A Tiny Voice in the Chalk Dust
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Ten Minutes to the Skylark
by Ellie Marsh
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Nell must reach the airship Skylark with a brass valve before it leaves the ground, but the gangway is rising and empty air lies between her and the deck.
1/8Front cover
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The words of each page, to read along or read aloud.
Page 1
The gear-tower bells clanged ten times, which meant ten minutes. Nell ran faster. Copper pipes hissed above her, and in her fist the brass valve was warm and heavy. Without it, the airship Skylark could not leave the ground.
Then she heard it: a frantic whirr, like a clock having a nightmare.
Page 2
In the wall beside her, a steam vent was coughing white clouds. Caught in its grille was a small clockwork pigeon, one tin wing stuck fast, his key-tail spinning.
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