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John Dougherty was born in Larne, Northern Ireland. He studied psychology at university and then tried his hand at a number of jobs including YMCA hostel worker, factory machine operator, and unsuccessful singer-songwriter, before becoming a primary school teacher.
Whilst John was teaching, his interest in children's literature was reawakened and he soon began writing stories and pestering publishers with them. After the publication of Zeus on the Loose (2004) he left teaching and took up writing full-time, only with more tea breaks. More recent books include the critically-acclaimed Stinkbomb & Ketchup-Face series and his poetry collection, Dinosaurs & Dinner-Ladies.
His books have been shortlisted for a number of prestigious awards and chosen for various book of the week/year roundups by the broadsheets, but more importantly, they make children giggle.
In dining halls of long ago When dinosaurs sat down to dine, Did prehistoric dinner-ladies Keep them all in line? What's the REAL reason the dinosaurs died out? Can anyone rescue Class 2M from the wild dinner-ladies? And what will happen when Class 2M meet a lion? This is a funny and brilliant debut collection from the author of the bestselling Stinkbomb and Ketchup-Face books.
Jack Slater has a job on his hands. He has to tackle the monster who is frightening his parents out of their bed every night. Armed with his penlight torch and his teddy called Freddy, Jack Slater sets off into the monster underworld possibly helped, or possibly not, by his friendly monster informer, Bernard. There are lots of keen, mean sleuthing jokes in this terrific, funny fantasy. (7+)
My dad says we're going on a holiday that will be unforgettable. It may well be - but not for the reasons he thinks. I'm going to be crammed into an ugly old van with three infuriating brothers, and driven around Europe by a dad who doesn't think things through and a mum who doesn't stop him. This had better be a once-in-a-lifetime holiday - there's no way I'm doing it twice! Join budding writer Izzy as the Travises set out looking for adventure, and instead find what it means to be a family. Reflect is a series of emotionally powerful books with realistic settings, carefully crafted to promote thoughtful discussions and develop higher-level reading comprehension. Written by top childrens authors and developed with Literacy expert and Series Editor Nikki Gamble, these are books you can trust to engage, entertain and support childrens personal development. The books are finely levelled, making it easy to match every child to stories with the right depth and complexity for them, and helping them to progress. Each book contains inside cover notes to help children deepen their understanding and support their reading comprehension. Teaching notes on Oxford Owl offer cross-curricular links to relationships education and support literacy skills.
Project X Hero Academy is a fully decodable and finely levelled reading series set in a school for superheroes, designed to captivate and motivate all young readers and turn them into reading superheroes. Bug Alert! is in Turquoise Book Band, Oxford Level 7, and supports Letters and Sounds Phase 6. In this story, a school inspector threatens to close down Hero Academy if it doesn't pass her inspection. Will the heroes manage to stop the academy being closed down? Each book can be used for independent reading, but also contains inside cover notes that include help on developing vocabulary and prompt questions that can be used for guided reading and one-to-one sessions. Full guided reading notes are provided in the corresponding handbook. There are also a range of follow-up activities to support reading for pleasure.
Project X Hero Academy is a fully decodable and finely levelled reading series set in a school for superheroes, designed to captivate and motivate all young readers and turn them into reading superheroes. Mr Squid's Revenge is in Lime Book Band, Oxford Level 11. In this story, a new boy joins Hero Academy. But Pip thinks there's something strange about him. Why is he being so unfriendly? Pip decides to investigate... Each book can be used for independent reading, but also contains inside cover notes that include help on developing vocabulary and prompt questions that can be used for guided reading and one-to-one sessions. Full guided reading notes are provided in the corresponding handbook. There are also a range of follow-up activities to support reading for pleasure.
Scott feels jealous of his shadow - no-one notices shadows or gets cross with them, they can just fade into the background. If only Scott could swap places with his shadow... Project X Origins is a ground-breaking guided reading programme for the whole school. Action-packed stories, fascinating non-fiction and comprehensive guided reading support meet the needs of children at every stage of their reading development. Each book contains inside cover notes that highlight challenge words, prompt questions and a range of follow-up activities to support children in their reading.
Two pirates are on the loose and on the hunt for treasure! It's up to Bansi and Sam to save their school and put these naughty pirates back in the cupboard. But will the pirates stay there? Pirates in the Cupboard is part of the Galaxy range of books from Rising Stars Reading Planet. Galaxy provides captivating fiction and non-fiction for Pink A to White band. The rich collection of highly decodable books immerses children in a range of cross-curricular topics and genres. Reading Planet books have been carefully levelled to support children in becoming fluent and confident readers. Each book features useful notes and activities to support reading at home as well as comprehension questions to check understanding. Reading age: 6-7 years
Welcome to Superhero Sports Day! When Captain Fabulous suddenly falls ill, it's up to two new superheroes to work out what has gone wrong, and stop an evil super-villain from taking over the world! Superhero Sports Day is part of the Galaxy range of books from Rising Stars Reading Planet. Galaxy provides captivating fiction and non-fiction for Pink A to White band. The rich collection of highly decodable books immerses children in a range of cross-curricular topics and genres. Reading Planet books have been carefully levelled to support children in becoming fluent and confident readers. Each book features useful notes and activities to support reading at home as well as comprehension questions to check understanding. Reading age: 6-7 years
Winner of the Oscar's Book Prize 2018 What if a PIG got stuck up your NOSE? How ever would you get it out? When Natalie has to go to school with a pig stuck up her nose, her whole class gets together to find a way to get the pig out. But how will they do it? The zany humour of Sue Hendra (of Supertato and Barry the Fish with Fingers fame) meets Babe the Pig in this funny picture book. This delightfully silly tale, brought to life by warm, comical artwork from rising star Laura Hughes, will have children giggling and oinking out loud to try to work out how to get a farmyard animal out of someone's nose. The perfect picture book for boys and girls aged 3 years and up - or for anyone who has ever got something stuck up their nose! This very funny, sweet story won the hearts of the judging panel. Oink! @oscarsbookprize The surprise comes right at the start, and what a wonderfully dotty premise to begin a story with, about problem solving in the classroom. Brilliantly structured too - Julia Eccleshare Everything about There's a Pig Up My Nose! is entrancing, from the title onwards; it also features the best PE excuse note ever - The Guardian John Dougherty was born in Larne, Northern Ireland and worked as a children's primary school teacher for several years before leaving to concentrate on his writing. He has published several books for children and has been shortlisted for a number of prestigious awards. His book, Zeus Sorts It Out, was one of The Times children's books of the year 2011. Laura Hughes studied illustration at Kingston University and is the illustrator and artist behind Daddy's Sandwich, nominated for the Kate Greenaway Medal 2016. She has worked with several publishers including Bloomsbury, Harper Collins US and Faber & Faber. She lives in east London with her cat. Disclaimer: neither of them have ever had a pig stuck up their nose . . .
Reacquaint yourself with Shakespeare's classic tale of power, control and leadership. When ruler Julius Caesar is offered more and more honours, and gains more and more power, there's only one way to put a stop to him. Diamond/Band 17 books offer more complex, underlying themes to give opportunities for children to understand causes and points of view. Text type: Fiction from our literary heritage Curriculum links: English: fiction from the English literary heritage
A beautiful and powerful, retelling of the ultimate love story, between Anthony and the Egyptian queen, Cleopatra. But when war reopens old wounds, even a love as strong as theirs will struggle to survive. Diamond/Band 17 books offer more complex, underlying themes to give opportunities for children to understand causes and points of view. Text type: Fiction from our literary heritage Curriculum links: English: fiction from the English literary heritage
When Sam and Bansi go to collect supplies from the school art cupboard, the shelves are bare! Something, or someone, has eaten all the paper, glitter and glue! Could it be monsters?! Find out in this amusing playscript, designed for reading or performing. Monsters in the Cupboard is part of the Galaxy range of books from Rising Stars Reading Planet. Galaxy provides captivating fiction and non-fiction for Pink A to White band. The rich collection of highly decodable books immerses children in a range of cross-curricular topics and genres. Reading Planet books have been carefully levelled to support children in becoming fluent and confident readers. Each book features useful notes and activities to support reading at home as well as comprehension questions to check understanding. Reading age: 5-6 years
More fun than your average elf! The perfect book to get you in the mood for all the madness of Christmas! Christmas! A time of peace and goodwill . . . and presents! But something's not right in Great Kerfuffle - instead of peace there's mayhem, and instead of goodwill there's evil and wickedness. And instead of presents, there's . . . NO PRESENTS! Stinkbomb and Ketchup-Face have been extra good this year so they know Father Christmas wouldn't forget them. Something must have happened to him - and now it's up to them to save Christmas (or at least find their presents!). The Stinkbomb and Ketchup-Face books are hugely popular and this book will appeal to existing fans and is also an ideal present for newcomers. Written by hilarious author, John Dougherty, and illustrated by the talented David Tazzyman (illustrator of the Mr Gum books), this dream team has created a crazy world inhabited by unforgettable characters that children (and their parents!) love.
In dining halls of long ago When dinosaurs sat down to dine, Did prehistoric dinner-ladies Keep them all in line? What's the REAL reason the dinosaurs died out? Can anyone rescue Class 2M from the wild dinner-ladies? And what will happen when Class 2M meet a lion? This is a funny and brilliant debut collection from the author of the bestselling Stinkbomb and Ketchup-Face books.
Warning: This book contains nickers . . . but NOT the frilly kind! It's summertime in Great Kerfuffle and Stinkbomb and Ketchup-Face are off to the Loose Chippings library. But right in the middle of chapter seven, they suddenly find themselves in chapter nine!! What the heck is that all about? With Ninja Librarian, Miss Butterworth, trapped in chapter eight, our intrepid heroes journey through a bizarre collection of stories, meeting various pirates, zombies, animals, and Draxxar the Doombringer, in their quest to find their friend. But who on earth could be behind this evil and wicked story mix-up? Well, I'll give you a clue, they're stripy, they're black and white, and they're definitely NOT zebras . . .
Meet Prospero and his daughter Miranda as they are shipwrecked on an island. As Prospero plans revenge on those that put them there, an unlikely alliance leads to an alternative outcome with acceptance, forgiveness, friendship and marriage at the heart. Discover one of Shakespeare's most exciting plays in this gripping retelling by John Dougherty. * Diamond/Band 17 books offer more complex, underlying themes to give opportunities for children to understand causes and points of view.
Olivia is travelling through space when she sees something amazing from the spaceship's window. It is Astron, an alien who has been separated from his family by a meteor storm. Can Astron rescue Olivia from the fierce dark-biters and can she help him find his family? Astron is a bright, beautiful story of friendship set among the stars. Oxford Reading Tree Story Sparks is an emotionally-engaging fiction series that will fire children's imaginations. These 36 original stories will get children thinking, and develop and deepen their comprehension skills. The variety of authors and illustration styles broadens children's reading experience, with something to appeal to every child. All the books in the series are carefully levelled, so it's easy to match every child to the right book for them. They also contain inside cover notes, to enable parents and teachers to support children in their reading. Help with children's reading development is also available at www.oxfordowl.co.uk.
Ssh! Keep the noise down! Shut Uuuuuppp!!! Thanks . . . There are strange things happening on the island of Great Kerfuffle. Listen carefully . . . can you hear that humming noise? It's getting louder . . . and louder . . . it's coming this way! I think we'd better LEG IT!! Oh, hang about, here come our heroes, Stinkbomb and Ketchup-Face to save us. They're sure to know what's beehind all this strange beehaviour. Let's hope they don't buzz off beefore the end of the story!
Psst! Psst! Psssssst!!! OI, YOU!! Do you want to know a secret? Well? Do you? It's a good one . . . honest. You'll never believe it. It's so unbelievably unbelievable and soooooo secret. You have to promise not to tell ANYONE. Well? Do you? Cross your heart and hope to die (or at least pass out for a few minutes). OK . . . here goes. You know those badgers? You'll never guess what they've been up to this time . . . With more twists and turns than a pizza delivery guy on an oil slick, this amazing adventure will leave you hungry for more (pizza) . . .
Project X Origins is a ground-breaking guided reading programme for the whole school. Action-packed stories, fascinating non-fiction and comprehensive guided reading support meet the needs of children at every stage of their reading development. In The Story of Sir Dave, the Knights of the Round Table love feasting, questing and rescuing damsels in distress. That is until Sir Dave arrives and things are never quite the same again. Each book also contains inside cover notes that highlight challenge words, prompt questions and a range of follow-up activities to support children in their reading.
Approved by the Great Kerfuffle Society for Approving Things Oi! You at the back! Yes, you! Stop mucking about and get a move on. Some of us are waiting to get going on this quest you know! These magic porcupines are pretty hard to find, so pay attention and stick with our fearless heroes, Stinkbomb and Ketchup-Face. It could take many years for us to finish our gigantic quest, or it could take just under 200 pages, but I'm pretty sure we'll be back in time for tea, 'cause we'll be starving by then . . . With a host of unforgettable characters such as . . . ummm . . . old what's her face and . . . errrr . . . young fellow-me-lad, this is nail-biting and thumb-sucking adventure that will leave you laughing and cheering and quite possibly really fancying a banana!
In Twice Upon a Time, three mysterious old women bestow magic on Will and Courtney, but things don't go according to plan. You've never read fairy tales quite like these. Will they end happily ever after? Chucklers is a series of funny novels, short stories, anthologies and comics that make reading a pleasure for 7-11 year olds. There is something for everyone in this varied collection which is packed with fantastic illustrations. 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 series is written by top children's authors and edited by award-winning author Jeremy Strong. The books are finely levelled, making it easy to match every child to the right book.
Winner of the Great Kerfuffle Best Book of Last Tuesday Hey you! No, not you - the person behind you. No, not him either. Left a bit, left a bit more . . . You! Oh for goodness sake . . . never mind . . . Dear Everyone (including you!)! Welcome to the world of Great Kerfuffle! It's really great. And there's usually a kerfuffle (the clue's in the name really). Come and join our intrepid heroes Stinkbomb and Ketchup-Face as they set off on a highly dangerous and nail-biting adventure (or it may just be very silly and mildly perilous!). Oh, and there might be a few dodgy badgers hanging about too . . . Meet the funniest collection of characters ever known to mankind in this stupendously hilarious book that will make you laugh your socks off, and quite possibly your ears too.
Finn MacCool and the Giant's Causeway is based on an Irish tale about the creation of the Giant's Causeway. Finn, an Irish giant, and Angus, a Scottish giant, think they are the strongest in the land and are willing to prove it! But Finn has some tricks up his sleeve ... This humorous story written by John Dougherty and brilliantly illustrated by Lee Cosgrove will capture your child's imagination! It has been sensitively rewritten to enable your child to read it with confidence whilst capturing the magic of the original tale. There are useful tips for parents and an engaging story map inside the book to help you and your child retell the story together. The Oxford Reading Tree Traditional Tales series includes 40 of the best known stories from all over the world, which have been passed down for generations. They are a perfect introduction to different cultures, traditions and morals. All the stories are carefully levelled to Oxford Reading Tree levels and matched to the phonic progression in Letters and Sounds enabling your children to read the stories independently. Books contain inside cover notes to support children in their reading. Help with childrens reading development is also available at www.oxfordowl.co.uk.
Bansi O'Hara returns in a fast-paced, funny and frightening adventure. She could be excused for wanting a quiet life after the events of THE BLOODLINE PROPHECY, where an ancient prophecy from the land of the faeries nearly made her come a cropper at the hands of their Dark Lord. But back into Tir na n'Og she must go - this time to rescue her mum, who is being held captive as a bride for the Dread Cruach. Helped (and often hindered) by Granny and her bickering pal Nora Mullarkey, can Bansi defeat this most sinister of sprites?
Eric, the school bully, is causing trouble for Alex's best friend Charlie. He's been stealing his crisps and flushing his head down the loo. Alex isn't sure that Zeus, the Greek god, is the best person to ask for help but before he can stop him, Charlie has built a temple (from a piece of crumpled paper) to summon Zeus. The problem is, the hot-headed god has now taken over the boys' loos and wants to smite Eric with a thunderbolt. But that's against the school rules, so how exactly will Zeus teach the bully a lesson? Don't worry...Zeus will sort it out! Another hilarious story from the author of ZEUS ON THE LOOSE and ZEUS TO THE RESCUE.
Jack Slater is an official Monster Investigator - licensed to hunt out monsters who turn up under beds and terrorize small children. Brave Jack has never met a monster that could scare him... until now. The Dark Depths - home to the most terrifying of all monsters - have been opened, and Jack and his feisty friend Cherry must enter them and face the danger within. Armed only with their wits, a torch and a teddy bear...
Zeus is back! This time Alex and his friend Charlie have summoned Zeus down from Mount Olympus on purpose because there's a problem that they're hoping he will be able to help with. There' s a new girl in the class called Diana and ever since she turned up, things have just got weirder and weirder. All the girls follow her around like sheep and do whatever she says and their teacher Miss Wise is letting Diana and the girls get away with outrageous behaviour. Zeus doesn't seem very willing to help but then Alex and Charlie discover that Diana is actually Zeus's daughter, the goddess Artemis! It's bad enough having two gods running around on Earth but things start getting really bad when Artemis bets Zeus that he can't get Miss Wise to give him a kiss of her own free will because she's one of Artemis's followers now. If Zeus fails then Artemis is going to turn his High Priest, Alex, into a pig . . .!
Jack Slater has a job on his hands. He has to tackle the monster who is frightening his parents out of their bed every night. Armed with his penlight torch and his teddy called Freddy, Jack Slater sets off into the monster underworld possibly helped, or possibly not, by his friendly monster informer, Bernard. There are lots of keen, mean sleuthing jokes in this terrific, funny fantasy. (7+)
WHAT A LOUSE! Jim is a head-louse, newly-hatched from a nit on Gregory's head. But as Gregory is a good listener and it's 'in his blood', Jim's breakfast turns him into a good listener too and suddenly school storytime changes from Literacy Hour to Niteracy Hour. And can Jim help Gregory do something about Duncan, the class bully? He's the real louse in the class-
I am the great and mighty Zeus, mortal- give me one good reason why I shouldn't smite you here and now!'Alex's class are learning about the Ancient Greeks. That's why Alex makes a temple (out of loo rolls and a cornflakes box) for the Greek god Zeus. He doesn't expect the god himself to turn up, borrow his mum's nightie and demand a sacrifice at half-past five in the morning. Even worse, Zeus reckons it's time for another Trojan War - in the school playground! Zeus is on the loose-
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