Andy McGuinness - Shelby Seagull and the Painted Shells

Shelby Seagull and the Painted Shells from the Whistle-On-Sea series

Contents copyright Andy McGuinness, 2014 All rights reseved

Published by eBookPartnership.com

eISBN: 978-1-78301-436-1

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Andy McGuinness has spent his career as an advertising copywriter in London. Inspired by many happy summers spent in Whitstable with his two small boys, he has written the Whistle-On-Sea series.

For Archie and Will.

Come with me to Whistle-On-Sea...

T here was a lovely smell of the sea in the air at Whistle-on-Sea. There was also a strong smell of paint. Megan, Sam and a few of the gang were busy painting shells outside Beach Hut Betty.

They often spent mornings filling up Bertie Bucket with all sorts of different shaped shells they found on the beach ready to be painted in the afternoon.

Painting them was the fun part and everyone wanted to join in. Quite often Megan and Sam would have more helpers than they had paintbrushes.

Today, Willie Whelk and Larry Lobster were helping. Larry had never used a paintbrush before and it took some time for him to get the hang of holding it in his big claw.

This is fun, he said cheerfully. But I cant paint my shells as well as you can Willie.

Yours are certainly very colourful, replied Willie.

Theyll be great for decorating Beach Hut Betty.

The more colourful they are, the better they are for selling too, said Sam full of encouragement.

As well as using the shells to decorate Beach Hut Betty, Sam and Megan would sell them to people on the beach to help raise money for the Royal Navy Lifeboat Institute. They were the brave men and women who rescued people out at sea.

What do you think? said Willie holding up a shell for everyone to see. Ive done stripes, splodges, and swirly patterns. What shall I paint now?

Paint me, said Suzy Starfish who was watching from the groynes with Marcel Moul. Im a star!

That would be great, but theres just one problem, said Megan peering into an empty paint pot. Weve run out of paint!

But weve still got lots of shells to paint, said Larry with paint all over him. What are we going to do?

Watching from the roof of Beach Hut Betty was Shelby Seagull. He had an idea.

Ive seen fishermen painting their boats in the boatyard. They often throw out old tins of paint. Ill see what theyve got.

Good thinking, Shelby, said Sam. Do you need help to carry them?

No thanks, a beak and claws will do the trick! replied Shelby and off he flew.

Shelby loved flying over Whistle-on-Sea on hot sunny days. He loved seeing all the boys and girls playing happily on the beach and in the sea.

Boatyard ahoy! he chuckled to himself sounding like a pirate. He could see where all the old pots of paint had been piled up to be thrown away and swooped down.

These will be great, he said pleased with his find. He grabbed a pot in each claw, one in his beak and took off.

They were heavier than he thought, but soon Shelby had Beach Hut Betty in his sight.

Heres Shelby! cried Bertie. And hes got bucket loads of paint.

Hurray! cheered Willie.

Okay gang, lets get the rest of these shells painted, said Megan.

Come on Suzy, said Willie waving his brush.

Time to do your portrait.

Suzy posed for Willie, Larry painted more splodges and Megan and Sam worked their way through the rest of the shells.

As each shell was painted, Marcel and Shelby laid them out around the beach and on the groynes so they would dry in the sun.

Willie put the finishing touches to his portrait of Suzy and everyone gathered round to see.

Thats brilliant Willie, youre so clever, said Marcel.

We should be able to charge a bit extra for that shell.

Youre right. But its too late to sell them now. Its starting to get dark, said Megan. Lets leave the shells to dry overnight and go for tea and cake in Beach Hut Betty.

As the shells were left drying, everyone tucked in to cups of tea and slices of delicious fruit cake.

Weve all earned this, said Larry, exhausted from the days painting. Now Im feeling really tired, he yawned.

Me too, said Willie struggling to keep his eyes open. In fact, everyone was feeling sleepy from the days work and soon Megan, Sam, Larry, Willy, Bertie, Sandy and Shelby were fast asleep.

A little while later they were woken by a scurrying noise outside on the decking. Kelvin Crab burst through the door full of excitement.

Wake up! Everyone, wake up! he urged. You should see the beach, its all lit up for a party.

Megan lifted herself out of her deckchair and went to see what Kelvin was so excited about.

Wow! gasped Megan, as the others joined her outside in the dark.

Bucket loads of glowing light, said Bertie amazed. Dig it! cried Sandy Spade.

The beach was indeed all lit up with beautiful glowing colours. Not from lights, but from their painted shells.

The paint Shelby found at the boatyard must have been luminous paint, which means it glows in the dark, explained Sam.

Oh dear, said Shelby Sorry, everyone.

Dont be silly, said Kelvin. Its the perfect light show for a rock concert.

Kelvin strapped on his guitar. Come on Crabettes, lets rock!