Unicorn Academy: Olivia and Snowflake E-Book

Julie Sykes

• Herausgeber: Nosy Crow
• Kategorie: Für Kinder und Jugendliche
• Serie: Unicorn Academy
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 60

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2018

Beschreibung

When your best friend is a unicorn, magical adventures are guaranteed! Join in the fun at Unicorn Academy with the bestselling, action-packed, fantasy series by award-winning author, Julie Sykes. Inspiration for the Netflix series. New York Times Bestseller (Unicorn Academy: Sophia and Rainbow) in Middle Grade Fiction. Imagine a school where you meet your own unicorn and have amazing adventures together! That's what happens for the girls at Unicorn Academy on beautiful Unicorn Island. Olivia is so happy to be at Unicorn Academy. She hopes her sweet unicorn, Snowflake, will discover her magic before graduation day! Everyone is busy decorating Unicorn Academy for the graduation ball, but it looks like someone is trying to ruin the party. It's up to Olivia and Snowflake to save the day - and the school! With a glittery cover and beautifully illustrated throughout by Lucy Truman, Unicorn Academy is the perfect series for 7+ readers who love magic and adventure! The magic doesn't stop there! Have you read: - Unicorn Academy: Rosa and Crystal - Unicorn Academy: Ariana and Whisper - Unicorn Academy: Matilda and Pearl - and many more epic friendships at Unicorn Academy!

Leseprobe

Olivia touched her red hair, wishing she could have a blue and gold streak to match Snowflake’s mane. Snowflake nuzzled her leg. “We’ll bond soon,” she said. “There’s still time.”

For Jessica Broom and April Marshall

CHAPTER ONE

“Stay very still,” Olivia whispered to Snowflake as the pair of them hid behind the marble statue of a flying unicorn.

“Should we go now?” asked Snowflake eagerly. The December air was icy and Snowflake’s breath froze in little clouds as she spoke.

“Not yet,” said Olivia, her green eyes on Isabel, who was patrolling in front of the apple tree that the girls were using as base in their game of tag. “We need to wait until Isabel and Cloud get distracted.” Her hand flew to her mouth. “Oh no! I think I’m going to… Aaaatishooo!”

“There they are!” yelled Isabel.

“Go, Snowflake!” shrieked Olivia. Snowflake leapt out from behind the statue, the sunlight making the gold and blue stars on her white coat shine. She charged towards the apple tree, swerving nimbly around Cloud. Olivia’s red hair flew out behind her as Snowflake tried her hardest to get to base, but Scarlett and Blaze, who were also catchers in the game, came galloping up from the right-hand side. Scarlett’s arm was outstretched. Snowflake tried to get past Blaze, but Blaze was one of the fastest unicorns at Unicorn Academy and Scarlett’s hand lightly tagged Olivia’s arm.

“Got you!”

Isabel whooped. “Way to go, Scarlett!”

“Sorry, Snowflake,” Olivia apologised as they came to a stop.

“It doesn’t matter,” whinnied Snowflake, shaking her long mane. “It’s fun whether we’re the catchers or the people hiding!”

Isabel looked round. “Come out! Come out! Wherever you are!” she sang to their three friends, who were still hidden.

Olivia caught a glimpse of multicoloured mane behind a rose bush. “Sophia and Rainbow are over there!” she cried. “Catch them!”

The game continued until all of the girls from Sapphire dorm had been caught. “I need a rest!” said Olivia, fanning her face.

“Me too,” said Layla, trotting up on Dancer.

“Play for a little longer, pleeease?” begged Scarlett. “It’s our last weekend before the graduation ball. There won’t be time to play next week and then after that we’ll all be going home.”

The six girls from Sapphire dorm sighed. They had started at Unicorn Academy almost a whole year ago. In that time they had all been given their own unicorn to love and bond with and they’d had loads of exciting adventures together.

“It’s going to be so strange not being here any longer,” said Ava, looking round wistfully.

“I’ll be here still,” Olivia pointed out. “Snowflake hasn’t discovered her magic yet and we haven’t bonded so I won’t be allowed to graduate.”

Bonding was the highest form of friendship. When a person and their unicorn bonded, a strand of the person’s hair turned the same colour as the unicorn’s mane, showing they were friends for life. From that moment on, it was their duty to help protect Unicorn Island – the beautiful land where they all lived. Olivia’s friends all had a colourful streak in their hair – Sophia’s was multicoloured like Rainbow’s mane, Ava’s was purple, Isabel’s was silver and blue, Scarlett’s was red and gold, and Layla, who had bonded with Dancer most recently, had an indigo, orange and pink streak.

Olivia touched her own red hair, wishing she could have a blue and gold streak to match Snowflake’s mane. As if sensing her sadness, Snowflake turned and nuzzled her leg. “We’ll bond soon,” she told Olivia. “There’s time before graduation.”

“Yes, there’s still ten days!” said Sophia. “We’ll help you to find Snowflake’s magic so we can all graduate together.”

“We’re not leaving you here with horrible Valentina, Delia and Jacinta,” said Scarlett. “They haven’t bonded with their unicorns yet either.”

Olivia felt a warm tingly feeling rush through her. Her friends were the best, and if anyone could help her then they could! “Thanks. But look, it won’t be so bad if I don’t graduate with all of you. My little sister, Matilda, is starting in January so at least I’ll know someone.”

“You are going to graduate,” declared Isabel. “And we are all going to meet up regularly. I know we live far away from each other but we can sleepover at each other’s houses. My room is tiny but it’s so warm in my part of the island that we can sleep outside in hammocks.”

“My room’s small too, but Dad lets me sleep in one of the empty greenhouses when I have a sleepover,” said Ava, whose parents ran a plant nursery.

Olivia’s stomach squirmed as everyone described their houses and what fun they’d have all squeezing in for sleepovers. She had a secret she still hadn’t told her friends, despite knowing them for almost a year. Olivia’s home was like a palace, with twelve bedrooms, an indoor swimming pool, and a tennis court and lake. But although Olivia’s parents were rich they didn’t spoil their two daughters. They believed in working hard – they both had jobs and the girls were expected to help out at home with the tidying and washing up.

Olivia hadn’t told the others about her home and family. When she’d first met them, she hadn’t wanted to mention it because she didn’t want it to sound like she was showing off, and then it had somehow got too late to tell them and she had ended up keeping it a secret. Whenever any of the others asked, she just changed the subject. It had seemed easier that way, but it was going to cause problems if her friends wanted to visit her house.

“What’s your place like, Olivia?” asked Isabel curiously. “Where will we sleep when we come to yours?”

Olivia forced herself to laugh. “Let’s see if I graduate first. Now, I’m going to go back to the stables. I promised Snowflake I’d practise plaiting her mane and tail with rainbow ribbons for the Graduation Ball, didn’t I, Snowflake?”

Snowflake hid her surprise. “That’s right,” she agreed.

Olivia stroked Snowflake’s neck, grateful she’d backed up her fib.

“I’ll come with you,” offered Layla. “I love plaiting Dancer’s mane, and you can tell me about your family. I didn’t even know you had a little sister.” She smiled at her. “I guess I never asked though.”

Olivia’s tummy twisted. In the last few months she had become good friends with quiet, clever Layla but she didn’t want to tell her about her family. “Sorry, Layla. But do you mind if I just go back with Snowflake?”

Layla blinked. “Oh. OK.”

“I really want to spend some time with her on our own. It might help us to bond,” said Olivia quickly.

Layla nodded but Olivia could see the hurt in her eyes and she felt guilty as she rode away. She didn’t say a word to Snowflake. The unicorn waited until they were on their own and then turned her head and gave Olivia a quick look. “What’s the matter?”

“I feel horrible because I just hurt Layla’s feelings but I don’t want her asking about my family. Oh, Snowflake, what am I going to do if everyone wants to come to my house next year?”