Lulu Bell and the Koala Joey by Belinda Murrell

Chapter 1
Holidays!
    Lulu Bell bounced out of bed and down the ladder. She wasn’t at home in her usual bedroom. It was the summer holidays and the Bell family was staying with their friends, the Stewart family, at Tarni Beach. The two families were sharing a house overlooking the beach. They had been coming here on holidays for years.
    Lulu had slept on the top bunk. Her sister and brother were asleep, top to toe, on the bottom bunk. Six-year-old Rosie was curled into a tight ball, burrowed under the sheet. Gus, the youngest, lay flat on his back with his thumb in his mouth.
    They were staying in a rambling old two-storey house with a big garden. It was an upside-down house with the kitchen and living room upstairs, overlooking the water, together with three bedrooms. There was a wide verandah that surrounded the top level of the house. Downstairs was a big playroom and TV room, with more bedrooms leading onto the garden.
    Lulu crept out into the living room. Her feet padded on the wooden floor. The sun poured in through the French doors, filling the house with warm light.Lulu opened the doors and stepped out onto the verandah. She gazed out, enjoying the early-morning peace.

    The view was as beautiful as ever. A big gum tree spread its feathery leaves towards the sky. Down below, a lush green lawn led to dunes of powdery white sand. Beyond the sand, as far as the eye could see, was the deep gorgeous blue of the sea. The waves pounded on the shore, splashing up in a white frothy spray.
    Lulu breathed in the smell of salty air and tangy gum leaves.
    A whole week of fun at the beach , thought Lulu. What bliss!
    Their house was located at the end of a strip of old beach houses. To the south was a forest of scrubby gum trees. They once had seen a koala sleeping in a tree there.
    Lulu looked down to see a boy standing on the grass. His thick brown hair was mussed up and stood on end.

    It was Zac Stewart. Zac was in the same year as Lulu at Shelly Beach School, and his sister Mia was one of Rosie’s best friends. The Bell and the Stewart families had been friends since before Lulu was born.
    Zac grinned up at Lulu. ‘Hey, Lulu. Come down, I want to show you something.’
    Lulu nodded. ‘Just a tick.’
    She dashed inside. Mum and Dad’s room was next door to the bunk-bed room. Lulu poked her head in aroundthe doorway. Mum and Dad were sitting up in bed drinking cups of tea. Both of them were reading books.
    â€˜Good morning, honey bun,’ said Mum. ‘Did you have a lovely sleep?’
    Lulu greeted both her parents with a good-morning kiss and hug.
    â€˜Zac wants to show me something outside,’ said Lulu. ‘Can I go?’
    â€˜Sure,’ said Mum, ‘but don’t go on the beach by yourselves or wander into the bush.’
    Lulu tiptoed into the bunk-bed room, careful not to wake Rosie and Gus. She quickly changed out of her pyjamas and pulled on a pair of shorts and a T-shirt. Then she raced down the stairs.
    In the garden, Zac was standing on the lawn peering into the bushlandnext to their house. Their garden had no fences, so the trees came right to the edge of the lawn. Zac put a finger to his lips, then pointed into the scrub.
    It took a moment for Lulu to find what Zac was showing her. Then she saw it. In a small clearing, partly hidden in the shadows of the trees, were two animals. They had their heads down and were quietly grazing.

    â€˜Kangaroos,’ whispered Lulu. ‘Aren’t they gorgeous?’
    â€˜The one on the left has a joey in its pouch,’ replied Zac. ‘You can see its little ears flickering.’
    â€˜That’s one thing I love about Tarni Beach,’ said Lulu. ‘I love all the wild animals that come right into the garden.’
    Lulu adored animals. Her dad was a vet. At home, the family lived right behind Shelly Beach Vet Hospital. Over the years the family had rescued and raised lots of injured wildlife, including