Lulu Bell and the Koala Joey by Belinda Murrell Page A

possums, wallabies, penguins, birds and even snakes.
    â€˜Tarni Beach is the best.’ Zac waved his hand towards the sea. ‘A whole week of swimming at the beach, playing cricket and fishing in the rock pools.’
    Lulu smiled. ‘Not to mention building sandcastles, reading books, eating picnics and surfing. This year I’m definitely going to learn to surf.’
    For Christmas, Mum and Dad had bought Lulu a bright pink surfboard.Lulu had been riding waves on a boogie board since she was little. Now she was super-excited to learn how to stand up on a real surfboard.
    Lulu looked up into the branches of a nearby gum tree. ‘Remember when we saw the koala asleep up in that tree?’ she asked.
    Zac frowned.
    â€˜That was a few years ago,’ said Zac. ‘Mum says that the koalas might not live here anymore.’
    Lulu smiled and shook her head.
    â€˜I’m sure they must be here somewhere,’ said Lulu. ‘Wouldn’t it be lovely if we saw a wild koala right here in the garden?’

Chapter 2
Pancakes
    â€˜Lulu!’ Mum called from the verandah. ‘Zac! Breakfast time.’
    Lulu and Zac raced back to the house. Everyone was up now. Zac’s parents, Alison and Peter, were in the kitchen cutting up fruit. Zac’s sister Mia was helping Rosie to set the long table on the verandah. They were chatting and giggling.
    Mum was flipping a pancake in a frypan over the stove. Dad was making coffee.
    â€˜Yum,’ said Lulu. ‘Pancakes for breakfast.’
    â€˜Holiday breakfasts are the best,’ said Dad. He poured frothy milk into the coffee cups.

    Mum added the cooked pancake to a pile on a plate. She poured another round of batter into the frypan to sizzle.
    â€˜Zac and Lulu, could you please carry these out to the table?’ asked Alison.
    She handed Zac a platter of chopped pineapple and mangoes. Lulu carried a bowl of blueberries and raspberries.
    Gus was zooming his toy truck up and down the verandah floorboards.
    â€˜Brooom,’ he roared. The truck veered around Lulu’s feet.
    â€˜Careful, Gus,’ warned Lulu. ‘You don’t want to crash your truck into anyone.’
    Mum carried out a tottering pile of buttery pancakes.
    â€˜Come and eat them while they’re hot,’ called Mum.
    â€˜I love pancakes,’ said Mia.
    â€˜We’re going to need lots of energy for a big morning at the beach,’ added Dad.
    Everyone sat down at the table. The family dogs Asha and Jessie lay underneath, patiently waiting to see if there were any leftover scraps.
    Mum served everyone pancakes. Lulu ladled a pile of berries on top of hers. Both families chatted as they ate breakfast. The pancakes were delicious.

    â€˜It’s a beautiful day,’ said Lulu. ‘When can we go the beach? Can I take my new surfboard?’
    â€˜We’ll get ready as soon as we’ve cleaned up after breakfast,’ said Mum.
    Dad nodded. ‘I’ve checked the waves and they look perfect for learning to surf.’
    Lulu jiggled up and down in her chair. She could imagine herself swooping across a cresting wave, her honey-blonde hair flying through the air.
    â€˜I think the north end of Tarni Beach will be best today,’ said Peter.
    Rosie and Lulu glanced at each other with excitement. The northern headland was their favourite part of the beach. Sometimes they saw dolphins swimming there. Once they had even seen a whale and her calf. It was a magical spot.
    After everyone had finished breakfast it was time to clean up.
    Lulu was bursting with impatience as Mia, Gus and Rosie cleared the table.Zac and Lulu washed the dishes. Finally everyone was ready with sunscreen, hats, rash vests, wetsuits and surfboards. Mum clipped the leads onto the dogs’ collars. Lulu took Jessie’s lead and Rosie took Asha’s.
    â€˜Come on,’ cried Gus. He picked up his truck. ‘Let’s go.’
    The children all clattered down