Wish Upon a Gift Read online

  With special thanks to Maria Faulkner

  With thanks to all the magical people in my life for their belief in me

  Cover

  Title Page

  Dedication

  Poem

  Map of Astral-on-Sea

  Introduction

  1

  Crystal Gifts

  2

  The Forgetful Ballerina

  3

  Twinkle’s Blanket

  4

  Perfect Memory

  5

  Cinderella’s Dance

  6

  A New Lucky Star

  7

  Cassie’s Three Wishes

  Make Your Own!

  Read more Lucky Stars books!

  Also Available

  Copyright

  Lucky Star that shines so bright,

  Who will need your help tonight?

  Light up the sky, and thanks to you

  Wishes really do come true. . . .

  Hello, friend!

  I’m Stella Starkeeper, and I want to tell you a secret. Have you ever gazed up at the stars and thought that they could be full of magic? Well, you’re right. Stars really are magical!

  Their precious starlight allows me to fly down from the sky. I’m always on the lookout for boys and girls who are especially kind and helpful. I train them to become Lucky Stars — people who can make wishes come true!

  So next time you’re under the twinkling night sky, look out for me. I’ll be floating among the stars somewhere.

  Give me a wave!

  Love,

  Cassie looked at her friend Alex’s suitcase and frowned. It was overflowing with beach toys, shells, and brightly colored rocks. Alex picked up his microscope and tried to squeeze it in.

  “It won’t fit,” he groaned.

  “Here’s one more thing for you to pack,” Cassie said.

  She held out a photo album with Alex’s Vacation written on the front. For the last two weeks, Alex and his family had been staying at Starwatcher Towers, the bed-and-breakfast run by Cassie’s parents. But now his vacation was over.

  “The album’s full of good memories,” she said, trying to smile.

  Alex nodded and cleared his throat. He smiled back, but Cassie could tell he was sad. Even Comet, his little white puppy, had his ears down.

  Alex opened the photo album, and Cassie pointed to one of the pictures.

  “That’s the view from Dad’s observatory,” she said. “You can see all of Astral-on-Sea from there.”

  Cassie’s dad was an astronomer. At night, he watched the stars from his observatory. During the day, the observatory had a spectacular view of the town and the seaside.

  Alex flipped the page and laughed. There was a picture of Comet chasing a ball with Twinkle, Cassie’s old cat.

  “They’re such good friends,” Cassie said.

  “Just like us,” Alex replied. “I wished for a friend — and you became my best friend ever!”

  “Your wish was the first one I helped come true,” Cassie said, grinning. “And you’re the only person who knows about my magic charms.”

  They both looked down at Cassie’s pretty charm bracelet. Every time she granted someone’s wish, she received another charm. So far, she had six charms that each gave her a magical power! The bird gave her the power to fly, the crescent moon allowed her to talk to animals, the butterfly let her stop time, the flower made things appear, and the cupcake charm gave her the power of invisibility. I still need to find out what power my new heart charm gives me, though, Cassie thought.

  “You only need one more charm now,” said Alex. “Then you’ll be a Lucky Star, and you can make wishes come true anytime you want!”

  Cassie sighed. “If only you could stay and help me.”

  She blinked away a tear. She couldn’t imagine waking up tomorrow and not seeing Alex.

  “Thanks for the photo album,” Alex said quietly.

  “You’re welcome,” Cassie whispered.

  Just then, Alex’s mom popped her head around the bedroom door. She noticed the overflowing suitcase right away. “I don’t think you’ll be able to fit anything else in there, Alex,” she said. “Why don’t I pack your microscope in my bag?”

  Alex nodded, then showed his mom the photo album.

  “That’s so nice,” his mom said, turning the pages. “Should I pack this for you, too?”

  “No thanks, I’ll carry it on my lap in the car,” Alex answered.

  “Well, we don’t need to leave until tonight, so you have the rest of the day here,” his mom said, smiling at them. She took the microscope as she left the room.

  “Maybe I can help you earn your last charm today,” Alex said to Cassie.

  “That would be amazing!” Cassie replied.

  Alex danced from foot to foot. “I have something for you, too,” he said shyly. He lifted a box marked Top Secret from the wardrobe.

  Cassie opened it. Inside were test tubes filled with beautiful crystals. They twinkled in shades of green, orange, violet, and red.

  “Oh, Alex, they look like stars!” she exclaimed.

  “I grew the crystals myself,” Alex said with a grin.

  “Thank you so much,” said Cassie. “I’ll go and put them in a special place in my room. When you’re done packing, we’ll do something extra-fun to celebrate your last day here.”

  Carefully, Cassie carried the crystals to her bedroom. She gave Alex’s gift a place of honor on the bookshelf next to her other very favorite things. The crystals looked perfect in her room with its pretty glass ceiling, moon-shaped lamp, and starry wallpaper.

  Suddenly, the crystals lit up, shimmering like a rainbow before her eyes! Cassie looked up. High in the blue sky, zooming between the soft, white clouds, a familiar orb of light was heading straight toward her room.

  Cassie rushed to pull down the lever on her bedroom wall, and one of the glass panels in her ceiling swung open. Just in time! The orb spun in through the gap and landed with an explosion of starlight.

  With a whizz and a fizz and a zip-zip-zip, the light transformed into Stella Starkeeper! Her silver dress shimmered above her glittery leggings and shiny boots.

  Cassie gave her friend a big hug. Stella was the one who had given her the charm bracelet for her birthday two weeks ago! Now the little charms tinkled quietly on Cassie’s wrist.

  “You only need to help make one more wish come true, and then you’ll be a Lucky Star,” Stella said, hugging Cassie tightly. “And when you succeed, you won’t have to wait for someone to make a wish — you can grant wishes whenever you like.”

  “Do you think I can do it?” Cassie asked.

  Stella’s velvety blue eyes sparkled. “I believe in you. Remember, I chose you because you like helping people and making them happy.”

  Cassie gave a little twirl.

  Stella smiled. “But first, you need to prove that you’re ready by earning all of the charms,” she said.

  Cassie nodded.

  “I can’t wait to be a Lucky Star,” she said, sighing. “But I’m so sad that Alex is leaving. Look, he gave me these pretty crystals.”

  “They’re beautiful,” Stella said. Then she winked. “Maybe my next clue will cheer you up.” She touched the little heart-shaped charm on Cassie’s bracelet, making it glow. “The clue to the power of this charm is: Memories are precious.”

  Cassie felt a warm glow in her heart.

  “And I’
ve got a special surprise for you,” Stella added. “When you become a Lucky Star, I will grant three wishes you can use just for yourself.”

  Cassie’s eyes widened. What a wonderful gift!

  Sparkles swirled around Stella. “Don’t forget, Cassie,” she said. “Memories are precious. . . .”

  And then she was gone, leaving Cassie wondering what the clue meant.

  Tip-tap, swoosh!

  The strange noise echoed down the hallway. Cassie peeked out her bedroom door.

  Tip-tap, swoosh!

  There it was again. It seemed like the sound was coming from her dad’s observatory.

  Cassie ran to Alex’s room.

  “Alex!” she called softly.

  “I’m just making sure that I’ve packed everything,” he said, opening the door.

  “Listen,” said Cassie. “Do you hear a strange noise coming from my dad’s observatory?”

  Alex listened. “I deduce that there’s someone up there,” he said after a moment. “But I don’t think it’s your dad.”

  Quietly, they creeped up the stairs to the observatory and peered through the half-open door. Under the huge domed roof, they saw a girl about their age, dancing around the shiny telescopes. Her lips were curved into a soft smile and her long, dark hair whirled out behind her.

  “Who’s that?” Alex whispered.

  “Izzy Nichols,” Cassie replied. “One of the new guests.” Cassie had met her earlier that morning.

  Enchanted, they watched Izzy spin around on pointed toes. When she danced, her dress billowed like a colorful cloud. She didn’t see Cassie and Alex watching until they burst into applause as she did a perfect pirouette.

  Izzy blushed and gave a little curtsy.

  “You’re amazing,” Cassie said.

  “Thanks,” Izzy replied. “But I have to practice a lot. Our summer school is putting on a show when I get back, and I’m Cinderella.”

  Holding on to the back of an old leather chair, Izzy turned both feet out and bent her knees, dipping elegantly down and up.

  “You make that look so easy,” Cassie said.

  “These bends are called pliés. They took me a long time to learn,” Izzy replied. “I need to learn the steps in the right order, and do them all in time to the music. Like this.”

  Cassie and Alex watched Izzy run across the room on her tiptoes, bend, run, leap, and then stop.

  “No, that’s all wrong,” Izzy said with a frown. “Is it a plié first, or a leap? I can’t remember. Oh, the show’s going to be a disaster!”

  Poor Izzy, Cassie thought. I wonder if my heart charm could help her.

  Just then, Izzy’s mom came in. “There you are, Izzy,” she said. “Hello, Cassie.”

  “Hi,” Cassie replied with a smile. She’d met Mrs. Nichols earlier, too. “This is Alex. We’ve been watching Izzy dance — she’s fantastic!”

  “She’s very dedicated, just like a scientist,” Alex added.

  “She practices every day at home,” said Mrs. Nichols. “But we’re on vacation now, sweetheart,” she told Izzy. “You can relax.”

  Izzy shook her head. “I’m just so worried about getting the steps wrong for Cinderella,” she said. “I can’t relax.” Her eyes filled with tears.

  Cassie felt a lump in her own throat. Alex was leaving, and Izzy was unhappy. What a sad day!

  Mrs. Nichols gently wiped her daughter’s eyes with a tissue. “I thought you might be worried,” she said, “so I found a summer ballet class in Astral-on-Sea. It’s a class for everyone, from beginners to experienced dancers. It should be fun.”

  “I guess,” said Izzy.

  “It starts soon, so if you get changed, I’ll drive you there,” said Mrs. Nichols with a kind smile. Then she disappeared down the stairs.

  Izzy twisted the hem of her dress between her hands. “There will be lots of people at the class who I don’t know,” she said quietly. “That always makes me extra-nervous and forgetful. Oh, I wish I could remember my ballet routines!”

  Cassie and Alex shared a secret smile. Izzy had made a wish.

  She’s the final person I have to help! Cassie thought, looking at her little heart charm, which was dangling from her bracelet and spinning like a dancer. But how?

  Izzy was still frowning. Cassie whispered an idea to Alex, who smiled and nodded. Cassie turned to Izzy and suggested, “What if Alex and I come to the ballet class, too? Then you won’t be on your own.”

  “You would be less nervous,” Alex added. “And it’s a scientific fact that confidence helps you concentrate.”

  “Oh, yes! That’s really nice of you,” Izzy replied, her face lighting up.

  They all clattered down the stairs. Izzy rushed to her guest room, while Alex followed Cassie to her bedroom.

  “Um, I just thought of another scientific fact,” Alex said to Cassie. “I have two left feet! I’m not sure how good I’ll be in a ballet class.”

  Poor Alex, Cassie thought. It’s the last day of his vacation, and I know a ballet class isn’t exactly his idea of fun. But I need his help!

  Cassie remembered their adventure with Jacey Day, a singer who had stayed at Starwatcher Towers. “You were great as Jacey’s backup singer, even though you didn’t think you would be,” she told Alex. “The dance steps you made up were fantastic!”

  “That was fun,” Alex admitted. “And I want to help Izzy — and help you earn your last charm. Okay,” he agreed, smiling. “I can’t let my best friend down.”

  Cassie gave him a big hug.

  Just then, they heard a terrible screech from outside.

  “YOWL! MEOW! YOWL!”

  Startled, Cassie and Alex looked at each other.

  “Twinkle!” they both cried.

  “Oh, no,” Cassie said as they ran down the stairs. “I wonder what’s wrong!”

  Cassie and Alex followed the sound of Twinkle’s cries to the side yard, near the driveway.

  “YOWL! MEOW! YOWL!”

  “Aw, come on,” Jamie the garbageman was saying to Cassie’s cat. “I can’t have you ripping these bags open!”

  Twinkle leaped on the garbage bag that Jamie was trying to put in the back of his truck, holding on tight with his claws.

  “I’m so sorry,” said Cassie, running over.

  “That’s okay, Cassie,” Jamie replied. “I’ve never seen him like this! It’s like he doesn’t want me to take the garbage.”

  “Stop getting in Jamie’s way, Twinkle,” Cassie said, scooping up her grumpy cat. She turned back to Jamie. “I’ll take him inside so you can finish.”

  “Thanks,” Jamie said. “I hope he’s okay.”

  So do I, Cassie thought. I’ll have to ask Twinkle what’s wrong.

  Back in the kitchen, Cassie thought hard about her crescent moon charm, which gave her the power to talk to animals. Silver sparkles swirled around her bracelet, and then over Twinkle and Comet, who trotted along behind Alex.

  “Oh, Twinkle. Why are you so upset?” she asked, stroking his head.

  But Twinkle just yowled.

  “Please tell me what’s wrong,” Cassie said, hugging him as they walked into the hallway.

  Cassie’s mom popped her head around the dining-room door, where she was cleaning up the breakfast dishes.

  “I think I know what’s up with him,” she said, pointing to the fluffy towel under the radiator where Twinkle’s blanket used to be. “I had to throw that horrible blanket of his away,” she explained, wrinkling her nose. “I could smell it even after I’d washed it!”

  Once Cassie’s mom had gone back into the dining room, Twinkle yowled, “I loved my blanket!”

  “I love this nice towel,” Comet yipped, sitting happily in the middle of the cozy new towel.

  Twi
nkle leaped out of Cassie’s arms, heading for the back door.

  “Quick!” Cassie said to Alex. “We have to follow Twinkle!”

  They hurried outside. Twinkle was running toward the orchard.

  “He’s going too fast for us to catch up with him,” said Alex with a groan.

  But Cassie had an idea. She grabbed Alex’s hand and thought hard about her bird charm. Her wrist tingled as the bracelet’s magic began to work, and her feet lifted off the ground. Together, they flew after Twinkle, Comet running along behind.

  At the edge of the orchard was a wooden shed. Twinkle scrambled through a hole in the side. Cassie guided Alex back to the ground, then pressed her nose against the shed window. Inside, she could see a grumpy Twinkle curled up on a pile of old sacks.

  She tapped gently on the glass. “Please come out, Twinkle,” she said.

  “No,” Twinkle muttered. “I don’t feel wanted anymore.”

  Cassie looked pleadingly at Alex. “I don’t know how to cheer him up.”

  Alex held his puppy up to the window. “Comet wants to play with you!” he called.

  Comet wagged his tail and barked, “Come and chase leaves with me, Twinkle!”

  But Twinkle just meowed sadly. “Cats don’t have many things of their own,” he grumbled. “My blanket was my favorite thing and now it’s gone forever. So I’m staying in the shed!”

  “Oh, Twinkle,” Cassie said. “Mom didn’t mean to upset you. Won’t you get hungry in there?”

  Twinkle laid his head on his paws. “I’ll never be hungry again,” he sniffed.

  Alex put his arm around Cassie’s shoulders. “I know it’s hard to leave Twinkle like this,” he said, “but we have a ballet class to get to. So put your best left foot forward!”

  Alex’s joke made Cassie smile. She blew Twinkle a loving kiss through the window.

  “I’m going to help Izzy,” she told him. “Then I’ll come back and help you.”