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  ‘So does Croc-hunting,’ Jack whispered.

  ‘What was that?’ his mum asked, sending Willow and Jack into fits of giggles.

  After cherry pie and ice cream, they went back upstairs. Toby and Bouncer were playing marbles with Fizz the cat. Frank was fast asleep. ‘He’s having a Hoozle snoozle,’ said Toby, covering him with a corner of the duvet.

  After a while, Jack’s mum called them for hot chocolate. ‘Drink that before we take Willow home,’ she said. ‘It’ll help you get a good night’s sleep, so you’ll have lots of energy for the fair tomorrow.

  I’ll carry on sorting until you’re ready, Willow. No hurry.’

  When they’d finished their hot chocolate, Willow said, ‘I’ll fetch Toby and Frank. Won’t be a moment.’ She headed down the corridor.

  Turn right … she thought, or maybe left … oh dear. Which way was Jack’s room?

  A flight of steps took Willow into a blue corridor. But it wasn’t the one she’d been in before. She found more stairs that looked familiar, but the landing at the top was dark. As she turned back, she heard a noise – a whirring sound. In fact, it was rather like the clatter of a sewing machine. Willow pressed her ear to a door. It was in there!

  Slowly, she turned the handle. The noise stopped, and there was a thump! as if something had fallen to the floor. As she peered into the small dark room, she felt Fizz scurry past her. On a table by the window, in the moonlight, stood a sewing machine. Beside it was a heap of objects.

  Willow switched on the light and gasped.

  Lined up by the sewing machine were ten … fifteen … no, twenty Frankenhoozles.

  Willow felt the sewing machine. It was warm. She remembered the scurrying creature. That wasn’t Fizz, she thought. It was Croc!

  She examined the

  Frankenhoozles. Some had four eyes, some had one. Two had no nose at all, and a yellow giraffe had ears like a rabbit.

  The room was full of boxes of recycling stuff, stacked ready for the fair. Willow lifted a lid to find squares of different fabrics, cut out ready for someone to make patchwork. Another box was full of threads and balls of wool. A third held buttons, ribbons and zips. So that was what Croc had used to create the Frankenhoozles. She must tell Jack.

  Willow ran along the corridor.

  Wrong way. She ran back past the sewing room to some stairs, but they went up, not down.

  In the end, she gave up and yelled, ‘Ja-ack!

  I’m lost!’

  As soon as he found her, she told him, ‘Croc is somewhere in the house. Come and see.’

  When Jack saw the Frankenhoozles, he smacked his forehead. ‘I completely forgot Mum’s sewing machine.’ He peered at the Frankenhoozles. ‘They’re quite cute, aren’t they? In a wonky sort of way.’

  ‘Come on,’ said Willow. ‘We have to find Croc.’

  Just then, they heard a loud meow from outside in the garden. They rushed to the window to see Croc cornered by Fizz the cat.

  They hurried down the stairs and into the kitchen where Jack’s mum was waiting. ‘Ready to go?’

  ‘Almost,’ said Willow. ‘I’ll just pop outside for a moment. I’ve lost something.’

  As they went into the garden, Jack grinned. ‘So you lost something, did you?’

  Willow laughed. ‘It’s the truth!’ she said. ‘I lost Croc.’

  They searched beneath bushes, up trees, behind flower pots, but there was no sign of the naughty Hoozle.

  ‘Ow!’ said Jack, holding his face.

  ‘What’s the matter?’ asked Willow. ‘Have you been stung?’

  He bent to pick something up. ‘No, I wasn’t stung. I was hit – by a peanut.’

  Willow turned slowly. Sitting on the bird table, grinning cheekily, was Croc!

  ‘Yaaah! Can’t catch me!’ he taunted. ‘And you can’t stop me making fake Hoozles. There are plenty more sewing machines. I’m too clever, I am!’ He sprang on to the whirly washingline, and swung on to the fence. A second later he’d disappeared.

  ‘He’s gone,’ Willow said miserably. ‘Oh, Jack, there’s nothing we can do to stop him. You heard what he said – there are plenty more sewing machines. He’ll never give up.’

  They trudged back to the house.

  ‘Let’s fetch Toby and Frank,’ said Willow.

  They went upstairs and told their Hoozles what had happened. No one knew what to do.

  ‘I feel so sad for the Frankenhoozles,’ Toby growled. ‘I know they don’t look quite right, but you don’t have to look perfect to be nice.’ He turned to Frank. ‘Bouncer and I like you a lot.’

  Frank smiled his crooked smile and patted his pocket. ‘It’s a good feeling when someone likes you, isn’t it?’

  ‘Can I look?’ Willow asked. She peeped into Frank’s pocket. There was a green marble in there! She looked at Toby. ‘Did you do that?’

  He nodded shyly. ‘I know I’m not his owner, but I thought it would be kind.’

  Willow smiled. ‘It was very kind. And you’re the best little bear there ever was.’ Then she said, ‘OH!’

  ‘What?’ said Jack.

  ‘That’s it!’ Willow said. ‘We’ve got to show Croc that his plan won’t work. We have to show him that all toys can be loved, even if they’re not perfect. Hmm,’ she went on. ‘I have a plan, but it’s a little risky.’ She looked at Jack. ‘What we need is the Frankenhoozles – and scissors.’

  Auntie Suzy tucked Willow and Toby into bed, and kissed each forehead. ‘Goodnight.’

  ‘Night,’ said Willow. As soon as the door closed, she pulled a big bag out from under the bed. She and Toby unpacked ten Frankenhoozles, then Willow got to work with the scissors, snipping open each little pocket. One by one, the Frankenhoozles came to life!

  Toby looked after them while she snipped. ‘Aah,’ he kept saying, or, ‘This one’s so cute.’ When a duck-shaped Frankenhoozle tripped over its own big feet, it tumbled off the bed and did a roly-poly right across the floor. Toby giggled. ‘That one thinks it’s an acrobat!’

  When all the Hoozles were done, Willow made them a big blankety bed on the rug, then snuggled in her own bed with Frank and Toby. ‘Night-night,’ she said and kissed them both. ‘Night-night, Frankenhoozles.’

  Frank fell asleep immediately, but Toby said softly, ‘Willow?’

  She looked down into his dear little face. ‘You’re sad. What’s wrong?’

  ‘The Frankenhoozles haven’t got anyone to kiss them goodnight,’ he said.

  Willow climbed out of bed to drop ten goodnight kisses on ten funny little faces, then they all went to sleep.

  *

  After breakfast, Willow put Toby and Frank in her backpack and grabbed her bag of Frankenhoozles. ‘Bye,’ she said. ‘I’m off to the recycling fair.’

  ‘I’ll bring Freddie later,’ said Auntie Suzy. She glanced at the wriggly Frankenhoozle bag, but didn’t say anything. Willow thought she had probably guessed it was something to do with a Hoozle adventure!

  At the recycling fair, Willow put the Frankenhoozle bag under a table, and helped Jack set out the handmade things. There were hats and scarves knitted with wool from old jumpers. There were plaited mats made from plastic carrier bags, and even a model ship made from old nails.

  Jack yawned. ‘I had a rotten night,’ he said. ‘When I unpicked the Frankenhoozles’ pockets, they all came to life.’

  ‘Good,’ said Willow.

  ‘But Bouncer and I couldn’t sleep with ten daft Frankenhoozles tottering round the room,’ said Jack. ‘They kept bumping into things, and all we heard was “Oof!” and “Oops!” and bumps and giggles. I finally tucked them up with a blanket in my model castle, but this morning I found two of them fast asleep in my slippers.’

  Willow laughed. ‘Well, they’re here now. We’ll soon see if our plan works.’ She chose a table. ‘Let’s set the Frankenhoozles out here.’ They arranged them, and Willow told them to keep still. ‘I’m worried they’ll forget and wander off,’ she whispered to Toby.<
br />
  ‘They can’t help being a bit silly,’ he replied. ‘Don’t get cross with them.’

  Willow couldn’t imagine getting cross. Just looking at those appealing, lop-sided little faces made her smile.

  When Auntie Suzy appeared and saw the Frankenhoozles, she raised her eyebrows in surprise and said, ‘Goodness! Someone’s been busy. And aren’t they sweet!’ Then she and Willow shared a special smile.

  But Willow was anxious. What if people thought they were too peculiar? Suppose no one bought them?

  She soon had her answer. A small girl dragged her mum to the Frankenhoozle table. ‘Can I have one? squealed the girl. ‘Can I, please?’

  Her mum asked Willow how much they cost, then nodded. ‘Yes, Rosie, you can have one!’

  Rosie chose a cat with a huge pink nose and a stumpy tail. ‘He’s so sweet,’ she said. ‘I’ll call him Bitsy, cos he’s made of bits and pieces.’

  Willow took the money and gave Rosie a penny change. When she explained about putting something special in Bitsy’s pocket, Rosie said, ‘I’ll put this penny in, then I’ll always remember the first time I saw him.’

  Another girl ran over. ‘Hi, Rosie,’ she said. ‘Oh, that’s so cute. Mummeeeee, look! Frankenhoozles!’

  Suddenly, Willow and Jack were selling Frankenhoozle after Frankenhoozle. Children wandered round showing off their new toys, and soon there was just one Frankenhoozle left – a nanny goat with a cute, lop-sided smile.

  ‘If Croc sees children all around Summertown loving their Frankenhoozles,’ Willow said thoughtfully, ‘do you think that will be enough to stop him bothering to make any more?’

  Just then a man asked Jack for the goat with the lop-sided smile. ‘My son’s hurt his knee,’ he said. ‘This will cheer him up.’

  ‘I hope so,’ said Willow. She and Jack watched as the man gave the boy the Frankenhoozle. ‘Oh look! He’s stopped crying already.’

  The table was empty and the fair was almost over. Willow put her backpack on. Then she had an awful thought. ‘Where’s Frank? Jack, we must have sold Frank! Oh, I didn’t say goodbye,’ she wailed.

  Toby poked her ear and whispered, ‘Look down there.’

  Frank was sitting on the grass, hugging the table leg, with his eyes squeezed shut. ‘Don’t swap me for money,’ he cried.

  Willow unpeeled his paws and cuddled him. ‘Don’t you want a nice home, too?’ she whispered. She knew he was upset because his voice was hiccupy.

  ‘I want to stay with my friends in the toy shop,’ he said.

  Toby reached across Willow’s shoulder and stroked Frank’s cheek. ‘We want you to stay, too.’

  Frank sniffed happily. ‘Do you really?’

  ‘Of course we do,’ said Willow. ‘We all love Frank, don’t we?’

  ‘Yay!’ cried Toby, Bouncer and Jack, and even Frank joined in. Then Willow tucked him in her backpack and Toby gave him the biggest hug ever.

  Willow noticed Jack staring at some empty boxes. ‘What is it?’ she asked.

  ‘Croc’s over there between those boxes,’ he said. ‘Watching.’

  Willow glanced across. The orange Hoozle was looking absolutely furious.

  Willow crouched down so no one could see, then she, Toby and Frank waved to him. ‘Your Frankenhoozles are just as happy as any other Hoozle,’ she called. ‘And just as loved.’

  Croc snapped his jaw, lashed his tail and stormed away.

  Willow grinned. ‘Come on. Let’s get you Hoozles back home where you belong.’

  Frank leaned his funny little face against her shoulder. ‘I like belonging, Willow. Belonging makes me happy.’

  Also in the series

  Magic Toyshop: The Rabbit Rescue

  Magic Toyshop: Treasure Island Trouble

  Copyright

  First published in 2012

  by Faber and Faber Limited

  Bloomsbury House

  74–7 Great Russell Street

  London WC1B 3DA

  This ebook edition first published in 2012

  Series created by Working Partners Limited, London W6 0QT

  All rights reserved

  Text © Working Partners Limited, 2012

  Illustrations © Penny Dann, 2012

  Special thanks to Ruby Lenthall

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

  This ebook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorised distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights, and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly

  ISBN 978–0–571–25998–4