Chapter 1

ISADORA MOON Gets the Magic Pox

Chapter ONE It was Friday afternoon and I was happily sitting at my desk with Pink Rabbit snoozing on my lap when Miss Cherry announced some worrying news. 'On Monday morning,' she said, 'we are going to have a maths test!' I felt my insides squiggle with nerves. A test! I hated tests.

I want you to spend the weekend brushing up on your times tables, said Miss Cherry. I glanced at my best friend Zoe who was sitting at the desk next to me, but she didn't look worried at all. But then

Zoe is good at everything. Maths is my least favourite subject and times tables are really hard to remember. I felt completely disheartened as I packed my books into my satchel to go home. 'What's the matter?' asked Zoe as we walked out into the playground. I'm just a bit worried about the test, I admitted. 'Vampire fairies aren't very good at maths.' 'You'll be fine Isadora!' said Zoe, sneezing into a tissue. 'Times tables are easy anyway?' 'They are for you!' I said.

'You're really good at them!' 'That's just because I practice them a lot,' said Zoe. 'My mum bought me a special CD with times tables songs on it. We listen to it every morning in the car. Maths can be really fun if you give it a chance. Putting numbers together is kind

of like doing a puzzle!' I frowned. 'I'll lend you my CD if you like,' said Zoe kindly. 'I already know it off by heart.' 'Oh no, that's OK,' I said quickly. The idea of listening to songs about times tables would just make me feel more anxious. I didn't fancy that at all! Zoe shrugged. 'You can phone me over the weekend if you change your mind,' she said. 'Oh look, there's my mum! Bye Isadora!' and then she ran off across the playground. I walked slowly over to where my mum was standing with my baby sister Honeyblossom in her pushchair. My mum