Copyright © 2011, Richard Bacon, Beth Bowler, Chris Preece, James Troughton, Andrew Merson, Chris Lill
Smashwords Edition
This book is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters locations and incidents portrayed are all the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without express written permission from the author.
This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, re-sold, hired out or otherwise circulated without the author's prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
Cover design by Paul Tonner
‘A Special Delivery’ first published in ‘A Pocketful of Moondust’ by Rebel Books LLP. Re-printed with permission.
About this book
All proceeds from this book are being donated to the Childs Play charity, none of the authors are being paid for their stories and have kindly donated them for inclusion in this book.
Thank you for supporting this charity anthology.
About Childs Play
Since 2003, over 100,000 gamers worldwide have banded together through Child’s Play, a community based charity grown and nurtured from the game culture and industry. Over 7 million dollars in donations of toys, games, books and cash for sick kids in children’s hospitals across North America, the UK and the rest of the world have been collected since inception.
With over 70 partner hospitals and more arriving every year, you can be sure to find one that needs your help!
When gamers give back, it makes a difference!
You can find out more about the charity from their official website:
Note
This book contains a number of stories for children of all ages.
The stories are arranged in order by age group, with stories for younger children at the beginning.
Some of the later stories may not be suitable for young children.
Contents
When I’m asleep do my toys wake up?
The Diary of Henry Nicholas, Boy Genius
When I’m asleep do my toys wake up?
By Richard Bacon
When I’m asleep do my toys wake up?
I wonder if it’s true.
Does my Teddy walk about?
I really wish I knew.
While I dream, the toys can play,
There’s no one awake to see.
I don’t think anyone knows about them,
No one that is, but me!
Does the rocking horse ride around?
Jumping over books.
Whilst the pirate toys climb about,
Using ropes and hooks.
The toy trains are all chugging,
Around and around the track.
Through the tunnels and stations,
With a clack-ety, clack-ety, clack.
I think my cars may have a race,
The red car and the blue.
Zooming between the building blocks,
And past my wooden Zoo.
The Teddy bears could have a picnic,
I imagine it would be fun.
With sandwiches for all to eat
And for dessert, a sticky bun!
The polar bear and rabbit,
Might dance the night away.
The other toys look on and cheer,
“Well done, that’s great, hooray!”
When I wake again next morning,
I take a look around.
Was that dinosaur over there last night?
And that dolly on the ground?
When I’m asleep do my toys wake up?
I wonder if it’s true.
Does my Teddy walk about?
I really wish I knew.
I look my Teddy in the eye,
I tell him what I think.
He says nothing, just stares at me,
But I swear I saw him wink…
By Richard Bacon
Once upon a time, there was a cow called Chloe.
One day, Chloe, had been playing all over the farm where she lived, having fun with all the other animals, when she heard her mummy calling for her.
“Chloe! It’s getting late. Time to get ready for bed!”
Chloe said goodbye to all her friends before running back to the cowshed where she slept with her mummy, but when Chloe looked on her bed, she realised her teddy bear, Fluffy, was missing!
“Oh no!” she sobbed to her mummy. “I can’t go to sleep without Fluffy!”
“Oh dear.” said her mummy. “Well, let’s have a look for Fluffy. I’ll look here, while you go and ask the other animals if they have seen him.”
Chloe nodded, that was a great idea!
Chloe decided to ask Molly the sheepdog first. Molly was very old and very wise. If anyone could help, Chloe thought it would be Molly!
Molly was lying in her kennel when Chloe arrived and asked, “Please can you help me? I’ve lost my teddy bear and I don’t know where he is. Have you seen a brown teddy bear anywhere on the farm?”
Molly thought for a moment before replying.
“I’m sorry Chloe. I’ve not seen your teddy bear anywhere.”
Chloe felt sad that Molly couldn’t help, but then Molly had an idea.
“Why don’t you tell me all the things you did today and we’ll see if we can find, Fluffy?”
That cheered Chloe up. She closed her eyes and thought about all the things she done that day.
“Well, I was playing with the chickens in the farmyard.”
“Come on then!” said Molly getting up. “Let’s see if the chickens have seen your teddy bear.”
Off they went to see the chickens in their henhouse.
“Hello,” said Chloe politely, “Please can you help me? Have you seen a brown teddy bear anywhere on the farm?”
The chickens clucked for a moment before one of them answered Chloe. “Cluck, Cluck! Sorry, Chloe. We haven’t seen any teddy bears. “
Chloe was disappointed.
“Where else have you been today?” asked Molly.
Chloe thought again for a moment. “I was playing with the pigs as well.”
So off went Chloe and Molly to see the pigs in the pig sty.
“Hello, have you seen a brown teddy bear anywhere on the farm?” Chloe asked the pigs.
The pigs oinked to one another for a moment before one of them answered Chloe. ”Oink, Oink! Sorry, Chloe. We haven’t seen any teddy bears.”
Chloe moo-ed sadly. Where could her teddy bear be?
“Have you been anywhere else today?” asked Molly.
Again Chloe closed her eyes and tried to remember what she had done. “I went to see the horses!” she said.
The horses all lived together in the stable. Chloe went over with Molly to speak to them.
“Hello, have you seen a brown teddy bear anywhere on the farm?”
The horses neighed to one another for a moment before one of them answered Chloe. ”Neigh, Neigh! Sorry, Chloe. We haven’t seen any teddy bears.”
Chloe was starting to feel very sad. No one had seen her missing teddy bear and she began to wonder if she would ever see him again.
Bravely she closed her eyes to remember anywhere else she had been. “I was in the field with all the sheep.” She told Molly.
So Chloe and Molly trotted off to the field where all the sheep lived. Chloe really hoped they could help her.
“Hello, have you seen a brown teddy bear anywhere on the farm?” she asked the sheep.
The sheep baa-ed to one another for a moment before one of them answered Chloe. “Baaa! Sorry, Chloe. We haven’t seen any teddy bears.”
Now Chloe was really sad. She began to feel tears building up in her eyes. But just then, Tilly, one of the lambs Chloe had played with earlier, came to speak to her.