Penguin Books Australia

In a small, desperately poor village in north-east China, a young peasant boy sits at his rickety old school desk, interested more in the birds outside than in Chairman Mao's Red Book and the grand words it contains. But that day, some strange men come to his school – Madame Mao's cultural delegates. They are looking for young peasants to mould into faithful guards of Chairman Mao's great vision...

This is my story. Here is my recollection of those years growing up in Mao's China. It is my family's history. It is my journey, from my earliest memories, through discovering dance, to my life in the West. History may record things differently, others may too, but the stories here remain as true to me now as they ever were. It is a remembrance that contains the treasures from my heart.

One day, not so very many years ago, a small peasant boy was chosen to study ballet at the Beijing Dance Academy. His mother urged him to take this chance of a lifetime.

In a small, desperately poor village in north-east China, a young peasant boy sits at his rickety old school desk, interested more in the birds outside than in Chairman Mao's Red Book and the grand words it contains. But that day, some strange men come to his school – Madame Mao's cultural delegates. They are looking for young peasants to mould into faithful guards of Chairman Mao's great vision...

A group of children spend the night in a big old school and go on a chilling journey of self-discovery when they decide to play a game. They must travel from room to room, picking up  a lantern and writing down their names to ward off the dark. But the old school holds a secret that they must confront if they are to succeed in their journey...

Childhood, family relations and the seaside all provide the backdrop to Joe's story.

When Joe and his dad go to Great-Uncle Alan's beach house after the old man's death, Joe discovers a boat in the garage. He longs to take it out on the sea, and he gets his wish when he goes fishing with Dad and Great-Uncle Alan's elderly friend Bob. After the fun of the fishing, and eating the fish on the beach, the...

Gemma can see that the poor horse is starving, and she plans to help him any way she can.   Why is everybody trying to stop her?

Young readers will love these mouthwatering, bite-sized stories from their favourite authors and illustrators.

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Alone, Ben must go out into the streets and confront his fears.

In Woolvs in the Sitee , award-winning team Margaret Wild and Anne Spudvilas chart new territory. As with their remarkable Jenny Angel , they have again created a book that is both...