New Releases by Linda Newbery

How do the everyday choices you make affect animals and the environment? This book looks at all the things you can do to live cruelty free. It''s a guide for older children and teenagers concerned about animals, wildlife and the planet we live on. Packed with information on how to live a cruelty-free life, it includes sections on: Using your spending power. The choices we make - what to eat, what to buy, what to wear – and how these affect animals. Asking questions and reading labels. Cruelty-free fashion and beauty. What''s on your plate? Being vegetarian or vegan, or just eating less meat? What impact can your diet have on cruelty and on the environment? Should you have a pet? If so, would your pet choose you as its owner? Points to consider before bringing an animal into your home. Animals on show. Do zoos and animal parks look after animals or exploit them? Good zoos and their important conservation work. Watching wild animals. Watching and learning about wildlife - building an appreciation of nature and helping your mental wellbeing. Love those bugs! Many people are squeamish about insects, but these creatures are vital to ecosystems. Don’t throw it away – there is no away. Simple things everyone can do to avoid waste: recycling, re-using, choosing plastic-free. Resist the throwaway culture. Where do you draw your line? What can you realistically achieve? Some of the difficulties, especially if family / friends don’t agree with you. What are the best (and worst) ways of influencing others? How to feel confident with your decisions. How to handle everyday situations and counter arguments. Campaigning - anti-cruelty organisations to support. The power of protest. This book will help you to live as cruelty-free as possible and to examine all of the areas in your life where you can help animals and the environment. Choose to live without cruelty. Choose this book and find out how.

Fourteen-year-old Grace, recovering from a life-changing accident and her parents'' divorce, reluctantly spends the summer at Flambards, a remote country house. Despite herself, she befriends two local boys: Jamie, who is friendly and obsessed with wildlife, and Marcus, who is struggling to deal with his moody, potentially violent father. In this beautiful but threatened landscape, Grace unearths her own extraordinary ties to the house and - importantly - discovers her own place in the world.

It was the day when everything stopped... At quarter past two on a hot summer afternoon, Anna’s beautiful, headstrong older sister Rose disappears. And Anna was the last person to see her. Their parents, Rose’s friends, the police – no-one can find where Rose has gone or who might have taken her. Twenty years later, Rose is still missing. Anna is the only one who still believes she might be alive, and unable to take control of her own life while her sister’s disappearance remains unsolved, she begins to hunt for the truth herself. But the search for Rose will uncover secrets she is not prepared for... The compelling novel from the Costa Award-winning author. Originally published in hardback as Quarter Past Two on a Wednesday Afternoon

1969: Andie dreams of becoming an artist. Her best paintings are inspired by the moon and so she''s fascinated by news of the moon landing. But will it be the same magical place once man has set foot on it, and will her paintings win the attention they deserve? A thrilling story set at No.6 Chelsea Walk. Linda Newbery has been twice shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal, and is the winner of a Silver Medal Nestle Children’s Book Prize and the Costa Children’s Book Award. "Dramatic stories with a real sense of atmosphere." - The Guardian

Jack and Alice are twins. When war breaks out in 1914 Jack joins the army and Alice becomes a nurse. This is a wonderfully evocative and dramatic story of war, love and pacifism.

It was the day when everything stopped... At quarter past two on a hot summer afternoon, Anna’s beautiful, headstrong older sister Rose disappears. And Anna was the last person to see her. Their parents, Rose’s friends, the police – no-one can find where Rose has gone or who might have taken her. Twenty years later, Rose is still missing. Anna is the only one who still believes she might be alive, and unable to take control of her own life while her sister’s disappearance remains unsolved, she begins to hunt for the truth herself. But the search for Rose will uncover secrets she is not prepared for... The compelling novel from the Costa Award-winning author. Originally published in hardback as Quarter Past Two on a Wednesday Afternoon

Full of both inspirational and practical advice, Writing Children''s Fiction: A Writers'' and Artists'' Companion is an essential guide to writing for some of the most difficult and demanding readers of all: children and young people. Part 1 explores the nature, history and challenges of children''s literature, and the amazing variety of genres available for children from those learning to read to young adults. Part 2 includes tips by such bestselling authors as David Almond, Malorie Blackman, Meg Rosoff and Michael Morpurgo. Part 3 contains practical advice - from shaping plots and creating characters to knowing your readers, handling difficult subjects and how to find an agent and publisher when your book or story is complete.

When Nina''s mother, Miranda, mysteriously disappears, Nina''s father goes to look for her, leaving Nina with her two eccentric aunts who run a charity shop in town. Nina soon discovers that working in the shop can be funny, intriguing and rewarding as she takes in weird and wonderful donations, makes new friends and uncovers strange secrets! But Nina is determined to solve the mysteries that have taken over her life - where has her mother gone? Why did she leave so suddenly? And just what is the secret she''s been hiding? Award-winning author Linda Newbery grips and entertains readers in her usual mesmerising way with this intriguing new mystery.

Magic beans. Sow them. Plant them. Watch children grow. ''If you are a dreamer, come in. If you are a dreamer, a wisher, a liar, a hoper, a prayer, a magic-bean-buyer. If you''re a pretender, come sit by my fire, for we have some flax-golden tales to spin. Come in! Come in!'' - Shel Silverstein, Poet Each and every one of the stories in this anthology is a magic bean: a wondrous tale that will capture your imagination. Prepare to be dazzled by Rapunzel''s golden tresses. Prepare to be moved by the suffering of the Little Mermaid. Prepare to laugh yourself silly as ''Mr Sultana'' struggles to get the better of a little red rooster! Lovingly crafted by the finest authors and illustrators, these ''magic beans'' will delight, thrill and thoroughly entertain.

New house, new school, new friends - but Matt Lanchester knows it won''t all be that easy when he moves from Milton Keynes to Hay-on-Wye. Almost as soon as he arrives he is drawn into a mystery when he sees a roadside memorial marked by a little wooden cross with the initials M.L carved into it. His initials! Then he meets Robbo and Tig and Old Wil Jones and his wife, Gwynnie. There''s history here and a well kept village secret - and Matt is desperate to find out more. His new acquaintances are keener on taunting Wil - Wil, the murderer. But that''s not Matt'' s style. Befriending Wil, and with a sense of a shadowy figure always close by, he learns about a tragedy in the past, helps set the record straight and finally lay to rest the ghost of boy he feels he''s come to know. Linda Newbery effortlessly mixes the old with the new, the past with the present, tragedy with triumph as she writes about communities and individuals, facing challenges and being accepted.

Henry is not happy when his parents move from London to the village of Crickford St. Thomas. But he soon forms a friendship with an elderly neighbour, Dottie, and she starts to tell him stories about the Second World War and about another Henry who was a navigator in the RAF. Then Henry sees a man standing at the garden gate, smoking a cigarette and surrounded by a cloud of fireflies. He appears to look straight at Henry - could he be the navigator? And what is the significance of the ghost''s appearance?

Little dog Barney lives on a narrowboat with his owner, Jim. The pair are inseparable - until they get separated. Barney loves his life on the canals but the one thing he''s frightened of is tunnels. So when Jim sets off into a tunnel without him, Barney is distraught.

Lucy knew Lob was there, from the way she felt inside. There was a sparking of mischief in her head, a tingle of energy in her arms and legs. She wanted to run, jump, climb, be everywhere at once. You have to be a special person to see Lob, that’s what Lucy’s Grandpa Will says. Lucy’s parents don’t believe in him. But Lucy does. And then she finally catches sight of the Green Man in Grandpa’s garden. And then she knows. Lob is here, and he is real—now and forever and ever!

Originally published: London: Scholastic, 1999.

Hal''s life is in upheaval: trouble at school; problems at home; a quarrel with friends. Then Hal is sent to his grandfather''s seaside home. Soon, his anger is absorbed by the pull of the crashing waves, buffeted by the tides, smoothed by the endless sands. Yet thoughts of the father he has never known won''t go away. In fact, soon his dad seems to be everywhere: in the sand figures Hal makes on the beach; in his dreams; in the shape of Wesley Prince, his mother''s old boyfriend. Since no one will tell him the truth, Hal is determined to find out for himself. Will his elusive father ever come into his life? Or is he no more substantial than the sandfather, blurred and dissolved by the incoming tide?

Purrfect tales about fab furry felines from celebrated author Linda Newbery 6years + Vincent loves painting, but recently, his pictures - and his life - have been missing something... So when Vincent sees a flash of white in his garden, he is overjoyed. Could it really be Snow, his beloved cat? But Snow died a year ago, and he sadly realizes that this new white cat is his neighbours'' pet, Skitter. Haunted by sad dreams of Snow, Vincent doesn''t feel like painting at all any more. He starts to feel better when he is asked to look after Skitter during his neighbours'' holiday, but then disaster strikes when Skitter escapes! However, it''s when Vincent sets out to track down the errant cat that he also discovers the secret to improving his paintings - new paintings - with just the right hint of purriness... Curl up with Cats tales, a charming collection of stand-alone stories, at turns magical, mysterious, comic and touching. Other titles by Linda Newbury Cat tales: Cat with two Names9780746096147£4.99 Cat tales: Rain Cat9780746097281£4.99 Cat tales: Smoke Cat9780746097298£4.99 Cat tales: Shop Cat9780746097304£4.99 Cat tales: Ice Cat9780746097311£4.99 Cat tales: the Cat Who Wasn''t there9780746097328£4.99 Polly''s March 9780746060315 £5.99 Andie''s Moon9780746073100£5.99

Synopsis coming soon.......

JOSH’S FAMILY IS used to changes—but now they are hurtling into even more. Although Josh has always had an affinity with animals, it’s his younger brother Jamie who falls under the all-pervading wild cat spell. “Leo” seems to have taken over Jamie’s life. He eats when and what he wants, speaks only when he needs to. Soon it becomes impossible for the family to cope with his frightening, unpredictable behavior. Only Josh understands his brother’s moods, but is he brave enough to break through Jamie’s unhappy mask, and save them all?

Tizzie is lonely when she and her mum move to Roven Mere, a mysterious, rambling mansion deep in the countryside. She''s eager to meet Lord Rupert and his daughter, Greta, but no one knows when they will come home. The house seems like a museum, and as Tizzie explores the rooms and passageways, she makes a startling discovery about why she''s been brought to Roven Mere...

The alternating narratives of art tutor Samuel Godwin and governess Charlotte Agnew, who work for the wealthy Farrow family in 1898 England, reveal the secrets that almost everyone in the household is hiding.

Purrfect tales about fab furry felines from celebrated author Linda Newbery.Rose has a black and white cat called Smudge-Face. Her next-door neighbour, Wilfred, has a black and white cat called Fungus. However, what neither of them realize is that this is the same cat, enjoying double the meals and double the attention at two different houses, by slipping through a hole in the garden fence. But when the cat with two names is accidentally shut inside another neighbour''s garage, both Rose and Wilfred set out looking for their missing pet and it isn''t long before they meet each other..."Curl up with Cats Tales", is a charming collection of stand-alone stories, at turns magical, mysterious, comic, and touching.

When Hilly’s grandmother becomes ill with Alzheimer’s disease, her family is turned upside down by revelations from her life during World War II. Hilly’s German grandmother, HeidiGran, comes to live with her family after she gets Alzheimer’s disease. As her mind becomes more muddled, secrets buried in her past start to emerge. Why does HeidiGran keep talking about a girl named Rachel? And why does she make racist remarks about Hilly’s friend, Ruben? As Hilly struggles to cope with revelations about her family’s past, she encounters racism and prejudice for herself when a friend becomes the victim of a mindless attack. This evocative and deftly told novel explores prejudice and its effects on multiple generations in one family.

Greg’s casual interest in the history of a ruined mansion becomes more personal as he slowly discovers the tragic events that overwhelmed its last inhabitants. Set against a background of the modern day and the First World War, Greg’s contemporary beliefs become intertwined with those of Edmund, a foot soldier whose confusion about his sexuality and identity mirrors Greg’s own feelings of insecurity. This is a complex and thought-provoking book, written with elegance and subtlety. It will change the way you think.

A story set in London during the Blitz. With Gernan planes blitzing London, the wreckage can be an exciting place to play after the fear of the night has died down. Whilst exploring a bombed house one day, a lonely boy makes a friend whose father is an RAF pilot - much more exciting than his own air-raid warden dad. But it takes genuine danger to make him realise the difference between the heroism of fantasy and what people do when their courage is needed for real.

When a friendly but timid dog keeps showing up at the park to play, Tim and his Grandad want to bring him home but there are huge obstacles in their way, including Tim''s sister''s allergy and the dog''s current owners.

Support for every short story (including access versions) *Two guided reading lesson plans per story *Writing, Drama, Speaking and Listening ideas to imaginatively extend teaching *Compare, contrast and connect work for short stories within each collection. Support for every novel *Independant reading and group work notes *Writing, Drama, Speaking and Listening ideas Ideal for teachers and teaching assistants

Teenagers Guy and Annabelle begin an e-mail correspondence at the insistence of their fathers, but surprisingly become fast cyber-friends, and perhaps more. But their budding relationship creates havoc when they start to speculate what caused a feud between their fathers, letting their imaginations run wild with hilarious results.

Cass Sutherland has been ill and goes to France to recuperate. But staying with her great-aunt turns out to be far from tranquil. For Cass has walked into a village full of mystery. And as she starts to pick away at age-old family secrets, she unravels a terrible wartime history that threatens her whole existence. Just as disturbingly, she is beginning to fall in love with Pascal. Junior high readers.

Little Simón observes every night a mysterious occurrence involving an old lady and a blue cat.