‘ You ’ ll be wowed ’
Sheena Dempsey bestselling author of Pablo and Splash
H uw A aron
PUFFIN BOOKS
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First published by Puffin Books 2025 001
Copyright © Huw Aaron, 2025
The moral right of the author/illustrator has been asserted
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Lettering by Rob Jones Typeface created by William Collins and Huw Aaron Printed and bound in China
The authorized representative in the EEA is Penguin Random House Ireland, Morrison Chambers, 32 Nassau Street, Dublin D02 YH68 A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library ISBN: 978–0–241–68376–7 All correspondence to: Puffin Books Penguin Random House Children’s One Embassy Gardens, 8 Viaduct Gardens
Colours by Elena Dall’Aglio
The Garden.
Full of danger and beauty –
A vast land of green and plenty.
and home to endlessly squabbling tribes of tiny warlike creatures:
The Unfairies.
At its centre stands
Oakhold –
ancient fortress-city of the Tree Fairies, traditional rulers of the whole Garden.
The leaves were turning. It was a time of peace.
Beneath this great tree, nestled among its roots, is where my tale must begin. In the Oakhold Root Stores.
SMASH HIS FACE IN!
Well . . . kinda.
For the fairies of the Root Stores, it had been a quiet, uneventful afternoon of sorting boxes.
YEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAARRRRGH!
Apart from that massive brawl, obviously. A simpleton.
Caught in the middle of the ruckus was a little lost fairy called Pip. A nobody.
Would the fighting end with the arrival of the Stores Manager?
WHO'S THERE?
No, it would not.
Fortunately, our hero was on hand to share some words of wisdom . . . . . . and a box to the face. OR THIS!
LEAVE THE OLD DUDE ALONE, YOU MAGGOTFACED SON OF A GRUB! OR WHAT?
WOO! I'M GREAT AT THROWING!
ANYONE ELSE WANNA GO?
YOWFF! C'MON, LET'S GET OUTTA HERE! YEAH, YOU RUN, GNAT-BRAINS !
WOW. YOUR FACE IS MOOSHED.
UUUH. MY HEAD AND BACK AND NECK AND TEETH. WHAT HAPPENED?
WHO ARE YOU?
IT WAS JUST SOME WEED FAIRY THUGS – WE FOUGHT THEM OFF BEFORE THEY COULD NICK ANYTHING.
I DID A BOX TO THE FACE!
I'M PIP!
I'M A LITTLE LOST FAIRY. CAN I STAY HERE?
I LIKE YOUR LUMPY HEAD.
Uh . . . OK . . . WELCOME TO THE TEAM! I’M BARKER. I’M IN CHARGE OF THE ROOT STORES.
NOW, I WANT LESS FIGHTING AND MORE STORING. AND I WANT A WEE.
So, after a quick bathroom break, Pip got to work.
Eventually, it all became too much.
AUUGH! I CAN’T TAKE IT ANY MORE!
Time passed slowly.
IT’S YOUR FIRST DAY. YOU’VE LITERALLY ONLY BEEN WORKING FOR FOUR MINUTES.
Like I said. VERY slowly.
DO I GET A FIRSTDAY DISCO THEN? WHAT? Teeeeeny LITTLE RAVE BREAK? NO PARTIES! JUST STORAGE! Very slowly.
I CAN’T SPEND MY ENTIRE LIFE SHIFTING BOXES! I NEED . . . A PARTY! I NEED EXCITEMENT! I NEED CHANGE!
OK, BUT THE THING IS, I'D REALLY LIKE A PARTY.
SIGH. LISTEN. THE TRUTH IS, YOU DON’T ALWAYS GET WHAT YOU WANT IN LIFE.
MY DREAM WAS TO BE A FAMOUS PASTRY CHEF. . .
. . . BUT INSTEAD I’VE BEEN HERE COUNTING BOXES FOR FIFTY-SIX YEARS.
WOW. I’VE BEEN HERE FOR FOUR MINUTES AND I'M SO BORED MY EARS HURT.
UH, NO . . . SEEDS, DRIED BERRIES AND NUTS TO FEED EVERYONE IN THE TREE OVER THE COLD MONTHS.
LET'S TRY AND FIND YOU A MORE INTERESTING JOB TO DO. COME HELP ME CHECK THE WINTER STORES.
THE WINTER STORES!? FOR ICE AND SNOW AND ICICLES AND STUFF?
Less interesting. . . . AND BISCUITS. YES! Biscuits?
IT’S OUR DUTY AS NOBODIES DOWN HERE TO KEEP THE STORES IN TIP-TOP SHAPE FOR THE BOSSES HIGHER UP THE TRUNK.
LIKE OLD WET SOCKS. YEECH. I CAN SMELL SOMETHING GROSS.
TRUST THE WISE HEADS OF THE COUNCIL, AND KEEP YER OWN HEAD DOWN. IT'S ALL ABOUT RESPECT. IS IT YOU?
THE WHOLE WINTER FOOD STORE . . . RUINED BY MOULD! OOH! LET ME TASTE SOME! NOM!
DON’T, YOU FOOL! EATING RANDOM FUNGUS CAN LEAD TO DEATH!
JUTHT THCRUBBING MY TONGUE! COME ON. OH BOY. THIS IS GOING TO NEED . . . A REPORT.
A meeting was called of the brightest and best of the Store fairies. They aren't very bright.
IT’S AN EMERGENCY. . . THE WINTER FOOD STORES ARE COMPLETELY SPOILT. AUGH! NOT THE BISCUITS TOO?! ONE OF YOU HAS TO TAKE THIS REPORT
. . . TO THE DEPARTMENT.
I’D RATHER BE EATEN BY A BIRD, POOPED OUT, AND THEN EATEN AGAIN BY A DIFFERENT, WORSE BIRD!
I’D RATHER BE EATEN BY A BIRD! I’D RATHER BE EATEN BY A BIRD AND THEN POOPED OUT!
I’LL DO IT!
YOU WANT TO GO?
EVEN THOUGH IT’S HORRIFIC BEYOND WORDS?
YEAH, EASY. YUH-HUP.
AND DRIVES EVEN THE STRONGEST MINDS ABSOLUTELY UTTERLY GIBBERINGLY INSANE? AND MORE DREADFUL AND TERRIFYING THAN YOUR WORST NIGHTMARE?
YEEAUP!
Like Jeff over there.
YUP! Hi, Jeff!
THE STORES ARE BORING. I WANT TO HAVE SOME FUN!
IT’S YOUR FIRST DAY! BELIEVE ME, THERE ARE NO PARTIES IN THE . . . LET’S GO! WHY?
YOUR BRAVERY AND ALSO STUPIDITY SHALL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN. THE STORES WILL HONOUR YOUR NAME . . . Uh . . . GUARD THAT REPORT WITH YOUR VERY LIFE. THE FATE OF THE TREE DEPENDS ON IT.
YES –PIP! PIP.
I MADE A BOAT!
STAY ON THE MAIN ROAD, FOLLOW THE SIGNS TO THE DEPARTMENT, AND PLACE THE REPORT IN THE HANDS OF THE CHIEF OFFICER HIMSELF. GOT IT –ROADS, HANDS, SAUSAGES. HEY, LOOK!
This may be a huge mistake.
I DIDN’T MENTION SAUS–
BYE, DUDES! ADVENTURE! WOO!
DO NOT LEAVE THE MAIN ROAD!
OK, before we properly jump into this story, there’s some stuff you think you know that will need to be corrected.
COMMON FAIRY MYTHS
1. FAIRIES ARE A MYTH
Clearly isn’t true. We’re as real as slugs.
2. FAIRIES ARE MOTHS
Stupid. Next.
3. FAIRIES LIKE MATHS
Absolutely not. Very few fairies can count above 5.
4. FAIRIES FLY
Yes, we do have wings. No, we don’t fly: we flutter. Rumour has it there was a flying fairy once, but that’s a story for another day.
5. FAIRIES ARE MAGICAL
Nonsense. We’re as magical as slugs.
5. FAIRY DUST IS SPECIAL AND WONDERFUL
No. It’s dandruff.
5. FAIRIES STEAL BABIES
Um . . . No comment.
5. FAIRIES GRANT WISHES
If the wish is ‘I wish someone would steal my baby’, then maybe. Otherwise, no.
5. FAIRIES ARE NICE
HAHAHAHHAHAHA! This is the best yet. Fairies are horrible violent disgusting stupid backstabbing treacherous selfish sneaks. I should know. I'm one of them.
5. FAIRIES LIKE DISCO DANCING
This one’s actually true.
Got it? Good. Back to Pip . . .
IMPORTANT REPORT.
IMPORTANT REPORT.
DON’T LOSE IT. DON’T LOSE IT.
OH HELLO, LITTLE MIDGE-BUG!
DID YOU COME FROM THAT MOULDY STORE?
FANCY AN ADVENTURE?
WE’RE GOING STRAIGHT TO THE DEPARTMENT!
HMMM . . . MAYBE THERE’S A LOO DOWN THERE? BUT I DO NEED A WEE AGAIN. NO DELAYS! NO SAUSAGES! NO DISTRACTIONS!
GREAT! THIS IS EXACTLY THE SORT OF SCARY, DARK, TERRIFYING CORRIDOR WHERE THEY'D PUT THE TOILETS.
MIDGEBUG!
WHO LEFT ALL THIS STUFF HERE?
GIANT SPIDERS ALREADY ? I’M ONLY TWO MINUTES INTO MY ADVENTURE.
DON’T WORRY! I’LL PROTECT YOU!
Ulp.
UNFAIR!
THEY’VE GOT SO MANY MORE LEGS THAN ME!
WHAT CAN I DO?
WAIT . . . THROWI NG!
GREAT TEAMWORK, MIDGE. TEE-HEE!