Books in The Poppy Stories series

King of the NightAt the very edge of Dimwood Forest stood an old charred oak where, silhouetted by the moon, a great horned owl sat waiting. The owls name was Mr. Ocax, and he looked like death himself. With his piercing gaze, he surveyed the lands he called his own, watching for the creatures he considered his subjects. Not one of them ever dared to cross his path. . .until the terrible night when two little mice went dancing in the moonlight. . .

Childhood friends, Ben and Ray, find their innocent war games become real as the Great War rages around them. Set during the First World War, in simple rhyme, Where the Poppies Now Grow takes readers on a journey of friendship set against a changing landscape of innocence, of war and then finally, of peace. Nominated for Kate Greenaway Medal 2015 Nominated for Carnegie Medal 2015 Shortlisted for Hampshire School Book Award 2014 Finalist Educational Book Award - Education Resources Award 2015

Poppy, a deer mouse, and Ereth, a grumbling porcupine, have been the best of friends for as long as the animals of Dimwood Forest can remember. An unstoppable pair ever since they defeated the tyrannical owl, Mr. Ocax, Poppy and Ereth have enjoyed many happy adventures together. But when a swirl of bitter winter storms buries Dimwood Forest in snow and Poppy's husband, Rye, dies suddenly, all Poppy wants is some privacy. "Dancing doorknobs," Ereth mutters to no one in particular, "how can she not want to see me?" As he waddles back to his log, Ereth fears he may have lost his dear friend forever. But Ereth has not lost Poppy, at least not yet. As the ground begins to thaw, life returns to Dimwood Forest and Poppy ventures out in search of excitement. Suddenly, swooped up by Luci the bat, Poppy is flying high over the forest and unexpectedly embarks on her greatest adventure. Meanwhile, Ereth, left to his own devices, manages to convince himself that Poppy has died and, as only the old porcupine can do, sets about to give her the best memorial service the forest has ever known. The last episode of the Poppy stories, poppy and ereth is a rousing adventure befitting one of the great heroines of children's literature as well as a final, heartwarming celebration of the life, love, and friendship of two most unlikely companions.

It's Christmas Eve. A group of tired soldiers start singing Stille Nacht. Soldiers the other side of No Man's Land respond with Silent Night. The next day, soldiers on both sides put down their weapons and celebrate Christmas Day with a friendly soccer match. In the sequel to Where the Poppies Now Grow, The Christmas Truce - The Place Where Peace Was Found is based on that remarkable moment in history and finds soldiers Ben and Ray shaking hands in friendship with Karl and Lars. Written with touching sensitivity and brought to life through powerful illustrations the story is a celebration of the human spirit and marks the time when, for one day, peace found a place. Shortlisted for Sheffield Children's Book Award 2015 Finalist Educational Book Award - Education Resources Award 2015 Shortlisted for The People's Book Prize Section: Children 2015

Poppy returns ... with big trouble. Family trouble. Poppy and Rye don't know what to do about their son Ragweed Junior's attitude. He is rude, he is crude, and he has dyed his fur to look like Mephitis, his skunk friend. In short, Ragweed Junior is very much a teenager. Even Ereth, the cantankerous porcupine, with his salty swearing, can't straighten him out. Then Poppy gets an urgent request to return to her old home, Gray House, where her aging parents, Sweet Cicely and Lungwort, are in difficulties. Not only does she agree to go back, she decides to take Junior, in hopes traveling together will bring them together. But when Junior's skunk pal and Ereth join the party, the trip doesn't quite go as expected. And when Poppy recalls she did not get along with her parents, things become even more complicated. Poppy's Return is a hilarious adventure tale about family: the gleeful joys, the farcical sorrows, the high emotions, and the low comedy of living with and without relations. It's also about bears, bulldozers, and the boisterous antics of young mice doing the stinky red. And sugared slug soup, there's always Ereth to stir the stew of Poppy's rich and rewarding life.

Winner:2016 Young Quills Award, Historical Association UK Mercy dog, Flo, has more to contend with than racing across the dangerous battlefield of the Somme. Can she get her medical kit to the injured? Can she lead Ray, the stretcher-bearer, and his donkey to them in time? Depicting the key landmarks of the Somme, this story pays tribute to the remarkable bravery of the animals who played their part during World War One.

Heartbroken over the death of her fiance, Ragweed, Poppy, a deer mouse, journeys west through the vast Dimwood Forest to bring the sad news to Ragweed's family. But Poppy and her prickly porcupine pal, Ereth, arrive only to discover that beavers have flooded the serene valley where Ragweed lived. Together Poppy and Ragweed's brother Rye brave kidnapping, imprisonment, and a daring rescue to fight the beavers. At the same time, Rye -- who has lived in Ragweed's shadow -- fights to prove himself worthy of Poppy's love.

Poppy returns ... with big trouble. Family trouble. Poppy and Rye don't know what to do about their son Ragweed Junior's attitude. He is rude, he is crude, and he has dyed his fur to look like Mephitis, his skunk friend. In short, Ragweed Junior is very much a teenager. Even Ereth, the cantankerous porcupine, with his salty swearing, can't straighten him out. Then Poppy gets an urgent request to return to her old home, Gray House, where her aging parents, Sweet Cicely and Lungwort, are in difficulties. Not only does she agree to go back, she decides to take Junior, in hopes traveling together will bring them together. But when Junior's skunk pal and Ereth join the party, the trip doesn't quite go as expected. And when Poppy recalls she did not get along with her parents, things become even more complicated. Poppy's Return is a hilarious adventure tale about family: the gleeful joys, the farcical sorrows, the high emotions, and the low comedy of living with and without relations. It's also about bears, bulldozers, and the boisterous antics of young mice doing the stinky red. And sugared slug soup, there's always Ereth to stir the stew of Poppy’s rich and rewarding life.