Amelia Fang and the Half-Moon Holiday. Laura Ellen Anderson

Fang.’ Graham gave a dramatic bow as Amelia skipped backwards out of the way of his very sharp unicorn horn.

      ‘The half-moon holiday is my favourite time of year. Although it is the first time I’ve spent it away from home,’ said Amelia with a slightly nervous fang-filled smile.

      ‘Be brave, little Creature of the Dark,’ said Ricky, wagging a reassuring hoof in Amelia’s direction. ‘Rainbow Rangers look after each

      other so you will be fine. And besides, me and Graham have got big plans for this trip, you won’t have hardly any time at all to feel homesick!’

      ‘Oh, I sure hope so . . .’ whispered a high-pitched voice from behind Amelia.

      ‘Hi, Grimaldi!’ Amelia hugged the little grim reaper, who had floated up beside her.

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      ‘I’m nervous too but I am so excited to go camping together. No school for a whole week!’

      ‘And no scraping small dead creatures off the streets!’ Grimaldi added, waving his scythe around. ‘My grimpapa will have to take care of that while I’m away.’ Grimaldi Reaperton was a tiny reaper who dealt with the deaths of small creatures around Nocturnia. And even though Death was his middle name, he was actually scared of almost everything.

      Suddenly, a CRASH was heard as the ground burst open a few feet away from Amelia and Grimaldi. The little reaper shot a mile into the air and Squashy squeaked and bounced into Amelia’s arms for comfort. A gravestone went hurtling through the air, followed by a very confused zombie’s head.

      ‘My heeeeeeeeeeeeead!’ the head screeched, as it rolled away into the woods.

      Where the grave once stood, a huge yeti, NOT to be confused with a beast, emerged.

      ‘IT’S THE ’ARF MOON ’OLIDAY!’ bellowed Florence Spudwick. ‘NO SCHOOOOOOL!’

      ‘Hi, Florence!’ replied Grimaldi and Amelia in unison.

      Florence had been practising her pit digging every night. A super-special yeti skill, Florence had now mastered the art of digging her way around the city, creating her very own nifty network of underground tunnels – the latest of which ended right where the gravestone had once stood.

      Prince Tangine La Floofle the First was the last of the Rainbow Rangers to arrive, accompanied by the loud PA-DOOFS of his genetically modified pet pumpkin, Pumpy.

      ‘Sorry I’m late,’ Tangine said with a sigh. ‘I HAD to apply my eyelid cream and let it dry before I could leave.’

      Graham tapped his unicorn hooves impatiently and raised a sceptical eyebrow.

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      Prince Tangine was half-fairy, half-vampire and rather fond of his nightly skin care routine. He was also one of Amelia’s best

      friends, along with Florence and Grimaldi.

      ‘WHAT THE BATS ARE YOU PUTTING

      EYELID CREAM ON FOR?’ said Florence.

      ‘To prevent them from drooping,’said

      Tangine with an

      air of superiority.

      ‘You’ll be sorry when

      your eyelids get all

      droopy and I still

      look RAVISHING.’

      Florence was just

      about to tell Tangine

      exactly what she

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      thought of his eyelids when Ricky the unicorn interrupted the excited chitter chatter of the group with an announcement.

      ‘Good morning Rainbow Rangers! Now you’re all here, I can finally tell you where we’ll be camping for the half-moon holiday. We will be staying in a remote and quiet little place called Sugarplum Island. It’s surrounded

      by the sea and is just a few miles east of the Kingdom of the Light.’

      There was a buzz of anticipation amongst the young Rainbow Rangers.

      ‘Prepare yourselves for some awesome activities and the chance to earn yourselves a BUNCH of Rainbow Ranger BADGES,’ Ricky continued.

      ‘Oooh! I LOVE badges!’ squealed Amelia. She was determined to fill up her Rainbow Ranger sash with as many badges as she could by the end of the half-moon holiday.

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      Who didn’t love a badge?!

      ‘Whoever gets the most badges by the end of the week will be awarded the position of Rainbow Ranger Captain!’ Graham added.

      The Rainbow Rangers cheered and

      high-fived each other excitedly.

      ‘That will be ME, of course,’ said a loud

      voice. Amelia, Florence and Grimaldi sighed.

      Frankie Steinburg was a ghoul in the same

      class as Amelia at school and it was just

      typical that she would join the Rainbow

      Rangers too. She was very competitive and

      constantly trying to outdo everyone.

      ‘Okay, Rangers!’ Graham called over the

      commotion. ‘Before we leave, you know what

      to do . . . ’

      Amelia and the rest of the Rainbow Rangers

      lined up. They straightened their sashes and

      saluted before earnestly reciting the Rainbow

      Ranger Promise:

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      ‘In the brightest day and the gloomiest night, Whether I’m a creature of Dark or of Light.

      I will be patient and grateful and kind,

      And never leave a fellow Ranger behind.

      I’ll strive to keep learning. I’ll trek and explore. And promise to keep the Rainbow Ranger Law.’

      ‘I think I’m gonna cry,’ said Ricky, dabbing at his eyes with his rainbow scarf.

      Graham was already sobbing. ‘Okay, Rainbow Rangers,’ he said through his sniffles. ‘Let’s get this half-moon holiday adventure started!’

      CHAPTER 3

      THE OTHER

       LEFT

      Amelia gazed through the Rainbow Wagon window as they trundled through the Kingdom of the Light, into the Meadow of Loveliness and past the Wishing Well of Well Wishes. Graham was driving and Ricky was giving directions.

      ‘LEFT!’ shouted Ricky suddenly, making everyone jump. ‘No, wait . . . THE OTHER LEFT. LIGHT. I mean, RIGHT. REFT?’

      ‘Oh my days, Ricky!’ said Graham as he narrowly missed a bewildered looking pixie-hen in an apron. ‘You’re RUBBISH at this. Next time, YOU drive, and I’ll read the map.’

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      ‘Oh, we have a map?’ said Ricky.

      ‘Yes Ricky, you BIG ONION!’ said

      Graham. ‘Oh, NOW I’ve missed the next

      turning! This is all your fault.’

      As the Rainbow Wagon swerved

      and screeched through the Vivid

      Valley, Amelia was excited to see

      places in the Kingdom of the

      Light she’d never seen

      before; the Marvellous