 Listening Library presents Nicola Berry and the Petrifying Problem with Princess Petronella. Book one. By Leanne Moriarty. Read for you by Saskia Marleveld. Prologue. Under the light of two turquoise moons and a blazing starlit sky, a family relaxed peacefully in their backyard swimming pool. The sun was asleep, curled up on the water's surface, his thumb jammed in his mouth. The daughter floated flat on her stomach, reading a book and trailing one hand back and forth through the fizzy pink water. The parents bobbed upright, sipping giant cups of blueberry tea, while they watched the evening news on a large screen at the end of the pool. They frowned and made tish noises, as a red-headed princess wearing a rather grubby gown shook her head forcefully at the camera. She won't budge, said the mother. She's a spoiled brat, said the father. I hope you're not talking about me. Their daughter didn't lift her eyes from her detective book. Of course not. We're talking about the princess, said the father. She wants to destroy a planet. Which one? Earth. Answered the mother. The daughter sat up straight, her book forgotten. Earth? That cute little planet where you went on your honeymoon. But we're all going there on vacation for your anniversary. She can't do that. I'm afraid she can, said the father glumly. We have to do something about it, said the daughter. We can't, said the father. We can, said the mother. And we must. Chapter one. Honeyville Primary School. Honeyville. Sydney. Australia. Earth. Nicola Berry sat as still as concrete. Even when the fan at the front of the classroom rotated in her direction, and everybody's hair whooshed back as if they were sticking their heads out of car windows, she didn't flicker an eyelash. She was trying something new. Mental telepathy. Her subject was her teacher, Mrs. Zucchini, who was scribbling furiously on the board and shouting something about oceans and seas. Nicola didn't know why Mrs. Zucchini was so upset about oceans and seas. They should have made her feel cool and refreshed. Mrs. Zucchini's real name was Mrs. Zucker. Sample complete. Ready to continue?