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Holly Webb was born and grew up in south-east London, but spent a lot of time on the Suffolk coast. As a child, she had two dogs, a cat, and at one point, nine gerbils (an accident). At about ten, Holly fell in love with stories from Ancient Greek myths, which led to studying Latin and Greek, and eventually to reading Classics at university. She worked for five years as a children's fiction editor, before deciding that writing was more fun, and easier to do from a sofa. She started writing several years ago while working as a children’s books editor. She has written over ninety books including the Animal Stories, My Naughty Little Puppy and Maisie Hitchins series for Stripes Publishing. Holly has also written In The Clever Little Kitten for World Book Day and a sequel to The Secret Garden. Holly Webb lives in Berkshire with her husband, children and three cats.
Author photo credit: Nigel Bird
Young readers will very much enjoy Holly Webb’s typically touching new story, in which a mischievous cat works magic across the generations. Bel is staying with her grandma in her new home, an old house converted into flats for the elderly. Sneaking out early to enjoy an unexpected snowfall, she befriends a cheeky white cat but is surprised when she meets his owner, a young girl the same age as herself, but very different. In fact Bel has travelled back in time and because of her magical meeting with Snow and Charlotte, a young girl’s life is saved. Filled with warmth and love and with a neat balance between jeopardy and security, this is rounded off in the most satisfying way possible. A snowy treat!
A magical, wintry tale that will make the perfect Christmas gift for fans of Holly Webb.
In a nutshell: warm, inspiring animal story When Isabelle comes face to face with a beautiful snow leopard in her local zoo an amazing adventure begins. She goes to bed tucked up with her snow leopard toy but wakes up in a ger, a Mongolian yurt. Only the little girl of the family can see her and they quickly become friends. Odval takes Isabelle up into the mountains and shows her a family of snow leopards. Odval loves them but her family want them gone because they are preying on their sheep. Can the girls protect the leopards? This is a lovely story of friendship starring some of the most beautiful animals on the planet; readers will be inspired to find out more about snow leopards and how they can help them survive in the wild. ~ Andrea Reece
In a nutshell: gentle but exciting time slip evacuee story In Holly Webb’s careful hands this time-slip evacuee story is filled with excitement, adventure and warmth. Travelling by train to see her grandma and great-grandma, Tilly falls asleep and dreams herself into the past. She experiences the same journey as taken by her great-gran as an evacuee over 70 years ago, and lives through the weeks that followed as her great-gran settled into life on a remote farm house on the Welsh borders. Young readers will be fascinated, and entranced by Tilly’s special friendship with the farm’s collie Tarran, who turns out to be a hero. A warm-hearted story that will live on in its readers’ imaginations. ~ Andrea Reece
In a nutshell: gentle, heart-warming story of friendship and ghost animals The second book in this charming new series takes us back to Penhallow Hall in Cornwall. It’s the new home of ten year old Polly, who is now friends with some of the Hall’s unusual ghosts, including two wolfhounds, Rex and Magnus. They’re not the only ghost animals at Penhallow, and together they meet the spirit of a feisty little Pekingese called Li-Mei, who has a secret and quite sad history to share. Holly Webb tells the story with just the right mixture of adventure and wistfulness, and this will be a very satisfying story for young readers. Jason Cockroft’s beautiful and atmospheric illustrations make this even more appealing. There are more ghost animals in Claire Barker’s Knitbone Pepper series, and readers would also enjoy The Snow Sister by Emma Carroll. ~ Andrea Reece
In a nutshell: lonely little girl makes friends with ghostly animals Polly and her mum are leaving London for Cornwall. Their old home has very sad associations after Polly’s father died in an accident. Mum has a new job as house manager at a stately home, Penhallow Hall. They both love it from the start, and the house seems to take to Polly – magically the statue of a huge wolfhound at the hall’s entrance comes to life for her, and becomes her friend. There are more ghosts at Penhallow, including a boy Polly’s age with a tragedy of his own to deal with. Despite themes of loss and loneliness this gentle story will leave readers happy and hopeful. Polly’s ghostly friends are a comforting, reassuring presence, linking past and present, proof that time heals. Jason Cockcroft’s atmospheric illustrations are simply gorgeous. There are echoes of Tom’s Midnight Garden in Polly’s story and readers could move on to Penelope Lively’s A Stitch in Time or Emma Carroll’s The Snow Sister. ~ Andrea Reece
Best-selling Holly Webb tells a touching time-slip story set against an evocative wintery background. It’s Christmas and Amelia’s family are staying in an old house with lots of unused rooms. When Amelia goes exploring in the attic she finds a hidden dairy and is transported back to meet the boy who wrote it. He is desperately trying to save an abandoned wolf cub. Travelling through time to do so, Amelia does all she can to help him. Holly Wells captures the children’s affection and intensity for the young cub they are so keen to see thrive. ~ Julia Eccleshare
In a nutshell: a seasonal story of snow, cats and happy endings! Young readers will very much enjoy Holly Webb’s typically touching new story, in which a mischievous cat works magic across the generations. Bel is staying with her grandma in her new home, an old house converted into flats for the elderly. Sneaking out early to enjoy an unexpected snowfall, she befriends a cheeky white cat but is surprised when she meets his owner, a young girl the same age as herself, but very different. In fact Bel has travelled back in time and because of her magical meeting with Snow and Charlotte, a young girl’s life is saved. Filled with warmth and love and with a neat balance between jeopardy and security, this is rounded off in the most satisfying way possible. A snowy treat! ~ Andrea Reece
With delightful illustrations throughout, this is a lovely tale about a young girl coping with change and discovering that friends can be found in the most unlikely of places. Sophie has just moved to Paris and although it’s a beautiful and exciting place to live she misses her old house, her friends and her cat called Oscar. Struggling to make friends at her new school she is finding it hard to settle in to her new life, until that is, she meets Josephine. Josephine who wears a pink tutu, adores Lavender Macaroons and just happens to be a Guinea Pig. Soon Sophie discovers that there is far more than meets the eye to Paris and beneath the grassy slopes leading to the Sacré Coeur. With Josephine’s help Sophie begins to enjoy her new home and also discovers the courage to stand up to mean girl Adrienne, who bullies her once too often at school. Sophie's Squeaky Surprise is a wonderful start to Holly Webb's heart-warming, humorous series. ~ Shelley Fallows
Holly Webb writes gentle, warm-hearted adventures that young readers absolutely love and there is lots for them to enjoy in this story. Laura’s summer is set to be a bit of a wash out - she lives in a seaside resort and her mum manages holiday cottages so they can’t go away. A group of teenagers have rented one of the houses and brought with them an adorable King Charles spaniel puppy called Henry. Unfortunately they’re all too busy having fun to look after him properly – step up quiet, caring Laura who knows just what the little puppy needs. Stories like this give girls like Laura the happy ending they deserve, and a way is found for Henry to become her dog. A happy, sunshiney treat for readers. ~ Andrea Reece
Anya loves playing with Molly, the gorgeous cockapoo, on her holiday at the seaside. But when Molly's owners head home and leave their cute pup behind, it's up to Anya to get them back together again. This is a wonderfully heart-warming read from bestselling author Holly Webb. This title and the other 30 in the series are perfect for fans of Magic Animal Friends and Animal Ark and great for reluctant readers too as they will be hooked on the first one they read and then gallop through the rest. If you love Holly Webb's Animal Stories you'll adore this new app perfectly designed to appeal to children 5+ and released to coincide with the 30th story in this lovely series, The Secret Kitten. It's full of exciting activities, games, puzzles, baking ideas and creative fun plus there's an exclusive short story too! There are no adverts and it's absolutely free and the content is available offline so you can play it anywhere! Find out more here.
This is a wonderfully heart-warming read and the 30th in the Animals series from bestselling author Holly Webb. This title and the others in the series are perfect for fans of Magic Animal Friends and Animal Ark. In this one, Lucy falls in love with a local stray kitten, but the cat is too young to look after herself, and with nobody to care for her, Lucy is worried where she will go and decides only she can help. If you love Holly Webb's Animal Stories you'll adore this new app perfectly designed to appeal to children 5+ and released to coincide with the 30th story in this lovely series, The Secret Kitten. It's full of exciting activities, games, puzzles, baking ideas and creative fun plus there's an exclusive short story too! There are no adverts and it's absolutely free and the content is available offline so you can play it anywhere! Find out more here.
Emi looks forward to her weekend visits to her dad's, but she's sad that her Shiba Inu puppy, Rina, can't come too. During the school holidays, Emi visits her dad for four whole days, and Rina is restless - what if Emi doesn't come back? Determined to find her owner, Rina escapes and heads to the last place she saw Emi - the railway station... If you love Holly Webb's Animal Stories you'll adore this new app perfectly designed to appeal to children 5+ and released to coincide with the 30th story in this lovely series, The Secret Kitten. It's full of exciting activities, games, puzzles, baking ideas and creative fun plus there's an exclusive short story too! There are no adverts and it's absolutely free and the content is available offline so you can play it anywhere! Find out more here.
A moving story about coping with loss from bestselling author Holly Webb. Kate's grandfather has died and she's missing him desperately. Her Mum wants Kate to talk about it, but it only makes Kate angry. Granddad has gone and he's never coming back. At least she has her toy tiger, Amos, to keep her company. It was a present from Granddad, and somehow holding him close makes Granddad seem less far away. But she doesn't expect Amos to turn into a real tiger - a big, comforting, friendly tiger who smells of Granddad, and sounds like him too.
Best-selling Holly Webb tells a touching time-slip story set against an evocative wintery background. It’s Christmas and Amelia’s family are staying in an old house with lots of unused rooms. When Amelia goes exploring in the attic she finds a hidden dairy and is transported back to meet the boy who wrote it. He is desperately trying to save an abandoned wolf cub. Travelling through time to do so, Amelia does all she can to help him. Holly Wells captures the children’s affection and intensity for the young cub they are so keen to see thrive. ~ Julia Eccleshare
Three lovely kitten stories to treasure, from best-selling author Holly Webb: Sky the Unwanted Kitten, Ginger the Stray Kitten and Misty the Abandoned Kitten. Holly Webb's Animal Stories have sold over a million copies in the UK. From stolen kittens to lost puppies and runaways, Holly's tales of puppies and kittens have won her legions of fans. The perfect series for animal lovers aged six and up. If you love Holly Webb's Animal Stories you'll adore this new app perfectly designed to appeal to children 5+ and released to coincide with the 30th story in this lovely series, The Secret Kitten. It's full of exciting activities, games, puzzles, baking ideas and creative fun plus there's an exclusive short story too! There are no adverts and it's absolutely free and the content is available offline so you can play it anywhere! Find out more here.
Helena is helping out at a vet's surgery when a young cat is rushed in with a major injury - will they be able to save him? If you love Holly Webb's Animal Stories you'll adore this new app perfectly designed to appeal to children 5+ and released to coincide with the 30th story in this lovely series, The Secret Kitten. It's full of exciting activities, games, puzzles, baking ideas and creative fun plus there's an exclusive short story too! There are no adverts and it's absolutely free and the content is available offline so you can play it anywhere! Find out more here.
Bella adopts a friendly mongrel puppy, but will she be able to prove that rescue dogs are just as good as pedigree dogs to her friend at school? If you love Holly Webb's Animal Stories you'll adore this new app perfectly designed to appeal to children 5+ and released to coincide with the 30th story in this lovely series, The Secret Kitten. It's full of exciting activities, games, puzzles, baking ideas and creative fun plus there's an exclusive short story too! There are no adverts and it's absolutely free and the content is available offline so you can play it anywhere! Find out more here.
Packed with mystery and adventure this is perfect for readers aged six to eight years. Charming girl-detective Maisie Hitchins is always on the look-out for a new mystery to solve. Even while her grandmother keeps her busy running errands Maisie keeps her eyes and ears open and is always quick to spot a clue. When Professor Tobin’s rare wooden feathered mask goes missing Maisie is quick to get on the case! Soon Maisie is following an exciting new the trail in this fun to read adventure full of interesting details.
Tia adores Milly, her new Bengal kitten. Everything about Milly is perfect! When Tilly hears that there are cat thieves in the area she knows she must do everything she can to keep Milly safe – even if that means keeping her shut indoors which Milly hates. When Milly goes missing Tia is distraught. Luckily, there is a very happy ending.
The Reindeer Girl is an enchanting winter’s tale of a very special friendship from much-loved author Holly Webb, which will delight her loyal fans everywhere and perfect for reading during those long dark nights by the fire. In a sumptuous hardback edition with beautiful illustrations throughout, this is a perfect gift for Christmas and a tale that children will want to return to again and again.
May 2013 Book of the Month The super-sleuthing qualities of a great girl detective make a gripping story line in the first of this brand new series. Maisie Hitchin is always busy running errands for her demanding Grandmother but she has a great nose for mystery which leads on her some exciting adventures. This time, she solves the mystery of the butcher’s boy and the missing money and rescues an abandoned puppy. Could the two be related? In addition to our Lovereading expert opinion for The Case of the Stolen Sixpence a small number of children were lucky enough to be invited to review this title. Here's a taster....'It is a very exciting book because Maisie has to keep lots of secrets....I really recommend this book.'. Scroll down to read more reviews...
In her second adventure, The Case of the Vanishing Emerald, famed star of the stage Sarah Massey is distraught after her beau, a mysterious young man, gives her a priceless necklace which goes missing. Maisie is instantly on the case, and decides to investigate the theatre, but nothing is what it seems in the world of make believe… With illustrations by Marion Lindsay, these thrilling books will delight fans of Holly Webb and inspire a generation of budding detectives!
A wonderful gentle story featuring a girl who wakes up to find herself in a world of ice with only a polar bear cub for company. Together they lose themselves in an enchanting journey through the wilderness - will she find her way back in time for Christmas?
Alfie has always loved playing in the overgrown garden next door. It is here he plays with Penguin, an enormous black-and-white cat, a stray who Alfie has claimed as his own. But when his next door neighbour's granddaughter, Grace, comes to live with her, she decides Penguin belongs to her.
Sophia loves cats but her parents think she and her sister are too young to have one of their own. So when a tiny kitten climbs over the fence from next door's garden, Sophia immediately falls in love with her. Then Sophia hears that her neighbours are moving away. She won't get to see Willow any more! To her surprise, though, the little kitten is left behind. Can Sophia convince Mum and Dad to give Willow a new home? A new story from best-selling author Holly Webb, perfect for animal-loving children, and fans of ZOE'S RESCUE ZOO and MAGIC ANIMAL FRIENDS.
The neighbours all complain about the foxes hanging around the flat where Cassie lives, close to the River Thames, but Cassie thinks they're beautiful. Her favourite is a small fox with a white tail-tip, who she names Frost. One night she catches sight of him out in the snow, looking cold and thin, and decides to sneak him some food. But Frost seems to want her to follow him... As he leads Cassie towards the river she feels the world change around her and finds herself in the back in the seventeenth century - at the time of the Frost Fair on the frozen Thames. At first she is thrilled by the sights and sounds of the famous fair, then she glimpses a fox with a white tail-tip. It appears that Frost wants her to follow him again. Can she find a way to return the fox to his countryside home? An magical wintry tale from best-selling author Holly Webb. For fans of Michael Morpurgo and THE SNOW FOAL, this is the perfect book to snuggle up with and enjoy this winter.
Hannah knows there is something special about the wooden bear cub puppet from the moment she buys it at a Christmas market. So when the puppet gets broken, she cries herself to sleep. Woken by a growling noise, she finds herself in a stable wearing strange old-fashioned clothes. Then she comes face to face with a real-life bear cub! The cub has been locked in ready to be put on show at the local market. Can Hannah return the bear to the wild and find a way back to her own time? A heart-warming and magical time-slip adventure from best-selling author Holly Webb. For fans of Michael Morpurgo and THE SNOW FOAL, this is the perfect book to curl up with and enjoy this winter.
Brave, clever and never more than a whisker away from adventure! When the museum's visitors are gone for the day, it's time for the cats to come out to play... The kittens are curious when a rare Egyptian papyrus comes to the museum on loan. But from the moment the artefact arrives, things start to go wrong and rumours of an ancient curse begin to spread. When a pipe leaks and the Egyptian gallery is flooded, the kittens find themselves trapped. Will they be the next victims of the pharaoh's curse? The second in a charming new series from Holly Webb. Purr-fect for fans of the OTTOLINE books and THE ROYAL RABBITS OF LONDON.
A collection of three gorgeous kitten stories to treasure in one book, from best-selling author Holly Webb. The Secret Kitten: Lucy can't help but feel lonely when she moves in with her gran. She wishes she could have a pet, but Gran isn't keen on animals. When Lucy falls in love with a stray kitten, where will it go if she can't find anyone to take her in? The Brave Kitten: Helena enjoys helping out at the vet's surgery. Then one day, a kitten is rushed in, having been injured by a car. Helena helps to care for Caramel, but what will happen if his owner can't be found? Sammy the Shy Kitten: Emma loves going to the stables for her riding lessons. One day she arrives to find that Tiggy, the stable cat, has had three kittens! But the riding school can't look after so many cats - so what will happen to them all?
Isla loves hanging out at her best friend Hailey's house, especially as Hailey has just got a gorgeous kitten, Silky! But someone isn't so keen on the new arrival - the family's old cat, Pickle. When Hailey's family go away for the night, Isla offers to catsit. But to her surprise Silky is more timid than usual. The kitten is clearly terrified of Pickle and Isla has to stop a fight between the two cats. How can Isla break the news to Hailey that her new kitten is so unhappy? A new story from best-selling author Holly Webb, perfect for animal-loving children, and fans of ZOE'S RESCUE ZOO and MAGIC ANIMAL FRIENDS.
For the first time ever Daisy isn't looking forward to the school holidays. She's worried about her best friend Mara, who's ill in hospital. But then, walking her dog in the wood, Daisy spots a group of wild ponies quietly grazing. She is especially drawn to a young silvery-white pony and, as she spends time watching the pony, she starts to feel less alone. Visiting the pony one day, Daisy runs into James from school. She's worried he'll tease her but instead he has some terrible news. The pony actually belongs to his dad and it's James' job to help look after her. Is Daisy about to lose her new friend? A heart-warming story about unlikely friendships from best-selling author Holly Webb.
Brave, clever and never more than a whisker away from adventure! When the museum's visitors are gone for the day, it's time for the cats to come out and play... One stormy night a little black kitten appears on the museum steps. Tabby cat Tasha is delighted to show Peter the museum's passageways and secret corners but the other cats aren't as keen to welcome the new arrival. Determined to prove that Peter is just as much of a museum cat as any of the others, Tasha takes him on a rat hunt. But the pair's quest almost ends in disaster when they find themselves in the Dinosaur Gallery, with its famous T-Rex skeleton... The first in a charming new series from Holly Webb. Purr-fect for fans of the OTTOLINE books and THE ROYAL RABBITS OF LONDON.
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