The Racehorse Who Disappeared

Clare Balding's second brilliant adventure for Charlie Bass and her funny family of humans and animals. 
 
Life is slowly getting back to normal for Charlie after her reluctant racehorse, Noble Warrior, won the Derby and saved her family from financial ruin. But drama soon returns to Folly Farm when thieves break into the farmyard in the dead of night and kidnap Noble Warrior! With the police baffled and no trace of the prizewinning thoroughbred to be found, Charlie launches her own investigation...

A heart-warming story with a great girl-power message

Jacqueline Wilson on The Racehorse Who Wouldn't Gallop

A cheerful paean to books, big thighs and working hard to realise your dreams

There are useful human life lessons here: create a team, Balding urges, delegate, do your research, believe in yourself, and magic ensues

Charlie is a feisty, funny girl who will appeal to pony-mad readers who'll devour all the inside knowledge of the equine world that Balding brings to her debut

Clare Balding (Author) When she was young, Clare Balding thought she was a dog. Disappointed to discover she was only human, she did her best to spend every waking hour with dogs and ponies. She could ride before she could walk and, growing up surrounded by racehorses trained by her father, she dreamt of winning the Grand National or riding for Great Britain at the Olympics. Those dreams never came true but the consolation prize hasn't been bad. As a television and radio presenter, Clare has worked at six Olympic Games, the highlight being London 2012, as well as the Winter Olympics, Paralympics, Commonwealth Games, the Grand National, Royal Ascot, Wimbledon and the Ryder Cup. Clare lives in London with her wife, Alice, their dog Archie and their cat, Button. Tony Ross (Illustrator) Tony Ross was born in Wandsworth, but moved during the war to Cheshire. He ended up at the Liverpool Regional College of Art after despairing of working with his first love - horses. He went into teaching after a bad day in an advertising agency, where he was art director, and at first taught in all sorts of areas - design, advertising, typography. At that time he was drawing cartoons in magazines like Punch. He has written and illustrated many popular books for children including Foxy Fables, I'm Coming to Get You and Naughty Nigel, all published in Puffin. He lives in Cheshire with his wife and daughter.

Life is slowly getting back to normal for Charlie after her reluctant racehorse, Noble Warrior, won the Derby and saved her family from financial ruin. But drama soon returns to Folly Farm when thieves break into the farmyard in the dead of night and kidnap Noble Warrior! With the police baffled and no trace of the prizewinning thoroughbred to be found, Charlie launches her own investigation...

The Racehorse Who Wouldn't Gallop

'A heart-warming story with a great girl-power message' - Jacqueline Wilson 
 
Charlie Bass is a horse-mad ten-year-old who dreams of owning her own pony. So when she accidentally manages to buy a racehorse, Charlie is thrilled. 
 
The horse she buys, Noble Warrior, looks the part: strong, fit and healthy. There's just one problem - he won't gallop. In fact, he won't even leave his stable without his best friend, a naughty palomino pony called Percy. 
 
Charlie is convinced that Noble Warrior has what it takes to be a champion. But can she prove it? Derby Day is fast approaching and only a win can save the family farm from being repossessed. 
 
The stakes couldn't be higher for the Basses. Can Charlie turn her chaotic family into a top training team? Can Noble Warrior overcome his nerves? Will Percy the pony ever stop farting? 
 
Find out in this classic, funny animal story, perfect for fans of Dick King-Smith and Gerald Durrell.

A heart-warming story with a great girl-power message

Charlie Bass is a horse-mad ten-year-old who dreams of owning her own pony. So when she accidentally manages to buy a racehorse, Charlie is thrilled. 
 
The horse she buys, Noble Warrior, looks the part: strong, fit and healthy. There's just one problem - he won't gallop. In fact, he won't even leave his stable without his best friend, a naughty palomino pony called Percy. 
 
Charlie is convinced that Noble Warrior has what it takes to be a champion. But can she prove it? Derby Day is fast approaching and only a win can save the family farm from being repossessed. 
 
The stakes couldn't be higher for the Basses. Can Charlie turn her chaotic family into a top training team? Can Noble Warrior overcome his nerves? Will Percy the pony ever stop farting? 
 
Find out in this classic, funny animal story, perfect for fans of Dick King-Smith and Gerald Durrell.

Miss Dirt the Dustman's Daughter

Daisy Dirt's dad is a dustman on the dole, but her mum has remarried a Duke and is a filthy rich Duchess. Poor Daisy doesn't know whether she's coming or going, whether she's rich or poor - until everything changes . . . 
 
Based on the classic 'Happy Families' card game, this highly entertaining series is ideal for reading and sharing at home or at school. It is guided by the Education Adviser, Brian Thompson, and written by the award-winning author, Allan Ahlberg. 
 
'The best thing to happen to beginner readers since Dr Seuss' Children's Rights Workshop.

Allan Ahlberg (Author) Allan Ahlberg, a former teacher, postman, plumber's mate and grave digger, is in the super-league of children's writers. He has published over 100 children's books and, with his late wife Janet, created such award winning picture books as EACH PEACH PEAR PLUM and THE JOLLY POSTMAN - both winners of the Kate Greenaway Medal. He has also written prize-winning poetry and fiction and lives in Sussex. Tony Ross (Illustrator) Tony Ross was born in Wandsworth, but moved during the war to Cheshire. He ended up at the Liverpool Regional College of Art after despairing of working with his first love - horses. He went into teaching after a bad day in an advertising agency, where he was art director, and at first taught in all sorts of areas - design, advertising, typography. At that time he was drawing cartoons in magazines like Punch. He has written and illustrated many popular books for children including Foxy Fables, I'm Coming to Get You and Naughty Nigel, all published in Puffin. He lives in Cheshire with his wife and daughter.

Notso Hotso

...a fable about embarrassment that made me laugh aloud

Anne Fine read politics and history at Warwick University. Her first novel was published in 1975; now she writes for both adults and children and is one of the UK's most successful writers. Her awards include two Carnegie Medals, the Guardian Fiction Prize, two Whitbread Prizes and a Smarties Prize. GOGGLE-EYES was serialised on TV and MADAME DOUBTFIRE became a Hollywood hit movie. Anne lives in County Durham.

It's a dog's life for Anthony. Not only is he lacking the respect he deserves from the neighbourhood dogs and cats, but suddenly all he can do is scratch, scratch, scratch. And now bits of him are dropping off - yeuch! Just when Anthony thinks things can't get any worse, he finds himself on the vet's table. What she has in mind is about to destroy the tiny shred of street cred he has left...

Clare Balding

Tony Ross

Charlie's racehorse has certainly earned the name Noble Warrior: he won the Derby against all odds and bested a bunch of nasty kidnappers. But now Noddy is facing his greatest challenge yet . . . 
 
Charlie's best friend Polly is still recovering from an accident that left her almost paralysed. But Polly has a real talent with horses - and she and Charlie are determined not to let it go to waste. Can the two best friends find a way to make Polly's equestrian dreams come true, and forge a new path for the racehorse who wouldn't gallop?

Tony Ross

The Racehorse Who Learned to Dance

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