Lulu Bell and the Moon Dragon Read Online Free PDF Page A

voices.

    â€˜We’ve come to join the Moon Festival parade,’ explained one tall boy.
    Mum handed out some more round pink masks.
    â€˜It’s lovely to see you,’ said Tien. ‘Please come and join us.’
    Molly and Lulu capered and roared with delight. Sam banged his drum. Gus clanged his cymbals. The noisy parade continued towards the beach.
    Another group of children waited for them at the traffic lights. Their parents stood back to watch. They smiled at the sight of the children in their colourful costumes.
    Tien looked around. Her eyes filled with tears.
    â€˜Oh, my goodness,’ she said. ‘All these children have come to celebrate with us!’

Chapter 11
Lanterns and Moonlight
    The children in the parade sang and danced and played their musical instruments. At last they reached the park at the beach. There was a huge crowd of children, parents and teachers waiting there. Miss Baxter and Miss Stevens waved.
    The sun was setting in the west. The sky was streaked with rose-pink, apricot and violet. As the sun set, the childrenswitched on the electric candles in their lanterns. Crimson, yellow, pink, orange and white lanterns bobbed among the crowd.
    Molly lifted the dragon mask fromher shoulders. ‘Your turn to be the head,’ she said to Lulu.
    â€˜Are you sure?’ asked Lulu.
    â€˜My arms are getting tired,’ explained Molly. ‘The dragon head gets a bit heavy after a while.’

    So Lulu and Molly swapped. Lulu had fun peering through the eyes of the dragon mask. The dragon swooped and soared among the lanterns. Parents laughed and took photographs. Lulu felt as if she was really flying.
    â€˜I love being a moon dragon,’ cried Lulu.
    â€˜Come and eat, honey buns,’ called Mum.
    Lulu tucked the dragon head under her arm.
    Tien gestured to the feast laid out on the picnic rug.
    â€˜In Vietnam, the dancers and performers are always rewarded with delicious food to eat,’ said Tien. ‘Here’s your reward.’
    Tien had made platters of spring rolls and pork dumplings and grilled chickenskewers. Mum had made containers of sliced tropical fruit – pineapple, watermelon, mango, lychees and dragon fruit. Then there were mounds of golden mooncakes.

    Other parents had brought food to share as well.
    Gus was munching on a huge slice of watermelon. His pink mask was pushed back on top of his head.
    â€˜Dulishus,’ said Gus. ‘ Waterlemon. Moonface love waterlemon .’
    â€˜It’s watermelon, Gussie,’ Lulu corrected him.
    â€˜Mmmmm, waterlemon,’ agreed Gus.
    â€˜He’s so adorable,’ cooed Mum.
    â€˜I not ’dorable ,’ insisted Gus. His mouth was full of pink fruit. ‘I imp.’
    Lulu bit into one of the mooncakes. It was crumbly and sweet.
    â€˜Look, Molly,’ cried Lulu. She pointed out to sea. A huge golden moon was rising slowly in the east. It was the biggest moon Lulu had ever seen.
    â€˜The full harvest moon,’ replied Molly.
    As the moon rose, it cast a glittering reflection across the ocean. It looked like a golden bridge across the sea.
    Sam came running up. He was surrounded by a group of kindy boys. Several of them wore round pink Ong Dia masks. All of them carried a musical instrument of some sort. They pounded and shook them with glee.
    â€˜Where are the mooncakes?’ called Sam. He tapped out a rhythm on his drum.
    â€˜Here they are, Sam,’ offered Lulu. She picked up a bowl and handed it to him.
    â€˜You have to try these,’ said Sam to the other boys. ‘Mooncakes are the best.’
    â€˜Thanks, Sam,’ cried several of the boys.
    They pushed back their masks and each took a cake. They munched happily.

    â€˜These are great, Sam,’ said a blond-haired boy. Lulu suddenly realised that it was Oliver. He was the boy who had called Sam names.
    â€˜Thanks, Oliver,’ said Sam.
    â€˜Do you want to play handball with us tomorrow