CLEOPATRA - October 2007

At ten years old, Nefret becomes a handmaiden to Cleopatra, the last queen of Egypt. Nefret's diary gives a unique insight to the life of this most famous and powerful ruler; her brains and her beauty, music and merrymaking, her love for two great men, Julius Caesar and Mark Antony, and her determination to rule Egypt well.

Age 7-9 Years

Kingfisher Books

ISBN 9780753413593

Available from Amazon.co.uk

REVIEWS

"Geras is one of our best novelists for young people interested in the ancient world and her account of Cleopatra as seen by her 10 year old handmaiden, Nefret is touching and vivid." Amanda Craig. The Times

"Illustrated throughout in colour, the first person narrative is a pleasure to read." Kate Agnew. The Guardian.

"It's a very accessible read. Geras' writing style is highly engaging and will appeal particularly to girls." Sue Steel. The Bookseller. Bookseller's Choice.

CECILY'S PORTRAIT - April 2007

Part of the Historical House trilogy, published by Usborne and a sequel to Lizzie's Wish.

Cecily longs to learn the new art of photography and is determined that her widowed father will come to love it too, especially when she realises that her new friend and photographer, Rosalind, would be a perfect match for him. Will her dreams of uniting them ever come true?

Usborne Paperback.

Available from Amazon.co.uk

Reviews

"The characters are as immediate and appealing as Geras fans have come to expect." Jewish Chronicle.

"Set in Victorian London, this beautifully-crafted tale of hope and ambition is full of authentic historical detail." Creative Steps.

A CANDLE IN THE DARK - July 2005

The year is 1938 and the world is poised on the brink of war. Germany is a dangerous place for Jews. Clara and her little brother Maxi must leave behind everything they know and go to England to live with a family they have never met.

New edition, A & C Black, July 2005

Available from Amazon.co.uk

MY FIRST BALLET STORIES - Oct 2004

Illustrated by Emma Chichester Clark

Discover the magic of the ballet...

Meet the wicked fairy, Carabosse, as she takes her revenge on Princess Aurora...

Join Clara and her Nutcracker on their magical Christmas adventure...

And discover the secret of 'The Lake of the Swans'...

Perfect for budding ballerinas, these exquisite retellings capture the thrill and emoton of the great ballet stories, while a section at the back of the book details further fascinating facts about each ballet.

Contains Giselle, Coppélia, Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker and The Firebird.

Gullane Children's Books hardback.

Available in October 2004 from Amazon.co.uk

A selection of EMMA CHICHESTER CLARK's LOVELY illustrations for MY FIRST BALLET STORIES - click on each image for a larger version

[N.B. the full size images are quite large and may require a few moments to download, depending on the speed of your internet connection. They're worth the wait!]

LIZZIE'S WISH - Nov 2004

Part of the Historical House trilogy, along with Polly's March by Linda Newbery and Josie Under Fire by Ann Turnbull.

On a visit to London, Lizzie visits the newly opened Kew Gardens. Like her elder cousin, who wants to become a nurse, Lizzie has ambition and the will to go against the conventions of her Victorian peers. She wants to be a gardener and the first step towards her dream is to plant a walnut in the garden of No. 6 Chelsea Walk..

Usborne Paperback.

Available in November 2004 from Amazon.co.uk

OTHER ECHOES - Feb 2004

'When I think of the story I am about to tell, it seems that the bits and pieces floating about in my mind resemble the interlocking chips of wood in Slater's jigsaw...'

Flora is convalescing in her English boarding school's grey sanitorium. To while away the hours, she begins writing down the story of a time when she was much younger and living in the tropical paradise of Jesselton, North Borneo.

In doing so, she uncovers memories from years ago: of the place where brilliantly coloured flowers and exotic poisonous creatures were at first her main concern. But that was before she discovered the empty house on the hill, and learned the truth about the tragic wartime events that affected the whole community.

David Fickling Books hardback.

Available in February 2004 from Amazon.co.uk

APRICOTS AT MIDNIGHT - Oct 2003

Every piece of material in Aunt Pinny's wonderful quilt has a story to tell. When all the stories are put together they create an enchanting picture of a magical Edwardian childhood.

'Captivating and gracefully written' ~ Booklist [USA]

Barn Owl Books paperback.

Available from Amazon.co.uk

SLEEPING BEAUTY - Oct 2003

This is a new retelling of the well-known fairy tale. Christian Birmingham has produced a series of glorious paintings to illustrate the traditional story of Aurora, the curse of the malevolent fairy, Skura, and the kiss from Prince Florian which wakes the princess after a hundred years of sleep.

Scholastic Hardback.

Available from Amazon.co.uk

A selection of Christian Birmingham's wonderful illustrations for SLEEPING BEAUTY - click on each image for a larger version

They lived in a palace surrounded by gardens...

A christening at the palace...

She was already a fine horsewoman...

A chill hung in the air...

Within a few months the palace had vanished...

Years later Prince Florian was out hunting...

[N.B. the full size images are quite large and may require a few moments to download, depending on the speed of your internet connection. They're worth the wait!]

THE BALLET CLASS - Oct 2003

Tilly loves ballet and is very excited to be dancing in the display her class is putting on. Will her cat dance be a success?

A story for the youngest of ballerinas.

Orchard Books hardback.

Available from Amazon.co.uk

MY GRANDMOTHER'S STORIES - Oct 2003

This collection of Jewish folk tales, originally published in 1990, has been reissued in the USA with new full-colour illustrations by Anita Lobel. It has a strong autobiographical element. The author's real grandmother is the inspiration for the storyteller, and each tale begins in a room in her flat, which Adele Geras remembers vividly from her early childhood. This book won the Sydney Taylor Award in 1991.

Alfred A. Knopf hardback.

Available in October 2003 from Amazon.co.uk and September 2003 from Amazon.com

THE FABULOUS FANTORAS

THE FABULOUS FANTORA FILES

THE FABULOUS FANTORA PHOTOGRAPHS

Every member of the Fantora family is a little unusual and possesses a very special gift. Grandmother Filomena can predict the future; her son, Eddie, can grow anything; her daughter-in-law, Rosie, is a cook in a million who can also fly; while Auntie Varvara is a vegetarian vampire in search of Romance. The children, Bianca, Marco, and Francesca, also have strange powers which they use in a variety of ways, often with unexpected and hilarious results. All this is narrated in his own inimitable style by Ozymandias, the rather superior cat who lives with the family.

Re-issued OUP Paperbacks

The Fabulous Fantora Files - available from Amazon.co.uk

The Fabulous Fantora Photographs - available from Amazon.co.uk

GOODBYE, TOMMY BLUE

Spooky or funny, surprising or frightening, SHOCK SHOP is a collection of brand new novels by some of the greatest names in children's writing. Nell saw him the first time she walked nto the house. A boy, standing in the corner of her bedroom, looking rather lost. A ghost... Nell and her family have just moved house - and nothing seems to be settled. Nell can't even unpack her belongings because there's so much work to be done in her room. But someone else seems to feel right at home there. He's just a boy - a bit younger than her, dressed in very old-fashioned clothes. No one else seems to see him. But Nell knows he's there - and he's looking for something...

Macmillan Hardback

Available in February from Amazon.co.uk

REBECCA'S PASSOVER

Rebecca and her younger brother Josh help their grandmother prepare the meal for Passover Festival, and learn about the origins of this Jewish Spring festival.

Published by Frances Lincoln.

Available in February from Amazon.co.uk in hardback and softback

THE GIRLS IN THE VELVET FRAME

Five sisters living in Jerusalem in 1913 search for their brother who has moved to America to seek his fortune. The family has heard nothing since he left. The plan to find him involves a photograph...

Collins Modern Classic Paperback.

There is a UK abridged audio version, read by Maureen Lipman.

Available from Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com

THE LITTLE SWAN SERIES

Six books about Louisa ( Weezer) and her long-suffering sister, Annie. Weezer is passionate about ballet and the stories reflect this. Three books are told from Weezer's point of view and three from Annie's.

Titles are:

LITTLE SWAN - available from Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com
LOUISA'S SECRET - available from Amazon.co.uk
LOUISA IN THE WINGS - available from Amazon.co.uk
A RIVAL FOR LOUISA - available from Amazon.co.uk
LOUISA ON SCREEN - available from Amazon.co.uk
GOOD LUCK, LOUISA! - available from Amazon.co.uk

Red Fox Paperbacks

These books are published by Père Castor Flammarion in France.

A CANDLE IN THE DARK

Clara and her little brother Maxi are sent to England in 1938 on the Kindertransport from Germany. This is the story of what happens to them when they go to school in a small village.

A&C Black Paperback

Available from Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com

THE GINGERBREAD HOUSE

Midge, Toby and Michael find an unusual game to play during the summer holidays. Can it be true that every house in the street belongs to a character from a fairy tale? A spooky story.

Barrington Stoke Paperback

Available from Amazon.co.uk

WISHES FOR YOU

This is a picture book for the very youngest readers (and their parents) with beautiful full-colour illustrations by Cliff Wright.

Piccadilly Press Paperback

Available from Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com