Piper's Perfect Dream Read online

  ALSO BY SHANA MULDOON ZAPPA AND AHMET ZAPPA

  Sage and the Journey to Wishworld

  Libby and the Class Election

  Leona’s Unlucky Mission

  Vega and the Fashion Disaster

  Scarlet Discovers True Strength

  Cassie Comes Through

  ALSO BY AHMET ZAPPA

  Because I’m Your Dad

  The Monstrous Memoirs of a Mighty McFearless

  DON’T MISS

  A Wisher’s Guide to Starland

  COMING SOON

  Astra’s Mixed-Up Mission

  Copyright © 2016 by Shana Muldoon Zappa and Ahmet Zappa

  Artwork © 2016 Disney Enterprises, Inc.

  Cover design © 2016 Disney Enterprises, Inc.

  All rights reserved. Published by Disney Press, an imprint of Disney Book Group. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the publisher. For information address Disney Press, 1101 Flower Street, Glendale, California 91201.

  ISBN 978-1-4847-1434-8

  For more Disney Press fun, visit www.disneybooks.com

  Contents

  Title Page

  Also by Shana Muldoon Zappa and Ahmet Zappa

  Copyright

  Dedication

  Starling Academy: Student Reports

  Introduction

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Epilogue

  Glossary

  Preview of Star Darlings: Astra’s Mixed-Up Mission

  About the Authors

  To our beautiful, sweet treasure, Halo Violetta Zappa. You are pure light and joy and our greatest inspiration. We love you soooo much.

  May every step upon your path be blessed with positivity and the understanding that you have the power within you to manifest the most fulfilling life you can possibly imagine and more. May you always remember that being different and true to your highest self makes your inner star shine brighter.

  Remember that you have the power of choice….Choose thoughts that feel good. Choose love and friendship that feed your spirit. Choose actions for peace and nourishment. Choose boundaries for the same. Choose what speaks to your creativity and unique inner voice…what truly makes you happy. And always know that no matter what you choose, you are unconditionally loved.

  Look up to the stars and know you are never alone. When in doubt, go within…the answers are all there. Smiles light the world and laughter is the best medicine. And NEVER EVER stop making wishes….

  Glow for it….

  Mommy and Daddy

  And to everyone else here on “Wishworld”:

  May you realize that no matter where you are in life, no matter what you look like or where you were born, you, too, have the power within you to create the life of your dreams. Through celebrating your own uniqueness, thinking positively, and taking action, you can make your wishes come true.

  Smile. The Star Darlings have your back. We know how startastic you truly are.

  Glow for it….

  Your friends,

  Shana and Ahmet

  Starling Academy:

  Student Reports

  NAME: Clover

  BRIGHT DAY: January 5

  FAVORITE COLOR: Purple

  INTERESTS: Music, painting, studying

  WISH: To be the best songwriter and DJ on Starland

  WHY CHOSEN: Clover has great self-discipline, patience, and willpower. She is creative, responsible, dependable, and extremely loyal.

  WATCH OUT FOR: Clover can be hard to read and she is reserved with those she doesn’t know. She’s afraid to take risks and can be a wisecracker at times.

  SCHOOL YEAR: Second

  POWER CRYSTAL: Panthera

  WISH PENDANT: Barrette

  NAME: Adora

  BRIGHT DAY: February 14

  FAVORITE COLOR: Sky blue

  INTERESTS: Science, thinking about the future and how she can make it better

  WISH: To be the top fashion designer on Starland

  WHY CHOSEN: Adora is clever and popular and cares about the world around her. She’s a deep thinker.

  WATCH OUT FOR: Adora can have her head in the clouds and be thinking about other things.

  SCHOOL YEAR: Third

  POWER CRYSTAL: Azurica

  WISH PENDANT: Watch

  NAME: Piper

  BRIGHT DAY: March 4

  FAVORITE COLOR: Seafoam green

  INTERESTS: Composing poetry and writing in her dream journal

  WISH: To become the best version of herself she can possibly be and to share that by writing books

  WHY CHOSEN: Piper is giving, kind, and sensitive. She is very intuitive and aware.

  WATCH OUT FOR: Piper can be dreamy, absentminded, and wishy-washy. She can also be moody and easily swayed by the opinions of others.

  SCHOOL YEAR: Second

  POWER CRYSTAL: Dreamalite

  WISH PENDANT: Bracelets

  NAME: Astra

  BRIGHT DAY: April 9

  FAVORITE COLOR: Red

  INTERESTS: Individual sports

  WISH: To be the best athlete on Starland—to win!

  WHY CHOSEN: Astra is energetic, brave, clever, and confident. She has boundless energy and is always direct and to the point.

  WATCH OUT FOR: Astra is sometimes cocky, self-centered, condescending, and brash.

  SCHOOL YEAR: Second

  POWER CRYSTAL: Quarrelite

  WISH PENDANT: Wristbands

  NAME: Tessa

  BRIGHT DAY: May 18

  FAVORITE COLOR: Emerald green

  INTERESTS: Food, flowers, love

  WISH: To be successful enough that she can enjoy a life of luxury

  WHY CHOSEN: Tessa is warm, charming, affectionate, trustworthy, and dependable. She has incredible drive and commitment.

  WATCH OUT FOR: Tessa does not like to be rushed. She can be quite stubborn and often says no. She does not deal well with change and is prone to exaggeration. She can be easily sidetracked.

  SCHOOL YEAR: Third

  POWER CRYSTAL: Gossamer

  WISH PENDANT: Brooch

  NAME: Gemma

  BRIGHT DAY: June 2

  FAVORITE COLOR: Orange

  INTERESTS: Sharing her thoughts about almost anything

  WISH: To be valued for her opinions on everything

  WHY CHOSEN: Gemma is friendly, easygoing, funny, extroverted, and social. She knows a little bit about everything.

  WATCH OUT FOR: Gemma talks—a lot—and can be a little too honest sometimes and offend others. She can have a short attention span and can be superficial.

  SCHOOL YEAR: First

  POWER CRYSTAL: Scatterite

  WISH PENDANT: Earrings

  NAME: Cassie

  BRIGHT DAY: July 6

  FAVORITE COLOR: White

  INTERESTS: Reading, crafting

  WISH: To be more independent and confident and less fearful

  WHY CHOSEN: Cassie is extremely imaginative and artistic. She is a voracious reader and is loyal, caring, and a good friend. She is very intuitive.

  WATCH OUT FOR: Cassie can be distrustful, jealous, moody, and brooding.

  SCHOOL YEAR: First

  POWER CRYSTAL: Lunalite

  WISH PENDANT: Glasses

  NAME: Leona

  BRIGHT DAY: August 16

  FAVORITE COLOR: Gold<
br />
  INTERESTS: Acting, performing, dressing up

  WISH: To be the most famous pop star on Starland

  WHY CHOSEN: Leona is confident, hardworking, generous, open-minded, optimistic, caring, and a strong leader.

  WATCH OUT FOR: Leona can be vain, opinionated, selfish, bossy, dramatic, and stubborn and is prone to losing her temper.

  SCHOOL YEAR: Third

  POWER CRYSTAL: Glisten paw

  WISH PENDANT: Cuff

  NAME: Vega

  BRIGHT DAY: September 1

  FAVORITE COLOR: Blue

  INTERESTS: Exercising, analyzing, cleaning, solving puzzles

  WISH: To be the top student at Starling Academy

  WHY CHOSEN: Vega is reliable, observant, organized, and very focused.

  WATCH OUT FOR: Vega can be opinionated about everything, and she can be fussy, uptight, critical, arrogant, and easily embarrassed.

  SCHOOL YEAR: Second

  POWER CRYSTAL: Queezle

  WISH PENDANT: Belt

  NAME: Libby

  BRIGHT DAY: October 12

  FAVORITE COLOR: Pink

  INTERESTS: Helping others, interior design, art, dancing

  WISH: To give everyone what they need—both on Starland and through wish granting on Wishworld

  WHY CHOSEN: Libby is generous, articulate, gracious, diplomatic, and kind.

  WATCH OUT FOR: Libby can be indecisive and may try too hard to please everyone.

  SCHOOL YEAR: First

  POWER CRYSTAL: Charmelite

  WISH PENDANT: Necklace

  NAME: Scarlet

  BRIGHT DAY: November 3

  FAVORITE COLOR: Black

  INTERESTS: Crystal climbing (and other extreme sports), magic, thrill seeking

  WISH: To live on Wishworld

  WHY CHOSEN: Scarlet is confident, intense, passionate, magnetic, curious, and very brave.

  WATCH OUT FOR: Scarlet is a loner and can alienate others by being secretive, arrogant, stubborn, and jealous.

  SCHOOL YEAR: Third

  POWER CRYSTAL: Ravenstone

  WISH PENDANT: Boots

  NAME: Sage

  BRIGHT DAY: December 1

  FAVORITE COLOR: Lavender

  INTERESTS: Travel, adventure, telling stories, nature, and philosophy

  WISH: To become the best Wish-Granter Starland has ever seen

  WHY CHOSEN: Sage is honest, adventurous, curious, optimistic, friendly, and relaxed.

  WATCH OUT FOR: Sage has a quick temper! She can also be restless, irresponsible, and too trusting of others’ opinions. She may jump to conclusions.

  SCHOOL YEAR: First

  POWER CRYSTAL: Lavenderite

  WISH PENDANT: Necklace

  You take a deep breath, about to blow out the candles on your birthday cake. Clutching a coin in your fist, you get ready to toss it into the dancing waters of a fountain. You stare at your little brother as you each hold an end of a dried wishbone, about to pull. But what do you do first?

  You make a wish, of course!

  Ever wonder what happens right after you make that wish? Not much, you may be thinking.

  Well, you’d be wrong.

  Because something quite unexpected happens next. Each and every wish that is made becomes a glowing Wish Orb, invisible to the human eye. This undetectable orb zips through the air and into the heavens, on a one-way trip to the brightest star in the sky—a magnificent place called Starland. Starland is inhabited by Starlings, who look a lot like you and me, except they have a sparkly glow to their skin, and glittery hair in unique colors. And they have one more thing: magical powers. The Starlings use these powers to make good wishes come true, for when good wishes are granted, the result is positive energy. And the Starlings of Starland need this energy to keep their world running.

  In case you are wondering, there are three kinds of Wish Orbs:

  1) GOOD WISH ORBS. These wishes are positive and helpful and come from the heart. They are pretty and sparkly and are nurtured in climate-controlled Wish-Houses. They bloom into fantastical glowing orbs. When the time is right, they are presented to the appropriate Starling for wish fulfillment.

  2) BAD WISH ORBS. These are for selfish, mean-spirited, or negative things. They don’t sparkle at all. They are immediately transported to a special containment center, as they are very dangerous and must not be granted.

  3) IMPOSSIBLE WISH ORBS. These wishes are for things, like world peace and disease cures, that simply can’t be granted by Starlings. These sparkle with an almost impossibly bright light and are taken to a special area of the Wish-House with tinted windows to contain the glare they produce. The hope is that one day they can be turned into good wishes the Starlings can help grant.

  Starlings take their wish granting very seriously. There is a special school, called Starling Academy, that accepts only the best and brightest young Starling girls. They study hard for four years, and when they graduate, they are ready to start traveling to Wishworld to help grant wishes. For as long as anyone can remember, only graduates of wish-granting schools have ever been allowed to travel to Wishworld. But things have changed in a very big way.

  Read on for the rest of the story….

  STAR KINDNESS DAY GREETINGS

  To: All My Darling Friends

  From: Piper

  Subject: Happy Star Kindness Day!

  Happy Star Kindness Day,

  A time to spread good cheer.

  I’m sending this holo-text to say,

  You glow, girls, all staryear.

  With Love and Positivity,

  Piper

  P.S. Personal greetings to come!

  To: Sage

  From: Piper

  Subject: Star Kindness Day Compliment

  The first Star Darling to ride a star,

  The first on a mission, traveling far.

  You triumphed with your heart and glow,

  Even gathering some energy flow.

  To: Leona

  From: Piper

  Subject: Thinking of You on Star Kindness Day

  The third to go to a faraway world,

  You granted a wish, and energy swirled.

  But on your way back to our land of light,

  Your pendant turned as black as night.

  “Why?” you asked, so sad and blue.

  No one could answer, no one knew.

  But do not fret, Leona dear,

  You still rock, that much is clear.

  To: Scarlet

  From: Piper

  Subject: Star Kindness Day Tidings

  You had to leave the SD fold,

  But you didn’t give up, you were too bold.

  You joined a mission with a regular Starling,

  To prove you were a tried-and-true Darling.

  But why did this happen at all?

  Why did you take the fall?

  Another question, another riddle,

  But you stepped up to shine, no second fiddle.

  You showed true grit

  And even some wit.

  My hat’s off to you,

  Glad you’re back with the crew.

  To: Cassie

  From: Piper

  Subject: An Affirmation on Star Kindness Day

  Who knows what to do

  When we’re confused through and through?

  You, sweet little Cassie, you always do.

  And when you came back from a mission all spent?

  The lights went out 100 percent.

  But you stayed calm and cool and kept us together,

  You figure things out, whenever, wherever.

  In her Little Dipper Dorm room, Piper finished her last holo-text. Then she swiped the screen on her Star-Zap to queue up all the messages. Star Kindness Day was the next day. A ceremony would be held in the morning, at precisely the moment the nighttime stars and the daytime sun could all be seen in the color-streaked sky.

  It happened in the morning only once a staryear. And all over Starland, Starlin
gs met in open areas to gaze at the sight. Light energy flowed. Everyone smiled. They exchanged positive messages then and for the rest of the starday—to loved ones, to strangers, and to everyone in between. Thoughtful compliments. Meaningful praise. Heartfelt affirmations. It was definitely Piper’s favorite holiday.

  At Starling Academy, all the students’ messages would go out at once, while everyone gathered in the Star Quad before class. Piper checked her holo-texts one last time. She had her own holiday tradition: styling her compliments into poetry. What better way to get a loving message across, she felt, than using language that lifted the spirit, too?

  That staryear, she’d worked especially hard on the poems. There had been many ups and downs for the Star Darlings. So much had happened already that year. All the SD missions—some successful, some not. So that day, of all days, Piper wanted her friends to feel good.

  Finally pleased with her efforts, Piper tossed her Star-Zap onto a neat pile of pillows on the floor. She’d played around with poetry ideas for starweeks. Should I use lightkus? she’d wondered first.

  That poetry originated from Lightku Isle, an isolated island with sandy, sparkling beaches, where the local Starlings spoke solely in those kinds of poems, spare and simple with only three lines of verse and seventeen syllables total.

  How they managed this without even trying was a wonder to Piper. She herself strove for an effortless state of being on a stardaily basis. But the lightkus proved too difficult and limiting. So Piper went with sunnets, rhyming poems that could be any length and meter but needed to include a source of light.

  The last staryear, when Piper was a relatively new first-year student, the holiday hadn’t gone quite the way she’d wanted. She had labored long and hard over those holo-texts then, too. She’d wanted to reach out to every single student at Starling Academy. She’d wanted each student to feel good after reading her text; appreciated, even loved, she’d hoped.

  She wrote one epic poem but it turned out to be so long and so serious no one bothered reading it. A hot flash of energy coursed through Piper, just remembering it. She’d felt like crying for stardays after.