Most Popular Books by Anna Branford

In this sixth story of the Violet Mackerel series, Violet and Rose start a very small protest to make a very big impact. Violet and Rose have shared their best secrets under the big oak tree in Clover Park. And they have found some very good small things there too. So when Johnson’s Tree Services stomps in and posts a sign that says PUBLIC NOTICE–TREE REMOVAL, they know that they must do something to stop them. When their first protest washes away in the rain, Violet and Rose feel discouraged. But then they realize that the sort of people who care most about small things, like birds not having nests and people not having a place to collect acorns, might also be the sort of people who notice very small protests. And that gives them a quite brilliant idea, one that just might save their tree, on behalf of all the small things—and small people—who love it.

Originally published: Australia: Walker Books Australia, 2013.

Delightful and insightful story from the author of the Violet Mackerel series Hazel Morrison has a secret habit – pretending to make videos about everyday things. Eight important tips for successfully buttering toast! Putting your hair in a ponytail: a step-by-step guide! But when her family move to the outer suburbs, Hazel has to cope with starting at a new school where she doesn’t exactly feel welcomed. A school project inspires her to create a real video – a how-to guide for being “the new person” . . . because everyone, sometime, will meet one, or be one!

Introducing Violet Mackerel, a charismatic new chapter book star with a zest for life and an endearing, relatable voice akin to Ramona Quimby and Junie B. Jones. Violet is a seven-year-old with a knack for appreciating the smallest things in life: her “Theory of Finding Small Things” states that the moment of finding a tiny treasure usually coincides with the moment of having a genius idea. This creative little girl always strives to think outside the box, so when she spots a small china bird that she desperately wants, she forms an imaginative plan for getting it—and her methods are anything but ordinary! Violet Mackerel’s Brilliant Plot is the first book in an irresistibly charming series starring Violet and her family that has pitch-perfect perspective and plenty of laugh-out-loud humor.

Violet finds a special way to cope with moving to a new home after Mama marries Vincent.

In this irresistibly charming chapter book, the charismatic Violet Mackerel knows how to stay upbeat—even when her throat feels as if there’s a cactus in it! Seven-year-old Violet Mackerel has a new theory: If someone has a problem and you give them something small, like a feather, or a pebble, or a purple lozenge, that small thing might have a strange and special way of helping them. Violet gets the chance to put “The Theory of Giving Small Things” to the test when a bad case of tonsillitis requires the removal of her tonsils, and she suspects that the purple lozenge from Doctor Singh may help her in quite an extraordinary way. And indeed, with a freezer stocked with breakfast ice cream, a wonderful new friend in the waiting room, and the certainty that surgery will transform her voice into that of an opera singer on the radio, Violet’s recovery proves more than extraordinary—it is, unquestionably, remarkable.

Violet is back with a little bit of helpfulness and a whole lot of heart in this third book of the effervescent Violet Mackerel series. Violet is the smallest in her family, and has a special affinity for Small Things everywhere. So when she finds a tiny ladybug in the garden, she expects she knows how it feels. It probably has to go to bed before all the others, and whenever it finds out something interesting (like that your ears keep growing all your life even when you are old), the bigger ladybugs probably say they already knew. Violet wants to help the ladybug, so she names her Small Gloria, puts her in a jar, and feeds her cheese toast. And then Violet wakes up to a horrible surprise. But thankfully, even as Violet learns a hard lesson about natural habitats, she realizes how nice it is to share her own habitat with a big sister.

A delightful follow up to How to be ... the New Personu003c/iu003e, from Anna Branford, author of the much-loved series, Violet Mackerel Hazel Morrison has settled into her new school, and made a new friend, Laura, who shares Hazel''s love of making pretend tutorials about everyday things. How to fold your pajamas: The Morrison Method! Three top tips for drizzling honey on your porridge! Laura''s dad is away, and when her mum gets very ill with morning sickness, she turns to Hazel for help. Laura''s mum goes to hospital and Laura comes to stay with Hazel''s family. They also have to rehearse for the school play, deal with the not-so-helpful Camila, and help find a missing cat. Together the girls learn how to be a friend: navigating self-doubt, secrets, helping out, knowing when to give someone space ... and all the fun in between!

Violet Mackerel has outside-the-box ideas—and they’re all included in this shrink-wrapped set of illustrated chapter books. Violet Mackerel is quite a small girl with quite brilliant ideas. Violet’s ideas come in handy when helping out at the market, digging for dinosaur bones, knitting unusual leg warmers, braving tonsillectomies, feeding ladybugs, planning weddings, and inventing useful theories. Learn her Theory of Finding Small Things in Violet Mackerel’s Brilliant Plot, her Theory of Giving Small Things in Violet Mackerel’s Remarkable Recovery, her Theory of Helping Small Things in Violet Mackerel’s Natural Habitat, and her Theory of Leaving Small Things Behind in Violet Mackerel’s Personal Space. And there’s one more theory you’re likely to discover: the Theory of Reading Small Books. Because once you read one of these charming chapter books, you’ll want to read them all!

Anna Branford was born in the Isle of Man and spent her early childhood in Sudan and Papua New Guinea before moving to Australia. Creative writing was her favourite subject at school and she wrote stories in all these different countries. Anna is a doll maker and a sociology lecturer at Victoria University. Violet Mackerel''s Brilliant Plot was her first published work for Walker Books Australia and was Honour Book in the 2011 Children''s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Book of the Year Awards, Younger Readers category. In 2013, Violet Mackerel''s Personal Space won the Young Readers/Picture Book Award category of the Australian Family Therapists'' Award and was short-listed for the 2013 Children''s Peace Literature Awards. Violet Mackerel''s Possible Friend was short-listed for the 2014 CBCA Book of the Year Awards, Younger Readers category.

Lilli-Pilli''s mother is having a baby. Lilli-Pilli is sure the baby is going to be a sister - she can feel it in her wings. But when she asks around among the birds and butterflies in the forest, some of them are equally sure the new baby will be a brother - and they can feel it in their wings, too Lilli-Pilli knows she will love the new baby whether it''s a girl or a boy, and takes lots of care to find ways to make the tree-bark cradle more comfortable, but she can''t help wondering - which will it be? She doesn''t have to wait long to find out

Lily is frightened when the midnight owl hoots during the night. But Granny isn''t afraid. She thinks the midnight owl sounds friendly. Will Lily always be afraid of him?

Neville is the only kid in his whole class without a mobile phone. Or so he tells his parents. When it''s clear that Neville''s parents can''t be persuaded to get him a phone, Neville enlists the help of his mate, Enzo. Neville and Enzo are determined. Humans have walked on the moon; they have built the pyramids - surely if they put their minds to it, they can find a way. Surely?

VIOLET MACKEREL is excited. Her best friend Rose is going on a trip to JAPAN. But Violet is going to miss her TERRIBLY. Six weeks is a long time. What if Rose FORGETS her? It may all be a SLIGHT DISASTER. Unless Violet can come up with a perfect plan and a very HELPFUL SUGGESTION.