The days leading up to Annabelle’s party seemed to go very slowly. It was lucky that she had to practise for the concert. This kept her busy, at least.

Then one morning Annabelle woke up with a fluttery feeling in her stomach. Why am I excited? she wondered. And then she remembered. That’s right, it’s my birthday!

She was a year older than when she went to bed. How weird! Annabelle lay there for a moment, trying to tell if she felt different.

She wiggled her toes. They felt the same. Then she looked at her hands. They looked exactly the same too.

But I do feel a bit different, Annabelle decided. Like I’m a bit taller. But just on the inside, so no-one else would notice.

Annabelle’s mum came into her room, carrying a tray.

‘Happy birthday, Belly!’ she said, putting the tray down on the bed.

Annabelle always had breakfast in bed on her birthday.

‘Yum!’ said Annabelle.

It was her favourite – French toast with banana and maple syrup, and a glass of chocolate milk.

‘Don’t stay in bed too long,’ said her mum. ‘There are lots of things to do.’

Just as Annabelle finished eating, the doorbell rang.

‘I’ll get it!’ said Annabelle, jumping up.

She was too excited to stay in bed anyway.

She opened the door. A lady was standing there, holding a pink and gold box.

‘Cake for Miss Bowan,’ said the lady, smiling.

‘That’s me!’ said Annabelle, and the lady handed her the box.

Annabelle carried it carefully to the kitchen. Her mum was there, stirring a bowl full of green and white gunky stuff.

‘What’s that?’ asked Annabelle, wrinkling her nose.

‘This is the spinach and cheese mixture for the triangles,’ said her mum. ‘They were on your list, remember? Have you changed your mind?’

‘No, no,’ replied Annabelle quickly. ‘I just didn’t think they’d be so icky-looking.’

‘They won’t look icky when they’re cooked,’ said her mum.

Annabelle helped her mum wrap the mixture up in strips of filo pastry. Then they put them in the oven. When the first batch came out they smelt great. And they didn’t look icky at all!

Then Annabelle thought of something.

She turned to her mum.

‘What should we serve them on?’

The Party Princess had said the food should be served on silver platters. But Annabelle was pretty sure they didn’t have any of those.

‘What about these?’ said her mum, smiling.

To Annabelle’s surprise she was holding two large silver platters.

‘They used to belong to your grandma,’ explained her mum. ‘They’ve been hiding in the cupboard for years. I think this is the perfect chance to use them again.’

The platters looked a bit old. But Annabelle’s mum found some silver polish and Annabelle scrubbed them until they shone. She had just finished when Michiko’s mum, Mrs Takasaka, arrived.

Mrs Takasaka put a bamboo mat on the table. Then she got out a bag of what looked like dark green paper squares.

‘This is the nori,’ explained Mrs Takasaka. ‘You lay it on the bamboo mat. Next you put a layer of rice on top and squash it down flat. Then you put a line of your favourite fillings in the middle. Finally, you roll it all up and cut it into pieces.’

It looked really easy when Mrs Takasaka did it. But when Annabelle tried, it wouldn’t stay rolled up. And all the filling came squishing out the ends.

‘Too big, maybe,’ said Mrs Takasaka.

So Annabelle tried again with less filling. This time the rolls stayed together. Mrs Takasaka chopped them into discs with a very sharp knife.

‘Wow!’ said Annabelle. ‘They look just like shop ones.’

Mrs Takasaka laughed.

‘Try one. I bet ours are much tastier.’

Annabelle picked one up. She loved nori rolls. And these ones looked really good.

‘Mrs Takasaka,’ she said, as she munched on one, ‘what is nori exactly?’

‘It’s a type of seaweed,’ replied Mrs Takasaka.

Annabelle stared at Mrs Takasaka in horror. Mrs Takasaka laughed when she saw Annabelle’s face.

Annabelle’s mum came over.

‘Belly! Look at the clock!’ she said. ‘You’d better get ready. Your friends will be arriving soon. We’ll finish up in here.’

Annabelle hurried to her bedroom. She got her blue V-neck top out of the chest of drawers, and pulled on her skirt with the beaded waistband. It was her favourite outfit. But it was the sort of thing she always wore to parties.

I need something different for this party, decided Annabelle.

She opened up her wardrobe. At first nothing looked quite right. But then she saw her new concert clothes hanging right at the back.

She felt the edge of the skirt. The material made a nice shushing noise between her fingers.

‘I’m sure Mum won’t mind if I wear this outfit today,’ Annabelle told herself. ‘It’s my birthday, after all!’

Then she quickly got dressed.

Just as she finished doing her hair the doorbell rang. Annabelle looked in the mirror. It was already a hot day and her new clothes were quite warm. And she would have to be careful to keep them clean. But Annabelle didn’t care.

It was absolutely the most perfect outfit for a mocktail party.