New Releases by Mal Peet

Sandie has been battling it since childhood: the hulking, snarling black dog of her nightmares. For years, her precious pet dog Rabbie has kept the monster at bay, but when he is no longer there to protect her, the black dog reappears to stalk Sandie in her sleep.

It''s 1945 and Martin Heath, like many men at that time, is struggling to settle, to find his place again after the horrors of war. Then an old comrade sends him a letter and tells him of a position that''s just come up in the remote wilds of Dartmoor - working for an elderly fellow called Mr Godley. "Are you a good driver, Mr Heath?" It''s a simple question and a simple task and the doorway to a dark mystery that may just turn out to be the escape he was hoping for - but at what cost?

A boy and his dog set sail in search of treasure, braving stormy seas, snowy mountains, and other challenging obstacles, before finally reaching the end of their quest: the treasure of Pirate Frank.

An utterly stunning, powerful and unforgettable novella by the highly acclaimed and much missed Mal Peet. Featuring sensitive full colour illustrations by talented rising star, Emma Shoard. When a man returns to his childhood home and visits the derelict tree house in which his father once chose to live, he recalls the past unravelling of his family, the unspoken strangeness of their lives, and the impact on his own adult life. Beautiful, sparse and insightful storytelling. Particularly suitable for struggling, reluctant or dyslexic readers aged 14+

From Carnegie Medal–winning author Mal Peet comes a sweeping coming-of-age adventure, both harrowing and life-affirming. Born of a brief encounter between a Liverpool prostitute and an African soldier in 1907, Beck finds himself orphaned as a young boy and sent overseas to the Catholic Brothers in Canada. At age fifteen he is sent to work on a farm, from which he eventually escapes. Finally in charge of his own destiny, Beck starts westward, crossing the border into America and back, all while the Great Depression rages on. What will it take for Beck to understand the agonies of his childhood and realize that love is possible?

From the award-winning author of TAMAR, a time-shifting thriller about a vanishing soccer star, occult secrets, and the dark history of slavery. As the city of San Juan pulses to summer’s sluggish beat, its teenage soccer prodigy, El Brujito, the Little Magician, vanishes without a trace -- right after he misses a penalty kick and loses a big game for his team. Paul Faustino, South America’s top sports reporter, is reluctantly drawn into the mystery of the athlete’s disappearance. As a story of corruption and murder unfolds, Faustino is forced to confront the bitter history of slavery and the power of the occult. A deftly woven mystery flush with soccer and suspense, this gripping novel is a thrilling read not to be missed.

Alf loves soccer, but is he good enough? F&P: E, RR/DLL: 8, DRA2: 6, Stage: Early, Type: Nonfiction

Carnegie Medalist Mal Peet ignites an epic tale of young love against the dramatic backdrop of the Cold War and the Cuban Missile Crisis. Can love survive a lifetime? When working-class Clem Ackroyd falls for Frankie Mortimer, the gorgeous daughter of a wealthy local landowner, he has no hope that it can. After all, the world teeters on the brink of war, and bombs could rain down any minute over the bleak English countryside – just as they did seventeen years ago as his mother, pregnant with him, tended her garden. This time, Clem may not survive. Told in cinematic style by acclaimed writer Mal Peet, this brilliant coming-of-age novel is a gripping family portrait that interweaves the stories of three generations and the terrifying crises that define them. With its urgent sense of history, sweeping emotion, and winning young narrator, Mal Peet''s latest is an unforgettable, timely exploration of life during wartime.

How hard can it be to write a fantasy trilogy? From Carnegie Medalist Mal Peet comes an outrageously funny black comedy about an impoverished literary writer who makes a pact with the devil. Award-winning YA author Philip Murdstone is in trouble. His star has waned. The world is leaving him behind. His agent, the ruthless Minerva Cinch, convinces him that his only hope is to write a sword-and-sorcery blockbuster. Unfortunately, Philip—allergic to the faintest trace of Tolkien—is utterly unsuited to the task. In a dark hour, a dwarfish stranger comes to his rescue. But the deal he makes with Pocket Wellfair turns out to have Faustian consequences. The Murdstone Trilogy is a richly dark comedy described by one U.K. reviewer as “totally insane in the best way possible.”

Collins Big Cat readers and workbooks help children to learn how to read in English - accurately, fluently and with enjoyment. Contains the following Readers and Workbooks: · Growing and changing (blue) · The small bun (blue) · Birds (blue) · Catching the moon (blue) · From cow to carton (blue)

"''In the end'' is a graphic text that focuses on Billy. When Billy was a young man in 1912, he saw his town torn apart by strikers and strike breakers as workers fought for their rights in the goldmining town of Waihi. Years later, Billy is fighting in the trenches in Europe and has become friends with another Waihi man, Don. But Don''s memories of the strike are very different from Billy''s. In this graphic novel format that is set during both wars, dramatic events lead to a revelation that changes the way Billy and Don think about sides"--Publisher''s information. Includes background information on the 1912 Waihi Goldminers'' Strike. In graphic novel format.

Captivating versions of some of the best myths and legends from around the world. TreeTops Myths and Legends are fascinating and action-packed stories that will motivate and inspire readers. These are some of the oldest and most enduring stories in the world, retold by leading contemporary children''s authors to bring out all of the action, drama, humour and depth of the original stories in a way that makes them as exciting and meaningful today as ever. The stories are beautifully illustrated in a range of styles to bring each tale to life. Books contain inside cover notes to support children in their reading. Help with children''s reading development also available at a href=http://www.oxfordowl.co.uk/"www.oxfordowl.co.uk/a. The books are finely levelled, making it easy to match every child to the right book. This pack contains 6 books, one of each of: How Winter Came into the World, Why the Sea is Salty, Helen of Troy, Dragon Tales, The Star Fruit Tree and other stories, Beowulf, Grendel and the Dragon."

Let the creators of Cloud Tea Monkeys take you back to medieval Mongolia in this captivating story gem about family, danger, banditry and kite-flying.From Owl Babies illustrator, Patrick Benson, and from the creators of the Kate Greenaway shortlisted Cloud Tea Monkeys, comes a captivating story set in medieval Mongolia - a story of family, danger, banditry and kite-flying. Set at a caravanserai along the Silk Road, Night Sky Dragons is the tale of Yazul, a young boy who spends most of his time with his grandfather in his workshop, making kites. More than anything, Yazul wants the approval of his father, the lord of the han, but his love of kite-making only ever seems to cause disappointment: "Travel and trade are what matters," his father says. One day, the han becomes surrounded by a group of bandits. Everyone becomes trapped within the walls of the han and with the bandits waiting them out, food becomes scarce and spirits rapidly fall. However, Yazul has an idea... With the help of his grandfather he might just be able to scare the bandits away and save the han!

Sinbad''s ship set sail. But did he get back to Bagdad?

"I wish i could sparkle, said Bert. I am so dull and plain."--Back cover.

"Zog and zebra went to play but something was hidden in the grass."--Back cover

An uplifting tale evoking the golden sands of Africa by Carnegie Medalist Peet ("Tamar") and his wife, Graham. Captivatingly illustrated by Lynch. Full color.

Derek Landy, Philip Reeve, Joseph Delaney, Susan Cooper, Eleanor Updale, Jamila Gavin, Mal Peet, Matt Haig, Berlie Doherty, Robin Jarvis and Sam Llewellyn have come together to bring you eleven ghost stories: from a ghost walk around York; to a drowned boy, who''s determined to find someone to play with; to a lost child trapped in a mirror, ready to pull you in; to devilish creatures, waiting with bated breath for their next young victim; to an ancient woodland reawakened. Some will make you scream, some will make you shiver, but all will haunt you gently long after you''ve put the book down.

An enthralling story of a poor and gawky kid who mysteriously becomes the world''s greatest goalkeeper — a seamless blend of magic realism and exhilarating soccer action. "And you found it, this thing you were looking for?" It was darker now, and the city below Faustino''s office was a jazzy dance of neon signs and traffic. The big man went to the window and looked down at it all, spreading his large hands on the glass. "No," he said. "It found me." When Paul Faustino of LA NACION flips on his tape recorder for an exclusive interview with El Gato — the phenomenal goalkeeper who single-handedly brought his team the World Cup — the seasoned reporter quickly learns that this will be no ordinary story. Instead, the legendary El Gato ("The Cat") quietly narrates a spellbinding tale that begins in a mythic corner of the South American rain forest, where a ghostly but very real mentor, the Keeper, emerges to teach the gangly boy the most thrilling secrets of the game. Combining vivid imagery and heart-stopping action, this evocative, strikingly ethereal novel about loyalty, passion, and magic will haunt readers, regardless of their love for soccer, long after the story is ended.

Three deftly spun, emotionally resonant stories with the feel of time-honoured fables but the freshness of a contemporary voice.When Tashi''s mother falls ill and is unable to work, Tashi looks to the monkeys on a Himalayan tea plantation for help... Yazul and his clan, trapped inside their desert fortress by bandits, are saved from starvation by fiercesome dragon kites... Issa, the old mountain guide, has his life turned upside down when he stumbles upon a camel sheltering a baby girl in a desert storm...

From acclaimed British sensation Mal Peet comes a masterful story of adventure, love, secrets, and betrayal in time of war, both past and present. When her grandfather dies, Tamar inherits a box containing a series of clues and coded messages. Out of the past, another Tamar emerges, a man involved in the terrifying world of resistance fighters in Nazi-occupied Holland half a century before. His story is one of passionate love, jealousy, and tragedy set against the daily fear and casual horror of the Second World War -- and unraveling it is about to transform Tamar’s life forever.

Carnegie Medalist Mal Peet takes a searing look at the world of soccer and pop-celebrity culture -- and the lives of three street kids caught in its glare. (Age 14 and up) When a black South American soccer star signs on to a team in the country’s racist south, headlines blare. And when he falls for the sensual Desmerelda, a stunning white pop singer and daughter of a wealthy politician, their sudden and controversial marriage propels the pair to center stage, where they burn in the media spotlight. But celebrity attracts enemies; some very close to home. And its dazzle reaches into the city’s hidden corners, exposing a life of grit and desperation the glitterati could never imagine. When a girl is found murdered, reporter Paul Faustino is caught between worlds as he witnesses the power of the media in making -- and breaking -- lives. Inspired by Shakespeare’s OTHELLO, this modern tragedy of desire and betrayal, incisively and compassionately told, is a truly enthralling work of crossover fiction.

These exciting new TreeTops Myths and Legends are guaranteed to appeal to all your junior readers - whatever their cultural background, gender or enthusiasms. These are the oldest and most enduring stories in the world, retold by leading contemporary children''s authors to bring out all of theaction, drama, humour and depth of the original stories in a way that makes them as exciting and meaningful today as ever.The strand is comprised of 24 books, telling a total of around 65 traditional stories from around the world. All of the stories are fully illustrated with stunning, vibrant images. The stories are carefully levelled, making them accessible to the average 7-11 year old reader. A thought-provokingletter from the author explains something about the background of the stories and the process of writing or retelling them. The letter also encourages the reader to make links between stories in a collection - prompting a fascinating investigation of the similarities and differences between storiesthat have evolved from different cultures around the world.Free teaching notes with each pack offer suggestions on how to develop higher order comprehension and writing skills. They also provide short introductions to many of the stories and discussion points to promote meaningful speaking and listening, and reflective reading. The stories are ideal formaking strong links to other areas of curriculum.

Monkeys come to the rescue of a struggling family in this traditional tale from a Carnegie Medal winner, beautifully illustrated by Juan Wingaard. Ages 7+.

Introducing the final stage of Duck Green School stories to complete the KS1 guided reading series. The Great Stew Disaster: Everyone is starving in the fishing village. There is nothing to eat. Then a boy finds an old frying pan with magical powers. This could be the answer to their prayers.

Introducing the final stage of Duck Green School stories to complete the KS1 guided reading series. The Magic Number: All the children have gone counting crazy. Spike''s head is spinning with numbers. He MUST solve the clues to win the game.

Stage 8 introduces six more exciting stories from Duck Green School, including three more Treasure Chest stories. In "Dinosaur Danger" Grandma Lalloo tells Buzz about the dinosaur with a sore paw; Jo discovers how a princess is rescued from a lighthouse in "The Flying Tea Tray"; and Poppy meets a star-struck troll in "The Trolls'' Hat". Meanwhile, disaster is imminent when the photographer comes to Duck Green School in "Watch the Birdie"; Mike and Spike foil a robbery at an art gallery in"The Spooky Eyes"; and Lollipop Lil displays magical powers in "The Summer Fair".