Search results for ""author gareth p jones""

“The Dragon Detective Agency. Dirk Dilly speaking.” When a visitor turns up unannounced at Dirk’s office with a new case for him and Holly to solve, all is not as it seems. A Sea Dragon has disappeared and the only clue left at the scene of the crime is the ashy outline of an elusive Sky Dragon. As their investigations take them from a dodgy billionaire’s HQ to the top of the city’s tallest skyscraper, trouble is set to soar sky high for this dragon detective and his partner-in-solving-crime. Will they be able to hunt down the suspect and find the missing dragon before they both disappear into thin air? The third instalment in a fun and action-packed detective series for fans of TOTO THE NINJA CAT, HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON and Tom Fletcher’s children’s books!

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“The Dragon Detective Agency. Dirk Dilly speaking.” Holly is desperate to be sleuthing with her partner-in-solving-crime, dragon Dirk Dilly, but instead she’s stuck at her exclusive boarding school for children of the rich and famous. She’s determined to escape, until she meets Callum, the son of the Prime Minister, who claims he was kidnapped by dragons a year ago and hasn’t been the same since. And when Dirk’s own investigation into dragon activity brings him to the school, the two cases collide. What if Callum isn't as crazy as he seems? The second instalment in a fun and action-packed detective series for fans of TOTO THE NINJA CAT, HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON and Tom Fletcher’s children’s books!

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Legend tells of the Clan of the Scorpion, four mighty meerkats who are armed to the teeth with ninja-know-how. They are sworn to protect the world from their longtime nemesis, the Ringmaster. Small, deadly and furry, the Ninja Meerkats are four warriors on a mission. In Book 9 in the Ninja Meerkats series, the meerkats are hot on the heels of the Ringmaster in the mysterious mountains and jungles of Peru. The Ringmaster has his sights set on a legendary palace with a magical throne, which brings power to anyone who sits on it. The meerkats must stop the Ringmaster in his tracks – but he's laid traps every step of the way…A hilarious series featuring death-defying meerkat action! Full of comical characters, daft puns, fast dialogue and even faster action, these book are irresistable to boys and girls aged around six to eight years.

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Larkin Mills: The Birthplace of Death! Larkin Mills is no ordinary town. It's a place of contradictions and enigma, of secrets and mysteries. A place with an exquisite ice cream parlour, and an awful lot of death. An extraordinary mystery in Larkin Mills is beginning to take shape. First we meet the apparently healthy Albert Dance, although he's always been called a sickly child, and he's been booked into Larkin Mills' Hospital for Specially Ill Children. Then there's his neighbour Ivor, who observes strange goings-on, and begins his own investigations into why his uncle disappeared all those years ago. Next we meet Young Olive, who is given a battered accordion by her father, and unwittingly strikes a dreadful deal with an instrument repair man. Make sure you keep an eye on Mr Morricone, the town ice-cream seller, who has queues snaking around the block for his legendary ice cream flavours Summer Fruits Suicide and The Christmas Massacre. And Mr Milkwell, the undertaker, who has some very dodgy secrets locked up in his hearse. Because if you can piece together what all these strange folks have to do with one another . . . well, you'll have begun to unlock the dark secrets that keep the little world of Larkin Mills spinning . . .

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The companion novel to the hugely popular THE THORNTHWAITE INHERITANCEAfter a lifetime of plotting each other's demise, orphan twins Lorelli and Ovid Thornthwaite have reached an uneasy truce. No longer trying to kill each other, they are living a quieter life in the remains of the burnt-out Thornthwaite Manor. It's not long, though, before some peculiar 'near accidents' begin to take place and the twins begin to wonder - is someone else trying to bump them off? Could it be the oddball builder Dragos, or Beaufort Nouveau, the twins' triple Michelin-starred chef? What would old Tom the gardener have to gain from the deaths of Lorelli and Ovid? Or stinking rich Uncle Harry, who claims to be the twins' long-lost uncle on their mother's side? As the number of near fatal 'accidents' ramp up, it becomes clear that there are some dreadful forces at work - but just who is behind the Thornthwaite betrayal?

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Winner of the Blue Peter Book Award 2012 Fourteen-year-old Mariel returns to England for her grandmother's funeral. It is the first time she has been back since she emigrated with her mother as a baby, and it is the beginning of the uncovering of some really extraordinary truths about the Considine family. Why did Mariel's mum argue with Grandma all those years ago? Why does Amelia wear so much perfume? Why is there a very large cat flap in Louvre House? Why does Gerald seem scared of his brother's appetite? Did Grandma Considine really break her neck falling down the stairs? And most importantly, what is the dark secret that lies at the heart of the family?

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Legend tells of the Clan of the Scorpion, four mighty meerkats who are armed to the teeth with ninja-know-how. They are sworn to protect the world from their longtime nemesis, the Ringmaster. Small, deadly and furry, The Ninja Meerkats are four warriors on a mission. In Book 8 in The Ninja Meerkats series, the meerkats receive strange reports from the Australian outback. They fly down under to investigate, and discover strange goings-on in the desert. Who else could be behind it but that top-hatted menace, the Ringmaster? He is building missiles to take control of the world. With boxing kangaroos and killer koalas, not to mention the Ringmaster’s crew of deadly circus goons, this is one deadly desert mission. A hilarious series for boys, featuring death-defying meerkat action! Full of comical characters, daft puns, fast dialogue and even faster action, these book are irresistable to boys aged around six to eight years.

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“The Dragon Detective Agency. Dirk Dilly speaking.” When Holly and her family fly to LA for a holiday, it promises to be the trip of a lifetime. On her first day exploring the city of dreams, Holly befriends a movie director, who’s captured something suspiciously dragonlike on camera while filming out in the desert. But before she can examine the tape properly, it goes missing… Holly asks her partner-in-solving-crime, dragon detective Dirk Dilly, to join her on the hunt for clues in Hollywood. Will they be able to find the film before it falls into the wrong hands and exposes the existence of dragonkind to the world? The final instalment in a fun and action-packed detective series for fans of TOTO THE NINJA CAT, HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON and Tom Fletcher’s children’s books!

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Legend tells of the Clan of the Scorpion, four mighty meerkats who are armed to the teeth with ninja-know-how. They are sworn to protect the world from their longtime nemesis, the Ringmaster…The mystical Stone of Life has fallen into the wrong hands and an army of living statues is causing chaos on the streets of London. The meerkats are summoned to help by the Secret Secret Service, and vow to leave no stone unturned. Can they succeed before the city crumbles? Get ready to rock!

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Ovid and Lorelli Thornthwaite have been trying to kill each other for so long that neither twin can remember which act of attempted murder came first. But whoever struck first, trying to take each other's lives is simply what they do. Until one day a lawyer arrives at their house to take stock of its contents, and his accompanying son attracts their attention. Soon a new battle evolves - one in which the twins have to work together to solve the mystery of their parents' deaths. Can Lorelli and Ovid overcome their old animosities, and will they ever get to finish that game of chess?

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“The Dragon Detective Agency. Dirk Dilly speaking.” When detective Dirk Dilly gets a call from Holly, a young girl whose pet cat has gone missing, the dragon ends up with not only a new case to solve but also a self-appointed partner-in-solving-crime. And it turns out that Holly's cat is just the beginning! As the pair hunt for clues, Dirk spots other dragons flying over the city – and not the good kind. Dirk has a hunch they might just be involved, but will he and Holly be able prevent further cat-astrophe before it’s too late? The first instalment in a fun and action-packed detective series for fans of TOTO THE NINJA CAT, HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON and Tom Fletcher’s children’s books.

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First mate Hugh has got the whole crew and the pirate ship ready, but they can't set sail until they find a captain! Come on this salty adventure as Hugh and his scurvy seadogs try to find the perfect pirate for the job. Rather than a peg leg or a hook, it turns out what their captain needs is the brains to lead.

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Rachel is utterly fed up of being invisible to everyone around her. Her best friend barely listens to a word she says, her teachers overlook her in class and even her family never seem to notice she's there. If only she could do something to attract their attention. Something extraordinary. Something like accompanying her journalist father to an interview with the newest celebrity singer, Honey Bourne. Getting to rub shoulders with a pop star is absolutely what Rachel needs to give her the recognition she longs for. But after a jokey idea from the school librarian sets her on the path to creating a Fame Formula, a new plan starts to take shape. Unfortunately, this plan is about to draw Rachel into the orbit of the country's biggest prankster. Maybe having everyone know your name isn't such a good idea after all ... Project Fame is part of the Reading Planet range of books for Stars (Lime) to Supernova (Red+) band. Children aged 7-11 will be inspired to love reading through the gripping stories and fascinating information books created by top authors. Reading Planet books have been carefully levelled to support children in becoming fluent and confident readers. Each book features useful notes and questions to support reading at home and develop comprehension skills.Reading age: 10-11 years

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A uniquely silly and rebellious twist on a favourite fairy tale – with a fabulously foiled cover! “Rabunzel, Rabunzel, let down your ears!…” Rabunzel has a teeny tufty tail, a twitchy nose and two wide brown eyes. She also has VERY long ears – so long that her mother worries they will make her easy bait for the hungry creatures of the forest. The answer? Rabunzel must be kept safe … in towering hutch, high in the sky. Here Rabunzel waits grumpily for her mother's daily visit with carrots and fresh lettuce, letting down her ears so she can climb up the tower. But one day, it isn't her mother who climbs up Rabunzel's very long ears… The first hilarious title in a fun-filled fairytale series with empowering messages for young readers! Perfect for fans of The Fairytale Hairdresser and The Lion Inside series. Look out for Cindergorilla, based on the classic Cinderella!

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Kit is desperate to see his favourite band, The Sound Waves. However, when the lead singer's guitar goes missing, Pip and Kit must try to find it before the concert is cancelled! Using the world's largest known database of writing for and by children, our experts have defined 300 ambitious words to help children succeed at school. We've combined these with finelly levelled books that help you develop support comprehension and fluency, while inspiring and engaging your young readers.

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The Pet Defenders Code: 1. The Earth’s safety is your primary goal. Defend it. 2. Protect humans from the truth. Good luck – you’re going to need it! From Gareth P. Jones, winner of the Blue Peter Award and author of successful young series fiction, including NINJA MEERKATS, comes a brand-new comic caper. THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS meets THE X FILES – Pet Defenders are secret agents with a difference. The humans of Nothington-on-Sea have no idea their sleepy town is a hot spot for space invasions, and it's up to secret agents Biskit and Mitzy to keep it that way. So when an army of alien beards arrives, the Pet Defenders need to act fast… If the Beard King gets his way, soon every living chin will be under his control. Things are about to get hairy! For fans of funny and action-packed animal adventures including Andrew Cope’s SPY DOG series, ASTROSAURS and Jeremy Strong.

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One puzzling mystery. Several slippery suspects. Endless possibilities! Welcome to Haventry, a town where the ordinary and extraordinary collide! With ghosts, werewolves and zombies living side by side, trouble is always brewing. And when a fiendish crime is committed, YOU are the detective in charge of the case. All aboard the Transylvanian Express! YOU and your yeti boss Klaus are headed to Castle Ursprung, home of the infamous vampire Count Fledermaus. But before you get there, you have a mystery to solve: Night Mayor Franklefink has vanished from the train. Someone onboard must have played a role in his disappearance but who has the strongest motive? Could it be Franklefink’s archnemesis Bramwell Stoker? Or is Sandra Rigmarole, elf District Governor and colleague of the Night Mayor, a more likely suspect? Or perhaps Franklefink’s monster wife has suddenly turned against him? YOU decide! With hundreds of paths to choose from and no dead ends, you’ll solve the mystery every time! A fantastically imaginative detective story for readers looking for an interactive adventure.

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Eva has signed up for loads of after school activities. She wants to be brilliant at all of them, but the pressure of keeping on top of practising, training and reading for everything is a huge challenge. If only she could time travel, she'd easily be able to fit everything in ...The aromatock should be the answer to Eva's problems. One sniff and this invention transports her back in time so she can squeeze in extra rehearsals and training sessions. But the more she uses it, the more Eva finds herself in danger of meeting herself in all these other time frames. Will coming face to face with a devastating event from her childhood bring the whole experiment to a terrible end? Project Time is part of the Reading Planet range of books for Stars (Lime) to Supernova (Red+) band. Children aged 7-11 will be inspired to love reading through the gripping stories and fascinating information books created by top authors. Reading Planet books have been carefully levelled to support children in becoming fluent and confident readers. Each book features useful notes and questions to support reading at home and develop comprehension skills.Reading age: 10-11 years

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Hamid has very definite ideas about how his family should work. He insists they follow his rules for everything from what goes into their packed lunches to how long they can spend in the bathroom. But when his grandma comes to help out while Dad is away with work, everything starts to fall apart. Mamani has no intention of sticking to Hamid's rules and takes a very relaxed approach to meals and schedules. In fact, Hamid realises the only way to tame his grandma is to hypnotise her into becoming more obedient. But will the new Mamani make life as interesting? And will Hamid ever be able to get the old Mamani back? Project Grandma is part of the Reading Planet range of books for Stars (Lime) to Supernova (Red+) band. Children aged 7-11 will be inspired to love reading through the gripping stories and fascinating information books created by top authors. Reading Planet books have been carefully levelled to support children in becoming fluent and confident readers. Each book features useful notes and questions to support reading at home and develop comprehension skills.Reading age: 9-10 years

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A toothsome take on a much loved nursery rhyme – with an all-singing, all-dancing finale! Sing, roar and growl along with the animals, in this brilliantly bonkers twist on the classic Wheels on the Bus! The wheels on the bus go round and round …But who’s that getting on? OH, NO!It’s a LION! And a PANTHER! And a CROCODILE!This bus ride is about to get very wild – but is it really as scary as it seems? An irresistible combination of favourite animals, shout-aloud vehicle noises and a much loved storytime rhyme – with a light-touch message of friendship and acceptance. Perfect for fans of You Can’t Take an Elephant on the Bus and Never Tickle a Tiger.

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One puzzling mystery. Several slippery suspects. Endless possibilities! Welcome to Haventry, a town where the ordinary and extraordinary collide! With ghosts, werewolves and zombies living side by side, trouble is always brewing. And when a fiendish crime is committed, YOU are the detective in charge of the case. The Museum of Magical Objects and Precious Stones is putting on a special time-travelling showcase, but when the main exhibit is stolen, it’s up to YOU to find the thief. The Time Sponge has the ability to stop and start time for whoever squeezes it, so who has the strongest motive? The minotaur chief of police who has a lot on at work or the shoplifting band of mermaids? Should you trail the museum’s petrifying gorgon curator? Or could your very own yeti partner be responsible? YOU decide! With hundreds of paths to choose from and no dead ends, you’ll solve the mystery every time! A fantastically imaginative detective story for readers looking for an interactive adventure.

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Project X CODE is a book-by-book series built for struggling readers aged 6 and above. Welcome to Micro World, invented by Macro Marvel - an amazing theme park where you have to shrink to get in! Disaster struck when CODE, the computer that controlled the park and the robots inside, went wrong and started shrinking everyone. A year later, with the park about to relaunch, things go wrong again! Team X must return to help Mini Marvel with another mission - to avoid the malfunctioning BITEs, reset the zones, and find the park's new engineer Ace! In this book, Max, Ant and Tiger take a ride on the fearsome Vulture-BITE.

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The Pet Defenders Code: 1. The safety of Planet Earth depends on you. 2. Humans MUST NOT know the truth. GOOD LUCK – you’ll need it… Animals are disappearing from Nothington-on-Sea and the Pet Defenders suspect alien activity. Secret agents Biskit and Mitzy find themselves caught up in the Planet Bogey Games. Biskit suspects the contest might hold the key to finding his missing partner, Champ. Can our heroes win the game? And what’s more, can they get back home after?This fast-paced funny series features action, mystery and animal antics. Perfect for wannabe detectives and kids who love Spy Dog and The Adventures of Captain Underpants!

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A fearless, fun-filled fairytale – perfect for any little reader who loves a twist in the tale! * With a fabulously foiled cover! * Kingsley is the finest cat in the kingdom. How does he know? His crystal ball tells him so! But one day, the crystal ball has a different story to tell. A new cat by the name of Snowy White has arrived in the kingdom. She’s beautiful . . . she’s kind . . . and Kingsley is determined to get rid of her. Luckily, though, Snowy gets a helping hand – or seven – from some very special new friends! The third hilarious title in a fun-filled fairytale series with empowering messages for young readers! Perfect for fans of The Fairytale Hairdresser and The Lion Inside series. Look out for:Rabunzel and Cindergorilla

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One puzzling mystery. Several slippery suspects. Endless possibilities! Welcome to Haventry, a town where the ordinary and extraordinary collide! With ghosts, werewolves and zombies living side by side, trouble is always brewing. And when a fiendish crime is committed, YOU are the detective in charge of the case. It’s the first day of Magicon, the world’s biggest magic convention, and everyone is in town for the event. But when all the magic in Haventry suddenly goes missing, it’s up to YOU to find out who took it and get it back in time for the opening ceremony! Should you tail the head of the powerful Magic Circle, Grandmaster Dimbleby, or does the newly crowned king of the elves raise your suspicions? Could Enid the Evil Enchantress be too obvious a suspect, or is Moondance the meditating unicorn deceptively innocent? YOU decide! And you better do so quickly, because without magic to harness it, an ancient monster is rising from its century-long sleep under the town… With hundreds of paths to choose from and no dead ends, you’ll solve the mystery every time! A fantastically imaginative detective story for readers looking for an interactive adventure.

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The Pet Defenders Code: 1. The safety of Planet Earth depends on you. 2. Humans MUST NOT know the truth. GOOD LUCK – you’ll need it… A mysterious cheese has appeared in Nothington-on-Sea and it smells so bad it’s knocking people out! Biskit and Mitzy discover some alien cheeses determined to live on Earth. And they’re being pursued by a giant mouse! Can the Pet Defenders get rid of the rodent and the putrid pong? You’d cheddar brie-lieve it! This fast-paced funny series features action, mystery and animal antics. Perfect for wannabe detectives and kids who love SPY DOG and THE ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN UNDERPANTS!

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Daniel can't believe his luck when his mum finally agrees to let him have a pet. Elvis the hamster becomes Daniel's new best friend and every day after school, Daniel pours out his worries to Elvis or teaches him tricks. Life is perfect. But then, out of the blue, Elvis dies. In an attempt to get over his heartbreak, Daniel comes up with a plan to bring Elvis back to life. Not by replacing him with another hamster, but by recreating a robot Elvis with the real Elvis's personality. With some help from his technology teacher, the experiment works - except the new Elvis might be just a little too similar to the real thing for his own good ... Project Pet is part of the Reading Planet range of books for Stars (Lime) to Supernova (Red+) band. Children aged 7-11 will be inspired to love reading through the gripping stories and fascinating information books created by top authors. Reading Planet books have been carefully levelled to support children in becoming fluent and confident readers. Each book features useful notes and questions to support reading at home and develop comprehension skills.Reading age: 9-10 years

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Love fairy tales? Love animals? Love laugh-out-loud storytelling? Look no further! Cindergorilla loves to dance. She longs to go to the Saturday Night Disco Ball, where the other gorillas strut their stuff, but her horrid aunt and cousins, Gertrude and Grace always say no. Instead Cindergorilla must stay home and do the housework! But all that changes when Cinder gets a visit from her Hairy Godmother . . . The second hilarious title in a fun-filled fairytale series with empowering messages for young readers! Perfect for fans of The Fairytale Hairdresser and The Lion Inside series. Look out for:Rabunzel Coming soon:Snowy White

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One puzzling mystery. Several slippery suspects. Endless possibilities! Welcome to Haventry, a town where the ordinary and extraordinary collide! With ghosts, werewolves and zombies living side by side, trouble is always brewing. And when a fiendish crime is committed, YOU are the detective in charge of the case. Dr Franklefink’s precious Monster Maker has gone missing and there are lots of suspects! Along with your yeti partner, it’s up to YOU to find the culprit. Should you trail Bramwell Stoker, the terrifying vampire, or Grundle and Grinola, the mischievous goblin twins? Should you follow up a lead about the cunning witches? Or will investigating the doctor’s monstrous son Monty lead you to the thief? YOU decide! With hundreds of paths to choose from and no dead ends, you’ll solve the mystery every time! A fantastically imaginative detective story for readers looking for an interactive adventure.

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Big Cat for Little Wandle Fluency has been developed in collaboration with Wandle Learning Trust and Little Sutton Primary School. It consists of a range of chapter books with increasing word counts across 10 fluency levels aimed at children in Year 2 and 3. Each book builds reading confidence, stamina and speed and nurtures a love for reading. Fluency 9 books have a word count of 5520 words with an expected reading rate of 115 words per minute. An army of trees is coming towards the Great City! As a city guard, Pie Fortune is the first to see them. He raises the alarm but no-one will help. It’s down to Pie to rally the bravest team he can find to defeat the wizard and protect the city!

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