The rocket landed in the corner of the library, right where it had started. Pip, Zena and Libro stepped out into the sunlit room. They’d been on an amazing adventure, but it was good to be back in a place that was safe and familiar.

Sandy, the librarian, peeped over the top of the nearest shelf. “Have you been having fun?” she asked. “You’ve got a lot of books there. Which one was your favourite?”

Pip and Zena looked at the carpet. There were ten books spread out around them. A non-fiction book about space, a hardback book of fairytales and a book about the world of the future, called Land of Technology

“I like them all,” Zena said, stooping to pick them up.

Sandy chuckled, and then left them to it.

“Where’s Sharky?” Pip asked, crouching down to help his friend.

Zena held up a book with the title Underwater adventures with Sharky, the shark who turned into a boy!

“I think you’ll find him in here,” she said, flicking through the pages.

First of all, the illustrations showed a shark swimming through the water. Then a little cave-boy with messy hair and an impish grin. The children both smiled. It was a whole world, right there in a story.

They stacked the books neatly by the rocket.

“I wonder where Libro went?” Zena asked.

Pip spotted a furry tail behind one of the bookshelves. “He’s off on his next adventure,” he said.

“What will our next adventure be?” she asked.

Pip looked at the shelves around him. All those brilliant stories, just waiting to be read. All of those non-fiction books about places he dreamed of visiting, and things that he loved to learn about and discover.

“We’re lucky.” He picked the nearest book off the shelf and gave it to her. “Other people have told us their stories, right here. All we need to do is open the book and dive in.”

She laughed. “Have you got your magic key?” she asked him.

He gave her a look. “I never leave home without it. Ready, on the count of three? One… two…”
“…Three!” she shouted, pulling something out of her back-pocket.

He did the same. It was their library cards!

“Let’s get exploring,” they both said, rolling up their sleeves.

Pip and Zena were ready for their next quest.

The big question is… are you?