Karen Donnelly – Illustratör

Rags to riches story of a young orphan who becomes a famous actress. A Roaring Good Read launch title.Daisy is brought up in a foundling's hospital in Victorian times. At ten she is sent into service as a skivvy at the Dobell Academy.There she watches all the pupils learning how to be young ladies, wearing fine clothes and learning how to read, write and… dance. Daisy dreams of being like them one day and painstakingly teaches herself to read with the help of one kind teacher. She is caught dancing in one of the piano rooms and is and reproved for having 'ideas above her station', but undaunted she perseveres with her dream to be a 'beautiful lady on the stage.' Daisy even makes up a stage name – Marguerite Dobell. One night, in her attic bedroom, she sees a ghost – an old lady sitting in a rocking chair looking through a scrapbook of photos and theatre programmes. The woman is strangely familiar.When the young ladies of Dobell Academy put on their end of term dancing display, Daisy risks being caught again and does her own dance in the corridor -spotted by two late-comers who realise that Daisy is the perfect little dancer to play the part of Dolly in their production Little Dolly Daydream.That night, in her attic bedroom, Daisy is revisited by her ghost looking in old theatre programmes – she spots the name of the production, it is Little Dolly Daydream and there in the cast list is the name Marguerite Dobell. Daisy has seen into the future, the ghost is none other than herself as an elderly and once famous actress. Her dream will come true.A wonderful unashamedly sentimental rags- to-riches story which young readers from 7 and upwards will adore, and one which will be timeless and backlist well. My Fair Lady meets The Little Match Girl from a prize-winning author.

Danny loves dancing, but not the funky, popular variety that would have his friends green with envy; no, Danny loves Ballet. A ‘Billy Elliot’ for younger readers by this renowned ballet-loving author.Danny loves ballet, but he daren’t admit it to his mates. But one of his teacher’s knows, and she casts Danny in the starring ballet role in the end of term show at school. But Danny is also in the school football team and the rehearsals for the show clash with team nights. How can be maintain his cool with his peers and still star in the performance. Mixups and mayhen ensue as several fibs are told to parents, friends and siblings. But at the end of the day, is Danny sick as a parrot or over the moon? On performance night, Danny is simply DAZZLING!

A humorous, poignant and heartwarming story of four girls and their exasperating parents. Reissued in the Jean Ure branding.“People always fall out after they’re married. I’m going to stay single.”Jasmine, Laurel, Rose and Daisy. Four very different sisters, four very different attitudes! As if living with each other wasn’t bad enough, living with their parents is worse – particularly parents who are both actors. Please!But after the Great Row, the girls find themselves living with Mum, while Dad has gone to America to find work. How are the sisters going to achieve their own personal ambitions: become an actress, model, writer, vet… when they can’t even achieve their joint ambition – to reunite parents who are on different continents?

Build your child’s reading confidence at home with books at the right levelScrooge was not a kind man. One Christmas Eve he was visited by three ghosts, who took him on a journey from the past, through the present and in to the future. Was it too late for him to change his ways? This retelling of Charles Dickens’ classic story is written by Penny Dolan. White/Band 10 books have more complex sentences and figurative language.Text type: A retelling of a story by a significant authorCurriculum links: Literacy: Extended stories/Significant authors.This book has been quizzed for Accelerated Reader.

The remarkable story of Florence Nightingale, from her privileged childhood to the horrors of her work in the Crimea and as a hospital reformer. Retold in a lively, vivid style with evocative, full colour pictures and links to recommended websites to find out more. Part of Young Reading Series 3 for fully confident readers.Chapters in this book include:- A defiant daughter- The voice of God?- Fighting Fanny- Florence takes charge- Hell on earth- Fame- Working flat out- Nurse Nightingale - My Life

Eleven-year-old Nhia “Silver” Lee’s brother convinces her to join the talent show and showcase her storytelling know-how. There's just one problem: she’s got a serious case of stage fright! Can Nhia overcome her fears and take home the top talent trophy? Or will her anxieties upstage her act? Written by Sheelue Yang, this graphic novel is a darkly humorous, normalizing exploration of coming-of-age anxiety through the lens of an authentic pre-teen girl.

Eleven-year-old Nhia “Silver” Lee is heading on a summer holiday camping trip. Unfortunately, she’s packing her nerves along for the trip. Can she build a fire? Will she be able to fall asleep in a tent? And what if the other campers don’t like her? Nhia will need to overcome her own self-doubt if she is to make the camping experience less of a total downer. Written by Sheelue Yang, this graphic novel is a darkly humorous, normalizing exploration of coming-of-age anxiety through the lens of an authentic pre-teen girl.

Eleven-year-old Nhia “Silver” Lee is visiting her Hmong grandparents, but she doesn’t speak their language, at least not very well. Enter: Anxiety. Nhia fears she won’t be able to connect with her grandparents due to this language barrier. Fortunately, while helping her grandpa on the farm and cooking with her grandmother, Nhia discovers that words aren’t the only way to show love. Written by Sheelue Yang, this graphic novel is a darkly humorous, normalizing exploration of coming-of-age anxiety through the lens of an authentic pre-teen girl.

Eleven-year-old Nhia “Silver” Lee is starting at a new school. Unfortunately, the same-old anxieties have followed her there. Will she meet new friends? Will she succeed on this school’s football team? Can she pass her first test? With the help of her family, she’ll overcome some seriously negative thoughts to find out. Written by Sheelue Yang, this graphic novel is a darkly humorous, normalizing exploration of coming-of-age anxiety through the lens of an authentic pre-teen girl.

The remarkable story of footballing star and war hero Walter Tull is brought to life in this inspiring illustrated retelling. Tully and his brother don't have much. But they do have each other. And Tully has an amazing talent: football.But when the First World War begins, Tully must fight for respect on the battlefield, not the pitch … Particularly suitable for readers aged 9+ with a reading age of 8.

With a hungry, timid request of ‘Please, sir. I want some more’, orphan Oliver Twist takes his first step on a terrifying journey.

An escaped convict threatens to eat young Pip’s heart for breakfast. The ghostly Miss Havisham invites Pip to her eerie home. A mysterious benefactor makes him suddenly wealthy. Pip’s life will never be the same again.

‘Bah, humbug! Fools wishing me a Merry Christmas should be forced to sit on cushions stuffed with holly leaves or boiled with their own Christmas puddings.’

When David’s mother marries the malevolent Mr Murdstone, David’s childhood happiness is destroyed for ever.

‘It would have been far better if you had never been born.’

Louisa is the practical daughter of a powerful industrialist. Sissy is the imaginative daughter of a clown. What will happen when two such different lives collide?

I had been given a simple but enormous task. This was the role for which I had spent my whole life preparing.

Mary’s childhood in Magdala leaves her with emotional scars she fears will never heal – until she meets Jesus. Recognising the importance of Jesus’s work, she decides to do all that she can to support him, but what good can a woman do in a man’s world? Will Mary ever be accepted by Jesus’s other disciples? What will she learn from the miracles she witnesses and from her many conversations with the Son of God? To Mary the message seems simple, so why can’t others believe? After witnessing Jesus’s agonising death, Mary is the first to see the empty tomb, the first to see the risen Christ. What role can she play in spreading the news about Jesus after his death?

Who expects their life to change completely in one moment?

‘Why bless you, Little Nell! What if I had lost you?’

‘It is a far, far better thing that I do than I have ever done.’

‘She? That’s Little Dorrit. She’s nothing. She’s just a whim.’