Sage Cookson's Fishy Surprise by Sally Murphy and Celeste Hulme

SAGE

’ COOKSONS

Fishryise Surp Sally Murphy

1

The COOKSONS

Cook On

SAGE ’

COOKSONS

y h s i F rise p r u S

For Mum and Dad, who make the best fish and chips in the world.

First published in Australia 2017

by New Frontier Publishing Pty Ltd ABN 67 126 171 757 48 Ross Street, Glebe NSW 2037, Australia www.newfrontier.com.au Text copyright © 2017 Sally Murphy Illustrations copyright © 2017 New Frontier Publishing Illustrations by Celeste Hulme 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.

A Catalogue-In-Publication entry for this book is available from the National Library of Australia.

Creator: Murphy, Sally, author.

Title: Sage Cookson’s fishy surprise / Sally Murphy ; illustrated

by Celeste Hulme.

ISBN: 9781925059755 (paperback) Series: Murphy, Sally. Sage Cookson.

Target Audience: For primary school age.

Subjects: Fishes--Juvenile fiction.

Motion pictures--Juvenile fiction.

Cooking--Juvenile fiction.

Other Creators/Contributors: Hulme, Celeste, illustrator.

Dewey Number: A823.4 Cover illustration and design by Celeste Hulme

SAGE ’

COOKSONS

y h s i F rise p r u S

Sally Murphy

CHAPTER 1

‘B

ut I don’t know what to paaaaack,’ my friend Lucy wails down the phone.

I laugh. ‘Don’t panic. You can always

borrow my stuff if you forget anything. I’m just so glad you’re coming with us!’

I switch the phone to my other ear as I look around my bedroom, making sure I haven’t forgotten anything in my own packing. ‘It will be nice and warm at Crystal Bay, so you won’t need much.’ I glance at my 1

suitcase. ‘I’ve packed my swimmers, shorts, t-shirts, pyjamas …’

‘Sounds good,’ Lucy says. ‘But how many books can I bring?’

I laugh. Lucy loves reading, and I know she never goes anywhere without a book. It is typical of her to be more worried about books than clothing.

‘Just a couple,’ I say. ‘You’ll be too busy having fun to have much time for reading.’

I glance at the pile of books I have next to my own suitcase. ‘Better make it three,’ I add. ‘One for each plane trip and one for in between. If we run out, we can always read each other’s.’ We love to swap books.

‘Good plan,’ says Lucy. ‘So that’s three books and a bunch of clothes. Anything else?’

‘Just yourself!’ I say, jumping up and down with excitement. ‘It’s so cool that 2

your parents said yes. We are going to have the best time ever.’

As

the

daughter

of

the

famous

Cooksons, from the television sensation The Cooksons Cook On, I get to travel a lot. Pretty much wherever my parents go, I go too. Usually this means that my best friend Lucy and I spend a lot of time apart. But on this trip, for the first time ever, Lucy is coming with us.

Her parents weren’t too keen at first, but Mum convinced them that we would take good care of Lucy. Plus we’re on school holidays now anyway, so Lucy won’t be missing school. So she is busy packing, and soon we’ll be busy having fun together, instead of keeping in touch by email and text message like we usually do.

Thinking of text messages makes me remember something. ‘Make sure you pack 3

your phone charger,’ I tell Lucy. ‘You don’t want your phone battery to go flat.’

Lucy laughs. ‘Thanks. But this time I won’t need to message you.’

I smile. ‘That’s true. But isn’t there anyone else you’ll want to stay in touch with?’

Lucy starts to say ‘no’ then giggles. ‘Oops.

Almost forgot about my folks. I guess Mum will be waiting to hear from me –’ ‘Lucy!’ I hear her mum calling in the background, right on cue.

‘Speaking of which …’ says Lucy down the line. ‘Looks like I’d better go and spend some time with them before it’s time to go.

See you soon.’

I hang up and turn back to my packing.

This is going to be the best trip yet. And I’m sure that nothing will go wrong this time.

On the last trip I was accused of stealing a ring, and on the trip before that I got lost in 4

the bush with my parents. This time around I’m hoping for fun, friendship and fine food.

Nothing more.

5

CHAPTER 2

‘W

ow! Look at that! The ocean looks so amazing from up in the air.’ Lucy grabs my arm

excitedly.

This is only the second time Lucy has been on a plane and she has spent the whole flight looking out the window. The book she brought for the flight is still unopened on her lap, and she hasn’t turned on the entertainment screen either.

‘I love flying!’ she says happily.

6

I smile back. ‘I bet that ocean will be even more amazing when we swim in it tomorrow.

Mum says we’ll be able to swim every day.

They have a few sites to visit for filming, but most of them are close to the beach.’

Dad leans forward from the seat behind us, his face pressed into the gap between our seats. ‘What do you think, girls?’ he asks. ‘Isn’t the coastline amazing?’

We both agree.

‘And wait till you see Crystal Bay up close,’ Dad says. ‘It looks like the perfect place for you two to have a holiday.’ He sighs dramatically. ‘Pity some of us have to work.’

I laugh. ‘Oh poor Dad,’ I tease. ‘Your life is so difficult.’

Dad laughs too, then settles back into his seat. Lucy turns to the window again, squealing excitedly whenever she spots something new.

7

Mum taps the back of my seat. ‘Would you like to look at the tourist brochures?’ she asks, passing through a folder full of glossy pamphlets.

Now it is my turn to squeal with delight as I see pictures of white sandy beaches and turquoise seas. In one picture a wooden jetty stretches out into the ocean.

‘That looks like fun.’ I nudge Lucy.

‘Excellent!’ she says, looking over at the pictures. ‘And look at that yummy food! Um … remind me what your mum and dad are filming again?’

‘A few stories. One of the local fish and chip shops has won a prize for the best fish and chips in Australia.’ Lucy licks her lips, and my own stomach rumbles at the thought. ‘And they’re visiting a seafood restaurant too. And, I think, something about ice-cream.’

8

‘Heaven!’ says Lucy, taking a deep breath as if inhaling the smells of her favourite foods. ‘You are sooooo lucky.’

I laugh. ‘Don’t forget that you’ll be part of the fun this time too.’

As the cabin crew prepare for the plane to land in Brisbane, we chat excitedly about the things we will do and eat at Crystal Bay.

9