The Bump

It’s been a long, cold winter and the woodland animals are fed up and hungry. When a pile of grain is accidentally spilled in the lane by a passing trailer, it gives Badger an idea. What would happen if the animals built a bump across the road? Everyone works very hard, except Fox, who pretends to be busy and gives lots of instructions. Now they are waiting to see what will come down the lane, and they don’t have to wait very long. “Quick! Hide!” screeches Crow from the tree-tops. “Something’s coming!”

This is an exciting and very funny story for young children. They will love waiting to see what drops into the lane, and how the animals use these items. The ending shows the importance of recycling.

The Caterpillar and the Butterfly

From Michael Rosenblum, the bestselling author of Happily Ever Always: A Guide to Personal Transformation, Security, Confidence, and Healthy Self, comes a debut book for beginning readers. This ageless story introduces us to a caterpillar named “Fear”. Fear is afraid of everything – the other critters who share the garden, lightning storms, being bullied and making new friends. A chance encounter with a wise butterfly named “Faith” helps Fear find the courage within to experience the world in a bolder and more joy-filled way. Rosenblum’s message for children is simple yet profound: fear is just faith turned inside out.

“Children will realize that changing fear to faith is up to them as they explore this magical story. Bravo, Michael Rosenblum!”

Dr. Kathleen Hagstrom

Principal

Walt Disney Magnet School

Chicago Public Schools

The Cedars of Beckenham

The Mystery of an Antique German Doll reunites members of a family torn apart during The Third Reich of Nazi Germany.

This family saga, starting in the leafy suburb of Beckenham on the borders of Kent and London, begins in 1930 in the comfortable world of four British upper-middle class families blind to the impending changes that are about to threaten not only their world, but everyone else’s world, too.

A doll belonging to the Abuthnott family becomes the catalyst that brings about two sides of the Rubenstein family, who were able to escape from Germany in the late 1930s finding refuge in the United States of America and in the British Mandate of Palestine.

Along the way, the horrors of the Blitz and the British struggle for survival are enacted out against the parallel Germanic horror of holocaust separation. The survivors in the United States, Great Britain and Israel adapt to a new world as it unfolds through the second half of the 20th century, until by the chance sale of a German Biedermeier doll at Sotheby’s in New York, their separate paths are brought together in 2017.

The four Beckenham families adapt to their changing lifestyles witnessing a rich tapestry of 20th century history taking the reader all over the world with its beauty, passion and prejudices.

The Chameleon Which Lost Its Colour

On the island of Madagascar, Blaze the chameleon is the most colourful of all the animals. But Blaze has one flaw: he’s quite mischievous, which makes it hard for him to make friends. One day his colours have vanished and it’s up to him to get the other animals on the island to help him find them! Will he succeed?

The Complete Response

Stanley lives life to the full--working hard, playing hard. In 2016, his life was turned upside down with a serious medical diagnosis; he had a stage 4 bowel cancer which had spread extensively to his liver and was inoperable. Many people might have given up but Stanley looked at the challenge of beating cancer with positivity. Stanley carried on working throughout the medical process ahead of him and developed his own strategy with the help of others around him and his life experiences. The plan of attack worked, which ultimately led to his survival and a complete response to treatment. No viable trace of the disease remained, a very rare 100% response. Stanley carried on living as before and is still free from cancer. The Complete Response will inspire anyone looking to overcome the unthinkable!

The Concentration Camp: The True Story of a Belgian Teenager

Pierre grows up in a family still scarred by the Great War. When the Second World War breaks out, the Germans invade Belgium. Pierre’s yearning for freedom and justice drives him to join the Resistance to fight the occupying enemy. On 30 December 1942, the German Gestapo apprehend him at home and the teenage boy ends up in a German concentration camp, where he is subjected on a daily basis to the horrors taking place. He never loses heart, because American and British airplanes regularly appear in the skies overhead.

The Continuing Adventures of Warty Willy and Pimples Pete

After accidentally interrupting a leadership ceremony being conducted by the magical but evil Treplicons, Willy is cursed to grow warts over all parts of his body. This brings on a source of embarrassment that leads him to despair.

He soon discovers that he must travel to the Treplicon realm to reverse the curse. Once they arrive in the beautiful magical world, Willy and his best friend Pete discover that the reversal of the curse is only half their task. They must overcome the powerful and soulless Swamp Spirit to save the land they have come to love.

This is a story for all ages that includes trials and tribulations, friendship, and love. It involves intriguing characters such as stone trolls, sabre eels, wood rats, rose warriors and many more.

The Cottage

When Jo inherits a neglected cottage on the Avon near Stratford, she steps into a world of hidden histories and family secrets. Left to her by her enigmatic Great Aunt Lily – better known for her estate in Cornwall – this humble cottage serves as the catalyst for a series of events that plunge Jo into danger, including an ominous figure from her past. As Jo delves into wartime diaries and heirlooms, she unravels a tangled web of loss, grief, and the devastating consequences of war and personal betrayals.

Aiding her in this journey is Al, the loyal gardener, who helps Jo tend to her aunt’s once-vibrant gardens. As the gardens flourish, so does Jo, finding strength and growth amid the blooming flora. But as she navigates through her family’s complex history, she must also confront the lurking dangers that threaten not just her newfound peace, but her very life. This gripping story explores the far-reaching impact of secrets, the resilience of the human spirit, and the transformative power of nature.

The Cottage of Secrets

Alyssa Durtnall and her brother Liam are looking forward to their summer holiday away from school but Liam already bored on the first day of his holiday sees a cat that leads him to a new gypsy encampment in the woods near his home. What follows changes their lives dramatically. Giving them many problems to solve and placing them in some unbelievable situations where they cannot ask for anybody else’s help, so have to rely on each other. In a quest to find justice for a community and a culture that is often hated and ridiculed they are placed in grave danger but are determined to fight for what they believe to be right. If they are successful they will bring a much-needed awareness of the value of welcoming diversity for the benefit of all communities. But should they reveal their secret and would anybody believe them?

The Crossingway

Strange things are happening to Howell. His mother disappears after a car crash in the mountains, and his uncle insists that only he, Howell, can find her. And what of the unknown Latino blind boy who rescues Howell from school bullies, the Haitian-Creole deaf girl stopping him from falling into a pit that magically appears in his bedroom, and the Native-American girl appearing in his town, accompanied by a large grey wolf? Howell’s uncle insists everything relates to Howell’s upcoming birthday and his need to journey through the Crossingway to complete the Transfer—whatever that is.

The Cruces Crises

The Cruces have a crisis, an environmental crisis. Everyone wants the latest stuff, but it comes at a cost – pollution! The King sends his son out to find a new land where he can rebuild his kingdom. The Prince knows he must do the right thing, but when two cultures collide, he is left facing a crisis of conscience.

Through his journey of discovery, a young man learns how to care for the environment and respect the lives of other people, even when their appearance is very different from his own.

The Curse of The Deadly Marshmallows

Neil Owlsley’s dream is to one day become the world’s greatest ever reporter, oh and he has a sweet tooth and absolutely loves marshmallows.

But on an eventful day when he takes a trip to his favourite shop, not only has the shopkeeper disappeared but a curse is placed on his beloved marshmallows by someone identified only as ‘The Mysterious Old Woman’.

Quickly he puts his reporter skills into action with only one thing on his mind … save Sproglington Town because simply there is no one else.

Will 12-year-old Neil succeed where many have failed, or will the town be overwhelmed by the Curse … of the Deadly Marshmallows?