Case of the Race_SAMPLE by Collins

ALSO BY VASHTI HARDY

Published by Barrington Stoke

An imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers 1 Robroyston Gate, Glasgow, G33 1JN www.barringtonstoke.co.uk

HarperCollinsPublishers

Macken House, 39/40 Mayor Street Upper, Dublin 1, DO1 C9W8, Ireland

First published in 2026

The moral right of Vashti Hardy and Agnes Saccani to be identified as the author and illustrator of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988

ISBN 978-0-00-872747-5

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

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This book is in a super-readable format for young readers beginning their independent reading journey

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

Printed and bound in India by Replika Press Pvt. Ltd.

For Posy and Romy with love

CHAPTER 1 A Sunny Day

It was a warm summer day. Hana was on a walk with Dad and her little brother, Arlo.

All the mini‑beasts that Hana loved were out to enjoy the sunshine. There were bees and butterflies, and there were lots of flowers too. The world looked beautiful.

Hana stopped to watch a ladybird on a leaf. She held out her finger. The ladybird pattered its tiny feet around her hand and then flew away.

A dragonfly darted past. Hana chased it into the grass near the pond. It was bright blue and flitted about as if it didn’t know where to go. Hana stretched out her arms for a while to be a dragonfly too.

When she looked up, Dad was way up ahead with Arlo in the pushchair.

“Dad, wait!” she shouted.

Dad turned around. He walked quickly back to her. “Hana, try to keep up!” he said, out of breath. “You’re so slow! We need to get home.”

“But, Dad,” Hana said. She wanted to tell him about the amazing dragonfly, but he wasn’t listening.

“Arlo’s getting hungry, and you know he’ll start to cry like a police car siren if we’re late for dinner,” Dad snapped. He looked cross.

Hana frowned. She didn’t like Dad telling her she was slow. She wasn’t going to tell him about the dragonfly.

After dinner, Hana went to her bedroom and drew pictures of her farm. The farm was where she was going to live one day.

She would have lots of dogs, goats, sheep, pigs and cows on the farm. But the most important animal would be a cat. A cat called Ace.

Hana coloured in his black silky fur and green eyes. Last, she added his glossy tail, which curled in the air like a question mark.

Ace was her friend in real life. He was an amazing talking cat. Hana and Ace were detectives together. They were the Moonlight Mystery Agency team.

Ace had come to Hana’s bedroom window one night and given her a badge. It was a badge in the shape of the moon. It meant that Hana was a member of the Moonlight Mystery Agency.

Hana and Ace travelled to a magical faraway land called Moonlight and solved mysteries together.

Hana looked at her bedroom window.

The moon rose over the rooftops. Would Ace visit tonight?

A knock on the door made Hana jump. It was Dad.

“Arlo’s

asleep,” he said. “Would you like me to read you a story? Or perhaps you could read to me?”

Hana shook her head. She didn’t want to read to Dad. She was still cross with him for telling her she was too slow. “Maybe tomorrow,” she said.

Dad nodded and said goodnight.

The moon badge was in Hana’s bedside drawer. She took it out and pinned it on her pyjamas. Then she fell asleep.

Much later, a soft tap woke her up.

Hana’s clock showed that it was midnight. She looked across at her window and saw Ace. She was so happy to see him that her heart jumped.

When she opened the window, Ace leapt inside and onto her bed. He blinked his bright green eyes.

A key glinted around Ace’s neck. It was a magic key that fitted into a hole in Hana’s bed frame, a hole in the shape of a cat’s head. Hana put the key inside the hole and turned it.

There was a soft click.

“Hello!” said Ace. “Are you ready for another Moonlight Mystery Agency trip?”

Hana smiled. “I am!”