Blessed Mary rewards Teresa's good deeds with a shining gold star. Later she punishes Teresa's unkind stepsisters, Isabel and Inez, with hideous horns and donkey's ears that they try to hide under heavy veils! But will Teresa outshine her stepsisters at the festival? Robert D. San Souci retells this popular folktale in a lilting narrative that includes all the magic of the beloved Cinderella story and traditional elements from Spanish tales. Luminous watercolors by Sergio Martinez accentuate the beauty and goodness that radiate from Little Gold Star.

A Selection of the Junior Library Guild

A Selection of Nest Literary Classics

When Rowan's parents divorce, her brother Luke turns 'cold and strange', and suddenly Rowan starts hearing voices. Is someone stalking her or is she going mad? London is caught in the grip of the coldest winter on record. The Thames freezes over and the streets are half-buried by snow. Rowan soon realises that Luke has been snared by the enemy; the voracious Hunters who want 'power over all', and finds that she is running for her life across the increasingly bizarre landscape of the frozen city. It takes a journey into the treacherous depths of Midwinter to save not only Luke, but all that she holds dear. "The old lady looked long into Rowan's eyes. In the green depths Rowan thought she could see faces amongst leaves, human-like, creature-like, deer running in the shadows of a great forest. "They are in for the kill, Rowan. Remember you have allies. But take care, for 'The Hunters' have many spies."

A positive and proactive book that helps you understand and cope with relationships.

There's two sides to every story. In Relationships, you will read two sides to the dilemmas, sticky situations or issues that children sometimes have to face when interacting with others. Encouraging you to put yourself in someone else's shoes to see why they have reacted in a certain way or said certain things, will help you to understand why different point of view arise in the first place and why your perspective might cloud your judgement or stop other seeing your point of view.

It will help you to find ways to positively and proactively resolve situations, deal with your emotions and maybe even change your mind. Relationships tackles situations including: parents not trusting you, sibling conflicts, stepfamilies, evolving friendships, peer pressure and frenemies.

The book includes top tips for dealing with your emotions and conflict resolution.

The A Problem Shared series looks at tricky situations and common problems from two sides. The books encourage the reader to not only speak out, but also to listen to what others have to say. Some of the core values of PSHE are empathy, mindfulness and engaging with debate and this series puts the reader firmly in the middle, allowing them to make up their own mind about the scenarios presented and to question their own initial assumptions or bias.

Perfect resources for students of PSHE at Key Stage 2 aged 9+, these books are also useful as opportunities for discussion topics in class or as role play situations.

Young children become confused and hurt when their parents constantly argue, then decide to divorce. This sensitively written book assures boys and girls that children are in no way responsible for their parents' inability to get along together. It lets kids know that although one parent chooses to move away from the home, both parents continue to love their little boy or girl. Both Mom and Dad will continue to spend happy times with them. Even very young children have concerns and anxieties, and Let's Talk About It! books are written and illustrated especially for them. Parents are advised to read these books aloud while their preschooler listens and looks at illustrations of the boys and girls in each story. Many children in early grades will be able to read the stories for themselves. Let's Talk About It! books encourage children to explore their feelings, and then to speak openly about things that trouble them.

Calvin is in foster care, and he wants to trust someone, anyone, but is afraid to open his heart. He has lived in a lot of houses, but he still hasn't found his home. When he moves in with Maggie, she shows him respect, offers him kindness, and makes him see things in himself that he's never noticed before. Maybe this isn't just another house, maybe this is a place Calvin can call home, for a while.

Eleven-year-old Pea and her wonderfully wacky family are back for their second adventure in this fabulously funny series. After securing herself a best friend and settling into London life, Pea is now contemplating her future and what exactly she should be when she grows up. Should she be a writer (like Mum)? An artist (like their crazy new au pair Klaudia)? A footballer? A pet therapist? Join Pea as she attempts to find out the answers - with hilarious results!

Fun, families and secrets in the latest story in this lovely series. Perfect for girls of 8 and above. Pea's family are separating for the summer holidays. Big sister, Clover, is off to Drama Camp, Mum is staying at home to finish her new book, and Pea and Tinkerbell are going camping. But things don't go quite to plan, and Pea finds her summer suddenly filled with Enid Blyton, castles, ghosts and mysteries . . .

Family; friendships; and fun, diverse, real-life situations and issues. The brand-new book by Susie Day, for girls growing up in a real, modern world . . . Billie Bright's family is pretty big for one that's got somebody missing. There's Billie who is a girl Billie and eleven and about to go to secondary school. Then there are her three big brothers and her Dad, who also runs the cafe under their flat. Life's loud but Billie likes it, even without her mum there any more. But with the new school comes having to make new friends and all kinds of other grown-up things to deal with. And at home it feels like all her brothers are keeping secrets from her. So when she decides to do a project on her mum, she has to do all the research herself and ends up finding out all kinds of things she doesn't expect to .

April knows she was abandoned in a rubbish bin as a newborn baby, fourteen years ago. Now she's happily settled with her foster mother, Marion - but there's a part of April that's desperate to know where she really came from, and who she really is. If only she could remember her real mother - or even find her . . . An engrossing, engaging and highly moving novel from the acclaimed bestseller Jacqueline Wilson.

A group of undocumented children with letters for names, are stuck living in a refugee camp, with stories to tell but no papers to prove them. As they try to forge a new family amongst themselves, they also long to keep memories of their old identities alive.

Will they be heard and believed? And what will happen to them if they aren't?

An astonishing piece of writing that will enchant and intrigue children; perfectly pitched at a 9+ readership.

Parental Alienation is also referred to as Hostile Aggressive Parenting and it is a form of legal child abuse. It occurs when one parent undertakes a deliberate campaign to turn the child against the other and undermine the child's love for that other parent. Child custody battles are often complicated with hostile aggressive parenting, false accusations and situations where one parent alienates or brainwashes a child against the other parent with no evidence of wrongdoing. Child custody laws do not prevent hostile aggressive parenting and the most devastating cases often result in the alienation of affection toward one parent. The number of cases is steadily increasing at an alarming rate. Does parental alienation affect you or someone you know or love? Half of all marriages end in divorce, most involving children. Approximately one third of children are born out of wedlock. Many of the parents of these children, will sometimes, act out in an unreasonable or irrational manner when dealing with their children and the other parent. Whether it is intentional or not, this causes inexcusable torment to the child by creating a constant tug-of-war between them and their parents. In an increasing number of parents, their behavior towards the opposite parent becomes so offensive that, over time, the relationship between the children and the opposite parent is eventually destroyed along with the general well-being of the child. This is the story of how one devoted mother struggled to prevent the parental alienation that occurred between her and her beloved daughter. Her own personal account will make you realize how easy it is to become a victim of parental alienation syndrome and the devastating, long-term effects it can leave behind on the people involved. Included at the end of this book, are some fascinating facts about Parental Alienation (PA) and Parental Alienation Syndrome (PAS) to help you discover how it may be affecting you or a loved one. Learn how to recognize the signs right from the start. Get informed and become aware. Let's all help put an end to this form of emotional abuse, known as Parental Alienation.

A young girl tries everything she can think of to keep her parents from getting a divorce, but with the help of her school counselor, she comes to realize that the divorce is not her fault.

I will never forget when my mom came into my room and told me that dad was moving out. I knew they had not been getting along but I never thought he would actually leave. What do I say to my friends?" "Every day I come home from school and get reminded that my parents are split up I become sick to my stomach. Sometimes I purposely plan things after school just so I don't have to come home and be reminded of it." Do you know teens with these questions? Are you left wondering how you can help them? Divorce changes families but it does not have to destroy them. The Big D offers hope and help to teens and their families. Their parents divorce does not have to define their future. Teens can learn how to process their feelings and hurts and find themselves emotionally healthier. The Big D is designed to lead teens through the journey of recovery and find hope in the midst of this tragedy. It is filled with many practical high energy activities and hands on tools to help teens process their feelings. The curriculum includes a Biblically based Leaders Guide and an interactive Student Workbook for each attendee. There is also an Activity Guide filled with additional topic related activities to keep your teens engaged. Whether they are currently in the chaos of their situation or it has been years and are living in a blended family, this program is guaranteed to change their lives. We need to reach teens now before they carry these hurts and confusion into their future relationships. It is time to STOP the cycle NOW. We pray you join us in this journey. This Activity Guide can be used alongside the Leaders Guide or as a additional tool when working with teens of divorce.

If you loved Jacqueline Wilson's Best Friends, here is another superb, thought-provoking novel for readers of 8+.
Em adores her funny, glamorous dad - who cares if he's not her real father? He's wonderful to her, and to her little brother and sister. True to form, at Christmas, Dad gives them fantastic presents, including a real emerald ring for his little Princess Em. Unfortunately, he's got another surprise in store - he's leaving them. Will Dad's well-meaning but chaotic attempts to keep seeing Em and the other children help the family come to terms with this new crisis? Or would they be better off with a clean break - just like Em's arm?

"From the Hardcover edition."

Is there really such a thing as a "good divorce"? Determined to uncover the truth, Elizabeth Marquardt--herself a child of divorce--conducted, with Professor Norval Glenn, a pioneering national study of children of divorce, surveying 1,500 young adults from both divorced and intact families between 2001 and 2003. In "Between Two Worlds," she weaves the findings of that study together with powerful, unsentimental stories of the childhoods of young people from divorced families.
The hard truth, she says, is that while divorce is sometimes necessary, even amicable divorces sow lasting inner conflict in the lives of children. When a family breaks in two, children who stay in touch with both parents must travel between two worlds, trying alone to reconcile their parents' often strikingly different beliefs, values, and ways of living. Authoritative, beautifully written, and alive with the voices of men and women whose lives were changed by divorce, Marquardt's book is essential reading for anyone who grew up "between two worlds."
"Makes a persuasive case against the culture of casual divorce."""--"Washington Post
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"A poignant narrative of her own experience . . . Marquardt says she and other young adults who grew up in the divorce explosion of the 1970s and 1980s are still dealing with wounds that they could never talk about with their parents."--"Chicago Tribune
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""Show a little maturity," he said, which I've doped out to mean: Pass all your courses, avoid detection in all crimes and misdemeanors, don't get pregnant."
Celine's father has left her with these instructions. She's not too worried about the last two, but she'll fail English unless she rewrites her "Catcher in the Rye" essay. And she keeps being interrupted, especially by Jake, the neighbor's boy, who's been dumped on her for the weekend.
An ALA Best Book for Young Adults
A "School Library Journal" Best Book of the Year
A "Booklist" Best Book of the '80s
A "Publishers Weekly "Best Children's Book of the Year

Thirteen-year-old wrestling fanatic Henry used to have a normal life. Now, his therapist wants him to keep a journal so he can express his feelings about what happened. Henry has moved with his dad to a new city, where nobody knows their name. He lives off a diet of pizza, whilst hiding from the comically overbearing neighbours and avoiding being an obvious target for bullies at his new school. But then he meets Farley and Alberta, social misfits who refuse to let him be alone. And bit by bit, the past begins to come out. Heartbreaking, surprising and laugh-out-loud funny, The Reluctant Journal of Henry K Larsen is about the things that remain after your life has fallen to pieces.

What happens when the very same system designed to protect children fails? That's exactly what is happening right now in the UK family courts in cases of Parental Alienation, a form of post-divorce abuse. Cafcass define Parental Alienation as 'when a child's resistance or hostility towards one parent is not justified and is the result of psychological manipulation by the other parent'; yet experts, therapists and social workers are not trained to assess or deal with cases involving Parental Alienation. I spent years making my case to judges, experts and lawyers, all of whom failed to agree on what was actually happening between my ex-wife, my kids and myself. At the time it seemed like I was constantly trying to prove a negative, to find a new direction to reach my kids, and while all were promising, all ended in expensive dead ends as my ex-wife pursued her agenda. If I had to sum up the experience of trying to prove Parental Alienation in the courts, I would describe it as being trapped in the backseat of a car while it crashes in slow motion. The system is not fit for purpose. The family courts are slow and busy, burdened by the backlog of cases. Once you do get a hearing, they are often set months away and even then, traditional safeguarding assessments fail to detect Parental Alienation. The longer the child is away from a parent, the harder it is to stop the alienation, and the longer the issue remains unaddressed, the risk of the children suffering mental health and behavioural problems increases. Alienated parents also often display signs of post-traumatic stress: paranoia, anxiety and in some cases are suicidal. It is my hope that this book will not only draw attention to the potential injustice in cases of Parental Alienation and the need for meaningful reform to prevent further irreparable damage, but that it will help a parent going through a family separation spot signs before it's too late. About the author: The author is a successful businessman, loving father and victim of parental alienation. The author has used a ghost writer to validate his story. The characters have been anonymised to both protect their privacy and lift the veil on the inner workings of the family court, which the author believes is in the public interest of protecting children from harm.

This series shines an informative light on the difficult realitiers faced in today's world and illuminates healthy ways for children to process and understand them. In today's world children live with separated parents. This title explores divorce and separation, examines what life can be like after a divorce, and discussses how to see the positives.

After finding an abandoned baby, 13-yr-old Amy sets out to find the mother. On her way home from school, 13-year-old Amy finds a newborn baby abandoned at the village bus stop. It's wrong, just like when Mum walked out on Amy and her sister ten years ago - so she tries to fix it, by finding the baby's mother. But as Amy searches, she uncovers another story, a secret even closer to home. A thought-provoking story exploring the complexities of family, friends and making difficult choices.

When Pea Llewellyn's dizzy but dazzling single mum becomes Marina Cove, author of the bestselling Mermaid Girls books, everything changes. It's time to leave their tiny flat in Tenby for a proper house in London, and a whole new life. Pea likes the red front door, and the attic bedroom all to herself. She even likes her hideous new school uniform, in a masochistic Malory Towers sort of way. But there's an empty chair beside her in every lesson, and no one seems to want to fill it. In the absence of volunteers, Pea is going to have to acquire herself a best friend . . . Meet Pea, the girl with a head full of dreams, in this funny and entertaining story where she decides what she wants to be.

A heart-warming, funny and fast-moving story set in 1930s America - past winner of the highly prestigious Newbery Medal.

Bud is on a journey. He has hit the road with one idea in mind - he wants to discover his father. He's not got a lot to go on - just a flyer for a jazz band and his very own Rules and Things for Having a Funner Life and Making a Better Liar Out of Yourself. Despite encounters with a car-driving vampire, a monster-infested woodshed and even a real live girl, Bud presses on towards a surprising discovery ...