Erica Yurken knew she was destined for great things. Never in any doubt about her own genius, she felt superior to everyone at notorious Barringa East . . . That is, until Alison Ashley turned up.

Alison Ashley. She was the most beautiful, graceful, elegant thing you ever saw in your life . . . And from the first day I hated her.Every so often, there comes a story so brilliant and lively and moving that it cannot be left in the past. Rediscover the magic of our country's most memorable children's books in the Penguin Australia Children's Classics series of stories too precious to leave behind.

Penny Pollard hates old people, Annette Smurton (who has her own horse) wearing dresses, and doing homework. On a school excursion she meets someone just as rebellious as herself - Mrs Edith Bettany - (nearly) 81-years-old and a new friend for Penny. This is Penny's diary.

Penny Pollard a flower girl? Impossible? Ridiculous? Find out what happens when our ever-rebellious heroine combines her career as a 'cadet reporter' with some wild and crazy schemes to avoid her destiny as an extremely reluctant member of a wedding.

When the ever-enthusiastic and high-spirited Penny Pollard accompanies her friend Alistair and his mum (a long-suffering chaperone) on a tour of the United Kingdom, the results are hilariously unpredictable. Penny proves herself to be a very busy and unusual tourist as she looks for the Loch Ness monster, works out the true meaning of Stonehenge, dabbles in a bit of match-making, and makes new friends from different parts of the world.

It's the summer holidays and 11-year-old loner, Seymour, lodged with a fussy guardian in an inner-city suburb, is bored and unhappy in his confined world. By chance he meets Angie - beautiful, charismatic Angie. He is bewitched, and his world is opened as she takes him on unexpected holiday outings and shopping sprees. Angie, however, is not what she seems. Angie is using drugs...

'There was one kid, Alison Ashley, and becuase no one was sitting next to me, Miss Belmont put Alison Ashley there. And from the first day I hated her.' Alison Ashley is sheer perfection in every department. She has everything: intelligence, good looks, a wealthy family and perfect manners and Erica hates her for it! Erica plans to topple Alison at the school play performed annually by the sixth grade. However, everything does not go quite as planned...

It was strange how staring at things could alter their appearance. Miranda thought it was weird how she could transmute quite ordinary things into images. It was no good. What with Grandma looking after the family, little Jimmy to care for, her sister's baby bellowing in the middle of the night - not to mention Yvette's creep of a boyfriend Dave - it was no wonder Miranda had started to see things. Trouble is, it soon starts to get a bit out of hand, and it's about time they all discovered...

Penny Pollard's Letters features her many letters written to her parents, friends and not so good friends. She writes about her many adventures while away on holidays. She learns to stop hating babies (namely her new sister) in this hilarious and startling collection of letters.