Animagicals: Mia's Tiger E-Book

Paula Harrison

• Herausgeber: Nosy Crow Ltd
• Kategorie: Für Kinder und Jugendliche
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 64

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2026

Beschreibung

Join a school where children can change into animals! A thrilling new magical fantasy series from the author of the bestselling Kitty books. Animagicals are children born with the power to change into an animal. They can change into any animal and they need help controlling their ability until they find their true form - the animal they are destined to be. Will they fly like an eagle, leap like a leopard or skulk like a fox? Come and join them at Wild Haven, a magical school set up to protect and train animagicals in a magical forest hidden from the ordinary world. Mia can hardly believe it when she discovers she is an animagical. She's so pleased to join the magical school where she'll be helped to control her gift - especially because she can't stop turning into a mouse. Will that be her true form forever? Or is there something more exciting in store? Mia can't wait to find out. Adventure awaits...

Leseprobe

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For Emmie,who loves animalsP. H.

To Lena MadridE. M.

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1

Chapter One

Mia sprang out of the car as soon as it drew to a stop. Running to the end of the muddy track, she stared at the vast forest stretching into the distance. Excitement fizzed inside her. This must be Evertree Forest in the land of Animagia. She was here at last!

Animal calls echoed from the trees and magic shimmered above the swaying branches. Mia took a deep breath to calm the swirling in her chest. She hadn’t even heard of Animagia till a few weeks ago. Then, one cold Monday 2morning, she’d discovered that she was an animagical and her life had changed forever.

Animagicals were people who could transform into animals. It was a rare magical power that appeared around the age of ten. Mia had first found out that she was an animagical when she’d changed into a mouse on the way to school. She’d been worried about being late when she found herself scurrying along on four small feet, her whiskers twitching! Luckily she’d changed back before anyone saw her.

Three days later, a letter had landed on the doormat inviting Mia to Wild Haven School in the land of Animagia. Mia had known right away that she wanted to go. Standing in front of the huge forest, Mia wondered what it was like inside. She took the crumpled letter out of her pocket and read it for the millionth time: 3

On the back of the letter was a map showing how to get there and a list of things to bring. Mia’s stomach turned over. What would Wild Haven be like? Would the lessons be hard? The questions whirled around her head and she swallowed, wishing her heart would stop racing.

Mia’s little brother, Kai, jumped out of the car. He ran over, followed by their mum and dad. Mum put on arm around Mia’s shoulder.

4“Well, we’re here!” she said. “Are you feeling OK?”

“I’m a bit nervous!” Mia confessed. “But I can’t wait to see Wild Haven.”

“It’s good that you’ll be trained by these Guardians,” said her dad. “By the time you come home for the holidays, you’ll be changing into any animal you like!”

“I hope so,” said Mia.

“You’ll be great!” Mum hugged her. “Just remember – we’re really proud of you.”

Another car drew up beside theirs. Then another and another. About twenty children got out of the cars and hurried to the edge of the forest. Mia looked around and a tingling feeling rose inside her. The tingling spread into her arms and legs, and she took a deep breath, trying to push it down. But the feeling grew stronger and the air began to shimmer.

Suddenly she was scampering along the ground on four little feet with her tiny mouse 5ears pricked up. A brown tail curled behind her and her nose quivered as she picked up a whirl of sounds and smells. A few kids turned round to stare.

Mia took some deep breaths to stop her little mouse heart beating so fast. After what felt like forever, the tingling feeling returned and she was back in her human body again.

6“That was so cool!” said Kai. “Do it again!”

Mia shook her head, nervously tucking her long brown hair behind her ear.

Mum gave her a reassuring smile and Mia tried to smile back, but her cheeks felt hot. Why did she always have to change into a mouse? It had happened five times already that morning!

She glanced at the kids around her. This was the first time she’d met other animagicals, but they looked the same as her - completely ordinary. For a moment, they all stared at the magical forest stretched out in front of them. Behind the trees, a ridge of purple mountains rose into the sky.

“What are we waiting for? Let’s go in!” said a boy with curly hair poking out from under his baseball cap.

“Shouldn’t we wait for a teacher?” asked another boy.

“Nah, let’s just go!” The boy in the baseball cap marched towards the trees, but a moment later 7he was thrown backwards, as if he’d bounced off something invisible.

“Whoa!” he shouted as he tumbled to the ground.

Some of the other kids giggled. Mia rushed over.

“Are you OK?” she asked, helping him up.

“Uh, I think so!” the boy groaned. “I’m Noah, by the way.”

“I’m Mia,” Mia smiled. “There must be some kind of magical barrier over here.” Reaching out, she felt around gingerly and touched a wall of icy air that pushed back against her fingers.

Just then a tall woman with sharp, golden eyes emerged from the trees and headed straight towards them. Stopping in front of Noah and Mia, she drew a shape in the air with one finger 8and the outline of a misty door appeared.

“Good morning! I’m Miss Tempest, one of the Guardians of Animagia,” she announced. “Come through one at a time. Animagicals only, of course!” She looked at Mia and her golden eyes didn’t seem to blink.

Mia gulped. It was time to go! She rushed back to her family and gave them each a hug. Mum took a necklace out of her pocket and hung it round Mia’s neck.

“This is a locket,” she said. “To remind you of home.”

“Thanks, Mum!” Mia opened it and found a photo of her family inside.

“Don’t forget your rucksack,” Dad said gruffly, handing her the bag.

“How long will you be gone?” sniffed Kai.

“Not long!” Mia hugged him again. “I’ll be back for the holidays.”

“I wish I could come to Wild Haven too!” said Kai with a huge sigh.

9“I’ll tell you all about it when I get back,” promised Mia.

Then, with a last hug, she pulled her rucksack on to her shoulders and joined the line of kids trooping through the misty door. She realised she wasn’t the only one feeling nervous. One boy turned into a chicken and ran up and down, flapping his wings, until he changed back again.

The girl ahead of Mia in the line turned round and grinned. Her black hair curled around her friendly-looking face. “Hi, I’m Willow! Isn’t this amazing? I’ve been waiting to come here for weeks! Which animals have you turned into so far? I’ve been a parrot, a grasshopper and a horse.”

Mia’s eyes widened. She’d only ever turned into a mouse! She wanted to ask Willow how she’d been so many different animals already, but they’d almost reached the doorway.

Willow stepped through first. Then, holding 10her breath, Mia stepped into the swirling mist… A sudden blast of icy air made her skin tingle. Then she was through to the other side.

Miss Tempest waited till everyone was through before closing the shimmering doorway with one finger. She looked at them, twisting her head jerkily in a way that reminded Mia of a bird.

“Follow me, everyone!” she said, marching off down the forest track.

Mia walked with Willow and a quiet boy with fair hair called Finn. Noah had rushed off to be at the front of the line. Willow talked nonstop about her home and all the extra things she’d brought in her rucksack, but Mia was too busy looking around to listen properly.

The track narrowed as they went deeper into Evertree Forest and the trees leaned together, forming a roof of branches above them. They climbed hills, crossed streams and trudged through clearings full of brambles. Birds sang 11overhead and they glimpsed foxes and deer between the trees.