Books published by publisher RED FOX BOOKS (RAND)

Girls and boys are always curious and sometimes even alarmed by the behaviour of their bodies as they grow up. Puberty being a particularly unsettling time, Babette Cole has made this the subject of the fifth title in her bestselling series of 'family dilemmas'. Who else but Babette would have the temerity to tackle this subject in a picture book and the genius to carry it off! In "Hair in Funny Places" her artwork is without exaggeration some of the best she has ever done: it is brilliant. The text takes the form of a conversation between a small girl and her teddy bear, and is ingenious and funny. It is the behaviour of Mr and Mrs Hormone (wonderfully depicted) which is responsible for and plays havoc with the physical and emotional states of girls and boys throughout puberty. This book is bound to be controversial but Babette has never taken the conventional path and her readers love her for her outrageous approach to little mentioned topics.

“In a class by itself.” ― The Guardian The original cast of Swallows and Amazons is sailing under the stars and the command of Captain Flint in the South China Seas when Gibbet, their pet monkey, grabs the captain’s cigar and drops it into the fuel tank. In minutes, the ship is ablaze (and doomed), and our seven luckless protagonists are adrift in two small boats. They make their way to land, only to find themselves captives of one of the last remaining pirates operating off the China Coast. But Missee Lee, as it turns out, is no ordinary pirate; her father had sent her off to Cambridge University to prepare her for a life as a teacher. But when he dies, she is forced to return and claim her place as rightful ruler. She finds herself struggling to hold together the Three Island Confederation he had created, and to be recognized as his legitimate heir and ruler of the Island Kingdom. “Missee Lee, by Arthur Ransome, seems to be his best yet. Not only are there pirates in it, but a super-female pirate, Missee Lee herself, whose very surprising behavior creates a situation far to good to be given away ... A book to buy, to read, and to read again, not but many times.” ― The Observer

Annie Rose and Alfie have lots of games they like to play together, like being scary monsters with Bernard, or running their own shop. But there are some things Annie Rose is too little to do and even some things Alfie would rather do without her. But if Annie Rose is ever sad or cross there is only one person who can make her feel better . . . her big brother. This is Shirley Hughes at her best - warm and wonderfully observed illustrations, and a touching text about the special bond between siblings.