The Truth Pixie Read online

  I’m the most miserable thing you ever did see,

  I upset people just by being me.’

  76

  The girl smiles softly. ‘I know the feeling!’

  She looks sadly up to the ceiling.

  ‘My name is Aada. It has three As.

  We’re moving house in just two days.’

  77

  The Truth Pixie feels bad. She can see the girl’s truth.

  This is nearly her last night under this roof.

  There are other things, too, that the pixie can see:

  Aada’s hundred worries, about what will be.

  78

  ‘You are the Truth Pixie! Tell me how this ends.

  Can I stay in this town, with all my friends?

  Will my father keep his job? Will my gran get better?

  Was the doctor lying, in his scary letter?’

  79

  The Truth Pixie hears this and knows she can’t leave.

  She must answer with truth, but make her believe.

  ‘Listen, Aada, I know it’s a blow,

  The answer to your questions,’ she says, ‘is no.’

  Aada goes pale, Aada can’t speak.

  Aada feels scared and a little bit weak.

  80

  81

  She watches Aada get sadder and sadder,

  As if stuck down a hole without a ladder.

  Then the pixie wonders if she can find

  A ladder of words, for Aada to climb.

  82

  ‘Listen, Aada, I have something to say.

  The truth can be hard, that is its way.

  You will have to move house, as your dad has no money,

  You will have to lose friends, and that isn’t funny.

  83

  There will be people you love,

  Who can’t stay for ever,

  And there will be things you can’t fix,

  Although you are clever.

  84

  But listen hard, and listen good.

  Life might not go as it should,

  But you are young and your life will be magic,

  It will be happy and funny and sometimes tragic.

  85

  Don’t forget who you are. You are a fighter.

  As the dark in the sky makes the stars shine brighter,

  You will find the bad stuff has good bits too.

  The bad days are the days that make you

  you

  .

  86

  You can’t always see goodness, but it’s always there,

  Just like the mouse who hides in my hair.

  If everything was perfect, every single day,

  You’d never know the good from the just-about-okay.

  The truth is, your future will often be great,

  It’s bad now you’re seven, but wait till you’re eight.

  You will make new friends, as good as the old,

  Friends who’ll warm your heart against the cold.

  The house you move to will be smaller than here,

  But you’ll be so happy there, this time next year.

  89

  The best things in life are yet to come,

  You’ll read great books and you’ll have great fun.

  You’ll have a pet cat you’ll name after your gran . . .’

  90

  ‘Cat?’ worries Maarta. ‘It’s time I ran!’

  91

  The rest of your life is full of good stuff,

  You’ll travel the seas, both calm and rough.

  It’s up to you, wherever you go,

  The sun of the desert, the cold of the snow.

  93

  You’ll eat ice cream tasting of strawberry and rose,

  You’ll feel happiness from your head to your toes.

  You’ll love your pet cat, and she’ll enjoy a cuddle,

  And you’ll dance and sing and splash in a puddle!

  You’ll have fun at Christmas, and Easter too,

  In summer you’ll sometimes go to the zoo.

  95

  You’ll laugh at bad jokes, and fall off a chair,

  Feel the sun on your face and the wind in your hair.

  You see, your life is like a voice,

  How you use it, is really your choice.

  You can live life as a mumble, or sing it clear,

  But it will often be special, you’ll be glad to hear.

  96

  You’ll have so many moments – whole years –

  full of fun,

  That will be there just waiting once these sad

  days are done.

  Sure, life isn’t always one big smile,

  But things turn out fine, when you wait a while.

  97

  Yes, the night has dark bits, but it has stars too,

  And you’ll feel when they shine,

  That they shine just for you.

  You will step outside, and see from the park

  That the light is brighter

  When it’s next to the dark.

  You will have so many great times ahead,

  And soft happy dreams from inside your bed.

  The future is changing, a life is a mix,

  A life’s made of hope like a house is of bricks.

  And tonight, right now, you feel very sad,

  But the rest of your life won’t be so bad.’

  99

  Aada listened and Aada heard,

  Aada hung on every word.

  Aada knows the pixie is right,

  The present is dark but the future is bright.

  ‘Thank you, Truth Pixie, you have made things clear;

  I will cry today but I won’t cry all year.

  It’s all a bit weird, and a little bit mad,

  100

  101

  The Truth Pixie starts to feel a bit pleased.

  Aada gives Maarta some very fine cheese.

  The pixie sighs. ‘I guess I should go.’

  The girl thinks hard and then says,

  103

  ‘The Far North,’ says the pixie, ‘is where I belong.’

  But even as she says it she feels it is wrong.

  104

  Aada stands up and looks very serious,

  ‘Listen,’ she says, ‘it’s not so mysterious.

  You’ve just said that life is what we choose,

  If you stay with me you’ve nothing to lose.’

  105

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  107

  108

  109

  ‘With you? Are you sure? But what about your dad?’

  ‘Dad talks about pixies when he thinks I am sad.

  He won’t mind. He likes my friends.’

  ‘Really?’ says the pixie. And her heart starts to mend.

  110

  ‘But what about Maarta, when you get your new cat?’

  ‘Hmm. Yes. We’ll need to think about that!

  Maybe I’ll get a dog instead.

  The future keeps changing, that’s what you said.’

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  And Aada smiles back, and looks out at the sky.

  The pixie is proud that she never did lie.

  Aada’s father walks in and sees the creature there,

  With its big bright eyes, and a mouse in its hair.

  Then he sees something stranger,

  That he couldn’t replace,

  A smile on his daughter’s once sad face.

  ‘Oh Pixie,’ he says. ‘Thank you a lot!

  Aada wanted a smile and now that’s what she’s got.

  You must stay with us, if you’ve no better plan.

  Join us for supper, there’s soup in the pan!’

  ‘Oh, thank you,’ says TP, ‘you’re so very kind!

  Can my mouse join us too, if you really don’t mind?’

  Aada laughs, and her father laughs too,

  And the Truth Pixie laughs,

  And the laugh feels new.<
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  116

  The pixie still lives there to this day.

  Her truth no longer needs to hide away.

  That’s the power of a loving friend.

  And here’s the part

  where we say . . .

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  ‘Terrific . . . An instant classic’

  Guardian

  ‘Will melt your Grinch-frozen heart’

  Simon Mayo

  ‘Funny, exciting and full of Christmas

  charm’ The Week

  THE ADVENTURE CONTINUES. . .

  Read on for an extract. . .

  There once was a girl

  Who lived far away,

  And who tried to be kind,

  Whatever the day.

  This girl was called Aada.

  She lived with her dad.

  She was sometimes happy,

  But now she was sad.

  2

  She’d had a bad year,

  She’d had to move town,

  And start a new school,

  And wear a new frown.

  Her gran had died,

  Her dad lost his job.

  Aada spent the whole year

  Trying not to sob.

  3

  But this isn’t a sad story –

  Not really, no –

  4