Hilary McKay

When eleven-year-old Abi moves with her father and new stepfamily into an eerie old house, something magical makes her books more real and brings a not-so-imaginary friend to stepbrother Louis.

After learning that she was adopted, thirteen-year-old Saffron's relationship with her eccentric, artistic family changes, until they help her go back to Italy where she was born to find a special momento of her past.

Lulu, who loves animals, brings an abandoned duck egg to school, even though her teacher has banned Lulu from bringing animals to school ever again.

After twelve-year-old Binny hides and then loses the money she found in the ATM, she asks her best frenemy Gareth to help her find the missing money so she can return it to the bank without attracting the notice of her neighbor, whom Binny believes is a witch putting spells on Binny and her family.

"When a mysterious bag is left on Lulu's doorstep, the last thing her grandmother expects to be in it is a cat--a huge, neon orange cat. But Lulu knows this cat doesn't mean any harm and in fact it needs a lovely new home"--Provided by publisher.

As Christmas approaches, eleven-year-old Rose, the youngest member of the eccentric Casson family, discovers that life is filled with both catastrophic problems and wonderful surprises.

Spurred on by his youngest sister, Rose, twelve-year-old Indigo sticks up for himself and an American boy who has replaced him as the primary target of the school bullies.

The four eccentric Casson siblings each contribute written accounts of the events--which include a Valentine's Day dance, the appearance of a sinister balloon, and the breakdown of a car--that lead to Caddy's wedding day.

The four Conroy sisters spend a wild summer at the seaside with Big Grandma, who tries to break them of their reading habit by substituting fresh air and hard work for books and gets unexpected results.

The four Conroy sisters' efforts to raise money in order to sponsor a ten-year-old boy in Africa get them into one difficult situation after another.