Paddles! The Huggable Polar Bear, The Wishing Tree

Paddles and Bracken and all the new pupils are feeling nervous and anxious - its’ their first day of school. An over confident Fagan bosses it in an impromptu game of Gaelic Football. Miss Hoot the Teacher and Uncle Liam the Head Master put the pupils into pairs in class and to their dismay Paddles and Fagan are put together - it looks like they have nothing in common. It’s going to be a long day. Paddles discovers that Fagan is nervous too, and finds the toy that Fagan made and then lost. Everyone is impressed with Fagan’s inventiveness. Fagan is relieved and at the end of the day everyone else is also. They’ve all made new friends and had a great day. Same time tomorrow then?

In trying to teach Paddles hurling, Fagan and Bracken are a bit too competitive, and despite Paddles’ best efforts on the pitch soon there’s a falling out, with Bridie caught in the middle. Paddles is very downcast and wishes they could all be friends again. The Old Moor Hen suggests a visit to the Magical Wishing Tree. Overhearing, Fagan thinks this might just make all his dreams come true! But what sort of wishes really come true, and who will visit the tree?

Paddles, Bracken and Bridie are dismayed to find their fishing trip spoiled by litter in the river. Paddles organizes a litter pick, but what to do with the plastic bottles they collect? The Old Moorhen gives him an idea; if the birds can use things they find lying around to build their nests, then perhaps the plastic bottles can be repurposed? At school next day everyone sets to work on their creations. Meanwhile, the birds have taken all the blackberries – what, no blackberry pie?! Paddles devises something much nicer for the birds, now everyone looks forward to the next crop!

Everyone is playing hide and seek in the woods, but Paddles doesn’t really get it, and keeps being found first. Bracken hears a far off sound that no one else can, and explains that wolfhounds have really good hearing. Sure enough, Old Moor Hen ambles past whistling a tune. Try as he might, Paddles just can’t whistle, and a tuneless go on Arthur’s tin whistle offends Bracken’s sensitive ears. As the game continues, suddenly everyone realizes Paddles has become a bit too good at hiding, and as night falls they are worried – Paddles is lost. Mr Wolfie and Arthur trip organize a chaotic search party, and in the nick of time Paddles learns a useful skill.

Paddles finds a four leaf clover and saves Bracken from an accident with a pot of paint at the shop all in a single day. Bracken decides Paddles is a lucky talisman and he can make some pocket money by taking orders for four leaf clovers. But Paddles can’t find any more, and decides he’s not so lucky any more. Everyone is disappointed, especially Mrs Twigg, whose shop is spattered with paint. Paddles decides it’s better to make your own luck, and 122 cheers Mrs Twigg up with a hand decorated lucky talisman.

It’s the summer holidays and Paddles, Bracken and Bridie build a pirate raft to explore the river. Bracken and Bridie take charge, and poor Paddles is left to do all the hard work. Seamus and Oscar decide to scupper their game, and a daring pirate chase on the river ensues. Alas the baddie pirates have to endure the rapids. Paddles, Bracken and Bridie lose their raft and are marooned on an island in the river but are they alone? They discover an abandoned camp, but where is the treasure? Paddles earns himself a promotion to Captain, and returns triumphantly up river!

It’s the summer holidays and Paddles, Bracken and Bridie build a pirate raft to explore the river. Bracken and Bridie take charge, and poor Paddles is left to do all the hard work. Seamus and Oscar decide to scupper their game, and a daring pirate chase on the river ensues. Alas the baddie pirates have to endure the rapids. Paddles, Bracken and Bridie lose their raft and are marooned on an island in the river but are they alone? They discover an abandoned camp, but where is the treasure? Paddles earns himself a promotion to Captain, and returns triumphantly up river!

Paddles and Bracken are reading about their favourite comic book heroes. And they both decide that this is exactly what Drumsnella needs. However, people are dismissive of the Wonder-Cub and the Wolf-Master Junior’s attempts to be super heroes until they prove their worth when it matters.