“Yes, but you gained Sweets’s trust,” Prince Scoop told her. “Well done, Raina.”
“You have saved the day!” Princess Lolli said, hugging Raina. “The wand will be kept at Candy Castle. This is a treasure that has been lost to Candy Fairies for far too long. We can keep the wand safe if it is at the castle.” She smiled at Raina. “But you are more than welcome to use the wand when you need to,” she said. “We want to make sure Gummy Lagoon remains this sweet-tacular.”
“Thank you for making this area of Gummy Forest alive again,” Prince Scoop added. “I had been missing my tropical-flavored ice cream, and now we can all enjoy those flavors in candies here in Candy Kingdom.”
“Please come to the castle at Sun Dip tonight,” Princess Lolli said. “I would like to have a special dinner.” She looked over at Sweets. “Please come too, Sweets. It would be an honor to have you as well.”
Sweets bowed her head and squawked her happy reply.
“Don’t worry about Mogu,” Princess Lolli said. “We’ve got our eye on him. You all go ahead and get ready for dinner. We’ll see you later.”
The Candy Fairies hugged Princess Lolli and got ready to fly back home to change for dinner at the castle. Before she left, Raina spoke softly to Sweets. “Sweets, now that I know your name, I want to use it!” She smiled. “Even though we don’t speak the same language, you trusted me, and I will not let you down. I promise to check in on you and all the gum-gums. You can count on me.”
Sweets nuzzled her head into Raina’s shoulder. Raina knew she had made a sweet and true new friend.
The Candy Fairies each went home to change for their royal dinner. There was great excitement throughout the kingdom as word spread about the five brave Candy Fairies who had found the missing coconut wand and made Gummy Lagoon bloom again.
Berry made special feather headpieces for all the Candy Fairies to wear to the dinner, in honor of the wand’s return.
“Those feathers are extraordinary,” Prince Scoop said. “You look gummy-licious! And now everyone in the kingdom can enjoy tropical flavors. You have uncovered a great story and some very special treats.”
The fairies blushed and took their seats at the banquet table. Sweets perched on Raina’s shoulder.
Sweets cooed happily throughout the dinner. Raina knew that she and all the gum-gums would be good friends—and everyone throughout the kingdom would be sure to enjoy tropical gummy treats.
Raina took the Tropical Treasures book out of her bag and handed it to Prince Scoop. “Thank you for this treasure,” she said, smiling. “This book proved to be a very good story for all the Candy Fairies.”
Prince Scoop looked around at all the happy faces. “These new flavors are being enjoyed by so many fairies now,” he said, “thanks to you and your friends. This is a great treat.” He plucked a coconut gummy flower from a platter on the table. “And this is a sweet-tastic way to celebrate the return of the lost coconut wand!”
Raina laughed, taking a gummy flower for herself. “A very sweet ending and beginning filled with new flavors to try!”
Melli the Caramel Fairy stood by the hot stones to melt her caramel in a clearing by Caramel Hills. She loved the sounds of Chocolate River rushing down the steep rocks. Chocolate Falls was one of her favorite places in Sugar Valley.
As she watched her pot of melting caramel dipping sauce, she hummed. She was learning to play a new song on her licorice stick, and she couldn’t get the melody out of her head. The song was hard to play, but she wanted to perform it at Candy Castle for Princess Lolli and Prince Scoop. The royal couple was hosting a dinner and had asked some Candy Fairies to play their musical instruments for the entertainment. It was a big honor, and Melli wanted her song to be perfect.
Out of the corner of her eye, Melli saw a bright streak of red and purple. She knew there were no caramel animals with those bright colors.
“Is someone there?” Melli called out. “Hello?”
A branch snapped in the woods, and Melli’s heart beat faster.
“Who is hiding in there?” she asked. She had a bad feeling that maybe one of Mogu’s Chuchies was hiding in the bushes. Sometimes Mogu the troll would send his little Chuchies to steal candy from Candy Fairies. Or worse than Chuchies, maybe it was Mogu!
Melli wished her other Candy Fairy friends were with her. If Cocoa the Chocolate Fairy were here, she would be brave and strong. Dash the Mint Fairy would be superfast and clever, and Raina the Gummy Fairy would be smart and know a story in the Fairy Code Book that would help. Her friend Berry the Fruit Fairy would likely not be scared at all!
“Hello?” Melli said again. Her voice sounded shaky and unsure.
The leaves on the bush in front of her moved, and Melli grew more nervous. She tried to think brave thoughts.
“Mogu?” she asked.
“Who’s Mogu?” a tiny voice said.
Melli was surprised to hear that reply. Who lived in Sugar Valley and didn’t know the greedy, salty troll Mogu, who stole candy and lived in Black Licorice Swamp?
“Who are you?” Melli asked. She fluttered her wings nervously and lifted herself off the ground.
“I’m Crystal,” the voice said. “But you can call me Taly. Everybody calls me Taly.”
Melli knelt down on the ground where the voice was coming from. Whoever was speaking was small and seemed friendly. Melli peered between the branches. “Hello, Taly,” she said. “I am Melli, a Caramel Candy Fairy.”
“Are you a friendly Candy Fairy?” Taly asked.
“Of course!” Melli exclaimed. She saw the tips of tiny, bright candy-apple-red boots.
“I’ve never seen a Candy Fairy,” Taly replied. She stepped from behind the branches and out of hiding.
Melli didn’t mean to stare, but she couldn’t take her eyes off the little creature. Taly had a long, pointed head and a red-and-purple-striped hat. Her dress was purple with red-and-white polka dots.
“Are you . . . a gnome?” she asked.
“Yes, I am. Do you like gnomes?” Taly asked.
Melli laughed. “I’ve never met a gnome,” she said. “My friend Raina once read me a fairy tale about a gnome named Gumbu, but I have never met one.”
“I don’t know Gumbu,” Taly said. She moved closer to Melli and peered behind her back. “Can you fly?” she asked, looking at Melli’s wings.
Melli fluttered her wings. “Yes, I can,” she said. “See?” She lifted herself up in the air.
Taly’s eyes opened very wide. She looked around at Caramel Hills. “Where am I?”
“This is Caramel Hills,” Melli told her. “I live here with other Caramel Fairies.”
Taly raised her head and took a big sniff. “What is that smell?” she asked.
“Sweet sugars!” Melli cried. “That is my caramel burning!” She flew over to the hot stones and lifted the pot of bubbling caramel off the hook. “Oh no,” she said, peering inside the pot at her burnt caramel.
“Is it ruined?” Taly asked.
Melli stirred the pot. “I think so,” she said. She shook her head. “That is not like me at all.”
“It’s my fault,” Taly said. “I’m sorry.” The little gnome’s eyes filled with tears.
Melli felt terrible that she had made Taly cry. “Don’t worry,” she said. “There is plenty more caramel. Would you like something to drink?”
Taly nodded.
“Here,” Melli said, giving Taly a cup of fruit nectar. “Drink this, and you can try these caramel squares I made this morning.” She reached for her basket of candy on a nearby rock.
“Thank you,” Taly said. She ate everything that Melli gave her.
“You haven’t eaten in a while, huh?” Melli asked. “Where did you come from, anyway?”
Taly hung her head. “I’m lost,” she said quietly. “I’m not supposed to leave the caves, but needed to find something to fix our carts!”
“Caves?” Melli asked. “Carts?”
Taly pointed to Chocolate
Falls. “Rock Candy Caves,” she said. “We use small carts when we mine sugar from the caves.”
Melli had no idea what the little gnome was talking about. She had flown around the Chocolate Falls many times, and she had never known there were caves . . . with gnomes living there! “You live in caves behind the waterfall?” she asked. “And you mine sugar?”
Taly’s small hands flew up to her mouth. “I’m not supposed to tell anyone that!” she said. “Where gnomes live is a secret.” She grabbed Melli’s hand. “Please promise not to tell anyone.”
“Sure as sugar,” Melli said. She watched the little gnome eat her treat. “Will you help me get back home?” Taly asked.
“Fairy’s promise,” Melli replied quickly. She had to help the little gnome!
As Taly grinned and enjoyed her snack, Melli wondered if she had just made a promise that she would be able to keep!
Helen Perelman enjoys candy from all parts of Sugar Valley, but jelly beans, red licorice, and gummy fish are her favorites. She worked in a children’s bookstore and was a children’s book editor . . . but, sadly, she never worked in a candy store. She now writes full time in New York, where she lives with her husband and two daughters. Visit her online at www.helenperelman.com.
Aladdin
Simon & Schuster, New York
VISIT US AT SIMONANDSCHUSTER.COM/KIDS
authors.simonandschuster.com/Helen-Perelman
authors.simonandschuster.com/Erica-Jane-Waters
READ ALL THE CANDY FAIRIES BOOKS!
Chocolate Dreams
Rainbow Swirl
Caramel Moon
Cool Mint
Magic Hearts
Gooey Goblins
The Sugar Ball
A Valentine’s Surprise
Bubble Gum Rescue
Double Dip
Jelly Bean Jumble
The Chocolate Rose
A Royal Wedding
Marshmallow Mystery
Frozen Treats
Sweet Secrets
Taffy Trouble
COMING SOON:
Rock Candy Treaure
A Minty Mess
This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
An imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division
1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
www.SimonandSchuster.com
First Aladdin hardcover edition October 2015
Text copyright © 2015 by Helen Perelman Bernstein
Illustrations copyright © 2015 by Erica-Jane Waters
Also available in an Aladdin paperback edition.
All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form.
ALADDIN is a trademark of Simon & Schuster, Inc., and related logo is a registered trademark of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
For information about special discounts for bulk purchases, please contact Simon & Schuster Special Sales at 1-866-506-1949 or [email protected].
The Simon & Schuster Speakers Bureau can bring authors to your live event.
For more information or to book an event contact the Simon & Schuster Speakers Bureau at 1-866-248-3049 or visit our website at www.simonspeakers.com.
Book designed by Karina Granda
The text of this book was set in Baskerville Book.
Library of Congress Control Number 2015942948
ISBN 978-1-4814-0617-8 (hc)
ISBN 978-1-4814-0616-1 (pbk)
ISBN 978-1-4814-0618-5 (eBook)
The Coconut Clue Page 4