Patchwork Picnic (9781743583524) Read online

  ‘Hooray!’ they cheered. ‘Hooray for Lola!’

  Lola laughed and looked around for Buddy. He was busy doing some very unsteady cartwheels.

  ‘I am glad you chose well,’ Felix told her. He was still smiling ear to ear.

  Then he raised his voice and yelled, ‘Lola will be forever welcome in the Kingdom!’

  While all the other toys were still eating, Lola and Felix sat back against the big picnic basket. Buddy was swinging from the tree above them.

  The wind-up soldier had stopped moving now.

  But Lola wasn’t worried about it. She had the key.

  Felix was acting like a very different bear now. He wasn’t stern and stuffy anymore. Lola was happy to have her old teddy back.

  Felix turned to Lola. ‘I’m sorry I was so bossy before,’ he said softly. ‘But I was cross. You used to play with me all the time. And then one day you just forgot about me.’

  Lola looked at her feet. She felt very guilty. ‘I know,’ she said. ‘I’m sorry, Felix. Kids forget their toys all the time. Even the ones they love. We’re silly that way.’

  Felix sighed. ‘It’s OK,’ he said. ‘I’m not the first toy to be left behind somewhere. I’m glad I got to see you again. And at least I’ve been able to spend time with my father here in the Kingdom.’

  Lola gave Felix a big bear hug. Then she stretched out on the soft grass as Felix and Buddy chatted about the Plastic Prince and Nevercalm.

  After that, they moved on to other toys they knew, from towns like Cuddleton, Patchemup and Timberfields.

  Timberfields? thought Lola with a start. Where have I heard that name before?

  Buddy was surprised that so much had changed in the Kingdom. His last visit had been a long time ago.

  ‘But I bet my buttons we’ll beat that Plastic Prince,’ Buddy kept saying.

  Lola didn’t understand why anyone would want to start a war against the Great High Bear and the Kingdom. Why was the Plastic Prince so mean?

  She wanted to know more, but it was getting late.

  Lola stood up and brushed the grass off her legs. ‘Buddy, how do we get home? Mum will be wondering where I am.’

  ‘The same way we came,’ he replied, opening the lid of their picnic hamper.

  Lola looked at Felix. ‘Do you want to come home too?’

  Felix shook his head. ‘I am needed here,’ he said. ‘But you must return to the Kingdom soon. We could do with a real girl like you. You’re very kind.’

  Lola nodded. She knew she and Buddy would return for sure.

  Then she carefully lifted the toy soldier into the picnic hamper. She remembered now where she had seen it before.

  Felix looked worried that she was taking the soldier, but Lola just smiled. ‘It’s OK,’ she said. ‘I know what I’m doing.’

  After some more big bear hugs, Lola and Buddy hopped back into the picnic hamper.

  Well, they climbed into the hamper. But Lola climbed out of …

  Lola climbed out of her toy box. She was safe and sound, back in her bedroom.

  And Nick was still banging on the door. ‘If I get to five, there’s going to be trouble!’ he shouted.

  Lola opened her bedroom door.

  ‘Sorry, Nick,’ she said. ‘I didn’t hear you.’

  ‘That’s impossible,’ he hissed. ‘I was shouting, Lola.’

  ‘Well, please don’t,’ said Lola, folding her arms. ‘It’s not nice to shout. It’s not kind.’

  Nick’s mouth dropped open. But Lola stood there, looking calmly at her brother.

  Nick wasn’t used to this. Lola could see the surprise in his eyes.

  ‘You’re not having the toy box, Nick,’ she said quietly.

  ‘Oh, yeah?’ he said, but she could tell he was confused.

  Lola had a funny feeling in her tummy. It was almost the same feeling she’d had before she stood up to Felix at the picnic.

  And that gave her an idea.

  ‘It’s a toy box, Nick,’ she said firmly. ‘For my toys. And it belongs to me.’

  ‘Rubbish,’ said Nick, but he didn’t look at all sure now.

  Then Lola held out the odd little plastic soldier that she’d brought back from the Kingdom. ‘But this toy,’ she said, ‘belongs to you.’

  Nick’s eyes lit up. ‘Wow! I’ve been looking for that for ages.’

  He grabbed the soldier out of her hand and looked at it eagerly.

  Lola grinned. ‘You might need this too,’ she said, handing him the little silver key.

  Nick snatched it and marched off. He didn’t seem at all interested in the toy box anymore.

  Lola wasn’t sure what had just happened, but it felt good.

  She sat on her bed and took a long, hard look at the toy box.

  Was that all a dream? wondered Lola. Was it all in my imagination?

  Lola lifted Buddy up. One of his buttons was missing.

  She reached into her pocket, and there it was.

  The wooden button.

  At that moment, Lola knew for sure. It was all real.

  Just then, she heard Mum calling from downstairs. ‘Lola, how’s that old toy box?’ she asked. ‘Is it any good?’

  Lola laughed. She held Buddy tight and jumped back into the toy box.

  Just before she closed the lid, she called back, ‘Oh, Mum! It’s magic!’

  Danny Parker is a writer and drama teacher who lives in Perth with his family. His previous books include Tree and Parachute. Danny is a keen juggler, singer and performer – just like Buddy!

  Guy Shield is an illustrator who lives in Melbourne and is obsessed with drawing. When he was a kid, Guy loved building palaces and cities with his toys, just like Lola – and Nick!

  The Patchwork Picnic

  published in 2015 by

  Hardie Grant Egmont

  Ground Floor, Building 1, 658 Church Street

  Richmond, Victoria 3121, Australia

  www.hardiegrantegmont.com.au

  This ebook is also available as a print edition in all good bookstores.

  A CiP record for this title is available from the National Library of Australia.

  eISBN 9781743583524

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publishers and copyright holders.

  Text copyright © 2015 Danny Parker

  Illustrations copyright © 2015 Guy Shield

  Series design copyright © 2015 Hardie Grant Egmont

  Design by Stephanie Spartels

  We welcome feedback from our readers. All our ebooks are edited and proofread vigorously, but we know that mistakes sometimes get through. If you spot any errors, please email [email protected] so that we can fix them for your fellow ebook readers.