Most Popular Books by Jackie French

Beautiful new editions of popular titles that will entice a whole new generation of readers to the exploits of Phredde and her friends. Phredde and the Zombie Librarian and other stories to eat with a blood plum there''s a grey-flesh zombie librarian tending her blood-starved books in the school library.and a 5000-year-old Egyptian mummy roaming the corridors. Can Phredde and Pru escape? Ages 7-12

Take a closer look at Australia''s best-known marsupials. Why does Australia have animals that are so different from others anywhere else in the world? Why do ''roos and wallabies have such big tummies? Who were the kangaroos with fangs that lived 10 million years ago? What''s the best way to become invisible (to kangaroos, at any rate)? Which wallaby is a ''living fossil'' - the same as the wallabies that grazed 10 million years ago? Why do joeys eat their mother''s droppings? Fnd out in this fascinating new book! PS: What do you call a kangaroo with a flower behind their ear and a big grin? A happy hippy hoppy. Ages 7-12

From Australia''s Children''s Laureate comes a delightful collection of stories about horses and unicorns. Take a journey through the ages and around the world - from ancient Greece, to the time of Genghis Khan to Arthurian England and then to outback Australia in the 1950s. Each story weaves the fantastic into the commonplace or focuses on the special relationship that exists between humans and horses. Some stories are based on true stories, some on fantasy, all are brimming with heart-warming magic and adventure.

Harry and Cissie live 150 years apart. What is the mystery that links them? there was a light in the corner of the chook-house, just below the perches. It was bright and strangely piercing, like a bit of sun had wandered in by mistake. Who is the girl through the hole in the chook-house? Is it a hole in time? And how can you help someone who lived more than 150 years ago䇡rry dreads leaving the farm to go to boarding school next year. Cissie is an orphaned girl living with the soldiers at the garrison 150 years ago. Something more powerful than time has drawn them both together. Ages 10+

Darek searches deep into Krad to find Zantor and Pola in this fourth book in the fantastical Dragonling chapter book series! When Darek’s beloved dragonling, Zantor, and Darek’s best friend, Pola, disappear into the mists of Krad, they are assumed dead. But Darek knows Zantor and Pola are alive. He can hear the dragonling’s cries for help, deep inside his own head. And much to his surprise, Rowena—the cause of all the trouble—hears them, too. Together they sneak into Krad to rescue their friends. But they soon find Krad is even more dangerous than they’d feared. So dangerous that it may be impossible to save anyone, even themselves…

Paris, Christmas Eve, 1933 For once it was an accident. Violette did not mean to kill St Nicholas. But there he was, with blood on the cobblestones, and a family waiting for the Christmas Eve miracle that would never come. And her own family expecting her to eat Christmas goose tomorrow at Shillings Hall in England. Violette Jones had led a life of melodrama since being born in the middle of a war to an espionage agent. But even she had never had to face a bloodied St Nicholas, and somehow conjure three miracles for Christmas. Another story for the many fans of the Miss Lily series.

It''s Christmas Day in Shaggy Gully. The kangaroos are bouncy, the echidnas are being prickly, the emus are feeling peckish and the bats and possums are just hanging about. Only the Bunyip is gloomy. [from back cover].

Can enemy warriors become your friends? A story of adventure in a new land When Vikings raid and destroy a small coastal village, Hekja and her dog, Snarf, are captured and taken to Greenland. In this harsh and cold land, Hekja becomes a thrall - a slave - to Freydis Eriksdottir, daughter of the infamous Erik the Red. Hekja''s fiery determination earns her the respect of her mistress. But Hekja''s journey was just the beginning, as she and Snarf and other colonists join their leader, Freydis, on a voyage to Vinland to establish a new settlement where more perilous adventures await them... AWARDS Shortlisted - Young People''s History Prize, NSW Premier''s History Awards (2006)

"Shaun the shearer doesn''t have a sheepdog. He has Pete.And Pete is no ordinary sheep."--Publisher.

Encouraging young children to read - Encouraging older children to read - How to teach children to read - How to spot reading problems and how to help - All children learn differently - Encouraging a reading culture.

''HISTORICAL FICTION AT ITS BEST'' -- Bookseller & Publisher It''s 1939, and for Georg, son of an English academic living in Germany, life is full of cream cakes and loving parents. It is also a time when his teacher measures the pupils'' heads to see which of them have the most ''Aryan''- shaped heads. But when a university graduation ceremony turns into a pro-Nazi demonstration, Georg is smuggled out of Germany to war-torn London and then across enemy seas to Australia where he must forget his past and who he is in order to survive. Hatred is contagious, but Georg finds that kindness can be, too. A companion piece to the best-selling Hitler''s Daughter, this is a story of war-torn Europe during WWII, as seen through the eyes of a young German boy Georg, who loses his family and must forget his past and who he is in order to survive. MORE PRAISE FOR PENNIES FOR HITLER ''Jackie French''s research and subsequent feeling for the era is superb the descriptions of wartime Australia alone are fascinating. This is historical fiction at is best and thoroughly recommended for upper primary children and beyond.'' -- Bookseller & Publisher, 5 Star Review ''From its dramatic opening sequence to its one word conclusion 300 pages later, this is an absorbing story rich with details of everyday life'' -- Canberra Times ''This striking fiction for school age readers gives an unflinching view of war and a close-up human perspective on asylum seekers.'' -- Saturday Age

Captain Cook''s goat is the first of many historical animals to bring the past to life. the HM Bark Endeavour is sailing to tahiti to map the transit of Venus, but there are rumours that once the task is completed, Lieutenant James Cook has a set of secret orders - orders that command him to search for the Great South Land. Isaac is twelve and has joined the crew of the Endeavour as a master''s servant, good for scrubbing decks and not much else. He''s certainly not considered good enough to fetch hay for the Goat who will provide fresh milk for Cook and his officers. And this goat even has more experience at sea than Isaac - she has already sailed around the world once, watching the ocean and lands slip by from her spot on the quarterdeck. Over the months on board the Endeavour, a friendship grows between the Goat and Isaac, one that will last through shipwreck, bushfire and illness. A friendship that helps in the discovery of exotic new lands ... Ages 9 - 13

7 books in 1. these spell-binding and spooky stories all star Phredde, a fractious but fun-loving phaery; Bruce, a mosquito-eating frog; and Pru, an everyday-normal school girl - except that she lives in a fairy castle, keeps pet piranhas, has a werewolf for a brother and a vampire for a teacher. the stories are A Phaery Named Phredde and Other Stories to Eat with a Banana; Phredde and a Frog Named Bruce and Other Stories to eat with a Watermelon; Phredde and the temple of Gloom: A Story to Eat with a Mandarin; Phredde and the Leopardskin Librarian: A Story to Eat with a Dinosaur Apple; Phredde and the Vampire Footy team; Phredde and the Ghostly Underpants: A Story to Eat with a Mango; and Phredde and the Zombie Librarian and Other Stories to Eat with a Blood Plum.

"The bombs were falling, the smoke was rising from the concentration camps, but Hitler''s daughter knew nothing of this. All she knew was the world of lessons with Fraulein Gelber, the hedgehogs she rescued from the cold and the exciting visits from her beloved father Duffi.Until the day she is taken to her father''s bunker in Berlin ...Anna''s story about Hitler''s daughter haunts Mark. Could it have been true? Did Hitler''s daughter really exist? If Mark had a father like Hitler, could he love him?Do things that happened a long time ago still matter? "--Publisher.

''A wonderful read for anyone whether they are discovering A Midsummer Night''s Dream for the first time or revisiting the classic tale.'' - Books+Publishing, four stars Titania rose to her feet. ''What is going on here, Peaseblossom?'' she demanded. I bowed to her. ''I apologise, Your Majesty. But I''d rather be known as Pete.'' ''Pete?'' She frowned. ''That''s no name for a fairy.'' ''No, it isn''t,'' I said, meeting her eyes. At court, he''s known as Peaseblossom, a servant to the Fairy Queen. But as Pete, he prefers pizza to sugarplums and denim to daffodils. He wants to choose his own life too. But how can he when a fairy''s sole duty is to obey the all-powerful Queen Titania? This is Shakespeare''s popular and delightful comedy A Midsummer Night''s Dream with an added army of Amazons, a sea serpent and a selkie called Gaela, who luckily for Pete makes the best pizza in the world. It is also a story of the intrigues of the Fairy Court, of vampire plots to dominate the world and of impossible loves that might just come true. Not by enchantment, but when two hearts thread together, making a magic of their own. PRAISE ''By melding the old and the new, French cleverly raises questions about free will and the abuse of power ... A wonderful read for anyone whether they are discovering A Midsummer''s Night Dream for the first time or revisiting the classic tale.'' - Books+Publishing, four stars ''Jackie French enriches Shakespeare''s plot with well-rounded characters, convincing additional people and interesting back stories ... an absorbing novel'' -- Magpies magazine on Third Witch ''The tenderness and beauty French injects into the text is mesmerising ... Evocative scenes, tangible smells and sounds combine to immerse the reader in a carefully designed plot that both stays true to the classic play, and also uncomplicates things for the younger reader'' -- Kids'' Book Review on I am Juliet

A story of transportation and life in a new world from Australia''s Children''s Laureate At the tender age of eight, chimney sweep Tom Appleby is convicted of stealing and sentenced to deportation to Botany Bay. As one of the members of the First Fleet, he arrives in a country that seemingly has little to offer - or little that the English are used to, anyway. Luckily, not long after tom''s arrival in the colony, the fair and kind Sergeant Stanley decides to take on tom as a servant. Together Tom, Sergeant Stanley and his son, Rob, build a house, set up an orchard and a vegetable garden for themselves - and thrive, unlike many others in the new colony. Jackie French weaves Tom''s story in with the story of the development of Australia. She tells of a colony that, despite its natural abundance, cannot offer what the colonists want - familiarity. While the people''s health is better than it ever was in England, their morale is low as they wait for news from home. PRAISE FOR NANBERRY: BLACK BROTHER WHITE ''For really, really good Australian young-adult (and middle-grade) historical fiction, Jackie French has always been a winner ... With Nanberry: Black Brother White she delivers an excellent fictionalised account of the First Fleet''s settlement at Sydney Cove ... a powerful novel'' -- Australian Bookseller & Publisher, 5 stars ''She is one of few masters who can embed historic characters in rattling good tales, and her meticulous research is seamlessly inserted so that you live the detail rather than learn it. Even if you are not into history, Nanberry will hook you in ... Irresistible for history buffs of any age'' -- Good Reading Magazine, 5 stars ''I''ve been telling all my friends to read this book, and to give it to their kids to read. It''s absolutely engrossing'' -- Herald Sun

Darek and Zantor work together to stop the kidnapping of another baby dragon in this third book in the fantastical Dragonling chapter book series! Now that the villagers have finally accepted Darek’s dragonling, Zantor, they’ve all fallen in love with him. Especially Rowena, the spoiled daughter of the Chief Elder—so much so that she wants the dragonling for her very own. But Darek can’t give him up! He and Zantor are so close that he can almost get inside the little dragon’s mind. So the Chief Elder orders Darek’s father to find another dragonling. Even though a dragon mother will have to die—along with some villagers, too. Darek can’t let that happen. But how can he stop them…unless he joins the dragon quest?

The fourth book in the best-selling Jackie French historical series that places girls centre stage. Ming Qong is convinced that girls have changed the world throughout history. History''s sister, the mysterious Herstory, believes that the more you know about the past, the better you can understand the future. And so she now sends Ming to work as a maid in an isolated English mansion to see a girl change the world in 1829. But which girl? The young mistress of the house is lying in bed, recovering from the measles. Abandoned by her aristocratic mother and family, she may never walk – or even read and write – again. Ming becomes friends with another scullery maid, Hepzibah, who is desperately teaching herself to read and longs to free slaves, as she and her parents had been. But what hope has a scullery maid? From one of Australia''s favourite writers comes an inspiring series for all the young people who will, one day, change the world. AWARDS CBCA Notable Book 2025

We’ve all got wacky families, it’s just that some are wackier than others – find out just how wacky some families can be in the sixth book of this hilarious series. We''ve all got wacky families, it''s just that some are wackier than others - find out just how wacky some families can be in the sixth book of this hilarious series. Drackie is no ordinary kid. He lives on Vampire Island, where every night is dark and stormy. Soon he''ll be old enough to turn into a bat and live in his own castle. Drackie has just had the best birthday ever. His parents have given him what he''s always secretly wished for - a toad. And not just any toad, a vampire toad, he''s called Fang. then the unthinkable happens, Fang is toad-napped and a ransom of $100,000 is asked for by the International Society of toad thieves. the only clue is a bright pink feather. A clue that leads to Auntie Chook. But who is Auntie Chook? And why doesn''t anyone in Drackie''s family wish to talk about her?

Another spell-binding and spooky story starring Phredde, a fractious but fun-loving phaery, Bruce, a mosquito-eating frog, and Pru, an everyday-normal school girl - except that she lives in a fairy castle, keeps pet piranhas, has a werewolf for a brother and a vampire for a teacher. AND EXCEPt that now she has just inherited her very own mansion and is the envy of ALL her friends. Is this too good to be true? Is there something suspicous about Mr Nahsti, the solicitor? Why do Phredde and Bruce, Pruᱠbest friends in the world, keep sneaking off to Phaeryland without her? And most important: who keeps stealing Pru''9291s underpants? A hair-raising, spine-tingling GHOStLY tale of phaeries, underpants and adventure!

Gunk and his family get an unusual-looking puppy from the animal shelter, but when it grows up to be a dinosaur, no one can believe it.

4 books in 1. these books for children based on historical animals give kids irresistibly exciting and true stories to introduce them to history. the books are: the Goat who Sailed the World (set on the Endeavour, with James Cook); the Dog who Loved a Queen (about Mary Queen of Scots); the Camel who Crossed Australia (about the Burke and Wills expedition); the Donkey who Carried the Wounded (set in Gallipoli in WWI, with Simpson).

A delightful and entertaining peek into the life of one very busy wombat - now in a ''Big Book'' format! Ages: 3-7 Monday Morning: Slept. Afternoon: Slept. Evening: Ate. Scratched. Night: Ate. A typical day. Don''t be fooled. this wombat leads a very busy and demanding life. She wrestles unknown creatures, runs her own digging business, and most difficult of all - trains her humans. She teaches them when she would like carrots, when she would like oats and when she would like both at the same time. But these humans are slow learners. Find out how one wombat - between scratching, sleeping and eating - manages to fit the difficult job of training humans into her busy schedule.

Called Nickommoh, the Narragansett people gather for a joyful harvest celebration as it has been performed since before the arrival of the first Pilgrims in New England. A glossary and author''s note traces the connection between Nickommoh and the "first" Thanksgiving.

The dragonling''s adventure among humans begins in this three- books-in-one set.

The new title in the critically acclaimed series that explores Australia''s early Colonial secret history In1798 orphaned Barney Bean now has a flourishing farm in the New SouthWales colony and everything he ever dreamed of ... except his childhood friendElsie. Butwhen Elsie falls ill and Barney rushes to be by her side, he finally learns thedeadly secret she has been hiding. Who is this strange and beautiful girl who will not speak? And could Franceever attack the isolated colony? Written byaward-winning author Jackie French and superbly illustrated by Mark Wilson,this fourth book in The Secret Histories series explores extraordinary anduntold stories from Australia''s past, including the female French botanistwho could only work disguised as a man, French and Englishspies, and wars between two empires that threatened even a far-off colony.

Bestselling Mothball is back -- with birthday cake! (Carrot, of course.) She eats, she sleeps, she scratches. But today it''s Mothball''s birthday and it''s time to celebrate! Created by author Jackie French and illustrator Bruce Whatley, Happy Birthday Wombat is a very funny picture book about enjoying a special day -- as seen through the eyes of the world''s most famous wombat. PRAISE FOR DIARY OF A WOMBAT AND OTHER BOOKS STARRING MOTHBALL ''French and Whatley have conjured an affectionate, believable wombat self-portrait'' -- The New York Times Book Review ''I absolutely love the tone of Mothball''s diary entries -- the dry brevity and classic wombat behaviour that''s made this gorgeous creature an Aussie literary treasure. Whatley''s divinely funny illustrations yet again make for an all-rounder of a book that will loosen smiles on readers of any age'' -- Kids'' Book Review

From bestselling author Jackie French comes a book about the secrets we carry, those that we unearth - and those that are too dangerous to tell. The once impoverished medical student Agnes Glock is now the fabulously wealthy Mrs Mulberry. Her estate in the mountains is magnificent, a haven for those too ravaged by the Great War to cope with the society that first condemned them to battle and which now shuns them. The War has, however, stolen Agnes''s chance to graduate as a doctor, as well as the fiance she adored. Her husband, Douglas Mulberry, remains shellshocked and unable to speak. Their scandalous marriage is a farce, an act of kindness to keep Douglas''s fortune from his uncle''s grasp. A chance visit to a circus brings about a mystery in the form of a fairylike child whose guardians claim was brought up by dingoes. The child cannot speak and seems deformed. But Agnes is inexplicably drawn to her and believes she can be cured. The decision to save the child will bring Agnes''s lost fiance into her life again, as well as awaken the love of her husband who finds his voice as the three try to solve the mystery of the ''dingo girl''. Agnes has put aside her own life and the dreams she once had. But now she has choices, with the main question the hardest: Who is Mrs Agnes Mulberry? PRAISE FOR JACKIE FRENCH ''a master storyteller ... [she] gives women a rich, strong, and brutally honest voice'' Better Reading ''Heartwarming, heartbreaking and hard to put down'' Australian Women''s Weekly on If Blood Should Stain the Wattle

The reality of slavery, the poverty of the Southern Army and chaos of war is a shock to Charlie, and his escape is not the glorious return of the conquering hero he imagined. This book explores the strange story of how a colonial ''gentleman'' from New South Wales, went to serve in the American Civil War.

ANZAC Day seen through the eyes of generations of Australians. Ages: 7-12 Anzac Day is the day when we remember and honour Anzac traditions down the ages, from the first faltering march of wounded veterans in 1916 to the ever increasing numbers of their descendants who march today. Containing reference to the many places the ANZACs have fought, and the various ways in which they keep the peace and support the civilians in war-torn parts of the world today, this is a picture book that looks not only at traditions, but also the effects of war.

The fifth title in the sweeping Matilda Saga Hippies wear beads, demonstrators march against the Vietnam War, and the world waits to see the first human steps on the moon''s surface. But at Gibbers Creek, Jed Kelly sees ghosts, from the past and future, at the Drinkwater billabong where long ago the swaggie leaped to his defiant death. But is seventeen-year-old Jed a con artist or a survivor? When she turns up at Drinkwater Station claiming to be the great-granddaughter of Matilda Thompson''s dying husband, Jed clearly has secrets. As does a veteran called Nicholas, who was badly wounded in the Vietnam War and now must try to create a life he truly wants to live, despite the ghosts that haunt him too. Set during the turbulence of the late 1960s, this was a time when brilliant and little-known endeavours saw Australia play a vital role in Neil Armstrong''s ''one giant leap for mankind'' on that first unforgettable moon walk. The fifth title in the highly acclaimed Matilda Saga, The Ghost by the Billabong is a story of deep conflicts and enduring passions - for other people, for the land, and for the future of humanity. PRAISE FOR THE MATILDA SAGA ''An engrossing mystery story, an ode to strong women, and a moving exploration of the private wounds we carry ... The Last Dingo Summer is a must for your summer reading list'' - Better Reading ''The perfect read for anyone who loves immersing themselves in Australian fiction. Gripping, emotional and moving, Facing the Flame is a great book to curl up with on a warm spring night'' - New Idea ''Highly recommended ... this was a complete binge, read in one night because it was just too good and too gripping to put down ... a cracking story filled with rich characters both old and new and imbued with all that we hold dear about Australian love of country and mateship'' - ReadPlus

''A COMPELLING, BEAUTIFULLY CRAFTED NOVEL FOR YOUNG READERS'' -- Daily Telegraph This is the story of Johannes, and Frau Timmins, and the strange girl now known as ''Helga''. It is also the story of how they survived the death camps, the vast wilderness faced by refugees in World War II, and eventually found happiness in Australia. This moving and compelling book follows on the award-winning and bestselling Hitler''s Daughter and Pennies for Hitler, and shows us that evil must be fought. But once you''ve won, the hardest and most necessary battle is to understand and forgive. And to learn how to live and love again. MORE PRAISE FOR GOODBYE, MR HITLER ''Reading about [the holocaust] can be depressing, but not in this compelling, beautifully crafted, novel for young readers. Here author Jackie French looks at what the Holocaust can teach us about hope. How people in internment camps survived, what motivated them to live in a world where people could be so terrible to each other. -- Daily Telegraph

Pamela the cow loves pears so much that no one else ever has a chance to eat any.

Beautiful new editions of popular titles that will entice a whole new generation of readers to the exploits of Phredde and her friends. A Phaery Named Phredde and other stories to eat with a banana Meet Phredde, the coolest phaery in the universe. Phredde is tiny, ferocious and Pru''s best friend. And with Pru''s brother turning into a werewolf, Pru needs all the magic help she can get! Ages 7-12

Ghostly story. 8 yrs+

Ratso the shearer has a sheep dog called Brute. Big Bob theshearer has a sheep dog called Tiny. But Sean-- the new shearer--has a sheep-sheepnamed Pete. The sheep love Sean and Pete, because they give cool cuts. Now theother shearers are miffed, suggesting the talented duo take their trimmerselsewhere. So Sean and Pete open Sean''s Sheep Salon--with hair raisingresults! Pete the Sheep-Sheep is another spin through French''s andillustrator Whatley''s cheeky sense of absurd fun.

Paperback edition of a book first published in 1991, about an eccentric aunt, trainer of racehorses, and collector of stray animals, who has an unfulfilled ambition P to have a runner in the Melbourne Cup. She enters Fred, her pet Kangaroo.