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Find out moreElspeth Graham was born during a snowstorm in Northumberland, England. After university, she became passionately interested in reading to her children and understanding how children learn to read. Elspeth began to write books for children - some with her husband, and fellow author, Mal Peet. Mal’s stories became longer and longer and he went on to be an award- winning author of books for young adults. Mal and Elspeth loved writing picture books together and continued to do so until Mal’s death in 2015. The Treasure of Pirate Frank is one of the last picture books that they wrote together. Elspeth is still passionately interested in stories and the pleasure that there is in the simple act of reading. Elspeth lives in Devon with her dog Pedro.
Unusually clever and skilfully told this pirate story has echoes of We’re Going on a Bear Hunt both in the way that the narrative grows and builds from page to page and in its lovely surprise ending. A young boy is on the trail of Pirate Frank’s treasure and there are various obstacles to be overcome; seas to be sailed, mountains to be climbed, a volcano that spits out fire. When he finally reaches the spot, an encounter with the fearsome Frank has him running back the way he came. The rhyming text reads aloud perfectly, Jez Tuya’s illustrations are full of a sense of excitement and wonder, and there’s a great deal of adventure packed seemingly effortlessly into the pages. ~ Andrea Reece The Editor at Nosy Crow says: “This fabulous story, inspired by a traditional rhyme, has everything you could want from a pirate quest, with a wonderfully funny twist. Watch out for the cheeky treasuresnaffling monkeys!”
Longlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal 2014 A moving and brilliantly researched story about camels, lost princesses and the strength of wisdom and knowledge from the creators of the award-winning Cloud Tea Monkeys, Mal Peet and Elspeth Graham and, stunningly illustrated by P.J. Lynch. It is a mesmerizing and touching tale, illustrating the bond between a child and the man who brought her up like a daughter. Both deliciously exotic and yet portraying warmly familiar and universal truths. Authors' Note: This story is set in an imaginary place, but it came about because Elspeth became fascinated by that fabulous and faraway place called Timbuktu. It's an African country now called Mali, and it's where, long ago, traders bringing salt from the north met traders bringing gold from the south. We began to read and think about those traders, those travellers with their camel caravans, making those long, difficult journeys through mountains and deserts. Their lives, and their livelihoods, depended upon the guides who led them through these dangerous places. When we discovered that one of the most famous of these guides was blind it set our imaginations racing.
Shortlisted for the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal 2011 Based on a centuries-old legend of tea-picking monkeys, this title tells a tale full of vivid characters: a heartless Overseer, an enigmatic Royal Tea-Taster and, in a faraway land, and an Empress with a liking for tea.
Let the creators of Cloud Tea Monkeys take you back to medieval Mongolia in this captivating story gem about family, danger, banditry and kite-flying. From Owl Babies illustrator, Patrick Benson, and from the creators of the Kate Greenaway shortlisted Cloud Tea Monkeys, comes a captivating story set in medieval Mongolia - a story of family, danger, banditry and kite-flying. Set at a caravanserai along the Silk Road, Night Sky Dragons is the tale of Yazul, a young boy who spends most of his time with his grandfather in his workshop, making kites. More than anything, Yazul wants the approval of his father, the lord of the han, but his love of kite-making only ever seems to cause disappointment: Travel and trade are what matters, his father says. One day, the han becomes surrounded by a group of bandits. Everyone becomes trapped within the walls of the han and with the bandits waiting them out, food becomes scarce and spirits rapidly fall. However, Yazul has an idea... With the help of his grandfather he might just be able to scare the bandits away and save the han!
Do you ever wonder why we have seasons? How Winter Came into the World shows how the Greeks explain winter. It is about a god called Hades who falls in love with a beautiful goddess called Persephone Captivating versions of some of the best myths and legends from around the world. TreeTops Myths and Legends are fascinating and action-packed stories that will motivate and inspire readers. These are some of the oldest and most enduring stories in the world, retold by leading contemporary children's authors to bring out all of the action, drama, humour and depth of the original stories in a way that makes them as exciting and meaningful today as ever. The stories are beautifully illustrated in a range of styles to bring each tale to life. Books contain inside cover notes to support children in their reading. Help with children's reading development also available at www.oxfordowl.co.uk. The books are finely levelled, making it easy to match every child to the right book.
Monkeys come to the rescue of a struggling family in this traditional tale from a Carnegie Medal winner. Tashi lives in a tiny village below the tea plantations where her mother earns a living. One day her mother falls ill, and Tashi must pick tea to earn the money for a doctor. But she is too small to reach the tender shoots and the cruel Overseer sends her away empty-handed. Tashi needs a miracle. Then, on the mountains high above the plantation where only monkeys live, something extraordinary happens that will change her life for ever...
The fly was hungry, and buzzed over to the park to see what he could find. In the park he quickly spied lots of food, but found getting that food was much less straightforward! Join the fly as he gets into endless trouble on his search for something to eat, in this humorous story by award-winning author Mal Peat and Elspeth Graham. Yellow/Band 3 books offer varied sentence structure and natural language. Text type: A story with a familiar setting. Children can follow the fly's route around the park and recap the different situations he finds himself in on pages 14-15. Ideas for guided reading at the back of the book provide practical support and stimulating activities. This book has been quizzed for Accelerated Reader.
Prince Hal is upset - he wants the moon. So the King and Queen send their servants, Grim and Crumb, out to catch the moon for him, with hilarious consequences. This charming story by award-winning author Mal Peat and Elspeth Graham is illustrated by Xiao Xin. This book is a Band 04/Blue book in the Collins Big Cat reading programme which offers longer, repeated patterns with sequential events and integrated literary and natural language. This is a simple story with a familiar setting and children can recap the main stages of the story on pages 14 and 15, providing lots of speaking and listening opportunities. This book supports learning around knowledge and understanding the world. This book has been quizzed for Accelerated Reader. For more guided reading books in this Collins Big Cat band, try What's Underground? (9780007185863) written by Gill Munton and illustrated by Peter Bull.
Three deftly spun, emotionally resonant stories with the feel of time-honoured fables but the freshness of a contemporary voice. When Tashi's mother falls ill and is unable to work, Tashi looks to the monkeys on a Himalayan tea plantation for help... Yazul and his clan, trapped inside their desert fortress by bandits, are saved from starvation by fiercesome dragon kites... Issa, the old mountain guide, has his life turned upside down when he stumbles upon a camel sheltering a baby girl in a desert storm...
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