New Releases by Elizabeth Laird

When Tina brings her new puppy, Toto, with her to the circus, he runs off and gets lost.

Inspired by the true story of an African childhood lived on the edge of destitution, award-winning Elizabeth Laird''s The Garbage King takes readers on an unforgettable emotional journey. When Mamo''s mother dies, he is abandoned in the shanties of Addis Ababa. Stolen by a child-trafficker and sold to a farmer, he is cruelly treated. Escaping back to the city, he meets another, very different runaway. Dani is rich, educated - and fleeing his tyrannical father. Together they join a gang of homeless street boys who survive only by mutual bonds of trust and total dependence on each other.

Crusade is a richly detailed historical adventure, from Carnegie shortlisted author, Elizabeth Laird. Two boys. Two faiths. One unholy war . . . When Adam''s mother dies unconfessed, he pledges to save her soul with dust from the Holy Land. Employed as a dog-boy for the local knight, Adam grabs the chance to join the Crusade to reclaim Jerusalem. He burns with determination to strike down the infidel enemy . . . Salim, a merchant''s son, is leading an uneventful life in the port of Acre - until news arrives that a Crusader attack is imminent. To keep Salim safe, his father buys him an apprenticeship with an esteemed, travelling doctor. But Salim''s employment leads him to the heart of Sultan Saladin''s camp - and into battle against the barbaric and unholy invaders . . .

Kiss the Dust by Elizabeth Laird is an unforgettable, award-winning novel of conflict, persecution and the hardships faced by refugees. Tara is an ordinary teenager. Although her country, Kurdistan, is caught up in a war, the fighting seems far away. It hasn''t really touched her. Until now. The secret police are closing in. Tara and her family must flee to the mountains with only the few things they can carry. It is a hard and dangerous journey - but their struggles have only just begun. Will anywhere feel like home again?

Paradise End by Elizabeth Laird, author of The Fastest Boy in the World, is the story of an unlikely friendship between two girls who both long for a different life. Carly often finds herself gazing through the gates of Paradise End. She fantasizes about discovering that she was swapped at birth, and is in fact the rightful owner of the beautiful, empty mansion. She longs to escape the three-bedroom semi she shares with her ordinary parents, her revolting brother and annoying sister, to go and live in the palatial luxury of the fascinating house. Then she meets Tia, the daughter of the new tenant of Paradise End, and Carly begins to realize that life behind the impressive pillars and long, elegant windows isn''t anything like her dream.

"Simon Simple is going on holiday and the police are looking for a spy. On the train, Simon meets a beautifaul girl. He likes her and she likes him. But the spy is there too. Simon and the police can''t see the spy. Can you?" - back cover.

This book aims to improve social work training and practice by arguing that a thorough understanding of people''s values, social norms and family arrangements are crucial to achieving culturally sensitive practice.

Gavin is stuck with taking his little brother Jamie to the park. The only thing worse than looking after Jamie is losing him! Gavin reckons Jamie''s been kidnapped by the ice-cream lady, and it''s up to him to get Jamie back. Suggested level: primary.

Tessa Maclean never wanted to come to Seagull Island. Her father''s new wife, Sheena is expecting a baby. Tessa feels angry and unhappy. But then Sheena has an accident, and Tessa must take the boat across to Inverkeld to fetch a doctor. Will she get there through the storm? Includes activities. Suggested level: primary.

Traditional retellings of two favourite fairytales with bright illustrations.

While on a quest to find her long-lost family, Afra comes across a den of cubs belonging to one of the rarest animals in the world, the Ethiopian wolf - Somehow her own search becomes connected with the survival of this animal and she determines to save the cubs.

Anita dreams of being a movie star. One day Mr Stein invites Anita to visit his studio. This is her big chance but, in the end, it isn''t Anita who impresses him ...

Fortælling for børn.

It is the civil war and Hania is living with her grandfather on his farm. Nearby she discovers a wounded Freedom Party fighter. Hania hides him in the barn and tries to nurse him back to health. Then her grandfather discovers her secret.

Stinker Muggles is not the most popular boy in the class for reasons that are very obvious. But when the dazzle bug takes up residence behind his ear, life suddenly begins to smell much sweeter.

Peter Castle, on holiday in France with his parents, gets left behind by mistake and finds himself without food, money or means of communication. Elizabeth Laird is the author of Kiss the Dust, winner of the Children''s Book of the Year in 1991.