Best Selling Books by Sam Lloyd

"On May 29th, 1936, at the age of 27, Lloyd Hunnicutt graduated from Cavalry School in Fort Riley, Kansas, as a Second Lieutenant in the 124th Unit of the Texas Natonal Guard . . . . received his first promotion on November 18, 1940. Nineteen months later, he went to war in the South Pacific with the 112th Cavalry."--from the Introduction "A good old-fashioned siege of homesickness wouldn''t be so bad--but these constantly recurring twinges of emptiness that occur when something unconsciously reminds me of you are a little hard to take. I don''t see now how I even had the nerve to get on the train at Fort Clark. I know now why American soldiers always win their battles--they fight hard so they can get home to their wives and families. I think our greatest hardship is that there is no one near who loves us and to whom we can turn for comfort. Each of us must stand on his own feet at all times. But that is enough of that. Remember that without your love I would have no incentive for anything ever again."--Lloyd Hunnicutt, 1942, somewhere in the South Pacific In 1942 Captain Lloyd Hunnicutt shipped out for the Pacific. He left behind, in Fort Worth, Texas, his beloved and pregnant wife, Virginia. Captain Hunnicutt went first to the island of New Caledonia, a relatively safe and malaria-free island, and then to the jungles of New Guinea, where his men were bombarded by the Japanese and threatened by malaria. Dearest Virginia presents a selection of the letters he wrote his wife, sometimes two a day. Captain Hunnicutt could not tell Virginia where he was, but the letters reflect his experiences in the Pacific--his efforts to keep busy on ship, the importance he placed on reading, the pleasures of fresh food as opposed to C-rations. But above all, these are love letters, filled with longing and loneliness, philosophical musings on marriage and fidelity, and humor. Reflecting the feelings of service men and women everywhere in all wars, these letters are as poignant and relevant today as they were sixty years ago. Of his concern for his wife''s pregnancy, he wrote, "I don''t want you scared by an automobile or anything this late--the baby might have a voice like a Chevrolet horn!" The baby was a girl, named Gayle, who moved to England and became a well-known actress. Clearing out her parents'' home when her mother moved to an assisted living facility, she found the letters from her father, stashed them away for later, and eventually spent months sorting, choosing, and condensing them to produce this book. Unfortunately, Captain Hunnicutt was required for security reasons to destroy any letters he received, so none of Virginia''s correspondence survives. Gayle Hunnicutt contributed a lengthy memoir, rich with her memories of her parents and a childhood in Fort Worth. First published in England by Kyle Cathie Ltd: Publishers--2004.

Listen ... can you hear it? There''s a creepy noise ... ''Welcome!'' smiles Mr Bones. ''Meet the spooky girls and boys.'' At Skeleton School they howl in assembly, fly broomsticks in the library and learn how to float through walls! Join in the fun with this comic caper from a bestselling author/illustrator of Calm Down, Boris, Mr Pusskins and First Day at Bug School – it''s perfect for back to school and Halloween. This eBook comes with a gloriously entertaining audio accompaniment, read by CBeebies star Justin Fletcher.

Although he sometimes mistakes lighted candles on a birthday cake for a house fire, the residents of Whoops-a-Daisy World can always count on their strong and brave Fire Chief Rhino whenever a blaze threatens.

For readers of CJ Tudor and Jane Harper comes a heart-stopping new thriller from the bestselling author of The Memory Wood and The Rising Tide. I watch them because I think they need help. Mercy Lake likes to fix things. To fix people. Trapped inside during daylight hours, hostage to her phobias, she uses the cover of night to watch the people in her town. And if someone needs her help, she steps in—secretly and with compassion. When Mercy meets Louis, her lonely, unusual life is suddenly filled with excitement. Because Louis likes intervening in other people''s lives too, only he prefers a more direct—even violent—approach. As they grow closer, Mercy is enchanted but frightened by his actions. How many lines is he willing to cross? And how much is he prepared to risk? And then there''s Nadia. Nadia knows she''s being watched, even if the police think differently. But with her own secrets to protect, she''s not going to wait around for the watcher to make their move. She''s going to stop them dead.

At the bottom of the garden where no one really sees, a secret school is hidden amongst the grass and weeds. Welcome to Bug School! Don''t be nervous on your first day – it''s lots of fun. Learn creeping with the spiders, singing with the crickets, count spots with the ladybirds and hop, skip and jump in P.E. with the fleas! A rhythmic, bright celebration of school, starring some very cute bugs indeed! Sure to allay first-day-at-school fears.

Meet this little boy and his pussycat called Ginger. He''s got a bedtime secret. He''s the mighty MIDNIGHT NINJA! Everyone is tucked up in bed, except for Midnight Ninja and his sidekick Ginger. The ninja emergency bell has rung and they''re off on a secret mission. There''s no time for these heroes to sleep until they''ve solved the mystery of the missing socks. Even reluctant sleepers will enjoy bedtime with this action-packed adventure showing that heroes need their sleep too. Bedtime reading fun from the bestselling author/illustrator of Calm Down, Boris, Mr Pusskins and First Day at Bug School. A special edition where the words and pictures take you on a journey far beyond the page. This audio-enabled eBook comes with a gorgeous reading by Sam Newton, along with music and sound effects.

A fast-paced, action-packed, good-versus-evil adventure introducing a dynamic new picture book character.

THE MUST-READ RICHARD & JUDY BOOK CLUB PICK. Chilling, moving and unputdownable, The Memory Wood is a thriller like no other. ''Beautifully told, with two superbly drawn young protagonists, Lloyd is a rare new thriller talent'' Daily Mail ''Superbly creepy, with an unexpected twist'' Guardian ************* Elijah has lived in the Memory Wood for as long as he can remember. It''s the only home he''s ever known. Elissa has only just arrived. And she''ll do everything she can to escape. When Elijah stumbles across thirteen-year-old Elissa, in the woods where her abductor is hiding her, he refuses to alert the police. Because in his twelve years, Elijah has never had a proper friend. And he doesn''t want Elissa to leave. Not only that, Elijah knows how this can end. After all, Elissa isn''t the first girl he''s found inside the Memory Wood. As her abductor''s behaviour grows more erratic, chess prodigy Elissa realises that outwitting strange, lonely Elijah is her only hope of survival. Their cat-and-mouse game of deception and betrayal will determine both their fates, and whether either of them will ever leave the Memory Wood . . . ************* Praise for Sam Lloyd ''An intense, atmospheric, and truly original thriller'' Shari Lapena, author of The Couple Next Door ''Remarkable. Stunning prose and compulsive reading. It''s undoubtedly the best thriller I''ve read in a long, long time'' Lesley Kara, author of The Rumour ''I haven''t read anything quite this exciting since Room. You think all the stories have been told, then something like this comes along'' Emma Curtis, author of The Night You Left ''Brilliant writing, a terrifying story, and characters so real it feels like you know them. If you enjoy dark, twisty thrillers that stay with you, read this book'' Samantha Downing, author of My Lovely Wife Readers love The Memory Wood ''A very clever psychological thriller. Dark, creepy and intense.'' ***** ''Deliciously dark... fresh and imaginative.'' ***** ''The twists and turns in The Memory Wood will astound. This book is undoubtedly the best I''ve read this year.'' ***** __________ **** THE RISING TIDE, Sam Lloyd''s electrifying new thriller, is available now****

Grandma gives Fred treats before the dog show thinking they would give him some spunk, but during the show he suddenly finds himself with a strong urge to fart. On board pages.

Fire is a natural part of the Australian bush. This is a story about that relationship – fire that breathes life back into nature. Alight shares the story of Australian native plants and animals during a planned fire. Discover how the fire helps Christmas Bells grow new flowers and Wallum Banksia to open its woody seed capsules. Follow Antechinus and a tiny Wallum Sedge Frog as they face the danger of the fire – and the challenges that come after. See how the bush recovers and flourishes after the fire, all under the watch of Old Eucalypt. With engaging text by Sam Lloyd, and stunning illustrations by Samantha Metcalfe, Alight is a gentle exploration of the importance and benefits of healthy fire in the bush. Reading level varies from child to child, but we recommend this book for ages 6 to 9.

Two monkeys on neighboring islands want to get together for banana milkshakes, but first they must figure out how to avoid the hungry sharks that live in the water between them.

Two monkeys on neighboring islands want to get together for banana milkshakes, but first they must figure out how to avoid the threatening sharks that live between their two homes.

There’s something inside Mummy’s tummy. I don’t know what it could be. Perhaps it’s a buzzing flea or a chimpanzee? It’s getting bigger every day and Mummy won’t tell me. But you can lift the flaps to see! A wonderful and fun story for young children about a new addition to the family from much-loved author and illustrator Sam Lloyd.

Mr Pusskins just has to get his paws on the Best-Looking-Pet prize. Nothing will stop him. Not even the mean, double-crossing poodle, Madame Fifi Fou-Fou.

No todos los monstruos son horribles... Boris es un monstruo adorable que sólo quiere que lo quieran, pero es muy, muy grande, ¡y da demasiados besos, y hace muchas cosquillas! ¡Aunque ser grande besucón y hacer cosquillas a veces va de maravilla! Los niños se divertirán en grande con el títere que se incluye en el libro. Para niños y niñas a partir de 2 años. Disponible en catalán, para comprarlo haz clic aquí.

Meet Boris - he''s a very loving little monster! Orange, hairy and over-enthusiastic, Boris means well, but always ends up getting carried away and spoiling things.

"Hot dog, hairy dog, dirty dog--find out the opposites of these and more inside ..."--Cover back. On board pages.

It''s bedtime, but Spud can''t sleep. His alien friends are in a real mess and they need his help to get ready for bed. So Spud jumps on to his rocket and zooms into space...What a hero!

Boris is babysitting for monster baby. The problem is, he really isn''t very good at it. Can you help Boris look after monster baby?

Can you howl like a werewolf, fly like a witch and stomp like a monster ? Join in the fun and learn how to be your scariest self at Spooky School- it''s perfect for all mini monsters at Halloween !

In this "fiendishly clever novel," a woman''s husband vanishes in a historic storm -- and new troubles wash up in its wake (Sunday Times) In a small fishing village on the Devon coast, Lucy Locke has built a life that anyone would envy. She and her husband, Daniel, own successful businesses and live with their two children in a picturesque home overlooking the harbor. But everything changes one morning when, following a monumental storm, the family yacht is found empty -- and Lucy''s husband is nowhere in sight. As the search for Daniel mounts, so does Lucy''s sense of dread, raised to a fever pitch when another, more terrifying revelation pushes her storybook life to the brink of total destruction. Lucy is reluctantly forced to face a harsh truth: the sea gives life, and just as quickly takes it away. And when the detective on the case uncovers suspicious details that Lucy had hoped would stay buried, she''ll have to confront the nightmarish possibility that she created her own undoing. Beautifully rendered with evocative, atmospheric prose, The Rising Tide is at once a pulse-pounding, inescapably suspenseful thriller and a poignant tale of the power of the natural world. Its characters and settings are sure to stay with readers long after the final page--and after their heart rates finally return to normal.

This lift-the-flap book is a fresh and funny take on the potty-training book from the amazing picture-book illustrator Sam Lloyd. Little Moo Monster is growing up and no longer happy to be in a diaper. Moo wants to be more grown up than his baby sister. So the lovable monster discards his diaper and suddenly there''s poop everywhere! Mom gets a potty, and Moo practices sitting on it until, finally...success! Moo can progress to grown-up underpants that he can pull up and down--which means he can go to the Monster Pant Party with all his little potty-trained friends. With flaps to lift and clever paper engineering, plus great illustrations and laugh-out-loud humor, Sam Lloyd''s book will be the perfect potty-training tool for all toddlers and their parents.

Dr. Meow’s Big Emergency is the first in a series of books which all take place in the friendly Whoops-a-Daisy World. In this exciting adventure, Tom Cat has hurt his leg, and Doctor Meow must help him right away. Doctor Meow and her helpers are good neighbors, and good friends, too! Sam Lloyd’s humorous, brightly colored art is thoroughly kid-friendly, and will appeal to fans of Richard Scarry. Each book will feature a different character, but all of the characters reappear throughout the series, so kids can return to their favorite friends in various books. Stay tuned for the second installment from Whoops-a-Daisy World, Chief Rhino to the Rescue!

There''s an emergency phone-call at Kiss-it-Better Hospital. It''s Tom Cat . . . he''s hurt his leg! Can Doctor Miaow and Ambulance Driver Woof please come straightaway? Of course they can! Doctor Miaow and Ambulance Driver Woof are always there to help others and save the day, and children are invited to follow the gentle, reassuring drama of the exciting, yet caring world of Kiss-it-Better Hospital.

Life for Pusskins is dreamy, until the day his owner Emily comes home with a Very Special Present, a kitten! Even though Little Whiskers is small and looks awfully angelic, she is not. She is a tiny package of peskiness. And the worst thing? It''s always Mr Pusskins who gets the blame! So how will Mr Pusskins deal with this naughty nuisance?

Gracie wakes up in a huge grump. Can a new friend help turn her day around?

Create funny faces with over 20 magnets!Put a pirate patch on a robot or a witch''s nose on a fairy in this madcap magnet book! Match the magnets to the right faces or mix them round, making endless hilarious combinations. Lots of laugh-out-loud fun!

An adorable bright orange fluffy Boris character toy packaged with an appealing board book. Learn your colours with the help of Boris''s monster friends and everyone''s favourite monster - Boris.

How quickly can you fit the colourful shapes back where they belong?This ingenious first concept book comes with its very own set of press-out shapes: circle, square, rectangle, triangle and star, each firmly secured by a bright ribbon and sticker. Children will love the satisfaction of fitting all the chunky shapes back in the right places while learning all about colours. With a zany text and bold artwork, learning is fun!

On die-cut pages to accommodate the attached hand puppet.

Wendy just can''t keep her wide-mouth shut! But what can you expect from a frog who thinks she''s so fabulous? Youngsters will love the brightly coloured drawings and sparkly hand puppet that can be used to act out the story as Wendy travels through the jungle making fun of Max the Monkey, Henrietta Hippo and Jimmy the Giraffe. But while on her journey, Wendy is about to be in for a big surprise. Will she learn her lesson when she meets up with Sid the Squid, who eats wide-mouthed frogs?

The peace and tranquility of Whoops-a-Daisy World has been shattered. There''s a mini crime wave sweeping the town. Various incidents of a wreckless nature have been reported across Whoops-a-Daisy World and it''s up to Inspector Croc to investigate. Just who could be causing all the commotion?

Meet the mini monster mates in this exciting new finger-puppet series. Come with Ernie as he looks for his mum - but every mum he meets is the wrong colour! Do big jumps and little hops in Lenny Long Legs'' book of opposites. Then find out how to stop Nancy being naughty and sniff out numbers from one to five with Nosey Norman.