Children’s Book
Date Published: 06-13-2024
Publisher: Magnetic Lion Productions
The chipocalypse is the greatest mystery to hit the seaside town of Fry
Cove. Join Steven F Seagull on the adventure of a lifetime in this Pencraft
Best Book engaging read about courage, friendship and teamwork, which
reviewers hail as ‘an unexpected delight.’
Who stole the chips? Was it the Deny the Fry colony, who want all seagulls
to quit eating chips? Or was it the seagull mafia boss, Stefano Giacomo, who
has concocted a dastardly plot to convert all seagulls to pizza and pasta?
As part of the newly formed CIA (Chips Investigation Agency), our reluctant
hero, along with Charlie, Steven Colton, the karate chopping Bart, and
Steven Rhys pit their wits to solve the mystery.
Whether you’re a fan of whimsical tales or simply in need of a
feel-good read, this Readers’ Favourite 5 Star ‘war of the best
carbohydrates’ book is sure to leave you smiling.
Excerpt
Nervous, I flew alongside my dad, wondering what to expect. Fry Cove looked
so peaceful and calm from the air, hiding the chip chaos. Dad took me to a
rooftop on the edge of Fry Cove, where we found a hole and squeezed inside
the lair of his ex-crime fighting friend.
It was dark inside, except for the light coming through the hole. A seagull
emerged from a shadowy corner, smoke surrounding him in a cloudy haze.
“Who goes there?” he grumbled.
My dad held up his wings like he was surrendering.
“It’s okay, it’s me, Steven Petronius.”
A bedraggled seagull hopped forward, a twig drooping from the corner of his
beak.
“Hmph, long time no see,” he said. “How long was it since
we were both in the seagull police force?”
They slapped each other on the back, and began chuckling.
“This is Steven Sherlock,” my dad said. “He’s a
very old friend.”
Both of them tipped their heads back and cackled, “Ah, ah, ah, ah,
ah!”
“Remember the time we busted that American fries racket?”
Steven Sherlock said.
“Oh yeah,” Dad said. “Our finest hour.” He beckoned
to me. “This is my son, Steven Fitzgerald.”
The ex-detective’s eyes scanned me.
“A fine boy,” he commented. “What can I do for you? Is it
anything to do with the chipocalypse?”
“Still as sharp as ever!” my dad said. “My boy just
joined the newly formed CIA, or Chips Investigation Agency. Its mission is
to solve the mystery of our missing chips, and restore order in Fry
Cove.”
I gulped, my mind racing at the thought of the responsibility I had
accepted.
“That’s brave of you,” said Steven Sherlock. “Pull
this off, and you’ll be the hero of Fry Cove.”
I hung my head low, knowing I was far from heroic.
“Unfortunately, Steven Zeus put the Artful Dodger in charge of the
CIA,” Dad said, shaking his head.
“That fool,” Steven Sherlock scoffed. “So, it means you
need all the help you can get.”
He finished his twig, and stubbed it out on the floor.
My dad asked, “Have you got any old tools of the trade to get my boy
started?”
Steven Sherlock lifted a wing tip in a lightbulb moment.
“I have something that could help.”
He waddled to the side of the room, which received light from the hole.
Pulling out a drawer, he dipped in, lifting something out. It was shiny, but
dusty. He dropped it on the floor with a clunk.
“You’ll find this useful when looking for clues,” he
said. “It’s my old spy glass.”
He demonstrated by picking it up with one foot, peering through it.
“You can see many things not visible to the seagull eye. It makes
tiny things bigger.”
“That’s…great,” I said, not sure how it would
help.
“Hmmm,” Dad said. “What else do you have in your
arsenal?”
Steven Sherlock rubbed his wings together with glee.
“Glad you asked! I have the full Chip Stealing Investigation tools
here!”
He used his beak to pull a cord. A series of drawers and cupboards popped
out, revealing a full range of crime fighting equipment. There was so
much technology, it made my mind boggle.
“Here, we have a sophisticated tool for analysing wing tip
prints.”
I stared at the equipment wide-eyed.
“While over here,” he added, “I have some special cement
for making casts of footprints, chalk for drawing around dead gulls, and a
poop splatter examination kit. It can also analyse ketchup, mayonnaise, and
even barbeque sauce smears.”
“It’s so…hi-tech,” I said.
“You’re in the best of wings,” Dad said. Turning to
Steven Sherlock, he added, “Where do you suggest my boy
starts?”
He pulled the cord again, and the equipment rolled back into its secret
location.
“Go to the places of previous chip sightings, and use the spy glass
to find clues. Take samples of any ketchup smears or small items that you
think are suspicious, then bring them back to me in these little
bags.”
He passed me some empty chip bags.
“Okay,” I said, my voice quite shaky.
“You can do this,” Dad said. “I believe in
you.”
It was time to show Fry Cove my capabilities, but could I live up to my
dad’s expectations?
About the Author
Kitty May Gruchelska loves creating fantastical worlds for her readers,
full of diverse and quirky characters. In a past life, she was probably a
cat because she likes tuna, dislikes water, and frequently knocks things
over, but luckily, she has nine lives. Kitty May teaches in a magical desert
kingdom full of sunshine, camels, and rice dishes. She loves travelling,
which also inspires her to write.
Contact Links
Website
Goodreads
Instagram: @kittymaytales
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