The first in a young middle grade animal series in which an anxious Boston Terrier and an exuberant potbellied pig team up to solve crimes in their barnyard―from debut author PJ Gardner, with illustrations by David Mottram.

Perfect for fans of the Mercy Watson series, The Trouble with Chickens, and A Boy Called Bat.

Horace Homer Higgins III despises dirt. And the outdoors. And ducks. But when his person, Ellie, moves to a farm called the Homestead, the anxious Boston Terrier is forced to adapt. As if that isn’t enough to strain his nerves, Ellie adopts a perpetually cheerful potbellied pig named Bunwinkle to be his baby sister.

Bunwinkle is delighted to be on the farm despite the stuffiness of her new canine brother. She’s sure she’ll crack his shell eventually―no one can resist her cuteness for long―especially once they bond over watching a TV pet-tective show.

Connie hasn’t found her talent yet, but at least she has her slime collection – if it’s gooey, she’s got it! She hopes that by adding a few extra ingredients to a simple recipe she will uncover a talent for slime-making, but alas, all she uncovers is a hot, stinky mess which ends up in the bin. It’s shaping up to be another uneventful weekend … until her failed slime experiment wakes her up the next morning. It’s alive! And can talk! And is named… Big.

Timber wolves, a Rocky Mountain blizzard, and a mine cave-in are only a few of the perils Frank and Joe Hardy encounter during their search for the principal members of a notorious gang responsible for a payroll robbery. Clue by clue, Frank and Joe c

Molly Potter, author of Outside the box, has come up with some wonderfully entertaining activities, which are ideal for off timetable slots during the school day such as ‘golden time’, ‘treats’ at the end of term or, in fact, any time when you feel your pupils need a light-hearted break from the curriculum. This photocopiable book is packed with innovative, exciting and unusual activities such as an ‘intergalactic beauty contest’ ‘a noise scavenger hunt’ or ‘pencil olympics’! This photocopiable book is packed with innovative, exciting and unusual activities such as an ‘intergalactic beauty contest’ ‘a noise scavenger hunt’ or ‘pencil olympics’! They are the type of activity that busy teachers, no longer have the time or energy to create. For ease of planning, the books are organised according to the size of the group i.e. activities for a) individuals, b) pairs or small groups and c) whole group activities. As many of the activities demand that pupils work in pairs or groups there are plenty of opportunities for pupils to work together and support each other and thus develop their team-building skills – another very important aspect of these books. The range and scope of this book mean that after school club leaders or teachers will quickly be able to find an activity that suits their needs, depending on the amount of time available and the amount of noise and excitement they can tolerate!