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Hilary McKay won the Guardian Children's Award with her first novel, The Exiles. Her subsequent work has achieved similar recognition - The Exiles at Home won the Smarties Prize and Saffy's Angel won the Whitbread and was selected for the inaugural Booked up list. Most recently, the acclaimed Binny for Short was longlisted for the 2014 Carnegie Medal.. A graduate of Botany and Zoology from St Andrews University, Hilary now writes full-time. She lives in Derbyshire with her family.
You can read her character Rose Casson's blog by clicking here - and Rose's tweets on the right hand side of this page.
Q & A with Hilary McKay
What is your earliest childhood memory?
Watching steam trains with my grandfather. He died before I was two years
old, so that is a very early memory.
If you could be any animal, what would it be and why?
Well, who could turn down the gift of flight? Or travel without luggage? Or a
life spent following the sun? Without doubt, I would be a swallow. I realise this
means a lifetime of eating flies, but I think it would be worth it.
What is your dream holiday destination?
I would start at the Sangre de Cristo mountains in New Mexico and travel South
through Central America, along the coast to Peru, then down through Chile
across to the Falklands and on to Antarctica, which I would circumnavigate.
Then I would travel North to New Zealand where I would spend a long time
warming up and then across to Australia. I would spend quite a long time in
Sydney and go up into the Blue Mountains (I might go sapphire hunting there)
and then to the Great Barrier Reef (of course).
That would be far enough for me.
What is your morning routine?
Alas, I do not have a morning routine.
If you could have one special talent, what would it be?
Singing, undoubtedly. That would make me the happiest. But I have a friend
whose talent is languages and I envy that one very much.
Likes: Millions of things! Books, cats, honey, letters from readers (hint, hint), real music, apples, swimming in cold water, chocolate coated ginger biscuits, trees.
Dislikes: Putting things away, litter, loud TV, hot rooms, being told what to think.
3 words that best descibe me: Untidy, happy, hopeful!
A Secret that not many people know: I am a VERY slow reader!
Winner of the Costa Children's Book Award 2018 | A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the Month January 2019 | One of our 2018 Books of the Year | Award winning Hilary McKay tells a captivating and deeply moving story of three young people growing up in the years before and during World War One. How their lives were totally changed by the War, how what really happened to the soldiers could never be talked about and how a girl like Clarry suddenly had opportunities because of the war are all touched on in a story that is also about universal adolescent relationships and the timeless concerns of being a teenager. Following their mother’s death at her birth, Clarry and her older brother Peter live a joyless life with their gloomy father. The pair live for their summer holidays in Cornwall with their grandparents which they share with their older cousin Rupert. Here, the trio are free to be themselves and to begin to break away from the constraints of family expectations. When war is declared Rupert enlists: his family is horrified and Clarry and Peter are left trying to work out where he might be, how they themselves should react to the war and, above all, whether Rupert is safe. Hilary McKay has a rare gift for novels about families and their interplay. Here, she weaves her story round one of the most powerful backdrops in history. And she does so with the lightest of touch which makes her history come alive.
Winner of the Costa Children's Book Award 2018 | A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the Month October 2018 |One of our 2018 Books of the Year | Award winning Hilary McKay tells a captivating and deeply moving story of three young people growing up in the years before and during World War One. How their lives were totally changed by the War, how what really happened to the soldiers could never be talked about and how a girl like Clarry suddenly had opportunities because of the war are all touched on in a story that is also about universal adolescent relationships and the timeless concerns of being a teenager. Following their mother’s death at her birth, Clarry and her older brother Peter live a joyless life with their gloomy father. The pair live for their summer holidays in Cornwall with their grandparents which they share with their older cousin Rupert. Here, the trio are free to be themselves and to begin to break away from the constraints of family expectations. When war is declared Rupert enlists: his family is horrified and Clarry and Peter are left trying to work out where he might be, how they themselves should react to the war and, above all, whether Rupert is safe. Hilary McKay has a rare gift for novels about families and their interplay. Here, she weaves her story round one of the most powerful backdrops in history. And she does so with the lightest of touch which makes her history come alive. The Costa Judges said: ‘Chime, resonance and sparkle – a truly great read.’
This is an absolutely stunning book. Not only is it an absolute treat visually but it's also a feast for the imagination for lovers of fairy tales and the ever elusive happy ever after. Hilary has brought her own unique touch to well known and loved fairy-tales. Fairy-tales that we know so well and yet with her refreshing, imaginative touch have been made new for us. The ten retellings including Rapunzel, Cinderella, Red Riding Hood , The Princess and the Pea, Rumpelstiltskin, The Pied Piper of Hamelin, The Swan Brothers. Hansel and Gretel, amongst others.This is a selection that lovers of fairy tales, old and young, will love to read again and again. Combined with beautiful illustrations by Sarah Gibb, this will be a collection to treasure. ~ Shelley Fallows - You can also find Shelley here.
Reading age 8, interest age 9+. A brilliantly fun whimsical comedy featuring Tom, Ellie and their cat who are whisked off to stay with the dreaded aunt, aka The Sticky Witch. Readers of 9+ with a slightly younger reading age will laugh their socks off at the humour in this touching tale. To view other titles we think are suitable for reluctant readers please click here. A Dyslexia Friendly title.
Interest Age 8+ Reading Age 7 In a nutshell: two children and their cat escape a sticky situation Hilary McKay’s name on a book’s cover is a guarantee that you are in for a treat and The Sticky Witch is a delight. A thoroughly modern fairy tale it features parents reckless almost to the point of calamity, a mean old witch, magic frogs, a clever cat and that age-old conundrum of what to wish for if you’re only given three wishes. Oh, and there’s a pond made of treacle too, ‘beautiful. And awful’. Funny, surprising, original, it unfolds as smoothly as treacle dripping off a spoon, but much much faster. Delicious! ~ Andrea Reece Particularly suitable for struggling, reluctant and dyslexic readers aged 8+ Barrington Stoke is the foremost publisher of dyslexia friendly books and those for reluctant readers. Here on Lovereading4kids we are constantly selecting new titles and refreshing our special dyslexia friendly category. Click here to view our current selection which is broken down by age range.
Longlisted for the Carnegie Medal 2014 A funny and endearing new story of friendship from Whitbread-winning author Hilary McKay.
A new chapter to the story of Sara Crewe has been cleverly crafted by Hilary McKay who picks up the threads at Miss Minchin’s after Sara has left and, in particular, the loneliness of Sara’s friend Ermengarde who is teased mercilessly by her peers. Ermengarde’s life is transformed by the attention of her Aunt Eliza but Ermengarde cannot rest until she has made her peace with Sara. She has to do everything she can to see Sara before she returns to India. A must for all readers who like Hilary McKay herself have asked, “What happened next?” ~ Julia Eccleshare If you would like a copy of Little Princess with a cover in the same style as the sequel Wishing for Tomorrow, then click here.
Hilary McKay has a brilliant ear for family dialogue as well as a shrewd understanding of the passions of adolescence and a wickedly sure touch about the complex ins and outs of sibling relationships. Permanent Rose is one of the large Casson family whose lives have been described in previous stories. When Indigo’s friend Tom goes back to the US, Permanent Rose is left moping for him and longing for his return. But, will he come back? All the rest of the family have worries of their own which make them too busy to care but Permanent Rose is on a mission and she won’t give up lightly. Be sure to check out Hilary Mckay's other titles.
Written in a light and witty style the ongoing sagas of the Casson family remain a must for that nearly teenage market and this one sees Caddy falling in love and getting married but not to the person everyone thinks. McKay’s ability to understand young people and to be able to write about their daily life – falling in love, going out, living as a family and keeping relationships – is second to none. Be sure to check out Hilary Mckay's other titles.
This is the 5th and final instalment about the Casson family which began with Saffy’s Angel. Forever Rose is both funny and touching. The author has a deft lightness of touch that teenagers all over will enjoy. Told over just one month in the lead up to new year’s eve it has all the hallmarks of a great read for teenagers and an antidote to all that is bad in our world today. Be sure to check out Hilary Mckay's other titles.
A new chapter to the story of Sara Crew has been cleverly crafted by Hilary McKay who picks up the threads at Miss Minchin’s after Sara has left and, in particular, the loneliness of Sara’s friend Ermengarde who is teased mercilessly by her peers. Ermengarde’s life is transformed by the attention of her Aunt Eliza but Ermengarde cannot rest until she has made her peace with Sara. She has to do everything she can to see Sara before she returns to India. A must for all readers who like Hilary McKay herself have asked, “What happened next?” ~ Julia Eccleshare If you would like a copy of Little Princess with a cover in the same style as the sequel Wishing for Tomorrow, then click here.
Funny and compelling with a thought-provoking ending that leaves the reader eager for more and of course there is more. This one stars Indigo, the only boy in the Casson family. Definitely a book to curl up with and enjoy in one single sitting.
Our March 2012 Guest Editor Sally Nicholls: "I've never written a fan letter to an author, but I came closest after finishing Saffy's Angel. I read it while I was first trying to be a writer myself, and I decided right there that I wanted to be an writer like Hilary McKay. I love how effortlessly funny her books are, how appealing her characters are, despite their flaws." The Lovereading comment: Saffy's Angel really deserves the top honours. This heavenly little book tells the story of Cadmium, Saffron, Indigo and Rose, siblings who are each as colourful as their exotic names suggest. Saffy's Angel is written with a simple, understated elegance that allows the reader access to the kind of family we would all, secretly, love to belong to. Each character is drawn with an enviable artistry coupled with, one suspects, a tongue-in the cheek that adds a sharp realistic air to a modern household with a heart of pure, old-fashioned gold. And it is these fabulous characters who lead the unfurling of the story, easing the reader through the pages with an irresistible wit and warmth that smartly avoids cosiness but nonetheless leaves a soothing rosy glow. Hilary’s real strength lies in her understanding of young people and her ability to evoke them very simply.
Winner of numerous prestigious book awards Hilary Mckay’s two humorous titles Amber Cat and Dog Friday will provide 7+ year olds with a really good fun read. In Dog Friday, things are not going well for Robin; new neighbours with a dog and a family of 4 children, there’s his rivalry at school with Dan and he’s attacked by a dog on the beach. Robin needs rescuing, but by who?
Winner of numerous prestigious book awards Hilary Mckay’s two humorous titles Amber Cat and Dog Friday will provide 7+ year olds with a really good fun read. In Amber Cat Robin, Dan and Sun Dance are off school with chicken pox but that doesn’t stop them trying to solve the riddle of the strange girl with an amber cat!
This is the 5th and final instalment about the Casson family which began with Saffy’s Angel. Forever Rose is both funny and touching. The author has a deft lightness of touch that teenagers all over will enjoy. Told over just one month in the lead up to new year’s eve it has all the hallmarks of a great read for teenagers and an antidote to all that is bad in our world today. Be sure to check out Hilary Mckay's other titles.
Best friends Charlie and Henry are busy planning the best sleep-over ever. They agree they’ll be no itching powder or super soakers. Instead, they’ll look for ghosts and have a midnight feast - but things don’t go according to plan. A funny adventure story, full of surprises ! Be sure to check out Hilary Mckay's other titles.
Written in a light and witty style the ongoing sagas of the Casson family remain a must for that nearly teenage market and this one sees Caddy falling in love and getting married but not to the person everyone thinks. McKay’s ability to understand young people and to be able to write about their daily life – falling in love, going out, living as a family and keeping relationships – is second to none. Be sure to check out Hilary Mckay's other titles.
From acclaimed author and Costa winner Hilary McKay comes The Time of Green Magic: a beautiful, spell-binding novel about family, magic, an old house and a mysterious visitor. . . Abi and her two step-brothers, Max and Louis, find that strange things happen when they are alone in their eerie, ivy-covered new house. Abi, reading alone, finds herself tumbling deep into books, while Louis summons a startling guest through his bedroom window. Even Max has started to see shapes in the shadows . . . Their busy parents see none of it - but Louis' secret visitor is growing too alarming to keep secret, and he finds he cannot manage without Max and Abi's help. Can they find out where the mysterious creature has come from - and how to get it back there?
From acclaimed author and Costa winner Hilary McKay comes The Time of Green Magic: a beautiful, spell-binding novel about new families, a magical old house and a mysterious cat . . . When Tom and Polly marry, blending their single parent families together, their children find it hard to relinquish their old lives. Max realizes his birth dad will never come home now, while Abi suddenly finds herself a middle child, expected to share far too much - especially with grubby little Louis. The family start over together, stretching their finances to the limit and renting an eerie, ivy-covered house, big enough for all of them. But when the children are alone there, strange things start to happen. Worried, Louis summons comfort from outdoors, and a startling guest arrives - is it a cat, or an owl, or something else? Abi reads alone, tumbling deep into books. Max loses his best friend and falls in love. Meanwhile, Louis' secret visitor is becoming much too real. And when Max and Abi too start to see the great spotted cat-thing that arrives in the night, it becomes a problem the three of them must find a way to solve - together. But where has the creature come from, and how will he get back?
From acclaimed author and Costa winner Hilary McKay comes The Time of Green Magic: a beautiful, spell-binding novel about a new families, a magical old house and a mysterious cat . . . When Tom and Polly marry, blending their single parent families together, their children find it hard to relinquish their old lives. Max realizes his birth dad will never come home now, while Abi suddenly finds herself a middle child, expected to share far too much - especially with grubby little Louis. The family start over together, stretching their finances to the limit and renting an eerie, ivy-covered house, big enough for all of them. But when the children are alone there, strange things start to happen. Worried, Louis summons comfort from outdoors, and a startling guest arrives - is it a cat, or an owl, or something else? Abi reads alone, tumbling deep into books. Max loses his best friend and falls in love. Meanwhile, Louis' secret visitor is becoming much too real. And when Max and Abi too start to see the great spotted cat-thing that arrives in the night, it becomes a problem the three of them must find a way to solve - together. But where has the creature come from, and how will he get back?
The Conroy sisters are back! In Hilary Mckay's second book in The Exiles series, The Exiles at Home, the four delightfully troublesome siblings manage to get themselves into yet more mischief. When Ruth Conroy decides to sponsor a child in Africa, she is unprepared for the monthly monetary commitment and is shocked by how difficult it is to find GBP10 a month . . . In desperation, she enlists the help of her sisters - but Phoebe, Naomi and Rachel are only too eager to think up eccentric fundraising schemes, including wholly undisciplined and unsuitable baby-sitters, an unhygienic catering service and a fraudulent street artist. Whatever the scheme, their hilarious projects never fail to cause chaos and mayhem.
The Exiles was the winner of the 1992 Guardian Children's Fiction Prize and is the first novel in Hilary McKay's wonderfully witty and warm The Exiles series. Ruth, Naomi, Rachel and Phoebe Conroy love reading and having fun more than anything else. So the sisters are horrified when they learn that their parents are sending them away to Cumbria for the summer, to stay with their fearsome grandmother: Big Grandma. Big Grandma is strict, makes them do chores and doesn't let them have any fun - but worst of all, she refuses to let the girls read any books. Determined to enjoy their summer, the sisters decide they aren't going to put up with their grandmother's tough regime, and in doing so they somehow manage to cause inordinate amounts of chaos . . . But as the girls search for alternatives to Big Grandma's way of life they slowly start to understand its appeal, just as she starts to understand them. Are the two generations more alike than they think?
Love is in the air . . . The Exiles in Love is the third and final book in the award-winning The Exiles series, with Hilary McKay's trademark wit and warmth. Ruth, Naomi, Rachel and Phoebe Conroy are all struggling to deal with the trials and tribulations of first love(s). Ruth develops a crush on the school bus driver, but finds herself conflicted when she also develops feelings for Mr. Rochester from Jane Eyre, the temporary English teacher (who Naomi is also smitten with) AND Alan Adair who works in the butcher's shop. Meanwhile, the younger two sisters have other things on their minds - Rachel is plotting to become May Queen at her school and Phoebe is in training to become an international spy. But when Big Grandma arranges for a French boy called Philippe to stay with the Conroy's, it's not long before all the girls fall head over heels for him as well . . .
Winner of the Costa Children's Book Award 2018 | A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the Month January 2019 | One of our 2018 Books of the Year | Award winning Hilary McKay tells a captivating and deeply moving story of three young people growing up in the years before and during World War One. How their lives were totally changed by the War, how what really happened to the soldiers could never be talked about and how a girl like Clarry suddenly had opportunities because of the war are all touched on in a story that is also about universal adolescent relationships and the timeless concerns of being a teenager. Following their mother’s death at her birth, Clarry and her older brother Peter live a joyless life with their gloomy father. The pair live for their summer holidays in Cornwall with their grandparents which they share with their older cousin Rupert. Here, the trio are free to be themselves and to begin to break away from the constraints of family expectations. When war is declared Rupert enlists: his family is horrified and Clarry and Peter are left trying to work out where he might be, how they themselves should react to the war and, above all, whether Rupert is safe. Hilary McKay has a rare gift for novels about families and their interplay. Here, she weaves her story round one of the most powerful backdrops in history. And she does so with the lightest of touch which makes her history come alive.
This book was originally published in hardback as Hilary McKay's Fairy Tales. Straw into Gold: Fairy Tales Re-Spun is a classic fairy tale collection to treasure. Featuring Hilary McKay's imaginative retellings of key favourites, this ten-story collection includes the much-loved tales of Rapunzel, Cinderella, the Princess and the Pea, Rumpelstiltskin, the Pied Piper of Hamelin, the Swan Brothers, Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, Red Riding Hood, the Twelve Dancing Princesses and Hansel and Gretel. This gorgeous gift book features black-and-white line and tone illustrations throughout from the talented Sarah Gibb.
Shortlisted for the Costa Children's Book Award 2018. Clarry and her older brother Peter live for their summers in Cornwall, staying with their grandparents and running free with their charismatic cousin, Rupert. But normal life resumes each September - boarding school for Peter and Rupert, and a boring life for Clarry at home with her absent father, as the shadow of a terrible war looms ever closer. When Rupert goes off to fight at the front, Clarry feels their skylark summers are finally slipping away from them. Can their family survive this fearful war? The Skylarks' War is a beautiful story following the loves and losses of a family growing up against the harsh backdrop of World War 1, from the award-winning Hilary McKay.
Winner of the Costa Children's Book Award 2018 | A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the Month October 2018 |One of our 2018 Books of the Year | Award winning Hilary McKay tells a captivating and deeply moving story of three young people growing up in the years before and during World War One. How their lives were totally changed by the War, how what really happened to the soldiers could never be talked about and how a girl like Clarry suddenly had opportunities because of the war are all touched on in a story that is also about universal adolescent relationships and the timeless concerns of being a teenager. Following their mother’s death at her birth, Clarry and her older brother Peter live a joyless life with their gloomy father. The pair live for their summer holidays in Cornwall with their grandparents which they share with their older cousin Rupert. Here, the trio are free to be themselves and to begin to break away from the constraints of family expectations. When war is declared Rupert enlists: his family is horrified and Clarry and Peter are left trying to work out where he might be, how they themselves should react to the war and, above all, whether Rupert is safe. Hilary McKay has a rare gift for novels about families and their interplay. Here, she weaves her story round one of the most powerful backdrops in history. And she does so with the lightest of touch which makes her history come alive. The Costa Judges said: ‘Chime, resonance and sparkle – a truly great read.’
Here is lovely Rapunzel, free from her tower, although perhaps not so free from her fears . . . The Tower and the Bird is an imaginative retelling of the classic fairy tale Rapunzel. Originally featured in Hilary McKay's Fairy Tales, this short story is sure to capture the imagination!From the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize-winning storyteller Hilary McKay and featuring black-and-white line and tone illustrations from the talented Sarah Gibb.
I asked myself lots of questions, like how could Snow White have left those seven kind dwarves? Perhaps she never quite did.Chickenpox and Crystal is an imaginative retelling of the classic fairy tale Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. Originally featured in Hilary McKay's Fairy Tales, this short story is sure to capture the imagination!From the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize-winning storyteller Hilary McKay and featuring black-and-white line and tone illustrations from the talented Sarah Gibb.
I asked myself lots of questions, like why did the Piper's son steal the pig? Over the Hills and Far Away is an imaginative retelling which weaves together two classic stories in the fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood and the nursery tale of Tom, Tom, the Piper's Son. Originally featured in Hilary McKay's Fairy Tales, this short story is sure to capture the imagination!From the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize-winning storyteller Hilary McKay and featuring black-and-white line and tone illustrations from the talented Sarah Gibb.
Here is brave, loyal Elsa, who wove the nettles in silence for seven long years.Sweet William by Rushlight is an imaginative retelling of the classic fairy tale 'The Swan Brothers'. Originally featured in Hilary McKay's Fairy Tales, this short story is sure to capture the imagination!From the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize-winning storyteller Hilary McKay and featuring black-and-white line and tone illustrations from the talented Sarah Gibb.
Rumpelstiltskin - all my life I have been troubled by the injustice with which he was treated . . . Straw into Gold is an imaginative retelling of the classic fairy tale Rumpelstiltskin. Originally featured in Hilary McKay's Fairy Tales, this short story is sure to capture the imagination!From the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize-winning storyteller Hilary McKay and featuring black-and-white line and tone illustrations from the talented Sarah Gibb.
Here are the twelve dancing princesses, who drove the Old King to distraction by wearing through their slippers every night. (Which sounds like something he could have made less fuss about, until you do the maths: well over four thousand pairs of slippers a year. Satin slippers too!)Things Were Different in Those Days is an imaginative retelling of the classic fairy tale The Twelve Dancing Princesses. Originally featured in Hilary McKay's Fairy Tales, this short story is sure to capture the imagination!From the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize-winning storyteller Hilary McKay and featuring black-and-white line and tone illustrations from the talented Sarah Gibb.
Here is Cinderella, who so much deserved her fairy godmother.The Rose Round the Palace is an imaginative retelling of the classic fairy tale Cinderella. Originally featured in Hilary McKay's Fairy Tales, this short story is sure to capture the imagination!From the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize-winning storyteller Hilary McKay and featuring black-and-white line and tone illustrations from the talented Sarah Gibb.
Often, I found things were not quite as they first seemed. Not all princesses are content to marry the prince, no matter how charming, or how carefully the queen arranges the peas. The Prince and the Problem is an imaginative retelling of the classic fairy tale The Princess and the Pea. Originally featured in Hilary McKay's Fairy Tales, this short story is sure to capture the imagination!From the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize-winning storyteller Hilary McKay and featuring black-and-white line and tone illustrations from the talented Sarah Gibb.
I asked myself lots of questions, like what did Hansel and Gretel say to their father when they finally made it home? What I Did in the Holidays . . . is an imaginative retelling of the classic fairy tale Hansel and Gretel. Originally featured in Hilary McKay's Fairy Tales, this short story is sure to capture the imagination!From the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize-winning storyteller Hilary McKay and featuring black-and-white line and tone illustrations from the talented Sarah Gibb.
I asked myself lots of questions, like what happened in Hamelin after the children vanished? The Fountain in the Market Square is an imaginative retelling of the classic fairy tale The Pied Piper of Hamelin. Originally featured in Hilary McKay's Fairy Tales, this short story is sure to capture the imagination!From the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize-winning storyteller Hilary McKay and featuring black-and-white line and tone illustrations from the talented Sarah Gibb.
This is an absolutely stunning book. Not only is it an absolute treat visually but it's also a feast for the imagination for lovers of fairy tales and the ever elusive happy ever after. Hilary has brought her own unique touch to well known and loved fairy-tales. Fairy-tales that we know so well and yet with her refreshing, imaginative touch have been made new for us. The ten retellings including Rapunzel, Cinderella, Red Riding Hood , The Princess and the Pea, Rumpelstiltskin, The Pied Piper of Hamelin, The Swan Brothers. Hansel and Gretel, amongst others.This is a selection that lovers of fairy tales, old and young, will love to read again and again. Combined with beautiful illustrations by Sarah Gibb, this will be a collection to treasure. ~ Shelley Fallows - You can also find Shelley here.
From the winner of the Costa Children's Book Award 2018. The third book in the heartwarming series about Binny and her family. Binny Cornwallis has lost something. Something that wasn't really hers in the first place. With her best enemy Gareth and her beloved dog Max she turns detective to track it down, but the Cornwallis family are anything but helpful. Little brother James and his friend Dill are having an adventure of their own and big sister Clem is acting very strangely. And on top of all this, Binny suspects their next-door neighbour may be a witch ... 'Hilary McKay's books are so good you want to climb inside the covers and live there.' - The Telegraph
When Max won't tidy his room, his witchy Aunt flies off on her broomstick in a temper. Now Max is left on his own with a dragon's egg to look after. But the egg is starting to hatch...Soon Max and his friend Timmy have got a lot on their plate! Particularly suitable for struggling, reluctant and dyslexic readers aged 8+
Reading age 8, interest age 9+. A brilliantly fun whimsical comedy featuring Tom, Ellie and their cat who are whisked off to stay with the dreaded aunt, aka The Sticky Witch. Readers of 9+ with a slightly younger reading age will laugh their socks off at the humour in this touching tale. To view other titles we think are suitable for reluctant readers please click here. A Dyslexia Friendly title.
The third book in the heartwarming series about Binny and her family. Binny Cornwallis has lost something. Something that wasn't really hers in the first place. With her best enemy Gareth and her beloved dog Max she turns detective to track it down, but the Cornwallis family are anything but helpful. Little brother James and his friend Dill are having an adventure of their own and big sister Clem is acting very strangely. And on top of all this, Binny suspects their next-door neighbour may be a witch ... 'Hilary McKay's books are so good you want to climb inside the covers and live there.' - The Telegraph
A funny and charming new story from bestseller Hilary McKay, perfect for children learning to read. Tilly never has time to tidy her messy bedroom because she is always too busy helping other people. So when she leaves home to visit her far-flung relatives, how will her family cope without her? The Reading Ladder series helps children to enjoy learning to read. It features well-loved authors, classic characters and favourite topics, so that children will find something to excite and engage them in every title they pick up. It's the first step towards a lasting love of reading. Level 3 Reading Ladder titles are perfect for fluent readers who are beginning to read exciting, challenging stories independently. * Varied sentences * Detailed illustrations to enjoy * Chapters * Interesting characters and themes * A rich range of vocabulary * More complex storylines to stretch confident readers All Reading Ladder titles are developed with a leading literacy consultant, making them perfect for use in schools and for parents keen to support their children's reading. Book band: Gold.
A wonderfully warm story about the irrepressible Tilly, perfect for children learning to read, from bestselling author Hilary McKay Tilly's little brother Timmy used to be as good as gold. But now he makes all sorts of chaos during the night and won't go to sleep. It's the fault of his imaginary friend, Naughty Morgan. He's the boss around here now. Can Tilly find out how to tame Morgan before her parents are forced to sell Timmy on Ebay? The Reading Ladder series helps children to enjoy learning to read. It features well-loved authors, classic characters and favourite topics, so that children will find something to excite and engage them in every title they pick up. It's the first step towards a lasting love of reading. Level 3 Reading Ladder titles are perfect for fluent readers who are beginning to read exciting, challenging stories independently. * Varied sentences * Detailed illustrations to enjoy * Chapters * Interesting characters and themes * A rich range of vocabulary * More complex storylines to stretch confident readers All Reading Ladder titles are developed with a leading literacy consultant, making them perfect for use in schools and for parents keen to support their children's reading. Book band: Gold.
From the winner of the Costa Children's Book Award 2018. With her awful secondhand uniform and stuck-up classmates, Binny's new school is horrible. And life gets even worse when a storm damages the roof of her house, forcing Binny and her family to move to the countryside whilst it's being fixed. Binny, her sensible older sister Clem and her rambunctious brother James (and his chickens) begin adjusting to life in the country. Then one of James's beloved chickens vanishes and Binny finds strange footprints in the mud. What kind of creature is lurking in the undergrowth?
With her awful secondhand uniform and stuck-up classmates, Binny's new school is horrible. And life gets even worse when a storm damages the roof of her house, forcing Binny and her family to move to the countryside whilst it's being fixed. Binny, her sensible older sister Clem, and her rambunctious brother James (and his chickens) begin adjusting to life in the country. Then one of James's beloved chickens vanishes and Binny finds strange footprints in the mud. What kind of creature is lurking in the undergrowth?
From the winner of the Costa Children's Book Award 2018. Binny's life has been difficult since her father died and her dreadful old Aunt Violet disposed of her beloved dog, Max. Her world changed then, to a city flat with not enough space for her Mum, her big sister Clem and her small brother James. Definitely no room for a pet. Then one day Aunt Violet dies, leaving a small cottage in Cornwall to Binny and her family. Binny finds herself in a new world once more, full of sunshine and freedom and Gareth, the enemy-next-door and the ideal companion for dangerous dares. But Max is still lost in the past, and it seems impossible that she'll ever find him again...
When Lulu's next-door neighbor doesn't seem to be looking after his rabbit properly, Lulu and her cousin Mellie devise a scheme to make him pay more attention to his pet.
From the winner of the Costa Children's Book Award 2018. Meet Saffy, Indigo, Rose and Caddy Casson. This colourful and hilarious series will make you wish you were part of the family! Best friends, boyfriends, problem parents, pink hair. Brothers, sisters, fireworks and unexpected babies. Welcome to Caddy's World. Travel back to when Caddy was a young girl and Rose had not been born, in this moving and comical prequel to the award-winning Saffy's Angel. 'Full of warmth, vitality and irrepressible good humour' Guardian Saffy's Angel won the Whitbread Children's Book Award, and book 3, Permanent Rose, was shortlisted for the same award, celebrating McKay's talent for conveying the anarchic bedlam of family life.
Longlisted for the Carnegie Medal 2014 A funny and endearing new story of friendship from Whitbread-winning author Hilary McKay.
Follow the life of Pip, a poor lonely orphan in Victorian England. Everything changes when he becomes friends with the wealthy Estella. But can Pip leave his past behind? Written to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Charles Dickens' birth, this inspired retelling is written by Whitbread award-winning author Hilary McKay. * Emerald/Band 15 books provide a widening range of genres including science fiction and biography, prompting more ways to respond to texts. * Text type: A retelling of a story by a significant author * Curriculum links: History; Citizenship * This book has been quizzed for Accelerated Reader.
It's Christmas, and the inhabitants of Porridge Hall are suffering from the winter blues. The weather is horrible, Mrs Robinson's ill, and, to top it all off, the Brogan's dog, Old Blanket, dies. So when the children hear the tale of a dolphin sword which brings good fortune, they're determined to track it down . . .Unfortunately, however, Mrs Robinson is in decline, so Ant and Perry are shipped off to stay with Aunt Mabel, while Beany and Sun Dance are left with Mrs Brogan. Aunt Mabel, it transpires, is a silver-haired eccentric living in a menagerie - and not at all what the children expect. Then Sun Dance discovers a burglar, and the mystery of Aunt Mabel is revealed . . .
Hilary McKay revisits the Casson family, but this time with a difference ... Go back in time ... Caddy is 12, grappling with school, best friends, first boyfriends, younger siblings and the unexpected arrival of one baby Permanent Rose who has arrived in the world a little sooner than expected. While baby Rose lies in critical condition in hospital, life goes on in the unpredictable, colourful Casson household ...
This is a wonderful new character from an award-winning author. Lulu loves animals. She can't understand people who don't like them - people like her teacher, Mrs Holiday. When Lulu tries to help Mrs Holiday to find her perfect pet, she is banned from bringing an animal to school ever again! Then Lulu rescues an abandoned duck egg. She's going to have to take it to school to keep it safe. She's not really breaking the rules because it's just an egg. Nothing bad can happen, can it?
A new chapter to the story of Sara Crewe has been cleverly crafted by Hilary McKay who picks up the threads at Miss Minchin’s after Sara has left and, in particular, the loneliness of Sara’s friend Ermengarde who is teased mercilessly by her peers. Ermengarde’s life is transformed by the attention of her Aunt Eliza but Ermengarde cannot rest until she has made her peace with Sara. She has to do everything she can to see Sara before she returns to India. A must for all readers who like Hilary McKay herself have asked, “What happened next?” ~ Julia Eccleshare If you would like a copy of Little Princess with a cover in the same style as the sequel Wishing for Tomorrow, then click here.
Tom and Ellie are staying with terrible witchy Aunt Tab, in her sticky house with its sinister treacle pond. Can Tom and Ellie escape...or are they stuck? Barrington Stoke specialise in books for reluctant, struggling and dyslexic readers.
A new chapter to the story of Sara Crew has been cleverly crafted by Hilary McKay who picks up the threads at Miss Minchin’s after Sara has left and, in particular, the loneliness of Sara’s friend Ermengarde who is teased mercilessly by her peers. Ermengarde’s life is transformed by the attention of her Aunt Eliza but Ermengarde cannot rest until she has made her peace with Sara. She has to do everything she can to see Sara before she returns to India. A must for all readers who like Hilary McKay herself have asked, “What happened next?” ~ Julia Eccleshare If you would like a copy of Little Princess with a cover in the same style as the sequel Wishing for Tomorrow, then click here.
Winner of numerous prestigious book awards Hilary Mckay’s two humorous titles Amber Cat and Dog Friday will provide 7+ year olds with a really good fun read. In Dog Friday, things are not going well for Robin; new neighbours with a dog and a family of 4 children, there’s his rivalry at school with Dan and he’s attacked by a dog on the beach. Robin needs rescuing, but by who?
Peace and quiet is hard to find in Paradise House. So when Nathan escapes to the cupboard under the stairs, little does he expect to find the clue to some buried treasure. What could he possibly unearth in the garden of Paradise House? Except the odd snail...
Charlie has four wobbly teeth. He can hardly wait to put them under his pillow for the tooth fairy. If only there was a way to make them fall out faster. This is the seventh book in this hilarious series, which also includes: Charlie and the Cat Flap , Charlie and the Great Escape , Charlie and the Big Snow , Charlie and the Rocket Boy , Charlie and the Cheese and Onion Crisps and Charlie and the Haunted Tent .
Feisty Rose takes center stage as the highly original Casson family faces a long, hot summer. As usual, things are a bit chaotic. Eldest daughter Caddy is now engaged to darling Michael, and she's not altogether sure she likes it. Saffy and Sarah are on a mission to find Saffy's biological father (while cultivating hearts of stone). Indigo is cautiously beginning a friendship with a reformed bully, who desperately wants to feel like part of the Casson family. Rose, while missing Tom (who none of them have heard from) dreadfully, enters into a life of petty crime, shoplifting small items until her misadventures nearly bring disaster. Through it all, Rose's single-minded determination to find Tom remains as fierce as it is hopeless. Or is it? Hilary McKay has painted the fond mayhem of this delightful family with such humor, warmth, and authenticity that readers will fall in love with them all over again. Once you've visited the Casson household, you may never want to leave.
It's back to school for the start of a new term. Indigo's returning after a bout of glandular fever and is dreading it. Rose is worrying about Indigo--and her new glasses. Saffy is busy dictating Rose's homework answers, while Caddy agonizes over ways to dump her current boyfriend. And their mother, Eve, is busy trying to dry her latest painting with a hairdryer.Some things never change. But this term Tom has joined Indigo's class. And that will make all the difference . . .
Saffron's two sisters, Cadmium and Rose, and her brother Indigo were all named from a color chart by their mother Eve, a fine-arts painter. When Saffron, known as Saffy, discovers that her name is not on the chart, it soon leads to another discovery. She has been adopted.Life in the Banana House, as their home is called, is never dull. Caddy, the eldest, is taking driving lessons from an instructor who happens to be a very attractive young man. Indigo dreams up ways, sometimes quite dangerous, to conquer fear. Rose, the youngest, has learned how to get her own way without upsetting the other. As for Saffy, all she remembers from when she was very small is a stone angel in a garden in Italy. With the help of a newfound friend, Saffy sets out on an adventurous and sometimes hilarious search for her angel.
Charlie's big brother Max isn't scared of anything...Except Aunt Emma's spooky house. At last it's Charlie's chance to be the hero. Those ghosts had better watch out!
Peter is the boring one. His family is dull, he never has exciting adventures. Even his ghost is hardly scary at all...This is a laugh-out-loud comedy starring the Quiet One (for once!). Barrington Stoke specialises in books for reluctant, struggling and dyslexic readers.
This is the 5th and final instalment about the Casson family which began with Saffy’s Angel. Forever Rose is both funny and touching. The author has a deft lightness of touch that teenagers all over will enjoy. Told over just one month in the lead up to new year’s eve it has all the hallmarks of a great read for teenagers and an antidote to all that is bad in our world today. Be sure to check out Hilary Mckay's other titles.
It's the Casson Family finale, and Permanent Rose takes centre stage. It's tough being the youngest - Rose is lonely. Her family are always busy doing their own things so Rose comes home to a dark, quiet, empty house every day. Saffy is off with Sarah, Indigo has his paper round and guitar lessons, Eve's in quarantine in the shed, Bill's not much use in London, and who knows where Caddy is since she disappeared with Michael's postcards! The only one around is David and Rose would rather be alone than be with him! At least Rose still has her friends at school: the brilliant Kiran and the nice but boring Molly. But school is no longer a peaceful place where Rose can daydream. Mean Mr Spencer is always shouting about SATs. And now hes cancelled Christmas! But one thing Mr Spencer cant cancel is the Christmas School Trip which means Rose can help Molly with her ONE BIG IDEA ...but what could that be? Will it be a very merry Christmas for Class 6 and the Casson family?
There's a new boy in Charlie's class. Zachary says his dad is away on a rocket, flying to a star, but Charlie knows better. Zachary is a liar, liar, pants on fire! ...Or is he?
Charlie's waited for snow his whole life - but now it's arrived, his mean mum and teacher won't let him play in it! Luckily, he has a plan to keep it safe...
This is the 5th and final instalment about the Casson family which began with Saffy’s Angel. Forever Rose is both funny and touching. The author has a deft lightness of touch that teenagers all over will enjoy. Told over just one month in the lead up to new year’s eve it has all the hallmarks of a great read for teenagers and an antidote to all that is bad in our world today. Be sure to check out Hilary Mckay's other titles.
Winner of the Guardian Children's Award and first in the highly acclaimed EXILES series. 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 . . .
The second novel in the much-loved Exiles series and winner of the Smarties Prize. When Ruth Conroy decides to sponsor a child in Africa, she is unprepared for the difficulties involved in finding GBP10 a month. So she enlists the help of her sisters - Phoebe, Naomi and Rachel - who are only too eager to dream up hare-brained fund-raising schemes . . . Undisciplined baby-sitters, unhygienic caterers or fraudulent pavement artists, their hilarious projects never fail to cause chaos and mayhem.
The four Conroy sisters find themselves falling prey to what Big Grandma calls the 'family failing'. Impracticably. Desperately. Unsuitably. And usually quite hopelessly! Ruth is the hardest hit, falling for the school bus driver, the temporary English teacher and the boy who works at the butcher shop simultaneously. Naomi shares her love for the English teacher, Rachel fancies French visitor Philippe and Phoebe is occupied spying on everybody else! And as always, all four girls seem unable to avoid hilarious situations . . .
Charlie's fed up of his family always picking on him - it's just not fair. So he's decided to run away ...all the way to Henry's house. That will show them! Now they'll be sorry! But there's a problem: life as a runaway means being horribly, impossibly quiet...
Written in a light and witty style the ongoing sagas of the Casson family remain a must for that nearly teenage market and this one sees Caddy falling in love and getting married but not to the person everyone thinks. McKay’s ability to understand young people and to be able to write about their daily life – falling in love, going out, living as a family and keeping relationships – is second to none. Be sure to check out Hilary Mckay's other titles.
Best friends Charlie and Henry are busy planning the best sleep-over ever. They agree they’ll be no itching powder or super soakers. Instead, they’ll look for ghosts and have a midnight feast - but things don’t go according to plan. A funny adventure story, full of surprises ! Be sure to check out Hilary Mckay's other titles.
It's Valentines Day and everything's changing in the Casson household. Indigo sets out to do something special to win over Sarah and ends up organising the Valentines Day disco and playing cupid. Saffy has a strange new boyfriend who teaches her all about the stars. Sarah falls very ill - when she can no longer laugh it off Saffy gets scared. And Caddy has fallen in love and is getting married ... but not to Michael. With a wedding to plan everything's a little crazier than usual in the Casson household. Especially as the only one who seems to be happy for Caddy is Bill. But it's Permanent Rose who's taking the news the hardest. She made a BIG promise to Michael - how is she going to keep it now?
Written in a light and witty style the ongoing sagas of the Casson family remain a must for that nearly teenage market and this one sees Caddy falling in love and getting married but not to the person everyone thinks. McKay’s ability to understand young people and to be able to write about their daily life – falling in love, going out, living as a family and keeping relationships – is second to none. Be sure to check out Hilary Mckay's other titles.
When Max leaves his room in a mess, his aunt flies off in a rage ...and on a broomstick! Max is left on his own, except for a dragon's egg about to hatch. Warm, magical and funny Barrington Stoke specialise in books for reluctant, struggling and dyslexic readers.
Tom and Emily live with wicked Aunty Bess, the worst aunt in the world. They don't have proper beds. The food is so bad, they like their school dinners. And they even have to cut her extra long toenails! Just as well Emily's good at swops! She swops their gran for a donkey - but can she swop their horrid home for a happy ending? This is a charming and funny story.
Hilary McKay has a brilliant ear for family dialogue as well as a shrewd understanding of the passions of adolescence and a wickedly sure touch about the complex ins and outs of sibling relationships. Permanent Rose is one of the large Casson family whose lives have been described in previous stories. When Indigo’s friend Tom goes back to the US, Permanent Rose is left moping for him and longing for his return. But, will he come back? All the rest of the family have worries of their own which make them too busy to care but Permanent Rose is on a mission and she won’t give up lightly. Be sure to check out Hilary Mckay's other titles.
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?
Funny and compelling with a thought-provoking ending that leaves the reader eager for more and of course there is more. This one stars Indigo, the only boy in the Casson family. Definitely a book to curl up with and enjoy in one single sitting.
Indigo's going back to school after a long bout of glandular fever. He's not looking forward to it, as he knows the bullies will be waiting for him. But he's determined to stand on his own two feet - so when Saffy and Sarah break up a fight in the boys' bathroom, he's furious. Until he meets Tom. Tom is over from the States for a term, staying with his gran while his family sort out their own problems back home. He loves music and joking and is unfazed by the bullies, slowly beginning to win the class round. He helps Indigo to challenge his fears, and in doing so is absorbed into the crazy Casson family and finds some answers of his own. Rose adores him and is determined to help him get the guitar he's been eyeing in the local music shop - but her attempts to help end in disaster, leaving only one way out: Daddy needs to come back from London to the home (and wife) he's been neglecting. Rose couldn't have an ulterior motive, could she?
Our March 2012 Guest Editor Sally Nicholls: "I've never written a fan letter to an author, but I came closest after finishing Saffy's Angel. I read it while I was first trying to be a writer myself, and I decided right there that I wanted to be an writer like Hilary McKay. I love how effortlessly funny her books are, how appealing her characters are, despite their flaws." The Lovereading comment: Saffy's Angel really deserves the top honours. This heavenly little book tells the story of Cadmium, Saffron, Indigo and Rose, siblings who are each as colourful as their exotic names suggest. Saffy's Angel is written with a simple, understated elegance that allows the reader access to the kind of family we would all, secretly, love to belong to. Each character is drawn with an enviable artistry coupled with, one suspects, a tongue-in the cheek that adds a sharp realistic air to a modern household with a heart of pure, old-fashioned gold. And it is these fabulous characters who lead the unfurling of the story, easing the reader through the pages with an irresistible wit and warmth that smartly avoids cosiness but nonetheless leaves a soothing rosy glow. Hilary’s real strength lies in her understanding of young people and her ability to evoke them very simply.
After Saffron Casson discovers that she's adopted, life is never quite the same again. Her artistic parents and doting siblings adore her, but Saffy wants a piece of her past. So when her grandfather bequests a stone angel to her, Saffy knows she has to find it. Realising that her childhood in Siena holds the key, she secretly stows away on a car trip to Siena, with her new friend, Sarah. Meanwhile, the rest of her family are engaged in their own wacky projects. Caddy, a hopeless student, is studying for her A Levels and desperately trying to pass her driving test. Indigo, the sole boy of the Casson family, is determined to rid himself of this fear of heights. And the youngest, Rose, a budding artist, has a knack for baiting her pompous dad, with entertaining results...
