The Great Tadpole Hunt

By Jeannie Meekins

“You stole Freddie!” Billy yelled, pushing George in the chest.
George stumbled backwards, slipped and fell in the mud. All the other kids began laughing as George sat there looking up at a furious Billy.
“I didn’t steal Freddie.” George tried to hold back the tears. “Why would I want him?”
“To get me into trouble.” Billy kicked at the mud, splashing more over George.
“So, it’s my fault you can’t even look after a stupid tadpole for the holidays.”

Billy has been given Freddie, the classroom tadpole, to look after over the school holidays. He thinks it is an easy job; a tadpole doesn’t need any looking after.
When school goes back, Billy packs his backpack with his lunch and his footy. He grabs Freddie’s jar from his dressing table, only to discover the tadpole is missing! And there is something else in the jar!

Join Billy as he searches for the tadpole, then tries to find another to take its place – and discovers exactly what has happened to Freddie.

A story aimed at younger readers who are ready for their first chapter book. Reading two chapters a night will see your child waiting and guessing to see what comes next. Vivid illustrations make the story easy to follow.
Explore the wonders of nature and see if your child can figure out what has happened to Freddie before Billy does.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jeannie Meekins
• Release date: Jul 31, 2013
• ISBN: 9780987343567

Jeannie Meekins

Jeannie Meekins is an Australian writer who lives with her children and a couple of cats who think they own the computer. And if her dog could read, he’d be jealous, so it’s lucky that he can’t. Jeannie has also written over 10 books for children, many available through LearningIsland.com

Book preview

The Great Tadpole Hunt

Jeannie Meekins

Illustrated by Melissa Cleeman

The Great Tadpole Hunt

Text copyright (c) Jeannie Meekins (2003)

Illustrations (c) Melissa Cleeman (2013)

Published by Storm Cloud Publishing (2014)

ISBN: 978-0-9873435-6-7 Smashwords Edition

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient.

If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your u se only, please go to Smashwords.com or any online bookstore and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Junior Fiction: Tadpoles and Frogs. Friendship

Ages 6 years up

6856 words

Reading Level: 2.7

Table of Contents

Chapter one

Chapter two

Chapter three

Chapter four

Chapter five

Chapter six

Chapter seven

Chapter eight

Chapter nine

Chapter ten

About the Author

About the Illustrator

Chapter one

The ruler slammed across the desk for the second time in five minutes. Finally the children were quiet. The bell would ring any minute now and it would be term holidays.

Before you go, Mr Vardy said. I need a volunteer to take Freddie home for the holidays.

Most of the children put their hand up. It was a special job to look after Freddie. The tadpole had been in the class since it was an egg and now it had grown back legs.

Billy looked around the room. It was an important job and he should get it. He was the biggest boy in the class and the strongest. That meant he was the best. He put his hand up.

Half the class groaned and put their hands down. If any of them were chosen, Billy would probably hit them when the teacher wasn’t looking.

Mr Vardy looked around the room.

Me, me. Pick me. Billy jiggled up and down in his seat.

Billy.

Yes! Billy jumped to his feet. I get Freddie!

Are you sure you can you look after a tadpole?

Yes, Mr Vardy.

All right, Billy can take Freddie home, said Mr Vardy. "Now, children, you can get your bags and put