Books with author Richard Byrne

A book behaving badly!From award-winning Richard Byrne, author of This Book Just Ate My Dog (shortlisted for the Children's Book Award) comes another wonderfully inventive book starring Ben and Bella. It's a funny and original high-concept picture book where the book itself interferes with what happens on the page. Benhas a remote-controlled fire engine but when he presses the buttons on the remote the engine doesn't turn or spin or sound its siren. While Ben and Bella scratch their heads over this, strange things are happening to Bella's dog. It's only when Ben tries the VOICE button that Bella's dog is able tospeak, warning them that "This Book is Out of Control!" Readers get the chance to press the buttons and witness the hilarious slapstick results every time the page is turned. It's an interactive experience for the reader who ultimately has to help in restoring normality.

In this wonderfully inventive book, Bella is taking her dog for a stroll across the page but halfway across, he disappears! Unable to quite believe what's just happened Bella watches, transfixed, with changing emotions of surprise, indignation, moments of renewed hope (as the authorities arrive to take control) followed by shock (as they too succumb to the book's inexplicable behaviour) and finally action when Bella marches towards the dangerous middle of the book . . . only to disappear herself! At this point, the book has consumed its characters and it's down to the reader to step in to help. A note from Bella appears directly appealing for assistance and, with a rigorous shake, the characters reappear. Normality is restored and Bella is finally able to take her dog for an uninterrupted walk . . . or is she?!

This delightful color illustrated book tells the story of two baby birds who become friends: Gregory the gull and Hudson the penguin. As they grow, they do everything together--until the time comes for Gregory to fly. Hudson tries to fly along with his gull friend, only to find out that penguins can't fly. No matter how hard he tries, he simply cannot fly. Later, when the gulls spread out their net to fish they let Hudson help them. That's when Gregory and the other gulls discover something special that only a penguin can do. He is able to dive deep beneath the ocean's surface, take the net with him, and bring up a large catch of fish for all to enjoy. One day, as the birds are fishing, Hudson discovers that his friend Gregory is missing. Can anybody find and rescue poor Gregory? On this important day, the other gulls learn how good and valuable a friend Hudson the penguin truly is. Illustrations on every page.

Aye-Aye has just joined Miss Deer's Academy for Aspiring Picture-Book Animals. His classmates all look rather more conventionally cute and fluffy than he does. They are the sorts of animals you'd expect to find in a picture book. But Aye-Aye would love to be in a picture book-it's his absolute dream. His naturally kind and cheerful disposition endears him to the other animals, except the rather mean Rabbit Twins. When Miss Deer announces a class competition to find the most helpful animal with the promise of a special prize, Aye-Aye wonders if it might even be the fulfilment of his dream. But skulduggery is afoot. The Rabbit Twins want the prize for themselves and they're prepared to use all sorts of dastardly means to improve their chances of winning. As the plot unfolds, their deceitful ways in fact do the opposite as, each time, they act as the stimulus for Aye-Aye's kindness to shine through. So will Aye-Aye be the winner? And will the prize turn out to be just what he's always dreamed of? All will be revealed in this story about being hopeful, being helpful, and, above all, being yourself.

Millicent is a little girl who has always wanted a cat. One day, as she is playing outside, a large shipping box falls from somewhere and lands right beside her. She peers inside and finds a strange looking but very friendly little animal. Better yet, the box's label says "Meerkat." Millicent cries out with joy. "Yippee! You're a cat and your name is Meer. You can be MY cat!" She takes Meer into the house, but it isn't long before both she and her Dad discover that Meer doesn't act very much like a cat. In fact, he creates a lot of mischief. Meer can't stay in the house any longer until he learns how to act like a cat. Just when Meer is feeling very sad and completely alone, he meets Marvin, a real cat. This story's fun really starts when Marvin decides that he can teach Meer how to become a real cat. Kids will fall in love with the adorable Meer and the hilarious Marvin, and they'll laugh along with the delightfully funny color illustrations on every page of this entertaining book.

Finlay (a little dinosaur) is counting out jelly beans to share with his friend. He is sitting on a grassy mound. A big dinosaur comes along and demands the jelly beans. He is rather rude, a bit of a show-off, and he thinks that Finlay's friend is a figment of his imagination. What follows is a lot of posturing from the big dinosaur as he attempts to prove his worth with various antics on and around the grassy mound. As the book progresses it will gradually become clear to the reader that the 'grassy mound' is in fact, Finlay's friend, the really, really, really big dinosaur! The big dinosaur certainly doesn't realize until his bravado propels him into a dark cave that turns out to be the mouth of the really, really, really big dinosaur. It's only then that the big dinosaur learns that in order to make friends it's a good idea not to show off and it's a good idea to be prepared to share.

Finlay (a little dinosaur) is counting out jelly beans to share with his friend. He is sitting on a grassy mound. A big dinosaur comes along and demands the jelly beans. He is rather rude, a bit of a show-off, and he thinks that Finlay's friend is a figment of his imagination. What follows isa lot of posturing from the big dinosaur as he attempts to prove his worth with various antics on and around the grassy mound. As the book progresses it will gradually become clear to the reader that the "grassy mound" is in fact, Finlay's friend, the really, really, really big dinosaur! The bigdinosaur certainly doesn't realize until his bravado propels him into a dark cave that turns out to be the mouth of the really, really, really big dinosaur. It's only then that the big dinosaur learns that in order to make friends it's a good idea not to show off and it's a good idea to be preparedto share.Perfect for fans of Rachel Bright and Jim Field's The Squirrels Who Squabbled.

In the pine forest, there's a perplexing puzzle. The moon is getting smaller every day and Rabbit wants to know why. She asks her friend Aldrin, the raccoon. Although he doesn't have the answer to her question, Aldrin decides the issue needs a 'proper investigation'. And, because he's a bit of a know-it-all, over the course of the next few days, Aldrin dreams up a far-fetched explanation for the shrinking moon that points the finger of blame at two bumbling bears called Hubble and Lovell. In fact the bears turn out to be rather smart and it's thanks to them that the other animals learn their first fun lesson in astronomy. Join Aldrin and friends for a whodunit of astronomical proportions!