Bracebridge Hall

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Gleitzman, Morris

The adventures of twelve-year-old Keith as he tries to cheer up his parents in such ways as painting their shop in bright colors and convincing them to move from gloomy England to a place called Paradise.

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Berlie Doherty

The night before Jess goes off to France for a university year abroad, her parents and grandparents gather to celebrate and share the stories of their lives.

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Nigel Gray & Elise Hurst

"When the rain comes pouring down Mrs Farmer has no choice but to let the farm animals inside with some very funny results. She ends up with dogs in the kitchen, pigs in the laundry, cows in the dining room, sheep in the sitting room & hens that lay eggs in all sorts of surprising places. When the water recedes she sends them all back outside ... but not for long. A delightful story about finding companionship in unlikely places."--Provided by publisher.

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Frances Burney

First published in 1778, this novel of manners tells the story of Evelina, a young woman raised in rural obscurity who is thrust into London’s fashionable society at the age of eighteen. There, she experiences a sequence of humorous events at balls, theatres, and gardens that teach her how quickly she must learn to navigate social snobbery and veiled aggression. Evelina, the embodiment of the feminine ideal for her time, undergoes numerous trials and grows in confidence with her abilities and perspicacity. As an innocent young woman, she deals with embarrassing relations, being beautiful in an image-conscious world, and falling in love with the wonderfully eligible Lord Orville. Burney gives the heroine a surprisingly shrewd opinion of fashionable London. This work, then, is not only satirical concerning the consumerism of this select group, but also aware of the role of women in late-eighteenth century society, paving the way for writers such as Jane Austen in this comic, touching love story.