Banana Books Series

'Melons. Melons for sale!' Every day, Jo-Jo brays the same message and carries the heavy melons through the streets of Venice. Bullied by his master and plagued by flies, Jo-Jo is loved by nobody. But one day, somebody notices Jo-Jo. The famous Doge's daughter herself! And when danger looms, the Venetians need a hero to save them ...From the master storyteller himself comes a story about an evolving friendship between Jo-Jo and the Doge's daughter, who loves the donkey despite his lowly position. A real feeling of of warmth and hope is created in this timeless, classical tale.

The Marble Crusher

by Michael Morpurgo

Published 14 February 1980

This book includes three captivating stories from a master storyteller. In "The Marble Crusher," Albert is new at school and believes everything the bully Sid tells him about the headmaster, Mr. Manners, and his terrifying marble-crushing machine. Albert feels desperate when his marbles are confiscated, but Mr. Manners finds a way to turn the joke on Sid. In "Colly's Barn," Annie had to find a way to stop the farm's old barn from being torn down. Nothing, it seems, can save it--until Colly the swallow and Screecher the owl help Annie save their home. And in "Conker," it's the time of year when conkers, the hard fruit of the chestnut tree, ripen. That means it's also time for conker fights, and Nick desperately wants to win. With a little help from his grandmother, he becomes a very special conker champion.

Colly's Barn

by Michael Morpurgo

Published 5 August 1991

A beautifully crafted chapter book by Michael Morpurgo for Egmont's red banana series.

Annie's father is going to knock down the old barn and build a new one. What will happen to Colly the swallow and all the other birds and animals that live there? Annie is worried about their safety. But one night something amazing happens and she realises that the birds are wiser than she could ever have imagined . . .

Red bananas are chapter books for newly fluent readers, suitable for NC Level 3 readers. They are carefully designed with education in mind, supporting children's understanding of how to read longer books. Red bananas introduce similes and wordplay to encourage an understanding of more literary concepts.

Conker

by Michael Morpurgo

Published 12 October 1987

When Nick's grandmother decides to help him become Conker Champion of Jubilee Park, she sends him off to find some special conkers from Cotter's Yard. There, he discovers a half-starved dog. Will Nick be able to rescue him?

Snakes and Ladders

by Michael Morpurgo

Published 11 April 1994

At school she's called "wimpy Wendy" - but Wendy isn't afraid of Slinky, Grandpa's snake.

At school she's called "wimpy Wendy" - but Wendy isn't afraid of Slinky, Grandpa's snake. When she takes Slinky to school and her he wriggles out of her school bag, Wendy will brave anything to rescue him.

"SOME PEOPLE HAVE goldfish or tortoises or hamsters. Wendy's Grandpa had a snake, a king snake called Slinky. He was black and gold with little beady eyes and an ever-flicking forked tongue."

Mairi's Mermaid

by Michael Morpurgo

Published 1 September 2001

Blue Bananas are fresh and imaginative stories by top children's authors and illustrators for beginner readers. The clear type, simple vocabulary and bright pictures on every page are specially designed for the early stages of reading development. Slightly bigger for smaller hands, these stunning picture books are a perfect way to share storytelling and build reading confidence.

Animal Tales

by Michael Morpurgo

Published 5 May 2008

Three fantastic animal stories in one volume from Britain's best-loved children's author, Michael Morpurgo. Jo-Jo the Melon Donkey Jo-Jo is a donkey, and he does not like it, not one bit. Every day, he works hard selling melons on the streets of Venice. Then, one dark night, Jo-Jo discovers that it is up to him to save the city from the sea. Conker When Nick's grandmother decides to help him become Conker Champion of Jubilee Park, she sends him off to find some special conkers from Cotter's Yard. There, he discovers a half-starved dog. Will Nick be able to rescue him? Colly's Barn Annie's father wants to demolish the old barn and build a new one. But what will happen to all the birds that nest there? Then something amazing happens which shows the birds are wiser than anyone had imagined. In these three classic animal stories, Michael Morpurgo - the award-winning author of War Horse - demonstrates why he is considered to be the master storyteller.