Other Books
The Toby Tucker series
Who’s Toby Tucker?
Nobody knows. Even Toby Tucker doesn’t know. But every time he manages to piece together the name of an ancestor on his family tree he actually becomes that person!
I loved writing the Toby Tucker books. Each one involved a lot of research about a different time, and sometimes a different country, too. The books have taken me from England to Egypt, with a few stops in between, and they’ve been great fun.
I often wonder, if I went back in time, would I like it? Would I be in danger? Would I like the food? Suppose I was ill, or had toothache? What would I learn at school – if I went to school? What would happen if I broke the law? Would my parents be strict? Were there any loos? My research helped me to find the answers to most of my questions. Once I had these answers, I let my imagination go to work and the result is Toby Tucker!
You don’t have to read the Toby Tucker books in order, but it’s better if you do. Why? If you read them, you’ll find out!
The Princess Files
Everyone knows about fairy tale princesses. But what are real ones like? The Princess Files answers the sort of questions you might like to ask.
Just what is a princess? Can anyone become one? Do they all become queens? Are they all rich? What about school? And clothes? Is it all fun being a princess? Do they ever get into trouble?
The Princess Files is all about present day princesses from across the world as well as those from history, including probably the most famous of them all, Diana, Princess of Wales.
Full of gorgeous photographs and illustrations, fascinating facts and fun, The Princess Files shows just what being a princess is really like.
ISBNs:
978-0199115846 (Hardback)
978-0199115792 (Paperback)
Get me Out of Here!
This story’s written entirely in letters between Prince Percy, who’s fed up with life in the palace, and Miss Pumpkin. She once helped Cinderella get into the castle – will she help Percy get out?
A Rigby Rocket book
ISBN: 978-0433034759
Discovering Dinosaurs
This book set me a challenge! It’s a double biography, telling the story of the two men who both believed they should be credited with being the discoverer of dinosaurs. Gideon Mantell, a country doctor whose marriage and health failed in his quest for recognition, found himself eclipsed by the worldly anatomist, Richard Owen, who was determined that he should get the glory.
Published by Scholastic
ISBN: 978-0439973335
Helter-Skelter
This is a time travel story. Mitch and Hannah are helping their parents on the pier when, with the help of an old penny and a helter skelter, they whizz back in time to the Victorian seaside. It’s exciting and fun – until they’re accused of theft.
A Rigby Rocket book
ISBN: 978-0433030379
Furball to the Rescue
I’d written a couple of dinosaur books for older children, so it seemed natural to write one for younger readers. In this story, Furball wants some nuts to eat. But how is she going to get them when Big Bod, the long-neck, says the nut tree is his? It takes a good deed to melt Big Bod’s heart.
A Rigby Rocket book
ISBN: 978-0433029984
Shoo!
My friend Tessa was shelling peas, when one burst open. ‘It’s exploded!’ she said. That gave me the idea for this story in which Leo’s mum gets cross because the birds keep nibbling her baby plants, then start pinching her peas. Leo makes very practical use of his wheelchair to try to frighten them away, but eventually, nature takes a hand.
A Rigby Rocket book
ISBN: 978-0433030331
Welly Dancing
Oh, little Anthea! This character was with me for years, and I wrote about her several times, but the stories never felt quite right. Then I came up with this short story about the farmer’s daughter who wanted to be a ballet dancer, and suddenly it all fell into place. Anthea had found a home at last, in Welly Dancing!
A Rigby Rocket book
ISBN: 978-0433029588
Mr Fossil’s Dinosaur Lessons
andMiss Scorcher’s Desert Lessons
These are two books in a series called ‘Pickle Hill Primary’ and they were illustrated by a very talented lady called Kelly Waldek. Pickle Hill is a school where anything can happen – and usually does! When Mr Fossil teaches the class about dinosaurs, his lessons really are magic – and highly exciting. And the lovely Miss Scorcher’s desert lessons are just as magical – after all, what other teacher lets you have a chat with a camel, then sends you through the cupboard door into the Sahara?
Published by Scholastic
ISBNS:
| Mr Fossil’s Dinosaur Lessons | 978-0439982825 |
| Miss Scorcher’s Desert Lessons | 978-0439999533 |
Top Ten Classic Stories
I took ten all-time great stories and retold them in a fun way. Captain Flint the parrot tells the story of Long John Silver and Treasure Island while chatting up the bird he fancies. Black Beauty tells his story to his grandsons, and Wuthering Heights becomes a dramatic picture strip story.
I hope that, after enjoying these retellings and the light-hearted fact sections, readers might go on to read the original stories.
Published by Scholastic
ISBN: 978-0439998956
Gold Rush
This book was written for a series called ‘Speedy Reads’, and that’s exactly what it is. Packed full of information, and written in a chatty style, it’s broken up into small sections. That makes it visually appealing if you’re not keen on large chunks of unbroken text. Gold Rush tells the true story of the 49ers and how they changed the face of America, for ever. Learn how they got to the gold fields, how they survived, and what they spent their money on – if they had any.
Published by Scholastic
ISBN: 978-0439999519
Little Witches in a Hotchpotch
and
Little Witches and Mega Madge
These ‘Little Witches’ stories almost wrote themselves, and I’m sure it’s because they’re such strong, determined characters. They’re called Skusting and Skwizit. I can’t easily explain the reason for their names in writing, but if I ever come to your school, I will! Skusting and Skwizit failed their witchery exams. If they need magic, they have to ask for help from Wiziwych – a computer, with attitude.
Published by Hodder Children’s Books
ISBNs:
| Little Witches in a Hotchpotch | 978-0340661000 |
| Little Witches and Mega Madge | 978-0340661017 |
Prince Vince and the Case of the Smelly Goat
and
Prince Vince and the Hot Diggory Dogs
When I began the first Prince Vince book, I had little more than my main character, and his relationship with two or three minor characters. I also had my first line, which was, ‘On Wednesday, Macclesfield the butler said an unbelievably rude word in front of the Royal Family’. From that moment on I just wrote, barely stopping until I came to the end. It was a lovely experience, to write with no clear idea of where I was going, yet to end up with a very satisfying story that still makes me laugh. I’ve tried doing the same thing since, and it doesn’t work!
Published by Hodder Children’s Books
ISBNs:
| Prince Vince and the Case of the Smelly Goat | 978-0340626535 |
| Prince Vince and the Hot Diggory Dogs | 978-0340626542 |
Buy Hot Diggory Dogs from Amazon
Parties and Pumpkins
My family think I based the witches in Parties and Pumpkins on some of them. Did I? I’m not telling! Tess and her mum run PARTY P.O.P.P.E.R.S (Perfectly Organised Private Parties Every Requirement Satisfied), but Gurt Ada and the other witches of Humpty-Back Cottage (known as Humpty Dump) have their own reasons for trying to ruin everything.
Published by Collins
ISBN: 978-0006750789
Chaos at the Hasty Tasty
Surprise at the Hasty Tasty
Mould at the Hasty Tasty
The ‘Hasty Tasty’ books were my very first, although I had already written lots of short stories for radio and TV. In Chaos, Jass and his friend Hippo get lumbered with a pair of white mice – and as Jass and his family live above their café, the Hasty Tasty, there’ll be trouble if they’re discovered. It’s bad enough that they’ve got competition from the sparkling new Super Chippery, without the threat of being exposed as a health hazard. It’ll all be OK, Jass reckons, as long as the mice don’t escape...
In Surprise, Sharon’s determined to be miserable because she can’t have a birthday party. But she’s staying with Jass, and he’s determined she’s going to have a good time, whether she likes it or not!
The third book, Mould at the Hasty Tasty, introduces the awful Mrs Mould and her even worse cooking. Jass’s parents are away, and she’s in charge. How on earth can Jass stop her ruining the business?
Published by Collins
ISBNs:
| Chaos at the Hasty Tasty | 978-0006747901 |
| Surprise at the Hasty Tasty | 978-0006747925 |
| Mould at the Hasty Tasty | 978-0006747918 |