New Releases by Frances Watts

Fans of Mr. Willowby''s Christmas Tree and Emmet Otter''s Jug-Band Christmas will love this funny and moving holiday story about giving and sharing—and believing in Christmas miracles. "We wish you a quacky Christmas!" Samantha Duck is getting ready for Christmas. "I''m going to give presents to animals all over the world!" But tortoise pal Sebastian is not so sure: "Christmas is not for animals!" With the help of her farmyard friends, who all give something to help make and deliver the presents, this determined duck sets out to prove that Christmas is for EVERYONE—and to make sure animals all around the world have a very quacky Christmas. Families will enjoy snuggling up to read this warm and friend-filled Christmas tale of giving and sharing. It''s a joyous reminder that with a bit of faith and the love of those around you, anything is possible. . . .

Felix and Livia are being pursued across the Roman empire, from the darkest, dampest corner of Gaul to the dry, desert sands of Tadmor. They must reach Rome by the Ides of April to rescue Livia''s brother before he is sent into the arena to do battle with lions - and perhaps a vicious ostrich or two! Along the way, the pair are helped (and hindered) by a selfish sacred chicken, a foolish camel and a grumpy magic carpet as they encounter bandits, a shipwreck and a false accusation. Will they save Livia''s brother in time, or will they all fall victim to the chicken''s curse? A classic adventure of friendship, fate and fortune, from the winner of the Prime Minister''s Literary Award for Children''s Fiction. ''An original and exciting epic.'' Jaclyn Moriarty, award-winning author of The Extremely Inconvenient Adventures of Bronte Mettlestone ''Fabulous fun!'' Katrina Nannestad, award-winning author of The Girl, the Dog and the Writer in Rome

Maxwell Mouse the photographer is trying to take school photos at South Furriest Public School. But some students just won''t stay still! And others won''t look at the camera! Can Maxwell get all of the students to SAY CHEESE?

All the birds are excited about the Big Beaky Bird Ball -- except Leonard. His warble-warble waltz with the magpies is more wobble-wobble, and his caw-caw can-can with the crows is a can''t-can''t. The seagulls are spinning, the rosellas are rocking and you should see the flamingo go-go-go! Everyone is jumping and jiving, but not Leonard. Leonard doesn''t dance. Then an unexpected encounter changes everything...

It starts with a blank page ... From the award-winning creators of Parsley Rabbit''s Book about Books comes a story about stories! ''Hey, Milly, why are we on this blank page?'' ''It won''t be blank for long. We''re going to be in a STORY, Rory!'' Rory has never been in a story before and he''s not even sure how one works. Luckily, he and his friend Milly have a helpful voice on the page (that''s me, the narrator) to guide them on an amazing adventure as they encounter an exciting plot, spectacular settings and some very funny characters. So, open the cover and discover how stories are made with the award-winning creators of Parsley Rabbit''s Book about Books. Ages 3+

Stories for One Year Olds is an anthology of five best-selling Little Hare stories. Beautifully illustrated by Australia''s finest illustrators, each story has been selected to engage and delight the busy toddler. Titles include, Kisses for Daddy, B is for Bedtime, Duck, The Way I Love You and Me and You.

Parsley Rabbit gives an exciting introduction to the world of books by sharing the ins and outs of his book. There are fun flaps to flip, questions to share and even his pesky little brother.

A Choco-pops robot + a practical joke that goes wrong + a talking rock + organic rodent pies + a face that''s stuck + a plan for revenge + an out-of-control imaginary fairy + a nit epidemic + five kids and one chimp in space = one hilarious book.

Fun and fantasy combine in this collection of six amusing stories about Tommy, a daring and curious girl who dreams of becoming a knight, and her unusual friends, which include a talking cat and a ghost Tommy, a kitchen girl at Flamant Castle, dreams of becoming a knight--and when she is made the Keeper of the Blades, caring for all the swords in the castle armory, it seems like her dream might come true. But trouble is never far away from Flamant Castle and the Keeper of the Blades is often in the thick of it. Luckily Tommy is both daring and curious, and has a cast of friends ready to help, including Lil the talking cat, the friendly Crocodiddle who lives in the castle moat, and her best friend Jasper, the ghost of a young squire who inhabits one of the old swords. Follow Sword Girl Tommy on six fun fantasy adventures: The Secret of the Swords, The Poison Plot, Tournament Trouble, The Siege Scare, The Terrible Trickster, and Pigeon Problems.

Mouse triplets Alistair, Alice, and Alex go undercover as spies in search of their parents with their friend Tibby Rose. Illustrations.

Someone''s playing naughty tricks on the residents of Flamant Castle and the blame''s fallen on Tommy! Can she find out the truth? Another adventure in the Sword Girl series featuring the feisty Thomasina.

Another adventure in the Sword Girl series featuring the feisty Thomasina. Pigeon goes missing, and only Tommy can find her friend and save Lady Beatrix''s birthday celebrations!

It''s Lady Beatrix''s birthday, and Sir Walter is planning a celebration at Flamant Castle. Everyone is excited, except the pigeon, who is needed for a very special job. So when the pigeon goes missing, it looks like Sir Walter''s plans will be ruined. Can Tommy find her friend and save the celebrations?

Separated from their brother, Alistair, on a summer''s night, mouse siblings Alex and Alice embark on a determined rescue mission and investigate the activities of an elusive underground spy operation; while Alistair, who has encountered ginger-colored mouse Tibby Rose, tries to make sense of what has happened to him. By the award-winning Australian author of Parsley Rabbit''s Book About Books.

The first book in a fun and exciting series by award-winning author Frances Watt and Kate Greenaway Medal winner Gregory Rogers, introducing Tommy - a feisty kitchen hand who longs to be a knight. When Tommy is finally promoted to Keeper of the Blades, will a missing sword ruin everything? Tommy, a kitchen girl at Flamant Castle, dreams of becoming a knight - and when she is made the Keeper of the Blades, caring for all the swords in the castle armoury, it seems like her dream might come true. But then Sir Walter''s most valuable sword goes missing from the sword room. Will Tommy be able to find it before she is sent back to the kitchen in disgrace? Introducing a feisty new character for girls (and their parents and teachers) who love adventure and want an alternative to ''pink'' books. Created by Frances Watts, a CBCA Award Winner and author of the huge bestseller Kisses for Daddy.

Winner of the 2012 Prime Minister''s Literary Award for Children''s Fiction, this irresistibly charming picture book is now in paperback! Age 2+ Winner of the 2012 Prime Minister''s Literary Award for Children''s Fiction A CBCA Notable Book Kiss Dad once. Cuddle Mum twice. ''Goodnight, Mum and Dad.'' ''Goodnight, mice.'' It''s time to say goodnight - but the four cheeky mice skittering, scampering and scurrying to bed don''t seem very sleepy! this warm, affectionate story is the perfect bedtime book for the whole family to share. Ages: 2+ Praise for GOODNIGHT, MICE!: ''The perfect bedtime book ... told at a cleverly thought-out pace that should ensure a yawn before the final page ... Illustrator Judy Watson''s detailed expressions on the four mouslings are fun, funny and rewarding upon further visits'' COURIER-MAIL ''An ideal bedtime read for parents keen on winding things down for the sleepy train. Squeak!'' KIDS-BOOKREVIEW.COM ''A story filled with warmth and family love ... this is sure to become a book young children and parents will be happy to read again and again'' AUSSIEREVIEWS.COM ''Utterly flawless use of rich and poetic language ... a bedtime story to read aloud with gusto, to delight in and to savour. Very highly recommended'' SYDNEY''S CHILD ''This is a charming, funny and reassuring story for littlies to follow the going-to-bed ritual ... Recommended'' MAGPIES ''Watts knows how to break up a story''s rhythm by using a refrain, making a story which will be read again and again. Watson''s mice are individuals and the many untold stories in the pictures will be pored over by avid three and four-year-old listeners.'' WEST AUSTRALIAN ''The collaboration of writer and illustrator in this case makes for an almost perfect bedtime book. Watts''s words sing with rhyme and repetition, making them excellent linguistic tools for small children, while Watson''s impish, affectionate illustrations speak to families from every type of background.'' JUDGES'' COMMENTS, 2012 PRIME MINISTER''S LITERARY AWARDS

A wonderfully fun series about two very unlikely superheroes! Ernie Eggers is thrilled when he wins a superhero contest and becomes Extraordinary Ernie (after school on Mondays, tuesdays and thursdays, and all day Saturday). But his excitement turns to dismay when he discovers that his sidekick is a sheep. It doesn''t take him long to realise, though, that there has never been another sheep quite like Marvellous Maud.PRAISE for Ernie & Maud:''a tale of patience, courage and, above all, friendship'' Sunday Mail Adelaide''just right for newly independent readers, with plenty of interesting vocabulary ... [the] illustrations are terrific'' Gleebooks gleaner zine''[a] super new series'' Cooma-Monaro Express''Perfect for early readers with a sense of humour and a love of alliteration'' Sunday Age Melbourne''a fantastic new series for young readers'' Bendigo Weekly''very funny ... there is plenty to entertain proficient readers. Highly recommended'' Aussiereviews.com''[a] snappy series debut ... the slapstick premise and banter between superhero and sidekick save the day. the brevity, spry pace, and humorous line art make Watts''s story a good choice for kids who are more used to meeting superheroes on the screen than on the page'' Publishers Weekly, US

Ernie and Maud strike again, proving that even the most ordinary person (and sheep) can be a superhero. Ernie and Maud are thrilled to be attending the National Superheroes Conference with the other superheroes from Baxter. But when the conference is disrupted by Chicken George-the most terrifying and villainous chicken anyone has ever seen-it will take more than just an ordinary superhero to save the day. PRAISE for the Greatest Sheep in History:''With themes of bravery, understanding and overcoming fears, this is a fresh take on the superhero ideal with plenty of giggles'' Sun-Herald''there is a lot to enjoy ... not least the hilarious character-filled drawings by Judy Watson'' Magpies magazine''blends reality and imagination in a giggle-full adventure'' Aussiereviews.com

The first book in an exciting new trilogy, The Song of the Winns is a tale of courage, friendship and adventure.Ages 9-12. ''Alistair has been kidnapped!''Alex, Alice and Alistair think they are just three ordinary mice, until Alistair mysteriously vanishes. then Alex and Alice learn a secret about their family: a secret which means Alistair''s life is in danger - unless Alex and Alice can find him first...So begins a hair-raising journey as Alex and Alice try to outrun enemy agents in a desperate race against time.''Spies!...Rebels!''Meanwhile, Alistair is astonished to find himself in a far-off land where everyone - except his new friend tibby Rose - is his enemy. But why? Pursued at every turn, the pair must try to unravel the mystery. And when they do, they discover that it is not only their own lives which are in peril...the future of an entire country is at stake.Says Frances Watts: ''When I first started writing the Song of the Winns, I set out to write the kind of book that I loved as a child: something fast paced and full of adventure, with characters that I would get to know and love. A book which was funny but could also move me. I wanted it to be a BIG story, too, a story to make the reader think-about power and its exercise, about responsibility, about injustice (the book was fast becoming a trilogy!). As Uncle Ebenezer says, ''All that is necessary for evil to prosper is for good mice to do nothing.''Ages 9-12.''...[Frances Watts] gives readers aged eight-plus a real treat as Alex and Alice follow a trail of treachery and deceit, laced with plenty of adventure, wisdom and humour, in their quest to rescue Alistair. this is a terrific read, delightfully illustrated, with more to come.'' Five stars. Reviewers'' top pick, BOOKSELLER & PUBLISHER

The adventures of Extraordinary Ernie and Marvelous Maud continue but who or what is making the usually cheerful and dependable Maud so grumpy? And why are she and Ernie arguing all the time? It seems to Ernie that being his sidekick just isn t important to Maud anymore. Then Valiant Vera says that if the two trainee superheroes can t work together, they will be thrown out of the Superheroes Society. Ernie and Maud must learn the value of teamwork (and how to get a sheep out of a tree) before it s too late. Ernie and Maud are back for another hilarious and fast-paced book full of the same sort of delightful characters and hilarious story that entertained readers in Extraordinary Ernie and Marvelous Maud.

Bruce is a boisterous pup who is so bouncy that his friends run away. Is there a game they can play? Suggested level: junior.