Contents

Title Page
The Little Lie
The Best Project
The Spotty Holiday
The Copycat Kid
The Cutest Pet Ever
The Pocket Money Blues
The Deep End
The Night Fright
The Missing Tooth
The Bully Buster
Copyright Page

www.BillieBBrown.com
Billie B Brown has two colourful slings, three pink bandaids and a bandage
around her head. Do you know what the B in Billie B Brown stands for?

Broken.
Billie B Brown has been hunting dinosaurs with her best friend Jack. A
dinosaur trampled all over Billie. It is a terrible emergency!
Now Billie has two broken arms. And maybe a broken head, too!
No, not really. Billie and Jack are just playing hunters. Now Hunter Jack is
pretending to bandage up Billie’s broken bones.

Jack and Billie live next door to each other. They play lots of made-up
games together.

‘I feel much better now,’ says Billie.

She takes off all the bandages.‘Let’s go back out and catch another
dinosaur!’

Jack and Billie run outside into the garden.

Billie has a toy bow and arrow. She shoots the arrow up into the air. Up, up,
up it goes.
Then down, down, down. Right onto the roof of the shed.

‘Oh no!’ says Billie. ‘That was our last arrow!’

‘Don’t worry,’ says Jack.‘We can play something else.’

But Billie doesn’t want to play anything else. She wants to keep playing
hunters!

Billie climbs the fence to see if she can find the arrow.

The fence is very high. Billie climbs up and up until she is as high as the
shed roof.

‘I can see the arrow!’ Billie calls down to Jack. ‘It’s just on the edge of the
roof. I’m sure I can reach it.’

‘Be careful, Billie!’ calls Jack. He looks worried.

‘Maybe we should get your mum or dad?’

Billie leans forward, slowly, slowly, then – oh no! Billie tumbles right off
the fence. Crash!
She lands on her arm and shouts in pain.

Jack runs over.‘Are you all right, Billie?’

Billie holds her arm tight against her tummy and rocks back and forth.

She scrunches up her eyes. ‘Ow, ow, ow!’ she yells.

Billie’s mum runs in to the garden. She bends down beside Billie.

‘Oh dear!’ she says. ‘What happened?’

‘I fell off the fence,’ wails Billie.

Mum frowns.‘What were you doing…? Never mind. We’d better get you to
the hospital!’

The hospital! Even though her arm hurts, Billie can’t help feeling a teensy

bit excited. It’s a real emergency!

Billie’s mum leaves Baby Noah with Jack’s mum and drives Billie straight
to the hospital. A doctor takes Billie into a special room for an X-ray.

‘Well,’ says the doctor. ‘I’m afraid your arm is broken, Billie. We’ll have to
put a plaster cast on it until it heals.’
A real plaster cast and a real sling! Billie can’t wait to show everyone at
school.

Billie remembers when Lola came to school with a twisted ankle. She
limped around all day and everyone wanted to sit next to her at lunchtime.

Having a broken arm is very exciting.

The next morning Billie’s dad walks Billie and Jack to school. When they
get there, Poppy is at the gate.

‘Oh!’ says Poppy. ‘What happened to your arm, Billie?’

‘I broke it!’ says Billie.

‘Wow,’ says Poppy. ‘How did you do that?’

‘She fell off the fence,’ says Jack.

‘Cool!’ says Poppy. ‘I’m going to tell Ella and Tracey!’ She runs off.

Billie and Jack walk into the playground.

Soon Tracey, Ella and Poppy run up to her.

‘Poppy says you fell off a fence and broke your arm!’ Ella says.

‘That’s right,’ says Billie. She feels very proud that all the girls want
to see her arm. It makes her feel very special.

Then Billie has an idea.

She’s just thought of something that will make everyone want to be her
friend.

‘Actually, I was rescuing my baby brother,’ Billie says loudly.

‘What?’ says Jack.

Billie jabs him in the ribs with her elbow.

‘He crawled up the fence and got stuck there,’ she says.‘It was really, really
high.’
‘Wow!’ say Poppy, Ella and Tracey. ‘That’s amazing! Let’s go and tell the
others.’ They run into the playground.

‘Tell Lola!’ Billie calls out after them.

Billie turns to smile at Jack. But Jack isn’t smiling.

In fact Jack doesn’t look happy at all!

‘What?’ says Billie. Jack frowns.‘That didn’t happen,’ he says.‘You’re
making up stories.’

‘So?’ says Billie.‘I’m just playing a game.’

‘No, you’re not. You’re lying!’ says Jack.

Billie frowns. ‘Well, not really. It’s just a little lie.’

‘It’s not! A lie is a lie,’ says Jack.

Billie glares at Jack and Jack glares at Billie.

The girls come back with Rebecca and Lola.

‘Ella says you rescued your brother and broke your arm!’ says Rebecca.
She is out of breath from running so fast.

‘That’s right,’ says Billie.

She doesn’t look at Jack. ‘And also, there was a fierce dog on the other side
of the fence.’

The girls gasp. Billie grins proudly.

‘Actually it was a crocodile,’ she says. ‘Our neighbours have a fierce
crocodile.’
Lola looks at Billie in a funny way. ‘I don’t believe you,’ she says. ‘Nobody
keeps crocodiles as pets. You’re a fibber!

I bet your arm isn’t even broken!’

Lola spins around and walks to the classroom. The other girls follow her.

‘It is! It is broken. Really and truly!’ Billie shouts after them. ‘Isn’t it,
Jack?’

Billie looks at Jack but he doesn’t say anything.

Then he walks away without Billie.

Billie can’t believe it. Having a broken arm was meant to make Billie the
most popular girl at school!

And now even her best friend won’t talk to her.

Billie sits down under the big peppercorn tree. She feels terrible. Her
arm hurts and her tummy hurts. She wants to go home.

All Billie wanted was for everyone to sit next to her at lunchtime.

All she wanted was for everyone to sign her cast. Now nobody will want to
sit next to her and nobody will sign her cast.
Billie B Brown is lots of things. She is bold and bouncy. Sometimes she is
even a teensy bit bossy.

But most of all, Billie B Brown is brave. She knows what she has to do. She
takes a big breath and walks into class.

What do you think she is going to do?

When Billie walks into class, everyone is sitting on the floor in front of Ms
Walton. Show and Tell is just about to start.

‘My goodness, Billie,’ says Ms Walton. ‘It looks like you have something
very special for Show and Tell this morning. Would you like to go first?’

Billie nods and walks up to the front of the class. Her heart is beating very
fast.

‘Um, yesterday I broke my arm,’ Billie says.

She points at her arm.

‘I can see that,’ Ms Walton says. ‘How did it happen, Billie?’

Billie feels her cheeks get hot. She looks at Jack. He looks away. ‘Um, I
fell off the fence,’ she says in a little voice.

‘I was trying to get an arrow down from the shed roof.’

Billie hears Lola giggle.

‘Oh dear,’ Ms Walton says. ‘You’ll have to be more careful next time, won’t
you? Are there any questions for Billie?’

Lola is the first to stick up her hand.

‘I thought you were rescuing your brother from crocodiles,’ she says. Some
of the girls giggle.
Billie takes another deep breath.

She sees Jack watching her. Her tummy is jumping around

nervously, but she doesn’t stop.‘I was just making up stories,’ she
says.‘I thought it would sound more exciting that way.’

Ms Walton smiles. ‘You obviously have a very good imagination, Billie.

Perhaps you could write a story. Any more questions?’

Rebecca jabs her hand into the air.

‘Yes, Rebecca?’ Ms Walton says.

‘Can I sign your cast, Billie?’ says Rebecca.

‘Me too!’ says Poppy.

‘Me too!’ says Ella.

‘All right girls, settle down,’ Ms Walton says. ‘You will all have plenty of
time to sign Billie’s cast at lunchtime.

Thank you, Billie. You can sit down now.’

Billie smiles. She feels happy again. Everyone will want to sit next to
her at lunchtime now!
But at the moment there is only one person she wants to sit next to. Billie
looks towards Jack.

He has a big smile on his face. Best of all, he has wriggled over to make
room for Billie. Right next to him.
Billie B Brown has twenty-seven icy-pole sticks, twelve pipe-cleaners and
one glue stick. Do you know what the B in Billie B Brown stands for?

Busy!
Billie is very busy today. She has homework! She is making a tower for her
school project.

Billie’s teacher is away all week. Another teacher is looking after Billie’s
class. Her name is Miss Swan. She wears long skirts and lots of silver
bracelets.
 swish, swish, swish.
When Miss Swan walks, her skirts go

Her bracelets go jingle, jingle, jingle. Billie thinks she is

wonderful.

Miss Swan has decided that Billie’s class will build a model city. Everyone
in the class will make something to put in it.

Some kids are making boring things like hospitals or schools. But not
Billie. She is making a tower.

But Billie is having a lot of trouble getting her tower to stay up. It wibbles
and wobbles, and then it falls down. Billie is beginning to feel very

cross.
‘Stupid tower!’ she says.

She throws the glue stick across the room.

‘Billie!’ says her mum. ‘We don’t throw things in the house.’

‘Why don’t you try something simpler?’ says her dad. ‘You could use a
box, like Jack did.’

Jack is Billie’s best friend. He lives next door. Billie and Jack are in the
same class at school. Jack finished his project yesterday. He has made a
house out of a box.

It has windows and doors that open and close.

But Billie doesn’t want to make a boring old house. She wants to make a
fancy tower.

She feels so angry that her head is fizzing.

‘I hate this stupid project!’ Billie shouts. ‘My tower will never be ready for
school tomorrow!’ She runs upstairs and flops down on her bed.
There is a knock on Billie’s bedroom door. Her dad comes in. Billie buries
her face into the pillow. She wants her dad to know that she is really, really

cross.
‘Hey, Billie,’ says her dad, patting her head. ‘Come on. I’ll help you build
your tower. You just need some stronger glue, that’s all.’

‘All right,’ says Billie in a grumpy voice. But secretly she feels a
little better.

Billie and her dad go downstairs to build her tower. Strong glue is too
dangerous for Billie to use on her own. So she holds the sticks and her dad
glues them together.
Soon the tower is finished. It looks brilliant! Billie feels very proud.
She is sure it will be the best project in the class.

Usually Lola is the best at school projects. But Lola is only making a
hospital. Billie has made a tower!

Billie hopes so much that Miss Swan will like her tower. She hopes Miss
Swan will put her tower right in the middle of their city.
‘What a beautiful tower, Billie!’ says her mum. ‘You’d better put it up on
the dining table. You don’t want Noah getting hold of it!’

Billie frowns. Babies can be so annoying sometimes. Especially when they

start crawling. Noah gets into everything!

‘I can’t move it yet,’ says Billie.‘It still has to dry.’

‘Why don’t you get ready for bed first?’ says her dad. ‘Then you can come
back and move it. It will be dry by then.’

‘OK,’ says Billie, yawning. She has been working on her project all evening
and now it is late.
Billie puts on her pyjamas and brushes her teeth. Her dad comes upstairs to
tuck her in. Her mum is putting Noah to bed.

‘Have you moved your tower?’ asks Dad.

‘Just going now,’ says Billie. She runs down to the lounge room. But her
tower is still wobbly. She doesn’t want to move it yet. It might fall to pieces
again.

Billie decides she will come back later. She can creep downstairs after her
dad has read her a story.

Billie’s dad tucks her in. He reads her a book about a little girl who lives in
Paris. Billie’s dad tells Billie that Paris is a big city in France.

The little girl in the book walks her dog through a park full of statues and
sculptures. Billie loves this book.
The pictures of Paris are very beautiful.

Billie falls asleep dreaming of the wonderful city her class is going to make
with Miss Swan.

Uh-oh…

Billie has forgotten to do something very important.

Can you remember what it is?

The next morning Billie finds it hard to wake up.

‘Billie,’ her mum calls. ‘Hurry and come down for breakfast. You’ll be late
for school!’

Billie is feeling very sleepy. She pulls on her clothes and goes
downstairs for breakfast. Her dad pours some milk on her cereal.

Suddenly he stops pouring. He has a funny look on his face.

‘Billie,’ he says slowly. ‘Did you move your project last night?’

Billie spins around. Baby Noah is sitting on the kitchen floor. He has a big
grin on his face. Poking out of his mouth is an icy-pole stick with a bit of
pipe-cleaner stuck to it.
‘The tower!’ Billie and Dad shout together.

Billie rushes into the lounge room. Sticks and pipe-cleaners are
everywhere!

Billie storms back to the kitchen.‘Noah! You ruined my school project!’ she
shouts at her baby brother. Noah begins to cry.
‘Oh, Billie, I’m very sorry,’ says her dad. ‘But we did tell you to move your
project. Noah is too little to know not to touch your things.’

Billie looks at the ground. She is angry, but she didn’t mean to make
Noah cry. Billie gives Noah a cuddle. He stops crying.

Billie’s dad puts his arm around her.‘How about we try to stick it back
together?’ he says.

But Billie shakes her head. It won’t dry in time now. Today is the day they
are making their city. She has to think of something else. And fast!

Just then, Noah holds out his hand towards Billie. In his fist are two bits of
pipe-cleaner twisted together.
It reminds her of something. Suddenly, Billie has an idea.

A super-dooper idea!

‘Thanks, Noah!’ she says.

Billie runs into the lounge room. ‘I’ll be ready in five minutes!’ she calls.

What do you think she is up to?

Soon Jack arrives to walk to school with Billie.

Billie walks into the kitchen. She is carrying something covered in a tea
towel.

It is something tall and bumpy.

‘Is that your tower?’ says Jack.

‘Nup,’ says Billie. ‘I decided to make something different.’

‘What is it?’ Jack asks.

‘It’s a surprise!’ says Billie. ‘I’ll show you when we get to school.’

Billie has a big grin on her face. But her tummy is full of butterflies.

What if Miss Swan doesn’t like her project? What if everyone laughs at
her?
‘OK, then,’ says Billie’s dad. ‘Time to go!’

He drives Billie and Jack to school because they are running late.

Billie and Jack walk into the classroom.

Miss Swan is at her desk. Lola and her friends are there too. They are all
looking at Lola’s project.

Lola has made a hospital out of a big cardboard box. When you peek in the
windows it has matchboxes for little beds and people made out of pipe-
cleaners.
It is perfect. Just like Lola.

Billie puts her project on her desk. Her heart is beating very fast.

She pulls off the tea towel.

Underneath is a very strange-looking thing made out of twisted pipe-

cleaners and icy-pole sticks.

Jack looks puzzled.

Lola turns around. When she sees Billie’s project, she laughs loudly.

‘What is that, Billie? It looks crazy!’

Lola’s friends giggle.

But Billie just smiles bravely. ‘It’s a sculpture!’ She replies. She
hopes Miss Swan is listening.

Miss Swan gets up from her desk.

She swishes towards Billie in her long skirt. Billie holds her breath. Her
heart jumps up and down.

‘A sculpture!’ says Miss Swan. She claps and her bracelets jingle.
‘What a marvellous idea! I love it!’
Billie grins. She is almost bursting with pride.

‘Thank you, Miss Swan,’ she says.‘I got the idea from a book about Paris.
In Paris there are sculptures everywhere!’
‘You are absolutely right, Billie,’ Miss Swan says. ‘Every great city needs
art. We will put your sculpture right in the middle of our city!’

Lola frowns.

Miss Swan leans in closer to look at Billie’s crazy sculpture.‘My goodness,

this must have taken you ages,’ she says.‘Did you have some help?’

‘Um, yes, actually.’ Billie looks at Jack and giggles. ‘My baby brother
helped me!’
Billie B Brown has one packet of mints, twelve coloured pencils and a
brand-new suitcase on wheels. Do you know what the B in Billie B Brown
stands for?

Bouncy.
Billie B Brown is bouncing all over the place. She is as excited as a bunny!
Do you know why Billie is so excited? She’s going to stay with her
grandma for a whole week!

Billie loves her grandma.

She lives in a city that is very far away. Too far away to drive. So Grandma
is taking Billie there on a plane. How exciting!

On the plane, Grandma lets Billie sit by the window. Billie has never been
on a plane before.

She wants to try all the buttons and games. She eats her whole packet of
mints before the plane even takes off.

‘Billie,’ says her grandma. ‘How about you draw a picture or read a book?’

But Billie is too excited to draw or read. She has been counting
sleeps for weeks!
When the plane takes off, it moves very fast and makes a loud noise. Billie

is a teensy bit scared.

She peeks through the little window. The cars and houses outside get
smaller and smaller below.

Billie has never seen anything so wonderful. It looks like fairyland! She’s
not scared anymore. But she squeezes Grandma’s hand as they go through
the clouds. Bumpity bump bump.
Billie has written a list of all the fun things they are going to do at
Grandma’s.

Billie can’t wait until they get there. They have so much to do!
When they arrive at Grandma’s apartment it is already dark.

Billie feels very tired. Grandma tucks Billie into a fold-out bed in the study.

The sheets feel cool and crisp. But Billie feels hot and itchy. She
has a bit of a tummy-ache.

‘Probably just all the excitement, love,’ Grandma says. She kisses Billie
goodnight. ‘You’ll feel better tomorrow.’

Billie finds it very hard to get to sleep.

Grandma’s apartment looks spooky in the dark. The traffic outside is very
noisy! And Billie feels hotter and itchier than ever.

When Billie wakes up the next morning she is covered in spots. Do you
know what they are? Chickenpox!

‘Chickenpox?’ says Billie.

‘Chickenpox,’ says Grandma shaking her head.‘Luckily I’ve already had it

so I can’t catch it again.

But we don’t want other children catching it. You’ll have to stay inside until
you are better.’
‘But what about the zoo?’ Billie gasps. ‘And the movies? And my new
shoes?’

Big fat tears roll down Billie’s spotty cheeks.

‘I’m sorry,’ sighs Grandma. ‘But there’s nothing we can do. How about you
get out your sketchbook and pencils? I’ll make you breakfast in bed. French
toast?’

‘With banana?’ Billie says, wiping her eyes.

‘With banana,’ says Grandma.

Billie eats up all her breakfast. Then she calls her mum and dad.

‘Guess what?’ Billie’s mum says. ‘Baby Noah has chickenpox, too!’

Billie laughs. She can’t imagine her little brother all covered in spots.
‘Hello, Noah!’ Billie shouts down the phone.

After Billie says goodbye, she climbs back into bed and takes out her
sketchbook and pencils.

But it’s no use. She can’t think of anything to draw.

Billie feels itchy and scratchy all over. Grandma says that
Billie shouldn’t scratch her spots or they will scar. Billie sighs. She wishes
she could go outside to the park and the shops and the zoo.

Billie wrote so many fun things on her list and now she can’t do any of
them. What a miserable holiday!
Then, Billie has an idea. A super-dooper idea!

You’ll never guess what she is up to.

‘OK, Grandma,’ Billie calls. ‘You can come in now!’

Grandma walks into the lounge room. ‘Wow, Billie! This looks brilliant,’
she says.

Billie giggles. Grandma is right. The lounge room looks…well, it doesn’t

look like a lounge room any more.

Billie has been drawing pictures of zoo animals all morning. While
Grandma made lunch, Billie stuck the pictures around the room.

She even moved some of Grandma’s furniture to look like cages. Now the
lounge room looks like a zoo!
Grandma and Billie walk around Billie’s zoo looking at all the animals. ‘Be
careful of that one!’ Billie says. She points to Mr Fred who is sitting in
Grandma’s laundry basket. ‘He’s a ferocious bear!’

Grandma pretends to look scared. Billie laughs.

Grandma has packed a picnic for lunch. After they have seen all the
animals, they sit down on the carpet to eat their sandwiches.
‘How about we go to the ice-cream shop next?’ asks Grandma, winking.

‘Yay!’ says Billie following Grandma into the kitchen.

Grandma pretends to be the ice-cream shop lady. She hands Billie a bowl of
vanilla ice-cream.

Billie hands her some pretend money.

Then Grandma takes some things out of the cupboard. Bananas, choc-chips,
peanut butter, maple syrup and sprinkles.

‘Would you like to choose a topping, madam?’ she asks in a silly voice.

‘Can I put anything on it?’ Billie asks.

‘Of course!’ says Grandma.

Billie smiles. ‘Can I put everything on it?’

Grandma laughs. ‘Whatever you like, love.’

Billie mixes everything into her ice-cream until it is a big goopy mess.
Delicious! This holiday is much more fun than she thought.

That night after Billie’s bath, Grandma puts a special cream on Billie’s
spots to stop them itching.

The spots are red and even itchier than before. But Billie is doing a very
good job of not scratching them.
When Grandma has finished, Billie hops into bed and takes out her holiday
list. She crosses out Zoo. What is next?

Shopping - new shoes.

Oh dear! How can they go shoe shopping when Billie has to stay inside?
But then Billie has another idea. A super-dooper idea. Even super-dooperer
than the last one!

Can you guess what she is thinking?

The next morning Billie gets up early. There is so much to do!

‘What’s our plan for today?’ Grandma asks over breakfast.

‘Shoe shopping!’ says Billie.

‘Great,’ says Grandma. ‘I love shopping for shoes!’

Billie and Grandma go into Grandma’s bedroom. Billie tries on all the shoes
in the wardrobe. Pink ones, sparkly ones, boots and sandals.
Finally Billie finds the perfect shoes. They are exactly the same purple as
Billie’s T-shirt. They are a teensy bit big, but Billie doesn’t mind.

Billie and Grandma pay Mr Fred, who is the shopkeeper.

Billie crosses Shopping - new shoes off her list.

‘What’s next?’ asks Grandma.

‘Going to the movies,’ says Billie.

‘Hmm, OK,’ says Grandma.

‘How about I get my neighbour to pick us up some DVDs? We can make
popcorn!’

‘Yay!’ says Billie. She jumps up and down in excitement.

‘Glad to see you’re still my bouncy Billie,’ says Grandma. ‘Even with the
chickenpox!’

Billie makes movie tickets for herself and Grandma. Then she closes all the
blinds in the lounge room so it is nice and dark. Just like at the movies!

When the cinema is ready, she helps Grandma make popcorn in a big
saucepan.

Billie loves watching the popcorn jump around inside the pan. Pop
pop pop!
Billie and Grandma spend all week inside, but Billie never gets bored.

One morning Billie makes an adventure playground out of cushions. And

that night she gets to play Waterworld - in the bath. What a mess!

On the last day of her holiday, Billie’s spots have cleared up enough for her
to go outside.

Which is lucky, because it is time for Billie and Grandma to catch the plane
home again.

On the plane, Billie fiddles with all the buttons on the armrest. She
accidentally pushes the button to call the flight attendant.

‘Oops, sorry!’ says Billie when the woman arrives.

‘That’s all right, dear,’ says the attendant. She smiles at Billie and
Grandma.‘Are you on holiday with your grandma?’

‘Yes,’ says Billie.‘But I got the chickenpox so I couldn’t go outside. We had

to stay inside for a whole week!’
‘Oh, what a shame,’ says the attendant. ‘That must have been a pretty
boring holiday.’

‘No way,’ says Billie.

‘We went to the zoo and ate ice-cream. We went shopping and I even went
to Waterworld!’

‘Waterworld?’ says the attendant. ‘But I thought you stayed at home?’

‘We did,’ says Billie.‘And I had the best holiday ever!’

The flight attendant looks confused.

But Billie and Grandma look at each other and giggle.

Billie B Brown has one fancy headband, two purple shoes and three star
buttons on her top. Do you know what the B in Billie B Brown stands for?

Buddy.
There is a new girl arriving in Billie’s class today. Her name is Mika. She
has come all the way from Japan.

Ms Walton has asked Billie to be Mika’s buddy. She can’t wait. She has
dressed up especially. Doesn’t she look nice?
Billie and her best friend Jack walk to school with his mum. They are very

excited to meet Mika.

‘I wonder what she’ll be like?’ Billie says. ‘Ms Walton says she has black
hair like me!’

Billie and Jack reach the school gate.

Ella and Tracey are waiting for them.

‘Cool top!’ says Tracey.

‘Thanks,’ says Billie.‘I just got it on the weekend.’

‘The new girl is here!’ Ella says.‘Come and see. She’s in the classroom.’

Billie and Jack run after Ella and Tracey.

They all peer in the classroom window. Ms Walton is talking to the new
girl’s mum. The new girl has black hair and big brown eyes.

Billie thinks she looks lovely.

Ms Walton sees them peeking through the window. ‘Billie, come and meet
Mika,’ she calls.

Ella and Tracey run over to the monkey bars. Jack goes to play soccer.
Billie walks into the classroom to meet Mika.

‘Mika, this is Billie,’ says Ms Walton. ‘She will look after you until you
know your way around.’

‘Hi!’ says Billie excitedly. ‘Nice to meet you!’

Mika looks at Billie. Then she looks at her mum. Mika’s mum smiles and
says something to Mika in Japanese. Mika nods and her cheeks turn pink.
‘Hello,’ she says quietly.
‘Mika doesn’t speak much English yet,’ Ms Walton explains to Billie.

‘Oh,’ says Billie.

Just then the bell rings. All the kids in Billie’s class start coming inside
and sitting at their desks.

Normally Billie sits next to Jack, but today she sits with Mika.

Jack waves at her from their usual seat. Billie waves back. She feels very

proud. She is a good buddy!

At recess, Billie and Mika sit under the big tree. They eat their snacks and
watch the kids in the playground. Billie smiles at Mika. Mika smiles back.
All day long Billie looks after Mika. Sometimes Billie does actions to
explain to Mika what Ms Walton is saying. But mostly Mika just watches
what Billie does.

Billie is sure that Ms Walton will be very happy with her.

The next morning Billie gets ready quickly. Then she waits at her front door
for Jack. She is excited to see Mika again.

When they get to school, Billie rushes straight into the classroom to look
for Mika.

‘Hi, Billie,’ says Ms Walton. ‘Mika will be happy to see you. In fact, it
looks like you have a fan!’

Billie looks over to where Mika is sitting. Mika stands up and waves to
Billie.

Then she turns around in a circle to show Billie what she has on. Billie can’t
believe her eyes! Mika is wearing…

One fancy headband, two purple shoes and three star buttons on her top.

Just like Billie was wearing yesterday!

Billie is surprised. She feels strange seeing Mika wearing the same
clothes as her. Billie likes looking different. She doesn’t know what to say.

But Mika just smiles and follows Billie out into the playground.

Lola is standing over at the drink taps with Tracey and Ella. Billie likes
Tracey and Ella but Lola can be annoying.

‘Hey,’ Tracey says.‘Mika has the same top as Billie.’

‘They must be twins!’ Lola says.

Billie feels her face get hot.‘No, we’re not!’ she says.‘That’s just silly.’

But secretly she feels cross that Mika has copied her.
At recess, Mika follows Billie to the soccer pitch. They sit down to watch.
Jack runs up to them. ‘Hi, Billie,’ he says.‘Do you want to join our team?’

‘Um…’ Billie isn’t sure. She loves playing soccer but she doesn’t want to
leave Mika on her own.
‘Come on,’ pleads Jack. ‘We’re losing. We need you!’

‘Oh, all right,’ says Billie. Then she turns to Mika. ‘You wait here. OK?’
She taps the bench. ‘I am going to play soccer.’ Billie points to the soccer
field.

Mika smiles and nods. Then, before Billie can say anything, Mika runs onto
the soccer pitch! Billie’s mouth drops open.

What? That’s not what Billie meant! She watches Mika run after the ball.
Mika is fast. Very fast! Maybe even faster than Billie.

‘Hey, Mika is good at soccer!’ Jack says. Then he runs onto the pitch too.

Billie plonks back down on the bench and squeezes her mouth tight. She

feels a big angry ball growing inside her. It’s not fair! Billie is the best
girl at soccer. Not Mika!
When the bell rings, Billie stomps back to class. Mika follows her.

The next lesson is Art. Mika sits next to Billie. Billie is still feeling cross.

‘OK, class,’ says Ms Walton.

‘Today I’d like you all to draw an imaginary land. I want you all to come up
with something unique.’

Hmmm… thinks Billie. Something unique.

Then Billie has an idea. A super-dooper idea. She will draw a polka-dot
land. Polka-dot trees, polka-dot houses, even polka-dot people.

No-one else will think of that! thinks Billie. She works hard on her drawing
all lesson.
Ms Walton walks over. ‘That’s a wonderful drawing!’ she says from behind
Billie.

‘Thanks!’ says Billie, feeling proud. But when she looks up, she sees that
Ms Walton is speaking to Mika.

Billie looks over at Mika’s drawing and gasps.

Mika has drawn a polka-dot land too. Polka-dot trees, houses – even polka-
dot people. Just like Billie!

Billie is furious. That was her idea! She feels like she is going to
explode. She stands up and stomps her foot.

‘Stop copying me!’ she shouts at Mika.

Mika looks at Billie. Her eyes grow very wide.

Just then, the bell rings for lunch. Billie runs out of the classroom. She
never wants to be a buddy again!
Billie sits under the big tree in the playground. She still feels angry. But she
also feels a teensy bit bad for shouting at Mika.
Billie sees Ms Walton walking towards her. She feels nervous. She is sure
Ms Walton is going to be cross. Ms Walton sits down on the bench beside
Billie.

‘You know you shouldn’t have shouted at Mika,’ Ms Walton says.

Billie nods.‘I know,’ she says.‘It’s just that… it’s just…she won’t stop
copying me. It’s SO annoying!’

Ms Walton smiles.‘I said you had a fan, didn’t I?’

Billie frowns.‘She doesn’t have to do everything I do!’

‘Imagine what it must be like for Mika,’ says Ms Walton. ‘Everything is

new and different for her. Imagine if you couldn’t understand what anyone
was saying.’

Billie thinks about this. It sounds scary.

‘Then imagine if you met someone who looked after you. Someone kind,
like you, Billie,’ says Ms Walton.

Billie looks up at Ms Walton in surprise.

‘Mika’s mum said she couldn’t stop talking about you yesterday,’ says Ms
Walton. ‘She went shopping last night to get Mika the same top as yours.’

‘Really?’ Billie says. She hadn’t thought about it this way before.‘So that’s
why she’s copying me? Because she likes me?’

‘That’s right,’ says Ms Walton.

‘I feel bad for shouting at her,’ Billie says.

‘Would you like to say sorry?’ Ms Walton asks.

Billie nods. Ms Walton calls over Mika.

‘I’m really sorry I yelled at you,’ Billie says to Mika.

‘So, do you still want to be Mika’s buddy?’ Ms Walton asks.

Billie shakes her head. ‘No,’ she says. ‘Not anymore.’

‘Oh dear, why not?’ says Ms Walton, looking worried.

Billie grins at Mika. ‘Because I’d rather be your friend.’

Mika looks confused.

Maybe she doesn’t understand me, thinks Billie. Then she has an idea. A
super-dooper idea.

‘Wait here!’ she says.

Billie runs to the school library. She sits down in front of a computer and
types in a message. Another message comes up on the screen in strange
squiggly letters. Billie copies them onto a piece of paper.

Billie can’t understand the words but she knows Mika will. Do you know
why? That’s right! Billie is writing in Japanese. Can you guess what it says?
Turn over the page for the answer.
Billie B Brown has two finished puzzles, three half-read books and one
broken Lego castle. Do you know what the B in Billie B Brown stands for?

Bored.

Billie B Brown is bored, bored, bored.

Usually when Billie is bored she can play with her best friend, Jack. But
Jack is away this weekend so Billie has no-one to play with.
Billie can’t even play with her baby brother Noah because he is having a
nap. And anyway he is too young to play properly. He just messes up her

games or tries to eat her Lego. He can be so annoying!

Just then Billie has an idea. A super-dooper idea.

She knows exactly what she needs. A pony!

If Billie had her own pony, she would never be bored again.

Billie runs downstairs to tell her dad.

Billie’s dad is in the kitchen. He is baking bread. The kitchen is warm and
smells yummy.

‘Hey, Dad,’ Billie says.

‘I know what I need!

A pony! If I had a pony, I would never be bored.

If I had a pony, I would brush it and feed it and ride it every day.’
Billie’s dad smiles. ‘Billie, where would we keep a pony? A pony needs lots
of space and lots of food. But how about a pet frog instead? I had a frog
when I was a little boy. They can be lots of fun.’

Billie frowns.‘A frog?’ she says.‘You can’t pat a frog. A frog is a terrible
pet.’

She stomps upstairs to find her mum.

Billie’s mum is having a nap with Noah. Billie knows she is not supposed to
wake her mum unless it is for something very important.
But this is something very important. She tiptoes into the bedroom.

‘Mum!’ Billie whispers into her ear.‘Guess what?’

Billie’s mum opens one eye.‘Billie,’ she says.‘Is this something important?’

‘Very important,’ says Billie seriously.

Billie’s mum sighs. She turns over carefully so that she doesn’t wake Noah.
Then she pats the bed next to her for Billie to lie down.

Billie cuddles in next to her mum. She is warm and smells like milk and
flowers.

‘What’s up, love?’ Billie’s mum asks.

‘I’m bored,’ says Billie. ‘I need a pet to play with. I want a pony but Dad
said no.’

Billie’s mum smiles. ‘What about Noah?’ she says, pointing to Billie’s baby
brother. He is curled up next to Billie’s mum, snuffling like a piglet.
‘He’s a bit like a pet.’

‘Mum!’ says Billie crossly. ‘Don’t be silly. I’m serious!’

‘Sorry,’ Billie’s mum says. She makes her face serious. ‘Dad is right. A
pony is much too big. But how about a pet cockatoo? I had a pet cockatoo
when I was a little girl. I taught it to say hello. A cockatoo is a very good
pet.’
Billie frowns. ‘But you can’t cuddle a cockatoo! What about a puppy? Oh
Mum, let’s get a cute little puppy. Please?’

‘A puppy is a lot of work, Billie,’ says her mum.

‘I can look after it!’ says Billie.‘I’ll feed it and walk it and play with it
every day.’

‘Sorry, Billie,’ says her mum.‘We are much too busy with Noah to look
after a puppy right now. Maybe when he’s older.’
Billie feels very cross. ‘It’s not fair!’ she says loudly.

Noah wakes up and begins to cry.

‘Oh Billie!’ says her mum. ‘Now you’ve woken Noah.’

Billie scrunches up her fists and stomps out of the room. She is
feeling very cross. It’s all Noah’s fault. If Noah wasn’t around, Billie is sure
her parents would buy her a pony and a puppy.

But then Billie feels bad for waking Noah.

She really does love her baby brother. Billie picks up a puppet and puts it
on her hand.

‘Peekaboo, Noah!’ Billie says, poking the puppet out from behind the door.

Noah squeals with laughter. Billie and her mum laugh too.
That afternoon, Billie and her mum go to Westland Shopping Centre. Billie
helps Mum put Noah into the stroller.

He wriggles but Billie snaps the buckles tight. Snap! Snap! Billie
and her mum walk around the shopping centre looking in the shop
windows.

‘Ooh look, the pet shop!’ Billie says.‘Can we just take a peek? Please?’
‘All right, Billie,’ says her mum, ‘but quickly. We still have lots of
shopping to do. And Noah will need a feed soon.’

The pet shop smells like hay. All around Billie, animals squeak and
squawk and purr. Billie sees tumbling kittens and rolling puppies
and teeny tiny mice. All the pets are so cute. Billie wishes she could bring
them all home with her.

Then, right at the back of the shop, she sees a cage all on its own. At first
Billie thinks it is empty. But then she bends closer and spots a little round
ball of ginger fur.
‘Hello,’ Billie calls softly. A little pink nose pokes out from all the fur.

Then two shiny black eyes. Then two pink claws. Can you guess what it is?
It’s a guinea pig! And it’s the cutest guinea pig Billie has ever seen.

‘Mum!’ Billie calls. ‘Come and look at this guinea pig. Isn’t it adorable?’

Billie’s mum comes over with the shopkeeper. ‘She’s the last one left,’ the
shopkeeper says.‘She’s a very special guinea pig. Just waiting for a very
special girl, I think.’

He winks at Billie.

Billie looks at her mum. ‘Oh, please can we have her, Mum?’ she begs. ‘I
promise I’ll look after her and feed her every day.’

‘Well…’ says Billie’s mum.

‘Please?’ begs Billie.

Just then Noah begins to cry. He is fed up.

‘Let me think about it, Billie,’ her mum says. ‘Come on. The guinea pig
will still be here when we’ve finished our shopping.’

Billie squeals with excitement. That’s almost a yes!

All afternoon Billie helps her mum look after Noah.

She minds him while her mum tries on shoes. She wipes the banana off his
hands and face. She even passes her mum a nappy after he has done a
stinker!

The whole time she is helping her mum, Billie thinks about the guinea pig.
She has decided to call it Molly. Billie hopes so much that her mum will say
yes!

‘Thank you, Billie,’ her mum says when their shopping is finished.
‘You have been such a good helper today. I think you will be very good
with a pet, too. Shall we go and get that guinea pig now?’

‘Oh thank you!’ Billie squeals. She jumps up and down with

excitement. Her very own pet! Billie can’t believe it. She will
never be bored again!

Billie rushes into the pet store. She runs straight up to Molly’s cage. She
peers between the bars.

But the cage is empty!

‘Oh dear,’ says the shopkeeper.‘A man came in just after you left. He said
he wanted a pet for his daughter. He thought a guinea pig would be perfect
for her. I’m very sorry.’

Billie hangs her head. Her Molly, gone to another little girl? Billie presses
her lips together to stop herself from crying.
‘I’m sorry, Billie,’ says her mum, giving her a cuddle.‘Shall we look for
something else? Maybe there’s another pet that will be just right for you.’

But Billie shakes her head sadly. Molly was the perfect pet. There will
never be another pet like Molly.

Billie sits quietly in the car all the way home. Even Noah’s noisy chattering
can’t cheer her up.
‘I’m sure they will get some more guinea pigs at the pet shop,’ says her
mum.

Billie nods her head sadly.

When they get home, Billie helps carry the shopping into the house. Then
she flops down on the couch. A big fat tear slides down her cheek.

She sniffs as she sees her dad’s car pull into the driveway.
‘Hey, Billie,’ her dad calls. ‘Can you help me bring in some shopping?’
Billie gets up from the couch and trudges outside. Her dad is taking a
cardboard box out of the boot. ‘Here,’ he says.

‘Why don’t you carry this inside?’

‘What is it?’ asks Billie.

Billie’s dad smiles.‘Look inside.’

Billie peers into the box.

At first she thinks that it is empty. But then she sees it. A little ginger ball of
fur.

Can you guess who it is?

‘Molly!’ Billie shouts.

She gently picks up her guinea pig. Molly snuffles right into her chest like
she remembers Billie too.
Billie B Brown has three long-haired dolls, one big teddy bear and one
purple pony. Do you know what the B in Billie B Brown stands for?

Bunny Babies.
Billie B Brown really, really wants a Bunny Baby toy. Bunny Babies have
soft fur and big sparkly eyes. Bunny Babies even have their own TV show.

Every single girl in Billie’s class has a Bunny Baby. Except for Billie.
‘Please, please, please can I have a Bunny Baby?’ Billie asks her mum.

‘No, Billie,’ says her mum. ‘I’ve already said that you’ll have to wait until
Christmas.’

‘But that’s ages away!’ Billie says.‘I can’t wait until then.’

‘Why don’t you try saving up for one yourself ?’ Billie’s dad says.‘You
already have some money in your piggy bank. Maybe you can do a few jobs
to earn some more?’

‘OK!’ says Billie.‘What can I do?’

‘Well, you could sort through your toys,’ Billie’s mum says.‘You can throw
out any that are broken and give away the ones that you are too big for.’

Billie frowns.‘That’s not a job! I mean like sweeping leaves or mowing.’

‘You’re too young to mow the lawn,’ says Billie’s dad.

‘But you can sweep the driveway. The brooms are in the back shed.’
‘Cool!’ Billie says. She runs out the back door.

Billie sees someone peeking over the back fence. You know who it is, don’t
you? That’s right. It’s Jack! Jack is Billie’s best friend. He lives next door.

‘Hey Billie!’ calls Jack.

‘Do you want to come over and play cricket?

I’ve made a bat out of some old wood and I’ve drawn stumps on the fence
with chalk. Come and see!’

Billie giggles.‘Not now, Jack,’ she says.‘I have to sweep the driveway.’

‘Can I help?’ says Jack.

‘Sure,’ says Billie.‘Thanks!’

Billie and Jack work hard sweeping the leaves off the driveway. Jack holds
open the garbage bag and Billie scoops the leaves in.

When they have finished, Billie’s dad comes outside to admire their work.
‘Hey, that looks great!’ Billie’s dad says. He gives her some coins.

‘Thanks, Dad!’ says Billie.

She and Jack have done a good day’s work. Jack goes home.

Billie runs up to her bedroom to put the money into her piggy bank. Billie is

very excited. Soon she will have enough money for her very own
Bunny Baby!
The next day after school, Billie asks her dad if he has another job for her.

Billie’s mum calls out from the kitchen.

‘How about sorting through your toys?’

‘Mu-um!’ says Billie.

‘The car needs a wash,’ Billie’s dad says. ‘It’s a big job, though. Do you
think you can do it?’

‘Of course!’ says Billie. She runs outside.

Billie gets one bucket of soapy water and one bucket of clean water.
Jack is sitting on his front step.‘Hey, Billie,’ he calls.‘Do you want to play
cricket now?’

‘I can’t,’ says Billie.‘I have to wash the car.’

‘Can I help?’ says Jack.

‘Sure,’ says Billie. ‘Thanks!’

Billie washes the car with a big sponge. Jack rinses off the soap. It is hard
work but Billie and Jack have fun.

As the car gets cleaner, Billie and Jack get dirtier. Soon the car is sparkling.

Billie and Jack are very tired and very grubby. Time for a bath, don’t
you think?
‘Good job!’ says Billie’s dad. He gives Billie some more coins.

After her bath, Billie flops down on her bed to count her money. She has
earnt lots today but she still needs more to buy her Bunny Baby. Doing jobs
is very tiring! Billie needs another plan.

Just then Billie’s mum knocks on her door. ‘How about a glass of lemonade,
honey?’ she says.‘You’ve worked hard today.’

This gives Billie an idea. A super-dooper idea! Can you guess what she is
thinking?

‘Thanks!’ Billie says to her mum. She gulps down the lemonade. ‘Now I
have to go see Jack!’
Billie runs outside and squeezes through the hole in the fence into Jack’s
garden.

Jack is sitting at the kitchen table with his mum.

‘Hey, Jack!’ Billie says. ‘I’ve got a plan that will earn us heaps of money.’

Billie looks at Jack’s mum. ‘We’ll need lemons,’ she says.‘Lots of them!
Can we please pick some off your lemon tree?’
‘Sure,’ says Jack’s mum. ‘Let me guess. You want to make lemonade,
right?’

‘Right!’ says Billie.

‘A lemonade stand!’ Jack laughs.‘That’s a great idea. Let’s make some

posters.’
Billie grins.‘Good idea.’ She feels very happy. She will have enough
money to buy her Bunny Baby soon.
The next day is Saturday. Billie gets up early. She and Jack pick all the ripe
lemons off the tree in his garden. Jack’s mum helps them mix the lemon
juice with water and sugar. Soon they have three big jugs of delicious
lemonade.

Billie and Jack set up a small table on the footpath outside their houses.
Jack’s mum weeds the front garden. Billie and Jack sell cups of lemonade
to people walking past.
Old Mrs Wattle from across the road buys four cups. She must be very
thirsty! She even lets Billie and Jack keep the change.

By lunchtime all the lemonade is gone. Billie and Jack run upstairs to
Billie’s room. They add the money from the lemonade stand to the money
from Billie’s piggy bank.

‘I need one more job,’ says Billie. ‘Then I’ll have enough money to buy a
Bunny Baby. Oh, I can’t wait!’

‘What?’ says Jack.‘I don’t want a Bunny Baby. I don’t even like Bunny
Babies. They’re dumb.’
‘They are not!’ says Billie. ‘I’ve been working hard all week to buy one.’

‘I’ve been working hard, too!’ says Jack. ‘So half that money should be
mine.

And I don’t want to buy a Bunny Baby. I want to buy something that we
both want.’

Billie frowns. Jack doesn’t understand. She has to have a Bunny Baby.

All the girls have a Bunny Baby except her. Bunny Babies are the best!

‘Well, I didn’t ask you to help me!’ Billie says gruffly.‘Did I?’
Jack gasps.‘You’re mean, Billie!’ he says.‘And I’m never helping you do
anything ever again.’

He storms out of her room.

Billie looks down at her piggy bank. There is a little part of her that feels
mean. That part wants to say sorry. But then she’d have to share the money
with Jack. And then she wouldn’t have enough to buy her Bunny Baby.

Billie doesn’t know what to do.

Just then Billie’s mum pokes her head through the doorway.

She is carrying baby Noah on her hip. ‘How are you going with your
savings, love?’

‘Nearly there,’ says Billie quietly.‘I think I just need one more job.’

‘You could sort through your toys?’ Billie’s mum grins. Then she walks off
to change Noah’s nappy.

Billie sighs. She pulls out her toy basket from the cupboard. She sorts the
broken toys into one pile. She puts the baby ones in another pile. It seems to
take forever. Billie wishes Jack was here to help her. He makes everything
fun.
That night Billie’s mum tucks her into bed.‘Thanks for sorting through your
toys, Billie,’ she says. ‘How about we go get your new toy tomorrow?’

‘Thanks, Mum,’ Billie says. But somehow she doesn’t feel as happy
as she thought she would.
The next morning Billie and her mum drive to Westland Shopping Centre.

Mum puts Noah into the pram and they walk through the busy mall.

‘Have you got your money, Billie?’ her mum asks.

Billie nods. They walk into an enormous toy store as big as a supermarket.

When Billie sees all the toys she begins to feel excited again.
Billie and her mum walk up and down the aisles until they find the Bunny
Babies. There is a spotted one, and a soft pink one. There are ones with
sparkly eyes. There is even one dressed up like a princess.

They are all so beautiful. Billie can’t decide which one to buy.
‘Come on, sweets,’ Billie’s mum says. ‘Noah is getting restless. Have you
chosen one?’

But the more Billie looks at the Bunny Babies, the harder it is to decide.

She can’t help thinking about Jack. She remembers how hard he worked to
help her. And suddenly Billie decides she doesn’t want a Bunny Baby
anymore. Not if Jack doesn’t want one.
Then Billie has an idea. A super-dooper idea. Billie knows exactly what she
wants to spend her pocket money on. Do you know what she is thinking?

Billie turns to her mum.

‘Um, I think I’ll buy something else instead,’ she says.

‘Really?’ says Billie’s mum, surprised. ‘What about your Bunny Baby? I
thought you really, really wanted one.’

‘Nah,’ Billie shrugs.‘I can wait until Christmas.’

Billie finds what she wants and pays for it. She keeps the box on her lap all
the way home.

She can’t wait to see Jack’s face when she shows him!
Billie B Brown has one pair of goggles, one yellow towel and one red
swimming suit. Do you know what the B in Billie B Brown stands for?

Belly-ache.
Billie B Brown has an ache in her belly as big as a whale. Today Billie’s
class is having swimming lessons. Billie loves paddling at the beach but she
hates swimming at the pool.
The pool is noisy and splashy and deep.

Last year Billie’s class had swimming lessons in the little pool. This year
they will be in the big pool. When Billie thinks about the deep end of the

big pool she feels sick.

In the bus on the way to the pool Billie sits next to Jack. Jack is Billie’s best
friend. They always sit together.

Usually Billie and Jack talk or sing silly songs, but today Billie is very
quiet.
‘Are you OK?’ says Jack.

‘Of course!’ says Billie. ‘I have a bit of a tummy ache, that’s all.’

Billie doesn’t want Jack to know she is scared. Jack is a good

swimmer.

If Billie tells Jack she is scared of the deep end, he might think she is silly.

The bus pulls up outside the pool. Everyone in Billie’s class cheers so
loudly that the bus driver has to cover his ears. Everyone except Billie.
She shrinks into her seat.
‘OK, class!’ Ms Walton calls out. ‘Settle down. Do you all have your
swimming bags with you?’

‘YES!’ everyone shouts.

Suddenly Billie has an idea. A super-dooper idea! She quickly kicks her
swimming bag under the seat in front of her. Then she puts up her hand.

‘Um, Ms Walton, I forgot mine!’ she says. ‘I won’t be able to swim today.’

‘No, you didn’t,’ says Jack. ‘It’s here, under the seat!’

‘That’s lucky!’ Ms Walton says. ‘Thank you, Jack.’

‘Yeah, thanks Jack,’ Billie says glumly. She follows Jack of f the
bus.

‘I hope we’re in the sharks group together!’ Jack says to Billie.

Billie sighs. The class will be put in three groups – Sharks, Stingrays and
Swordfish. The Sharks group is the best.

Billie looks at the form her mum has filled in.

Billie knows she is not good enough to be in the Sharks group with Jack.
Billie is more like an octopus than a shark. Arms and legs everywhere!
At the swimming centre, Billie and her class get ready in the change rooms.
Then they meet Ms Walton out near the little pool.

Billie sighs. She wishes her class was still in the little pool. Even at the deep
end, the water only goes up to her chin. But Ms Walton leads them over to
the big pool.

Next to the big pool there is a sign that says: Warning. Deep Water.
Billie feels her heart begin to jump about. She tugs Ms Walton’s arm.

‘Yes, Billie?’ says Ms Walton.

‘I don’t want to go in the big pool,’ Billie whispers.

‘Oh? Why not?’ says Ms Walton.

‘I…I can’t swim very well,’ Billie says shyly. She feels her cheeks burn

hot.
Ms Walton smiles and squeezes Billie’s hand. ‘Well, that’s why we’re here,
Billie. To learn!’

‘But Jack can already swim,’ Billie says.

‘And I bet everyone else can, too.’

Just then, two boys start being silly. Ms Walton has to rush over to stop
them. They might fall into the pool! The rest of the class walk over to the
benches.

‘Come on, Billie!’ says Jack.

Billie flops down on a bench next to Jack. She is sure she will be the worst
swimmer in the class. Everyone will laugh at her. Or maybe she will even
drown! Billie can’t decide what would be worse – drowning or being
laughed at?
Soon everyone is standing by the side of the pool. Billie shivers in her
scratchy red bathers. Next to her, Jack jumps up and down with

excitement.
Three swimming teachers stand nearby.

‘OK!’ shouts a teacher. ‘We’re going to divide you into three groups. Has
everyone been practising since last year?’

‘YES!’ everyone yells. Everyone except Billie, of course.

Billie just looks into the deep, deep water and pulls nervously at
her bathers.

‘Sharks! Sharks!’ Jack whispers to Billie. Billie tries to feel like a shark.
Sharks are fast and not afraid of anything. But it is no use. Right now she
feels more like a wobbly jellyfish.
A swimming teacher reads out names for the Sharks group. Jack, Tracey
and Benny are all Sharks. They jump in and swim away with the teacher.

The next teacher reads out the Stingrays group. Mika and Ella are both
Stingrays. Billie crosses her fingers that her name will be read out, but the
teacher finishes reading.
The Stingrays swim away with the other teacher.

At first, Billie thinks she is the only person left. She was right. She is the
worst swimmer in the class.

But wait! Someone else is standing by the side of the pool. Someone with
fancy frilly bathers and a pink bathing cap.

Billie sneaks a peek. It’s Lola!

Does that mean that Lola can’t swim either? Billie wonders. But Lola is
good at everything!

Even though Lola and Billie aren’t really friends, Billie feels a little better.
She gives Lola a shy smile but Lola just bites her nails nervously.

‘Can’t you swim, Lola?’ Billie says.

‘So? Can’t you?’ Lola says crossly.

Billie frowns.

‘You don’t have to be mean!’ she says.

The swimming teacher smiles a friendly smile. ‘Hey there!’ he says. ‘You
two must be my Swordfish.’

Billie feels cross. She doesn’t want to be in a group with Lola.

Maybe if Billie swims all the way over to the Sharks, she will prove that
she is good enough to join them. But if she doesn’t hurry she’ll get stuck
with grumpy old Lola.

So, Billie pinches her nose, shuts her eyes tight and… jumps!
Down, down, down Billie sinks. Deep down into the water.

Oh no! she panics. I’m going to drown! Her heart thumps in her ears. She
kicks her arms and legs, but it’s no use. She only sinks deeper and deeper
into the water.

Billie isn’t swimming like a shark at all. She isn’t even swimming like a
fish! Billie is dropping through the water like a stone.
Suddenly, Billie feels an arm grab her around the waist. She is jerked out of
the water and plonked back onto the side of the pool. The teacher grins at
her.

‘Perhaps you still need a little practice?’ he says. He beckons to Lola.

‘Come and join us!’
Great! Billie thinks crossly. She glares at the water, shivering.
Lola walks over and sits down next to Billie. The two girls don’t look at
each other.

‘Right!’ says the teacher. ‘This time I want you to slide in slowly and hold
onto the edge of the pool, OK? Then we’ll start by practising some doggie
paddle.’

Billie is horrified. Oh no! Doggie paddle? That’s for babies, she

thinks. Everyone will definitely laugh at me now.

Suddenly Lola bursts into tears. Billie looks at her, surprised.

The teacher looks worried. ‘What’s wrong with your friend?’ he asks Billie.

‘She’s not my…’ Billie starts, but then she stops. Now that Lola’s crying
she doesn’t seem so mean anymore.

‘What’s the matter, Lola?’ Billie says gently.

Lola looks up at Billie. ‘I’m a terrible swimmer,’ she says in a little voice. ‘I
can’t even doggie paddle!’

Billie laughs.‘Is that all? Don’t worry! Doggie paddle is easy,’ she says.
‘I’ll show you.’

Lola frowns. ‘It’s all right for you, Billie,’ she says. ‘You’re good at
everything!

Monkey bars, soccer, running…I’m terrible at sport!’

‘What?’ Billie says. ‘You’re the one who’s good at everything, Lola! Music,
spelling, ballet… Remember how bad I was at ballet?’

Lola nods her head. Then she giggles.

‘You were a pretty bad butterfly.’

Lola dries her eyes.‘I guess we’re good at different things. But we’re both
bad at swimming!’

‘No, we’re not,’ says Billie. ‘We just have to learn. Come on!’

Lola sighs.‘I don’t want to be in the Swordfish group. That’s the worst
group,’ she says.

Billie doesn’t want to be in the worst group either. Just then, she has an
idea. A super-dooper idea!
‘You’re right,’ says Billie. She grins.‘So let’s start our own group. We can
be the Doggie Paddlers! Dogs are much nicer than swordfish and sharks.’

‘The Doggie Paddlers? I like it!’ says the swimming instructor.

Lola laughs. Billie laughs, too. Then she takes Lola’s hand and the two girls
slide slowly into the water.

And this time Billie isn’t scared at all.

Billie B Brown has one pair of 3D glasses, one fizzy drink and a huge
bucket of popcorn. Do you know what the B in Billie B Brown stands for?

Buzzing .

Billie B Brown is buzzing with excitement. She is going to the movies with
Rebecca and her sisters. Rebecca is in Billie’s class at school. She has two
big sisters called Karri and Jen.
Billie wishes she had two big sisters. Billie only has a fat baby brother
called Noah. He is nice for cuddles but not much else.

Rebecca’s mum lines up for the tickets. ‘Which movie do you want to see?’
she asks.

‘How about that one with the dancing mice?’

‘Nah,’ says Jen. ‘That’s for babies. Let’s go and see the one about the
haunted house.’

‘Hmmm,’ says Rebecca’s mum.‘It looks a bit scary.’

‘No, it’s not,’ says Karri. ‘It’s only PG. It’s for kids.’
‘Well, I think we should let Billie and Rebecca decide,’ says Rebecca’s
mum.

‘Are you OK with scary movies?’ Jen asks Billie.

‘Of course!’ Billie says, though secretly she is a teensy bit nervous.
Billie doesn’t like scary movies much. They give her nightmares. But Billie
doesn’t want Rebecca’s sisters to know this.
She wants them to think she is brave.
‘Rebecca?’ asks Rebecca’s mum.‘Are you OK with the scary movie?’

At first, Billie thinks Rebecca looks a bit nervous too. But then she says,
‘Sure! We’re not babies, Mum.’

‘I used to get scared,’ Billie says in a big voice. ‘But that was when I was
little, not now.’

Karri and Jen laugh.

Billie grins. She likes making Rebecca’s big sisters laugh.

‘All right, then,’ says Rebecca’s mum. She buys the tickets and walks them
to the door. ‘I’ll pick you up here when the movie is over.

Jen and Karri, look after Rebecca and Billie, OK?’

Billie grins. She is so excited to be going to the movies with

Rebecca and her two big sisters!
Billie follows Rebecca and her sisters into the cinema. They find their seats.

‘Can I sit next to you?’ Karri asks Billie.

‘Sure!’ says Billie. She feels her cheeks get hot with pride. Rebecca’s big
sister wants to sit next to her!

Karri leans in close and shares Billie’s popcorn. Billie imagines what it
would be like if Karri was her big sister. It is a nice feeling.
Soon it is time for the movie to start. Everyone puts on their 3D glasses.
‘Look!’ Rebecca squeals. ‘The pictures are coming right out of the
screen!’

Jen leans forward.‘Shh!’ she says.‘Not so loud!’

But Billie and Rebecca wriggle with excitement. They wriggle

and giggle so much that Billie nearly drops her popcorn on the floor.

‘Careful!’ says Karri. She catches the box just in time.

In the movie, two children go to stay with their aunt for the holidays. They
take their dog Fido with them.

Fido is very funny. He makes everyone in the cinema laugh. But soon the
children find out their aunt’s house is haunted. They walk into a little room,

which is dark and scary. They open up a cupboard.

Suddenly ghosts fly out of the cupboard.
It looks like they are coming out of the screen! Billie squeals and
covers her eyes. Her heart is beating very fast. She sneaks a peek at
Rebecca.

Rebecca is covering her eyes too.

Finally, the ghosts go away. The children search the house with their dog.
The dog rolls around and chases his tail. He is very funny. Everyone in the
cinema laughs. Billie and Rebecca laugh the loudest of all.
‘Shh!’ say Karri and Jen together.‘You two are being too noisy.’

But Billie and Rebecca have got the giggles.

If Rebecca looks at Billie she bursts out laughing. If Billie looks at
Rebecca, she laughs, too.

‘I’ll tell Mum,’ Karri says.

Rebecca rolls her eyes at Billie.‘Big sisters,’ she whispers.‘They are so
annoying! You are lucky you don’t have them.’

But Billie thinks Karri and Jen are wonderful.

When the movie is over, Rebecca’s mum meets them at the door.

‘How was the film?’ she asks.‘Not too scary?’

‘It was hardly scary at all,’ boasts Billie. She and Rebecca look at each
other and burst into giggles again.
Rebecca’s mum smiles. ‘Well, I’m glad you girls had fun. We’ll have to
take you home now, Billie. But you might like to come again another day?’

‘Yay!’ says Rebecca.

Billie grins. She is so full of fizzy buzzy happiness she can hardly
keep still.
That night, Billie’s mum tucks her into bed.

‘Did you have fun with Rebecca today?’ she asks.

‘The best!’ says Billie.

‘We went to see a movie with her two big sisters.’

‘Oh, did you?’ says Billie’s mum. ‘Which movie?’

‘The one about the haunted house,’ says Billie.

‘Isn’t that one a bit scary?’ says her mum. She seems surprised.‘I thought
you didn’t like scary movies.’

‘Mum!’ says Billie. ‘I’m not a baby.’

Billie’s mum smiles. ‘Goodnight then, my big girl.’

Billie snuggles into bed and falls asleep.

Soon she begins to dream. In her dream she is in an old house. It is dark and

scary. Doors creak and cobwebs stick in her hair.

Billie hears someone crying in the next room. It’s Noah! Billie doesn’t
know what to do. She wants to run away.
But what if Noah is in trouble? Billie slowly opens the door.
Suddenly, out flies a ghost! Then another and another!

Billie screams loudly. Then she sits up.

‘Mum!’ she calls.‘Mum!’

Billie’s mum comes rushing in. She has Noah in her arms.‘What’s the
matter?’ she says.

Billie’s heart is pounding. ‘I had a bad dream!’ she says. ‘There were
ghosts. And Noah was crying.
I thought the ghosts had taken him.’

‘Oh Billie,’ says her mum. She gives Billie a cuddle. ‘I think that movie
gave you nightmares. Look, Noah is right here. And he is perfectly fine.
Aren’t you, Noah?’

Noah giggles and holds out his soft fat arms.

Billie scoops him up into a cuddle. She is so happy to see that he is all right.
She kisses him on both his fat cheeks.

‘I love you to bits,’ she whispers in his ear. Noah might be annoying
sometimes, but she wouldn’t swap him for all the sisters in the world.

Billie looks up at her mum.‘Do you think I could sleep in your bed
tonight?’ she says.
‘Just this once,’ says Billie’s mum. ‘But no more scary movies, OK?’
The next day at school Billie sees Rebecca in the playground. She is sitting
with Ella and Tracey.
When Rebecca sees Billie she waves her over.

‘Hey, Billie!’ Rebecca calls. ‘How fun was the movie yesterday?’

‘It was awesome,’ says Billie, laughing nervously. ‘The ghosts

looked like they were coming out of the screen!’

Billie doesn’t tell them about her nightmare. They might think she is silly.
‘Which movie did you see?’ asks Tracey.

‘The one about the haunted house,’ says Rebecca.

‘Oh, there’s no way I’m going to that one,’ says Ella. ‘I hate scary movies.’

‘Me too,’ says Tracey. ‘They give me nightmares.’

Billie is surprised. ‘Me too!’ she blurts. ‘I mean, when I was little I
used to get nightmares,’ she says quickly.

She still doesn’t want Rebecca to think she was scared of the film.
‘I had nightmares last night,’ Rebecca says quietly.‘I had to sleep in my
mum and dad’s bed!’

‘Really?’ Billie gasps. She can’t believe it.‘But I thought you saw
scary movies all the time?’

‘I do!’ says Rebecca.‘But only because Karri and Jen want to watch them. I
like funny movies best.’

‘Me too,’ says Ella. ‘My favourite movie is Finding Nemo.’

‘I love it too!’ says Tracey.

‘My sisters hate watching cartoons,’ Rebecca sighs. ‘They say cartoons are
for babies. I always have to watch what they want to watch.’

‘You can come and watch Finding Nemo at my place,’ says Billie shyly.
‘I’ve got it on DVD.’
‘Cool!’ says Rebecca. ‘That would be awesome.’

‘Can we come too?’ ask Tracey and Ella.‘We could have a Nemo party!’

‘Sure,’ says Billie.‘I’ll ask my mum. But we’ll have to wait until Noah is in
bed. The shark gives him nightmares!’
Billie B Brown has two messy pigtails, fifteen freckles and one wobbly
tooth. Do you know what the B in Billie B Brown stands for?

Bother .

Every morning this week, Billie B Brown has stood in front of the mirror
and wiggled and jiggled her wobbly tooth. But it is no use. The tooth is
stuck. What a bother!
‘Billie, stop fiddling with your tooth,’ Billie’s mum says. ‘It will come out
when it’s ready. Hurry and brush your teeth or you’ll be late for school.’

Billie’s mum is a bit grumpy today. Noah has been crying a lot in
the night, so she is very tired.

Noah’s cheeks are bright red and he is very dribbly. Billie’s mum says
he is teething.

Billie brushes her teeth carefully. Billie’s dad pokes his head into the
bathroom.

‘I can pull out your tooth for you,’ he jokes.

‘I just have to tie one end of a string around your tooth and the other end to
the doorknob. Then, slam! Out pops the tooth!’
‘No way!’ says Billie, spitting toothpaste into the sink.‘That will hurt!’

Billie walks to school with her dad and her best friend, Jack.

On the way, she starts wiggling the wobbly tooth again.

‘How about eating an apple?’ Jack suggests. ‘That’s how I lost one of
mine.’

Billie shakes her head. ‘That might hurt,’ she says.

She pushes her hands down into her pockets to stop her fingers creeping up
to her mouth.

At school, Billie’s class is learning about teeth. They learn that an elephant
has big pointy teeth called tusks. Crocodiles have 70 teeth and sharks have
three sets of teeth. Even slugs have teeth!

Ms Walton asks how many people in the class have lost a tooth.
Everyone puts up their hand – except Billie. Billie frowns and looks down
at her desk.

Hurry up, tooth! she thinks.

At playtime, Billie and Jack play chasey with some other kids in their class.
First Jack is It. He chases Billie around the playground.

Billie is very fast but Jack traps her near the drink taps.‘Billie’s It!’ he
shouts.

Billie decides she is going to catch Mika next. Mika is a fast runner too. But
not as fast as Billie. Billie runs and runs and runs and…Oh no! Billie trips
over. She falls down hard onto the concrete.
Even though she stuck out her hands, Billie still bangs her chin on the
ground. She sits up and howls.
Billie’s hands are grazed, her knees are grazed - even her chin is grazed.

She feels sore all over. Poor Billie!

Jack rushes over. Mika, Ella and Tracey rush over too. Hot tears stream
down Billie’s cheeks. Mika puts her arm around Billie.
‘I’ll take her to sick bay!’ Ella offers.

‘No, I will!’ says Tracey. ‘It’s my turn.’

‘You can all come,’ Billie sniffles.‘I need all of you to help me walk. My
knees hurt SO much.’

Billie’s friends help her stand up.

‘Wait!’ Jack says.‘Look!’

Billie looks at the ground. There, in the dust, is something very small and
white. It’s not much bigger than a grain of rice. Can you guess what it is?

‘My tooth!’ Billie gasps.

Billie slips her tongue into the gap between her teeth.

It feels squishy and tastes like metal. Billie knows that taste. She
gasps again. ‘Is there blood?’
Ella peers into Billie’s mouth.‘A little bit,’ she says.

Tracey scrunches up her face like she has swallowed something sour.

Billie begins to feel worried.

‘It’s fine,’ says Jack.‘There’s hardly any.’ He picks up the tiny tooth and
hands it to Billie.

Just then Ms Walton walks over.

‘Billie fell over!’ Ella shouts.

‘Oh my goodness,’ says Ms Walton. ‘Look at your poor knees. And your
chin! We’d better get you cleaned up.’

‘Look!’ Billie says. She shows Ms Walton the little tooth in her hand.

Ms Walton smiles. She pulls out a tissue from her pocket.‘Here,’ she
says.‘You don’t want to lose that. Wrap it up so you can take it home for the
Tooth Fairy.’

Billie grins. The Tooth Fairy! Even though her knees and hands and chin

hurt, she can’t help feeling excited.

Billie’s dad picks her up after school. Billie is covered in bandaids.

‘Oh no, Billie! What happened?’ her dad asks.

But Billie is too excited to bother about all her injuries.

‘I fell over. But look!’ Billie says. Carefully she unwraps the tissue to show
her dad the tooth.
Billie’s dad smiles. ‘How exciting,’ he says. ‘Don’t lose it, will you? Looks
like the Tooth Fairy might be visiting our house tonight!’

Billie gives a happy little squeal. She wraps the tooth up in the tissue
again and puts it in her pocket.

All the way home in the car, her tongue keeps wriggling into the empty
space in her mouth.

When they get home, Billie runs into the house to show her mum her tooth.
Billie’s mum is on the couch feeding Noah. She looks very tired.
‘Mum, Mum!’ Billie yells. ‘Look, look!’

Billie yells so loudly that Noah gets a fright and starts crying. At first
Billie’s mum looks cross.

But then she sees all Billie’s bandaids. ‘Oh, my poor little soldier! What
happened to you?’ she says.

‘I fell over,’ Billie says glumly. ‘But look!’ She opens her mouth to show
the gap where her tooth had once been.

‘Your tooth came out!’ says Billie’s mum.

She gives Billie a cuddle. Noah grizzles unhappily.

Billie frowns. ‘He’s always crying these days,’ she says crossly.
Billie’s mum stands up to rock Noah to sleep.

‘It’s not his fault,’ she sighs.‘He is growing teeth, Billie. They hurt his
gums.’

But Billie doesn’t want to talk about Noah’s teeth. She wants to talk about
hers! ‘Look,’ Billie says. She reaches into her pocket and pulls out the
tissue.

She opens it up carefully, but…the tissue is empty!

‘Wait,’ says Billie. She checks her pocket. There is nothing there.

‘Oh no,’ she says. She feels her bottom lip begin to tremble. ‘I can’t find it!’

‘Maybe it fell out in the car?’ Billie’s mum says.

Billie checks the car all over. But the tooth is nowhere to be found.

Billie starts to cry. Her knees hurt, her hands hurt, even her chin hurts. And
now she has lost her tooth, too!
That night, Billie’s dad tucks Noah into bed. Her mum sits on Billie’s bed.

Billie still feels very upset.

‘Oh, Billie,’ says her mum.

She gives Billie a cuddle. ‘Maybe the Tooth Fairy will still come?’

But Billie shakes her head sadly. It’s no use. Everyone knows the Tooth
Fairy only comes if there is a tooth to collect.
Just then Billie has an idea. A super-dooper idea. ‘I know!’ she says, wiping
her eyes.‘Maybe I can write the Tooth Fairy a note?’

‘That’s a great idea!’ says Billie’s mum.

So Billie gets out her sparkly pens and writes a note for the fairy. She even
draws a picture.
Billie tucks the note under her pillow. Then her mum gives her a goodnight
kiss.
The next morning, when Billie wakes up, she sits up slowly. Her knees and
hands still ache and her chin feels sore. Billie feels for her wobbly tooth.
Oh, that’s right - it’s gone!

Billie suddenly remembers. The Tooth Fairy! Did she come? Billie lifts up
her pillow. There, lying on her bed sheet, is a shiny gold coin.

‘Mum, Dad!’ Billie yells. She runs to find her parents. Billie’s dad is
already awake. He has Noah in his arms.

‘Shhh…’ he says. ‘Your mum is still sleeping. What is it, Billie?’

‘The Tooth Fairy came!’ Billie whispers excitedly.

‘She must have read my note because she left me money!’

‘Well, there you are,’ says Billie’s dad, smiling.‘That’s great, Billie! It looks
like the Tooth Fairy had a busy night. Look!’
Billie’s dad gently opens Noah’s mouth.

Billie peers inside. And there, on his bottom gum, is a shiny white tooth, as
small as a grain of rice.
Billie B Brown has one lumpy school bag, two banana sandwiches and one
grumpy frown. Do you want to know what the B in Billie B Brown stands
for?

Bully.
There is a big bully at Billie’s school. His name is Jason. He is in grade
five. Yesterday Billie and Jack were playing on the oval with Billie’s new
soccer ball. Jason walked past and kicked the soccer ball up, up, up
into the peppercorn tree.
‘Hey, that’s my soccer ball!’ Billie said.

‘So?’ said Jason meanly. Then he poked Billie in the shoulder. ‘If
you tell on me, there’ll be BIG trouble. OK?’

Billie bit her lip and nodded her head. She had never been this close to
Jason before. He was scary.

Jason stomped away.

Billie felt tears sting her eyes.‘That was my new ball,’ she said in a little
voice.

‘We should tell Ms Walton,’ Jack said.

‘No!’ said Billie. ‘You heard what Jason said. If he finds out we’ve told on
him, there will be BIG trouble.’
So the ball stayed in the tree and Billie and Jack walked glumly back to
class.
Today, Billie is prepared. She and Jack have decided they are not going to
play on the oval anymore. Billie doesn’t want to bump into that horrible
Jason again.

Billie and Jack’s first class is art. Billie loves art. This week their class has
been making teapots out of clay for Mother’s Day. The clay has been drying
overnight, so today they are ready for painting.

Jack’s teapot is shaped like a robot. It has one arm for the handle and one
for the spout. It is a very good robot-teapot.

Billie is trying to make a teapot house.

But it is not quite turning out how she had hoped. Right now it looks more
like something from an elephant’s bottom. Billie giggles.

‘Would you like some elephant poo tea, sir?’ she says in a posh voice.

Jack giggles too. Then they both hum the teapot song until the bell goes for
recess.
Ms Walton tells everyone to take their teapots straight to the classroom.
Then they can go out to play.

Billie and Jack pick up their teapots and carry them carefully out of the art
room. Even though Billie’s teapot looks a bit funny, she knows that her
mum will love it.
On their way back to class, Billie sees Rebecca by the monkey bars. She
decides she will quickly show Rebecca her teapot. She knows it will make
Rebecca laugh.

‘I’m just going to see Rebecca,’ Billie says to Jack.

‘But Ms Walton said…’ Jack says, looking worried.

Billie huffs.‘I won’t be long!’

She walks carefully over to the monkey bars.

Rebecca sees Billie and waves. Billie walks faster. She has nearly reached
Rebecca when… crash! Someone runs into Billie. Her teapot goes
smashing to the ground.
Rebecca gasps. Billie gasps. She looks up. There, standing in front of her, is
Jason! He is red-cheeked and puffing.

Billie feels a hot ball of anger rush into her chest. She doesn’t care
that Jason is the biggest, meanest bully in the whole school. He has broken
her teapot and that is NOT FAIR!

‘Look what you’ve done!’ she yells loudly. ‘You broke my teapot!

You kicked my soccer ball into the tree. You are the meanest,

horriblest person ever. And NOBODY LIKES YOU!’

When Billie finishes yelling, her head is fizzing. Jason’s mouth drops open
and he runs away.

Rebecca kneels down and helps Billie pick up the pieces of her teapot. ‘He

didn’t even say sorry,’ Billie says angrily.‘I bet he did it on purpose!’
‘You should tell Ms Walton,’ Rebecca says.

Billie shakes her head. ‘That will only make it worse,’ she says.‘Jason is
horrible and mean, but he is scary too.’

‘He looked more scared than scary when you yelled at him like that!’
Rebecca says.
Billie laughs. But deep down, she feels worried. Will Jason be angry
at her? She walks back to class with the pieces of broken teapot in her
hands.
When Ms Walton sees Billie’s teapot, she looks surprised.‘Oh dear, Billie!’
she says.‘What happened?’

‘I dropped it,’ says Billie quietly.

She feels bad lying to Ms Walton, but she can’t think of what else to say.
‘Never mind. You can still do a drawing for Mother’s Day,’ Ms Walton
says.‘But that’s why you should have come straight back to the classroom!’

Billie nods. If she had come straight back she never would have bumped
into that horrible Jason.

Billie and Jack play on the monkey bars with Rebecca all recess. But only
after they check that Jason is nowhere to be seen.
‘Why was Jason over by the monkey bars, anyway?’ Billie says. ‘He never
usually comes over to our side of the playground.’

‘I hope he doesn’t come over here again!’ Jack says nervously.

Just to be sure, they sit up on the highest rungs until the bell goes.

In class, Billie works hard on her maths. She finishes her work early so that
she has time to draw a picture for Mother’s Day. She draws her mum
standing under a rainbow. It is much nicer than her lumpy teapot. But she is
still annoyed that Jason broke it.
The bell goes for lunch break. Jack packs up quickly. Billie is still finishing
her drawing.

‘Meet you at the monkey bars?’ Jack says.

Billie nods. She finishes her drawing as everyone goes outside to play. She
rolls it up and carries it out to her bag in the corridor.

Billie unzips her bag and puts the drawing in. Just then, she hears footsteps.
She spins around. Someone is standing right in front of her.

You know who it is, don’t you? That’s right. It’s Jason! Billie’s heart begins

to jump around in her chest like a frightened rabbit.

‘Wh..wh..what do you want?’ Billie says, trying to sound brave. She wishes
she hadn’t shouted at Jason. She is sure she is in trouble.

Jason frowns.‘Hey, pipsqueak. I’ve got something for you,’ he says in a

gruff voice. Then he brings Billie’s soccer ball out from behind his back.
Billie looks surprised. ‘How did you get that?’

Jason shrugs.‘I came to school last night with my dad. We got it down with
a broomstick.’ He grins. ‘Lucky he’s tall.’

‘Oh,’ Billie says. Is Jason being nice to her? The big mean bully?

‘Um, thank you,’ she says shyly.

‘I was coming over to tell you I had it at recess,’ Jason says. ‘When…you
know…when I bumped into you. And you dropped your…what was that
thing again?’

‘A teapot,’ says Billie, feeling annoyed.

Jason kicks at the floor. ‘Anyway, it’s true what you said. That nobody likes
me.’

‘Really?’ Billie asks. She can’t imagine what it must feel like to have no
friends. It must be very lonely.

Jason looks down at his grubby fingers. ‘I’m no good at games.

I get angry and then I mess everything up. Now no-one wants to play with
me.’
‘So?’ says Billie.‘I get angry sometimes too.’

Jason grins.‘I know you do!’

‘But I still have friends,’ says Billie.‘If you mess up, you just have to say
sorry.’

Jason goes quiet for a while. Then he gets a funny look on his face. A little
bit like he has something sticky and chewy in his mouth.
‘Erm…sorry about your soccer ball,’ he says quietly.‘And your teapot.’

Billie feels the hot, angry ball inside her chest soften.

‘That’s all right,’ she says. ‘It wasn’t a very good teapot anyway. Actually,
it was more like an elephant poo than a teapot.’

Jason laughs loudly. When he laughs, he doesn’t look so mean anymore. He

puts his big hand on Billie’s shoulder. ‘You’re all right,’ he says. ‘For a
pipsqueak.’
Billie grins.‘You’re all right, too. For a bully.’

Jason laughs again. Even louder this time. Billie realises he’s not so bad,
after all.

Just then, Billie has an idea. A super-dooper idea. ‘Hey, do you like to play
soccer?’ she asks.

‘Yep!’ says Jason proudly. Then his face drops. ‘But no-one wants me on
their team.’

‘Well, do you want to play with us?’ says Billie.

‘Really?’ says Jason excitedly.

‘Sure. But no more kicking the ball into the tree, OK?’ she says sternly.

‘Or there’ll be BIG trouble.’

Jason grins.‘OK,’ he says. ‘I promise.’

Billie grins too. She can’t wait to see the look on Jack’s face when she
walks into the playground with the big bully.
 Billie B Brown Collection 2
published in 2014 by
Hardie Grant Egmont
Ground Floor, Building 1, 658 Church Street
Richmond, Victoria 3121, Australia
www.hardiegrantegmont.com.au

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eISBN 9781743582893

Text copyright © 2014 Sally Rippin

Illustration copyright © 2014 Aki Fukuoka
Logo and design copyright © 2014 Hardie Grant Egmont

Design and typesetting by Stephanie Spartels

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