Grace Woollyhop's Musical Mystery Read online

  Title Page

  Dedication

  Map of Friendship Forest

  Epigraph

  CHAPTER ONE: A Stolen Scarf

  CHAPTER TWO: The Woollyhop Shop

  CHAPTER THREE: Hopper’s Spell

  CHAPTER FOUR: The Honey Tree

  CHAPTER FIVE: Queenie Bumblebuzz

  CHAPTER SIX: Magic at Harmony Hall

  CHAPTER SEVEN: A Tower Makeover

  CHAPTER EIGHT: Secret Singers

  Sneak Peek

  Puzzle Fun!

  Lily and Jess’s Animal Facts

  Copyright

  One bright Saturday morning, Jess Forester sat at the kitchen table in the cottage where she lived with her dad. She and her best friend, Lily Hart, were sewing colorful knitted squares together.

  “A few more stitches and the blanket will be finished!” said Jess.

  Mr. Forester came in with a bucket of apples. “How’s the knitting going?” he asked as he kicked off his boots.

  Lily and Jess proudly held up their handiwork.

  “That’s excellent—much better than I could do!” said Mr. Forester.

  “It’s for a foal with a bad cold,” said Lily. “He’s one of our patients.”

  Lily lived across the road from Jess. But her house wasn’t just an ordinary home—her parents ran the Helping Paw Wildlife Hospital in a barn in their yard. Both girls adored animals and spent as much time looking after the patients as they could.

  “Finished!” said Jess, snipping the last thread. “We’ll take it to Helping Paw now. See you later, Dad!”

  The girls hurried to the Harts’ yard. Although it was sunny, there was a slight chill in the air. Leaves drifted from the trees, and their brilliant autumn colors glowed in the sunlight.

  As Jess and Lily hurried past the outside cages, they smiled to see rabbits nibbling crisp lettuce, snoozing squirrels, and a cheeky-faced fox cub with a bandaged leg.

  “They’re warm enough now,” said Lily, “but it’ll get colder soon. We’d better knit lots more snuggly blankets!”

  Before they reached the paddock, they heard a funny sound.

  Chooff!

  Jess glanced at Lily. “What could that be?” she wondered.

  A foal’s brown face peered out from a wooden shelter. As he trotted over to the fence, he sneezed. “Chooff!”

  “Aww, poor you,” said Lily, stroking his soft cheek.

  The foal shook his long brown mane. Then he put his nose to the blanket and sniffed.

  “He likes it!” said Jess.

  The girls gently laid the blanket over the foal’s back, and he whinnied softly.

  “He’s saying thank you,” Lily giggled.

  Just then, rustling noises came from a nearby drift of fallen leaves. “Maybe it’s a squirrel,” said Jess. “Those leaves are just the kind of place they usually hide in.”

  But when the leaves shook again, two pointed ears appeared, and out stepped a beautiful golden cat.

  “Goldie!” Lily cried.

  The cat curled around their legs, purring happily.

  The girls bent to pet her. Goldie was their magical friend! She’d taken them on lots of adventures in a secret place called Friendship Forest. It was a world where all the woodland animals lived in adorable little cottages and dens. And best of all, they could talk!

  Goldie bounded to the gate.

  Jess’s eyes sparkled. “She’s taking us back to Friendship Forest!”

  Goldie led them toward Brightley Stream at the bottom of the yard. They skipped over the stepping stones that crossed the water, and ran toward a lifeless old tree right in the middle of Brightley Meadow.

  The Friendship Tree!

  As Goldie reached it, the bare branches burst into life. New leaves sprang from every twig. Two young squirrels raced up and down the tree, gathering their winter hoard of brown acorns, and a trio of trilling bluebirds swooped among the branches, nibbling fat red berries.

  Goldie touched a paw to the trunk. Instantly, letters appeared, carved into the bark.

  The girls joined hands. Shivering with excitement, they read the words aloud. “Friendship Forest!”

  A small door appeared in the trunk. Jess grasped the leaf-shaped handle and opened it.

  Shimmering light shone out as Goldie went inside.

  Jess and Lily shared a smile, then followed her into the golden glow. A tingle ran right through them. They knew that meant they were growing smaller, just a little.

  Lily squeezed Jess’s hand. “It’s so exciting!” she whispered.

  The light faded, and the girls found themselves in a beautiful forest clearing. Sunlight shone through the branches and dappled the ground.

  It was much warmer than chilly Brightley, and the air was scented with cotton-candy flowers and climbing dandyroses.

  And there was Goldie, standing upright and smiling! She ran to hug them. “Now that we’re in Friendship Forest, I can talk to you!” she cried, her green eyes shining.

  Jess was puzzled. “But where is your glittery golden scarf, Goldie?” she asked. “You always wear it!”

  Goldie looked serious. “Someone snatched it and used it to wipe slime over the windows of the Toadstool Café,” she said. “I found it in Toadstool Glade, but I’m afraid it’s ruined.”

  Lily was shocked. “Who would do that?” she gasped.

  “Hopper the toad,” Goldie replied.

  Hopper was one of Grizelda’s four helpers. Grizelda was a witch who was always causing trouble in the forest. She had found Hopper and the others at the Witchy Waste, which used to be a lovely water garden with ponds, streams, and flowers until Hopper and her friends messed it up. Grizelda had given the four creatures a magic spell which had the power to turn one of the forest animals into a messy creature, too. Together they would spoil the forest, just like the water garden. All the good animals would be driven away and Grizelda could have Friendship Forest to herself!

  Lily and Jess had already helped stop Peep the bat’s, Masha the rat’s, and Snippit the crow’s spells from working, but Hopper the toad hadn’t cast hers yet.

  “The Friendship Forest concert will be at Harmony Hall later today,” said Goldie. “I’m worried that Hopper will try to ruin it.”

  Jess nodded. “I remember Grizelda saying that Hopper is the messiest creature of all.”

  “You’re right,” said Lily. “We’ve got to find Hopper before she casts her spell—or Friendship Forest will be ruined!”

  Jess turned to Goldie. “Where did you last see Hopper?” she asked.

  “In the place where I got my scarf,” said Goldie. “The Woollyhop Shop.”

  “The Woollyhop Shop?” said Lily, eyes sparkling. “Where’s that?”

  “I’ll show you,” said Goldie. “We can see if that messy toad is still around.”

  “Maybe we could get you a new scarf while we’re there!” said Jess.

  The girls hurried after Goldie through the forest to a grassy meadow dotted with pink daisies and bobbing buttercups. In the center stood a green-painted barn with a yellow sign over the door.

  “The Woollyhop Shop,” read Jess. “The one-stop shop for all your woolly wants!”

  They opened the door and peeped inside.

  Brightly colored balls of wool were piled on the shelves. Colorful scarves, hats, and sweaters hung on painted hangers. On the counter was a basket labeled, SNUGGLE SOCKS FOR MICE, HAMSTERS, AND NEWBORN KITTENS!

  Two sheep stood near a loom with a half-finished pink blanket on it.

  A pair of fluffy lambs skipped by, carrying balls of pretty raspberry-pink wool to the loom.

  “Hello!” the smaller lamb cried as she spotted Goldie
and the girls.

  The other lamb and the two sheep looked up, smiling.

  “Welcome to our shop!” the biggest sheep called. “I’m Mr. Woollyhop.”

  The two lambs ran over to Jess and Lily.

  “I’m Grace Woollyhop,” said the smaller lamb. “That’s my big brother Hamish and our Ma and Pa.”

  Jess grinned. “This is Lily, and I’m Jess.”

  Mrs. Woollyhop bustled over. “Can we help you?” she asked.

  “We hope so,” said Lily. She quickly explained about the creatures from the Witchy Waste. “Have you seen Hopper the toad nearby? She’s been spotted around here.”

  The Woollyhops shook their heads.

  “We haven’t seen Hopper, but we’ll look out for her,” Mrs. Woollyhop said.

  “Please don’t let her in the shop,” said Jess. “Hopper’s very messy. She might ruin all your lovely wool!”

  “She stole Goldie’s scarf,” added Lily. “May we choose another one for her?”

  Grace skipped up and down, her fluffy tail swishing. “We can make a new one on our magical loom!” she cried.

  “Magical?” asked Jess.

  “Mr. Cleverfeather the owl invented it,” explained Mr. Woollyhop. “It’s very fast. We’re making fluffy blankets for today’s concert, so everyone can be comfy and cozy while they enjoy the show.”

  Grace showed the girls the loom. It was a wooden frame, with strings stretched across it like a harp. It had a silver tube and a cone-shaped funnel at the back, and a large tray at the front.

  “What color would you like your scarf to be?” asked Grace.

  “Glittering gold, please,” said Goldie, “just like my old one.”

  Hamish tipped balls of sparkling golden wool into the funnel. Then he spoke into the silver tube. “Scarf!”

  With a click and a clunk and a shwoop shwoop shwoop, the loom began its work. It was so fast that Lily and Jess could hardly see what was happening. Then out of the front appeared a length of golden fabric. It grew and grew until, with a final shwoop, the finished scarf dropped into the tray.

  “Wow!” Jess gasped.

  “That is magical!” said Lily.

  Grace draped the scarf around Goldie’s shoulders.

  The girls were just admiring it when Hamish said, “Yuck! What a stench!”

  Dirty yellow sparks flew around the loom. Smelly ones!

  Jess glanced at Lily and Goldie. They all knew that Grizelda the witch made smelly sparks!

  Click, clunk, shwoop shwoop shwoop went the loom.

  “That’s funny …” said Hamish. “It’s started working without any wool!”

  They all watched the magical loom curiously. Soon a woolly purple object dropped into the front tray.

  Lily picked it up. “It’s a hat!”

  “Not just any hat …” added Goldie. “I think it’s a witch’s hat!”

  “Oh, no!” cried Jess. “Grizelda’s definitely here somewhere!” As she spoke, something bright caught her eye. “Look!”

  An orb of yellow-green light hovered in the doorway, then exploded in a huge shower of stinky sparks.

  The sparks cleared to reveal the bony witch, wearing high-heeled, pointy-toed boots, a purple tunic, and tight black pants. Her green hair swirled around her head like octopus tentacles.

  The sheep family huddled behind a rack of woolly sweaters, but Lily, Jess, and Goldie bravely faced the wicked witch.

  “What do you want, Grizelda?” Jess demanded.

  “Ha! The interfering cat and the meddling girls!” the witch snapped. “Well, this time you won’t be able to stop my plans! Friendship Forest will be mine!”

  Grizelda snatched the woolly hat and put it on. Her hair dangled limply beneath it like wet seaweed. “Ha-ha!” she cackled. “When this shop is mine, I’ll make myself new clothes every day!”

  Mrs. Woollyhop gave a sad bleat from behind the rail of sweaters. “Our shop is for all the animals, not just you!” she said.

  Grizelda cackled again. “Now the fun starts!” she sneered.

  She turned to the girls and clicked her fingers. There was a puff of smoke that smelled like rotting cabbage.

  When it cleared, there stood the four creatures from the Witchy Waste—Masha the rat with her ragged straw hat, Snippit the crow in his scruffy waistcoat, and Peep the bat with his wonky tie. Hopper the toad, wearing her necklace, waddled toward the girls, leaving a trail of green slime across the floor.

  Goldie pulled Jess and Lily away.

  Grizelda scowled. “You girls and that cat stopped my other creatures’ spells from working, but you won’t stop Hopper.” She turned to the toad. “Cast your spell!”

  Just then a ball of wool rolled out onto the floor in front of the toad. Grace poked her head out from behind the sweaters. “Oops,” she whispered.

  “Hide, Grace!” called Goldie.

  But it was too late. Hopper had spotted her! The toad sprang toward Grace and she froze, looking terrified.

  “Grace, run!” shouted Jess.

  But the lamb’s legs were shaking too much. “Maa!” she bleated.

  Before anyone could move, Hopper’s long, flat tongue flicked out. Immediately, purple sparks showered over poor Grace.

  “Oh, no!” cried Lily. “Hopper’s cast her spell. Now Grace will start making messes just like a toad!”

  The sparks faded. For a moment, the lamb’s sweet woolly face looked surprised. Then she grinned and bounded around the shop, knocking over the rest of the balls of wool that were stacked up in neat piles. They tumbled down and unraveled, making a tangled mess all over the floor.

  “Maa!” Grace bleated.

  Hopper gave a croaky laugh, and Grizelda cackled nastily.

  Mr. Woollyhop reached out to catch Grace, but she slipped under the loom and out the other side.

  “My poor little Grace!” bleated Mrs. Woollyhop. “Look what that toad has done to her!”

  The Witchy Waste creatures headed for the door, followed by Grace. The girls dived to catch her as she passed, but the little lamb wriggled free, and the five creatures raced outside.

  “Go!” Grizelda shrieked. “Make the forest a slimy mess!” She snapped her fingers and disappeared.

  Mrs. Woollyhop burst into tears.

  “Paaaa,” Hamish bleated, “bring Grace back!”

  Mr. Woollyhop shook his head. “I don’t know what to do,” he bleated. “She’s under a spell.”

  “Don’t worry, we know a spell, too!” said Jess. “It can break Hopper’s magic and turn Grace back to her normal self!”

  “We used it to help Olivia Nibblesqueak the hamster and Evie Scruffypup,” said Lily.

  “And Chloe Slipperslide the otter,” added Jess. “Let’s hope it works for Grace, too!” She pulled her little sketchbook from her pocket and read out the spell.

  “You want to be yourself again?

  Then here’s what you must do.

  Gather up those favorite things

  That mean the most to you.

  What do you like to do the most?

  What food do you love the best?

  And what’s your biggest secret?

  Now here’s a little test.

  Put them in your favorite place,

  The place you love to be.

  If someone names those things aloud,

  Yourself once more you’ll be.”

  Hamish put his tiny trembling hoof in Lily’s hand. “What does it mean?” he whispered.

  “We have to find Grace’s favorite food,” Lily explained, “and something to do with her favorite hobby, and something that shows her biggest secret. We’ll gather those in her favorite place and chant the words that will undo Hopper’s spell.”

  Jess tucked her book away. “What’s Grace’s favorite food?”

  The Woollyhops looked at one another—and shook their heads.

  “She has a new favorite every week,” said Mrs. Woollyhop. “Last week it was clover muffins, and the week before that it
was buttercup biscuits. So this week it could be anything!”

  “I don’t know what her secret is, either,” said Mr. Woollyhop sadly.

  But Hamish gave a cry. “We do know her favorite hobby, though! It’s playing the tambourine. She’s really excited about playing in the concert later.” His face fell. “At least, she was going to.”

  Lily hugged him. “We’ll make sure she can,” she said. “We need Grace’s tambourine for the spell!”

  “She leaves it at her music teacher’s house!” said Hamish. “That’s Melody Sweetsong the nightingale,” he explained.

  Goldie’s face lit up. “I know where she lives!” she cried. “Come on!”

  “Good luck!” called the Woollyhops as the girls followed Goldie out of the shop.

  As they hurried through the trees, they saw a slimy trail where Hopper must have passed. Scraps of raspberry-pink wool were stuck in the green slime.

  “What a horrible mess!” said Lily in dismay.

  “Hurry!” cried Jess. “We have to stop Hopper and Grace, or the forest will be completely covered in slime!”

  The girls followed Goldie through the forest until she stopped, her ears pricked up. “Can you hear that?”

  The girls listened.

  “That’s beautiful,” said Jess. “Is it a piano playing?”

  Goldie smiled. “No—it’s Melody Sweetsong. She’s singing!”

  They went on until they reached a silver birch tree, surrounded by flowering bushes that smelled like delicious butterscotch ice cream.

  “Here we are,” said Goldie, pointing to a little cottage nestled among the lowest branches of the tree. The nightingale’s song floated through open windows where feathery curtains fluttered in the soft breeze.

  Goldie pulled a rope attached to a bell by the cottage door. When the bell jangled, the singing paused and Melody Sweetsong popped out.

  “Goldie!” she said. “Hello, Jess and Lily! I was just practicing my Sweetsong Solo for the concert.”

  The girls explained what had happened to Grace. “We need her tambourine to help turn her back to normal,” finished Jess.