincent after we found it…,” Sophie said
defensively, trying to explain.
    “But Mrs
Vincent wanted to do the register and told us to put it in our
drawer for a while and we brought it home by mistake,” finished
Felicity.
    “Could we just
play with it tonight? We promise to take it back tomorrow,” begged
Sophie.
    “Well…”
    “Please!”
implored the girls in unison.
    They sensed
their mother softening a little. “But it’s just a blank notebook;
what could you play?”
    “We just like
to pretend it’s magical,” offered Felicity, her fingers crossed
behind her back.
    “Oh alright,
but do NOT write in it. It’s not yours remember?” relented their
mother.
    “Yes!” said
Felicity, a little too enthusiastically. Their mother frowned, an
amused frown. Of all their toys, they get most excited over an old
plain notebook. She smiled to herself whilst watching two pairs of
cute little legs energetically disappearing up the stairs.
    They carefully
shut their bedroom door and set the book out ready.
    “Right,” said
Sophie, “this time I’m going to draw a really happy fairy.”
    “Sophie, please
could I draw one this time? You’ve already had a go,” pleaded
Felicity.
    “The only
problem is we’ve just promised Mummy that we wouldn’t write in
it.”
    “Well, strictly
speaking we won’t be; I'll be drawing .”
    “That’s true,”
conceded Sophie. “I can’t say I feel good about it though.”
    Felicity had
already begun to sketch out her favourite fairy with the book's
pen. Then, once happy with the outline, she carefully coloured it
in using her crayons. She wondered what would happen if she
coloured outside this outline; would the fairy have sticky-out bits
when she came to life? The thought of it made her smile with
amusement. She gave her fairy blond hair, tied up in a neat little
pony tail. She wore a light purple dress on which the skirt looked
as if it had been fashioned from flower petals (short, in case a
long dress hampered flying). She had a mental image of a frustrated
little fairy with her long skirts entangled in brambles; that
wouldn’t do! They had already managed to create one irritable fairy
it seemed – she didn’t want to meet another.
    “How much
longer, Felicity?” asked Sophie. She was pacing the room, not able
to settle to anything in her eager anticipation of another fairy
encounter.

    “Not long
Sophie. I’d like to use some glitter glue