Lulu Bell and the Moon Dragon Read Free

boa and rolled in it. She thought it was alive. In a moment the boa was a tangle of black kitten and white feathers.
    The dragon needed big goggly red eyes, sharp white teeth and a white beard. Tien had already made the cardboard face with a wide pink mouth. Lulu and Molly started gluing on white feathers.
    Tien was making a long red cloak on her sewing machine. This would be attached to the dragon’s head. The cloak would form the body and tail. Then Tien would make two pairs of loose red trousers for the legs. The back and legs would be decorated with strips of gold fringing.

    â€˜The dragon’s beard is a bit crooked,’ said Molly.
    Lulu cocked her head to one side as she checked. ‘Maybe,’ said Lulu. ‘I think he just needs more feathers. The one in the picture has furry eyebrows as well.’
    Rosie and Sam blew up balloons to form a base for the papier-mâché masks. Gus played football with the floating balloons.
    â€˜Take that!’ cried Gus. A balloon popped with a loud bang.
    â€˜Gussie!’ said Lulu. She put her hands on her hips. ‘Don’t burst all the balloons.’
    Mum looked up from the gluggy pot she was stirring.
    â€˜Why don’t you come and help me with the papier-mâché, honey bun?’ suggested Mum. She held up a strip of newspaper soaked in paste.
    Mum had mixed up a big batch of flour and water to make the paste. She was placing sticky strips of newspaper over each of the balloons to form a round face mask.
    Gus ran to help. He dunked a fistful of newspaper into the paste pot. In a few minutes he managed to get white paste all over his Bug Boy outfit.
    Mum put the masks out to dry in the sun on the verandah. Then she helped Tien sew the blue robes to go with them.

    At last, Lulu and Molly finished decorating the dragon head. They packed up the glue, scissors and decorations. Mum folded up the last blue robe.
    â€˜That was fun,’ said Mum. ‘But now we need to go home and feed all the animals. It’s nearly dinnertime.’
    â€˜We can paint the masks and make some lanterns tomorrow,’ said Tien. ‘Then over the weekend we can prepare some food so it’s all ready for Monday.’
    â€˜It’s my news day tomorrow,’ said Lulu. ‘Can Molly and I take the dragon costume in to show our class? The kids would love to see him.’
    Mum frowned. ‘I don’t think so, Lulu,’ said Mum. ‘We don’t want him to get damaged. Perhaps we could make a practise lantern tonight after dinner? You could take that for news instead?’
    â€˜Good idea. Thanks Mum.’
    Lulu held up the colourful dragon head. She swooped the dragon gently through the air, making him fly. The red cloak billowed out behind him.
    â€˜He looks quite ferocious, honey bun,’ said Mum.
    â€˜He looks awesome,’ replied Lulu. She and Molly grinned at one another. ‘I can’t wait until Monday.’

Chapter 6
Four Eyes
    The next day at recess, Lulu was walking through the playground. She heard a small voice calling her name. It was Molly’s brother Sam.
    â€˜Lulu,’ called Sam. ‘Lulu Bell.’
    Sam’s hair was sticking up more than usual. His dark eyes blinked behind his thick, black-rimmed glasses.
    â€˜Hi, Sam,’ replied Lulu. ‘What’s up?’
    Sam frowned. ‘Lulu, I’m … I’m notvery happy. And I can’t find Molly.’
    â€˜Molly had to take a message to the office for our teacher,’ said Lulu. ‘But why aren’t you happy, Sam?’
    Sam looked over his shoulder towards the monkey bars. Most of the kindy kids were swinging back and forth on the bars.
    â€˜One of the boys was mean to me,’ said Sam. He blinked away tears.
    â€˜Oh, Sam. I’m sorry,’ said Lulu. She kneeled down and gave him a hug. ‘What happened?’
    Sam sniffed. He took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes.

    â€˜He called me Four