Unicorn Uproar
Authors: Carolyn Keene
Is it a real unicorn?
“You guys ⦠what happened to Sparkle?” Bess asked.
“What do you mean?” Nancy asked. She looked into Sparkle's pen too. But instead of seeing the white unicorn, she saw Rex Martindale. His hands were on his hips as he spoke loudly to a teenage boy.
“Seth, as Sparkle's handler you should know where he is!” Rex was saying.
“I told you, Rex,” Seth said. “When I got back to the pen, Sparkle was gone.”
Nancy, Bess, and George traded stunned looks.
“Did he say Sparkle was gone?” Nancy whispered. “As in ⦠missing?”
Join the CLUE CREW
& solve these other cases!
#1
Sleepover Sleuths
#2
Scream for Ice Cream
#3
Pony Problems
#4
The Cinderella Ballet Mystery
#5
Case of the Sneaky Snowman
#6
The Fashion Disaster
#7
The Circus Scare
#8
Lights, Camera ⦠Cats!
#9
The Halloween Hoax
#10
Ticket Trouble
#11
Ski School Sneak
#12
Valentine's Day Secret
#13
Chick-napped!
#14
The Zoo Crew
#15
Mall Madness
#16
Thanksgiving Thief
#17
Wedding Day Disaster
#18
Earth Day Escapade
#19
April Fool
'
s Day
#20
Treasure Trouble
#21
Double Take
By Carolyn Keene
Illustrated By Macky Pamintuan
If you purchased this book without a cover, you should be aware that this book is stolen property. It was reported as “unsold and destroyed” to the publisher, and neither the author nor the publisher has received any payment for this “stripped book.”
This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real locales are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author's imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
ALADDIN
An imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division
1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
www.SimonandSchuster.com
First Aladdin paperback edition September 2009
Text copyright © 2009 by Simon & Schuster, Inc.
Illustrations copyright © 2009 by Macky Pamintuan
All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form.
ALADDIN is a trademark of Simon & Schuster, Inc., and related logo is a registered trademark of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
NANCY DREW and related logos are registered trademarks of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
NANCY DREW AND THE CLUE CREW is a registered trademark of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
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.
Designed by Lisa Vega
The text of this book was set in ITC Stone Informal.
Manufactured in the United States of America
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Library of Congress Control Number 2008942951
ISBN 978-1-4169-7810-7
ISBN 978-1-4169-9653-8 (eBook)
CHAPTER FIVE: SPARKLE OR SPECKLE?
CHAPTER SIX: HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO CLUE!
CHAPTER SEVEN: THINGS GET HAIRY
CHAPTER EIGHT: VANISHING VEGGIES
CHAPTER TEN: HORSE? OF COURSE!
Medieval Magic
“Good people of River Heights!” Mayor Strong announced. His suit of armor creaked as he threw his arms up into the air. “I, Sir Mayor the Strong, welcome thee to the Dragon's Breath Fair!”
Eight-year-old Nancy Drew cheered with her best friends, Bess Marvin and George Fayne. It was the start of the Dragon's Breath Fair, a medieval festival that came to the girls' town every fall.
“What is âmedieval,' anyway?” Bess asked.
“It was a time hundreds of years ago,” Nancy explained. “When there were kings, queens, jestersâand knights in shining armor.”
“And dragons!” George said, her dark eyes
flashing. “Don't forget about dragons.”
“Oh, no!” Bess gasped. “What do we do if we run into a fire-breathing dragon here at the fair?”
“Roast marshmallows!” George joked.
The girls turned back to the mayor. He was telling the crowd the fun they would have.
“There will be jugglers, games, hearty food, and puppet shows,” Mayor Strong boomed. “And the most thrilling challenge of allâthe joust!”
“I know what a joust is,” George said to Nancy and Bess. “It's when two knights on horseback try to knock weapons out of each other's hands.”
“Of course, I would love to be in the joust myself,” Mayor Strong told everyone. “But first I need a horse!”
The visor on the mayor's helmet fell in front of his face with a
clunk
.
“He needs a horse
and
a new helmet,” George whispered.
The mayor raised his visor and shouted, “I hereby declare the Dragon's Breath Fair open!”
After a big cheer the crowd scattered in all
directions into the fairgrounds. Nancy didn't know what was more colorful, the striped tents and banners hanging everywhere, or the red, yellow, and gold leaves on the trees.
“Do you think they had detectives in those days?” Bess asked. “Detectives like us?”
Nancy smiled at the thought. She, Bess, and George were good at solving mysteries. So good that they'd started their own detective club called the Clue Crew.
“Sure, they had detectives,” Nancy decided. “Somebody had to figure out who stole the queen of hearts's tarts!”
“And speaking of stuff that's yummy for the tummy,” George said, nodding in the direction of the food stalls, “there's my mom.”
Nancy could see Mrs. Fayne stacking jumbo cookies on the ledge of a food stall. Mrs. Fayne ran her own catering company and was in charge of the food at the Dragon's Breath Fair. She was also in charge of bringing Nancy, Bess, and George to the fair every day that weekend.
“What should we do first?” Bess asked, rubbing her hands together. “Play a game or eat one of those cookies?”
Nancy wanted to watch the archery contestâuntil she noticed a wooden sign stuck in the ground. It had a red arrow and the words
THIS WAY TO WIZARDLY WOODS
.
“What's Wizardly Woods?” Nancy wondered.
“There's only one way to find out,” George said.
The girls followed the path until they reached more colorful tents, their flaps wide open. Inside were men and women selling jewelry, candles, and scented oils. Outside a blue tent decorated with silver stars stood a rack holding dried flower garlands.
Bess grabbed a garland and placed it over her long blond hair. “Does this make me look princessy?” she asked.
“You mean
prissy
!” George said, and smirked.
“Very funny,
Georgia
,” Bess replied, and smirked back. “Sometimes I can't believe we're cousins!”
George gritted her teeth. She hated her real
name, Georgia, even more than she hated wearing dresses and skirtsâa major difference between Bess and George.
Bess was about to look for a mirror when a voice called out: “Huzzah, fair maidens! Do you like magic?”
Nancy turned to see a woman wearing hoop earrings and a tunic decorated with stars.
“You mean like card tricks?” George asked.
“Cards are for playing Fish,” the woman scoffed. “But if it's magic you're looking for, Enchanted Elly has just the thing for you!”
Out from behind her back Enchanted Elly pulled a magic wand. Lavender ribbons streamed from the long silver stick. But the best part was the glittery purple star on top.
“It's awesome!” Nancy exclaimed.
“And it can be yours for a mere pittance,” Elly said.
“A what?” Nancy asked, scrunching her nose.
“That's medieval for five dollars,” Elly said. She nodded at the flower garlands on the rack.
“I'll even throw three garlands into the deal.”
“Buy it, Nancy,” George whispered. “You love purple!”
“And I love this garland!” Bess said, patting her head.
“So what do you say, Red?” Elly asked, nodding at Nancy.
Nancy knew Elly was talking to her because she had reddish-blond hair. She also knew she wanted that magic wand more than anything.
“I say yes!” Nancy said, digging into her jacket pocket for a five-dollar bill. “I'll take it!”