New Releases by Alison Prince

I, Mary McGuire, am a witch.Mary has known it for many years. Coincidences happen too dependably to be mere accident. She has found that events can be manipulated. Hers is not the witchcraft of spells and potions, but one which many women will recognise as an extension of their commonsense.What Mary cannot know is that she comes of a lost line of Scottish witches persecuted and burned in the seventeenth century. She is aware only of the wise, tantalizing presence of Mari, whose terrifying story, interwoven with Mary's own, spans the centuries. Each, in her way, is forced to defend her true nature against the bigotry and injustice of her time.Today, as always, there are people who know they are unusual. Whether this is a gift or a handicap depends a lot on fate.An absorbing and unforgettable read.

The Wind in the Willows needs no introduction - children have enjoyed the exploits of its characters for generations. Few would guess that its author, Kenneth Grahame, was a tortured soul. Marriage to the predatory Elspeth Thomson, when both seemed destined for the single life, was a shared fantasy of invented truth. Out of that union came a catastrophically spoiled son, 'Mouse', for whom that greatest of children's stories was written. It was the child's tragedy that he was sucked into the unreality of his parents' lives and did not survive it, ending his life in suicide. Alison Prince brings her own highly acclaimed expertise as a children's writer to this remarkably perceptive biography of Kenneth Grahame. Drawing on hitherto unpublished material she uncovers layer upon layer of Grahame's personality to reveal the truth behind the myth of this intriguing man, 'the tortured soul of Mr Toad'. 'Alison Prince describes the grim story of Grahame's marriage and fatherhood squarely and sensitively.' Independent 'A meaty, well-constructed biography.' Allan Massie Daily Telegraph

The compelling story of Richard III and the disappearance of the Princes in the Tower. A thrilling historical drama.

Available for the first time as an ebook from the bestselling My Story series, CATHERINE OF ARAGON is a thrilling story-diary set among the pomp, plots and political wrangling of the Tudor court. It's 1501, and Eva is making the greatest trip of her life - from Spain to London as lady-in-waiting to the future Queen of England...

Available for the first time as an ebook from the bestselling My Story series, ANNE BOLEYN AND ME is set in 1525, during Henry VIII's reign. Allegiances are divided. Henry wants to divorce his devoted wife Catherine of Aragon and marry Anne Boleyn.

Miriam doesn't understand why her mum is buying more food than they need, and storing it away. Or why her parents have given her the nickname, Mandy. Her friend Pam says it's because war is coming. And, if the Nazis invade, it will be dangerous for her to have a Jewish name. But that's not going to happen, is it? Outbreak is a historical story set at the start of World War II.

Mandy McKinney lives the charmed life. She is beautiful, athletic, popular, dating the hottest jock in school, and certainly doesn't have any time for her loser twin sister. But Mandy also has a secret. When the truth is unveiled, her world is twisted upside down, and her very life is at stake. Mandy's twin sister, Brianna, has never had any success in the dating department. When Brianna finally meets the guy of her dreams, it turns out that he has secrets of his own. Dangerous secrets. Just her luck. The twins are about to be swept away into a world of beauty and power beyond their wildest imaginations where nothing is what is seems, danger is lurking in the shadows, and their only chance of survival is finding themselves, and each other, once again.

Thought-provoking drama. Tim is terrible at French, so when his football coach Max offers to help with his homework he's thrilled. But when he gets entangled in a web of lies, Tim doesn't know if he will ever escape. Particularly suitable for struggling, reluctant and dyslexic readers.

Ben must help his Dad fix the shower - but it all goes horribly wrong! Particularly suitable for struggling and reluctant readers.

Boojer is sick of being stuck in a hutch with no company and an owner who hardly ever remembers to feed him. Encouraged by some cheerful mice, he manages to escape. Boojer is only in search of juicy carrots and a friend, but he gets far more than he bargained for...

Spud is a scruffy dog with a big heart - and an even bigger belly. He loves scrounging in dustbins, scaring cats and, of course, scoffing as much food as he can find. But what Spud loves more than anything in the world is his owner, Mrs Piffey, and she loves him too. But one day Spud overhears Mrs Piffey talking about a mysterious 'turkey' and she suddenly starts wearing dark glasses and strange things called 'bikinis'. Then she disappears . . . Poor Spud does his best to find her - while being kept in check by Mrs Cats-Home. And of course Mrs Piffey is soon back with a tan - and big box of Turkish delight!

Ernie loves music and he loves his cats, and he always counts his cats at dinner time. There's Bert and Whistle, one and two. Then, suddenly one day, there's three! Sly black cat Jezebel has sneaked in and somehow got a share of Bert and Whistle's food, their home, and Ernie's attention. The first two cats are NOT impressed by Jezebel's lively tales of hiding in cars, stealing butter and taking the best chair, but when she wanders off again, they're surprised to find they miss her. Ernie thinks maybe she'll be lured back by some lovely Mozart, but Bert and Whistle have a better idea...

Bumble the hamster, so called because of his big bum, belongs to Rosie. He knows it's his job to keep Rosie happy. He entertains her with Pocket Diving, Ear Tickling and Finger Balancing. But when he tries Hide and Seek, Rosie's parents panic and insist Bumble has to stay in his cage. Rosie still feeds him delicious things, but Bumble's getting bored - and fat! Then mice arrive in the house. Rosie's parents are horrified, Rosie isn't happy - and Bumble is frantic. if things go on like this, he'll lose his job. He has to come up with a plan, and quickly...

Vividly imagined accounts of queens and princesses from the past. The court of King Henry VIII is brought brilliantly to life in this My Story special spanning a period of 20 years. The fates of Henry's six wives are told from the perspective of two young courtiers serving at the royal palaces at different periods.

Cal would rather avoid reality. He hates school, his teachers are badgering him to decide on a career and his sister Jess has moved away from the Scottish island where they live. Then he meets Kerry, an Australian girl new to the island, and over the course of a long summer they begin to fall in love.

Two Tudor stories by Alison Prince in a gorgeous paperback format. My Tudor Queen is the diary of Eva De Puebla who comes to England as lady-in-waiting to Catherine of Aragon. Anne Boleyn and Me is the story of Elinor Valjean, Eva's daughter, who serves in Henry VIII's court. A must for every fan of historical fiction

A story set during World War II. It is the summer of 1944. There have been no air raids for quite a while, and people are beginning to think the war may be coming to an end. Katie and her family don't sleep in the shelter any more, and it's a relief to be back in the comfort of proper beds. One night in June, she wakes to hear a noise like a loud motorbike, coming closer. It stops abruptly, and there are a few seconds of silence - then an explosion that rocks the house. The Doodlebugs have arrived...

Deb loves to drive fast. The faster, the better. Until one day she goes too far, too fast. Suggested level: secondary.

"Lying in hospital, her life hanging in the balance, Tig plays her cat Jacoby's game. Frustrated and confused by her own life, she can now explore other places, other times. Like dreaming in history, she moves backwards through the centuries to see how they compare to the present. But Jacoby has devised a cat's cradle of a game, and as she plays it to the end Tig makes some unexpected discoveries." --COVER.

"After losing their dad en route to Glasgow to visit their Gran, Pete and Helen are left to cope on their own. How will they manage? A funny and moving story. First PageI hate this train. Im bored. Mums in hospital. shes having a baby soon, and they say shes got to rest. Dads a lorry driver, so hes away a lot. Good quality fiction for the seriously struggling reader aged from 12-16. The Bookseller Award-winning authors gripping and relevant stories Top quality, age-appropriate

This is an atmospheric thriller, set in London in the first half of the 19th century. It combines an exciting murder mystery plot with strong period detail, Dickensian characters, and a real sense of everyday life among poor people in Southwark.

"Dale hates school. He has no luck with girls. He fights with his mum. So how did he get to be a hero?Good quality fiction for the seriously struggling reader aged from 12-16. The Bookseller Award-winning authors gripping and relevant stories Top quality, age-appropriate illustrations Stylish packagingInterest age 12 Reading age 7

When the King came riding in on his big, black horse, a murmer went up, because his tunic was stitched with the words, DECLARE I DARE NOT. All the ladies were giggling behind their hands, and I asked Mama what it meant. Her face had turned quite pink and she said, ..Never mind.., so I asked Rosanna later. She told me the words meant the King has a new love, but he dares not say her name.But everyone knows her name, of course. It is Anne Boleyn.

Written with reluctant readers in the 8 to 13 years age group in mind, Second Chance tells the story of a large unconventional family who move into an old beach cafe. They discover that they can't escape the cafe's tragic past in this ghost story.

Chokker, Abby, Sue and their friends are desperate to know what's behind the drawn blinds and odd noises coming from the Proschynskis' summerhouse. And when they finally meet the kind but irritable writer Stan Proschynski, the children discover another world.