A Llama Called Lightning

By Helen Peters and Ellie Snowdon

The sixteenth in a fantastic series of animal stories for younger readers by Waterstones Children's Book Prize-shortlisted author Helen Peters, with beautiful black-and-white illustrations by Ellie Snowdon.
Jasmine's dad is a farmer, and her mum is a large-animal vet, so Jasmine spends a lot of time caring for animals and keeping them out of trouble. Unfortunately, this often means she gets into hot water herself...
When Lightning escapes his lonely field to follow Jasmine home, she's determined to find a place for him on her farm. Jasmine is convinced that he'll make a perfect guard llama for the sheep and their newborn lambs! But Lightning is young, and there's a fox on the loose. When the lambs face mortal danger, can Lightning rise to the challenge?
Brilliant storytelling that will make you laugh and cry, this is Dick King-Smith for a new generation. Perfect for readers aged seven and up.
Check out Jasmine's other adventures: A Piglet Called Truffle, A Kitten Called Holly, A Sheepdog Called Sky and many more!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Nosy Crow Ltd
• Release date: Apr 11, 2024
• ISBN: 9781839948732

Helen Peters

Helen Peters grew up on an old-fashioned farm in Sussex, surrounded by family, animals and mud. She spent most of her childhood reading stories and putting on plays in a tumbledown shed that she and her friends turned into a theatre. After university, she became an English and Drama teacher. Helen lives in London with her family and a very assertive cat.

Book preview

For Isabella

H. P.

For Nims

E. S.

1

One Friday afternoon in March, Jasmine and her best friend Tom walked home from school along Half Mile Lane. They didn’t usually walk this way, but Jasmine was trying to catch a criminal today, and she needed to check something out.

Her parents had received a message from the Farm Crime Network, saying that thieves had stolen tools and equipment from a local farm. The farmer had seen a dark-blue Ford Ranger truck driving away, and he had noted down the first part of the registration number. 2

Mum and Dad won’t listen to me, Jasmine told Tom, as they walked along the lane, but I’m sure that’s Mr Sansom’s truck. They’ll be grateful when he gets arrested and we don’t have anything stolen from our farm.

As they approached Mr Sansom’s house, Tom pointed to a truck parked outside a shed.

You were right! he said excitedly. It’s a Ford Ranger!

They looked around to check no one was watching, and then they walked towards the dirty truck. It was hard to see the registration plate beneath the grime. Tom rubbed some of the dirt away with a tissue. Jasmine took a notebook out of her pocket and checked the details.

Oh, she said, disappointed. It’s a different registration. 3

And it’s dark grey, not blue, said Tom, wiping a patch of paintwork. Not that you could tell under all that dirt, he added loyally. And it was good to check.

Jasmine crossed out Mr Sansom’s name in her notebook. We’ll just have to keep looking, she said.

As they turned a corner, she scanned the fields that bordered the lane, looking for animals. Suddenly she stared in amazement.

Look! she said, pointing.

At the far end of the field next to the lane, there was a gate leading into another field. And over the bars of the gate, an animal Jasmine had never seen in real life stared back at her.

Tom’s eyes widened. A llama! Or is it an alpaca?

I’m pretty sure it’s a llama, Jasmine said. Let’s go and look.

She stood on the gate and scanned the first field to see if anyone was around. It was empty. 4They climbed over the gate, crossed to the far side and looked into the next field.

It’s so beautiful! said Jasmine.

The animal swivelled its ears at the sound. It had a long neck and a thick fluffy coat. Its head and neck were cream-coloured, darkening to a pale golden brown on its body and legs.

It’s definitely a llama, Jasmine said. Alpacas are smaller, and they have much smaller ears. Llamas have longer faces, and those lovely banana-shaped ears.

Such a cute face, said Tom. It looks like it’s smiling. 5

The llama stretched up and nibbled at a hazel tree.

Come here, llama, Jasmine called. Come and see us.

I wonder who it belongs to, Tom said.

Maybe the people in that house, said Jasmine, pointing to a big house with a neat garden next to the field. They can’t be very good owners. He must be lonely with no other animals around, poor thing. And look, his coat’s all matted, and there’s burrs and things caught in it. He looks neglected.

Jasmine pulled up a handful of long grass 6and held it out over the gate. Here you are, llama! Lovely fresh grass!

The llama looked at her, but he stayed where he was. Jasmine climbed over the gate and walked slowly towards him, holding out the grass. As she drew close, he raised his chin, flattened his ears back and blew out air with a pfffffpth sound. Jasmine lowered her eyes and backed away. She knew enough about animals to recognise their warning signs. She climbed back over the gate. They talked to the llama and he swivelled his ears and looked at them, but he didn’t come any closer.

He’s a bit shy, I think, Jasmine said. But he definitely likes us.

We should find out what treats llamas like and come back with some, Tom said. We could visit him again tomorrow morning. 7

Yes, let’s do that, Jasmine said. He looks clever, doesn’t he? He must be so bored with no other animals for company.

They said goodbye to the llama and set off for Oak Tree Farm, where Tom was coming for tea with Jasmine. While they walked, they discussed their plans for the weekend. On Saturday they were going to walk Jasmine’s donkey, Mistletoe, to the retirement home in the village and visit his former owner, Mr Hobson.