Goscinny Rene

Nicholas is the first in a series of five books, that bring to life the day-to-day adventures of a young school boy - amusing, endearing and always in trouble. An only child, Nicholas appears older at school than he does at home; his touchingly naive reactions to different situations cut through the preconceptions of adults to result in a formidable sequence of escapades. This first book in the series contains a collection of 19 individual stories in which, despite trying to be good, Nicholas and his friends always seem to end up in some sort of mischief. In the school room, at home and in the playground, their exuberance often takes over and the results are calamitous - at least for their teachers and parents. Whether confusing the photographer hired to take the class picture, rescuing a 'stray' dog, or trying desperately to help the teacher when the school inspector pays a visit, Nicholas always manages to make matters worse. This hilarious and heart-warming book will ignite laughter in children and adults alike. These stories of Nicholas' cureless antics blend a wonderfully imaginative sense of humour with a refreshing take on life, to leave a lingering aftertaste of ageless romantic charm in any reader.

Nicholas and the Gang contains 16 stories about Nicholas, the French schoolboy, and his friends, many of whom are familiar from the other books in the series: there's Alec, who's always eating; Cuthbert, who's always top of the class; Matthew, who's always bottom of the class; and Mary Jane, the little girl with blonde pigtails who lives next door. As usual, the children get into all kinds of trouble, even though they have the very best intentions. In this book, they try to make friends with the owner of a new bookshop near their school, take part in a chaotic radio interview, and play an unusually messy game of chess. Now available in paperback to delight a new generation of children.

Nicholas Again is the second in a series of five books about a young schoolboy who is amusing, endearing and always in trouble. Written by the author of Asterix, René Goscinny, and featuring witty illustrations by New Yorker cartoonist, Jean-Jacques Sempé, this book brings to life the adventures and exploits of Nicholas and his friends. Whether at school or at home, the children are caught up in a series of hilarious escapades that always result in confusion – at least for their teachers and parents. This classic book, still a best-seller in France more than forty years after it was first published, is now available in English to be read, reread and loved forever.