Children's Books
No matter how hard Annie tries, she just cannot do even the simplest sums. It's so embarrassing! When she goes to the shops, she can't work out how much money to hand the shopkeeper, and she always gets 0 for her maths homework. That is, until Annie goes to sleep with a calculator under her pillow, and something very strange happens. Overnight, Annie becomes a maths maestro capable of solving problems so fast it takes people's breath away. It impresses one world-renowned maths genius so much that he decides to put Annie's powers to the ultimate test. Will Annie be up to the mathematical challenge, or will she be at sixes and sevens and end up back at square one? Prepare yourself for this brain-teasing adventure ...
Jim and his friends are upset to hear that their school janitor's car has been stolen, and just before he's due to retire too. So Jim comes up with a bright idea for a way to help raise money to buy a new car: selling doughnuts. They start by making their own very delicious doughnuts to sell, but run into problems when demand exceeds supply. That's when Jim has another brainwave and decides the only way to make enough is to write a chain letter asking people to make more doughnuts. The doughnuts start rolling in ...and rolling in ...and soon Jim is up to his ears in them. It takes another inspired business idea to rescue a situation which is rapidly getting out of hand. This is the inspiring story of a boy with a big heart and big business ideas, from bestselling author, Alexander McCall Smith.
One of a series of contemporary stories for confident readers aged between six and eight years. Twins Katy and Bella receive a birthday present each year from Uncle Ted, whom they have never met. This year it's a princess kit, and when the twins dress up everyone treats them as royalty.
When the ratcatcher is called in to rid the town of rats, a strange thing happens. The rats go, but so do the grown-ups. Paddy and his friend run the town and everyone has a great time until the money runs out. They know people get money from the bank, but where does the bank get the money from?
Patty lives with her Aunt Bat on a banana plantation in Jamaica. Unfortunately, as it's such a small plantation, they're having trouble keeping up with the competition, and Aunt Bat is worried they'll have to sell up. Patty needs to think of an idea to turn things around, and fast! Inspiration comes to her as she's digging into a chocolate banana special at her local ice-cream parlour. All she needs to do is invent a machine - a banana machine. Will Patty's mechanical wizardry help the plantation out of its crisis? Or, like the bananas, are her ideas round the bend?
Billy, Nicola and Mr Gopal are off to India in a flying boat to solve a baffling mystery! The gum that comes from the wonderful bubblegum trees that grow in the Indian jungle has not been delivered for two months. Without this secret ingredient, there'll be no more Gopal's Best Pink Bubblegum, and even more importantly, no more Bubblegummies - the people who live in the trees and harvest the gum. It's not an easy mystery to solve - and soon the friends are involved in a bungee-jumping, tiger-trouncing, woodcutter-walloping, bubblegum-blowing adventure!
Ma Rosie's watermelon's are the best in town, but old age now stops her making the trip to market to sell her fruit and it seems her farming days are over. Her supporters, Sepo and Misipo, plan to sell her wares to the hotel guests, but must overcome the obstacles of the hotel guard and manager.
Lucy, Hermione and Sam are off on a sailing trip. It sounds fun, but it may be dangerous. Captain Foster and his dog need their help. Pirates have raided the ship and stolen the popcorn harvest. Now the pirates aren't just after more popcorn - they want some new sailors too!
A religious and serious young man discovers that he is the result of artificial insemination. The sperm donor was an ape. He has to reconcile this with what he thinks of himself, and with his religion. Is he a man? Can he go to heaven? He soon fears for his life, as religious leaders seek to hide the truth that might challenge the faith of their followers.
Jenny is very tall for her age, and when her mum makes her dress smartly for her first day at a new school, she looks very grown-up indeed. So grown-up, in fact, that when she arrives at the school, she is mistaken for a new teacher, and left in charge of a classroom of kids! Jenny's first instinct is to escape, but on her way out she gets caught by Miss Ice, the strict school principal, who is not very impressed to find a new teacher sneaking around the corridors. Petrified by the terrifying Miss Ice, Jenny is forced to keep up the act, and soon finds herself in all sorts of tricky situations, culminating in a rather explosive chemistry lesson. How long will it be before Jenny is found out? Will she and her pupils survive the day? Whatever happens, it's going to be a real education!
John and Nicky have never eaten spaghetti and only dream of food like chips and chocolate cake. But they live with their Aunt who insists upon eating healthy meals. But a competition prize which wins them a trip around their local spaghetti factory has some unexpected and very tasty results.
National treasure Alexander McCall Smith joins up-and-coming illustrator Zoe Persico in this utterly adorable story of family, acceptance and difference. Part of Barrington Stoke's picture book range for all the family, with easy-read font. Jane has always been just a little bit different – she has springs in her knees! She bounce, bounce, bounces all over town and they call her Springy Jane. She wins all the high jump competitions and can reach the top book shelf, and if anyone stares too hard she just bounces right over them! But a terrible flood and a trapped old lady mean Springy Jane is called on for help – will her springs save the day? Part of Barrington Stoke's picture book range for all the family, with easy-read font.
Hari is a dreamer with an unusual talent. He spends the few coins he earns washing cars on cinema trips to watch (and learn from) his beloved Bollywood films. Then one day Hari's gloriously fancy footwork is spotted by Mr Ram, a man on a mission to resolve conflicts near and far. Hari so entrances everyone with his magical dancing that soon he is summoned to the White House itself where his electric feet bring harmony to the presidential couple and an easier life for Hari's family.
Start your engines and get in gear for an action-packed story from the bestselling author of The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, Alexander McCall Smith, with fun and energetic illustrations by Kate Hindley. When Max finds an old car that has his last name - Champion - on the bonnet, he learns that his grandfather used to make some of the best cars around ... and race them! That is, until his ideas book and his favourite car, Arabella, were stolen by greedy rival Mr Grabber. Can Max find a way to get back what Grandfather Gus lost? And will Arabella ever be seen again?
From the bestselling adult author of The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency series as well as the middle-grade series School Ship Tobermory comes an exciting tale of bravery set in and around the circus, with fun, energetic illustrations throughout. Freddie Mole loves his family They are tight-knit, but they struggle day to day to make ends meet. Times are tough, and Freddie is determined to help. Then Freddie finds out about a job opening at a local circus--and he can't believe his luck when he is hired. At the circus, Freddie sweeps and cleans and is praised for his work. One thing leads to another, and he's asked to be understudy for some of the acts. The trapeze stunts are daunting enough--can Freddie face the lion's cage?
Roll up! Roll up! A new season is about to begin at the Shortbread family's circus! The big-top is ready and everyone is excited to get started. But as the shows begin chief clown Mr Birdcage is in a bit of a pickle - none of his hilarious props seem to be working! When budding detectives Billy, Fern and Joe get on the case to investigate, they soon discover that the props have been tampered with! But who would want to sabotage Mr Birdcage and why?
It's full-time monkey business on the high seas in this new family adventure from Alexander McCall Smith, the bestselling author of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. Noah can't believe it when he finds out his uncle owns a zoo! But the zoo is closing down, and there are animals who need homes. Before he knows it, Noah and his family are setting sail on a round-the-world trip returning the zoo animals to the places they were born. But when they try to return one very cheeky monkey, they're in for a whole boat-load of trouble!