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For Madeleine and Theo – RLO
For Eliza – LB
For Chloe – David O’Connell
Cover and interior illustrations by David O’Connell
Special thanks to Rebecca Lewis-Oakes and Liz Bankes
Text first published in Great Britain in 2020
by Egmont UK Limited
2 Minster Court, London EC3R 7BB
Text copyright © 2020 Egmont UK Ltd
Illustrations copyright © 2020 David O’Connell
First e-book edition 2020
ISBN 978 1 4052 9716 5
Ebook ISBN 9781 4052 9717 2
A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library
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Contents
Chapter One: Tick Tock, Tick Tock
Chapter Two: All Aboard the Rainbow Bus!
Chapter Three: Are We Nearly There Yet?
Chapter Four: Tap Tap Tap – Crack!
Chapter Five: Picnic Time
Chapter Six: Quests, Chicks and Kitticorns
Chapter Seven: Rescue Mission!
Chapter Eight: Gift-tastic
Which Animal-Icorn Are You?
Unicorn Jokes
Tick tock, tick tock, BRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!
‘Good morning, Rani!’ said Mira as her big sister opened her eyes.
‘GGAAAARRRRRGH!!!’ Rani screamed. ‘Why are you in my face?!’
Mira threw down the alarm clock and started jumping up and down on her sister’s bed. ‘We’ve got to get to Unicorn School! It’s MY SCHOOL TRIP TODAY!’ Mira yelled. She was waving her signed permission slip in the air. ‘I’m almost ready! I just need to make my packed lunch.’
‘Get OFF !’ Rani shoved Mira off the bed and stuck her head under the pillow.
Mira jumped on to the floor, hopping from foot to foot. ‘What do you think I should have in my sandwiches, tuna or cheese?’
‘GO AWAY!’ Rani flung a pillow at her little sister.
‘Okay, bye! See you downstairs!’ Mira dodged the pillow and scooped up their cat Pickles for a cuddle on the way.
Soon, she’d be cuddling Dave, her UBFF (unicorn best friend forever). He was the best unicorn in the world. Sure, he could be pretty grumpy. And he ALWAYS wanted to eat snacks or have a nap and this often got them both into trouble. And he certainly wasn’t as glittery as some of the other unicorns (he was much more farty). BUT Dave was Mira’s UBFF and they always ended up having the most brilliant adventures and LOADS of fun.
Unicorn School was Mira’s favourite place in the whole world. They went on quests around the Fearsome Forest, hung out with Darcy and Raheem and their unicorns AND earned medals. She couldn’t wait to go back!
After Mira had made her sandwiches (she’d decided on cheese) and had some breakfast, it was time to get dressed.
‘I wish I could wear my kitticorn pyjamas to school, Pickles,’ Mira said, stroking the picture of the adorable kitticorn on her PJs. A kitticorn was a super cute baby cat that had a horn just like a unicorn. She’d found a book about them in the Unicorn School library and ever since then she’d been OBSESSED – drawing tons of pictures of them, keeping a list of her Top Ten Kitticorn Facts and making her very own kitticorn toy out of cotton wool and a loo roll (even though Rani said it looked more like a weird pig).
Mira was longing to meet a kitticorn in real life, but they were VERY rare. She was planning to ask the Unicorn School teachers if they’d ever seen one. But first she had to get to Unicorn School!
As soon as Mira and Rani were dressed, it was time to leave. Rani was still grumbling about having to get up so early, but Mira was so excited about her very first Unicorn School trip that she chatted non-stop in the car on the way to the Magic Portal, and all the way round the supermarket.
Most people brought their unicorns treats like hay or carrots. But Dave liked doughnuts best of all. Unfortunately the shop didn’t have any doughnuts, so Mira brought some custard cream biscuits instead. She’d read that custard creams were a kitticorn’s favourite food, and so she was sure Dave would like them, too! They were on offer so she got five packets.
Mira checked and double-checked her bag for her