For Tom and Zara Scott, with love
Special thanks to Valerie Wilding
Cover
Title Page
Dedication
Poem
Map of Astral-on-Sea
Introduction
1
Stella Starkeeper
2
Sunbeam and Sita
3
Runaway!
4
Snorter Knows
5
Catch the Carrot
6
Sunbeam Takes Charge
7
The Final Round
Make Your Own!
Lucky Stars #3: Wish Upon a Song
Read more Lucky Stars books!
Also Available
Copyright
Lucky Star that shines so bright,
Who will need your help tonight?
Light up the sky, and thanks to you
Wishes really do come true. . . .
Hello, friend!
I’m Stella Starkeeper, and I want to tell you a secret. Have you ever gazed up at the stars and thought that they could be full of magic? Well, you’re right. Stars really are magical!
Their precious starlight allows me to fly down from the sky. I’m always on the lookout for boys and girls who are especially kind and helpful. I train them to become Lucky Stars — people who can make wishes come true!
So next time you’re under the twinkling night sky, look out for me. I’ll be floating among the stars somewhere.
Give me a wave!
Love,
“Wow! That wind is strong!” Cassie said. She laughed as a star-patterned pillowcase blew off the clothesline and into her face.
The two charms on Cassie’s silver bracelet jangled as she hung the pillowcase back on the line. She glanced at the charms — a tiny bird and a crescent moon — and smiled. Their magic helped her make special wishes come true! I hope I meet someone with a wish today, she thought.
“When we offered to help your mom hang up the laundry, I didn’t expect to have to chase it around the yard!” called her friend Alex.
Cassie looked up to see him collecting three socks that had blown into an apple tree. She laughed.
“How many towels do you have?” asked Alex, hanging up the socks and looking around. “I’ve already hung up eight. That’s about a third of what’s here, so I calculate . . .” He mumbled to himself for a minute, frowning in concentration.
Cassie giggled. Alex loved math and science, and was always trying to solve things with an equation or formula. “Remember, this is a B&B,” she said. “That means we have ten times more towels than an ordinary house.”
Starwatcher Towers was far from ordinary. That’s why Cassie loved living there! One part of it was a bed-and-breakfast, where all different guests came to stay. The other part was an observatory where Cassie’s dad worked, watching the stars and planets in the night sky. Cassie’s bedroom even had a glass ceiling, so she could lie in bed watching the stars!
“You shouldn’t really be helping,” said Cassie. “B&B guests don’t normally hang their own towels.”
Alex shrugged. “Mom and Dad are meeting someone today, so I’m happy to have something to do. Anyway,” he said shyly, “it’s nice to help friends, isn’t it?”
Cassie grinned. “You bet!”
She hadn’t been too sure about Alex when he first arrived at Starwatcher Towers. He’d been awfully quiet! Then she realized he only seemed unfriendly because he was shy, and they soon became good pals.
The cat flap in the back door clattered. Out ran Alex’s fluffy white puppy, Comet, followed by Cassie’s cat, Twinkle. The pets had become friends, too — just like Cassie and Alex!
Cassie stroked Twinkle’s black fur.
“Meowwww,” he yowled.
“Ruff!” barked Comet.
Cassie brushed her long hair out of her eyes. “You two should stay inside,” she told the animals. “You might blow away!”
“Only if the wind’s strong enough,” said Alex, stroking his chin. “I’ll get my anemometer, so I can measure the wind speed.” He ran inside. The wind banged the door shut behind him.
Cassie threw another towel over the line. As she held it down with a clothespin, she noticed a bright light shining through the clouds overhead. Is that a star? Cassie wondered. In the morning?
Cassie’s dad had taught her a lot about the stars. She knew that you couldn’t usually see them in the daytime, because the sun was too bright. But as she watched, this star seemed to be whirling down toward her!
Cassie remembered the last time she saw a star doing something like that. Could it be . . . ?
With a whoosh and a whiz and a fizz-fizz-fizz, the star was suddenly next to her in a flurry of silver sparkles. It grew into a column of dazzling light and then changed into —
“Stella Starkeeper!” cried Cassie. “You’re back.”
A beautiful young woman stood before her in a short silver dress and a shiny silver jacket with star-shaped buttons. She wore glittery leggings and silver boots, and carried a wand that was tipped with a shining star. Her hair fluttered in the wind. A crown woven from strands of glistening silver sat on top of her head.
Stella’s velvety blue eyes twinkled like stars in the night sky. “Hello, Cassie,” she said, smiling kindly. “I came to see how you’re doing with your new charm.”
The charm bracelet was Stella’s gift to Cassie on her seventh birthday, a few days ago. Now Stella touched Cassie’s bracelet with her wand, and a sprinkle of sparkles drifted to the grass.
“Don’t forget,” Stella said, “you must listen for someone to make a special wish, and use the powers of your magic charms to help make the wish come true. Then you’ll earn a new magic charm.”
“When I earn seven charms, I’ll be a real Lucky Star, just like you,” said Cassie.
Stella Starkeeper smiled. “And you’ll be able to grant wishes whenever you like. You won’t even have to wait for anyone to tell you their wish!”
Cassie glanced at her bracelet. “The bird charm gives me the power to fly,” she said, “but what does my moon charm do? I don’t feel any different.”
Stella’s eyes sparkled, and her crown glittered as she leaned forward. “Listen carefully, Cassie,” she whispered. “You might hear something you never expected.”
Then, with a wave of her wand, Stella faded into a silvery mist. But as she disappeared, a sudden gust of wind blew her silver crown off!
“Wait!” cried Cassie.
It was too late. Stella was gone.
Cassie chased the crown as it tumbled over and over on the grass. She reached out to grab it, but it bounced against a tree, soared over the fence, and rolled down the hill.
She watched in despair.
“Found it!” yelled Alex just then.
Cassie turned. He was holding one of his science contraptions. “Oh,” she said. “Is that your amin . . . namen . . . ?”
Alex grinned. “An-em-o-meter,” he said.
“Anen . . .” Cassie began. Then she laughed. “Your wind-speed measurer!”
She watched Alex put the anemometer on the picnic table. It had a stand with four arms, and each had a cup shape at the end. The wind blew the cups around and around.
As Alex tinkered with the machine, Cassie remembered what Stella had said. She wandered over to lean against the plum tree’s knobby trunk. Then she closed her eyes, thought about her crescent moon c
harm, and listened.
A voice came from behind her.
“This wind’s blowing my coat all over the place,” it said. “I must look like a total mess.”
It was a weird, yowly sort of voice. Cassie was sure she’d heard it before . . . but where?
She opened her eyes. It definitely wasn’t Alex talking, but no one else was around. She could only see Comet, who was playing on the other side of the yard, and Twinkle, who was sitting next to Cassie and staring up at her with wide amber eyes.
Cassie gasped. “Twinkle?”
Cassie knelt down. Magical sparkles danced around her cat, making his whiskers twitch.
Twinkle looked straight back at her. “I’m scruffy, aren’t I?” he asked.
“N-no,” Cassie stammered. She couldn’t believe her ears!
The cat’s eyes widened. “You’re talking to me,” he said.
“And you’re talking to me!” said Cassie. “Alex! Come here!”
Alex ran over and knelt down.
“Twinkle,” said Cassie, “speak to Alex.”
“Hello,” said the cat. “Cassie can understand me. Can you?”
“Did you hear him speak?” asked Cassie.
“Of course I did,” replied Alex. “Meow, meow, meow. What were you expecting?” He shrugged and headed back to his anemometer.
Twinkle looked at Cassie. “I’ll tell Comet you talked to me. He’ll be so jealous!” He prowled over to Comet. Sparkles danced in the air around both of them.
“Why is Twinkle staring at Comet’s tail?” Alex wondered aloud. “And why is Comet barking like that?”
“They’re talking!” answered Cassie. “Comet’s saying, ‘Watch my tail, Twinkle. The wind’s whipping it back and forth without me wagging it!’”
Alex spun around and looked at her with wide eyes. “You can understand him?”
Cassie nodded, realizing that this must be the power of her crescent moon charm. How exciting! I’ve always wanted to talk to Twinkle, she thought. Now I can!
“But it’s not possible,” Alex said.
Twinkle was curling himself around Cassie’s legs, saying, “I love being able to talk to you. It’s grrrreat!”
Alex grinned. “He’s purring now. I guess you can understand that, too?”
“Yes,” said Cassie. “He says that he’s happy he can talk to me.”
Alex stroked his chin. “Hmmm. You’re probably just watching their behavior, and that helps you understand them,” he said.
How can I prove that I know what the pets are saying? Cassie wondered. Then she had an idea.
“Comet,” she said. “Tell me something that you and Alex do when you’re by yourselves.”
The dog wagged his tail excitedly. “Every morning,” said Comet, “I jump on his bed and lick his ear. Then he hides under the covers.”
Cassie smiled and turned to Alex. “Comet wakes you up by licking your ear.”
Alex gaped at her. “You can understand animals!” He scratched his head. “But there must be a scientific explanation.”
Cassie threw a ball for Comet. He barked, “Whoopee!” and chased after it.
“You scientists are supposed to be good at observing things,” said Cassie, smiling at Alex. “Don’t you recognize magic when it’s right in front of you?”
Comet brought the ball back. “Again! Again!” he panted.
Cassie tossed the ball and turned to her friend. “Alex,” she said, “I told you about Stella Starkeeper and my bracelet’s power.” She jangled the charms. “Don’t you remember flying in the sky with me, looking at the clouds?”
He nodded. “Yeahhh, but I still think there’s a scientific —” He stopped, because Cassie was gazing past him. “You’re not listening!”
“Sorry,” said Cassie. “I just noticed some people visiting Bert.” She pointed down the hill that led into the town of Astral-on-Sea. A big green truck towing a horse trailer was pulling into Bert’s stables. His donkeys lived at the stables when they weren’t giving children rides on the beach.
“Let’s go and see what’s happening,” Cassie went on. She wondered if she could understand horses, too.
They ran down the hill, with the wind pushing them forward. The stables were way down at the bottom, close to the sandy beach.
“The wind’s helping us!” Alex cried.
“It’s so strong!” Cassie shrieked.
“That’s just what my anemometer measurements showed,” Alex puffed as they rounded the corner by the stables.
Cassie paused at Bert’s gate. A girl about her age was leading a pretty pony out of the horse trailer. The donkeys watched curiously. Even Coco, the new, timid donkey, peered over his stable door. Cassie was glad that he was getting braver.
The girl’s mom chatted with Bert as she unpacked the pony’s equipment. Then she spotted Cassie and Alex and waved. “Hello!”
Cassie waved back. “Do you need any help?” she called above the howling wind.
“We’re fine, thanks,” the woman said with a smile, as she sorted through a box of brushes, combs, bottles, and cloths.
The girl looked over at them. “Hi,” she said. “Come and meet my pony.”
Cassie went over and stroked the pony’s soft silver-gray nose. “He’s cute,” she said. “What’s his name?”
“Sunbeam,” said the girl. “And I’m Sita Shah.”
As Cassie and Alex introduced themselves, Sita’s mom came over with a handful of pony treats.
“Sunbeam is competing in the Astral-on-Sea Pony Championship this afternoon,” she said. “We’re staying with Mrs. Cafferty at Starwatcher Towers. Do you know it?”
Cassie laughed. “I live there,” she said. “I’m Cassie Cafferty.”
“And I’m staying there,” said Alex. “It’s at the top of the hill. See?” He pointed.
“Gosh!” said Mrs. Shah. “It must be even windier up there.”
“I measured the wind speed,” Alex said proudly. “It’s officially gale force, which is very strong.” He helped Mrs. Shah close up the trailer.
“We’ll show you the way to Starwatcher Towers,” said Cassie.
“Thanks,” said Mrs. Shah, “but Sita needs to exercise Sunbeam first. He has to stretch his legs after our trip.”
The pony whinnied softly, and nuzzled Cassie’s neck. She giggled. “He’s gorgeous,” she said. “I bet he’ll do well in the competition.”
Sita sighed. “I doubt it,” she said, and laid her face against the pony’s cheek.
“Why?” asked Cassie.
“Sunbeam doesn’t like jumping,” said Sita, “but he’s got to try.” She turned to Cassie and whispered, “You see, Mom used to ride in competitions, but she can’t now, because she hurt her back. Sunbeam was born at our stables, and she adores him. If we do well, she’d be so proud and happy.” Sita stroked the pony’s nose. “Oh, Sunbeam,” she said, “I wish we could win the competition.”
Cassie smiled. Aha! she thought. I’ve found someone to help!
She watched Sita lead Sunbeam to a bucket of fresh water. It would be wonderful to make Sita’s wish come true — and then Cassie would earn her next magical charm!
“I have to teach Sunbeam to jump,” Cassie murmured to herself. “But how?”
Cassie patted Sunbeam’s warm neck while Sita gently slipped the bridle over his head. Then Sita saddled the pony. She showed Alex how to fasten the straps underneath Sunbeam’s tummy, and how to check that the saddle wasn’t too loose or too tight.
“Just right,” she said. “Pretty good for your first time, Alex!”
Cassie smiled at her friend. He grinned back happily.
A sudden gust of wind whipped Bert’s hat off and flung it through the open gate. He stumbled back against
a row of empty feed buckets and sent them clattering across the yard.
The donkeys brayed in surprise. “Errrgh-hee-errrgh-heee-errrgh!”
At the same time, one of the stable doors banged shut. Sunbeam whirled around and threw his head back in fear. Before anyone could stop him, the terrified pony bolted through the gate and out onto the beach. Within seconds, he was just a spot in the distance.
“Sunbeam!” Sita cried. She ran to the gate. “Mom!” she called. “We have to go after him.”
“Wait,” Mrs. Shah said. “Let me think! Oh, I don’t know what to do! We’ve never been to Astral-on-Sea before. I don’t know where to look. Maybe Bert can help. . . .”
But Bert was busy calming the jittery donkeys. “Let me settle these guys down, and then I’ll call around and get people to look for Sunbeam,” he said. “I should have shut that gate more tightly. . . .”
“Don’t worry, Mrs. Shah!” said Cassie. “Alex and I will find Sunbeam. You and Sita should drive up to Starwatcher Towers. You get a good view from up on the cliff, so maybe you’ll spot him.”
With that, she and Alex tore out onto the empty, windswept sand. “We’ll find him!” Cassie shouted over her shoulder as she ran.
She knew exactly what to do. She looked down at the tiny bird charm on her bracelet. A tingle ran up her arm and through her whole body, and silvery sparkles danced all around her.
Cassie grabbed Alex’s hand. “Hold on!” she called as they rose into the air. She felt as light as a cloud. This was the magic of her bird charm! They flew along the beach, sticking close to the cliff’s edge to avoid being spotted.
“Whooooa!” cried Alex.
“You’re okay,” said Cassie. “You’ve flown with me before, remember?”
Alex held tightly to her hand. “How could I forget? This is amazing. I can feel air currents moving in different directions.”
Wish Upon a Pet Page 1