Free Trouble at the Zoo by Bindi Irwin Page A

think I sort of scared your brother away!”
    Bindi giggled. “I promise you, Robert doesn’t scare that easily.”
    Rosie held up a bag. “Happy birthday! I’ve got it. And it’s gonna look awesome.”
    Bindi squealed with excitement. “Come on, let’s go to my bedroom and try it on.”
    “Okay. But don’t walk too fast. Mermaids are more used to swimming than walking!”

    Ten minutes later a very regal-looking emperor penguin was knocking at Bindi’s bedroom door. “Bindi, Rosie, are you ready? We’ve got a zoo to open!”
    From behind the closed door, Terri the emperor penguin could hear giggling. “Come on, girls…”
    “Almost ready, Mum. Just putting the finishing touches—” Bindi’s voice dissolved into giggles once more.
    A moment later, the door opened.
    Rosie the mermaid stepped out, pulling the door closed behind her. “Hi, Terri. Wow, nice outfit. I have something very important to tell you: Bindi is no longer in the bedroom. Instead, I would like to introduce you to the one, the only, Stella the sea horse!”
    Rosie opened the door and a twirling, whirling vision of sparkliness made her way out of the bedroom. Bindi was dressed in a golden-colored leotard with a layered golden skirt. The back of the leotard was draped in shimmery golden material, which looked like the frill along a sea horse’s spine. She also wore a mask with a long, delicate nose. Bits of emerald green material, looking like seaweed, were strewn across Bindi’s costume.
    Terri was impressed. “Wow, girls. I think this underwater-themed birthday is going to be a hit! You’ve made such a great costume for Bindi, Rosie.”
    Rosie blushed. “Oh, it was nothing really. You know me and Mum like sewing—”
    Bindi interrupted her friend. “It is NOT nothing. It’s awesome. I love sea horses. They’re such graceful and gentle creatures, and this costume is the best present ever.” Bindi gave Rosie a big hug.
    Terri pulled out a camera. “Okay, girls, we’ve got time for a quick photo. Now hold it—one, two…”
    “Cockatoo!” The girls struck a pose, which was interrupted a millisecond later by Robert, dressed as a blue-ringed octopus, launching himself between the two girls. Robert misjudged his jump—“Ro-bert!”— and the two girls shrieked as all three sea creatures tumbled down in a tentacled, seaweedy heap, just as Terri took the photo.
    Picture perfect—not!

In the parking lot, families were already spilling out of their cars, attaching snorkels, masks, flippers, goggles, or floaties, and making their way toward the zoo entrance. There was lots of excited chatter.
    Holly Brown, aged six, was dressed up like a blue swimmer crab. She had been looking forward to coming to Bindi’s birthday ever since the day she was born (so she said), and this year her dream had come true. Today also happened to be her brother’s birthday, so normally she would be hanging around while her brother and his friends threw sand at each other and had competitions to see who could eat cake the fastest or who could do the biggest burp after drinking lots of fizzy drinks. Yuck! She was glad she wasn’t ever going to be a boy! This year Holly’s mum and dad had promised her they would all go to Bindi’s birthday.
    Holly’s brother, Zac, stood out from the rest of the excited crowd. It wasn’t that he looked any different. He was wearing goggles, like plenty of other kids, and his mum was trying to slather him in sunscreen, like plenty of other kids.
    The difference was that Zac Brown wore a frown.
    Not one single other person, young or old, big or small, was doing anything but smiling.
    Holly just couldn’t understand it. She knew her brother really loved animals, especially reptiles, so even though he had been the grumpiest brother a sister had ever had to put up with during the car journey here, she knew he’d really enjoy being at Australia Zoo today.
    It’s just that to look at him, you wouldn’t know.
    “Hurry up,