Massive thanks to my editor, Liz Bankes, for all her genius help with this book, and to my amazing publisher Ali Dougal and brilliant agent Caroline Sheldon for always being so keel. And to Jenny and Woody for telling me when something’s rubbish, and coming up with the title!
First published in Great Britain 2020 by Egmont UK Ltd, 2 Minster Court, London EC3R 7BB
Text and illustration copyright © Jim Smith 2020
The moral rights of Jim Smith have been asserted.
First e-book edition 2020
ISBN 978 1 4502 9545 1
Ebook ISBN 978 1 7803 1806 6
A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library
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Contents
Donut Super-market
Boring old bus stop
Doesn’t time fly
Still still Thursday
Donut Diner
The offer
Melvin’s wee
Melvin the Cool Dood
Trouser pocket
Shiny little Pebbles
Melvin’s room
Great Aunt Pebble
The sleep-over
Weird Hector
Rubbish morning
Rhubarb’s present
Super moon
Doodard and Doshi
Danger at Donut Diner
Melvin has an idea
The plan
Get scooping
What they were whispering
No more squeeze
Diving into the monster’s bum
Swimming down an arm
Deirdre’s jam jars
Back to Donut Diner
Mystery solved
Best title yet!
See that car driving over the bridge? Inside it are some Pebbles.
I don’t mean pebbles like stones. What I mean is a family called The Pebbles.
This is what they look like:
Sorry if you’re listening to an audiobook, by the way.
The Pebbles were driving from Hokum City towards a completely round island.
On one side of the island, three huge clumps of earth had fallen into the sea, making it look like a giant fish had taken a bite out of it or something.
‘Donut Island here we come!’ grinned Deirdre Pebble, peering into the rear-view mirror. ‘Looking forward to your new life, kids?’
Swirling black thunderclouds rumbled in the sky above and lightning flickered like a half-broken bulb.
‘Nope,’ said Violet Pebble, who was the oldest and most annoying of the two. ‘I don’t see why I have to leave all my friends behind just because you got a stupid new job.’
‘Violet!’ cried Norman Pebble in his trying-to-be-a-dad voice. ‘Your mother’s new job is NOT stupid.’
Melvin Pebble, who was sitting next to his big sister, wiggled his bum in its seat. ‘I can’t wait,’ he said.
Violet rolled her eyes. ‘It’s alright for you,’ she said. ‘Your friends are all complete losers.’
‘Violet!’ snapped her mum. ‘Melvin’s friends are NOT losers.’
Melvin peered out his window at the storm. ‘It’s okay, Mum,’ he said. ‘Vi’s right. My friends ARE losers. And so am I.’
He