Free The Sugar Ball by Helen Perelman Page B

laughed. “Oh, chocolate sticks,” she said. “It’s just for my costume. Raina, you worry too much. And I don’t think I am going to let go of it. I’ve been working so hard on the wand. I’ll want to hold my perfect accessory all evening!”



Raina handed the two large books to Cocoa.“Here you go,” she said. “These are two books that have a few different pictures of royal scepters.”
    Flipping through the pages, Cocoa’s eyes grew wide with excitement. “Oh, this is perfect!” she exclaimed. She noticed the details in the chocolate carvings and the bright colors used for the wands. She had so many ideas, and she wanted to get started right away.
    Cocoa felt a gentle nudge and looked down. “Hi, Nokie,” she said. Nokie was a little red gummy bear cub. He was always hungry. Even though he didn’t eat chocolate, he was hoping that Cocoa might have a treat for him. “I have some fruit chews, if you want,” she told him. “Berry gave them to me yesterday, and I’m not going to use them for my hair clips.”
    Nokie eagerly nodded. Berry had given him fruit chews before and he loved the fruity, sparkly candy.
    â€œNokie!” Raina scolded. But she couldn’t help smiling at the cute cub when she saw his face. Her voice softened. “Just one, okay?”
    The gummy cub quickly agreed and took Cocoa’s offering.
    â€œSorry about that,” Raina apologized to Cocoa. “No matter how much I feed Nokie, he’s always hungry!”
    Cocoa patted the friendly cub on his belly. “It’s okay,” she said. “I’m happy to share.”
    â€œDo you want to see my dress?” Raina asked. “The color came out perfectly!” She showed her friend the bright lime-green dress with rainbow gummy accents on the waist and hem. Sheheld the gown up to show off the details.
    â€œOh, Raina,” Cocoa gasped. “This is really beautiful. You made this by yourself?”
    Raina blushed. “Well, I had some help from Berry. She’s so good at designing and sewing. I’m not sure what I would have done without her.”
    â€œYou are going to look delicious,” Cocoa told her. “Have you decided how you’ll wear your hair?”
    Raina shrugged. “I’m not sure yet,” she confided. “Maybe I’ll get a fancy updo. What do you think?” She pulled her long, straight hair up and twisted it in a fancy bun. “I could use a rainbow gummy berry for a clip.”
    â€œI can’t wait to see what you decide,” Cocoa told her. “Sure as sugar, every fairy in SugarValley is going to look extra-sweet.”
    â€œI know!” Raina exclaimed. “I can’t wait!”
    Cocoa glanced over at the Frosted Mountains. “I better get going,” she said. “I want to carve the chocolate ball before Sun Dip tonight.” She winked at Raina. “Maybe I’ll bring the wand for a special preview.”
    â€œOh, please do!” Raina pleaded. “I’d love to see what you do.” She took Nokie’s paw and gave a wave to her friend. “I’ve got to take Nokie back to his den. I’ll see you later.”
    â€œThanks for the books,” Cocoa called. She took off and flew swiftly back to Chocolate Woods.
    At home Cocoa saw the chocolate in her mold was hard and dry. She selected the smallest pink sugar crystal carving tool for the delicate designof the chocolate wand. The tiny tool was good for small details. She glanced over at one of the books Raina had given her. She was looking at a couple of different wands and using ideas that she loved about each one. Skillfully she carved a beautiful design on the chocolate ball.
    When she finished she stood back and gazed at her sphere. She placed the ball on top of the wand using very hot chocolate and sugar. Then she added a few glittering candy jewels that she had been saving