Most Popular Books by Berlie Doherty

Two girls, from very different places, are brought together in a tale of loss, courage and family. Abela has lost everything, and now she must leave her home in Tanzania and flee to Britain. Rosa''s struggling to cope with her mum''s wish to adopt a child. When they are brought together, will Abela and Rosa ever be able to love one another like sisters? From the Carnegie Medal-winning author Berlie Doherty, The Girl Who Saw Lions is a powerful and moving story, inspired by the author''s visit to Africa.

The moving and very real story of two teenagers and an unplanned pregnancy, told from the viewpoints of both the mother, in letters to her unborn child, and through the father''s eyes as he reads them.

"Be strong, my Abela." These are the last words of Abela''s mother in their HIV/Aids stricken African village, where it seems that to live or to die, to be sick or to be healthy, is just a matter of chance. It takes all Abela''s strength to survive her Uncle Thomas''s scheming to get to Europe, but what will be her fate as an illegal immigrant? "I don''t want a sister or brother," thinks Rosa in England, when her mother tells her that she wants to adopt a child. Could these two girls ever become sisters? Is there room in Rosa''s family for an African orphan haunted by lions? Is there room in their hearts? Abela is a powerful and moving story influenced by a visit to Africa, from the Carnegie Medal-winning author Berlie Doherty writing at her very best.

Follow Tam on three exciting adventures to the land of Faery - where he''ll battle castle nightmares, evil creatures and mischevious fairies! THE STARBURSTER At first, Tam isn''t at all keen on his baby sister, Blue. But with a little inventive persuasion from Great-grandpa, Tam changes his mind. One terrible night, Blue is stolen - and an ugly fairy changeling is left in her place! It falls to Tam to journey to the magical land of Faery, return the changeling and win back Blue... THE HUMMING MACHINE Great-grandpa Toby is making so much NOISE! And if Tam can hear the clamour coming from his humming machine, the fairies will too. Soon enough, on the night of a blue moon, Great-grandpa vanishes. Tam must venture to Faery Land once more - but what will he find when he gets there? THE WINDSPINNER 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 . . . Three enchanting stories from much-loved, Carnegie Award-winning author Berlie Doherty. Young Corgi books are perfect for building reading confidence

Doherty weaves together ancient stories from Iceland, Scotland and Ireland for this tale of a selkie. PW''s starred review praised the strong characterizations and especially the "hauntingly melodic tone evoking the rhythm of (Nordic) harbors". Ages 10-up.

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 mischievous imps'' magic mirror has frozen Kay''s heart, turning him into a miserable prisoner of the Snow Queen. His best friend, Gerda, is racing barefoot across Lapland to save him - together they must find the secret of the universe and sing their way home, before Kay''s heart becomes cold and black forever. This story is a magic bean. It may not look much like a bean, but I can promise you that it is. For if you plant it in a young mind, it will grow into a love of story and reading. These beans are favourite fairytales and legends that will delight, thrill and thoroughly entertain. Each story has been brilliantly crafted by one of the best-loved writers for children. This story was published by David Fickling Books as part of the Magic Beans anthology. The complete anthology is available in hardback and in ebook format.

Grace put out her hand, almost touching the mirror. Her image did the same. ''There''s another world in there.'' ''We could float in and out of it.'' Deep in a Derbyshire valley live two girls, twins, so alike that even their family can''t tell them apart. But tragedy is waiting. When the valley is sold to be flooded for a huge dam, the villagers are forced to leave their homes. Deep secrets are uncovered. New characters enter their lives and desires, love and grief come to the surface.

It all starts when the storyteller tells Jill that it''s high time she met Jack. The question is: Which Jack? "They''re all called Jack around here," Mother Greenwood tells her. There''s Great- grandfather Jack, Uncle Jack, Daft Jack, Jack the Giant Killer, and more, including, of course, Mother Greenwood''s lazy, good-for-nothing, waste-of-a-wishbone son, Jack. The Jack stories are brimming with giants, magicians, dragons, brave deeds, clever tricks, princesses, and funny surprises, and Jill thinks each one is better than the last. But what does Mother Greenwood mean when she says that the storyteller puts everyone he meets into a story? What''s with those beans Mother Greenwood tossed out her window? And what will happen when Jill meets her Jack?

When Tilly''s mum goes out to work, Mrs Hardcastle from up the street pops in to look after her. There are two special things about Mrs Hardcastle. The first thing is that she''s always dropping off to sleep (she snores too, sometimes). The second special thing is that whenever she goes to sleep, something magic always seems to happen to Tilly Mint! Carnegie Medal winner Berlie Doherty''s enchanting Tilly Mint tales are at last available in one complete collection with brand-new illustrations from Tony Ross.

Great-grandpa Toby is making so much NOISE! And if Tam can hear the clamour coming from his humming machine, the fairies will too. And soon enough, on the night of a blue moon, Great-grandpa Toby vanishes without a trace. While battling nightmarish fairies and decoding the words of the Flame-Reader, Tam eventually discovers his Great-grandpa has been captured by the beautiful Damson Hag, and turned into a nine-year-old boy! Bewitched, fed only with rose petals, and mournfully playing the humming machine to himself, Great-grandpa Toby is tempted to stay in Faery Land and be young for ever... Unless Tam has anything to do with it.

The unforgettable tale of an orphan in Victorian London, based on the boy whose plight inspired Dr Barnardo to found his famous children’s homes.

A blind girl and a unicorn in a world where magic and reality merge together. Can Laura save the Wild Ones and take them to the safety of the Bright Wilderness?

The 12 stories in this collection are among the best-loved and most enchanting fairy stories of all, retold by Berlie Doherty and illustrated in sumptuous style by Jane Ray.

This new novel from the acclaimed children''s author Berlie Doherty has been adapted into a BBC Television drama for 7-9 year olds. It is the strangest, most unforgettable day ever for the pupils in Miss Wordsworth''s class - especially for Peter and Josie. One minute they are sitting in front of the computer, the next they''re in it - actually inside the computer game and pawns in the grip of Victor Virus as he attempts to conquer Cyberspace. Luckily, Zzaap is on their side. Can they find their way through the Castle of Gloom and avoid being stuck on the Wall of Spikes? is there any way out of No Hope Valley? And what if they do make it to the end of the game and meet the terrifying Word Master? The future of Cyberspace hangs in the balance, as do the lives of Peter and Josie.

Available for the first time as a paperback picture book, this exquisitely illustrated re-telling of Cinderella is a must for any child''s library. Cinderella is one of the best-loved fairy tales of all time. Retold by Berlie Doherty, this enchanting story is beautifully illustrated by award-winning Jane Ray. It is a fairy tale magic to treasure forever.

1914: war has broken out across Europe and beyond. Nothing will ever be the same again for those caught up in the conflict. This collection of short stories explores how the First World War changed and shaped the lives of women forever. A courageous nurse risks her life on the Front Line; a young woman uncovers a spy in wartime London; and a grief-stricken sister comes to understand the heroism and sacrifice of the forgotten Indian soldiers. Through these and other tales, War Girls presents a moving portrait of loss and grief, and of hope overcoming terrible odds. Cover art by Garry Walton

Will Gaveston is page boy to little Prince Edward, son of King Henry VIII. When his father is accused of treason and thrown into Newgate Prison, Will has to go into hiding in the back streets of London. He is befriended by a poor boy, Nick Drew, and together they brave imprisonment and death as they desperately try to gain pardon for Will’s father.

The story of Snow White, the fairest of them all, and the jealous witch who pursues her.

Coconut comes to school every day. HEE-HAW! Coconut canters across the school meadow. Her hooves go TRIT TROT! Her ears go FLIP FLOP, FLIP FLOP! Her tail goes SWISH as she flicks at the flies. "Coconut''s here!" the children laugh. The children love Coconut, but Mr. Clapper the teacher doesn''t love her—he doesn''t love her one bit. But when Mr. Clapper finds himself in trouble, he just might have to change his mind about Coconut.

This book contains tales from all round the world - from Australia to the Shetland Isles - full of strange and wonderful happenings. Some are happy stories, others haunting and sad, but all have the power to enchant and enthral.

While searching for his birthmother, fifteen-year-old James, a championship diver, discovers who his real parents are and where his real home is.

One Christmas Eve, as two young children are walking through the snow-covered countryside, they come across a man who looks just like the Old Father Christmas in their picture book at home. They dream that he will bring them a Christmas tree, like the one he carries in the book, but when it appears in their living room, covered in candles and gifts, it is more wonderful than any picture they have ever seen. This charming story now features a stunning new cover, evoking all the warmth and tradition that surrounds this special time of year.

The sisters of STREET CHILD tell their story... A companion novel to bestselling story of Victorian orphan Jim Jarvis based on the founding of Dr Barnardo’s homes for children.

After nine-year-old Tam''s baby sister is stolen away by faeries and replaced by a goblin baby, he must journey to the land of the faeries to retrieve her and bring her back home. Simultaneous.

Catherine and her family are out for a walk when a sudden storm blows up. The children take shelter in a deserted barn which seems strangely familiar, although they have never been there before. As the daylight fades, Catherine senses the secrets of the surrounding hills press in upon her, secrets from another, older time.

Build your child’s reading confidence at home with books at the right level

This story is about a little girl called Willa, who moves with her family to a new home, where she meets Old Miss Annie. At first Willa is afraid of the old woman because of her woolly hair and tiny voice and bumpy, twisted hands. But soon they become the best of friends.

Playscript -- the book contains a playscript focusing on issues that are of interest in schools. Accompanying resources contain activities for drama (including role-play), reading, writing, and speaking and listening. These are accompanied by extension material, including extracts from modern and pre-20th-century works for comparison, and documentary material. The resources are organised under the following headings: * Staging the play * Work on and around the script * Themes in and around the play

Mother Greenwood tells her amazing tales of the adventures of Jack, but which Jack? Cousin Jack? Great-grandfather Jack? Her own son Jack, and Daft Jack? Each Jack has a story taller and more incredible than the last, and readers are invited to complete the open-ended resolution with a Jack-inspired happily-ever-after of their own. Illustrations.