Search results for ""troika books""

A group of aliens have landed on Earth from Planet Norma Alpha and they are causing mischief. Rita has to call on all her special powers as she smashes an asteroid, takes a lost Norm back to his flying saucer, and then shows the visitors the quickest way home through space. Join in the hilarious adventures of Rita Potter who when she dons her special cloak and boots becomes Rita the Rescuer, strong, fast and fearless, and able to rescue her siblings and others from danger or disaster. These wonderfully funny stories are perfect for early readers with colour illustrations on every page.

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Alara’s incredible gaming skills bring her to the attention of Estrella’s leaders. She is chosen to go on a dangerous mission to London Under, the original older, long-deserted and distrusted city on top of which Estrella (the Star city) was built, to gather ‘vital’ intelligence. Estrella is the perfect society, an immaculate, sanitised, connected environment where everything is channelled through the digital medium. There is no dirt, no pain, no disease, no natural world, even feelings like boredom are frowned upon and discouraged. Alara is dropped down to London Under and into a “new” world which bewilders her and disorientates her. How will she survive in a society where noise dirt and sometimes pain are everyday experiences and where food is not synthetic and tastes real? Will she accomplish her mission? Who can she trust? How will she get back to Estrella and her family and her life without worry?

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Ava sat at her desk, gazing at the board. ‘Ava,’ said Mrs Cook. ‘Where are your glasses today?’ Ava looked down at her schoolbag. She hated her glasses. Ava hates her glasses, and sometimes chooses not to wear them, even when wearing them would help her to read. Ava’s teacher sympathises but rather than tell her to put them on, she opens a book of fairy tales. One by one, Mrs Cook suggests that all the main characters in her favourite stories could have avoided their troubles by wearing their glasses. By the end, Ava is adding to the stories and seeing her own life more clearly.

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Ava is hiding – hiding from the small cramped room where she lives with her two little siblings and her mum, hiding from the taunts and hostility she gets at school, hiding from her sometimes lonely and joyless life. But there is love here too. Her best friend Roxy, her wise Trinidadian Nan and a stray dog she befriends. Can Ava be brave enough to allow some light to shine into the darkest part of her being? Moving, emotive and poignant, Coral Rumble’s poetic novel is a compellingly beautiful read.

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It is World War 2 and brothers George and John and their sister Eva are each fighting in their own way. Secret agent George is parachuted into Slovakia in an Operation codenamed Zinc, John breaks codes at Bletchley Park, while Eva is stranded in enemy-occupied Hungary. Based on the extraordinary real-life stories of Sue Klauber’s father, uncle and aunt, she wrote Zinc for her son to celebrate the full and heroic engagement of their North London Jewish family in the fight against tyranny.

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This incredibly powerful and dramatic story deals with prejudice, judgement, courage and the difficulty of sorting right from wrong in a complex world.

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In this Zen tale, Gilbert Beaver thinks that winning the race and receiving his prize is good. He believes that falling out of a tree and into the river is bad. The ever-present Shelly suggests that you can never be certain about these things. We are often disappointed by ‘good’ things, and we can also enjoy ‘bad' things. Living in the present means full enjoyment of all of life.

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A new collection by acclaimed poet Hilda Offen. Illustrated with her own characterful line drawings, here are poems full of humour which express her compassionate view of the world, seen in scenes of family life and school as well as Hilda's reflections on history and the things she sees around her.

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A child and their dog explore the woods. As they look around they think what it would be like if dragons were actually living there. There are strange footprints in the mud, there is mist coming from a cave that looks like dragons' breath and, hidden in the fallen leaves, could those be dragon eggs? A wonderful, imaginative picture book to share with young readers with pictures that take their inspiration from medieval woodcuts of dragons and their glowing colours from stained glass windows.

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Some people like to think that a collection of poems for children has to be either funny or serious, as if there are two types of children who will only like one or the other. But life isn't like that, is it! Some days we think hard, some days we cry and some days we laugh loudly and boldly, and so do children. Many of the poems in this collection are about real life. Others are about life as its found in the quirly imagination of the poet. Between the covers of this book, you will find poems that puzzle you, tell you stories, make you ask questions. There are dangerous poems, delicate poems and daft poems. One minute you will be hiding in a dusty PE cupboard with a friend who is sad, the next you will be buying ice cream from a polar bear. This is a roller coaster of poems, that mirrors the ups and downs of daily life. Whether you are in thinking mood, laughing mood, or a crazy mood, there are poems here that will keep you company.

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On Hallowe'en Rita plans to go Trick or Treating with her big and sister but they think it is too scary for her. Left out of the fun by her big brothers and sister it only takes a moment for Rita to pull on her special cloak and boots and - ta da! - she's Rita the rescuer, strong, fast and fearless, ready to do battle with real ghosts, monsters, and even a witch on a broomstick!

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A snowy adventure for the dog pals, Dubbin and Todd. Dubbin flips off his wheels and Ta-da! His skateboard becomes a snowboard. Todd follows behind on a tray but there are frightening things along the way - can he and Dubbin deal with them? The third title in the continuing Dog on Wheels series of adventures.

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In Arise, Our Rita, her brothers and sisters won't let her join them on a dragon hunt and lock her in her bedroom. But with her Rescuer outfit to hand, in a minute Rita has jumped through the window and she's off. Teaching archery to Robin Hood, hunting dragons and giants, is all in a day's work for our pint-sized superhero. Join in the hilarious adventures of Rita who dons her special cloak and boots and becomes Rita the Rescuer, strong, fast and fearless, and able to rescue her siblings and others from danger or disaster. These wonderfully funny stories are perfect for early readers with colour illustrations on every page.

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It's Roman day at the Sports Field. There's plenty of work for Rita--a toddler's being launched in the air from the catapult, a trumpeter's in trouble, and she is even called upon to build Adrian's Wall! Join in the hilarious adventures of Rita who dons her special cloak and boots and becomes Rita the Rescuer, strong, fast and fearless, and able to rescue her siblings and others from danger or disaster. These wonderfully funny stories are perfect for early readers with colour illustrations on every page.

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In her first book of poems for children Shauna Darling Robertson celebrates creative thinking, encourages curiosity and revels in the pleasure of looking at things so slightly slant. Discover a world where ordinary things like eating and adverts seem quite preposterous, while absurd things such as teacups feeling unloved are fairly commonplace. Thoughts fly around like mosquitoes, a day lasts longer than a year and the weather forecast predicts an ear-to-ear grin nearly two miles high. There's a kid who catches her dreams in a net and a polite rebel who asks nicely before overwriting history. Oh and undercover magicians operate on every high street. Inventive, provocative and highly original, Saturdays at the Imaginarium asks big questions about how we think about ourselves, each other and the world. It invites children of all ages to explore the possibilities of their own vastly creative minds.

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Cosmo is a young boy whose life has been changed forever, after falling out of the tree he loved to climb. Now, Cosmo is disabled and uses a wheelchair. Now, Cosmo wants to have a conversation with the tree. In this outstanding debut collection for children, Stephen Lightbown draws on his own personal experiences as a wheelchair user, while creating a unique and utterly engaging character in Cosmo. Written in Cosmo’s voice and peppered with contributions from the boy’s family, these poems take the reader on a journey of challenges, questions, hurts, explorations and triumphs. Cosmo is endlessly open and curious, and his observations and reflections are at once perceptive, raw, hilarious, confronting and enchanting. How can Cosmo come to terms with, and adapt to, this seismic change in his life? Is his life as he knew it gone? Could there be new possibilities ahead, and also new abilities that Cosmo doesn't yet know he possesses? And will the tree ever reply to his number one question: why?

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In her second book of poems for young people, Shauna Darling Robertson takes an in-depth look at mental health and wellbeing. Shauna says, ‘Young people’s mental health has never been so high on the public agenda and rightly so. In the past three years, the likelihood of young people having a mental health problem has increased by 50% (childrenssociety.org.uk/what-we-do/ourwork/well-being/mental-health-statistics).’ The poems in this collection explore a variety of topics, from diagnosed mental health conditions to the everyday personal challenges faced by young people. The poems are variously thought-provoking, reassuring, heart-breaking, galvanizing, funny and hopeful, reflecting a diversity of perspectives, experiences and voices.

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Three families, two worlds and one magical portal. No one comes to the second world on purpose. The portal between worlds only opens when least expected. But the Raft King is determined to change that. He needs Pip, a boy with an amazing gift. Pip’s is just the first of three tales, linking the twins Venus and Swimmer, captured from a slave ship in the first world, and Thanh and his sister Sang, from a later time, escaping postwar Vietnam. What connects these three sets of siblings is the adventure of a lifetime, some helpful sea monsters and a very special crack in the sea.

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This is Jay Hulme’s first published collection of poetry. It showcases his unique voice and form of expression. The poems have been carefully selected to chart Jay’s journey from growing up in a working-class family in Leicestershire to his feelings and thoughts about school life and his experience as a transgender teenager. As Jay says himself: When it was decided that this collection would be for teenagers I was left with this determination, that this collection wouldn’t speak down to anyone, that the world I portrayed within it would be the world we live in, that there would be no attempt to make reality 'appropriate for children'. People seem to forget that teenagers live in the same world as everyone else, and they face the same struggles adults face every day. Teenagers deal with racism and sexism and disability and poverty and so much more that we don’t even see. The things that are traditionally seen as inappropriate for young people to see, are so often the same things they experience day to day.

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In this Zen tale, the lazy cat ‘Furball' believes she knows everything. When the dam bursts and she is drenched, Furball realises that being a ‘know it all', can sometimes end in disaster. Based on the famous story of the university professor and the Zen master, children will discover that being a ‘know it all', simply means you are ‘all washed up'.

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To celebrate 50 years since the first moon landing by Apollo 11 in 1969, here is an original collection of 50 poems. In his poems Dom tells us of two important things - the Moon is incredible: it controls our tides, to give us 24-hour days and it keeps our planet stable enough to have seasons. Dom reminds us that poetry too is incredible because it is the most flexible form of expressing ourselves and has been always how we used to tell stories, particularly about our ways of seeing this incredible Moon. The Moon is an inspiring rock of possibilities. Dom uses lots of poetry forms, short poems and long ones, silly ones and serious ones. There are haiku and sonnets, acrostics and shapes. He uses metaphors and kennings and slang. Dom says read the poems and fly to the moon!

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Join in the hilarious adventures of Rita who dons her special cloak and boots and becomes Rita the Rescuer, strong, fast and fearless, and able to rescue her siblings and others from danger or disaster. These wonderfully funny stories are perfect for early readers with colour illustrations on every page.

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A visit to Rushybrook Farm is a great treat. But not if you've been left in the Little Pets Barn with the babies. Rita the Rescuer, however, has other ideas and is soon lifting pigs out of mud, stopping runaway caravans and generally having an action packed day! Join in the hilarious adventures of Rita Potter who when she dons her special cloak and boots becomes Rita the Rescuer, strong, fast and fearless, and able to rescue her siblings and others from danger or disaster. These wonderfully funny stories are perfect for early readers with colour illustrations on every page.

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In her first work of fiction Coral tells the story of ten-year-old Jakub Polanski who cares for his single mum, Maria, who has multiple sclerosis. The weight of responsibility has made Jakub forget he is a child, and his life outside of school is full of adult concerns. Everyone is worried about Jakub’s mental health. To take the pressure off his mum and give Jakub a break, life-long family friends, the Koniks, take Jakub on holiday to Italy. While there Jakub learns about Marta’s passion for writing poetry and storytelling, and she shows him that freedom and adventure are there for the taking. He discovers he is funny and smart and is not only defined by being a carer. And, in Italy, Jakub finds hope as he listens to an old, wise woodsman, who teaches him about otters, especially one injured otter called Piccolo.

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In this Tale, everyone has an ice cream except Bruno, and he cannot get ice cream off his mind, so much so that he becomes irritable, distracted, and unfocused. Eventually Bruno learns a valid lesson; he was happy when he forgot about the ice cream and focused his attention on what he was doing.

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'Did you know, you can bump into a poem anywhere? You find them in houses, fields, oceans, cities, trees...the list is endless! I've even found poems in people's faces, when they laugh or cry, or get excited. Of course, you have to write the poems you find, because poems can't hold a pen or type on a keyboard. This book is full of poems I found when I was looking out for them. I had to dig some out of my imagination - ouch! You’ll discover in the pages some things that I think should be in a poem, but I'm sure you can think of more. Go hunting!’ Coral Rumble's warm, vibrant, exciting world of poems is complemented by Shih-Yu Lin's expressive colour illustrations.

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‘It follows me and yet it’s not a part of me It does the things I do’. 48 inventive, insightful poems exploring the darker side. From bullies to black holes, cats to clowns, these original and thought-provoking poems are a roller coaster ride through both the silliness and sadness of being human. Scared? celebrates the work of poets Neal Zetter and Joshua Seigal and it’s not afraid of exploring the tougher side of growing up. A book that can pave the way for important conversations. This is Neal and Joshua’s second collaboration for Troika. Yuck and Yum: A Feast of Funny Food Poems has been widely praised for its vibrant poetry and has been cited as the perfect book for using in the classroom and engaging children.

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It's World War 2. Seventeen year-old Max meets a Romani girl from a circus who he falls in love with. But love between a member of the Hitler Youth and a gypsy is forbidden - as events tear them apart, can their love survive?

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A stunning collection, full of magical fantasy and dreamlike inventions, which showcases Sue's very unique style and voice. Often poems are interwoven - 'Blackout' leads to 'Fear of the Unknown', 'Why Trees Whisper' segues into 'Zephyr and 'Dog Reads the Wind'. The child is a frequent motif, perhaps even the voice of the haunting title poem 'If I were Other than Myself' with its final question 'and should I wish would I be missed?'

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Me and My Alien Friend is Ed Boxall’s first full-length collecti on of children’s poetry. The book is full of all sorts of friends: best friends, changing friends, absent friends, animal friends, imaginary friends and even a friend who’s a ‘Thing on a Springy String’. In the poems, friends adventure together: discovering, exploring and sharing life’s happy hills and lonely dark hollows. The ‘Alien Friend’ poem returns like a chorus throughout the book: a boy sits on the moon with his 38-toed alien friend, looking at our world from a peaceful distance, observing, thinking, dreaming. In poems and drawings, friendship is gently celebrated as a universal experience that can cross every divide.

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Dubbin and Todd are at the seaside. Dubbin has his skateboard and Todd's got a blue ball. As they roll along to the pier - disaster! The ball flies over the wall and the Todd disappears. It's Dubbin to the rescue.

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Who’s that using the bathroom? You should think twice before you go in! A fresh and funny rhyming story by poet Brian Moses with wild and wacky pictures of friendly and fantastic characters by Sonia Holleyman.

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Here’s a poetry collection by comedy performance poet Neal Zetter that takes you back to his time at school – and it looks as if not much has changed! Meet Mr Shoutyteacher, always getting in a STROP, as well as the school nose-picker (careful if he’s sitting next to you!). What’s your excuse for not doing your home-work? Who feels like maths is a number-filled mystery? What’s your favourite sport – football in the playground or risk the dangers of roller-skating? Rap and rhyme your way around all the notable characters in school, not forgetting the members of your own embarrassing family. And look out for jokes as well as fascinating facts (true or false?).

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Engaging story celebrating the birth of two unexpected but wonderful additions to a family.

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This is Brian Moses’ most popular poem when he performs in schools. It is full of energy, rhythm and fun. With Ed Boxall’s colourful illustrations it is turned into a perfect picture book for sharing, with a collection of exotic animals – iguana, piranha, Chihuahua, chinchilla, gorilla and even caterpillar - all walking together on a hot, sunny beach. ‘Walking with my Iguana’ has been the most listened to poem on the Poetry Archive many times and is rarely out of the top 5.

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Grizzel bear is not in a good mood. He stomps on flowers, he grumbles, and he complains. He is full of anger. He bumps into Guru Walter who is sitting peacefully and enjoying a glorious day in the sun and the gentle breeze and Grizzel’s anger is not going to spoil his day. This story shows that anger does not have to be accepted. If we learn to reject it what remains is peace and happiness.

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'Follow the big blue'. That was the last thing Cam’s father said to him. Cam follows Big Blue - everybody does on the island of Cetacea. Their lives take place within his rules, delivered to them by enigmatic whale-talker, Byron Vos. Byron was once a marine scientist but is now organizing an epic clean-up operation to revive the ocean after centuries of human greed and neglect. And yet Cam wonders if there is a more complex truth. A truth that may be connected to his father’s disappearance. Cam’s quest to understand Big Blue leads him to new friends and shared adventures – but the truth, when he finds it, is more dangerous than ever he could have imagined.

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A 'How to' book to encourage children to encounter enjoy and read poetry, whether by listening or reading. With practical suggestions on how to effectively and creatively teach poetry this guide is written by two poets with years of experience working with young people: its full of tried and tested ideas that are practical and fun. It's a cornucopia of advice on how to share, perform, publish and - most important - enjoy poetry. There are lots of suggestions - what kind of poems to choose, who best to read or perform them, how to get started writing a poem, where you might find a poem you like and want to share. Full of enthusiasm and excitement, this is a book for anyone who wants to spread their wings and convey their enjoyment of the written word. If you have ever wondered how best to use poetry in your classroom or library, this is the book for you.

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‘Isn’t this your car we’re riding in?' Sam and his friend Lloyd have made a colossal mistake when they accept a lift home. Now they are in a dark mansion in the middle of nowhere with a man who wants to harm them. But Sam doesn’t know how to get them out. First, they were trapped, then separated and now they are alone. Can either of them get out alive?

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A visit to the castle isn't dull when Rita has changed into her Rescuer outfit - she scares off the castle ghost, jousts in a tournament and defeats three knights in a swordfight. Join in the hilarious adventures of Rita who dons her special cloak and boots and becomes Rita the Rescuer, strong, fast and fearless, and able to rescue her siblings and others from danger or disaster. These wonderfully funny stories are perfect for early readers with colour illustrations on every page.

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A gorilla doing a ballet! An Anteater who won't eat ants! An invisible dog! You'll find them all here along with a much bigger bunch of amazing animal poems, raps and rhymes featuring the blue-footed booby bird, the quagga and many more. This wonderful collection comes alive even more by combining comedy performance poet Neal Zetter's wacky words with Julian Mosedale's zany illustrations. You are guaranteed to laugh!

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Dog pals Dubbin and Todd are going on a walk before breakfast: Dubbin on his skateboard and Todd lagging behind on paws. Not only that but Todd is also carrying a huge bone which is attracting attention from another, not so nice dog. Can Dobbin, Todd and the bone get home safely? A wonderfully funny and beautifully illustrated picture book.

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In this vibrant bouncy new collection Debra focuses on poetry for younger children (Key stage 1 & 2). It’s a wonderful collection of reflective and soothing poems, poems for performance, rhyming poems, silly poems, puzzle poems and ‘carpet’ poems. Debra says: ‘Writing The Moon’s Gorgonzola has been a joy. I’m a great believer in poetry for (especially) younger children being accessible with language they can understand and topics they can relate to. I wanted the book to have a great sense of fun to light the poetry spark that is in all of us! It is a poetry book to be used in school and at home. I write about everyday life and the strange, funny, sometimes sad things that can happen in school and at home. However, it has come with its challenges and a feeling of responsibility to ‘get it right.’ Pitching the content and language at just the right level for each Year group was very important’.

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A novel of courage based on the experiences of John Harvey’s own father who served with the London Fire Brigade. 1940. Like most of his London contemporaries, 15 year-old Jack Riley is evacuated into the countryside to escape a city menaced by bombardment. But Jack manages to escape farm life and return to London where he joins his father, an auxiliary fireman with ‘Blue Watch’, and experiences the London Blitz at first hand as he works for the fire service as a bicycle messenger.

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