Addison the April Fool's Day Fairy Read online

  Humans and fairies love to giggle.

  Their shoulders shake and tummies wiggle.

  They snicker and laugh at pranks all day.

  They’re all so foolish in every way.

  April Fool’s Day is one big joke.

  When I ruin it, I’ll go for broke.

  Fairies should know it’s not just silly fun.

  Now it’s my turn to laugh at everyone.

  When I steal that fairy’s magic things,

  They’ll see the trouble that it brings!

  Find the hidden letters in the stars throughout this book. Unscramble all 8 letters to spell a special April Fool’s word!

  Cover

  Title Page

  Dedication

  Map

  Poem

  Time for Fun

  The Eve of April

  Goblins Are Fools

  A Lack of Laughs

  Goblin Grumbles

  A Wonderful Watch

  Jelly-Bean Jumble

  Musical Mayhem

  The Almost Jokes

  Not-So-Tasty Tricks

  Sandwich Creams and Jelly Beans

  Sneaky Snakes

  The Key to the Holiday

  A Scary Discovery

  The Frosty Wand

  Unlucky Penny

  Ping-Pong Peril

  Party Prank

  Teaser

  Also Available

  Copyright

  The Eve of April

  Goblins Are Fools

  A Lack of Laughs

  Goblin Grumbles

  A Wonderful Watch

  It was the last day of March, and Rachel Walker could not have been happier. Her best friend, Kirsty Tate, was spending the night. On top of that, Kirsty was going to school with her the next day!

  “You’re going to love Ms. Hilaria,” Rachel insisted. “She’s such a fun teacher. I think she might have some good jokes planned for April Fool’s Day.”

  “Oh, I hope so!” Kirsty said with a smile. “I love April Fool’s Day.”

  “Me, too,” Rachel agreed.

  The two girls agreed on a lot of things. They both loved a good joke. They both liked eating ice cream for a special after-school treat. They both believed in fairies. More than that, they were both friends with the fairies!

  “You know, I sometimes think Ms. Hilaria believes in fairies,” Rachel told Kirsty.

  “Really? Why?” Kirsty asked.

  “She suggested I read a book series about fairies, and she told me that she used to have dreams about visiting a special place where fairies lived,” Rachel explained. She had a twinkle in her eye while she spoke.

  “Just like Fairyland,” Kirsty said. “I love when we dream about Fairyland!” Rachel and Kirsty sometimes had the same dreams. This often happened when the king and queen of Fairyland were trying to send them a message. Whenever King Oberon and Queen Titania needed help, they called Kirsty and Rachel first. Jack Frost was Fairyland’s top troublemaker, and the girls had helped the fairies defeat him and his tricky goblins many times.

  “I like those dreams, too, but I like it even better when we actually go to Fairyland,” Rachel admitted.

  “Me, too.”

  The two friends smiled at each other. They knew they were very lucky to have fairy friends.

  Both girls had already brushed their teeth and put on their pajamas. They settled into bed to read before they turned off the light.

  “Hey!” Rachel said with a laugh. “Are you trying to pull the first prank of April Fool’s Day?” She pointed to her wall calendar.

  Kirsty followed Rachel’s gaze and noticed that the calendar was turned to the month of February. “No, I didn’t change it,” Kirsty insisted. “Besides, I know that wouldn’t trick you. You’d never think it was still February.”

  “I wonder if it was my mom,” Rachel said. “I’m going to ask her. She has to do better than that if she wants to fool me!”

  Rachel marched over to her bedroom door. She had a proud grin on her face, but her playful mood changed when she couldn’t turn the doorknob. “What’s going on?” she asked, frowning. “The doorknob is all slippery.” Rachel tried to turn it with her other hand. When that didn’t work, she started to pull on the door with all her might. “Why won’t it open?” she complained. “This isn’t funny anymore.”

  Kirsty started to worry. Were they stuck in Rachel’s room? Just then, Kirsty heard a sweet giggle chime in her ears. It sounded familiar! “Rachel, did you hear that? I think it’s a fairy playing a joke on you!” Kirsty said with excitement.

  “Well, whoever is doing it, it’s not very funny,” Rachel said. She planted her feet firmly on the wood floor and yanked on the door with both hands. All at once she lost her grip and landed with a loud thump.

  “Oh, no,” a tiny voice whispered in Kirsty’s ear. “It’s worse than I thought.”

  Kirsty looked around and spotted a magical glow floating past her ear.

  When the glow came to rest on the edge of Rachel’s bed, Kirsty could see what she already knew: It was a fairy! The fairy buried her head in her hands. Her loose, dark curls swung forward. Even though Kirsty couldn’t see her face, she knew the fairy was crying.

  “Rachel,” Kirsty whispered, “it’s a fairy!” Kirsty reached forward and gave her friend’s shoulder a nudge, but Rachel just shook her head. Kirsty knew something wasn’t right. Rachel was usually excited to meet a new fairy!

  Kirsty quickly turned to the tiny fairy perched on Rachel’s bed. “Hello, I’m Kirsty. Can I help you?”

  “It’s just so sad,” she said. Her face was somber, but her outfit was cheerful. She wore a sleeveless dress with pink and white stripes. A sparkly belt and mint-green ballet shoes added bright spring color. She had creamy brown skin, and her deep brown eyes were red from crying.

  “What’s wrong?” Kirsty asked.

  “It’s just so sad when a good joke gets ruined,” she said.

  “So you’re the one who changed the calendar page,” Kirsty replied, glancing over at Rachel, who was still slumped by the door.

  “Well, yes,” the fairy admitted. “But the real joke was the slippery doorknob. The other fairies said that Rachel has a good sense of humor, so I thought she’d like it.”

  “Normally, she does. Is there something strange going on?” Kirsty asked.

  “It’s all Jack Frost’s fault, as usual,” the fairy said with a sniff. “But I nearly forgot my manners.” The fairy sat up straight and smoothed the wrinkles out of her dress. “My name is Addison. I’m the April Fool’s Day Fairy.”

  “It’s so nice to meet you. I’m Kirsty.” She looked toward the door. “This is Rachel. Rachel, this is Addison.”

  Rachel shook her head. She seemed confused. “Oh, hello,” she said. “I didn’t see you there.”

  “Jack Frost is up to his old tricks,” Kirsty told Rachel.

  “This time, he’s messing with my favorite holiday,” Addison said. “April Fool’s Day is supposed to be a fun day, when people — and fairies — get to be a little mischievous. Everyone needs to exercise their sense of humor once in a while!” The fairy threw her hands up. “But Jack Frost doesn’t want anyone to have fun this year. He has stolen my three magical objects. They help make jokes work. Without them, pranks won’t be funny at all. Or worse, they could even seem mean. I need to get my objects back!”

  “Of course we’ll help,” Kirsty quickly reassured the flustered fairy.

  Rachel nodded. “Tell us about the objects,” she suggested.

  “The first is my magic watch. It helps peopl
e get jokes, so that they understand why they are funny.”

  Kirsty’s eyes grew wide. “Do you think that’s why Rachel didn’t laugh about the slippery doorknob?”

  “I do,” Addison replied. She gave Rachel a kind smile. “The watch also helps with the timing of jokes, which is a very important part of humor.”

  “What are the other objects?” Rachel asked.

  “The second one is a can of jelly beans,” Addison said.

  “Jelly beans?” Kirsty looked confused . . . and hungry.

  “Well, it’s a trick can. There’s a picture of jelly beans on the outside, but when you twist off the cap, toy snakes pop out! It’s a classic gag!” Addison slapped her leg as she giggled. “The jelly-bean can makes sure that pranks work.” She took a deep breath and sighed. “The third object is the most magical. It’s a key. It helps people understand when the joke is on them, and it gives them confidence to laugh at themselves.” The fairy’s fingers reached toward her neck. “I always wear the key right here, on a necklace.”

  There was nothing funny about that. “Jack Frost’s goblins took all the objects while I was sleeping. Then Jack Frost hid them in the human world. That means we have less than a day to get them back!”

  “Don’t worry, Addison,” Rachel said. “We’ve dealt with the goblins before. They are always losing things, and Kirsty and I always find them. We can help you save April Fool’s Day.”

  “That’s great news!” The fairy’s eyes began to sparkle. “Maybe we can start by planning some great jokes for your parents, Rachel.”

  “That’s a wonderful idea,” Rachel agreed. “They love April Fool’s Day.”

  With that, the three friends got started.

  The next morning, Mrs. Walker rushed into Rachel’s room in a frenzy. “Oh, girls,” she said, “we are late! I’m so sorry. I overslept.”

  Kirsty and Rachel sat up in bed and smiled at each other. Addison’s prank had worked! The fairy had magically changed all the clocks in the Walkers’ house. The clocks said 8:00, but Rachel and Kirsty knew it was still only 7:00. They had plenty of time to get to school by 9:00.

  “Happy April Fool’s Day!” the girls cried out, but Mrs. Walker just stared at them.

  “Mom, we aren’t late. We changed the clocks last night. We moved them forward an hour,” Rachel explained.

  “But that’s impossible. All the clocks in the house say it’s eight o’clock,” Mrs. Walker insisted, glancing at the clock on Rachel’s dresser. “You couldn’t have changed them all. Hurry! Get dressed. . . .” Her voice trailed off as she ran out of the room.

  “I guess Addison’s magic worked too well,” Kirsty said. “Your mom can’t believe all the clocks are wrong.”

  “She didn’t think it was funny,” Rachel said, sounding disappointed.

  “That’s because Addison’s watch is missing,” Kirsty reminded her friend. “Addison said that would happen. Let’s get ready and see if any of our other pranks work,” Kirsty said hopefully.

  The girls pulled their clothes on and hurried downstairs.

  “Good morning,” Mr. Walker greeted them in the kitchen. “Your mom was mistaken about the clocks, so we have plenty of time for breakfast, if you’re hungry.”

  “Sure,” Rachel said. She searched her dad’s face for a smile, but there was not even a hint of one.

  The clock above the kitchen sink was back to the actual time, but Rachel’s parents still didn’t realize it had been a joke.

  The girls eagerly watched as Mr. Walker reached for the sugar bowl. They had replaced the sugar with salt the night before. He put a spoonful in his coffee and stirred it.

  Rachel bit her lip. Her dad took a sip and frowned. Then he sipped some more.

  “April Fool’s!” she called out.

  “What?” Mr. Walker asked.

  “It’s an April Fool’s joke,” Rachel explained. “We switched the sugar and salt. You put salt in your coffee!”

  “Huh,” Mr. Walker said. “It doesn’t taste that bad.”

  “Here, I’ll pour you a fresh cup, so you can put sugar in it,” Rachel offered.

  “Oh, no. It’s really fine,” Mr. Walker said. “I like it like this.” He didn’t laugh or smile. He just took another swallow.

  Rachel looked at Kirsty with concern. This wasn’t like her dad at all! He usually loved a good April Fool’s Day prank. He laughed at his own jokes, even when they weren’t that funny.

  Mrs. Walker stepped into the kitchen and poured herself some cereal. Mr. Walker poured himself a bowl, too. Addison had helped the girls switch the cereals into different boxes the night before, but Rachel’s parents didn’t seem to notice.

  “My mom always eats the nutty granola,” Rachel whispered to Kirsty. “And my dad likes the Honey O’s.” Kirsty shook her head as she watched Mrs. Walker eat the O’s that she had poured out of the granola box. Mr. Walker crunched down on the big nuggets of granola.

  “How’s your cereal?” Kirsty asked when she sat down with her own bowl.

  “Just fine,” the Walkers said at the same time. Kirsty thought it was kind of spooky.

  As soon as they were done eating, Rachel pulled Kirsty into the front hallway. “I think we should get to school,” she said. “If things are this weird here, I can’t imagine what’s happening there.”

  “And maybe we’ll find Addison and some of her objects,” Kirsty added.

  “I certainly hope so,” Rachel said, “or else this will be one sad April Fool’s Day.”

  “Is your school always like this?” Kirsty asked as they walked through the front doors. Kids were running in the halls and teachers were rushing around, looking serious.

  Rachel shook her head. “No, it’s not.”

  Kirsty noticed that all of the bulletin boards looked strange. Someone had switched all the letters.

  “That’s not even a good prank,” Rachel said. “Someone scrambled the letters on the signs, but they don’t say anything. That’s not funny at all.”

  Just then, Kirsty felt a tug on her hair. It was Addison! “Hello, girls!” the fairy greeted them. “Don’t forget that my watch is missing. It’s hard to tell if anything is funny when I don’t have my watch,” the fairy whispered.

  “Nothing will be funny if someone sees you,” Rachel said in a hushed voice. “You need to hide, Addison.”

  “Okay,” Addison agreed, looking around and seeing all the kids. “But you’ll look for my magic objects, right?”

  “Absolutely,” Kirsty assured her. “We’ll find them all before April Fool’s Day is over.”

  As soon as she heard this, Addison flew down and ducked into one of the square pockets on the front of Rachel’s sweater.

  Rachel took Kirsty’s hand and gave it a light tug. “This is my classroom,” she said. As soon as they entered, Kirsty knew something was wrong. All the kids were bunched together in front of the storage cubbies, grumbling.

  A boy wearing a striped sweatshirt picked at the name tag above one of the cubbies. “Hi, Rachel,” he said with a scowl. “Someone turned all our name tags upside down. Why would anyone do that?”

  “I don’t know, Aaron,” Rachel said. “That’s frustrating.” She introduced the boy to Kirsty. Then she led her friend to the last cubby in the row. “Here’s mine,” she said.

  Addison poked her head out of Rachel’s pocket. “This prank looks like it took a long time to do,” the fairy said. “It’s not a bad joke, really. It’s sad that no one thinks it’s funny. No one’s laughing at anything today.”

  “Well, that’s because it’s annoying,” Rachel complained. She was trying to peel off her name tag without ripping it.

  “Now that I think of it, this could be the work of the goblins,” Addison said. “If they are here, my objects probably are, too.”

  Just then, the homeroom bell went off. But it
didn’t sound like a bell at all. It sounded like a chicken squawking. “That’s hilarious!” Addison declared with a giggle, bouncing up out of Rachel’s pocket.

  “Shhh,” Kirsty whispered. “You need to stay hidden or someone will see you.”

  Addison pouted and then ducked back into the pocket. She couldn’t believe that Rachel and Kirsty hadn’t laughed at the chicken bell. This was the worst April Fool’s Day ever!

  Just then, Ms. Hilaria hurried into the classroom. “I’m so sorry I’m late,” she said. “My clock was wrong this morning and I couldn’t find my watch.” She looked at the clock above the classroom door. It said 1:30. “That’s odd. This clock is wrong, too. I wonder what’s going on.” She flipped through papers on her desk and mumbled to herself.

  “Let’s go up. I should introduce you to her before class starts,” Rachel suggested. Kirsty nodded and followed Rachel up the aisle.

  As soon as Ms. Hilaria saw them, she smiled. “You must be Kirsty,” she said. “I’ve heard so much about you.”

  “And I’ve heard a lot about you,” Kirsty responded.

  “I hope you have a great day with us,” the teacher said. Then she asked Kirsty a couple of questions about her school.

  As they talked, Rachel’s eyes wandered around the room. There was a lot of stuff out of place. Addison’s hunch is right, Rachel thought. The goblins have been here. Just then, she heard a low grumble. And another. It didn’t take Rachel long to spot a flash of green in the corner of the room. The goblins were still in the room! What were they doing down there? Rachel was certain they were up to no good.

  Rachel tried to think. What should she do? What if Ms. Hilaria discovered the goblins?