The Most Marvellous Spelling Bee Mystery by Deborah Abela

Author:Deborah Abela
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780143786696
Publisher: Penguin Random House Australia

‘Ingenious India had never been in a situation that was so perilous.’

That afternoon, in preparation for round one of the Most Marvellous International Spelling Bee, Mum told another story of Brave Boo and Ingenious India for some last-minute practice. This time, she’d written it down so Boo could double-check the spelling.

‘Perilous,’ India said. ‘P-e-r-i-l-o-u-s.’

Boo held Mum’s story in his hands, nodding at every correctly spelled word, while Nanna Flo crossed her fingers and Dad paced nervously in the background.

‘She was dangling from a helicopter high above Buckingham Palace, which was ablaze.’

‘A-b-l-a-z-e.’

‘Fire consumed the building, and the only way out was up. The pilot, Brave Boo, held the chopper steady against the waves of rising heat, while India descended …’

‘D-e-s-c-e-n-d-e-d.’

‘Into a moment that was truly valiant.’

‘V-a-l-i-a-n-t.’

‘And rescued the Queen from certain catastrophe.’

‘C-a-t-a-s-t-r-o-p-h-e.’

‘A perfect score!’ Boo cried.

‘Just as I expected.’ Dad sat on the lounge as if he knew all along how well it would go.

‘Someone tell the other spellers not to bother turning up,’ Nanna Flo decided. ‘India Wimple is here.’

Normally Mum frowned on this kind of talk – she didn’t want to build India’s hopes up only to have them dashed. She also wanted to remind everyone that winning wasn’t what competing was all about.

But today even she joined in.

‘You’re going to be magnificent!’ She kissed her daughter on the forehead.

The India of Mum’s stories was brave and adventurous, and Boo was daring and invincible. India always knew how to get out of scrapes, and Boo could scale tall buildings and face down the meanest of bad guys.

India always thought Mum told these stories to make them feel like heroes, but she wondered now if that’s how Mum saw her kids – stronger and more courageous than they actually were.

‘Wimple family,’ Mum announced. ‘It’s time to get dressed so we can deliver this champion to her destiny!’

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