Books with author Lester

What do Wilt Chamberlain, Adolph Rupp, the fictional character Chip Hilton, the CCNY Beavers, the future director of Monday Night Football and a coach who won the national championship and ended his career driving a school bus have in common? The answer is they were all part of the wonderful tapestry of college basketball in the 1950s. Set against a backdrop of the Korean War, McCarthyism, hoola-hoops and Elvis Presley, Hoop Crazy is the inspiring story of how college basketball overcame the disastrous gambling scandals of 1951 and emerged a decade later as a major component of the American sports scene.

'I love this book' Jacqueline Wilson'I just knew we were going to be friends. Don't ask me to explain why.I can't. But i just knew.'Jaz has found the best way to make friends with new girl Nadima, who doesn't speak any English - by offering her a chocolate bar. Nadima grins and offers back some Turkish Delight, the ice is broken, and a special friendship begins ... Jaz is outgoing, rebellious, gumptious and a little bit bolshy - but it doesn't stop her from finding it hard that she doesn't have a best friend at school any more. Not since Lily went off with Kara ... She's not one to get down about things, though - and things start to look up when Nadima comes into their classroom. Before long the girls are firm friends, even when Nadima, recently arrived from Syria, can't speak much English. The path of true friendship doesn't run smooth, though ... Jaz, ever the entrepreneur, cooks up a plan to sell Turkish Delight at school, with disastrous results. A drama project with Nadima about family history proves impossible to manage. And Charity Challenge Week puts the icing on the cake as Jaz puts every foot wrong possible. Can she find a way to put things right, and restore the wonderful and unique friendship that she has with Nadima? In a story of friendship, family and entrepreneurial wizardry, Cas Lester deftly navigates the trials and tribulations of girlhood, and examines with the lightest of touches and gentle humour the thorny and compelling issues of integration, belonging and identity.

Nixie the bad, bad fairy isn't really that bad . . . at least, she doesn't think she is. But sometimes she has to be a teeny-tiny bit bad because that goody, goody fairy, Adorabella, is just too . . . well . . . just too GOOD. Fairy dust and magic are fine, but when your wand's as mischievous as you are, sometimes you have to rely on your own genius inventions to get you out of trouble!

The Toxic Spew is back, and in even more trouble than usual.WOOP WOOP WOOP! ALARM ALARM ALARM! It's chaos once more on the bridge of the Toxic Spew. But this time, the ship's problems are of a most human nature - they've run out of food! Mutiny, cannibalism and plain old theft are suggested as potential problem-solvers, but Captain Harvey politely requests that the crew buck their ideas up and think of something else. At which point the ISS is mentioned - no, not the International Space Station! - the Interstellar Service Station . . .But the ISS is spookily deserted when the team arrive, and it's not long before Harvey suspects there's something fishy going on... and he's not just talking about the Spew's malfunctioning rubbish chute. Can Harvey unite his crew one more time and solve the mystery of the abandoned space station? Will Scrummage really eat Yargal if they don't find some food? And will Harvey EVER get home? Join the gang for another rip-roaring, space-hopping and (frankly) stomach-turning adventure on the universe's worst intergalactic rubbish truck - and see if you can spot the special input from kids on The Story Adventure!

It's chaos once more on the bridge of the Toxic Spew. But this time, the ship's problems are of a most human nature—they've run out of food! Mutiny, cannibalism, and plain old theft are suggested as potential problem-solvers, but Captain Harvey politely requests that the crew buck their ideas up and think of something else. Can Harvey unite his crew? Will Scrummage really eat Yargal if they don't find some food? And will Harvey EVER get home?

While on their way to the next garbage pick-up, the crew get word of a stranded cargo ship that happens to be carrying the most valuable substance in the Known Universe, and Beyond—Techno-tium. Thinking they will soon be disgustingly rich, the crew aims their ship towards the treasure. But they don't bet on running into the most notorious and ruthless pirates around: the Bling Bots from the planet Sy-Boorg!

Whizzing dodgems, spinning teacups, and fizzing fireworks.WHOOPEE! It's the night of the Fairyland Funfair and Nixie the Bad, Bad Fairy can't wait to go on all of her favourite rides! To top it all off there will be a HUGE fizzy firework display to close the fair.Buzzing with excitement, thrill-seeker Nixie rushes from one ride to the next, but Nixie's impatient nature soon gets her into trouble, and it's not long before her wonky wand is causing chaos.Bumblebees' bottoms! Nixie's in trouble . . . again!Perfect for readers who like their fairies with a bit of mischief, and for fans of the Rainbow Magic series.

Wonky wand mishaps, froggy fiascos, and water fights! When it's a super hot sunny day, there's only one thing to do with all your friends . . . have a WATER FIGHT! For Nixie the naughty fairy this is the perfect opportunity to come up with some of her ingenious inventions to make the fairies' swimming party really go with a splash . . . and a BANG! Oops! Her wonky wand is up to its usual tricks and soon the peaceful pond becomes a froggy fiasco! Bumblebees' bottoms - Nixie's in trouble . . . again! Perfect for readers who like their fairies with a bit of mischief!