I’m Violet Small and I’m six minutes older than my twin brother.

  I love writing and I’m a great storyteller. I want to write the

  most fabulous fairy tale in the history of fairy tales.

  My name is Victor Small, but I am BIG.

  I’m working on my Animals from Australia project.

  In Australia—

  Shh. I have a great idea

  for my fairy tale.

  Violet was born in a castle—

  You were born in a hospital.

  Princess Violet was

  born in a gleaming castle

  in Fairy Tale Kingdom.

  Ahem.

  That’s not a real place.

  Stop being grouchy.

  Fairy Tale Kingdom is a

  marvelous place. Princess

  Violet writes fairy tales about

  glass slippers and peas under

  mattresses and talking frogs.

  Talking frogs don’t exist.

  In Australia there are real amazing animals, like

  koalas and cockatoos and quokkas and kangaroos—

  What’s a quokka?

  It’s a short-tailed wallaby that eats—

  Oh, never mind!

  Fairy Tale Kingdom is filled with

  fairy-tale creatures. Talking frogs and

  swan princesses and multicolored

  unicorns and fire-breathing dragons—

  and koalas and cockatoos and

  quokkas and kangaroos and—

  It’s my story.

  I want a turn.

  One terrible day in Fairy Tale

  Kingdom, a wicked witch invaded

  Violet’s castle.

  Victor!

  The witch cried, “Witches are

  always wicked in stories!”

  So she banned fairy tales.

  Stop!

  She locked up

  all the creatures—

  Why?

  —and the witch banished

  Princess Violet to an island in

  Fairy Tale Ocean. Violet could

  never write another fairy tale.

  It’s my turn now!

  Straightaway, Violet went to

  work on a plan to escape the

  island. She built a boat out of

  sticks and leaves—

  But it was full of

  holes, so it sank.

  She begged a passing

  mermaid to help—

  But the mermaid was too

  busy fishing for oysters.

  So...Princess Violet summoned

  Prince Victor and his dragon!

  Wait. I’m not in this fairy tale.

  Of course you are.

  You’re my twin.

  Well, dragons don’t exist.

  How about a cockatoo?

  Violet and Victor climbed onto the

  back of Prince Victor’s cockatoo.

  They flew over Fairy Tale Ocean.

  They landed secretly in the castle.

  That’s not what happened!

  They found the witch

  and locked her up—

  Violet told the witch a marvelous

  fairy tale about a talented witch

  who made delicious cakes.

  The witch pricked up her ears.

  Violet told a brilliant fairy

  tale about a happy witch

  who loved Australian

  animals. The witch smiled.

  Violet told the best-ever fairy

  tale about a generous witch

  who shared her delicious

  cakes with all the Australian

  animals. The witch giggled.

  Now the witch loved fairy tales!

  The talented, happy, generous witch

  released all the creatures. She shared

  the castle with Violet and Victor.

  Violet wrote the witch the most

  fabulous book of fairy tales.

  Everyone lived happily ever after.

  Especially the quokkas.

  Especially the

  multicolored unicorns.

  Now shh, let’s read.

  For Yann, with love

  —A. K.

  For Ana and Audrey, thank you for reminding

  me to believe in unicorns and dragons

  —B. D. M.

  ALICE KUIPERS is British but lives in Canada. She is

  the award-winning author of four young adult novels, and she tries her

  best to help Violet and Victor when they want writing tips for their books.

  Alice can be found here: alicekuipers.com.

  BETHANIE DEENEY MURGUIA

  earned an MFA in illustration from the School of Visual Arts in New York

  City and is the creator of numerous picture books, including Zoe’s Jungle

  and I Feel Five! Bethanie, her family, and their dog, Disco, live in Northern

  California. Her website is aquapup.com.

  For more Violet and Victor, read

  Visit us at lb-kids.com

 


 

  Alice Kuipers, Violet and Victor Write the Most Fabulous Fairy Tale

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