Best Selling Books by William Mayne

Feeling neglected when her human family has a baby, Pandora the cat runs away to live in the wild, where she has her own kittens before returning to her house.

Several English boys find the bones of a prehistoric monster underneath the sand which surrounds their town on the North Sea.

Granny Shaftoe tried to warn them. A witch she may have been, but she spoke the truth. Meric, proud and fearless, had no time for soothsayers, ignored her wisdom, and was never seen again. Robin missed his friend and spoke of him often to his son, Alan. Soon he too went into the forest to fish from the well... Ages 11+.

Against a background of local skirmishes between rebel forces and government troops in an unnamed Asian/Indian country, Philip and Shanya meet on the train, travelling to visit their respective scientist fathers in a camp in the desert, below the ruins of a very ancient city. The scientists are bargaining with the authorities to have water piped to the ruined city. But after their first night, the children wake to find the camp deserted. When, after a day, still no one returns, they make for the distant city just visible in the mountain. In fact the city is nothing but ruins, once rich with gardens and fed by streams, but now bleached and dry, and utterly deserted - or are they? There is a sensation of presences, footsteps, a belief they are being watched. They come upon a monkey, toasting a lizard on a fire. It turns and speaks to them - a strange mixture of muddled English, sometimes with the voices and the intonation of their fathers. In fact the ancient city is peopled by a whole tribe of these talking apes - the secret subject of the archaeological camp''s study. But the apes too are in trouble - their city is dying from the drying up of wells and water courses. And children an

Story Books are for newly-confident readers (7-9 yrs) who enjoy well written, slightly more demanding stories with chapters and stunning illustrations.

Cuddy tells us ''. . . if you understand there is a miracle, then there is . . . '' In this complex and intriguing story, a group of kids who are all related and descendants of St Cuthbert, or Cuddy, must gather together seven holy talismans to help Cuddy return to his own island paradise . . . While this is taking place, Jude must confront her own traumatic past if she is able to face her future.

Tabby sets out to retrieve her beloved patchwork quilt.

These seven illustrated animal stories include a fox and his vixen who save the lives of people; a donkey and a lion who meet out in the desert; and a mischievous kitten reaching for the rooftops in a barn.

An eighteenth century drummer boy emerges from the ground and transforms the lives of two friends, David and Keith. His appearance is the catalyst for a fantastic chain of events which culminates in David''s disappearance from the face of the Earth. Keith is left to search through time for his friend.

Parti à la dérive sur un lac, en compagnie de la jeune Tawena, Ralph est recueilli par deux Indiennes. Sa vie est menacée, mais Tawena veille et l''ours rôde. Après les traitements endurés, le garçon sort grandi de cette aventure voisine du cauchemar. L''auteur présente dans ce récit invraisemblable une vision folklorique du Grand Nord, de ses habitants et de sa faune.