Marie-Louise Gay

Collects a series of humorous short stories that explore the things kids think about, from what trees talk about to lies their mother tells them.

"One day Pistachio Shoelace opens a mysterious present: a golden crown! Pistachio knew all along that she was a princess, but her 'real' parents, the king and queen of Papua, have sent her a message at last. Soon they will come to claim her. But for now, her adoptive parents still force her to eat spinach and go to school. Her former best friends laugh at her new crown. And her so-called baby sister is a pest. Princess Pistachio must prove that she...

Forced to abandon exciting plans with her friends and take baby Penny to the park, Pistachio is sure her first day of summer holidays will be boring. But keeping Penny out of trouble proves to be more exciting than Pistachio expected.

Collects five stories by Marie-Louise Gay, each featuring a young girl named Stella and her little brother Sam.

Stella uses her imagination to play as she grows from a baby into a big sister.

When Sam has trouble getting dressed in the morning, his very exasperated big sister, Stella, helps him get into his clothes.

Houndsley and Catina run into trouble when they decide to prove that they are the best at cooking and writing, respectively.

Best friends Tiger and Badger work through their disagreements over a toy, a chair, and sharing.