No Prize or Presents for Sam

Two stories about eight-year-old Sam which also address contemporary problems. Sam is a very realistic child who deals with the problem of the run-down battery hen farm by buying a hen from it and restoring it to health. In the process he has a lot of fun - and so do the readers. In the second story the problems of Sam's family (he lives with his Aunty-and Uncle, there are no parents on the scene) when Aunty loses her job as a school dinner lady lead to some resourceful plans as Sam tries to earn enough money to help out with Christmas. How he succeeds, with the help of his wheelchair-bound friend Bill, relies a little on stretched credibility and the fortuitous breakdown of the school heating system but there is much entertainment along the way. Cheerful, positive stories, ideal for children of six to eight who are moving onto novels for the first time.