Books with author Adrian Beckingham

WAR PIGEONS: 'WP & Me' is a story calling for peace told through the eyes of war children. Two London based teenage brothers try to sign up to join 'Kitchener's Army' in 1914. They are underage, but want to join 'the big adventure' and fight for England on The Western Front. Everyone knew the war would be over by Christmas. The older brother Tommy gets through, just one of 250,000 child soldiers who joined the British Army during World War I. Tommy's war letters to home depict the initial excitement then desperate fight for survival in the trenches. The younger brother, nicknamed Pigeon, is at first turned away by the army. Pigeon watches as London life begins to alter. Army trucks and marching soldiers often fill the streets, there are long queues for buying anything, even the games played in his schoolyard have been changed by the war. Deadly 'Taube' – dreaded German bombers – fill the skies. London becomes a very different place to the home he knew before. His family have somehow changed too. His Suffragette mother and younger sister become Canary Girls, while his dad must join the No-Conscription Fellowship to try to avoid the Draft. Tommy's seat at the kitchen table always stands empty.Pigeon goes on to train homing pigeons from a loft in his garden - but this is against war regulations. Will he be arrested as a spy? Pigeon finds himself travelling across submarine endangered waters to France, serving as another underage soldier. Can his carrier pigeons make a difference to the outcome of the war? Will Pigeon ever find his older brother Tommy, who has gone Missing In Action? Only by living through the reality of war, has Pigeon been able to understand the importance of peace. REVIEW: “This author really brought The Great War alive in a meaningful way. For example the truce in the trenches over Christmas 1914 has been an event so often described, but for me the passage in this novel was the most meaningful.” Maureen Street, President, South Somerset Mind.ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Adrian Beckingham, aka The Man from Story Mountain, is a storyteller, environmental activist and youth worker. He is most famed for enchanting audiences as a storyteller at every Glastonbury Festival since 1993. A previous national coordinator at Greenpeace Australia, Adrian's stories work relentlessly on the world stage to harness a strong awareness of self awareness, mutual respect and global peace. This is his fifth published book.

Learn all about Captain John Taylor and the biggest pirate raid in history in this swashbuckling read Here’s a true story that waited 300 years to be told. It’s the most exciting moment in pirate history, and yet this little book is the first to tell it! What do pirates love more than anything? That’s right—treasure! It was in the year 1721 that a pirate captain named John Taylor took the largest single prize ever on the high seas. He and his crew of mutineers took a bounty that would take 48,000 years to earn on a sailor’s wages. The diamonds were bound for the King of Portugal. He had used slaves in India to mine them. Now they belonged to Captain Taylor. Did he share them fairly with his men? Would you? Find out what really happened, and learn some surprising pirate facts in this fun book.

Charles was the best player in the boys’ football team. Charlotte was the best player in the girls’ side. But this season they’re both playing in the same mixed team. Is there room for two Champion Charlies on one side? And can they get past their rivalry to help form the greatest football team Jindaberg Primary has ever seen?With prankster teammates, a karaoke coach, dancing dads and an arch rival with an axe to grind, the Champion Charlies soon learn that achieving success is not going to be easy . . . but it sure will be fun!

The Jets have reached the Grand Final against their arch rivals, the Hammerheads. The build-up to the game is intense and a few of the Jets are starting to crack under the pressure. To make matters worse, CJ’s sworn enemy, Lenny ‘the gorilla’ Lincoln, is leading the attack for the Hammerheads.Charlotte’s the only one who can get the Jets back on track. But will her tactics be enough when they’re out on the field and faced with penalty shoot-out to decide the winner?

When the Jindaberg Jets are selected to play in the Knockout Cup it’s time to hit the road! This year, the cup is being hosted by the previous winners, Wombat Creek FC. The Jets can’t wait, but what should be a fun adventure soon turns into a full-blown camping and football disaster.The Wombat’s captain, Dirty Damo, has it in for CJ, and Charlotte’s not coping well with the lack of structure. The Jets’ are determined to make their mark on the field, but just how far will they go for a win?

The Jindaberg Jets season is well underway, but the Jets are still without a win and the team is out of sorts. Charles seems to have lost his ability to score goals – coincidentally, he’s also lost his special boots! Meanwhile, Benji is struggling with co-captain Charlotte’s super serious approach to training. The search for the missing boots begins, and in this case, everyone’s a suspect! Will the two champion Charlies be able solve this mystery AND find their winning form?

Stuff Happens is an important series for boys about everyday challenges. Created by Susannah McFarlane, the series editor, the series includes stories by authors Tony Wilson, Andrew Daddo, Philip Gwynne, Will Kostakis, Oliver Phommavanh, Scot Gardner, Pat Flynn, Alex McDiarmid, Justin D'Ath, Adrian Beck, James Valentine and James Roy. Each book features a different character and follows them as they overcome a particular everyday challenge. Aimed at boys aged between 7 and 11, the Stuff Happens series explores those everyday struggles in life that boys can sometimes be reluctant to express: quarrels with mates, a bad day at school, fear of disappointing mum and dad, rejection and not fitting in. Stuff Happens. Real-life stories for boys. Suitable for beginner and newly confident readers. Stuff happens sometimes. Everyday stuff. At school, at home, with sport, with mates. For Dale it happened during a school play. Dale is a story about an odd but likeable redhead who decides to take revenge on Dan, the coolest kid in school. Dale intends to embarrass Dan during the finale of their school play, but as the big moment approaches Dale has second thoughts. But is he too late to stop the plan he's put in place?

WAR PIGEONS: 'WP & Me' is a story calling for peace told through the eyes of war children. Two London based teenage brothers try to sign up to join 'Kitchener's Army' in 1914. They are underage, but want to join 'the big adventure' and fight for England on The Western Front. Everyone knew the war would be over by Christmas. The older brother Tommy gets through, just one of 250,000 child soldiers who joined the British army during World War 1. Tommy's war letters to home depict life in the trenches. The younger brother, nicknamed Pigeon, is initially turned away by army recruitment. Through his eyes we see life as it was for young people living in the London of 1914, as well as the many changes that entered London life as a result of the war. His Suffragette mother and younger sister go on to be Canary Girls, while his dad must join the No-Conscription Fellowship to try and avoid the Draft. Pigeon goes on to train homing pigeons from a loft in his garden, but it is against war regulations to do so. Will he be arrested as a spy? Pigeon finds himself travelling across submarine endangered waters to France, serving as an underage soldier. Can his carrier pigeons make a difference to the outcome of the war? Will Pigeon ever find his older brother Tommy, who by now has gone Missing In Action? Only by living through the reality of war, has Pigeon been able to understand the importance of peace. First Launched on Armistice Day 2018, to commemorate a century since the ending of 'The Great War'.ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Adrian Beckingham, aka The Man from Story Mountain, is a storyteller, environmental activist and youth worker. He is most famed for enchanting audeinces as a storyteller at every Glastonbury Festival since 1993. A previous national coordinator at Greenpeace Australia, Adrian's stories work relentlessly on the world stage to harness a strong awareness of self awareness, mutual respect and global peace. 'WAR PIGEONS: WP&Me' is his fifth published book.This is a book steeped in history and will be a useful study aid for any child (from Grade 6 upwards) or adult studying the First World War. REVIEW: “This author really brought The Great War alive in a meaningful way. For example the truce in the trenches over Christmas 1914 has been an event so often described, but for me the passage in this novel was the most meaningful.” Maureen Street, President, South Somerset Mind.

A hilarious, fun-filled junior fiction series for boys and girls that celebrates the great world game of football! Developed in partnership with Football Federation Australia. Charles was the best player in the boys’ football team. Charlotte was the best player in the girls’ side. But this season they’re both playing in the same mixed team. Is there room for two Champion Charlies on one side? And can they get past their rivalry to help form the greatest football team Jindaberg Primary has ever seen? With prankster teammates, a karaoke coach, rooster-phobic refs, dancing dads and an archrival with an axe to grind, the Champion Charlies soon learn that achieving success is not going to be easy . . . but it sure will be fun!