Monica Lim - Danger Dan Confronts the Merlion Mastermind

Praise for Danger Dan Confronts the Merlion Mastermind

A fun story that also educates! Readers can learn good vocabulary and understand more about Singapore history as they join Danger Dan on his adventures.

Dr Tay Hui Yong, Vice-Principal, Nanyang Girls High School

Singapore, get ready for your newest superhero as he stumbles his way into greatnessaccidentally! Danger Dan Confronts the Merlion Mastermind is laugh-out-loud funny!

A.J. Low, author of Sherlock Sam series

A refreshingly well-written book of adventure with lots of local flavour. A fun and engaging read for the whole family.

Zahira Mohd Sedik, Head of Department GEP Humanities, St Hildas Primary School

written by

Lesley-Anne & Monica Lim

illustrated by

James Tan

Copyright 2014 by Monica Lim and Lesley-Anne Tan

lllustrations copyright 2014 Epigram Books

All rights reserved.

Published in Singapore by Epigram Books.

www.epigrambooks.sg

Illustrations by James Tan

Edited by Ruth Wan

Cover design and book layout by Lydia Wong

National Library Board, Singapore

Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

Lim, Monica

DANGER DAN CONFRONTS THE MERLION MASTERMIND/

by Monica Lim and Lesley-Anne Tan

Singapore : Epigram Books, 2014.

pages cm

ISBN: 978-981-07-7843-9 (paperback)

ISBN : 978-981-07-7844-6 (epub)

1. Superheroes Juvenile fiction.

2. Singapore Juvenile fiction.

I. Tan, Lesley-Anne. II. Title.

PZ7

S823 -- dc23 OCN862201019

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

First Edition:

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

For Andre and all other secret superheroes

Danger Dan scans the terrain. The volcano is close to erupting and lava has already started flowing down the mountain. His headquarters is in sight, its anti-lava force field forming a pulsating blue orb. Clinging precariously to the side of the volcano, he inches forward slowly, moving sideways like a crab along the narrow rocky ledge. Every few minutes, the volcano rumbles, sending showers of rocks his way and threatening to knock him off balance. He is in a dangerous situation.

But Danger Dan is no stranger to danger.

His watch beeps and shows a glowing red number 5. Five minutes! Only five minutes to disaster! He is horrified to realise that lava has flowed right in front of him, blocking his path to the headquarters. Danger Dan glances around frantically. Then he spots ita floating rocky island in the middle of the stream of lava. He springs away from the ledge, which crumbles immediately after his great leap. He lands expertly on the floating island and braces himself for one final jump towards his headquarters. If he aims well, he should make it safely onto the roof. Unfortunately, a huge boulder smashes into the floating island right at that moment, causing Danger Dan to fly through the air.

Will this be the end of Danger Dan?

Danny flopped onto the study table, sending pens and paper hurtling in all directions. Yes! Danger Dan does it again! rejoiced Danny, striking a Superman pose.

You are such a wretched boy! yelled Amy, Big Sister Number One who was 18 years old and trying to study for her A level exams. She lunged at Dannys arm, but he dodged just in time by rolling off the table. Amy didnt exactly have the fastest reflexes. Her special feature was her Big Mouth. Amy was the star speaker on the school debating team which had won all the national debating championships for the past two years. Her motto was: If you cant convince them, confuse them. She could talk circles around anyone.

Stop bothering us, you pest! squealed Betty, Big Sister Number Two who was 16 years old and trying to study for her O level exams. She threw an eraser at Danny but missed completely. Betty didnt exactly have the best aim. Her strength was her Big Brain. Every year for the past four years, Betty had been the winner of the National Mathematical Olympiad, Science Olympiad and History Olympiad. She had also won the Home Economics Olympiad by whipping up a delicious bowl of fishball noodles using only her chemistry kit and some soya sauce.

Why must you be such a pain? growled Candy, Big Sister Number Three who was 12 years old and trying to study for her PSLE. Candy didnt have a Big Mouth or a Big Brain. She was justBIG. She represented her school team in judo and her opponents often prayed that they wouldnt have to compete against her. She was as strong as a weightlifting elephant and had a terrifying flip that people commonly referred to as the Candy Crush.

The three of them looked around the room in disgust. Books were strewn across the floor having fallen off the bookcase that Danny had leapt from. A bulky volume of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare lay in the centre of the room. The rug that Danny had slipped on was scrunched up in a corner.

The only things that had escaped unscathed were the three display cabinets lining the wall. One held Amys Debating Championship trophies, another showcased Bettys Olympiad certificates and the third exhibited Candys judo medals. There was no cabinet for Danny because he had never won anything. Unless you counted the one time he won an ice cream-eating contest at his school funfair.

Go away, Mickey Mouse, scoffed Candy.

Stop calling me that! shouted Danny. He stopped moving momentarily, his prominent ears turning red with rage. It was so unfair! Danny didnt have a Big Mouth or a Big Brain and he was nowhere close to being Big. Of all the Big features he could have possessed, Danny had Big Ears. (Actually, they werent really that big but they stuck out at an unfortunate angle.)

Im not Mickey Mouse! yelled Danny, putting his hands on hips. Im Danger Dan, Protector of the Universe!

Candy looked at him menacingly and slowly stood up. Danny flinched and started to back away. He knew what it felt like to be Candy Crushed. He dashed out of the living room.

He heard Amy comment drily, Oh look, its Run-Away-From-Danger Dan. The other two sisters burst into uncontrollable giggles and Danny seethed with indignation. He hated being the youngest and the only boy in the family. It was always three against one and it didnt help that he was a small and scrawny 11-year-old.