True stories Books

"The Diary of a Young Girl" is among the most enduring documents of the 20th century. Anne Frank kept a diary from 1942 to 1944. Initially she wrote it strictly for herself. Then, one day in 1944, a member of the Dutch government in exile announced in a radio broadcast from London that ...

Herbert was a small dog who lived in Nelson by the sea. Everybody loved him, but the person who loved him most was his owner, Tim. One fine day, an excited Herbert sets off on a boat with Tim's father, heading for the Marlborough Sounds. However, what no one knew was that the weather would soon turn...

Anne Frank's "Diary of a Young Girl" is among the most enduring documents of the 20th century. Anne Frank kept a diary from 12 June 1942 to 1 August 1944. Initially, she wrote it strictly for herself. Then, one day in 1944, Gerrit Bolkestein, a member of the Dutch government in exile, announced in a...

A well researched and endearing non-fiction account of an amazing Airedale who captured public imagination throughout New Zealand during the Great Depression, and who is today honoured in Wellington by a statue celebrating his status as a much-loved local legend. Like Scotland's Greyfriar's Bobby, P...

A Ducati motorcycle wins the Battle of the Twins race but the second placing is a surprise - an almost unknown motorcycle called a Britten. Little is known about the bike. Then rumour spreads that the sleek machine was hand-built by some fellow in his home workshop, in a remote place called New Zeal...

Everybody knows Tracy Beaker, Jacqueline Wilson's best-loved character. But what do they know about Jacqueline herself? In this fascinating book, discover...how Jacky played with paper dolls like April in Dustbin Baby...how she dealt with an unpredictable father like Prue in Love Lessons...how she s...

A well researched and endearing non-fiction account of an amazing Airedale who captured public imagination throughout New Zealand during the Great Depression, and who is today honoured in Wellington by a statue celebrating his status as a much-loved local legend. Like Scotland's Greyfriar's Bobby, P...

Tessa Duder has edited two very successful collections of marine stories for adults, Salt Beneath the Skin and Seduced by the Sea, and has now produced a similar high quality collection of non-fiction for younger children, who also have a bit of saltwater in their veins. In this anthology of stories...

'I don't know what I'm doing here. Well, I do really I have been sent here to learn to talk again. Sent here because my mother can't stand my silent presence at home. Sent here because of my face ' She watches; she dreams. She sees more than they realise. She has worries and fears, hopes and desir...

This is a wonderfully written and engaging memoir of Jacqueline Wilson's life as a teenager - her problems with her family, first love, her school life and her friends. Read extracts from her real secret teenage diaries and the stories she wrote as a teenager, to build up a fascinating picture of a ...

Jon and his two perfectly behaved, chilled-out Labradors have always enjoyed a peaceful life. But when Jon agrees to give Devon, an abandoned little border collie, a home - things will never be the same again! From the moment mischeivous Devon explodes from his cage at the airport, Jon realises that...

Every year we celebrate our ANZAC heroes and commemorate the fallen at Gallipolli, wearing poppies in their memory every ANZAC Day. But there were other heroes and heroines of the First World War whose stories have remained largely untold - the horses shipped to the Middle East to carry our troops w...

'Do you hear that, little fellow?' Ace asked the lion cub excitedly. 'You're coming with us!' It's almost Christmas and as two friends search for gifts in London they come across the most unbelievable sight - a lion for sale in the famous store, Harrods. Unable to bear the thought of leaving the lit...

In 1886, fourteen-year old James Collier is excited to be accompanying his father who has been commissioned by the New Zealand Herald to paint the Pink and White Terraces. While his father researches and makes sketches James gets to know the people and places around the township and makes friends wi...

A collection of three exciting Second World War stories. Includes the stories of the Battle of Britain - when the RAF fought the Luftwaffe for control of the skies above the English Channel; the decisive battle at Alamein, where the British 'Eighth Army' destroyed the German forces in Egypt and the ...

Herbert was a small dog who lived in Nelson by the sea. Everybody loved him, but the person who loved him most was his owner, Tim. One fine day, an excited Herbert sets off on a boat with Tim's father, heading for the Marlborough Sounds. However, what no one knew was that the weather would soon turn...

'In spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart'. Born in the shadow of war and forced into hiding for more than two years, Anne Frank could still fill her beloved diary with heart and hope. This insightful biography will enrich the experience of reading "Anne Frank...

When the New Zealand Rifle Brigade marched down Queen Street to board their transport ship to Egypt and the Western Front, they were led by their official mascot, a bulldog called Caesar, wearing a magnificent studded collar. One of those in the crowd who waved him farewell, and who gave her favouri...

Incredibly powerful stories about children's experiences of the Boxing Day 2004 tsunami. Features stories by many of today's best-known authors. Donations from book sales will go to charities active in child welfare. Massive marketing and publicity campaign. A powerful anthology of 18 stories focusi...

The famous story of Simpson and his donkey - a true Anzac legend. This book examines the remarkable life of the man and the donkey who became iconic figures in the Gallipoli campaign, remembered by Allied and Turkish forces alike. Ages 9+.

When Ali Valenzuela was 14, she started to exercise obsessively and limit her food intake - all following an incident which completely undermined her self-confidence. By the time she was 18 - and sitting A-level exams - her weight had fallen below 40kg (less than 6 stone) and was on the brink of dea...

What's the worst smell in the world? The ugliest animal? The most revolting parasite? You'll find the answers to all these questions and more in this book of most revolting things...Particularly suitable for reluctant readers and for 10-14s with a reading age of 8+. You may have heard about world...

This historical fiction novel by bestselling author, Marissa Moss, tells the story of Sarah Emma Edmonds, who masqueraded as a man during the Civil War. The story is told through Sarah's voice, offering readers an in depth look not only at the Civil War but also at Sarah's journey to self discovery,...

Laura Secord never thought of herself as brave. She was gentle, shy and soft spoken. Janet Lunn tells her compelling story that proves that Laura was much braver than she ever imagined. In 1813 American officers take over the Secord home, demanding food. Laura heard them boasting about a plan that w...

A miraculous survival. An extraordinary faith. Autumn 1755. Settled in the Blue Mountains of Pennsylvania, deep within America's new frontier, the Leininger family celebrates the blessings of a beautiful homestead and bountiful harvest. Until tragedy strikes with the beginning of the French-Indian W...

This is the tragic story of the world's largest and most luxurious liner told in pictures. "Story of the Titanic" presents and dissects one of the most tragic events of the 20th Century in a dramatic insight into the Titanic's construction and fit-out, to its maiden voyage. You'll also hear the tale...

From the author of Lincoln: A Photobiography, comes a clear-sighted, carefully researched account of two surprisingly parallel lives and how they intersected at a critical moment in U.S. history. Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass were both selftaught, both great readers and believers in the imp...

Zora Neale Hurston was confident, charismatic, and determined to be extraordinary.As a young woman, Hurston lived and wrote alongside such prominent authors asLangston Hughes and Alain Locke during the Harlem Renaissance. But unfortunately, despite writing the luminary work Their Eyes Were Watching ...

HP Newquist takes young readers on an engaging tour of the world of blood, fromancient history to modern science--with an occasional trip to the very strange side ofthe most important tissue in our bodies. Oddly enough, scientists began to understandthis fascinating fluid only within the past one hu...

Drawing on the unique historical sites, archives, expertise, and unquestioned authority of the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, the "New York Times" bestselling authors Sid Jacobson and Ernie Colon have created the first authorized and exhaustive graphic biography of Anne Frank. Their account is compl...

Sachin Tendulkar is widely regarded as one of the greatest batsman in the history of cricket, and is a hero to millions in his native India. This book tells the fascinating story of Sachin Tendulkar's rise from schoolboy prodigy to the dizzy heights of international cricketing superstardom.Author Bi...

The heroic, real-life personal account of Chris Ryan's most famous mission, The One That Got Away, is now reworked for a new generation. Some authors just write about it. Chris Ryan has been there, done it - and here is the gripping real-life tale ...During the Gulf War in 1991, Chris Ryan became s...

Twelve-year-old Mary Jemison took her peaceful days on her family's farm in eastern Pennsylvania for granted. But on a spring day in 1758, something happened that changed her life forever. A band of warriors invaded the house and took the Jemison family captive. Mary was separated from her parents a...

Isobel Kuhn wasn't always a missionary - she wasn't always a Christian. Her teachers discouraged a belief in God and promoted evolution. Isobel sometimes doubted whether there was anybody there at all to hear her prayers. "They don't go beyond the ceiling you know," she once said to her father who w...

Henry VIII was flamboyant, courageous and headstrong. His life spans a fascinating, important period in history, in which he plays a crucial part. This biography of Henry VIII looks further than the facts that everyone knows - what was Henry like as a boy? How did he become the man that he was? ...

Learn the inspiring true story of an angry inner-city boy grew up to become one of the world's greatest neurosurgeons. Many had given up on Ben, including himself, but his mother never did. She encouraged him to do better and reach higher for his dreams. Kids will learn how anything is possible with...

In "Stuff That Scares Your Pants Off!", Glenn Murphy shows us that it is OK to be scared and that there are very good reasons why we are able to feel fear. He looks closely at our most common fears, including natural disasters, predators, spiders, disease, needles, dentists, crashes, darkness, speak...

Jacqueline Wilson was known as 'Jacky Daydream' as a child - making up stories was her favourite way to spend her time. For anyone else who's a daydreamer or a doodler, there's lots of space for you to record your thoughts, experiences and ideas in this fabulous Daydream Journal. You can take a look...

Helen Keller lived in darkness and silence, but she dazzled the world with her accomplishments. Her powerful story lives on in this remarkable biography by Emma Carlson Berne. Find out about: the illness that destroyed young Helen's sight and hearing; her explosive first meeting with her teacher Ann...