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Hunky Dory
Trouble with girls...
Published by HarperCollins
ISBN: 0007224605
For age 9+
Available from Amazon.co.uk
Extract from Hunky Dory
I am having terribly trouble with girls. They won’t leave me alone! This morning in geography this girl in my class, Amy Wilkerson, deliberately came and sat next to me. I mean, like, out of about three zillion empty seats she came and parked herself next to me. Why did she do this? It was extremely embarrassing, especially when she started getting all cosy and leaning up against me so she could talk to her friend Sharleen on the other side of the gangway. Why didn’t she go and sit next to Sharleen? That’s what she normally does. Why does she want to come squashing herself all over me??? |
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June 2007 |
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Gone Missing
GONE MISSING - January 2007
Running away is the easy part...
Published by HarperCollins
ISBN: 0007224591
For age 10+
Available from Amazon.co.uk
Extract from Gone Missing
“You know what?” I said.
“What?”
“We both ought to get out. Not just me! Both of us.”
Honey hooked her hair back over her ears. I remember her eyes went all big and apprehensive. “You mean - ”
“Leave home!”
“Like … run away?”
“Yes. Absolutely! Why not?”
Honey whispered: “You’re not serious?”
I told her that I was in deadly earnest. I really meant it! This wasn’t just one of my fantasies. |
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January 2007 |
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Over the Moon
Looks aren’t everything … a hard lesson to learn.
Published by HarperCollins
ISBN: 0007164645
For age 10+
Available from Amazon.co.uk
Extract from Over The Moon
Life is so weird; nothing but ups and downs. I can’t keep track of it! One minute it’s like whoosh, whiz, sizzle! You’re over the moon. And the next, back down to earth with a huge great thump. Down into a pit, full of gloom and despondency and deep dark despair. Which is where I was last night. I just didn’t see how Mum could be so mean. So utterly without any sympathy or understanding for my plight. Life almost didn’t seem worth living. Whereas today – wheee! All of a sudden, I’m back over the moon. Half way to Venus! Practically out of sight. I can go to the party after all!!!
No thanks to Mum. But hooray for Dad! He is THE BEST. I can always rely on Dad to stick up for me. |
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April 2006 |
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Boys Beware
Everyone at school is just so envious of us! Meg Hennessy couldn’t believe it. "All on your own?" she kept saying. "It must be such fun!"
Daisy Markham was the only one that seemed doubtful. She said, "I can’t imagine my parents leaving me to look after myself." I told her that Mum knows she can trust us.
"Yes, and it’s good training," said Tash.
Daisy said, "But you could get up to anything!"
"Like we might have orgies," I said; and me and Tash went off into a fit of the screaming giggles.
Published by HarperCollins
ISBN: 0007161387
For age 10+
Available from Amazon.co.uk |
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October 2005 |
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Extract from Boys Beware
'I wouldn't want you having boys up there,' said Mum.
'Boys?' I shot a sideways glance at Tash, out of the corner of my eye. Tash shot one back at me. We managed - just - to stifle our giggles. 'Mum!' I said. 'As if we would!'
'As if you would,' said Mum.
This time we couldn't help it. I clapped a hand to my mouth to stifle the squeaks, Tash buried her face in one of the sofa cushions. The fact is, me and Tash are into boys in a BIG WAY. It is just something that seems to come naturally to us. We look at a boy and we go all gooey, like oo-er, mushy peas and soft icecream, and help, help! I'm going to meltdown! Only if the boy is worth it, of course; we are not indiscriminate! Even at twelve years old, when we were just getting started, we knew better than to go for geeks or cave men. Mum's problem was that she didn't think we were old enough to get started at all.. |
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Sugar and Spice
'Shay was totally drop-dead gorgeous. Why would a person that looked like a model want to sit next to me - an insignificant weed with a brace on her teeth? And glasses?'
Geeky Ruth Spicer hates school. When super-cool Shayanne Sugar comes along and - shock horror! - wants to be her friend, things begin to look up. But Shay is hiding something. Do best friends tell each other everything... ?
Published by HarperCollins
ISBN: 0007161379
For age 11+
Available from Amazon.co.uk |
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May 2005 |
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Extract from Sugar and Spice
"Ruth! Time to get up."
Time to get up. Get yourself dressed. I’m not telling you again!
"Did you hear me? Ruth?"
Yes, I did! I heard you.
"I’d like some kind of response, please!"
And then she’ll go, I hope you haven’t gone back to sleep?
"I hope you haven’t gone back to sleep?"
Every morning, same old thing. Get up, get dressed. How many more times?
"Do I have to shout myself hoarse? Get yourself up this instant!" Mum suddenly appeared like a tornado at the bedroom door. "And get your sisters up, as well. For goodness’ sake! It’s gone seven o’clock."
Boo hoo! So what?
"Do you want to be late for school? Because you will be!"
Don’t care if I am. Sooner be late than get there early.
"All this big talk," said Mum. "Going to be a doctor. Going to pass exams. You’ll be lucky to get a job in Tesco’s, you don’t shift yourself and make a bit of an effort!"
Mum had no idea. She didn’t know what it was like. She didn’t know how much I hated it. Hated, hated, HATED it! |
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Is Anybody There?
'Last year I did this reallly dumb thing. I got into a car with someone I didn't know...'
If Mum had been an ordinary mum, she might have got the truth out of me. But she's not an ordinary mum, she's a clairvoyant, and she's always very careful not to pry. I didn't even tell Dee and Chloe, my two best friends. And now I'm not the only one in trouble...
Published by HarperCollins
ISBN: 0007161360
For age 11+
Available from Amazon.co.uk |
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October 2004
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Extract from Is Anybody There?
Last Christmas, when I was in Year 9, I did this really dumb thing. The dumbest thing I have ever done in all my life. I got into a car with someone I didn't know.
OK, so I was only just turned thirteen, which in my experience is an age when you tend to act a bit stupid, thinking to yourself that you are now practically grown up and don't need to obey your mum's silly little niggly rules any more. Also, I have to say, it wasn't like I'd never met the guy. I mean, I knew his name, I knew who he was. I even knew where he lived. But I'd only met him just the one time, just to say hallo to, and even that was enough to tell me that he was a bit - well, different. Definitely not the same as other people. In any case, thirteen is way old enough to know better. We're all taught back in Reception that you don't go off with strangers.
"And that," as Mum was always drumming into me, "means the man next door, the man over the road, the butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker ... you don't go with anyone. Got it?" And out loud I would say, "Yes, Mum!" while inside I would be thinking, "This is just so too much. |
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Secret Meeting
Annie's arranged the coolest birthday present ever for her best friend, Megan. She's surfed the Net, made the contacts, and it's all sorted! Now they just need to escape from Annie's bossy older sister. 'Cos a secret meeting wouldn't be the same if it wasn't, well, secret ...
Published by HarperCollins
ISBN: 0007156200
For age 11+
Available from Amazon.co.uk |
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June 2004
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Extract from Secret Meeting
My friend Annie is completely bonkers. Loopy, wacko. Seriously doolally, as my nan would say. She does the craziest things! Like in biology, one time, we were supposed to be dissecting plums, and when Miss Andrews said, "Annabel Watson, where is your plum?" Annie said, "Oops, sorry, miss! I ate it."
"Ate it?" said Miss Andrews. "Ate your plum?"
She couldn't believe it! I could, 'cos I know Annie. She drank some paint water once, when we were in juniors. She said it looked so pretty, like pink lemonade.
Some people think she does it to show off, but it's not that at all. She just happens to be a very zany sort of person. She is always getting us into hot water! The only times I ever have my name in the order mark book are when Annie's told me to do something and I've gone and done it, even though I know it means trouble. Like, for instance, hiding ourselves in the stationery cupboard when we should have been playing hockey. I knew it would end in disaster. I only did it 'cos I hate hockey - well, and because Annie said it would be fun. What she didn't realise was that Mrs Gibson, our head teacher, was due to take a special sixth form study group in our classroom. With us still in the cupboard!!!
Mrs Gibson was quite surprised when someone opened the cupboard door and we fell out. We were quite surprised, ourselves. That was two order marks. One for missing hockey, and one for damaging school property (trampling on the stationery).
*****
But with Annie around, there are more surprises to come. Especially Megan's birthday surprise ... |
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Family Fan Club
'People always fall out after they're married. I'm going to stay single.'
Laurel, Jasmine, Rose and Daisy: four very different sisters, four very different attitudes! Their greatest goal? To reunite their stubborn parents...
Published by HarperCollins
ISBN: 0007172370
For age 11+
Available from Amazon.co.uk |
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March 2004
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Boys on the Brain
Honestly! Mum is impossible. She is obsessed with boys. She has boys on the brain!
Published by HarperCollins
ISBN: 0007113730
For age 11+
Available from Amazon.co.uk |
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January 2002
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Pumpkin Pie
The story of a drop-dead gorgeous girl who has long blond hair and a figure to die for ...I wish! I am Pumpkin, and I am plump.
Published by HarperCollins
ISBN: 0007143923
For age 11+
Available from Amazon.co.uk |
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November 2002
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Passion Flower
Of course, Mum shouldn't have thrown the frying pan at Dad. The day after she threw it, Dad left home.
Published by HarperCollins
ISBN: 0007156197
For age 11+
Available from Amazon.co.uk
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July 2003
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Skinny Melon & Me
'This is the diary of me, Cherry Louise Waterton, and I am writing for posterity, in other words, the future'. She's also trying to clear her new stepdad, Slimy Roland, out of her cupboard...
Published by HarperCollins
ISBN: 0007121520
For age 10+
Available from Amazon.co.uk |
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January 2002
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Fruit and Nutcase
Hi! This is Mandy Small telling her life story. My dad's an Elvis Presley look-alike.
Published by HarperCollins
ISBN: 0007121539
For age 8 +
Available from Amazon.co.uk |
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January 2002
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The Secret Life of Sally Tomato
A is for armpit, which smellswhen you're hot. Specially great hairy ones. They smell A LOT! Twelve years old and never kissed a girl... Sal's keeping an alphabet of rude and disgusting ditties. By the time he gets to Z, he's hoping he'll have managed it with gorgeous Lucy.
Published by HarperCollins
ISBN: 0006751504
For age 11+
Available from Amazon.co.uk |
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March 2002
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Shrinking Violet
I am a twin. Unfortunately! It's not always easy being a twin, especially when one of you is lily loudmouth and the other a shinking violet.
Published by HarperCollins
ISBN: 0007143907
For age 8 +
Available from Amazon.co.uk
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July 2002
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Becky Bananas, This is Your Life
Becky Bananas is 11 years old. Her main ambitions are to grow up and be a famous dancer and be on This is Your Life on the telly. But perhaps the biggest challenge of all is just to reach her next birthday...
Published by HarperCollins
ISBN: 0007121512
For age 9 +
Available from Amazon.co.uk |
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January 2002
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Daisy May
Found in a daisy field, brought up in a foundling hospital, send to work at ten years old. But dreams can come true, if you believe in them hard enough.
Published by HarperCollins
ISBN: 0007133693
For age 7 +
Available from Amazon.co.uk
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November 2005 |
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