Kiwis at War series

It'll be over by Christmas... Young Billy Bowman and his mate Jack get caught up in the excitement when war is declared in August 1914 and leave their jobs on the farm to rush off and enlist in the Mounted Rifles because the war would 'probably be over by Christmas'. We follow their journey from the Awapuni training camp to more training in the sands of Egypt before they finally get shipped out without their horses to fight at Gallipoli. And there they discover that war isn't the big adventure they thought it would be.

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 who fought in the desert. Privately owned, they were often farm horses who followed their masters to war, and who fought and suffered alongside them in atrocious conditions. Brave Bess was the only one to return, and in telling her story, Susan Brocker brings to life a little known aspect of our military history, which is both courageous and poignant. With superb black and white photographs including Bess herself, who is today commemorated by her own memorial, Brave Bess and the ANZAC Horses celebrates the men and their mounts in an honest, ultimately challenging way, as the fate of the brave horses continues to sit uneasily with modern sensibilities. A compelling story in its own right, this book is also a superb teaching tool for anyone who wants to learn more about the First World War.

A moving and exciting adventure story for 9-12 year olds, set against the sweeping landscape of the North Island's volcanic plateau and Desert Road, Restless Spirit tells the story of a wild white Kaimanawa stallion who cannot be tamed and the two young troubled teens who come to love him. Lara is new in town and resents it — Kahu is a talented carver, outwardly cocky and confident but riddled with doubts and fears. Hunters slaughter the young stallion?s family and he learns to fear and distrust humans, but when a brutish trainer targets the white stallion during the annual DOC muster, he must learn to trust Lara and Kahu if they are to have any chance of saving him. To accomplish this, Lara and Kahu must both reach out — Lara to her peers and her estranged mother, and Kahu must reveal his hidden talent. Both must also face the reality that to help the stallion, they must ultimately lose him. Parallel to their journey, the white stallion must face and overcome his fears. He must call on the strength and wisdom of his ancestors and place his trust in Lara and Kahu.

Saving Sam is about a sad and lonely boy and the dog he grows to love. The book was inspired by my old dog, Layla , who passed away several years ago. Just like the Layla in the book, she was nervy and frightened at times. But she was also a gentle and kindly soul who loved kids and understood they'd never hurt her. She seemed to know if they were hurting too... Ben's mother is dead, his father is in jail, and his older brother is heading off the rails at a million kilometres an hour. The social worker is fast running out of options, when the boys' aunt and uncle reluctantly agree to take them in. Just as well: they were the last on her list. Ben's uncle has bought a guard dog from a man at the pub, but she's useless — afraid of loud voices and frightened of her own shadow — and he's decided to have her put down. Ben and the unwanted dog recognize each other for what they are — damaged goods — and find some comfort and companionship together, which slowly grows into love and trust. That love will be needed when Ben's brother gets into seriously bad trouble, and Ben's trust in his dog is put to the ultimate test.

'Tell us where you've got the nugget and this will go well for you,' the tall man with the horrible voice rasped. Rumour is flying around the west coast gold fields that tom McGee has struck it rich and found a nugget of gold as big as a man's fist. So no one is surprised when next his campsite is found wrecked and abandoned. Men have been killed for a lot less on the tough goldfields of 1860s New Zealand. But one person is convinced tom is not dead. His headstrong daughter, Charlotte. Solving the mystery is not her first task, though. First, she must get to the coast. A skilful horse rider, she disguises herself as a boy and joins a cattle drive across the Southern Alps. to survive the dangerous drive over Arthur's Pass and to keep her identity hidden from the vicious trail boss, she'll need the help of her dog, her horse, and her father's friend, tama. She knows she can do it — she has to — but what will she find? And will her new American friend, Joseph, help or hinder her quest? Charlie is in for the ride of her life — and the stakes couldn't be higher.

Finn had seen those eyes before. They were golden yellow, like the colour of the moon hanging low in the sky. And they were full of pain. When Finn comes across a car accident, little does he realize his life is about to change forever. The huge, injured animal he discovers is no dog ‑ but a wolf, escaped from the circus. Finn is bewitched. Instinctively, he knows he must save the wolf, Lupa, and prevent her return to the cruel circus. Where to hide the wolf, and how to feed her, are just the beginning of Finn's problems. For the sinister circus clown, Cackles, is hot on their trail and will stop at nothing to get Lupa back. In a race against time to save Lupa, Finn gets help from unlikely quarters. But will it be enough? Like many of my books, The Wolf in the Wardrobe was inspired by one of our much-loved pets. Yogi is a long-haired German shepherd and he adores playing with kids. But people often say to me when they first meet him, "He looks like a wolf!" And that got me thinking – imagine if he really was a wolf!