Author's introduction.

Sometimes, people always write on their author introductions "I used to think books without pictures were stuffy and boring" or "My mum only read me books without pictures"  But I like to think the opposite sometimes. I do love books with pictures myself, but sometimes when I read books without any pictures they really do make a change. For me, I like to picture my own little image in my head of the character and what it's saying or doing like a little cartoon.

To be honest, I used to always judge a book by its cover and when I looked inside, there was only small writing. I decided to read the first page but when I wanted to know what happened next, I begged myself to read another. I ended up reading the whole book and I also found it very interesting. A that doesn't have any pictures can even be one of the best books you ever read!  And that's why I would love to thank Jacqueline Wilson.

See if you can picture a little cartoon in your head of what's happening or what the character is saying with this book I wrote...

1

 I’m Karen-May. I was born in 1929. I was only named Karen after my 6th Birthday, but my dear friend Batter says it doesn’t matter a jot when you’ve changed your names 4 times. Well, my name hasn’t, it’s certainly been swapped around by other people’s names too. My first name was

Lily. Then it was Kabby, then it was Faren, then it was Biles, then it was Sophina, then it was Mary, now it’s Karen. Boring old Karen I would say. 

My mother is Sarah Wilsonise. Although, Sarah died when I was born. Dad hasn’t taken care of me since I was 3 years old. But that didn’t matter though, because Batter was my one and only best friend in the whole world. Batter’s mother

abandoned her when she was 2 and she got put in the orphanage. Batter was so brave to escape, that now she is living with us. "Life shall not be dull, as if you were dull, make it wonderful and dream,” says Batter. Batter is only 4 years older than me, not too much. We have a secret cabinet that me and Batter share together. It has twinkling lights, lots of snacks, cushions and pillows, fluffy carpet and

some of our very favourite ( also secret ) things.

That night, Dad had said something very peculiar, which I never thought he would ever say; ‘You can have what you want for dinner sweetheart’.

 ‘Can I have fish and chips and then fruit pastels for pudding?’

‘Sure!’

‘But-’

‘No buts, make what you want’

‘Dad’

‘Yes’

‘All of the food has run out, what will we do?’

‘I’ll tell you what we’ll do, we’ll throw you in the dustbin.’

‘What!’

‘Just Kidding! Now be quick and grab some food from the market! Scoot!’

It surely seemed dad was trying to get me lost somewhere out there.

I brought Batter with me too, although I wouldn’t want dad to know or he would get furious. Batter wasn’t furious with me when I said her China vase was broken, or that her indian porcelain necklace from her 10th Birthday was lost, or even that I accidentally threw peakybutter in the trash bin. Everything with Batter was always ok.

Now we were going to collect some food in the market, in peace. ‘Hurry up Karen’ Batter was talking to someone else. ‘Who are you talking to?’ I responded. ‘Look, it’s a blue moon, shall we fly to it today’ Batter suggested. ‘No, I want to fly to the stars and when I really do some day, I’ll be famous and everyone will call me Karen Star,’ I beamed with emotion. ‘Well come on then Karen Star, we shall better see

who gets to the market first; the shooting Karen Star, or Sapphire Battersea. ‘I’ll win!,’ I exclaimed then went running over to the market. ‘Oh, let’s see that for sure,’ Battersea came rushing off afterwards.

As soon as we got to the market, it was already starting to close. We had to be quick in case someone caught us getting food when it already shut down. I bought some creme eggs, rice, eggs ( not

chocolate ) , Rocky rolls, fruit and some egg sandwiches. Batter decided to take a salad, tuna and spinach sandwiches, fruit tella, sweets, lollies, more rice, spaghetti, salmon, cream cheese and wraps. She certainly took more food than me, so we had to quickly order it with our leftover pocket money. 

‘Where have you been Karen? Out so late like that! Now help me make dinner, or no

dessert,’ Dad exclaimed.

‘I’m sorry, but that market is 2 miles away and you sent me off like that with Bat- on my own, without myself barely knowing the direction.’

 ‘Just help me make dinner sweetheart!’ 

‘OK,’ I said. Dinner had definitely been nothing like I imagined it would be. It was only chicken and the same for dessert but rice with it too. Now I regret helping Dad

make dinner. ‘Can’t I have the cream egg I bough-’

‘What creme egg?,’ Dad asked. Uh- nothing. It turned out all the chocolate me and Batter bought had been new snacks for our secret cabinet.

The next morning, I had to go to school. School  was a nightmare, because I had no friends, the uniform was too dull and the teachers were very strict. I managed to

escape from school ( from a little help of Batter ) and I never went there again. Each time I went somewhere new with Batter and we had lots of fun for nearly a whole week. Last time I went to Legoland and I got the money from the time before when me and Batter were one of those people who sing a song, or do some street dancing to earn money from the people who enjoy it. Me and Batter decided to

sing a duet together and I used my school hat so everyone could throw their coins or notes or whatsoever. There were three teenage boys last time who came along and said very rude words, but Batter knew how to chase them away. By the time it was around the end of school time, me and Batter had surprisingly had over the amount of money we needed to get tickets to go to Legoland. Legoland was a big

surprise and me and Batter were the only lucky kids who got a treat off school. We already used the leftover money to buy some food we got yesterday, so we had to do the whole thing again. 

This time I suggested the park.

‘That’s boring,’ Batter said. No, it’s fun! It’s got swings and slides and climbing frames and more!,’ I replied. ‘Come on Karen think, we can go anywhere you like with all

the money we have, look! It’s nearly £100!,’ Batter beamed with excitement, her eyes wide. I certainly was impressed. I didn’t think anyone would nearly get £100 for singing six whole hours in the streets. Although, six hours is a long time and me and Batter appeared to be very good singers. Batter and I turned our backs at each other wondering which place we could go. ‘I know! The funfair!’ I suggested.

‘What a brilliant idea!’ Batter exclaimed without realising how loud she was.

That was all done then, me and Batter were going to go to the funfair.

2

The closest funfair was nothing like we imagined it would be; a helter skelter 1 km

high and spinning rides with lights and more. It was a very dull place, with extremely muddiness everywhere, the slowest and boringest rides ever. All the sweets we bought were such a waste, because some of the wrappers had nothing inside, some of the sweets were melting inside the wrappers or it looked like some animal or something had bitten into it. The candy floss was the only tasty

thing ( actually one of the best ) so me and Batter turned out to sit on the floor, our heads lying against a brick wall and us munching the candy floss away to nowhere. I suddenly realised that I had been sleeping. It was way too late, me and Batter had to go home immediately-but I couldn’t find Batter anywhere. My heart was pounding with fear, because I looked through all the bushes, under them too,

behind the trees and over the brick wall-but  I still couldn’t find her anywhere. My heart was starting to pound more and more, until I woke up. It was all just a dream and I was on my bed. I didn’t know where Batter was ( probably in our secret cabinet ) but I heard footsteps coming towards me. It was already morning, so I must’ve fallen asleep for a long time. The footsteps came closer and closer, but they

sounded unusual, like a big giant's feet, so I threw my blanket over my head. Then  I heard a muffled voice saying;

‘Happy Birthday!’ It was only Dad. He was wearing such strange clothes that it was very embarrassing, because Batter was probably peeking out, somewhere in my room and laughing quietly.

 Dad said it was my birthday and he wore his clown costume from my fifth birthday

party. ‘I’m not having a birthday party, am I Dad?’ I said confused. ‘Sorry darling, not this time. It means we’re going to Makiline funfair! How fun is that!’

‘Not Makiline funf- great!’ I couldn’t believe Dad made me go to the same funfair me and Batter went to. It was going to be the worst birthday ever.

 When I got there, the funfair was different. Very different. It looked super

fun. I wondered how it all changed since the time me and Batter went? Everything had changed completely and all the rides were astonishing. Then I realised the sign; “Makiline funfair” It appeared that me and Batter went to the wrong one. We went to Makiling funfair! What a waste of time! I was so mad my face grew red and I hit a pole really hard. ‘What’s the matter poppit, kicking things like that on your birthday?’

Dad never called me poppit. It seemed like he was really gentle with me when it came to my birthday. I went on the ride with the seats and the big roundy thing that moves. But it was no fun without my dear friend Batter. She went to the worst funfair ever, while I’m enjoying the best.

OK, so second ride I’m going to enjoy this time is the helter skelter ( only proper name of the funfair I know ) When I got

there, the whole line was already full. There were some children pushing in, shoving others or fighting who goes first, which made the line to the helter skelter probably more difficult to get there. I certainly wouldn't go up there for one little ride on a big slide. Well it sure did sound fun, but I needed to enjoy my birthday without a queue. I was going to go on the carousel. The carousel really wasn’t such a

big queue for the next ride, so I guess that I could wait a little. The whole Idea of Batter missing this out was still tickling in my brain. I wish she was here so she would have enjoyed the right fare. Maybe I could show Dad she is my new friend that hasn’t got a home and I made friends with her at school? But Dad would say: “how does she go to school then, if she hasn’t got a home?” I’ll just say: “Well she’s still

got a family who lives in the streets, but they only have enough money to buy a school?” perfect! I need Dad to know Batter can’t always be secret forever. I hope he will understand.

When the line for the next ride had suddenly started moving and moving and moving until I got there, the man running the rides had said the next ride was disabled, because the other children had

been throwing all sorts of icky and yucky things on the carousel wheels and horses. I saw lots of sticky candy floss on one horse's hair. Another one had bubble gum all round the pole. I certainly wasn’t going on that ride either. Then I spotted a tent which had lots of teddy bears and dollies. I so wanted to go there. I asked Dad if he had any extra money because mine ran out and he said…

‘Ok but I only have enough money for you to pay for two or three more rides, OK.’

‘Alright Dad.’

When I got up to the tent, there was a very sleepy man. It looked as if he might’ve been drunk. ‘Can I have the big teddy please?’ I asked. ‘Do the, game, — firs-’ he said. I had no clue what to do. What type of funfair has to play a game and if only they win they get a teddy? He mustn't

know much about funfairs.

I tried playing the games for ages until I won a teddy. I wanted the big light blue one. It had a little pink bow on its chest and a very big and bright smile close up to its nose. I decided that was going to be the one I was going to wi— then suddenly, the ring I had thrown onto the rocket–fell in. I had finally won the teddy I wanted. It was going to be the best birthday ever. Now I

decided to go home. It was very late and Batter probably doesn’t know where I am. I needed to rush in case she probably thought that I abandoned her too. ‘Dad can we go home now and have some birthday cake?’

‘Alright sweetheart, but we better be quick as it looks like it’s going to rain soon. Me and Dad started walking out of the park. Then I spotted a little boy in his buggy

trying to grab something from me. He wanted my teddy! I tried walking away from him, closer to Dad but it was too late. He already grabbed my teddy out of my hand. The rain started drizzling some and my teddy was all wet. I had to stay closer to Dad, but I couldn’t leave my teddy at all. ‘Dad! Dad! The baby stole my Teddy!’ I was shouting so loud, but he had already been out of sight. I needed to catch up with

Dad. I needed to leave my teddy bear.

3

As soon as I got home, I went to my bedroom straight away. And there was Batter. She was so wet, that she probably

took a shower. ‘Why are you so wet like that?,’ I asked her. ‘Well, I have some good news and bad news,’ Batter said. ‘What’s the good news?,’ I asked again. ‘The good news is that I have your teddy.’ Batter was revealing something very slowly from behind her back. It really was my teddy bear! ‘Oh Batter, Thankyou Thankyou Thankyou Thankyou Thankyou T-h-a-n-k-y-o-u sssooooo much!!! But how did you find

it, you weren’t at the funfair?’

‘Or was I… I heard your Dad say that it was your birthday today! I didn’t want to miss out and we needed to stick together. We’re best friends! So  I decided to secretly come with you. Then, when I realised your Teddy had been stolen, I quickly snatched it out of his hand and bought it back to you.’ 

‘Oh, I can’t thank you enough Batter. You certainly are my very best friend.’ We were

both laughing our way out when Batter said that she snatched the teddy out of the boy's hand. 

Soon Dad came into the bedroom and Batter quickly went to our cabinet. ‘Birthday cake is at the table,’ he said. ‘What flavour is it?,’ I asked.‘Why not you go and have a look yourself,’ Dad suggested. I was slowly walking past the corridor, my eyes wide looking past the

cake as it got closer and closer, then I realised what it was. An Ice cream cake! I’ve always been longing to have an ice cream cake on my birthday. It looked as if my wish came true! Batter was peeking behind the wall, her eyes wide too and singing happy birthday as if no one could hear her. I started joining in too, but saying happy birthday to me. Soon Dad lit the candles and he started singing happy