Books with author Hilary McKay

From the winner of the Costa Children's Book Award 2018.With her awful secondhand uniform and stuck-up classmates, Binny's new school is horrible. And life gets even worse when a storm damages the roof of her house, forcing Binny and her family to move to the countryside whilst it's being fixed. Binny, her sensible older sister Clem and her rambunctious brother James (and his chickens) begin adjusting to life in the country. Then one of James's beloved chickens vanishes and Binny finds strange footprints in the mud. What kind of creature is lurking in the undergrowth?

Love is in the air . . .The Exiles in Love is the third and final book in the award-winning The Exiles series, with Hilary McKay's trademark wit and warmth.Ruth, Naomi, Rachel and Phoebe Conroy are all struggling to deal with the trials and tribulations of first love(s). Ruth develops a crush on the school bus driver, but finds herself conflicted when she also develops feelings for Mr. Rochester from Jane Eyre, the temporary English teacher (who Naomi is also smitten with) AND Alan Adair who works in the butcher's shop.Meanwhile, the younger two sisters have other things on their minds – Rachel is plotting to become May Queen at her school and Phoebe is in training to become an international spy. But when Big Grandma arranges for a French boy called Philippe to stay with the Conroy's, it's not long before all the girls fall head over heels for him as well . . .

From the winner of the Costa Children's Book Award 2018. Meet Saffy, Indigo, Rose and Caddy Casson. This colourful and hilarious series will make you wish you were part of the family!After Saffron discovers that she's adopted, life is never quite the same. Her artistic parents and doting siblings adore her, but Saffy wants a piece of her past. So when her grandfather bequests a stone angel to her, Saffy knows she has to find it. Realising that her childhood in Siena holds the key, she stows away on a car trip to Italy. The rest of the family are engaged in their own wacky projects: Caddy, a hopeless student, is revising for her A levels and desperately trying to pass her driving test. Indigo, the only boy in the Casson family, is determined to rid himself of his fear of heights. And the youngest, Rose, a budding artist, has a knack for baiting her pompous dad, with entertaining results . . .'This book truly is a masterpiece' GuardianSaffy's Angel won the Whitbread Children's Book Award, and book 3, Permanent Rose, was shortlisted for the same award, celebrating McKay's talent for conveying the anarchic bedlam of family life.

From the winner of the Costa Children's Book Award 2018. Meet Saffy, Indigo, Rose and Caddy Casson. This colourful and hilarious series will make you wish you were part of the family! Indigo's going back to school after a long bout of illness. He's not looking forward to it, the bullies are lying in wait. But he's determined to stand on his own two feet - so when Saffy and Sarah break up a fight in the boys' bathroom, he's furious. Until he meets Tom. Tom is from New York, loves music, makes Indigo laugh and is unfazed by the bullies. But Tom has troubles of his own - can the boys help each other out?'Warm, touching and hilarious' GuardianThe first book in the series, Saffy's Angel, won the Whitbread Children's Book Award, and book 3, Permanent Rose, was shortlisted for the same award, celebrating McKay's talent for conveying the anarchic bedlam of family life.

From the winner of the Costa Children's Book Award 2018.Binny's life has been difficult since her father died and her dreadful old Aunt Violet disposed of her beloved dog, Max. Her world changed then, to a city flat with not enough space for her Mum, her big sister Clem and her small brother James. Definitely no room for a pet.Then one day Aunt Violet dies, leaving a small cottage in Cornwall to Binny and her family. Binny finds herself in a new world once more, full of sunshine and freedom and Gareth, the enemy-next-door and the ideal companion for dangerous dares. But Max is still lost in the past, and it seems impossible that she'll ever find him again...

From the winner of the Costa Children's Book Award 2018. It's a long hot summer - to Permanent Rose it seems never ending. Rose misses Tom, Indigo's friend who went back to America, and new friend David is no replacement. Caddy's fiancee, Michael, tries to cheer her up by delivering a rose every day, but that just provides temporary relief. What with Daddy leaving her mother Eve for younger model Samantha, Caddy getting cold feet, and adoptive sister Saffron deciding to find her real father, no one seems to have time to come to Rose's rescue. But Rose is determined, and in her heart of hearts is sure she will find Tom again - but what else will she find on the way?

From the winner of the Costa Children's Book Award 2018.It's the Casson Family finale, and Permanent Rose takes centre stage. It's tough being the youngest - Rose is lonely. Her family are always busy doing their own things so Rose comes home to a dark, quiet, empty house every day. Saffy is off with Sarah, Indigo has his paper round and guitar lessons, Eve's in quarantine in the shed, Bill's not much use in London, and who knows where Caddy is since she disappeared with Michael's postcards! The only one around is David and Rose would rather be alone than be with him! At least Rose still has her friends at school: the brilliant Kiran and the nice but boring Molly. But school is no longer a peaceful place where Rose can daydream. Mean Mr Spencer is always shouting about SATs. And now he's cancelled Christmas! But one thing Mr Spencer cant cancel is the Christmas School Trip which means Rose can help Molly with her ONE BIG IDEA ... but what could that be? Will it be a very merry Christmas for Class 6 and the Casson family?

I Was There... is a perfect introduction for younger readers into stories from the past, allowing children to imagine that they were really there. I Was There... Boudica's Army is a fast-paced and fascinating account of a young girl in the Iceni tribe in AD 60. As Queen Boudica leads her people to march on Roman-occupied Colchester, young Kassy's beloved pony, Honey, is stolen away and taken towar. Will Kassy be able to find her and bring her home safely? Brilliantly reimagined, readers aged 7+ will love this vivid first-hand account of a child's experience of life in ancient Britain.