The Giant Print Library
Family stories for
younger readers
Updated: October 2012
Any UK member of our library service
may borrow up to a maximum of 6
books per service for a 3 month loan
period.
Most of the books have been produced
by the National Blind Children's
Society and are in 24 point type with
identical covers to the ordinary print
versions of the books.
Please be aware that due to their size,
many of the books are split into two or
Logo – RNIB supporting blind and partially sighted people
Registered charity number 226227
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more volumes, and these will have the
same covers.
For details on borrowing any of the
titles listed or for further information
regarding the Giant Print collection
please contact Liz Farrell or Hazel
Sharrock, Children's Librarians at
RNIB National Library Service on 0161
429 1975.
Family stories
Ahlberg, Allan.
The man who wore all his
clothes. 2002. Suggested reading
age 7+. 1v.
One morning Mr Gaskitt puts on all his
clothes, Mrs Gaskitt picks up a robber
in her taxi, Gus and Gloria have
trouble with a teacher. Horace the cat
goes to a friend's house to watch TV
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and the car radio gets things wrong.
But then what happens? And why
does Mr. Gaskitt wear all his clothes?
Find out in this action-packed, funfilled day in the life of the Gaskitt
family.
Alcott, Louisa May.
Little women. 1868. Suggested
reading age 11+. 2v.
Book 1 in the Little Women series.
"Little women" tells the story of a year
in the life of the March family. We hear
of the troubles and joys of each
character: maturing Meg, gifted Jo,
gentle Beth and lively Amy, as they
extend their kindness to all around
them.
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Byars, Betsy.
A Blossom promise. 2008.
Suggested reading age 11+. 1v.
The launch of Vern's raft when the
valley is flooded does not go exactly
as planned. But a Blossom promise
always holds…
Cassidy, Cathy.
Dizzy. 2004. Suggested reading
age 9+. 1v.
Dizzy's mum left when she was small.
But every year, on her birthday,
something arrives in the post - a
present or a card with her mum's loopy
writing on. But this year is different.
This year's present it is her mum, in
person. And she's a human whirlwind.
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Cassidy, Cathy
Sundae girl. 2011. Suggested
reading age 13+. 1v.
Jude's family are crazy, quirky, bizarre
...her mum brings her nothing but
trouble and her dad thinks he's Elvis!
All she wants is a hassle-free life - but
it's not easy when she's chasing a trail
of broken promises. Things go from
bad to worse, but could the floppyhaired boy from school be her knight
on shining rollerblades ...?
Choldenko, Gennifer.
Al Capone does my shirts. 2004.
Suggested reading age 11+. 2v.
When Moose Flanagan and his family
move to Alcatraz Island, home to the
prison and some well-known criminals,
he is not hoping for much. But, with
some ingenious plans and the help of
his new friends, things get quite
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exciting for Moose - particularly when
his sister Natalie gets involved.
Choldenko, Gennifer.
No passengers beyond this
point. 2011. Suggested reading
age 9+. 2v.
After losing their house to foreclosure,
three siblings - India, Finn and Mouse have less than 24 hours to pack their
belongings and fly, without their
mother, to stay with an uncle in
Colorado. But when they land, a
mysterious driver meets them at the
airport in a pink car adorned with
feathers.
Cole, Stephen.
My dad is an armed robber! 1999.
Suggested reading age 9+. 1v.
Life is mad as toast for Emily and Joe
Parker, the indestructible children of a
family that is falling apart. Dad's
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moved out, Attila the Hun's roaming
the front room, and Mum's going loopy
over a builder called Roger.
Coolidge, Susan.
What Katy did. 1872. Suggested
reading age 9+. 1v.
Book 1 in the Katy did series. (Other
books in this series are also available.)
Katy was irrepressibly full of energy
and fun until the day of her accident.
Then she learned patience the hard
way, sitting still and managing the
family from her chair until the great day
when her health was quite restored.
Creech, Sharon.
Heartbeat. 2004. Suggested
reading age 9+. 1v.
Twelve year-old Annie's best friend
Max thinks she's spoilt because she
has two parents and a grandfather,
and he's in a bad mood. But Annie's
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mother is having another baby and her
grandfather is getting old and
forgetting things.
Creech, Sharon.
Ruby Holler. 2003. Suggested
reading age 11+. 2v.
Thirteen-year-old fraternal twins Dallas
and Florida have grown up
in a terrible orphanage but their lives
change forever when an eccentric but
sweet older couple invites them each
on an adventure, beginning in an
almost magical place called Ruby
Holler.
Cresswell, Helen.
Ordinary Jack. 1977. Suggested
reading age 9+. 2v.
Book 1 in the Bagthorpe saga
(Absolute zero and Bagthorpes
Unlimited are also available). It's hard
to be ordinary when the rest of your
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family is brilliant. The only member of
the family who is even less
distinguished than Jack is his dog
Zero. Uncle Parker decides that Jack
must have an undiscovered talent.
Dogar, Sharon
Waves. 2007. Suggested reading
age 15+. 2v.
For fifteen-year-old Hal Ditton and his
family, summer has always meant six
glorious weeks by the sea. But this
year is different - Charley, Hal's sister,
is lying in a coma…
Doherty, Berlie.
Granny was a buffer girl. 1988.
Suggested reading age 11+. 1v.
18-year-old Jess learns of Bridie and
Jack, her mother's parents, whose love
kept them together in spite of family
divisions; of Granny Dorothy's daily toil
in the dirt and grime of the buffering-
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shop; and of her parents' first meeting,
and of course, there's Jess's story too.
Dowell, Frances O'Roark.
Dovey Coe. 2000. Suggested
reading age 13+. 1v.
When accused of murder in her North
Carolina mountain town in 1928,
Dovey Coe, a stronged-willed twelveyear-old girl, comes to a new
understanding of others, including her
deaf brother.
Fine, Anne.
Goggle-eyes. 1990. Suggested
reading age 11+. 1v.
When Helly Johnston is miserable
because her mother is thinking of
getting married again, Kitty Killin
comes to the rescue. She's been
through it all herself with the man in
her own mother's life: the silver-haired,
chocolate- bearing "Old Goggle-Eyes".
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Garnett, Eve
The family from One End Street.
1937. Suggested reading age 9+.
1v.
There are seven children in the
Ruggles family - three girls and four
boys - and though they are poor, they
manage to have a lot of fun. All the
Ruggles are lovable, interesting and
very individual - from capable Lily
Rose down to baby William.
Gibbons, Alan.
The edge. 2002. Suggested
reading age 13+. 2v.
Danny and his mother are on the run
from her boyfriend Chris, a violent man
who beats them both up. Chris
pursues them from London to the
north, where they take refuge with
Danny's grandparents. But even
there, nothing is safe. Danny is
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conspicuous as the only mixed-race
boy in the community.
Kennen, Ally
Beast. 2006. Suggested reading
age 13+. 2v.
In the depths of a reservoir lives a
monstrous creature. Its existence is
unknown to anyone except the
teenage boy, Stephen, who feeds it.
Now the creature has grown huge and
escaped the rusting cage. Stephen
goes to his homeless Dad for help.
Contains language that some readers
may find offensive.
King-Smith, Dick
Sophie's snail. 2005. Suggested
reading age 5+. 1v.
Book 1 of the Sophie series. Small, but
very determined, Sophie loves animals
and is going to be a farmer when she
grows up. Sophie's fond of most
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creatures - especially little ones like
snails - but there's one she cannot
stand: her prissy new neighbour Dawn!
Lively, Penelope.
Staying with Grandpa. 1997.
Suggested reading age 7+.
A small girl is sent to stay with her
grandparents. Her mother has told her
that it might be a bit dull as they lead a
quiet life. But each day brings a new
drama !
Lowry, Lois.
Anastasia Krupnik. 1986.
Suggested reading age 11+. 1v.
Book 1 in the Anastasia Krupnik series
(Book 2, Anastasia again! Is also
available). Anastasia often feels
swamped by her family, but after the
arrival of a baby brother serious action
is called for.
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McCombie, Karen
Six words and a wish. 2011.
Suggested reading age 11+. 2v.
Ever since Jem's sister Gracie ran
away from home, Jem has wondered
whether or not she is to blame. She
said something to Gracie before her
disappearance, and it's preying on her
mind. But, one summer, a series of
spooky coincidences makes Jem
wonder if there's more to Gracie's
disappearance than she thought.
McKay, Hilary.
Saffy's angel. 2001. Suggested
reading age 11+. 1v.
Book 1 in the Casson Family series
(other books in this series are also
available).After Saffron Casson
discovers that she's adopted, life is
never quite the same. Her artistic
parents and siblings adore her, but
Saffy wants a piece of her past. So
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when her grandfather bequests a
stone angel to her, Saffy knows she
has to find it.
Mark, Jan.
Turbulence. 2005. Suggested
reading age 11+. 2v.
Clay delivers papers like the Wild West
heroines she loves to watch on film
with her Dad. Gran is more into B
movie horror. It's a normal family of
sorts - and then another 'normal' family
moves into the street and things
become decidedly weird.
Montgomery, L.M.
Anne of Green Gables. 1908.
Suggested reading age 11+. 3v.
Book 1 of the Anne Shirley series.
(The sequel is also available).
Anne, an eleven-year-old orphan, is
sent by mistake to live with a lonely
middle-aged brother and sister on a
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Prince Edward Island farm and
proceeds to make an indelible
impression on everyone around her.
Nesbit, E.
The railway children. 1906.
Suggested reading age 9+. 2v.
Roberta, Peter and Phyllis don't realise
how happy they are until Father
suddenly goes away. They and their
mother have to leave their city home to
live in a remote country cottage.
Realising that they must help her, they
turn to the railway station for
something to do…
Pitcher, Annabel.
My sister lives on the
mantelpiece. 2011. Suggested
reading age 13+. 1v.
Ten-year-old Jamie Matthews has just
moved to the Lake District with his Dad
and his teenage sister, Jasmine for a
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'Fresh New Start'. Five years ago his
sister's twin, Rose, was blown up by a
terrorist bomb. His parents are
wrecked by their grief, Jasmine turns
to piercing, pink hair and stops eating.
The family falls apart. But Jamie hasn't
cried in all that time. To him Rose is
just a distant memory. Jamie is far
more interested in his cat, Roger, his
birthday Spiderman T-shirt, and in
keeping his new friend Sunya a secret
from his dad. And in his deep longing
and unshakeable belief that his Mum
will come back to the family she
walked out on months ago. When he
sees a TV advert for a talent show, he
feels certain that this will change
everything and bring them all back
together once and for all.
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Rosoff, Meg.
How I live now. 2004. Suggested
reading age 13+.1v.
Daisy is sent from New York to
England to spend a summer with
cousins she has never met. She's
never met anyone quite like them
before - and, as a dreamy English
summer progresses, Daisy finds
herself caught in a timeless bubble. It
seems like the perfect summer. But
their lives are about to explode. War
breaks out.
Rushton, Rosie.
Tell me I'm OK, really. 2000.
Suggested reading age 13+. 1v.
This is the story of a girl who's mother
is mentally ill and is trying to come to
terms with it. It is a sweet, readable
and inspiring book.
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Suzuma, Tabitha
Without looking back. 2009.
Suggested reading age 11+. 2v.
Twelve-year-old Parisian boy Louis
Whittaker has a lot on his plate - his
parents are locked in a custody battle
over him and his brother and sister.
Dad's rarely allowed to visit them but
suddenly he whisks them away on a
surprise holiday to England, right in the
middle of the school term. Then Louis
comes across a poster - a missing
person's poster and it has his face on
it.
Ure, Jean.
Fruit and nutcase. 1998.
Suggested reading age 9+. 1v.
Mandy's funny, and sometimes sad,
story of life with her loving but
irresponsible parents, her troubles at
school and her interfering grandmother
gives her so many things to worry
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about, Mandy begins to think that she's
in danger of turning into a real fruit and
nutcase!
Ure, Jean.
Skinny Melon and me. 1996.
Suggested reading age 9+.
Cherry's teacher says that keeping a
diary is a good way to unclog your
head. Cherry's mum has remarried will Cherry learn to like Slimey
Roland? Will Mum reveal her secret?
Or will the ups and downs of family life
prove too much for all of them?
Whybrow, Ian.
The sniff stories. 1990.
Suggested reading age 11+. 1v.
Ben tries to pretend that what his
family gets up to has nothing to do with
him. But it is hard to act dead cool
when you are sharing a house with a
loony dog, a fingers-into-everything
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two-and-a-half- year-old, and parents
with a social conscience.
Wilder, Laura Ingalls
Little house on the prairie. 2000.
Suggested reading age 9+. 2v.
Book 3 in the Little House series.
(Some of the other books in this series
are also available). The sun-kissed
prairie stretches out around the Ingalls
family, smiling its welcome after their
hard journey across America. But
looks can be deceiving and they soon
find that they must share the land with
wild bears and Indians.
Wilson, Jacqueline.
The bed and breakfast star. 1995.
Suggested reading age 9+. 1v.
Elsa is going to be a big star one day.
She does her best to cheer her family
up - but no-one seems to laugh any
more. Not since they lost their lovely
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house and had to move into a bed and
breakfast hotel.
Wilson, Jacqueline
Clean break. 2006. Suggested
reading age 9+. 2v.
Clean Break is told from the point of
view of Em, or Emerald as she likes to
be known, and is about what happens
to her mum, gran, and two halfsiblings, Maxie and Vita, when the
man of the house leaves them for
another woman.
Wilson, Jacqueline.
The diamond girls. 2005.
Suggested reading age 9+. 2v.
(Many other books by Jacqueline
Wilson are also available.)
Dixie is the youngest of the Diamond
girls and the narrator of the story. Her
sisters--Rochelle, Jude and Martine
are all very different and each has their
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own needs, strengths and
weaknesses.
Wilson, Jacqueline.
Double act. 1996. 1v. Suggested
reading age 9+.
Ruby and Garnet are twins. Since their
mother died they have lived with Dad
and Gran, but now "nasty" Rose is
moving in, and they must deal with
their new home and new "mother",
who turns out not to be so nasty after
all.
Wilson, Jacqueline.
The illustrated mum. 2000.
Suggested reading age 9+. 2v.
Covered from head to foot with
glorious tattoos, Marigold is the
brightest, most beautiful mother in the
world. That's what Dolphin thinks (she
just wishes her beautiful mum wouldn't
stay out partying all night or go weird
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now and then.) Her older sister, Star,
isn't so sure any more. She loves
Marigold too, but sometimes she just
can't help wishing she were more
normal...
Wilson, Jacqueline.
Lily alone. 2011. Suggested
reading age 9+. 2v.
Lily isn't home alone - but she sort of
wishes she was; looking after her three
younger siblings is a lot of work. When
Mum goes off on holiday with her new
boyfriend and her step dad fails to
show up, Lily is determined to keep the
family together.
Wilson, Jacqueline.
Little darlings. 2011. Suggested
reading age 9+. 2v.
Sunset lives a life of luxury with her
beautiful ex-model mum, her worldfamous ex-rocker dad and two little
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celeb siblings. But life on the red
carpet is no compensation for rowing
parents, constant nagging, intensive
media scrutiny and no real friends.
Destiny, on the other hand, is an only
child living on a rundown estate with a
sickly but devoted mum who
constantly tells her that she's really the
daughter of a famous former rock
star...When the two girls meet in
unlikely circumstances, they are
surprised to find in each other
something they've been missing all
their lives...
Wilson, Jacqueline
The story of Tracy Beaker. 1992.
Suggested reading age 9+. 1v.
Ten-year-old Tracy, who lives in a
children's home because her mother
was forced to give her up, dreams of
getting a good foster family where she
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can be happy until her mother comes
back for her.
Wilson, Jacqueline.
The suitcase kid. 1993.
Suggested reading age 11+. 1v.
My family always lived at Mulberry
Cottage. Mum, Dad and me - and
Radish, my Sylvanian rabbit. But we
didn't live happily ever after. Now Mum
lives with Bill the Baboon and his three
kids. Dad lives with Carrie and her
twins. And where do I live? I live out of
a suitcase.
Wilson, Jacqueline.
The worry website. 2008.
Suggested reading age 9+. 1v.
Type in your worry... Is anything
bothering you? Problems in class or at
home? Don't know where to turn for
help? Log on to the Worry Website!
Type in your worry and wait for the
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good advice to flow in. At least that's
the plan when Mr Speed sets up his
super-cool new Worry Website for the
class. Holly, Greg, Natasha and the
rest feel that they've got shedloads of
worries but, as they find out,
sometimes the best advice comes
from the most unexpected place.
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