New Release Books by Budge Wilson

A collection of ancient Egyptian magic spells and road maps to assist individuals through the underworld and into the afterlife.

This favourite tale of Christmas gone awry is now available for a new generation of readers! This year, Lorinda and her brother James want to buy their mother the best Christmas present ever. Lorinda has her eye on one very special item, but they''ll need to come up with some brilliant money-making ideas if they want to get it in time for Christmas! Of course, nothing goes according to plan . . . but the siblings are determined to make this a holiday their mother will never forget. Young readers will identify with this familiar holiday dilemma, and delight in Lorinda and James''s creative solution (not to mention all the bumps along the way). The Best Worst Christmas Present Ever is an earnest, uplifting story that will get kids in the holiday spirit at Christmas time -- and all year round!

Life at the Collicutt house is getting very difficult. Katie and Daniel''s father is always either angry or sad. He can''t seem to stand it when Katie practices for the piano recital that means so much to her, and Daniel is forbidden to act in the school play. What has happened to the dad who "was all the time showing us he loved us"? Will he ever be that way again?

On September 2, 1998, Swissair Flight 111 plunged into the sea near the mouth of St. Margaret''s Bay in Nova Scotia, killing all 229 on board. Thousands of people responded immediately to help. Local residents and ordinary people supported the investigation in any way they could and they also sought to comfort the families of the victims. Many experienced enormous suffering and world views were changed forever for the survivors - both the friends and relatives of the victims as well as support teams and the local communities. What carried so many of them through this tragedy was the astonishing generosity and kindness each group gave to the other. As Wilson writes, "We all needed the families as much as they needed us." She wrote this collection of poems "in gratitude and in celebration of the thousands of men and women who suffered - and sometimes triumphed - during the months and years that followed the crash."

A collection of short stories which capture a variety of experiences and feelings of young women growing up in Nova Scotia.

An authorized prequel to L.M. Montgomery''s classic series about the irrepressible red-haired orphan follows Anne''s early years before her adoption by the Cuthberts.

Nova Scotia, 1945: With reports that the war is coming to an end, the Publicovers eagerly await the return of Izzie and Joey''s father. But peace will also mean other, less welcome changes for Izzie''s best friends, Roberta and Patricia. Patricia fears having to return to her uncaring mother in England, never to see her dear friends--or Jasper--again, and insecure Roberta will be left all alone if Izzie''s family decides to go back to Granite Cove. How will they manage without each other?

In ten stories, Budge Wilson explores the complex relationships that are the essence of life, as she did superbly - and wide critical acclaim - in The Living and The Courtship. In The Charmer, a handsome but manipulative prodigal son creates a family breakdown. In Cordelia Clark, a new girl moves into town and kindles division and jealousies between friends who must work out their animosities when she suddenly moves away. And in Joanna and the Dark, a young woman witnesses her role model being a less-than-ideal father, and realizes that adults aren''t always what they seem, nor do they have all the answers. Contents: The Charmer Cordelia Clark Loretta and Alexander Birds, Horses and Muffins Was It Fun on the Beach Today? The Happy Pill Just Give Me a Little More Time, Eh? Dreams Joanna and the Dark The Listener

The Courtship is a collection of short stories with characters from the very young to the elderly who seem uncannily familiar to us in their pain, delight, and love. In The Dress a child''s birthday party turns into a bizarre psychodrama. In The Courtship seventy-seven-year-old Mrs. Knickle romantically pursues eighty-year-old Mr. Van Buskirk with some hesitation, however, as she has come to enjoy her afternoons of peanut butter sandwiches and reading. And in Elliot''s Daughter a writer, not only unrequited in love but unpublished, confesses his frustrations to his diary.

"Everyone in Angus'' family plays a musical instrument. So when Angus gets his own fiddle, he''s thrilled. But who knew that playing the fiddle would take so much practice"--Cf. Our choice, 2002.

When Stephanie Henderson moves to Nova Scotia, she leaves behind her friends. But her mother gets her a cat to help with the loneliness. And this is a special cat- he barks!

After their black cat Deirdre disappears, the Wilson family, living in Ontario, Canada, wonders if they will ever see her again.

Lorinda has found the perfect Christmas present for her mother--a red vase with white seagulls flying all over it. But it costs thirty-five dollars! How can she ever get that much money in time? Lorinda''s brother James and their friends come up with great money-making ideas, but they have to make sure that their two-year-old sister doesn''t ruin the surprise. And soon, Lorinda''s arch-enemy Reginald starts plotting to ruin every one of her plans to get the vase!

There is almost nothing extraordinary that Duff hasn''t seen - flying saucers, stray elephants, international spies. So, when he reports finding a real live monkey in the family barn, no one believes him except for his best friend Simon. Simon helps him look after the mysterious monkey, but their friends and family are convinced that their monkey stories are all from their over-active imaginations. Just when everyone has had enough of Duff''s tall tales a circus comes to town minus it''s star monkey. Could Duff be telling the truth after all?

Thirteen-year-old Lorinda is so sad when her grandmother dies. She never even got to know her. And then she gets a very special gift... she inherits her grandmother''s diaries, which her grandmother began when she herself was thirteen. Now, Lorinda finally has a chance to spend time with the grandmother she never knew. As she reads about the trials of WWII, she realizes that while times may be different, thirteen never really changes.

Sharla is terribly angry with everyone - her parents for moving to Churchill, Manitoba, the teachers in her new school, the tourists who flock the polar bears - even Collette and Theo who are better friend than she''ll admit. When it seems like nothing in this small, cold town could be of interest, in walks Jake, attractive, older and looking for someone to help on his photography shoot. Against her better judgement, and what would be her parents'' wishes - if they knew - Sharla agrees to work for him. Suddenly she feels alive again until a magnificent, terrifying polar bear threatens their lives. In a matter of moments Sharla is faced with new and revealing realities.

Lorinda and James are up to their ears in mystery. What are those scary lights flashing through the moonless dark out on the inky water? No one will answer their questions, not even their parents. They''re scared, too! It''s up to Lorinda and James and their friends to get to the bottom of this ...

As if Lorinda doesn''t have enough to worry about! Her Body is changing, her boy friends are turning into boyfriends, her Science teacher is mad at her, and her mother''s driving her crazy. Then her grandfather comes to visit-for six months. At first Lorinda thinks he might be an ally. Then he starts to complain-about everything. And it''s up to Lorinda to find out what''s really bothering him...

This is a collection of short stories that speak a simple truth: while the years change us on the outside, inside we are the same person, lifelong.

Harold, a young boy living in a coastal Nova Scotian community, has trouble fitting in until he befriends a great blue heron. A mix-up involving the bird changes the way everyone sees Harold and the way he sees himself.

A collection of ten short stories about friendships, family relationships, and the trials of growing up.

Collection of short stories for young adults about human relationships. In each story the protagonist, a young girl leaves the safety, innocence and comfort of childhood and discovers something of the adult world. The author has written many books for children and young adults including ''A House Far from Home'', ''Thirteen Never Changes'', ''Lorinda''s Diary'', ''The Best Worst Christmas Present Ever'' and ''Breakdown''. This book was published as ''The Leaving'' in Canada, and has won numerous awards including the Canadian Library Association Award for Best Young Adult Novel (1990), the Horn Book Fanfare (US) and Best Book for Young Adults from the American Library Association.

Budge Wilson has written numerous children''s stories. She lives in Nova Scotia''s south shore region.