Series: Little Gems

A missing budgie inspires an unlikely friendship between a young boy and his elderly neighbour in this touching Little Gem from award-winner and Children’s Laureate Joseph Coelho. Mr Buxton is always having a go at Miles and his friends for climbing the trees outside their tower block. Miles thinks he’s just a grumpy old man, but when he finds a...

Dimple the gnome is upset and he doesn’t know how to talk about it – but then along comes the Boo … A charming new Gem from the bestselling author of Squishy McFluff. Yucky cabbage pie! Mean Mrs Miskin! Stupid spelling test! Oh dear, Dimple the Gnome is having a very bad day and he just can't find the right...

A delightfully witty and tender-hearted Christmas story like none other, introducing a unique author and illustrator collaboration to make for a very special Little Gem. Jo-Jo is convinced that Christmas is cancelled – and it's all his fault. To make amends, he decides he must become Father Christmas. An old coat of his mum's, a sack of outgrown toys and...

Lottie Dod leads the way to sporting victory in this inspiring Little Gem from bestselling author Katherine Woodfine. Lottie the Little Wonder tells the story of Lottie Dod, who is determined to show that girls can be just as good at sports as boys. "Girls can’t play tennis as well as boys? What a lot of NON-SENSE!” Lottie exclaims, confident...

A little mouse searches for the courage to save her home and make her squeak heard in this touching Little Gem from the award-winning author of Izzy Gizzmo. Crumbs on the counter, morsels on the floor – there should be plenty of food for Minetta the mouse to eat in Hollyhock House … But the Ruling Rats are running rampage...

A motley crew of pirates take to parenthood in this whimsical Little Gem from Alan MacDonald, author of the bestselling Dirty Bertie series. Captain Sprat and his pirate crew love nothing more than lazing around on the deck of the Salty Herring. Until one day, a strange wailing noise shatters the peace. Shiver me timbers! There’s a stowaway baby on...

The pig who cried wolf finally gets his comeuppance in this hilarious gem from bestselling author Ross Montgomery. Porky Pies is always telling lies, trying to terrify his brothers and sisters into believing that the Big Bad Wolf is back. But when the biggest fibber in the litter tries to plan his most daring prank yet, the joke is on...

A lovely celebration of father–son bonds and the importance of family, wrapped up in a wonderful extraordinary story that is sure to appeal to young superhero fans! Stanley is a normal little boy, whose dad just happens to be the greatest superhero on the planet. Six days a week, Dad saves the world from disasters, aliens, and bad guys. Friday...

Sidney and Carrie return in this uplifting Little Gem by award-winning author Lisa Thompson as Carrie embarks on a mission to discover her special talent. Carrie’s best friend Sidney is planning to show off his tap-dancing skills during Friday Fun Time at school, and Carrie wants to join in. She plans an amazing routine where Sidney will dance and she...

Worldwide bestseller Holly Webb makes her Barrington Stoke debut with a truly adorable sausage dog tale! Ruby’s dad has arrived home with a wonderful surprise – Coco the sausage dog puppy! And when the family go on holiday to the seaside, of course Coco will be coming too. The beach is a thrilling place for a dog – so many...

A jewel of a book illustrated throughout in silhouette and colour by award-winning Ian Beck (Tom Trueheart). Pictures and words weave together to create a hymn to colour, light, and life. High-quality cream paper and a special easy-to-read font ensure a smooth read for all. Everything on the Island of Ashes is grey, from the weather to the castle, the...

A funny and charming Little Gem from national treasure Anne Fine, with beautiful artwork by illustration star Vicki Gausden – Anne’s collaborator on The Gingerbread Star and Out for the Count. When the rain threatens to ruin the fun at summer camp, Malik and his friends are tasked with inventing a pram that any baby would love. But when ideas...

Sidney and Carrie’s friendship is being put to the test. Can Lisa Thompson’s uplifting duo learn to compromise in time for their joint birthday party? Best friends Sidney and Carrie are really excited about having a joint birthday party! But excitement turns to disappointment when they can’t agree about the invitations, the entertainment or even the kind of cake they’d...

Lisa and her cat Snug are inseparable…until the day Snug disappears. A charming countryside tale from the master of the animal tale. Wherever Lisa goes, her cat Snug follows. But as Snug grows up he spends more time away from home and one night comes home all beaten up. A beautifully illustrated and delightful story about animals and friendship.

An adorable stray kitten might be just what Lucy and her dad need in this gentle and heartwarming animal story from worldwide bestseller Holly Webb. Lucy and her dad are still feeling sad about the loss of their lovely cat Patch, who had been part of their family for such a long time. So when a little lost kitten turns...

Wonderful, witty and wise, this classic Quentin Blake tale will warm hearts of the young and old alike in a gorgeous new full colour gift format. The heartbroken widow of a captain drowned at sea discovers a friendly amphibian at her lowest point. But he is no ordinary frog – he's a dancing frog set on saving her! Soon the duo...

Witty, lively and full of fun, this cat-and-mouse tale from a former Children's Laureate is sure to delight young readers with clever twists and the satisfying defeat of one terrifying cat. Once there was a very fierce cat. Not just fierce: totally, terrifyingly, stupendously fierce. Everyone was afraid of this cat. Her name was Dread and everyone dreaded Dread Cat....

Elmo and his sister love playing in the jungle house next door, until mean old Mr Birdsnest moves in … A delightful and cleverly written story from former Children's Laureate Julia Donaldson. A tiger in the back garden! A bird-eating spider in the cupboard! Elmo and his sister love playing in the jungle house next door, that is, until mean...

Who’s the NAUGHTY NIBBLER? Someone has taken a big bite out of the birthday cake the farmer has baked, and he’s FURIOUS! For once, it’s not Big Goat Gruff who’s to blame, but can he find the real culprit before the farmer turns him into GOAT PIE?! Big Goat Gruff is always in trouble for eating things on the farm....

Katy can’t believe her luck when she finds the perfect pet guinea pig hiding in the lettuce patch, but is everything as it seems? Katy has always longed for a pet of her own, so when a cute ginger-and-white guinea pig turns up in her mum’s vegetable patch, she thinks her dreams have come true! Katy calls the guinea pig...

Hana and Ace race to track down Brumble the bear wizard’s missing medals before the contest is won in this exciting Moonlight Mystery Agency adventure from Vashti Hardy. It's race time for the animals of Moonlight, but disaster has struck! Brumble the bear wizard has lost the winners' medals!Hana and Ace must use their detective skills to track down the...

A baking nightmare makes for slapstick comedy gold in this hilarious Little Gem from a bestselling author and illustrator team. Albert’s dad needs help in the family bakery, but all his son can think about is sport. So he builds a machine like no other: the Doughmaster 5000. It seems to have solved all their problems, until one night, Dad’s...

Warm and charming Little Gem bestseller, now available with full colour illustrations. A perfectly pitched story for early readers from the former Children's Laureate and master of the market. High quality cream paper and a special easy to read font ensure a smooth read for all. Polly has set up a pets' holiday home for the summer and with a...

A pleasingly absurd caper where kids outwit crooks, ghost are let out of the bag, and grandparents refuse to behave! From beloved and best-selling author Malorie Blackman. Grandma Gertie is rather strange. With her big square glasses and a parrot on her hat, Anna and Kasper don't know what to make of her. But Grandma's got a secret… Grandpa Bert...

Children’s literature legend Michael Morpurgo teams up with illustration star Sam Usher for a rollicking countryside adventure story, now in a Little Gems edition for more parents and children to share together. The frogs always beat the toads at long jump but the toads don't mind – anything for a quiet life. But then the children and Mutt the dog come...

Can Annie find her missing bunny before it’s caught by the neighbourhood fox? A gentle and heartwarming animal story from worldwide bestseller Holly Webb. Annie is really excited about her new pet rabbits and can’t wait to welcome them into the amazing new home her dad has built for them.But when Annie is in a rush to get to school...

Two super-smart kids triumph in these perfectly packaged tales with a twist from multi-award-winning and bestselling author Michael Rosen. It pays to be able to think on your feet, especially if you're about to be eaten alive or cheated out of a valuable prize! And in these hilarious comical adventures by storytelling legend Michael Rosen, two clever kids are more...

Grandparents take centre stage in this charming tale as a young boy and his grandfather let their imaginations take flight for an afternoon of space exploration, with beautiful artwork from Hannah Coulson. High quality cream paper and a special easy to read font ensure a smooth read for all. Grandpa Was an Astronaut is about Sherman, who loves the moon...

Super-smart inventor Mariella doesn’t have time for sleep in this funny and life-affirming gem from award-winning beloved author Eoin Colfer, featuring full colour illustrations from rising star Katy Halford. Mariella, Queen of the Skies is a delightful tale where Mariella loves nothing more than inventing, but bedtime keeps getting in the way of all her brilliant ideas! So when Mum...

Illustration superstar Nick Sharratt adds another bright and bold early reader to the bestselling Little Gems list. Today’s the day – it’s the tea party parade! The kids are in their costumes and the teachers are marching too. Teacups are twirling, cake slices are spinning, and the big finale is going to be the best show of all! Join in...

A sausage dog discovers that, despite being small, she has strengths of her very own in this adorable gem from bestselling author Pip Jones, perfect for dog lovers. A little sausage dog discovers that she has strengths of her very own in this adorable gem from bestselling author Pip Jones, perfect for dog lovers.Peggy the sausage dog feels really sad...

A mix-up with memory leads to an unlikely friendship in this gorgeous Little Gem exploring dementia and the importance of inter-generational friendships. All Frank wants is a new bike, but bikes cost money … So he better start saving! When he settles on helping his sister, Lottie, with her paper round, the last thing Frank expects is to meet an...

Mysterious miaowing from the empty flat upstairs sets Liam and Sav on a quest to find the ghost cat in this charming gem from award-winning author Pamela Butchart. The flat upstairs from Sav is empty, so who or what is making the strange yowling noises she can hear at night? Could it be a ghost cat?!Sav and her best friend...

Painting brings joy in a moment of grief in this moving and ultimately uplifting story inspired by the childhood of French portrait artist Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun. Elisabeth and the Box of Colours is about Elisabeth, who loves to paint just like her papa. She spends hours making her own pictures of everything she sees – and the more...

A gorgeous new Little Gem from Jonathan Meres (World of Norm), inspired by his father’s 50 years as a market trader, and in collaboration once again with Grandpa was an Astronaut illustrator, Hannah Coulson. Priya loves helping out at the stall her family have run for donkey's years. But one day she meets Stan. His dad sells everything from dog...

Jack's about to get the pet he's always wanted – and many, many more … A furry and funny gem from King of Comedy Jeremy Strong. Cats in the bath. Cats in the cupboards. A hundred cats everywhere! Everyone in Jack's class has a pet, but all Jack has is his little brother Freddie. And little brothers don't make very...

A wonderful froggy adventure from award-winning Dick King-Smith combines with stunning artwork from Victor Ambrus to make for an utterly charming Little Gem. Henry Pond the Poet is a toad who is also a poet. His gift is an uncommon one, his poems sweep the prize table at the Eistoadfod, and he has many adoring fans. Sadly, that's not enough...

Friendship appears where it’s least expected in this heartwarming Little Gem from bestselling and award-winning author Lisa Thompson. When Sidney spots a wishing well in the long grass on his way to school, he thinks he might have found the answer to the problems he’s having with his friend Billy. If he can just wish for exactly the right thing,...

A fun football tale for little readers packed with laughs, friendship and a spot of superstition … Ridiculous injuries … strange illnesses … cancelled games … Everything's going wrong for the Saints this season, and Stanley's team-mates believe they finally know why. Their football kit is cursed! But the team's attempts to break the curse take things from bad to...

Award-winning author–illustrator Ian Beck spreads joy in Paris with this charming tale of love and delicious baked goods. The Bakery of Happiness centres around Paul du Pain's bakery, a very special place. Each day, Paul bakes the bread while Marie serves customers in the shop. Everyone who walks in the door walks back out feeling happier than before. But when...

Take flight with a truly inspirational tale of courage and self-belief, inspired by the incredible life of Sophie Blanchard, the world’s first female hot-air balloonist Scaredy-Cat Sophie is afraid of everything! So when a balloonist comes to the town fair, Sophie is left behind while everyone else goes to watch him fly in his marvellous balloon. She's far too frightened...

A fun and colourful rhyming tale from one of the UKs most beloved author-illustrators, Nick Sharratt. Splish, splosh, splash! It's Splash Day and everyone is ready for a water fight! They've got their trunks and wetsuits, some wellies and rubber rings, and Mrs Rose even has a great big hose! Join in with all the splashing fun in Nick Sharratt's...

Children's books superstar Julia Donaldson retells a trio of charming tales from across the world in a stunning full-colour edition, ideal as a very first independent read for children who have grown up with The Gruffalo. A king hides a terrible secret under his crown …A marvellous dream inspires an epic journey …A clever girl outwits the king. Told in...

A spell-binding tale of magic and mysticism for young readers that explores the wonder of nature, from award-winning Berlie Doherty. The Queen of Darkness lives deep underground beneath a mountain with her child, Blue John, a boy she made from the blue of the glacier and the hot yellow light of the sun. Blue John is forbidden to leave his mother's...

Superstar illustrator Nick Sharratt takes inspiration from a celebration of the winter solstice in this charming and colourful Little Gem. Superstar illustrator Nick Sharratt takes inspiration from a celebration of the winter solstice in this charming and colourful Little Gem.On a dark winter’s evening at the end of December, something strange is happening in the school playground. Lessons finished long...

A beautiful, heartwarming story set in Africa about a young boy and his yearning for a pet dog. From internationally bestselling author Alexander McCall Smith. High quality cream paper and a special easy-to-read font ensure a smooth read for all. A beautiful, heartwarming story set in Africa about a young boy and his yearning for a pet dog. From internationally...

Charming countryside tale about the bond between children and animals, perfect for younger fans of Michael Morpurgo. High quality cream paper and a special easy to read font ensure a smooth read for all. When Joe's teacher announces the new class project will be all about their pets, Joe turns glum – there's no animals allowed in his house. So...

Horrid Henry meets Mrs Doyle in this riotous comedy from Irish Laureate Eoin Colfer – now with full colour artwork. High quality cream paper and a special easy to read font ensure a smooth read for all. Mary loathes her big, curly, bushy hair and so she chops it all off…and she looks fantastic! Well, at least she thinks so....

Cornelia Funke and illustrator Kasia Matyjaszek return with another swashbuckling adventure for little readers, bursting with brilliant characters and lots of girl-power! Thieves, greedy pirates and mischief-makers are no match for Molly Rogers! When Molly and her mother, Barbarous Bertha, discover that Captain Firebeard is destroying Monkey Skull Island in search of buried treasure, they set sail on the Red Swallow...

A funny and thought-provoking Little Gem from national treasure Anne Fine, with sensitive and charming artwork by up-and-coming illustration star Vicki Gausden. High quality cream paper and a special easy to read font ensure a smooth read for all. Hugo wants a gerbil, but his dad says it's cruel to keep an animal in a cage. Hugo doesn't agree, and...

Inspired by the life of Rose Bertin, Katherine Woodfine’s stunning Little Gem is written with an evocative sense of period furthered by fresh and beautiful full-colour illustrations by Kate Pankhurst. Young Rose dreams of sewing beautiful dresses for the women of Paris. But when a chance encounter with royalty changes her life, Rose must draw on all her skills to create...

A thwarted thespian must use his talents to save his flock from a woolly situation in this hilarious gem from bestselling children’s author Ross Montgomery William the lamb just can’t stand still. His feet are always tapping, ready to dance, and he loves nothing more than bursting into song. But his talents aren’t always appreciated at Sheep School. Cast out...

A swashbuckling adventure from TV star Tony Robinson. Ben arrives at pirate school ready and raring to go – but instead of lessons in walking the plank and cutlass-swinging, the school teaches business studies. Ben can't have that! An uprising is planned… High quality cream paper and easy to read special font ensure a smooth read for all. A fun,...

An unexpected family secret has hilarious consequences in this action-packed story from Phil Earle and illustrator Steve May — perfect for superhero fans. An unexpected family secret has hilarious consequences in this action-packed story from Phil Earle and illustrator Steve May — perfect for superhero fans.Plane crashes, robberies and fires were not what Stanley was expecting on a day out...

A great countryside tale. Chris, Lisa and Tom love their hide-out – but it has to stay a secret from the farmer who owns the land! From the multi award-winning master storyteller Michael Morpurgo. High quality cream paper and a special easy to read font ensure a smooth read for all. A great countryside tale. Chris, Lisa and Tom spend...

Absolutely delightful Little Gem favourite, now with full-colour illustrations. A perfectly pitched story of moonshine magic for early readers, from a master of the market. High quality cream paper and a special easy to read font ensure a smooth read for all. When a tiny silver dragon is chased out of Patrick's storybook by an equally tiny knight, all sorts...