Joseph Delaney used to be an English teacher, before becoming the best-selling author of the Spook's series, which has been published in 30 countries and sold over 4.5 million copies worldwide. The first book, The Spook's Apprentice, was adapted into a major motion picture starring Jeff Bridges and Julianne Moore.

Joseph Delaney

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Jeanne Birdsall

The Penderwicks: four sisters, as different as chalk from cheese, yet as close as can be. 
 
The eldest, Rosalind, is responsible and practical; Skye, stubborn and feisty; dreamy, artistic, budding novelist, Jane; and shy little Batty, who doesn't go anywhere without her butterfly wings. And not forgetting Hound, their large lumbering lovable dog. 
 
The four girls and their absent-minded father head off for their summer holidays, but instead of the cosy tumbledown cottage they expect, they find themselves on a huge estate called Arundel, with magnificent gardens ripe for exploring. It isn't long before they become embroiled in all sorts of scrapes with new-found friend, Jeffrey - but his mother, the icy-hearted Mrs Tifton, must be avoided at all costs. Chaotic adventures ensue, and it soon becomes a summer the sisters will never forget...

The Penderwicks

Eve Garnett

A series of children's modern classic novels by renowned 20th century children's writers. All the titles in this series have the A Puffin Book logo, contemporary-style covers, and child-friendly endnotes.

The story of everyday life in the big, happy Ruggles family who live in the small town of Otwell. Father is a dustman and Mother a washerwoman. Then there's all the children - practical Lily Rose, clever Kate, mischievous twins James and John, followed by Jo, who loves films, little Peg and finally baby William. 
 
A truly classic book awarded the Carnegie Medal as the best children's book of 1937.

The Family from One End Street

Andre Maurois

'Two Surface-dwellers. Two! He’s a Fattypuff and you’re a Thinifer. There’s no doubt about it!’ 
 
This is the tale of two brothers. Edmund is a little on the plump side and Terry is a bit of a rake. When they discover the countries under the Earth they are divided and sent to the warring kingdoms of the Fattypuffs and the Thinifers. The Fattypuffs eat hourly with light snacks in between. The Thinifers like nothing more than discipline and work six days a week. Whether you are a jolly Fattypuff or a driven Thinifer you’ll be rooting for the brothers to bring peace to the countries under the Earth. 
 
Includes exclusive material: In the Backstory you can take the quiz to find out if you’re a Fattypuff or a Thinifer! 
 
Vintage Children’s Classics is a twenty-first century classics list aimed at 8-12 year olds and the adults in their lives. Discover timeless favourites from The Jungle Book and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland to modern classics such as The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.

Fattypuffs and Thinifers

Roald Dahl

Quentin Blake

James Henry Trotter lives with two ghastly hags. Aunt Sponge is enormously fat with a face that looks boiled and Aunt Spiker is bony and screeching. He's very lonely until one day something peculiar happens. At the end of the garden a peach starts to grow and GROW AND GROW. Inside that peach are seven very unusual insects - all waiting to take James on a magical adventure. But where will they go in their GIANT PEACH and what will happen to the horrible aunts if they stand in their way? There's only one way to find out . .

James and the Giant Peach (Colour Edition)

"Bigger and bigger grew the peach, bigger and bigger and BIGGER." 
 
 
James Henry Trotter is about to go on the adventure of a lifetime. 
 
James lives his awful Aunt Sponge and Aunt Spiker, two of the meanest people you can imagine. 
 
 
Life isn't much fun at all, until something peculiar happens at the bottom of his garden . . . 
 
 
A peach at the very top of a tree begins to grow . . . and grow . . . and GROW! Inside are seven very unusual insects - all waiting to take James on a magical journey.

James and the Giant Peach

H.E. Bates

The deeds and misdeeds of Uncle Silas, the rural reprobate, were renowned in the short stories H E Bates published in the 1930s.In this collection the stories are presented in full, accompanied by the original drawings by Edward Ardizzone that perfectly capture the little reed-thatched house atop a violet-banked lane.Over the course of ninety-five years Uncle Silas found the time to do most things: He boasted of the villains he had knocked to kingdom come as he boasted of the women whose hearts he had truly captured. Crotchety, vainglorious, occasionally wicked, he maintained a devilish spark of audacity which made him so attractive to everyone he met.

My Uncle Silas

From the author of The Darling Buds of May, the inspiration behind The Larkins

Lavinia Derwent

Bobby, a lively little Skye Terrier, adores his master Auld Jock and when the old man dies, Bobby refuses to leave his grave in Greyfriars Churchyard in Edinburgh. By day, he plays with local orphans and eats at a nearby tavern, but every night for fourteen years Bobby returns faithfully to sleep by his master's grave. 
 
Based on a true story.

The Tale of Greyfriars Bobby

Katie Chase

After her first adventure with Azara, the Persian Princess, Rosie is on the lookout for more Little Princesses around her Great-aunt Rosamund's Scottish castle. 
 
One morning, while she is playing hide-and-seek with her little brother, Luke, Rosie stares up at the old tapestry hanging above the fireplace in the Great Hall. And she sees a girl with long blonde hair, wearing a beautiful medieaval gown standing next to a golden dragon. It must be a Little Princess! As soon as Rosie says hello she is swept away to the kingdom of Tannelaun, where she meets Princess Isabella. Isabella is very upset because her pet dragon, Cedric keep getting hiccups and accidentally burning things with his fiery breath. The villagers have had enough and Isabella's father, the king, says Cedric must be sent away. Will Rosie be able to help Isabella to save Cedric . . .?

Little Princesses: The Fairytale Princess

Tove Jansson

Rediscover the A Puffin Book series and bring the best-loved classics to a new generation - including this magical edition of Finn Family Moomintroll complete with a charming new cover design. 
 
Cheerful Moomintroll lives in the magical Moominvalley with his mother, Moominmamma, his father, Moominpappa and all of their friends. One spring he wakes up to find a big hat - a magical Hobgoblin hat, no less, that mysteriously transforms anyone or anything that falls into it. . . 
 
They seem to grow in wisdom and delight every time I read them - Philip Pullman

Finn Family Moomintroll

The Brothers Grimm

From the land of fantastical castles, vast lakes and deep forests, the Brothers Grimm collected a treasury of enchanting folk and fairy stories full of giants and dwarfs, witches and princesses, magical beasts and cunning children. From classics such as 'The Frog Prince' and 'Hansel and Grettel' to the delights of 'Ashputtel' - the original Cinderella - all hold a timeless magic which has enthralled children for generations. 
 
Illustrators Quentin Blake, Raymond Briggs, Axel Scheffler, Helen Oxenbury, Oliver Jeffers and Emma Chichester Clark have each chosen their personal favourite fairytale to illustrate, and their individual styles make this a unique treasury for everyone to enjoy.

Fairy Tales from the Brothers Grimm

Rosie and her little brother Luke are exploring the maze in the grounds of Great-aunt Rosamund's Scottish castle and Rosie discovers a carved and painted totem pole in the centre. When she looks more closely, Rosie sees a young girl on horseback carved athe base of the post. Could this be another little princess? Rosie says hello, just like her Great-aunt told her to and suddenly a gust of wind full of the scent of pine trees surrounds her and she's off on another adventure! 
 
When Rosie opens her eyes again someone it's dark and someone drags her behind a boulder. She can see dark shadows moving through the night - monsters with ferocious jaws and lots of arms and legs. They seem to be looking for something. The person who pulled Rosie to safety is Princess Malila, who explains that the creatures are dream-shadows that hunt for people by night. Usually Malila's tribe are protected by a powerful dream-catcher made of willow hoops and feathers, but it was stolen from the camp. Rosie and Malila must get it the dream-catcher back!

Little Princesses: The Dream-Catcher Princess

Penguin presents the audio CD edition of Finn Family Moomintroll and Other Stories by Tove Jansson, read by Hugh Dennis. 
 
Return to the magical world of Moominvalley with two classic stories. 
 
Finn Family Moomintroll 
Poor little chap! He had been turned into a very strange animal indeed... 
It all begins when Moomintroll wakes up to find a big hat - a magical Hobgoblin hat, no less, that mysteriously transforms anything that falls into it . . . 
 
Tales from Moominvalley 
If you found a tiny golden dragon with green paws, what would you do with it? 
How do the Moomins spend their first Christmas out of hibernation? 
Would you know how to save someone from turning invisible? 
And what exactly are the mysterious Hattifatteners?

Finn Family Moomintroll and Other Stories

Louisa May Alcott

‘We always allow one pillow-fight Saturday night’ 
 
Did you ever wonder what happened to Jo March from Little Women? She grew up, of course, and followed her dream to become a writer. In addition, she opened a school, home to her two children and twelve other boys. There’s accident-prone Tommy, bookish Demi, and greedy Stuffy. Into this large, unusual family arrives Nat – a skinny, nervous orphan boy with no schooling, just a fearless talent for the violin. Amid all the scrapes and japes of twelve rambunctious boys, can little Nat find his place at Plumfield? 
 
Includes exclusive material: In the 'Backstory' you can find out what inspired the author and test your knowledge of Jo’s enormous family... 
 
Vintage Children’s Classics is a twenty-first century classics list aimed at 8-12 year olds and the adults in their lives. Discover timeless favourites from The Jungle Book and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland to modern classics such as The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.

Little Men

Rosie can't wait to move to her Great-aunt Rosamund's castle in the Scottish Highlands. She's visited there many times but now she's going to actually live there with Mum, Dad and her little brother, Luke, while Great-aunt Rosamund is away travelling. 
 
While she's exploring the castle Rosie finds a secret note from her great-aunt. It's written in invisible ink but that night the heat from the fire in the Great Hall reveals the message: Look for the Little Princesses . . .and always remember to curtsey and say 'Hello'! And, sure enough, when Rosie says hello to the princess on the beautiful Persian rug in her bedroom, she is whisked away to ancient Persia on her first adventure! 
 
The kingdom has been overtaken by Abdul the evil genie, who has stolen Princess Azara's voice and imprisoned Azara's father in the palace dungeons. Will Rosie and the Little Princess be able to defeat the genie and restore peace to the land . . .?

Little Princesses: The Whispering Princess

Ghillian Potts

"You're a frog, Ryan James, you're a frog. Slimy and jumpy, bug-eyed and lumpy . . ." 
 
Abigail is thrilled when she discovers that she's a witch - at last she can get her own back on her bullying classmate, Ryan. 
 
With help from her pet rat, Gnasher, Abigain turns Ryan into a frog, but that's when disaster strikes - she can't change him back! And suddenly Abigail discovers that she's not the ONLY witch in the classroom . . .

A Witch In The Classroom!

Summer is here and it's off to the beach for Rosalind . . . and off to Maine for the rest of the Penderwick girls with their old friend, Jeffrey. 
 
That leaves Skye as OAP (oldest available Penderwick) - a terrifying notion for all. Things look good as they settle into their cozy cottage, but can Skye hold it together? Will Jane's Love Survey come to a tragic conclusion? Is Batty - contrary to all accepted wisdom - the only Penderwick capable of carrying a tune? And will Jeffrey be able to keep peace between the girls . . . these girls who are his second, and most heartfelt, family? 
 
It's a rollercoaster ride as the Penderwicks continue their unforgettable adventures in a story filled with laughs and joyful tears!

The Penderwicks at Point Mouette

Dick King-Smith

Puffin presents eight six stories from master storyteller, Dick King-Smith. 
 This collection featuring one of Dick King-Smith's most famous stories The Invisible Dog. 
 The Invisible Dog is the story of a girl who tries to satisfy her yearning for a dog by introducing an imaginary Great Dane called Henry to the house. Her wish comes true and she is allowed a real Henry - but there's more than a hint that old Mrs Garrow, with her cackling laugh and black cat, may have been involved. 
 The other brilliant stories featured this collection are:The Clockwork mouse, King Max the Last, Noah's Brother, Daggie Dogfoot and The Excitement of Being Earnest 
 'Sparkling humour and wonderful characters are Dick King-Smith's trademarks' - Books for Your Children

The Invisible Dog and Other Animal Stories

Sandi Toksvig

When Amber, the littlest Viking, set out from Scandinavia to seek her fortune she must have got lost on her way! Now she's in Pegwell Bay with no one but her pet squirrel for company. When Katie, Gary and Joshua find her stranded on the beach, they decide to look after her. Now there's a Viking living in their garden! 
 
Having a Viking in the family isn't always easy. But when the garden is threatened by a nasty neighbour, Amber has some unusual - and hilarious - solutions to their problems . . .

The Littlest Viking

‘We are now about to visit the most marvellous places and see the most wonderful things!’ 
 
This beautiful edition of James and the Giant Peach, part of The Roald Dahl Classic Collection, features official archive material from the Roald Dahl Museum and is perfect for Dahl fans old and new. 
 
So, enter a world where invention and mischief can be found on every page and where magic might be at the very tips of your fingers . . . 
 
The Roald Dahl Classic Collection reinstates the versions of Dahl’s books that were published before the 2022 Puffin editions, aimed at newly independent young readers.

E. B. White

Rediscover this classic, much-loved story by E. B. White, beautifully illustrated by Garth Williams and reissued as a gorgeous full-colour hardback. A perfect gift to read aloud and share with all the family.One spring morning a little girl called Fern rescues a runt and names him Wilbur. But then Wilbur is sent to live on a farm where he meets Charlotte, a very clever and very beautiful large grey spider. They become best friends and, when Wilbur is faced with a dreadful fate, Charlotte must find an ingenious way to save him. 
 
'No child should be without a copy' - Daily Mail

Charlotte's Web

Penguin presents the abridged audiobook edition of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Four More Stories by Roald Dahl, read by Roald Dahl himself. 
 
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Abridged) 
Willy Wonka's famous chocolate factory is opening at last! 
 
James and the Giant Peach (Abridged) 
A little magic can take you a long way. 
 
Fantastic Mr. Fox (Abridged) 
Nobody outfoxes Fantastic Mr. Fox! 
 
The Enormous Crocodile (Abridged) 
This greedy crocodile loves to guzzle up little boys and girls. 
 
The Magic Finger (Abridged) 
Horrible neighbours learn their lesson from a little girl with powerful magic!

Roald Dahl Reads Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Four More Stories

Chris Riddell

Paul Stewart

A brilliantly inventive, fabulously illustrated addition to the Far-Flung Adventure series from the award-winning, bestselling author and illustrator team, Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell. Set in the same world as Fergus Crane and Corby Flood's stories, this is the tale of a small boy, Hugo Pepper, and his amazing exploits. Raised in the Frozen North by reindeer herders, his parents eaten by polar bears when he was just a baby, Hugo discovers that the sled they arrived in has a very special compass - one that can be set to 'Home'. And so Hugo arrives in Firefly Square - to discover a group of very special friends, and a dastardly enemy... With three-toed snowmen, a secret buried treasure and a host of fabulous stories, this is a fantastic new tale in this series.

Hugo Pepper

WHOOSH! 
Inside the Great Glass Elevator, Willy Wonka, Charlie Bucket and his family are cruising a thousand feet above the chocolate factory. 
 
 They can see the whole world below them, but they're not alone. The American Space Hotel has also just launched. Lurking inside are the Vermicious Knids - the most brutal beasts in the universe! 
Can Charlie and Willy Wonka stop them from destroying everything?

Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator

Michael Bond

Imagine swallowing a computer chip and becoming a living computer . . . 
 
Imagine almost burning down your school . . . 
 
Imagine being Harry Manners. He is a very unusual boy. His family don’t understand him. His teachers wish he would stop daydreaming. But he thinks he’s doing just fine, as long as he has a stash of Max Masters comics to read and his imaginary pet pig Monty to take for a walk…

It Wasn't Me!

Malorie Blackman

Poor Fangs, the tarantula, is terribly lonely and bored with her life in the pet-shop. So when Nathan takes her home, she's more than excited about her new life. But before Nathan can introduce his new pet to his family, he's going to need her help to convince them that spiders aren't just creepy and crawly . . . They're beautiful and brave too! 
 
This funny story from the Children's Laureate, Malorie Blackman, is perfect for building confidence in young readers - whether reading aloud or reading alone.

Fangs

Unlike her little brother, Luke, Rosie doesn't believe that mermaids actually exist. But that's before she finds the stone statue of a mermaid in the middle of the fountain in the grounds of her Great-aunt Rosamund's Scottish castle. 
 
When Rosie curtseys and says hello she finds herself on a deserted beach at nighttime. She can hear beautiful singing coming from some rocks. It's Princess Marissa, the daughter of the king and queen of the mer-people. Rosie finds she can swim underwater and she explores the kingdom of Acquatica with her new friend, Carla and Carlos the dolphins and Octavius the Octopus. 
 
Then Marissa discovers that she's lost her crown, which contains the Pearl of Wisdom and she and Rosie must go and get it back from the old and frightening Sea Hag . . .!

Little Princesses: The Sea Princess

Berlie Doherty

First the fairies took Tam's little sister, Blue. Then they took his Great-Grandpa Toby. Now Tam has to keep a great secret - not only is Great-Grandpa still in Faery as King, but the old King of the fairies, Oban, is now in Tam's world disguised as a boy Tam's age! 
 
At first, it's lots of fun having Oban and his magic around. He manages to charm everybody - even Tam's teacher at school. But then things start to go wrong . . . 
 
When Tam finds the magical Windspinner that Great-Grandpa Toby left for him, Oban can't make the magic work like Tam can and he disappears in a huff and starts causing chaos. The only person who can stop the trouble and call Oban home to fairy land is his mother, the Damson Hag. But she's locked up tight in a golden cage. So Tam sets off on another adventure to Faery - this time with Great-great aunt California at his side - to rescue the Damson Hag and try and return Oban and Great-grandpa Toby to their right homes . . .

The Windspinner

Richmal Crompton

Whether a long-standing fan or a first time listener, this collection of stories is the ultimate Just William audio experience. With over four hours of laugh-out-loud stories, including two stories performed to a live audience, Just William's Greatest Hits! is the perfect entertainment for the whole family. Boring car journeys are a thing of the past! Along with the live stories are Martin Jarvis's personal reflections of recording Just William, giving the listener a true behind- the-scenes insight into how he brings those marvellous characters to life. This is the perfect gift for the Just William fan, whether young or old. The stories included are: 'The Midnight Adventure of Miss Montague'; 'The Outlaws and Cousin Percy'; 'A Bit of Blackmail'; 'William and the Bomb'; 'William and the Snowman'; 'Violet Elizabeth Runs Away'; 'William and the Real Laurence'; 'Finding a School for William'; 'William's Truthful Christmas'; 'The Haunted House'; 'William and the Begging Letter'; 'William and the Badminton Racket'; 'A Question of Exchange'; 'The Weak Spot'; 'William the Rat Lover'; 'The Sweet Little Girl in White' and 'William and the Princess Goldilocks'. 
 
Musical Theme: Won't You Be My Ginger? composed and performed by Richard Dworsky (piano) (c) 1995 Inner Vista Music (BMI)

Just William's Greatest Hits

The Definitive Collection of Just William Stories

Rosie finds a mosaic in a passageway in Great-aunt Rosamund's old castle. When she sees a sad-looking girl in a toga on the mosaic, Rosie is convinced that she's found another little princess. She's right! Before she knows it, Rosie finds herself in a beautiful garden by a temple in ancient Rome and meets the daugher of the emperor of Rome - Princess Isadora. 
 
Princess Isadora is sad because the goddess Juventas has put a curse on all the young boys because Isadora's brother, Marcus, forgot to leave a gold coin as an offering to the goddess after his coming of age ceremony. Juventas has made all the young boys of Rome age, so they are now all old men and they will die soon if Isadora can't do anything to help them! 
 
Rosie and Isadora go to the forest to ask Acis the faun for advice. He tells them to ask Cupid, the god of love for help. If Cupid hits Juventas with one of his arrows, the stony heart of Juventas will melt and she will take back the curse. Can the girls get Cupid to help them before it's too late? And will they manage to escape the wrath of the Harpies who are doing their best to stop them?

Little Princesses: The Cloud Princess

Rediscover the A Puffin Book series and bring the best-loved classics to a new generation - including this magical edition of Moominpappa at Sea complete with a charming new cover design. 
 
Moominpappa is feeling at a loss. He has no idea what to do with himself - it seems everything has already been done! So he takes his family off to start a new life in a lighthouse on a tiny, rocky island far out to sea. It's rather lonely at first, but it isn't long before the Moomins discover some funny and surprising new things about themselves. 
 
They seem to grow in wisdom and delight every time I read them - Philip Pullman

Moominpappa at Sea

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