Many lovers of rugby league, on both sides of the Tasman, have long been convinced that Benji Marshall is the best player in the world. That view was confirmed early in 2011 when he was awarded the prestigious 2010 Golden Boot the international prize for the best player in the game. He is the first Wests Tigers player to win this award, and only the third New Zealander. Despite being only 26, he has crammed an awful lot into his career so far. Marshall s talent was spotted while he was only 16 years old, and still at school in New Zealand, when he was offered a scholarship to play for a high school on the Gold Coast. From then on it has been a fast track to the very pinnacle of the game. He made his debut with the Wests Tigers NRL club in 2003 at the age of 18, and has been with the club ever since. He was a member of the Wests premiership-winning team in 2005 and, despite a string of injuries including major shoulder surgery twice! his star has continued to rise. His performances in recent years have left critics and fans on both sides of the Tasman breathless. In this book Marshall talks about his great career, and gives the inside story of rugby at the highest level; and also his childhood in New Zealand he was raised without his biological father, his move to Australia, and his storybook entry into the game.

After the phenomenal success of The Storm Whale and On Sudden Hill, this new book by Benji Davies deals with the emotional topic of losing a grandparent. Subtly told, this beautifully illustrated book tackles a difficult subject with great sensitivity and depth. At the bottom of Syd’s garden, through the gate and past the tree, is Grandad’s house. Syd can let himself in any time he likes. But one day when Syd comes to call, Grandad isn’t in any of the usual places. He’s in the attic, where he ushers Syd through a door, and the two of them journey to a wild, beautiful island awash in color where Grandad decides he will remain. So Syd hugs Grandad one last time and sets sail for home. Visiting Grandad’s house at the bottom of the garden again, he finds it just the same as it’s always been — except that Grandad isn’t there anymore. Sure to provide comfort to young children struggling to understand loss, Benji Davies’s tale is a sensitive and beautiful reminder that our loved ones live on in our memories long after they’re gone. Praise for Grandad's Island: 'Davies’s elegantly rough illustrations, evoking a child’s paintings, tap into the imagination of death with little fuss, and his story declines to offer kids instruction on how to feel. Indeed, Grandad’s Island doesn’t mention death at all, but is deeply in touch with the ways in which loss and abundance commingle in the mind, correcting and assuaging each other.' The New York Times Book Review 'The creator of The Storm Whale (2014) offers another thoughtful picture book guaranteed to spark discussion...Recommend to young families dealing with loss, especially those who prefer to gloss over the scientific realities.' Booklist Online 'As with The Storm Whale, Davies offers a story of loneliness and togetherness distinguished by understated, deeply felt emotions and a nautical milieu.' Publishers Weekly 'This book is innovative and useful as a way to talk about the idea of loss—without ever referring to actual death. Parents and educators can use this to talk with a child about how it’s normal to be sad and miss loved ones...Cheerful, brightly colored illustrations make this a fine choice to use with the youngest of audiences. Since death isn’t directly specified, this title also works for when a child’s loved one is moving far away. An excellent vehicle to gently approach the topic of loss. Recommended for collections needing these types of materials.' School Library Journal 'Grandad's Island by British author-illustrator Benji Davies (The Storm Whale; Bizzy Bear series) celebrates a close grandfather-grandson relationship with warmth and style. Whether it's read as a picture book about love, loss or just missing someone who isn't around anymore, it's a charmer. Cheerful cinematic spreads invite young readers into all sorts of intriguing places, from a cozy attic full of curiosities like a turtle teapot, to a vast ship's deck, to the deep jungle of an island paradise.' Shelf Awareness for Readers 'A resonant, layered tale that will only gain in texture as its readers get older.' USA Today Books from the World of the Storm Whale: The Storm Whale The Storm Whale in Winter Grandma Bird Also by Benji Davies: On Sudden Hill, written by Linda Sarah When the Dragons Came, written by Naomi Kefford and Lynne Moore Jump on Board the Animal Train, written by Naomi Kefford and Lynne Moore

Sammy is having the absolute rottenest, worst day ever. His little brother, Benji, knows exactly what that's like.

The stunning bestseller by Benji Davies, winner of the inaugural Oscar's First Book Prize. Noi and his father live in a house by the sea, his father works hard as a fisherman and Noi often has only their six cats for company. So when, one day, he finds a baby whale washed up on the beach after a storm, Noi is excited and takes it home to care for it. He tries to keep his new friend a secret, but there's only so long you can keep a whale in the bath without your dad finding out. Noi is eventually persuaded that the whale has to go back to the sea where it belongs. For Noi, even though he can't keep it, the arrival of the whale changes his life for the better - the perfect gift from one friend to another. 'A future classic and a must have for the discerning picture book fan' The Booksniffer 'The Storm Whale is an evocative portrayal of a child's need for friendship, told through the sparest of text and imagery in this beautiful picture book' The ReadingZone 'The Storm Whale is one of those rare picture books that evokes loneliness with such fragility, and that conveys such feeling and beauty that it cannot fail to move its readers… an absolute gem, do not miss out' Library Mice 'I have to admit that I was fighting back tears by the end. It's just so incredibly sweet and really pulls the heart strings!' Being Mrs C 'Charming and engaging this book gives lots of scope for child to adult discussion about feeling lonely and saying goodbye to something loved' Love All Blogs 'Poignant, sensitive and understated […] this is a not to be missed tale where the narrative thrust and emotional span transcends the simplicity of its words' Droplets of Ink Other books from the World of the Storm Whale: The Storm Whale in Winter Grandma Bird *NEW* The Great Storm Whale Also by Benji Davies: Grandad's Island On Sudden Hill, written by Linda Sarah When the Dragons Came, written by Naomi Kefford and Lynne Moore Jump on Board the Animal Train, written by Naomi Kefford and Lynne Moore

New Zealanders have long believed Kiwis rugby league captain Benji Marshall to be the best player in the world. That view was confirmed early in 2011 when he was named winner of the prestigious 2010 Golden Boot ? the international prize for the best player in the game. He is the first Wests Tigers player to win this award and only the third New Zealander. This international recognition was not surprising, especially given the virtuoso performance he put on in the final of the Four Nations tournament last year when New Zealand sneaked past Australia. Marshall has also been both inspirational and instrumental in many of New Zealand?s victories in recent times, including the World Cup win over Australia in 2008. Despite being only 26, he has crammed an awful lot into a career which first gained national prominence on both sides of the Tasman when he was selected to represent Australian Schoolboys back in 2003. Marshall?s talent, however, had been spotted some years earlier when, from his home town of Whakatane in New Zealand, he was offered a scholarship to play for a high school on the Gold Coast when he was just 16. From then on it has been a one-way path to the summit of the game. He made his debut for NRL club Wests in 2003 at just 18 and has been with the club ever since. He was a member of the Wests premiership-winning team in 2005 and, despite a string of injuries ? including major shoulder surgery twice! ? his star has continued to rise. His performances for the Kiwis in recent years have left critics on both sides of the Tasman breathless. In this book Marshall will not just talk about his great career, but also his childhood in New Zealand ? he was raised without his biological father, his move to Australia and his storybook entry into the game at the highest level.

A stunningly illustrated picture book full of mystery and suspense, from the bestselling author of THE STORM WHALE and GRANDAD’S ISLAND.

A tender and heart-warming story about the growing relationship between a boy and his grandmother, set in the world of The Storm Whale by bestselling picture book creator, Benji Davies. Noi isn’t at all sure about staying at Grandma’s. Grandma boils seaweed for soup, and there’s not much to do on the tiny island where she lives where the wind cuts in and the grass grows sideways . . . But that’s before Noi gets swept up in the dramatic rescue that will mark the beginning of their touching new friendship. Other books from the World of the Storm Whale: The Storm Whale The Storm Whale in Winter *NEW* The Great Storm Whale Also by Benji Davies: Grandad's Island On Sudden Hill, written by Linda Sarah When the Dragons Came, written by Naomi Kefford and Lynne Moore Jump on Board the Animal Train, written by Naomi Kefford and Lynne Moore