Benny and Teddy’s Day Out

Everyone loves toys, although nowadays they are becoming more and more sophisticated and electronic.

But for really young children, the old favourites are still the best. Teddy bears and all forms of cuddly toys are what toddlers seek. So, what would they give to be able to play with them should they come to life.

Benjamin Roy is a typical fun-loving five-year-old who can’t believe his eyes when a glove puppet in the form of a grey and white rabbit tips him a wink and comes to life.

Benny and Teddy’s Day Out is the second in the series, following “Benny’s Arrival”.

Benny’s Arrival

BENNY’S ARRIVAL

Everyone loves toys, although nowadays they are becoming more and more sophisticated and electronic.

But for really young children, the old favourites are still the best. Teddy bears and all forms of cuddly toys are what toddlers seek. So what would they give to be able to play with them should they come to life?

Benjamin Roy is a typical fun-loving five-year-old who can’t believe his eyes when a glove puppet in the form of a grey and white rabbit tips him a wink and comes to life.

“Benny’s Arrival” is where it all began.

Benny’s Sports Day

Everyone loves toys, although nowadays they are becoming more and more sophisticated and electronic.

But for really young children, the old favourites are still the best. Teddy bears and all forms of cuddly toys are what toddlers seek. So, what would they give to be able to play with them should they come to life.

Benjamin Roy is a typical fun-loving five-year-old who can’t believe his eyes when a glove puppet in the form of a grey and white rabbit tips him a wink and comes to life.

Benny’s Sports Day is the third in the series, following Benny’s Arrival and Benny and Teddy’s Day Out.

Bertha Spankle

Bertha Spankle is a clumsy soul who dreams of seeing the world. These tales take her on heart-stopping adventures, which teach her to follow her dreams.

Bertha finds herself in many life-changing situations, but manages to persevere… you never know what you are capable of until you try!

Bertie’s Amazing Tales

Dear Reader,

Bertie was inspired by my own daughter, Ellen, whose daddy always called her ‘Bertie’ when she was little (and indeed, even when she was not so little!)

These stories are often, but not always, based on things that happened to Ellen as she was growing up ... I will leave it to you to decide which events are real, which are made up and which are a mixture of both.

Great-Aunt Jacinda’s house was a very real place ... as are Bertie’s many, many cousins. Again, I have mixed reality and imagination with most of the characters in the stories ... and as before, it is for you to decide where reality ends and imagination takes over – or should that be the other way around?

So, I hope you enjoy reading about Bertie and I hope Ellen’s memories of her childhood are as magical as Bertie’s.

With love ... and keep reading!

Moya Banks

X

PS: Pirates for ever!

Betrayal

Can you mourn someone and despise them at the same time?

Anna believes she has the perfect life. Happily married with four beautiful children, she is content spending her days looking after her family whilst her husband focuses on his career.

Stephanie, a career-driven businesswoman, thrives on her independence but is fiercely loyal in her relationship.

When tragedy strikes one cold December night just before Christmas, it is revealed that Anna and Stephanie’s lives are more entwined than either of them could have ever imagined. Are they both able to overcome lives full of deceit and learn to trust again?

Betrothed

Audrianna has been betrothed to Prince Henry to be the next queen of Nadeau. But, according to Nadeau law, they both must wait six years before they can be married. As far as Henry and Audrianna are concerned, they don’t mind waiting because neither one like each other. Pulling pranks and talking sass to one another seem to be the only way they know how to behave. However, when the castle is invaded by the marauding Andjety, Henry and Audrianna are forced to flee together to escape the murderous plans of Zymjai, the witch. Now, forced to trust one another to stay alive, they travel throughout the countryside, and discover intriguing friends to assist them. Can they look past the contempt they have for one another to allow their allies to help them retake the castle? Also, what is the strange noise that keeps howling every night in the castle? What dirty trick does Henry play on Audrianna? What secret has he kept from the princess? Does the king have an ulterior plan for the two of them?

Betty’s Bedtime Adventure

Betty has been told that her grandad is gone forever, but she knows that he isn’t. She believes he is up in the stars. So instead of lying in bed, asleep, she is looking through her telescope, fuelled by chocolate biscuits, hunting the night sky for him.

But Betty quickly realises that there is a problem.

A big one!

All the stars look the same. So, full of disappointment she makes a wish upon a star...

Follow Betty on her adventure to find her beloved grandad, learning the comforting lesson that people we love will always be with us, no matter how far away they may seem.

What do you wish upon a star?

Between Friends

Between Friends explores, in thirty-six texts, friendship in the modern world across a range of scenarios. Several texts investigate the special nature of male sporting affinities while others reveal the pleasures and disappointments of friendships with literary writers. The collection’s concern with the neuroses of masculinity is evident in ten vignettes devoted to male clothing, bodily adornment or sports equipment. The last six stories, mostly based on archival photographs, imagine scenarios of extreme male anguish or difficulty.

Overall the collection is a provocative psychological study of sometimes unconventional relationships which takes readers to a new level of understanding of the bonds between individuals. A particular strength of the work is its vivid powers of evocation – of scenarios, events and relationships – and its witty and often humorous expression of the significance of the situations recounted. Ranging over a wide spectrum of social and sporting subjects and interactions – from boxing to fashion, from the gym to home situation, from war to peace, from exotic places to familiar environments – the stories’ varied styles and forms aim to capture the particular flavour of the experiences recounted.

Between Heaven and Earth

     "There must be an angel playing with my heart."-The Eurythmics

Between Heaven and Earth is a contemporary love story that combines tragedy, companionship and divine intervention resulting in a powerful, moving and ultimately uplifting confirmation of what it means to be human. It is a poignant reminder of how the impact of death and grief affects people differently and how love and commitment can heal even the most broken of hearts.

Teddy and Mona Goodson are childhood sweethearts. They are shattered to discover that she is seriously ill. Teddy becomes so absorbed in caring for his wife that he begins to neglect the needs of their son, Guy. Teddy therefore decides to engage the services of a child therapist, Dana Weston, who unbeknown to him, falls victim to her own catastrophe and heartbreak. When Guy is later diagnosed with Leukemia, the pain and grief intensify to the point where the powers-that-be on high seem to be conspiring against them.

What follows is a complex interplay of relationships, memories, and synchronicity, touching, and in equal measures, both tragic and heart-warming, which reaches an emotionally charged and inspirational finale. When the human spirit is most tested, just when it seems all is lost, heaven and earth come together in a most profound way.

Between Two Homes

Ben and his sister, Beth, live with their parents by the beach. They love walking together with their dog, Toby. Suddenly, one day Ben's father tells them he is moving. Ben's life is shattered as he realises his parents are separating, but gradually he learns to adjust to the situation. The story follows his, and his family's journey while presenting a positive and optimistic perspective about the whole situation. It is a story of developing resilience, and gives children an opportunity to discuss this situation, and how to cope with stressful situations while coming out on top. A great resource for schools and parents.

Beyond Belief – Faith That Works

“If the gospel changes everything, why is there so little change in my life? Why do I struggle so much with sins that are debilitating, those that knock the wind out of me and deplete me emotionally? Where can I find hope to experience the freeing beauty of following Jesus?”

Many Christians are frustrated over the disconnect between faith and lifestyle. Beyond Belief bridges the gaping chasm between belief and behavior. In so doing it exposes the short-circuits in how we view what the gospel is and how it practically changes us.

If you are looking for a faith that works, especially in daily living, Beyond Belief is for you. As you apply the principles in Beyond Belief those around you will notice the change. And so will you.