"Long ago, when giants lived in Scotland and Ireland, they stood so tall they could see clearly across the wide water between the two lands." One day, Irish giant Finn McCool spots Scottish giant Benandonner across the sea and they immediately begin arguing about who is the best giant of all. Despite the wise advice of Finn's wife Oona, they decide the only way to settle their feud is to fight. But to meet, the daft and boastful giants must first build a causeway across the water... Inspired by Celtic folklore, best-selling Scottish children's author and storyteller Lari Don weaves a tall tale of rivalry and foolishness that recounts the origins of Northern Ireland's world-famous Giant's Causeway and its connection to Scotland's Isle of Staffa. Emilie Gill's light-hearted, characterful illustrations of the legendary giants will captivate young children.

"Every loch in Scotland, however beautiful, has its cold, dark depths. And every loch in Scotland has its kelpie. But it's easy to forget those dangers on a sunny afternoon..." Flora is playing with her brothers and sisters by the loch when she notices a stunning white horse. While her siblings clamour for a chance to ride the beautiful animal, Flora is worried. Where has this strange horse come from? Why are its hoof prints wet? Too late Flora realises this is no horse! It's a kelpie: a shape-shifting water horse from Scottish folklore known to steal children. Can Flora reveal the secret of the kelpie in time to save her family? The kelpie, once a lesser-known creature of Scottish mythology, is now enjoying legendary status as Andy Scott's magnificent Kelpies statues have become a world-famous tourist attraction. The classic tale of the kelpie is wonderfully retold for 4-7 year olds in this gripping adaptation by renowned Scottish children's author and storyteller Lari Don, with breathtaking illustrations by artist Philip Longson.

Ishbel and Kenneth need to save their family from going hungry, so when they remember the old local tale about treasure under Urquhart Castle, they set off across Loch Ness in a rowing boat. But the loch may be hiding its own secrets. There's another ancient story about a giant monster living in the depths... Legends of the Loch Ness Monster abound, but this new tale from renowned Scottish children's author and storyteller Lari Don sidesteps the modern Nessie to create a new Loch Ness Monster myth inspired by local folklore. A perfect companion to bestselling picture book The Secret of the Kelpie, also by Lari Don, this timeless tale of Scotland's most famous creature, atmospherically brought to life by Natasa Ilincic's stunning illustrations, is destined to become the classic Loch Ness Monster story.

Once upon a time in Scotland, a young prince had lost his smile. It seemed nothing could raise a smile from Prince Donald, not the baker's treats or the bard's songs. The court magician tried to make a new magical beast for the prince, but it was so awkward he let it go. Hana, the magician's granddaughter, was still determined to help Donald. Using her grandfather's magic, she invented a majestic creature with the body of a horse and the horn of a gazelle, and called him 'a unicorn'. Hana and Donald playfully chase the unicorn through the forest, and it seems that this magical animal might hold the key to the prince's smile. But then they discover a darker beast, lurking in the trees. The unicorn, magical and strong, is Scotland's national animal and heraldic symbol. Renowned Scottish children's author and storyteller Lari Don weaves an enchanting tale, inspired by local folklore, about the origins of the unicorn. A perfect companion to bestselling picture book The Treasure of the Loch Ness Monster, this stunning and authentic tale is atmospherically brought to life by Nata a Ilincic's rich illustrations, and is destined to become a classic.

Meet the Vikings and enter their enchanting world full of warriors and battles, heroes and heroines, Berserkers, monsters and zombies, and of course, lots of magic. Illustrated throughout, these eleven amazing stories bring the Viking Sagas, tales they themselves told, to vivid life. A fantastic introduction to Viking mythology, these illustrated tales will have children captivated.

Winner of a Scottish Children's Book Award. When Yann the injured centaur clip clops into Helen's life she decides to help him even though she's not exactly a vet. But that's just the beginning ... Helen's first aid kit comes in very handy when she meets Yann's friends -- a gang of fabled beasts with a habit of getting into trouble. Together they must solve riddles, fight fauns and defeat the dangerous Master of the Maze before midwinter and the end of the world. First Aid for Fairies and other Fabled Beasts is the first book in the bestselling Fabled Beast Chronicles, an exciting four-book adventure series starring creatures from myth and legend.

A selection of brilliant folk tales about heroines from all around the world. In these stories it's the girls who save the day through their courage, cunning or kindness - whether they are facing up to wolves, demons, dragons, enemy tribes, or the sun itself! Handsome princes need not apply - these girls are doing it for themselves. With stories from every corner of the world (from Cameroon to Scotland, India, Japan and the Americas) this inclusive anthology of girl power is stunningly illustrated in paper-cut style.

Molly Drummond is cursed: whenever a dog barks, she turns into a hare -- which can make life quite dangerous... So she does the sensible thing and attends a curse-lifting workshop, run by a local witch. She tumbles into a world of magical beings, all desperate to reverse their curses. But will the power that feeds on the curses prevent them from returning to their normal lives? By the author of the bestselling Fabled Beasts Chronicles series, this is the dramatic first installment in the brand new, long-awaited Spellchasers trilogy. Lari Don has once again created a world of brilliant magic, dark danger and extraordinary friendship which will enchant children of upper primary age.

A brilliant, inclusive collection of traditional tales from around the world featuring amazing women and girls. Once upon a time, there was a handsome prince who - no, that's not right! Once upon a time, there were strong, fierce women who plotted, schemed, took action, showed kindness, used magic and trickery, and made their own destiny. From the long-haired Petrosinella who escaped the tower and broke the spell that the ogress had cast over her and Nana Miriam who beat a hippo using politeness and magic, to Kate Crackernuts who tried to save her stepsister from her mother's curse, these are stories of girls doing it for themselves! With stories drawn from all over the world, including China, Scotland, Armenia, Italy and Nigeria, Lari Don presents heroine stories that don't leave girls sitting around waiting to be saved by the handsome prince.

One sunny morning the triplets disappear, leaving only a few mysterious clues behind: an open upstairs window, three missing rocking horses and some strangely shaped marks on the lawn outside. Could they be hoofprints? Used to their silly pranks, older sister Pearl sets out to find them. At the garden gate she encounters Thomas, the snooty grandson of a local earl, who warns her that the moors aren't safe today. But who is he to boss Pearl around? As she searches for the triplets and tries to outwit Thomas, Pearl's journey through the rugged Scottish hills unfolds into an incredible and perilous adventure. Pearl strives to outwit living, breathing rocking horses and several powerful land magicians, who turn the very rocks of the mountains against her. But can she trust the mysterious Thomas? And can she save her brother and sisters from the unknown fate that lies ahead? A tale of dark magic and destiny set in the 1920s Scottish Highlands.

As Helen practises her violin for a special Midsummer's Eve concert, her friends, the fabled beasts, prepare to go to war. Helen soon joins their perilous quest against the evil Faery Queen. She battles with brownies, wrangles with wolves and tries to trick faeries. But will it be enough to help her friends and save herself? Second book in the bestselling Fabled Beast Chronicles, an exciting four-book adventure series starring creatures from myth and legend.

Big Cat Phonics for Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised has been developed in collaboration with Wandle Learning Trust and Little Sutton Primary School. It comprises classroom resources to support the SSP programme and a range of phonic readers that together provide a consistent and highly effective approach to teaching phonics. Hazel, Cashew and Conker are squirrels who have hidden their nuts somewhere safe - but they can't remember where! Will they ever find them again? This fun story was written by Lari Don. Pages 22 and 23 allow children to re-visit the content of the book, supporting comprehension skills, vocabulary development and recall. Reading notes within the book provide practical support for reading with children, including a list of all the sounds and words that the book will cover.

One of Helen's friends is dying, stabbed in the heart by the Master, and this life-threatening injury needs a magical remedy. Helen and her fabled-beast friends unite, with the help of the dragons, to find a magical token with the power to cure. But they only have until tomorrow night. On their quests through Scotland for the enchanted healing tokens, they battle with magical lizards, monstrous goats, and a vengeful giant. Fighting together, can they cure their friend and finally defeat the power-crazed Master of the Maze? Don't miss the heart-stopping climax to the bestselling Fabled Beast Chronicles.

Hazel, Cashew and Conker are squirrels who have hidden their nuts somewhere safe - but they can't remember where! Will they ever find them again? This fun story was written by Lari Don. Hazel, Cashew and Conker are squirrels who have hidden their nuts somewhere safe - but they can't remember where! Will they ever find them again? This fun story was written by Lari Don. Orange/Band 6 offers varied text and characters, with action sustained over several pages and reduced support from illustrations. A wider range of texts is included. The focus sounds in this book are:/ai/ a /j/ ge, g, dge /ch/ tch, t /ee/ e, y /w/ wh /c/ ch /s/ se /igh/ y, ie /l/ le /f/ ph /v/ ve /oo/ u /z/ se Pages 22 and 23 allow children to re-visit the content of the book, supporting comprehension skills, vocabulary development and recall. Reading notes within the book provide practical support for reading Big Cat Phonics for Letters and Sounds with children, including a list of all the sounds and words that the book will cover.

Build your child's reading confidence at home with books at the right level A classic tale of the Irish legend Finn McCaul, as he strives to fulfil a challenge to free his jailed uncle. The question is, is it even humanly possible?! Find out in this non-stop, funny story of perseverance, imagination - and a bit of speed, written by the Canongate Prize winner Lari Don. Copper/Band 12 books provide more complex plots and longer chapters that develop reading stamina. Text type: A retelling of a traditional tale Curriculum links: English: fairy stories, myths and legends Ideas for reading at the back of the book provide practical support and stimulating activities This book has been quizzed for Accelerated Reader.

'I killed a girl today, just after the school bell. I keep trying to tell myself I didn't really kill her. But she's dead. And it's my fault.' 14-year-old Ciaran Bain is a highly trained fighter and gifted criminal with a special talent: he knows what his victim is thinking. He works in a mafia-style family of gangsters, thieves and thugs who share his mind-reading talent. But Ciaran's skill comes with a crippling side effect, one that makes him disposable -- even to his own family. Then he meets Lucy, whose older sister has been killed, and they form an unlikely team. But on their perilous search across London and up to Edinburgh, on the run from Ciaran's dangerous family, can they ever trust each other? And where can they hide if they aren't even safe in their own minds? Award-winning author Lari Don skilfully weaves a fast-paced world of secrets, power and supernatural abilities in her first book for young teens.

Molly's curse is getting worse. The curse-breaking workshop hasn't exactly turned out how Molly and her friends had hoped. And now something is going wrong with the way curses work. The team need to find the Promise Keeper who controls all curses, but the Keeper is guarded by Atacama the sphinx and his riddle. The five friends set off on a quest that takes them past the misty giant grey men of the mountains, to spar with an ancient snake and battle terrifying Nuckelavee. Can they discover what's wrong with the Promise Keeper and stop the world of curses from spinning out of control? Magic, adventure and danger collide in the second dramatic book of this brilliant new fantasy adventure Spellchasers trilogy by award-winning author Lari Don.

A centaur, a selkie, a fairy and a phoenix -- Helen has unusual friends. And in this incredible quest, they face some even stranger opponents, from mermaids to angry killer whales. Helen must help Rona the selkie to win the most important contest of the ocean world, and stop the deep sea powers from going to war. But who is trying to sabotage the competition and why? Can Helen and the fabled beasts find the real villain, and prevent the most devastating storm the world has ever seen? The third thrilling instalment of the bestselling Fabled Beast Chronicles, an exciting four-book adventure series starring creatures from myth and legend, introduces new fabled beasts from the wild north of Scotland.

Molly's shape-shifting curse is getting stronger and more unpredictable. Becoming a hare she could cope with. At least she could run... fast. But now she's turning into the prey of any predator she hears. Life's pretty dangerous if you become a worm whenever you hear a bird tweet. As Molly and her friends search for a stone that can curb the Promise Keeper's powers, and each one of them must face their own monster, Molly is forced to choose: is she prepared to use dark magic to break her curse? Will she become a witch and enter into magical combat? And if she does, will she lose the friendships she most cares about? In this third and final thrilling instalment of the breathtaking Spellchasers trilogy the team faces a blizzard of powerful threats. Can they bring balance to the magical world, defeat the creatures that pursue them and finally break Molly's curse? Or will darkness triumph over friendship?

Janet is forbidden from visiting the woods near her father's castle because legend says that long ago a local boy called Tam Linn was stolen there by the fairy queen and never returned. But Janet isn't afraid of fairy stories... Deep in the woods, by a well, she meets a fairy knight -- the famous Tam Linn, forbidden to leave by the evil queen's spell. Janet decides to save him, but when the queen and her army appear, fairy magic turns Tam Linn into a whole host of Scottish creatures. Can Janet hold on long enough to rescue him? A sharp and intelligent retelling of the traditional Scottish fairy tale of Tam Linn, which originated in the Scottish Borders, adapted for a young audience. Award-winning author Lari Don's fresh take on this well-known story is perfectly complemented by artist Philip Longson's breathtaking illustrations. The Tale of Tam Linn is one of the first titles released in the new Picture Kelpies: Traditional Scottish Tales range of picture books that bring classic Scottish folk and fairy tales to life for young children.

Jessie is learning to be polite. When she says 'thank you' it sounds a bit like 'DA HOO'. When she says 'please' it sounds exactly like 'PEAS'. One tea-time, Jessie and her older brother Ben are left with a new babysitter. When asked what she'd like to drink, Jessie replies, 'Orange juice peas', and that's exactly what she gets! Followed by 'milk peas', 'water peas', and on it goes. Each time, Jessie fishes the peas out of her drink and cheeky Ben giggles, as the pile of peas on the table grows bigger and bigger... This is a hilarious story for young children, with a great sense of repetition. Lizzie Well's bright, expressive illustrations perfectly capture the humour and Jessie's increasing frustration at being misunderstood.

Catriona must write her name on all her thank you notes before she's allowed to play with her birthday presents. It's going to take forever! Unless... She puts her coloured pencils and a sprinkling of magical ingredients into a big pot. Then she says the magic word. But the pencils start writing on walls, scribbling on the table, and doodling on the fridge! Can Catriona stop the magical mayhem? This is a hilarious new picture book from Lari Don, author of The Big Bottom Hunt and Orange Juice Peas!, vibrantly illustrated by Claire Keay, about the consequences of taking shortcuts, and the power of the magic word.

Have you ever heard of the horse who had gold in his dung, or of the Fire Horse of Hiisi with his mane of gold and red flame and smouldering black hooves? What about the hippogriff, the centaurs and the wise colt? I bet you've heard rumours of a goddess disguised as a white horse and whisperings about the proud unicorns and the headless horseman who steals cattle. This is a collection of stories about warriors, monsters and heroes' horses and about the origins of horses and people. It is an anthology of stories where horses are magical and stories where horses are the villains. From Gambian, Persian, Australian and Ukrainian myths to Jewish, Indian and Navajo retellings, Lari Don presents horse stories from around the world, perfect for any horse lover. Book band: Dark Red Ideal for ages 10+

Ellie and Amina are best friends. But when Amina decides to start wearing the hijab, it attracts the attention of the bullies. Now Ellie's loyalties are being tested. Has Amina changed? Does it matter if best friends have different beliefs? Is she ready to stand up for Amina? A thought-provoking story about friendship, religion and modern life. Highly readable, exciting books that take the struggle out of reading, Wired encourages and supports reading practice by providing gripping, age-appropriate stories for struggling and reluctant readers or those with English as an additional language aged 11+, at a manageable length (64 pages) and reading level (8+). Produced in association with reading experts at CatchUp, a charity which aims to address underachievement caused by literacy and numeracy difficulties.

When young Masha gets lost in the woods, a friendly bear welcomes her into his home. . . only to insist she stay forever to keep his house tidy. Masha, however, has other plans. This illustrated chapter book retelling of an Russian folktale is available individually and as part of the Stories from around the World: 4 Tales of Persistence & Grit set.