Product Description
The Queen is not a happy Queen.It's her unofficial birthday and no-one has bought her a present.All she wants is a cheap present, one with four legs and a tail. The Ladies-in-Waiting decide it's time to marry off the Queen.But where to find a suitable Prince?Because he must, as the Queen points out, be Practically Perfect. ... Read more

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A fantastically funny concoction

One day, Lizzie Sharp decides to concoct a potion to cast a spell on her family’s only neighbors, the unbearable, ancient Potwards. The very next day, Mrs. Potward breaks her hip and the couple disappear forever. It could be just a coincidence, but Lizzie is convinced of her own magical powers, and the temptation to involve both her younger brothers in her ambitious spellmaking plans is irresistible. As one potion leads to another, all three Sharp children become ridiculously entangled in a web of secrets, conspiracies, and misunderstandings.

Readers will love being part of the hilarious magic at work in Tim Kennemore’s spellbinding new novel.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

My 11yo and 8yo sons loved this book!
When Lizzie concocts a potion to get rid of their mean neighbors and then they suddenly disappear, she begins to believe she's achieved her desire to become a witch.Her practical middle brother, Dan, doesn't buy it for a minute, insisting there is no such thing as magic.And the youngest, Max, doesn't know what to think.This story is one of the best we've read in a while -- very funny, fairly smart, and just a plain good read.There is some mild language and a situation that turns bad when Lizzie gets too-easy access to the alcohol cupboard when making her potions, but overall I felt it was quite appropriate for my boys.

Extremely Funny Book
When I first checked this book out of the library, I didn't think it'd be funny at all. I started reading it and it just sounded like a normal book with funny parts. But when I got to the part when Lizzie dressed up in her bikini, played loud pop music, and Max came out stark naked with a lampshade on his head so the horrible grownups drove away in dusgust, I laughed out loud. There are many other funny parts and I love the book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

great for Ace & 7th Doctor fans
Sophie Aldred as Ace, and Sylvester McCoy as the Doctor are wonderful in this audio adventure from Big Finish. There are some unexpected appearances from old enemies(won't spoil it for you here!), which should surprise quite a few fans.:)

Definitely recommended to Doctor Who fans. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

I've heard that voice somewhere.....
A very solid Story for the 7th Doctor as he and Ace find themselves once again in the Third Reich during the 2nd World War, this time in Colditz Castle.

Apprehended rather quickly the questions arise:Who are these two Englanders, what are the strange contraptions that they have, how is this machine able to travel and more importantly who is this woman from headquarters who seems to know what a "Tardis" is?

Listening to this with my son we found enough plot twists to keep us guessing.We didn't things out till near the very end (and even that is, to some degree conjecture).

Ironically this is David Tennant's first dive into Doctor Who playing Feldwebel Kurtz four years before he would take the title role in the series.This alone is enough to make this episode a must buy for any Doctor Who fan, but the solid performances, first rate script and inspired plot are a much better reason. ... Read more

Product Description
Lizzie refuses to speak.She doesn't want to talk to her new stepbrothers, or Sam, their dad, or even her mum.She's fed up at having to join a new family and nothing can coax her into speaking to them.Not football, not pizza, not a new bedroom.That is, until she meets a member of the new family who is even more stubborn than her. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

lizzie zipmouth
lizzie zipmouth is the best book i have ever read.
lizzie refuses to speak when she has to move in with her new step dad and new stepbrothers rory and jake.she dosn't want to speak to sam[her step dad] because she thinks he will turn nastey like her last step dad.when she goes to her grandms she speaks so when her grandma goes in to hosptil she is very worried lizzie helps her grandma speak.grandma couldn't walk from then on so she uses anelectric scooterto get her to the shops and back ... Read more

Product Description
When they find a treasure chest in the orchard, two discontented pigs abandon their rural paradise for what they think will be the pleasures of a more luxurious life. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Briggs the Pigg
a cute book about Briggs the Pig and his wife Bertha. It shows that you have to be careful what you wish for, you just might get it.

...And I Am a Material Pig
Bertha and Briggs are two pigs who live the pig's life: Simple, playful, and muddy. By all rights, they should be content, and they do look happy when we see them on a typical day. Still, underneath it all, these are two bored pigs: "Nothing happens to us--every day is the same." They're pigs with a dream, however, dreams of wealth and riches.

That presents a problem, for how do two ambitious but four-footed pigs get wealthy. Well-known author/illustrator Helen Oxenbury solves this one quickly--they find buried treasure--and soon the pigs are off to sample the more exclusive shops of the nearby town. First, it's off to the bank, where their piggy appearance gets them booted by the manager. The manager quickly changes his tune when he sees their gold. (I believe something similar happened to Janis Joplin at an auto dealership.)

Exchanging their gold for green, they go on a "shopping spree!" "Briggs turn was next, and he felt quite a swell--he tried on four suits and they fit him quite well." Oxenbury is so talented that Briggs really does look quite dapper in his pin-striped suit! They're rich enough to buy a stretch limo (!) and that farmhouse they'd seen, and Bertha and Briggs enjoy their new status, especially Briggs. (Perhaps Bertha fancies herself a Martha Stewart, but she handles all the domestic chores, whilte Briggs putters, reads, and makes a few phone calls.)

Without giving too much away, the two pigs very soon discover that possessions can be a headache: It's sort of a pig version of "Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House." Another octet of pictures shows their newfound troubles: "At last the two pigs couldn't stand any more. Briggs grabbed Bertha's arm, and they dashed through the door." The grass is always greener, and after destroying some vestiges of their consPIGuous consumption, that's exactly where the two wiser pigs fall asleep that night, au naturale and happy again.

The rhymes are clever, move the story along briskly, and unforced--there are no inverted sentences just to make words rhyme. Her gouache, pencil, and ink illustrations are uncommonly fresh, crisp, and extremely well-matched to the narrative. For example, after an opening series of small pictures depicting typical porcine pleasures (including wallowing, eating, scratching, dozing, gossiping). herfull-page illustration of the pigs overlooking the large, luxury farmhouse accompanies a larger, more thematic rhyme: "But Bertha and Briggs were never content. "On money and riches their two minds were bent./There were so many wonderful things they would do-- /only then would they really be happy, they knew."

Ms. Oxenbury's symmetric structure, original and humorous rhymes, and warm, whimsical illustrations give "Pig Tale" an enormous appeal. It should be very high on the book list of anyone with an appetite for piggy lit. ... Read more

Product Description
Sadie quite likes her mum being a childminder.But there's a chaotic half-term in store for Sadie when her mum falls ill with the 'flu'.Now Sadie has to help out with looking after all the babies - and be a mum-minder! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

The Mum Minder
The Mum Minder
By Jacqueline Wilson

This story is about the week in the life of an eight-year old girl called Sadie whose mother is a child minder. Sadie�s mother looks after three year old Gemma, two year old Vincent, baby Clive and Sadie�s sister Sara. During the week of the school holidays, Sadie�s mother gets the flu.This book tells the story of how Sadie helped all the other mums to look after the children in turn by taking them to their workplaces. By the end of the week Sadie�s mother feels better but Sadie and Sara catch the flu!

This book is light hearted and has got quite a few laughs in it.
My favourite part is when all the little children pinch the chocolates from Clive�s mums shop. I think it is a good book and I would recommend it to a friend of similar age.

I would rate this book 3/5.

Rachel � From Merseyside

Another hit book by Jacqueline Wilson
Another GREAT book by Jacqueline Wilson. This one tells the story of Dolphin, her sister, and her mum. When they were little girls, Dolphin & Star loved their mum with all their hearts, Dolphin still does, but she's not too sure about Star. Dolphin always felt that Star was the favourite, even more so now, and she had gotten used to it being that way. But then, Star meets her dad, whom the girls have never met before and Dolphin's whole world gets turned up side down. Will things ever go back to normal? to find out you have to read the book! ... Read more

Product Description
THIS EDITION IS INTENDED FOR USE IN SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES ONLY. Mr. Wolf asks some of his neighbors to help him make pancakes, and even though they all rudely refuse, when the pancakes are done they expect to share the feast. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Delightful book
I picked this book as a conclusion to a preschool unit on pancakes. What a delightful book. The students loved the fairy tale characters involved in the story and had fun making predictions about the end of the story. Excellent book for increasing language skills in youngsters. Parents enjoyed the book as well.

No lesson learned here.
This book is not for those who prefer a book that enriches a child. The wolf wants to make some pancakes and asks for help from his good fairytale neighbors, but they all slam the door in his face. The wolf then realizes he has to do it himself. Through hard work and determination he ends up making a batch of delicious pancakes himself (fantastic character development). The neighbors smell the pancakes and demand to have some. Thus, the wolf invites them in and ends up eating his neighbors and the pancakes. I don't find this very humorous or funny at all.

Misleading
As I started reading this book to my daughters, I was captivated by the cute illustrations and by the way I thought this story was going. I was thinking that the moral of the story was going to be that you can still be nice to others, even though they are not nice to you. And that if people aren't willing to help you, you just try hard yourself and you can do ANYTHING. However, I was shocked that in the end the wolf knew there was "only one decent thing to do" and that is to eat everyone.

Not a good story; not a funny story; not a great life lesson.

adult humor
terrorists use the same logic- nasty people deserve violence- enough said!






1

I like this book alot
I don't agree with the person who said that this book has a bad moral or that it is odd.It is just suposed to be funny and it is! Don't take it so sereously. ... Read more

Product Description
The Conroys are no ordinary family. For a start, they don't have a television. Nor are they allowed to keep pets. And Mr and Mrs Conroy never take their daughters - Ruth, Naomi, Rachel and Phoebe - on holiday. But then Mr and Mrs Conroy inherit GBP5000, and, to their daughters' dismay, decide to spend it redecorating the house over the summer. So the girls are packed off to Big Grandma's house for the holidays, where lots of chores and horribly long walks await them. At first it seems as though Big Grandma is determined to put a stop to any fun. But, being Conroys, the girls soon find novel ways to entertain themselves, and start having as many adventures and mishaps as usual ...and after a while, even Big Grandma doesn't seem so bad ... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

lovely
A lovely and funny book for children. Many years ago, I got this very book as a reward, winning a reading contest in school. I loved it from the first to the last page, and re-read it many times. Unfortunately it got lost while we moved to another country. Now I have another copy, and still love it from the first to the last page. The sisters are funny, crazy and amazing.

Very well written and just a little dark.
I came to this book having found a reference to the series in one of the Penderwick books that one of the other reviewers recommends.
My point of view on The Exiles is a little different than that of the other reviewers. I read it out loud to my two daughters, age 5 and 7. The act of reading aloud is fundamentally different than reading silently. Some writers who read well silently are exposed when read aloud. Writing can be revealed as being needlessly ornate or clunky or even meaningless when read aloud. Not so McKay. She is a sly writer both in terms of the flow of her writing and her humor.
Her humor is her greatest strength. There was much that I found funny and other stuff that my girls found hilarious.
Her characters, at least in this book, feel very well thought out. And this is where she may be a better writer than Jeanne Birdsall who wrote the Penderwick books(which are great and should be read by girls age 6 through 13). The Penderwick girls are well-nigh flawless human beings. They are occassionally short-sighted but invariably they come around. The sisters in The Exiles come around somewhat but are also very self-centered, somewhat delusional (this is why Big Grandma basically keeps them bookless- to get them out in the world, a bit) and they can be disastrously stubborn or careless. There were times when I really didn't like them much and times when they were very charming. I am curious to see how they develop in the other two books in the series.
One last thing, which I will try to convey without giving any spoilers. Which age this book is appropriate for is up to your kid and whether or not you are reading to them. There are two incidents in the books, that if either of my girls had read to themselves, might have been too scary. However, when reading aloud to them, it led to some very good discussions. If you want your girl to read it for herself, you should probably read it first just to make sure that it is appropriate.
I do not want to leave off this review on a negative impression. I, as a doting 56 year old daddy, enjoyed this book very much. So did my girls. I very much want my girls to be readers. Books like this one make that goal seem easy.

Amusing and enjoyable


Last night I read "The Exiles" by Hilary McKay, which had recently been recommended to me.And I'll agree with the others who enjoyed the story; while the book wasn't "laugh-out-lout" funny, the exploits of the girls were amusing. and it was a satisfying read.

That being said, I have to say perhaps I'm getting old (or just suffering from "cranky old git" syndrome), because I did identify much more with the long-suffering grandmother than I did the children.In fact, I rather act a bit like her when my young nephews come to visit!(The only exception being that I would love it if my nephews wanted to read all the time, like the girls in the book do.There don't seem to be any addicted readers in this family apart from myself.)

I wouldn't call it a problem with the book, exactly, but I didn't find the four sisters to be as appealing as the siblings in the two Penderwick books by Jeanne Birdsall (The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy (Penderwicks (Quality)), The Penderwicks on Gardam Street), or the Bastable children in the four books by Edith Nesbit (The Story of the Treasure Seekers: Being the Adventures of the Bastable Children in Search of a Fortune, The Wouldbegoods, The New Treasure Seekers (Illustrated Edition) (Dodo Press), Oswald Bastable and Others).If anyone has read and enjoyed "The Exiles," I would HIGHLY recommend they check out the other six books that I just mentioned.

I do have the two sequels to this book at hand, and I'm looking forward to reading them as well.

I'm not sure about the dust jacket illustration for this book, however.It's not bad, but it makes this title look like some sort of rather poignant story, rather than the comic story it is.

Really funny!
This hilarious book is great for cheering anyone up. Ruth, Naomi, Rachel and Phoebe are the best characters in any book I have read. I have read The Exiles, The Exiles at Home and The Exiles in Love over and over again. Irecommend this book to anyone who anyone with a sense of humour and fun, asit's one the most enjoyable boos I have ever read.

Brilliant!
This is probably one of my favourite books and I've read it over and over again. It was really, really funny - especially Rachel, who's my favourite character. The Exiles at Home was also excellent! I just hope that Hilary McKay writes lots more stories about the Conroy girls! ... Read more

Product Description
Jodie hates her life and her looks, but when she wakes up one morning as a stegosaurus it's even worse. Trying to cope with school is impossible and when her parents take her to the doctor, Jodie is kidnapped by the consultant, Mr Pinkerton-Smeer, who plans to exploit her and make his fortune. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

AWSOME BOOK!!!
A great book about dinosaurs,girls and boys named mark. Jeremy Strong is a great writer even most adults like him. Jeremy Strong is one of the best writer in the world

A story of awakening
This is a story of how a wilful girl who feels unloved and inferior, and who believes that the whole world is at fault except her, experiences a life-changing situation when she wakes up one day to find herself changed into a stegosaurus.

Ostracised by her teachers and peers, and people on the street as a result of her condition, and worst still, being made used of by a scheming medical specialist who wants to use her condition to make himself famous, she reaches despondence.

That's when she realises how much her family loves and cares for her. Even her little brother, Mark, who is usually always at odds with her chooses to courageously save her from captivity.

This is a story of a girl who discovers that the true and strongest love comes from her family, and that while she may not be perfect looking, it is really how she chooses to view herself and the world that matters in the end.

GOOD!
This book is really good. I think its also good for adultes! Jermy Strong is the best writer in the world! ... Read more

Product Description
Plop is a fledgling barn owl, old enough to begin hunting for his own food, but afraid of the dark. His wise mother sends him to talk to a small boy, an old lady, a boy scout and others. Slowly he learns from them the joy of darkness. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Utterly Delightful, Magical, and oh, so FUNNY!
Jill Tomlinson, the brilliant author of this book -The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark- as well as quite a few others of a similar vein, must have mainlined her inner child when developing Plop, the main character in this wonderful story.

Plop is a young barn owl.Plop is a hungry, young barn owl.Plop is a hungry, young barn owl frightened of the dark, and Plop's poor, exhausted parents are at their wits end about the whole situation.Between hunting trips & way too few naps, Plops parents -rather than forcing him to face his fear unprepared- urge him to learn as much as he can about the dark.Plop achieves this by approaching a few of the characters who happen to be within sight of his nesting tree.

Wait a minute...I need to stop.There is no way I can even come close to summarizing this story for you that would do it the justice it so well deserves.Buy the book...really!

I will, however, say that this is one of the BEST children's stories I have EVER had the privlege of reading, let alone sharing with my child.My little girl (who is 7, as of today)is very much like Plop.She's intelligent, precocious, outgoing -and dare I say it?- a HOOT!And, also like Plop, she fears the dark.The story kept both of us interested the entire time, & we shared so many laughs!And, on the last night of the story my brave little girl asked me to turn off the light...

Whether you are looking for a book to help a child deal with this fear, or if you are just looking for a great book to read to (or with) a child, I'd say this book is a guaranteed WINNER! Buy the book!

I am looking forward to reading three other books by Jill Tomlinson I bought for my girl's birthday; the ones with the cat, the otter, and the aardvark.I have no doubt they were created with the same magic as this one.Check them out.

Enjoy!

Super Satisfied
I was amazed by how perfect this book was.It still had the paper cover over the hardcover as if it were brand new directly off the shelf of any book shop in town. All three books I bought from this company were in perfect condition.I would definitely buy from them again.

Delighful but not "unabridged"
The CD in English IS abridged.We first discovered Plop on cassette, and it ran 1 hour.This CD runs 20 minutes.It remains a delightful, short bedtime story for my 6 year old who has it memorized, but it IS abridged.I still would love to locate a truly unabridged CD that has the detail of the cassette.

A lark in the dark
Originally published in 1968, "The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark" is considered a classic in England.Now reissued with a whole new illustrator, we members of the United States finally get a chance to read this rather adorable tale.Though not a cutesy story in and of itself, illustrator Paul Howard has drawn a book that has perhaps set the standard for adorable barn owl tales everywhere.

Plop (an unfortuanate name, but whatcha gonna do?) is a small barn owl.Plop is also afraid of the dark.Though his parents attempt to inform him that there is nothing to be afraid of, he remains unconvinced.Finally, they tell him to ask various people and animals for information about the dark.From a boy the owl learns that the dark is exciting, with fireworks and such.From an astrologer he learns that the dark is wondrous, allowing us to see the many constellations in the sky.And so forth.In the end, Plop is convinced and is able to safely fly in the sky with his mother and father without fear.

If you'd like to read something to your little one that doesn't contain much in the way of tension or drama, this book's your ticket.Though Plop does partake in various escapades, none of these ever become dangerous.I was particularly interested in a section where he asks a black cat about the night.Considering that a cat would undoubtedly view a baby barn owl as a yummy snack, I was a bit amazed that nothing bad happened between the two.Nothing so much as the cat licking his chops or thinking to himself, "Boy could I go for a little fowl right now".Nuthin'.Which is fine.Illustrator Paul Howard has added pictures drawn with pastel pencils.The result is that Plop is the fuzziest, cutest, cuddliest little fluffball of an owl to ever flutter across the pages of a picture book.In addition to being a useful book for children that are afraid of the dark, it is also a good story for convincing children that owls are nothing, in and of themselves, to be afraid of.Just don't pair this story with Avi's "Poppy".All in all, this is a sweet little story with fuzzy-wuzzy pictures.Cuddly and adorable all at once, it is certain to be a child's favorite as the years go by.

the best book ever!!!
I totally loved this book when i was little and still do now (I'm nearly 21!). I've lost the tape so I'm looking to get another one so I can show my boyfriend how good it is too.i would highly recommend that every child should have a copy of this book. ... Read more

Product Description
This is a delightful CD and paperback picture book edition of a much-loved classic! We're going on a bear hunt! Through the long wavy grass, the thick oozy mud and the swirling, whirling snowstorm - will we find a bear today? This is a perfect bedtime adventure for all aspiring explorers. It includes a CD of the story read by "Doctor Who" actress Sophie Aldred to listen to with the paperback picture book. "We're Going on a Bear Hunt" was the Winner of the 1989 Smarties Book Prize and was Highly Commended for the Kate Greenaway Medal. It sold over three and a half million copies worldwide!Amazon.com Review
"We're going on a bear hunt. / We're going to catch a big one. / What a beautiful day! / We're not scared." So begins Michael Rosen's award-winning read-aloud romp We're Going on a Bear Hunt. In this lovely boxed gift edition illustrated by Helen Oxenbury, a small paperback version of the book is packaged with the softest, most fabulous little brown bear we've ever seen. Reenacting "Splash splosh! Splash splosh! Splash splosh!" across the river is much more fun with an actual bear on hand. (Ages 4 and older) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (94)

A family tradition
My wife grew up hearing this song at camp and introduced it to me when we were dating in college. We had no idea it was a book though until we had our daughter and after she turned 2 I stumbled onto it on Amazon. As soon as I saw it, I bought it and had it shipped to my wife and daughter while they were on an extended visit with her parents. They were all delighted. My wife read the book with great nostalgia, and through it, has passed this cherished family tradition onto our now 3 year old daughter who has adopted the book as one of her favorites. It would not surprise me if one day, many years from now, our daughter finds this book in a dusty chest, and reads it with similar nostalgia to her own kids. That is the kind of book this is, one that will surely become a family treasure and keepsake.

Just one note on the story itself. I agree with the other reviewers that it is full of excitement and adventure, but I would be hesitant to say it's scary. It could certainly be so for some kids, so parents take care and exercise your own common sense and caution, but my daughter has loved the book and never been frightened by it since she started having it read to her when she was about 24 months old. Otherwise, I agree with the other reviewers in every way. The rhyme, the pictures, the sound effects, everything about this bookjust comes together magically and wonderfully. I highly recommend it.

Fun plot
At first my 3 year-old was a bit scared by the bear at the end and didn't want to read it. But then, she started to pull it out of her shelf to have it read and she now likes finishing the sentences. Yesterday, we were walking on a wilderness path, and she was repeating "Stumble, trip", Stumble, trip, (a part of the book where they are walking through the forest).

Hunting?
Who wants to teach a child to be happy about hunting? Like: yey!! let's go and kill beautiful animals!

A forever favorite!
My grandmother bought this book for me when I was 2, and I remember as a kid loving it soo much.I remember wanting to wear the outfits and wanting to go on bear hunts and teaching all of my younger siblings to read it as well.(Having it memorized definitely helped!) I recently bought a new copy for the 1 year old I nanny and she absolutely loves it.It's quickly becoming her favorite book, with her favorite part being the end where they're rushing back home.I would recommend that everyone have this book!

Gorgeous illustrations on a beloved traditional song
This is a song that has held a special place in my heart via summer camp and school days alike.Michael Rosen has taken the song, presented it in a thoroughly classic version that proves very charming.The story is steadily paced, bit by page, bit by page, to create a true storybook rather than just a song.Here comes our family, determined to find a bear despite the many challenges along the way. And when they find the bear... well, that's when the true fun begins, and the pacing and organization is marvelous. To top it off is Helen Oxbury's incredible artwork that lends such wonder, sweetness, and humor to this story.Definitely a keeper. ... Read more

Product Description
This audio collection of stories, both contemporary and classic, includes humour, fantasy, real life, traditional tales, myth and magic, by writers such as Margaret Mahy, James Berry, Terry Jones, Jan Mark, Geraldine McCaughrean, Rosalind Kerven and Francesca Simon. ... Read more

Product Description
A MODERN CLASSIC ON TAPE Read by Sophie AldredA silver brumby is special, but he will be hunted by man and horse alike, and must be stronger than both.Thowra, the magnificent silver stallion, is king of the brumbies. But he must defend his herd from the mighty horse, The Brolga, in the most savage of struggles.But that is not the only danger. Thowra needs all his speed and cunning to save his herd from capture by man. In a desperate chase through the mountains, it seems there is no longer anywhere for him to run to... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Australian SF Reader
As far as girly horse books go, this is definitely one of them. However, the horses are the characters, in the Watership Down tradition.

Like Kimba, the good white, well, silver in the case horse is a manly horse, and he leads his herd around and defends them from the horse supervillain, etc.

My Bestest Book in my bookshelf!!!!!!!!
This book was written by Elyne Mitchell and i can tell you she's the greatest. Anyways, this book is filled with talking horses but that's OK for this once.
Thowra is born out of the rare creamies mare and a proud strongest strongest chestnut stallion. Bel Bel knew he would be hunted so she woved a spell naming him Thowra of the wild wind of the night in the storm when he was born. He and his friend Storm stayed through all of their years together. Even through adulthood. When The Brogla was in prime of his life, he has defeated and killed Yarraman, Thowra's father. But he stole another creamy off The Man and soon he was famous. He was tried to be caught and tamed, but because he had a smart, wise and cunning mother and a strong and handsome father, he was unbeatable. Other stallions wanted to kill him.He also grew faster, cunning and stronger so strong was able to defeat The Brogla! So then he was the King of the Cascade Brumbies. He kept Golden and couple of his prized mare in the Secret Valley. Then in a legendary chase, Thowra the wild wind disappeared over the cliff and people thought that he ran to his death. THOWRA RULZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In the other little edition that was great too.

I totally recommanded this book to all ages and to the horse-lovers.

It's soooo great!!
This book is about a silver stallion that everyone wants to capture and tame, but Thowra escapes all the time and steals Golden and The Brolga fights with Yarraman, would Yarraman be killed or still be the King of Cascade brumbies? Until Thowra grew strong, he fought and won as King of the Cascade brumbies! and i recommended this book to anyone at all that loves horses or wild horses. Read this book and you'll love it!!!!!!!

as enjoyable now as it was at age 9
I first read this book when I was nine years old and I remember loving it. I read all the other books addictively for a few months then totally forgot about them. A week ago I was at the public library and, for some reason, I suddenly remembered those books I remembered loving so much. I decided to read the first one again.

Once more I was swept up in brumby country where stallions fight to the death over mares and where man is an enamy. I found myself immersed in the world of Thowra, the magnificent silver horse who ran with the wind. The scenery is so well described you can picture it and you can really see through Thowra's eyes as he gallops away with the men on horseback at his heals.

You don't need to be a horse-lover to enjoy these books. I'm not. All you need is an appreciation of seeing through the eyes of a character who isn't human and a love of animals in general. I recommend this book to those who liked Watership Down and to those who wish to be transported to a world that is totally different than any you have ever read about before.

Looking through the horse's eyes
The novel is set in Australia and is written in the style of seeing life through the eyes of the wild brumbies that populate the Cascades/ Snowy Mountains. The story revolves around Thowra a palomino colt who is born from Bel Bel(cream mare). Due to his colouring he is hunted and alienated by man and beast, and the story tells how the tiny silver colt grows from a unimportant foal to the king of the Cascades. It doesn't happen easily as Thowra and his half-brother Storm evade being captured, fight for the right to have a herd, and the right for supremacy in this hostile world.

I have enjoyed this series of books, and as I come from Australia I like how it contains much Aboriginal culture and words (eg Thowra means 'the wind'). These books are unlike most horsey books as the story is about the horses lives, successes and struggles instead of the humans. A good thing about the Silver Brumby books are that the are all interlinked as most are about Thowra's offspring, friends or just about him as a legend.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is curious about Australian life in the bush, or who is just an avid horse lover like me. ... Read more

Product Description
It's a long hot summer - to Permanent Rose it seems never ending. Rose misses Tom, Indigo's friend who went back to America. New friend David is not a good enough replacement. Caddy's fiancee, Michael, tries to cheer her up by delivering a rose every day, but that just provides temporary relief. What with Daddy leaving her mother Eve for younger model Samantha, Caddy getting cold feet and adoptive sister Saffron deciding to find her real father, no one seems to have time to come to Rose's rescue. But Rose is determined, and in her heart of hearts is sure she will find Tom again - but what else will she find on the way? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Comical book
The book Permanent Rose is all about frindship,eight year old Rose tries to reconnect with Tom who moved back to America. The book was comical and taught me to enjoy life and not be too serious. It was a page turner and a book for all ages, old or young. It was also very humorous. I gave the book 4.5 stars out of 5 because it was a good book and one of my many favorites but not my number one favorite. I think all age groups would love this book and fall in love with Rose and the rest of the characters. Other books by Hilary McKay in this series are Indigo's Star and Saffy's Angel. All are really good books and award winners. I highly recomend this book.

Mytseries Rose
Mysteries Rose


Rose a girl that's a mystery ... who knows what will happen next in her live. Will Saffy find her father? Will Indigo find a new friend?

Permanent Rose by Hillary Mickay is about a girl named Rose. She is the youngest in her family; she has a brother named Indigo, her oldest sister named Cassy and her other sister named Saffy (who is not really her sister she her cousin.) Cassy came to live with them for the summer. As Cassy is engaged, she is still thinking about getting married.Saffy is on the hunt for her father.Indigo Roes brother needs a friend, Rose needs one too.Tom a person they new that was there best friend moved away to New York.

My favorite part of the book is when Rose follows Cassy onto a train to New York. Cassy went to New York because she was mad about getting engaged.Rose needs to give Cassy her new shinny diamond ring back because rose took it and Michael is mad at Cassy.Rose goes to New York and see's her dad, and her dad's girlfriend Samantha.Will Rose find Tom?

I think that the Authors purpose is that you will always a place for you even if you don't fit in.

I would recommend this book because you will never want to leave Rose's world and it's full of good and bad surprises.

By:Lauren

Nearly likable Rose
It seems that once I began this children's series, I couldn't stop. I'd be embarrassed if I didn't enjoy them so much.

I enjoyed Rose in the previous books. I found her 8 year-old honesty refreshing and charming. Until I was faced with it as the focus of an entire book. Yes, I understand she's 8. Yes, I understand all that being that young encompasses. However, there were times when it was simply too much!

Rose basically used blackmail to get her way, and the fact that she was a little thief was never fully explored. The ending felt very rushed, and David's inclusion (Indigo's friend, and another example of how poor Indigo can't keep friends for himself because they all feel some connection to Rose) was fine, yet seemed trite with the ending.

All in all, I still enjoyed it, but would have liked more of the already established things from the previous 2 books. This one seemed to skimp on what makes the Casson's such a wonderful (if slightly odd but not quite dysfunctional) family.

Fun read for middle schoolers
As a middle school teacher, I am always looking for books I can recommend to reluctant readers.I just finished Permanent Rose (I read the books before I add them to my classroom library), and I am happy to say that this one is going to school with me.There is enough angst in the story to keep poor readers going and enough depth to satisfy the teacher in me.The English setting adds to the appeal--but does not get in the way of understand. The characters are fun despite (or because of) their faults, and face the same problems my preteen students face in suburban California. Loyalty to family, friends, and doing the right thing, even if it is difficult, are subtly brought out--without being preachy.

For more enjoyment, get the two prior novels and enjoy the changes in the characters.As they get older their problems become more serious--but with the support of family and friends, they manage to make difficult choices and handle life well.

Permanent Rose
As usual, the Casson family is extremely chaotic. Rose is devastated because Tom, her crush, has moved back to America and she has heard nothing from him. Her eldest sister Caddy is contemplating breaking off her engagement to Michael. Saffy is determined to find her biological father, and Indigo is attempting to form a friendship with his former bully David. From tattooing herself, to shoplifting from various stores, Rose discovers various ways to keep her mind off Tom. Readers are sure to love the humor, mischief , and exciting experiences of the Casson family. ... Read more