The four Conroy sisters spend a wild summer at the seaside with Big Grandma, who tries to break them of their reading habit by substituting fresh air and hard work for books and gets unexpected results.

    Freddy's brother-in-law, Theo, a minister, is also ready to help, while her three grandchildren try to find a way out of the grief to move forward in life."Looking Forward" is the first book in the saga of the unforgettable Chadwick family.

    By the time the last diary shuts, there have been great changes in the Mortmain household, not the least of which is that Cassandra is deeply, hopelessly, in love.

    Nobody wants Tulip in their gang. She bunks off school, is rude to the teachers and makes herself unpopular with her classmates by telling awful lies. But none of this matters to Natalie who finds Tulip's behaviour exciting and dangerous. At first she doesn't care that other people are upset by Tulip's bizarre games but as the games become increasingly dangerous and sinister, Natalie realises that Tulip is going too far. Way too far... Tulip becomes even more destructive and after a row with Natalie she commits a terrible crime.This is a compelling story in which Anne Fine explores the dark side of a friendship bordering on obsession, and sensitively depicts one girl's gradual decline into hostility and violence.

    She definitely lives a colourful life. Dolphin's older sister, Star, also loves her but is beginning to wonder if staying with a mum whose temper can be as flashy as her body-art is the best thing for the girls...

    With the family's fortunes considerably reduced in his absence, the children and their mother are forced to live in a simple country cottage near a railway station. There the young trio—Roberta, Peter, and young Phyllis—befriend the porter and station master.The youngsters' days are filled with adventure and excitement, including their successful attempt to avert a horrible train disaster; but the mysterious disappearance of their father continues to haunt them.The solution to that painful puzzle and many other details and events of the children's lives come to vivid life in this perennial favorite, a story that has captivated generations of readers and, more recently, delighted television and movie audiences. In this inexpensive, unabridged edition, it will charm a whole new audience of young readers with its warmth and appeal.

    Her homelife is somewhat strange (her father, Bob, insists on naked calisthenics every morning for the whole family and her gray-haired mother placidly goes along), she has no real friends (and therefore lives in her imagination much of the time) and yearns to be popular, more normal. And then her already off-center world is thrown completely topsy-turvy when she learns that her supposed parents are really her grandparents, that her mother fled years ago, and that, worse yet for someone about to turn thirteen, her real birthday is now much later in the year. Seeking escape both in her fantasies - her favorite book has long been Alice in Wonderland - and in real life - through her friendship with her obsequious new schoolmate, Bronwyn, and with the sinister Johnny, who dwells in a forgotten, never-consecrated church - Jennifer is about to undergo her own adventures in her own wonderland, with terrifing and final consequences she cannot (yet) even imagine.

    Then got out of bed and had a brisk rub down with the pumice stone. I opened the curtains and saw that the sun was shining brightly. (A suspicion is growing in my mind that the BBC is not to be trusted.)Margaret Hilda Roberts is a rather ambitious 14 � year old grocer's daughter from Grantham. She can't abide laziness, finds four hours of chemistry homework delightful and believes she is of royal birth - or at least destined for great things. But Margaret knows that good things never come to those who wait . . .These are the secret diary entries of a girl born into an ordinary life, yet who might just go on to become something really rather extraordinary, and she is brilliantly brought vividly to life by bestselling author Sue Townsend, Britain's favourite comic writer for over three decades.'Essential reading for Mole followers' Times Educational Supplement'Wonderfully funny and sharp as knives' Sunday TimesSue Townsend is Britain's favourite comic author. Her hugely successful novels include eight Adrian Mole books, The Public Confessions of a Middle-Aged Woman (Aged 55�), Number Ten, Ghost Children, The Queen and I, Queen Camilla and The Woman Who Went to Bed For a Year, all of which are highly acclaimed bestsellers. She has also written numerous well-received plays. She lives in Leicester, where she was born and grew up.

    Sheba is an elderly one-eared cat. When the Blitz begins, how will they survive? It's the start of the Second World War and Bark and Howl are lost in the dark maze of tunnels under London. With Sheba's help, they learn how to survive. But when the bombs begin to fall, the puppies become separated. As the attacks continue, Bark and Howl are frightened, but they know the tunnels so well - they're the only ones who can lead hundreds of trapped people out of danger. Will Bark and Howl find each other - and be victorious in leading Londoners to safety?

    But when the Blitz reaches Manchester, she is locked in the cellar by her feckless mother, Lizzie. As bombs rain down from a sky turned blood red with flame, Jess waits for Lizzie to return.But fortunes are fickle, and soon Jess finds herself packed off to live with her tyrant Uncle Bernie, a bullying black marketeer. Though he treats her like a servant, she seeks refuge in the Sally Army and her natural musical talent offers both an escape route and the chance for love.But Uncle Bernie never forgives his niece for refusing to join his illegal schemes and threatens to deprive Jess of her hard-won freedom once and for all. This is a sweeping saga of hope and resilience perfect for fans of Kitty Neale and Rosie Goodwin. Praise for Dancing on Deansgate ‘A heart-wrenching story’ 5* Reader review‘It drew me in straight away’ 5* Reader review‘Another gem from a great writer’ 5* Reader review‘A compelling story of separation and hardship, and heartache overcome at last’ 5* Reader review

    But when they vow to make a name for themselves, they have no idea it's going to be such hard work! They launch themselves into the world of show business, complete with working papers, the glare of the spotlight, and practice, practice, practice! Pauline is destined for the movies. Posy is a born dancer. But practical Petrova finds she'd rather pilot a plane than perform a pirouette. Each girl must find the courage to follow her dream.

    Their mother has died, leaving them orphans in a rambling country estate. But with the help of the Mackenzies -- their guardian and his family, whom the sisters come to love in very different ways -- Sarah, Frances, Julia, and Gwen find the courage to follow their own paths in a world that is rapidly changing.

    Brent-Dyer's own titles, but a new story written by the president of The New Chalet Club, following notes left by Brent-Dyer. Patricia Davidson hopes to train as a doctor but is prevented from realising her ambition by her possessive mother. Luckily, on a school trip to the Austrian Tyrol, Patricia meets Joey Bettany and other members of the Chalet School and is guided by them to find a way of convincing her mother of her future plans. Interspersed with a dramatic accident and typical practical jokes by the Middles, and with all of the Brent-Dyer pace and style, this is a book in the true Chalet School tradition.

    Darrell Rivers begins her happy life at Malory Towers two terms later than the other girls, but she soon makes firm friends with Sally, the steady one, and the adoring Mary Lou.

    The brightest girl in her class, Ruth had planned to attend college but the realisation that she was pregnant forced her to abandon all hopes of a career. Now, five years later, she still lives in Shepherd's Bush with her parents, twin brothers and daughter, Jenny. Conscious of a need to make ends meet, Ruth works as a shop assistant at the local chemist while her mother looks after Jenny. Ruth's best friend Kitty bitterly resents what has happened, but never once does Ruth regret the outcome of that magical night. And the joy that Jenny brings is ample reward for the sacrifices she has made. Ruth meets someone new and tries to put the past behind her, but yesterday's friends have an uncanny way of catching up with her and when her father turns up unexpectedly, Ruth's world is thrown into confusion once again...