Mike the Spike by Stella Tarakson and Ben Johnston

Mike is proud of his spikey hair. Small for his age, his spikes make him look taller and very grown-up. To his horror, he discovers he has lice. The great hat parade is only two days away and he longs to win a prize for best hat. But how can he, when he can’t stop scratching long enough to make one?

A new, fast-paced junior fiction series designed especially for 7+ readers. Each gripping tale will keep children hooked and entice them to begin reading independently. Children will be

R O C K E T S

Mike the Spike

Blast off on your reading journey!

L I T T L E

enthralled by the captivating characters.

Look out for further titles in the series, coming this year.

9 781925 059076

Stella Tarakson Illustrated by Ben Johnston

ISBN 9781925059076

Mike the Spike

Stella Tarakson

Illustrated by Ben Johnston

Mike the Spike

2

LITTLE ROCKETS SERIES:

A new, fast-paced junior fiction series designed especially for 7+ readers. Each gripping tale will keep children hooked and entice them to begin reading independently.

Children will be enthralled by the captivating characters.

Mike the Spike

Look out for further titles in the series, coming this year.

www.littlerockets.com.au Out now:

Stella Tarakson Illustrated by Ben Johnston

5

First published in Australia 2014

by New Frontier Publishing Pty Ltd ABN 67 126 171 757 Suite 3, Level 2, 18 Aquatic Drive, Frenchs Forest, NSW, 2086, Australia www.newfrontier.com.au Text copyright Š 2014 Stella Tarakson Illustrations copyright Š 2014 Benjamin Johnston This book is copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of private study, research, criticism or review, as permitted by the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission. Enquiries should be addressed to the publishers.

All rights reserved.

National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication entry Author: Tarakson, Stella, author.

Title: Mike the Spike / written by Stella Tarakson; illustrated

by Benjamin Johnston.

ISBN: 9781925059076 (paperback) Series: Little rockets.

Target Audience: For primary school age.

Subjects: Lice--Juvenile fiction.

Pediculosis--Juvenile fiction.

Other Authors/Contributors: Johnston, Benjamin, illustrator.

Dewey Number: A823.4 Designed by Celeste Hulme Printed in China 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

For Chris, for starting the itch. ST For Num, who loved his bugs. BJ

1 The pirate gave a blood-curdling cry and leaped in front of the queen. ‘Avast, me hearty, yer a scurvy dog!’ he shouted, arms waving wildly. ‘Ye be walkin the plank!’

‘Oi, careful!’ said the startled queen. ‘You nearly knocked my crown off.’

‘Arrr,’ the pirate said with a scowl. Then, ‘Oops!’ as his hat tumbled to the ground.

The pirate put it back on. He grinned at the queen then leaped again. This time he bumped into a spaceman.

The spaceman grunted and fiddled 9