Books with author Jean Smith

Trapped in a dungeon while the fate of the Valley is decided by two raging armies, Thorn is haunted by the dangerous and mysterious object of power known as the Crown of Horns. Guarded by dragons, the Crown of Horns is the only thing that can stop the Locust and end the war... but how, and at what price? Fone Bone believes he knows the answer, and he must decide where his heart truly lies...

Introducing "Sookin' Berries", her collection of stories for younger readers, Jess Smith writes: 'I have been a gatherer of tales for most of my life, and I suppose it all began when I was a wee girl. I shared a home with parents, seven sisters and a shaggy dog. It could be said that I lived a different sort of life from most other children, because 'home' was an old blue bus. We were known as tinkers or travellers, descendants of those who have wandered the highways and by ways of Scotland for two thousand years'. Acclaimed for her autobiographical trilogy, "Jessie's Journey", Jess is on a mission to pass on the stories she heard as a girl to the young readers of today.'If you are aged from around 10 going on 100, then you're a fine age to read, enjoy and hopefully remember forever these ancient oral tales of Scotland's travelling people. What I'd like you to do in this book is to come with me on the road; back to those days when it was time to pack up and get going, and to take the way of our ancestors. I want you to imagine that, as my friend, you are by the campfire listening to the magical Scottish stories that have been handed down through generations of travellers'.

BILLY, LILLY and PICCADILLY is a story about precocious five year old twins that adopt a cat named Piccadilly belonging to their neighbor, a retired magician.They soon learn that Piccadilly can perform a magic trick. The problem is he will not do this trick for anyone but Billy and Lilly.An accident occurred one day while the twins and Piccadilly were playing and the children wanted their beloved pet to do his trick to save them, but met with some resistance from the strong-willed cat. Will Billy and Lilly be able to persuade their little friend to help them in time?

Many many years ago, before you were born, before your parents were born and before their parents were born, there was a strange and magical land called Quinkanna - a land that was home to many kind and wonderful people and creatures.Quinkanna was a peaceful land ruled by the kindest King and Queen ever to have lived. The Kindg and Queen shared their humble castle with their two young children; Prince Benjamin the Wild and Princess Jessica the Wise. Quinkanna had been at peace for over a thousand years. The last time the land had been threatened was during the Great Dragon War when the fiercest, most evil dragons had nearly destroyed Quinkanna. Luckily for the King and Queen, no dragons had been seen in Quinkanna for a thousand years.Until now.The discovery of a friendly but scared dragon cub in the land followed by a mysterious illness that befalls the beautiful Princess Jessica threatens to destroy the happiness that had been bestowed on the land for so may years. When the wisest healers in the land are unable to cure the child it falls to the brave little dragon cub to take on an incredible quest to save her, and all of Quinkanna, from the threat of the Wonambi Dragons!A Thousand years ago, Quinkanna had been attacked by the terrible and evil Wonambi Dragon tribe. After the land was destroyed in the Great War, the Wonambi retreated to the treacherous Mountains of Bex, far away from the green and lush fields and orchards of Quinkanna. Since then, no creature or person had ever met a Wonambi dragon and lived to tell the tale. To succeed in his quest and save the Princess, the infant dragon cub must face his darkest fears , overcome his weaknesses and discover the truth about his own past before facing the most terrible danger in the land.Only then can he find the cure....

LITTLE GREY BIRDS CHOICE is narrated by a young bird that is tired of flying and bored with his life in general. He is looking for a different way to get from point A to point B, so he takes a ride on the roof of a car for a cross country trip. When all the fun is over, he realizes he must make an important decision. Should he relinquish his wings and find a new way to travel?Little Grey Bird calls upon his mentor, Big Boss Bird, for advice but does not get the answers he wanted to hear. Soon he is faced with a life altering decision.