The Polar Bear Express

By Debbie Dadey and Tatevik Avakyan

A lost baby polar bear shares the spotlight with a popular boy band in this Mermaid Tales adventure.

Kiki Coral is thrilled beyond words when she meets a brand-new friend: a baby polar bear! The problem is, the little bear, whose name is Nestor, has floated away from home on a patch of ice and now he’s lost, hungry, and all alone!

Kiki, Shelly, and Echo want to send Nestor back to his home on the Manta Ray Express, but a one-way ticket costs a whopping four jewels! That’s a fortune! Not to mention, all anyone at school can talk about is the Rays, who are performing a concert in Poseidon. Kiki loves the cute boy band as much as the next mergirl, but what about Nestor? Isn’t saving him more important than a concert?

Can Kiki and her friends find a fun way to send their new furry friend home—and hang out with the Rays in the process?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Aladdin
• Release date: May 19, 2015
• ISBN: 9781481402620

Debbie Dadey

Debbie Dadey is an author of early readers and graphic novels including The Adventures of the Bailey School Kids Graphix Chapters Books. She lives in Sevierville, Tennessee, with her husband Eric and their dog Carmen.

Book preview

Contents

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

1. SPLAT!

2. SHAKE YOUR TAIL

3. VISIONS

4. NESTOR

5. DOWN TO BUSINESS

6. PUFFER FISH

7. A SHELL WASH

8. LAST HOPE

9. THE BEST IDEA EVER

10. TOTALLY WAVY

CLASS POEMS

THE MERMAID TALES SONG

AUTHOR’S NOTE

GLOSSARY

WISH UPON A STARFISH TEASER

ABOUT DEBBIE DADEY

To Nancy Crowther, Sybil Johnson, Pete Brunner, Marijane Meckling, Sue Goldsworthy, Bob Scof ield, and all my Moland House friends

Acknowledgment

Thanks to summer intern Hannah Frank for haiku brainstorming.

Splat!

"Five arms stretch out wide

No brains; no blood; velvety

Starfish cling to life."

I really like that, Kiki Coral told her teacher.

It’s a haiku, Mrs. Karp explained. Five claps for the first line, then seven, then five for the last line.

Boring, Pearl Swamp whispered under her breath. Mrs. Karp peered through her tiny glasses at Pearl, who slid down in her seat.

Do you think the Rays’ music is boring? Mrs. Karp asked Pearl.

Pearl sat up straight and tossed her long blond hair behind her shoulder. Of course not! The Rays were the most famous boy band in the ocean. They had sung at Pearl’s last birthday party.

Did you know that many of the Rays’ songs are poems? Mrs. Karp said. Of course, they are different from a haiku.

Really? asked Shelly Siren. Shelly was the only student at Trident Academy who had actually performed with the Rays at Pearl’s party. When their backup singer had gotten sick, Shelly had filled in for her.

Mrs. Karp nodded and surprised her entire third-grade class by singing one of the Rays’ songs.

"Shark, the sharpnose sevengill, lived near to me.

We swam together every day

And became the best of friends.

Then someone told Shark he should eat me.

And now I miss him terribly

But our friendship had to end.

Shark, the sharpnose sevengill, lived near to me.

I’ll always treasure our friendship

And hope someday he’ll see

That sharks and merfolks can be friends.

One day it will be.

But until that day, I guess I’ll say

Shark, I miss you still."

Pearl rolled her eyes, but most of the class tapped their tails in time to Mrs. Karp’s voice. When she finished, everyone clapped except Pearl.

That was totally amazing! Echo Reef said.

Mrs. Karp grinned and took a little bow. What do you think about poems now? she asked Pearl.

Pearl shrugged. I guess some poems are pretty wavy.

I think poems should be silly, Rocky Ridge said before singing to the class