Lulu Bell and the Koala Joey Read online

  Slowly, a thought came to her. Maybe it would work …

  Lulu scooted in, riding the wave to shore.

  ‘Can we go back to the house, Mum?’ asked Lulu. ‘I think I have an idea.’

  At the beach house, Lulu raced inside. She found some paper and the art box. Lulu flicked one honey-coloured plait over her shoulder. She set to work.

  Lulu wrote a letter. She read it over and changed a few words. When she was happy with it, she wrote it out in her very best writing and decorated it with drawings. When it was as good as Lulu could possibly make it, she took it to Zac.

  ‘Zac, could you come with me?’ Lulu asked. ‘I want to visit Mr O’Connor.’

  Together, the two friends went next door. Lulu had to summon all of her courage. Mr O’Connor could definitely be scary. She lifted up her hand and knocked.

  Mr O’Connor opened the front door. When he saw Lulu he sighed.

  ‘Well, what do you want, young lady? I suppose you want to talk about the koalas?’

  Lulu smiled.

  ‘I know that people want to build more houses at Tarni Beach,’ said Lulu. ‘Why wouldn’t they? It is so very beautiful here.’

  Mr O’Connor nodded slowly.

  ‘My family and I love coming here,’ said Lulu. ‘It’s one of the best places in the world.’

  Zac smiled in encouragement. ‘My family loves it too.’

  ‘One of my favourite things about Tarni Beach is the way the wild animals come right into the garden,’ said Lulu.

  ‘The blasted kangaroos eat my vegetables,’ said grumpy Mr O’Connor.

  ‘You’re so lucky, Mr O’Connor,’ said Lulu. ‘I wish I’d seen Tarni Beach years ago when there were hundreds of koalas living in the forest here. Yesterday we were so excited to see two.

  ‘And then we realised they were only there because they were frightened and hurt. I feel so sad when I think that in a year or two, there might not be any wild animals at Tarni Beach. No koalas. No kangaroos. No trees. Nothing but big buildings and noisy people.’

  Mr O’Connor sputtered. ‘I … I don’t think that will happen.’

  ‘I’ve written you a letter,’ said Lulu. ‘I really hope you read it. And maybe if you get a chance, you might like to visit the koalas in hospital.’

  Mr O’Connor stood at the door for a moment. Slowly he opened the letter.

  * * *

  Dear Mr O’Connor,

  My name is Tarni Lulu. I am a koala. Tarni Beach is my home. I live here with my joey Tarni Zac, my koala friends and lots of other wild animals. Once upon a time, Tarni Beach was a paradise. There were lots of beautiful gum trees. Hundreds of koalas lived here.

  Then things changed. People cut down trees. They built houses and roads. Bulldozers, cars and new animals hurt my friends. We still made our home among the gum trees, but there were less of us.

  One day a bulldozer came and destroyed my home. It made a loud noise and smashed everything in sight. I was frightened. I ran away with my joey on my back. I was hurt. A kind vet took us to the koala hospital and saved my life. But lots of my friends were not so lucky. When I come home there will be nothing left.

  But it doesn’t have to be this way.

  Please, Mr O’Connor, don’t take our home away.

  Yours in hope,

  Tarni Lulu and Tarni Zac

  * * *

  Chapter 10

  Surfing

  Back at the house, the table was set with a delicious spread of food for lunch. One platter had sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce and avocado. Another had strips of cold chicken, cheese and ham. Freshly baked rolls were heaped in a bowl.

  ‘Finally!’ said Rosie. ‘Lulu and Zac are back. We can eat lunch.’

  ‘Great,’ said Lulu. ‘I’m starving.’

  Everyone sat around the long table on the verandah. They chatted and laughed as the platters were passed around. Lulu piled chicken and salad onto a roll. Her mouth watered with the yeasty smell of warm bread.

  ‘Is everything all right, honey bun?’ asked Mum.

  Lulu gave a super-big grin. ‘Absolutely.’

  After lunch, the two families went back down to the beach. Lulu and Zac carried their surfboards.

  As they walked through the garden it was all quiet. There was no noise from the bulldozer next door. Maybe Mr O’Connor had read her letter and decided not to clear any more trees. Lulu hugged the thought to her heart like a treasure.

  Lulu stood on top of the dunes and gazed down at the long stretch of empty sand.

  The beach was golden and warm in the late afternoon sun. The waves crashed on the sand, filling the air with salty spray. Seagulls swooped and squawked on the breeze.

  ‘Perfect waves now, sweetie,’ said Dad. ‘The tide is coming in again.’

  Lulu nodded. She flicked her hair over her shoulder. ‘Come on, Zac,’ said Lulu. ‘Let’s surf.’

  Lulu paddled out to where the waves were breaking. Dad waded out too. A wave started to form.

  ‘Ready, sweetie?’ asked Dad. Lulu took a deep breath. She turned the board towards the shore and paddled.

  On the beach she could see Mum and Gus digging to make a sandcastle. Rosie and Mia splashed in the shallows. Dad gave the board a strong push.

  Lulu paddled harder. The board reached the crest of the wave. Lulu pushed herself from her tummy to her feet. She felt the board wobble. She shifted her weight and stood straighter.

  Lulu was flying. She held her arms out wide to help her balance. The wave moved faster. It felt wonderful!

  As Lulu flew along a splash caught her eye. A head broke through the water. It was a dolphin surfing beside her!

  ‘Woohoo!’ hooted Lulu. ‘I did it!’

  ‘Great wave, Lulu,’ yelled Dad. ‘I knew you could do it with a little practice.’

  ‘And it’s much easier when you’re happy,’ added Lulu.

  Mum grabbed the camera. She snapped photos as Lulu and the dolphin rode the wave. Zac gave her a big grin and a thumbs-up.

  ‘Yay!’ yelled Gus. ‘Do it again?’

  ‘You bet, Gussie!’ called Lulu. She jumped back into the water and paddled out into the deep.

  Chapter 11

  A Dinner Guest

  That evening there was a knock on the door downstairs. Lulu, Rosie, Mia and Zac were playing a board game on the rug. Gus was driving his truck under the kitchen table. Alison went to the door and brought someone up the stairs.

  ‘Lulu and Zac,’ said Alison, ‘you have a visitor.’

  Everyone looked up. Mr O’Connor stood there. He nodded at everyone. His face looked serious. The two children stood up. Mum came in from the kitchen.

  ‘Lulu and Zac, I came to say thank you,’ Mr O’Connor said. ‘You were right. I was so lucky to grow up here. When I was a boy lots of koalas and wildlife lived in the bush. I guess I forgot how special that was.’

  Lulu smiled at Mr O’Connor. He smiled back.

  ‘I went to the koala hospital,’ said Mr O’Connor.

  ‘Are Tarni Lulu and Tarni Zac all right?’ asked Lulu.

  ‘Great,’ said Mr O’Connor. ‘Monica said she is going to release them back here next week.’

  All the children looked at each other in excitement.

  ‘Monica talked to me about clearing the land,’ said Mr O’Connor. ‘She suggested that we clear the middle of the block for new houses. But we could leave lots of tall trees that koalas like to eat.’

  He paused. ‘It seems to me like a good idea.’

  Lulu jiggled up and down. ‘Really?’ she said. ‘You’re going to save trees for the koalas?’

  Mr O’Connor nodded. ‘We could also plant some new gum trees between the houses.’

  Mum stood behind Lulu. She put her hands on Lulu’s shoulders and gave a little squeeze.

  ‘That sounds like a wonderful idea, Mr O’Connor,’ said Mum. ‘Perhaps you’d like to stay for dinner and we can talk about it?’

  Mr O’Connor looked around. Gus pushed his tru
ck out into the middle of the floor.

  ‘Brooom!’ he shouted.

  Mr O’Connor smiled around at everyone. ‘I’d be delighted to stay.’

  Lulu Bell and the Arabian Nights

  It’s Harmony Day at Shelly Beach School, and Lulu’s class is going to star in the school play. What will be the special theme this year?

  Lulu is sure that the new girl in her class will have good ideas. How can she make Amira feel welcome? The answer is a happy surprise for everyone!

  Out now

  Read all the Lulu Bell books

  Lulu Bell and the Birthday Unicorn

  Lulu Bell and the Fairy Penguin

  Lulu Bell and the Cubby Fort

  Lulu Bell and the Moon Dragon

  Lulu Bell and the Circus Pup

  Lulu Bell and the Sea Turtle

  Lulu Bell and the Tiger Cub

  Lulu Bell and the Pyjama Party

  Lulu Bell and the Christmas Elf

  Lulu Bell and the Koala Joey

  Lulu Bell and the Arabian Nights

  Plus more to come!

  About the Author

  Belinda Murrell grew up in a vet hospital and Lulu Bell is based on some of the adventures she shared with her own animals. After studying Literature at Macquarie University, Belinda worked as a travel journalist, editor and technical writer. A few years ago, she began to write stories for her own three children – Nick, Emily and Lachlan. Belinda’s books include the Sun Sword fantasy trilogy and her children’s novels The Locket of Dreams, The Ruby Talisman, The Ivory Rose, The Forgotten Pearl, The River Charm and The Sequin Star.

  www.belindamurrell.com.au

  About the Illustrator

  Serena Geddes spent six years working with a fabulously mad group of talented artists at Walt Disney Studios in Sydney before embarking on the path of picture book illustration in 2009. She works both traditionally and digitally and has illustrated many books, ranging from picture books to board books to junior novels.

  www.serenageddes.com.au

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted by any person or entity, including internet search engines or retailers, in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including printing, photocopying (except under the statutory exceptions provisions of the Australian Copyright Act 1968), recording, scanning or by any information storage and retrieval system without the prior written permission of Random House Australia. Any unauthorised distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.

  Version 1.0

  Lulu Bell and the Koala Joey

  9780857985491

  First published by Random House Australia in 2015

  Copyright © Belinda Murrell 2015

  Illustrations copyright © Serena Geddes 2015

  The moral rights of the author and illustrator have been asserted.

  A Random House Australia book

  Published by Random House Australia Pty Ltd

  Level 3, 100 Pacific Highway, North Sydney NSW 2060 www.randomhouse.com.au

  Random House Books is part of the Penguin Random House group of companies whose addresses can be found at global.penguinrandomhouse.com/offices.

  National Library of Australia

  Cataloguing-in-Publication entry

  Author: Murrell, Belinda

  Title: Lulu Bell and the Koala Joey/Belinda Murrell; illustrated by Serena Geddes

  ISBN: 978 0 85798 549 1 (ebook)

  Series: Murrell, Belinda. Lulu Bell; 10

  Target audience: For primary school age

  Subjects: Koala – Juvenile fiction

  Holidays – Juvenile fiction

  Other authors/contributors: Geddes, Serena, illustrator

  Dewey number: A823.4

  Cover design by Christabella Designs

  Internal design and typesetting by Ingo Voss, Voss Design, based on a series design by Anna Warren, Warren Ventures

  eBook production by First Source

  Loved the book?

  * * *

  There’s so much more stuff to check out online

  AUSTRALIAN READERS:

  randomhouse.com.au/kids

  NEW ZEALAND READERS:

  randomhouse.co.nz/kids

  * * *