Kizzy Ann Stamps is starting at a new school, the just-integrated public school, and she’s worried. She’s worried that the white students won’t like her, and she’s worried they’ll stare at the scar that runs from the tip of her right eye to the corner of her smile—the scar a neighbor boy gave her, in a farming accident.But now this same boy won’t stop following Kizzy and Shag, her beloved border collie, everywhere they go—even when they’re practicing for an upcoming herding competi...

Taking things in stride is not easy for Kizzy Ann, but with her border collie, Shag, stalwart at her side, she sets out to live a life as sweet as syrup on cornbread. In 1963, as Kizzy Ann prepares for her first year at an integrated school, she worries about the color of her skin, the scar running from the corner of her right eye to the tip of her smile, and whether anyone at the white school will like her. She writes letters to her new teacher in a clear, insistent voice, stating her tro...

Twelve-year-old Ellen learns the quiet strength of family when her mother’s deep depression prompts her to ask an estranged aunt for help.Ellen’s mother has struggled with depression before, but not like this. With her father away fighting in World War II and her mother unable to care for them, Ellen’s only option is to reach out to her cold, distant aunt Pearl. Soon enough, city-dwelling Ellen and her mother are shepherded off to the countryside to Aunt Pearl’s ho...

Twelve-year-old Ellen learns the quiet strength of family when her mother’s deep depression prompts her to ask an estranged aunt for help.Ellen’s mother has struggled with depression before, but not like this. With her father away fighting in World War II and her mother unable to care for them, Ellen’s only option is to reach out to her cold, distant aunt Pearl. Soon enough, city-dwelling Ellen and her mother are shepherded off to the countryside to Aunt Pearl’s ho...

Prepare for Battle. Embrace the Stars.FIfteen amazing tales by authors who are out of this world!From the corridors of colossal starships bristling with advanced weaponry to the uncharted realms of alien worlds, these stories will thrust you into the heat of battle and the wonder of the unknown. Join valiant starfighter pilots in desperate dogfights against overwhelming odds, brave commanders navigating treacherous political landscapes, and...

Welcome to the Puppy Place! This new Little Apple series stars a lovable new puppy in every book! And it's Charles and Lizzie Peterson's job to find every puppy the perfect home. Charles and Lizzie Peterson are very good with puppies. They want one of their own, but their mom isn't ready for them to have one full time. For now, they help take care of puppies that need to find a new home. They are a foster family for young dogs. The Peterson kids hear about Snowball. Someone left the fluffy...

Newbery Honor winner Joan Bauer's new novel will touch your heartWhen twelve-year-old Sugar's grandfather dies and her gambling father takes off yet again, Sugar and her mother lose their home in Missouri. They head to Chicago for a fresh start, only to discover that fresh starts aren't so easy to come by for the homeless. Nevertheless, Sugar's mother has taught her to be grateful no matter what, so Sugar does her best. With the help of a rescue dog, Shush; a foster family; a suppo...

Uncle Nigel is determined to get a sun tan. But Tim is sure there is something sinister going on, when his uncle's skin starts to frazzle and his brain begins to fry.When Bart buys a magical monkey's ear in a market in Marrakesh, he discovers that making wishes is a dangerous game - you might just get what you wish for . . .And who is the writer of the shortest horror story ever written?

Saddle up for a week in pony paradise! At Sunnyside Stables, each girl gets her own pony to look after and ride for a week. Chloe can't wait for her week at Sunnyside Stables, she's really looking forward to making friends with other girls as pony-mad as she is, and to having her very own pony. She wants her dad to be proud of her, and has promised him that she'll get a clear round in the jumping competition. Chloe is really hoping that she'll be given a pony who can fly over the fences!

Lizzy McMann, A feisty twelve-year-old, lives with her immature mother and Manny, her father (she thinks) in a fleabag Phoenix hotel. One night, Manny's sudden announcement that he wants a divorce forces mother and daughter to move to upstate New York to live with Lizzy's grandmother and grandfather—a mixed blessing. At school, Lizzy befriends, then falls in love with, Eva Singer, who is dyslexic, looks like Natalie Wood and lives right down the street. Like all girls her age, Lizzy has to...

Wonderful selection of funny and touching stories written by top New Zealand authors, such as Margaret Mahy, Joy Cowley, Kate de Goldi, David Hill and many other stars of children's literature. It's perfect for children from 5 to 105, with its focus on fun, good writing, cheekiness and word play. These fifteen stories will make you laugh, giggle, snigger and snort. it's the ideal collection of children's stories for dipping into, devouring all in one go, or going back to t...

When burglars break into Jack's house, they take all his stuff. Now he's got no skateboard, no TV, no music, nothing. All his brothers do is fight, his mum thinks they all need counselling, his dad's trying to set an example, but hey, who's interested? Jack just wants to get out of that house. So he does. And he meets Diana. And her dog. And her grandma, who wears tiger-skin bikinis. They're all pretty vicious. And suddenly, life is anything but boring.