Carla the Cheerleading Fairy Read online

  Title Page

  Dedication

  Map

  Poem

  Pom-pom Problems

  Perilous Practice

  A Magic Mission

  Terrific Tumblers!

  Cheerleading Chaos!

  A Reason to Cheer

  Picture-perfect

  Teamwork Trouble

  Hotel Highjinks

  Goblins Take the Cake

  Zipping and Zooming

  Taking a Bow

  Megaphone Madness

  Goblin Squad

  A Pep Talk

  An Icy Emcee

  Tricks and Tumbles

  Trophy Time

  Teaser

  Copyright

  You might think that you have a reason to cheer

  But I’ll make your good feelings—poof!—disappear.

  Magic pom-pom, hair bow, and megaphone, too—

  They’re mine now! No cheerleading magic for you.

  I’m sick of the cheer, the sunshine and smiles.

  I have to admit, they’re just not my style.

  So go on and try all your flips and your tumbles,

  But now, thanks to me, you’re going to stumble!

  Find the hidden letters in the stars throughout this book.

  Unscramble all 6 letters to spell a special cheerleading word!

  Perilous Practice

  A Magic Mission

  Terrific Tumblers!

  Cheerleading Chaos!

  A Reason to Cheer

  “I can’t believe we’re finally here!” Kirsty Tate cried, grinning. “I’ve always dreamed about taking part in a real cheerleading competition.”

  Her best friend, Rachel Walker, squeezed her hand. “I can believe it! You and your squad have worked really hard. I’m so glad I got to come along to watch you compete!”

  The girls linked arms and skipped across the huge lawn in the middle of the Cove College campus. They’d come to Cove City with Kirsty’s parents for the big Junior Cheerleading Competition that weekend! It was Kirsty’s first year on a squad, and this was their very first competition. Rachel and Kirsty had only just arrived, but the weekend already felt magical!

  “Tumble over that way!” Mr. Tate called from behind the girls, pointing to a large brick building on one corner of the lawn. The archway over the door read COVE COLLEGE GYMNASIUM.

  Kirsty smiled and did a series of cartwheels on her way to the gym. Rachel whooped and applauded as Mr. and Mrs. Tate caught up with them.

  “Is the rest of your squad meeting you here?” Rachel asked, pulling the gym door open.

  “Yup! It’s our last practice before the competition tomorrow,” Kirsty said, peering around the massive gym in awe. “Though I’m not sure how I’ll ever find them. This place is huge!”

  Girls and boys were scattered all over the gym. Some were stretching and warming up, while others chatted excitedly. Colorful mats covered the floor, and Rachel and Kirsty could see piles of pom-poms and stacks of megaphones over by the bleachers.

  “Kirsty!” a voice suddenly called. A girl with a curly black ponytail ran up and gave Kirsty a hug. “Can you believe all this?”

  Kirsty shook her head, smiling. “I guess we need a big gym to hold this much cheer!” She turned to Rachel. “Rachel, this is my friend Sunny. She’s the captain of our squad.”

  “I can’t wait to see your routine!” Rachel said, waving as Kirsty and Sunny ran off to join their teammates.

  “Come on, Rachel,” Mrs. Tate said. “Let’s find a spot on the bleachers to watch them practice.”

  From the bleachers, Rachel, Mr. Tate, and Mrs. Tate had a perfect view of the whole gym. There was an awful lot to see! Rachel counted ten different squads practicing before she turned her attention back to Kirsty’s team.

  “Okay, let’s go!” Sunny cried. She and a boy with spiky brown hair led the squad in their opening cheer. Rachel couldn’t help noticing that they were all out of sync—some of the kids were forgetting the words, and others were doing the wrong arm movements.

  Maybe they just need a minute to get warmed up, Rachel thought, frowning.

  Kirsty and her friends started to look more and more frustrated as they worked their way through the routine. Things weren’t getting better! One girl fell during a simple jump, and another accidentally kicked one of her teammates in the face while doing a cartwheel! Their coach, Mrs. Gold, stood to one side, shaking her head in confusion.

  “I’ve never seen them make so many mistakes,” Mrs. Tate murmured. “What could be going on?”

  “I don’t know,” Mr. Tate said. “But they’re not the only ones … ”

  He was right! Rachel had been so busy watching Kirsty’s squad that she hadn’t noticed, but all around the gym, kids were tripping and slipping through their routines. Everyone was forgetting moves, stumbling during tumbles, and dropping pom-poms. What a mess!

  Rachel looked back at Kirsty’s squad just in time to see them form a pyramid. Whew, Rachel thought, watching Sunny climb into place on the very top, at least that turned out okay! But suddenly, the pyramid began to wobble and sway—and then it collapsed!

  Rachel gasped, watching Kirsty and her teammates topple to the mat. Luckily, no one seemed to be hurt—but something was definitely not right …

  Just then, a flash of light caught Rachel’s eye. She blinked. What was that?

  There it is again! she thought, spotting a twinkle in a nearby pile of pom-poms. She had to get a closer look!

  “If it’s all right, I thought I’d take a walk around the gym and check out some of the other squads,” she said to Mr. and Mrs. Tate.

  Kirsty’s parents nodded. “Of course, Rachel,” Mr. Tate said with a smile. “Just make sure none of those crazy cheerleaders tumble into you!”

  Rachel laughed and headed down the bleachers, keeping her eyes on the pile of pom-poms. As she tiptoed closer, she saw the twinkling light again. This time, she could also see what was causing it—a tiny, shimmering fairy, nestled in the pom-poms! She had a dark brown ponytail and wore a colorful cheerleading uniform.

  “Hi!” Rachel whispered with a grin, sitting down next to the pile. “I’m Rachel. Is everything okay?”

  The fairy looked up at her in surprise, and then she smiled in relief. “Oh, Rachel, I was hoping you and Kirsty would find me! I’ve heard all about you.” She smoothed her skirt and suddenly looked sad. “I’m Carmen the Cheerleading Fairy. I’m sorry that I’m not full of more cheer right now—my magic objects are missing. Without them, cheerleading everywhere is a T-O-T-A-L disaster!”

  “Let me guess,” Rachel said. “Jack Frost is at it again?”

  Carmen nodded and crossed her arms angrily. “Of course! He’s such an icy old grouch, I shouldn’t be surprised that he’s taking it out on me.”

  Rachel glanced around the gym. “So that’s why this practice is such a mess!”

  “It’s awful, isn’t it?” Carmen sighed. “These kids have worked so hard to get to this competition, and now nothing is going right. I’m afraid someone might get seriously hurt if I don’t find my magic objects—and fast!”

  Nearby, a girl fell to the mat with a hard thud. Rachel flinched. Carmen was right—they had to fix this!

  “What do your objects look like?” she asked Carmen. “I’ll help you find them.”

  “Oh, thank you!” Carmen cheered, clapping her hands and grinning. “I was looking in this pile of pom-poms, hoping to find my magic pom-pom. It controls athleticism, and helps people nail their moves and cheerleading routines. But I don’t see it anywhere!” She shrugged.

  “Jack Frost and his goblins never make it easy,” Rachel said knowingly.

  “I’m also mis
sing my magic hair bow, which controls teamwork—helping people work together and support one another,” Carmen said. “And my magic megaphone is missing, too! That one controls confidence and positive attitudes—helping cheerleaders believe in themselves and look on the bright side.”

  Suddenly, a loud whistle echoed through the gym. Practice was over! All of the squads—including Kirsty’s—looked worried as they gathered their things.

  “Here, you can hide in my shirt pocket,” Rachel whispered, holding her pocket open while Carmen fluttered in to it. “Let’s fill Kirsty in, and then we’ll turn that frown upside down!”

  Carmen looked up and gave her a halfhearted smile.

  Rachel waved to Kirsty, and her friend walked over, hanging her head.

  “That was just awful!” Kirsty moaned. “If we perform like that tomorrow, we’re going to be the laughingstock of the whole competition.”

  Rachel gave Kirsty a hug, and then pulled her out of sight behind a rolled-up tumbling mat. “I know you’re feeling down,” she said, “but this might cheer you up!”

  Carmen peeked out of Rachel’s pocket and used her wand to send a swirl of sparkles into the air. “Hi, Kirsty! I’m Carmen the Cheerleading Fairy.”

  Kirsty gasped and her face lit up. “Oh, Carmen, I’m so happy to see you!”

  Rachel quickly explained the situation.

  “So that’s why everyone’s routines are going so badly!” Kirsty cried. “What a relief.”

  “Right,” Carmen said with a nod, raising her arms above her head. “Gimme an M! Gimme an E! Gimme an S! Gimme another S! What’s that spell? MESS!”

  Rachel squeezed Kirsty’s hand. “If we can find Carmen’s magic objects before tomorrow, maybe we can save the competition!”

  Kirsty jumped to her feet. “There’s no time to lose!” Then she frowned. “But where do we start?”

  Kirsty, Rachel, and Carmen scanned the busy gym. There was no sign of Carmen’s magic objects—or naughty goblins—anywhere!

  “We’re never going to find anything in here,” Rachel said. “It’s too crowded.”

  Kirsty looked thoughtful. “You’re right. Let’s look around the hallways until the gym clears out.” She flagged down her parents and got permission to explore, and then the girls slipped into the hall. Carmen ducked safely inside Rachel’s pocket again.

  After being in the loud gym, the hallway seemed extra-quiet. Rachel and Kirsty’s footsteps echoed as they walked.

  Suddenly, Carmen tugged on Rachel’s pocket. “Do you hear that?”

  Both girls froze, listening carefully. Carmen was right! There was something happening up ahead, around a corner. Rachel and Kirsty looked at each other in excitement. Could it be … goblins?

  Together they raced down the hall, careful to make as little noise as possible. When they reached the corner, they screeched to a stop and peeked around it.

  Both girls’ jaws dropped! There, in the adjacent hallway, was a whole group of goblins performing elaborate tumbling passes! They did cartwheels, handsprings, and flips, flying through the air as if they had springs on their hands and feet.

  “They’re amazing!” Kirsty whispered.

  Rachel nodded, her eyes wide. “And they never seem to get tired.”

  It was true! The goblins tumbled over and over, never stumbling or pausing for a break. They weren’t getting worn out at all—and they were clearly having a great time!

  Carmen tugged on Rachel’s ponytail. “That’s because they have my magic pom-pom!” she whispered, clapping her hands in excitement. “Remember, it controls athleticism—that’s why the goblins are nailing so many tumbling passes in a row.”

  She pointed to a trio of goblins nearby. One of them held a pair of pom-poms while two others tossed him high into the air … and one of the pom-poms was sparkling with fairy magic! “See? There it is!” Carmen continued.

  Kirsty almost let out a triumphant cheer, but Rachel clapped a hand over her mouth just in time.

  “Sorry,” Kirsty whispered with a giggle. “I got a little carried away!”

  Rachel grinned. “Let’s come up with a plan for getting the pom-pom back before the goblins notice us,” she said.

  Rachel and Kirsty sat down and put their heads together, whispering and thinking hard. But they hadn’t gotten very far when Carmen fluttered up out of Rachel’s pocket, peeked around the corner, and darted back faster than lightning. She landed on Kirsty’s shoulder, looking worried.

  “Oh no—we have to go, go, go!” she cried, pointing.

  When Kristy and Rachel peeked around the corner again, they understood what Carmen was cheering about. The goblins were still tumbling like cheerleading champions—right through the door at the end of the hallway!

  They were heading outside … and they were taking Carmen’s magic pom-pom with them!

  “Don’t let them get away!” Carmen cried.

  Rachel and Kirsty jumped to their feet and dashed down the hallway after the goblins. Carmen followed Kirsty closely, her ponytail blowing out behind her. The door was just swinging shut as they reached it and barreled through.

  Both girls screeched to a halt as the door slammed behind them. They looked around. Which way had the goblins gone?

  “There!” Kirsty cried, pointing to a familiar flash of green disappearing around one side of the gym. “They’re heading for the main lawn!”

  Rachel followed her friend as fast as she could run, trying to keep her eye on the goblin with the magic pom-pom. “Good thing the goblins are wearing clothes. Anyone who spots them will probably just think they’re kids!”

  When they rounded the corner, the girls had no trouble spotting the goblins. The tiny troublemakers were causing quite a scene! They tumbled across the paths, causing students to stumble and bikers to veer onto the grass. They somersaulted through flower beds, leaving a trail of dirty destruction behind them. They even cartwheeled through the fountain at the center of campus, splashing everyone nearby!

  “This is chaos!” Kirsty said, shaking her head. “We have to stop them before someone gets hurt.”

  Carmen tickled Kirsty’s ear to get her attention. “Luckily, it looks like the goblins are finally ready for a break.”

  Sure enough, the goblins had flopped down on the grass, tossing their pom-poms down beside them. They stretched out and chatted excitedly.

  “Did you see that amazing flip I did in the fountain?”

  “That was nothing compared to my seventeen back handsprings in a row!”

  “I out-tumbled all of you, no contest!”

  Rachel rolled her eyes. The goblins could always find something to brag about! And that gave her an idea …

  She whispered her plan to Kirsty and Carmen. Once Carmen had tucked herself safely back into Rachel’s shirt pocket, the two girls cheerfully approached the goblins.

  “Wow!” Kirsty exclaimed. “You’re all amazing tumblers!”

  The goblins sat up tall, grinning proudly.

  “I wish I could cheer like you,” Rachel added wistfully. “Could you teach us some moves?”

  “Sure!” the goblins cried in unison, jumping to their feet.

  A goblin grabbed the girls’ hands and led them to a wide-open area of grass. “First, you need to master a back handspring.” He demonstrated the move, making it look easy. Then he and his friends spotted Kirsty, then Rachel, making sure they didn’t fall as each girl gave it a try.

  “Wow, that was fun!” Rachel said with a laugh. She’d never done a back handspring before! And she had to admit—the goblins were good teachers!

  “Can you teach us a cheer sequence?” Kirsty asked the goblins.

  Another goblin stepped forward. “Absolutely! Here—you’ll need these.” He handed each girl a set of pom-poms.

  Rachel gasped—and then coughed, trying to cover her surprise. One of the pom-poms in her hand sparkled and shimmered.

  She couldn’t believe it. The goblin had handed her the magic pom-pom!

 
; “Ready? Let’s go!” the goblin cried, raising his pom-poms into the air.

  Rachel waved her pom-poms overhead, winking at Kirsty as the magic pom-pom glittered in the sunlight. She heard a squeal of excitement from her pocket. Carmen had spotted the magic pom-pom, too!

  The goblin began a cheer sequence, and his friends scrambled to their feet to join in. As Rachel lowered her pom-poms to clap them together, she brought the magic pom-pom close to her shirt pocket. Carmen reached out to touch it, and it immediately shrunk back to fairy size!

  “Got it!” Carmen cheered happily. In the blink of an eye, she twirled up in the air and disappeared in a shower of sparkles—taking the magic pom-pom with her!

  Rachel and Kirsty tried their best to pretend that nothing had happened, finishing out the cheer sequence enthusiastically.

  When they were done, the goblin who had had the magic pom-pom turned to face them. “Not bad, for beginners,” he said. “Of course, you’ll need to keep practicing if you want to be as good as me, but that’s—”

  Suddenly, he froze. He stared at Rachel, who held a pom-pom in one hand and nothing in the other.

  “Hey … what happened to your other pom-pom?” he asked slowly.

  Rachel shrugged. She didn’t want to lie, so she chose her words carefully. “I don’t think that pom-pom belonged to you, anyway—did it?”

  The goblin who had showed them the back handspring stepped forward, peering around frantically. “Wait! No! Did you give her the MAGIC pom-pom?” He smacked his forehead with one big, green hand. “And now it’s missing? Jack Frost is never going to let us hear the end of this!”

  The other goblin snorted. “This never would have happened in the first place if you hadn’t been such a show-off!”

  “Me?” the first goblin cried. “I’m not the one who handed the magic pom-pom to a total stranger!”