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Jane Nissen Books
Click on this link to order Jane Nissen Books
FOR TRADE CUSTOMERS: Jane
Nissen Books
Jane Nissen Books please contact Bounce! Tel: 020 7138 3650 Fax: 020 7138 3658 Trade orders should
be sent to: Tel: 01476 541080 Fax: 01476 541061 Publishing enquiries to:
'Six years
ago, at the start of the new millennium, the publisher Jane Nissen boldly set
about reissuing a selection of classic, mostly mid-20th century, children's
books which – for one reason or another – had gone out of print. From the
myriad titles eligible for resuscitation, she has made wise choices, ensuring
that books can be shared across the generations – not just in dusty old
falling-to-bits volumes, but in attractive, spaciously designed paperbacks.'
'Rediscoveries to be
enjoyed'
Illustration from Kings and Queens
'. . . the entire list of reprinted
children's classics is a joy to read.'
'There are delights here for the confident reader.'
'an excellent new series of rediscovered
classic children's books.'
Illustration from Marigold in Godmother's House
'old favourites ... resurrected by Jane Nissen ... who
has created her own imprint.'
'Jane Nissen – mission to republish
lost gems' –
'... a
fine series of reissued classics'
Illustration from Stars of Fortune
'(These are) books that have given great pleasure to all
children for the last 60 years plus and now, thanks to publisher Jane Nissen,
will continue to do so for many more years to come. If, like me when I
was young, you don't believe your parents recommendations, then take the
word of some of our current best-known and loved authors. Philip Pullman,
Anne Fine, Raymond Briggs and Penelope Lively, amongst others, have
written short introductions to these books.'
Illustration from The Pirates in the Deep Green Sea
In an article by Julia Eccleshare on ‘classics’
Illustration
from The
Click on this link to order Jane Nissen Books
Jane
Nissen Books Bounce! Sales and Marketing Ltd. For all sales enquiries for Jane Nissen Books please contact Bounce! Tel: 020 7138 3650 Fax: 020 7138 3658 Trade orders should
be sent to: Tel: 01476 541080 Fax: 01476 541061 Publishing enquiries to:
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ASK ME NO QUESTIONS By Ann Schlee llustrated by Faith Jaques Foreword by Jamila Gavin 228 pages Age: 9 to 15 £6.99 ISBN 978 1 903252 26 0 |
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Despite
all the mysterious secrets and evasions, Laura knew
that the children living next door to her aunt’s house
were starving; but it seemed as if none of the grown-ups
knew – or cared. So she tried to help by herself . .
. until tragedy struck. This story about a Victorian
children’s “home” – Drouet’s Academy – is based on fact.
Its brutal and disgraceful conditions were later exposed
by Charles Dickens. |
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BOGWOPPIT By Ursula Moray Williams Illustrated and Foreword by Shirley Hughes 160 pages Age: 8 to 12 £7.99 ISBN 978 1 903252 36 9 |
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When Aunt Lily marries the lodger and goes to America, orphaned Samantha is packed off to her Aunt Daisy, who lives in a grand house at the Park. Snooty Lady Daisy Clandorris has no time for children. Lucky for Samantha, then, to discover the small, furry creature living in the cellar: a bogwoppit – believed extinct – up till now . . . ‘A wonderful Ursula Moray Williams creation.’ ‘This is an absolutely charming book and it has such a lovely story that I can hardly explain it. Seriously, you should read it!’ |
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BRENDON CHASE By B.B. llustrated by Denys Watkins-Pitchford Foreword by Philip Pullman 304 pages Age: 9 to adult £7.99 ISBN 978 1 903252 00 0 |
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| Three runaway brothers live
like Robin Hood and his merry men, deep in the forest. A classic story of
survival and adventure from the author of The Little Grey Men. 'A bold intriguing choice.' The Guardian 'A beautifully written and structured story.' John Burningham, 1001 Children’s Books You Must Read Before You Grow Up |
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CIRCUS
SHOES By Noel Streatfeild llustrated by Clark Hutton Foreword by Gillian Cross 320 pages Age: 8 to 14 £7.99 ISBN 978 1 903252 25 3 |
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Gus
the clown is Peter and Santa's only living relative,
and escape to the circus seems a better idea to them
than an orphanage. But Gus will keep the children only
if they make themselves useful – and
they have to fight hard to really belong to the
circus. |
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CHRISTMAS WITH THE SAVAGES |
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| Based on real events and people, this story of a small girl’s Christmas holiday in a large Edwardian country house is effortlessly funny. At Tamerlane Hall Evelyn finds a horde of children: the gentle Glens, the plaintive Howliboos, and above all, the uninhibited Savages. They are controlled – or not – by a host of parents, supernumerary Uncles and Aunts, Nannies and nurserymaids. Evelyn survives the Christmas festivities – just – returning home none too soon! Seen through the eyes of a prim little eight-year-old, this is an amusing and touching account of a childhood a hundred years ago. 'When I first read Christmas with the Savages fifty years ago, I thought it was a joy – amusing and very touching by turns. Now it's become a precious jewel: it's still very funny, of course, but it's also wonderfully redolent of another time, another place.' Antonia Fraser 'Jane Nissen Books . . . delightful, forgotten gems such as Christmas with the Savages, written in 1955 by Mary Clive, Antonia Fraser's aunt . . . These are Edwardian children as you have never seen them – badly behaved and wickedly funny. Not just a gem, a diamond for 8–11 years olds.' Dinah Hall, Sunday Telegraph 'Christmas 100 years ago is irresistible in this hilarious story of chaos, warmth, laughter and excitement, as three generations of a big family gather for the big day. There's much bad behaviour on all sides, which is sharply observed and wittily recorded in the delightful understatements of the child narrator. A perfect book for reading aloud to get the whole family in the mood.' Julia Eccleshare, Guardian 'A delightful period piece.' Books for Keeps |
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BEST SELLER |
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CLEVER POLLY AND THE STUPID WOLF |
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| Twelve
stories written for the author’s daughter, who was
scared of the wolf under the bed! Drawing occasionally
on well-known fairy tales, and skilfully blending
fantasy and reality, these stories are bursting
with humour, originality and charm. And Polly, not
scared at all, outwits the wolf on each and every
occasion! Chosen for Waterstone’s Guide for Kids’ Books 2008-2009 'All the wolf wants to do is eat a little girl, but he has chosen one very clever girl, and he is unfortunately one very stupid wolf! A charming, classic tale’ 'A very welcome reissue of a wonderful story.' Carousel 'Fanciful but soundly based in reality, these stories give a perfect tingle of fear.' Guardian 'Readers will delight in Storr’s modern twists on favourite fairy tales.' The Ultimate First Book Guide ‘Funny, wise, charming’ Amanda Craig, the Times |
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FATTYPUFFS AND
THINIFERS By Andre Maurois Illustrated by Fritz Wegner Foreword by Raymond Briggs 112 pages Age: 9 to adult £6.99 ISBN 978 1 903252 07 9 |
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A
very funny fantasy tale of two
brothers,one fat, one thin, who discover the underground kingdoms of the Fattypuffs
and Thinifers – and find themselves at war with each other. 'This classic makes a welcome
return.' |
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GREEN SMOKE |
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Constantine Bay was the best place in the world for a holiday,
Susan thought. She loved scrambling over the rocks
and exploring the tiny, secret coves. It
was in one of them that she made an amazing discovery
discovery – R. Dragon, who is a very special dragon.
He is 1500 years old, with beautiful manners – far
too polite to eat people! He loves almond buns,
and takes Susan to tea with the mermaid . . . |
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JOHNNY'S BAD DAY |
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| Johnny gets out of the wrong side of the bed one morning – a bad start to a very bad day. Johnny spills the milk at breakfast, pulls his sister’s hair, and makes a horrid banging noise with his toys. His mother and father are very cross with him and he is cross with them! The day seems to be going from bad to worse, but, by the end of it, tired and tearful Johnny is a happy boy again. A delightful miniature picture book. 'This little hardback has vintage charm and practical appeal. Ardizzone’s drawings, with lots of cross-hatching and moody orange and green backgrounds, communicate Johnny’s muddled feelings with perfect clarity.' Time Out 'The pictures do all the work and they do so perfectly . . . the emotional truth survives in this finely produced new edition.' Books for Keeps Amanda Craig reviews Johnny’s Bad Day in the Times: Edward Ardizzone is one of the greatest illustrators of the 20th century, and good for the heroic Jane Nissen Books for republishing Johnny's Bad Day as a lovely little hardback. Ardizzone's drawings bristle with wit, elegance and the shining intelligence that remain in the memory as a special delight, long after the covers are closed. |
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KINGS AND QUEENS |
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| In
this brilliantly clever collection of poems about all
forty-one English Kings and Queens, the Bad Kings are
bad and the Good Kings are good – make no mistake about
it! William the Conqueror, Henry VIII ('Bluff King
Hal was full of beans: He married half a dozen queens')
Queen Bess, Victoria, George VI, these poems bring our monarchs
unforgettably to life. 'A fine read, and a wonderful way to learn our history.' Scholastic Best Books 2003 |
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MAGIC IN MY POCKET By Alison Uttley Illustrated by Judith Brook Foreword by Margaret Clark 240 pages Age: 5 to 11 £7.99 ISBN 978 1 903252 17 8 |
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| A
collection of favourite Alison Uttley stories taken
from seventeen different titles, including Sam Pig and
Tim Rabbit adventures. 'Truly a greatest hits album' School Librarian |
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MRS COCKLE'S CAT By Philippa Pearce Illustrated by Antony Maitland Foreword by Frank Cottrell Boyce 64 pages Age: 4 to 9 £6.99 ISBN 978 1 903252 33 8 |
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Peter the cat was fond of Mrs Cockle, but fonder still of fresh fish for his dinner. When he disappeared in search of his favourite food, poor Mrs Cockle pined away and grew so thin that a puff of wind could have blown her away. And a puff of wind did . . . ‘A charming little story’
‘An extremely welcome reissue of this short and perfect novel by one of the great children’s writers’ ‘Both a thrilling and a comforting read’ ‘A gem from start to finish’ ‘The sublime Philippa Pearce . . . the writing is just as gorgeous as might be expected’ ‘A book of great charm for primary age children’ |
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MY FRIEND MR LEAKEY By J.B.S. Haldane Illustrated and with a forword by Quentin Blake 150 pages Age: 5 to 12 £7.99 ISBN 978 1 903252 19 2 |
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| A
very funny collection of stories about Mr Leakey, the
practical magician who can become invisible when he
needs to. He has a useful magic carpet for travelling,
and a small dragon who can grill fish by spitting fire.
He's also good at bewitching things! 'This is one of the funniest and most brilliant books for children ever written, and Jane Nissen deserves a medal for reprinting it after decades of neglect, complete with Quentin Blake’s quirky drawings.' Amanda Craig, the Times 'Fun-packed . . . zest of investigation and invention' 1001 Children’s Books You Must Read Before You Grow Up |
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OLD PETER'S RUSSIAN
TALES By Arthur Ransome Illustrated by Faith Jaques Foreword by Christina Hardyment 256 pages Age: 7 to 12 £7.99 ISBN 978 1 903252 16 1 |
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| The
story of Baba Yaga, the tale of the Firebird, the fable
of the Golden Fish and many others: in days before the
Revolution, Arthur Ransome visited Old Russia, and heard
these stories first-hand from the people he met there. 'A brilliant, everlasting book . . . sheer enjoyement' School Librarian |
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STARS
OF FORTUNE By Cynthia Harnett Illustrated by the author Foreword by Amanda Craig 232 pages Age: 9 to 16 £7.99 ISBN 978 1 903252 24 6 |
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| In
this gripping adventure story about Tudor England, the
Washington children of Sulgrave Manor become involved
in a secret plot to help young Princess Elizabeth, a
virtual prisoner in nearby Woodstock. Discovery would
mean death – but the Washington boys are willing to
risk everything to help the beautiful prisoner. Cynthia Harnett was meticulous in her research and adherence to the historical detail informing her books. But her success was in also building and controlling an adventure plot with such skill that the story was central. School Librarian 'The excitement builds, capturing the fever of the times' Books for Keeps |
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TENNIS SHOES By Noel Streatfeild Illustrated by D.L. Mays Foreword by Adèle Geras 224 pages Age: 9 to 13 £7.99 ISBN 978 1 903252 08 6 |
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The
four Heath children, with tennis in their blood, join
the competitive tournament circuit and battle hard to
win. An absorbing story from an enormously popular children's
author and Noel Streatfeild's favourite book. |
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THEATRE SHOES |
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| Every family has its secrets , but it was a huge surprise to the three young Forbeses, fresh from a country vicarage, to discover that their grandmother was a famous actress. Sent to live with her in bombed-out, wartime London they soon discovered that they were expected to follow in the family footsteps – to the footlights –! As an actress herself, Noel Streatfeild was familiar with all the details of the backstage world of the theatre. She has created an authentic, perceptive and vivid picture of theatrical life – from stage school to auditions to performances. 'The period details add realism, comedy and charm' Amanda Craig, the Times ‘Any child who has dreamed of treading the boards will relish this enchanting rites of passage’ Rowan Stanfield in Carousel |
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THE
COUNTRY CHILD |
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| Alison
Uttley has drawn on her own youth to produce these vivid
and nostalgic memories of a girl growing up in the English
countryside. 'One of those happy books with appeal for all ages.' School Librarian ‘A book I return to again and again for an evocative glimpse of a long-lost childhood’ Val Bierman in Carousel |
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THE CUCKOO CLOCK |
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| Lonely
Little Griselda comes to live in a big old house deep
in the countryside. Falling to sleep on her very first
night she hears the faint sound of a cuckoo – right
in her room! Can the wooden cuckoo from the cuckoo clock
downstairs really be alive? 'Vivid and readable' Books for Keeps 'Mrs Molesworth has been called the "Jane Austen of the nursery"' 1001 Children’s Books You Must Read Before You Grow Up |
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THE HOUSE IN NORHAM GARDENS |
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| Clare an Oxford schoolgirl, enters the dreamworld of a Stone Age tribe, and is called upon to lay the ghost of an ancient misunderstanding. The different layers of time, memory and experience are explored by a masterful author. | ||||||
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THE LARK AND THE LAUREL |
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The War of the Roses has ended, her father is a traitor, and Cecily Jollond flees to Mantlemass, her aunt’s house in the Sussex Weald. Her former idle life in London is transformed as she uncovers the secrets of Mantlemass – and the treacheries of the past which will profoundly affect her future.
‘An object lesson in the creation of historical fiction’ ‘There are plenty of secrets and intrigues in this exhilarating reissued history’ ‘This is a wonderful story. History, a sense of place, truly three-dimensional characters and a slow-building love story all combine into an enthralling read’ ‘This cleverly constructed historical novel weaves in timeless themes of loyalty and self-discovery . . . as fresh and of-the-moment as any contemporary vampire romance’ |
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THE MAGIC CITY By E. Nesbit Illustrated by H. R. Millar Foreword by Mary Hoffman 320 pages Age: 8 to 14 £7.99 ISBN 978 1 903252 37 6 |
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Young Philip’s life is turned upside down when he finds himself in a new home, with a new, unfriendly stepsister, Lucy. To forget his unhappiness he constructs a model city out of all the amazing bric-a-brac of a Victorian home – but when it comes to life he and Lucy find themselves magically transported into the midst of danger. Somehow they must become friends and work together to save the Magic City. ‘Another brilliant revival from Jane Nissen Books’ ‘An enchanting and deeply insightful book . . . this novel has been too long overlooked’ |
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THE ORDINARY PRINCESS By M.M. Kaye Illustrated by the author Foreword by Bel Mooney 128 pages Age: 5 to 11 £6.99 ISBN 978 1 903252 13 0 |
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| Crustacea,
Princess Amy's cross Fairy Godmother, gave her god-daughter
a curious christening present. 'You shall be ordinary!'
she cried. But Her Serene and Royal Amethyst Alexandra
Augusta Araminta Adelaide Aurelia Anne grew up to have
the most extraordinary adventures … M.M. Kaye is the
author of the best-selling novel, The Far Pavilions. 'Charming' School Librarian |
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THE SPRIG OF BROOM By Barbara Willard Illustrated by Paul Shardlow Foreword by Kevin Crossley-Holland 186 pages Age: 9 to 16 £7.99 ISBN 978 1 903252 35 2 |
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The War of the Roses has been over for more than 20 years – and Tudors have succeeded Plantagenets. But young Medley Plashet’s life at Mantlemass is full of riddles. Is his father Richard the humble forest guide he seems? And if so, why has he disappeared? Medley sets out on a long and dangerous journey to solve the mystery of his heritage – a journey that leads to a stunning revelation.
Runner-up for the Guardian Award in 1972 ‘Barbara Willard has the gift of illuminating the problems of adolescence. I was absolutely gripped by this book. Highly recommended.’ ‘An exciting and fast-moving historical novel – I can’t think of better or more readable books than the Mantlemass series’ ‘A classic and outstanding sequence of historical novels- another splendid and very welcome revival from Jane Nissen Books’ |
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THE TAIL OF THE TRINOSAUR By Charles Causley Illustrated by Jill Gardiner Foreword by Michael Rosen 128 pages Age: 5 to adult £6.99 ISBN 978 1 903252 23 9 |
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| For
ninety million years (or thereabouts) a TRINOSAUR has
lain undisturbed in the clay of the Amazon Jungle. But
when this fantastic creature is finally unearthed and
sent as a gift to the peace-loving township of Dunborough,
then it becomes very disturbed indeed. 'The perfect stocking-filler is the poet Charles Causley's The Tail of the Trinosaur – rollocking rhyming couplets and wonderful line drawings . . .' Amanda Craig in the Times 'Causley’s manipulation of rhyme is masterful' English Four to eleven |
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THE VOYAGE
OF THE QV66 |
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| In
an England abandoned by people and covered by water,
Pal the dog, Ned the horse, Freda the cow, Pansy the
kitten, Offa the pigeon – and Stanley – set out on a
quest. An epic and funny adventure story. 'The book is a wonder and a one off.' School Librarian 'When my daughter was little, the book we both loved most . . . humour plays an important part' Rose Tremain |
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THE
WIND ON THE MOON |
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| Two
naughty sisters have amazing adventures in increasingly
fantastical situations. This is a story that bubbles
over with lively imagination and humour. This book is brilliant but bonkers and I recommend it to the age 10+. It is brilliant because of the fantastic way it is written, and bonkers because of all the weird things that couldn’t possibly happen, happen! Ellie Yr 6 Winner of the Carnegie Medal 'One of its delights is the way in which Linklater swings between pure fantasy and the everyday made fantastic.’ James Meek, The Guardian 'Many funny and magical moments' 1001 Children’s Books You Must Read Before You Grow Up Julia Eccleshare, Guardian |
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THE
WOODS OF WINDRI |
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A
romantic adventure story about the love of Phillippa
of Windri and Sigismund, Count of Monte Lucio, and the
enemies who plot to kill him. |
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