On a misty Wednesday night after school, young vampire Amelia Fang sat in her bedroom with her pet pumpkin, Squashy, surrounded by complete and utter mess.

      ‘Darkling,’ called Amelia’s mother, Countess Frivoleeta, from downstairs. ‘It’s time for your organ practice with Wooo. Remember your exam is coming up soon.’

      ‘Do I have to practise tonight?’ Amelia replied, her heart sinking at the thought of more organ practice – despite how ghoulishly enthusiastic Wooo, their ghost butler, was. ‘I’m making Squashy a cute costume for my birthnight party!’

      Squashy squeaked and span on the spot delightedly.

      ‘Isn’t it exciting, Squashy! Soon I’ll be eleven moon-years old!’ beamed Amelia, flicking through her Positively Pumpkin magazine. ‘And we get to celebrate in style at the Pumpkin Patch! Golly Ghouls, I do love pumpkins.’

      Amelia wanted to be a Pumpkinologist more than anything in the whole world when she grew up – she could imagine studying and caring for pumpkins like Squashy forever!

      Amelia also loved making things, and she especially loved making things for Squashy. Tonight her bedroom floor was covered in black-and-orange material, goblin-slime superglue and various cobwebbing tools.

      The bedroom door creaked open, revealing Countess Frivoleeta’s huge beehive hairdo before the rest of her body. When she saw the mess in Amelia’s room, she gasped.

      ‘Amelia, my dreadful little wart-picker, I can’t see your bedroom floor!’

      ‘It’s creative mess,’ Amelia grinned. ‘Look, I’m making some sunglasses for Squashy and some tiny bow ties.’

      The countess made a strange noise. ‘Amelia Fang! It’s like you’re living in a goblin cave. Wooo is waiting for you in the organ room, so tidy this mess up and then go downstairs for your practice. Quick-smart my dismal one!’

      Amelia felt her cheeks flush. ‘But Mum, it’s nearly my birthnight, and I’ve so much to catch up on in Positively Pumpkin ! Can’t I skip organ practice just this week?’

      ‘Certainly not, darkling – you already missed last week because you were at pumpkin-patch digging. Organ practice is important – pumpkin magazines are not. ’

      Amelia sighed. ‘Okay, Mum, I’ll be down in a minute,’ she said, as the countess left the room. Sometimes it felt like her mum just didn’t understand.

      ‘Don’t worry Squashy, we’ll have your costume ready, even if I have to stay up all day to finish