Tara Binns: Micro-mystery Solver

Copper Band 12

Tara Binns r ro

Tara Binns r ro

m c e i y v s l t ery So M

m c i ystery Solve M

TARA BINNS MICRO-MYSTERY SOLVER

Something’s causing chaos in the scientists’ greenhouse. And everything Tara Binns touches seems to fall apart!

Can she corner the culprit and get to the root of the problem?

WISE

This book has been endorsed by The WISE Campaign.

collins.co.uk/collinsbigcat

87218_Cover.indd 1

An adventure story

Lisa Rajan

Alessia Trunfio 21/10/2021 17:27

Tara Binns r ro

m c e i y v s l t e o M ry S

Written by Lisa Rajan Illustrated by Alessia Trunfio

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Chapter 1 Tara Binns looked at the clock. There was just enough time before dinner for a visit to the old costume box.

She climbed up into the attic at the top of her house, excited about the adventure to come.

The box was full of clothes, uniforms, hats and shoes.

Each time Tara visited the box, it gave her a different costume to wear for a different job. Then the box sent her off on an adventure to match.

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She opened the lid. Her hand tingled … then her arm … then her whole body. She felt herself tumbling … spinning … whirling away from the attic through space and time.

What will I be today? she wondered.

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Chapter 2

When Tara opened her eyes, she was in a large greenhouse surrounded by plants and trees. Am I a gardener? she wondered. Tiny fruit trees were growing in neat rows and everything was orderly. Am I some kind of indoor farmer? she asked herself.

She looked down at what she was wearing: a white lab coat and boots.

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“What am I?” she asked herself. “A plant doctor?”

“You’re a microbiologist, just like us,” said a boy, measuring one of the plants. “I’m Ortez and this is Ayesha.”

“A mi-cro-bi-ol-o-gist! Is that a kind of miniature scientist?” asked Tara, confused.

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“No, we study the tiny things that live on plants,” explained Ayesha.

“Like bugs?” asked Tara. “Minibeasts?”

“A thousand times smaller than that,” said Ortez, beckoning Tara over. “More like microbeasts. They’re living things called bacteria. We describe them as ‘microscopic’ because you need a microscope like this one to be able to see them.”

Tara looked down the lens.

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“Wow!” she exclaimed.

“Lots of bacteria live on plants,” said Ayesha. “They help the plant to grow taller, or produce more fruit, or make the fruit bigger or sweeter.”

“The bacteria we work on live on the roots of orange trees and help them to grow faster,” added Ortez.

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Copper Band 12

Tara Binns r ro

Tara Binns r ro

m c e i y v s l t ery So M

m c i ystery Solve M

TARA BINNS MICRO-MYSTERY SOLVER

Something’s causing chaos in the scientists’ greenhouse. And everything Tara Binns touches seems to fall apart!

Can she corner the culprit and get to the root of the problem?

WISE

This book has been endorsed by The WISE Campaign.

collins.co.uk/collinsbigcat

87218_Cover.indd 1

An adventure story

Lisa Rajan

Alessia Trunfio 21/10/2021 17:27