Michelle the Winter Wonderland Fairy Read online

  Title Page

  Dedication

  Map

  Poem

  The Snow Globe Search

  The Frosty Ferry

  Freezing and Steaming

  Wacky Winter Weather

  Sloshy Sleigh Ride

  Get That Globe!

  Hot on the Hat Trail

  Bitter Bitterness

  For the Birds

  A Charm against the Chill

  Gleeful Goblins

  Terrifying or Terrific?

  The Longest Night

  It Started with a Spark!

  Away We Go

  A Frosty Fairyland

  Snowballs and Snowbirds

  Snow Globe Spell

  Teaser

  Copyright

  Winter is my time of year.

  Why should it bring others cheer?

  Why do they like the wind and snow?

  This is what I want to know.

  They celebrate with candles and trees.

  But winter should bring them to their knees!

  Only I should enjoy the chill.

  And so I’ll break all others’ will.

  I stole Michelle’s magic things.

  We’ll see what havoc my crime brings.

  No snow! No sun! No fun snow play.

  Winter gloom is here to stay.

  Find the hidden letters in the stars throughout this book.

  Unscramble all 9 letters to spell a special winter

  wonderland word!

  The Frosty Ferry

  Freezing and Steaming

  Wacky Winter Weather

  Sloshy Sleigh Ride

  Get That Globe!

  “It was so nice of your mom to invite me on this trip,” Rachel Walker said to her best friend, Kirsty Tate. She looked out at the blue waves churning around the ferry and took a deep breath.

  “The trip was my mom’s prize for winning a painting contest. It was for her favorite travel website,” Kirsty explained. Kirsty was proud of her mom. Mrs. Tate’s oil painting was beautiful—a stunning close-up of the details of a deep green pine-tree branch, dusted with crystal-white snow. The painting’s background was of the serene landscape of snow-covered hills. “I’ve never been to Snowbound Island before, and this is the weekend of their famous Winter Wonder Festival.”

  “I’ve never been to a winter resort, either, but the photos on the website looked almost exactly like your mom’s painting,” Rachel said.

  “Maybe that’s why she won!” Kirsty mused. “You know, my mom said she was looking forward to sleeping in and having breakfast in bed, but I’m just excited to get out in the snow.”

  “I know. We haven’t had any snow at home at all.” Even though it was well into December and almost time to celebrate the winter holidays, the weather had been dreary and rainy.

  “My dad checked the forecast. They’ve had tons of snow on the island,” Kirsty said.

  “I think he was right,” Rachel said, pointing.

  Kirsty turned to see the sweetest tuft of land. It looked almost like a glacier, rising right out of the crashing waves. From this distance, they could see the ski slopes, treeless paths that curved down the steep mountainside. There was also a large, wooden building with smoke puffing out of the chimney. Kirsty guessed it must be the lodge. As the ferry chugged closer, the water became choppier. Rachel lost her balance, and both girls laughed as they grabbed the railing.

  “I can’t wait!” Rachel admitted. “I don’t know if I want to ski or skate first.”

  “Or snowshoe or sled,” Kirsty added, and then paused. “On second thought, sledding is my first choice. Definitely.”

  Just then, a door to the boat’s cabin opened, and Mr. Tate poked his head outside. “Brrrrr,” he said as the wind gusted by. “The captain said the sea is too cold and unruly, so you two need to come inside. There are huge waves and chunks of ice. It’s getting dangerous.”

  The girls glanced out at the ocean again. The jagged ice blocks seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, and they were floating right in the path to the island. The two girls took each other’s hand and carefully headed toward the door. They had been the only ones on the boat’s deck, but the cabin was full of people in parkas and hiking packs.

  “Did you hear that?” Kirsty whispered as soon as they entered the calm of the cabin.

  “What?” Rachel wondered. “I only heard the wind and waves.”

  “I thought I heard some kind of bell,” Kirsty explained. “Or maybe a chime. Just as we came inside.”

  Rachel studied her friend’s face. “Really?” Rachel asked hopefully.

  “Really,” Kirsty confirmed, a smile twitching at the edge of her mouth.

  “My fingers are crossed that you did,” Rachel said, searching around for a sparkle or some other sign. Chimes, bells, and sparkles gave both girls goose bumps—and for good reason. Ever since the girls first met each other on Rainspell Island, they had been friends of the fairies. They had met all kinds of fairies. Each fairy had a special talent or interest that was connected to her own special magic. It was amazing how much the fairies did in Fairyland and the human world. Their magic inspired fun, beauty, music, kindness, and so much more.

  It was also amazing how close Kirsty and Rachel had become to the fairies. The king and queen of Fairyland now reached out to the two girls whenever they needed help. Because pesky Jack Frost was always drumming up new, evil plans, the fairies needed help quite often. Of course, Rachel and Kirsty were always happy to aid their fairy friends!

  “Do you think Jack Frost might be up to something?” Kirsty whispered to her friend.

  “I don’t know,” Rachel responded. “But I hope he doesn’t ruin your mom’s special weekend.” She looked out the window as the ferry tossed and turned toward the dock. “It’s so pretty here. It seems especially evil for Jack Frost and his no-good goblins to be messing around on the island. They shouldn’t ruin everyone’s chance to be in nature and enjoy the wonders of winter.”

  Kirsty giggled to herself.

  “What?” Rachel asked.

  “You sound like you could write for the travel website,” Kirsty explained, but she knew what her best friend meant. A place like Snowbound Island was special, and they would do whatever they could to make sure that her parents—and all the guests—still had a marvelous time.

  One of the workers from the lodge was at the dock to meet them. She had on a thick army-green coat with fake fur trim on the hood and sleeves, and a thick scarf covered her nose and mouth.

  “Hi, I’m Devi,” the woman said. It was hard for the girls to understand her through her chattering teeth, but her brown eyes were bright and kind. “Welcome to Snowbound Island. Let’s go to the lodge.” Without a smile or a nod, Devi rushed off with her hands in her pockets.

  Rachel, the Tate family, and the other guests had to hurry to keep up with Devi. Each step was a struggle. The snow was deep. Kirsty was surprised by the cold. The bitter air seemed to freeze her lungs, and it made her bones hurt. They were all relieved when they reached the lodge.

  The lodge was beautiful. It had sturdy wood pillars in the seating area and rich log beams in the ceiling. There was a fireplace in the center that was made of large, oval stones, and a fire snapped and crackled. Best of all, the lodge was warm.

  “I’ve never felt cold like that before,” Rachel murmured to Kirsty, her lips tinged with blue. “It didn’t seem normal.”

  Devi overheard her. “The cold isn’t normal,” the guide admitted. “And it is a surprise. The temperature dropped a few hours ago, and it’s already a record low. The forecast said it will warm up, so we’re hopeful that we can still enjoy many outdo
or activities.”

  That was a relief! Kirsty and Rachel exchanged smiles. It would be horrible to have come all this way and not be able to go outside and play in the snow!

  “However,” Devi said, “for some strange reason, there isn’t enough snow on the sledding hill. So, the sledding hill is closed.”

  Kirsty’s shoulders slumped.

  “And so are the ski slopes.”

  Mr. Tate’s shoulders slumped.

  Rachel looked out the large picture window to the mountain above. From far away, it had looked like it was covered in snow. Now, she could see large muddy patches all down the slopes.

  Next, she noticed a group of people dressed in tan and army green—like Devi. They were all huddled in a corner, holding clipboards and shaking their heads.

  “Something’s going on,” Rachel whispered to Kirsty. “I don’t think it’s a coincidence that you heard a bell on the boat. I think something is up.”

  “Remember Queen Titania’s advice,” Kirsty said. “We have to wait for the magic to come to us.”

  One of the other guides rushed up to Devi and mumbled in her ear.

  “And there is no ice-skating today,” Devi announced, trying to force a smile as she marked something on her clipboard. “Maybe tomorrow,” she added hopefully, but her forehead was all wrinkled up.

  “Um, there is magic happening all around us,” Rachel said. “The bad kind of magic, the kind that Jack Frost uses.”

  Kirsty turned to her friend. It wasn’t like Rachel to make such bold statements.

  “We’re only here for the weekend. I want to make sure you and your family have fun, so let’s keep our eyes out,” Rachel said with a kind smile. “I’ll bet there’s something we can do.”

  Kirsty nodded. She was on board. Whenever they helped the fairies with a mission, they always had fun!

  “Time to go to your rooms,” Devi announced. “We’ll come by soon to tell you about the first activity.” Then Devi began to hand out keys to all the guests who had arrived on the ferry.

  “This one is for you,” Mr. Tate said, placing a snowflake key chain in Kirsty’s hand. “We’ll be right next door.”

  The girls unlocked their room and rushed inside. “It’s perfect!” Rachel said. Cozy plaid blankets covered the beds, and the pillows had soft, flannel covers. Rachel and Kirsty’s cheeks immediately turned pink from the warmth in the room.

  “It’s almost too cozy in here,” Kirsty admitted, taking off her coat.

  Rachel quickly took off hers as well.

  There was a knock at the door. “It’s me,” called Mr. Tate. When Rachel opened it, he rushed in and headed straight for the heater by the window. He looked at the thermostat and turned the dial. Then he banged on the heating unit. “That’s so weird,” he said, wiping his sweaty forehead with his sleeve. “Ours is too hot, too. I’ll go tell the front desk.”

  “Thanks, Dad,” Kirsty said as her dad left the room. After he was gone, the heating unit started to make banging sounds.

  “That’s odd,” Kirsty said, leaning closer to the metal grate. The hot rush of air made her eyes water. She blinked back tears as she stared into the vent. “I’m going to turn this all the way off,” Kirsty announced.

  As soon as the dial hit OFF, there was another noise. But this time it sounded like the clang of a bell. Almost immediately, a fabulous fairy burst out of the vent, flapping ice-blue wings that shimmered in the afternoon light!

  “Thank goodness! I escaped!” the fairy exclaimed. “That heater was scorching hot!” She pulled an adorable knit hat from her head and fanned her face. “It was like an oven in there!” The fairy took a moment to catch her breath, and the girls looked at her in awe. She wore a turquoise coat with big buttons. Her thick, black, curly hair came down to her shoulders and rested on a silver scarf. She wore high boots that almost reached her knees—and warm knee socks that reached even higher.

  As Kirsty and Rachel watched, the fairy pulled out her wand and whispered a charm. At once, a burst of tiny snow globes sprang from the wand and fell over her like a snow shower. The fairy sighed. “My wand has built-in air-conditioning,” she explained with a sigh. “That’s better.” The fairy placed her wand in her teeth and held it there as she put her hat back on her head. Then she introduced herself. “My name is Michelle, and I am the Winter Wonderland Fairy,” she declared with a smile. “As you might guess, I love winter!”

  “We love it, too,” Kirsty said to the fairy.

  “I’m Rachel, and this is Kirsty,” Rachel said. “We were wondering if we might meet a fairy here on the island!”

  “Well, Snowbound Island is always a magical place,” Michelle said. “But things are kind of wacky around here now. I’ll bet you can guess why. Jack Frost is up to his old tricks. His goblins stole my three magical items—the ones that help me make winter wonderful for everyone in the human and the fairy worlds.”

  “Do you know where your items are?” Kirsty asked.

  “Well, I suspect they are somewhere on the island. When Jack Frost zapped my items into the human world, he sent me and a bunch of his goblins, too. I ended up stuck in this heating vent. It was horrible! I think you broke Jack Frost’s spell when you turned the heat all the way off. Thank you,” Michelle said.

  Kirsty felt herself blush. “I was happy to help. What else can we do?”

  “Now I need to track down my three special objects. Will you help me?” As Michelle asked, she closed her eyes and crossed her fingers. “Pretty please?”

  “Of course we will,” Rachel insisted. “What are we looking for?”

  “My three objects are super cool, and not just because they protect the coolest season,” Michelle began to explain. “The first object is a snow globe. The snow globe makes sure there is enough snow for everyone to enjoy all the fun winter activities.” Michelle then began to list all her favorite snow activities, which took a long, long time. Michelle obviously loved winter!

  “The second object is a hat that looks a lot like the one I’m wearing.” She pointed to her own knit cap with her wand. “It has ears, too. It allows people to enjoy being outside, even though winter can get very chilly.

  “Object number three is very special, even though its importance is hard to explain. It is a bright yellow candle that I keep in a snowflake lantern. The candle represents how the days are shorter during winter, but also how they begin to get longer again after the winter solstice,” Michelle said. “The solstice is coming soon. I hope we have the candle back by then, or some really weird and wacky things might happen.”

  “Like what?” Kirsty asked.

  “I can’t be sure,” Michelle said. “But we should keep a lookout for it all the time.”

  Just then, there was knocking at the door. “Quick, Michelle, hide in my pocket!” Rachel instructed. The fairy did just that, but then grumbled about how hot it was.

  “Hello, girls,” Devi said when Kirsty opened the door. “It’s time for a sleigh ride!”

  “With real horses?” Rachel asked hopefully.

  “With real horses,” Devi answered. “We’ll be touring the island. There’s lots to see!”

  Kirsty and Rachel smiled at each other. That sounded like so much fun! The girls quickly gathered their warmest outdoor gear and hurried to the seating area in front of the lodge.

  “Don’t forget to put your scarf over your mouth,” Mrs. Tate said to both girls as they went outside. “And cover your ears,” she added, adjusting Kirsty’s hood.

  “We’ll be fine, Mom,” Kirsty assured her.

  “But it is dreadfully cold,” Mrs. Tate said.

  “Yes, but all the sleighs have heated seats. They are very fancy,” Devi told them. “Let’s head outside!”

  All the guests taking part in the ride headed out through the lodge’s front doors.

  Devi helped Mr. and Mrs. Tate into their sleigh seats. Kirsty and Rachel petted the horses while they waited.

  “This is going to be the best,” Kirst
y said.

  “There is one thing that would make it better,” Rachel noted. “If it were snowing.” Rachel felt a squirming from under her coat, and Michelle peeked out between two buttons.

  “Find my hat, and you’ll get all the snow you could wish for,” she said.

  “That’s a deal,” Rachel promised.

  “It’s so cold,” Rachel said with a shiver. “I feel like my tongue could freeze.”

  “That’s because my magic hat is missing,” Michelle reminded the girls. “It makes it very hard to be outside in such frigid weather, even though we’re having fun.”

  The girls and their new fairy friend were having fun. They were on a real sleigh ride. Real horses were pulling the sleigh! The only problem was that the sleigh path was not very snowy. The sleigh scraped over crusty ice in some places. In others, it slowed down and got stuck in sloshy mud puddles.

  “I’m confused,” Kirsty said. “How can there be puddles when the weather is so cold. It has to be below freezing.”

  “Sometimes the ground is not as cold as the air,” Michelle explained, “so not all puddles freeze right away. But that’s not what is happening now.” Rachel and Kirsty looked over at her. “The puddles are because my magical snow globe is with the goblins. Believe it or not, the snow globe can do crazy things to winter weather if it is in the wrong hands.”

  “I believe you,” said Kirsty. “Which of your objects should we try to track down first?”

  “They are all important, so I think you should wait for the magic to come to you. Grab the first one you can find!” the fairy advised.

  Michelle’s plan sounded like a good one. The girls kept an eye out as the horses pulled the sleigh. The path they followed ran along the sea, and the view was incredible.