The Chronicles of Mr Arthur and Friends

By J. A. Folkers

The Chronicles combines all four books of the Mr Arthur series into a novel for older readers.

Meet Mr Arthur a rather humongous dog, an English Mastiff.
And his new puppy, a German Shepard called Echo.
Echo is making his life a misery.
The Grumpy Toad gets most upset when she picks on his home.
**
The Gypsy dance is on! The rats change houses once a year and it's that time again.
Rastas and his family are moving into Broomstick Way but lookout for the dogs.
****
Rastas decided to be friendly and meet the neighbours, a Mafia boss and his gang called the Bunkies.
Who is Mrs Bottomsley and her botanicals?
********
Chloe finds a stone.
All sorts of weird things start happening!
Is it a wishing stone?
It's a willy wonky wishing stone if that's the case.
**********

• Language: English
• Publisher: J. A. Folkers
• Release date: May 31, 2022
• ISBN: 9781005600570

J. A. Folkers

Julie was born and raised in Christchurch, New Zealand, where she is now residing again after living on the rugged West Coast of the South Island for nine years. She has worked and served overseas with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including a three- year posting to Bangkok, Thailand. After completing a Diploma for Professional Writer of Children’s Stories, she wrote her popular first fantasy novel for children, Abby and the Hopplescotch Realm. This was written as the first in her series of stories about the adventures of a group of children and other characters in different realms. the Realms series has grown to 4 books in total, it is extremely popular. Read her and enjoy her books.Julie also holds Diplomas in Diamonds and Gems, she worked in the jewellery trade for a number of years..Julie lives with her daughter and her dog, Mr Arthur, an English Mastiff. Julie was Chairperson of the New Zealand Society of Authors for Canterbury in 2012.Julie writes under the non-de-plume of Anne Dover for her adult books.The Keeper of Secrets series.Scribblings of a WriterScribblings of a Scammer.The Keeper of SecretsJulie started Ooky Spooky publications and she has been publishing other Authors' work for them. Julie is a Reiki Master and a Bodytalker. She's explored alternative medicine. Julie keeps fit and is in good health. Julie has been following her dreams! Julie started a fundraising scheme for schools in 2023. She produced about 350 notebooks to be used for fundraising events. She also started the Ooky Spooky Bookclub!The Fairytale seriesFor 6-9-year-olds, have a book read to you and enjoy the illustrations or read along with Mum or Dad. Or learn new and harder words with the use of the glossary of terms in the back of the books. Never skip a word again!Danger Dweeb and the Turd of Hurtles has been illustrated and released with UK publishing house - Austin Macauley in 2021Mr Arthur, Miss Echo and the Grumpy Toad is in the process of being illustrated and will be released in 2024.Discover other titles by Julie FolkersThe Realms SeriesAbby and the Hopplescotch RealmAnika and the Techno PiratesMagical Chaos at Beechhorn CoveTime Bandits and the Fountain of YouthThe Fairytale SeriesThe Pimperknickels and the Tooth FairyBarnaby the Christmas ElfRazzle Dazzle the Missing ReindeerDanger Dweeb and the Turd of HurtlesBertie Bumpkin and the FrosticalsPicasso Dook and the Rainbow BunnyMr Dudley and the Shadow BeastsA novel for older readersThe Compendium of the Fairytale SeriesThe Dreamland SeriesMr Dudley and the Time VampiresMr Dudley and the Beetle FartsMr Dudley and Mrs McFuddleA novel for older readersThe Compendium of the Dreamland SeriesThe Mr Arthur SeriesMr Arthur, Miss Echo and the Grumpy ToadRastas the Rat and the Hounds of Broomstick WayMrs Bottomley's BotanicalsThe Guddyfunk Stone and the Witch who tried to steal ChristmasA novel for older readersThe Chronicles of Mr Arthur and FriendsThe Snaky Snooks SeriesSnaky Snooks and the Peculiar FartsMrs Stingy and the AcornsSnaky Snooks and the Secrets of the DogsSnaky Snooks and the Fossil of ReasonSnaky Snooks and Shabby the Terrible BreederA novel for older readersCompendium of Snaky SnooksWrite My Own Book SeriesThere are various covers available for you to write your own book into it.My Notebook Series100-page notebook with various covers. Write a diary or make it a recipe book with your favourite recipes. Or use it as a gardening diary.Whatever you do - it's your notebook!My Drawing Book Series100-page drawing book with various covers, for you to draw or paint your own pictureshttp://jafolkers.ampbk.comis where you will find my latest illustrated book - U.K. release

Book preview

The Chronicles

of

Mr Arthur

and

friends

J A Folkers

Copyright ©2022 by Julie Folkers

Ooky Spooky Publications

Cover Copyright©2022 by Julie Folkers

All rights reserved.

The author has asserted her moral and legal right to be recognized as the author of this work.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or persons is entirely coincidental and beyond the intent of the author.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the author.

***************************************

Glossary of Terms: See the back of the book

Dedication

For my girls who mean the world to me and in memory of my Mum and Dad.

About the Author

Julie was born and raised in Christchurch, New Zealand, where she is now residing again after living on the rugged West Coast of the South Island for nine years. She has worked and served overseas with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including a three-year posting to Bangkok, Thailand. After completing a Diploma for Professional Writer of Children’s Stories, she wrote her popular first fantasy novel for children, Abby and the Hopplescotch Realm. This was written as the first in her series of stories about the adventures of a group of children and other characters in different realms. Julie's series has grown to four books in total, it is extremely popular, read her reviews and enjoy her books. The Realms series starts as first chapter books. Julie also holds Diplomas in Diamonds and Gems.

Julie lives with her cats. Julie was Chairperson of the New Zealand Society of Authors for Canterbury in 2012. Julie also has an adult series out under the non-de-plume Anne Dover.

For her picture books release

http://jafolkers.ampbk.com

Mr Arthur, Miss Echo

and the

Grumpy Toad

1

It was a coldish day and Mr Arthur was happily cuddled up snoozing as per normal when Miss Echo bounded in.

'Come on, big guy. Let's cause mischief,' she murmured in his ear.

Mr Arthur opened one eye then the other and spied her.

'Oh, it's you again,' he said in his deep slow voice.

'Of course, it's me silly! Who else lives here as well? No-one, just you and me big guy.'

He eyed her up, she was like a rabbit on super duper speed. The energizer bunny that had drunk too many energizer drinks. She, in fact was a German Shepherd puppy and boy was she a handful.

He closed his eyes momentarily. She leant in and nudged him with her nose.

He grunted and moved his head slightly.

'Come on, it's time for fun!'

She jumped on top of him and was trying to get him to move.

She couldn't, she'd never move him. He was 93kgs of pure English Mastiff and it would take a forklift to make him move. But she knew if she annoyed him enough he would.

Deciding that he wasn't going to budge that way, she'd do something to make him move.

'I'm going out to the fishpond. Coming?' she asked.

Hmm, he thought. I best go and keep an eye on her.

He slowly got up. She whizzed out the door and he plodded along behind.

By the time he got outside, she was in the pond! Standing one foot deep in the water, she thrust herself at a lily pad and yanked it.

Arthur's eyes grew wide, as wide as the moon.

'WHAT ARE YOU DOING?' he bellowed.

She flicked her head around and through her clenched mouth, she said, 'What do you think? I'm pulling the lily pads out!'

She yanked it again. The bottom of the bowl was stuck firmly in the mud. She thrust her front feet forward and heaved and heaved and heaved. Finally, it budged. She backed up and kept dragging it. Inch by inch, it was slowly coming.

Bong!

Echo leapt back in fright. A giant toad landed flatly on her nose. He spun around and stared straight into her eyes.

'Leave my home alone,' he sneered.

She flicked her head with fright and the toad soared through the air at great speed and landed at the base of the palm tree at the edge of the pond.

Arthur stood wide eyed. He didn't know there was a toad who lived in the pond.

Echo spun her head around. 'Did you see that I got attacked?'

Arthur grunted and replied, 'You weren't attacked, he just gave you a fright. You're disturbing his home.'

'No, I insist, he attacked me. An unprovoked attack,' she said like a willy nilly.

Bong!

The toad was back. He leapt onto her nose again and stared into her eyes.

'I did not attack you. I'm telling you to leave my pond alone. It's you who have attacked my home,' he growled.

Miss Echo started prancing through the pond and flicking her head this way and that trying to get the toad off it. He grasped her ears and hung on for dear life.

'Stop it. You silly puppy,' he sneered.

'Best do what he says,' Arthur chimed in.

'I don't have to do anything either of you say,' she replied.

'You do so,' they both chanted.

'Fiddle sticks, I'm going to destroy this lily pad because I like to destroy things. I'm bored.'

'NO,' yelled Arthur. 'You'll get into so much trouble when Myra gets home from work.'

'I don't care, she shouldn't go off to work and leave us on our own.'

'She has to work to pay for things, like our food,' said Arthur.

He'd had enough and he plodded to the edge of the pond.

'Move toad,' he said. 'I'll deal to this.'

The toad leapt off and landed at the edge of the pond and Arthur reached in and grabbed her by the scruff of the neck and hoisted her out of the pond.

'What,' she screamed as she swung through the air. 'Let me go,' she demanded.

'Not till you behave,' he murmured out of the corner of his mouth.

She wiggled and thrust herself every which way, trying to get herself free.

'Stop it,' Arthur murmured and he carted her off to the other side of the house and shoved her in through the dog door. He nudged her forward as she landed on the floor. He moved his bulky frame in behind her.

'I'll sit on you, if you don't behave.'

Her eyes widened. He'd squash her.

'Oh, alright then. I'm tired now anyway. I'll go and have a nap, spoil sport.'

With that she marched off to her bed and cuddled up. She was dripping wet but her bed was under the window and the sun was billowing in now so she should dry out.

Echo slept for hours, she sprawled out on her bed and was lying on her back with her legs in the air when she woke. She peeked out one eye.

Where's the big guy, she thought. He's no fun! He keeps stopping me from mischief. She couldn't see him. She opened the other eye and rolled over. Flicking her head around in all directions, Arthur was nowhere to be seen.

Good, she thought. What's next? The clothes on the clothesline. That was always immense fun. She got up and trotted as quietly as she could towards the dog door.

She took one last glance around and thought, the old boy must be busy somewhere else. Perhaps he was napping on Myra's bed.

She nudged the dog door open and stepped very gently through it. She didn't want it going clang, clang, clang and maybe waking the old boy.

Outside now, she glanced around. Freedom,