Barbara had fallen out with her daughter, because she was forever trying to find a man for her. She loved her daughter very much, but she didn’t want a man in her life, she was happy as she was, that is, until she had a knock to her car and the cause of that knock changed her mind.

A Bumpy Ride to Romance

“You’re getting too choosy in your old age, that’s your trouble.”

Barbara gazed out of the window; she had taken umbrage at her daughter’s remark.

Right, so choosy she could be, and why not, but old? Never!  After all, she was only seventy, in her head coming on forty. She had her own teeth; or most of them; trendy in her appearance, and thanks to the bottle in her bathroom cabinet, no grey hair.

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Mavis and Tom were a childless couple, who spent all their married life, keeping to a routine, and never changing. Tom was old fashioned and would not agree to Mavis going out to work. One day, however, Tom began to change his routine, and the result was a big surprise for Mavis.

A Change in Routine

Mavis heard the stairs creak; he must be on the fifth stair. Almost every morning for the last thirty years, Tom had brought her a cup of tea, placing it carefully on the bedside cabinet.

“I’m off now dear. Another day another dollar.”

It was the same routine every day.

This morning, however, his mind seemed elsewhere.

Suddenly, Tom was sprawled across the bed, tea dripping over the beautiful cream silk bedcovers.

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Mikey didn’t have any friends at school, they all laughed at him for being a SWOT, and a NERD. However, a visitor arrived at his back door, and they soon became best friends.  The first time he saw the boys from school, with his new friend, they became jealous.

A Shaggy Dog Tail

Mikey turned off the computer, threw all his textbooks on the floor, and flopped heavily onto his bed.

‘SWOT’, that’s what they all called him. He hated the way his friends made fun of him,

Soon, they would be sitting their GCSE’S, but – did that worry his friends, NO –WAY, (friends -that’s a laugh).

They never included him when they went out. The only time they wanted to know him, was if they needed help with their homework, because they were too lazy to do it.

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Sue and Sam were twin cats, who lived with Mrs Bumble. They were usually well behaved, but one day they decided to go on an adventure through a hole in the fence to explore the next door neighbour’s garden.

A Tale of Two Tails

Sue and Sam, the twin cats, lived with their owner Mrs Bumble, in a lovely country cottage. They had very thick white fur, with a few black blobs dotted over their backs. The only way anyone could tell them apart was by their tails.

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The little baby duckling was tired of swimming up and down the stream each day, and felt like doing something different, such as going on an adventure. He saw a rowing boat, and decided he would like to go on the little boat to see all the sights, but getting into the boat was harder than he thought.

Baby Duckling’s Bad Day

Baby Duckling sat on the bank by the river, tears running down to his little yellow beak, his soft white feathers shaking in the breeze.

Mother Duck came waddling out of the river, shaking her feathers, as she plodded over to her baby duckling, who was looking so unhappy.

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Ben loved his job picking up the passengers each day. But one day, he went right to his journey end, and not one passenger got into the carriages behind him. When he found out why, he couldn’t believe what a silly engine he had been.

Ben the Blue Engine

Ben the blue engine wearily hooked on the blue carriages that followed behind him. With a chuff, chuff, puff, puff, the engine puffed away, ready for his days’ work.

“I seem to be so tired today, I can’t think why.” It was not like Ben to start his day this way.

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Bobby was so happy when he was given a Big Round Bouncy Ball, which his auntie brought him back from her seaside holiday. It was such a bouncy ball that it kept bouncing nearly as high as the sky, when it bounced so high it stuck in the big oak tree, he thought he would never be able to play with his ball  again.

Bobby’s Big Red Bouncy Ball

Little Bobby’s face beamed, as his Auntie Kate handed him a big red bouncy ball.

His Auntie Kate, had been to the seaside for a holiday, and brought the big red bouncy ball home for Bobby.

“Thank you, thank you,” Bobby said, as he put his arms up to hug his auntie.

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All the animals that lived in the wood, were getting tired of hearing Bonnie the rabbit constantly laughing. Every time she saw one of them she would laugh, and  laugh and laugh.

Not one of the animals could get to the bottom of it. Even Bonnie’s rabbit family could not understand why she was constantly laughting. So all the animals decided to gather round for a meeting. Perhaps one of them might come up with a reason for Bonnie’s behaviour.

Bonnie the Laughing Rabbit

Bonnie the rabbit had lots of brothers and sisters, as well as all the other animals in the wood, who were her friends.

She was a very happy rabbit, and would laugh all the time even if there wasn’t anything particular to laugh at. Although all the other rabbits and animals in the wood were happy, they found Bonnie’s laughing rather a nuisance at times.

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Bruno the toy bear was bored just staying in the nursery all the time and wanted to go on an adventure. At first none of the toys in the nursery wanted to go with him, but in the end Peter Rabbit said he would go. They crept out of the house through the cat flap, and had a lovely time, before it was time to go back to the nursery.

Bruno Bear’s Adventure

Bruno the big brown furry bear marched up and down the nursery. He was huffing and puffing, and sometimes made a growling sound.

“Whatever is the matter with you Bruno? You are waking all the toys up. For goodness sake stop marching up and down and making all those odd noises.”

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Norman works in the corner shop owned by Sally. His contrary ways and awkwardness, sometimes get Sally down, but a visitor one day upsets the running of the shop, both for Norman and Sally.

Corner Shop Capers

“For goodness sake Norman, stop flitting about like a little old woman!”

He was really trying her patience today. Sally needed to get away for a while. “I’m just popping upstairs to the flat. I’ll make us a cup of tea, won’t be long.”

There had been countless times over the years when Sally had to smooth things over with irate customers, after Norman had offended them with his forthright opinions.

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Daisy the little calf loved all the attention; she had from the boys and girls who came to visit the farm. One day she had a dream that she went to live with them, and had all the attention and lots of fun every day. But, alas, she soon found out it was only a dream.

Daisy the Little Calf

“OH look, Mummy!” called Emily. “Come to the fence and look at this beautiful,

fluffy white baby cow.”

Emily’s mummy came and stood next to her. “She’s certainly, the smallest and prettiest baby cow, I’ve ever seen.”

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Daniel wasn’t happy when his mummy told him they were going to spend the day at a garden centre. He would rather play with his dinosaurs. But when they arrived, he was told there were animals, and other fun things. He and his baby sister Emily had a fun day.

Daniel’s Fun Day at the Garden Centre

“I don’t want to go to the Garden Centre,” Daniel was busy playing with his toy dinosaurs.

He knew all the names of the dinosaurs, and he played imaginary games with them, which kept him happy for a long time.

“I’m sure you will like going to this Garden Centre,” his mummy said.

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Danny made a dough man out of some left over pasty his mum gave him. He was so pleased with his dough man, which he had painted with bright coloured food colouring, in case he wanted to eat it. When he went to bed that night he dreamt about his dough man.

Danny’s Dough Man

Danny was watching his mummy making dough for an apple pie. After she had mixed the flour with the fat and the water, she prodded it and made it into a large ball of dough.

PLOP…It went onto a large brown board.

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Teddy Ted, wanted to go to Dolly Rosebud’s tea party. He didn’t feel like playing rough and tumble games with Timmy Tin soldier today. Dolly Rosebud eventually agreed to let Teddy Ted come over the fence to her party, providing he didn’t play rough and tumble games. Dolly Rosebud was very pleased that she agreed, as it turned out to be a fun party.

Dolly Rosebud’s Tea Party

“Hello Dolly Rosebud”, Teddy Ted, called over the garden fence. “May I come to your tea party?”

Dolly Rosebud looked up in surprise. Teddy Ted never wanted to play with her or her other friends. He’d usually, rather play rough and tumble games with Timmy Tin Soldier.

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Dotty the donkey spent all the summer giving rides to the children on the beach. He didn’t mind as he loved his job, and the children. This was to be his last day before he went to his stable for the winter. The last day on the beach turned out to be the most fun he had had all summer.

Dotty the Donkey’s Flowery Hat

Dotty the Donkey was always a little sad when the end of the summer came, and she no longer spent her day walking up and down the sand at the seaside.

Her job was to give the little boys and girls a ride on her back.

She loved to hear the children squeal with delight, as they bumped up and down on her saddle, although her master always made sure that she trotted slowly.

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Gracie was determined to enter the competition. All she needed to do was to get herself fit for the event. She didn’t realise that times had changed, and disaster ended her competition.              

Gracie’s Dream

‘I can do it, I know I can’, Gracie said to herself.

She’d watched them on the television, and she knew she could still do it.

I’ll straighten my back, and get my limbs to move freely. Gracie was determined to get fit to enter the competition in two months’ time.

Dressed in her tracksuit, and new white trainers, off she went for her first run.

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Many years ago, Jimmy lived with his mum and dad and granny, in a little log cabin. Jimmy didn’t go to school, and had no friends to play with. He wanted to go to the river with his dad when he went to trade his wood for goods they would need for the winter. He was so happy when his family eventually agreed. Jimmy’s day at the river turned out to be a fun day and he made a friend.

Jimmy’s Day by the River

A long time ago, and very far away, lived a little boy called Jimmy, with his mum, dad, and grandma. Their home was a small cabin set way back in a green forest.

His dad worked hard in the big forest, chopping down trees for the sheriff. The bits of tree trunks, that the sheriff didn’t want, his dad chopped up, ready to load onto the cart.

Then, their big brown horse, whose name was Topper, pulled the heavy tree trunks on a big cart to the river.

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Marie’s Daddy had chalked on the garden path a game of hopscotch. He taught Marie to play the game, and they had fun. When Marie’s Daddy went to work, she had no one to play with. Her Mummy was too busy, so she thought she would teach her pets to play, but although they were clever animals, they couldn’t play hopscotch. She soon found a playmate to play the game, when a little boy who had just moved next door, offered to play with her.

Marie’s New Game

“Hop, hop, and hop. Jump, one, two, and three.” Marie was having a lovely time playing ‘hopscotch.’ Her daddy had drawn a pretty hopscotch game on their garden path, with different coloured chalk.

He didn’t mind that her mummy had laughed when he found it difficult to stand on one leg to hop and jump to the next square.

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Molly was always getting herself dirty, no matter how she tried to keep clean. One day when she was on a bus with her mummy, she met one of her friends who was on her way to a birthday party, and had a lovely pretty party dress on. Molly really wanted a dress like her friend’s.  Her mommy told her if she could keep it clean may be she could have one. The thing was could Molly possible keep clean that long.

Messy Molly

The trouble with Molly was that she couldn’t keep her face or clothes clean, no matter how much she tried.

“We’re going to the market today, and I don’t want you looking messy, before we get on the bus,” Molly’s mummy said.

“Okay, Mummy, I’ll try,” answered Molly.

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Peter and his best friend Simon were off to the computer shop to spend his birthday money on a computer game. Peter was not as bright as Simon, but knew a lot about computers. The game was not in the window as Peter had expected. He is upset at the thought he won’t have the game he wants. Will everything turn out all right in the end?

Peter’s Birthday Money

“Come on Simon, hurry up!” Peter was always in a hurry.

Peter was a year older than Simon; unfortunately, he wasn’t very bright for his age. Simon on the other hand, was a bright boy, so Peter’s mum, knew he would look out for Peter when they were out together.

“I can’t wait to get to the computer shop, to spend my birthday money,” Peter shook the money that rattled in a money bag in his pocket.

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Rosie loved her floppy rag doll, and played with her lots of times. She loved to put her in her little doll’s buggy, but she always slipped and flopped through the side. Her mummy suggested that she go to her bedroom and find a special cover to put of her doll, to keep her firmly in her buggy, When she came back from her bedroom, her floppy doll had disappeared. It took Rosie and her mummy most of the day to look for her. When her daddy came home from work, he found Rosie’s doll in an odd place.

Rosie’s Rag Doll

Rosie loved her rag doll. She was so nice and floppy. She would sit on Rosie’s lap so that Rosie could change her dress, and so that Rosie could plait her woolly yellow hair, but when Rosie tried to sit her rag doll in her doll’s buggy, she would just flop over, and fall onto the floor.

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Sandy the little mouse was sad because he wasn’t going to be allowed to stay with Lucy the kind lady who has always looked after him. He had to go on a journey all on his own, back to Lucy’s mum’s house. When he was put on the train in a big box with holes on the side, he could see there was another big box with a cat in it. The cat meowed most of the journey which upset Sandy. When the arrived, the cat went to Lucy’s mums as well. Could Sandy and the mouse ever become friends?

Sandy the Little Mouse Goes on a Journey

Sandy was feeling so sad because he’d heard that he could no longer stay with the very kind young lady, who had loved him and looked after him for so long.

Her name was Lucy; she had moved a long way away to what they called a College, and she had taken Sandy with her. Then she found out that it was against the rules to have a pet mouse in her room.

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Snowy the white rabbit was in his hutch with the lovely long run, but all his animal friends were out on the grass running around, and Snowy wanted to be out of his run to play with them all. His friends tried to help him to get out but with no success. The nice kind lady who looked after them soon came to let Snowy out so he could run about with his friends.

Snowy Rabbit’s Friends

THUMPERTY, THUMPERTY, THUMP. Snowy the big white furry rabbit hopped up and down his long grassy run in the garden.

“Hey there…Gordon the guinea pig. Can you hear me?

“Yes, Snowy rabbit, I can hear you. What do you want? “The sandy coloured guinea pig asked, wrinkling his nose.

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Like most owls Sparky was very wise. His friends, the other birds, came to him to get advice about someone who was stealing all the twigs and leaves they had spent a lot of time collecting for their new nests. It didn’t take Sparky long to sort out their problem, so that he could go back to sleep again.

Sparky the Wise Owl

“Sparky, hey- Sparky, wake up now, you have been asleep all day.”

Robin red breast and Bertie blackbird had been chirping and twittering at Sparky for a long while, trying to wake him up.

Sparky was their friend.

He was a big brown Owl with huge brown eyes, and soft mottled coloured feathers.

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The Big Red Balloon with the Smiley face blew up in the sky after the little boy let go of its string. The balloon found a flock of birds, who he made friends with, and they helped the balloon go back again to the little boy.

The Big Red Balloon with the Smiley Face

Whoosh, whoosh, went the big red balloon with the smiley face. “This is such good fun”. Up, up and away, the red balloon floated, in and out of the clouds, bobbing and bouncing as the breeze swept it along.

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