The Round Door: Revised Edition

By Lynette Collins

The Round Door is about a young girl, Charli, who is connected to the soul world. Her best friend is a ghost named DJ. It is summer break, and they go to stay with the Nan and Pop for the holidays when the round door starts to appear. Once inside, they go to the most amazing and wonderful places filled with fun, laughter, and most of all, new friends.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris AU
• Release date: Sep 8, 2017
• ISBN: 9781543403718

Lynette Collins

Lynette Collins loves to write stories that light up children’s imaginations. She spends her free time making them into books for children, in the hope that the readers will enjoy her characters as much as she enjoys creating them.

Book preview

THE ROUND DOOR -

SIX WEEKS OF SUMMER SERIES

Revised Edition

LYNETTE COLLINS

Copyright © 2017 by Lynette Collins.

Library of Congress Control Number:       2017913844

ISBN:                 Hardcover                       978-1-5434-0373-2

                         Softcover                         978-1-5434-0372-5

                         eBook                              978-1-5434-0371-8

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Rev. date: 09/04/2017

Xlibris

1-800-455-039

www.Xlibris.com.au

766925

Contents

Book 1 – The Cubby House

Book 2 – The Willow Tree

Book – 3 The Hollows

Book 4 – The Tree House

Book 5 A – Winter Wonderland

Book 6 – I Love Chocolates

Book 7 – Oh No! Shayla Ate the Wrong Mushrooms Again

BOOK 1

The Cubby House

T he last day of school ended, and then it was summer holidays. Charli and her brother, Cooper, were walking home from school with some of the other kids who lived on their street. When Cooper started to sing, No more pencils, no more books, no more teachers’ dirty looks, all the kids joined in. They sang all the way home as they laughed and mucked around.

That afternoon when Cooper’s mamma got home from work, Cooper and his two friends, Nat and Nick, asked if they could have a sleepover. They had six weeks of summer in which to play, so Mamma said yes. The boys all jumped and cheered. Then they ran off to ask Nat and Nick’s mum if it was OK. Of course, Nat and Nick’s mum said yes, for the boys were always sleeping over at Cooper’s.

That night, when they were eating dinner, Cooper asked his mamma if they could make a cubby house in the backyard, so they had somewhere to play and sleep for the holidays. His nanna said to his mamma, I think it is a bit late to be building a cubby now.

Cooper looked at his nanna and got a bit mad. He put his head down and continued eating his dinner. After a minute, he asked, Can we build a cubby house tomorrow, and have a sleepover in it tomorrow night?

His mamma looked at him, and then at his nanna.

Charli asked, Can I build a cubby house too? And have a sleepover with Deanna? Please, Mamma.

I think that would be OK, their mamma said as she looked at their nanna again.

Nanna smiled and said, I think that is a good idea.

Cooper and Charli’s nanna often visited for the school holidays, to help look after Cooper and Charli while their mamma worked. Mamma was single and found it hard when there were school holidays. Cooper, who was nine, and Charli, who was seven, were too young to be looking after themselves. They both loved their nanna. It was just that she was a bit old-fashioned and a little strict. But it was only because she loved them, and they knew that.

The next morning, the boys were up bright and early, collecting things to make their cubby house. They took Cooper’s billycart to the bush and found lots of wood and branches to start building with.

Nanna watched from the kitchen window as they came and went. Laughing, she said to Cooper’s mamma, You are going to have quite a mess to clean up when they are finished playing. Nanna took a cup of tea to Mamma.

They looked up to see Charli standing there, spots all over her. Oh, my dear, come here and give us a look at you, Nanna said.

Charli said, What is it? They turned her around so she could see in the mirror.

Goodness, what are they, Mamma?

Well, my darling, it looks like you have the chickenpox, Mamma replied.

Back into bed for you, my love, Nanna said. Mamma walked Charli into her room and tucked her in.

Later that day, Charli was watching the other kids building the cubby house.

Even Deanna was helping. The cubby house was going to be for all the kids on their street, and there were lots of kids on Charli and Cooper’s street.

All of a sudden, there was a little boy standing in Charli’s room. He walked up to the window to see what Charli was looking at. What are you doing, Charli? he asked.

DJ! she said. What are you doing here? I have not seen you since we moved from the mansion on the hill.

I know. I have been looking for you everywhere. Your Uncle Keith has come to say hello to your mamma. I sneaked into the back seat of his car, and here I am.

Oh, it is so good to see you. I have missed you. Starting a new school without you was very, very scary.

DJ said, What are you looking at? He got up on his tippy toes and looked out the window.

Charli put her elbows on the windowsill, rested her head on her hands, and said, Look. They are having so much fun. I want to build a cubby house too.

DJ said, Why don’t you, then?

Charli turned around and showed DJ her spots. I have to stay inside until they are all gone.

Well, we can build a cubby house inside your room, and I will have a sleepover with you. Come on, it will be fun.

OK, Charli said. But we will have to ask Mamma, and she will have to ask Nanna first.

They ran into the lounge room and yelled, We have a great idea!

And what would that be, my dear? Mamma asked.

Can I build a cubby house in my room?

Charli’s nanna and mamma looked at one another. Nanna said, I think that is a great idea.

Mamma said, I guess you can. Why not?

As Charli ran up the hallway, her mamma yelled, Don’t use all my sheets, OK?

OK! Charli yelled back.

DJ and Charli spent the rest of the morning building their cubby house. At noon, Nanna walked in with a sandwich, a glass of milk, and pieces of fruit.

Here’s your lunch, my love.

Charli said, What about DJ?

Oh, sorry! I did not see you, DJ. I will be right back.

Nanna returned to the kitchen and made another sandwich. She poured another glass of milk and cut up more fruit. Then she took it back to the room.

There you go, DJ. Enjoy. She walked out shaking her head.

Mamma was hanging out the washing. Cooper asked if Nat and Nick could have a sleepover in the cubby house. Mamma said, Yes, if it is OK with their mum.

The boys jumped up and down, clapping. Yes!

Cooper said, Let’s go and ask your mum if you are allowed. And the boys ran off, as happy as could be.

Charli and DJ watched all this from the bedroom window. I want to sleep in their cubby house too, Charli said. She ran out to her mamma and asked, Can I sleep in Cooper’s cubby house? Please.

No, Mamma said. You have the chickenpox. Soon you can go and play with the others, but not now.

Charli put her head down and walked slowly back to her room. DJ followed, copying everything Charli did. When Charli realised what DJ was doing, she laughed. Oh, you are so funny!

DJ said, I know. Let’s play a trick on those boys while they are gone.

What can we do?

They sat on Charli’s bed. They were trying hard to think of a good trick when a round wooden door suddenly appeared on the bed.

Charli said, What is that?

DJ replied, I don’t know. Let’s open it and see.

When they opened the round door, it led to a tunnel that appeared to go under the house.

Should we see where it leads? Charli asked.

Yes, DJ said. But you go first.

Oh, you are such a scaredy cat, Charli replied. Ready! Let’s go.

DJ followed her into the tunnel. It did indeed go under the house and the backyard. Then they came to another round door. Charli opened it and popped her head up to see she was in the boys’ cubby house. She jump into it and said, Come on, DJ!

They stood in the middle of the cubby house. Charli bent down, giggling, and said, We are going to have so much fun.

DJ said, Quickly! The boys will be back soon. What can we do to scare them?

The boys had set up a radio and some books, nice and neat. Let’s take these and put them back in Cooper’s room, Charli said.

They grabbed the radio and books and carried them through the tunnel and up into the round door on Charli’s bed. Once they were in Charli’s room again, Charli said, Let’s see if the coast is clear.

They sneaked into Cooper’s room and put everything into place: the books went on his shelf and the radio went next to his bed. Then they tiptoed back into Charli’s room.

The round door was gone. Charli scratched her head. Where did it go?

DJ looked around and said, I have no idea.

They heard the boys come back, and they snugged up next to the window to watch.

At first, the boys did not notice the books and radio had gone. Cooper was helping Nat set up his sleeping bag when Nick said, Where is the radio? They all looked under things