Maddie Doyle and the Mystery of Heather Bank Farm

When Maddie Doyle helps a stranded witch, she is granted one wish and she knows exactly what to ask for: the ability to speak to, and understand Dougal, Thistle Island's mathematically- gifted dog. She enlists his help with maths so that she can get rid of the annoying Mrs Bustle - her classroom helper - and get on with daydreaming the day away in school. Maddie's scientist father has vanished under unexplained circumstances and she prefers the imaginary life in her head to the reality of wondering what has happened to him.Dougal isn't the only animal Maddie can understand and she soon acquaints herself with Cornelius, the school's pet rabbit, and Marvin, an eccentrically-dressed chimpanzee from the peculiar circus that has set up camp on the island. Before long Maddie finds herself preparing Cornelius for a life of freedom (by reading a book named 'How to Tame a Wild Animal' and doing the opposite of its advice) and helping Dougal out when his owner keeps him short of food.Maddie discovers that Dougal's owner plans to sell him to the circus ringmaster, who is secretly plotting to sell him to the sinister Professor Ironblatt, who has come to lodge with Maddie's family. Professor Ironblatt plans to carry out research on Dougal in his laboratory.While Maddie is pondering how she can help Dougal, she discovers the horrific fate that awaits the argumentative sheep of Heather Bank Farm. The sheep believe that the truck comes to take them for a holiday but the truth is that the sheep are destined to be slaughtered. Maddie resolves to help them and enlists the help of Dougal, Marvin and Cornelius.As Thistle Island's Hallowe'en Parade begins, Maddie leads the sheep away from the farm and down the hill to the harbour. She plans to sail the sheep across the water to the mysterious Fairy Rock, an uninhabited island some distance from Thistle Island. Disaster strikes when she realises that she cannot get the sheep onto the fishing boat she plans to 'borrow'.Spurred on by her animal friends, Maddie refuses to give up and is rewarded by the revelation of a magical underground tunnel leading to the Fairy Rock. She leads the sheep to safety but another surprise awaits her on arrival at the Fairy Rock: her father is there. He has been hiding from Professor Ironblatt who wants to force him to hand over his botanical distillation, so that he can use it for evil means. Ironblatt arrives on the island and takes Maddie hostage. Can she escape his clutches or will her father be forced to hand over his distillation and let Ironblatt carry out his evil plan?