Wild Magic: Journey of the Lost Elephant
Author: Abiola Bello
Date: 2025-08-14 07:00:00+00:00
Keywords: Juvenile Fiction; Action & Adventure; General; Animals; Elephants; Fantasy
Description: Discover your wild side!* Join twins Misha and Ziggy on another magical wildlife adventure in the second book in the WILD MAGIC series. For fans of Leonora Bolt and Space Detectives.* Misha and Ziggy are super excited to be joining their wildlife presenter father on a trip to India , where they’ll be able to test their magical powers all over again. Misha can’t wait to talk to all the fascinating animals she meets and Ziggy is eager to shapeshift into all the amazing animals he sees! When they plan to map the migration route of an elephant herd , they discover that the elephant calf has gone m
Publisher: Simon and Schuster

To my fav jet setter Aleta.

You’ve travelled to Mexico more times than anyone I know.

Cheers to 10+ years of friendship.

X

CHAPTER ONE A Family Affair

Misha frowned as she looked at Ziggy standing in the middle of the living room of Grandpa Tunde and Grandma Joy’s house. He was balanced on one leg with the other one bent up towards his body so his knee was in line with his belly button, and he was perfectly still. Misha tilted her head to the side, but she still couldn’t work out what Ziggy was supposed to be. They had been playing charades for just over an hour with their grandparents. Usually, Dad would take part too, but as they were pretending to be animals and Dad was an EXPERT ON ALL THINGS WILDLIFE, he said he would keep the score to make it fair.

Misha was waiting for some type of twin telepathy to kick in to tell her what animal Ziggy was supposed to be, but so far no luck.

‘I’ve got it!’ Grandpa Tunde suddenly said. ‘It’s that creature? The furry one?’

The furry one? That could be a million things! Misha thought. ‘What’s it called, Grandpa?’

‘Ah!’ Grandpa Tunde tapped his bald head as he tried to remember. He turned to Grandma Joy and said something to her in Yoruba, their native Nigerian language.

‘Oh, he means that animal from the lion film we watched. The one that’s friends with the pig,’ Grandma responded.

Dad started laughing. ‘Do you mean Timon from The Lion King? It’s called a meerkat and he is friends with a warthog.’

‘That’s what I said,’ Grandpa Tunde said. ‘Meerkat.’

‘Dad, you’re not meant to be helping!’ Misha protested. ‘You’re just keeping score.’

Dad mimed zipping his mouth.

‘Sorry, Grandpa, but that’s wrong,’ Ziggy said, and Grandpa tutted and folded his arms.

He was too COMPETITIVE for his own good.

Ziggy stared at Misha, and she noticed him quickly glance at Grandma Joy’s pink cardigan that was hanging over the chair.

Misha grinned. She knew exactly what he was pretending to be. ‘A FLAMINGO!’

‘Yes!’ Ziggy punched the air. ‘That’s a point to us.’

‘Well done, Misha,’ Dad said as he marked another point on the scoreboard. ‘So, if I add up the scores, I think we have a… Oh, it’s a draw.’

‘A DRAW!’ the twins moaned in unison. They were certain they had won.

‘Jinx!’ Misha immediately said, and Ziggy rolled his eyes.

Jinx was a game they played. Misha and Ziggy would often say the same thing at the same time – it was a twin thing! The rules of this game were simple: whoever said ‘jinx’ first would stop the other person from talking. That person would only be allowed to speak again when their partner un-jinxed them by knocking on wood. But Misha really wanted to beat their grandparents right now, so she knocked on the wooden bookcase on the other side of the living room just a few moments later.

‘Okay, this is what we’ll do,’ said Dad. ‘I will act out one animal, and whoever guesses the animal I’m supposed to be wins the entire game of charades.’ He got up from his seat. ‘Plus, this could give you all a clue about where I’m travelling for my next documentary.’

‘But I thought you were home this summer?’ Grandma Joy said, frustrated. ‘I’m too busy to babysit every day. What if I want to go on another cruise?’

‘Mum, you haven’t planned a cruise,’ Dad said patiently.

Grandma Joy tutted. ‘I would like the option.’

Misha and Ziggy loved their grandparents, but staying with them all summer without Dad would be SO BORING! Grandpa Tunde was always making them do homework. Even when they finished, he would find more for them to do! He said they couldn’t play all day, but that was what summer holidays were for! Grandma Joy hated animals. She wouldn’t let the twins’ pet cat, Fergie, and pet dog, Blue, in their house. The worst part was that when they were at home with their grandparents, Misha couldn’t speak to any animals and Ziggy couldn’t shapeshift into them because they couldn’t risk getting caught using their magical powers.

The twins had inherited these magical powers from their mum, although she’d left many years earlier to live her happiest life in her animal form. Their Grandma Yinka, who lived in a hut in the deep Nigerian forest, was the only other person who knew of their powers. And she’d told Misha and Ziggy to keep them secret.

‘Grandma, I thought you and Grandpa were coming on the next trip?’ Ziggy said.

Grandpa Tunde playfully nudged Grandma Joy, who swatted him away. It was actually Grandpa Tunde who had said he wanted to come along on the next adventure after Dad, Misha and Ziggy returned from India and had told them all about their exciting trip.

‘I didn’t agree to anything,’ Grandma Joy replied as she crossed her arms over her chest and huffed out loud.

‘Ready?’ Dad said, as he positioned himself in the centre of the room, ready to act out the animal he had chosen. He pushed his glasses up higher on his nose, then bent his knees and began hopping around the living room. Misha and Ziggy burst out laughing, but Grandpa Tunde and Grandma Joy looked on confused.

‘What is this?’ Grandpa Tunde asked. ‘ARE YOU SOME KIND OF RABBIT?’

To everyone’s surprise, Dad grinned and nodded at Grandpa Tunde.

Grandpa Tunde punched the air. ‘We won!’

‘Noooo!’ Misha said. She hated to lose!

‘But rabbits live… here?’ Ziggy frowned. ‘Is this a trick question, and you’re not travelling anywhere?’

‘No, I’m definitely going away,’ Dad said IN BETWEEN BOUNCES. The living room wasn’t massive, so he was hopping in a circle. ‘And, Dad, you need to guess the type of rabbit to win.’ Dad suddenly jumped on the couch and looked nervously at the floor.

‘I have no idea what’s happening,’ Ziggy said as he stared at Dad.

Misha tapped her foot as she thought. She knew there were different-coloured rabbits – white, black, brown – but she didn’t know the names of any.

Dad stopped hopping once he noticed how quiet everyone was. ‘You don’t know?’

They all shook their heads.

‘I’m a volcano rabbit. I jumped on the couch because the floor is lava.’

Grandpa Tunde threw his hands up in the air. ‘Who would know that?’

Ziggy had never heard of a volcano rabbit before. He imagined it jumping out of a volcano that was erupting with lava, soaring in the air…

‘Where do they live, Dad?’ Misha asked, bringing Ziggy’s focus back to figuring out where Dad was travelling to next.

Dad stood up and grinned. ‘They live in Mexico!’

Grandpa Tunde’s eyes widened behind his glasses. ‘You’re going to Mexico for your next assignment!’

‘Yes! And you’re all invited,’ Dad said. ‘We’re making a documentary about sea turtles and how they nest and hatch their eggs. So, we’re flying to Cancún in just a few days.’

Misha and Ziggy jumped in the air and cheered. They were going to Mexico! Misha couldn’t wait to speak to the sea turtles and learn what life was like under the water. Ziggy was just as excited to turn into a volcano rabbit, and he hoped that jumping out of the lava was actually a real thing that volcano rabbits did. Grandpa Tunde clapped his hands in excitement. He was ready to eat ALL the tacos, enchiladas and tamales.

‘Mum, will you come to Cancún?’ Dad asked, and they all looked at her.

Grandma Joy kept a stern expression on her face as long as she could, until a smile slipped through. ‘Of course! You know I have always wanted to visit Mexico.’

Grandma Joy couldn’t wait to relax on the beautiful beaches of Cancún, even if it did mean that she would be near a lot of wildlife.

‘THIS IS GOING TO BE SO COOL!’ Ziggy said. ‘The whole family together! I can’t wait.’

‘Me neither!’ Misha said.

‘We’re only filming for three days, and then the film crew are heading back to England, but we can stay there for the rest of the week for a family holiday,’ Dad said.

‘That sounds great! What is there to do in Cancún?’ Grandpa Tunde asked Dad.

As Dad was explaining, Misha realized something that made her stomach twist and turn. As much as she was looking forward to a family trip, it was likely that their grandparents would be looking after her and Ziggy instead of a local babysitter like on their other trips. This meant it would be HARD TO SHAPESHIFT or speak to the animals!

‘What’s wrong?’ Ziggy asked when he noticed his sister had gone quiet.

‘I’ll tell you later,’ Misha said, not wanting anyone to eavesdrop. Instead, she tuned back in to what Dad was saying.

‘It’s actually nesting season, so the sea turtles go onto the beach in the late afternoon or evening and lay their eggs. Once the mother has laid her eggs, she leaves. Baby sea turtles are born independent. They don’t need their parents to survive, but it’s very important that they get to the ocean as soon as they’ve hatched. They also imprint the beach’s location in their mind so that they can come back to the exact same spot to lay their own eggs!’

Misha couldn’t believe that the baby turtles were smart enough to travel to the water by themselves AND remember which beach they’d hatched on.

Ziggy was more excited about turning into a sea turtle and exploring the ocean. He couldn’t wait to see the amazing creatures in their natural habitat. Maybe Grandma Joy and Grandpa Tunde could go snorkelling to see the aquatic life too, but when Ziggy suggested it to his grandparents, they burst out laughing.

‘We are coming to eat,’ Grandpa Tunde said.

‘And to sit on the beach,’ Grandma Joy said.

‘And that’s it,’ they said in unison.

Ziggy hoped one of them would shout ‘jinx’, but they didn’t. That seemed to be a game for him and Misha only.

‘We’ll work on them, Zig,’ Dad whispered. ‘Right, make sure you all start packing because we leave at the end of the week.’

CHAPTER TWO A New Plan

When Misha and Ziggy returned home, and Dad had gone to get the suitcases from the loft, Misha finally had a chance to tell Ziggy how worried she was about them using their powers with their grandparents nearby.

‘OH NO!’ Ziggy held the sides of his head. ‘I didn’t even think of that.’

Misha slumped. ‘The best thing about going on the trips with Dad is that we can connect with the animals, but if Grandma Joy and Grandpa Tunde are looking after us, we’ll never be able to. We can barely do anything here when they’re around!’

Ziggy frowned. ‘What if we ask Dad for a local babysitter anyway? We can say that we want Grandpa Tunde and Grandma Joy to have a break and enjoy the holiday instead of having to look after us.’

‘Do you think he’ll believe us?’ Misha asked.

Ziggy nodded. ‘I think so, and if not, we can definitely persuade Grandma. She said she just wants to lie on the beach.’

MISHA LAUGHED. ‘That’s true. Okay, let’s ask.’

‘Right, kids, here you go,’ Dad said as he placed the suitcases on the floor in their bedroom. ‘After the trips to Ethiopia and India, you should both have more than enough holiday clothes.’

‘Dad,’ Ziggy began, ‘will we still have a local babysitter in Mexico?’

Dad frowned. ‘No! You’ll spend time with your grandparents. They’ll love it.’

‘But, Dad,’ Misha chipped in, ‘we want Grandpa Tunde and Grandma Joy to relax and enjoy the holiday. We’re happy to have someone else look after us.’

Dad chuckled. ‘Why would I get a stranger to help when your grandparents are there? Besides, you can encourage them to do some fun activities on the holiday. I’ve got lots planned for us, like going to see the ancient Mayan ruins and a dolphin show.’

Misha and Ziggy glanced at each other. As fun as the activities sounded, it meant that they wouldn’t get a chance to properly connect with any local animals!

‘It’s going to be an amazing trip.’ Dad kissed them both on the forehead. ‘Start packing and call me if you need me.’

He left them in their room, and Ziggy flopped backwards onto the bed, letting out a LOUD SIGH. ‘Now what?’

Misha shrugged. ‘I guess we have to hope that Grandma Joy puts her foot down and doesn’t want to babysit.’

The twins spent the next few days trying to persuade Dad to get a local babysitter, but Dad kept saying no. Ziggy really wanted to visit their grandparents so that he could convince them that they shouldn’t babysit, but Grandpa Tunde and Grandma Joy were too busy getting together the things they needed for the trip. ZIGGY WAS STARTING TO DREAD THE HOLIDAY. If he couldn’t shapeshift into any animals, then what was the point of going?

Misha tried to stay upbeat. They were going to Mexico, after all! And Cassie Evans from school would be so jealous that she had got to travel to another exciting country. But if Misha couldn’t speak to the animals, it wouldn’t be a fun trip for her either.

‘What’s wrong, guys?’ Dad asked as they ate their dinner, noticing the twins’ glum faces.

‘Nothing,’ they said in unison, too upset to say ‘jinx’.

‘Hmmm,’ Dad said. ‘Why don’t— Oh, hold on, it’s Grandma Joy calling.’ He picked up his phone and waved at the screen where Grandma Joy’s face appeared, too close to the camera. ‘Hi, Mum!’

‘Dayo, me and your dad want to go to a luxury spa in Mexico. How do we book it?’

‘I can sort it, Mum,’ Dad said. ‘The twins would love a spa.’

‘Twins!’ Grandma screeched so loudly that Dad had to move the phone away from his face. ‘This spa is for adults only. Ah! I hope you don’t think we’re going to be babysitting all day. This is our holiday. Me and your dad need our peace!’

MISHA’S AND ZIGGY’S EARS PRICKED UP.

Dad frowned. ‘You said you wanted to spend time with them!’

‘Yes, but not all day. Ah, Dayo! I said I want to be at the beach and relax. How will I do that if I have to watch children. Eh?’

‘You won’t have to, Grandma,’ Ziggy said quickly, running towards Dad until his face appeared on the phone screen. ‘We want you to relax.’

‘Thank you, darling,’ Grandma Joy said. ‘At least someone is thinking of us.’

‘We can have a babysitter like we did in Ethiopia and India. Right, Dad?’ Misha chipped in.

Dad looked bewildered as Misha, Ziggy and Grandma Joy watched him in silence, waiting for his answer. Admitting defeat, Dad sighed and rubbed his forehead. ‘Yes, of course. I’ll sort something out.’

‘Good. I also picked you up some shirts for the trip, Dayo,’ Grandma Joy said happily.

As Grandma Joy showed off the colourful shirts she had bought Dad, Misha and Ziggy FIST-BUMPED each other. Now they couldn’t wait to get to Mexico!

Dad looked very stressed when he got off the phone, so Misha asked him more about the sea turtles, and he instantly perked up.

‘Did you know that during nesting season, green female sea turtles lay over one hundred eggs in the sand?’ Dad said.

‘Whoa! Over one hundred eggs?’ Misha gasped.

‘AND SEA TURTLES HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR MORE THAN ONE HUNDRED MILLION YEARS, so that means they have lived on the earth since the time of the dinosaurs.’

‘That is so cool!’ Ziggy said.

‘It is! In Mexico, there is the Chicxulub crater, which is where scientists believe a massive asteroid hit Earth about sixty-six million years ago. This had a huge impact on the weather, causing wildfires, heatwaves, tsunamis, and a global winter, which blocked sunlight for years. These very dramatic environmental changes eventually made all of the dinosaurs extinct. Except feathered theropods, which are direct ancestors of birds.’

‘DOES THAT MEAN EVERY BIRD IS A DINOSAUR?’ Misha asked.

Dad nodded. ‘Cool, right?’

‘Very cool! Can we go and see the crater?’ Ziggy asked.

‘We won’t have time on this trip, but Cancún has lots of amazing animals to see, like iguanas, jaguars and flamingos – like you acted out when we were playing charades, Ziggy. Even more fascinating is the marine life. CANCúN IS ON THE CARIBBEAN SEA. That’s where the sea turtles mainly live. But there are also dolphins, whale sharks, jellyfish and much more. The sea life is very beautiful, and I’m so excited for you both to see it.’

Misha and Ziggy thought it sounded like the best trip ever! They had never spoken to or transformed into aquatic creatures before, apart from the goldfish they used to have. Now they had a chance to get to know the entire Caribbean Sea, and they couldn’t wait.

CHAPTER THREE Hola, México!

The journey to Mexico DIDN’T GET OFF TO A GOOD START. First, Grandpa Tunde forgot his glasses, so they had to go back home to get them. Then, at the airport, Grandma Joy’s luggage was very overweight, so Dad had to help her repack. The stress lines were appearing on Dad’s forehead. The film crew – Carter the cameraman, a tall Black man with long plaits down his back; Lexi the director, a cheerful mixed-race lady with very curly brown hair and a friendly face; and Ed the producer, a stocky white man with freckles across his cheeks – met Dad, Misha, Ziggy, Grandma Joy and Grandpa Tunde at the airport. Misha and Ziggy were so excited, they were practically bouncing around the terminal. Dad kept telling them to sit down, but they wouldn’t listen. Lexi eventually took them to the duty-free zone to look at the shops.

‘We’ll be on the plane soon,’ Lexi said, brushing her curls back from her face. ‘The flight will be around eleven hours, which is a long time on a plane, but you guys are experts at long flights by now. And you’re so good with the animals! I still can’t believe how comfortable the black lion and the elephant calf were with you both.’

Misha and Ziggy shared a smile with one another. Jember the black lion and Shreya the baby elephant had become their friends and had helped Dad and the film crew get the footage that they needed for their award-winning documentary. The twins hoped they would be able to visit them again in Ethiopia and India soon.

‘Maybe we can get some footage of you with the sea turtles?’ Lexi said. ‘OUR FANS LOVE SEEING YOU BOTH WITH THE ANIMALS.’

‘That would be so cool!’ Misha and Ziggy said at the same time.

‘Jinx!’ Misha said with a laugh, and Ziggy stamped his foot.

Lexi raised her eyebrows.

‘He can’t speak now until I knock on wood,’ Misha explained.

‘Oh, that’s not fun,’ Lexi said, but she was smiling. ‘There ISN’T ANY WOOD on the plane. And it’s a long flight.’

‘I remember when we were in Kerala in India, Ziggy didn’t un-jinx me for ages, so this is payback!’ Misha said with a mischievous grin on her face.

Ziggy crossed his arms and frowned. THIS WAS GOING TO BE THE WORST FLIGHT EVER.

‘Okay, we’re ready,’ Dad said, appearing beside them outside the shop. He wiped his brow. ‘Had to repack your grandma’s suitcase and put some of her stuff in everyone else’s suitcase.’ Dad glanced at Ziggy, who was glaring at Misha. ‘You okay, Zig?’

‘He’s jinxed,’ Lexi explained.

‘Ah,’ Dad responded, nodding. He was used to the twins’ jinx game and tended to let them get on with it. ‘Let’s head to the plane – it’s almost time to board.’

A few minutes into the flight, and Dad was already sharing more fascinating facts about Mexico.

‘There’s a holiday celebrated in Mexico called Día de los Muertos or Day of the Dead.’

Ziggy bounced in his seat with his hand up, desperate to ask a question. Dad raised his eyebrows at Misha.

‘There’s no wood,’ she protested.

‘I’ve got some colouring pencils in my bag,’ Dad said and when he took one out Misha knocked on it.

‘Is it like Halloween?’ Ziggy asked. He imagined the whole country dressed up as zombies, ghosts and vampires.

‘Not quite. It’s about honouring and celebrating loved ones who have passed away and keeping their memories alive. People build altars, which are called ofrendas. And on those altars, people place photos, food and items that belonged to the person who passed away. It’s believed that those who have died can pass over to the land of the living and reunite with their families and friends for a few hours on this day.’

Dad took out his phone and showed them a picture of a person dressed as a skeleton with bright blue-and-pink face paint covering their eyes and cheeks. They were wearing red lipstick and a bright pink hat.

‘Why are they dressed up like that?’ Misha asked.

‘It’s to pay tribute to loved ones who have died. They dress in vibrant colours and patterns as a reminder that death is part of life, and we should celebrate and not be sad. Sugar skulls are placed at the altars and decorated with colourful icing… Now, who knows the national animal of Mexico?’

‘The volcano rabbit?’ Ziggy asked, and Dad burst out laughing.

‘No, Zig! What do you think, Mish?’

‘Maybe a big cat, like a jaguar?’

‘Good guess, because they do live in Mexico, but the national animal is actually a golden eagle, and it is also on the Mexican flag. They are the largest bird of prey in North America, and they’re amazing hunters. They can swoop down and grab their prey at up to two hundred miles per hour – so they are very fast.’

‘That is fast! What do golden eagles eat?’ Misha asked.

‘Rabbits, reptiles – sometimes even deer,’ Dad said.

Misha’s eyes grew wide as she thought about A GOLDEN EAGLE FLYING WITH A WHOLE DEER HANGING FROM ITS MOUTH. Meanwhile, Ziggy’s mind was still on the volcano rabbit and all the different ways he could leap in the air with the lava.

Just under eleven hours later, Misha, Ziggy, Dad, Grandma Joy, Grandpa Tunde and the film crew landed in the busy and bustling Cancún International Airport. It took a while to get everyone’s luggage, and it didn’t help when Grandma Joy forgot that she had pink material wrapped on her luggage handle so it would stand out from all the other black ones. Dad had to run and grab it from the baggage carousel before it went around for the third time.

Misha noticed pops of colour in the airport, like the bright blue pillars with a pretty floral pattern on them, the shops that sold sombreros, vibrant-patterned rugs and the sugar skulls Dad had mentioned on the plane.

A lean, tall lady with tanned skin and long black wavy hair held a sign saying WELCOME, DAYO! and she waved when she saw them.

‘That’s Carmen,’ Dad explained. ‘She’s going to be looking after us on the trip.’

‘HOLA! Welcome to Mexico!’ Carmen said in a strong Mexican accent.

‘Thank you! This is the crew – Lexi, Carter and Ed – who you already met on our call,’ Dad said.

Carmen grinned. ‘Yes, of course! We have a separate car for you guys to fit all of your equipment.’

‘And these are my parents, Tunde and Joy – and my children, Misha and Ziggy.’

Carmen took her time hugging each of them. ‘You must all be exhausted. Let’s get you over to the apartment. But first I recommend that everyone puts on some mosquito spray. There are so many here, and we don’t want them sucking on your blood.’

‘LIKE A VAMPIRE!’ Ziggy said, and Carmen grinned.

‘Exactly,’ she said as she sprayed loads on Misha and Ziggy.

Misha knew she could have just asked the mosquitos to leave them alone.

Carmen led the crew to their own vehicle, then the family to a blue SUV. She climbed into the driver’s seat, and Misha and Ziggy sat in the front with Dad. Grandma Joy and Grandpa Tunde sat in the back.

‘How are the sea turtles doing? Any sightings recently?’ Dad asked.

‘I saw some in the ocean just last week. After you have all settled in, we can head down to the beach.’

‘Oh, can we come, Dad?’ Ziggy asked.

‘Yes, of course. Sea turtles aren’t dangerous, so it’s safe for you to join us.’

Through the car window, the twins could see the beautiful blue ocean and golden sand in the distance. They passed houses that were painted in pink, yellow, orange and blue. They looked unreal, like pieces of art. Up ahead, Misha spotted brightly coloured flags flying in the sky.

‘What’s that place?’ she asked, pointing ahead.

‘That’s downtown,’ Carmen said. ‘There’s lots of great food and music and colourful street art there. We’ll go and visit while you’re here. There aren’t any festivals or holidays in Cancún right now, but if you visit Mexico again, you should go to Puebla in May during Cinco de Mayo.’

‘It means fifth of May in Spanish, doesn’t it?’ Dad asked.

‘Yes it does, and every year on that date, we celebrate Mexican culture and heritage with traditional costumes, mariachi music, dancing, and food like delicious tacos. We also re-enact the Mexican victory of the 1862 Battle of Puebla. It’s a great thing to experience,’ Carmen said.

‘I could eat about a hundred tacos,’ Grandpa Tunde said from the back seat, which made everyone laugh.

‘Oh, don’t worry! I have a feast already set up for you.’ Carmen grinned.

They soon arrived at a two-storey blue-and-cream villa, which was surrounded by palm trees. There was a rectangular infinity pool and a row of deck chairs outside. At the top of the villa was a balcony that overlooked the clear ocean.

‘Amazing!’ Grandma Joy said as she stared at the villa in awe from the car window. ‘We’re staying here?’

‘Yep!’ Dad said. ‘The crew are going to stay in a villa up the road, and Carmen will drop in daily to prepare food and help with the twins. The crew will be over here to eat too.’

‘I know all my grandma’s recipes –’ Carmen winked – ‘so it will be the BEST FOOD YOU’VE EVER EATEN.’

They got out of the car, and Misha and Ziggy strained their necks looking up at the huge palm trees. This was by far the most glamorous place they had ever stayed.

‘The beach is only a five-minute walk from the villa,’ Carmen said as she helped remove some suitcases from the boot. ‘So let’s eat, and then we can go and look at the sea turtles.’

The inside of the villa was even more impressive. It was huge! Everything was cream and white, but there were massive pieces of colourful artwork on the walls. The sliding dining room doors revealed a long dining table and chairs that looked out on to the veranda, where there was another long table. There were steps that led from the veranda to the beach path.

‘FOOD!’ Ziggy shouted, racing to the dining table, which had plates of pork and chicken tacos, bowls of guacamole and tortilla chips, ceviche (a colourful salad with seafood), and fried golden, buttery pastries filled with beef called empanadas.

‘And there’s dessert,’ Carmen announced, returning from the kitchen with a sponge cake covered in strawberries. ‘This is a tres leches cake, also known as a milk cake because it takes three types of milk to make it.’

‘Mmmm,’ Grandpa Tunde said as he eyed up the cake. He had a massive sweet tooth.

Misha and Ziggy filled their plates up with everything.

Dad crossed his arms. ‘We’re waiting for Lexi, Ed and Carter to join us for dinner,’ he said in a stern voice.

‘OOPS,’ Ziggy said with his mouth full of taco.

‘Dayo, let them eat,’ Grandma Joy said, sitting down. ‘There is enough for everyone.’ Grandma Joy suddenly screamed and pointed at a GREY LIZARD that had appeared on the steps in front of them. ‘What is that?’

Misha and Ziggy looked excitedly at it, but Carmen quickly grabbed a broom and yelled, ‘Shoo!’ as she swiped at the lizard, and it quickly ran away.

Misha wished she’d had time to speak to the lizard, and Ziggy had hoped to shapeshift into it.

Lexi, Ed and Carter joined the family a few minutes later, and they all eagerly tucked into the food. Misha couldn’t get enough – the food was full of spicy, tangy, sweet flavours and was some of the best she’d ever eaten.

The sun was starting to set, and with full bellies, they watched the sky turn purple, pink and orange. Grandpa Tunde let out a loud yawn. He had eaten three slices of cake!

‘I think I need to sleep,’ he said.

‘Oh, we’re going to see the sea turtles,’ Dad said. ‘I wanted you to come.’

‘I’ll see them tomorrow,’ Grandpa Tunde said as he patted his stomach. ‘I’m too full to move.’

‘You all go on,’ Grandma Joy added. ‘I’ll stay with him.’

Ziggy was really full too. He had eaten at least TWO OF EVERYTHING, but there was no way he was going to miss the sea turtles.

‘We won’t be long,’ Dad said, kissing Grandma Joy on the cheek.

When they arrived on the beach a few minutes later, they could see and hear the peaceful waves of the ocean. Carter had his night-vision camera with him ready to catch all the action.

‘We should see quite a few sea turtles coming onto the beach from the ocean at this time of the evening,’ Carmen said excitedly. ‘It’s when they usually lay their eggs. I can’t wait for you all to see them nest in real life.’

The twins grinned at each other. They couldn’t wait either! They took off their sandals and felt the warm sand under their feet. Misha and Ziggy looked eagerly for the sea turtles, but they couldn’t see anything other than sand and ocean.

‘THAT’S STRANGE,’ Dad said with his hands on his hips.

Lexi nodded. ‘Maybe let’s walk along the beach? We might find them in a different area.’

The group walked up and down the beach over and over again. But they still couldn’t find any sea turtles. It was as if they had all magically disappeared.

CHAPTER FOUR Under the Sea

After searching the beach for a little while longer, Dad and the film crew crouched down and began gently digging into the sand with their hands.

‘Dad, what are you doing?’ Misha asked.

‘Searching for turtle eggs. There should be nests on the beach. Female sea turtles dig a deep hole in the sand and lay their eggs in there, then cover the hole up with sand again. We have to be careful when we’re looking though. Turtle eggs are very fragile and we don’t want to hurt any of the baby turtles before they’ve hatched. Mish, Zig, why don’t you help us see if we can find any.’

Misha and Ziggy got on their hands and knees and began combing softly through the sand. Misha knew that if there was at least one sea turtle around, she could speak to it and find out what had happened to the rest of them, but she couldn’t see any.

Ziggy wished he could transform into a sea turtle so that Dad could get his footage for his wildlife documentary, but Ziggy needed to be close to a sea turtle to shapeshift into one. Once he had shapeshifted into an animal, he could do it again whenever he wanted. IT WAS A SHAME Dad didn’t need an elephant calf or a black lion because Ziggy could shapeshift into those anytime he wanted.

Suddenly, Ziggy gasped. ‘LOOK AT THIS.’

Ziggy had found a handful of chalky-white eggs peeking out from the sand.

Dad hurried over. ‘Well done, Zig! These have little cracks in them, which means they should hatch soon – but where are the freshly laid eggs?’ He looked towards the ocean. ‘There’s no way the sea turtles have finished nesting. We’re only in August and it’s still nesting season for a few more months. THERE SHOULD BE THOUSANDS OF EGGS ON THIS BEACH.’

‘Hopefully it’s not the Sargassum blocking them,’ Lexi said.

‘What’s that?’ Ziggy asked.

‘It’s like a brown seaweed that washes up on the shore from the ocean. If there’s lots of it, sea turtles can’t come onto the beach.’

Carmen shook her head. ‘That shouldn’t be an issue because the cleaners remove it every day at sunrise.’

‘What are we going to do?’ Ed asked Lexi, who was brushing sand off her legs. ‘We can’t have a documentary about sea turtles and not show the nesting and hatching. We need to see the full story.’

‘Maybe it’s the wrong beach?’ Carter said, putting his camera down.

‘I promise they always come to this beach,’ Carmen said.

‘Let’s try again tomorrow,’ Lexi suggested. ‘Is that okay with you, Dayo?’

‘Yes, of course,’ Dad said, but he couldn’t hide the disappointment in his voice. He stood up and helped the twins to their feet. ‘Hopefully, we’ll have better luck then.’

Grandpa Tunde was already asleep when they arrived back at the villa, but Grandma Joy was awake. She looked up from the television when she heard them come inside.

‘How was it?’ she asked.

‘No luck.’ Dad sighed as he sat next to her on the sofa. ‘There weren’t any sea turtles, so we didn’t get to see the nesting, but we did at least find some sea turtle eggs that are going to hatch soon. We will search again tomorrow.’

‘Oh, I’m sure the sea turtles will turn up,’ Grandma Joy said, rubbing Dad’s arm.

‘Maybe they were all in the water,’ Ziggy suggested.

‘They are usually on the beach at this time of night,’ Carmen said. ‘Right, shall I show you where you will be sleeping? You need to get a good night’s rest because we’re going snorkelling in the morning.’

‘We are?’ Misha said excitedly.

‘Cool!’ Ziggy shouted.

This was perfect! Now Misha and Ziggy could go undersea and use their magical powers to find out where the sea turtles were.

In the morning, Carmen made a Mexican breakfast called huevos rancheros, which was fried eggs on a tortilla with red salsa and cheese.

‘What do you think?’ Carmen asked as she watched the twins take a bite.

‘Delicious,’ Ziggy said. ‘Can I have some more?’

‘Finish the one you have on your plate first, Zig!’ Dad laughed. He swallowed his coffee and kissed the twins on the forehead as the crew stood up to leave. ‘Right, we’re off to the beach to do some filming. Mum, Dad, are you coming?’

Grandpa Tunde and Grandma Joy had a basket already packed with food and drinks that Carmen had organized for them. They were going to rent a cabana – a small hut with a roof – at the beach for the day. The twins were going to join them later.

‘See you later, babies,’ Grandma Joy said, kissing their cheeks. ‘Make sure you listen to Carmen.’

‘We will. See you later!’ Misha said, waving.

‘I’ll do a quick tidy-up, and once you’re finished eating, we’ll make our way to the beach for snorkelling,’ Carmen said.

They waited until Carmen’s footsteps had faded away before Ziggy said to his sister, ‘What’s the plan?’

‘If there’s lots of families doing snorkelling, the instructors might be a bit distracted…’ Misha said.

‘So then I can shapeshift and find the sea turtles,’ Ziggy finished.

‘Exactly! But don’t go too deep, Zig. I don’t want you getting lost in the ocean.’

Ziggy scoffed. ‘I’ll be fine! But what do we do about Carmen? Isn’t she coming in the water with us?’

Misha frowned. ‘If she is, that will make everything more difficult.’

The twins looked at each other. All they could do was hope that their plan would work.

Once the twins had finished eating and had packed all their swimming gear, they walked the short distance to the beach with Carmen. It was a hot day with a clear blue sky, and the beach was busy with families. Misha and Ziggy couldn’t see their grandparents or their dad, but they knew they were around somewhere, so the twins had to try not to draw too much attention to themselves.

Carmen led them to the changing rooms. She opened her bag and pulled out wetsuits, goggles, snorkels and sun cream.

‘Put the sun cream on and then get changed,’ Carmen instructed.

The wetsuits were REALLY TIGHT, which made them difficult to put on. When Misha and Ziggy came out of the changing room, they saw that Carmen had changed into a wetsuit too. The twins looked at each other. Carmen was coming into the water with them. This was definitely going to be harder than they’d thought.

The three of them approached a small white speedboat, which was bobbing up and down in the water. There were families already chatting and laughing aboard their own speedboats nearby.

‘HOLA, DIEGO!’ Carmen waved at a middle-aged man with brown curly hair in a blue wetsuit. He waved back at them.

‘Hola, Carmen. You can follow my boat.’ Diego smiled at the twins. ‘Are you ready to dive into the ocean?’

Misha and Ziggy nodded enthusiastically. Diego gave them a hand onto their boat before climbing back into his own, and Carmen started the engine. They were moving faster and faster, skimming over the waves. After a short while, the boat stopped. They were in the middle of the ocean, and the water was a deep blue colour.

‘Your dad said you are very strong swimmers?’ Carmen asked, and the twins nodded. ‘GOOD! I’ve been snorkelling many times, so I’m going to stay on the boat to keep an eye on you. Make sure you stay close by. You’re not allowed to swim away from the group. Have you used a snorkel before?’

The twins shook their heads.

‘So, if you’re near the surface of the water, you can use the snorkel pipe to breathe so you can keep your face underwater and keep looking at the ocean wildlife for a long time. But if you’re swimming deeper in the ocean, the snorkel won’t work, so if you need oxygen you need to come back to the surface and make sure the tip of the pipe is above the water. Then you can blow out hard and any water will come out of the snorkel so you can use it to breathe again. Or you can bring your face out of the water to breathe normally. If you don’t want to snorkel any more, just wave at me and I’ll help you back onto the boat, okay?’

The twins nodded at Carmen, then grinned at each other. Carmen wasn’t getting into the ocean, so it would be much easier for Ziggy to shapeshift.

‘Oh, take this. It’s an underwater camera.’ Carmen handed it to Misha. ‘You can take photos of any sea creatures you see and then show your dad.’

Misha eagerly took the camera from Carmen, and Ziggy was bouncing with excitement.

‘Okay, everyone, let’s get into the water,’ Diego instructed from his boat. ‘Make sure your goggles and snorkels are on securely. And please don’t go too deep under the water. SNORKELLING IS FUN, BUT THE OCEAN CAN BE DANGEROUS and we want to keep everyone safe.’

Most of the people on the boats looked nervous, but Misha and Ziggy weren’t! They were the first ones to jump into the ocean and go under the water. They spent a few minutes practising with the snorkel and making sure it worked okay before they dived deeper. A school of colourful fish swam by, and Misha tried to say hi, but all that came out of her mouth was bubbles, which made the fish quickly swim away. Misha’s shoulders sank when she realized that she wouldn’t be able to speak to any sea creatures while she had the snorkel in her mouth. She felt terrible knowing that her powers wouldn’t work underwater.

The twins swam a little deeper. Then, suddenly, everything went dark. Misha and Ziggy looked up and saw a huge fish swimming above them. IT HAD A LARGE DIAMOND-SHAPED BODY WITH WINGS LIKE FINS. It spun around and they could see some spots on its belly. The twins recognized the fish from the photos of sea creatures found in Cancún that Dad had showed them on the plane. It was a spotted eagle ray.

Ziggy nodded at Misha before he swam away, following the spotted eagle ray until he was close. Ziggy closed his eyes and his skin turned smooth and cool to the touch with bright white spots all over it. His body stretched out into a diamond shape with big, pointy wings. Ziggy’s long tail moved back and forth in the water, but he was careful not to move it too much because they had sharp venomous spikes on them. Ziggy swam back to Misha, and he was so graceful that he felt like he was flying through the ocean. He gently nudged her, and Misha nodded. She held up her hand to signal five minutes, and Ziggy swam off.

People from the boat started to slowly make their way into the sea. Misha decided to take some photos underwater. She may not be able to speak to the animals down there, but she could still show her family what she had seen.

Meanwhile, Ziggy was getting used to his new form. Ziggy had assumed that being this large and wide would mean he wouldn’t be able to move fast, but he was swimming quickly through the ocean. He passed lots of colourful fishes and crabs as he searched around for sea turtles. Ziggy stopped when he saw a creature with tentacles glowing in the dark. IT TOOK HIM A SECOND TO REALIZE IT WAS A JELLYFISH! Ziggy really wanted to shapeshift into one, but he remembered Misha signalling to him that he had five minutes. Time was running out, and he still hadn’t seen any sea turtles. Suddenly, in the distance, he saw something big with a sharp-looking fin – IT MUST BE A SHARK! Ziggy had no idea if sharks ate spotted eagle rays, but he wasn’t going to hang around to find out!

Ziggy swam past beautiful coral reefs in bright colours: purple, yellow, pink, orange. Dad had once described coral reefs like an underwater city that had been made by tiny sea creatures called coral polyps. Loads of sea creatures lived there, such as crabs, starfish and even sea turtles, although Ziggy still hadn’t seen any. As he passed by, small blue fish appeared from their hiding spots in the reef. A white plastic bag floated by under Ziggy’s body, catching his attention.

What is that doing here? Ziggy thought.

He swam towards where he’d seen the plastic bag and was surprised to see more plastic bags, plastic bottles, food wrappers, drinking straws, aluminium cans and fishing nets floating past him. Ziggy had no idea that there would be rubbish in the ocean. How could that be?

Ziggy knew his five minutes was up, but as he turned to swim back to Misha, he saw something that made his stomach sink. A green sea turtle, struggling to swim, with a plastic drink-holder ring around its body.

CHAPTER FIVE Meeting Isabella

Five minutes felt like five hours to Misha, and she couldn’t help looking for Ziggy every second, hoping he was on his way back. Misha needed oxygen, so she swam back to the surface, ensured her snorkelling pipe was above the sea, and blew hard so the water came out. She really needed Ziggy to come back right now.

Misha dipped back under the water; then someone tapped her shoulder. SHE SPUN AROUND AND SAW IT WAS ZIGGY! He had shapeshifted back into his human form. He pointed up towards the surface of the water, and they swam up together.

They had only just taken off their masks and snorkels when Carmen yelled from the boat, ‘Are you okay? Do you want to come out?’

‘We’re fine,’ Misha said. ‘Just wanted a quick break.’

Carmen gave them the thumbs-up.

Misha noticed Ziggy’s sad face. ‘You couldn’t find the sea turtles?’ she asked.

‘I only found one, but there was some plastic wrapped around its body. It was trapped in a drink-holder thingy.’

Misha frowned. ‘Plastic? How did that get there?’

‘I don’t know. I saw lots of litter. I had no idea it could be in the ocean.’

‘Those poor animals,’ Misha said sadly.

‘I still don’t know where the rest of the sea turtles are. I didn’t see any others,’ Ziggy said. ‘And I couldn’t stay down there any longer because I didn’t want to worry you, but I REALLY WANTED TO HELP THAT SEA TURTLE.’

‘I know, Zig,’ Misha said. ‘Do you want to go back down and look for it? I can’t talk to anyone under the sea with this snorkel on, so I can’t help.’

‘Sorry, Mish – that sucks,’ Ziggy said. ‘Yes, let me try and find it.’

Misha nodded, and they put their goggles and snorkels back on and went back under the water.

Misha, Ziggy and Carmen joined Grandpa Tunde and Grandma Joy at the cabana on the beach for lunch. Ziggy was deflated because he hadn’t found the trapped sea turtle. He had no idea where it had gone. Misha had said she would ask the animals on the beach if they had seen anything when they went back in the evening.

The twins were STARVING after all that swimming, and there was a plate of tasty beef empanadas waiting for them.

‘I think that’s your dad over there,’ Carmen said, pointing to the other side of the beach.

It was Dad, and he was talking into the camera for his documentary.

‘Do you think the sea turtles will be back, Carmen?’ Grandpa Tunde asked.

‘I hope so!’ Carmen said. ‘It was very strange that they weren’t there yesterday. My friends who live close to the other beaches where the sea turtles usually nest didn’t see them yesterday either. I can’t think where else they would be.’

‘I hope they come to the beach soon,’ Grandma Joy said, sipping on her fruity cocktail, ‘or this will have been a wasted journey for Dayo.’

‘Carmen,’ Ziggy said, brushing the empanada crumbs off his shorts, ‘we saw lots of litter in the ocean.’

Carmen huffed. ‘IT’S HORRIBLE! PEOPLE THROW THEIR RUBBISH INTO THE OCEAN, OR THEY LEAVE IT ON THE BEACH AND IT WASHES INTO THE SEA. It’s called sea pollution. People litter all the time and it harms the sea creatures. Sometimes my friends and I spend the day collecting the rubbish that washes up on the beach. There’s even a place called the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Have you heard of it?’

Everyone shook their heads.

‘It’s in the North Pacific Ocean, between California and Hawaii, where about one point eight trillion pieces of plastic are in the water.’

‘Trillion!’ Misha and Ziggy said, but they were so shocked that neither of them called out ‘jinx’. They had heard of a million, and even a billion, but NEVER A TRILLION.

Carmen nodded. ‘It would take decades to clear it up.’

‘Wow,’ Grandpa Tunde said. ‘I knew about sea pollution, but I didn’t know it was that bad.’

‘I grew up right here by the ocean,’ Carmen explained, ‘and I’m always seeing animals trapped in fishing nets or getting sick from swallowing plastic.’

Hearing about sea pollution made Misha think of Jember, the black lion in Ethiopia, and how humans were causing harm to animals and their homes because of poaching, and how it wasn’t fair. And now humans were doing the same thing with sea creatures in the ocean!

After eating the delicious food and relaxing awhile in the sun, Grandpa Tunde and Grandma Joy fell asleep. Carmen was sitting in a lounge chair wearing a sombrero hat and she was slowly dozing off too. Misha and Ziggy waited until her eyes were closed before they set off.

‘Let’s walk along the shore,’ Misha suggested. ‘We might get lucky and find an animal we can talk to now rather than having to wait till this evening when we’re with the grown-ups.’

They walked closer to the sea so that the water was touching their feet and looked along the shoreline, but there were NO SEA CREATURES TO BE SEEN. Misha couldn’t hide her disappointment.

‘Let’s look further up,’ Ziggy said.

They walked along the beach. Soft waves were crashing onto the shore as the sea came in and out. The next time the sea pulled back, Misha and Ziggy spotted a sea turtle on the wet sand! It was lying on its stomach, its arms and legs spread apart like a starfish.

‘Yes!’ Ziggy said. ‘COME ON, MISH!’

They hurried over to it.

‘Hi!’ Misha said excitedly, bending down so she was closer to the turtle. ‘You look very relaxed.’

At first Misha thought the sea turtle was going to ignore her, but it turned its head very slowly, and its eyes widened when it saw her. ‘You’re human!’

Misha grinned. ‘I am. My name is Misha, and this is my brother, Ziggy. I can speak to animals, and Ziggy can shapeshift into them.’

‘SPEAK? SHAPESHIFT? I’ve been living for a long time and have never met humans like that! So, yes, I can understand you, but I would like to see your brother shapeshift. CAN HE LOOK LIKE ME?’ the sea turtle asked.

Misha told Ziggy what the sea turtle had said. Ziggy didn’t need to be asked twice, and he quickly got ready to shapeshift, but Misha grabbed his arm.

‘Not here! There’s too many people.’

Ziggy looked around. The beach was still packed with families. ‘No one will notice!’ he protested.

Misha tutted. ‘Of course they will. I’ll ask the questions.’

‘Ask it how old it is,’ Ziggy said, and Misha elbowed him. They had been taught it was rude to ask strangers their age.

‘Have you been alive for a long time?’ Misha asked instead.

‘Oh, yes! I’m eighty years old. But sea turtles have been around for a very long time, and I’m sure they’ve never spoken to a human or watched a human shapeshift before.’

‘Yes, our dad said sea turtles have been alive since the time of the dinosaurs!’ Misha said. ‘It’s amazing to think you guys were walking around near a T-Rex.’

The sea turtle CHUCKLED. ‘It must have been an interesting time. Thankfully, we were able to adapt to the changing environment – that’s why we have survived all these years. Anyway, it’s good to meet you both. My name is Isabella. I was taking a quick rest on the shore before I lay my eggs on the beach this evening. It’s quite tiring work digging in the sand to prepare the nest, but this beach is where I was born too, so it’s very special.’

‘We saw some of the eggs yesterday,’ Misha said. ‘Where are the rest of the sea turtles?’

Isabella sighed. ‘THEY’RE NOT ABLE TO COME TO THE BEACH.’

Misha frowned. ‘Why not?’

‘They’re trapped in plastic and fishing nets in the ocean, and they have no way of escaping,’ Isabella said. ‘They’re going to miss nesting season, so there won’t be enough baby sea turtles born. Even worse, if they aren’t able to lay their eggs, they could get very sick – and if they stay trapped underwater, they will run out of oxygen.’

Misha explained everything Isabella had said to Ziggy.

‘Trapped!’ Ziggy thought of the sea turtle he’d seen in the ocean earlier. ‘I saw a sea turtle with plastic stuck around its body.’

Misha told Isabella what Ziggy had said.

Isabella shook her head sadly. ‘Yes, it happens a lot,’ she said. ‘Sea pollution is a really big problem for us. My brother got very sick because he accidentally ate a plastic bag that he thought was a jellyfish. Sometimes plastic and other litter is left on the beach too, and it blocks the sea turtle hatchlings from making their way into the ocean, after we have travelled thousands of miles to lay our eggs here. I wish I could help the other sea turtles escape all of the dangerous litter, but I can’t. All I can do is make sure I lay my own eggs so that my baby sea turtles will be born.’

‘I’m so sorry, Isabella,’ Misha said. ‘Don’t worry – we’re going to help the trapped sea turtles.’ She looked at Ziggy.

They both knew that they had to help, but they didn’t know how.

CHAPTER SIX Where Are the Sea Turtles?

As much as Misha and Ziggy wanted to help the sea turtles right away, they were so exhausted from being out in the sun and snorkelling in the sea that, as soon as they got back to the cabana, they fell asleep next to Grandpa Tunde and Grandma Joy, with Carmen sleeping in the lounger next to them.

Dad arrived and woke them up just as the weather was getting cooler and the sun was starting to set.

‘Oh my goodness! I’ve been asleep for ages,’ Grandma Joy said as she stretched her arms.

Carmen rubbed her eyes. ‘How are you, Dayo?’

‘Good!’ Dad replied. ‘We got some great scenic shots today. I know we were planning to have dinner soon, but seeing as it’s nearly the evening and we’re already here on the beach, we’re going to see if the sea turtles are back first.’

‘WE SAW ONE, DAD!’ Ziggy said excitedly, and Dad gasped. ‘EARLIER TODAY, ON THE BEACH.’

‘We did,’ Misha echoed. ‘And I think she was going to lay her eggs.’

Dad grinned. ‘Well, that would be good. Shall we see if we can find her?’

‘We’ll come with you.’ Grandpa Tunde stood up. ‘I want to see the sea turtles.’

They all left the cabana and walked along the beach, finally reaching the section where Lexi, Ed and Carter were already looking for the sea turtles.

‘The turtle we saw was a bit further up,’ Misha said.

‘FOLLOW US!’ Ziggy instructed the group.

But when they all reached the spot where Misha and Ziggy had seen Isabella a few hours earlier, Isabella was nowhere to be found.

‘If the sea turtle is laying her eggs,’ Ziggy said, ‘she wouldn’t be close to the shore, would she, Dad?’

‘That’s right, Zig,’ Dad said. ‘Let’s see if she is away from the shoreline and higher up the beach.’

Ziggy excitedly ran further up the beach, away from the edge of the water. He wanted to be the first person to spot Isabella, but just like the night before, there wasn’t a sea turtle in sight.

Dad took off his glasses and rubbed them on his shirt. He put them back on and looked around the beach again. ‘I don’t understand.’

‘This is very strange,’ Carmen said. ‘The sea turtles are always here at this time of year.’ She put a hand to her chest. ‘Maybe something has happened to them.’

‘Like what?’ Grandma Joy asked.

‘I’m not sure, but I feel it in my bones,’ Carmen said. ‘My abuela always said we must respect the ocean, and it will respect us. Grandmothers are very wise.’

‘Yes we are,’ Grandma Joy said, winking at Misha and Ziggy.

Dad frowned. ‘Do you think something bad has happened to the sea turtles in the ocean?’

Misha and Ziggy glanced at each other. They wished they could tell the others that all of the sea turtles were trapped in plastic and fishing nets, but they couldn’t say that a sea turtle had told them that!

‘I think so,’ Carmen said.

Dad looked out to the ocean. ‘We have till tomorrow night to film them before the crew go home. Whatever has happened, I hope it’s resolved before then.’

After a restless night, Misha woke up thinking about the sea turtles trapped in the litter underwater. How could they free them? And what would happen to Dad’s show if he didn’t get the footage that he needed today?

Ziggy also hadn’t slept well. What if they were too late to help the sea turtles? If they couldn’t find Isabella again, how would they know where to locate the sea turtles in the ocean?

They both headed downstairs to breakfast. Dad was outside eating at the dining table with Lexi, Ed and Carter. Grandpa Tunde and Grandma Joy were nowhere in sight.

‘Good morning!’ Dad said as he ate a mango. ‘How did you sleep?’

‘COULDN’T SLEEP.’ Ziggy yawned, but then his belly grumbled loudly and he grinned.

Dad laughed.

‘Where’s Grandma Joy and Grandpa Tunde?’ Misha asked.

‘They went to the spa. They’ll be back later,’ Dad replied.

‘Here you go.’ Carmen put a hot plate of toasted bread with refried beans, melted cheese, slices of avocado and pico de gallo, which looked like a tomato salsa. ‘THIS DISH IS CALLED MOLLETE. IT’S A MEXICAN SANDWICH.’

Misha and Ziggy hurriedly took one each.

‘What’s this bread called?’ Misha asked with her mouth full. ‘It’s delicious.’

‘It’s called bolillo. It’s a traditional bread here in Mexico.’

‘I’ve had about five already,’ Ed said, tapping his full belly, and the twins laughed.

‘Once you’ve finished eating breakfast,’ Carmen said, ‘we’re going to head to the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, WHERE WE CAN SEE DOLPHINS! It’s the largest protected area in Mexico, and we’ll get to see these beautiful creatures in their natural habitat.’

‘No way!’ Ziggy said excitedly. He would love to transform into a dolphin and soar through the ocean, leaping in and out of the water.

Misha also really wanted to see the dolphins, but what she wanted to do more was go back to the beach and find Isabella.

‘I wish I could come,’ Dad said, ‘but the crew and I will be filming footage in another part of Cancún today. We’ll meet you at the beach later this evening. I’m so excited that you’ll get to see dolphins. Did you know that they are mammals like us? They need to breathe air as well, and they even have hair on their snouts when they’re born.’

‘Hair?’ Misha and Ziggy said at the same time before pointing at each other and shouting, ‘Jinx!’ But because they had jinxed at the same time, it didn’t count.

‘I’m imagining a dolphin with a BIG MOP OF HAIR,’ Carter said. ‘Maybe one with hair like mine.’ He held out his long plaits.

‘I would love to see one with these curls,’ Lexi said.

‘What about an Afro?’ Dad said.

‘LONG RAPUNZEL HAIR?’ Ed said.

The dolphin hairstyles kept getting bigger and more dramatic, until everyone was laughing.

‘Please take lots of pictures, Carmen,’ Dad said. ‘I’ve heard it’s so beautiful there.’

‘Of course,’ Carmen said. ‘And I really hope the sea turtles come to the beach today, Dayo.’

‘Me too. This is the last day for the crew, and if we don’t get the footage, it’s going to be a big problem.’

CHAPTER SEVEN The Magic Twins

Misha, Ziggy and Carmen travelled a few hours by car from Cancún to the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve. The twins pressed their faces to the car window and gasped when they arrived. The lagoons were clear and turquoise with white sandy beaches next to a stunning tropical jungle with huge palm trees. They were surrounded by nature.

‘THIS IS AMAZING,’ Misha said.

‘Isn’t it?’ Carmen smiled. ‘Hundreds of different types of birds live here, and there are lots of animals in the jungle, like jaguars and crocodiles. Sometimes they even like to sunbathe – I’ve seen a crocodile doing that.’

‘Oh, I wanna see!’ Ziggy said.

Carmen laughed. ‘Let’s check out the dolphins first. We’ve got a guide to help us.’

Waiting for them was José, a tall Mexican man with tanned skin and long brown hair. They parked their car and jumped into Jose’s black 4x4 car. Misha was at first confused why they had to swap cars, but as they drove along the bumpy dirt roads, she quickly understood!

‘Ooh, look at that!’ Ziggy pointed at a huge bird with a long beak that almost touched the ground.

‘THAT IS A PELICAN,’ José said. ‘Their beaks help them pick up lots of fish.’

On the journey through the jungle, they saw lots of colourful tropical birds and birds of prey, and José seemed to know the names of all of them. Soon they arrived at a lagoon, where there was a row of white and blue boats bobbing by a long bridge. A woman with short dark hair was standing in one of the boats. Four other people were waiting on the dock beside the boats, next to a box that appeared to be full of life jackets.

‘We’re all going to head out into the water together,’ José said as they made their way towards the dock.

Once they got there, Carmen opened the big bag that was hanging off her arm.

‘I have brought your snorkelling stuff in case you want to go in,’ Carmen said. ‘Hand me your T-shirts. I’ll get you some life jackets to put over your wetsuits.’

When Carmen left, Misha said to Ziggy, ‘WE HAVE TO GET BACK TO THE BEACH.’

‘But how?’ Ziggy replied. ‘What if Carmen wants to stay here for the whole day?’

Misha groaned. Any other time, she would have loved to spend the entire day here, but not today. The sea turtles needed to be rescued. And Dad needed them to be on the beach so he could film them nesting for his documentary.

Carmen returned to the twins with two orange life jackets and helped them put them on.

‘Good morning,’ said José, ‘and welcome to the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve Tour. My name is José. In a moment, we’re going to head into the water. You four will go with my colleague, Valentina, in that boat. And you three –’ he looked at Carmen, Misha and Ziggy – ‘will be with me. Please make sure your life jackets are secure and follow me to the boat.’

The boat rocked slightly as they all got in it. José sat at the back with Carmen. He yanked the engine cord and the boat began to move. The water was so clear that they could see the bright fishes under the sea. They had been travelling for a few minutes when Ziggy spotted a DOLPHIN FLIP THROUGH THE AIR.

‘Did you see that?’ Ziggy said excitedly.

‘What?’ Misha said, looking left to right. She hadn’t seen anything.

‘A DOLPHIN JUST CAME OUT OF THE WATER!’

‘Oh, I missed it!’ Misha groaned. She looked behind her, and Carmen and José were busy talking in Spanish. Misha had an idea. The boat was getting closer and closer to where Ziggy had spotted the dolphin.

‘Hello! Anyone there?’ Misha said, but it came out as a whistle and a click – dolphin speak. She knew Carmen and José wouldn’t be able to hear her over the loud engine, but dolphins had very good hearing, so she hoped they would.

A dolphin popped its head out of the water!

‘Mish, look!’ Ziggy said, jumping in his seat.

‘Hello?’ the dolphin said curiously.

Then another one appeared, and another, and another.

Carmen stood up, and José stopped the boat.

Carmen began to root in her bag. ‘Four dolphins! Where’s my camera?’

‘Why is that girl staring at us like that?’ the biggest dolphin said, and they all looked at Misha.

‘Hello,’ Misha said, and the dolphins’ eyes widened.

‘Did you say hello?’ the biggest dolphin asked.

‘I did.’ Misha grinned. ‘I’m Misha. What’s your name?’

Then the dolphins swam over to the boat.

‘Don’t panic – they are very friendly,’ José said, but Misha and Ziggy were far from scared.

‘Look at that!’ Carmen gasped. She took out her waterproof camera and started to snap pictures. ‘That’s amazing!’

The other boat stopped nearby, and they were calling out to the dolphins, but the dolphins only had eyes for Misha.

‘I’m Enrique,’ the biggest dolphin said. ‘That’s Luis, Maria and the youngest is Ximena.’

‘Are you magic?’ Ximena asked.

‘Have you told them about me?’ Ziggy asked his sister excitedly.

Misha rolled her eyes. ‘This is my brother, Ziggy. He can shapeshift into animals, so that means he can turn into a dolphin,’ Misha said.

‘Oh, I don’t believe that,’ Enrique said. ‘Prove it.’

‘He wants to see, Ziggy,’ Misha said.

But everyone was trying so hard to get the dolphins’ attention that it would be impossible for Ziggy to shapeshift without people seeing him.

‘Are we allowed in the water, José?’ Ziggy asked, but José shook his head.

‘These are wild animals, so we’re not allowed to swim with them.’

‘Ah, man,’ Ziggy groaned. ‘Where can we swim?’

‘By the corals, but we would have to leave the dolphins behind. We can always come back?’

Ziggy raised his eyebrows at Misha, and she nodded. She knew exactly what to do.

‘Yes, please,’ Ziggy said at the same time Misha told the dolphins, ‘Follow the boat, but don’t be obvious about it.’

‘No problem,’ Enrique said, and the dolphins disappeared under the water.

Carmen handed them their snorkelling equipment, and the twins removed their life jackets. The coral reefs were full of yellow and orange fish that swam away when Misha and Ziggy jumped into the cool water. Misha grinned when she saw that the dolphins had indeed followed them.

‘Distract them,’ Ziggy told Misha, and he took a deep breath and went under the water.

‘Jump through the water,’ Misha said to the dolphins. ‘Ziggy is going to shapeshift and join you.’

The dolphins began to leap through the waves, and Carmen whooped as she filmed them.

‘I’VE NEVER SEEN THE DOLPHINS DO THAT THIS CLOSE TO HUMANS,’ José said in surprise.

Ziggy swam behind the smallest dolphin, Ximena, and his body began to stretch out. His skin turned grey and became smooth and rubbery, just like when he was a spotted eagle ray. His nose grew into a snout, and all of his hair disappeared. Ziggy’s legs, which he’d been kicking underwater, were now a powerful tail. His hands were now flippers, and he had grown a sharp fin. Ziggy no longer had to breathe through his nose or mouth. Instead, he had a blowhole to breathe through, which had appeared on top of his head.

Ziggy really wanted to swim across the ocean as fast as he could to get to Isabella and the other sea turtles, but right now he had to focus. Ziggy stuck his head above the water, and Misha saw him and clapped her hands. All of the dolphins turned around, and when they saw Ziggy, they whistled loudly, diving through the water to get to him.

‘WOW! LOOK AT YOU!’ Luis said, circling him.

‘Incredible!’ Enrique said, chirping with glee.

‘Can you change into me?’ Maria asked, nudging Ziggy with her snout.

‘I knew they were magic!’ Ximena said, flicking her tail excitedly.

Ziggy wished he could stay as a dolphin all day, but Carmen was bound to notice that he was missing, so he dived back underwater and re-emerged at the surface in his human form. The dolphins were even more animated seeing Ziggy back as a human, and they continued to swim next to him, but now he couldn’t understand them.

‘Look at them surrounding Ziggy,’ Carmen said. ‘I have never seen dolphins act like that.’

‘Never,’ José said. ‘Have you two swum with dolphins before?’ he asked Misha.

‘Err… no, but I read about how to communicate with them. Watch this…’

Misha swam over to Ziggy and the dolphins.

‘I told our babysitter, Carmen, and our guide, José, that I know how to communicate with you,’ Misha told them. ‘They don’t know about my powers, but we need to show them that we can understand each other. They’re watching us, so please do some tricks as we talk.’ Misha took a breath and continued, ‘We need your help. Do you know anything about the sea turtles in the ocean?’

Luis and Enrique did a backflip over Ziggy’s body, and everyone cheered.

‘Yes,’ Maria said. ‘WE HEARD THAT THEY KEEP GETTING TRAPPED IN LITTER THAT IS FLOATING IN THE OCEAN, SO THEY CAN’T GET TO THE BEACH TO LAY THEIR EGGS FOR NESTING SEASON. Our cousin Mateo, who lives in the Caribbean Sea, told us.’

‘How do we reach them?’ Misha asked. ‘We want to rescue them.’

Ximena balanced on her tail and moved across the water, circling Ziggy over and over again.

Even though Ziggy couldn’t talk to the dolphins, he knew that these tricks were their way of communicating with him. If he could shapeshift, he would be flipping and diving and swimming in the water with them too.

‘Rescue them?!’ Enrique asked. ‘How? I heard they are stuck in a giant net. It’s all the way past a smack of jellyfish, which will sting you. Plus, it’s pretty dark down there. But the jellyfish do glow and light the way.’

‘Jellyfish can glow?’ Misha asked, amazed.

‘Are you ready for the grand finale?’ Maria asked, but before Misha could question what the ‘grand finale’ was, Luis and Enrique went under the water and pushed Misha and Ziggy up under their feet so that they were balancing on their snouts above the water!

Misha and Ziggy had no idea that they had attracted a crowd, but all the boats nearby had stopped to watch, and everyone was clapping loudly. The twins held their hands up in the air and waved at everyone.

This was the best feeling ever!

CHAPTER EIGHT A Solo Adventure

That was incredible!’ Carmen said as they climbed off the boat onto the dock. ‘I got the best photos and videos. Were you scared up there?’

‘No, it was so cool!’ Ziggy said.

‘The most fun!’ Misha added. And helpful, she thought. The dolphins’ information meant that she could now think of a plan to save the sea turtles, and she couldn’t thank them enough.

‘We can do the jungle next,’ Carmen said.

‘Oh… err… can we head back to the villa?’ Misha asked. ‘I’m pretty tired.’

‘Yeah, same,’ Ziggy said, and he yawned loudly to prove his point.

‘Of course!’ Carmen said. ‘Let’s grab some food first, and then we can head back to the car.’

Once they got back to the villa, Misha and Ziggy pretended to be even more tired to convince Carmen they needed to nap. Carmen said she would wake them up in a few hours, and the twins made their way to their room to make a plan.

‘This is the only chance we have,’ Misha said. ‘Carmen thinks we’re sleeping and so won’t check in on us for ages. Grandpa Tunde and Grandma Joy are at the spa. Dad is filming with the crew and won’t be on the beach till later…’

‘Which means we can sneak off now to the beach and hopefully find Isabella,’ Ziggy finished.

‘Once we find Isabella, you will have to shapeshift into a sea turtle and go into the ocean with her. I won’t be able to come with you,’ Misha said sadly. ‘I can’t talk to animals when I’m under the sea. Plus, the snorkels don’t work on a deep dive. So it’s down to you, Zig, to find the sea turtles and rescue them.’

Ziggy gulped. He had never carried out a rescue without Misha before. The idea of doing it alone him made him feel wobbly and scared.

Misha held his arm. ‘You can do this, Zig – I know it.’

But deep down, Misha was also scared. It was a great plan, but this wouldn’t be like sneaking out of the treehouse in Ethiopia or the tent in India. This was Ziggy going underwater on a mission without her. The ocean was huge and had lots of sea creatures, SOME FRIENDLY AND SOME DANGEROUS, so Ziggy would have to be extra careful. Misha had to remind herself that the sea turtles needed them. Hopefully Isabella would be with him, and Ziggy could do this without her. HE HAD TO.

‘Let’s go,’ Misha said.

Misha and Ziggy poked their heads out of their bedroom door, which was slightly open. They couldn’t see Carmen, but they could hear her humming along to the reggaeton music that was playing on the radio. Thankfully, there was a back door not far from their bedroom, so the twins didn’t need to sneak past her. They tiptoed through the door and quietly closed it behind them, hurrying out of the villa towards the beach.

The weather was cloudier than it had been the previous few days, so the beach wasn’t very busy. They ran across the sand to the spot on the shoreline where they’d last seen Isabella, hoping that she or ANY OTHER SEA CREATURE WOULD BE THERE TO HELP GUIDE ZIGGY THROUGH THE OCEAN.

‘Is that her?’ Ziggy asked, pointing further up the beach.

It was definitely a sea turtle, and it was heading slowly towards the ocean.

‘Isabella?’ Misha called, and the sea turtle stopped. It was her! ‘Come on, Zig.’

Misha and Ziggy ran to Isabella, and she lifted her flipper as if to wave to them. ‘HELLO, YOU TWO!’

‘Hi!’ Misha said. ‘We looked for you yesterday evening, but couldn’t find you.’

‘Oh, sorry – I didn’t come back onto the beach, but I’ve just laid my eggs up there,’ Isabella said as she pointed her flipper to the sandy area that was higher up. ‘It breaks my heart that there aren’t many other eggs on the beach.’

‘We think we can help with that,’ Misha said. ‘We met some dolphins earlier today at the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve and they said that the other sea turtles are trapped in a net past a smack of jellyfish.’

‘Yes, that’s right. They can’t escape!’ Isabella said. ‘It’s not far from here. But how can you help?’

‘We want to try to rescue them. Well, Ziggy will try because he can shapeshift.’

Isabella chuckled. ‘Yes, you mentioned that before, but I didn’t see it happen. It all sounds made up, if you ask me.’

Misha explained the conversation to Ziggy before she raised her eyebrows at him. Ziggy grinned, knowing exactly what she wanted him to do. With a quick look around to make sure the coast was clear, Ziggy slowly started to shrink – his body, his arms, his legs, even his head were rapidly getting smaller. His hair disappeared until he was bald, and his head became soft and leathery. His brown skin turned green, and a hard shell formed on his back, which felt surprisingly light. Ziggy had four flippers, and they were very sensitive. It was like he could feel every grain of sand.

Isabella gasped. ‘THAT IS AMAZING! OH MY GOODNESS, IN ALL MY EIGHTY YEARS SWIMMING THE SEAS AND WALKING THE BEACHES, I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD SEE SOMETHING LIKE THIS!’

Misha touched Ziggy’s shell, and Ziggy yelped.

‘Sorry!’ Misha said quickly.

‘You scared me. I didn’t think I would be able to feel that,’ Ziggy said.

‘Because we have nerve endings on our shell,’ Isabella explained, ‘so they’re very sensitive. Misha, it’s best not to touch a sea turtle.’

‘I promise I won’t ever again,’ Misha said. She frowned. ‘The shell felt like my fingernail.’

‘Fingernail?’ Ziggy exclaimed. ‘That’s weird!’

Isabella laughed. ‘That’s because it’s made from bone and covered in keratin, which is what human fingernails are made from.’

Ziggy tried to lift his flipper to touch his shell, but he couldn’t reach. ‘Why do I have four flippers, and why are they not the same size?’

‘The front two are bigger so we can push forward and swim long distances – and the two at the back are smaller for steering and balancing.’

Ziggy couldn’t wait to test them out!

‘Come with me to rescue your friends,’ Ziggy said to Isabella. ‘I will try to set them free.’

‘But how? There’s no way for them to escape the plastic and fishing nets – they’ve tried. Plus, you can’t save them as a fellow sea turtle. We would need something with sharp teeth like a barracuda to cut through the litter.’

‘A barracuda?’ Misha’s heart sank. They hadn’t seen any of those yet.

‘I can turn into any animal that I’m close to,’ Ziggy said. ‘Take me to a barracuda, I’ll shapeshift into one, and then we can rescue your friends.’

‘Oh, I don’t know,’ Isabella said. ‘I’m scared.’

‘I’ll be right there with you,’ Ziggy said. ‘Trust me.’ He gently put his flipper on top of Isabella’s to show she was safe.

Isabella looked up at Misha, who smiled at her.

‘I’ve never met humans like you two before. You really are special. Maybe this is the only way for the others to escape all the sea pollution.’ Isabella took a deep breath. ‘Okay, let’s do this. Ziggy, you’re going to have to take a deep gulp of air because we can’t breathe underwater, especially when we’re swimming, but we can hold our breath for a really long time. We have to be as quick as we can though or we might have to come up for oxygen.’

‘I’ll be waiting for you right here,’ Misha said as she watched them hurry towards the ocean.

‘Ready, Isabella?’ Ziggy asked once they were at the edge of the water.

Isabella nodded.

‘I’ll see you in a bit, Mish,’ Ziggy said.

He took a deep breath, and then he and Isabella went under the water.

CHAPTER NINE Ziggy to the Rescue

The first thing Ziggy thought when swimming through the water was how beautiful it was and how he would miss seeing the coral reefs and sea creatures up close every day. The second thing was that being a sea turtle made him feel very tiny in the massive ocean. When he was a spotted eagle ray or a dolphin, he had felt big and powerful, but now he felt small and vulnerable. But, surprisingly, sea turtles moved fast in the water compared to their slow pace on land, SO THAT WAS FUN.

‘I saw a battery of barracuda near the jellyfish earlier,’ Isabella said, ‘so we should be able to find one easily. They can be quite aggressive though, so I don’t want to get too close.’

They continued swimming towards the spot where Isabella said she had seen the barracudas, and Ziggy couldn’t help but marvel at the different-coloured fish swimming past him. Suddenly, they heard a loud, echoey wail.

‘What was that?’ Ziggy asked.

‘An orca! They’re huge whales. Let’s be quick because they eat sea turtles!’

‘EAT?!’ Ziggy moved his flippers as fast as he could. No way that was going to happen to them!

They soon spotted the barracudas, and they were hard to miss. They had long bodies with large, pointed heads. They were a range of colours from dark grey to green, with a silver or white belly. Some of them had black spots or lines across their body, but what stood out to Ziggy was their sharp, dagger-like fangs.

‘Wait here,’ Ziggy instructed Isabella before swimming closer to the group of barracudas.

They were too busy talking over one another to take any notice of the sea turtle approaching them. Ziggy floated close by and his shell disappeared, his rough, leathery sea turtle body became smooth and slick, stretching out as he shapeshifted into a barracuda. ZIGGY QUICKLY REALIZED THAT HE DIDN’T HAVE TO HOLD HIS BREATH ANY MORE BECAUSE BARRACUDAS HAVE GILLS TO HELP THEM BREATHE UNDERWATER. Ziggy felt strong in his new body. He shot forward, travelling several metres in only a few seconds! Barracudas were fast swimmers.

‘Wow,’ Ziggy said when he swam back to Isabella. ‘That was super speedy, and these teeth feel really sharp.’

‘That’s why barracudas are called the Tigers of the Sea,’ Isabella said. ‘Because of their strength and sharp teeth. It’s really amazing that you can shapeshift, Ziggy. Let’s keep moving. The jellyfish are a bit further that way.’ She pointed her flipper in front of her.

They swam together, and Ziggy wondered what all the other sea creatures would think seeing a barracuda and a sea turtle side by side. They swam deeper and deeper into the ocean, the water becoming darker the further down they went. Then suddenly Ziggy spotted bright blue, purple and white lights glowing in the darkness. He stopped.

‘THAT’S SO COOL.’

‘It is,’ replied Isabella, ‘but they’re jellyfish, so their tentacles can poison you as a barracuda. It’s best if you shapeshift back into a sea turtle while we pass them, because our thick skin protects us from their stings.’

Ziggy assumed that jellyfish stings could hurt anything. It was very cool that sea turtles had their very own protective superpower. Ziggy followed Isabella’s advice, shapeshifting back into a sea turtle before following her through the smack of jellyfish. The glow of the jellyfish made it much easier to see the huge fishing net full of rubbish that was floating just below them – and the hundreds of sea turtles that were stuck inside!

‘Oh no!’ Ziggy gasped.

‘Are you sure you can help them, Ziggy?’ Isabella asked.

Ziggy was shocked. He wasn’t expecting there to be so many sea turtles here!

‘Why aren’t they trying to get free?’ Ziggy asked. He thought he would see them struggling in the fishing net but instead they looked like they were asleep.

‘If they move too much they will use up too much oxygen. The more still they are the longer they can hold their breath,’ Isabella explained.

‘Let them know I’m going to get them out of there,’ Ziggy said to Isabella as he shapeshifted into a barracuda and swam towards the fishing net.

‘Can I get everyone’s attention?’ Isabella shouted. ‘Don’t be afraid of the barracuda. His name is Ziggy and he’s my friend, and he’s going to help free you from the plastic and the fishing net.’

Ziggy circled the net, trying to figure out the best way to cut it.

‘A BARRACUDA? THEY EAT OUR YOUNG TURTLES!’ one sea turtle said, outraged.

Another sea turtle scoffed. ‘Help? No one has bothered to help us for hours. They’ve left us here to drown.’

‘Well Ziggy is special!’ Isabella shot back. ‘And he’s the only chance you have of getting free and making your way back to the beach to lay your eggs in time for nesting season.’

Think, Ziggy. What would Misha do? Ziggy thought.

His twin connection kicked in, and suddenly he could hear her voice loud and clear.

Cut a hole at the top of the net so it will be easier for them to swim out.

‘Thanks, Mish,’ Ziggy whispered to himself. NO MATTER WHERE HE WAS, HIS TWIN SISTER ALWAYS HAD HIS BACK.

Ziggy swam to the top of the fishing net. It was made out of grey nylon – a really strong plastic material. Ziggy prayed that his sharp barracuda teeth could cut through it. He bit down on the net and moved his mouth back and forth. Ziggy was surprised at how easily his teeth cut through the rough material.

‘Yes, Ziggy – you’re doing it!’ Isabella cheered.

The other sea turtles began to quieten down as they watched in stunned silence as Ziggy tore the fishing net apart. Ziggy didn’t stop. He kept moving his teeth back and forth, back and forth, making the hole bigger and bigger.

All of the sea turtles began to cheer him on.

The hole wasn’t big enough yet, but, determined, Ziggy kept going. Pieces of plastic broke away from the net. He wasn’t sure which one of the turtles started chanting his name, but soon there were hundreds of sea turtles shouting, ‘Ziggy! Ziggy! Ziggy!’ He so wished that Misha could see this.

Soon Ziggy had created a massive hole at the top of the fishing net. His jaws were quite sore from all of his hard work gnawing away and breaking up the nylon. He backed away from the hole, and the sea turtles began to escape.

‘Could you help me, please?’

Ziggy turned to find the sea turtle that had been trapped in the plastic ring drink holder from the day before. He could see that some other turtles had been caught in the fishing net and in other rubbish as well.

‘OF COURSE, BUT STAY STILL,’ Ziggy said, swimming up to the turtle.

Gently, Ziggy tore away the plastic and freed the sea turtle. He went around to all of those stuck in plastic and soon they were all free!

‘Thank you,’ the sea turtles said as they passed Ziggy.

‘You did it, Ziggy,’ Isabella said. ‘You saved everyone.’

‘ANYTIME,’ Ziggy said.

The sea turtles were already heading for the surface to get their much-needed oxygen.

Ziggy had no idea how long he had been underwater or how worried Misha might be as she waited for him to return.

‘I’ve got to go, Isabella, but thank you for being brave and helping me rescue your friends. I hope I’ll see everyone laying their eggs on the beach tonight?’

‘Of course!’

Ziggy wanted to get back to the beach as quickly as possible, so as soon as he was past the jellyfish, he shapeshifted into a dolphin. He immediately felt the strong power in his body. They are one of the fastest marine mammals, after all! He swam past the sea turtles, and one of them asked with a shocked look on his face, ‘HOW IS HE A DOLPHIN NOW?’

‘I TOLD YOU HE WAS SPECIAL!’ Isabella shouted. ‘Bye, Ziggy! See you on the beach.’

With a quick chirp, Ziggy said goodbye too and zoomed through the water back to his sister.

CHAPTER TEN Mission Complete

Misha’s eyes didn’t leave the ocean. Any little ripple she saw made her think it was Ziggy returning, but no such luck. He had been gone for twenty minutes now, and she hoped he was on his way back to the beach. If this didn’t work, Misha didn’t know what else they could do to help.

A beautiful dolphin suddenly leaped out of the ocean and dived back in, chirping loudly, ‘MISHA, IT’S ME!’

‘Ziggy!’ Misha called. She breathed a sigh of relief. Her twin brother was here!

Ziggy’s fin cut through the water as he got closer and closer to the shoreline. Soon the fin disappeared, and in the dolphin’s place was her twin, swimming towards her.

‘I DID IT!’ Ziggy grinned. ‘I freed the sea turtles from the plastic and the fishing net.’

‘Oh, that’s brilliant!’ Misha said as she hurried towards him and gave him a big hug. She didn’t care that he was soaking wet. ‘Was it scary?’

‘A bit, but I could hear you in my head encouraging me to do the right thing, and I knew I could do it.’

Misha gently nudged him. ‘Glad our twin connection is as strong as ever. Oh look, Ziggy!’

She pointed out to the ocean where hundreds of sea turtles had come to the surface.

‘Isabella said they’re going to lay their eggs tonight on the beach,’ Ziggy said. ‘I can’t believe we did it.’

‘No, you did it, Zig. You were so brave, and I’m really proud of you.’

‘Thanks, Mish,’ Ziggy said, beaming.

It was a few hours later when Dad arrived back at the villa. Misha and Ziggy had snuck back into their room without Carmen noticing, and when she’d checked in on them an hour later, they had actually been in bed asleep. Saving sea turtles had been very tiring!

‘How was your day?’ Dad asked the twins as he sat down at the dining table. ‘Did you like the dolphins?’

‘IT WAS SO FUN!’ Misha said.

‘THE DOLPHINS LIFTED US UP!’ Ziggy said excitedly.

Dad gasped. ‘No way!’

‘I have pictures to show you,’ Carmen said. ‘It was the most incredible day. How was your filming?’

‘It went okay, but hopefully the sea turtles will be at the beach this evening. Lexi tried to get an extension for filming, but the TV network said we can’t have one.’

Ziggy put his arms around Dad’s shoulders. ‘I have a feeling it’s going to work out.’

‘I hope so,’ Dad said. ‘Your grandparents should be on their way back from the spa now, so we’ll have some dinner when they get back and then go to the beach.’

Eventually, Grandpa Tunde and Grandma Joy returned, looking more relaxed than Misha and Ziggy had ever seen them. Grandma Joy gave them a massive hug and she smelt of a floral incense.

‘How was it?’ Dad asked.

‘Amazing!’ Grandpa Tunde said. ‘We could have spent days there.’

‘I’ve never felt so at peace,’ Grandma Joy said with a smile on her face. ‘Dayo, you must go before we leave. It will relax you so much.’

Dad laughed. ‘I’ll be relaxed once we film these sea turtles.’

Carmen cooked up a dinner of tasty fish tacos and spicy beef quesadillas. Misha and Ziggy ate quickly as they were excited to get back to the beach, but Lexi, Ed and Carter seemed down and not their usual excited selves.

‘What would happen to the documentary if you don’t find the sea turtles?’ Grandpa Tunde asked.

Lexi sighed. ‘We won’t hit our filming deadlines, so the season will be delayed. Then we’ll have to wait to see what new date we get to travel back to Mexico and try to film the sea turtles again. If we get a new date.’

‘If?’ Grandma Joy asked. ‘But you have an award-winning show!’

‘I don’t think they will cancel the show,’ Lexi said, ‘but TV networks are tough. You never know.’

Misha and Ziggy looked at each other in fear. Cancel the show? They prayed that the sea turtles would definitely be at the beach tonight. DAD NEEDED THEM MORE THAN EVER.

Once everyone’s plate had been cleared, they made their way down to the beach. Misha and Ziggy had their fingers crossed. Dad was already in TV-presenter mode and was talking to the camera about how the sea turtles will come here to lay their eggs.

‘They’ll be here,’ Ziggy whispered confidently.

Misha hoped he was right. So far she couldn’t see anything. She hoped they hadn’t missed them nesting.

Lexi was looking anxiously across the ocean, and suddenly her eyes lit up and she mouthed ‘They’re here.’

‘Now, as we get closer to the ocean,’ Dad said, walking backwards towards the water as Carter filmed him with a massive smile on his face, ‘you will see the sea turtles coming out of the water. They will then make their way up the beach, find a safe spot to dig a deep hole in the sand and lay their eggs. This is called nesting. Let’s have a look!’

Misha and Ziggy had to stay back so that they didn’t get in the footage, but they could see the sea turtles washing up on the shoreline. There were hundreds of them!

‘You did it!’ Misha said, hugging Ziggy. ‘They’re all here because of you.’

Ziggy felt his chest puff up with pride. He had gone into the ocean by himself and helped all of the sea turtles escape the dangerous sea pollution – and now Dad had his footage!

‘THIS IS AMAZING!’ Grandma Joy gasped, fiddling with her phone to get a picture, but she zoomed in too much, and Misha had to help her get the perfect shot.

‘They found their way back,’ Carmen said gleefully.

Dad and Carter had to keep a safe distance to not disturb the sea turtles from their nesting. Carter also had red lights to film them in the dark because bright lights could stress them out. Misha and Ziggy were fascinated as they watched the female sea turtles use their back flippers to dig holes in the sand before they laid their eggs inside.

‘I wish I could see Isabella,’ Ziggy said.

Misha smiled. ‘Let’s go and see! She might be waiting by the ocean.’

Once they got permission from their grandparents, the twins ran to the shoreline where some sea turtles were still making their way from the water to the beach. It was hard to see the turtles because of the dark, but as the twins approached, they all began to grunt and squeak.

‘What are they saying?’ Ziggy asked as he waved at them.

‘They’re saying, Thank you, Ziggy,’ Misha said.

Ziggy smiled at the sea turtles. One stood out in particular, holding up its flipper and waving.

‘Isabella!’ Misha called, and they hurried over to her.

‘I’m so glad I got to see you again,’ Isabella said. ‘I’m heading back into the ocean, but thank you both so much for your help. Without you, we wouldn’t all be here laying our eggs. You have no idea how much it means to us.’

‘Thank you for trusting us,’ Misha said. ‘We hope we see you again.’

‘Me too. Bye, Misha and Ziggy,’ Isabella said.

Misha held out her fist and bumped it against Ziggy’s. Mission complete!

Once the sea turtles had left, Ed suggested staying till it got even darker to see if any of the sea turtle eggs that had been laid months earlier would hatch. The only issue was that lights could confuse a baby sea turtle and lead them away from the ocean, so Ed led the group up to the benches by the beach. He handed out binoculars, and Carter used a long-lens camera to film. They all waited patiently, watching the beach from afar.

Grandpa Tunde yawned after a while. ‘I think I might go back.’

‘Ah, I don’t want you to miss anything,’ Dad said.

As Dad and Grandpa Tunde went back and forth, a soft melodic sound came from all over the beach. Misha looked around. Where is that coming from? she wondered.

‘Do you hear that?’ she asked Ziggy.

Ziggy frowned. ‘Hear what?’

It was clear that no one else could hear the noise, so Misha knew it must be an animal – but what animal? The only thing she could see through her binoculars was the sea turtle eggs. Misha gasped. The sea turtles were all singing from inside the eggs!

Suddenly, some of the eggs began to rock.

The singing got louder and louder. They were telling each other to get ready to hatch!

‘DAD, I THINK IT’S HAPPENING,’ Misha said.

A few moments later, the eggs began to crack. Everyone gasped.

‘Quick, Dayo,’ Lexi said.

Dad cleared his throat. ‘As you can see, the hatchlings are coming out into the world and… Oh – there they are!’

Tiny turtles broke free from their eggs, using their flippers to move through the sand.

‘They’re so cute!’ Grandma Joy whispered. And she didn’t like any animals!

‘And there’s so many of them,’ Grandpa Tunde responded.

‘Look at them go!’ Dad said as the hatchlings started hurrying across the beach.

Misha and Ziggy couldn’t believe how small they were.

‘As they’re travelling through the sand,’ Dad said to the camera, ‘the baby turtles are imprinting on the magnetic field of their natal beach. This is also called geomagnetic imprinting, and it helps them remember where to return to lay their eggs when they are older.’

Ziggy hoped they wouldn’t get caught in any nasty plastic that lived in the ocean when they came back.

They watched as the ocean waves washed onto the beach, carrying the sea turtles back with them until they were so far out that they disappeared from view.

CHAPTER ELEVEN A Family Celebration

Once they were all finished at the beach, Carmen took Misha, Ziggy, Dad, Grandma Joy, Grandpa Tunde and the film crew to downtown Cancún, also known as El Centro, to celebrate finding the sea turtles and the end of filming. There was loud music, amazing stalls selling food, local artisans and lots of markets to shop at. Grandma Joy was happy! The group separated so that they could look around, and Dad took Misha and Ziggy to look at some Lucha Libre wrestling masks. DAD HAD A SMILE ON HIS FACE THAT DIDN’T LEAVE ALL NIGHT. Misha and Ziggy were so happy that once again they’d helped their dad with his TV documentary and also rescued the animals who’d been in danger.

‘Have you liked Grandma and Grandpa being around, Dad?’ Misha asked.

‘I have! It’s lovely that they get to see what I do, and this is the most relaxed your grandma has ever been. Mexico agrees with her. Now that filming is finished, we can start our real family holiday. Tomorrow we’re going to see the Mayan ruins!’

‘So, are we going to do any more family trips?’ Ziggy asked.

Dad laughed. ‘I’m pretty open to it. Where do you want to go next?’

‘Maybe somewhere cold,’ Ziggy said. ‘So we can see penguins.’

‘OOH AND POLAR BEARS!’ Misha added.

‘Fingers crossed it will happen. Oh, before I forget –’ Dad took out his phone – ‘I got this great shot of you all.’

It was a photo of all the sea turtles on the shoreline looking towards Misha and Ziggy.

‘I don’t know how you both always have animals attracted to you, but it really is amazing to see.’

Misha and Ziggy glanced at each other. Maybe one day they would tell Dad about their powers. But until then, they would keep helping him find animals – and make new, lifelong friends along the way.

FUN FACTS ABOUT TURTLES

1. 1. When did sea turtles first appear?

Sea turtles are thought to have appeared more than 145 million years ago. They have been around since the age of the dinosaurs (including the T-rex).

2. 2. How did sea turtles survive so long?

Sea turtles are really good at adapting to their environment. When things around them change, they learn how to change with them.

3. 3. Where do sea turtles live?

Sea turtles are found in most of the world’s oceans, apart from the cold polar seas. They prefer tropical seas, with warm waters, shallow seagrass and coral reefs.

4. 4. Where do sea turtles lay their eggs?

Female sea turtles can travel thousands of miles to find the right sandy beach to nest and lay their eggs. They often return to the same beach where they were born. As hatchlings, the sea turtles imprint on the unique geomagnetic signature of the beach, which they then use as a sort of map to lead them back when they are ready to lay their own eggs.

5. 5. How often do sea turtles travel back to the beach where they were born?

Female sea turtles usually make the journey back, which can be thousands of miles, every two to four years.

6. 6. How do sea turtles lay their eggs?

Sea turtles often wait until the night to come ashore. Then, they choose a spot above the high tide line and dig a deep hold to lay their eggs in. Then, they cover the hole up with sand.

7. 7. How many eggs do sea turtles lay?

Sea turtles lay between 50 and 200 eggs in each nest.

8. 8. How do sea turtles hatch?

The hatchlings begin to sing from inside their eggs when they are ready to hatch, so that they can all hatch at the same time. Then, they make their way out of their eggs and dig their way out of the sand so they can make their way into the ocean as quickly as possible.

9. 9. Can sea turtles breathe underwater?

Sea turtles cannot breathe underwater, but they can hold their breath for a really long time. When holding their breath their heart rate slows to conserve oxygen. Up to nine minutes can pass between heartbeats.

10. 10. What are sea turtles’ shells made from?

Sea turtle shells are made from bone and keratin scales. Keratin is the same thing that human fingernails are made of. They have nerve endings in their shell which means they can feel it when things touch their shells.

11. 11. How many flippers do sea turtles have?

Sea turtles have four flippers in total, two large ones at the front to help them push forward and swim long distances, and two smaller ones at the back for steering and balancing.

12. 12. Are sea turtles endangered and if so, why?

Sea turtles are endangered because of climate change, habitat destruction, poaching and pollution.

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT MEXICO

1. 1. Where is Mexico?

Mexico is in the southern part of North America. The Pacific Ocean is to the west of the country and the Gulf of Mexico is to the east.

2. 2. What countries are next to Mexico?

The United States are north of Mexico and Guatemala and Belize are to the south-east of Mexico.

3. 3. What does the Mexican flag look like?

The Mexican flag is made of three vertical stripes, one green, one white and one red. In the middle of the flag is an image of an eagle and a snake.

4. 4. What is the national animal of Mexico?

Mexico’s national animal is the majestic golden eagle. This is the largest bird-of-prey in North America.

5. 5. What are some popular Mexican dishes?

Tres Leches cake, Huevos Rancheros and Mollete are all popular in Mexico.

6. 6. What are some popular holidays in Mexico?

Cinco De Mayo (5th of May) and Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) are very popular and important in Mexico.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

As always thank you God for this book and for all the great books to come. I can’t believe this is book fourteen! What a blessing. Wild Magic has been such a fun ride. I’ve learnt so much about animals and different cultures and I love when I go to schools and the children have also done the research and are so eager to learn. It was so important to have a story about Black children in the chapter book space as there aren’t many options and nothing makes me prouder than seeing children holding a copy of Wild Magic.

Mexico is a stunning country with so much history. The images I looked at whilst writing this book had so much beauty and colour. My friend Aleta had been to Mexico so many times and when she would send me pictures I knew that Mexico was where I wanted to base book three.

I’ve loved sea turtles since Crush and Squirt in Finding Nemo. I watched a documentary of sea turtles nesting and the babies hatching and travelling to the sea which I loved. But there are so many issues with the ocean. Plastic pollution is a massive problem and harms so many animals. We have to do our part to keep the world clean so animals don’t suffer. Hopefully after reading Wild Magic, you will have a better understanding.

I couldn’t do Wild Magic without the help of some amazing people. My agent Gemma – you fight so hard for me in this industry. It was so great that you and Charlie got to see my Wild Magic presentation in your local library.

Emma my amazing illustrator. I have loved all of the covers but this is my favourite one. You are brilliant. Thank you for being the best team partner for Wild Magic.

Pauline, my lovely assistant. You helped to organise an insane amount of school visits and festivals last year where I got to speak to so many children all around the country about Misha and Ziggy. Thank you.

Amina for signing Wild Magic and seeing the vision on the first pitch. I hope you’ve loved seeing the series grow.

Carla and Millie for all your hard work in editing the book and getting it to the perfect place.

Vron for copyediting the books and thank you for your lovely comments every time you work on my books.

Shari for fact checking. I know how challenging that is! I appreciate you.

Ellie and Lizzie for pushing the book and for keeping me company on tour. Not sure how many times you’ve had to sit through my presentations but you always bring the vibes!

Thank you to everyone at Simon & Schuster who has had a hand in the book for all of your hard work. I am extremely grateful.

The Book Fairies for being the best people to launch the book with! I love our days out and I hope we have many more.

All of the young readers that have picked up the book, sent me fan mail and drawings of Misha and Ziggy. I love when you ask the best questions about animals and when you teach me a fun fact.

Thank you all of the librarians, teachers, booksellers for inviting me to your school, festival, event, shops to speak about Wild Magic or to sign copies.

Much love to my family and friends for your never ending support. Couldn’t do it without you x

More from this Series

Wild Magic: Journey of…

Wild Magic: Legend of…

Book 1

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

ABIOLA BELLO is a Nigerian-British, prize- winning, bestselling children’s and YA author who was born and raised in London. She is an advocate for diversity in books for young people. She’s the author of the award-winning fantasy series Emily Knight and was nominated for the CILIP’s Carnegie Award, won London’s BIG Read 2019 and was a finalist for the People’s Book Prize Best Children’s Book.

Abiola contributed to The Very Merry Murder Club, a collection of mysteries from thirteen exciting and diverse children’s writers which published in October 2021 and was selected as Waterstones Children’s Book of the Month. Her debut YA, Love in Winter Wonderland, published in November 2022 and was an Amazon’s Editor’s Choice and was featured in the Guardian’s Children’s and Teens Best New Novels. Her second YA novel, Only For The Holidays, published in October 2023 and was The Bookseller One To Watch, one of Waterstones Best Paperbacks of 2023 and was featured in the Guardian’s Children’s and Teens Best New Novels. Her third YA novel, The Love Dare, was published in July 2024 and was shortlisted for Peter’s Teen Fiction 2025.

Wild Magic has been shortlisted for the Spark! Book Awards, BookTrust’s Great Book Guides 2025-2026 and was featured in the Guardian’s Children’s and Teens Best New Novels.

Abiola has also co-written with footballer Marcus Rashford MBE on his Breakfast Club Adventures series.

Abiola won The Black British Business Awards 2023 for Arts and Media and The London Book Fair Trailblazer Awards 2018. She is the co-founder of Hashtag Press, Hashtag BLAK and The Diverse Book Awards.

@ABelloWrites

ALSO BY ABIOLA BELLO

Wild Magic: Legend of the Black Lion

Wild Magic: Journey of the Lost Elephant

First published in Great Britain in 2026 by Simon & Schuster UK Ltd

Text copyright © 2026 Abiola Bello

Illustrations copyright © 2026 Emma McCann

This book is copyright under the Berne Convention.

No reproduction without permission.

All rights reserved.

The right of Abiola Bello and Emma McCann to be identified
as the author and illustrator of this work has been asserted by them in
accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright,

Designs and Patents Act, 1988.

For more than 100 years, Simon & Schuster has championed authors and the stories they create. By respecting the copyright of an author’s intellectual property, you enable Simon & Schuster and the author to continue publishing exceptional books for years to come. We thank you for supporting the author’s copyright by purchasing an authorized edition of this book. No amount of this book may be reproduced or stored in any format, nor may it be uploaded to any website, database, language-learning model, or other repository, retrieval, or artificial intelligence system without express permission. All rights reserved. Inquiries may be directed to Simon & Schuster, 222 Gray’s Inn Road, London WC1X 8HB or RightsMailbox@simonandschuster.co.uk

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A CIP catalogue record for this book is available
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PB ISBN 978-1-3985-2054-7
eAudio ISBN 978-1-3985-2055-4
eBook ISBN 978-1-3985-2056-1

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual people living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

Table of Contents

- Title Page
- Dedication
- Chapter One: A Family Affair
- Chapter Two: A New Plan
- Chapter Three: Hola, México!
- Chapter Four: Under the Sea
- Chapter Five: Meeting Isabella
- Chapter Six: Where Are the Sea Turtles?
- Chapter Seven: The Magic Twins
- Chapter Eight: A Solo Adventure
- Chapter Nine: Ziggy to the Rescue
- Chapter Ten: Mission Complete
- Chapter Eleven: A Family Celebration
- Fun Facts about Turtles
- Interesting Facts about Mexico
- Acknowledgements
- About the Author
- Copyright