Kayla the Pottery Fairy Read online

  I’m a wonderful painter — have you heard of me?

  Behold my artistic ability!

  With palette, brush, and paints in hand,

  I’ll be the most famous artist in all the land!

  The Magical Crafts Fairies can’t stop me!

  I’ll steal their magic, and then you’ll see

  That everyone, no matter what the cost,

  Will want a painting done by Jack Frost!

  Cover

  Title Page

  Dedication

  Map

  Poem

  Crafts Week

  Art Attack!

  Clay Catastrophe

  In a Spin!

  Precious Pottery

  Glittering Glazes

  Teaser

  Copyright

  “I can see Rainspell Island!” Rachel Walker cried as the ferry sailed across the blue-green sea, foamy waves slapping against its sides. Up ahead was a rocky island with soaring cliffs and sandy golden beaches. Rachel turned to her best friend, Kirsty Tate, with a smile. “It’s not far now.”

  “Aren’t we lucky, Rachel?” Kirsty asked, her face bright with excitement. “We visited here not that long ago for the music festival, and now we’re back again for Crafts Week!” “And maybe some fairy adventures, too?” Rachel whispered hopefully.

  “Maybe . . . if we’re really lucky,” said Kirsty with a grin.

  The girls had met for the first time on Rainspell Island on vacation with their families. While exploring the island together, they’d made an amazing discovery — they’d found a tiny fairy named Ruby! Ever since then, Rachel and Kirsty had been loyal friends of the fairies. The girls had helped their magical friends many times when selfish Jack Frost and his goblins were causing chaos in Fairyland.

  The ferry docked at the pier, and the girls’ parents came up from below deck with all of their bags.

  “That’s our taxi,” said Mr. Tate, pointing out a car waiting on the pier.

  “Mom said you can come and stay with us at the b and b for a few nights, Rachel,” Kirsty said as they left the ferry.

  “And you can come and stay at the campsite with us,” Rachel added eagerly. “It’ll be fun!”

  Once the bags had been loaded into the taxi, the driver headed for Daffodil Cottage, the bed and breakfast where the Tates were staying. As they drove up, Rachel noticed that Rainspell Island was looking especially green and gorgeous. It was spring, and the wildflowers were in full bloom.

  Before long, they arrived at Daffodil Cottage, a pretty little house with a thatched roof.

  “Mom, can I go over to the campsite with Rachel?” Kirsty asked as the taxi driver unloaded their bags.

  “Of course,” Mrs. Tate replied. “We’ll come and pick you up later.”

  The campsite was a little farther down the road in a large field. When they arrived, Rachel and Kirsty jumped out of the taxi, thrilled to see that Mr. and Mrs. Walker had rented one of the biggest tents on the site.

  “Look, Kirsty, it’s just like a canvas house!” Rachel said, running around the tent. “There are separate bedrooms and a living room.”

  “Cool!” Kirsty laughed, just as excited. “We can have a midnight dance party without waking up your mom and dad.”

  “Rachel, why don’t you and Kirsty head into town and find out more about Crafts Week?” Mrs. Walker suggested. “Your dad and I will unpack.”

  “OK,” Rachel agreed.

  “There’s an information booth in the town square,” Mr. Walker told the girls. “The organizers will be able to tell you exactly what’s happening this week.”

  The girls left the tent and hurried across the field. The town wasn’t very far away at all — in fact, they could see the rooftops in the distance. They climbed over a small fence and then wandered down a twisty country lane.

  “I always get the feeling that something magical is going to happen on Rainspell,” Kirsty said dreamily.

  “That’s because it always does!” Rachel laughed.

  The girls had been to town many times before, so they found their way to the square easily. It was very busy, with lots of families milling around. In the middle of the square was a large red-and-white striped tent with RAINSPELL ISLAND CRAFTS WEEK embroidered on it in gold letters.

  It was even busier inside the tent. There was a long line of people waiting to speak to the organizer, who stood behind a table piled with pamphlets. She was handing them out as fast as she could, so the girls joined the end of the line to patiently wait their turn.

  “Hello, girls! How can I help you?” the woman asked when Rachel and Kirsty finally reached the table. She was wearing a name badge that said ARTEMIS JOHNSON.

  “Hello, Miss Johnson,” Kirsty said politely. “My friend Rachel and I would like some information about Crafts Week.”

  “Please call me Artie!” The woman beamed at them. “Now, are you interested in any particular activities?”

  “We’re staying here for the whole week, so we want to try everything,” Rachel explained.

  “Fantastic!” Artie replied. “The activities are taking place all over the island, so here’s a map to show you where.” She handed the map to Kirsty. “There’s a pottery class in the hall down by the pier. You can make jewelry at the accessories store and learn to bake at the cookie shop, and lots more!”

  The girls glanced at each other in delight. They hardly knew where to start!

  “Oh, and at the end of the week there will be a special outdoor exhibition,” Artie added. “Everyone who has participated in Crafts Week can enter something they’ve made, and we’ll be giving out prizes.”

  “That sounds great! Thanks, Artie,” said Rachel.

  “Before you go, take a look at our arts-and-crafts display.” Artie gestured at a table on the other side of the tent. “Everything there has been made by our professional Crafts Week instructors.”

  The girls went over to take a look. The centerpiece on the table was a magnificent strawberry shortcake that made Kirsty’s mouth water just looking at it. The cake was surrounded by paintings of wildflowers and pencil sketches of Rainspell Island, alongside a patchwork quilt, delicate silver jewelry, and handmade books. There was also a display of curvy clay pots coated with a shiny blue glaze.

  “I’d love to learn how to make a clay pot,” Kirsty said to Rachel.

  “I think it’s called throwing a pot,” Rachel said with a grin. “Or maybe that’s just what you do if you make a mistake!”

  “Hello, girls,” said a tiny voice out of nowhere. “Would you like to have even more magical crafts fun?”

  At first, Rachel and Kirsty were startled. Then they both smiled from ear to ear — a little fairy was peeking over the rim of one of the shiny blue pots! She waved happily at them.

  “I’m Kayla the Pottery Fairy,” she explained, her eyes twinkling cheerfully. She looked very pretty in her denim shirtdress, cropped gray leggings, and pink shoes. “I’m one of the seven Magical Crafts Fairies, and I’m here to invite you to a very special event in Fairyland. Would you like to come?”

  “Yes, please!” the girls cried in unison. Even though they’d visited Fairyland many times, it was still a huge thrill to go back!

  Kayla tumbled out of the pot and fluttered underneath the table, hidden from view by the folds of the tablecloth.

  Rachel and Kirsty quickly ducked under the table, too. Then, with one flick of her wand, Kayla’s glittery magic whirled them all away to Fairyland.

  A few magical seconds later, the girls found themselves surrounded
by the familiar toadstool houses of Fairyland. They’d landed in the middle of a huge crowd of fairies clustered around a podium that had been set up on the riverbank. Queen Titania and King Oberon were on the podium, seated on their golden thrones. Bertram, their frog footman, stood nearby. Then Kirsty noticed a silver banner strung above the podium. MAGICAL CRAFTS WEEK was painted on it in scarlet letters.

  Kirsty was amazed. “You’re having a Crafts Week, too, Kayla?” she said.

  “We are!” Kayla grinned. “It’s organized by me and the other Magical Crafts Fairies. Why don’t you come and meet them? We’re just waiting for Queen Titania and King Oberon to open Crafts Week.”

  Kayla led the way through the crowd toward the podium. The girls followed, waving and calling hello as they spotted lots of their old friends.

  In front of the podium, six fairies were having a serious discussion.

  “Girls, these are the other Magical Crafts Fairies,” Kayla said, pointing her wand at each of them in turn. “Annabelle the Drawing Fairy, Zadie the Sewing Fairy, Josie the Jewelry Fairy, Violet the Painting Fairy, Libby the Writing Fairy, and Roxie the Baking Fairy.”

  “Welcome to Magical Crafts Week, girls!” the fairies said all together, smiling.

  “I’m sure you’ve already guessed that it’s our job to make sure that crafts are fun in both the human and the fairy worlds,” Roxie added.

  “All the fairies will be trying out lots of different crafts this week, just like you,” Kayla told Rachel and Kirsty. “At the end of the week, Queen Titania and King Oberon will pick the best, most beautiful things and use them to decorate their palace!”

  At that moment, Bertram hopped to the front of the podium. “Silence for their Royal Majesties, King Oberon and Queen Titania,” he proclaimed.

  The king and queen stepped forward. “Welcome, one and all, to our Magical Crafts Week,” the queen said. “I see that some special friends have come to join us!” She directed a sweet smile at the girls.

  Suddenly, to her surprise, Rachel spotted a green balloon sailing over the crowd. The balloon was heading straight for the podium! Before Rachel knew what was happening, it hit the floor next to Queen Titania and exploded, splattering bright green paint all over her sparkling silver gown. Everyone in the crowd gasped, and the queen cried out in distress.

  “What’s happening?” Rachel cried. She and Kirsty ducked as more paint-filled balloons zoomed toward the podium. These balloons burst near the Magical Crafts Fairies, covering them in green paint, too!

  Each of the Magical Crafts Fairies had been holding her special magic object, but they set them down on the grass as they attempted to clean themselves up. Just then, Kirsty spotted a familiar, icy figure striding through the crowd.

  “We should have guessed, Rachel!” Kirsty groaned. “It’s Jack Frost!”

  Grinning with glee, Jack Frost headed for the podium. Rachel noticed that he had a big leather bag hanging on his frosty shoulder. Behind him, a group of goblins hurled more paint-filled balloons in every direction. Some of the fairies ran for cover, while others tried to catch the balloons before they popped.

  In the middle of the chaos, Jack Frost jumped onto the podium. At that moment, the girls heard a shout from Kayla.

  “Jack Frost stole all of our magic objects!” she cried.

  “Of course I did!” Jack Frost sneered triumphantly. Rachel and Kirsty were shocked to see that he was clutching Kayla’s vase, along with the six other magic objects. “After all, I’m the greatest artist ever! And I’m going to make sure that no one — fairy or human — uses these objects to try to be better than me!”

  Jack Frost shoved the vase and other objects into his bag, as the goblins charged onto the podium to join him. Then, with one sweep of his wand, Jack Frost created a bolt of icy blue magic that whisked him and the goblins away to the human world.

  “This is a disaster!” King Oberon murmured, shaking his head. “Without the magic objects, crafting everywhere will be totally ruined!”

  The Magical Crafts Fairies looked at each other miserably, their wings drooping.

  “We can help,” Kirsty piped up from the front of the crowd. “Right, Rachel?”

  “Of course we can,” Rachel agreed. “Jack Frost isn’t going to get away with this!”

  “Oh, girls, you’re always here when we need you,” Queen Titania said gratefully. “And the Magical Crafts Fairies will help you however they can.”

  Kayla wiped a splotch of green paint off her nose and beckoned to Rachel and Kirsty. “Let’s get back to Rainspell Island right away, girls,” she said urgently.

  As Kayla waved her wand, Rachel and Kirsty felt her powerful magic whisk them up, up, and away from Fairyland. They could hear the other fairies calling, “Good luck!” Just a heartbeat later, the girls found themselves outside the information booth in the Rainspell Island town square. Kayla immediately darted out of sight into Rachel’s pocket.

  “Where should we start looking for your vase?” Kirsty asked her.

  “Jack Frost probably gave the magic objects to his goblins to keep safe,” Kayla guessed. “The goblins who have my vase will definitely want to do some pottery!”

  “Artie said we could try pottery in the hall down by the pier,” Rachel reminded Kirsty. “Let’s look there first.”

  The girls checked the Crafts Week map and then headed to the pier. On the way, Rachel was surprised to see a group of angry people stomp by, complaining loudly to one another about what a terrible time they were having. Rachel could see that they were spattered with something that looked like mud — and they weren’t the only ones! More people trailed along behind them, all covered with mud and all coming from the pier.

  “I wonder what’s going on?” Rachel remarked, scratching her head.

  At that moment, a woman wearing a dirty leather apron came hurrying toward them. Kirsty noticed her name tag — MADELEINE POTTS, POTTERY INSTRUCTOR — and called out to her as she went by.

  “Is everything OK?” Kirsty asked, concerned. “We were just on our way to your pottery class.”

  “I’d suggest you wait a little while, girls,” Madeleine Potts replied, sounding exasperated. “Some troublemaking boys have been causing complete chaos, throwing clay at everyone— including me!” She looked down at her clay-stained apron. “I’m going to get Artie to help me get them out of the pottery hall.” Then she dashed off.

  “Troublemaking boys?” Rachel repeated. “Sounds more like troublemaking goblins!”

  “Let’s go!” Kayla piped up excitedly from Rachel’s pocket.

  The girls ran the rest of the way to the pottery hall. When they arrived, they could hear shrieks and giggles inside.

  “Wait,” Kirsty said as Rachel reached for the door handle. “Maybe Kayla could turn us into fairies before we go in. It’ll be easier to stay out of sight.”

  “You’re right!” Kayla replied with a wink. She fluttered out of Rachel’s pocket, waved her wand, and surrounded the girls with a mist of sparkling magic. In no time at all, Rachel and Kirsty were the same size as Kayla, with delicate, translucent wings on their backs!

  The three friends flew through an open window into the hall. There, to their surprise, they found themselves right in the middle of a storm of wet clay! Blobs of clay were flying through the air, and Rachel gave a yelp as one of them knocked her off balance and sent her into a nosedive. She flapped her wings hard and managed to zoom up again. Kayla and Kirsty both dodged from side to side, trying to avoid being hit by clay, too.

  Kirsty glanced down and saw two goblins whooping with glee as they pelted each other with blob after blob of clay. Two more goblins had smeared clay all over the floor and were having fun sliding around as if they were on a skating rink.

  “Madeleine Potts was right,” Kirsty said breathlessly. “It’s chaos in here!”

  “Let’s hide somewhe
re safe,” Kayla suggested. “Then we can plan our next move.” She flew down and ducked behind a vase that stood in the middle of the potter’s wheel. Kirsty and Rachel followed. As they did, Kirsty noticed a shelf full of beautiful pots, vases, and jars nearby that were coated with bright, swirling glazes.

  “Did the goblins make those?” Kirsty whispered, pointing to the shelf.

  “Probably,” Kayla replied. “The magic from my special vase means they’ve become expert potters!” She frowned. “My vase is here somewhere. I can feel it. . . .”

  Rachel stared at the shelf, wondering if the goblins had hidden Kayla’s magic vase there with the others. But then Kayla gave a little squeal of excitement.

  “Oh, girls, look!” she exclaimed, pointing. “Look at that green backpack on the workbench. See the faint magical glow around it?”

  Rachel and Kirsty squinted at the open backpack. Inside was nestled a familiar, sparkly object — Kayla’s vase!

  “I have to get it back!” Kayla said, determined. “Wait here, girls.” Without another word, she zoomed straight toward the backpack. Suddenly, a goblin in a clay-smeared apron came out of a nearby closet labeled STOREROOM, right near the backpack. He was struggling, carrying a big and heavy block of clay. Kirsty and Rachel glanced at each other in dismay.

  “Hurry, Kayla!” Kirsty murmured. Their fairy friend still hadn’t realized the goblin was so close.