Laura James

Pirate Pug

Pug and Lady Miranda are off to the seaside! Pug is dreaming of naps under the beach umbrella, but when a little mishap means he has to wear an eyepatch, things quickly get a lot less snoozy! Soon Pirate Pug and his ragtag crew of friends find themselves on the trail of buried treasure. They have to reach the island where X marks the spot before the other pirates beat them to it. There's just one problem - Pug is scared of water!

Click here to read the 1st chapter.

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Captain Pug

Pug is going on a seafaring adventure. He's had jam tarts for breakfast. He's wearing a smart sailor suit. There's just one problem. Pug is afraid of the water!

Captain Pug is the first book in a glorious new illustrated series for fans of Claude and Squishy McFluff

Captain Pug was shortlisted for the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize 2017

Click here to read an extract.

Praise for Captain Pug:
"...I just loved this book so much. It is funny, it is cute, it features friendship, it features a slightly brave dog, it also has a great and sweet owner who will do anything to get her pug back (even carrying something heavy)." — twirlingbookprincess.com
"Gorgeous funny young fiction." — The Bookseller
"Highly entertaining, wittily illustrated and fun to read alone." — Julia Eccleshare, LoveReading4Kids
"Captain Pug ... is another great new book for those who are ready for something meatier than a picture book." — Irish Independent
"A deliciously madcap doggy adventure . highly entertaining, wittily illustrated and fun to read alone." — Sherborne Times
"Captain Pug is easy to read and the layout and typography is lovely ... it's a fantastic read!" — A Mum Reviews
"[A] wonderful, very funny, story . My little boy was laughing out loud every chapter as Pug becomes an accidental adventurer." — Home By Teatime

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Cowboy Pug

The second book in a joyful new illustrated series

Pug and his faithful companion, Lady Miranda, are going to be cowboys for the day – and first of all they're going horsetrading! But with their noble steed Horsey safely acquired, it's not long before they find themselves on the wrong side of the law. Can Pug the reluctant hero overcome his fears and save the day once more?

Click here to read the 1st chapter.

Praise for Cowboy Pug:
"...A great book with lovely pictures and typography for five to seven year olds who are starting to read for themselves and like dogs with multiple chins." — The Times
"There are mishaps and mayhem at the country fair when Miranda and her plucky pug decide to be cowboys for the day in Cowboy Pug: The Dog Who Rode For Glory." — Sunday Express

Cowboy Pug was recommended on the Best Children's Books of 2017 on Tutorful! Have a peek here.

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Safari Pug

Meet the brilliant, the wonderful, the courageous ... Safari Pug! The third book in a joyful illustrated series for fans of Claude and Squishy McFluff. When Pug and Lady Miranda have a scary run-in with a lion one night (it might be hiding under the bed), Lady M decides Pug needs to face his fears and go on safari. Pug goes a bit wobbly when he finds out he'll be coming nose to nose with Florence, the rare white lion cub, but he soon realises that lions may not be the most dangerous thing in the wildlife park...

Click here to read the 1st chapter.

Class review of Safari Pug in an article by Amy Neale for TES:
"10 out of 10. I would give this book 10 out of 10! The best character is Pug. I love, love, love this book."
Chloe, 7
"A story with a problem that gets solved. I give it 1000,000,000/10! I now love pugs and I love animals. Stories with a problem that gets solved and books like that are my favourite."
Annabelle, 8
"It gave me the best dream ever. I liked it when the lion, Florence, jumped on Pug. I had the best dream ever after the story!
Amiee, 8
"We were able to read a chapter at a time, and the children were very keen to find out what was going to happen next. Laura James keeps the suspense just at the right level to ensure that all the children are engaged throughout, but not to the extent that they’re too worried about what is going to happen to the main characters."

Read the full aticle here

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Fabio: The Case of the Missing Hippo

"Its twists and turns are fun to follow and, combined with its beautiful illustrations, make this story both thrilling and playful." Foreword Reviews

In a small town on the banks of Lake Laloozee lives the world's greatest flamingo detective. His name is Fabio. He's not tall or strong, but slight and pink. And he's very, very clever.

When Fabio and his giraffe associate Gilbert (terrible at disguises) drop in to the Hotel Royale for a lemonade (pink, naturally), Fabio is persuaded to judge the hotel's talent contest. But when the most promising contestant – Julia the jazz-singing hippopotamus – goes missing, Fabio must put his thinking cap back on and solve the mystery!

Click here to read an extract.

Praise for The Case of the Missing Hippo:
"A quirky tale written in a breezy, confidential tone, with an eye-catching design in neon pink and green. Emily Fox's illustrations create visual templates for Laura James' zany characters ... Even reluctant readers will have a blast." ― Irish Times
"This neon-bright mystery involves a talent show, a hippo jazz singer, gallons of pink lemonade and, of course, Fabio." ― Metro
"Combines stunning artwork and colour palates (illustrator Emily Fox) - neon pinks and greens - with a smart and sassy who-dunnit tale, by Laura James, led by Fabio and his sidekick, Gilbert the Giraffe." ― i News
"Shifty characters, clues hiding in plain sight and a big reveal make for a satisfying introduction to the detective genre." – Wall Street Journal

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Fabio: Mystery on the Ostrich Express

In a small town on the banks of Lake Laloozee lives the world's greatest flamingo detective. His name is Fabio. He's not tall or strong, but slight and pink. And he's very, very clever. It's the height of summer and Fabio and his associate Gilbert are taking a relaxing holiday journey on the fastest train in the world! But no sooner does the conductor call 'All aboard' than a very expensive ruby necklace disappears and the great detective is back on the case!

Click here to read an extract.

Praise for Mystery on the Ostrich Express:
"Oodles to appeal to animal fans and young crime lovers alike." - Bookseller
"This fun-loving flamingo will capture the heart of any young mystery lover. An excellent choice for readers who enjoy Ron Roy’s A to Z Mysteries or Mary Pope Osborne’s Magic Tree House series." - School Library Journal

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Fabio: Peril at Lizard Lake

In a small town on the banks of Lake Laloozee lives Fabio, the world's greatest flamingo detective. He's not tall or strong, but slight and pink. And he's very, very clever ... Most of the time. But when an unusual lapse of judgement leads Fabio to accept a ride in his associate Gilbert's plane, little does he know he'll be nose-diving into a new mystery! When the tiny plane crash-lands near a remote village in the savannah, all Fabio wants is a pink lemonade to calm his nerves. But the town well has dried up, and the water didn't just disappear on its own! Fabio's on the case, and it's going to take a daring sting operation to set things right.

Click here to read an extract.

Praise for Peril at Lizard Lake:
"A welcome addition to the bookshelf to satisfy young readers with the current trend for mystery and detective stories." - Carousel Magazine
"Pink pages and illustrations abound to entice any reader of 6+ or accompanying adult." - The Guardian
"Oodles to appeal to animal fans and young crime lovers alike." - Bookseller
"Fab illustrations and neon-coloured pages." - Angels and Urchins

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News Hounds / The Daily Bark: The Puppy Problem

Gizmo is a city dog, so when he moves to the village of Puddle with his journalist human he doesn't know WHAT to expect. Certainly not FLOWERS. Or BEES. And he couldn't have even imagined MUD. Luckily he's got Jilly, the wolfhound next door, to show him around. But Jilly has a problem. Her puppies are going to be given to new owners far away. She'll never see them again! Gizmo might not know the difference between a cow and a tractor but he's got a nose for a story, and a great idea to help Jilly. What if the dogs of Puddle had a newspaper? STOP PRESS! A charming and hilarious new illustrated young fiction series about the things dogs get up to when their humans aren't looking.

Click here to read an extract.

Praise for The Puppy Problem:
"Sausage dog Gizmo has a nose for a good story, so when wolfhound Jilly needs homes for her puppies, Gizmo comes up with the perfect plan: advertising them in a local newspaper – for dogs! A funny new series packed with colourful illustrations to delight dog lovers." ― Sarah Kingford’s pick of the best new books for young readers in the Sunday Express
"I absolutely LOVED this book! ... News Hounds is such a treat and I loved the bright, colourful images and the story itself was so charming." ― NetGalley Reviewer
"A sweet little chapter book for early readers to enjoy [.] the story itself is engaging and young readers will definitely enjoy following." ― NetGalley Reviewer

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News Hounds / The Daily Bark: The Dinosaur Discovery

Bob is the stationmaster's dog at Puddle Train Station and a reporter for the Daily Bark, Puddle's best (and only) newspaper for dogs. It's up to Bob to make sure the trains are on time every day. He has everything under control until the day he digs up the SCOOP of a lifetime in the park - a DINOSAUR skeleton! Suddenly Bob's life isn't running like clockwork, it's running WILD, as he and the other News Hounds catch the scent of a dastardly dinosaur THIEF. Can Bob pull off a daring dinosaur rescue, or is he on the express train to DISASTER?

This young fiction series is perfect for fans of The Secret Life of Pets and Toto the Ninja Cat.

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News Hounds / The Daily Bark: The Cow Calamity

Bunty is the farmer's dog at Withy Hook Farm, and the weather reporter for the Daily Bark, Puddle's best (and only!) newspaper for dogs. But when Farmer Val is INJURED, it's up to Bunty to keep the farm running. Suddenly, Bunty's life isn't as right as rain - it's a WHIRLWIND, as she rushes to collect eggs, check on lambs - and deal with a herd of HUGE cows!

Can Bunty and her friends rise to the challenge ... or will it be a COW CALAMITY?

This young fiction series by the author of Captain Pug is perfect for fans of The Secret Life of Pets and Toto the Ninja Cat.

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