A WINNING TICKET A STOLEN HORSE THE ADVENTURE OF A LIFETIME Orphaned Roo Thorn feels like the unluckiest girl in the world. Until she discovers a letter. A letter which urges her to 'Grab life by the wings and fly.' With the help of her aunt, Joni, Roo sets out to buy her dream horse - a fiery showjumper named Wonder Boy. Then Wonder vanishes without a trace. Determined to save him, Roo and Joni investigate his disappearance. But as the mystery deepens and more prize horses are stolen, the pair find themselves drawn into a thrilling - but dangerous - adventure . . . How far will they go, and what will they risk, to find Wonder? 'Exquisite!' Abi Elphinstone, author of Sky Song 'Superb storytelling.' Phil Earle, author of When the Sky Falls 'Full of heart and hope.' Judith Eagle author of The Accidental Stowaway 'Completely enthralling.' Piers Torday author of The Wild Before

A biography of a legendary singer and song-writer, written with his co-operation, this is the life behind the award-winning and bestselling albums of Steve Earle, rebel, rocker and Nashville legend. Steve Earle is the musicians' idol - "my hero" to Emmylou Harris - who has said of his life "If I'd known I was going to live this long I'd have taken better care of myself". He was taking heroin at 13, and by the age of 40 was mired in a seemingly permanent "vacation in the ghetto" as he described his life then. In and out of jail for a variety of offences, Earle seemed determined to make good on his boast that when the end of the world came (and it seemed pretty close at times) only he, Keith Richards and the cockroaches would be left standing. He has been married six times, twice to the same woman, and amazingly forgiven by almost all of the ex-wives. In moments of consciousness he has, through sheer musical ability, shared a stage with, among others, Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young, Sheryl Crow, the Pogues and Bob Dylan.

After a break-in at their London home, Kat Wolfe and her veterinary-surgeon mum decide it’s time to move to the country. Dr Wolfe’s new job in idyllic Bluebell Bay on Dorset’s Jurassic Coast comes with a condition: they have to adopt Tiny, a huge, near-wild Savannah, who resists Kat’s best attempts at cat whispering.

When she starts a pet-sitting agency to make pocket money, her troubles escalate. The owner of her first client, an Amazon parrot, vanishes from his fortified, gadget-filled mansion, leaving a half-packed suitcase and a mysterious parcel. The only person who shares Kat’s conviction that he’s the victim of foul play is Harper Lamb, the American daughter of a palaeontology professor. A language and coding whizz, Harper is laid up with two broken legs thanks to her racehorse, the ‘Pocket Rocket’ – Kat’s newest client. What starts out as mystery-solving holiday fun quickly turns deadly for Wolfe and Lamb. When all clues point to an army base, can they count on their unruly animal friends to save the day – and their lives?

Kat Wolfe Investigates is the first in a compelling middle-grade mystery series from bestselling author Lauren St John

A storm is coming. What will it take to survive? An exciting adventure set at sea, from the bestselling author of the Laura Marlin Mysteries and Kat Wolfe Investigates.

Twins Jess and Jude Carter live a dream life sailing from one exotic destination to the next with their guardian, Gabriel. But after Gabe vanishes and a storm smashes up their lives, they’re left penniless and alone. When a wealthy, glamorous family offer them a home, everybody tells them they’re the luckiest children in the world. But the Blakeneys’ stately mansion is full of secrets – secrets that seem entangled with the twins’ own fate. As they race to uncover the truth, Jess and Jude must confront their deepest fears.

How do you solve a mystery when that mystery is you?

Wave Riders from Lauren St John is an exciting and compelling middle-grade tale of sailing, family and identity.

Lauren St John's stunning Christmas classic is about forgotten children, the power of nature to heal us and a girl who will climb mountains in search for a place to call home.

Growing up in vibrant, crowded Nairobi, Makena has only one dream: to climb Mount Kenya like her hero, her mountain guide father. But when her beautiful world is shattered, she finds that in the city's dark places there are a thousand ways to fall, each more deadly than any crevasse. In a world of strangers, does she dare trust Snow, whose ballet dreams are haunted by a past she's still running from? And is the sparkling fox friend or foe?

After a fresh start in the Scottish Highlands turns bad, Makena flees to the mountains. But will they betray her or be the making of her?

The first book in the heart-warming White Giraffe series by Lauren St John, featuring the African adventures of Martine and her magical white giraffe. When tragedy strikes on a winter's night in England, Martine is sent to live with her grandmother on a game reserve in South Africa. Her wild, beautiful new home is riddled with secrets, but lonely Martine finds comfort in the legend of a white giraffe and in mysterious Grace, who believes Martine has a powerful gift. Defying her grandmother by entering the reserve alone, Martine is plunged into a world of danger, mystery and adventure. Who can she trust? And how far will she go to save the only friend she has ever known?

Join Kat Wolfe and her best friend Harper Lamb on the winter holiday of a lifetime in Kat Wolfe on Thin Ice - full of mystery, intrigue, snow and huskies! Kat and Harper can't wait to join their parents on a winter vacation in a mountain cabin in the US. But a series of misadventures result in them being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Alone. When Kat discovers that an argument she witnessed in New York City holds the key to a major crime, she's certain that it's only a matter of time until the culprits come looking for her. With a snow storm moving in and no way out, all that stands between the girls and disaster are a team of eight huskies and one impossible raccoon.

Eleven-year-old ace detective Laura Marlin is back for her next exciting adventure in the fifth mystery from award-winning author Lauren St John. After helping to capture Mr A, the notorious leader of the Straight A gang, Laura Marlin is looking forward to taking a break from mysteries and relaxing on her school trip to Australia. But then Mr A escapes from prison and suspicious accidents start happening around Laura. Laura is sure that Mr A is out to get revenge on her. But will she be able to convince her friends that the danger is real before one of the accidents becomes deadly?

Join brave Kat Wolfe and her animal sidekicks in this second mysterious adventure filled with friendship, freedom and a fierce wild cat!

When a landslide on the Jurassic Coast reveals a rare ‘dragon’ dinosaur, best friends Kat Wolfe and Harper Lamb are thrilled, especially when stars and scientists come flocking to sleepy Bluebell Bay.

But after they begin investigating a suspicious death, events spiral quickly out of control for detectives Wolfe and Lamb. Worse still, Kat’s wild cat is in trouble. Can they solve the mystery – and save the cat's life – before it’s too late?

Kat Wolfe Takes the Case is the second book in Lauren St. John's Wolfe & Lamb series, and is illustrated by Daniel Deamo.

A thriller set in the equestrian world about making the impossible possible, about reaching the top on a one dollar horse. Fifteen year old Casey Blue lives in East London's grimmest tower block and volunteers at a local riding school, but her dream is to win the world's greatest Three Day Event: the Badminton Horse Trials. When she rescues a starving, half-wild horse, she's convinced that the impossible can be made possible. But she has reckoned without the consequences of her father's criminal record, or the distraction of a boy with melty, dark eyes, with whom she refuses to fall in love. Casey learns the hard way that no matter how high you jump, or how fast you gallop, you can never outrun the past. A real life thriller that delves into the competitive and elite equestrian world from the 2011 BLUE PETER BOOK OF THE YEAR award-winning author.

The fourth instalment in Lauren St John's heartwarming White Giraffe series, in which Martine must travel to Namibia to save an elephant and the home she has come to love.It's the first day of the December school holidays and Martine has lots of fun planned for the next few weeks, not least spending time with Jemmy, her beloved white giraffe, and her best friend, Ben.But her plans for a peaceful holiday are soon shattered when a sinister man informs Martine and her grandmother that Sabuwona is about to be repossessed. The nature reserve, and everything in it, will no longer belong to them.

The fourth instalment in Lauren St John's heartwarming White Giraffe series, in which Martine must travel to Namibia to save an elephant and the home she has come to love. It's the first day of the December school holidays and Martine has lots of fun planned for the next few weeks, not least spending time with Jemmy, her beloved white giraffe, and her best friend, Ben. But her plans for a peaceful holiday are soon shattered when a sinister man informs Martine and her grandmother that Sabuwona is about to be repossessed. The nature reserve, and everything in it, will no longer belong to them. Martine is determined to save the home she's grown to love. When Grace has a vision about a unique herd of Namibian elephants, she knows she must travel to Namibia to learn their secrets. This could be the answer to all their troubles ... The fourth thrilling African adventure, written with all the zest and skill that has endeared so many readers to THE WHITE GIRAFFE, DOLPHIN SONG and THE LAST LEOPARD.

The second romantic thriller in the gripping One Dollar Horse series in which Casey and her horse Storm face the challenge of the Kentucky Three Day Event. From the prize-winning author of the BLUE PETER BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD, the second romantic thriller in the gripping One Dollar Horse equestrian series in which Casey and her horse Storm face the challenge of the Kentucky Three Day Event. When Casey Blue's victory at the Badminton Horse Trials earns her and Storm an invitation to the prestigious Kentucky Three Day Event, it is a dream come true. But that dream is about to turn into a nightmare. After her father is arrested for a crime Casey is convinced he didn't commit, she finds herself the victim of a vicious blackmailer. To make matters worse, Storm is behaving like the wild horse he once was. Faced with losing everything she loves, she needs the help of her farrier boyfriend, Peter, to win in Kentucky, one of the most challenging riding competitions there is. But is he for her or against her?

Winner of the 2011 Blue Peter Book of the Year Award, DEAD MAN'S COVE is the first book in a gripping adventure series about eleven-year-old ace detective, Laura Marlin, from award-winning author Lauren St John. When orphaned Laura Marlin moves from a children's home to live with her uncle in Cornwall, she longs for a life of excitement just like the characters in her favourite detective novels. A real life adventure is on hand as she is deposited at her uncle's spooky house . . . Why does her uncle, Calvin Redfern, forbid her to go to Dead Man's Cove? What's the truth about Tariq, the silent Indian boy who lives with the flamboyant Mukthars? Who is J? Who has left the message in a bottle for Laura to discover? Mysteries abound and who better to solve them than Laura Marlin, ace detective? Accompanied by her trusty companion, Skye, a three-legged husky, the dog she's always wanted, Laura's adventures begin in this first captivating mystery.

Winner of the Smarties Gold Medal. Shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal and the Whitbread Award. A joyous Amazon adventure set in the lush nature of Brazil, Eva Ibbotson's Journey to the River Sea is a modern classic loved by adults and children alike. Part of the Macmillan Collector's Library; a series of stunning, clothbound, pocket-sized classics with gold foiled edges and ribbon markers. These beautiful books make perfect gifts or a treat for any book lover. This edition features a foreword by author Lauren St John. Maia, an orphan, can't wait to reach her distant relatives a thousand miles up the Amazon. She imagines a loving family with whom she will share great adventures. Instead she finds two spiteful cousins who see the jungle as the enemy and refuse to go outdoors. But the wonders of the rainforest more than make up for the hideous twins and their parents. And when Maia meets a mysterious boy who lives alone on the wild river shores, she begins a spectacular journey to the heart of an extraordinary and beautiful new world.

Eleven-year-old ace detective Laura Marlin finds herself deep in the murky world of race-fixing, trickery and horse thieves in her third mystery adventure, from award-winning author Lauren St John. Laura Marlin's two greatest loves in life are detective novels and animals, so she is ecstatic when her uncle agrees to let her keep a horse after they rescue it, crazed with fear, from an overturned horsebox. But he has a condition. Before he will allow her to adopt it they have to find its former owner, just to ensure that it hasn't been stolen. A visit to Newmarket to investigate the thoroughbred's origins leads Laura to the Kentucky Derby in the US and deep into the murky world of race-fixing.

The second book in the heart-warming White Giraffe series by Lauren St John, featuring the African adventures of Martine and her magical white giraffe. A school trip to see dolphins is a dream come true for best friends Martine and Ben - until a storm strikes their cruise ship in the treacherous seas of Mozambique. Rescued by dolphins, they find themselves in an island paradise, but one surrounded by sharks and packed with peril. The idyllic turquoise waters hide a secret that threatens both the children and the dolphins. Martine's special gift might help, but she can't do it alone. When she needs a true friend, who will be there?

The third of Lauren St John's heartwarming White Giraffe series, in which Martine and Ben must save the world's rarest leopard. Martine is looking forward to the holidays and riding Jemmy, her white giraffe, until an accident sends her and Ben on a journey to the Matobo Hills wilderness in Zimbabwe. It is a lawless land, where nothing is as it seems. When they uncover a plot in which the fate of a magnificent leopard and the lost treasure of an African King are mysteriously linked, their friendship faces its greatest test. Far from home and the help of Grace and Tendai, and with Gwyn Thomas languishing, under false accusations, in jail, Martine and Ben must use every survival skill they possess. They'll come face to face with Griffin, Mercy, Mr Ratcliffe (known as Rat), Magnus the hornbill, and a witch doctor, not to mention Khan, the last leopard. They must decide who their friends and enemies really are as they race against time to save the world's rarest leopard and each other. This third African adventure is written with all the zest and skill that have endeared so many readers to THE WHITE GIRAFFE and DOLPHIN SONG.

The fifth African adventure in Lauren St John's bestselling THE WHITE GIRAFFE series. When Sawubona's white rhinos are attacked, the poachers leave behind a terrified calf. Devastated but determined to help, Martine and Ben agree to take the rhino baby to a sanctuary near the Golden Gate Highlands National Park. But the sanctuary is hiding a precious secret - one that must be guarded from the poachers at all costs. When the secret gets out, Martine and Ben find themselves in the fight of their lives to save one of the rarest animals on earth. But who can they trust? A magical and heartwarming adventure about saving endangered species.

2-in-1 edition of the first two stories in the BLUE PETER AWARD-winning mystery adventure series about11-year-old ace detective, Laura Marlin. BLUE PETER AWARD-winning DEAD MAN'S COVE is the first in a new detective adventure series from the author of the much-loved White Giraffe series. Orphaned Laura is sent to live with her uncle in Cornwall, convinced that a life of adventure is hers at last - and everywhere she turns she's confronted with mysteries. Is Tariq, the shopkeeper's silent son, a friend or an enemy? Why does her uncle seem intent on erasing his own past? And why is everyone so afraid of Dead Man's Cove? And in KIDNAP IN THE CARIBBEAN Laura Marlin has no idea that her dream holiday to the Caribbean might cost her and everyone she loves their lives, as they come face to face with pirates, a volcano and hungry sharks.

From Cornwall to the Caribbean, 11-year-old ace detective Laura Marlin comes face to face with pirates, sharks, criminal masterminds and an erupting volcano in her second mystery adventure, from award-winning author Lauren St John. Laura cannot contain her excitement when she wins a trip to the Caribbean for herself and her uncle, Calvin Redfern, especially when her best friend, Tariq, and her three-legged husky, Skye, accidentally find themselves on board too. But when they dock at Antigua, they discover that Calvin Redfern has vanished, and Laura and Tariq are about to be kidnapped by the fearsome Straight A gang. Dramatic escapes, an erupting volcano and a race against time to stop the deadly undercover 'Marine Concern' make Laura's second adventure every bit as exciting as the first.

When Laura Marlin finds a thoroughbred worth $75 million in the middle of the road, she quickly tracks down the horse's owners, the Wainrights. As a gesture of their gratitude, the Wainrights invite Laura, her uncle Calvin, her friend Tariq, and her dog Skye to Fleet Farm, their Kentucky ranch. Things on the idyllic Fleet Farm are not as they seem, however, and when strange events begin to occur, Laura resolves to unravel a mystery in which a significant amount of money is at stake and dangers lie around every corner. This latest pulse-pounding Laura Marlin novel will grip young readers.

Designed to appeal to the booklover, the Macmillan Collector’s Library is a series of beautiful gift editions of much loved classic titles. Macmillan Collector’s Library are books to love and treasure. This edition of Black Beauty features illustrations by Cecil Aldin and an afterword by author and conservationist Lauren St. John.

Black Beauty enjoys a carefree upbringing in a pleasant meadow with his mother, where his gentle first master trains him well – until he is reluctantly forced to sell him. Through a long and varied life, Black Beauty passes from one owner to the next; some treat him well, others are so cruel that they inflict lasting damage.

Anna Sewell’s biographical novel about a horse is one of the bestselling books of all time, and her depiction of Victorian society’s harsh treatment of animals inspired significant changes to animal welfare in both the UK and America.