Douglas The Dragon Omnibus Edition

Douglas the dragon isn't like ordinary dragons - he's friendly, loving, helpful, and likes nothing better than playing and singing with the children in the village square. Until, that is, he gets too big and clumsy and becomes angrier.

Bes is a story suitable for the New Millennium reader aged between 9-13 years. It tells a story that loosely links with the three character types I introduced in 'The Bear with a Sore Head', 'Solo and Solomon' and 'Elephants Cry Too.' It is the first day of a New Millennium and the 'maker of all time' who is disappointed with the humans of the earth, sends a three dimensional spirit to the earth in the form of a strange looking animal. that is part bear, part sheep and part elephant. The three-dimensional spirit is 'Bes', whose form is in the shape of part bear, part elephant and part sheep. Bes is given 40 years in which to spread a message of peace and love to all of the earth's creatures. If Bes can persuade the animals to live in 'peace and love' its purpose will have been served and as a reward to the animal kingdom, the 'maker of all life' will give all animals supremacy and rule over all humans.

'Sleezy the Fox' is a book of four stories about the overarching theme of 'second chances'. On the surface it deals with the immigration of a married couple and their seven children into a strange country, the bullying of neighbours, the ostracizing of offenders from the community as a whole and the alienation that often exists between man and wild beast and beast and wild man! Each of us shall experience or perpetrate some wrong in our lives. At the critical stage of reconciliation and healing, it is vitally important that we are able to give others and ourselves the benefit of a 'second chance'. And if you are like I used to be growing up, you may need to receive a 'second chance' many times before you eventually get it right.

The story of 'Maw' is suitable for any reader over 8 years. It is written in the style of the 1950s when the sport of boxing and football tended to dominate the world of growing boys and some girls. Because its story theme focuses on the sport of boxing and football, some girls may not feel it to be suitable for them. Maw is born exceptionally small and enters secondary school life to face the school bully. He confronts the bully and challenges him to a boxing match. On the very start of his fourteenth year of life, Maw makes a wish upon a shooting star and from that moment, his life changes. He awakes with super human powers, but quickly learns that with all power comes a responsibility to discharge such power humanely. Later, the school loses its striker from the football team at the semi- final stage of the School League Football Cup and Maw is asked to stand in as the striker. A super story told in the adventure style of writing that was more common in the 40s and 50s.

'Four Crude Dudes and the Land of Hope' tell the story of how the lives of a thief, a bully, a cheat and a liar negatively impact upon each other during the days of the 'Californian Gold Rush'; leaving the hero of the story, Farmer Hope, with all the wealth, despite him having never sought it. The story essentially shows that when greed becomes one's god, then all goodness goes out the window. The victory of the God-fearing Farmer Hope who seeks only to look after his family and his neighbours while all around are abandoning their contented lives to seek gold and increased prosperity in the land of plenty. It is a vindication and endurance of the 'good' in mankind over that of the 'bad.'