The Thorn Island Adventure Read online

  “George?” said Chloe, stroking the hen’s head. “But she’s a girl.”

  “So?” said Josh, putting the little hen back in the run next to the corn.

  Later they climbed into the old apple tree, protected from the hot summer sun by its dappled leaf shade. From here they had an uninterrupted view of the still waters of Drake’s Bay. Butterflies flitted around the flowers in the border, bees buzzed and the distant sounds of the harbour getting on with normal life floated up to them.

  “That,” said Chloe, “was properly scary.”

  “That,” said Josh, “was properly an adventure.”

  “It had its moments,” said Aiden. “I never want to hide in a tree again.”

  Ava gazed at the weathervane on the little tower over at Thorn Island as it caught the sunlight. She saw Jake’s motorboat tied up in the harbour, the distant shingle beach at Brandy Cove and the twinkling waves lapping on the shore. She couldn’t think of anything to say. Being at Clifftopper Farm, being with her cousins, being with her grandparents and having so much freedom. It was simply the best – thing – ever!

  “I adored this, a genuine feel-good delight

  with the most lovable animal narrator.”

  – Fiona Noble, The Bookseller

  Copyright

  First published in the UK in 2020 by Nosy Crow Ltd

  The Crow’s Nest, 14 Baden Place

  Crosby Row, London SE1 1YW, UK

  Nosy Crow and associated logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Nosy Crow Ltd

  Text copyright © Fleur Hitchcock, 2020

  Cover illustration copyright © Tom Clohosy Cole, 2020

  Map illustration copyright © R. S. McKay, 2020

  The right of Fleur Hitchcock to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

  All rights reserved

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  A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

  This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, hired out or otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without the prior written permission of Nosy Crow Ltd.

  Printed and bound in Great Britain by Clays Ltd, Elcograf S.p.A.

  Typeset by Tiger Media

  Papers used by Nosy Crow are made from wood grown in sustainable forests.

  ISBN: 978 1 78800 789 4

  www.nosycrow.com