The Unluckiest Boy in the World

George never seems to be very lucky. Nothing ever seems to go quite right for him. In fact, George believes that he is the unluckiest boy in the world. When his class is involved in a school project involving growing sunflowers and the production of a play called “James and The Giant Sunflower”, which is to be performed in front of all the parents at the summer fair, things seem to go from bad to worse for George. Will he ever be able to beat Ben – good at everything and always the first with his hand up in class? How does Mr. Greenwood, the school caretaker, get involved in George’s fortunes? Will George’s luck ever change?

Wild Banana

Most of us like the tasty yellow bananas from the supermarket. These come from warm continents, where they are grown in plantations of thousands of trees, all nurtured together.

So different from their wild ancestors, who struggle to survive, living alone on tropical islands.

This story tells the adventures of an original, wild banana.

The Bag of Magic Jelly Beans

The Bag of Magic Jelly Beans possess unique abilities with special powers.

They find themselves in precarious situations with close calls that require specialist skills.

Are they able to use skills to overcome challenges and get themselves out of these situations?

Can this be done in an exciting way where adventure reigns supreme?

One aspect I am sure of: this story will leave you enthralled, uplifted, and entertained. 

The Quirky Kampung Tales Of Ijan And His Early School Years

The book is generally written in a humorous tone but there are poignant moments in the book where the narration takes on a more serious or sad tone where they are needed. The book is about the growing up years of a boy called Ijan who grew up in a fast-developing Singapore in the 1970s and 1980s in two different villages or “kampung” as they are called in Singapore. Although the concept or notion of a “kampung” is now gone in the developed city of Singapore, the book invites the readers to take a journey back to a historical Singapore as a backdrop. Ingrained in the ways of the village, Ijan the “kampung” boy had also attended schools which were very structured and the schools were where his parents were teachers. As a “kampung” boy, Ijan was accustomed to his roaming ways and as a teacher’s son, he was expected to behave. This was further compounded where it seemed Ijan’s DNA had been “hardwired” with the characteristics of what was known in the village as a “pusar dua” anomaly. He was born with two hair whirls at the back of his head! This led to a somewhat disorderly hair disposition for Ijan but more significantly, the villagers believed this anomaly brought with it certain traits to the “afflicted” boy. It was believed that a “pusar dua” boy would be a maverick of sorts, hyperactive and stubborn to say the least. He was also believed to be blessed with a very endearing character, especially to animals. The interesting contrast in environment, character and expectations are the themes that carry the narration in this book with Ijan as the protagonist.

Ouch in the Pouch

This book is about animals only found in Australia. Baby marsupials like kangaroo joeys grow up in their mother’s pouch where they breastfeed. Echidnas and platypus are monotremes. Their babies hatch from eggs, but they are mammals and they drink their mother’s milk like other mammals do. This book is full of poems about mammals playing musical instruments. It also has some strange facts: I bet you didn’t know that wombats make cubic poo. Well now you do.

The Life and Times of Victoria-Ann Penny

This is a memoir of Victoria-Ann Penny and, as you may have guessed, she is a Victorian penny. This is her story, as best she can remember it. She is well over a 100 years old so her memory might be just a little bit hazy.
Born towards the end of Queen Victoria’s reign Miss Penny recounts various historical events in the 20th century including world wars and the first moon landing.
She also travelled around various countries and the British Isles with her ‘owners’ and gives her impressions of the things she saw. 
Reader, I do hope you enjoy her escapades.

Willy and Wally, the Windscreen Wipers!

Willy and Wally are windscreen wipers. They’re what now? They are windscreen wipers, you know those things that keep car windscreens clear when it rains or snows. But they’re very special windscreen wipers. These windscreen wipers come to life when people (that’s you and me) are not looking. Next time you are in a car with your family, take a look. But don’t touch them! They may be special too.

Our mischievous windscreen wipers (as in cheeky monkeys!), love to go on adventures in their home town of Bryson-on-the-Walk. When they do they are helped by their friends. There’s Milly and Molly the mirrors, ’Enery the engine, Horatio the headlight and Boddington the bumper.

I first met Willy and Wally on a journey to London many, many years ago. It was raining and they did a grand job in keeping the windscreen clear and so kept me safe. Of course I didn’t know their names back then but I soon found out….

Find out what happens in this their first adventure when they hear a very strange noise coming from the back of their car. 

The Bronson Escapades

Meet the Children:

Kennedy, 17 – The Fashionist!

(Always telling others what’s wrong with their outfit)

Chloe, 15 – The Bookworm!

(Never Stops Reading)

Edwin, 12 – The Explorer!

(Often starts sentences with ‘did you know…’)

Bridget, 11 – The Pretentious Snob!

(Usually speaks in a false poncy accent)

Al, 9 – The Chatterbox!

(Quite frequently refers to something outside the current context of conversation)

These, along with their mother and father, make up the Bronson family, and together they get into all sorts of trouble – from causing havoc in town, to being locked outside their own house! Join the ride as these five unlikely siblings embark upon some truly epic adventures of a lifetime; including: searching for their mother’s lost ring, helping the mayor, and even giving the garden fence a fresh coat of paint. Read along and see how Kennedy, Chloe, Edwin, Bridget, and Al manage to muddle along through everything that tumbles their way.

Runners

Everyone wants to be, already is, or has been famous. Debora Quake is famous. Clinging on to her youth, decaf latte and just about anyone she can get her hands on as she stumbles her way through presenting the nation’s ailing television breakfast show: Breaking Fast. The show’s ratings, like her career, are on the decline yet it is only her and her accomplice, Norwich Parker, the show’s production manager who won’t wake up and smell the coffee. Norwich doesn’t wake up at all, which for those that know her and her archaic views, isn’t always a bad thing. It is down to Duncan, his two best friends, and the rest of the studio show runners, to ensure Debora is TV-ready each morning no matter what she quite literally throws at them. Overworked, overtired and underpaid, the runners strive for satisfaction elsewhere whilst meeting the world’s elitists in entertainment along the way. Some even find love.

The Baker's Dozen: Twelve Bedtime Stories for Naughty Boys, Wayward Girls and Furry Friends

Enter the extravagant world of naughty children, school bullies and nerds, fancy cats, dirty dogs, world-record holding bubble blowers, showoffs, scary teachers, hypochondriacs, lost beloved bunnies, annoying little brothers, funky potions, heroes that come in all shapes and sizes and more.

You may just find that these larger-than-life characters remind you of someone you know, maybe even a little of yourself!

Read at your own risk: you must know that you may laugh aloud, so be prepared to have a tissue ready or even a spare pair of undies at your disposal. Do the good guys always win? You’ll just have to wait and see.

Sit on mum and dad’s knee, or maybe your older brother and sister, and turn the pages if you dare to enjoy the playful and joyous rhyming tales.

The Bott Twins: Birth, Death and Other Jokes

A grotesque, surreal and darkly comic series of tales about the most terrible family on the planet.

Mrs Bott, an horrendous “unlanced boil” of a woman and Mr Bott, “a balloon of a man”, are very unhappily married.

Into this disaster enter two unwanted arrivals: The Bott Twins.

Born bad? Or driven bad? It doesn’t matter. What you do need to know is that:

“If you ever meet the Bott Twins, run. Run and don’t look back.”

Too few people take this advice and the results are not pretty.

The Cats' Book of Christmas Carols

We cats truly enjoy Christmas activities, such as opening presents when you are out and re-arranging decorations, even at the top of the tree.

We also love carol singing and have our own words. Jan Stewart, who understands and speaks a little MEOW, has kindly written down our most popular lyrics.  

You may sing the human version or practise cat language by repeating our favourite word, ‘meow’, in time to the music. But do listen as you do so, for somewhere nearby, a cat may be joining in the chorus.