He wants to be the fastest reindeer ever. But a little lost wolf has thrown his plans into a tailspin!
Ronaldo has his heart set on breaking the Reindeer Flying Academy top-speed record. But his quest could be ruined when some meanie keeps stealing his carrots. Determined to catch the culprit, he’s surprised when he learns it’s a poor young wolf shivering in fear.
After the coldest night in two hundred years, Ronaldo takes pity on the lonely cub and puts together a superhero-style plan to reunite her with her pack. But he’ll definitely need to be the swiftest reindeer cadet if he’s to fly safely past the Forest of Doom!
Can Ronaldo pull off a miracle to save his new friend and still be first over the finish line?
Ronaldo: The Phantom Carrot Snatcher is the second entry in the delightful Ronaldo's Flying Adventures children’s chapter book series, suitable for ages 7-10. If you or your children like brave heroes, witty animal friends, and spooky forests, then you’ll love Maxine Sylvester’s action-packed escapade.
Buy Ronaldo: The Phantom Carrot Snatcher to race to the rescue today!* This is a stand-alone series. Many readers enjoy this story during the holiday season, but it can be read any time of the year.
Excerpt
It was the sixth time in two weeks that Ronaldo’s carrots had vanished. Rudi, who rather fancied himself as a private detective, had given the thief what he thought was a very cool nickname. (Ronaldo had come up with a few choice names himself, but they were all too rude to say at school.)
Ronaldo grunted. He was looking forward to his carrots after flying. There was nothing as delicious as a carrot dunked in frothy hot chocolate (except maybe a carrot cupcake, which Ronaldo had an equal passion for).
“I bet Dasher took ‘em. He’s the Phantom Carrot Snatcher,” Ronaldo said. “It’s the type of mean thing he’d do.”
“It can’t be, he was flying at the same time as us… he wouldn’t have had time to take the carrots.”
“Good point,” Ronaldo said, thinking. Then he sat down heavily, disappointed that he was no closer to catching the thief.
They sipped their hot chocolate.
“We need a plan,” said Ronaldo, narrowing his eyes.
“Ooh, I like that idea,” said Rudi. His nose, which was speckled with white freckles, twitched with excitement. “For what?”
“To catch the phantom. A plan so clever that they will never dare to steal carrots from us ever again.”
“Yeah, never again!” said Rudi. “So what’s the plan?”
“I’m not sure yet… let’s think about it on the way home.”
They put their mugs away and headed to the exit. They passed the leader board on the way out. Ronaldo was in first place, as usual, and Rudi had remained in fourth.
They walked through the woods and turned their attention back to catching the phantom.
“I know!” said Rudi, waving his hooves up and down crazily. “We could dip the carrots in glue. We’ll know who the phantom is because their mouth will be stuck together.”
“Won’t the glue poison them?” Ronaldo asked, a little concerned.
“Hmmm, maybe.”
They decided against that plan as they didn’t want to get in trouble for poisoning the phantom (even if they were a carrot thief).
By the time they reached the fork in the path where they would go in different directions, they still hadn’t come up with anything.
“Maybe I’ll think of something in the bath,” said Rudi, “I always get great ideas when I’m having a soak in the tub!”
Ronaldo couldn’t remember any good ideas that Rudi had ever had in the bath but answered with an encouraging, “Let’s hope so.”
“Sledging tomorrow?” asked Rudi.
“Yep, see ya.”
Ronaldo wracked his brain as he walked home. He wanted to catch that sneaky thief and make them pay! They were his carrots they were stealing. Just then he heard a rustling in the trees. He looked behind him – there was nothing there. He carried on walking, but then he heard the strange noise again. He stopped and looked around. The trees were still and the woodlands silent. He trotted up the path to his house when he heard a stirring in the trees again. He smiled to himself. It must be Rudi playing a joke on him.
“Very funny, Rudi… you can come out now.”
But Rudi didn’t come out. Ronaldo went to the trees. “Rudeee,” he shouted. “Rudeee?”
Then a tree moved. “Got ya!” he cried, peeping behind it.
Ronaldo froze.
Nothing could have prepared him for what he saw. Ronaldo wanted to run, but his legs wouldn’t move.
He was staring into a pair of bright blue eyes.
He couldn’t look away.
He was terrified.
Frozen stiff.
