Winners and Losers ¦ The Cinderella Principle ¦ Guard Dog ¦ The Haunted Surfboard

Mark in Winners and Losers falls head over heels for new girl, glamour puss Melissa only to learn some hard lesson in love finally realising the true worth of class mate and fellow computer gamer Annette who has seen through the spoilt brat from the start.

Every boy in the school has got the hots for Cat Ashley (the author's words not mine I hasten to assure you) and when she finds a single size 10 trainer on her locker she and her friends hatch a plot to find the owner (wake up at the back - it is called The Cinderella Principle after all). New boy Josh with the nerdy specs turns out to be the owner and Cat is obliged to date him as part of the plot. Josh turns out to front a rock band and after the inevitable misunder-standings is persuaded (yes you have guessed it) to take off those specs and Cat loses herself in his gorgeous eyes. Cut to final clinch.

'Guard Dog' is both Ryan's favourite Gameboy game and the name he gives to the ugly bruiser he suspects of stealing his dad's market stall stock. Some sleuthing by Ryan and best mate Steve with a little help from video evidence saves the day.

The Haunted Surfboard is the weakest of these four titles as Jack seeks to lay the ghost of Tom who was killed trying to surf over Crab Rock.

I still have not fathomed why the covers to these graphic novels are by different illustrators from those used for the strip cartoons inside.