Disney Books - Luca Junior Novel Deluxe Edition

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ISBN 978-1-368-07857-3

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L isten, Tommasodo we really need to fish near the island?

Giacomo studied the old map spread out on a table in the cabin of the small fishing boat. It was night, the sky dark as could be. As the boat made its way out to sea, the tiny coastal town of Portorosso grew smaller and smaller.

Eh, you worry too much, Tommaso replied, steering them farther into the night. He was much older than Giacomo, and much less prone to concern than the younger man. Aside from the mens voices and pop music playing from their portable gramophone, it was quiet on the water.

Giacomo peered closer at the illustrated map of the Ligurian Sea and western Italy. He noted the ghastly drawings of sea monsters and other horrifying beasts. There was a fearsome kraken, with its deadly tentacles and cold, unfeeling eyes. He pointed at a spot on the map labeled isola del mare that showed a sea serpent tearing right through the hull of an old ship as a siren watched from an outcropping of rocks.

I dunno, Giacomo said, uncertain. What if the old stories are true?

Oh, come on, Giacomo! Tommaso scoffed. You really believe in sea monsters?

Giacomo shrugged. Too many strange things have been seen in these waters. His voice trailed off.

Tommaso wrinkled his brow. Theyre all just stories. Tall tales to keep us away from a great fishing spot, the older man insisted.

But, Tommaso

Were fine. Non preoccupare ti, Giacomo, Tommaso interrupted.

Then the older fisherman cut the engine and the boat began to drift, until at last it came to a stop in the dark water. Ready to start fishing, Tommaso took the pop record off the gramophone and replaced it with an opera record.

Ah, thats more like it, Tommaso said. He loved listening to operathe soaring arias, the intricate orchestrations. To him, that was the only kind of music for an evening on the water.

Their boat approached a buoy bobbing in the water with a fishing net attached.

But they werent the only ones nearing the buoy.

Unnoticed by either man, something was moving through the watersilent and quick.

A fin broke the waters surface, but only for a moment, and then it went back under.

Tommaso continued listening to his beloved opera, unaware of the shadowy arm that reached from the water on the other side of their fishing boat, slicing the rope from the buoy that hung from its hull. The arm took the buoy and disappeared beneath the sea.

As the men focused on the net before them, the mysterious creature grabbed even more items from the boat: a wrench, a drinking glasseven a deck of playing cards.

Giacomo thought he heard something, and turned his head. He could have sworn he saw a sea monster in the shadows, peeking over the waters surface! And it was reaching for the gramophone!

AHHHHH! Giacomo shouted. What is that?

Oh! Per mille sardine, Tommaso said dismissively.

Then the shadowy figure dove back into the water and swam right into the fishermens line. Whatever it was, it was becoming tangled.

The fishermen took notice and began to pull the line in.

Tira, tira! Tomasso urged.

The boat tipped to one side, and suddenly, a sea monster breached the surface, eyes glowing, as both Giacomo and Tommaso screamed.

The fishing line was cut and the fishermen stumbled backward, knocking the gramophone off the boat and into the dark water.

Shaking, Giacomo reached for a harpoon and threw it toward the waters surface.

You missed! Tommaso said. Lets gobefore it comes back for us!

I told you they were real! Giacomo insisted.

Oh, what a monster, Tommaso said, adrift in a sea of fear. Horrifying

They sat in silence, watching the gramophone slowly sink into the sea.

A aaaaaaahhhh!

The scream didnt come from a couple of frightened fishermen. It came from the ocean depths. Specifically, from the mouth of twelve-year-old sea monster Luca Paguro.

Luca floated in front of an undersea barn, its doors wide open. Nothing was inside.

His familys goatfish, which were supposed to be in there, were swimming all over the place, eating everything in sight.

Fish out of the barn! Luca exclaimed. Fish out of the barn!

One of the goatfish bleated.

Luca shouted, Caterina! Wait!

But Caterina was already off. Luca followed her, swimming right past another farmer feeding some crabs.

Good morning, Mr. Branzino Luca said hurriedly.

Ah! Mr. Branzino shouted, startled by the interruption. Hi, Luca.

and also, Im sorry, Luca said, struggling with the goatfish. Hows Mrs. Branzino?

The goatfish kept swimming and Luca left without waiting for an answer. He passed another farmer, Mrs. Gamberetto.

Excuse me, ah, maam? Luca asked politely. Have you, by

Yes, Mrs. Gamberetto replied sternly. Then she turned her head, giving Luca an excellent look at the goatfish nibbling on the back of it.

Luca let out a nervous laugh as he quickly collected his goatfish.

But another one had gotten awayit was Giuseppe. Luca saw the fish moving along a hill, heading toward the ocean surface.

Giuseppe! Get back here! Luca cried.

He threw himself at the goatfish, but Giuseppe wriggled free. Luca wasnt going to give up that easily. He kept grabbing, and at last, he got a solid grip.

You wanna run off like your buddy Enrico? Luca asked. Because Ive got news for you. Hes either dead, or hesout there somewhere. Seeing the world

Lucas voice trailed off, as he imagined what it would be like to go out there somewhere and see the world.

Snapping out of his reverie, Luca said, But hes probably dead!

Rejoining the flock, Luca looked at all the goatfish before him and took a quick head count.

Whew, he said. Okay. Thats everyone.

Then he noticed one of them had a slight grin on its face.

Monalisa? Why are you smiling? he asked.

Monalisa just stared as a smaller fish swam out of her mouth.

Anyone else in there? Luca asked.

And then a few more fish escaped.

Luca was so distracted by Monalisa that it took him a moment to realize that Giuseppe was breaking from the herd once again.

Giuseppe, Luca said, exasperated. What did we just talk about. Giuseppe.

But the goatfish kept going.

All right, Luca said, mustering some enthusiasm. Lets head out!

At last, Luca managed to move the flock along the landscape of farms and silos. His neighbors were already out in the fields, tending to their land.