Destiny Ink: Sleepover Surprise

First published 2024 by Nosy Crow Ltd

Wheat Wharf, 27a Shad Thames London, SE1 2XZ, UK

Nosy Crow Eireann Ltd

44 Orchard Grove, Kenmare, Co Kerry, V93 FY22, Ireland

www.nosycrow.com

ISBN 978 1 80513 231 8

Nosy Crow and associated logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Nosy Crow Ltd.

Text and Illustrations Copyright © Storymix Limited 2024 Written and illustrated by Adeola Sokunbi

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To Mum and Dad

A. S.

This is me, I love drawing and doodling. I can’t wait for you to come on an adventure with me!

DESTINY INK .

This is FUZZY, my pet hamster. Isn’t he the cutest?

This is my MUM and DAD. They’re the greatest!

This is my best friend

OLIVIA .

I’m going to a sleepover at her house. Turn over and find out what happens!

CHAPTER ONE

I know today is going to be a GOOD day because I’m going to the park. It’s one of my favourite places – I love the swings, the slide and even the squeaky see-saw.

Fuzzy (my hamster) gets a bit worried about the monkey bars, because they are quite high and he has very short arms, but I tell him it’s OK – he is a hamster after all, and not a monkey. He would look pretty weird as a monkey.

Fuzzy the hamster

Fuzzy the monkey - hee hee!

I’m extra excited to go to the park today, because I’m meeting my best friend, Olivia.

It’s a sunny day – warm enough to wear my favourite shorts and T-shirt – and there’s an ice cream van outside the park gates. “Mum, can I have an ice lolly, please?”

“We’ve got ice lollies at home,” says Mum. “You can have one when we get back.”

YUM!

This is my favourite! What’s yours?

INK POP

I knew she was going to say that – she ALWAYS says that we’ve got food at home. It was worth a try though!

I run through the gates and spot Olivia straight away. She’s over on the other side of the park by the roundabout.

I cup my hands around my mouth and take a deep breath.

I shout as loud as I can. Even though she’s quite far away and it’s noisy in the park, she swivels her head round and spots me, no problem.

She gives me a huge wave with both arms over her head and we run to meet each other in the middle.

“Swings?” asks Olivia. I nod and we race to the swings.

I run as fast as I can but Olivia beats me. She is a bit taller than me so she has longer legs. She’s really good at making her swing go sky high too. She points her legs in front of her and makes

them go completely straight.

My dad says an Ink never gives up, so I imagine that my backpack is actually a jetpack and I go sky high too.

Olivia is a blur because we are going backwards and forwards so quickly.

“I can’t wait for our sleepover at my house tomorrow!” shouts Olivia as she whizzes past me.

“It’s going to be Inktastic!” I shout back.

INKTASTIC!

DESTINY INK

Inktastic is my catchphrase. It’s a mash-up of my two favourite words: fantastic , and my surname Ink . Do you get it? See?

I’ve never been to a sleepover before and this one is going to be extra special because we’ll be sleeping OUTDOORS in a tent in Olivia’s back garden! the dark grass creepy branches scary monsters!

OUTDOORS

bugs and creepy crawlies moon and stars

I slow down on the swing because my tummy is starting to feel a bit funny. Like there are loads of butterflies in there, dancing around, having a party. It’s probably because I’m swinging so fast. It’s definitely not because I am nervous about sleeping outside ... in the dark ... with nothing but a flimsy tent to protect me from scary monsters that might come out at night...

CHAPTER TWO

On the way home from the park, my tummy is still feeling funny. Me and Fuzzy have never slept outside before. I hope he’ll be OK.

“Look at Fuzzy’s whiskers,” I say. “They only droop like that

when he’s nervous. Maybe he’s worried about the sleepover?”

Mum pats Fuzzy on the head. “It’s OK for Fuzzy to feel nervous,” she tells me. “He’s never been on a sleepover, or slept outside in a tent before.” Then she gives me a kiss on the forehead.

It’s going to be INKTASTIC. You’ll see.

I love how I’ve got my mum saying INKTASTIC too.

“What kind of stuff happens at a sleepover anyway?” I ask.

My mum tells me that when she went to sleepovers as a kid, they would have midnight feasts and tell stories to each other.

“And because your sleepover is going to be outdoors, Olivia’s mum is going to help you to toast marshmallows over a fire and then you and Olivia can snuggle down and watch the stars.”

I look over at Fuzzy. Even though toasting marshmallows does sound fun, he still looks pretty scared. Mum takes another look at me, then puts her arm around my shoulder. “It’s OK if you feel a bit nervous too, Destiny,” she says.

“It’s your first sleepover, and your first time sleeping outside, just like Fuzzy. If you get scared and change your mind, you can always tell Olivia’s mum and come back inside. You can give me and

Dad a call and we can even come and pick you up if you like.”

That makes me feel better and the butterflies in my tummy calm down a little bit.

When we get home, Mum gives me an ice lolly from the freezer, which I eat in super-quick time. Then I do some drawing. I wonder what Olivia’s tent will be like? castle

Then suddenly I have a great idea.

I run to the cupboard where the bedsheets are. I’m definitely not tall enough to reach the starry one, so the bedsheet with polka dots will have to do.

I stand on my tippy-toes but I’m still not quite tall enough. Fuzzy balances on my head and stretches up...

starry bedsheet

I pull the drying rack into my bedroom and turn it on its side so it looks like a tent frame. Then I throw the bedsheet over the drying rack and TA-DA!

Now I have a home-made tent to practise sleepovers in! I drag some cushions and a blanket inside for the finishing touches.

Dad always says “Practice makes perfect!”, so maybe if I have a practice sleepover, I won’t have anything to worry about when it comes to the real thing.

Fuzzy needs practice too, so I use a big book to make a

hamster-sized tent shape. I roll up a pair of my socks inside to make Fuzzy a little cushion. (They are clean – I sniffed them first to make sure.)

I crawl into my tent. Fuzzy settles in as well, and he really does look comfy.

“What are you doing?” asks Mum, when she comes in to check on me.

“We’re having a practice sleepover,” I say, poking my head out of my tent. “This way, Fuzzy won’t have anything to worry about on the actual sleepover.”

Mum thinks it’s a great idea and she brings one snack plate up for me and one for Fuzzy.

MINE

FUZZY’S

“Do you think Olivia will have carrot sticks at her house?” I ask. Fuzzy isn’t sure. I hope he doesn’t get hungry.

I munch my sandwich and Fuzzy nibbles his carrot. This doesn’t feel so bad. But then, it’s still daytime and we have the big light on. What about later when it gets dark?

CLATTER! BANG BANG!

“Argh! What was that?!”

Fuzzy leaps into my arms in fright. I hear the noise again and realise that Dad is washing up in the kitchen.

“Don’t worry, Fuzzy. There’s nothing to be scared of.”

I can still feel my heart thudding though, like someone is banging a drum inside my chest. I decide to do some drawing to calm down.

I get out my INKTASTIC sketchbook and pens.

We’ll be sleeping in a cosy tent. (Yay!)

But it won’t be as cosy as my own bed. It gets very dark outside at night-time. We might see an owl or a fox. (Yay!)

But what if there are also scary monsters?

At bedtime, Dad helps me to put on my silk scarf to protect my curls at night. Fuzzy has a scarf for his hair too.

What if I can’t wrap the scarf around my hair by myself at the sleepover?

Will Olivia’s mum know how to help me? Does Olivia wrap her hair at night too?

Dad is reading my favourite story to me. It’s about a bear who can’t get to sleep. I bet Olivia’s parents don’t tell stories as well as my dad does. He’s really good at growling like a bear. Whenever I try to copy him I sound a bit squeaky, but that’s OK – I’m much better than him at being a mouse.

When Dad tucks me in, I ask if Olivia will have bedtime stories. He is pretty sure that she will and then he asks me what is on my mind. Dad is always really good at knowing when I am worried about something.

“I’m just thinking about the sleepover,” I say.

Dad pulls me in for a hug. “You’ve been to Olivia’s house lots of times – this sleepover just means more fun for longer! And remember, if you get scared, you can always tell Olivia’s mum. You don’t have to sleep outside if you don’t want to. OK?”

“OK.” I nod.

Dad kisses my forehead and then turns off the lamp.

“Wait!” I say, sitting bolt upright.

“What if I do want to sleep outside but it gets too dark?”

“I have an idea,” says Dad. He nips out of the room for a moment, then comes back with a little torch. “You can borrow my torch if you like.”

What a great idea! I take the torch and put it underneath my pillow.

“Thanks, Dad.”

He tucks me in and leaves the room.

I really do try to sleep, but I can’t. I look at Fuzzy. He’s running on his special wheel. I wonder what he’s thinking.

I sigh a BIG sigh. Maybe drawing will help? Luckily, I keep my special pen and INKTASTIC sketchbook right next to my bed.

twinkling stars warm,

pretty cherry blossoms

scary monsters

creepy shadows

I throw my pen down. Drawing usually relaxes me, but now the butterfly party in my tummy is even worse. There’s no way I can sleep now. I look at my glow clock.

I’ve never been awake this late and everything feels too quiet and too creepy. There are shadows in my room and they make me think of the monster I drew in my sketchbook.

I bring Fuzzy into bed with me.

“I’m worried that you’re not going to have a good time at the sleepover,” I tell him. I’m going to be fine, of course. But Fuzzy has never slept outside before. What if he gets scared? “Maybe we shouldn’t go?”

Fuzzy looks sad and I feel sad as well.

SHUFFLESHUFFLE

“What was that?” I whisper.

Fuzzy’s ears prick up. He heard the noise too. He looks over at the tent. There it is again!

A shuffling and sniffling sound – coming from inside my home-made tent.

I lie very still.

Even the butterflies in my tummy go still. I listen hard.

The strange sound comes again and Fuzzy dives under the covers. I can feel his little body shaking.

“It’s OK, Fuzzy,” I say, keeping my eyes fixed on the tent.

I stroke his soft fur and he snuggles into my hand. Whatever is in my tent, it’s not right to make Fuzzy feel scared. Suddenly, I feel properly annoyed.

“No one makes my hamster feel frightened,” I growl.

I kick off the covers and grab Dad’s torch. Even though I am scared, I crouch down and shine the light into the tent.

ARGH!!!! A MONSTER!

ARGH! A CHILD!