Lulu Bell and the Koala Joey Read online

  About the Book

  Lulu Bell’s beach holiday is about to begin!

  Lulu can’t wait for her holiday at Tarni Beach to begin. She has a new red surfboard and Dad is going to teach her to surf.

  Lulu and her friend Zac like to spot wildlife in the bush nearby. But what has happened to the mummy koala and her joey? Bulldozers have arrived and the trees might soon be gone. Lulu needs to work out how to save the koalas’ home!

  Contents

  Cover

  About the Book

  Title Page

  Dedication

  Chapter 1: Holidays!

  Chapter 2: Pancakes

  Chapter 3: The Bulldozer

  Chapter 4: First Surfing Lesson

  Chapter 5: Discovery

  Chapter 6: The Patient

  Chapter 7: Koala Hospital

  Chapter 8: Back at Tarni Beach

  Chapter 9: A Clever Plan

  Chapter 10: Surfing

  Chapter 11: A Dinner Guest

  Lulu Bell and the Arabian Nights

  Read all the Lulu Bell books

  About the Author

  About the Illustrator

  Copyright Notice

  Loved the book?

  For Sar, Jord and Thomas – thank you for many, many wonderful holidays at our own magical, special beach.

  Chapter 1

  Holidays!

  Lulu Bell bounced out of bed and down the ladder. She wasn’t at home in her usual bedroom. It was the summer holidays and the Bell family was staying with their friends, the Stewart family, at Tarni Beach. The two families were sharing a house overlooking the beach. They had been coming here on holidays for years.

  Lulu had slept on the top bunk. Her sister and brother were asleep, top to toe, on the bottom bunk. Six-year-old Rosie was curled into a tight ball, burrowed under the sheet. Gus, the youngest, lay flat on his back with his thumb in his mouth.

  They were staying in a rambling old two-storey house with a big garden. It was an upside-down house with the kitchen and living room upstairs, overlooking the water, together with three bedrooms. There was a wide verandah that surrounded the top level of the house. Downstairs was a big playroom and TV room, with more bedrooms leading onto the garden.

  Lulu crept out into the living room. Her feet padded on the wooden floor. The sun poured in through the French doors, filling the house with warm light. Lulu opened the doors and stepped out onto the verandah. She gazed out, enjoying the early-morning peace.

  The view was as beautiful as ever. A big gum tree spread its feathery leaves towards the sky. Down below, a lush green lawn led to dunes of powdery white sand. Beyond the sand, as far as the eye could see, was the deep gorgeous blue of the sea. The waves pounded on the shore, splashing up in a white frothy spray.

  Lulu breathed in the smell of salty air and tangy gum leaves.

  A whole week of fun at the beach, thought Lulu. What bliss!

  Their house was located at the end of a strip of old beach houses. To the south was a forest of scrubby gum trees. They once had seen a koala sleeping in a tree there.

  Lulu looked down to see a boy standing on the grass. His thick brown hair was mussed up and stood on end.

  It was Zac Stewart. Zac was in the same year as Lulu at Shelly Beach School, and his sister Mia was one of Rosie’s best friends. The Bell and the Stewart families had been friends since before Lulu was born.

  Zac grinned up at Lulu. ‘Hey, Lulu. Come down, I want to show you something.’

  Lulu nodded. ‘Just a tick.’

  She dashed inside. Mum and Dad’s room was next door to the bunk-bed room. Lulu poked her head in around the doorway. Mum and Dad were sitting up in bed drinking cups of tea. Both of them were reading books.

  ‘Good morning, honey bun,’ said Mum. ‘Did you have a lovely sleep?’

  Lulu greeted both her parents with a good-morning kiss and hug.

  ‘Zac wants to show me something outside,’ said Lulu. ‘Can I go?’

  ‘Sure,’ said Mum, ‘but don’t go on the beach by yourselves or wander into the bush.’

  Lulu tiptoed into the bunk-bed room, careful not to wake Rosie and Gus. She quickly changed out of her pyjamas and pulled on a pair of shorts and a T-shirt. Then she raced down the stairs.

  In the garden, Zac was standing on the lawn peering into the bushland next to their house. Their garden had no fences, so the trees came right to the edge of the lawn. Zac put a finger to his lips, then pointed into the scrub.

  It took a moment for Lulu to find what Zac was showing her. Then she saw it. In a small clearing, partly hidden in the shadows of the trees, were two animals. They had their heads down and were quietly grazing.

  ‘Kangaroos,’ whispered Lulu. ‘Aren’t they gorgeous?’

  ‘The one on the left has a joey in its pouch,’ replied Zac. ‘You can see its little ears flickering.’

  ‘That’s one thing I love about Tarni Beach,’ said Lulu. ‘I love all the wild animals that come right into the garden.’

  Lulu adored animals. Her dad was a vet. At home, the family lived right behind Shelly Beach Vet Hospital. Over the years the family had rescued and raised lots of injured wildlife, including possums, wallabies, penguins, birds and even snakes.

  ‘Tarni Beach is the best.’ Zac waved his hand towards the sea. ‘A whole week of swimming at the beach, playing cricket and fishing in the rock pools.’

  Lulu smiled. ‘Not to mention building sandcastles, reading books, eating picnics and surfing. This year I’m definitely going to learn to surf.’

  For Christmas, Mum and Dad had bought Lulu a bright pink surfboard. Lulu had been riding waves on a boogie board since she was little. Now she was super-excited to learn how to stand up on a real surfboard.

  Lulu looked up into the branches of a nearby gum tree. ‘Remember when we saw the koala asleep up in that tree?’ she asked.

  Zac frowned.

  ‘That was a few years ago,’ said Zac. ‘Mum says that the koalas might not live here anymore.’

  Lulu smiled and shook her head.

  ‘I’m sure they must be here somewhere,’ said Lulu. ‘Wouldn’t it be lovely if we saw a wild koala right here in the garden?’

  Chapter 2

  Pancakes

  ‘Lulu!’ Mum called from the verandah. ‘Zac! Breakfast time.’

  Lulu and Zac raced back to the house. Everyone was up now. Zac’s parents, Alison and Peter, were in the kitchen cutting up fruit. Zac’s sister Mia was helping Rosie to set the long table on the verandah. They were chatting and giggling.

  Mum was flipping a pancake in a frypan over the stove. Dad was making coffee.

  ‘Yum,’ said Lulu. ‘Pancakes for breakfast.’

  ‘Holiday breakfasts are the best,’ said Dad. He poured frothy milk into the coffee cups.

  Mum added the cooked pancake to a pile on a plate. She poured another round of batter into the frypan to sizzle.

  ‘Zac and Lulu, could you please carry these out to the table?’ asked Alison.

  She handed Zac a platter of chopped pineapple and mangoes. Lulu carried a bowl of blueberries and raspberries.

  Gus was zooming his toy truck up and down the verandah floorboards.

  ‘Brooom,’ he roared. The truck veered around Lulu’s feet.

  ‘Careful, Gus,’ warned Lulu. ‘You don’t want to crash your truck into anyone.’

  Mum carried out a tottering pile of buttery pancakes.

  ‘Come and eat them while they’re hot,’ called Mum.

  ‘I love pancakes,’ said Mia.

  ‘We’re going to need lots of energy for a big morning at the beach,’ added Dad.

  Everyone sat down at the table. The fa
mily dogs Asha and Jessie lay underneath, patiently waiting to see if there were any leftover scraps.

  Mum served everyone pancakes. Lulu ladled a pile of berries on top of hers. Both families chatted as they ate breakfast. The pancakes were delicious.

  ‘It’s a beautiful day,’ said Lulu. ‘When can we go the beach? Can I take my new surfboard?’

  ‘We’ll get ready as soon as we’ve cleaned up after breakfast,’ said Mum.

  Dad nodded. ‘I’ve checked the waves and they look perfect for learning to surf.’

  Lulu jiggled up and down in her chair. She could imagine herself swooping across a cresting wave, her honey-blonde hair flying through the air.

  ‘I think the north end of Tarni Beach will be best today,’ said Peter.

  Rosie and Lulu glanced at each other with excitement. The northern headland was their favourite part of the beach. Sometimes they saw dolphins swimming there. Once they had even seen a whale and her calf. It was a magical spot.

  After everyone had finished breakfast it was time to clean up.

  Lulu was bursting with impatience as Mia, Gus and Rosie cleared the table. Zac and Lulu washed the dishes. Finally everyone was ready with sunscreen, hats, rash vests, wetsuits and surfboards. Mum clipped the leads onto the dogs’ collars. Lulu took Jessie’s lead and Rosie took Asha’s.

  ‘Come on,’ cried Gus. He picked up his truck. ‘Let’s go.’

  The children all clattered down the stairs. The dogs’ claws clicked on the timber floor. The parents followed, carrying bags and towels.

  Suddenly Lulu heard a strange noise from outside. It was a roaring, thundering, grinding sound.

  ‘What’s that terrible racket?’ asked Rosie.

  ‘It’s coming from out the front,’ said Zac. ‘It sounds like a –’

  Lulu opened the front door wide.

  ‘Bulldozer,’ shouted Gus. ‘Big yellow bulldozer.’

  Lulu wrinkled her nose. ‘What on earth is a bulldozer doing here?’ she asked.

  Chapter 3

  The Bulldozer

  The bulldozer drove past the front of the house. It trundled along on a rolling track. Puffs of grey dust billowed up from the road. The driver waved at them as he passed. The kids waved back.

  The bulldozer slowed down then pulled to the side in front of the bushland next door.

  ‘What’s he doing?’ asked Mum. She frowned and put down the beach bag she was carrying.

  ‘There’s Mr O’Connor,’ said Peter. ‘Let’s ask him if he knows.’

  Old Mr O’Connor lived alone in the house next door. He was the owner of the beach house they stayed in. He had owned the land along the beachfront for decades. Lulu was a little afraid of him. He was sometimes a bit grouchy about noisy children and lost balls.

  Mr O’Connor was holding up several large pieces of paper. He was talking to another man who was wearing a hard hat.

  Mr O’Connor pointed at the plans drawn on his papers then waved towards the trees.

  ‘I don’t like the look of that,’ said Dad. He leaned the surfboards against the wall.

  Dad walked over to the two men.

  ‘Good morning, Mr O’Connor,’ said Dad. ‘How are you?’

  Mr O’Connor looked cross. His face was furrowed by a frown.

  ‘Better make sure those children stay away,’ he said. ‘The bulldozer will be working here for the next few days. I don’t want anyone getting hurt.’

  ‘Are you knocking down the trees?’ asked Alison.

  Mr O’Connor shrugged. ‘I’m selling these three blocks of land for new houses,’ he said. ‘The real estate agent says there are lots of people wanting to build houses here now.’

  ‘Oh, no,’ said Lulu. ‘What about the animals that live there? What about the kangaroos and the koalas?’

  Mr O’Connor harrumphed. ‘They’ll be all right. Besides, I haven’t seen any koalas here for a long time.’

  Lulu felt a lump in her throat. She didn’t want the bush to be cleared. She didn’t want Tarni Beach to change. Lulu scuffed her shoe in the dirt.

  ‘Well, if you’ll excuse us,’ said Mr O’Connor. ‘The men have to get to work. I want every tree gone by the end of the week.’

  Lulu looked at Mr O’Connor in horror. ‘But you can’t …’ she began.

  Mum put her arms on Lulu’s shoulders.

  ‘Come on, honey bun,’ said Mum. ‘Let’s go to the beach.’

  The driver started up the engine again. The bulldozer roared into life. Asha put her tail between her legs. She didn’t like the loud noise.

  ‘Brooom,’ roared Gus.

  The two families went back to the house to collect all their gear. Lulu picked up her new pink surfboard. She carried it under her arm as she trudged across the lawn and up over the sand dune.

  Lulu stopped at the top of the rise and looked down. Foamy white waves curled and crashed on the sand. The empty beach stretched away to the south. To the north was the soaring headland of Tarni Rocks. Lulu felt her sad mood evaporate.

  ‘Come on, everyone,’ called Lulu. She charged down the sand dune, carrying her surfboard. ‘Hurry up.’

  Asha and Jessie bounded down the sand dune, kicking up fine sand with their paws. All the kids raced after them.

  Chapter 4

  First Surfing Lesson

  It was a ten-minute walk up the beach. Or, for the kids and dogs, a five-minute run. The parents set up camp near the base of Tarni Rocks at the north end. The towels were spread out under the umbrellas and there were camp chairs for the adults. The dogs were tied up in the shade under the chairs.

  ‘Heaven,’ said Mum. She pulled her sundress over her head. ‘I can’t wait to get into the water.’

  Alison sank back into her chair and opened her book. ‘Just perfect.’

  Lulu wriggled into her wetsuit and picked up her surfboard. Dad and Peter checked the surf for rips and dangerous currents. Today the surf was small and the water was safe.

  Rosie and Mia ran into the water with their boogie boards. Zac had already had surfing lessons at home at Shelly Beach, so he paddled straight out the back. Peter swam nearby to keep an eye on them all.

  ‘Okay, Dad,’ Lulu said. ‘Let’s go.’

  ‘Not so fast, sweetheart,’ said Dad. ‘I want you to practise on the sand.’

  ‘But I don’t want to practise,’ said Lulu. ‘I want to surf.’

  Dad grinned at Lulu. ‘First things first. It will be easier to jump to your feet in the water if you’ve practised a few times on dry land.’

  Dad showed Lulu how to lie on her tummy on the surfboard. Gus was too small to have his own surfboard. He practised with Lulu, lying on his tummy on Dad’s long fibreglass board. He had his floatie strapped to his back.

  ‘Pretend you’re paddling in the water,’ said Dad.

  Lulu scrabbled in the sand. Gus copied her.

  ‘Now put your hands flat on the board just under your chest,’ said Dad. ‘Push yourself up with your arms and spring to your feet.’

  Dad showed her how it was done. Lulu practised a few times until she could jump from her tummy to her feet in one graceful leap. Gus had lost interest and wandered off to carve roads in the sand with his truck.

  ‘This is so easy, Dad,’ said Lulu. ‘When can we try it in the water?’

  ‘Just be patient, Lulu,’ said Dad. ‘Surfing is a lot harder than it looks.’

  Lulu practised jumping from her tummy to her feet a few more times.

  ‘You’re coming along beautifully, sweetie,’ said Dad, at last. ‘I think it’s time to hit the water.’

  Lulu grinned. She jumped to her feet and picked up her surfboard. ‘Race you in, Dad.’

  Lulu sprinted into the water. There was a leg-rope attached to the board and the other end was strapped to her ankle. The foam fizzed around her legs. The water was chilly on her warm skin.

  Lulu lay on her tummy and paddled the board out into deeper water.

  Dad had left his board on the sand. He wade
d out beside her. When they were out far enough, Dad stopped. He waited until he saw a good wave coming, then he pushed Lulu’s surfboard hard.

  The surfboard flew along the water, carried by the wave. Lulu felt a rush of excitement. She pushed up with her hands and jumped to her feet, but wobbled and fell.

  She took a deep breath just before she fell under the wave. Lulu sank, tumbling in the white foamy wash. It was fun doing underwater somersaults.

  Lulu kicked and swam to the surface. Her pink surfboard had floated away. Lulu grabbed the leg-rope and pulled it back.

  Rosie and Mia went zooming past on their boogie boards. Rosie clung tightly to her board and grinned at her sister.

  Lulu climbed back on top of her surfboard. She paddled out the back towards Dad.

  ‘Good try, sweetie,’ said Dad. ‘Let’s go again.’

  She flashed Dad a smile. ‘This time I’ll stand up.’

  ‘It might take a few tries but you’ll get the hang of it,’ Dad assured her.

  Zac zoomed past, balancing on his surfboard. He hooted with excitement as he rode a wave all the way to the sand. Alison called and waved to him from the shore. Mum was taking photographs with her big camera.

  ‘Great wave,’ called Peter.

  ‘Well done, Zac,’ said Dad.

  Lulu gave Zac a thumbs-up. He stepped off the board and onto the sand.

  Lulu paddled extra hard. She was determined to stand up and ride the board to the beach. Dad pushed her onto another wave. She kicked and paddled to get up speed. Then she pushed up with her arms, snatched her feet underneath her and leapt to her feet in a half-crouching, half-standing position.