Kirjahaku

Anyone who likes Mac Black's "Please call me Derek" (and the rest in the series covering his grown-up adventures) will enjoy introducing younger friends and family to his new series, "Sweaty and Pals." 'Sweaty and Pals Again' continues Derek's exploits with his gang in the eighties, with quirky illustrations (by Mac Black), the stories build on Derek's ability to find disasters and get himself into one mess after another.Sweaty's tales are about little kids enjoying life, before smartphones and computer games came along. Of course, it is just possible - if you are older than five - that you did all these things yourself...Mac has embraced writing for younger readers with the same quirky clean humour that permeates his YA series. From Sweaty's days at school, we meet some of the wonderful characters who pepper the adult books, subtly dealing with issues around prejudice, being different, living with the elderly, dealing with life's issues - but in a gentle, no-nonsense way that exposes the social discrimination and values that we took for granted, in those days, but we would not accept, today. This makes these stories a perfect springboard for class discussions about daily life for children thirty years ago compared with now.

Sweaty and Pals SmileAnyone who likes Mac Black's "Please call me Derek" (and the rest in the series covering his grown-up adventures) will enjoy introducing younger friends and family to his Sweaty series, "Sweaty and Pals" and 'Sweaty and Pals Again' set the scene for characters and exploits that fill "Sweaty and Pals Smile"which continues Derek's exploits with his gang in the eighties, with quirky illustrations (by Mac Black), the stories build on Derek's ability to find disasters and get himself into one mess after another.Sweaty's tales are about little kids enjoying life, before smartphones and computer games came along. Of course, it is just possible - if you are older than five - that you did all these things yourself...Mac has embraced writing for younger readers with the same quirky clean humour that permeates his YA series. From Sweaty's days at school, we meet some of the wonderful characters who pepper the adult books, subtly dealing with issues around prejudice, being different, living with the elderly, dealing with life's issues and, not least, Sweaty's life long competition with the opposite sex - but in a gentle, no-nonsense way that exposes the social discrimination and values that we took for granted, in those days, but we would not accept, today. This makes these stories a perfect springboard for class discussions about daily life for children thirty years ago compared with now.

The question has to be asked: was Alexander really a villain? It is worthy of note that Alexander Findlay, one of the few Scottish pipers to survive the horrors of the Great War, returned from the battlefields as an injured hero. After that ordeal, shouldn't life have become kinder to him? Admittedly, straying from the straight and narrow was wrong, but his untimely death shortly afterwards in the centre of Glasgow seems so unfair: and his legacy? He may have been a hero, but his ill-gotten gains became a shameful family secret. Are the Findlays up for a challenge 'from the grave'? Will there really be a worthwhile prize? The story involving six generations of the Findlay family gradually unfolds when Tom visits the loft "looking for the 'jeely pan'..."

Max is a mouse with issues.Trying to fit in with everyone around him means that Max can't be himself - in fact, it is downright dangerous being himself - so if he is to carry on living with the horrible cat, Camilla, and Mrs McSkimming, he needs to change himself into someone else... The question is - is he going to be comfortable with the result?In a whimsical departure from his successful Sweaty (Children) and Derek (Young Adult) series, Mac Black brings us a quirky new character called Maximillian - a resourceful mouse, with some surprising ideas.

Maximillian needs a new home... First he has to decide what to pack, then where will he go and what will he do when and if he gets there? Max is a mouse with a lot of issues and some very unusual skills. The question is - is he going to be able to use them? In a whimsical departure from his successful Sweaty (Children) and Derek (Young Adult) series, Mac Black brings us a quirky new character called Maximillian - a resourceful mouse, with some surprising ideas.